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Zhang S, Wang J, Huang G, Xiao X, Xu S, Weng P, Wang Y, Tian H, Huang H, Chen Y. TCP1 expression alters the ferroptosis sensitivity of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma subtypes by stabilising ACSL4 and influences patient prognosis. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:611. [PMID: 39174525 PMCID: PMC11341815 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-07001-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), an invasive lymphoma with substantial heterogeneity, can be mainly categorised into germinal centre B-cell-like (GCB) and non-GCB subtypes. DLBCL cells are highly susceptible to ferroptosis, which offers an effective avenue for treating recurrent and refractory DLBCL. Moreover, various heat shock proteins are involved in regulating the sensitivity of tumour cells to ferroptosis. Among these proteins, tailless complex polypeptide 1 (TCP1), a subunit of chaperonin-containing T-complex protein-1 (CCT), plays a role in tumour proliferation and survival. Therefore, we explored the role of TCP1 in different DLBCL subtypes, the sensitivity of GCB and non-GCB subtypes to the ferroptosis inducer RAS-selective lethal small molecule 3 (RSL3), and the underlying molecular mechanism. In GCB cells, TCP1 promoted RSL3-induced ferroptosis. Notably, TCP1 could bind with acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), a key enzyme regulating lipid composition and facilitating ferroptosis, to reduce its ubiquitination and degradation. This interaction activated the ACSL4/LPCAT3 signalling pathway and promoted ferroptosis in the GCB subtype. However, in the non-GCB subtype, TCP1 did not act as a positive regulator but served as a predictor of an unfavourable prognosis in patients with non-GCB. In conclusion, our results suggest that in DLBCL, high TCP1 expression enhances the sensitivity of GCB tumour cells to ferroptosis and serves as a marker of poor prognosis in patients with non-GCB DLBCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxia Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Central Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China
| | - Guanxiang Huang
- Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China
| | - Xueting Xiao
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Affiliated Hospital of Putian University, Putian, 351100, Fujian, China
| | - Shujuan Xu
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China
| | - Ping Weng
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China
| | - Yiting Wang
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China
| | - Huiyun Tian
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China
| | - Huifang Huang
- Central Laboratory, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China.
| | - Yuanzhong Chen
- Department of Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China.
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Taylor SJ, Hollis RL, Gourley C, Herrington CS, Langdon SP, Arends MJ. FANCD2 expression affects platinum response and further characteristics of high grade serous ovarian cancer in cells with different genetic backgrounds. Exp Mol Pathol 2024; 138:104916. [PMID: 38959632 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2024.104916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most prevalent subtype of ovarian cancer and demonstrates 5-year survival of just 40%. One of the major causes of mortality is the development of tumour resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, which can be modulated by dysregulation of DNA damage repair pathways. We therefore investigated the contribution of the DNA interstrand crosslink repair protein FANCD2 to chemosensitivity in HGSOC. Increased FANCD2 protein expression was observed in some cell line models of platinum resistant HGSOC compared with paired platinum sensitive models. Knockdown of FANCD2 in some cell lines, including the platinum resistant PEO4, led to increased carboplatin sensitivity. Investigation into mechanisms of FANCD2 regulation showed that increased FANCD2 expression in platinum resistant cells coincides with increased expression of mTOR. Treatment with mTOR inhibitors resulted in FANCD2 depletion, suggesting that mTOR can mediate platinum sensitivity via regulation of FANCD2. Tumours from a cohort of HGSOC patients showed varied nuclear and cytoplasmic FANCD2 expression, however this was not significantly associated with clinical characteristics. Knockout of FANCD2 was associated with increased cell migration, which may represent a non-canonical function of cytoplasmic FANCD2. We conclude that upregulation of FANCD2, possibly mediated by mTOR, is a potential mechanism of chemoresistance in HGSOC and modulation of FANCD2 expression can influence platinum sensitivity and other tumour cell characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Taylor
- Edinburgh Pathology, Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Robert L Hollis
- Nicola Murray Centre for Ovarian Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Charlie Gourley
- Nicola Murray Centre for Ovarian Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - C Simon Herrington
- Edinburgh Pathology, Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Nicola Murray Centre for Ovarian Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Simon P Langdon
- Edinburgh Pathology, Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Mark J Arends
- Edinburgh Pathology, Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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Tian Y, Zhou Y, Chen F, Qian S, Hu X, Zhang B, Liu Q. Research progress in MCM family: Focus on the tumor treatment resistance. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116408. [PMID: 38479176 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116408] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Malignant tumors constitute a significant category of diseases posing a severe threat to human survival and health, thereby representing one of the most challenging and pressing issues in the field of biomedical research. Due to their malignant nature, which is characterized by a high potential for metastasis, rapid dissemination, and frequent recurrence, the prevailing approach in clinical oncology involves a comprehensive treatment strategy that combines surgery with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapies, and other interventions. Treatment resistance remains a major obstacle in the comprehensive management of tumors, serving as a primary cause for the failure of integrated tumor therapies and a critical factor contributing to patient relapse and mortality. The Minichromosome Maintenance (MCM) protein family comprises functional proteins closely associated with the development of resistance in tumor therapy.The influence of MCMs manifests through various pathways, encompassing modulation of DNA replication, cell cycle regulation, and DNA damage repair mechanisms. Consequently, this leads to an enhanced tolerance of tumor cells to chemotherapy, targeted drugs, and radiation. Consequently, this review explores the specific roles of the MCM family in various cancer treatment strategies. Its objective is to enhance our comprehension of resistance mechanisms in tumor therapy, thereby presenting novel targets for clinical research aimed at overcoming resistance in cancer treatment. This bears substantial clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Tian
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Intestinal Surgery of Hunan Cancer Hospital & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China; Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic School of Medicine Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China
| | - Yanhong Zhou
- Cancer Research Institute, Basic School of Medicine Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, PR China
| | - Fuxin Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic School of Medicine Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China
| | - Siyi Qian
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic School of Medicine Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China
| | - Xingming Hu
- The 1st Department of Thoracic Surgery of Hunan Cancer Hospital & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Intestinal Surgery of Hunan Cancer Hospital & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China; Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic School of Medicine Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China.
| | - Qiang Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Intestinal Surgery of Hunan Cancer Hospital & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, PR China.
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DeRyckere D, Huelse JM, Earp HS, Graham DK. TAM family kinases as therapeutic targets at the interface of cancer and immunity. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023; 20:755-779. [PMID: 37667010 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00813-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Novel treatment approaches are needed to overcome innate and acquired mechanisms of resistance to current anticancer therapies in cancer cells and the tumour immune microenvironment. The TAM (TYRO3, AXL and MERTK) family receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are potential therapeutic targets in a wide range of cancers. In cancer cells, TAM RTKs activate signalling pathways that promote cell survival, metastasis and resistance to a variety of chemotherapeutic agents and targeted therapies. TAM RTKs also function in innate immune cells, contributing to various mechanisms that suppress antitumour immunity and promote resistance to immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Therefore, TAM antagonists provide an unprecedented opportunity for both direct and immune-mediated therapeutic activity provided by inhibition of a single target, and are likely to be particularly effective when used in combination with other cancer therapies. To exploit this potential, a variety of agents have been designed to selectively target TAM RTKs, many of which have now entered clinical testing. This Review provides an essential guide to the TAM RTKs for clinicians, including an overview of the rationale for therapeutic targeting of TAM RTKs in cancer cells and the tumour immune microenvironment, a description of the current preclinical and clinical experience with TAM inhibitors, and a perspective on strategies for continued development of TAM-targeted agents for oncology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah DeRyckere
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Justus M Huelse
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - H Shelton Earp
- Department of Medicine, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Douglas K Graham
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Paediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Yang S, Hui TL, Wang HQ, Zhang X, Mi YZ, Cheng M, Gao W, Geng CZ, Li SN. High expression of autophagy-related gene EIF4EBP1 could promote tamoxifen resistance and predict poor prognosis in breast cancer. World J Clin Cases 2023; 11:4788-4799. [PMID: 37583983 PMCID: PMC10424051 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i20.4788] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BC) remains a public health problem. Tamoxifen (TAM) resistance has caused great difficulties for treatment of BC patients. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (EIF4EBP1) plays critical roles in the tumorigenesis and progression of BC. However, the expression and mechanism of EIF4EBP1 in determining the efficacy of TAM therapy in BC patients are still unclear. AIM To investigate the expression and functions of EIF4EBP1 in determining the efficacy of TAM therapy in BC patients. METHODS High-throughput sequencing data of breast tumors were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differential gene expression analysis identified EIF4EBP1 to be significantly upregulated in cancer tissues. Its prognostic value was analyzed. The biological function and related pathways of EIF4EBP1 was analyzed. Subsequently, the expression of EIF4EBP1 was determined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, colony formation assay and wound healing assay were used to understand the phenotypes of function of EIF4EBP1. RESULTS EIF4EBP1 was upregulated in the TAM-resistant cells, and EIF4EBP1 was related to the prognosis of BC patients. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis showed that EIF4EBP1 might be involved in Hedgehog signaling pathways. Decreasing the expression of EIF4EBP1 could reverse TAM resistance, whereas overexpression of EIF4EBP1 promoted TAM resistance. CONCLUSION This study indicated that EIF4EBP1 was overexpressed in the BC and TAM-resistant cell line, which increased cell proliferation, invasion, migration and TAM resistance in BC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Yang
- Department of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
| | - Tian-Li Hui
- Department of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
| | - Hao-Qi Wang
- Department of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
| | - Yun-Zhe Mi
- Department of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
| | - Meng Cheng
- Department of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
| | - Cui-Zhi Geng
- Department of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
| | - Sai-Nan Li
- Department of Breast Center, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
