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Papadimitropoulou A, Makri M, Zoidis G. MYC the oncogene from hell: Novel opportunities for cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 267:116194. [PMID: 38340508 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Cancer comprises a heterogeneous disease, characterized by diverse features such as constitutive expression of oncogenes and/or downregulation of tumor suppressor genes. MYC constitutes a master transcriptional regulator, involved in many cellular functions and is aberrantly expressed in more than 70 % of human cancers. The Myc protein belongs to a family of transcription factors whose structural pattern is referred to as basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper. Myc binds to its partner, a smaller protein called Max, forming an Myc:Max heterodimeric complex that interacts with specific DNA recognition sequences (E-boxes) and regulates the expression of downstream target genes. Myc protein plays a fundamental role for the life of a cell, as it is involved in many physiological functions such as proliferation, growth and development since it controls the expression of a very large percentage of genes (∼15 %). However, despite the strict control of MYC expression in normal cells, MYC is often deregulated in cancer, exhibiting a key role in stimulating oncogenic process affecting features such as aberrant proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis, genomic instability and oncogenic transformation. In this review we aim to meticulously describe the fundamental role of MYC in tumorigenesis and highlight its importance as an anticancer drug target. We focus mainly on the different categories of novel small molecules that act as inhibitors of Myc function in diverse ways hence offering great opportunities for an efficient cancer therapy. This knowledge will provide significant information for the development of novel Myc inhibitors and assist to the design of treatments that would effectively act against Myc-dependent cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Papadimitropoulou
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Maria Makri
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, GR-15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Grigoris Zoidis
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, GR-15771, Athens, Greece.
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2
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Ahmad M, Imran A, Movileanu L. Overlapping characteristics of weak interactions of two transcriptional regulators with WDR5. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 258:128969. [PMID: 38158065 PMCID: PMC10922662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128969] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The WD40 repeat protein 5 (WDR5) is a nuclear hub that critically influences gene expression by interacting with transcriptional regulators. Utilizing the WDR5 binding motif (WBM) site, WDR5 interacts with the myelocytomatosis (MYC), an oncoprotein transcription factor, and the retinoblastoma-binding protein 5 (RbBP5), a scaffolding element of an epigenetic complex. Given the clinical significance of these protein-protein interactions (PPIs), there is a pressing necessity for a quantitative assessment of these processes. Here, we use biolayer interferometry (BLI) to examine interactions of WDR5 with consensus peptide ligands of MYC and RbBP5. We found that both interactions exhibit relatively weak affinities arising from a fast dissociation process. Remarkably, live-cell imaging identified distinctive WDR5 localizations in the absence and presence of full-length binding partners. Although WDR5 tends to accumulate within nucleoli, WBM-mediated interactions with MYC and RbBP5 require their localization outside nucleoli. We utilize fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy to confirm these weak interactions through a low FRET efficiency of the MYC-WDR5 and RbBP5-WDR5 complexes in living cells. In addition, we evaluate the impact of peptide and small-molecule inhibitors on these interactions. These outcomes form a fundamental basis for further developments to clarify the multitasking role of the WBM binding site of WDR5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ahmad
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, NY 13244-1130, USA
| | - Ali Imran
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, NY 13244-1130, USA
| | - Liviu Movileanu
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, NY 13244-1130, USA; Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, 329 Link Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA; The BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA.
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3
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Liu F, Liao Z, Zhang Z. MYC in liver cancer: mechanisms and targeted therapy opportunities. Oncogene 2023; 42:3303-3318. [PMID: 37833558 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02861-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
MYC, a major oncogenic transcription factor, regulates target genes involved in various pathways such as cell proliferation, metabolism and immune evasion, playing a critical role in the tumor initiation and development in multiple types of cancer. In liver cancer, MYC and its signaling pathways undergo significant changes, exerting a profound impact on liver cancer progression, including tumor proliferation, metastasis, dedifferentiation, metabolism, immune microenvironment, and resistance to comprehensive therapies. This makes MYC an appealing target, despite it being previously considered an undruggable protein. In this review, we discuss the role and mechanisms of MYC in liver physiology, chronic liver diseases, hepatocarcinogenesis, and liver cancer progression, providing a theoretical basis for targeting MYC as an ideal therapeutic target for liver cancer. We also summarize and prospect the strategies for targeting MYC, including direct and indirect approaches to abolish the oncogenic function of MYC in liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furong Liu
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhibin Liao
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhanguo Zhang
- Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China.
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4
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Gurung R, Om D, Pun R, Hyun S, Shin D. Recent Progress in Modulation of WD40-Repeat Domain 5 Protein (WDR5): Inhibitors and Degraders. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3910. [PMID: 37568727 PMCID: PMC10417795 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
WD40-repeat (WDR) domain proteins play a crucial role in mediating protein-protein interactions that sustain oncogenesis in human cancers. One prominent example is the interaction between the transcription factor MYC and its chromatin co-factor, WD40-repeat domain protein 5 (WDR5), which is essential for oncogenic processes. The MYC family of proteins is frequently overexpressed in various cancers and has been validated as a promising target for anticancer therapies. The recruitment of MYC to chromatin is facilitated by WDR5, highlighting the significance of their interaction. Consequently, inhibiting the MYC-WDR5 interaction has been shown to induce the regression of malignant tumors, offering an alternative approach to targeting MYC in the development of anticancer drugs. WDR5 has two protein interaction sites, the "WDR5-binding motif" (WBM) site for MYC interaction and the histone methyltransferases SET1 recognition motif "WDR5-interacting" (WIN) site forming MLL complex. Significant efforts have been dedicated to the discovery of inhibitors that target the WDR5 protein. More recently, the successful application of targeted protein degradation technology has enabled the removal of WDR5. This breakthrough has opened up new avenues for inhibiting the interaction between WDR5 and the binding partners. In this review, we address the recent progress made in targeting WDR5 to inhibit MDR5-MYC and MDR5-MLL1 interactions, including its targeted protein degradation and their potential impact on anticancer drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Gurung
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoe-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea; (R.G.); (D.O.); (R.P.)
| | - Darlami Om
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoe-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea; (R.G.); (D.O.); (R.P.)
| | - Rabin Pun
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoe-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea; (R.G.); (D.O.); (R.P.)
| | - Soonsil Hyun
- College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, 194-31 Osongsaengmyeong 1-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28160, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongyun Shin
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoe-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea; (R.G.); (D.O.); (R.P.)
- Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoe-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
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Ren J. Intermittent hypoxia BMSCs-derived exosomal miR-31-5p promotes lung adenocarcinoma development via WDR5-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition. Sleep Breath 2023; 27:1399-1409. [PMID: 36409397 DOI: 10.1007/s11325-022-02737-5] [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: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is a factor involved in the incidence and progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Bone marrow-derived bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived exosomes are related to the promotion of tumor development. The objective of this experiment was to clarify the mechanism of exosomes from BMSCs in promoting the progression of LUAD induced by IH. METHODS This study examined if IH BMSCS-derived exosomes affect the malignancy of LUAD cells in vitro. Dual-luciferase assays were conducted to confirm the target of miR-31-5p with WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5). We further investigated whether or not exosomal miR-31-5p or WDR5 could regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We determined the effect of IH exosomes using a tumorigenesis model in vivo. RESULTS miR-31-5p entered into LUAD cells via exosomes. MiR-31-5p was greatly upregulated in IH BMSCs-derived exosomes compared with RA exosomes. Increased expression of exosomal miR-31-5p induced by IH was discovered to target WDR5 directly, increased activation of WDR5, and significantly facilitated EMT, thereby promoting LUAD progression. CONCLUSIONS The promoting effect of IH on LUAD is achieved partly through BMSCs-derived exosomal miR-31-5p triggering WDR5 and promoting EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ren
- Department of Geriatric Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No.1 Jianshe East Road, Erqi District, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, China.
