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Shi Q, Xue C, Zeng Y, Yuan X, Chu Q, Jiang S, Wang J, Zhang Y, Zhu D, Li L. Notch signaling pathway in cancer: from mechanistic insights to targeted therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:128. [PMID: 38797752 PMCID: PMC11128457 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01828-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Notch signaling, renowned for its role in regulating cell fate, organ development, and tissue homeostasis across metazoans, is highly conserved throughout evolution. The Notch receptor and its ligands are transmembrane proteins containing epidermal growth factor-like repeat sequences, typically necessitating receptor-ligand interaction to initiate classical Notch signaling transduction. Accumulating evidence indicates that the Notch signaling pathway serves as both an oncogenic factor and a tumor suppressor in various cancer types. Dysregulation of this pathway promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis in malignancies, closely linked to cancer proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Furthermore, the Notch signaling pathway contributes to maintaining stem-like properties in cancer cells, thereby enhancing cancer invasiveness. The regulatory role of the Notch signaling pathway in cancer metabolic reprogramming and the tumor microenvironment suggests its pivotal involvement in balancing oncogenic and tumor suppressive effects. Moreover, the Notch signaling pathway is implicated in conferring chemoresistance to tumor cells. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of these biological processes is crucial for developing innovative therapeutic strategies targeting Notch signaling. This review focuses on the research progress of the Notch signaling pathway in cancers, providing in-depth insights into the potential mechanisms of Notch signaling regulation in the occurrence and progression of cancer. Additionally, the review summarizes pharmaceutical clinical trials targeting Notch signaling for cancer therapy, aiming to offer new insights into therapeutic strategies for human malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingmiao Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Chen Xue
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Yifan Zeng
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Xin Yuan
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Qingfei Chu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Shuwen Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Jinzhi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Yaqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Danhua Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
| | - Lanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
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Dali O, Muriel-Muriel JA, Vargas-Baco A, Tevosian S, Zubcevic J, Smagulova F, Hayward LF. Prenatal nicotine exposure leads to epigenetic alterations in peripheral nervous system signaling genes in the testis of the rat. Epigenetics Chromatin 2024; 17:14. [PMID: 38715099 PMCID: PMC11075221 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-024-00539-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE) has been documented to cause numerous deleterious effects on fetal development. However, the epigenetic changes promoted by nicotine exposure on germ cells are still not well understood. OBJECTIVES In this study, we focused on elucidating the impact of prenatal nicotine exposure on regulatory epigenetic mechanisms important for germ cell development. METHODS Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to nicotine during pregnancy and male progeny was analyzed at 11 weeks of age. Testis morphology was analyzed using frozen testis sections and expression of germ cell markers was examined by RT-qPCR; histone modifications were assessed by Western Blot (WB). DNA methylation analysis was performed by methylation-specific PCR of bisulfite converted DNA. Genome-wide DNA methylation was analyzed using Methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP)-seq. We also carried out transcriptomics analysis of pituitary glands by RNA-seq. RESULTS We show that gestational exposure to nicotine reduces germ cell numbers, perturbs meiosis, affects the expression of germ line reprogramming responsive genes, and impacts the DNA methylation of nervous system genes in the testis. PNE also causes perturbation of gene expression in the pituitary gland of the brain. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that PNE leads to perturbation of male spermatogenesis, and the observed effects are associated with changes of peripheral nervous system signaling pathways. Alterations in the expression of genes associated with diverse biological activities such as cell migration, cell adhesion and GABA signaling in the pituitary gland underscore the complexity of the effects of nicotine exposure during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ouzna Dali
- EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en sante, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Jose Antonio Muriel-Muriel
- EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en sante, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Ana Vargas-Baco
- EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en sante, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Sergei Tevosian
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, 1333 Center Drive, Box 100144, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Jasenka Zubcevic
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Fatima Smagulova
- EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en sante, environnement et travail)-UMR_S 1085, Univ. Rennes, 35000, Rennes, France.
| | - Linda F Hayward
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, 1333 Center Drive, Box 100144, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
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Zheng ZQ, Zhang GG, Yuan GQ, Hao JH, Nie QQ, Zheng MC, Wang Z. Development and validation of an immune infiltration/tumor proliferation-related Notch3 nomogram for predicting survival in patients with primary glioblastoma. Front Genet 2023; 14:1148126. [PMID: 37284062 PMCID: PMC10240236 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1148126] [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: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Notch receptors (Notch 1/2/3/4), the critical effectors of the Notch pathway, participate in the tumorigenesis and progression of many malignancies. However, the clinical roles of Notch receptors in primary glioblastoma (GBM) have not been fully elucidated. Methods: The genetic alteration-related prognostic values of Notch receptors were determined in the GBM dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Two GBM datasets from TCGA and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) were used to explore the differential expression between Notch receptors and IDH mutation status, and GBM subtypes. The biological functions of Notch Receptors were explored by Gene Ontology and KEGG analysis. The expression and prognostic significance of Notch receptors were determined in the TCGA and CGGA datasets and further validated in a clinical GBM cohort by immunostaining. A Notch3-based nomogram/predictive risk model was constructed in the TCGA dataset and validated in the CGGA dataset. The model performance was evaluated by receiver operating curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analyses. The Notch3-related phenotypes were analyzed via CancerSEA and TIMER. The proliferative role of Notch3 in GBM was validated in U251/U87 glioma cells by Western blot and immunostaining. Results: Notch receptors with genetic alterations were associated with poor survival of GBM patients. Notch receptors were all upregulated in GBM of TCGA and CGGA databases and closely related to the regulation of transcription, protein-lysine N-methyltransferase activity, lysine N-methyltransferase activity, and focal adhesion. Notch receptors were associated with Classical, Mesenchymal, and Proneural subtypes. Notch1 and Notch3 were closely correlated with IDH mutation status and G-CIMP subtype. Notch receptors displayed the differential expression at the protein level and Notch3 showed a prognostic significance in a clinical GBM cohort. Notch3 presented an independent prognostic role for primary GBM (IDH1 mutant/wildtype). A Notch3-based predictive risk model presented favorable accuracy, reliability, and net benefits for predicting the survival of GBM patients (IDH1 mutant/wildtype and IDH1 wildtype). Notch3 was closely related to immune infiltration (macrophages, CD4+ T cells, and dendritic cells) and tumor proliferation. Conclusion: Notch3-based nomogram served as a practical tool for anticipating the survival of GBM patients, which was related to immune-cell infiltration and tumor proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zong-Qing Zheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guo-Guo Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Gui-Qiang Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Hui Hao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qian-Qian Nie
