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Yang H, Li Z, Zhu S, Wang W, Zhang J, Zhao D, Zhang M, Zhu W, Xu W, Xu C. Molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer liver metastasis: the role of PAK2. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1347683. [PMID: 38343537 PMCID: PMC10853442 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1347683] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Pancreatic cancer remains an extremely malignant digestive tract tumor, posing a significant global public health burden. Patients with pancreatic cancer, once metastasis occurs, lose all hope of cure, and prognosis is extremely poor. It is important to investigate liver metastasis of Pancreatic cancer in depth, not just because it is the most common form of metastasis in pancreatic cancer, but also because it is crucial for treatment planning and prognosis assessment. This study aims to delve into the mechanisms of pancreatic cancer liver metastasis, with the goal of providing crucial scientific groundwork for the development of future treatment methods and drugs. Methods We explored the mechanisms of pancreatic cancer liver metastasis using single-cell sequencing data (GSE155698 and GSE154778) and bulk data (GSE71729, GSE19279, TCGA-PAAD). Initially, Seurat package was employed for single-cell data processing to obtain expression matrices for primary pancreatic cancer lesions and liver metastatic lesions. Subsequently, high-dimensional weighted gene co-expression network analysis (hdWGCNA) was used to identify genes associated with liver metastasis. Machine learning algorithms and COX regression models were employed to further screen genes related to patient prognosis. Informed by both biological understanding and the outcomes of algorithms, we meticulously identified the ultimate set of liver metastasis-related gene (LRG). In the study of LRG genes, various databases were utilized to validate their association with pancreatic cancer liver metastasis. In order to analyze the effects of these agents on tumor microenvironment, we conducted an in-depth analysis, including changes in signaling pathways (GSVA), cell differentiation (pseudo-temporal analysis), cell communication networks (cell communication analysis), and downstream transcription factors (transcription factor activity prediction). Additionally, drug sensitivity analysis and metabolic analysis were performed to reveal the effects of LRG on gemcitabine resistance and metabolic pathways. Finally, functional experiments were conducted by silencing the expression of LRG in PANC-1 and Bx-PC-3 cells to validate its influence to proliferation and invasiveness on PANC-1 and Bx-PC-3 cells. Results Through a series of algorithmic filters, we identified PAK2 as a key gene promoting pancreatic cancer liver metastasis. GSVA analysis elucidated the activation of the TGF-beta signaling pathway by PAK2 to promote the occurrence of liver metastasis. Pseudo-temporal analysis revealed a significant correlation between PAK2 expression and the lower differentiation status of pancreatic cancer cells. Cell communication analysis revealed that overexpression of PAK2 promotes communication between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. Transcription factor activity prediction displayed the transcription factor network regulated by PAK2. Drug sensitivity analysis and metabolic analysis revealed the impact of PAK2 on gemcitabine resistance and metabolic pathways. CCK8 experiments showed that silencing PAK2 led to a decrease in the proliferative capacity of pancreatic cancer cells and scratch experiments demonstrated that low expression of PAK2 decreased invasion capability in pancreatic cancer cells. Flow cytometry reveals that PAK2 significantly inhibited apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Molecules related to the TGF-beta pathway decreased with the inhibition of PAK2, and there were corresponding significant changes in molecules associated with EMT. Conclusion PAK2 facilitated the angiogenic potential of cancer cells and promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process by activating the TGF-beta signaling pathway. Simultaneously, it decreased the differentiation level of cancer cells, consequently enhancing their malignancy. Additionally, PAK2 fostered communication between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment, augments cancer cell chemoresistance, and modulates energy metabolism pathways. In summary, PAK2 emerged as a pivotal gene orchestrating pancreatic cancer liver metastasis. Intervening in the expression of PAK2 may offer a promising therapeutic strategy for preventing liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer and improving its prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhongyi Li
- Department of General, Visceral, and Transplant Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Shiqi Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenxia Wang
- Department of General Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, The University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Vermillion, SD, United States
| | - Dongxu Zhao
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Nantong University, Changshu No. 2 People‘s Hospital, Changshu, Jiangsu, China
| | - Man Zhang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenxin Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kunshan Third People’s Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chunfang Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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2
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Su N, Fang Y, Chen X, Chen X, Xia Z, Huang H, Xia Y, Liu P, Tian X, Cai Q. Targeting P21-activated kinase suppresses proliferation and enhances chemosensitivity in T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. BLOOD SCIENCE 2023; 5:249-257. [PMID: 37941919 PMCID: PMC10629744 DOI: 10.1097/bs9.0000000000000169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) is a highly aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma with a poor prognosis. P21-activated kinase (PAK) is a component of the gene expression-based classifier that can predict the prognosis of T-LBL. However, the role of PAK in T-LBL progression and survival remains poorly understood. Herein, we found that the expression of PAK1 was significantly higher in T-LBL cell lines (Jurkat, SUP-T1, and CCRF-CEM) compared to the human T-lymphoid cell line. Moreover, PAK2 mRNA level of 32 relapsed T-LBL patients was significantly higher than that of 37 cases without relapse (P = .012). T-LBL patients with high PAK1 and PAK2 expression had significantly shorter median RFS than those with low PAK1 and PAK2 expression (PAK1, P = .028; PAK2, P = .027; PAK1/2, P = .032). PAK inhibitors, PF3758309 (PF) and FRAX597, could suppress the proliferation of T-LBL cells by blocking the G1/S cell cycle phase transition. Besides, PF could enhance the chemosensitivity to doxorubicin in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, through western blotting and RNA sequencing, we identified that PF could inhibit the phosphorylation of PAK1/2 and downregulate the expression of cyclin D1, NF-κB and cell adhesion signaling pathways in T-LBL cell lines. These findings suggest that PAK might be associated with T-LBL recurrence and further found that PAK inhibitors could suppress proliferation and enhance chemosensitivity of T-LBL cells treated with doxorubicin. Collectively, our present study underscores the potential therapeutic effect of inhibiting PAK in T-LBL therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Su