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Bumpous LA, Moe KC, Wang J, Carver LA, Williams AG, Romer AS, Scobee JD, Maxwell JN, Jones CA, Chung DH, Tansey WP, Liu Q, Weissmiller AM. WDR5 facilitates recruitment of N-MYC to conserved WDR5 gene targets in neuroblastoma cell lines. Oncogenesis 2023; 12:32. [PMID: 37336886 PMCID: PMC10279693 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-023-00477-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Collectively, the MYC family of oncoprotein transcription factors is overexpressed in more than half of all malignancies. The ability of MYC proteins to access chromatin is fundamental to their role in promoting oncogenic gene expression programs in cancer and this function depends on MYC-cofactor interactions. One such cofactor is the chromatin regulator WDR5, which in models of Burkitt lymphoma facilitates recruitment of the c-MYC protein to chromatin at genes associated with protein synthesis, allowing for tumor progression and maintenance. However, beyond Burkitt lymphoma, it is unknown whether these observations extend to other cancers or MYC family members, and whether WDR5 can be deemed as a "universal" MYC recruiter. Here, we focus on N-MYC amplified neuroblastoma to determine the extent of colocalization between N-MYC and WDR5 on chromatin while also demonstrating that like c-MYC, WDR5 can facilitate the recruitment of N-MYC to conserved WDR5-bound genes. We conclude based on this analysis that N-MYC and WDR5 colocalize invariantly across cell lines at predicted sites of facilitated recruitment associated with protein synthesis genes. Surprisingly, we also identify N-MYC-WDR5 cobound genes that are associated with DNA repair and cell cycle processes. Dissection of chromatin binding characteristics for N-MYC and WDR5 at all cobound genes reveals that sites of facilitated recruitment are inherently different than most N-MYC-WDR5 cobound sites. Our data reveals that WDR5 acts as a universal MYC recruiter at a small cohort of previously identified genes and highlights novel biological functions that may be coregulated by N-MYC and WDR5 to sustain the neuroblastoma state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh A Bumpous
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Kylie C Moe
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Logan A Carver
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Alexandria G Williams
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Alexander S Romer
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Jesse D Scobee
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Jack N Maxwell
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Cheyenne A Jones
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Dai H Chung
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Children's Health, Dallas, TX, 75234, USA
| | - William P Tansey
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA
| | - April M Weissmiller
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
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7
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Zhang M, Zhang L, Zhou M, Wang E, Meng B, Li Q, Wang X, Wang Y, Li Q. Anti‑silencing function 1B promotes the progression of pancreatic cancer by activating c‑Myc. Int J Oncol 2023; 62:8. [PMID: 36416310 PMCID: PMC9728557 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2022.5456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to explore the role of histone chaperone anti‑silencing function 1B (ASF1B) in pancreatic cancer and the underlying mechanism. The biological function of ASF1B was investigated in pancreatic cancer cell lines (PANC‑1 and SW1990) and a mouse xenograft model. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to detect the effect of ASF1B on the transcriptional activity of c‑Myc. ASF1B was highly expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas. ASF1B expression was positively associated with poor survival rates in patients with PAAD. Silencing of ASF1B in PANC‑1 and SW1990 cells inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, ASF1B increased H3K56 acetylation (H3K56ac) in a CREB‑binding protein (CBP)‑dependent manner. ASF1B promoted H3K56ac at the c‑Myc promoter and increased c‑Myc expression. In PANC‑1 and SW1990 cells, the CBP inhibitor curcumin and the c‑Myc inhibitor 10058‑F4 reversed the promoting effects of ASF1B on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In the mouse xenograft model, ASF1B silencing inhibited tumor growth, and was associated with low H3K56ac and c‑Myc expression. ASF1B promoted pancreatic cancer progression by activating c‑Myc via CBP‑mediated H3K56ac.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008
| | - Luyang Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008
| | - Minghe Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008
| | - Enze Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008
| | - Bo Meng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008
| | - Qingjun Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008
| | - Xiaoqian Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008
| | - Yunjian Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450008
| | - Qiong Li
- Key Laboratory for Medical Tissue Regeneration of Henan Province, Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, P.R. China
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Yang K, Yu C, Ruan L, Hu S, Zhu W, Xia F. MiR-193-3p inhibits the malignant progression of atherosclerosis by targeting WDR5. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost 2022; 28:10760296221119458. [PMID: 36523143 PMCID: PMC9768835 DOI: 10.1177/10760296221119458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aberrantly increased proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) was critically associated with atherosclerosis (AS) progression. MiR-197-3p has been confirmed to regulate various biological processes, such as tumorigenesis; however, whether miR-197-3p is involved with the pathological development of AS remains largely unknown. METHODS The serum levels of miR-197-3p in AS patients and healthy donors were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The transfection efficacies of miR-197-3p mimic or inhibitor in VSMCs were evaluated by PCR assay. The effects of miR-197-3p on VSMC proliferation and migration were determined by EdU cell proliferation and Traswell migration assays. Western blotting was conducted to evaluate the effect of miR-197-3p on WDR5 expression in VSMCs. RESULTS In the present study, we found that the expression of miR-197-3p was decreased in the serum of AS patients compared to healthy donors. Overexpression of miR-197-3p inhibited the proliferation and migration of VSMCs, while silencing miR-197-3p showed opposite effects. Mechanistical study revealed that WD Repeat Domain 5 (WDR5) was a target of miR-197-3p. Moreover, miR-197-3p was downregulated in VSMCs upon IL6 treatment and inhibited IL6-induced proliferation and migration in VSMCs. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that miR-197-3p could serve as a promising diagnostic marker for AS and that targeting IL6/miR-197-3p/WDR5 axis might be a potential approach to treat AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, WuHan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China
| | - Chunjun Yu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, WuHan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China
| | - Lin Ruan
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, WuHan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China
| | - Shengpeng Hu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, WuHan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China
| | - Wenjie Zhu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, WuHan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China
| | - Feng Xia
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, WuHan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China,Feng Xia, WuHan Asia General Hospital, No. 300, Taizihu North Road, Hanyang District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, 430050, China.
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Yuan J, Peng H, Mo B, Yin C, Fang G, Li Y, Wang Y, Chen R, Wang Q. Inhibition of Wdr5 Attenuates Ang-II-Induced Fibroblast-to-Myofibroblast Transition in Cardiac Fibrosis by Regulating Mdm2/P53/P21 Pathway. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1574. [PMID: 36358925 PMCID: PMC9687631 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac fibrosis is an important pathological process in many diseases. Wdr5 catalyzes the trimethylation of lysine K4 on histone H3. The effects of Wdr5 on the cardiac fibrosis phenotype and the activation or transformation of cardiac fibroblasts were investigated by Ang-II-infused mice by osmotic mini-pump and isolated primary neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts. We found that the Wdr5 expression and histone H3K4me3 modification were significantly increased in Ang-II-infused mice. By stimulating primary neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts with Ang II, we detected that the expression of Wdr5 and H3K4me3 modification were also significantly increased. Two Wdr5-specific inhibitors, and the lentivirus that transfected Sh-Wdr5, were used to treat primary mouse cardiac fibroblasts, which not only inhibited the histone methylation by Wdr5 but also significantly reduced the activation and migration ability of Ang-II-treated fibroblasts. To explore its mechanism, we found that the inhibition of Wdr5 increased the expression of P53, P21. Cut&Tag-qPCR showed that the inhibition of Wdr5 significantly reduced the enrichment of H3K4me3 in the Mdm2 promoter region. For in vivo experiments, we finally proved that the Wdr5 inhibitor OICR9429 significantly reduced Ang-II-induced cardiac fibrosis and increased the expression of P21 in cardiac fibroblasts. Inhibition of Wdr5 may mediate cardiac fibroblast cycle arrest through the Mdm2/P53/P21 pathway and alleviate cardiac fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Yuan
- Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, #1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200082, China
| | - Hong Peng
- Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, #1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200082, China
| | - Binfeng Mo
- Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, #1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200082, China
| | - Chengye Yin
- Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, #1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200082, China
| | - Guojian Fang
- Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, #1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200082, China
| | - Yingze Li
- Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, #1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200082, China
| | - Yuepeng Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, #1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200082, China
| | - Renhua Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Quanzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, #388 SunJiang Road, Quanzhou 362000, China
| | - Qunshan Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, #1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200082, China
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10
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Li Z, Liang N, Wang N, Jia Y, Tian C. WDR5 is a prognostic biomarker of brain metastasis from non-small cell lung cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1023776. [PMID: 36249032 PMCID: PMC9557102 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1023776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lung cancer (LC) is the most frequent caner type and causes the most cancer-related death. Brain metastases (BM) are the deadliest complications of lung cancer, and the prognostic biomarkers of BM are urgently needed. Materials and methods In our study, we established an inception cohort including 122 patients with asynchronous BM from NSCLC, and further selected 70 patients who received surgical resection, which compromised the validation cohort. With immunohistochemistry, we investigated the expression of WDR5 in the cohort. By chi-square method, the correlations between WDR5 and clinicopathological factors were analyzed. The prognostic indicators were analyzed with the univariate analysis, and independent prognostic factors were identified by multivariate analysis with Cox-regression model. Results WDR5 is frequently expressed in the cytoplasm of BM from NSCLC. Patients with low or high expression of WDR5 account for 60% and 40% respectively. High expression of WDR5 indicates poor prognosis of BM from NSCLC (P=0.001). In addition to WDR5, KPS is also a prognostic factor of BM, and high KPS predicts favorable prognosis (P=0.006). WDR5 is an independent prognostic biomarker for poor prognosis of BM from NSCLC, with the cancer-related odds as 2.48. Conclusions High expression of WDR5 can predict the poor prognosis of BM, and WDR5 is an independent prognostic biomarker of BM from NSCLC. Patients with WDR5 overexpression are more high-risk to suffer BM-related death and should receive more intense post-operational supervision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’an, China