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ming-Cheng Zheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fifth Hospital of Xiamen, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Zhong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Dong CX, Malecki C, Robertson E, Hambly B, Jeremy R. Molecular Mechanisms in Genetic Aortopathy-Signaling Pathways and Potential Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021795. [PMID: 36675309 PMCID: PMC9865322 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Thoracic aortic disease affects people of all ages and the majority of those aged <60 years have an underlying genetic cause. There is presently no effective medical therapy for thoracic aneurysm and surgery remains the principal intervention. Unlike abdominal aortic aneurysm, for which the inflammatory/atherosclerotic pathogenesis is well established, the mechanism of thoracic aneurysm is less understood. This paper examines the key cell signaling systems responsible for the growth and development of the aorta, homeostasis of endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells and interactions between pathways. The evidence supporting a role for individual signaling pathways in pathogenesis of thoracic aortic aneurysm is examined and potential novel therapeutic approaches are reviewed. Several key signaling pathways, notably TGF-β, WNT, NOTCH, PI3K/AKT and ANGII contribute to growth, proliferation, cell phenotype and survival for both vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells. There is crosstalk between pathways, and between vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells, with both synergistic and antagonistic interactions. A common feature of the activation of each is response to injury or abnormal cell stress. Considerable experimental evidence supports a contribution of each of these pathways to aneurysm formation. Although human information is less, there is sufficient data to implicate each pathway in the pathogenesis of human thoracic aneurysm. As some pathways i.e., WNT and NOTCH, play key roles in tissue growth and organogenesis in early life, it is possible that dysregulation of these pathways results in an abnormal aortic architecture even in infancy, thereby setting the stage for aneurysm development in later life. Given the fine tuning of these signaling systems, functional polymorphisms in key signaling elements may set up a future risk of thoracic aneurysm. Multiple novel therapeutic agents have been developed, targeting cell signaling pathways, predominantly in cancer medicine. Future investigations addressing cell specific targeting, reduced toxicity and also less intense treatment effects may hold promise for effective new medical treatments of thoracic aortic aneurysm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Xue Dong
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Cassandra Malecki
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- The Baird Institute, Camperdown, NSW 2042, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Robertson
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Brett Hambly
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Richmond Jeremy
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- The Baird Institute, Camperdown, NSW 2042, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Roshini A, Goparaju C, Kundu S, Nandhu MS, Longo SL, Longo JA, Chou J, Middleton FA, Pass HI, Viapiano MS. The extracellular matrix protein fibulin-3/EFEMP1 promotes pleural mesothelioma growth by activation of PI3K/Akt signaling. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1014749. [PMID: 36303838 PMCID: PMC9593058 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1014749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive tumor with poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. The extracellular matrix protein fibulin-3/EFEMP1 accumulates in the pleural effusions of MPM patients and has been proposed as a prognostic biomarker of these tumors. However, it is entirely unknown whether fibulin-3 plays a functional role on MPM growth and progression. Here, we demonstrate that fibulin-3 is upregulated in MPM tissue, promotes the malignant behavior of MPM cells, and can be targeted to reduce tumor progression. Overexpression of fibulin-3 increased the viability, clonogenic capacity and invasion of mesothelial cells, whereas fibulin-3 knockdown decreased these phenotypic traits as well as chemoresistance in MPM cells. At the molecular level, fibulin-3 activated PI3K/Akt signaling and increased the expression of a PI3K-dependent gene signature associated with cell adhesion, motility, and invasion. These pro-tumoral effects of fibulin-3 on MPM cells were disrupted by PI3K inhibition as well as by a novel, function-blocking, anti-fibulin-3 chimeric antibody. Anti-fibulin-3 antibody therapy tested in two orthotopic models of MPM inhibited fibulin-3 signaling, resulting in decreased tumor cell proliferation, reduced tumor growth, and extended animal survival. Taken together, these results demonstrate for the first time that fibulin-3 is not only a prognostic factor of MPM but also a relevant molecular target in these tumors. Further development of anti-fibulin-3 approaches are proposed to increase early detection and therapeutic impact against MPM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arivazhagan Roshini
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Chandra Goparaju
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Langone Medical Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Somanath Kundu
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Mohan S. Nandhu
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Sharon L. Longo
- Department of Neurosurgery, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - John A. Longo
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Joan Chou
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Frank A. Middleton
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Harvey I. Pass
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Langone Medical Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Mariano S. Viapiano
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Mariano S. Viapiano,
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Yan H, Vail ME, Hii L, Guo N, McMurrick PJ, Oliva K, Wilkins S, Saha N, Nikolov DB, Lee FT, Scott AM, Janes PW. Preferential Antibody and Drug Conjugate Targeting of the ADAM10 Metalloprotease in Tumours. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133171. [PMID: 35804938 PMCID: PMC9264901 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
ADAM10 is a transmembrane metalloprotease that sheds a variety of cell surface proteins, including receptors and ligands that regulate a range of developmental processes which re-emerge during tumour development. While ADAM10 is ubiquitously expressed, its activity is normally tightly regulated, but becomes deregulated in tumours. We previously reported the generation of a monoclonal antibody, 8C7, which preferentially recognises an active form of ADAM10 in human and mouse tumours. We now report our investigation of the mechanism of this specificity, and the preferential targeting of 8C7 to human tumour cell xenografts in mice. We also report the development of novel 8C7 antibody–drug conjugates that preferentially kill cells displaying the 8C7 epitope, and that can inhibit tumour growth in mice. This study provides the first demonstration that antibody–drug conjugates targeting an active conformer of ADAM10, a widely expressed transmembrane metalloprotease, enable tumour-selective targeting and inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengkang Yan
- Tumour Targeting Program, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; (H.Y.); (M.E.V.); (N.G.); (F.-T.L.)
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Mary E. Vail
- Tumour Targeting Program, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; (H.Y.); (M.E.V.); (N.G.); (F.-T.L.)
| | - Linda Hii
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia;
| | - Nancy Guo
- Tumour Targeting Program, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; (H.Y.); (M.E.V.); (N.G.); (F.-T.L.)
| | - Paul J. McMurrick
- Cabrini Monash University Department of Surgery, Cabrini Hospital, Malvern, VIC 3144, Australia; (P.J.M.); (K.O.); (S.W.)
| | - Karen Oliva
- Cabrini Monash University Department of Surgery, Cabrini Hospital, Malvern, VIC 3144, Australia; (P.J.M.); (K.O.); (S.W.)
| | - Simon Wilkins
- Cabrini Monash University Department of Surgery, Cabrini Hospital, Malvern, VIC 3144, Australia; (P.J.M.); (K.O.); (S.W.)
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Nayanendu Saha
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, NY 10065, USA; (N.S.); (D.B.N.)
| | - Dimitar B. Nikolov
- Structural Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, NY 10065, USA; (N.S.); (D.B.N.)
| | - Fook-Thean Lee
- Tumour Targeting Program, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; (H.Y.); (M.E.V.); (N.G.); (F.-T.L.)
| | - Andrew M. Scott
- Tumour Targeting Program, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; (H.Y.); (M.E.V.); (N.G.); (F.-T.L.)
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia;
- Correspondence: (A.M.S.); (P.W.J.)
| | - Peter W. Janes
- Tumour Targeting Program, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; (H.Y.); (M.E.V.); (N.G.); (F.-T.L.)
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia;
- Correspondence: (A.M.S.); (P.W.J.)
