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Fang XL, Cao XP, Xiao J, Hu Y, Chen M, Raza HK, Wang HY, He X, Gu JF, Zhang KJ. Overview of role of survivin in cancer: expression, regulation, functions, and its potential as a therapeutic target. J Drug Target 2024; 32:223-240. [PMID: 38252514 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2024.2309563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Survivin holds significant importance as a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family due to its predominant expression in tumours rather than normal terminally differentiated adult tissues. The high expression level of survivin in tumours is closely linked to chemotherapy resistance, heightened tumour recurrence, and increased tumour aggressiveness and serves as a negative prognostic factor for cancer patients. Consequently, survivin has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. In this review, we delve into the various biological characteristics of survivin in cancers and its pivotal role in maintaining immune system homeostasis. Additionally, we explore different therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting survivin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Long Fang
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue-Ping Cao
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Hu
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Mian Chen
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Hafiz Khuram Raza
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Huai-Yuan Wang
- Institute of Smart Biomedical Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xu He
- Department of Stomatology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin-Fa Gu
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
| | - Kang-Jian Zhang
- Academician Expert Workstation of Fengxian District, Shanghai Yuansong Biotechnology Limited Company, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Smart Biomedical Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
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2
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Siragusa G, Tomasello L, Giordano C, Pizzolanti G. Survivin (BIRC5): Implications in cancer therapy. Life Sci 2024; 350:122788. [PMID: 38848940 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Inhibitors of Apoptosis proteins (IAPs) were discovered through experiments aimed at rescuing apoptosis in insects. Classically associated with the inhibition of apoptosis, the IAP member Survivin also regulates cell cycle progression and is an essential component of the Chromosomal Passenger Complex (CPC), responsible for chromosomal segregation. Although undetectable in most adult tissues, Survivin is expressed in Adult Stem Cells (ASCs) and plays a crucial role in their maintenance. Survivin is overexpressed in most cancers, contributing to their clonal expansion. As a result, it has been proposed as a possible anticancer target for nearly two decades. In this discussion, we will explore the rationale behind Survivin as a therapeutic target, focusing on common cancer types such as carcinomas, sarcomas, and leukemias. We will delve into the modulation of Survivin by cancer pro-survival cell signaling, the association between SNPs and tumorigenesis, and its regulation by miRNAs. Finally, we will compare cell growth, clonogenic capacity, and apoptosis, along with different strategies for Survivin inhibition, including gene expression and protein activity modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Siragusa
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Italy
| | - Laura Tomasello
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Italy
| | - Carla Giordano
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pizzolanti
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Italy; Advanced Technologies Network Center (ATEN Center), University of Palermo, Italy.
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3
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Szelest M, Giannopoulos K. Biological relevance of alternative splicing in hematologic malignancies. Mol Med 2024; 30:62. [PMID: 38760666 PMCID: PMC11100220 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-024-00839-2] [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: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is a strictly regulated process that generates multiple mRNA variants from a single gene, thus contributing to proteome diversity. Transcriptome-wide sequencing studies revealed networks of functionally coordinated splicing events, which produce isoforms with distinct or even opposing functions. To date, several mechanisms of AS are deregulated in leukemic cells, mainly due to mutations in splicing and/or epigenetic regulators and altered expression of splicing factors (SFs). In this review, we discuss aberrant splicing events induced by mutations affecting SFs (SF3B1, U2AF1, SRSR2, and ZRSR2), spliceosome components (PRPF8, LUC7L2, DDX41, and HNRNPH1), and epigenetic modulators (IDH1 and IDH2). Finally, we provide an extensive overview of the biological relevance of aberrant isoforms of genes involved in the regulation of apoptosis (e. g. BCL-X, MCL-1, FAS, and c-FLIP), activation of key cellular signaling pathways (CASP8, MAP3K7, and NOTCH2), and cell metabolism (PKM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Szelest
- Department of Experimental Hematooncology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodzki 1, 20-093, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Giannopoulos
- Department of Experimental Hematooncology, Medical University of Lublin, Chodzki 1, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
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4