| | - Nan Liang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’an, China
| | - Na Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First People’s Hospital of Tai’an, Tai’an, China
| | - Yan Jia
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Shandong Provincial Tai’shan Hospital, Tai’an, China
| | - Cui Tian
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’an, China
- *Correspondence: Cui Tian,
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11
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Cai WL, Chen JFY, Chen H, Wingrove E, Kurley SJ, Chan LH, Zhang M, Arnal-Estape A, Zhao M, Balabaki A, Li W, Yu X, Krop ED, Dou Y, Liu Y, Jin J, Westbrook TF, Nguyen DX, Yan Q. Human WDR5 promotes breast cancer growth and metastasis via KMT2-independent translation regulation. eLife 2022; 11:e78163. [PMID: 36043466 PMCID: PMC9584608 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic breast cancer remains a major cause of cancer-related deaths in women, and there are few effective therapies against this advanced disease. Emerging evidence suggests that key steps of tumor progression and metastasis are controlled by reversible epigenetic mechanisms. Using an in vivo genetic screen, we identified WDR5 as an actionable epigenetic regulator that is required for metastatic progression in models of triple-negative breast cancer. We found that knockdown of WDR5 in breast cancer cells independently impaired their tumorigenic as well as metastatic capabilities. Mechanistically, WDR5 promotes cell growth by increasing ribosomal gene expression and translation efficiency in a KMT2-independent manner. Consistently, pharmacological inhibition or degradation of WDR5 impedes cellular translation rate and the clonogenic ability of breast cancer cells. Furthermore, a combination of WDR5 targeting with mTOR inhibitors leads to potent suppression of translation and proliferation of breast cancer cells. These results reveal novel therapeutic strategies to treat metastatic breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley L Cai
- Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical CenterPittsburghUnited States
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | | | - Huacui Chen
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Emily Wingrove
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Sarah J Kurley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Lok Hei Chan
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Meiling Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Anna Arnal-Estape
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Minghui Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Amer Balabaki
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Wenxue Li
- Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Department of Pharmacology, Yale UniversityWest HavenUnited States
| | - Xufen Yu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - Ethan D Krop
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University,HoustonUnited States
| | - Yali Dou
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann ArborAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Yansheng Liu
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
- Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Department of Pharmacology, Yale UniversityWest HavenUnited States
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - Thomas F Westbrook
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Don X Nguyen
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
- Department of Internal Medicine (Section of Medical Oncology), Yale School of Medicine,New HavenUnited States
| | - Qin Yan
- Department of Pathology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
- Yale Center for Immuno-Oncology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
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12
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Imran A, Moyer BS, Kalina D, Duncan TM, Moody KJ, Wolfe AJ, Cosgrove MS, Movileanu L. Convergent Alterations of a Protein Hub Produce Divergent Effects within a Binding Site. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:1586-1597. [PMID: 35613319 PMCID: PMC9207812 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Progress in tumor
sequencing and cancer databases has created an
enormous amount of information that scientists struggle to sift through.
While several research groups have created computational methods to
analyze these databases, much work still remains in distinguishing
key implications of pathogenic mutations. Here, we describe an approach
to identify and evaluate somatic cancer mutations of WD40 repeat protein
5 (WDR5), a chromatin-associated protein hub. This multitasking protein
maintains the functional integrity of large multi-subunit enzymatic
complexes of the six human SET1 methyltransferases. Remarkably, the
somatic cancer mutations of WDR5 preferentially distribute within
and around an essential cavity, which hosts the WDR5 interaction (Win)
binding site. Hence, we assessed the real-time binding kinetics of
the interactions of key clustered WDR5 mutants with the Win motif
peptide ligands of the SET1 family members (SET1Win). Our
measurements highlight that this subset of mutants exhibits divergent
perturbations in the kinetics and strength of interactions not only
relative to those of the native WDR5 but also among various SET1Win ligands. These outcomes could form a fundamental basis
for future drug discovery and other developments in medical biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Imran
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, New York 13244-1130, United States
| | - Brandon S. Moyer
- Ichor Life Sciences, Inc., 2651 US Route 11, LaFayette, New York 13084, United States
| | - Dan Kalina
- Ichor Life Sciences, Inc., 2651 US Route 11, LaFayette, New York 13084, United States
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Dr., Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Thomas M. Duncan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, 4249 Weiskotten Hall, 766 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Kelsey J. Moody
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, New York 13244-1130, United States
- Ichor Life Sciences, Inc., 2651 US Route 11, LaFayette, New York 13084, United States
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Dr., Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- Lewis School of Health Sciences, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, Potsdam, New York 13699, United States
| | - Aaron J. Wolfe
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, New York 13244-1130, United States
- Ichor Life Sciences, Inc., 2651 US Route 11, LaFayette, New York 13084, United States
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Dr., Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- Lewis School of Health Sciences, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, Potsdam, New York 13699, United States
| | - Michael S. Cosgrove
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, 4249 Weiskotten Hall, 766 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Liviu Movileanu
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, New York 13244-1130, United States
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, 329 Link Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- The BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
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13
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van der Kolk MR, Jansen MACH, Rutjes FPJT, Blanco-Ania D. CYCLOBUTANES IN SMALL MOLECULE DRUG CANDIDATES. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200020. [PMID: 35263505 PMCID: PMC9314592 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Cyclobutanes are increasingly used in medicinal chemistry in the search for relevant biological properties. Important characteristics of the cyclobutane ring include its unique puckered structure, longer C−C bond lengths, increased C−C π‐character and relative chemical inertness for a highly strained carbocycle. This review will focus on contributions of cyclobutane rings in drug candidates to arrive at favorable properties. Cyclobutanes have been employed for improving multiple factors such as preventing cis/trans‐isomerization by replacing alkenes, replacing larger cyclic systems, increasing metabolic stability, directing key pharmacophore groups, inducing conformational restriction, reducing planarity, as aryl isostere and filling hydrophobic pockets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marnix R van der Kolk
- Radboud University Institute for Molecules and Materials: Radboud Universiteit Institute for Molecules and Materials, Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525AJ, Nijmegen, NETHERLANDS
| | - Mathilde A C H Jansen
- Radboud University Institute for Molecules and Materials: Radboud Universiteit Institute for Molecules and Materials, Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525AJ, Nijmegen, NETHERLANDS
| | - Floris P J T Rutjes
- Radboud University Institute for Molecules and Materials: Radboud Universiteit Institute for Molecules and Materials, Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525AJ, Nijmegen, NETHERLANDS
| | - Daniel Blanco-Ania
- Radboud University, Cluster for Molecular Chemistry, Heyendaalaseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, NETHERLANDS
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14
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Zhou Y, Gao X, Yuan M, Yang B, He Q, Cao J. Targeting Myc Interacting Proteins as a Winding Path in Cancer Therapy. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:748852. [PMID: 34658888 PMCID: PMC8511624 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.748852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
MYC, as a well-known oncogene, plays essential roles in promoting tumor occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis in many kinds of solid tumors and hematologic neoplasms. In tumors, the low expression and the short half-life of Myc are reversed, cause tumorigenesis. And proteins that directly interact with different Myc domains have exerted a significant impact in the process of Myc-driven carcinogenesis. Apart from affecting the transcription of Myc target genes, Myc interaction proteins also regulate the stability of Myc through acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and other post-translational modifications, as well as competitive combination with Myc. In this review, we summarize a series of Myc interacting proteins and recent advances in the related inhibitors, hoping that can provide new opportunities for Myc-driven cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihui Zhou
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaomeng Gao
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Meng Yuan
- Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiaojun He
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ji Cao
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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15
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Chen X, Xu J, Wang X, Long G, You Q, Guo X. Targeting WD Repeat-Containing Protein 5 (WDR5): A Medicinal Chemistry Perspective. J Med Chem 2021; 64:10537-10556. [PMID: 34283608 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