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Sharma P, Beck D, Murtha LA, Figtree G, Boyle A, Gentile C. Fibulin-3 Deficiency Protects Against Myocardial Injury Following Ischaemia/ Reperfusion in in vitro Cardiac Spheroids. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:913156. [PMID: 35795376 PMCID: PMC9251181 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.913156] [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: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Myocardial infarction (MI, or heart attack) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Myocardial ischaemia reperfusion (I/R) injury typical of MI events is also associated with the development of cardiac fibrosis and heart failure in patients. Fibulin-3 is an extracellular matrix component that plays a role in regulating MI response in the heart. In this study, we generated and compared in vitro cardiac spheroids (CSs) from wild type (WT) and fibulin-3 knockout (Fib-3 KO) mice. These were then exposed to pathophysiological changes in oxygen (O2) concentrations to mimic an MI event. We finally measured changes in contractile function, cell death, and mRNA expression levels of cardiovascular disease genes between WT and Fib-3 KO CSs. Our results demonstrated that there are significant differences in growth kinetics and endothelial network formation between WT and Fib-3 KO CSs, however, they respond similarly to changes in O2 concentrations. Fib-3 deficiency resulted in an increase in viability of cells and improvement in contraction frequency and fractional shortening compared to WT I/R CSs. Gene expression analyses demonstrated that Fib-3 deficiency inhibits I/R injury and cardiac fibrosis and promotes angiogenesis in CSs. Altogether, our findings suggest that Fib-3 deficiency makes CSs resistant to I/R injury and associated cardiac fibrosis and helps to improve the vascular network in CSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poonam Sharma
- College of Health Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Engineering and IT, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Dominik Beck
- Faculty of Engineering and IT, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lucy A. Murtha
- College of Health Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Gemma Figtree
- Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew Boyle
- College of Health Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Carmine Gentile
- Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Engineering and IT, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Carmine Gentile
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Notch signaling in malignant gliomas: supporting tumor growth and the vascular environment. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2022; 41:737-747. [PMID: 35624227 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-022-10041-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most malignant form of glioma, which is the most commonly occurring tumor of the central nervous system. Notch signaling in glioblastoma is considered to be a marker of an undifferentiated tumor cell state, associated with tumor stem cells. Notch is also known for facilitating tumor dormancy escape, recurrence and progression after treatment. Studies in vitro suggest that reducing, removing or blocking the expression of this gene triggers tumor cell differentiation, which shifts the phenotype away from stemness status and consequently facilitates treatment. In contrast, in the vasculature, Notch appears to also function as an important receptor that defines mature non-leaking vessels, and increasing its expression promotes tumor normalization in models of cancer in vivo. Failures in clinical trials with Notch inhibitors are potentially related to their opposing effects on the tumor versus the tumor vasculature, which points to the need for a greater understanding of this signaling pathway.
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Eguchi R, Kawabe JI, Wakabayashi I. VEGF-Independent Angiogenic Factors: Beyond VEGF/VEGFR2 Signaling. J Vasc Res 2022; 59:78-89. [DOI: 10.1159/000521584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumors induce angiogenesis to acquire oxygen and nutrition from their adjacent microenvironment. Tumor angiogenesis has been believed to be induced primarily by the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) from various tumors. VEGF-A binds to VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), resulting in subsequent activation of cellular substances regulating cell proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis. Antiangiogenic therapies targeting the VEGF-A/VEGFR2 axis, including bevacizumab and ramucirumab, humanized monoclonal antibodies against VEGF-A and VEGFR2, respectively, have been proposed as a promising strategy aimed at preventing tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Phase III clinical trials using bevacizumab and ramucirumab have shown that not all tumor patients benefit from such antiangiogenic agents, and that some patients who initially benefit subsequently become less responsive to these antibodies, suggesting the possible existence of VEGF-independent angiogenic factors. In this review, we focus on VEGF-independent and VEGFR2-dependent tumor angiogenesis, as well as VEGFR2-independent tumor angiogenesis. Additionally, we discuss VEGF-independent angiogenic factors which have been reported in previous studies. Various molecular targeting drugs are currently being evaluated as potential antitumor therapies. We expect that precision medicine will permit the development of innovative antiangiogenic therapies targeting individual angiogenic factors selected on the basis of the genetic screening of tumors.
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Utility of EFEMP1 in the Prediction of Oncologic Outcomes of Urothelial Carcinoma. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12060872. [PMID: 34204134 PMCID: PMC8226762 DOI: 10.3390/genes12060872] [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: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the upper tract (UTUC) and urinary bladder (UBUC) is a heterogeneous malignancy. Through transcriptomic profiling of the Gene Expression Omnibus UBUC dataset (GSE31684), we discovered that epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellularmatrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) was the most upregulated gene during metastatic development. EFEMP1 is an important component of basement membranes and acts as an enzyme regulator in extracellular matrix biology. Initially, evaluation of EFEMP1 mRNA expression in 50 UBUCs showed significantly upregulated levels in high stage UC. We further validated the clinical significance of EFEMP1 in 340 UTUC and 295 UBUC using immunohistochemistry, evaluated by H-score. High EFEMP1 immunoexpression significantly correlated with high pathologic stage, high histological grade, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, perineural invasion and high mitosis (all p < 0.05). After adjusting for established clinicopathological factors, EFEMP1 expression status retained its prognostic impact on disease-specific survival and metastasis-free survival in UTUC and UBUC (all p < 0.01). Furthermore, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis showed that actin cytoskeleton signaling, tumor microenvironment pathway and mitochondrial dysfunction were significantly enriched by EFEMP1 dysregulation. In conclusion, high EFEMP1 expression was associated with adverse pathological features in UC and independently predicted worse outcomes, suggesting its roles in clinical decision-making and risk stratification.
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Akil A, Gutiérrez-García AK, Guenter R, Rose JB, Beck AW, Chen H, Ren B. Notch Signaling in Vascular Endothelial Cells, Angiogenesis, and Tumor Progression: An Update and Prospective. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:642352. [PMID: 33681228 PMCID: PMC7928398 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.642352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Notch signaling pathway plays an essential role in a wide variety of biological processes including cell fate determination of vascular endothelial cells and the regulation of arterial differentiation and angiogenesis. The Notch pathway is also an essential regulator of tumor growth and survival by functioning as either an oncogene or a tumor suppressor in a context-dependent manner. Crosstalk between the Notch and other signaling pathways is also pivotal in tumor progression by promoting cancer cell growth, migration, invasion, metastasis, tumor angiogenesis, and the expansion of cancer stem cells (CSCs). In this review, we provide an overview and update of Notch signaling in endothelial cell fate determination and functioning, angiogenesis, and tumor progression, particularly in the development of CSCs and therapeutic resistance. We further summarize recent studies on how endothelial signaling crosstalk with the Notch pathway contributes to tumor angiogenesis and the development of CSCs, thereby providing insights into vascular biology within the tumor microenvironment and tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdellah Akil
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Ana K. Gutiérrez-García
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Rachael Guenter
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - J. Bart Rose
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Adam W. Beck
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Herbert Chen
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Bin Ren
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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Cheng L, Chen C, Guo W, Liu K, Zhao Q, Lu P, Yu F, Xu X. EFEMP1 Overexpression Contributes to Neovascularization in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:547436. [PMID: 33584252 PMCID: PMC7874111 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.547436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness, and choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in AMD can lead to serious visual impairment. Gene expression profiling of human ocular tissues have a great potential to reveal the pathophysiology of AMD. This study aimed to identify novel molecular biomarkers and gene expression signatures of AMD. Methods: We analyzed transcriptome profiles in retinal-choroid tissues derived from donor patients with AMD in comparison with those from healthy controls using a publicly available dataset (GSE29801). We focused on the EFEMP1 gene, which was found to be differentially upregulated in AMD, especially in wet AMD eyes. Serological validation analysis was carried out to verify the expression of EFEMP1 in 39 wet AMD patients and 39 age- and gender-matched cataract controls, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We then investigated the role of EFEMP1 in angiogenesis through in vitro experiments involving EFEMP1 overexpression (OE) and knockdown in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Results: An increase in EFEMP1 expression was observed in the retinal-choroid tissues of eyes with AMD, which was more significant in wet AMD than in dry AMD. In addition, there was a significant increase in serum fibulin-3 (EFEMP1 encoded protein) concentration in patients with wet AMD compared with that in the controls. Tube formation and proliferation of EFEMP1-OE HUVECs increased significantly, whereas those of EFEMP1 knockdown HUVECs decreased significantly compared with those of the control. Additional extracellular fibulin-3 treatments did not increase tube formation and proliferation of wildtype and EFEMP1 knockdown HUVECs, indicating that the proangiogenic properties of EFEMP1 are of cell origin. We also found that vascular endothelial growth factor expression in HUVECs was upregulated by EFEMP1 overexpression and downregulated by EFEMP1 knockdown. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate EFEMP1 as a novel biomarker for CNV in AMD, providing a new target for the development of wet AMD-directed pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Cheng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Chong Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenke Guo