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oncology, Guangzhou Chest Hospital, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Fang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Hematology Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongjun Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Hematology Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiqiang Huang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Xia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Panpan Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaopeng Tian
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingqing Cai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
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3
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Buikhuisen JY, Gomez Barila PM, Cameron K, Suijkerbuijk SJE, Lieftink C, di Franco S, Krotenberg Garcia A, Uceda Castro R, Lenos KJ, Nijman LE, Torang A, Longobardi C, de Jong JH, Dekker D, Stassi G, Vermeulen L, Beijersbergen RL, van Rheenen J, Huveneers S, Medema JP. Subtype-specific kinase dependency regulates growth and metastasis of poor-prognosis mesenchymal colorectal cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:56. [PMID: 36869386 PMCID: PMC9983221 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02600-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) can be divided into four consensus molecular subtypes (CMS), each with distinct biological features. CMS4 is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and stromal infiltration (Guinney et al., Nat Med 21:1350-6, 2015; Linnekamp et al., Cell Death Differ 25:616-33, 2018), whereas clinically it is characterized by lower responses to adjuvant therapy, higher incidence of metastatic spreading and hence dismal prognosis (Buikhuisen et al., Oncogenesis 9:66, 2020). METHODS To understand the biology of the mesenchymal subtype and unveil specific vulnerabilities, a large CRISPR-Cas9 drop-out screen was performed on 14 subtyped CRC cell lines to uncover essential kinases in all CMSs. Dependency of CMS4 cells on p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) was validated in independent 2D and 3D in vitro cultures and in vivo models assessing primary and metastatic outgrowth in liver and peritoneum. TIRF microscopy was used to uncover actin cytoskeleton dynamics and focal adhesion localization upon PAK2 loss. Subsequent functional assays were performed to determine altered growth and invasion patterns. RESULTS PAK2 was identified as a key kinase uniquely required for growth of the mesenchymal subtype CMS4, both in vitro and in vivo. PAK2 plays an important role in cellular attachment and cytoskeletal rearrangements (Coniglio et al., Mol Cell Biol 28:4162-72, 2008; Grebenova et al., Sci Rep 9:17171, 2019). In agreement, deletion or inhibition of PAK2 impaired actin cytoskeleton dynamics in CMS4 cells and, as a consequence, significantly reduced invasive capacity, while it was dispensable for CMS2 cells. Clinical relevance of these findings was supported by the observation that deletion of PAK2 from CMS4 cells prevented metastatic spreading in vivo. Moreover, growth in a model for peritoneal metastasis was hampered when CMS4 tumor cells were deficient for PAK2. CONCLUSION Our data reveal a unique dependency of mesenchymal CRC and provide a rationale for PAK2 inhibition to target this aggressive subgroup of colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Y Buikhuisen
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Patricia M Gomez Barila
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kate Cameron
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia J E Suijkerbuijk
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cor Lieftink
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Simone di Franco
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences (DICHIRONS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Ana Krotenberg Garcia
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rebeca Uceda Castro
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kristiaan J Lenos
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lisanne E Nijman
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Arezo Torang
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ciro Longobardi
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joan H de Jong
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniëlle Dekker
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Giorgio Stassi
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Stomatological Sciences (DICHIRONS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Louis Vermeulen
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roderick L Beijersbergen
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jacco van Rheenen
- Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular Pathology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stephan Huveneers
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Paul Medema
- Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Oncode Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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4