WD repeat-containing protein 5 (WDR5) is a member of the WD40 protein family, and it is widely involved in various biological activities and not limited to epigenetic regulation in vivo. WDR5 is also involved in the initiation and development of many diseases and plays a key role in these diseases. Since WDR5 was discovered, it has been suggested as a potential disease treatment target, and a large number of inhibitors targeting WDR5 have been discovered. In this review, we discussed the development of inhibitors targeting WDR5 over the years, and the biological mechanisms of these inhibitors based on previous mechanistic studies were explored. Finally, we describe the development potential of inhibitors targeting WDR5 and prospects for further applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Junjie Xu
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xianghan Wang
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Guanlu Long
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Qidong You
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiaoke Guo
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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16
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Xu Q, Chen Y. An Aging-Related Gene Signature-Based Model for Risk Stratification and Prognosis Prediction in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:685379. [PMID: 34277626 PMCID: PMC8283194 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.685379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is an inevitable time-dependent process associated with a gradual decline in many physiological functions. Importantly, some studies have supported that aging may be involved in the development of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, no studies have described an aging-related gene (ARG)-based prognosis signature for LUAD. Accordingly, in this study, we analyzed ARG expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). After LASSO and Cox regression analyses, a six ARG-based signature (APOC3, EPOR, H2AFX, MXD1, PLCG2, and YWHAZ) was constructed using TCGA dataset that significantly stratified cases into high- and low-risk groups in terms of overall survival (OS). Cox regression analysis indicated that the ARG signature was an independent prognostic factor in LUAD. A nomogram based on the ARG signature and clinicopathological factors was developed in TCGA cohort and validated in the GEO dataset. Moreover, to visualize the prediction results, we established a web-based calculator yurong.shinyapps.io/ARGs_LUAD/. Calibration plots showed good consistency between the prediction of the nomogram and actual observations. Receiver operating characteristic curve and decision curve analyses indicated that the ARG nomogram had better OS prediction and clinical net benefit than the staging system. Taken together, these results established a genetic signature for LUAD based on ARGs, which may promote individualized treatment and provide promising novel molecular markers for immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Xu
- Health Management Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yurong Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhuji People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Zhuji Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Zhuji, China
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17
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Kinetics of the multitasking high-affinity Win binding site of WDR5 in restricted and unrestricted conditions. Biochem J 2021; 478:2145-2161. [PMID: 34032265 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in quantitative proteomics show that WD40 proteins play a pivotal role in numerous cellular networks. Yet, they have been fairly unexplored and their physical associations with other proteins are ambiguous. A quantitative understanding of these interactions has wide-ranging significance. WD40 repeat protein 5 (WDR5) interacts with all members of human SET1/MLL methyltransferases, which regulate methylation of the histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4). Here, using real-time binding measurements in a high-throughput setting, we identified the kinetic fingerprint of transient associations between WDR5 and 14-residue WDR5 interaction (Win) motif peptides of each SET1 protein (SET1Win). Our results reveal that the high-affinity WDR5-SET1Win interactions feature slow association kinetics. This finding is likely due to the requirement of SET1Win to insert into the narrow WDR5 cavity, also named the Win binding site. Furthermore, our explorations indicate fairly slow dissociation kinetics. This conclusion is in accordance with the primary role of WDR5 in maintaining the functional integrity of a large multisubunit complex, which regulates the histone methylation. Because the Win binding site is considered a key therapeutic target, the immediate outcomes of this study could form the basis for accelerated developments in medical biotechnology.
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18
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Cao J, Fan T, Li Y, Du Z, Chen L, Wang Y, Wang X, Shen J, Huang X, Xiong B, Cao D. Phage-Display Based Discovery and Characterization of Peptide Ligands against WDR5. Molecules 2021; 26:1225. [PMID: 33668971 PMCID: PMC7956166 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26051225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
WD40 is a ubiquitous domain presented in at least 361 human proteins and acts as scaffold to form protein complexes. Among them, WDR5 protein is an important mediator in several protein complexes to exert its functions in histone modification and chromatin remodeling. Therefore, it was considered as a promising epigenetic target involving in anti-cancer drug development. In view of the protein-protein interaction nature of WDR5, we initialized a campaign to discover new peptide-mimic inhibitors of WDR5. In current study, we utilized the phage display technique and screened with a disulfide-based cyclic peptide phage library. Five rounds of biopanning were performed and isolated clones were sequenced. By analyzing the sequences, total five peptides were synthesized for binding assay. The four peptides are shown to have the moderate binding affinity. Finally, the detailed binding interactions were revealed by solving a WDR5-peptide cocrystal structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Cao
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Tiantian Fan
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yanlian Li
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zhiyan Du
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jingkang Shen
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xun Huang
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Division of Anti-Tumor Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Bing Xiong
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Danyan Cao
- Department of College of Pharmacy, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; (J.C.); (T.F.); (Y.L.); (Z.D.); (L.C.); (Y.W.); (X.W.); (J.S.); (X.H.)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
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19
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Chen T, Li K, Liu Z, Liu J, Wang Y, Sun R, Li Z, Qiu B, Zhang X, Ren G, Xu Y, Zhang Z. WDR5 facilitates EMT and metastasis of CCA by increasing HIF-1α accumulation in Myc-dependent and independent pathways. Mol Ther 2021; 29:2134-2150. [PMID: 33601056 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly aggressive malignancy with extremely poor prognoses. The oncogenic role and prognostic value of c-Myc in CCA is not well elucidated. WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) is a critical regulatory factor directly interacting with c-Myc to regulate c-Myc recruitment at chromosomal locations, but the interaction of WDR5 and c-Myc in CCA was uncovered. In our study, we detected WDR5 and c-Myc expression in all CCA types, including intrahepatic (iCCA), perihilar (pCCA), and distal (dCCA) CCA, and evaluated their prognostic significance. Consequently, we demonstrated that WDR5 was significantly correlated with poor prognosis of CCA and that WDR5 and c-Myc co-expression was a more sensitive prognostic factor. With in vitro and in vivo experiments and bioinformatics, we showed that WDR5 interacted with the Myc box IIIb (MBIIIb) motif of c-Myc and facilitated Myc-induced HIF1A transcription, thereby promoting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and metastasis of CCA. Moreover, WDR5 enhanced hypoxia-inducible factor 1 subunit α (HIF-1α) accumulation by binding with histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) and increasing histone 3 lysine 4 acetylation (H3K4ac) deacetylation of the prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (PHD2) promoter, resulting in the attenuation of chromatin opening and PHD2 expression, and eventually leading to HIF-1α stabilization and accumulation. In conclusion, WDR5 facilitated EMT and metastasis of CCA by increasing HIF-1α accumulation in a Myc-dependent pathway to promote HIF-1α transcription and a Myc-independent pathway to stabilize HIF-1α.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianli Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Kangshuai Li
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Zengli Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Jialiang Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Rongqi Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Zhipeng Li
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Department of General Surgery, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Bo Qiu
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Xiaoming Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Guangli Ren
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yunfei Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.
| | - Zongli Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.
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20
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION PROTACs represent a novel class of heterobifunctional molecules that simultaneously bind to a target protein and to an E3 ligase complex, resulting in the transfer of ubiquitin and initiating a process ultimately causing the proteasomal degradation of the target protein. This mechanism of action imbues PROTACs with the ability to modulate target biology in unique ways compared to inhibitors, and the development of PROTACs as therapeutic agents is expected to result in new medicines to treat multiple diseases. AREAS COVERED This review includes published PCT (WO) patent applications covering January 2013 through June 2020. Only English-language patent applications with exemplified PROTACs reported to degrade a target protein(s) were deemed in scope, and the definition of 'PROTAC' was restricted to a bifunctional molecule which contains a discrete binding element for a specific degradation target(s), as well as a separate discrete E3 ligase-binding moiety. EXPERT OPINION Delivering on the enormous potential of PROTACs will require the development of PROTAC medicines that are differentiated from traditional small-molecule inhibitors. The modular composition of PROTACs affords both opportunities and challenges in securing robust intellectual property, and we envision that requirements for novelty are likely to evolve as this area matures.
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Aberrant Activity of Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase 2 (KMT2) Complexes in Oncogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249340. [PMID: 33302406 PMCID: PMC7762615 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
KMT2 (histone-lysine N-methyltransferase subclass 2) complexes methylate lysine 4 on the histone H3 tail at gene promoters and gene enhancers and, thus, control the process of gene transcription. These complexes not only play an essential role in normal development but have also been described as involved in the aberrant growth of tissues. KMT2 mutations resulting from the rearrangements of the KMT2A (MLL1) gene at 11q23 are associated with pediatric mixed-lineage leukemias, and recent studies demonstrate that KMT2 genes are frequently mutated in many types of human cancers. Moreover, other components of the KMT2 complexes have been reported to contribute to oncogenesis. This review summarizes the recent advances in our knowledge of the role of KMT2 complexes in cell transformation. In addition, it discusses the therapeutic targeting of different components of the KMT2 complexes.