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Zhou S, Xu H, Duan Y, Tang Q, Huang H, Bi F. Survival mechanisms of circulating tumor cells and their implications for cancer treatment. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024:10.1007/s10555-024-10178-7. [PMID: 38436892 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-024-10178-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Metastasis remains the principal trigger for relapse and mortality across diverse cancer types. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which originate from the primary tumor or its metastatic sites, traverse the vascular system, serving as precursors in cancer recurrence and metastasis. Nevertheless, before CTCs can establish themselves in the distant parenchyma, they must overcome significant challenges present within the circulatory system, including hydrodynamic shear stress (HSS), oxidative damage, anoikis, and immune surveillance. Recently, there has been a growing body of compelling evidence suggesting that a specific subset of CTCs can persist within the bloodstream, but the precise mechanisms of their survival remain largely elusive. This review aims to present an outline of the survival challenges encountered by CTCs and to summarize the recent advancements in understanding the underlying survival mechanisms, suggesting their implications for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Zhou
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Huanji Xu
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yichun Duan
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Qiulin Tang
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Huixi Huang
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Feng Bi
- Division of Abdominal Cancer, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
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5
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Pan YJ, Liu BW, Pei DS. The Role of Alternative Splicing in Cancer: Regulatory Mechanism, Therapeutic Strategy, and Bioinformatics Application. DNA Cell Biol 2022; 41:790-809. [PMID: 35947859 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2022.0322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
[Formula: see text] Alternative splicing (AS) can generate distinct transcripts and subsequent isoforms that play differential functions from the same pre-mRNA. Recently, increasing numbers of studies have emerged, unmasking the association between AS and cancer. In this review, we arranged AS events that are closely related to cancer progression and presented promising treatments based on AS for cancer therapy. Obtaining proliferative capacity, acquiring invasive properties, gaining angiogenic features, shifting metabolic ability, and getting immune escape inclination are all splicing events involved in biological processes. Spliceosome-targeted and antisense oligonucleotide technologies are two novel strategies that are hopeful in tumor therapy. In addition, bioinformatics applications based on AS were summarized for better prediction and elucidation of regulatory routines mingled in. Together, we aimed to provide a better understanding of complicated AS events associated with cancer biology and reveal AS a promising target of cancer treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Jie Pan
- Department of Pathology, Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Bo-Wen Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Pei
- Department of Pathology, Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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Alternative Splicing in Cancer and Immune Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071726. [PMID: 35406498 PMCID: PMC8996879 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Splicing is a phenomenon enabling the excision of introns from pre-mRNA to give rise to mature mRNA. All the 20,000 genes of the human genome are concerned by this mechanism. Nevertheless, it is estimated that the proteome is composed of more than 100,000 proteins. How to go from 20,000 genes to more than 100,000 proteins? Alternative splicing (AS) is in charge of this diversity of proteins. AS which is found in most of the cells of an organism, participates in normal cells and in particular in immune cells, in the regulation of cellular behavior. In cancer, AS is highly dysregulated and involved in almost all of the hallmarks that characterize tumor cells. In view of the close link that exists between tumors and the immune system, we present in this review the literature relating to alternative splicing and immunotherapy. We also provide a global but not exhaustive view of AS in the immune system and tumor cells linked to the events that can lead to AS dysregulation in tumors.
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7
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Impact of alternative splicing on mechanisms of resistance to anticancer drugs. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 193:114810. [PMID: 34673012 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A shared characteristic of many tumors is the lack of response to anticancer drugs. Multiple mechanisms of pharmacoresistance (MPRs) are involved in permitting cancer cells to overcome the effect of these agents. Pharmacoresistance can be primary (intrinsic) or secondary (acquired), i.e., triggered or enhanced in response to the treatment. Moreover, MPRs usually result in the lack of sensitivity to several agents, which accounts for diverse multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes. MPRs are based on the dynamic expression of more than one hundred genes, constituting the so-called resistome. Alternative splicing (AS) during pre-mRNA maturation results in changes affecting proteins involved in the resistome. The resulting splicing variants (SVs) reduce the efficacy of anticancer drugs by lowering the intracellular levels of active agents, altering molecular targets, enhancing both DNA repair ability and defensive mechanism of tumors, inducing changes in the balance between pro-survival and pro-apoptosis signals, modifying interactions with the tumor microenvironment, and favoring malignant phenotypic transitions. Reasons accounting for cancer-associated aberrant splicing include mutations that create or disrupt splicing sites or splicing enhancers or silencers, abnormal expression of splicing factors, and impaired signaling pathways affecting the activity of the splicing machinery. Here we have reviewed the impact of AS on MPR in cancer cells.