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kun Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianqian Zhao
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Lu
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fudong Yu
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xun Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China
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Zhang C, Yu C, Li W, Zhu Y, Ye Y, Wang Z, Lin Z. Fibulin-3 affects vascular endothelial function and is regulated by angiotensin II. Microvasc Res 2020; 132:104043. [PMID: 32707048 DOI: 10.1016/j.mvr.2020.104043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of fibulin-3 on vascular endothelial function, and to explore the relevant underlying mechanism with regard to the involvement of angiotensin II (AngII). METHODS One hundred and eight patients with essential hypertension (EH) and 31 controls were included to measure the flow-mediated dilatation (FMD). Serum fibulin-3 and AngII were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay. Stable transfection of fibulin-3 was conducted on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and SV40T-transformed HUVECs (PUMC-HUVEC-T1 cells). Cell counting kit-8 assay, cell cycle assay, wound healing assay, Transwell assay, apoptosis assay, and tube formation assay were subsequently performed. The expression of angiogenesis-associated genes [endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA)] were measured by western blot analysis. HUVECs and PUMC-HUVEC-T1 cells were treated with AngII, and with or without an inhibitor of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), BAY 11-7082. Pro-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] were detected by ELISA. The expression levels of fibulin-3 and p65 were then measured by western blotting. RESULTS Lower levels of serum fibulin-3 were accompanied by poorer FMD and higher levels of serum AngII in patients with EH. Fibulin-3 overexpression promoted cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis, but led to an inhibition of apoptosis. By contrast, fibulin-3 downregulation inhibited cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis, but promoted apoptosis. AngII induced inflammation and inhibited the expression of fibulin-3. BAY 11-7082 eliminated the inhibitory effect of AngII on fibulin-3. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, the results of the present study have shown that serum fibulin-3 may be a predictor of vascular endothelial function in patients with EH. Fibulin-3 gene may also have a beneficial role in repairing the vascular endothelium. Furthermore, the results also suggested that fibulin-3 gene was suppressed by AngII via the NF-κB signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiming Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Chan Yu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Wenlei Li
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Yaoyao Zhu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Yuling Ye
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
| | - Zhongwei Lin
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, PR China.
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Livingstone I, Uversky VN, Furniss D, Wiberg A. The Pathophysiological Significance of Fibulin-3. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1294. [PMID: 32911658 PMCID: PMC7563619 DOI: 10.3390/biom10091294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibulin-3 (also known as EGF-containing fibulin extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1)) is a secreted extracellular matrix glycoprotein, encoded by the EFEMP1 gene that belongs to the eight-membered fibulin protein family. It has emerged as a functionally unique member of this family, with a diverse array of pathophysiological associations predominantly centered on its role as a modulator of extracellular matrix (ECM) biology. Fibulin-3 is widely expressed in the human body, especially in elastic-fibre-rich tissues and ocular structures, and interacts with enzymatic ECM regulators, including tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3). A point mutation in EFEMP1 causes an inherited early-onset form of macular degeneration called Malattia Leventinese/Doyne honeycomb retinal dystrophy (ML/DHRD). EFEMP1 genetic variants have also been associated in genome-wide association studies with numerous complex inherited phenotypes, both physiological (namely, developmental anthropometric traits) and pathological (many of which involve abnormalities of connective tissue function). Furthermore, EFEMP1 expression changes are implicated in the progression of numerous types of cancer, an area in which fibulin-3 has putative significance as a therapeutic target. Here we discuss the potential mechanistic roles of fibulin-3 in these pathologies and highlight how it may contribute to the development, structural integrity, and emergent functionality of the ECM and connective tissues across a range of anatomical locations. Its myriad of aetiological roles positions fibulin-3 as a molecule of interest across numerous research fields and may inform our future understanding and therapeutic approach to many human diseases in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imogen Livingstone
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK; (I.L.); (D.F.)
| | - Vladimir N. Uversky
- Laboratory of New Methods in Biology, Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center “Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, Pushchino 142290, Moscow Region, Russia;
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Dominic Furniss
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK; (I.L.); (D.F.)
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Akira Wiberg
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK; (I.L.); (D.F.)
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
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Wang X, Zhu L, Wu J, Zhao Y. The expression of Fibulin-3 in ovarian cancer and its relationship with prognosis. Transl Cancer Res 2020; 9:5173-5181. [PMID: 35117884 PMCID: PMC8799201 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-20-984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the significant advancements made in the treatment of ovarian cancer (OC), poor prognosis remains a major concern because this disease is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Tumor recurrence and metastasis have been implicated in the poor clinical outcomes of OC. Although Fibulin-3 has been shown to be closely related to the development of various tumors, its relationship with OC has not been widely examined. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the expression of Fibulin-3 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), determine its relationship with EOC prognosis, and correlate its expression with that of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers (Snail, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin). METHODS Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to detect the expression of Fibulin-3 protein in 84 OC samples, 10 benign ovarian tumor samples, and eight borderline ovarian tumor samples. RESULTS The positive rates of Fibulin-3 protein expression in OC, benign ovarian tumors, and borderline ovarian tumors were 45.24%, 20%, and 0%, respectively, showing significant differences (P<0.05). Fibulin-3 expression was found to be correlated with the FIGO stage of EOC, with tumors in higher stages (FIGO III + IV) showing higher expression. Additionally, at the protein level, Fibulin-3 was negatively correlated with E-cadherin protein (r=-0.252, P<0.05), and positively correlated with Snail and N-cadherin protein (r=0.644, 0.451, P<0.01).Overexpression of Fibulin-3 and the FIGO stage (III + IV) were related to the poor prognosis of patients (P<0.05). High expression of Fibulin-3 was an independent prognostic factor of EOC (P<0.05) The survival curve analysis showed that patients overexpressing Fibulin-3 had significantly shorter survival than those with low expression (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Increased expression of Fibulin-3 was found to be related to the invasion, metastasis, and prognosis of ovarian tumors, suggesting that it is an important indicator for evaluating the clinical prognosis of patients with EOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmei Wang
- Department of Pathology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Centre, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lisha Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jingxian Wu
- Department of Pathology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Centre, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yong Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research Centre, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Gholamrezanezhad A, Shooli H, Jokar N, Nemati R, Assadi M. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) in Brain Tumors. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2019; 53:374-381. [PMID: 31867072 PMCID: PMC6898703 DOI: 10.1007/s13139-019-00618-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Annually, the incidence of brain tumors has slightly increased and also the patient prognosis is still disappointing, especially for high-grade neoplasms. So, researchers seek methods to improve therapeutic index as a critical aim of treatment. One of these new challenging methods is radioimmunotherapy (RIT) that involves recruiting a coupling of radionuclide component with monoclonal antibody (mAb) which are targeted against cell surface tumor-related antigens or antigens of cells within the tumor microenvironment. In the context of cancer care, precision medicine is exemplified by RIT; precision medicine can offer a tailored treatment to meet the needs for treatment of brain tumors. This review aims to discuss the molecular targets used in radioimmunotherapy of brain tumors, available and future radioimmunopharmaceutics, clinical trials of radioimmunotherapy in brain neoplasms, and eventually, conclusion and future perspective of application of radioimmunotherapy in neurooncology cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Gholamrezanezhad