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You J, Chen Y, Chen D, Li Y, Wang T, Zhu J, Hong Q, Li Q. Circular RNA 0001789 sponges miR-140-3p and regulates PAK2 to promote the progression of gastric cancer. J Transl Med 2023; 21:83. [PMID: 36740679 PMCID: PMC9901162 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03853-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is the third-leading cause of cancer-associated mortalities globally. The deregulation of circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) is widely implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of different cancer types. METHODS The expression profiling of circRNAs in GC is required to identify crucial circRNAs as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. In the present study, a published circRNA microarray dataset was used to identify differentially expressed circRNAs between GC tissues and normal gastric mucosa tissues. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to validate the expression of circ_0001789. Fisher's exact test, receiver operating characteristic curve and Kaplan-Meier plots were employed to analyze the clinical significance of circ_0001789. The miRNA targets of circ_0001789 were predicted using an online database, and their functional interaction was further confirmed by RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter assays. Transwell assays were conducted to investigate the biological functions of circ_0001789, miR-140-3p and p21 activated kinase 2 (PAK2) in the migration and invasion of GC cells. A xenograft mouse model was established to validate the role of circ_0001789 in the tumorigenesis of GC cells. RESULTS circ_0001789 was identified as a highly expressed circRNA in GC tissues versus normal gastric mucosa tissues. Silencing circ_0001789 attenuated the malignancy of GC cells, and exosomal circ_0001789 was sufficient to regulate the malignant phenotype of GC cells. miR-140-3p was further identified as a downstream target of circ_0001789, which showed a negative correlation with circ_0001789 expression in GC tissues. Overexpression of miR-140-3p suppressed cell migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in GC cells. PAK2 was identified as the target of miR-140-3 to mediate the malignant phenotype of GC cells. CONCLUSION The present data suggested that the upregulation of circ_0001789 was associated with the progression of GC and with poor prognosis in patients with GC, and that miR-140-3p/PAK2 served as the downstream axis to mediate the oncogenic effect of circ_0001789.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun You
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology Surgery, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China ,grid.256112.30000 0004 1797 9307The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China
| | - Yinan Chen
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology Surgery, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China ,grid.256112.30000 0004 1797 9307The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China
| | - Donghan Chen
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology Surgery, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China ,grid.256112.30000 0004 1797 9307The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China
| | - Yongwen Li
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology Surgery, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China ,grid.256112.30000 0004 1797 9307The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China
| | - Tinghao Wang
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology Surgery, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China ,grid.256112.30000 0004 1797 9307The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China
| | - Jingtao Zhu
- grid.12955.3a0000 0001 2264 7233Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology Surgery, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China ,grid.256112.30000 0004 1797 9307The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, Fujian 361001 China
| | - Qingqi Hong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology Surgery, Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361001, China. .,The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361001, China.
| | - Qiyuan Li
- National Institute of Data Science in Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361100, China.
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Wang Y, Zhang K, Guo J, Yang S, Shi X, Pan J, Sun Z, Zou J, Li Y, Li Y, Fan T, Song W, Cheng F, Zeng C, Li J, Zhang T, Sun ZS. Loss-of-Function of p21-Activated Kinase 2 Links BMP Signaling to Neural Tube Patterning Defects. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2204018. [PMID: 36504449 PMCID: PMC9896034 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202204018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Closure of the neural tube represents a highly complex and coordinated process, the failure of which constitutes common birth defects. The serine/threonine kinase p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) is a critical regulator of cytoskeleton dynamics; however, its role in the neurulation and pathogenesis of neural tube defects (NTDs) remains unclear. Here, the results show that Pak2-/- mouse embryos fail to develop dorsolateral hinge points (DLHPs) and exhibit craniorachischisis, a severe phenotype of NTDs. Pak2 knockout activates BMP signaling that involves in vertebrate bone formation. Single-cell transcriptomes reveal abnormal differentiation trajectories and transcriptional events in Pak2-/- mouse embryos during neural tube development. Two nonsynonymous and one recurrent splice-site mutations in the PAK2 gene are identified in five human NTD fetuses, which exhibit attenuated PAK2 expression and upregulated BMP signaling in the brain. Mechanistically, PAK2 regulates Smad9 phosphorylation to inhibit BMP signaling and ultimately induce DLHP formation. Depletion of pak2a in zebrafish induces defects in the neural tube, which are partially rescued by the overexpression of wild-type, but not mutant PAK2. The findings demonstrate the conserved role of PAK2 in neurulation in multiple vertebrate species, highlighting the molecular pathogenesis of PAK2 mutations in NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Beijing Institutes of Life ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Kaifan Zhang
- Institute of Genomic MedicineWenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhouZhejiang325000China
| | - Jin Guo
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and NutriomicsCapital Institute of PediatricsBeijing100020China
| | - Shuyan Yang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and NutriomicsCapital Institute of PediatricsBeijing100020China
| | - Xiaohui Shi
- Beijing Institutes of Life ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Jinrong Pan
- Beijing Institutes of Life ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Zheng Sun
- Beijing Institutes of Life ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Jizhen Zou
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and NutriomicsCapital Institute of PediatricsBeijing100020China
| | - Yi Li
- Institute of Genomic MedicineWenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhouZhejiang325000China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Beijing Institutes of Life ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Tianda Fan
- Institute of Genomic MedicineWenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhouZhejiang325000China
