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Liu C, Vorderbruggen M, Muñoz-Trujillo C, Kim SH, Katzenellenbogen JA, Katzenellenbogen BS, Karpf AR. NB compounds are potent and efficacious FOXM1 inhibitors in high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells. J Ovarian Res 2024; 17:94. [PMID: 38704607 PMCID: PMC11069232 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01421-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic studies implicate the oncogenic transcription factor Forkhead Box M1 (FOXM1) as a potential therapeutic target in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). We evaluated the activity of different FOXM1 inhibitors in HGSOC cell models. RESULTS We treated HGSOC and fallopian tube epithelial (FTE) cells with a panel of previously reported FOXM1 inhibitors. Based on drug potency, efficacy, and selectivity, determined through cell viability assays, we focused on two compounds, NB-73 and NB-115 (NB compounds), for further investigation. NB compounds potently and selectively inhibited FOXM1 with lesser effects on other FOX family members. NB compounds decreased FOXM1 expression via targeting the FOXM1 protein by promoting its proteasome-mediated degradation, and effectively suppressed FOXM1 gene targets at both the protein and mRNA level. At the cellular level, NB compounds promoted apoptotic cell death. Importantly, while inhibition of apoptosis using a pan-caspase inhibitor rescued HGSOC cells from NB compound-induced cell death, it did not rescue FOXM1 protein degradation, supporting that FOXM1 protein loss from NB compound treatment is specific and not a general consequence of cytotoxicity. Drug washout studies indicated that FOXM1 reduction was retained for at least 72 h post-treatment, suggesting that NB compounds exhibit long-lasting effects in HGSOC cells. NB compounds effectively suppressed both two-dimensional and three-dimensional HGSOC cell colony formation at sub-micromolar concentrations. Finally, NB compounds exhibited synergistic activity with carboplatin in HGSOC cells. CONCLUSIONS NB compounds are potent, selective, and efficacious inhibitors of FOXM1 in HGSOC cells and are worthy of further investigation as HGSOC therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassie Liu
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
| | - Makenzie Vorderbruggen
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
| | - Catalina Muñoz-Trujillo
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA
| | - Sung Hoon Kim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - John A Katzenellenbogen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Benita S Katzenellenbogen
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Adam R Karpf
- Eppley Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA.
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68918-6805, USA.
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2
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Li L, Chen D, Chen X, Zhu J, Bao W, Li C, Miao F, Feng R. An androgen receptor-based signature to predict prognosis and identification of ORC1 as a therapeutical target for prostate adenocarcinoma. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16850. [PMID: 38562999 PMCID: PMC10984180 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Aberrant activation of androgen receptor (AR) signaling plays a crucial role in the progression of prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) and contributes significantly to the development of enzalutamide resistance. In this study, we aimed to identify a novel AR-driven signature that can predict prognosis and endows potentially reveal novel therapeutic targets for PRAD. Methods The Seurat package was used to preprocess the single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Differentially expressed genes were visualized using limma and pheamap packages. LASSO and multi-variate Cox regression models were established using glmnet package. The package "Consensus Cluster Plus" was utilized to perform the consensus clustering analysis. The biological roles of origin recognition complex subunit 1 (ORC1) in PRAD were determined by gain- and loss-of-function studies in vitro and in vivo. Result We characterized the scRNA-seq data from GSE99795 and identified 10 AR-associated genes (ARGs). The ARGs model was trained and validated in internal and external cohorts. The ARGs were identified as an independent hazard factor in PRAD and correlated with clinical risk characteristics. In addition, the ARGs were found to be correlated with somatic tumor mutation burden (TMB) levels. Two groups that have distinct prognostic and molecular features were identified through consensus clustering analysis. ORC1 was identified as a critical target among these ARGs, and it ORC1 promoted proliferation and stem-like properties of PRAD cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR assay confirmed that AR could directly bind the promoter of ORC1. Activated AR/ORC1 axis contributed to enzalutamide resistance, and targeting ORC1 rendered PRAD cells more susceptible to enzalutamide. Conclusions This study defines an AR-driven signature that AR activates ORC1 expressions to promote PRAD progression and enzalutamide resistance, which may provide novel targets for PRAD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linjin Li
- Department of Urology, The Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai University, Wenzhou People’s Hospital, WenZhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dake Chen
- Department of Urology, The Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai University, Wenzhou People’s Hospital, WenZhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Department of Urology, The Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai University, Wenzhou People’s Hospital, WenZhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianlong Zhu
- Department of Urology, The Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai University, Wenzhou People’s Hospital, WenZhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenshuo Bao
- Department of Urology, The Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai University, Wenzhou People’s Hospital, WenZhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chengpeng Li
- Department of Urology, The Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai University, Wenzhou People’s Hospital, WenZhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Feilong Miao
- Department of Urology, The Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai University, Wenzhou People’s Hospital, WenZhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rui Feng
- Zhenjiang Hospital of Chinese Traditional and Western Medicine, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
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3
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Kaarijärvi R, Kaljunen H, Nappi L, Fazli L, Kung SHY, Hartikainen JM, Paakinaho V, Capra J, Rilla K, Malinen M, Mäkinen PI, Ylä-Herttuala S, Zoubeidi A, Wang Y, Gleave ME, Hiltunen M, Ketola K. DPYSL5 is highly expressed in treatment-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer and promotes lineage plasticity via EZH2/PRC2. Commun Biol 2024; 7:108. [PMID: 38238517 PMCID: PMC10796342 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05741-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Treatment-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-NEPC) is a lethal subtype of castration-resistant prostate cancer resistant to androgen receptor (AR) inhibitors. Our study unveils that AR suppresses the neuronal development protein dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 5 (DPYSL5), providing a mechanism for neuroendocrine transformation under androgen deprivation therapy. Our unique CRPC-NEPC cohort, comprising 135 patient tumor samples, including 55 t-NEPC patient samples, exhibits a high expression of DPYSL5 in t-NEPC patient tumors. DPYSL5 correlates with neuroendocrine-related markers and inversely with AR and PSA. DPYSL5 overexpression in prostate cancer cells induces a neuron-like phenotype, enhances invasion, proliferation, and upregulates stemness and neuroendocrine-related markers. Mechanistically, DPYSL5 promotes prostate cancer cell plasticity via EZH2-mediated PRC2 activation. Depletion of DPYSL5 decreases proliferation, induces G1 phase cell cycle arrest, reverses neuroendocrine phenotype, and upregulates luminal genes. In conclusion, DPYSL5 plays a critical role in regulating prostate cancer cell plasticity, and we propose the AR/DPYSL5/EZH2/PRC2 axis as a driver of t-NEPC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roosa Kaarijärvi
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Heidi Kaljunen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Lucia Nappi
