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Zhang C, Zhao N, Khan R, Hung MY, Zhang C, Wang S, Wang TJC, Lin C. The prognostic significance of androgen receptor expression in gliomas. Sci Rep 2024; 14:22122. [PMID: 39333688 PMCID: PMC11437163 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-72284-4] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR) overexpression has been identified in gliomas and its stem cells, suggesting that AR plays an important role in tumor carcinogenesis. The prognostic significance of AR overexpression in gliomas remains unknown. AR mRNA expression in gliomas and relevant clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas databases. AR expression levels were compared across gliomas of different histopathologic grades and molecular subtypes. Kaplan-Meier analyses in patients with different AR expression levels were investigated for the potential prognostic values of AR. Compared with normal brain tissue, gliomas show significantly higher AR mRNA expression (p < 0.01). AR mRNA expression was more prominent in higher grade disease and in worse prognostic molecular subtypes (p < 0.01). AR protein is more abundant in glioblastoma than in lower grade gliomas (LGG) (grade 2/3) (p < 0.0001). This is corroborated by a linear association between AR mRNA and protein expression (r = 0.65). In LGG, both higher AR mRNA and protein expression was associated with significantly worse overall survival (OS). Five-year OS for LGG patients with high versus low AR expression were 59.1% and 73.3%, respectively (p < 0.0001). AR expression is not prognostic for OS within glioblastoma patients. Gender was not associated with AR expression or prognosis. Higher AR expression levels are associated with higher grade disease and histopathologic features predicting poorer prognosis in lower grade gliomas. Higher gene expression in LGG patients is correlated with poor prognosis but not in the glioblastoma cohort suggesting saturated expression/functions of AR in glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-7521, USA.
| | - Nan Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-7521, USA
| | - Rubayat Khan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-7521, USA
| | - Ming-Yang Hung
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-7521, USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-7521, USA
| | - Tony J C Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chi Lin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-7521, USA
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2
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Yin J, Liu G, Zhang Y, Zhou Y, Pan Y, Zhang Q, Yu R, Gao S. Gender differences in gliomas: From epidemiological trends to changes at the hormonal and molecular levels. Cancer Lett 2024; 598:217114. [PMID: 38992488 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Gender plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of cancer, as well as in the metabolism of nutrients and energy. Men and women display significant differences in the incidence, prognosis, and treatment response across various types of cancer, including certain sex-specific tumors. It has been observed that male glioma patients have a higher incidence and worse prognosis than female patients, but there is currently a limited systematic evaluation of sex differences in gliomas. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the association between fluctuations in sex hormone levels and changes in their receptor expression with the incidence, progression, treatment, and prognosis of gliomas. Estrogen may have a protective effect on glioma patients, while exposure to androgens increases the risk of glioma. We also discussed the specific genetic and molecular differences between genders in terms of the malignant nature and prognosis of gliomas. Factors such as TP53, MGMT methylation status may play a crucial role. Therefore, it is essential to consider the gender of patients while treating glioma, particularly the differences at the hormonal and molecular levels. This approach can help in the adoption of an individualized treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiale Yin
- Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China; Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China
| | - Gai Liu
- Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China; Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China; Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China; Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China
| | - Yuchun Pan
- Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China; Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China
| | - Qiaoshan Zhang
- Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China; Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China
| | - Rutong Yu
- Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China; Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China
| | - Shangfeng Gao
- Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China; Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China.