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Huang D, Chen X, Chen X, Qu Y, Wang Y, Yang Y, Cheng Y. WDR5 Promotes Proliferation and Correlates with Poor Prognosis in Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:10525-10534. [PMID: 33116631 PMCID: PMC7573303 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s234773] [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: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The WD40 protein family member WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) plays significant roles in the tumorigenesis and development of multiple organ tumours. However, the correlation between WDR5 expression and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been elucidated. Methods WDR5 mRNA expression data were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and the expression and prognostic potential of WDR5 were assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot. The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation assay and cell cycle evaluation were performed to verify the WDR5 function in vitro. The xenograft model was used to verify WDR5 function in vivo. Results The mRNA and protein expression levels of WDR5 were significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues compared with expression in adjacent normal tissues. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that high WDR5 expression in ESCC patients was associated with poor overall survival (P=0.004). Multivariate analysis revealed that WDR5 overexpression emerged as an independent predictor of poor overall survival (P=0.013) in ESCC. The in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that downregulation of WDR5 expression blocked cell proliferation of ESCC. Mechanistically, we found that WDR5 may influence ESCC proliferation by targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. Conclusion Our data demonstrate that overexpression of WDR5 was associated with poor prognosis in patients with ESCC and that WDR5 may act as a potential novel prognostic biomarker for ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuan Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Qu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Department of Oncology, People's Hospital of Linyi County, Dezhou, Shandong 251500, People's Republic of China
| | - Yafei Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
| | - Yufeng Cheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People's Republic of China
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Wang H, Wu D, Cai L, Li X, Zhang Z, Chen S. Aberrant methylation of WD-repeat protein 41 contributes to tumour progression in triple-negative breast cancer. J Cell Mol Med 2020; 24:6869-6882. [PMID: 32394588 PMCID: PMC7299681 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
WD-repeat proteins are implicated in a variety of biological functions, most recently in oncogenesis. However, the underlying function of WD-repeat protein 41 (WDR41) in tumorigenesis remains elusive. The present study was aimed to explore the role of WDR41 in breast cancer. Combined with Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, the results showed that WDR41 was expressed at low levels in breast cancer, especially in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Using methylation-specific PCR (MSP), we observed that WDR41 presented hypermethylation in MDA-MB-231 cells. Methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) management increased the expression of WDR41 in MDA-MB-231 cells, but not in MCF-10A (normal mammary epithelial cells) or oestrogen receptor-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells. WDR41-down-regulation promoted, while WDR41-up-regulation inhibited the tumour characteristics of TNBC cells including cell viability, cell cycle and migration. Further, WDR41-up-regulation dramatically suppressed tumour growth in vivo. Mechanistically, WDR41 protein ablation activated, while WDR41-up-regulation repressed the AKT/GSK-3β pathway and the subsequent nuclear activation of β-catenin in MDA-MB-231 cells, and 5-aza-dC treatment enhanced this effect. After treatment with the AKT inhibitor MK-2206, WDR41-down-regulation-mediated activation of the GSK-3β/β-catenin signalling was robustly abolished. Collectively, methylated WDR41 in MDA-MB-231 cells promotes tumorigenesis through positively regulating the AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway, thus providing an important foundation for treating TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- Translational Medicine Research Center (TMRC)School of Pharmaceutical ScienceXiamen UniversityXiamenFujianChina
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of oncologyXiamen Fifth hospitalXiamenChina
| | - Liangliang Cai
- Translational Medicine Research Center (TMRC)School of Pharmaceutical ScienceXiamen UniversityXiamenFujianChina
| | - Xiaohong Li
- Department of Medical OncologyCancer HospitalThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversityXiamenChina
| | - Zhiming Zhang
- Department of Breast SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversityXiamenChina
| | - Shuai Chen
- Department of oncologyXiamen Fifth hospitalXiamenChina
- Translational Medicine Research Center (TMRC)School of Pharmaceutical ScienceXiamen UniversityXiamenFujianChina
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversityXiamenChina
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryXiamenChina
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24
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Dai B, Xiao Z, Zhu G, Mao B, Huang H, Guan F, Lin Z, Peng W, Liang X, Zhang B, Hu Z. WD Repeat Domain 5 Promotes Invasion, Metastasis and Tumor Growth in Glioma Through Up-Regulated Zinc Finger E-Box Binding Homeobox 1 Expression. Cancer Manag Res 2020; 12:3223-3235. [PMID: 32440219 PMCID: PMC7217310 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s237582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Glioma is one of the important diseases that threaten human survival in today’s society. WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) belongs to the components of the lysine methyltransferase complex. WDR5 is involved in gene transcription regulation, cell senescence, cancer and other biological events through methylation modification. However, its expression and function in glioma are still unclear. Materials and Methods The expression of WDR5 was observed in glioma cells, and then a glioma cell line SW1783 knocked down WDR5 was established. The effects of the decrease of WDR5 expression on proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of glioma cells were detected, respectively. The downstream regulators of WDR5 were identified by gene expression profiling technology, and the possible molecular mechanisms were identified. Results In this study, we found that WDR5 could promote glioma cell’s proliferation, migration, invasion and tumor metastasis. In glioma, especially in metastatic glioma tissues, WDR5 levels were significantly increased, the higher expression level could also cause a significant reduction in overall survival of glioma patients. Second, the ability of cells’ proliferation, migration, invasion and tumor metastasis was significantly reduced in WDR5 knockdown cell lines. We also found a significant change in the expression level of epithelial and mesenchymal markers in WDR5 knockdown cell lines. Furthermore, we found that knockdown of WDR5 could inhibit the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), and knockdown of ZEB1 could inhibit invasion, migration and epithelial–mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in WDR5 over-expression cell line. We also found that WDR5 may regulate ZEB1’s expression through H3K4me3. Conclusion In summary, in this study, we have studied the relationship between WDR5 and glioma, and found that WDR5’s expression is positively correlated with the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells, which will help find the potential therapeutic target for glioma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Dai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiyong Xiao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangtong Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Beibei Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Guan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenyang Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Weicheng Peng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Liang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Bolun Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiqiang Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Peking University Ninth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Gao W, Jia Z, Tian Y, Yang P, Sun H, Wang C, Ding Y, Zhang M, Zhang Y, Yang D, Tian Z, Zhou J, Ruan Z, Wu Y, Ni B. HBx Protein Contributes to Liver Carcinogenesis by H3K4me3 Modification Through Stabilizing WD Repeat Domain 5 Protein. Hepatology 2020; 71:1678-1695. [PMID: 31544250 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cancer is typically considered as a genetic and epigenetic disease. Although numerous studies have indicated that an aberrant structure, function, or expression level of epigenetic enzymes contribute to many tumor types, precisely how the epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. APPROACH AND RESULTS In this study, we found that the WD repeat domain 5 protein (WDR5)-a core subunit of histone H3 lysine 4 methyltransferase complexes, which catalyze the generation of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) modification-is highly expressed in HBV-related HCC and promotes HCC development. WDR5 plays a critical role in HBV-driven cell proliferation and tumor growth in mice, and the WDR5-0103 small-molecule inhibitor of WDR5 activity compromises HBV- and hepatitis B x protein (HBx)-driven tumor proliferation. The aberrantly high WDR5 protein level was found to involve HBx through its stabilization of the WDR5 protein by inhibiting the interaction between the damage-specific DNA-binding protein 1/cullin-4 and WDR5, causing decreased ubiquitination of the WDR5 protein. HBx was found to colocalize with WDR5 on chromatin genome wide and promotes genome-wide H3K4me3 modification by means of WDR5. Furthermore, the recruitment of HBx to promoters of target genes relied on its interaction with WDR5 through its α-helix domain. WDR5 was also found to promote HBV transcription through H3K4 modification of covalently closed circular DNA minichromosome, and WDR5-0103 was able to inhibit HBV transcription. Finally, the in vitro and in vivo data further proved that HBx exerted its tumor-promoting function in a WDR5-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS Our data reveals that WDR5 is a key epigenetic determinant of HBV-induced tumorigenesis and that the HBx-WDR5-H3K4me3 axis may be a potential therapeutic target in HBV-induced liver pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwu Gao
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Medicine, PLA, Chongqing, China
- Institute of Immunology of PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhengcai Jia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Tian
- Institute of Immunology of PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | | | - Hui Sun
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chenhui Wang
- Institute of Immunology of PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Ding
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA
| | - Mengjie Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Di Yang
- Institute of Immunology of PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhiqiang Tian
- Institute of Immunology of PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Institute of Immunology of PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhihua Ruan
- Department of Oncology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuzhang Wu
- Institute of Immunology of PLA, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bing Ni
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Extreme Environmental Medicine, Ministry of Education of China, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of High Altitude Medicine, PLA, Chongqing, China
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26
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Wang F, Zhang J, Ke X, Peng W, Zhao G, Peng S, Xu J, Xu B, Cui H. WDR5-Myc axis promotes the progression of glioblastoma and neuroblastoma by transcriptional activating CARM1. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 523:699-706. [PMID: 31948749 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.12.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5), also known as SWD3 and BIG-3, is often overexpressed in cancers, however its molecular function in cancer remains to be elucidated. In this study, we found that WDR5 promoted the proliferation and self-renewal of glioblastoma and neuroblastoma cells. The data from databases and Western blot assay showed that CARM1 is a downstream gene of WDR5-Myc axis. In addition, we observed that WDR5 promoted the binding of Myc to CARM1 promoter by interacting with Myc and inducing histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3). Dual luciferase reporter system indicated that Myc binds to the upstream region (-520 to -515) before transcription start site (TSS) of CARM1 promoter. These findings suggest a novel regulatory model for the proliferation and tumorigenesis of glioblastoma and neuroblastoma by WDR5-Myc axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China; Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Jiayi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China; Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Xiaoxue Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China; Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Wen Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China; Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Gaichao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China; Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Shihan Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China; Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Jie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China; Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Bo Xu
- School Hospital of Southwest University, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and Systems Biology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China; Cancer Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400716, China.