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8
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Cheng X, Li X, Gu Y, Zhou L, Tang J, Dai X, Jiang H, Huang Y, Zhang Y, Xu T, Liu Z, Zhao Q. Comprehensive Analysis of Alternative Splicing Signature in Gastric Cancer Prognosis Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and SpliceSeq Databases. Med Sci Monit 2020; 26:e925772. [PMID: 33219199 PMCID: PMC7687027 DOI: 10.12659/msm.925772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests that the alternative splicing (AS) signature plays a role in the carcinogenesis and prognosis of various cancers. However, the prognostic role of AS in gastric cancer is not clear and needs to be clarified. MATERIAL AND METHODS To identify the differentially expressed AS (DEAS) events, we performed a differential expression analysis between normal and tumor tissue. The DEAS event was further applied to construct a prognostic signature by performing univariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis. The Kaplan-Meier curve analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis were used to evaluate the prognostic value of the AS signature. In addition, the network of the splicing events with splicing factors was constructed using the Cytoscape software. RESULTS A total of 30 005 alternative splicing (AS) events with 372 patients were retrieved from the SpliceSeq database and TCGA database. By performing differential expression analysis, a total of 419 alternative splicing events were screened out, including 56 upregulated and 363 downregulated. We further constructed an AS-related prognostic signature by conducting a series bioinformatics analyses. Moreover, we identified that the AS signature could serve as an independent predictor for the prognosis of GC. We also found that AS signature had a more robust and precise efficacy for prognostic prediction in GC patients. Interestingly, the areas under 3- and 5-year survival curves are similar, both of which are greater than 1-year survival curve, suggesting that the long-term predictive accuracy of our prognostic model built upon AS signature is superior. CONCLUSIONS We performed a comprehensive analysis of overall prognostic-associated AS events concerning GC and constructed a prognostic model to predict the long-term prognostic survival outcomes in GC patients. We also developed a network of splicing events with splicing factors to reveal new potential molecular diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohu Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Xianghua Li
- Guangzhou Da'an Clinical Test Center Co., Ltd, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (mainland)
| | - Yimei Gu
- Emergency Intensive Care Unit, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Lianbang Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Jingjing Tang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Xiang Dai
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Heng Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Yang Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Yingfeng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Tongtong Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Zhining Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
| | - Qihong Zhao
- School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China (mainland)
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9
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Sciarrillo R, Wojtuszkiewicz A, Assaraf YG, Jansen G, Kaspers GJL, Giovannetti E, Cloos J. The role of alternative splicing in cancer: From oncogenesis to drug resistance. Drug Resist Updat 2020; 53:100728. [PMID: 33070093 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2020.100728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Alternative splicing is a tightly regulated process whereby non-coding sequences of pre-mRNA are removed and protein-coding segments are assembled in diverse combinations, ultimately giving rise to proteins with distinct or even opposing functions. In the past decade, whole genome/transcriptome sequencing studies revealed the high complexity of splicing regulation, which occurs co-transcriptionally and is influenced by chromatin status and mRNA modifications. Consequently, splicing profiles of both healthy and malignant cells display high diversity and alternative splicing was shown to be widely deregulated in multiple cancer types. In particular, mutations in pre-mRNA regulatory sequences, splicing regulators and chromatin modifiers, as well as differential expression of splicing factors are important contributors to cancer pathogenesis. It has become clear that these aberrations contribute to many facets of cancer, including oncogenic transformation, cancer progression, response to anticancer drug treatment as well as resistance to therapy. In this respect, alternative splicing was shown to perturb the expression a broad spectrum of relevant genes involved in drug uptake/metabolism (i.e. SLC29A1, dCK, FPGS, and TP), activation of nuclear receptor pathways (i.e. GR, AR), regulation of apoptosis (i.e. MCL1, BCL-X, and FAS) and modulation of response to immunotherapy (CD19). Furthermore, aberrant splicing constitutes an important source of novel cancer biomarkers and the spliceosome machinery represents an attractive target for a novel and rapidly expanding class of therapeutic agents. Small molecule inhibitors targeting SF3B1 or splice factor kinases were highly cytotoxic against a wide range of cancer models, including drug-resistant cells. Importantly, these effects are enhanced in specific cancer subsets, such as splicing factor-mutated and c-MYC-driven tumors. Furthermore, pre-clinical studies report synergistic effects of spliceosome modulators in combination with conventional antitumor agents. These strategies based on the use of low dose splicing modulators could shift the therapeutic window towards decreased toxicity in healthy tissues. Here we provide an extensive overview of the latest findings in the field of regulation of splicing in cancer, including molecular mechanisms by which cancer cells harness alternative splicing to drive oncogenesis and evade anticancer drug treatment as well as splicing-based vulnerabilities that can provide novel treatment opportunities. Furthermore, we discuss current challenges arising from genome-wide detection and prediction methods of aberrant splicing, as well as unravelling functional relevance of the plethora of cancer-related splicing alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocco Sciarrillo