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3
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Lee J, Chung YM, Curtin L, Silver DJ, Hao Y, Li C, Volovetz J, Hong ES, Jarmula J, Wang SZ, Kay KE, Berens M, Nicosia M, Swanson KR, Sharifi N, Lathia JD. Androgen loss weakens anti-tumor immunity and accelerates brain tumor growth. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4014556. [PMID: 38585839 PMCID: PMC10996802 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4014556/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Many cancers, including glioblastoma (GBM), have a male-biased sex difference in incidence and outcome. The underlying reasons for this sex bias are unclear but likely involve differences in tumor cell state and immune response. This effect is further amplified by sex hormones, including androgens, which have been shown to inhibit anti-tumor T cell immunity. Here, we show that androgens drive anti-tumor immunity in brain tumors, in contrast to its effect in other tumor types. Upon castration, tumor growth was accelerated with attenuated T cell function in GBM and brain tumor models, but the opposite was observed when tumors were located outside the brain. Activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA) axis was increased in castrated mice, particularly in those with brain tumors. Blockade of glucocorticoid receptors reversed the accelerated tumor growth in castrated mice, indicating that the effect of castration was mediated by elevated glucocorticoid signaling. Furthermore, this mechanism was not GBM specific, but brain specific, as hyperactivation of the HPA axis was observed with intracranial implantation of non-GBM tumors in the brain. Together, our findings establish that brain tumors drive distinct endocrine-mediated mechanisms in the androgen-deprived setting and highlight the importance of organ-specific effects on anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juyeun Lee
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Yoon-Mi Chung
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami
| | - Lee Curtin
- Mayo Clinic, Mathematical NeuroOncology Lab, Precision Neurotherapeutics Innovation Program, Mayo Clinic, AZ, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, AZ, USA
| | - Daniel J. Silver
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Yue Hao
- TGen, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Cathy Li
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Josephine Volovetz
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ellen S. Hong
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jakub Jarmula
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sabrina Z. Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Kristen E. Kay
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | - Michael Nicosia
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Kristin R. Swanson
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami
- Mayo Clinic, Mathematical NeuroOncology Lab, Precision Neurotherapeutics Innovation Program, Mayo Clinic, AZ, USA
| | - Nima Sharifi
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Justin D. Lathia
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Rose Ella Burkhardt Brain Tumor Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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4
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Wu M, Shi Y, Liu Y, Li Z, Wu H, Yu Z, Wang Z, Xu C. A Human Adenovirus C Infection-Related Gene Panel for Predicting Survival and Treatment Responsiveness in Glioma Patients. World Neurosurg 2024; 183:e173-e186. [PMID: 38097166 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.12.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Viruses are critical for the regulation of cancer development and for therapy. Human adenovirus C (HadVC) has been detected in central nervous system and glioma tissue. The objective of the present study was the development of a robust prognostic model based on HadVC infection (HadVCi)-relevant genes. METHODS The genome, transcriptome, and virome were systemically analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset for training and 2 cohorts from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas and an immunotherapy trial cohort with 17 patients receiving anti-PD-1 treatment for validation. HadVCi-relevant gene selection from differentially expressed genes between HadVC-infected and non-HadVC-infected glioma patients using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression was followed by Cox regression modeling to establish a prognostic HadVCi score. Kaplan-Meier and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to estimate the predictive capacity of the HadVCi score. The χ2, Spearman, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to identify the correlation with the clinicopathological parameters, treatment responsiveness, and immune landscape. Temozolomide-resistant glioma cells were established and analyzed at the transcriptional level using RNA sequencing data. RESULTS The HadVCi score was (-0.2526673∗TRPC6) + (-0.2244276∗RNF207) + (-0.0894468∗SEC31B) + (-0.0190214∗ZCRB1) + (-0.017122∗DNPH1) + (0.0495818∗CCDC34) + (0.1196349∗PURG) + (0.1778997∗LILRA5). The score possesses a strong ability to predict overall survival. Further analysis revealed a higher HadVCi score correlated with a malignant phenotype and poorer treatment responsiveness to temozolomide-based chemotherapy and combined therapies. Additionally, transcriptomic analysis showed malignancy-, stemness-, and radioresistant-related gene activation in the HadVCi group, which characterized the poor outcomes and limited sensitivity to standard therapy. CONCLUSIONS The HadVCi score could be an effective tool for survival prediction and treatment guidance for patients with glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengwan Wu