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre and Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ladan Fazli
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre and Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sonia H Y Kung
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre and Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jaana M Hartikainen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Clinical Pathology and Forensic Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Ville Paakinaho
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Janne Capra
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Kirsi Rilla
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Marjo Malinen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Petri I Mäkinen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Amina Zoubeidi
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre and Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yuzhuo Wang
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre and Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- BC Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Martin E Gleave
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre and Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mikko Hiltunen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Kirsi Ketola
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
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4
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Raghuwanshi S, Gartel AL. Small-molecule inhibitors targeting FOXM1: Current challenges and future perspectives in cancer treatments. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:189015. [PMID: 37913940 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Forkhead box (FOX) protein M1 (FOXM1) is a critical proliferation-associated transcription factor (TF) that is aberrantly overexpressed in the majority of human cancers and has also been implicated in poor prognosis. A comprehensive understanding of various aspects of this molecule has revealed its role in, cell proliferation, cell migration, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. The FOXM1 as a TF directly or indirectly regulates the expression of several target genes whose dysregulation is associated with almost all hallmarks of cancer. Moreover, FOXM1 expression is associated with chemoresistance to different anti-cancer drugs. Several studies have confirmed that suppression of FOXM1 enhanced the drug sensitivity of various types of cancer cells. Current data suggest that small molecule inhibitors targeting FOXM1 in combination with anticancer drugs may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for chemo-resistant cancers. In this review, we discuss the clinical utility of FOXM1, further, we summarize and discuss small-molecule inhibitors targeting FOXM1 and categorize them according to their mechanisms of targeting FOXM1. Despite great progress, small-molecule inhibitors targeting FOXM1 face many challenges, and we present here all small-molecule FOXM1 inhibitors in different stages of development. We discuss the current challenges and provide insights on the future application of FOXM1 inhibition to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeev Raghuwanshi
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Andrei L Gartel
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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5
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Xu H, Zhang J, Zheng X, Tan P, Xiong X, Yi X, Yang Y, Wang Y, Liao D, Li H, Wei Q, Ai J, Yang L. SR9009 inhibits lethal prostate cancer subtype 1 by regulating the LXRα/FOXM1 pathway independently of REV-ERBs. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:949. [PMID: 36357378 PMCID: PMC9649669 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05392-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Perturbations of the circadian clock are linked to multiple diseases, including cancers. Pharmacological activation of REV-ERB nuclear receptors, the core components of the circadian clock, has antitumor effects on various malignancies, while the impact of SR9009 on prostate cancer (PCa) remains unknown. Here, we found that SR9009 was specifically lethal to PCa cell lines but had no cytotoxic effect on prostate cells. SR9009 significantly inhibited colony formation, the cell cycle, and cell migration and promoted apoptosis in PCa cells. SR9009 treatment markedly inhibited prostate cancer subtype 1 (PCS1), the most lethal and aggressive PCa subtype, through FOXM1 pathway blockade, while it had no impacts on PCS2 and PCS3. Seven representative genes, including FOXM1, CENPA, CENPF, CDK1, CCNB1, CCNB2, and BIRC5, were identified as the shared genes involved in the FOXM1 pathway and PCS1. All of these genes were upregulated in PCa tissues, associated with worse clinicopathological outcomes and downregulated after SR9009 treatment. Nevertheless, knockdown or knockout of REV-ERB could not rescue the anticancer effect of SR9009 in PCa. Further analysis confirmed that it was LXRα rather than REV-ERBs which has been activated by SR9009. The expression levels of these seven genes were changed correspondingly after LXRα knockdown and SR9009 treatment. An in vivo study validated that SR9009 restrained tumor growth in 22RV1 xenograft models and inhibited FOXM1 and its targeted gene expression. In summary, SR9009 can serve as an effective treatment option for highly aggressive and lethal PCS1 tumors through mediating the LXRα/FOXM1 pathway independently of REV-ERBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Xu
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Jiapeng Zhang
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaonan Zheng
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Ping Tan
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Xingyu Xiong
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Xianyanling Yi
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Yang Yang
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Animal Experimental Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Wang
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Research Core Facility, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Dazhou Liao
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Research Core Facility, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Hong Li
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Qiang Wei
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Jianzhong Ai
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
| | - Lu Yang
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China ,grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, China
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Identification and Validation of Three Hub Genes Involved in Cell Proliferation and Prognosis of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:8761112. [PMID: 36035209 PMCID: PMC9402298 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8761112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Background The acquisition of castration resistance is lethal and inevitable in most prostate cancer patients under hormone therapy. However, effective biomarkers and therapeutic targets for castration-resistant prostate cancer remain to be defined. Methods Comprehensive bioinformatics tools were used to screen hub genes in castration-resistant prostate cancer and were verified in androgen-dependent prostate cancer and castration-resistant prostate cancer in TCGA and the SU2C/PCF Dream Team database, respectively. Gene set enrichment analysis and in vitro experiments were performed to determine the potential functions of hub genes involved in castration-resistant prostate cancer progression. Results Three hub genes were screened out by bioinformatics analysis: MCM4, CENPI, and KNTC1. These hub genes were upregulated in castration-resistant prostate cancer and showed high diagnostic and prognostic value. Moreover, the expression levels of the hub genes were positively correlated with neuroendocrine prostate cancer scores, which represent the degree of castration-resistant prostate cancer aggression. Meanwhile, in vitro experiments confirmed that hub gene expression was increased in castration-resistant prostate cancer cell lines and that inhibition of hub genes hindered cell cycle transition, resulting in suppression of castration-resistant prostate cancer cell proliferation, which confirmed the gene set enrichment analysis results. Conclusions MCM4, CENPI, and KNTC1 could serve as candidate diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of castration-resistant prostate cancer and may provide potential preventive and therapeutic targets.