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma's Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anna Wojtuszkiewicz
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Yehuda G Assaraf
- The Fred Wyszkowski Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Gerrit Jansen
- Amsterdam Immunology and Rheumatology Center, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Gertjan J L Kaspers
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Emma's Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jacqueline Cloos
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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10
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Adamopoulos PG, Tsiakanikas P, Adam EE, Scorilas A. Unraveling novel survivin mRNA transcripts in cancer cells using an in-house developed targeted high-throughput sequencing approach. Genomics 2020; 113:573-581. [PMID: 32980523 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.09.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The human baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5 (BIRC5), also known as survivin, is a conserved member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAPs) family, which is normally expressed during embryonic and fetal development. Although the expression levels of survivin are low in terminally differentiated cells and/or tissues, they can be found notably increased in certain pathological conditions including malignant tumors. Conventional cloning and sequencing techniques have already confirmed that alternative splicing events of the survivin pre-mRNA result in five distinct alternative transcript variants. In the present study, however, we implemented an innovative, in-house developed, targeted DNA-seq assay to identify novel survivin alternative transcript variants with increased depth and coverage that high-throughput sequencing approaches offer. Bioinformatics analysis of the derived NGS datasets unveiled several novel splice junctions between annotated exons of survivin gene as well as the existence of a novel exon of 117 nt, spanning between the annotated exons 3 and 3B. Validation of the NGS findings with PCR-based assays, using variant-specific primers, led to the identification of fourteen novel survivin alternative splice variants (BIRC5 v.4 - v.17), which demonstrate wide expression profiles in a broad established panel of human cell lines. Although the presented novel findings provide a crystal-clear overview of the survivin mRNAs that are actually generated from the pre-mRNA, future studies should focus on the impending necessity of characterizing the biological function of all novel alternative transcript variants as well as the putative protein isoforms. Such studies will further contribute to our understanding of how the balance between survivin isoforms regulate malignant cell proliferation and apoptosis, providing novel diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis G Adamopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Tsiakanikas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni E Adam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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11
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Zhan L, Liu X, Zhang J, Cao Y, Wei B. Immune disorder in endometrial cancer: Immunosuppressive microenvironment, mechanisms of immune evasion and immunotherapy. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:2075-2090. [PMID: 32782525 PMCID: PMC7400772 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy is an emerging clinical approach that has gained traction over the past decade as a novel treatment option for lung cancer and melanoma. Notably, researchers have made marked improvements in the treatment of endometrial cancer (EC), and potential immune responses have been identified in patients with EC, thereby offering the possibility of exploring immunotherapy for EC. Nevertheless, various needs remain unmet, and immunotherapy applications in EC have yielded limited success, as only a minority of patients exhibited a clinical response. Therefore, further understanding of immune dysfunction associated with EC is still required. The present review describes recent findings regarding the immunosuppressive microenvironment of EC, with emphasis on immune evasion mechanisms and immunotherapy in EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230022, P.R. China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, P.R. China
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, P.R. China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, P.R. China
| | - Yunxia Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230022, P.R. China
| | - Bing Wei
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230601, P.R. China
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12