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Xiang X, Kang J, Jiang J, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Li L, Peng X. A novel DNA damage repair-related gene signature predicting survival, immune infiltration and drug sensitivity in cervical cancer based on single cell sequencing. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1198391. [PMID: 37449209 PMCID: PMC10337997 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1198391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aberrant DNA damage repair (DDR) is one of the hallmarks of tumors, and therapeutic approaches targeting this feature are gaining increasing attention. This study aims to develop a signature of DDR-related genes to evaluate the prognosis of cervical cancer (CC). Methods Differentially expressed genes were identified between high and low DDR groups of cells from the single-cell RNA sequencing dataset GSE168652 based on DDR scores. Using the ssGSEA and WGCNA methods, DDR-related differentially expressed genes were identified from different patients within the TCGA-CESC cohort. Using Cox analysis and LASSO regression analysis, a DDR-related gene signature was constructed based on the intersection of two groups of differentially expressed genes and DDR-related genes from WGCNA, and validated in GSE52903. Immune cell infiltration analysis, mutation analysis, survival analysis, drug sensitivity analysis, etc., were performed in different groups which were established based on the DDR gene signature scoring. A key gene affecting prognosis was selected and validated through biological experiments such as wound healing, migration, invasion, and comet assays. Results A novel DDR-related signature was constructed and the nomogram results showed this signature performed better in predicting prognosis than other clinical features for CC. The high DDR group exhibited poorer prognosis, weaker immune cell infiltration in the immune microenvironment, lower expression of immune checkpoint-related genes, lower gene mutation frequencies and more sensitivity to drugs such as BI.2536, Bleomycin and etc. ITGB1, ZC3H13, and TOMM20 were expressed at higher levels in CaSki and HeLa cells compared to ECT1 cells. Compared with the native CaSki and HeLa cells, the proliferation, migration, invasion and DDR capabilities of CaSki and HeLa cell lines with ITGB1 suppressed expression were significantly decreased. Conclusion The 7 DDR-related gene signature was an independent and powerful prognostic biomarker that might effectively evaluate the prognosis of CC and provide supplementary information for a more personalized evaluation and precision therapy. ITGB1 was a potential candidate gene that may affect the DDR capacity of CC cells, and its mechanism of action was worth further in-depth study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Xiang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jiawen Kang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jingwen Jiang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yaning Zhang
- The High School Attached to Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Lesai Li
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Hunan Cancer Hospital/the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoning Peng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Kharouf N, Flanagan TW, Hassan SY, Shalaby H, Khabaz M, Hassan SL, Megahed M, Haikel Y, Santourlidis S, Hassan M. Tumor Microenvironment as a Therapeutic Target in Melanoma Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3147. [PMID: 37370757 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of the tumor microenvironment in tumor growth and therapy has recently attracted more attention in research and drug development. The ability of the microenvironment to trigger tumor maintenance, progression, and resistance is the main cause for treatment failure and tumor relapse. Accumulated evidence indicates that the maintenance and progression of tumor cells is determined by components of the microenvironment, which include stromal cells (endothelial cells, fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, and immune cells), extracellular matrix (ECM), and soluble molecules (chemokines, cytokines, growth factors, and extracellular vesicles). As a solid tumor, melanoma is not only a tumor mass of monolithic tumor cells, but it also contains supporting stroma, ECM, and soluble molecules. Melanoma cells are continuously in interaction with the components of the microenvironment. In the present review, we focus on the role of the tumor microenvironment components in the modulation of tumor progression and treatment resistance as well as the impact of the tumor microenvironment as a therapeutic target in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naji Kharouf
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Strasbourg, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1121, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Department of Endodontics and Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas W Flanagan
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Sofie-Yasmin Hassan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Hosam Shalaby
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Marla Khabaz
- Department of Production, Beta Factory for Veterinary Pharmaceutical Industries, Damascus 0100, Syria
| | - Sarah-Lilly Hassan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Mosaad Megahed
- Clinic of Dermatology, University Hospital of Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Youssef Haikel
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Strasbourg, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1121, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Department of Endodontics and Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Pôle de Médecine et Chirurgie Bucco-Dentaire, Hôpital Civil, Hôpitaux Universitaire de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Simeon Santourlidis
- Epigenetics Core Laboratory, Institute of Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Mohamed Hassan
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Strasbourg, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1121, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Department of Endodontics and Conservative Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
- Research Laboratory of Surgery-Oncology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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Zhai X, Pu D, Wang R, Zhang J, Lin Y, Wang Y, Zhai N, Peng X, Zhou Q, Li L. Gas6/AXL pathway: immunological landscape and therapeutic potential. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1121130. [PMID: 37265798 PMCID: PMC10231434 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1121130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a disease with ecological and evolutionary unity, which seriously affects the survival and quality of human beings. Currently, many reports have suggested Gas6 plays an important role in cancer. Binding of gas6 to TAM receptors is associated with the carcinogenetic mechanisms of multiple malignancies, such as in breast cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, prostate cancer, etc., and shortened overall survival. It is accepted that the Gas6/TAM pathway can promote the malignant transformation of various types of cancer cells. Gas6 has the highest affinity for Axl, an important member of the TAM receptor family. Knockdown of the TAM receptors Axl significantly affects cell cycle progression in tumor cells. Interestingly, Gas6 also has an essential function in the tumor microenvironment. The Gas6/AXL pathway regulates angiogenesis, immune-related molecular markers and the secretion of certain cytokines in the tumor microenvironment, and also modulates the functions of a variety of immune cells. In addition, evidence suggests that the Gas6/AXL pathway is involved in tumor therapy resistance. Recently, multiple studies have begun to explore in depth the importance of the Gas6/AXL pathway as a potential tumor therapeutic target as well as its broad promise in immunotherapy; therefore, a timely review of the characteristics of the Gas6/AXL pathway and its value in tumor treatment strategies is warranted. This comprehensive review assessed the roles of Gas6 and AXL receptors and their associated pathways in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, summarized the impact of Gas6/AXL on the tumor microenvironment, and highlighted the recent research progress on the relationship between Gas6/AXL and cancer drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqian Zhai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Dan Pu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Rulan Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiabi Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Yiyun Lin
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Yuqing Wang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ni Zhai
- Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit, The 987th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Baoji, Shanxi, China
| | - Xuan Peng
- Department of Pathophysiology, Hubei Minzu University, Enshi, Hubei, China
| | - Qinghua Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Wang G, Ouyang B, Jing F, Dai X. GBA inhibition suppresses ovarian cancer growth, survival and receptor tyrosine kinase AXL-mediated signaling pathways. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2023; 27:21-29. [PMID: 36575930 PMCID: PMC9806639 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2023.27.1.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The poor outcome of advanced ovarian cancer under conventional therapy necessitates new strategies to improve therapeutic efficacy. β-glucosidase (encoded by GBA) is a lysosomal enzyme and is involved in sphingolipids metabolism. Recent studies revealed that β-glucosidase plays a role in cancer development and chemoresistance. In this work, we systematically evaluated the expression and role of GBA in ovarian cancer. Our work demonstrates that inhibition of β-glucosidase has therapeutic potential for ovarian cancer. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database, western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses of patient samples demonstrated that GBA mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly increased in ovarian cancer compared to normal tissues. Functional studies using gain-of- function and loss-of-function approaches demonstrated that GBA overexpression did not affect growth and migration but alleviated cisplatin's efficacy in ovarian cancer cells. In addition, GBA depletion resulted in growth inhibition, apoptosis induction, and enhancement of cisplatin's efficacy. Of note, we found that GBA inhibition specifically decreased receptor tyrosine kinase AXL level, leading to the suppression of AXL-mediated signaling pathways. Our data suggest that GBA represents a promising target to inhibit AXL signaling and overcome cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Department of Gynecology, Wuhan Third Hospital-Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430064, China
| | - Baisha Ouyang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Taikang Tongji (Wuhan) Hospital, Wuhan 430050, China
| | - Fang Jing
- Department of Gynecology, Wuhan Third Hospital-Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430064, China
| | - Xiaoyan Dai
- Department of Gynecology, Wuhan Third Hospital-Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430064, China,Correspondence Xiaoyan Dai, E-mail:
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10
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MCM2 in human cancer: functions, mechanisms, and clinical significance. Mol Med 2022; 28:128. [PMID: 36303105 PMCID: PMC9615236 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-022-00555-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aberrant DNA replication is the main source of genomic instability that leads to tumorigenesis and progression. MCM2, a core subunit of eukaryotic helicase, plays a vital role in DNA replication. The dysfunction of MCM2 results in the occurrence and progression of multiple cancers through impairing DNA replication and cell proliferation. Conclusions MCM2 is a vital regulator in DNA replication. The overexpression of MCM2 was detected in multiple types of cancers, and the dysfunction of MCM2 was correlated with the progression and poor prognoses of malignant tumors. According to the altered expression of MCM2 and its correlation with clinicopathological features of cancer patients, MCM2 was thought to be a sensitive biomarker for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and chemotherapy response. The anti-tumor effect induced by MCM2 inhibition implies the potential of MCM2 to be a novel therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Since DNA replication stress, which may stimulate anti-tumor immunity, frequently occurs in MCM2 deficient cells, it also proposes the possibility that MCM2 targeting improves the effect of tumor immunotherapy.
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11
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Engelsen AST, Lotsberg ML, Abou Khouzam R, Thiery JP, Lorens JB, Chouaib S, Terry S. Dissecting the Role of AXL in Cancer Immune Escape and Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibition. Front Immunol 2022; 13:869676. [PMID: 35572601 PMCID: PMC9092944 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.869676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The development and implementation of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICI) in clinical oncology have significantly improved the survival of a subset of cancer patients with metastatic disease previously considered uniformly lethal. However, the low response rates and the low number of patients with durable clinical responses remain major concerns and underscore the limited understanding of mechanisms regulating anti-tumor immunity and tumor immune resistance. There is an urgent unmet need for novel approaches to enhance the efficacy of ICI in the clinic, and for predictive tools that can accurately predict ICI responders based on the composition of their tumor microenvironment. The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) AXL has been associated with poor prognosis in numerous malignancies and the emergence of therapy resistance. AXL is a member of the TYRO3-AXL-MERTK (TAM) kinase family. Upon binding to its ligand GAS6, AXL regulates cell signaling cascades and cellular communication between various components of the tumor microenvironment, including cancer cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells. Converging evidence points to AXL as an attractive molecular target to overcome therapy resistance and immunosuppression, supported by the potential of AXL inhibitors to improve ICI efficacy. Here, we review the current literature on the prominent role of AXL in regulating cancer progression, with particular attention to its effects on anti-tumor immune response and resistance to ICI. We discuss future directions with the aim to understand better the complex role of AXL and TAM receptors in cancer and the potential value of this knowledge and targeted inhibition for the benefit of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnete S. T. Engelsen
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria L. Lotsberg
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Raefa Abou Khouzam
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jean-Paul Thiery
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
| | - James B. Lorens
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Salem Chouaib
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Stéphane Terry
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
- Research Department, Inovarion, Paris, France
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12
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Zammarchi F, Havenith KEG, Chivers S, Hogg P, Bertelli F, Tyrer P, Janghra N, Reinert HW, Hartley JA, van Berkel PH. Preclinical Development of ADCT-601, a Novel Pyrrolobenzodiazepine Dimer-based Antibody-drug Conjugate Targeting AXL-expressing Cancers. Mol Cancer Ther 2022; 21:582-593. [PMID: 35086955 PMCID: PMC9377743 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