- Department of Oncology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Shi
- Department of Oncology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuyang Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, 920th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Kunming, China
| | - Zhaoshen Li
- Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hong Wu
- Integrative Cancer Center & Cancer Clinical Research Center, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhuoyang Yu
- Department of Oncology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Chuan Xu
- Department of Oncology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
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5
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Fariña-Jerónimo H, Martín-Ramírez R, González-Fernández R, Medina L, de Vera A, Martín-Vasallo P, Plata-Bello J. Androgen deficiency is associated with a better prognosis in glioblastoma. Eur J Med Res 2024; 29:57. [PMID: 38233838 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-024-01648-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The androgen receptor (AR) has been demonstrated to play a role in the pathogenesis of glioblastoma; however, the implications of circulating testosterone levels in the biology of glioblastoma remain unknown. AIM This study aimed to analyze the association between circulating testosterone levels and the prognosis of patients with glioblastoma. METHODS Forty patients with primary glioblastoma were included in the study. The main prognostic endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Circulating testosterone levels were used to determine the state of androgen deficiency (AD). AR expression was analyzed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunofluorescence. Survival analysis was performed using the log-rank test and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. RESULTS Most of the patients showed AR expression, and it was mainly located in the cytoplasm, as well as in the nucleus of tumor cells. Patients with AD presented a better PFS than those patients with normal levels (252.0 vs. 135.0 days; p = 0.041). Furthermore, normal androgenic status was an independent risk factor for progression in a multivariate regression model (hazard ratio = 6.346; p = 0.004). CONCLUSION Circulating testosterone levels are associated with the prognosis of glioblastoma because patients with AD show a better prognosis than those with normal androgenic status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helga Fariña-Jerónimo
- Neurosurgery Department, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Calle Ofra s/n La Cuesta, CP 38320, La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife, Spain
| | | | | | - Lilian Medina
- Biochemistry Laboratory, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, La Laguna, Spain
| | - Antonia de Vera
- Biochemistry Laboratory, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, La Laguna, Spain
| | | | - Julio Plata-Bello
- Neurosurgery Department, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Calle Ofra s/n La Cuesta, CP 38320, La Laguna, S/C de Tenerife, Spain.
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6
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Zalcman N, Larush L, Ovadia H, Charbit H, Magdassi S, Lavon I. Intracranial Assessment of Androgen Receptor Antagonists in Mice Bearing Human Glioblastoma Implants. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:332. [PMID: 38203506 PMCID: PMC10779261 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010332] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The median survival time of patients with an aggressive brain tumor, glioblastoma, is still poor due to ineffective treatment. The discovery of androgen receptor (AR) expression in 56% of cases offers a potential breakthrough. AR antagonists, including bicalutamide and enzalutamide, induce dose-dependent cell death in glioblastoma and glioblastoma-initiating cell lines (GIC). Oral enzalutamide at 20 mg/kg reduces subcutaneous human glioblastoma xenografts by 72% (p = 0.0027). We aimed to further investigate the efficacy of AR antagonists in intracranial models of human glioblastoma. In U87MG intracranial models, nude mice administered Xtandi (enzalutamide) at 20 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg demonstrated a significant improvement in survival compared to the control group (p = 0.24 and p < 0.001, respectively), confirming a dose-response relationship. Additionally, we developed a newly reformulated version of bicalutamide, named "soluble bicalutamide (Bic-sol)", with a remarkable 1000-fold increase in solubility. This reformulation significantly enhanced bicalutamide levels within brain tissue, reaching 176% of the control formulation's area under the curve. In the U87MG intracranial model, both 2 mg/kg and 4 mg/kg of Bic-sol exhibited significant efficacy compared to the vehicle-treated group (p = 0.0177 and p = 0.00364, respectively). Furthermore, combination therapy with 8 mg/kg Bic-sol and Temozolomide (TMZ) demonstrated superior efficacy compared to either Bic-sol or TMZ as monotherapies (p = 0.00706 and p = 0.0184, respectively). In the ZH-161 GIC mouse model, the group treated with 8 mg/kg Bic-sol as monotherapy had a significantly longer lifespan than the groups treated with TMZ or the vehicle (p < 0.001). Our study demonstrated the efficacy of androgen receptor antagonists in extending the lifespan of mice with intracranial human glioblastoma, suggesting a promising approach to enhance patient outcomes in the fight against this challenging disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nomi Zalcman
- Leslie and Michael Gaffin Center for Neuro-Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (N.Z.)
- Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel;
| | - Liraz Larush
- Casali Center, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (L.L.); (S.M.)
| | - Haim Ovadia
- Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel;
| | - Hanna Charbit
- Leslie and Michael Gaffin Center for Neuro-Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (N.Z.)
- Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel;
| | - Shlomo Magdassi
- Casali Center, Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (L.L.); (S.M.)
| | - Iris Lavon
- Leslie and Michael Gaffin Center for Neuro-Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; (N.Z.)
- Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel;
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7
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Gan X, Liu Y, Wang X. Targeting androgen receptor in glioblastoma. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 191:104142. [PMID: 37742885 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastomas are primary brain tumors that originate from glial stem cells or progenitor cells. There is a large difference in the incidence of glioblastoma between males and females. Studies revealed that the gender differences in the tumor may be attributable to the androgen receptor signaling axis. The incidence rate of glioblastoma in men is higher than that in women. Aberrant activation of the androgen receptor signaling pathway, or interactions between the androgen receptor signaling axis and other signaling axes promote the development of glioblastoma. Therefore, targeting the androgen receptor holds promise as a therapeutic approach for glioblastoma. This review investigates the dynamics of drug research into the treatment of glioblastoma by targeting the androgen receptor. The first finding in line with expectations is that androgen receptor antagonists, represented by enzalutamide, have been studied and shown to have anti-glioblastoma effects. In addition, it was found that the combination of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and androgen receptor antagonists resulted in better therapeutic outcomes than each of them alone. Similar results were obtained with the combination of an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor and an androgen receptor antagonist. In addition, four small molecule compounds have been shown to exert significant anti-glioblastoma effects by directly or indirectly targeting the androgen receptor. Expectantly, one of these small molecules, seviteronel, progressed to the phase II clinical trial stage. These findings suggest that targeting the androgen receptor for glioblastoma may be a promising therapeutic option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Gan
- Guangxi Zhuang Yao Medicine Center of Engineering and Technology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 13 Wuhe Road, Qingxiu District, Nanning 530200, China; Guangxi key laboratory of marine drugs, Institute of marine drugs, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 13 Wuhe Road, Qingxiu District, Nanning 530200, China
| | - Yonghong Liu
- Guangxi key laboratory of marine drugs, Institute of marine drugs, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 13 Wuhe Road, Qingxiu District, Nanning 530200, China.
| | - Xueni Wang
- Guangxi Zhuang Yao Medicine Center of Engineering and Technology, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 13 Wuhe Road, Qingxiu District, Nanning 530200, China; Guangxi key laboratory of marine drugs, Institute of marine drugs, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 13 Wuhe Road, Qingxiu District, Nanning 530200, China.
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Schnöller LE, Piehlmaier D, Weber P, Brix N, Fleischmann DF, Nieto AE, Selmansberger M, Heider T, Hess J, Niyazi M, Belka C, Lauber K, Unger K, Orth M. Systematic in vitro analysis of therapy resistance in glioblastoma cell lines by integration of clonogenic survival data with multi-level molecular data. Radiat Oncol 2023; 18:51. [PMID: 36906590 PMCID: PMC10007763 DOI: 10.1186/s13014-023-02241-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite intensive basic scientific, translational, and clinical efforts in the last decades, glioblastoma remains a devastating disease with a highly dismal prognosis. Apart from the implementation of temozolomide into the clinical routine, novel treatment approaches have largely failed, emphasizing the need for systematic examination of glioblastoma therapy resistance in order to identify major drivers and thus, potential vulnerabilities for therapeutic intervention. Recently, we provided proof-of-concept for the systematic identification of combined modality radiochemotherapy treatment vulnerabilities via integration of clonogenic survival data upon radio(chemo)therapy with low-density transcriptomic profiling data in a panel of established human glioblastoma cell lines. Here, we expand this approach to multiple molecular levels, including genomic copy number, spectral karyotyping, DNA methylation, and transcriptome data. Correlation of transcriptome data with inherent therapy resistance on the single gene level yielded several candidates that were so far underappreciated in this context and for which clinically approved drugs are readily available, such as the androgen receptor (AR). Gene set enrichment analyses confirmed these results, and identified additional gene sets, including reactive oxygen species detoxification, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (MTORC1) signaling, and