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Bernard A, Chevrier S, Beltjens F, Dosset M, Viltard E, Lagrange A, Derangère V, Oudot A, Ghiringhelli F, Collin B, Apetoh L, Feron O, Chen S, Arnould L, Végran F, Boidot R. Cleaved Caspase-3 Transcriptionally Regulates Angiogenesis-Promoting Chemotherapy Resistance. Cancer Res 2019; 79:5958-5970. [PMID: 31611309 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-0840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Caspases are well known for their role in apoptosis. Recently, nonapoptotic roles of caspases have been identified, however, these noncanonical roles are not well documented and the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Here, we studied the role of cleaved caspase-3 using human- and mouse-proficient caspase-3 cancer cell lines and human-deficient caspase-3 cancer cells. Cleaved caspase-3 functioned as a transcription factor and directly bound to DNA. A DNA-binding domain was identified in the small subunit of caspase-3 and an active conformation was essential for caspase-3 transcriptional activity. Caspase-3 DNA binding enhanced angiogenesis by upregulating the expression of proangiogenic genes and by activating pathways that promoted endothelial cell activation. Some proapoptotic genes were downregulated in caspase-3-proficient cells. Inhibiting caspase-3 increased the efficacy of chemotherapy and decreased spontaneous tumor development. These data highlight a novel nonapoptotic role of caspase-3 and suggest that cleaved caspase-3 could be a new therapeutic target in cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings report a noncanonical function of caspase-3 by demonstrating its ability to transcriptionally regulate the VEGFR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandy Chevrier
- Department of Biology and Pathology of Tumors, Georges-Francois Leclerc Cancer Center-UNICANCER, Dijon, France
| | - Françoise Beltjens
- Department of Biology and Pathology of Tumors, Georges-Francois Leclerc Cancer Center-UNICANCER, Dijon, France
| | | | | | | | - Valentin Derangère
- Inserm U1231, Dijon, France.,Platform of Transfer in Cancer Biology, Georges-Francois Leclerc Cancer Center-UNICANCER, Dijon, France
| | - Alexandra Oudot
- Preclinical Imaging Platform-Nuclear Medicine Department, Georges-Francois Leclerc Cancer Center-UNICANCER, Dijon, France
| | - François Ghiringhelli
- Inserm U1231, Dijon, France.,Platform of Transfer in Cancer Biology, Georges-Francois Leclerc Cancer Center-UNICANCER, Dijon, France
| | - Bertrand Collin
- Preclinical Imaging Platform-Nuclear Medicine Department, Georges-Francois Leclerc Cancer Center-UNICANCER, Dijon, France
| | | | - Olivier Feron
- Pole of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Suzie Chen
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey.,The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Laurent Arnould
- Department of Biology and Pathology of Tumors, Georges-Francois Leclerc Cancer Center-UNICANCER, Dijon, France
| | - Frédérique Végran
- Inserm U1231, Dijon, France.,Platform of Transfer in Cancer Biology, Georges-Francois Leclerc Cancer Center-UNICANCER, Dijon, France
| | - Romain Boidot
- Inserm U1231, Dijon, France. .,Department of Biology and Pathology of Tumors, Georges-Francois Leclerc Cancer Center-UNICANCER, Dijon, France
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13
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Duan Y, Zhang D. Identification of novel prognostic alternative splicing signature in papillary renal cell carcinoma. J Cell Biochem 2019; 121:672-689. [PMID: 31407370 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.29314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) is a heterogeneous disease containing multifocal or solitary tumors with an aggressive phenotype. Increasing evidence has indicated the involvement of aberrant splicing variants in renal cell cancer, while systematic profiling of aberrant alternative splicing (AS) in pRCC was lacking and largely unknown. In the current study, comprehensive profiling of AS events were performed based on the integration of pRCC cohort from the Cancer Genome Atlas database and SpliceSeq software. With rigorous screening and univariate Cox analysis, a total of 2077 prognoses AS events from 1642 parent genes were identified. Then, stepwise least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method-penalized Cox regression analyses with 10-fold cross-validation followed by multivariate Cox regression were used to construct the prognostic AS signatures within each AS type. And a final 21 AS event-based signature was proposed which showed potent prognostic capability in stratifying patients into low- and high-risk subgroups (P < .0001). Furthermore, time-dependent receiver operating characteristics curves confirmed that the final AS signature was effective and robust in predicting overall survival for pRCC patients with the area under the curve above 0.9 from 1 to 5 years. In addition, splicing correlation network was built to uncover the potential regulatory pattern among prognostic splicing factors and candidate AS events. Besides, gene set enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of these candidates AS events in tumor-related pathways including extracellular matrix organization, oxidative phosphorylation, and P53 signaling pathways. Taken together, our results could contribute to elucidating the underlying mechanism of AS in the oncogenesis process and broaden the novel field of prognostic and clinical application of molecule-targeted approaches in pRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Duan
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Clinical Medical College, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Clinical Medical College, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Department of Breast Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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14