AXL, a tyrosine kinase receptor that is overexpressed in many solid and hematologic malignancies, facilitates cancer progression and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Importantly, drug-induced expression of AXL results in resistance to conventional chemotherapy and targeted therapies. Together with its presence on multiple cell types in the tumor immune microenvironment, these features make it an attractive therapeutic target for AXL-expressing malignancies. ADCT-601 (mipasetamab uzoptirine) is an AXL-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) comprising a humanized anti-AXL antibody site specifically conjugated using GlycoConnect technology to PL1601, which contains HydraSpace, a Val-Ala cleavable linker and the potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer cytotoxin SG3199. This study aimed to validate the ADCT-601 mode of action and evaluate its efficacy in vitro and in vivo, as well as its tolerability and pharmacokinetics. ADCT-601 bound to both soluble and membranous AXL, and was rapidly internalized by AXL-expressing tumor cells, allowing release of PBD dimer, DNA interstrand cross-linking, and subsequent cell killing. In vivo, ADCT-601 had potent and durable antitumor activity in a wide variety of human cancer xenograft mouse models, including patient-derived xenograft models with heterogeneous AXL expression where ADCT-601 antitumor activity was markedly superior to an auristatin-based comparator ADC. Notably, ADCT-601 had antitumor activity in a monomethyl auristatin E-resistant lung-cancer model and synergized with the PARP inhibitor olaparib in a BRCA1-mutated ovarian cancer model. ADCT-601 was well tolerated at doses of up to 6 mg/kg and showed excellent stability in vivo. These preclinical results warrant further evaluation of ADCT-601 in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Zammarchi
- ADC Therapeutics (UK) Limited, London, United Kingdom.,Corresponding Author: Francesca Zammarchi, Imperial College White City Campus, ADC Therapeutics (UK) Limited, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom. E-mail:
| | | | - Simon Chivers
- ADC Therapeutics (UK) Limited, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Hogg
- ADC Therapeutics (UK) Limited, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Peter Tyrer
- AstraZeneca (MedImmune/Spirogen), Cambridge, United Kingdom
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13
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Chen X, Chen X, Huang Y, Lin J, Wu Y, Chen Y. TCP1 increases drug resistance in acute myeloid leukemia by suppressing autophagy via activating AKT/mTOR signaling. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:1058. [PMID: 34750375 PMCID: PMC8575913 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04336-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
T-complex protein 1 (TCP1) is one of the subunits of chaperonin-containing T complex (CCT), which is involved in protein folding, cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, and drug resistance. Investigations have demonstrated that TCP1 is a factor being responsible for drug resistance in breast and ovarian cancer. However, the TCP1 role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains elusive. In the present study, we discovered that the TCP1 expression was elevated in AML patients and high TCP1 expression was associated with low complete response rate along with poor overall survival. TCP1 showed higher expression in the adriamycin-resistant leukemia cell line HL60/A and K562/A, comparing to their respective parent cells HL60 and K562 cells. TCP1 inhibition suppressed drug resistance in HL60/A and K562/A cells, whereas TCP1 overexpression in HL60 cells incremented drug resistance, both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that TCP1 inhibited autophagy and adriamycin-induced cell apoptosis, and TCP1-mediated autophagy inhibition conferred resistance to adriamycin-induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, TCP1 interacted with AKT and mTOR to activate AKT/mTOR signaling, which negatively regulates apoptosis and autophagy. Pharmacological inhibition of AKT/mTOR signal particularly activated autophagy and resensitized TCP1-overexpressing HL60 cells to adriamycin. These findings identify a novel role of TCP1 regarding drug resistance in AML, which advise a new strategy for overcoming drug resistance in AML through targeting TCP1/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Chen
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.,Department of Infectious Disease, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xianling Chen
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yiping Huang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jia Lin
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yong Wu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
| | - Yuanzhong Chen
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory on Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
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14
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Jiang X, Zhang W, Li L, Xie S. Integrated Transcriptomic Analysis Revealed Hub Genes and Pathways Involved in Sorafenib Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Pathol Oncol Res 2021; 27:1609985. [PMID: 34737677 PMCID: PMC8560649 DOI: 10.3389/pore.2021.1609985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a high mortality malignancy, has become a worldwide public health concern. Acquired resistance to the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib challenges its clinical efficacy and the survival benefits it provides to patients with advanced HCC. This study aimed to identify critical genes and pathways associated with sorafenib resistance in HCC using integrated bioinformatics analysis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using four HCC gene expression profiles (including 34 sorafenib-resistant and 29 sorafenib-sensitive samples) based on the robust rank aggregation method and R software. Gene ontology (GO) functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) online tool. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING), and small molecules reversing sorafenib resistance were searched for using the connectivity map (CMAP) database. Pearson correlation and survival analyses of hub genes were performed using cBioPortal and Gene Expression Profiling and Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). Finally, the expression levels of hub genes in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells were verified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). A total of 165 integrated DEGs (66 upregulated and 99 downregulated in sorafenib resistant samples compared sorafenib sensitive ones) primarily enriched in negative regulation of endopeptidase activity, extracellular exosome, and protease binding were identified. Some pathways were commonly shared between the integrated DEGs. Seven promising therapeutic agents and 13 hub genes were identified. These findings provide a strategy and theoretical basis for overcoming sorafenib resistance in HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xili Jiang
- Department of Radiology, The Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province/Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province/Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Lifeng Li
- Department of Radiology, Changsha Central Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Shucai Xie
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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15
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Mullen MM, Lomonosova E, Toboni MD, Oplt A, Cybulla E, Blachut B, Zhao P, Noia H, Wilke D, Rankin EB, Kuroki LM, Hagemann AR, Hagemann IS, McCourt CK, Thaker PH, Mutch DG, Powell MA, Mosammaparast N, Vindigni A, Fuh KC. GAS6/AXL Inhibition Enhances Ovarian Cancer Sensitivity to Chemotherapy and PARP Inhibition through Increased DNA Damage and Enhanced Replication Stress. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 20:265-279. [PMID: 34670865 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Over 80% of women with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) develop tumor resistance to chemotherapy and die of their disease. There are currently no FDA-approved agents to improve sensitivity to first-line platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy or to PARP inhibitors. Here, we tested the hypothesis that expression of growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6), the ligand of receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, is associated with chemotherapy response and that sequestration of GAS6 with AVB-S6-500 (AVB-500) could improve tumor response to chemotherapy and PARP inhibitors. We found that GAS6 levels in patient tumor and serum samples collected before chemotherapy correlated with ovarian cancer chemoresponse and patient survival. Compared with chemotherapy alone, AVB-500 plus carboplatin and/or paclitaxel led to decreased ovarian cancer-cell survival in vitro and tumor burden in vivo. Cells treated with AVB-500 plus carboplatin had more DNA damage, slower DNA replication fork progression, and fewer RAD51 foci than cells treated with carboplatin alone, indicating AVB-500 impaired homologous recombination (HR). Finally, treatment with the PARP inhibitor olaparib plus AVB-500 led to decreased ovarian cancer-cell survival in vitro and less tumor burden in vivo. Importantly, this effect was seen in HR-proficient and HR-deficient ovarian cancer cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that GAS6 levels could be used to predict response to carboplatin and AVB-500 could be used to treat platinum-resistant, HR-proficient HGSOC. IMPLICATIONS: GAS6/AXL is a novel target to sensitize ovarian cancers to carboplatin and olaparib. Additionally, GAS6 levels can be associated with response to carboplatin treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary M Mullen
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Elena Lomonosova
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Michael D Toboni
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Alyssa Oplt
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Emily Cybulla
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.,Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Barbara Blachut
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Peinan Zhao
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Hollie Noia
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Daniel Wilke
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Erinn B Rankin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California. Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Lindsay M Kuroki
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Andrea R Hagemann
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Ian S Hagemann
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.,Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Carolyn K McCourt
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Premal H Thaker
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - David G Mutch
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Matthew A Powell
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Nima Mosammaparast
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Alessandro Vindigni
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Katherine C Fuh
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.
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16
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Bartoletti M, Musacchio L, Giannone G, Tuninetti V, Bergamini A, Scambia G, Lorusso D, Valabrega G, Mangili G, Puglisi F, Pignata S. Emerging molecular alterations leading to histology-specific targeted therapies in ovarian cancer beyond PARP inhibitors. Cancer Treat Rev 2021; 101:102298. [PMID: 34634660 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
After more than 30 years of a one-size-fits-all approach in the management of advanced ovarian cancer, in 2018 the SOLO1 trial results have introduced a new era of personalized medicine. A deeper knowledge of ovarian cancer biology and the development of new drugs targeting specific molecular pathways have led to biomarker-driven phase 3 trials with practice changing results. Thereafter, platinum-based combinations are no longer the only therapeutic options available in first line setting and poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors maintenance therapy has become the mainstay in patients with tumor harboring a homologous recombination defect. However, most of the recent therapeutic breakthroughs regard high grade serous carcinoma, the most frequent ovarian cancer subtype, and only few improvements have occurred in the management of less common histotypes. Moving towards the next challenges, we aimed to investigate and review new potential molecular targets in ovarian cancer, according to histotype, starting from promising molecular drivers and matched drugs that have been investigated in early and late-stage clinical trials or conceptualized in preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Bartoletti
- Department of Medicine (DAME), University of Udine, Udine, Italy; Unit of Medical Oncology and Cancer Prevention, Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, Aviano (PN), Italy
| | - L Musacchio
- Department of Women and Child Health, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - G Giannone
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO- IRCCS, Candiolo (TO), Italy; Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Torino, Piemonte, Italy
| | - V Tuninetti
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO- IRCCS, Candiolo (TO), Italy; Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Torino, Piemonte, Italy
| | - A Bergamini
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - G Scambia
- Department of Women and Child Health, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Life Science and Public Health, Catholic University of Sacred Heart Largo Agostino Gemelli, Rome, Italy
| | - D Lorusso
- Department of Women and Child Health, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Life Science and Public Health, Catholic University of Sacred Heart Largo Agostino Gemelli, Rome, Italy
| | - G Valabrega
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO- IRCCS, Candiolo (TO), Italy; Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Torino, Piemonte, Italy
| | - G Mangili
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCCS, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - F Puglisi
- Department of Medicine (DAME), University of Udine, Udine, Italy; Unit of Medical Oncology and Cancer Prevention, Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, Aviano (PN), Italy
| | - S Pignata
- Department of Urology and Gynecology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples, Italy.