| | - Wei Song
- Beijing Institutes of Life ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Fang Cheng
- Institute of Genomic MedicineWenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhouZhejiang325000China
| | - Cheng Zeng
- Beijing Institutes of Life ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Jinchen Li
- Bioinformatics Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric DisordersXiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaHunan410078China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and NutriomicsCapital Institute of PediatricsBeijing100020China
| | - Zhong Sheng Sun
- Beijing Institutes of Life ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic InteractionsUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
- Institute of Genomic MedicineWenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhouZhejiang325000China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and RodentsChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
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6
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Huang J, Zhou Q. Gene Biomarkers Related to Th17 Cells in Macular Edema of Diabetic Retinopathy: Cutting-Edge Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis and In Vivo Validation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:858972. [PMID: 35651615 PMCID: PMC9149582 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.858972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies have shown that T-helper 17 (Th17) cell-related cytokines are significantly increased in the vitreous of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), suggesting that Th17 cells play an important role in the inflammatory response of diabetic retinopathy (DR), but its cell infiltration and gene correlation in the retina of DR, especially in diabetic macular edema (DME), have not been studied. Methods The dataset GSE160306 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, which contains 9 NPDR samples and 10 DME samples. ImmuCellAI algorithm was used to estimate the abundance of Th17 cells in 24 kinds of infiltrating immune cells. The differentially expressed Th17 related genes (DETh17RGs) between NPDR and DME were documented by difference analysis and correlation analysis. Through aggregate analyses such as gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to analyze the potential function of DETh17RGs. CytoHubba plug-in algorithm, Lasso regression analysis and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) were implemented to comprehensively identify Hub DETh17RGs. The expression archetypes of Hub DETh17RGs were further verified in several other independent datasets related to DR. The Th17RG score was defined as the genetic characterization of six Hub DETh17RGs using the GSVA sample score method, which was used to distinguish early and advanced diabetic nephropathy (DN) as well as normal and diabetic nephropathy. Finally, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was implemented to verify the transcription levels of Hub DETh17RGs in the STZ-induced DR model mice (C57BL/6J). Results 238 DETh17RGs were identified, of which 212 genes were positively correlated while only 26 genes were negatively correlated. Six genes (CD44, CDC42, TIMP1, BMP7, RHOC, FLT1) were identified as Hub DETh17RGs. Because DR and DN have a strong correlation in clinical practice, the verification of multiple independent datasets related to DR and DN proved that Hub DETh17RGs can not only distinguish PDR patients from normal people, but also distinguish DN patients from normal people. It can also identify the initial and advanced stages of the two diseases (NPDR vs DME, Early DN vs Advanced DN). Except for CDC42 and TIMP1, the qPCR transcription levels and trends of other Hub DETh17RGs in STZ-induced DR model mice were consistent with the human transcriptome level in this study. Conclusion This study will improve our understanding of Th17 cell-related molecular mechanisms in the progression of DME. At the same time, it also provides an updated basis for the molecular mechanism of Th17 cell crosstalk in the eye and kidney in diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Center of National Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, China
| | - Qiong Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Center of National Ocular Disease Clinical Research Center, Nanchang, China
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7
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p21-Activated kinases as promising therapeutic targets in hematological malignancies. Leukemia 2022; 36:315-326. [PMID: 34697424 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01451-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The p21-Activated Kinases (PAKs) are a family of six serine/threonine kinases that were originally identified as downstream effectors of the Rho GTPases Cdc42 and Rac. Since the first PAK was discovered in 1994, studies have revealed their fundamental and biological importance in the development of physiological systems. Within the cell, PAKs also play significant roles in regulating essential cellular processes such as cytoskeletal dynamics, gene expression, cell survival, and cell cycle progression. These processes are often deregulated in numerous cancers when different PAKs are overexpressed or amplified at the chromosomal level. Furthermore, PAKs modulate multiple oncogenic signaling pathways which facilitate apoptosis escape, uncontrolled proliferation, and drug resistance. There is growing insight into the critical roles of PAKs in regulating steady-state hematopoiesis, including the properties of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), and the initiation and progression of hematological malignancies. This review will focus on the most recent studies that provide experimental evidence showing how specific PAKs regulate the properties of leukemic stem cells (LSCs) and drug-resistant cells to initiate and maintain hematological malignancies. The current understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the PAKs operate in specific human leukemia or lymphomas will be discussed. From a translational point of view, PAKs have been suggested to be critical therapeutic targets and potential prognosis markers; thus, this review will also discuss current therapeutic strategies against hematological malignancies using existing small-molecule PAK inhibitors, as well as promising combination treatments, to sensitize drug-resistant cells to conventional therapies. The challenges of toxicity and non-specific targeting associated with some PAK inhibitors, as well as how future approaches for PAK inhibition to overcome these limitations, will also be addressed.