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Eren-Keleş E, Karabulut HG, Çakmaklı HF, Adaklı B, Köse SK, Uğur-Dinçaslan H, Yavuz G, Ertem M, Tükün A. Expression of Survivin and Its Splice Variants in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers 2018; 22:680-685. [PMID: 30489176 DOI: 10.1089/gtmb.2018.0152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: Survivin is involved in the inhibition of apoptosis and the regulation of cell division. In addition to wild-type survivin (survivin-wt), at least four splice variants with differential functions (ΔEx3 and 3B antiapoptotic, and 2α and 2B proapoptotic) have been identified. Survivin is highly expressed in several cancers, including hematological malignancies. Although acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most frequent malignancy in children, studies that investigated survivin expression in ALL are limited, and there is no study on 3B and 2α expression in ALL. Therefore the expression of survivin-wt and its splice variants was investigated in pediatric B-cell ALL patients. Materials and Methods: The expression of survivin-wt and its four splice variants was investigated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in archival RNA samples of 35 pediatric B-cell ALL patients. Patients were divided into high- and standard-risk groups according to age, white blood cell count, extramedullary involvement, and genetic risk factors; expression of survivin variants was compared between these two risk groups. Results: We found that the ratio of survivin-ΔEx3/wild type (WT) expression was higher in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group. Conclusion: Comparative analysis between the high- and low-risk B-cell ALL groups indicated that the survivin-ΔEx3/WT expression ratio could potentially be used in risk classification for pediatric B-cell ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efsun Eren-Keleş
- Central Laboratory, Biotechnology Institute, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Hasan Fatih Çakmaklı
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Başak Adaklı
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Istinye University, Medicalpark Bahçelievler Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Serdar Kenan Köse
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Handan Uğur-Dinçaslan
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gülsan Yavuz
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Ertem
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ajlan Tükün
- Duzen Laboratories Group, Division of Medical Genetics, Ankara, Turkey
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15
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Di C, Syafrizayanti, Zhang Q, Chen Y, Wang Y, Zhang X, Liu Y, Sun C, Zhang H, Hoheisel JD. Function, clinical application, and strategies of Pre-mRNA splicing in cancer. Cell Death Differ 2018; 26:1181-1194. [PMID: 30464224 PMCID: PMC6748147 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-018-0231-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-mRNA splicing is a fundamental process that plays a considerable role in generating protein diversity. Pre-mRNA splicing is also the key to the pathology of numerous diseases, especially cancers. In this review, we discuss how aberrant splicing isoforms precisely regulate three basic functional aspects in cancer: proliferation, metastasis and apoptosis. Importantly, clinical function of aberrant splicing isoforms is also discussed, in particular concerning drug resistance and radiosensitivity. Furthermore, this review discusses emerging strategies how to modulate pathologic aberrant splicing isoforms, which are attractive, novel therapeutic agents in cancer. Last we outline current and future directions of isoforms diagnostic methodologies reported so far in cancer. Thus, it is highlighting significance of aberrant splicing isoforms as markers for cancer and as targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuixia Di
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Syafrizayanti
- Division of Functional Genome Analysis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Andalas University, Kampus Limau Manis, Padang, Indonesia
| | - Qianjing Zhang
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhong Chen
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yupei Wang
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuetian Zhang
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chao Sun
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Radiation Medicine, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China. .,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Jörg D Hoheisel
- Division of Functional Genome Analysis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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16
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Sah NK, Seniya C. Survivin splice variants and their diagnostic significance. Tumour Biol 2015; 36:6623-31. [PMID: 26245993 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-015-3865-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Survivin plays a crucial role in cell division particularly during the development of the fetus, in the onset and progression of most tumors and is found expressed in a few terminally differentiated cells. Altogether, there are ten splice variants of survivin, some of which are not yet satisfactorily characterized. Several isoforms may undergo homo/heterodimerization, particularly with the wild-type survivin to elicit a variety of biological functions. The detection of survivin and its splice variants not only suggests the onset, maintenance, and progression of cancer, but also the stage of certain cancers. Recent studies demonstrate that the presence of survivin in urine and blood samples of patients may suggest urogenital and bladder cancer hematologic malignancies, respectively. The expression of the survivin-3α splice variant is indicative of the onset and progression of breast cancer. Several companies have developed cancer diagnostic kits using survivin for detection of cancer. Some are also engaged in fine-tuning the type and stage-specific diagnosis of cancer based on survivin, its splice variants with and without other markers, such as hyaluronidase. Briefly, survivin and its splice variants hold a great biological significance, particularly in the diagnosis of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nand K Sah
- Department of Life Sciences (Botany), T. N. B. College, Bhagalpur (T M Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur), Bhagalpur, 812007, India.