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Macdonald JD, Simon SC, Han C, Wang F, Shaw JG, Howes JE, Sai J, Yuh JP, Camper D, Alicie BM, Alvarado J, Nikhar S, Payne W, Aho ER, Bauer JA, Zhao B, Phan J, Thomas LR, Rossanese OW, Tansey WP, Waterson AG, Stauffer SR, Fesik SW. Discovery and Optimization of Salicylic Acid-Derived Sulfonamide Inhibitors of the WD Repeat-Containing Protein 5-MYC Protein-Protein Interaction. J Med Chem 2019; 62:11232-11259. [PMID: 31724864 PMCID: PMC6933084 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The treatment of tumors driven by overexpression or amplification of MYC oncogenes remains a significant challenge in drug discovery. Here, we present a new strategy toward the inhibition of MYC via the disruption of the protein-protein interaction between MYC and its chromatin cofactor WD Repeat-Containing Protein 5. Blocking the association of these proteins is hypothesized to disrupt the localization of MYC to chromatin, thus disrupting the ability of MYC to sustain tumorigenesis. Utilizing a high-throughput screening campaign and subsequent structure-guided design, we identify small-molecule inhibitors of this interaction with potent in vitro binding affinity and report structurally related negative controls that can be used to study the effect of this disruption. Our work suggests that disruption of this protein-protein interaction may provide a path toward an effective approach for the treatment of multiple tumors and anticipate that the molecules disclosed can be used as starting points for future efforts toward compounds with improved drug-like properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Macdonald
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Selena Chacón Simon
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Changho Han
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - J. Grace Shaw
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Jennifer E. Howes
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Jiqing Sai
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Joannes P. Yuh
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Demarco Camper
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Bethany M. Alicie
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Joseph Alvarado
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Sameer Nikhar
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - William Payne
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Erin R. Aho
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Joshua A. Bauer
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Bin Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Jason Phan
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Lance R. Thomas
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Olivia W. Rossanese
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - William P. Tansey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Alex G. Waterson
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Shaun R. Stauffer
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
| | - Stephen W. Fesik
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
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Prajapati B, Fatma M, Fatima M, Khan MT, Sinha S, Seth PK. Identification of lncRNAs Associated With Neuroblastoma in Cross-Sectional Databases: Potential Biomarkers. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:293. [PMID: 31920530 PMCID: PMC6920248 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as an important regulatory control in biological systems. Though the field of lncRNA has been progressing rapidly, a complete understanding of the role of lncRNAs in neuroblastoma pathogenesis is still lacking. To identify the abrogated lncRNAs in primary neuroblastoma and in the metastasized as well as the relapsed form of neuroblastoma, we analyzed an RNA-seq dataset on neuroblastoma that is available online to identify the lncRNAs that could potentially be contributing to the biology of neuroblastoma. The identified lncRNAs were further scrutinized using a publicly available epigenetic dataset of neuroblastoma and a cancer database. After this cross-sectional study, we were able to identify three significant lncRNAs, CASC15, PPP1R26-AS1, and USP3-AS1, which could serve as potential biomarkers in clinical studies of neuroblastoma pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mena Fatma
- National Brain Research Centre, Gurgaon, India
| | | | | | - Subrata Sinha
- National Brain Research Centre, Gurgaon, India.,Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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29
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Maeda A, Nishino T, Matsunaga R, Yokoyama A, Suga H, Yagi T, Konishi H. Transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking of WDR54 regulates EGF receptor-signaling. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2019; 1866:285-295. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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30
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Ma M, Zhang Y, Weng M, Hu Y, Xuan Y, Hu Y, Lv K. lncRNA GCAWKR Promotes Gastric Cancer Development by Scaffolding the Chromatin Modification Factors WDR5 and KAT2A. Mol Ther 2018; 26:2658-2668. [PMID: 30274785 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to play a role in carcinogenesis, but their mechanisms of function remain elusive. We explored the mechanisms of the oncogenic role of GCAWKR in gastric cancer (GC) using human tissues and cell lines. The in situ hybridization analysis was utilized to determine GCAWKR levels in samples from 42 GC patients and real-time qPCR in tissues from 123 patients. The GCAWKR levels were modulated in GC cell lines, and relevant biological and molecular analyses were performed. Levels of the GCAWKR were upregulated in GC tissues compared with normal tissues and associated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and patient outcomes. GCAWKR affected cell proliferation and cell invasion in multiple GC models. Mechanistically, GCAWKR bound WDR5 and KAT2A and acted as a molecular scaffold of WDR5/KAT2A complexes, modulating the affinity for WDR5/KAT2A complexes in the target gene's promoter region. Thus, our data defined a mechanism of lncRNA-mediated carcinogenesis in GC, suggesting new therapeutic targets in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhe Ma
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Yijishan Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Mingzhe Weng
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ye Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Xuan
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - YiRen Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Wenzhou No. 3 Clinical Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou People's Hospital, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Kun Lv
- Central Laboratory of Yijishan Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, China.
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Neilsen BK, Chakraborty B, McCall JL, Frodyma DE, Sleightholm RL, Fisher KW, Lewis RE. WDR5 supports colon cancer cells by promoting methylation of H3K4 and suppressing DNA damage. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:673. [PMID: 29925347 PMCID: PMC6011590 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND KMT2/MLL proteins are commonly overexpressed or mutated in cancer and have been shown to support cancer maintenance. These proteins are responsible for methylating histone 3 at lysine 4 and promoting transcription and DNA synthesis; however, they are inactive outside of a multi-protein complex that requires WDR5. WDR5 has been implicated in cancer for its role in the COMPASS complex and its interaction with Myc; however, the role of WDR5 in colon cancer has not yet been elucidated. METHODS WDR5 expression was evaluated using RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. Cell viability and colony forming assays were utilized to evaluate the effects of WDR5 depletion or inhibition in colon cancer cells. Downstream effects of WDR5 depletion and inhibition were observed by western blot. RESULTS WDR5 is overexpressed in colon tumors and colon cancer cell lines at the mRNA and protein level. WDR5 depletion reduces cell viability in HCT116, LoVo, RKO, HCT15, SW480, SW620, and T84 colon cancer cells. Inhibition of the WDR5:KMT2/MLL interaction using OICR-9429 reduces cell viability in the same panel of cell lines albeit not to the same extent as RNAi-mediated WDR5 depletion. WDR5 depletion reduced H3K4Me3 and increased phosphorylation of H2AX in HCT116, SW620, and RKO colon cancer cells; however, OICR-9429 treatment did not recapitulate these effects in all cell lines potentially explaining the reduced toxicity of OICR-9429 treatment as compared to WDR5 depletion. WDR5 depletion also sensitized colon cancer cells to radiation-induced DNA damage. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate a clear role for WDR5 in colon cancer and future studies should examine its potential to serve as a therapeutic target in cancer. Additional studies are needed to fully elucidate if the requirement for WDR5 is independent of or consistent with its role within the COMPASS complex. OICR-9429 treatment was particularly toxic to SW620 and T84 colon cancer cells, two cell lines without mutations in WDR5 and KMT2/MLL proteins suggesting COMPASS complex inhibition may be particularly effective in tumors lacking KMT2 mutations. Additionally, the ability of WDR5 depletion to amplify the toxic effects of radiation presents the possibility of targeting WDR5 to sensitize cells to DNA-damaging therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth K Neilsen
- Eppley Institute, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Binita Chakraborty
- Eppley Institute, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.,Present address: Department of Pharmacology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Jamie L McCall
- Eppley Institute, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.,Present address: Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Danielle E Frodyma
- Eppley Institute, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Richard L Sleightholm
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Kurt W Fisher
- Eppley Institute, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.,Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Robert E Lewis
- Eppley Institute, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
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32
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Wolpaw AJ, Dang CV. MYC-induced metabolic stress and tumorigenesis. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2018; 1870:43-50. [PMID: 29791870 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The MYC oncogene is commonly altered across human cancers. Distinct from the normal MYC proto-oncogene, which is under tight transcriptional, translational, and post-translational control, deregulated oncogenic MYC drives imbalanced, non-linear amplification of transcription that results in oncogenic 'stress.' The term 'stress' had been a euphemism for our lack of mechanistic understanding, but synthesis of many studies over the past decade provides a more coherent picture of oncogenic MYC driving metastable cellular states, particularly altered metabolism, that activate and depend on cellular stress response pathways to allow for continued growth and survival. Both deregulated metabolism and these stress response pathways represent vulnerabilities that can be exploited therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Wolpaw
- Divisions of Hematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Chi V Dang
- The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10017, USA.