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7
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Construction of Bone Metastasis-Specific Regulation Network Based on Prognostic Stemness-Related Signatures in Prostate Cancer. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:8495923. [PMID: 35392496 PMCID: PMC8983176 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8495923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background We planned to uncover the cancer stemness-related genes (SRGs) in prostate cancer (PCa) and its underlying mechanism in PCa metastasis. Methods We acquired the RNA-seq data of 406 patients with PCa from the TCGA database. Based on the mRNA stemness index (mRNAsi) calculated by one-class logistic regression (OCLR) algorithm, SRGs in PCa were extracted by WGCNA. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were applied to uncover OS-associated SRGs. Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA), Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), and Pearson's correlation analysis were performed to discover the possible mechanism of PCa metastasis. The significantly correlated transcription factors of OS-associated SRGs were also identified by Pearson's correlation analysis. ChIP-seq was applied to validate the binding relationship of TFs and OS-associated SRGs and spatial transcriptome and single-cell sequencing were performed to uncover the location of key biomarkers expression. Lastly, we explored the specific inhibitors for SRGs using CMap algorithm. Results We identified 538 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between non-metastatic and metastatic PCa. Furthermore, OS-associated SRGs were identified. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed that FOXM1 was significantly correlated with NEIL3 (correlation efficient =0.89, p < 0.001) and identified hallmark_E2F_targets as the potential pathway mechanism of NEIL3 promoting PCa metastasis (correlation efficient =0.58, p < 0.001). Single-cell sequencing results indicated that FOXM1 regulating NEIL3 may get involved in the antiandrogen resistance of PCa. Rottlerin was discovered to be a potential target drug for PCa. Conclusion We constructed a regulatory network based on SRGs associated with PCa metastasis and explored possible mechanism.
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Taavitsainen S, Engedal N, Cao S, Handle F, Erickson A, Prekovic S, Wetterskog D, Tolonen T, Vuorinen EM, Kiviaho A, Nätkin R, Häkkinen T, Devlies W, Henttinen S, Kaarijärvi R, Lahnalampi M, Kaljunen H, Nowakowska K, Syvälä H, Bläuer M, Cremaschi P, Claessens F, Visakorpi T, Tammela TLJ, Murtola T, Granberg KJ, Lamb AD, Ketola K, Mills IG, Attard G, Wang W, Nykter M, Urbanucci A. Single-cell ATAC and RNA sequencing reveal pre-existing and persistent cells associated with prostate cancer relapse. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5307. [PMID: 34489465 PMCID: PMC8421417 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25624-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is heterogeneous and patients would benefit from methods that stratify those who are likely to respond to systemic therapy. Here, we employ single-cell assays for transposase-accessible chromatin (ATAC) and RNA sequencing in models of early treatment response and resistance to enzalutamide. In doing so, we identify pre-existing and treatment-persistent cell subpopulations that possess regenerative potential when subjected to treatment. We find distinct chromatin landscapes associated with enzalutamide treatment and resistance that are linked to alternative transcriptional programs. Transcriptional profiles characteristic of persistent cells are able to stratify the treatment response of patients. Ultimately, we show that defining changes in chromatin and gene expression in single-cell populations from pre-clinical models can reveal as yet unrecognized molecular predictors of treatment response. This suggests that the application of single-cell methods with high analytical resolution in pre-clinical models may powerfully inform clinical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Taavitsainen
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - N Engedal
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - S Cao
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - F Handle
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Urology, Division of Experimental Urology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - A Erickson
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - S Prekovic
- Division of Oncogenomics, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - D Wetterskog
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - T Tolonen
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
- Department of Pathology, Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - E M Vuorinen
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - A Kiviaho
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - R Nätkin
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - T Häkkinen
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - W Devlies
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Urology, UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - S Henttinen
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - R Kaarijärvi
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - M Lahnalampi
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - H Kaljunen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - K Nowakowska
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - H Syvälä
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - M Bläuer
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - P Cremaschi
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - F Claessens
- Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - T Visakorpi
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Ltd, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - T L J Tammela
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - T Murtola
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - K J Granberg
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland
| | - A D Lamb
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Urology, Churchill Hospital Cancer Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - K Ketola
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - I G Mills
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - G Attard
- University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - W Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - M Nykter
- Prostate Cancer Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere, Finland.
| | - A Urbanucci
- Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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9
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Liu C, Barger CJ, Karpf AR. FOXM1: A Multifunctional Oncoprotein and Emerging Therapeutic Target in Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3065. [PMID: 34205406 PMCID: PMC8235333 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13123065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) is a member of the conserved forkhead box (FOX) transcription factor family. Over the last two decades, FOXM1 has emerged as a multifunctional oncoprotein and a robust biomarker of poor prognosis in many human malignancies. In this review article, we address the current knowledge regarding the mechanisms of regulation and oncogenic functions of FOXM1, particularly in the context of ovarian cancer. FOXM1 and its associated oncogenic transcriptional signature are enriched in >85% of ovarian cancer cases and FOXM1 expression and activity can be enhanced by a plethora of genomic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational mechanisms. As a master transcriptional regulator, FOXM1 promotes critical oncogenic phenotypes in ovarian cancer, including: (1) cell proliferation, (2) invasion and metastasis, (3) chemotherapy resistance, (4) cancer stem cell (CSC) properties, (5) genomic instability, and (6) altered cellular metabolism. We additionally discuss the evidence for FOXM1 as a cancer biomarker, describe the rationale for FOXM1 as a cancer therapeutic target, and provide an overview of therapeutic strategies used to target FOXM1 for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Adam R. Karpf
- Eppley Institute and Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68918-6805, USA; (C.L.); (C.J.B.)