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17
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High expression of survivin and its splice variants survivin ΔEx3 and survivin 2 B in oral cancers. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2015; 120:497-507. [PMID: 26346910 DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2015.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We have previously reported inactivation of p53 in 46% of Indian patients with oral cancer. Survivin, a p53 target gene and an inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP), is overexpressed in several cancers, including oral cancers. Studies assessing the role of survivin and its splice variants in oral cancers are, however, rare. MATERIALS AND METHODS The expression of 6 survivin isoforms in 4 oral cancer cell lines (AW8507, AW13516, UPCI-SCC040, UPCI-SCC029 B), a dysplastic oral cell line (DOK), 75 paired oral tumor and adjacent normal tissues, and 12 normal oral tissue samples from healthy individuals was analyzed by real-time PCR. The expression was correlated with clinicopathologic parameters, which included age, sex, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging, tobacco and/or alcohol consumption, site, and differentiation status of tumor. RESULTS This is the first study to find overexpression of the 6 characterized survivin isoforms in oral cancers compared with normal tissues (P < .05). Additionally, a significant (P < .05) correlation among the fold changes of all 6 survivin isoforms was observed. Survivin wild type (wt) was the predominantly expressed isoform in oral cell lines and tumor tissues versus normal tissues (P < .05). Among the minor isoforms, survivin ΔEx3 and survivin 2 B were dominantly expressed, whereas survivin 2 α and survivin 3 α overexpression was found for the first time. Further high survivin 3 B expression exhibited a significant association (P < .05) with poorly differentiated tumors. Interestingly the combined expression of the antiapoptotic survivin isoforms, survivin wt, survivin ΔEx3, and survivin 3 B, exhibited a significant association with TNM staging of the tumor. CONCLUSIONS Our studies thus indicate that oral cancers overexpress the antiapoptotic survivin variants, which exhibit an association with advanced tumor stage, implying a role for these variants in oral tumorigenesis.
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18
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Chen FC. Alternative RNA structure-coupled gene regulations in tumorigenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2014; 16:452-75. [PMID: 25551597 PMCID: PMC4307256 DOI: 10.3390/ijms16010452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative RNA structures (ARSs), or alternative transcript isoforms, are critical for regulating cellular phenotypes in humans. In addition to generating functionally diverse protein isoforms from a single gene, ARS can alter the sequence contents of 5'/3' untranslated regions (UTRs) and intronic regions, thus also affecting the regulatory effects of these regions. ARS may introduce premature stop codon(s) into a transcript, and render the transcript susceptible to nonsense-mediated decay, which in turn can influence the overall gene expression level. Meanwhile, ARS can regulate the presence/absence of upstream open reading frames and microRNA targeting sites in 5'UTRs and 3'UTRs, respectively, thus affecting translational efficiencies and protein expression levels. Furthermore, since ARS may alter exon-intron structures, it can influence the biogenesis of intronic microRNAs and indirectly affect the expression of the target genes of these microRNAs. The connections between ARS and multiple regulatory mechanisms underline the importance of ARS in determining cell fate. Accumulating evidence indicates that ARS-coupled regulations play important roles in tumorigenesis. Here I will review our current knowledge in this field, and discuss potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Chi Chen
- Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County 350, Taiwan.
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19
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Wojtuszkiewicz A, Assaraf YG, Maas MJP, Kaspers GJL, Jansen G, Cloos J. Pre-mRNA splicing in cancer: the relevance in oncogenesis, treatment and drug resistance. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2014; 11:673-89. [PMID: 25495223 DOI: 10.1517/17425255.2015.993316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Aberrant pre-mRNA splicing in cancer is emerging as an important determinant of oncogenesis, response to treatment and anticancer drug resistance. At the same time, the spliceosome has become a target for a novel class of pre-clinical chemotherapeutics with a potential future application in cancer treatment. Taken together, these findings offer novel opportunities for the enhancement of the efficacy of cancer therapy. AREAS COVERED This review presents a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms involved in splicing and current developments regarding splicing aberrations in relation to several aspects of cancer formation and therapy. Identified mutations in the various components of the spliceosome and their implications for cancer prognosis are delineated. Moreover, the contribution of abnormal splicing patterns as well as deregulated splicing factors to chemoresistance is discussed, along with novel splicing-based therapeutic approaches. EXPERT OPINION Significant progress has been made in deciphering the role of splicing factors in cancer including carcinogenesis and drug resistance. Splicing-based prognostic tools as well as therapeutic options hold great potential towards improvements in cancer therapy. However, gaining more in-depth molecular insight into the consequences of mutations in various components of the splicing machinery as well as of cellular effects of spliceosome inhibition is a prerequisite to establish the role of splicing in tumor progression and treatment options, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wojtuszkiewicz
- VU University Medical Center, Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology , Amsterdam , The Netherlands
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20