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17
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Ren A, Prassas I, Sugumar V, Soosaipillai A, Bernardini M, Diamandis EP, Kulasingam V. Comparison of two multiplexed technologies for profiling >1,000 serum proteins that may associate with tumor burden. F1000Res 2021; 10:509. [PMID: 34868557 PMCID: PMC8609392 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.53364.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In this pilot study, we perform a preliminary comparison of two targeted multiplex proteomics technologies for discerning serum protein concentration changes that may correlate to tumor burden in ovarian cancer (OC) patients. Methods: Using the proximity extension assay (PEA) and Quantibody® Kiloplex Array (QKA), we measured >1,000 proteins in the pre-surgical and post-surgical serum from nine OC patients (N=18 samples). We expect that proteins that have decreased significantly in the post-surgical serum concentration may correlate to tumor burden in each patient. Duplicate sera from two healthy individuals were used as controls (N=4 samples). We employed in-house ELISAs to measure five proteins with large serum concentration changes in pre- and post-surgical sera, from four of the original nine patients and the two original controls. Results: Both platforms showed a weak correlation with clinical cancer antigen 125 (CA125) data. The two multiplexed platforms showed a significant correlation with each other for >400 overlapping proteins. PEA uncovered 15 proteins, while QKA revealed 11 proteins, with more than a two-fold post-surgical decrease in at least six of the nine patients. Validation using single enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) showed at least a two-fold post-surgical decrease in serum concentration of the same patients, as indicated by the two multiplex assays. Conclusion: Both methods identified proteins that had significantly decreased in post-surgical serum concentration, as well as recognizing proteins that had been implicated in OC patients. Our findings from a limited sample size suggest that novel targeted proteomics platforms are promising tools for identifying candidate serological tumor-related proteins. However further studies are essential for the improvement of accuracy and avoidance of false results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Ren
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ioannis Prassas
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vijithan Sugumar
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Antoninus Soosaipillai
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marcus Bernardini
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eleftherios P Diamandis
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vathany Kulasingam
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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18
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Fatima M, Kakar SJ, Adnan F, Khan K, Mian AA, Khan D. AXL receptor tyrosine kinase: a possible therapeutic target in acute promyelocytic leukemia. BMC Cancer 2021; 21:713. [PMID: 34140003 PMCID: PMC8210361 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-021-08450-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a subset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) which is characterized by the fusion of promyelocytic leukemia PML and retinoic acid receptor- alpha (RAR-alpha) genes. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and/or arsenic trioxide (ATO) have resulted in durable cytogenetic and molecular remissions in most APL patients and have altered the natural history of the disease. Most APL patients treated with ATRA and/or ATO are now anticipated to have a nearly normal life expectancy. Unfortunately, relapse and resistance to the current treatment occur in APL patients and the outcome remains dismal in these refractory patients. AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL-RTK) has been shown to increase tumour burden, provide resistance to therapy and is critical to maintain cancer stem cells (CSCs) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) by stabilizing β-catenin in the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. However, the role of AXL-RTK has not been explored in PML/RARα-positive APL. This study aimed to explore the role of AXL-RTK receptor in PML/RARα-positive APL. METHODS AND RESULTS By using biochemical and pharmacological approaches, here we report that targeting of AXL-RTK is related to the down-regulation of β-catenin target genes including c-myc (p < 0.001), AXIN2 (p < 0.001), and HIF1α (p < 0.01) and induction of apoptosis in PML/RARα-positive APL cell line. Resistance to all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) was also overcomed by targeting AXL-RTK with R428 in APL (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our results provide clear evidence of the involvement of AXL-RTK in leukemogenic potential of PML/RARα-positive APL and suggest targeting of AXL-RTK in the treatment of therapy resistant APL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Fatima
- grid.412117.00000 0001 2234 2376Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12, Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Salik Javed Kakar
- grid.412117.00000 0001 2234 2376Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12, Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Fazal Adnan
- grid.412117.00000 0001 2234 2376Department of Industrial Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Khan
- grid.258164.c0000 0004 1790 3548Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Afsar Ali Mian
- grid.7147.50000 0001 0633 6224Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Dilawar Khan
- grid.412117.00000 0001 2234 2376Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12, Campus, Islamabad, Pakistan
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19
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Mao K, Lin F, Zhang Y, Zhou H. Identification of Key Genes and Pathways in Gefitinib-Resistant Lung Adenocarcinoma using Bioinformatics Analysis. Evol Bioinform Online 2021; 17:11769343211023767. [PMID: 34177255 PMCID: PMC8202261 DOI: 10.1177/11769343211023767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gefitinib resistance is a serious threat in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Elucidating the underlying mechanisms and developing effective therapies to overcome gefitinib resistance is urgently needed. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened from the gene expression profile GSE122005 between gefitinib-sensitive and resistant samples. GO and KEGG analyses were performed with DAVID. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established to visualize DEGs and screen hub genes. The functional roles of CCL20 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) were examined using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Functional analysis revealed that the DEGs were mainly concentrated in inflammatory, cell chemotaxis, and PI3K signal regulation. Ten hub genes were identified based on the PPI network. The survival analysis of the hub genes showed that CCL20 had a significant effect on the prognosis of LUAD patients. GSEA analysis showed that CCL20 high expression group was mainly enriched in cytokine-related signaling pathways. In conclusion, our analysis suggests that changes in inflammation and cytokine-related signaling pathways are closely related to gefitinib resistance in patients with lung cancer. The CCL20 gene may promote the formation of gefitinib resistance, which may serve as a new biomarker for predicting gefitinib resistance in patients with lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailin Mao
- Key Laboratory of Topical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Fang Lin
- College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Yingai Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Haikou Hospital of Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Haikou, China
| | - Hailong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Topical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- One Health Institute, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
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20
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Chen Y, Zhu S, Pei Y, Hu J, Hu Z, Liu X, Wang X, Gu M, Hu S, Liu X. Differential microRNA Expression in Newcastle Disease Virus-Infected HeLa Cells and Its Role in Regulating Virus Replication. Front Oncol 2021; 11:616809. [PMID: 34150610 PMCID: PMC8211993 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.616809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As an oncolytic virus, Newcastle disease virus (NDV) can specifically kill tumor cells and has been tested as an attractive oncolytic agent for cancer virotherapy. Virus infection can trigger the changes of the cellular microRNA (miRNA) expression profile, which can greatly influence viral replication and pathogenesis. However, the interplay between NDV replication and cellular miRNA expression in tumor cells is still largely unknown. In the present study, we compared the profiles of cellular miRNAs in uninfected and NDV-infected HeLa cells by small RNA deep sequencing. Here we report that NDV infection in HeLa cells significantly changed the levels of 40 miRNAs at 6 h post-infection (hpi) and 62 miRNAs at 12 hpi. Among 23 highly differentially expressed miRNAs, NDV infection greatly promoted the levels of 3 miRNAs and suppressed the levels of 20 miRNAs at both time points. These 23 miRNAs are predicted to target various genes involved in virus replication and antiviral immunity such as ErbB, Jak-STAT, NF-kB and RIG-I-like receptor. Verification of deep sequencing results by quantitative RT-PCR showed that 9 out of 10 randomly selected miRNAs chosen from this 23-miRNA pool were consistent with deep sequencing data, including 6 down-regulated and 3 up-regulated. Further functional research revealed that hsa-miR-4521, a constituent in this 23-miRNA pool, inhibited NDV replication in HeLa cells. Moreover, dual-luciferase and gene expression array uncovered that the member A of family with sequence similarity 129 (FAM129A) was directly targeted by hsa-miR-4521 and positively regulated NDV replication in HeLa cells, indicating that hsa-miR-4521 may regulate NDV replication via interaction with FAM129A. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the dynamic cellular miRNA expression profile in tumor cells after NDV infection and may provide a valuable basis for further investigation on the roles of miRNAs in NDV-mediated oncolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shanshan Zhu
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yuru Pei
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jiao Hu
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zenglei Hu
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiaowen Liu
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoquan Wang
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Min Gu
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Shunlin Hu
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiufan Liu
- Animal Infectious Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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21
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Torres-Jiménez J, Albarrán-Fernández V, Pozas J, Román-Gil MS, Esteban-Villarrubia J, Carrato A, Rosero A, Grande E, Alonso-Gordoa T, Molina-Cerrillo J. Novel Tyrosine Kinase Targets in Urothelial Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:E747. [PMID: 33451055 PMCID: PMC7828553 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Urothelial carcinoma represents one of the most prevalent types of cancer worldwide, and its incidence is expected to grow. Although the treatment of the advanced disease was based on chemotherapy for decades, the developments of different therapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibody drug conjugates and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, are revolutionizing the therapeutic landscape of this tumor. This development coincides with the increasing knowledge of the pathogenesis and genetic alterations in urothelial carcinoma, from the non-muscle invasive setting to the metastatic one. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the different tyrosine kinase targets and their roles in the therapeutic scene of urothelial carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Torres-Jiménez
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (J.T.-J.); (V.A.-F.); (J.P.); (M.S.R.-G.); (J.E.-V.)
| | - Víctor Albarrán-Fernández
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (J.T.-J.); (V.A.-F.); (J.P.); (M.S.R.-G.); (J.E.-V.)
| | - Javier Pozas
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (J.T.-J.); (V.A.-F.); (J.P.); (M.S.R.-G.); (J.E.-V.)
| | - María San Román-Gil
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (J.T.-J.); (V.A.-F.); (J.P.); (M.S.R.-G.); (J.E.-V.)
| | - Jorge Esteban-Villarrubia
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; (J.T.-J.); (V.A.-F.); (J.P.); (M.S.R.-G.); (J.E.-V.)
| | - Alfredo Carrato
- Medical Oncology Department, Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), CIBERONC, Alcalá University, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Adriana Rosero
- Medical Oncology Department, Infanta Cristina Hospital, 28607 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Enrique Grande
- Department of Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 28033 Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa Alonso-Gordoa
- Medical Oncology Department, Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), CIBERONC, Alcalá University, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Javier Molina-Cerrillo
- Medical Oncology Department, Ramón y Cajal Health Research Institute (IRYCIS), CIBERONC, Alcalá University, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain;
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22
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Transcriptional activators YAP/TAZ and AXL orchestrate dedifferentiation, cell fate, and metastasis in human osteosarcoma. Cancer Gene Ther 2021; 28:1325-1338. [PMID: 33408328 PMCID: PMC8636268 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-020-00281-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a molecularly heterogeneous, aggressive, poorly differentiated pediatric bone cancer that frequently spreads to the lung. Relatively little is known about phenotypic and epigenetic changes that promote lung metastases. To identify key drivers of metastasis, we studied human CCH-OS-D OS cells within a previously described rat acellular lung (ACL) model that preserves the native lung architecture, extracellular matrix, and capillary network. This system identified a subset of cells—termed derived circulating tumor cells (dCTCs)—that can migrate, intravasate, and spread within a bioreactor-perfused capillary network. Remarkably, dCTCs highly expressed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated transcription factors (EMT-TFs), such as ZEB1, TWIST, and SOX9, which suggests that they undergo cellular reprogramming toward a less differentiated state by coopting the same epigenetic machinery used by carcinomas. Since YAP/TAZ and AXL tightly regulate the fate and plasticity of normal mesenchymal cells in response to microenvironmental cues, we explored whether these proteins contributed to OS metastatic potential using an isogenic pair of human OS cell lines that differ in AXL expression. We show that AXL inhibition significantly reduced the number of MG63.2 pulmonary metastases in murine models. Collectively, we present a laboratory-based method to detect and characterize a pure population of dCTCs, which provides a unique opportunity to study how OS cell fate and differentiation contributes to metastatic potential. Though the important step of clinical validation remains, our identification of AXL, ZEB1, and TWIST upregulation raises the tantalizing prospect that EMT-TF-directed therapies might expand the arsenal of therapies used to combat advanced-stage OS.
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23
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MCM family in gastrointestinal cancer and other malignancies: From functional characterization to clinical implication. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2020; 1874:188415. [PMID: 32822825 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recent advances in cancer research and treatment, gastrointestinal (GI) cancers remain the most common deadly disease worldwide. The aberrant DNA replication serves as a major source of genomic instability and enhances cell proliferation that contributes to tumor initiation and progression. Minichromosome maintenance family (MCMs) is a well-recognized group of proteins responsible for DNA synthesis. Recent studies suggested that dysregulated MCMs lead to tumor initiation, progression, and chemoresistance via modulating cell cycle and DNA replication stress. Their underlying mechanisms in various cancer types have been gradually identified. Furthermore, multiple studies have investigated the association between MCMs expression and clinicopathological features of cancer patients, implying that MCMs might serve as prominent prognostic biomarkers for GI cancers. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the oncogenic role of MCM proteins and highlights their clinical implications in various malignancies, especially in GI cancers. Targeting MCMs might shed light on the potential for identifying novel therapeutic strategies.