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (USC), 1520 San Pablo Street, Suite L1600, Los Angeles, CA 90033 USA
| | - Hossein Shooli
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Radionuclide Therapy (MIRT), The Persian Gulf Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Bushehr Medical University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Narges Jokar
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Radionuclide Therapy (MIRT), The Persian Gulf Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Bushehr Medical University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Reza Nemati
- Department of Neurology, Bushehr Medical University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Majid Assadi
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Radionuclide Therapy (MIRT), The Persian Gulf Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Bushehr Medical University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
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Wu L, Bernal GM, Cahill KE, Pytel P, Fitzpatrick CA, Mashek H, Weichselbaum RR, Yamini B. BCL3 expression promotes resistance to alkylating chemotherapy in gliomas. Sci Transl Med 2019; 10:10/448/eaar2238. [PMID: 29973405 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aar2238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The response of patients with gliomas to alkylating chemotherapy is heterogeneous. However, there are currently no universally accepted predictors of patient response to these agents. We identify the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) co-regulator B cell CLL/lymphoma 3 (BCL-3) as an independent predictor of response to temozolomide (TMZ) treatment. In glioma patients with tumors that have a methylated O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter, high BCL-3 expression was associated with a poor response to TMZ. Mechanistically, BCL-3 promoted a more malignant phenotype by inducing an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in glioblastomas through promoter-specific NF-κB dimer exchange. Carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) was identified as a downstream factor promoting BCL-3-mediated resistance to chemotherapy. Experiments in glioma xenograft mouse models demonstrated that the CAII inhibitor acetazolamide enhanced survival of TMZ-treated animals. Our data suggest that BCL-3 might be a useful indicator of glioma response to alkylating chemotherapy and that acetazolamide might be repurposed as a chemosensitizer for treating TMZ-resistant gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longtao Wu
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Giovanna M Bernal
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kirk E Cahill
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Peter Pytel
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | | | - Heather Mashek
- Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Ralph R Weichselbaum
- Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology and the Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Bakhtiar Yamini
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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Wu DF, He W, Lin S, Han B, Zee CS. Using Real-Time Fusion Imaging Constructed from Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging for High-Grade Glioma in Neurosurgery. World Neurosurg 2019; 125:e98-e109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2018.12.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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20
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de Vega S, Kondo A, Suzuki M, Arai H, Jiapaer S, Sabit H, Nakada M, Ikeuchi T, Ishijima M, Arikawa-Hirasawa E, Yamada Y, Okada Y. Fibulin-7 is overexpressed in glioblastomas and modulates glioblastoma neovascularization through interaction with angiopoietin-1. Int J Cancer 2019; 145:2157-2169. [PMID: 30924128 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is pathologically characterized by highly malignant neoplastic cells, focal necrosis and aberrant blood vessels composed of disorganized endothelial cells and pericytes. The recent cancer microarray database revealed upregulation of fibulin-7 (Fbln7), a member of the fibulin family, but provided no information on the tissue localization or biological function. In the present study, we demonstrated that Fbln7 is markedly overexpressed by the GBM tissue among astrocytic tumors, and immunolocalized mainly to endothelial cells and pericytes of the glomeruloid and hypertrophied microvessels. The production of Fbln7 by endothelial cells and pericytes was confirmed in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human brain vascular pericytes (HBVP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) stimulated the Fbln7 expression in HUVEC. Fbln7 bound to angiopoietin-1, but not angiopoietin-2 or Tie2 receptor, through interaction between the N-terminal portions of Fbln7 and angiopoietin-1, and it blocked phosphorylation of Tie2 receptor in HUVEC. In a coculture assay using HUVEC and HBVP, multilayered and irregular-shaped tube-like structures of HUVEC were induced by treatment with a high concentration of VEGF. This was accompanied by Fbln7 overproduction by HUVEC and angiopoietin-1 expression by HBVP. The production of aberrant VEGF-induced tube-like structures was attenuated by treatment with antibody or synthetic peptides specific to the Fbln7 N-terminal domain or knockdown of Fbln7. These data demonstrate that Fbln7 is overexpressed by endothelial cells and pericytes of the abnormal microvessels in GBM, and suggest that Fbln7 may contribute to the aberrant vessel formation by modulation of the angiopoietin-1/angiopoietin-2-Tie2 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana de Vega
- Department of Pathophysiology for Locomotive and Neoplastic Diseases, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihide Kondo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mario Suzuki
- Department of Neurosurgery, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hajime Arai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shabierjiang Jiapaer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hemragul Sabit
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Mitsutoshi Nakada
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ikeuchi
- Molecular Biology Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Muneaki Ishijima
- Department of Pathophysiology for Locomotive and Neoplastic Diseases, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eri Arikawa-Hirasawa
- Research Institute for the Diseases of Old Age, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Yamada
- Molecular Biology Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yasunori Okada
- Department of Pathophysiology for Locomotive and Neoplastic Diseases, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Wang X, Sun X, Qu X, Li C, Yang P, Jia J, Liu J, Zheng Y. Overexpressed fibulin‐3 contributes to the pathogenesis of psoriasis by promoting angiogenesis. Clin Exp Dermatol 2018; 44:e64-e72. [PMID: 30146751 DOI: 10.1111/ced.13720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- X. Wang
- Department of Dermatology Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
| | - X. Sun
- Department of Dermatology Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital Xi'an China
| | - X. Qu
- Department of Dermatology Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
| | - C. Li
- Department of Dermatology Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
| | - P. Yang
- Department of Dermatology Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
| | - J. Jia
- Department of Dermatology Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
| | - J. Liu
- Center for Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
- School of Life Science and Technology Frontier Institute of Science and Technology Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
| | - Y. Zheng
- Department of Dermatology Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an China
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Yan D, Hao C, Xiao-Feng L, Yu-Chen L, Yu-Bin F, Lei Z. Molecular mechanism of Notch signaling with special emphasis on microRNAs: Implications for glioma. J Cell Physiol 2018; 234:158-170. [PMID: 30076599 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.26775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Glioma is the most aggressive primary brain tumor and is notorious for resistance to chemoradiotherapy. Although its associated mechanisms are still not completely understood, Notch signaling, an evolutionarily conserved pathway, appears to be the key processes involved. Nevertheless, its mechanisms are sophisticated, due to a variety of targets and signal pathways, especially microRNA. MicroRNAs, which are small noncoding regulatory RNA molecules, have been proposed as one of the key mechanisms in glioma pathogenesis. Among the known glioma associated microRNA, microRNA-129, microRNA-34 family, and microRNA-326 have been shown to influence the progress of glioma through Notch signaling. Evidence also indicates that recurrence is due to development or persistence of the glioma stem-like cells and active angiogenesis, which are tightly regulated by a variety of factors, including Notch signaling. In this review, we summarize the recent progress regarding the functional roles of Notch signaling in glioma, including Notch ligand, microRNA, intracellular crosstalk, glioma stem-like cells and active angiogenesis and explore their clinical implications as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and molecular therapeutic targets for glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Du Yan
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei, China.,Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei, China
| | - Chen Hao
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei, China.,Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei, China
| | - Li Xiao-Feng
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei, China.,Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei, China
| | - Lu Yu-Chen
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei, China.,Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei, China
| | - Feng Yu-Bin
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei, China.,Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei, China
| | - Zhang Lei
- Department of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Hefei, China.,Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Hefei, China
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23