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10
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Lai W, Zhu W, Li X, Han Y, Wang Y, Leng Q, Li M, Wen X. GTSE1 promotes prostate cancer cell proliferation via the SP1/FOXM1 signaling pathway. J Transl Med 2021; 101:554-563. [PMID: 33328578 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-020-00510-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
G2 and S phase-expressed-1 (GTSE1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several malignant tumors. However, its specific role in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. In this study, RNA-Seq data from patients with PCa and controls were downloaded from the FIREBROWSE database, and it was found that the GTSE1 mRNA level was significantly upregulated in PCa. Moreover, patients with higher GTSE1 mRNA levels had higher Gleason scores (P < 0.001), a more advanced pT stage (P = 0.011), and a more advanced pN stage (P = 0.006) as well as a shorter time to biochemical recurrence (P = 0.005). In addition, overexpression of GTSE1 could promote proliferation in LNCaP cells, whereas silencing GTSE1 could inhibit the growth of C4-2 cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, GTSE1 enhanced the expression of FOXM1 by upregulating the SP1 protein level, a transcription factor of FOXM1, which ultimately promoted PCa cell proliferation. In summary, GTSE1 is a new candidate oncogene in the development and progression of PCa, and it can promote PCa cell proliferation via the SP1/FOXM1 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Lai
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weian Zhu
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojuan Li
- Department of Health Care, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuefu Han
- Department of Urology, Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shaoguan, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qu Leng
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan, China
| | - Mingzhao Li
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xingqiao Wen
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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11
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Kalathil D, John S, Nair AS. FOXM1 and Cancer: Faulty Cellular Signaling Derails Homeostasis. Front Oncol 2021; 10:626836. [PMID: 33680951 PMCID: PMC7927600 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.626836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box transcription factor, FOXM1 is implicated in several cellular processes such as proliferation, cell cycle progression, cell differentiation, DNA damage repair, tissue homeostasis, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and redox signaling. In addition to being a boon for the normal functioning of a cell, FOXM1 turns out to be a bane by manifesting in several disease scenarios including cancer. It has been given an oncogenic status based on several evidences indicating its role in tumor development and progression. FOXM1 is highly expressed in several cancers and has also been implicated in poor prognosis. A comprehensive understanding of various aspects of this molecule has revealed its role in angiogenesis, invasion, migration, self- renewal and drug resistance. In this review, we attempt to understand various mechanisms underlying FOXM1 gene and protein regulation in cancer including the different signaling pathways, post-transcriptional and post-translational modifications. Identifying crucial molecules associated with these processes can aid in the development of potential pharmacological approaches to curb FOXM1 mediated tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhanya Kalathil
- Cancer Research Program-4, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Samu John
- Cancer Research Program-4, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India.,Research Centre, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, India
| | - Asha S Nair
- Cancer Research Program-4, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India.,Research Centre, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, India
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12
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Kaarijärvi R, Kaljunen H, Ketola K. Molecular and Functional Links between Neurodevelopmental Processes and Treatment-Induced Neuroendocrine Plasticity in Prostate Cancer Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13040692. [PMID: 33572108 PMCID: PMC7915380 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Treatment-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-NEPC) is a subtype of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) which develops under prolonged androgen deprivation therapy. The mechanisms and pathways underlying the t-NEPC are still poorly understood and there are no effective treatments available. Here, we summarize the literature on the molecules and pathways contributing to neuroendocrine phenotype in prostate cancer in the context of their known cellular neurodevelopmental processes. We also discuss the role of tumor microenvironment in neuroendocrine plasticity, future directions, and therapeutic options under clinical investigation for neuroendocrine prostate cancer. Abstract Neuroendocrine plasticity and treatment-induced neuroendocrine phenotypes have recently been proposed as important resistance mechanisms underlying prostate cancer progression. Treatment-induced neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-NEPC) is highly aggressive subtype of castration-resistant prostate cancer which develops for one fifth of patients under prolonged androgen deprivation. In recent years, understanding of molecular features and phenotypic changes in neuroendocrine plasticity has been grown. However, there are still fundamental questions to be answered in this emerging research field, for example, why and how do the prostate cancer treatment-resistant cells acquire neuron-like phenotype. The advantages of the phenotypic change and the role of tumor microenvironment in controlling cellular plasticity and in the emergence of treatment-resistant aggressive forms of prostate cancer is mostly unknown. Here, we discuss the molecular and functional links between neurodevelopmental processes and treatment-induced neuroendocrine plasticity in prostate cancer progression and treatment resistance. We provide an overview of the emergence of neurite-like cells in neuroendocrine prostate cancer cells and whether the reported t-NEPC pathways and proteins relate to neurodevelopmental processes like neurogenesis and axonogenesis during the development of treatment resistance. We also discuss emerging novel therapeutic targets modulating neuroendocrine plasticity.
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13
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Wang YA, Sfakianos J, Tewari AK, Cordon-Cardo C, Kyprianou N. Molecular tracing of prostate cancer lethality. Oncogene 2020; 39:7225-7238. [PMID: 33046797 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01496-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer is diagnosed mostly in men over the age of 50 years, and has favorable 5-year survival rates due to early cancer detection and availability of curative surgical management. However, progression to metastasis and emergence of therapeutic resistance are responsible for the majority of prostate cancer mortalities. Recent advancement in sequencing technologies and computational capabilities have improved the ability to organize and analyze large data, thus enabling the identification of novel biomarkers for survival, metastatic progression and patient prognosis. Large-scale sequencing studies have also uncovered genetic and epigenetic signatures associated with prostate cancer molecular subtypes, supporting the development of personalized targeted-therapies. However, the current state of mainstream prostate cancer management does not take full advantage of the personalized diagnostic and treatment modalities available. This review focuses on interrogating biomarkers of prostate cancer progression, including gene signatures that correspond to the acquisition of tumor lethality and those of predictive and prognostic value in progression to advanced disease, and suggest how we can use our knowledge of biomarkers and molecular subtypes to improve patient treatment and survival outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanshuo Alice Wang
- Department of Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - John Sfakianos
- Department of Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.,Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Ashutosh K Tewari
- Department of Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.,Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Carlos Cordon-Cardo
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Natasha Kyprianou
- Department of Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA. .,Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA. .,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA. .,Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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14
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Verma S, Prajapati KS, Kushwaha PP, Shuaib M, Kumar Singh A, Kumar S, Gupta S. Resistance to second generation antiandrogens in prostate cancer: pathways and mechanisms. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2020; 3:742-761. [PMID: 35582225 PMCID: PMC8992566 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2020.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Androgen deprivation therapy targeting the androgens/androgen receptor (AR) signaling continues to be the mainstay treatment of advanced-stage prostate cancer. The use of second-generation antiandrogens, such as abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide, has improved the survival of prostate cancer patients; however, a majority of these patients progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The mechanisms of resistance to antiandrogen treatments are complex, including specific mutations, alternative splicing, and amplification of oncogenic proteins resulting in dysregulation of various signaling pathways. In this review, we focus on the major mechanisms of acquired resistance to second generation antiandrogens, including AR-dependent and AR-independent resistance mechanisms as well as other resistance mechanisms leading to CRPC emergence. Evolving knowledge of resistance mechanisms to AR targeted treatments will lead to additional research on designing more effective therapies for advanced-stage prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiv Verma