ferroptosis/autophagy-related regulatory circuits to be associated with inherent therapy resistance in glioblastoma cells. To identify pharmacologically accessible genes within those gene sets, leading edge analyses were performed yielding candidates with functions in thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin metabolism, glutathione synthesis, chaperoning of proteins, prolyl hydroxylation, proteasome function, and DNA synthesis/repair. Our study thus confirms previously nominated targets for mechanism-based multi-modal glioblastoma therapy, provides proof-of-concept for this workflow of multi-level data integration, and identifies novel candidates for which pharmacological inhibitors are readily available and whose targeting in combination with radio(chemo)therapy deserves further examination. In addition, our study also reveals that the presented workflow requires mRNA expression data, rather than genomic copy number or DNA methylation data, since no stringent correlation between these data levels could be observed. Finally, the data sets generated in the present study, including functional and multi-level molecular data of commonly used glioblastoma cell lines, represent a valuable toolbox for other researchers in the field of glioblastoma therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon Emanuel Schnöller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Piehlmaier
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics (ZYTO), Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Peter Weber
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics (ZYTO), Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Nikko Brix
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Felix Fleischmann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Edward Nieto
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Selmansberger
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics (ZYTO), Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Theresa Heider
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics (ZYTO), Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Julia Hess
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics (ZYTO), Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Niyazi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Munich, Germany.,Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BKFZ), Munich, Germany
| | - Claus Belka
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Munich, Germany.,Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BKFZ), Munich, Germany
| | - Kirsten Lauber
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Munich, Germany
| | - Kristian Unger
- Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics (ZYTO), Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany. .,Clinical Cooperation Group 'Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer' Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Michael Orth
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU München, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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9
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Wu C, Shen Y, Shi L, Zhang J, Guo T, Zhou L, Wang W, Zhang X, Yu R, Liu X. UBA1 inhibition contributes radiosensitization of glioblastoma cells via blocking DNA damage repair. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1073929. [PMID: 36959858 PMCID: PMC10027716 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1073929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a brain tumor with high mortality and recurrence rate. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy after surgery are the main treatment options available for GBM. However, patients with glioblastoma have a grave prognosis. The major reason is that most GBM patients are resistant to radiotherapy. UBA1 is considered an attractive potential anti-tumor therapeutic target and a key regulator of DNA double-strand break repair and genome replication in human cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that TAK-243, the first-in-class UBA1 inhibitor, might increase GBM sensitivity to radiation. The combined effect of TAK-243 and ionizing radiation on GBM cell proliferation, and colony formation ability was detected using CCK-8, colony formation, and EdU assays. The efficacy of TAK-243 combined with ionizing radiation for GBM was further evaluated in vivo, and the mechanism of TAK-243 sensitizing radiotherapy was preliminarily discussed. The results showed that TAK-243, in combination with ionizing radiation, significantly inhibited GBM cell proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and increased the proportion of apoptosis. In addition, UBA1 inhibition by TAK-243 substantially increased the radiation-induced γ-H2AX expression and impaired the recruitment of the downstream effector molecule 53BP1. Therefore, TAK-243 inhibited the radiation-induced DNA double-strand break repair and thus inhibited the growth of GBM cells. Our results provided a new therapeutic strategy for improving the radiation sensitivity of GBM and laid a theoretical foundation and experimental basis for further clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyong Wu
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yang Shen
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lin Shi
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of general surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Junhao Zhang