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24
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Dong Y, Lu S, Wang Z, Liu L. CCTs as new biomarkers for the prognosis of head and neck squamous cancer. Open Med (Wars) 2020; 15:672-688. [PMID: 33313411 PMCID: PMC7706129 DOI: 10.1515/med-2020-0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The chaperonin-containing T-complex protein 1 (CCT) subunits participate in diverse diseases. However, little is known about their expression and prognostic values in human head and neck squamous cancer (HNSC). This article aims to evaluate the effects of CCT subunits regarding their prognostic values for HNSC. We mined the transcriptional and survival data of CCTs in HNSC patients from online databases. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed and a functional enrichment analysis of target genes was performed. We observed that the mRNA expression levels of CCT1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 were higher in HNSC tissues than in normal tissues. Survival analysis revealed that the high mRNA transcriptional levels of CCT3/4/5/6/7/8 were associated with a low overall survival. The expression levels of CCT4/7 were correlated with advanced tumor stage. And the overexpression of CCT4 was associated with higher N stage of patients. Validation of CCTs' differential expression and prognostic values was achieved by the Human Protein Atlas and GEO datasets. Mechanistic exploration of CCT subunits by the functional enrichment analysis suggests that these genes may influence the HNSC prognosis by regulating PI3K-Akt and other pathways. This study implies that CCT3/4/6/7/8 are promising biomarkers for the prognosis of HNSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbo Dong
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 95th Yong'an Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Siyu Lu
- Department of Emergency, Aviation General Hospital, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Zhenxiao Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 95th Yong'an Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Liangfa Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 95th Yong'an Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, China
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25
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A Peptidic Thymidylate-Synthase Inhibitor Loaded on Pegylated Liposomes Enhances the Antitumour Effect of Chemotherapy Drugs in Human Ovarian Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124452. [PMID: 32585842 PMCID: PMC7352236 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
There is currently no effective long-term treatment for ovarian cancer (OC) resistant to poly-chemotherapy regimens based on platinum drugs. Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated a strong association between development of Pt-drug resistance and increased thymidylate synthase (hTS) expression, and the consequent cross-resistance to the hTS inhibitors 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and raltitrexed (RTX). In the present work, we propose a new tool to combat drug resistance. We propose to treat OC cell lines, both Pt-sensitive and -resistant, with dual combinations of one of the four chemotherapeutic agents that are widely used in the clinic, and the new peptide, hTS inhibitor, [D-Gln4]LR. This binds hTS allosterically and, unlike classical inhibitors that bind at the catalytic pocket, causes cell growth inhibition without inducing hTS overexpression. The dual drug combinations showed schedule-dependent synergistic antiproliferative and apoptotic effects. We observed that the simultaneous treatment or 24h pre-treatment of OC cells with the peptide followed by either agent produced synergistic effects even in resistant cells. Similar synergistic or antagonistic effects were obtained by delivering the peptide into OC cells either by means of a commercial delivery system (SAINT-PhD) or by pH sensitive PEGylated liposomes. Relative to non-PEGylated liposomes, the latter had been previously characterized and found to allow macrophage escape, thus increasing their chance to reach the tumour tissue. The transition from the SAINT-PhD delivery system to the engineered liposomes represents an advancement towards a more drug-like delivery system and a further step towards the use of peptides for in vivo studies. Overall, the results suggest that the association of standard drugs, such as cDDP and/or 5-FU and/or RTX, with the novel peptidic TS inhibitor encapsulated into PEGylated pH-sensitive liposomes can represent a promising strategy for fighting resistance to cDDP and anti-hTS drugs.
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26
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Poursheikhani A, Yousefi H, Tavakoli-Bazzaz J, Seyed H G. EGFR Blockade Reverses Cisplatin Resistance in Human Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells. IRANIAN BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL 2020; 24:370-8. [PMID: 32660222 PMCID: PMC7601546 DOI: 10.29252/ibj.24.6.365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background: EOC is one of the most lethal gynecological malignancy worldwide. Although the majority of EOC patients achieve clinical remission after induction therapy, over 80% relapse and succumb to the chemoresistant disease. Previous investigations have demonstrated the association of EGFR with resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapies, hormone therapy, and radiotherapy in the cancers. These studies have highlighted the role of EGFR as an attractive therapeutic target in cisplatin-resistant EOC cells. Methods: The human ovarian cell lines (SKOV3 and OVCAR3) were cultured according to ATCC recommendations. The MTT assay was used to determine the chemosensitivity of the cell lines in exposure to cisplatin and erlotinib. The qRT-PCR was applied to analyze the mRNA expression of the desired genes. Results: Erlotinib in combination with cisplatin reduced the cell proliferation in the chemoresistant EOC cells in comparison to monotherapy of the drugs (p < 0.05). Moreover, erlotinib/cisplatin combination synergistically decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic and also increased pro-apoptotic genes expression (p < 0.05). Cisplatin alone could increase the expression of MDR genes. The data suggested that EGFR and cisplatin drive chemoresistance in the EOC cells through MEKK signal transduction as well as through EGFR/MEKK pathways in the cells, respectively. Conclusion: Our findings propose that EGFR is an attractive therapeutic target in chemoresistant EOC to be exploited in translational oncology, and erlotinib/cisplatin combination treatment is a potential anti-cancer approach to overcome chemoresistance and inhibit the proliferation of the EOC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Poursheikhani
- Medical Genetics Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.,Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Shariati Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Yousefi
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Shariati Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Louisiana State University, School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA
| | - Javad Tavakoli-Bazzaz
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ghaffari Seyed H
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Shariati Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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27
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Taylor SJ, Arends MJ, Langdon SP. Inhibitors of the Fanconi anaemia pathway as potential antitumour agents for ovarian cancer. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2020; 1:26-52. [PMID: 36046263 PMCID: PMC9400734 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2020.00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Fanconi anaemia (FA) pathway is an important mechanism for cellular DNA damage repair, which functions to remove toxic DNA interstrand crosslinks. This is particularly relevant in the context of ovarian and other cancers which rely extensively on interstrand cross-link generating platinum chemotherapy as standard of care treatment. These cancers often respond well to initial treatment, but reoccur with resistant disease and upregulation of DNA damage repair pathways. The FA pathway is therefore of great interest as a target for therapies that aim to improve the efficacy of platinum chemotherapies, and reverse tumour resistance to these. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the mechanism of interstrand cross-link repair by the FA pathway, and the potential of the component parts as targets for therapeutic agents. We then focus on the current state of play of inhibitor development, covering both the characterisation of broad spectrum inhibitors and high throughput screening approaches to identify novel small molecule inhibitors. We also consider synthetic lethality between the FA pathway and other DNA damage repair pathways as a therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Taylor
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre and Edinburgh Pathology, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, EH4 2XU Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mark J Arends
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre and Edinburgh Pathology, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, EH4 2XU Edinburgh, UK
| | - Simon P Langdon
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre and Edinburgh Pathology, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road South, EH4 2XU Edinburgh, UK
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28
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Song X, Akasaka H, Wang H, Abbasgholizadeh R, Shin JH, Zang F, Chen J, Logsdon CD, Maitra A, Bean AJ, Wang H. Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 down-regulates the oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinase AXL in pancreatic cancer. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:2348-2358. [PMID: 31959629 PMCID: PMC7039544 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.012186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is overexpressed in cancer and plays an important role in carcinomas of multiple organs. However, the mechanisms of AXL overexpression in cancer remain unclear. In this study, using HEK293T, Panc-1, and Panc-28 cells and samples of human pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN), along with several biochemical approaches and immunofluorescence microscopy analyses, we sought to investigate the mechanisms that regulate AXL over-expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We found that AXL interacts with hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) and demonstrate that HPK1 down-regulates AXL and decreases its half-life. The HPK1-mediated AXL degradation was inhibited by the endocytic pathway inhibitors leupeptin, bafilomycin A1, and monensin. HPK1 accelerated the movement of AXL from the plasma membrane to endosomes in pancreatic cancer cells treated with the AXL ligand growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6). Moreover, HPK1 increased the binding of AXL to the Cbl proto-oncogene (c-Cbl); promoted AXL ubiquitination; decreased AXL-mediated signaling, including phospho-AKT and phospho-ERK signaling; and decreased the invasion capability of PDAC cells. Importantly, we show that AXL expression inversely correlates with HPK1 expression in human PanINs and that patients whose tumors have low HPK1 and high AXL expression levels have shorter survival than those with low AXL or high HPK1 expression (p < 0.001). Our results suggest that HPK1 is a tumor suppressor that targets AXL for degradation via the endocytic pathway. HPK1 loss of function may contribute to AXL overexpression and thereby enhance AXL-dependent downstream signaling and tumor invasion in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhou Song
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Hironari Akasaka
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Reza Abbasgholizadeh
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Ji-Hyun Shin
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Fenglin Zang
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Jiayi Chen
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Craig D Logsdon
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Anirban Maitra
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030; Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Andrew J Bean
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Huamin Wang
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030; Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030.
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29
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Flem-Karlsen K, McFadden E, Omar N, Haugen MH, Øy GF, Ryder T, Gullestad HP, Hermann R, Mælandsmo GM, Flørenes VA. Targeting AXL and the DNA Damage Response Pathway as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy in Melanoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 19:895-905. [PMID: 31871265 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is found upregulated in various types of cancer, including melanoma, and correlates with an aggressive cancer phenotype, inducing cell proliferation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. In addition, AXL has recently been linked to chemotherapy resistance, and inhibition of AXL is found to increase DNA damage and reduce expression of DNA repair proteins. In light of this, we aimed to investigate whether targeting AXL together with DNA damage response proteins would be therapeutically beneficial. Using melanoma cell lines, we observed that combined reduction of AXL and CHK1/CHK2 signaling decreased proliferation, deregulated cell-cycle progression, increased apoptosis, and reduced expression of DNA damage response proteins. Enhanced therapeutic effect of combined treatment, as compared with mono-treatment, was further observed in a patient-derived xenograft model and, of particular interest, when applying a three-dimensional ex vivo spheroid drug sensitivity assay on tumor cells harvested directly from 27 patients with melanoma lymph node metastases. Together, these results indicate that targeting AXL together with the DNA damage response pathway could be a promising treatment strategy in melanoma, and that further investigations in patient groups lacking treatment alternatives should be pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Flem-Karlsen
- Department of Pathology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. .,Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Erin McFadden
- Department of Pathology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nasrin Omar
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mads H Haugen
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Geir Frode Øy
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Truls Ryder
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hans Petter Gullestad
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Robert Hermann
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gunhild Mari Mælandsmo
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Institute of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT-Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Vivi Ann Flørenes
- Department of Pathology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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AXL receptor tyrosine kinase as a promising anti-cancer approach: functions, molecular mechanisms and clinical applications. Mol Cancer 2019; 18:153. [PMID: 31684958 PMCID: PMC6827209 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-019-1090-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 282] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular targeted therapy for cancer has been a research hotspot for decades. AXL is a member of the TAM family with the high-affinity ligand growth arrest-specific protein 6 (GAS6). The Gas6/AXL signalling pathway is associated with tumour cell growth, metastasis, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, drug resistance, immune regulation and stem cell maintenance. Different therapeutic agents targeting AXL have been developed, typically including small molecule inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), nucleotide aptamers, soluble receptors, and several natural compounds. In this review, we first provide a comprehensive discussion of the structure, function, regulation, and signalling pathways of AXL. Then, we highlight recent strategies for targeting AXL in the treatment of cancer.AXL-targeted drugs, either as single agents or in combination with conventional chemotherapy or other small molecule inhibitors, are likely to improve the survival of many patients. However, future investigations into AXL molecular signalling networks and robust predictive biomarkers are warranted to select patients who could receive clinical benefit and to avoid potential toxicities.