- Department of Urology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- The Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Kumari Sunita Prajapati
- School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda 151001, India
| | - Prem Prakash Kushwaha
- School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda 151001, India
| | - Mohd Shuaib
- School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda 151001, India
| | - Atul Kumar Singh
- School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda 151001, India
| | - Shashank Kumar
- School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda 151001, India
| | - Sanjay Gupta
- Department of Urology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- The Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Microbial Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda 151001, India
- Department of Nutrition, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Divison of General Medical Sciences, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Urology, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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15
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Wang Y, Wang H, Yan Z, Li G, Hu G, Zhang H, Huang D, Wang Y, Zhang X, Yan Y, Lu Q, Cheng M, Luo S. The critical role of dysregulated Hh-FOXM1-TPX2 signaling in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation. Cell Commun Signal 2020; 18:116. [PMID: 32723329 PMCID: PMC7388463 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-020-00628-4] [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: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aberrant activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is frequently observed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), nevertheless, the precise molecular mechanism remains unclear. Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1), a target of the Hh pathway, is a key oncofetal transcription factor and a master cell cycle regulator. Targeting protein for Xenopus kinesin-like protein 2 (TPX2) is an oncogene critical for mitosis. However, how these molecular events affect HCC progression remains unclear. Methods Realtime PCR, immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and analyses of datasets TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were conducted to assess the expression of TPX2 and FOXM1 at the mRNA and protein levels in HCC samples or HCC cells. Expression and knockdown of TPX2 and FOXM1 were performed to assess their role in regulating HCC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Dual luciferase report assay and chromosome immunoprecipitation (ChIP) were investigated to seek the FOXM1 binding sites in the promoter of TPX2. Results Specific antagonists (cyclopamine and GANT61) of the Hh pathway down-regulated TPX2, whereas activation of Hh signaling stimulated TPX2 expression. Furthermore, TPX2 over-expression accelerated HCC cell proliferation when upstream events of Hh signaling were inhibited, and TPX2 knockdown significantly alleviated Sonic Hh ligand (Shh)-induced HCC cell proliferation. Reporter assays and ChIP showed that FOXM1 bound to the TPX2 promoter, confirming that TPX2 is a direct downstream target of FOXM1. Xenograft model further verified the cell function and expression regulation of TPX2 and FOXM1 in vivo. Furthermore, FOXM1 regulated TPX2 activity to drive HCC proliferation. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis indicated that FOXM1 and TPX2 were highly-expressed in HCC samples and cohort study revealed that FOXM1 and TPX2 may act as negative predictors for the prognosis of patients with HCC. Conclusions TPX2 acts as a novel downstream target and effector of the Hh pathway, and Hh signaling contributes to HCC proliferation via regulating the FOXM1-TPX2 cascade, suggesting that this signaling axis may be a novel therapeutic target for HCC. Graphical abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiting Wang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Hailong Wang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhengwei Yan
- Center for Experimental Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Guohua Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Guohui Hu
- Center for Experimental Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Dengliang Huang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yehong Yan
- Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Quqin Lu
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Minzhang Cheng
- Center for Experimental Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China. .,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
| | - Shiwen Luo
- Center for Experimental Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China. .,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Medicine, 17 Yongwai Street, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
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16
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SETD1A Promotes Proliferation of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells via FOXM1 Transcription. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12071736. [PMID: 32629770 PMCID: PMC7407996 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgen deprivation therapy eventually leads to the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the histone H3K4 methyltransferase SETD1A is a major regulator for the proliferation of metastatic CRPC (mCRPC). The expression of SETD1A was significantly correlated with the survival rate of patients with prostate cancer. SETD1A, which is expressed at a higher level in mCRPC than in primary prostate cancer cells, promotes the expression of FOXM1, a gene encoding a cell proliferation-specific transcription factor. SETD1A is recruited to the promoter region of FOXM1 (forkhead box M1) upon binding to E2F1, a protein that regulates the transcription of FOXM1 and contributes to the trimethylation of H3K4 in the FOXM1 promoter region. In addition, SETD1A is essential for the expression of stem cell factor (e.g., OCT4, octamer-binding transcription factor 4) and stem cell formation in mCRPC, suggesting the importance of SETD1A expression in mCRPC tumor formation. Notably, poor prognosis is associated with high expression of the SETD1A-FOXM1 pair in clinical data sets. Therefore, our study suggests that SETD1A plays an important role in the proliferation of mCRPC by regulating FOXM1 transcription.
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17
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Mazzu YZ, Armenia J, Nandakumar S, Chakraborty G, Yoshikawa Y, Jehane LE, Lee GSM, Atiq M, Khan N, Schultz N, Kantoff PW. Ribonucleotide reductase small subunit M2 is a master driver of aggressive prostate cancer. Mol Oncol 2020; 14:1881-1897. [PMID: 32385899 PMCID: PMC7400792 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there are molecularly distinct subtypes of prostate cancer, no molecular classification system is used clinically. The ribonucleotide reductase small subunit M2 (RRM2) gene plays an oncogenic role in many cancers. Our previous study elucidated comprehensive molecular mechanisms of RRM2 in prostate cancer (PC). Given the potent functions of RRM2, we set out to determine whether the RRM2 signature can be used to identify aggressive subtypes of PC. We applied gene ontology and pathway analysis in RNA‐seq datasets from PC cells overexpressing RRM2. We refined the RRM2 signature by integrating it with two molecular classification systems (PCS and PAM50 subtypes) that define aggressive PC subtypes (PCS1 and luminal B) and correlated signatures with clinical outcomes in six published cohorts comprising 4000 cases of PC. Increased expression of genes in the RRM2 signature was significantly correlated with recurrence, high Gleason score, and lethality of PC. Patients with high RRM2 levels showed higher PCS1 score, suggesting the aggressive PC feature. Consistently, RRM2‐regulated genes were highly enriched in the PCS1 signature from multiple PC cohorts. A simplified RRM2 signature (12 genes) was identified by intersecting the RRM2 signature, PCS1 signature, and the PAM50 classifier. Intriguingly, inhibition of RRM2 specifically targets PCS1 and luminal B genes. Furthermore, 11 genes in the RRM2 signature were correlated with enzalutamide resistance by using a single‐cell RNA‐seq dataset from PC circulating tumor cells. Finally, high expression of RRM2 was associated with an immunosuppressive tumor‐immune microenvironment in both primary prostate cancer and metastatic prostate cancer using CIBERSORT analysis and LM22, a validated leukocyte gene signature matrix. These data demonstrate that RRM2 is a driver of aggressive prostate cancer subtypes and contributes to immune escape, suggesting that RRM2 inhibition may be of clinical benefit for patients with PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Z Mazzu
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joshua Armenia
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Subhiksha Nandakumar
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Goutam Chakraborty
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yuki Yoshikawa
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lina E Jehane
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gwo-Shu Mary Lee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mohammad Atiq