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tongxuan Guo
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lingni Zhou
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wanzhou Wang
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rutong Yu
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Rutong Yu, ; Xuejiao Liu,
| | - Xuejiao Liu
- Insititute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Rutong Yu, ; Xuejiao Liu,
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10
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Zhang Y, Qiu L, Ren Y, Cheng Z, Li L, Yao S, Zhang C, Luo Z, Lu H. A meta-learning approach to improving radiation response prediction in cancers. Comput Biol Med 2022; 150:106163. [PMID: 37070625 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Predicting the efficacy of radiotherapy in individual patients has drawn widespread attention, but the limited sample size remains a bottleneck for utilizing high-dimensional multi-omics data to guide personalized radiotherapy. We hypothesize the recently developed meta-learning framework could address this limitation. METHODS AND MATERIALS By combining gene expression, DNA methylation, and clinical data of 806 patients who had received radiotherapy from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we applied the Model-Agnostic Meta-Learning (MAML) framework to tasks consisting of pan-cancer data, to obtain the best initial parameters of a neural network for a specific cancer with smaller number of samples. The performance of meta-learning framework was compared with four traditional machine learning methods based on two training schemes, and tested on Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) datasets. Moreover, biological significance of the models was investigated by survival analysis and feature interpretation. RESULTS The mean AUC (Area under the ROC Curve) [95% confidence interval] of our models across nine cancer types was 0.702 [0.691-0.713], which improved by 0.166 on average over other the four machine learning methods on two training schemes. Our models performed significantly better (p < 0.05) in seven cancer types and performed comparable to the other predictors in the rest of two cancer types. The more pan-cancer samples were used to transfer meta-knowledge, the greater the performance improved (p < 0.05). The predicted response scores that our models generated were negatively correlated with cell radiosensitivity index in four cancer types (p < 0.05), while not statistically significant in the other three cancer types. Moreover, the predicted response scores were shown to be prognostic factors in seven cancer types and eight potential radiosensitivity-related genes were identified. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, we established the meta-learning approach to improving individual radiation response prediction by transferring common knowledge from pan-cancer data with MAML framework. The results demonstrated the superiority, generalizability, and biological significance of our approach.
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11
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Simińska D, Korbecki J, Kojder K, Jeżewski D, Tarnowski M, Tomasiak P, Piotrowska K, Masztalewicz M, Kolasa A, Chlubek D, Baranowska-Bosiacka I. Androgen Receptor Expression in the Various Regions of Resected Glioblastoma Multiforme Tumors and in an In Vitro Model. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13004. [PMID: 36361793 PMCID: PMC9655141 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a malignant glioma, difficult to detect and with the lowest survival rates among gliomas. Its greater incidence among men and its higher survival rate among premenopausal women suggest that it may be associated with the levels of androgens. As androgens stimulate the androgen receptor (AR), which acts as a transcription factor, the aim of this study was the investigate the role of AR in the progression of GBM. The study was conducted on tissues collected from three regions of GBM tumors (tumor core, enhancing tumor region, and peritumoral area). In addition, an in vitro experiment was conducted on U-87 cells under various culture conditions (necrotic, hypoxic, and nutrient-deficient), mimicking the conditions in a tumor. In both of the models, androgen receptor expression was determined at the gene and protein levels, and the results were confirmed by confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry. AR mRNA expression was higher under nutrient-deficient conditions and lower under hypoxic conditions in vitro. However, there were no differences in AR protein expression. No differences in AR mRNA expression were observed between the tested tumor structures taken from patients. No differences in AR mRNA expression were observed between the men and women. However, AR protein expression in tumors resected from patients was higher in the enhancing tumor region and in the peritumoral area than in the tumor core. In women, higher AR expression was observed in the peritumoral area than in the tumor core. AR expression in GBM tumors did not differ significantly between men and women, which suggests that the higher incidence of GBM in men is not associated with AR expression. In the group consisting of men and women, AR expression varied between the regions of the tumor: AR expression was higher in the enhancing tumor region and in the peritumoral area than in the tumor core, showing a dependence on tumor conditions (hypoxia and insufficient nutrient supply).