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Noonan MM, Dragan M, Mehta MM, Hess DA, Brackstone M, Tuck AB, Viswakarma N, Rana A, Babwah AV, Wondisford FE, Bhattacharya M. The matrix protein Fibulin-3 promotes KISS1R induced triple negative breast cancer cell invasion. Oncotarget 2018; 9:30034-30052. [PMID: 30046386 PMCID: PMC6059025 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25682] [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: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality. In particular, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) comprise a heterogeneous group of basal-like tumors lacking estrogen receptor (ERα), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 (ErbB2). TNBC represents 15-20% of all breast cancers and occurs frequently in women under 50 years of age. Unfortunately, these patients lack targeted therapy, are typically high grade and metastatic at time of diagnosis. The mechanisms regulating metastasis remain poorly understood. We have previously shown that the kisspeptin receptor, KISS1R stimulates invasiveness of TNBC cells. In this report, we demonstrate that KISS1R signals via the secreted extracellular matrix protein, fibulin-3, to regulate TNBC invasion. We found that the fibulin-3 gene is amplified in TNBC primary tumors and that plasma fibulin-3 levels are elevated in TNBC patients compared to healthy subjects. In this study, we show that KISS1R activation increases fibulin-3 expression and secretion. We show that fibulin-3 regulates TNBC metastasis in a mouse experimental metastasis xenograft model and signals downstream of KISS1R to stimulate TNBC invasion, by activating matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and the MAPK pathway. These results identify fibulin-3 as a new downstream mediator of KISS1R signaling and as a potential biomarker for TNBC progression and metastasis, thus revealing KISS1R and fibulin-3 as novel drug targets in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M Noonan
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Magdalena Dragan
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Michael M Mehta
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - David A Hess
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Krembil Centre for Stem Cell Biology, Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Muriel Brackstone
- Department of Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Lawson Health Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Division of Surgical Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Alan B Tuck
- Department of Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Pathology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,The Pamela Greenaway-Kohlmeier Translational Breast Cancer Research Unit, London Regional Cancer Program, London, ON, Canada
| | - Navin Viswakarma
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ajay Rana
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Andy V Babwah
- Department of Pediatrics, Child Health Institute of NJ, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Frederic E Wondisford
- Department of Medicine, Child Health Institute of NJ, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Moshmi Bhattacharya
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Oncology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Lawson Health Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Child Health Institute of NJ, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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24
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Yao Z, Sherif ZA. The effect of epigenetic silencing and TP53 mutation on the expression of DLL4 in human cancer stem disorder. Oncotarget 2018; 7:62976-62988. [PMID: 27542210 PMCID: PMC5325341 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS), a genetically rare heterogeneous cancer syndrome, is characterized primarily by a germline p53 (TP53) gene mutation. We recently discovered a balanced reciprocal chromosomal translocation t(11;15)(q23;q15) in the non-cancerous skin fibroblasts of a bilateral breast cancer patient in LFS family. This prompted us to investigate the breakpoint region of the translocation, which uncovered a gene that encodes a Notch ligand, DLL4, (locus at 15q15.1), a key target in tumor vasculature. We analyzed DLL4 gene expression and protein level in LFS non-cancerous skin fibroblast cell lines and non-LFS cancer cell lines. DLL4 is abrogated in all the LFS cells and drastically down-regulated in breast (MCF7) and brain (IMR32) cancer cells and tumor tissue samples. However, DNA methylation studies revealed that DLL4 promoter is silenced only in MCF7 but not in LFS cells. We further investigated the regulation of DLL4 gene expression by ChIP assays, which demonstrated that p53 binds to DLL4 promoter through its association with CTCF, a chromosomal networking protein CCCTC binding factor. This implies a possible karyotype-phenotype correlation with respect to DLL4 in LFS and breast cancer initiation and progression. The drastic reduction or absence in the expression of DLL4 in LFS as well as breast and brain cancer cells is significant and supports the concept that this ligand may also play a role in cancer immune-surveillance; and its resuscitation in the tumor microenvironment may stimulate T-cell immunity and suppress tumor growth. Therefore, DLL4 may provide a strong platform as an immuno-therapeutic target in LFS and cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixing Yao
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington DC, USA
| | - Zaki A Sherif
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Howard University, Washington DC, USA
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25
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Yin X, Fang S, Wang M, Wang Q, Fang R, Chen J. EFEMP1 promotes ovarian cancer cell growth, invasion and metastasis via activated the AKT pathway. Oncotarget 2018; 7:47938-47953. [PMID: 27351229 PMCID: PMC5216990 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
EFEMP1, a kind of extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, has been suggested to correlate with the development of different types of carcinoma. However, its functions in ovarian cancer remain unclear. In our study, we performed cDNA microarray analysis and identified EFEMP1 dramatically elevated in the highly invasive subclone, compared with the low invasive subclone. Lentivirus transfection experiments were constructed afterwards. The results demonstrated that knockdown of EFEMP1 significantly inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest at the G1/G0 phase. We also found that decreased the activity of phospho-AKT could suppress cell invasion and metastasis. Meanwhile, the increased phospho-AKT activity induced by the overexpression of EFEMP1 had significantly enhanced the abilities of ovarian cancer cells to invade and migrate. In addition, the vivo nude mice model confirmed that EFEMP1 was tightly correlated with the development of tumor. The results of RT2 Profiler EMT PCR array further indicated that decreased EFEMP1 suppressed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Collectively, by activating AKT signaling pathway, EFEMP1 contributed to ovarian cancer invasion and metastasis as a positive regulator. Overall, EFEMP1 had showed the potential use in the development of new therapeutic strategies for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuxiu Yin
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China.,The No.1 People's Hospital of Jining, Jining 272000, China
| | - Shuang Fang
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University, Georgetown, Washington D.C, 20057, USA
| | - Mei Wang
- Pharmacy Department, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Hospital affiliated to Jilin University, Jilin, 130000, China
| | - Rui Fang
- Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China
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26
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Nandhu MS, Behera P, Bhaskaran V, Longo SL, Barrera-Arenas LM, Sengupta S, Rodriguez-Gil DJ, Chiocca EA, Viapiano MS. Development of a Function-Blocking Antibody Against Fibulin-3 as a Targeted Reagent for Glioblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 2017; 24:821-833. [PMID: 29146721 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-17-1628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: We sought a novel approach against glioblastomas (GBM) focused on targeting signaling molecules localized in the tumor extracellular matrix (ECM). We investigated fibulin-3, a glycoprotein that forms the ECM scaffold of GBMs and promotes tumor progression by driving Notch and NFκB signaling.Experimental Design: We used deletion constructs to identify a key signaling motif of fibulin-3. An mAb (mAb428.2) was generated against this epitope and extensively validated for specific detection of human fibulin-3. mAb428.2 was tested in cultures to measure its inhibitory effect on fibulin-3 signaling. Nude mice carrying subcutaneous and intracranial GBM xenografts were treated with the maximum achievable dose of mAb428.2 to measure target engagement and antitumor efficacy.Results: We identified a critical 23-amino acid sequence of fibulin-3 that activates its signaling mechanisms. mAb428.2 binds to that epitope with nanomolar affinity and blocks the ability of fibulin-3 to activate ADAM17, Notch, and NFκB signaling in GBM cells. mAb428.2 treatment of subcutaneous GBM xenografts inhibited fibulin-3, increased tumor cell apoptosis, and enhanced the infiltration of inflammatory macrophages. The antibody reduced tumor growth and extended survival of mice carrying GBMs as well as other fibulin-3-expressing tumors. Locally infused mAb428.2 showed efficacy against intracranial GBMs, increasing tumor apoptosis and reducing tumor invasion and vascularization, which are enhanced by fibulin-3.Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first rationally developed, function-blocking antibody against an ECM target in GBM. Our results offer a proof of principle for using "anti-ECM" strategies toward more efficient targeted therapies for malignant glioma. Clin Cancer Res; 24(4); 821-33. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohan S Nandhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Prajna Behera
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Vivek Bhaskaran
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sharon L Longo
- Department of Neurosurgery, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Lina M Barrera-Arenas
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
| | - Sadhak Sengupta
- Brain Tumor Laboratory, Roger Williams Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Diego J Rodriguez-Gil
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee
| | - E Antonio Chiocca
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mariano S Viapiano
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. .,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York.,Department of Neurosurgery, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York
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27