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nabeela Khan
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nikolaus Schultz
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Philip W Kantoff
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
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18
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Bhattacharyya R, Ha MJ, Liu Q, Akbani R, Liang H, Baladandayuthapani V. Personalized Network Modeling of the Pan-Cancer Patient and Cell Line Interactome. JCO Clin Cancer Inform 2020; 4:399-411. [PMID: 32374631 PMCID: PMC7265783 DOI: 10.1200/cci.19.00140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Personalized network inference on diverse clinical and in vitro model systems across cancer types can be used to delineate specific regulatory mechanisms, uncover drug targets and pathways, and develop individualized predictive models in cancer. METHODS We developed TransPRECISE (personalized cancer-specific integrated network estimation model), a multiscale Bayesian network modeling framework, to analyze the pan-cancer patient and cell line interactome to identify differential and conserved intrapathway activities, to globally assess cell lines as representative models for patients, and to develop drug sensitivity prediction models. We assessed pan-cancer pathway activities for a large cohort of patient samples (> 7,700) from the Cancer Proteome Atlas across ≥ 30 tumor types, a set of 640 cancer cell lines from the MD Anderson Cell Lines Project spanning 16 lineages, and ≥ 250 cell lines' response to > 400 drugs. RESULTS TransPRECISE captured differential and conserved proteomic network topologies and pathway circuitry between multiple patient and cell line lineages: ovarian and kidney cancers shared high levels of connectivity in the hormone receptor and receptor tyrosine kinase pathways, respectively, between the two model systems. Our tumor stratification approach found distinct clinical subtypes of the patients represented by different sets of cell lines: patients with head and neck tumors were classified into two different subtypes that are represented by head and neck and esophagus cell lines and had different prognostic patterns (456 v 654 days of median overall survival; P = .02). High predictive accuracy was observed for drug sensitivities in cell lines across multiple drugs (median area under the receiver operating characteristic curve > 0.8) using Bayesian additive regression tree models with TransPRECISE pathway scores. CONCLUSION Our study provides a generalizable analytic framework to assess the translational potential of preclinical model systems and to guide pathway-based personalized medical decision making, integrating genomic and molecular data across model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Min Jin Ha
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Qingzhi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Rehan Akbani
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Han Liang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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19
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Broustas CG, Hopkins KM, Panigrahi SK, Wang L, Virk RK, Lieberman HB. RAD9A promotes metastatic phenotypes through transcriptional regulation of anterior gradient 2 (AGR2). Carcinogenesis 2019; 40:164-172. [PMID: 30295739 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgy131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
RAD9A plays an important role in prostate tumorigenesis and metastasis-related phenotypes. The protein classically functions as part of the RAD9A-HUS1-RAD1 complex but can also act independently. RAD9A can selectively transactivate multiple genes, including CDKN1A and NEIL1 by binding p53-consensus sequences in or near promoters. RAD9A is overexpressed in human prostate cancer specimens and cell lines; its expression correlates with tumor progression. Silencing RAD9A in prostate cancer cells impairs their ability to form tumors in vivo and migrate as well as grow anchorage independently in vitro. We demonstrate herein that RAD9A transcriptionally controls AGR2, a gene aberrantly overexpressed in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Transient or stable knockdown of RAD9A in PC-3 cells caused downregulation of AGR2 protein abundance. Reduced AGR2 protein levels were due to lower abundance of AGR2 mRNA. The AGR2 genomic region upstream of the coding initiation site contains several p53 consensus sequences. RAD9A bound specifically to the 5'-untranslated region of AGR2 in PC-3 cells at a partial p53 consensus sequence at position +3136 downstream from the transcription start site, determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation, followed by PCR amplification. Binding of RAD9A to the p53 consensus sequence was sufficient to drive AGR2 gene transcription, shown by a luciferase reporter assay. In contrast, when the RAD9A-binding sequence on the AGR2 was mutated, no luciferase activity was detected. Knockdown of RAD9A in PC-3 cells impaired cell migration and anchorage-independent growth. However, ectopically expressed AGR2 in RAD9A-depleted PC-3 cells restored these phenotypes. Our results suggest RAD9A drives metastasis by controlling AGR2 abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantinos G Broustas
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin M Hopkins
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sunil K Panigrahi
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Li Wang
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Renu K Virk
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Howard B Lieberman
- Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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20
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Tang C, Liu T, Wang K, Wang X, Xu S, He D, Zeng J. Transcriptional regulation of FoxM1 by HIF‑1α mediates hypoxia‑induced EMT in prostate cancer. Oncol Rep 2019; 42:1307-1318. [PMID: 31364741 PMCID: PMC6718104 DOI: 10.3892/or.2019.7248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia is a tumorigenesis-related microenvironment change which usually occurs in the earliest stage of prostate cancer (PCa) development. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that hypoxia/hypoxia-inducing factor (HIF) is involved in the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and increased metastatic potential in PCa. However, the mechanism by which hypoxia/HIF regulates EMT remains unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated the molecular mechanisms of hypoxia-induced EMT in PCa, focusing on HIF-1α/Forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) signaling pathway. PCa PC3 and DU145 cell lines were used as the model system in vitro. Our data revealed that hypoxia induced EMT in PCa cells. Bioinformatics analysis identified the possible association between HIF-1α and FoxM1. Additionally, FoxM1 was significantly associated with PCa development and Gleason scores of PCa. Exposure to hypoxia resulted in the increased expression of HIF-1α and FoxM1. Genetic knockdown FoxM1 abolished hypoxia-induced EMT in PCa, while exogenous overexpression of FoxM1 facilitated hypoxia-induced EMT. Furthermore, the increase of FoxM1 during hypoxia was due to the transcriptional regulation on the FoxM1 promoter by HIF-1α. We also confirmed the binding site of HIF-1α on the FoxM1 promoter by different lengths promoter sequences. These findings provide new insights into how EMT is regulated in PCa under hypoxic stress. It is worthwhile to investigate in future that inhibition of FoxM1 as a potential target may be an effective therapeutic strategy against PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Tang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Tianjie Liu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Xinyang Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Shan Xu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Dalin He
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Jin Zeng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
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21
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Mazzu YZ, Yoshikawa Y, Nandakumar S, Chakraborty G, Armenia J, Jehane LE, Lee GSM, Kantoff PW. Methylation-associated miR-193b silencing activates master drivers of aggressive prostate cancer. Mol Oncol 2019; 13:1944-1958. [PMID: 31225930 PMCID: PMC6717747 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic silencing of miRNA is a primary mechanism of aberrant miRNA expression in cancer, and hypermethylation of miRNA promoters has been reported to contribute to prostate cancer initiation and progression. Recent data have shown that the miR‐193b promoter is hypermethylated in prostate cancer compared with normal tissue, but studies assessing its functional significance have not been performed. We aimed to elucidate the function of miR‐193b and identify its critical targets in prostate cancer. We observed an inverse correlation between miR‐193b level and methylation of its promoter in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Overexpression of miR‐193b in prostate cancer cell lines inhibited invasion and induced apoptosis. We found that a majority of the top 150 genes downregulated when miR‐193b was overexpressed in liposarcoma are overexpressed in metastatic prostate cancer and that 41 miR‐193b target genes overlapped with the 86 genes in the aggressive prostate cancer subtype 1 (PCS1) signature. Overexpression of miR‐193b led to the inhibition of the majority of the 41 genes in prostate cancer cell lines. High expression of the 41 genes was correlated with recurrence of prostate cancer. Knockdown of miR‐193b targets FOXM1 and RRM2 in prostate cancer cells phenocopied overexpression of miR‐193b. Dual treatment with DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors decreased miR‐193b promoter methylation and restored inhibition of FOXM1 and RRM2. Our data suggest that silencing of miR‐193b through promoter methylation may release the inhibition of PCS1 genes, contributing to prostate cancer progression and suggesting a possible therapeutic strategy for aggressive prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Z Mazzu