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8
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Zeng J, Liu N, Yang Y, Cheng Y, Li Y, Guo X, Luo Q, Zhu L, Guan H, Song B, Sun X. Pak2 reduction induces a failure of early embryonic development in mice. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2021; 19:181. [PMID: 34879863 PMCID: PMC8656077 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-021-00865-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The quality of the early embryo is vital to embryonic development and implantation. As a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase, p21-activated kinase 2 (Pak2) participates in diverse biologic processes, especially in cytoskeleton remodeling and cell apoptosis. In mice, Pak2 knock out and endothelial depletion of Pak2 showed embryonic lethality. However, the role of Pak2 in preimplantation embryos remains unelucidated. METHODS In the present work, Pak2 was reduced using a specific small interfering RNA in early mouse embryos, validating the unique roles of Pak2 in spindle assembly and DNA repair during mice early embryonic development. We also employed immunoblotting, immunostaining, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and image quantification analyses to test the Pak2 knockdown on the embryonic development progression, spindle assembly, chromosome alignment, oxidative stress, DNA lesions and blastocyst cell apoptosis. Areas in chromatin with γH2AX were detected by immunofluorescence microscopy and serve as a biomarker of DNA damages. RESULTS We found that Pak2 knockdown significantly reduced blastocyst formation of early embryos. In addition, Pak2 reduction led to dramatically increased abnormal spindle assembly and chromosomal aberrations in the embryos. We noted the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with Pak2 knockdown in embryos. In response to DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), the histone protein H2AX is specifically phosphorylated at serine139 to generate γH2AX, which is used to quantitative DSBs. In this research, Pak2 knockdown also resulted in the accumulation of phosphorylated γH2AX, indicative of increased embryonic DNA damage. Commensurate with this, a significantly augmented rate of blastocyst cell apoptosis was detected in Pak2-KD embryos compared to their controls. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our data suggest that Pak2 may serve as an important regulator of spindle assembly and DNA repair, and thus participate in the development of early mouse embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Zeng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Nengqing Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yinghong Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi Cheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuanshuai Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoxia Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qian Luo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lifen Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongmei Guan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Bing Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaofang Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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hsa_circ_0013401 Accelerates the Growth and Metastasis and Prevents Apoptosis and Autophagy of Neuroblastoma Cells by Sponging miR-195 to Release PAK2. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:9936154. [PMID: 34853631 PMCID: PMC8629642 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9936154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Background Increased levels of circRNAs have been identified in a variety of cancers. However, the specific functions and mechanisms of circRNAs in neuroblastoma (NB) have not been fully explored. Methods The levels of hsa_circ_0045997, hsa_circ_0080307, hsa_circ_0013401, hsa_circ_0077578, and microRNA-195 were confirmed by RT-qPCR in NB. Gain- and loss-of-function assays and rescue experiments were conducted to determine the influence of hsa_circ_0013401, miR-195, and P21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) on the proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, migration, and invasion of NB cells. Regulatory gene targets were validated by the luciferase assay. A xenograft mouse model was used to determine the in vivo effects of hsa_circ_0013401. Results hsa_circ_0013401 was highly expressed, miR-195 was lowly expressed, and there was a negative correlation between hsa_circ_0013401 and miR-195 in NB. The inhibitory effects of hsa_circ_0013401 knockdown suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion and induced the apoptosis and autophagy of NB cells by targeting miR-195 to downregulate PAK2 expression. Luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-195 was a direct target of hsa_circ_0013401, and PAK2 was the downstream target gene of miR-195. In vivo studies showed that hsa_circ_0013401 promotes tumor formation. Conclusions hsa_circ_0013401 induced NB progression through miR-195 to enhance PAK2. Therefore, we might highlight a novel regulatory axis (hsa_circ_0013401/miR-195/PAK2) in NB.
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10
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A latent subset of human hematopoietic stem cells resists regenerative stress to preserve stemness. Nat Immunol 2021; 22:723-734. [PMID: 33958784 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-021-00925-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Continuous supply of immune cells throughout life relies on the delicate balance in the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) pool between long-term maintenance and meeting the demands of both normal blood production and unexpected stress conditions. Here we identified distinct subsets of human long-term (LT)-HSCs that responded differently to regeneration-mediated stress: an immune checkpoint ligand CD112lo subset that exhibited a transient engraftment restraint (termed latency) before contributing to hematopoietic reconstitution and a primed CD112hi subset that responded rapidly. This functional heterogeneity and CD112 expression are regulated by INKA1 through direct interaction with PAK4 and SIRT1, inducing epigenetic changes and defining an alternative state of LT-HSC quiescence that serves to preserve self-renewal and regenerative capacity upon regeneration-mediated stress. Collectively, our data uncovered the molecular intricacies underlying HSC heterogeneity and self-renewal regulation and point to latency as an orchestrated physiological response that balances blood cell demands with preserving a stem cell reservoir.