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31
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Hoter A, Naim HY. Heat Shock Proteins and Ovarian Cancer: Important Roles and Therapeutic Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1389. [PMID: 31540420 PMCID: PMC6769485 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11091389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a serious cause of death in gynecological oncology. Delayed diagnosis and poor survival rates associated with late stages of the disease are major obstacles against treatment efforts. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are stress responsive molecules known to be crucial in many cancer types including ovarian cancer. Clusterin (CLU), a unique chaperone protein with analogous oncogenic criteria to HSPs, has also been proven to confer resistance to anti-cancer drugs. Indeed, these chaperone molecules have been implicated in diagnosis, prognosis, metastasis and aggressiveness of various cancers. However, relative to other cancers, there is limited body of knowledge about the molecular roles of these chaperones in ovarian cancer. In the current review, we shed light on the diverse roles of HSPs as well as related chaperone proteins like CLU in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer and elucidate their potential as effective drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Hoter
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry of Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 12211, Egypt.
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Hassan Y Naim
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
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32
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Deng M, Sun J, Xie S, Zhen H, Wang Y, Zhong A, Zhang H, Lu R, Guo L. Inhibition of MCM2 enhances the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cell to carboplatin. Mol Med Rep 2019; 20:2258-2266. [PMID: 31322224 PMCID: PMC6691261 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy is widely used for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Since chemotherapy resistance is the major cause of poor prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer, it is important to identify new methods to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. Minichromosome maintenance complex component 2 (MCM2), which serves an essential role in DNA replication, has been recently identified as a novel proliferation marker with prognostic implications in multiple types of cancer. However, the role of MCM2 in ovarian cancer and its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, in the present study, the biological effects of MCM2 were investigated, particularly with respect to DNA damage and repair. In the present study, short hairpin RNA was employed to knockdown MCM2 expression in the A2780 ovarian cancer cell line. The sensitivity of A2780 cells to carboplatin was assessed by cell colony formation assay. The present results suggested that MCM2 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of tumor cells, induced G0/G1 phase arrest and did not exhibit effects on cell apoptosis. However, MCM2 knockdown significantly decreased the colony formation of A2780 cells treated with carboplatin. Furthermore, knockdown of MCM2 together with carboplatin treatment or UV irradiation increased the protein expression level of γ-H2A histone family member X and p53 compared with control cells. The present data suggested that the increased sensitivity to carboplatin may occur via the p53-dependent apoptotic response. Additionally, the present results suggested that knockdown of MCM2 may have therapeutic applications in enhancing the efficacy of carboplatin in patients with ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjie Deng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Jiajun Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Suhong Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Hui Zhen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Yanchun Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Ailing Zhong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Hongqin Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Renquan Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Lin Guo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
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Flem Karlsen K, McFadden E, Flørenes VA, Davidson B. Soluble AXL is ubiquitously present in malignant serous effusions. Gynecol Oncol 2019; 152:408-415. [PMID: 30448261 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2018.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to analyze the expression level and clinical role of soluble AXL (sAXL) in cancers affecting the serosal surfaces, with focus on ovarian carcinoma. METHODS sAXL protein expression by ELISA was analyzed in 572 effusion supernatants, including 424 peritoneal, 147 pleural and 1 pericardial specimens. RESULTS sAXL was overexpressed in peritoneal effusions compared to pleural and pericardial specimens (p < 0.001). sAXL levels were additionally significantly higher in effusions from patients with ovarian carcinoma, malignant mesothelioma and breast carcinoma compared to specimens from patients with other cancers (predominantly carcinomas of lung, gastrointestinal or uterine corpus/cervix origin) or benign reactive effusions (p < 0.001). sAXL was further overexpressed in high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC; n = 373) compared to low-grade serous carcinoma (LGSC; n = 32; p = 0.036). In HGSC, sAXL levels were significantly lower in post-chemotherapy effusions compared to primary diagnosis pre-chemotherapy specimens (p = 0.002). sAXL levels in HGSC were unrelated to chemoresponse at diagnosis, progression-free survival or overall survival. Levels were similarly unrelated to survival in LGSC and breast carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS sAXL is widely expressed in malignant effusions, particularly in ovarian and breast carcinoma and in malignant mesothelioma. sAXL is overexpressed in HGSC compared to LGSC and its levels are lower following exposure to chemotherapy. However, sAXL levels are not informative of chemoresponse or survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Flem Karlsen
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway; University of Oslo, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Erin McFadden
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vivi Ann Flørenes
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Ben Davidson
- Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, N-0310 Oslo, Norway; University of Oslo, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, N-0316 Oslo, Norway.
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34
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Quinn JM, Greenwade MM, Palisoul ML, Opara G, Massad K, Guo L, Zhao P, Beck-Noia H, Hagemann IS, Hagemann AR, McCourt CK, Thaker PH, Powell MA, Mutch DG, Fuh KC. Therapeutic Inhibition of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase AXL Improves Sensitivity to Platinum and Taxane in Ovarian Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2018; 18:389-398. [PMID: 30478151 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-18-0537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest malignancies in female cancer patients, is characterized by recurrence and poor response to cytotoxic chemotherapies. Fewer than 30% of patients with resistant disease will respond to additional chemotherapy treatments. This study aims to determine whether and how inhibition of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL can restore sensitivity to first-line platinum and taxane therapy in ovarian cancer. AXL staining was quantified in a patient tissue microarray and correlated with chemoresponse of patients. We used small hairpin RNAs to knock down AXL expression and the small-molecule inhibitor BGB324 to inhibit AXL and assessed sensitivity of cell lines and primary patient-derived cells to chemotherapy. We quantified platinum accumulation by inductivity-coupled plasma phase mass spectrometry. Finally, we treated chemoresistant patient-derived xenografts with chemotherapy, BGB324, or chemotherapy plus BGB324 and monitored tumor burden. AXL expression was higher in chemoresistant patient tumors and cell lines than in chemosensitive tumors and cell lines. AXL staining significantly predicted chemoresponse. Knockdown and inhibition of AXL dose-dependently improved response to paclitaxel and carboplatin in both cell lines and primary cells. AXL inhibition increased platinum accumulation by 2-fold (*, P < 0.05). In vivo studies indicated that AXL inhibition enhanced the ability of chemotherapy to prevent tumor growth (****, P < 0.0001). AXL contributes to platinum and taxane resistance in ovarian cancer, and inhibition of AXL improves chemoresponse and accumulation of chemotherapy drugs. This study supports continued investigation into AXL as a clinical target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne M Quinn
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.,Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Molly M Greenwade
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.,Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Marguerite L Palisoul
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.,Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Gregory Opara
- Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Katina Massad
- Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Lei Guo
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.,Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Peinan Zhao
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Hollie Beck-Noia
- Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Ian S Hagemann
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Andrea R Hagemann
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Carolyn K McCourt
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Premal H Thaker
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Matthew A Powell
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - David G Mutch
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Katherine C Fuh
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri. .,Center for Reproductive Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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35
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Sun P, Song Y, Liu D, Liu G, Mao X, Dong B, Braicu EI, Sehouli J. Potential role of the HOXD8 transcription factor in cisplatin resistance and tumour metastasis in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13483. [PMID: 30194340 PMCID: PMC6128852 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31030-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Few studies have examined the potential transcription factor (TF) simultaneously associated with cisplatin resistance and metastasis in ovarian cancer. To assess a related mechanism, a 345-channel protein/DNA array and transcriptional activity ELISA were performed to compare the TF activities in the cisplatin-sensitive SKOV3 and cisplatin-resistant SKOV3-DDP cells and in HO-8910 and the homologous highly metastatic HO-8910PM cells. In SKOV3-DDP vs. SKOV3 cells, 43 TFs were up-regulated, while 31 were down-regulated. In HO-8910PM vs. HO-8910 cells, 13 TFs were up-regulated, while 18 were down-regulated. In these two models, 4 TFs (HOXD8(1), HOXD8(2), RB, RFX1/2/3) were simultaneously up-regulated, and 9 TFs (SRE, FKHR, Angiotensinogen ANG-IRE, Pax2, CD28RC/NF-IL2B, HLF, CPE, CBFB and c-Ets-1) were down-regulated. HOXD8 mRNA and protein expression levels measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and ELISA, respectively, were significantly higher in SKOV3-DDP and HO-8910PM than in their corresponding cell lines (both p < 0.05). In 52 cases of different ovarian disease, the patients with recurrent and cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer had higher expression levels of HOXD8 than patients with primary malignant tumours (p = 0.018, p = 0.001) or benign tumours (p = 0.001, p < 0.001). Taken together, these results suggest that HOXD8 is potentially associated with both cisplatin resistance and metastasis in advanced ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- PengMing Sun
- Laboratory of Gynaecologic Oncology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No 18. Dao Shan Road, 350001, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P.R. China. .,Department of Gynaecology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No 18. Dao Shan Road, 350001, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P.R. China.