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yuki Yoshikawa
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Subhiksha Nandakumar
- Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Goutam Chakraborty
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joshua Armenia
- Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lina E Jehane
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gwo-Shu Mary Lee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Philip W Kantoff
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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22
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Mazzu YZ, Armenia J, Chakraborty G, Yoshikawa Y, Coggins SA, Nandakumar S, Gerke TA, Pomerantz MM, Qiu X, Zhao H, Atiq M, Khan N, Komura K, Lee GSM, Fine SW, Bell C, O'Connor E, Long HW, Freedman ML, Kim B, Kantoff PW. A Novel Mechanism Driving Poor-Prognosis Prostate Cancer: Overexpression of the DNA Repair Gene, Ribonucleotide Reductase Small Subunit M2 (RRM2). Clin Cancer Res 2019; 25:4480-4492. [PMID: 30996073 PMCID: PMC6820162 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-4046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Defects in genes in the DNA repair pathways significantly contribute to prostate cancer progression. We hypothesize that overexpression of DNA repair genes may also drive poorer outcomes in prostate cancer. The ribonucleotide reductase small subunit M2 (RRM2) is essential for DNA synthesis and DNA repair by producing dNTPs. It is frequently overexpressed in cancers, but very little is known about its function in prostate cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The oncogenic activity of RRM2 in prostate cancer cells was assessed by inhibiting or overexpressing RRM2. The molecular mechanisms of RRM2 function were determined. The clinical significance of RRM2 overexpression was evaluated in 11 prostate cancer clinical cohorts. The efficacy of an RRM2 inhibitor (COH29) was assessed in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the mechanism underlying the transcriptional activation of RRM2 in prostate cancer tissue and cells was determined. RESULTS Knockdown of RRM2 inhibited its oncogenic function, whereas overexpression of RRM2 promoted epithelial mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer cells. The prognostic value of RRM2 RNA levels in prostate cancer was confirmed in 11 clinical cohorts. Integrating the transcriptomic and phosphoproteomic changes induced by RRM2 unraveled multiple oncogenic pathways downstream of RRM2. Targeting RRM2 with COH29 showed excellent efficacy. Thirteen putative RRM2-targeting transcription factors were bioinformatically identified, and FOXM1 was validated to transcriptionally activate RRM2 in prostate cancer. CONCLUSIONS We propose that increased expression of RRM2 is a mechanism driving poor patient outcomes in prostate cancer and that its inhibition may be of significant therapeutic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Z Mazzu
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Joshua Armenia
- Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
- Oncology, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Goutam Chakraborty
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Yuki Yoshikawa
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Si'Ana A Coggins
- Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Subhiksha Nandakumar
- Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | | | - Mark M Pomerantz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xintao Qiu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Huiyong Zhao
- Antitumor Assessment Core Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Mohammad Atiq
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Nabeela Khan
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Kazumasa Komura
- Translational Research Program and Department of Urology, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan
| | - Gwo-Shu Mary Lee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Samson W Fine
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Connor Bell
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Edward O'Connor
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Henry W Long
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Matthew L Freedman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Baek Kim
- Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pharmacy, Kyung-Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Philip W Kantoff
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
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23
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Thysell E, Vidman L, Ylitalo EB, Jernberg E, Crnalic S, Iglesias-Gato D, Flores-Morales A, Stattin P, Egevad L, Widmark A, Rydén P, Bergh A, Wikström P. Gene expression profiles define molecular subtypes of prostate cancer bone metastases with different outcomes and morphology traceable back to the primary tumor. Mol Oncol 2019; 13:1763-1777. [PMID: 31162796 PMCID: PMC6670017 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone metastasis is the lethal end-stage of prostate cancer (PC), but the biology of bone metastases is poorly understood. The overall aim of this study was therefore to explore molecular variability in PC bone metastases of potential importance for therapy. Specifically, genome-wide expression profiles of bone metastases from untreated patients (n = 12) and patients treated with androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT, n = 60) were analyzed in relation to patient outcome and to morphological characteristics in metastases and paired primary tumors. Principal component analysis and unsupervised classification were used to identify sample clusters based on mRNA profiles. Clusters were characterized by gene set enrichment analysis and related to histological and clinical parameters using univariate and multivariate statistics. Selected proteins were analyzed by immunohistochemistry in metastases and matched primary tumors (n = 52) and in transurethral resected prostate (TUR-P) tissue of a separate cohort (n = 59). Three molecular subtypes of bone metastases (MetA-C) characterized by differences in gene expression pattern, morphology, and clinical behavior were identified. MetA (71% of the cases) showed increased expression of androgen receptor-regulated genes, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and glandular structures indicating a luminal cell phenotype. MetB (17%) showed expression profiles related to cell cycle activity and DNA damage, and a pronounced cellular atypia. MetC (12%) exhibited enriched stroma-epithelial cell interactions. MetB patients had the lowest serum PSA levels and the poorest prognosis after ADT. Combined analysis of PSA and Ki67 immunoreactivity (proliferation) in bone metastases, paired primary tumors, and TUR-P samples was able to differentiate MetA-like (high PSA, low Ki67) from MetB-like (low PSA, high Ki67) tumors and demonstrate their different prognosis. In conclusion, bone metastases from PC patients are separated based on gene expression profiles into molecular subtypes with different morphology, biology, and clinical outcome. These findings deserve further exploration with the purpose of improving treatment of metastatic PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elin Thysell
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Linda Vidman
- Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University, Sweden
| | | | - Emma Jernberg
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Sead Crnalic
- Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Orthopaedics, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Diego Iglesias-Gato
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Amilcar Flores-Morales
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pär Stattin
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Lars Egevad
- Department of Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anders Widmark
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Patrik Rydén
- Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Anders Bergh
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Wikström
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Sweden
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Neural Transcription Factors in Disease Progression. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1210:437-462. [PMID: 31900920 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-32656-2_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Progression to the malignant state is fundamentally dependent on transcriptional regulation in cancer cells. Optimum abundance of cell cycle proteins, angiogenesis factors, immune evasion markers, etc. is needed for proliferation, metastasis or resistance to treatment. Therefore, dysregulation of transcription factors can compromise the normal prostate transcriptional network and contribute to malignant disease progression.The androgen receptor (AR) is considered to be a key transcription factor in prostate cancer (PCa) development and progression. Consequently, androgen pathway inhibitors (APIs) are currently the mainstay in PCa treatment, especially in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, emerging evidence suggests that with increased administration of potent APIs, prostate cancer can progress to a highly aggressive disease that morphologically resembles small cell carcinoma, which is referred to as neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), treatment-induced or treatment-emergent small cell prostate cancer. This chapter will review how neuronal transcription factors play a part in inducing a plastic stage in prostate cancer cells that eventually progresses to a more aggressive state such as NEPC.