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11
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Wu CL, Shan TD, Han Y, Kong Y, Li YB, Peng XG, Shang L, Wang PG, Li LP. Long intergenic noncoding RNA 00665 promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in colorectal cancer by regulating miR-126-5p. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:13571-13584. [PMID: 33878735 PMCID: PMC8202867 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) regulate a series of biological processes, and their anomalous expression plays critical roles in the progression of multiple malignancies, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Although many studies have reported the oncogenic function of LINC00665 in multiple cancers, few studies have explored its role in CRC. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of LINC00665 on the malignant behaviors of CRC and explore the underlying regulatory mechanism of LINC00665. LINC00665 was significantly upregulated in CRC. A loss-of-function assay revealed that LINC00665 downregulation inhibited the proliferation and promoted the apoptosis of CRC cells, which was mediated by cyclin D1, CDK4, caspase-9 and caspase-3. Through mechanistic exploration, we found that miR-126-5p directly bound to LINC00665. Moreover, LINC00665 and miR-126-5p both regulated PAK2 and FZD3 expression. Mechanistically, miR-126-5p was predicted and further verified as a target of both PAK2 and FZD3. These findings demonstrate that LINC00665 might play an important pro-proliferative and antiapoptotic role in CRC and might be a potential biomarker and a new therapeutic target for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Liang Wu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250021, Shandong, People's Republic of China.,Department of Emergency Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 262000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ti-Dong Shan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 262000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Han
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 262000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Kong
- Department of PET-CT, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 262000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan-Bo Li
- Department of Emergency Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 262000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin-Gang Peng
- Department of Emergency Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 262000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Shang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250021, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Pei-Ge Wang
- Department of Emergency Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 262000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Le-Ping Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250021, Shandong, People's Republic of China
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Zhang E, Dong X, Chen S, Shao J, Zhang P, Wang Y, Wang X. Ubiquitin ligase KLHL2 promotes the degradation and ubiquitination of ARHGEF7 protein to suppress renal cell carcinoma progression. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:3345-3357. [PMID: 33163274 PMCID: PMC7642650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that ARHGEF7 is upregulated in many malignant tumors, but the underlying molecular mechanisms to this response remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we confirm that ARHGEF7 physically interacts with KLHL2, which was previously identified to be an E3 ubiquitin ligase. KLHL2 is capable of promoting ARHGEF7 degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. We identify that the Kelch domain of KLHL2 is necessary for binding with ARHGEF7 and downstream activities. In addition, we find that ARHGEF7 is overexpressed in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) specimens, and that the level of expression negatively correlates with that of KLHL2. Moreover, we utilize knockdown loss-of-function assays to demonstrate that ARHGEF7 in 786-O and A498 cell lines can act as a regulator of cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and that these effects can be reversed by KLHL2 inactivation. Taken together, our data suggest that ARHGEF7 is a putative oncogene that functions via an interaction with KLHL2, and control of ARHGEF7 can be a potential future target to inhibit tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Encheng Zhang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, China
| | - Xiao Dong
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, China
| | - Siteng Chen
- Department of Urology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, China
| | - Jialiang Shao
- Department of Urology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, China
| | - Pingzhao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan UniversityShanghai, China
| | - Yuqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan UniversityShanghai, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, China
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Liu H, Shin SH, Chen H, Liu T, Li Z, Hu Y, Liu F, Zhang C, Kim DJ, Liu K, Dong Z. CDK12 and PAK2 as novel therapeutic targets for human gastric cancer. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:6201-6215. [PMID: 32483448 PMCID: PMC7255043 DOI: 10.7150/thno.46137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Gastric cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death, and the third in mortality due to lack of effective therapeutic targets for late stage cancer patients. This study aims to identify potential druggable target biomarkers as potential therapeutic options for patients with gastric cancer. Methods: Immunohistochemistry of human gastric tumor tissues was conducted to determine the expression level of cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12). Multiple in vitro and in vivo assays such as RNAi, mass spectrometry, computer docking models, kinase assays, cell xenograft NU/NU mouse models (CDXs) and patient-derived xenograft NOD/SCID mouse models (PDXs) were conducted to study the function and molecular interaction of CDK12 with p21 activated kinase 2 (PAK2), as well as to find CDK12 inhibitors as potential treatment options for human gastric cancer. Results: Here we identified that CDK12 is a driver gene in human gastric cancer growth. Mechanistically, CDK12 directly binds to and phosphorylates PAK2 at T134/T169 to activate MAPK signaling pathway. We further identified FDA approved clinical drug procaterol can serve as an effective CDK12 inhibitor, leading to dramatic restriction of cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth in human gastric cancer cells and PDXs. Conclusions: Our data highlight the potential of CDK12/PAK2 as therapeutic targets for patients with gastric cancer, and we propose procaterol treatment as a novel therapeutic strategy for human gastric cancer.
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14