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Khan S, Bennit HF, Turay D, Perez M, Mirshahidi S, Yuan Y, Wall NR. Early diagnostic value of survivin and its alternative splice variants in breast cancer. BMC Cancer 2014. [PMID: 24620748 DOI: 10.1186/1471‐2407‐14‐176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein Survivin and its splice variants are differentially expressed in breast cancer tissues. Our previous work showed Survivin is released from tumor cells via small membrane-bound vesicles called exosomes. We, therefore, hypothesize that analysis of serum exosomal Survivin and its splice variants may provide a novel biomarker for early diagnosis of breast cancer. METHODS We collected sera from forty breast cancer patients and ten control patients who were disease free for 5 years after treatment. In addition, twenty-three paired breast cancer tumor tissues from those same 40 patients were analyzed for splice variants. Serum levels of Survivin were analyzed using ELISA and exosomes were isolated from this serum using the commercially available ExoQuick kit, with subsequent Western blots and immunohistochemistry performed. RESULTS Survivin levels were significantly higher in all the breast cancer samples compared to controls (p < 0.05) with exosome amounts significantly higher in cancer patient sera compared to controls (p < 0.01). While Survivin and Survivin-∆Ex3 splice variant expression and localization was identical in serum exosomes, differential expression of Survivin-2B protein existed in the exosomes. Similarly, Survivin and Survivin-∆Ex3 proteins were the predominant forms detected in all of the breast cancer tissues evaluated in this study, whereas a more variable expression of Survivin-2B level was found at different cancer stages. CONCLUSION In this study we show for the first time that like Survivin, the Survivin splice variants are also exosomally packaged in the breast cancer patients' sera, mimicking the survivin splice variant pattern that we also report in breast cancer tissues. Differential expression of exosomal-Survivin, particularly Survivin-2B, may serve as a diagnostic and/or prognostic marker, a "liquid biopsy" if you will, in early breast cancer patients. Furthermore, a more thorough understanding of the role of this prominent antiapoptotic pathway could lead to the development of potential therapeutics for breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Nathan R Wall
- Department of Biochemistry, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
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21
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Khan S, Bennit HF, Turay D, Perez M, Mirshahidi S, Yuan Y, Wall NR. Early diagnostic value of survivin and its alternative splice variants in breast cancer. BMC Cancer 2014; 14:176. [PMID: 24620748 PMCID: PMC3995700 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 02/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein Survivin and its splice variants are differentially expressed in breast cancer tissues. Our previous work showed Survivin is released from tumor cells via small membrane-bound vesicles called exosomes. We, therefore, hypothesize that analysis of serum exosomal Survivin and its splice variants may provide a novel biomarker for early diagnosis of breast cancer. Methods We collected sera from forty breast cancer patients and ten control patients who were disease free for 5 years after treatment. In addition, twenty-three paired breast cancer tumor tissues from those same 40 patients were analyzed for splice variants. Serum levels of Survivin were analyzed using ELISA and exosomes were isolated from this serum using the commercially available ExoQuick kit, with subsequent Western blots and immunohistochemistry performed. Results Survivin levels were significantly higher in all the breast cancer samples compared to controls (p < 0.05) with exosome amounts significantly higher in cancer patient sera compared to controls (p < 0.01). While Survivin and Survivin-∆Ex3 splice variant expression and localization was identical in serum exosomes, differential expression of Survivin-2B protein existed in the exosomes. Similarly, Survivin and Survivin-∆Ex3 proteins were the predominant forms detected in all of the breast cancer tissues evaluated in this study, whereas a more variable expression of Survivin-2B level was found at different cancer stages. Conclusion In this study we show for the first time that like Survivin, the Survivin splice variants are also exosomally packaged in the breast cancer patients’ sera, mimicking the survivin splice variant pattern that we also report in breast cancer tissues. Differential expression of exosomal-Survivin, particularly Survivin-2B, may serve as a diagnostic and/or prognostic marker, a “liquid biopsy” if you will, in early breast cancer patients. Furthermore, a more thorough understanding of the role of this prominent antiapoptotic pathway could lead to the development of potential therapeutics for breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Nathan R Wall
- Department of Biochemistry, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
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22
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Végran F, Boidot R. Survivin-3B promotes chemoresistance and immune escape by inhibiting caspase-8 and -6 in cancer cells. Oncoimmunology 2013; 2:e26328. [PMID: 24353917 PMCID: PMC3862639 DOI: 10.4161/onci.26328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2013] [Accepted: 08/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Survivin-3B (S-3B), an alternative splice isoform of survivin, plays a key role in tumorigenesis. S-3B promotes the escape of malignant cells from immune recognition by blocking the cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells. Such an effect reflects the ability of S-3B to interfere with the assembly of the so-called “death-inducing signaling complex” upon the interaction of FAS with its ligand (FASL). S-3B also inhibits the activation of caspase-6, thus increasing the resistance of neoplastic cells to granzyme B and various chemotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédérique Végran
- INSERM U866; Department of Tumor Biology and Pathology; Unit of Molecular Biology; Dijon, France
| | - Romain Boidot
- Centre Georges-François Leclerc; Department of Tumor Biology and Pathology; Unit of Molecular Biology; Dijon, France
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