| | - YiYi Song
- Department of Gynaecology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No 18. Dao Shan Road, 350001, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P.R. China
| | - DaBin Liu
- Department of Gynaecology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No 18. Dao Shan Road, 350001, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P.R. China
| | - GuiFen Liu
- Laboratory of Gynaecologic Oncology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No 18. Dao Shan Road, 350001, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P.R. China
| | - XiaoDan Mao
- Laboratory of Gynaecologic Oncology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No 18. Dao Shan Road, 350001, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P.R. China
| | - BinHua Dong
- Laboratory of Gynaecologic Oncology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children's Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No 18. Dao Shan Road, 350001, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, P.R. China
| | - Elena Ioana Braicu
- Department of Gynaecologic Oncology and Gynaecology, Charité/Campus Virchow-Klinikum, European Competence Centre for Ovarian Cancer University of Berlin, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jalid Sehouli
- Department of Gynaecologic Oncology and Gynaecology, Charité/Campus Virchow-Klinikum, European Competence Centre for Ovarian Cancer University of Berlin, 13353, Berlin, Germany
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36
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Aihemaiti G, Kurata M, Nogawa D, Yamamoto A, Mineo T, Onishi I, Kinowaki Y, Jin XH, Tatsuzawa A, Miyasaka N, Kitagawa M, Yamamoto K. Subcellular localization of MCM2 correlates with the prognosis of ovarian clear cell carcinoma. Oncotarget 2018; 9:28213-28225. [PMID: 29963273 PMCID: PMC6021330 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Highly malignant tumors overexpress the minichromosome maintenance 2 (MCM2) protein in the nucleus, which is associated with advanced tumor grade, advanced stage, and poor prognosis. In this study, we showed that MCM2 is highly expressed in clinical samples of ovarian clear cell carcinoma. Although MCM2 expression was mainly localized to the nuclei as in other cancers, a few cases exhibited cytoplasmic localization of MCM2. Surprisingly, tumor samples with cytoplasmic MCM2 demonstrated excellent prognosis, showing 100% survival during the observation period of more than 200 months. However, cases with nuclear expression of MCM2 exhibited approximately 78% 5-year-survival rate. In a previous study, we showed that Friend leukemia virus (FLV) envelope protein gp70 bound to MCM2, impaired its nuclear translocation, and enhanced DNA damage-induced apoptosis in FLV-infected hematopoietic cells with high levels of MCM2. As expected, clear cell carcinoma cells with cytoplasmic expression of MCM2 exhibited significantly higher apoptotic cell ratio than that of cells with nuclear MCM2 expression. In vitro experiments using ovarian cancer cells with cytoplasmic expression of MCM2 demonstrated that transfection of MCM2-ΔN enhanced DNA damage-induced apoptosis. Therefore, cytoplasmic localization of MCM2 significantly correlated with increased apoptosis in clear cell carcinoma cells, resulting in improved prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulinisha Aihemaiti
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Morito Kurata
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Daichi Nogawa
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Akiko Yamamoto
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Tatsunori Mineo
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Iichiroh Onishi
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Yuko Kinowaki
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Xiao-Hai Jin
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Anna Tatsuzawa
- Department of Analytical Information of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Health Care Science, Bunkyo Gakuin University, Tokyo 113-8668, Japan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Miyasaka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Masanobu Kitagawa
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Kouhei Yamamoto
- Department of Comprehensive Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
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37
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Severi L, Losi L, Fonda S, Taddia L, Gozzi G, Marverti G, Magni F, Chinello C, Stella M, Sheouli J, Braicu EI, Genovese F, Lauriola A, Marraccini C, Gualandi A, D'Arca D, Ferrari S, Costi MP. Proteomic and Bioinformatic Studies for the Characterization of Response to Pemetrexed in Platinum Drug Resistant Ovarian Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:454. [PMID: 29867465 PMCID: PMC5952181 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteomics and bioinformatics are a useful combined technology for the characterization of protein expression level and modulation associated with the response to a drug and with its mechanism of action. The folate pathway represents an important target in the anticancer drugs therapy. In the present study, a discovery proteomics approach was applied to tissue samples collected from ovarian cancer patients who relapsed after the first-line carboplatin-based chemotherapy and were treated with pemetrexed (PMX), a known folate pathway targeting drug. The aim of the work is to identify the proteomic profile that can be associated to the response to the PMX treatment in pre-treatement tissue. Statistical metrics of the experimental Mass Spectrometry (MS) data were combined with a knowledge-based approach that included bioinformatics and a literature review through ProteinQuest™ tool, to design a protein set of reference (PSR). The PSR provides feedback for the consistency of MS proteomic data because it includes known validated proteins. A panel of 24 proteins with levels that were significantly different in pre-treatment samples of patients who responded to the therapy vs. the non-responder ones, was identified. The differences of the identified proteins were explained for the patients with different outcomes and the known PMX targets were further validated. The protein panel herein identified is ready for further validation in retrospective clinical trials using a targeted proteomic approach. This study may have a general relevant impact on biomarker application for cancer patients therapy selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leda Severi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Lorena Losi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Sergio Fonda
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Laura Taddia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Gaia Gozzi
- Department of Biomedical Science, Metabolic Science and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Gaetano Marverti
- Department of Biomedical Science, Metabolic Science and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Fulvio Magni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Clizia Chinello
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Martina Stella
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Jalid Sheouli
- Department of Gynecology, European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elena I Braicu
- Department of Gynecology, European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Filippo Genovese
- Centro Interdipartimentale Grandi Strumenti, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Angela Lauriola
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Chiara Marraccini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gualandi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Domenico D'Arca
- Department of Biomedical Science, Metabolic Science and Neuroscience, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Stefania Ferrari
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Maria P Costi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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38
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Xu X, Jiang R, Gong P, Liu Q, Chen Y, Hou S, Yuan D, Shi J, Lan Q. Up-regulation of FOS-like antigen 1 contributes to neuronal apoptosis in the cortex of rat following traumatic brain injury. Metab Brain Dis 2018; 33:115-125. [PMID: 29080084 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-0129-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal apoptosis is an important process of secondary brain injury which is induced by neurochemical signaling cascades after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Present study was designed to investigate whether FOS-like antigen 1 (Fra-1) is involved in the neuronal apoptosis. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry in a rat TBI model revealed a significant increase in the expression of Fra-1 in the ipsilateral brain cortex, which was in parallel with increase in the expression of active caspase-3. With immunofluorescence double-labeling, Fra-1 was colocalized with active caspase-3 and with NeuN, a neuronal marker. In an in vitro cell injury model, H2O2 exposure induced cell apoptosis and reduced cell viability and at the same time, a similar increased expression of active caspase-3, p53 and Fra-1 was found in PC12 cells. Down-regulation of Fra-1 through transfection with Fra-1 siRNA remarkably elevated cell viability, reduced the expression of active caspase-3 and p53, and decreased apoptosis of PC12 cells after H2O2 exposure. Taken together, present findings suggest that Fra-1 may be involved in the induction of neuronal apoptosis through up-regulating p53 signaling pathway and that this action may contribute to the secondary neuropathological process after TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xide Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, 1055 Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215000, China
| | - Rui Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
| | - Peipei Gong
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
| | - Qianqian Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
| | - Yinan Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
| | - Shiqiang Hou
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
| | - Debin Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
| | - Jiansheng Shi
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 Xisi Road, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China.
| | - Qing Lan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University, 1055 Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215000, China.
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Abstract
A major challenge in anticancer treatment is the pre-existence or emergence of resistance to therapy. AXL and MER are two members of the TAM (TYRO3-AXL-MER) family of receptor tyrosine kinases, which, when activated, can regulate tumor cell survival, proliferation, migration and invasion, angiogenesis, and tumor-host interactions. An increasing body of evidence strongly suggests that these receptors play major roles in resistance to targeted therapies and conventional cytotoxic agents. Multiple resistance mechanisms exist, including the direct and indirect crosstalk of AXL and MER with other receptors and the activation of feedback loops regulating AXL and MER expression and activity. These mechanisms may be innate, adaptive, or acquired. A principal role of AXL appears to be in sustaining a mesenchymal phenotype, itself a major mechanism of resistance to diverse anticancer therapies. Both AXL and MER play a role in the repression of the innate immune response which may also limit response to treatment. Small molecule and antibody inhibitors of AXL and MER have recently been described, and some of these have already entered clinical trials. The optimal design of treatment strategies to maximize the clinical benefit of these AXL and MER targeting agents are discussed in relation to the different cancer types and the types of resistance encountered. One of the major challenges to successful development of these therapies will be the application of robust predictive biomarkers for clear-cut patient stratification.
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Corno C, Gatti L, Arrighetti N, Carenini N, Zaffaroni N, Lanzi C, Perego P. Axl molecular targeting counteracts aggressiveness but not platinum-resistance of ovarian carcinoma cells. Biochem Pharmacol 2017; 136:40-50. [PMID: 28404378 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian carcinoma, the most common gynaecological cancer, is characterized by high lethality mainly due to late diagnosis and treatment failure. The efficacy of platinum drug-based therapy in the disease is limited by the occurrence of drug resistance, a phenomenon often associated with increased metastatic potential. Because the Tyr-kinase receptor Axl can be deregulated in ovarian carcinoma and plays a pro-metastatic/anti-apoptotic role, the aim of this study was to examine if Axl inhibition modulates drug resistance and aggressive features of ovarian carcinoma cells, using various pairs of cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant cell lines. We found that mRNA and protein levels of Axl were increased in the platinum-resistant IGROV-1/Pt1 and IGROV-1/OHP cell lines compared to the parental IGROV-1 cells. IGROV-1/Pt1 cells displayed increased migratory and invasive capabilities. When Axl was silenced, these cells exhibited reduced growth and invasive/migratory capabilities compared to control siRNA-transfected cells, associated with decreased p38 and STAT3 phosphorylation. In keeping with this evidence, pharmacological inhibition of p38 and STAT3 decreased IGROV-1/Pt1 invasive capability. Molecular inhibition of Axl did not sensitize IGROV-1/Pt1 cells to cisplatin, but enhanced ErbB3 activation in IGROV-1/Pt1 cells and suppressed the clonogenic capability of various ovarian carcinoma cell lines. The combination of cisplatin and AZD8931, a small molecule which inhibits ErbB3, produced a synergistic effect in IGROV-1/Pt1 cells. Thus, Axl targeting per se reduces invasive capability of drug-resistant cells, but sensitization to cisplatin requires the concomitant inhibition of additional survival pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Corno
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, via Venezian1/via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Gatti
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, via Venezian1/via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Noemi Arrighetti
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, via Venezian1/via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Nives Carenini
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, via Venezian1/via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Nadia Zaffaroni
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, via Venezian1/via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Cinzia Lanzi
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, via Venezian1/via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Perego
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, via Venezian1/via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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Wu N, Huang Y, Zou Z, Gimenez-Capitan A, Yu L, Hu W, Zhu L, Sun X, Sanchez JJ, Guan W, Liu B, Rosell R, Wei J. High BIM mRNA levels are associated with longer survival in advanced gastric cancer. Oncol Lett 2017; 13:1826-1834. [PMID: 28454330 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.5660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy drugs, including 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), oxaliplatin and docetaxel, are commonly used in the treatment of gastric cancer (GC). Apoptosis-relevant genes may be associated with drug resistance. In the present study, the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 interacting mediator of cell death (BIM), astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) and AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL) were investigated in 131 advanced GC samples, and the expression levels of these genes were correlated with patients' overall survival (OS). All 131 patients received first-line FOLFOX combination chemotherapy with folinic acid and 5-FU, in which 56 patients were further treated with second-line docetaxel-based chemotherapy. A correlation between the mRNA expression levels of BIM and AEG-1 was observed (rs=0.30; P=0.002). There was no association between the mRNA expression levels of any of the individual genes analyzed and OS in patients only receiving first-line FOLFOX chemotherapy. In a subgroup of patients receiving docetaxel-based second-line chemotherapy, those with high or intermediate levels of BIM exhibited a median OS of 18.2 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 12.8-23.6], compared with 9.6 months (95% CI, 8.9-10.3) in patients with low BIM levels (P=0.008). However, there was no correlation between the mRNA expression levels of AEG-1 or AXL and OS. The risk of mortality was higher in patients with low BIM mRNA levels than in those with high or intermediate BIM mRNA levels (hazard ratio, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.21-5.62; P=0.010). Therefore, BIM may be considered as a biomarker to identify whether patients could benefit from docetaxel-based second-line chemotherapy in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandie Wu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Ying Huang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Zhengyun Zou
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Ana Gimenez-Capitan
- Pangaea Biotech, Department of Oncology, USP Dexeus University Institute, Barcelona 08001, Spain
| | - Lixia Yu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Wenjing Hu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Lijing Zhu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Xia Sun
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Jose Javier Sanchez
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid 28001, Spain
| | - Wenxian Guan
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Baorui Liu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
| | - Rafael Rosell
- Pangaea Biotech, Department of Oncology, USP Dexeus University Institute, Barcelona 08001, Spain.,Department of Medical Oncology, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona 08916, Spain
| | - Jia Wei
- The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University, Medical School of Nanjing University, Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, P.R. China
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Gay CM, Balaji K, Byers LA. Giving AXL the axe: targeting AXL in human malignancy. Br J Cancer 2017; 116:415-423. [PMID: 28072762 PMCID: PMC5318970 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2016.428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, activated by a complex interaction between its ligand growth arrest-specific protein 6 and phosphatidylserine, regulates various vital cellular processes, including proliferation, survival, motility, and immunologic response. Although not implicated as an oncogenic driver itself, AXL, a member of the TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK family of receptor tyrosine kinases, is overexpressed in several haematologic and solid malignancies, including acute myeloid leukaemia, non-small cell lung cancer, gastric and colorectal adenocarcinomas, and breast and prostate cancers. In the context of malignancy, evidence suggests that AXL overexpression drives wide-ranging processes, including epithelial to mesenchymal transition, tumour angiogenesis, resistance to chemotherapeutic and targeted agents, and decreased antitumor immune response. As a result, AXL is an attractive candidate not only as a prognostic biomarker in malignancy but also as a target for anticancer therapies. Several AXL inhibitors are currently in preclinical and clinical development. This article reviews the structure, regulation, and function of AXL; the role of AXL in the tumour microenvironment; the development of AXL as a therapeutic target; and areas of ongoing and future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl M Gay
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kavitha Balaji
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lauren Averett Byers
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
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44
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Targeting the TAM Receptors in Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2016; 8:cancers8110101. [PMID: 27834816 PMCID: PMC5126761 DOI: 10.3390/cancers8110101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted inhibition of members of the TAM (TYRO-3, AXL, MERTK) family of receptor tyrosine kinases has recently been investigated as a novel strategy for treatment of hematologic malignancies. The physiologic functions of the TAM receptors in innate immune control, natural killer (NK) cell differentiation, efferocytosis, clearance of apoptotic debris, and hemostasis have previously been described and more recent data implicate TAM kinases as important regulators of erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis. The TAM receptors are aberrantly or ectopically expressed in many hematologic malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia, B- and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and multiple myeloma. TAM receptors contribute to leukemic phenotypes through activation of pro-survival signaling pathways and interplay with other oncogenic proteins such as FLT3, LYN, and FGFR3. The TAM receptors also contribute to resistance to both cytotoxic chemotherapeutics and targeted agents, making them attractive therapeutic targets. A number of translational strategies for TAM inhibition are in development, including small molecule inhibitors, ligand traps, and monoclonal antibodies. Emerging areas of research include modulation of TAM receptors to enhance anti-tumor immunity, potential roles for TYRO-3 in leukemogenesis, and the function of the bone marrow microenvironment in mediating resistance to TAM inhibition.