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Affiliation(s)
- Donata Simińska
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Jan Korbecki
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Klaudyna Kojder
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Dariusz Jeżewski
- Department of Neurosurgery and Pediatric Neurosurgery Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
- Department of Applied Neurocognitivistics, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Maciej Tarnowski
- Department of Physiology in Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Żołnierska 54, 70-210 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Patrycja Tomasiak
- Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, 70-453 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Piotrowska
- Department of Physiology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Marta Masztalewicz
- Department of Neurology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kolasa
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Dariusz Chlubek
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Irena Baranowska-Bosiacka
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
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12
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Michmerhuizen AR, Lerner LM, Ward C, Pesch AM, Zhang A, Schwartz R, Wilder-Romans K, Eisner JR, Rae JM, Pierce LJ, Speers CW. Androgen and oestrogen receptor co-expression determines the efficacy of hormone receptor-mediated radiosensitisation in breast cancer. Br J Cancer 2022; 127:927-936. [PMID: 35618789 PMCID: PMC9427858 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01849-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Radiation therapy (RT) and hormone receptor (HR) inhibition are used for the treatment of HR-positive breast cancers; however, little is known about the interaction of the androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor (ER) in response to RT in AR-positive, ER-positive (AR+/ER+) breast cancers. Here we assessed radiosensitisation of AR+/ER+ cell lines using pharmacologic or genetic inhibition/degradation of AR and/or ER. METHODS Radiosensitisation was assessed with AR antagonists (enzalutamide, apalutamide, darolutamide, seviteronel, ARD-61), ER antagonists (tamoxifen, fulvestrant) or using knockout of AR. RESULTS Treatment with AR antagonists or ER antagonists in combination with RT did not result in radiosensitisation changes (radiation enhancement ratios [rER]: 0.76-1.21). Fulvestrant treatment provided significant radiosensitisation of CAMA-1 and BT-474 cells (rER: 1.06-2.0) but not ZR-75-1 cells (rER: 0.9-1.11). Combining tamoxifen with enzalutamide did not alter radiosensitivity using a 1 h or 1-week pretreatment (rER: 0.95-1.14). Radiosensitivity was unchanged in AR knockout compared to Cas9 cells (rER: 1.07 ± 0.11), and no additional radiosensitisation was achieved with tamoxifen or fulvestrant compared to Cas9 cells (rER: 0.84-1.19). CONCLUSION While radiosensitising in AR + TNBC, AR inhibition does not modulate radiation sensitivity in AR+/ER+ breast cancer. The efficacy of ER antagonists in combination with RT may also be dependent on AR expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna R Michmerhuizen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lynn M Lerner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Connor Ward
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Andrea M Pesch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Amanda Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rachel Schwartz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kari Wilder-Romans
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - James M Rae
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lori J Pierce
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Corey W Speers
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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13
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Edwards DM, Speers C, Wahl DR. Targeting Noncanonical Regulators of the DNA Damage Response to Selectively Overcome Cancer Radiation Resistance. Semin Radiat Oncol 2021; 32:64-75. [PMID: 34861997 DOI: 10.1016/j.semradonc.2021.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Donna M Edwards
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Radiation Oncology, Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Corey Speers
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Radiation Oncology, Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Daniel R Wahl
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Radiation Oncology, Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI.
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14
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Zhao N, Wang F, Ahmed S, Liu K, Zhang C, Cathcart SJ, DiMaio DJ, Punsoni M, Guan B, Zhou P, Wang S, Batra SK, Bronich T, Hei TK, Lin C, Zhang C. Androgen Receptor, Although Not a Specific Marker For, Is a Novel Target to Suppress Glioma Stem Cells as a Therapeutic Strategy for Glioblastoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:616625. [PMID: 34094902 PMCID: PMC8175980 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.616625] [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: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting androgen receptor (AR) has been shown to be promising in treating glioblastoma (GBM) in cell culture and flank implant models but the mechanisms remain unclear. AR antagonists including enzalutamide are available for treating prostate cancer patients in clinic and can pass the blood-brain barrier, thus are potentially good candidates for GBM treatment but have not been tested in GBM orthotopically. Our current studies confirmed that in patients, a majority of GBM tumors overexpress AR in both genders. Enzalutamide inhibited the proliferation of GBM cells both in vitro and in vivo. Although confocal microscopy demonstrated that AR is expressed but not specifically in glioma cancer stem cells (CSCs) (CD133+), enzalutamide treatment significantly decreased CSC population in cultured monolayer cells and spheroids, suppressed tumor sphere-forming capacity of GBM cells, and downregulated CSC gene expression at mRNA and protein levels in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We have, for the first time, demonstrated that enzalutamide treatment decreased the density of CSCs in vivo and improved survival in an orthotopic GBM mouse model. We conclude that AR antagonists potently target glioma CSCs in addition to suppressing the overall proliferation of GBM cells as a mechanism supporting their repurposing for clinical applications treating GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Shaheen Ahmed