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Rapisarda V, Caltabiano R, Musumeci G, Castrogiovanni P, Ferrante M, Ledda C, Lombardo C, Graziano ACE, Cardile V, Loreto C. Analysis of fibulin-3 after exposure to asbestos-like fibers. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 156:381-387. [PMID: 28395242 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.03.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A significantly increased incidence of malignant mesothelioma in Biancavilla (Sicily, Italy) has been ascribed to exposure to fluoro-edenite, a fibrous amphibole extracted from a local stone quarry. Fibulin-3 is a highly conserved glycoprotein proposed as a biomarker for malignant mesothelioma that belongs to the family of extracellular matrix proteins. Previous studies demonstrated high Fibulin-3 plasma levels in workers with pleural plaques exposed to fluoro-edenite. Therefore, in order to gain insight into the biomolecular mechanisms of fluoro-edenite toxicity, we performed the analysis of Fibulin-3 expression by immunohistochemistry in the lung samples derived from sheep belonging to the area of Biancavilla. Furthermore, an in vitro model of exposed fluoro-edenite fibroblasts was used to perform functional experiments to better understand the modulation of Fibulin-3 expression. The percentage of immunostained area by Fibulin-3 was very much higher in exposed lungs compared with non-exposed ones. The Fibulin-3 protein level was significantly expressed in primary human lung fibroblasts exposed to 50 and 100µg/ml of fluoro-edenite fibers for 72h, compared to the unexposed controls. The results from the present study further demonstrate the implication of Fibulin-3 during fluoro-edenite exposure. This would endorse our previous results regarding the use of Fibulin-3 as a possible screening biomarker for fluoro-edenite exposed individuals, thereby contributing to the monitoring of the population at risk. The present study also suggested that the Fibulin-3 overexpression may reflect a defensive response of the tissues after exogenous stimuli and may be implicated in cancer development, especially in the context of fluoro-edenite contamination. However, further studies are necessary in order to make Fibulin-3 a customized screening tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venerando Rapisarda
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Rosario Caltabiano
- Department "G.F. Ingrassia", Section of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Musumeci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Paola Castrogiovanni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Margherita Ferrante
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Physiology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Caterina Ledda
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
| | - Claudia Lombardo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | | | - Venera Cardile
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Physiology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - Carla Loreto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
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28
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Han AL, Veeneman BA, El-Sawy L, Day KC, Day ML, Tomlins SA, Keller ET. Fibulin-3 promotes muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Oncogene 2017; 36:5243-5251. [DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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29
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Nandhu MS, Kwiatkowska A, Bhaskaran V, Hayes J, Hu B, Viapiano MS. Tumor-derived fibulin-3 activates pro-invasive NF-κB signaling in glioblastoma cells and their microenvironment. Oncogene 2017; 36:4875-4886. [PMID: 28414309 PMCID: PMC5570669 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 02/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Molecular profiling of glioblastomas has revealed the presence of key signaling hubs that contribute to tumor progression and acquisition of resistance. One of these main signaling mechanisms is the NF-κB pathway, which integrates multiple extracellular signals into transcriptional programs for tumor growth, invasion, and maintenance of the tumor-initiating population. We show here that an extracellular protein released by glioblastoma cells, fibulin-3, drives oncogenic NF-κB in the tumor and increases NF-κB activation in peritumoral astrocytes. Fibulin-3 expression correlates with a NF-κB-regulated “invasive signature” linked to poorer survival, being a possible tissue marker for regions of active tumor progression. Accordingly, fibulin-3 promotes glioblastoma invasion in a manner that requires NF-κB activation both in the tumor cells and their microenvironment. Mechanistically, we found that fibulin-3 activates the metalloprotease ADAM17 by competing with its endogenous inhibitor, TIMP3. This results in sustained release of soluble TNFα by ADAM17, which in turn activates TNF receptors and canonical NF-κB signaling. Taken together, our results underscore fibulin-3 as a novel extracellular signal with strong activating effect on NF-κB in malignant gliomas. Because fibulin-3 is produced de novo in these tumors and is absent from normal brain we propose that targeting the fibulin-3/NF-κB axis may provide a novel avenue to disrupt oncogenic NF-κB signaling in combination therapies for malignant brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Nandhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - A Kwiatkowska
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - V Bhaskaran
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J Hayes
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Helen Diller Family Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - B Hu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - M S Viapiano
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
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30
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Merk H, Zhang S, Lehr T, Müller C, Ulrich M, Bibb JA, Adams RH, Bracher F, Zahler S, Vollmar AM, Liebl J. Inhibition of endothelial Cdk5 reduces tumor growth by promoting non-productive angiogenesis. Oncotarget 2017; 7:6088-104. [PMID: 26755662 PMCID: PMC4868742 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.6842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic success of VEGF-based anti-angiogenic tumor therapy is limited due to resistance. Thus, new strategies for anti-angiogenic cancer therapy based on novel targets are urgently required. Our previous in vitro work suggested that small molecule Cdk5 inhibitors affect angiogenic processes such as endothelial migration and proliferation. Moreover, we recently uncovered a substantial role of Cdk5 in the development of lymphatic vessels. Here we pin down the in vivo impact of endothelial Cdk5 inhibition in angiogenesis and elucidate the underlying mechanism in order to judge the potential of Cdk5 as a novel anti-angiogenic and anti-cancer target. By the use of endothelial-specific Cdk5 knockout mouse models and various endothelial and tumor cell based assays including human tumor xenograft models, we show that endothelial-specific knockdown of Cdk5 results in excessive but non-productive angiogenesis during development but also in tumors, which subsequently leads to inhibition of tumor growth. As Cdk5 inhibition disrupted Notch function by reducing the generation of the active Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and Cdk5 modulates Notch-dependent endothelial cell proliferation and sprouting, we propose that the Dll4/Notch driven angiogenic signaling hub is an important and promising mechanistic target of Cdk5. In fact, Cdk5 inhibition can sensitize tumors to conventional anti-angiogenic treatment as shown in tumor xenograft models. In summary our data set the stage for Cdk5 as a drugable target to inhibit Notch-driven angiogenesis condensing the view that Cdk5 is a promising target for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriette Merk
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Siwei Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Thorsten Lehr
- Clinical Pharmacy, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Christoph Müller
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Melanie Ulrich
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - James A Bibb
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Ralf H Adams
- Department of Tissue Morphogenesis, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany.,University of Münster, Faculty of Medicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Franz Bracher
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Zahler
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Angelika M Vollmar
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Johanna Liebl
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
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31
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LaFoya B, Munroe JA, Mia MM, Detweiler MA, Crow JJ, Wood T, Roth S, Sharma B, Albig AR. Notch: A multi-functional integrating system of microenvironmental signals. Dev Biol 2016; 418:227-41. [PMID: 27565024 PMCID: PMC5144577 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The Notch signaling cascade is an evolutionarily ancient system that allows cells to interact with their microenvironmental neighbors through direct cell-cell interactions, thereby directing a variety of developmental processes. Recent research is discovering that Notch signaling is also responsive to a broad variety of stimuli beyond cell-cell interactions, including: ECM composition, crosstalk with other signaling systems, shear stress, hypoxia, and hyperglycemia. Given this emerging understanding of Notch responsiveness to microenvironmental conditions, it appears that the classical view of Notch as a mechanism enabling cell-cell interactions, is only a part of a broader function to integrate microenvironmental cues. In this review, we summarize and discuss published data supporting the idea that the full function of Notch signaling is to serve as an integrator of microenvironmental signals thus allowing cells to sense and respond to a multitude of conditions around them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryce LaFoya
- Biomolecular Sciences PhD Program, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Jordan A Munroe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Masum M Mia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Michael A Detweiler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Jacob J Crow
- Biomolecular Sciences PhD Program, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Travis Wood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Steven Roth
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA
| | - Bikram Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Allan R Albig
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA; Biomolecular Sciences PhD Program, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA.