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Wahedi HM, Chae JK, Subedi L, Kang MC, Cho H, Kim S, Kim SY. NED416, a novel synthetic Sirt1 activator, promotes cutaneous wound healing via the MAPK/Rho pathway. Int J Mol Med 2020; 46:149-158. [PMID: 32319533 PMCID: PMC7255464 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous wound healing is a highly complex biological process involving major events such as cell migration, angiogenesis, and tissue development. Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) and its regulators have been suggested to play a role in cell migration and tissue repair. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of a novel Sirt1 activator, the piper amide derivative (E)-3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-phenylacrylamide, also known as NED416, on cutaneous wound healing. The effects of NED416 on Sirt1 activity, Sirt1 expression, and angiogenesis were measured in skin and endothelial cells (epidermal keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells) using a Sirt1 activity assay kit, western blot analysis and tube formation assays, respectively. The effects of NED416 on the rate of wound closure and collagen deposition were measured via H&E staining and Masson's trichrome staining, respectively. Levels of migration-related [Rac1, cell division cycle 42 (Cdc42) and α-p21-activated kinase] and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway proteins were measured in hairless mice via western blot analysis. NED416 significantly increased Sirt1 activity in dermal fibroblasts and epidermal keratinocytes to a greater extent than resveratrol, leading to increased cell migration and angiogenesis through Rac1/Cdc42 and ERK/JNK activation. Furthermore, NED416 accelerated wound closure, macrophage infiltration, and epithelium and collagen formation in vivo. The present study demonstrated a role of Sirt1 in cutaneous wound healing, and suggested that NED416 as a Sirt1 activator is more potent than resveratrol in promoting wound healing through Rac1/Cdc42 and MAPK signaling without toxicity, thus serving as a promising candidate for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussain Mustatab Wahedi
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, C/O Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, Punjab 46000, Pakistan
| | - Jae Khyung Chae
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
| | - Lalita Subedi
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Cheol Kang
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunkyung Cho
- College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghee Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Yeou Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
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Hamel-Côté G, Lapointe F, Véronneau S, Mayhue M, Rola-Pleszczynski M, Stankova J. Regulation of platelet-activating factor-mediated interleukin-6 promoter activation by the 48 kDa but not the 45 kDa isoform of protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2. Cell Biosci 2019; 9:51. [PMID: 31289638 PMCID: PMC6593612 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-019-0316-9] [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: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background An underlying state of inflammation is thought to be an important cause of cardiovascular disease. Among cells involved in the early steps of atherosclerosis, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCs) respond to inflammatory stimuli, including platelet-activating factor (PAF), by the induction of various cytokines, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6). PAF is a potent phospholipid mediator involved in both the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. It mediates its effects by binding to its cognate G-protein coupled receptor, PAFR. Activation of PAFR-induced signaling pathways is tightly coordinated to ensure specific cell responses. Results Here, we report that PAF stimulated the phosphatase activity of both the 45 and 48 kDa isoforms of the protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2 (PTPN2). However, we found that only the 48 kDa PTPN2 isoform has a role in PAFR-induced signal transduction, leading to activation of the IL-6 promoter. In luciferase reporter assays, expression of the 48 kDa, but not the 45 kDa, PTPN2 isoform increased human IL-6 (hIL-6) promoter activity by 40% after PAF stimulation of HEK-293 cells, stably transfected with PAFR (HEK-PAFR). Our results suggest that the differential localization of the PTPN2 isoforms and the differences in PAF-induced phosphatase activation may contribute to the divergent modulation of PAF-induced IL-6 promoter activation. The involvement of PTPN2 in PAF-induced IL-6 expression was confirmed in immature Mo-DCs (iMo-DCs), using siRNAs targeting the two isoforms of PTPN2, where siRNAs against the 48 kDa PTPN2 significantly inhibited PAF-stimulated IL-6 mRNA expression. Pharmacological inhibition of several signaling pathways suggested a role for PTPN2 in early signaling events. Results obtained by Western blot confirmed that PTPN2 increased the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway via the modulation of protein kinase D (PKD) activity. WT PKD expression counteracted the effect of PTPN2 on PAF-induced IL-6 promoter transactivation and phosphorylation of Akt. Using siRNAs targeting the individual isoforms of PTPN2, we confirmed that these pathways were also active in iMo-DCs. Conclusion Taken together, our data suggest that PTPN2, in an isoform-specific manner, could be involved in the positive regulation of PI3K/Akt activation, via the modulation of PKD activity, allowing for the maximal induction of PAF-stimulated IL-6 mRNA expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geneviève Hamel-Côté
- Immunology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC Canada
| | - Fanny Lapointe
- Immunology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC Canada
| | - Steeve Véronneau
- Immunology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC Canada
| | - Marian Mayhue
- Immunology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC Canada
| | - Marek Rola-Pleszczynski
- Immunology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC Canada
| | - Jana Stankova
- Immunology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC Canada
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16
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Boscher C, Gaonac'h-Lovejoy V, Delisle C, Gratton JP. Polarization and sprouting of endothelial cells by angiopoietin-1 require PAK2 and paxillin-dependent Cdc42 activation. Mol Biol Cell 2019; 30:2227-2239. [PMID: 31141452 PMCID: PMC6743454 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e18-08-0486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Binding of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) to its receptor Tie2 on endothelial cells (ECs) promotes vessel barrier integrity and angiogenesis. Here, we identify PAK2 and paxillin as critical targets of Ang-1 responsible for EC migration, polarization, and sprouting. We found that Ang-1 increases PAK2-dependent paxillin phosphorylation and remodeling of focal adhesions and that PAK2 and paxillin are required for EC polarization, migration, and angiogenic sprouting in response to Ang-1. Our findings show that Ang-1 triggers Cdc42 activation at the leading edges of migrating ECs, which is dependent on PAK2 and paxillin expression. We also established that the polarity protein Par3 interacts with Cdc42 in response to Ang-1 in a PAK2- and paxillin-dependent manner. Par3 is recruited at the leading edges of migrating cells and in focal adhesion, where it forms a signaling complex with PAK2 and paxillin in response to Ang-1. These results show that Ang-1 triggers EC polarization and angiogenic sprouting through PAK2-dependent paxillin activation and remodeling of focal adhesions, which are necessary for local activation of Cdc42 and the associated polarity complex. We have shown that PAK2 controls a signaling pathway important for angiogenic sprouting that links focal adhesions to polarity signaling in ECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Boscher