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33
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Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a devastating and aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung. It accounts for ~15% of lung cancer mortality and has had no improvement in standard treatment options for nearly 30 years. However, there is now hope for change with new therapies and modalities of therapy. Immunotherapies and checkpoint inhibitors are entering clinical practice, selected targeted therapies show promise, and "smart bomb"-based drug/radioconjugates have led to good response in early clinical trials. Additionally, new research insights into the genetics and tumor heterogeneity of SCLC alongside the availability of new tools such as patient-derived or circulating tumor cell xenografts offer the potential to shine light on this beshadowed cancer.
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34
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Rasmussen ML, Ortolano NA, Romero-Morales AI, Gama V. Wnt Signaling and Its Impact on Mitochondrial and Cell Cycle Dynamics in Pluripotent Stem Cells. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9020109. [PMID: 29463061 PMCID: PMC5852605 DOI: 10.3390/genes9020109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The core transcriptional network regulating stem cell self-renewal and pluripotency remains an intense area of research. Increasing evidence indicates that modified regulation of basic cellular processes such as mitochondrial dynamics, apoptosis, and cell cycle are also essential for pluripotent stem cell identity and fate decisions. Here, we review evidence for Wnt regulation of pluripotency and self-renewal, and its connections to emerging features of pluripotent stem cells, including (1) increased mitochondrial fragmentation, (2) increased sensitivity to cell death, and (3) shortened cell cycle. We provide a general overview of the stem cell–specific mechanisms involved in the maintenance of these uncharacterized hallmarks of pluripotency and highlight potential links to the Wnt signaling pathway. Given the physiological importance of stem cells and their enormous potential for regenerative medicine, understanding fundamental mechanisms mediating the crosstalk between Wnt, organelle-dynamics, apoptosis, and cell cycle will be crucial to gain insight into the regulation of stemness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Rasmussen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232, United States.
| | - Natalya A Ortolano
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232, United States.
| | | | - Vivian Gama
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology; Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232, United States.
- Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology; Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232, United States.
- Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center; Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232, United States.
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35
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Durinck K, Speleman F. Epigenetic regulation of neuroblastoma development. Cell Tissue Res 2018; 372:309-324. [PMID: 29350283 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-017-2773-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, technological advances have enabled a detailed landscaping of the epigenome and the mechanisms of epigenetic regulation that drive normal cell function, development and cancer. Rather than merely a structural entity to support genome compaction, we now look at chromatin as a very dynamic and essential constellation that is actively participating in the tight orchestration of transcriptional regulation as well as DNA replication and repair. The unique feature of chromatin flexibility enabling fast switches towards more or less restricted epigenetic cellular states is, not surprisingly, intimately connected to cancer development and treatment resistance, and the central role of epigenetic alterations in cancer is illustrated by the finding that up to 50% of all mutations across cancer entities affect proteins controlling the chromatin status. We summarize recent insights into epigenetic rewiring underlying neuroblastoma (NB) tumor formation ranging from changes in DNA methylation patterns and mutations in epigenetic regulators to global effects on transcriptional regulatory circuits that involve key players in NB oncogenesis. Insights into the disruption of the homeostatic epigenetic balance contributing to developmental arrest of sympathetic progenitor cells and subsequent NB oncogenesis are rapidly growing and will be exploited towards the development of novel therapeutic strategies to increase current survival rates of patients with high-risk NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaat Durinck
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Frank Speleman
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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36
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WDR5 high expression and its effect on tumorigenesis in leukemia. Oncotarget 2018; 7:37740-37754. [PMID: 27192115 PMCID: PMC5122345 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) plays an important role in various biological functions through the epigenetic regulation of gene transcription. However, the oncogenic effect of WDR5 in leukemia remains largely unknown. Here, we found WDR5 expression is increased in leukemia patients. High expression of WDR5 is associated with high risk leukemia; Patients with WDR5 and MLL1 high expression have poor complete remission rate. We further identified the global genomic binding of WDR5 in leukemic cells and found the genomic co-localization of WDR5 binding with H3K4me3 enrichment. Moreover, WDR5 knockdown by shRNA suppresses cell proliferation, induces apoptosis, inhibits the expression of WDR5 targets, and blocks the H3K4me3 enrichment on the promoter of its targets. We also observed the positive correlation of WDR5 expression with these targets in the cohort study of leukemia patients. Our data reveal that WDR5 may have oncogenic effect and WDR5-mediated H3K4 methylation plays an important role in leukemogenesis.
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37
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Shi Q, Wang W, Jia Z, Chen P, Ma K, Zhou C. ISL1, a novel regulator of CCNB1, CCNB2 and c-MYC genes, promotes gastric cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth. Oncotarget 2017; 7:36489-36500. [PMID: 27183908 PMCID: PMC5095015 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Islet-1 (ISL1) belongs to the LIM homeodomain transcription factor family, which is specifically expressed in certain tissue types only. Previously, we reported that ISL1 is aberrantly overexpressed in gastric cancer (GC). However, its role in GC is not clear. Here, we report that ISL1 is aberrantly upregulated not only in human gastric carcinoma tissues but also in some GC cell lines. Upregulated ISL1 expression enhanced xenografted gastric carcinoma development, while ISL1 knockdown inhibited GC growth in nude mice. ISL1 overexpression promoted GC cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell growth in soft agar, and facilitated cell cycle transition in GC cells, demonstrated an increase in the proportion of cells in the G2/M and S phases and a decrease in the proportion of cells in the G1 phase. Furthermore, we provide evidence that ISL1 is a novel regulator of the cyclin B1 (CCNB1), cyclin B2 (CCNB2) and c-myc (c-MYC) genes. ISL1 activated the expression of these genes in GC cells by binding to the conserved binding sites on their promoters or enhancers. The expression levels of the genes were decreased in response to ISL1 knockdown. Therefore, ISL1 may serve as a potential therapeutic target in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education of China, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Weiping Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education of China, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Zhuqing Jia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education of China, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Ping Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education of China, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Kangtao Ma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education of China, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Chunyan Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Protein Posttranslational Modifications and Cell Function, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences, Ministry of Education of China, Peking University, Beijing, P.R. China
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38
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Sun W, Guo F, Liu M. Up-regulated WDR5 promotes gastric cancer formation by induced cyclin D1 expression. J Cell Biochem 2017; 119:3304-3316. [PMID: 29125890 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.26491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) has been identified that its functions as an important role in various biological functions through the epigenetic regulation of gene transcription. However, the oncogenic effect of WDR5 in gastric cancer remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of WDR5 in gastric cancer genesis. We found that WDR5 expression is increased in gastric cancer patients. Through survival analysis, we found that high expression of WDR5 is associated with high risk gastric cancer; patients who with WDR5 high expression have poor survival rate compared with those who with WDR5 low expression. To make further investigation, we identified that WDR5 is targeted for cell cycle arrest by the Cyclin D1 in a process that is regulated by H3K4me3. Moreover, over-expression of WDR5 promotes cell proliferation, induces S/G2/M arrest in cell cycle, and promotes the expression of WDR5 targets, as well as that of H3K4me3 on the promoter of its targets. Inversely, WDR5 knockdown by shRNA inhibits cell proliferation, reverses S/G2/M arrest in cell cycle, and suppresses the expression of WDR5 targets, as well as that of H3K4me3. We also observed the positive correlation of WDR5 expression with its target in the cohort study of gastric patients. Taken together, our data reveal that WDR5 may have oncogenic effect and WDR5-mediated H3K4 methylation plays an important role in gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Dalian University Affiliated Xinhua Hospital, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Fuchao Guo
- Department of General Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Jinzhou District in Dalian City, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Mingkai Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Dalian University Affiliated Xinhua Hospital, Dalian, Liaoning, China
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39
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Wang BD, Jiang J, Liu MM, Zhuang RJ, Wang H, Li PL. Silencing CCAT2 inhibited proliferation and invasion of epithelial ovarian carcinoma cells by regulating Wnt signaling pathway. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2017; 10:11771-11778. [PMID: 31966540 PMCID: PMC6966034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNA CCAT2 (colon cancer-associated transcript 2) is dysregulated in varieties of human tumors. However, the role of CCAT2 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) is not yet known clearly. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of CCAT2 on proliferation and invasion of EOC cells and the potential mechanisms by which CCAT2 functions. In the present paper, we found that knockdown of CCAT2 impaired cell proliferation and invasion in vitro. Furthermore, we also studied the role of CCAT2 in the modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our results showed that knockdown of CCAT2 inhibited the expression of β-catenin and the activity of TCF/LEF (T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor) acting as a key transcription factor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, we found that silencing CCAT2 down-regulated the expression of c-MYC and MMP-7. But, that was reversed by the treatment with LiCl (lithium chloride) which could activate canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that CCAT2 may promote ovarian cancer progression, at least partly, through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Thus, CCAT2 might represent a novel therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei-Di Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei-Mei Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ru-Jin Zhuang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Pei-Ling Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
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40
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Song R, Wang ZD, Schapira M. Disease Association and Druggability of WD40 Repeat Proteins. J Proteome Res 2017; 16:3766-3773. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.7b00451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Song
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Zhong-Duo Wang
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Matthieu Schapira
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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41
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In Vivo RNAi Screening for Pancreatic Cancer Drivers: PILOTing the WDR5-MYC Axis. Trends Cancer 2017; 2:391-392. [PMID: 28741490 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents a major global health problem that causes over 200000 deaths each year worldwide. The disease is highly resistant to cytotoxic and targeted therapies and the average survival is less than 12 months. This situation prompted Alessandro Carugo and Giulio Draetta to develop a novel genetic mouse system, termed Patient-Based In Vivo Lethality to Optimize Treatment (PILOT), to perform functional RNAi-based in vivo screens to uncover and target PDAC drivers. In a forward genetic screen focused on epigenetic modifiers, a WDR5-Myc axis that regulates the DNA replication checkpoint was identified and exploited in vivo for therapeutic intervention.