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25
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Delma MI. Three May Be Better Than Two: A Proposal for Metformin Addition to PI3K/Akt Inhibitor-antiandrogen Combination in Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer. Cureus 2018; 10:e3403. [PMID: 30533337 PMCID: PMC6278999 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.3403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer is a prevalent malignant disease. Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a poor prognosis form that develops upon resistance to first-line androgen deprivation therapy. Intensive research is ongoing to find efficient therapeutics for this refractory state. Actually, the combination of PI3K/Akt inhibitors with new-generation antiandrogens is among the most promising therapeutic schemes, although not yet at the optimal level. Metformin effects on prostate cancer, notably its therapeutic targets shared with antiandrogens and/or PI3K/Akt inhibitors, are reviewed in this article. From that, the hypothesis of PI3K/Akt-antiandrogens dual blockade optimization by metformin addition in CRPC will be deduced.
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Treatment with docetaxel in combination with Aneustat leads to potent inhibition of metastasis in a patient-derived xenograft model of advanced prostate cancer. Br J Cancer 2018; 118:802-812. [PMID: 29381682 PMCID: PMC5877435 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2017.474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Docetaxel used for first-line treatment of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) is only marginally effective. We previously showed, using the LTL-313H subrenal capsule patient-derived metastatic PCa xenograft model, that docetaxel combined with Aneustat (OMN54), a multivalent plant-derived therapeutic, led to marked synergistic tumour growth inhibition. Here, we investigated the effect of docetaxel+Aneustat on metastasis. Methods: C4-2 cells were incubated with docetaxel, Aneustat and docetaxel+Aneustat to assess effects on cell migration. The LTL-313H model, similarly treated, was analysed for effects on lung micro-metastasis and kidney invasion. The LTL-313H gene expression profile was compared with profiles of PCa patients (obtained from Oncomine) and subjected to IPA to determine involvement of cancer driver genes. Results: Docetaxel+Aneustat markedly inhibited C4-2 cell migration and LTL-313H lung micro-metastasis/kidney invasion. Oncomine analysis indicated that treatment with docetaxel+Aneustat was associated with improved patient outcome. The drug combination markedly downregulated expression of cancer driver genes such as FOXM1 (and FOXM1-target genes). FOXM1 overexpression reduced the anti-metastatic activity of docetaxel+Aneustat. Conclusions: Docetaxel+Aneustat can inhibit PCa tissue invasion and metastasis. This activity appears to be based on reduced expression of cancer driver genes such as FOXM1. Use of docetaxel+Aneustat may provide a new, more effective regimen for therapy of metastatic PCa.
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Li XJ, Pang JS, Li YM, Ahmed FA, He RQ, Ma J, Ma FC, Chen G. Clinical value of survivin and its underlying mechanism in ovarian cancer: A bioinformatics study based on GEO and TCGA data mining. Pathol Res Pract 2018; 214:385-401. [PMID: 29499854 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2017.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Revised: 12/10/2017] [Accepted: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE An increasing number of studies have confirmed that survivin (BIRC5) plays essential roles in ovarian cancer. Nevertheless, inconsistent or controversial results exist in some studies. In the present study, we sought to determine the clinical significance of survivin and its potential molecular pathways. METHODS The correlation between survivin (BIRC5) expression and diagnostic value, prognostic value and clinicopathological features was assessed by meta-analysis with more than 4000 patients from literature, GEO and TCGA. In addition, the potential molecular mechanism of survivin in ovarian cancer was also determined. RESULTS The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.71 (95%CI: 0.68-0.74) and 0.97 (95%CI: 0.94-0.98), respectively. The AUC of sROC was 0.8765. The results showed that there was also a significant relationship between survivin expression and poor overall survival (HR: 1.24, 95%CI: 1.14-1.35, p < 0.001), disease-free survival (HR: 1.53, 95%CI: 0.57-4.09, p < 0.001), as well as higher recurrence rate (HR: 1.11, 95%CI: 0.97-1.27). Moreover, survivin expression was also associated with tumor progression (cancerous vs. benign, OR: 11.29, 95%CI: 8.96-14.24, p < 0.001), TNM stage (III + IV vs. I + II, OR: 5.38, 95%CI: 4.16-6.97, p < 0.001), histological grades (G3 vs. G1 ∼ G2, OR: 4.36, 95%CI: 3.29-5.77, p < 0.001), and lymphatic metastasis (metastasis vs. non-metastasis, 3.35, 95%CI 2.36-4.75, p < 0.001). Bioinformatics analysis revealed the 50 most frequently altered neighboring genes of survivin in OC, and then Gene Oncology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were conducted. GO analysis showed that these genes were related to signal conduction, cell cycle, apoptosis, and metabolism. KEGG pathways analysis indicated that these genes were primarily enriched in mitotic prometaphase, PLK1 signaling events and the regulation of glucokinase by the glucokinase regulatory protein. CONCLUSION Survivin (BIRC5) expression might become a specific but low-sensitivity biomarker in ovarian cancer patients, and its presence indicated poor prognosis and worse TNM stages. This protein might function as an oncoprotein by influencing specific pathways involving the 50 genes identified herein. Additional studies are needed to confirm these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jiao Li
- Department of PET-CT, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China.
| | - Jin-Shu Pang
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China
| | - Yao-Mei Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China
| | - Farah Abdirahman Ahmed
- Department of PET-CT, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China; Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China; Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China
| | - Rong-Quan He
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China
| | - Jie Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China
| | - Fu-Chao Ma
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China.
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning 530021, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, PR China
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