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Kan Liu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Chi Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Sahara J Cathcart
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Dominick J DiMaio
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Michael Punsoni
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Bingjie Guan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Tatiana Bronich
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Tom K Hei
- Center for Radiological Research, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Chi Lin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
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15
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Bello-Alvarez C, Camacho-Arroyo I. Impact of sex in the prevalence and progression of glioblastomas: the role of gonadal steroid hormones. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:28. [PMID: 33752729 PMCID: PMC7986260 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00372-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As in other types of cancers, sex is an essential factor in the origin and progression of glioblastomas. Research in the field of endocrinology and cancer suggests that gonadal steroid hormones play an important role in the progression and prevalence of glioblastomas. In the present review, we aim to discuss the actions and mechanism triggered by gonadal steroid hormones in glioblastomas. MAIN BODY Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor. According to the epidemiological data, glioblastomas are more frequent in men than in women in a 1.6/1 proportion both in children and adults. This evidence, and the knowledge about sex influence over the prevalence of countless diseases, suggest that male gonadal steroid hormones, such as testosterone, promote glioblastomas growth. In contrast, a protective role of female gonadal steroid hormones (estradiol and progesterone) against glioblastomas has been questioned. Several pieces of evidence demonstrate a variety of effects induced by female and male gonadal steroid hormones in glioblastomas. Several studies indicate that pregnancy, a physiological state with the highest progesterone and estradiol levels, accelerates the progression of low-grade astrocytomas to glioblastomas and increases the symptoms associated with these tumors. In vitro studies have demonstrated that progesterone has a dual role in glioblastoma cells: physiological concentrations promote cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while very high doses (out physiological range) reduce cell proliferation and increases cell death. CONCLUSION Gonadal steroid hormones can stimulate the progression of glioblastomas through the increase in proliferation, migration, and invasion. However, the effects mentioned above depend on the concentrations of these hormones and the receptor involved in hormone actions. Estradiol and progesterone can exert promoter or protective effects while the role of testosterone has been always associated to glioblastomas progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Bello-Alvarez
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), 04510, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), 04510, Ciudad de México, México.
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16
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Lopes MB, Martins EP, Vinga S, Costa BM. The Role of Network Science in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1045. [PMID: 33801334 PMCID: PMC7958335 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Network science has long been recognized as a well-established discipline across many biological domains. In the particular case of cancer genomics, network discovery is challenged by the multitude of available high-dimensional heterogeneous views of data. Glioblastoma (GBM) is an example of such a complex and heterogeneous disease that can be tackled by network science. Identifying the architecture of molecular GBM networks is essential to understanding the information flow and better informing drug development and pre-clinical studies. Here, we review network-based strategies that have been used in the study of GBM, along with the available software implementations for reproducibility and further testing on newly coming datasets. Promising results have been obtained from both bulk and single-cell GBM data, placing network discovery at the forefront of developing a molecularly-informed-based personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta B. Lopes
- Center for Mathematics and Applications (CMA), FCT, UNL, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
- NOVA Laboratory for Computer Science and Informatics (NOVA LINCS), FCT, UNL, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Eduarda P. Martins
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (E.P.M.); (B.M.C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057/4805-017 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Susana Vinga
- INESC-ID, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal;
- IDMEC, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Bruno M. Costa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; (E.P.M.); (B.M.C.)
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057/4805-017 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
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17
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Michmerhuizen AR, Speers C. Degrading AR-Dependent Cancers: Expanding the Role of PROTACs. Neoplasia 2020; 22:533-535. [PMID: 32928364 PMCID: PMC7498655 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anna R Michmerhuizen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Corey Speers
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
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