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42
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Trop-Steinberg S, Azar Y. Is Myc an Important Biomarker? Myc Expression in Immune Disorders and Cancer. Am J Med Sci 2017; 355:67-75. [PMID: 29289266 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjms.2017.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The proto-oncogene Myc serves as a paradigm for understanding the dynamics of transcriptional regulation. Myc protein has been linked to immune dysfunction, cancer development and neoplastic transformation. We review recent research regarding functions of Myc as an important modulator in immune disorders, postallogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and several cancers. Myc overexpression has been repeatedly linked to immune disorders and specific cancers, such as myasthenia gravis, psoriasis, pemphigus vulgaris, atherosclerosis, long-term allogeneic survival among HSCT patients, (primary) inflammatory breast cancer, (primary) ovarian carcinoma and hematological malignancies: acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. However, decreased expression of Myc has been observed in HSCT patients who did not survive. Understanding impaired or inappropriate expression of Myc may present a path for the discovery of new targets for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivtia Trop-Steinberg
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences (ST-S), JCT Lev Academic Institute, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Yehudit Azar
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation (YA), Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
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43
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Xie Q, Li Z, Chen J. WDR5 positively regulates p53 stability by inhibiting p53 ubiquitination. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 487:333-338. [PMID: 28412363 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.04.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
WD40 repeat protein WDR5 is a core component of the Set/MLL histone methyltransferase complex which catalyzes histone H3 Lys4 trimethylation and activates gene transcription in human cells. WDR5 promotes Set/MLL complex assembly and mediates the complex binding to Lys4-dimethylated histone H3 tail. Most earlier studies report that WDR5 exerts profound effects on various cellular and organismal processes mainly through epigenetic regulation of gene transcription. However, the functions of WDR5 in lung cancer remain largely unknown. Here, we report that WDR5 positively regulates p53 stability by inhibiting p53 ubiquitination in human lung cancer A549 cells. Overexpression of WDR5 dramatically increases p53 protein levels and its half-life in A549 cells, while depletion of WDR5 with WDR5-specific siRNAs significantly decreases p53 protein levels. We also observe that WDR5 is required for p53 induction in response to cisplatin treatment. Mechanistically, WDR5 colocalizes with p53 and inhibits p53 ubiquitination, resulting in p53 stabilization. Consequently, overexpression of WDR5 induces G1 phase arrest in A549 cells, and knocking down WDR5 by siRNAs reduces the population at G1 phase. Furthermore, p53 expression levels is at least in part determined by the p53 positive regulator WDR5 in some cancer cells. Taken together, these data suggest that WDR5 is directly involved in p53 signaling pathway. Our studies provide a new insight into WDR5 functions in A549 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Zengpeng Li
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Jianming Chen
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China.
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44
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Whitfield JR, Beaulieu ME, Soucek L. Strategies to Inhibit Myc and Their Clinical Applicability. Front Cell Dev Biol 2017; 5:10. [PMID: 28280720 PMCID: PMC5322154 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2017.00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Myc is an oncogene deregulated in most-perhaps all-human cancers. Each Myc family member, c-, L-, and N-Myc, has been connected to tumor progression and maintenance. Myc is recognized as a "most wanted" target for cancer therapy, but has for many years been considered undruggable, mainly due to its nuclear localization, lack of a defined ligand binding site, and physiological function essential to the maintenance of normal tissues. The challenge of identifying a pharmacophore capable of overcoming these hurdles is reflected in the current absence of a clinically-viable Myc inhibitor. The first attempts to inhibit Myc used antisense technology some three decades ago, followed by small molecule inhibitors discovered through "classical" compound library screens. Notable breakthroughs proving the feasibility of systemic Myc inhibition were made with the Myc dominant negative mutant Omomyc, showing both the great promise in targeting this infamous oncogene for cancer treatment as well as allaying fears about the deleterious side effects that Myc inhibition might have on normal proliferating tissues. During this time many other strategies have appeared in an attempt to drug the undruggable, including direct and indirect targeting, knockdown, protein/protein and DNA interaction inhibitors, and translation and expression regulation. The inhibitors range from traditional small molecules to natural chemicals, to RNA and antisense, to peptides and miniproteins. Here, we briefly describe the many approaches taken so far, with a particular focus on their potential clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Whitfield
- Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Edifici Cellex, Hospital Vall d'Hebron Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Laura Soucek
- Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Edifici Cellex, Hospital Vall d'HebronBarcelona, Spain; Peptomyc, Edifici Cellex, Hospital Vall d'HebronBarcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis AvançatsBarcelona, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBellaterra, Spain
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45
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Wu J, Tan X, Lin J, Yuan L, Chen J, Qiu L, Huang W. Minicircle-oriP-miR-31 as a Novel EBNA1-Specific miRNA Therapy Approach for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Hum Gene Ther 2016; 28:415-427. [PMID: 28042945 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2016.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important post-transcriptional regulators that control cancer development and progression. However, the application of miRNA therapy in cancer has been hampered by a lack of an efficient and targeted delivery system. In our previous studies, an oriP promoter-based minicircle system successfully mediated targeted foreign gene expression in EBNA1-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, it remains to be evaluated whether this system can be applied for tumor miRNA therapy. miR-31-5p, a tumor suppressive miRNA involved in the tumorigenesis of EBV-positive NPC, was selected as the therapeutic miRNA to be transferred. In this work, we constructed a novel EBNA1-specific miRNA expression system, minicircle-oriP-miR-31. The results indicated that mc-oriP-miR-31 mediated selective miR-31-5p expression in EBNA1-positive NPC cells. Both the proliferation and migration of EBNA1-positive NPC cell lines were inhibited by mc-oriP-miR-31 treatment in vitro. Furthermore, mc-oriP-miR-31 treatment inhibited xenograft growth and lung metastasis in vivo. We also identified WDR5 as a novel miR-31-5p target. Knockdown of WDR5 inhibited NPC cell proliferation and migration and was associated with downregulation of Notch1. Reintroduction of WDR5 partially abrogated the suppressive effects induced by miR-31-5p. In conclusion, we demonstrate for the first time that targeted expression of miR-31-5p using a nonviral minicircle vector can serve as a novel approach for tumor miRNA therapy. Moreover, WDR5 may be a promising therapeutic target for NPC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangxue Wu
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
- 2 Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Tan
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
- 2 Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxin Lin
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
- 2 Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
| | - Luping Yuan
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
- 2 Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiemin Chen
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
- 2 Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
| | - Lin Qiu
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
- 2 Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenlin Huang
- 1 State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
- 2 Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center , Guangzhou, China
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46
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Abstract
Altering the ability of the MYC transcription factor to bind to individual genes can customize the global gene expression output of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zheng
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, United States
| | - David Levens
- Laboratory of Pathology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, United States
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47
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DNA double-strand-break repair in higher eukaryotes and its role in genomic instability and cancer: Cell cycle and proliferation-dependent regulation. Semin Cancer Biol 2016; 37-38:51-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2016.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2016] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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