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Balaji K, Vijayaraghavan S, Diao L, Tong P, Fan Y, Carey JP, Bui TN, Warner S, Heymach JV, Hunt KK, Wang J, Byers LA, Keyomarsi K. AXL Inhibition Suppresses the DNA Damage Response and Sensitizes Cells to PARP Inhibition in Multiple Cancers. Mol Cancer Res 2016; 15:45-58. [PMID: 27671334 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-16-0157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with a wide range of changes in cancer cells, including stemness, chemo- and radio-resistance, and metastasis. The mechanistic role of upstream mediators of EMT has not yet been well characterized. Recently, we showed that non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) that have undergone EMT overexpress AXL, a receptor tyrosine kinase. AXL is also overexpressed in a subset of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) and head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), and its overexpression has been associated with more aggressive tumor behavior and linked to resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy. Because the DNA repair pathway is also altered in patient tumor specimens overexpressing AXL, it is hypothesized that modulation of AXL in cells that have undergone EMT will sensitize them to agents targeting the DNA repair pathway. Downregulation or inhibition of AXL directly reversed the EMT phenotype, led to decreased expression of DNA repair genes, and diminished efficiency of homologous recombination (HR) and RAD51 foci formation. As a result, AXL inhibition caused a state of HR deficiency in the cells, making them sensitive to inhibition of the DNA repair protein, PARP1. AXL inhibition synergized with PARP inhibition, leading to apoptotic cell death. AXL expression also associated positively with markers of DNA repair across TNBC, HNSCC, and NSCLC patient cohorts. IMPLICATIONS The novel role for AXL in DNA repair, linking it to EMT, suggests that AXL can be an effective therapeutic target in combination with targeted therapy such as PARP inhibitors in several different malignancies. Mol Cancer Res; 15(1); 45-58. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavitha Balaji
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 6565 MD Anderson Blvd. Unit 1052, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Smruthi Vijayaraghavan
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 6565 MD Anderson Blvd. Unit 1052, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Lixia Diao
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1410, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Pan Tong
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1410, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Youhong Fan
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd. Unit 0432 Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Jason Pw Carey
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 6565 MD Anderson Blvd. Unit 1052, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Tuyen N Bui
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 6565 MD Anderson Blvd. Unit 1052, Houston, Texas 77030
| | | | - John V Heymach
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd. Unit 0432 Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Kelly K Hunt
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Pressler Street. Unit 1434 Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 1410, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Lauren Averett Byers
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd. Unit 0432 Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Khandan Keyomarsi
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 6565 MD Anderson Blvd. Unit 1052, Houston, Texas 77030
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Yu KH, Levine DA, Zhang H, Chan DW, Zhang Z, Snyder M. Predicting Ovarian Cancer Patients' Clinical Response to Platinum-Based Chemotherapy by Their Tumor Proteomic Signatures. J Proteome Res 2016; 15:2455-65. [PMID: 27312948 PMCID: PMC8718213 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b01129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy in the United States with most patients diagnosed in the advanced stage of the disease. Platinum-based antineoplastic therapeutics is indispensable to treating advanced ovarian serous carcinoma. However, patients have heterogeneous responses to platinum drugs, and it is difficult to predict these interindividual differences before administering medication. In this study, we investigated the tumor proteomic profiles and clinical characteristics of 130 ovarian serous carcinoma patients analyzed by the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC), predicted the platinum drug response using supervised machine learning methods, and evaluated our prediction models through leave-one-out cross-validation. Our data-driven feature selection approach indicated that tumor proteomics profiles contain information for predicting binarized platinum response (P < 0.0001). We further built a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox proportional hazards model that stratified patients into early relapse and late relapse groups (P = 0.00013). The top proteomic features indicative of platinum response were involved in ATP synthesis pathways and Ran GTPase binding. Overall, we demonstrated that proteomic profiles of ovarian serous carcinoma patients predicted platinum drug responses as well as provided insights into the biological processes influencing the efficacy of platinum-based therapeutics. Our analytical approach is also extensible to predicting response to other antineoplastic agents or treatment modalities for both ovarian and other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Douglas A Levine
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions , Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Daniel W Chan
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions , Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions , Baltimore, Maryland 21287, United States
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Sato K, Suda K, Shimizu S, Sakai K, Mizuuchi H, Tomizawa K, Takemoto T, Nishio K, Mitsudomi T. Clinical, Pathological, and Molecular Features of Lung Adenocarcinomas with AXL Expression. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154186. [PMID: 27100677 PMCID: PMC4839706 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is a member of the Tyro3-Axl-Mer receptor tyrosine kinase subfamily. AXL affects several cellular functions, including growth and migration. AXL aberration is reportedly a marker for poor prognosis and treatment resistance in various cancers. In this study, we analyzed clinical, pathological, and molecular features of AXL expression in lung adenocarcinomas (LADs). We examined 161 LAD specimens from patients who underwent pulmonary resections. When AXL protein expression was quantified (0, 1+, 2+, 3+) according to immunohistochemical staining intensity, results were 0: 35%; 1+: 20%; 2+: 37%; and 3+: 7% for the 161 samples. AXL expression status did not correlate with clinical features, including smoking status and pathological stage. However, patients whose specimens showed strong AXL expression (3+) had markedly poorer prognoses than other groups (P = 0.0033). Strong AXL expression was also significantly associated with downregulation of E-cadherin (P = 0.025) and CD44 (P = 0.0010). In addition, 9 of 12 specimens with strong AXL expression had driver gene mutations (6 with EGFR, 2 with KRAS, 1 with ALK). In conclusion, we found that strong AXL expression in surgically resected LADs was a predictor of poor prognosis. LADs with strong AXL expression were characterized by mesenchymal status, higher expression of stem-cell-like markers, and frequent driver gene mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuaki Sato
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Kenichi Suda
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Shigeki Shimizu
- Department of Pathology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Kazuko Sakai
- Department of Genome Biology, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Mizuuchi
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Kenji Tomizawa
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Toshiki Takemoto
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Kazuto Nishio
- Department of Genome Biology, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Mitsudomi
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan
- * E-mail:
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48
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Mechanisms of lapatinib resistance in HER2-driven breast cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 2015; 41:877-83. [PMID: 26276735 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Revised: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Targeted therapies have been approved for various malignancies but the acquisition of resistance remains a substantial challenge in the clinical management of advanced cancers. Twenty-five per cent of breast cancers overexpress ErbB2/HER2, which confers a more aggressive phenotype and is associated with a poor prognosis. HER2-targeting therapies (trastuzumab, pertuzumab, TDM1 and lapatinib) are available, but a significant fraction of HER2-positive breast cancers eventually relapse or progress. This suggests that acquired or intrinsic resistance enables escape from HER2 inhibition. This review focuses on mechanisms of intrinsic/acquired resistance to lapatinib identified in preclinical and clinical studies. A better understanding of these mechanisms could lead to novel predictive markers of lapatinib response and to novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer patients.
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49
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Wu X, Liu X, Koul S, Lee CY, Zhang Z, Halmos B. AXL kinase as a novel target for cancer therapy. Oncotarget 2015; 5:9546-63. [PMID: 25337673 PMCID: PMC4259419 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase and its major ligand, GAS6 have been demonstrated to be overexpressed and activated in many human cancers (such as lung, breast, and pancreatic cancer) and have been correlated with poor prognosis, promotion of increased invasiveness/metastasis, the EMT phenotype and drug resistance. Targeting AXL in different model systems with specific small molecule kinase inhibitors or antibodies alone or in combination with other drugs can lead to inactivation of AXL-mediated signaling pathways and can lead to regained drug sensitivity and improved therapeutic efficacy, defining AXL as a promising novel target for cancer therapeutics. This review highlights the data supporting AXL as a novel treatment candidate in a variety of cancers as well as the current status of drug development targeting the AXL/GAS6 axis and future perspectives in this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoliang Wu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuewen Liu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sanjay Koul
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chang Youl Lee
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital Hallym University Medical Center, Chuncheon-si Gangwon-do 200-704 Republic of Korea
| | - Zhenfeng Zhang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Balazs Halmos
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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50
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Qiu X, He X, Huang Q, Liu X, Sun G, Guo J, Yuan D, Yang L, Ban N, Fan S, Tao T, Wang D. Overexpression of CCT8 and its significance for tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion in glioma. Pathol Res Pract 2015; 211:717-25. [PMID: 26304164 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2015.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Revised: 03/22/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Overexpression of chaperonin containing t-complex polypeptide 1 (TCP1), or CCT, has been reported in various classes of malignancies. However, little is known about the expression of t-complex protein subunits TCP1theta (CCT8) in gliomas. In this study, the expression of CCT8 protein was detected using blotting analysis and immunohistochemistry. CCT8 was found to be overexpressed in gliomas and to correlate with the WHO grade of gliomas. To further investigate the biological function of CCT8 in gliomas, CCT8-silenced U87 glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and U251MG cells were constructed using a small interference RNA (siRNA) sequence. The knockdown effect of CCT8 on proliferation and invasion in these cells was analyzed using the CCK8, flow cytometry cycle, scratch, transwell invasion and fluorescence assays. Compared with the controls, the glioma cells expressing CCT8-siRNA exhibited a significantly decreased proliferation and invasion capacity, as well as a dysregulated cell cytoskeleton. This study showed that high CCT8 protein expression might be related to poor outcome of glioma, and that CCT8 regulates the proliferation and invasion of glioblastomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Qiu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Xiaojuan He
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Department of Pathology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Qingfeng Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Xianchen Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Guan Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Jun Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Damin Yuan
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Department of Pathology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Lixiang Yang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Department of Pathology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Na Ban
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Department of Pathology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Shaochen Fan
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Department of Pathology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China
| | - Tao Tao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Department of Pathology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China.
| | - Donglin Wang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Department of Pathology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China.
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