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32
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Ren T, Lin S, Wang Z, Shang A. Differential proteomics analysis of low- and high-grade of astrocytoma using iTRAQ quantification. Onco Targets Ther 2016; 9:5883-5895. [PMID: 27713642 PMCID: PMC5045242 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s111103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytoma is one of the most common types of brain tumor, which is histologically and clinically classified into four grades (I–IV): I (pilocytic astrocytoma), II (diffuse astrocytoma), III (anaplastic astrocytoma), and IV (glioblastoma multiforme). A higher grade astrocytoma represents a worse prognosis and is more aggressive. In this study, we compared the differential proteome profile of astrocytoma from grades I to IV. The protein samples from clinical specimens of grades I, II, III, and IV astrocytoma were analyzed by two-dimensional liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation and quantification. A total of 2,190 proteins were identified. Compared to grade I astrocytoma, 173 (12.4%), 304 (14%), and 462 (21.2%) proteins were aberrantly expressed in grades II, III, and IV, respectively. By bioinformatics analysis, the cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis-related pathways increase from low- to high-grade of astrocytoma. Five differentially expressed proteins were validated by Western blot. Within them, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and metalloproteinase inhibitor 1 were upregulated in glioblastoma multiforme group; whereas fibulin-2 and -5 were downregulated in grade II/III/IV astrocytoma, and the negative expression was significantly associated with advanced clinical stage. Functional analysis showed that both fibulin-2 and -5 may exert an antitumor effect by inhibiting cell proliferation, in vitro migration/invasion in glioma cells. New molecular biomarkers are likely to be used for accurate classification of astrocytoma and likely to be the target for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Ren
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing
| | - Shide Lin
- Department of Spinal Cord Injury, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Chinese PLA, General Hospital of Jinan Military Area Command, Jinan
| | - Zhongfeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai
| | - Aijia Shang
- Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army of China, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Zeng C, Xing R, Liu J, Xing F. Role of CSL-dependent and independent Notch signaling pathways in cell apoptosis. Apoptosis 2015; 21:1-12. [DOI: 10.1007/s10495-015-1188-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Gruslova A, Cavazos DA, Miller JR, Breitbart E, Cohen YC, Bangio L, Yakov N, Soundararajan A, Floyd JR, Brenner AJ. VB-111: a novel anti-vascular therapeutic for glioblastoma multiforme. J Neurooncol 2015; 124:365-72. [PMID: 26108658 PMCID: PMC4584173 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-015-1853-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is among the most highly vascularized of solid tumors, contributing to the infiltrative nature of the disease, and conferring poor outcome. Due to the critical dependency of GBM on growth of new endothelial vasculature, we evaluated the preclinical activity of a novel adenoviral gene therapy that targets the endothelium within newly formed blood vessels for apoptosis. VB-111, currently in phase II clinical trials, consists of a non-replicating Adenovirus 5 (El deleted) carrying a proapoptotic human Fas-chimera (transgene) under the control of a modified murine promoter (PPE-1-3×) which specifically targets endothelial cells within the tumor vasculature. Here we report that a single intravenous dose of 2.5 × 10(11) or 1 × 10(11) VPs was sufficient to extend survival in nude rats bearing U87MG-luc2 or nude mice bearing U251-luc, respectively. Bioluminescence imaging of nude rats showed that VB-111 effectively inhibited tumor growth within four weeks of treatment. This was confirmed in a select group of animals by MRI. In our mouse model we observed that 3 of 10 nude mice treated with VB-111 completely lost U251 luciferase signal and were considered long term survivors. To assess the antiangiogenic effects of VB-111, we evaluated the tumor-associated microvaculature by CD31, a common marker of neovascularization, and found a significant decrease in the microvessel density by IHC. We further assessed the neovasculature by confocal microscopy and found that VB-111 inhibits vascular density in two separate mouse models bearing U251-RFP xenografts. Collectively, this study supports the clinical development of VB-111 as a treatment for GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Gruslova
- Cancer Therapy and Research Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA
| | - David A Cavazos
- Cancer Therapy and Research Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA
| | - Jessica R Miller
- Cancer Therapy and Research Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA
| | - Eyal Breitbart
- VBL Therapeutics, 6 Jonathan Netanyahu St., Or Yehuda, 60376, Israel
| | - Yael C Cohen
- VBL Therapeutics, 6 Jonathan Netanyahu St., Or Yehuda, 60376, Israel
| | - Livnat Bangio
- VBL Therapeutics, 6 Jonathan Netanyahu St., Or Yehuda, 60376, Israel
| | - Niva Yakov
- VBL Therapeutics, 6 Jonathan Netanyahu St., Or Yehuda, 60376, Israel
| | - Anu Soundararajan
- Cancer Therapy and Research Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA
| | - John R Floyd
- Cancer Therapy and Research Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA
| | - Andrew J Brenner
- Cancer Therapy and Research Center, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA.
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Effect of Notch expression in glioma stem cells on therapeutic response to chemo-radiotherapy in recurrent glioblastoma. Brain Tumor Pathol 2015; 32:176-83. [PMID: 25665548 DOI: 10.1007/s10014-015-0215-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Glioma stem cells (GSCs) have the capacity to repopulate tumors and mediate resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The Notch signaling pathway is important in proliferation, stem cell maintenance, cell differentiation, and tumorigenesis in GSCs. In this study, we compared CD133, Notch, and VEGF expressions in histological sections of primary and recurrent glioblastomas after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In vitro study, the γ-secretase inhibitor inhibited NICD, Hes1 and pVEGFR2 expressions in GSCs. GSCs cultured under endothelial conditions undergo endothelial differentiation. Tumor samples were collected from 27 patients at the time of tumor recurrence. We used immunohistochemical techniques to compare expression of CD133, Notch-1 and VEGF. Expressions of CD133-, Notch-1-, and VEGF-positive glioma cells were higher in recurrent glioblastoma after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. To determine the clinical importance of Notch-1 expression in glioblastoma, we analyzed 15 patients who had received bevacizumab therapy followed by a second surgery at recurrence. OS was significantly longer in cases with Notch-1 negativity (8.8 months) than in those with I Notch-1 positivity (6.8 months). We noted that GSCs have the potential for endothelial differentiation with Notch activity. We believe that Notch-1 is a potential target and/or biomarker for antiangiogenic treatments.
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