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Vanda Gaonac'h-Lovejoy
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Chantal Delisle
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Jean-Philippe Gratton
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
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Lo PC, Maeda A, Kodama T, Takakura C, Yoneyama T, Sakai R, Noguchi Y, Matsuura R, Eguchi H, Matsunami K, Okuyama H, Miyagawa S. The novel immunosuppressant prenylated quinolinecarboxylic acid-18 (PQA-18) suppresses macrophage differentiation and cytotoxicity in xenotransplantation. Immunobiology 2019; 224:575-584. [PMID: 30967296 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Innate immunity plays a major role in xenograft rejection. However, the majority of immunosuppressants focus on inhibiting acquired immunity and not innate immunity. Therefore, a novel immunosuppressant suitable for use in conjunction with xenografts continues to be needed. It has been reported that prenylated quinolinecarboxylic acid-18 (PQA-18), a p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) inhibitor, exerts an immunosuppressive function on T cells. Hence, the possibility exists that PQA-18 might be used in conjunction with xenografts, which prompted us to investigate the efficacy of PQA-18 on macrophages compared with Tofacitinib, a janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor. Initial experiments confirmed that PQA-18 is non-toxic to swine endothelial cells (SECs) and human monocytes. Both PQA-18 and Tofacitinib suppressed macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity in both the differentiation and effector phases. Both PQA-18 and tofacitinib suppressed the expression of HLA-ABC by macrophages. However, contrary to Tofacitinib, PQA-18 also significantly suppressed the expression of CD11b, HLA-DR and CD40 on macrophages. PQA-18 significantly suppressed CCR7 expression on day 3 and on day 6, but Tofacitinib-induced suppression only on day 6. In a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assay, PQA-18 was found to suppress Interleukin-2 (IL-2)-stimulated T cell proliferation to a lesser extent than Tofacitinib. However, PQA-18 suppressed xenogeneic-induced T cell proliferation more strongly than Tofacitinib on day 3 and the suppression was similar on day 7. In conclusion, PQA-18 has the potential to function as an immunosuppressant for xenotransplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Chi Lo
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
| | - Akira Maeda
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan.
| | - Tasuku Kodama
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
| | - Chihiro Takakura
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
| | - Tomohisa Yoneyama
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
| | - Rieko Sakai
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
| | - Yuki Noguchi
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
| | - Rei Matsuura
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
| | - Hiroshi Eguchi
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
| | | | - Hiroomi Okuyama
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
| | - Shuji Miyagawa
- Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Japan
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18
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Baptista MAP, Westerberg LS. Activation of compensatory pathways via Rac2 in the absence of the Cdc42 effector Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein in Dendritic cells. Small GTPases 2019; 10:81-88. [PMID: 28129089 PMCID: PMC6380290 DOI: 10.1080/21541248.2016.1275363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is extensive crosstalk between different Rho GTPases, including Cdc42, Rac1, and Rac2, and they can activate or inhibit the activity of each other. Dendritic cells express both Rac1 and Rac2. Due to posttranslational modification of lipid anchors, Rac1 localizes mainly to the plasma membrane whereas Rac2 localizes to the phagosomal membrane where it assembles the NADPH complex. Our recent study of primary immunodeficiency disease caused by mutations in the Cdc42 effector Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASp) has shed light on the compensatory mechanisms between Rho GTPases and their effector proteins. WASp-deficient dendritic cells have increased localization and activity of Rac2 to the phagosomal membrane and this allows antigen to be presented on MHC class I molecules to activate cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. This study reveals an intricate balance between Rac2 and WASp signaling pathways and provides an example of compensatory pathways in cells devoid of the Cdc42 effector WASp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa A. P. Baptista
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lisa S. Westerberg
- Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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19
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Sun G, Ding X, Bi N, Wang Z, Wu L, Zhou W, Zhao Z, Wang J, Zhang W, Fan J, Zhang W, Dong X, Lv N, Song Y, Zhan Q, Wang L. Molecular predictors of brain metastasis-related microRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007888. [PMID: 30707694 PMCID: PMC6374053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain metastasis (BM) is a major complication of lung adenocarcinoma (LAD). An investigation of the pathogenic mechanisms of BM, as well as the identification of appropriate molecular markers, is necessary. The aim of this study was to determine the expression patterns of microRNAs (miRNAs) in LAD with BM, and to investigate the biological role of these miRNAs during tumorigenesis. miRNA array profiles were used to identify BM-associated miRNAs. These miRNAs were independently validated in 155 LAD patients. Several in vivo and in vitro assays were performed to verify the effects of miRNAs on BM. We identified six miRNAs differentially expressed in patients with BM as compared to patients with BM. Of these, miR-4270 and miR-423-3p were further investigated. miR-4270 and miR-423-3p directly targeted MMP19 and P21, respectively, to influence cell viability, migration, and colony formation in vitro. miR-4270 downregulation and miR-423-3p upregulation was associated with an increased risk of BM in LAD patients. Thus, our results suggested that miR-4270 and miR-423-3p might play an important role in BM pathogenesis in LAD patients, and that these miRNAs might be useful prognostic and clinical treatment targets. Brain metastasis (BM) is a major complication of lung carcinoma. Here, we aimed to identify the key miRNAs involved in BM lung cancer. We first profiled miRNA expression in 32 tissues from NSCLC patients with BM and 55 tissues from NSCLC patients without BM. We independently validated our results in 68 additional tissues from NSCLC patients. Based on our results, we identified a panel of miRNAs that distinguish BM lung adenocarcinomas from non-BM We report here for the first time that either miR-4270 downregulation or miR-423-3p upregulation significantly increased cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration in vitro. miR-4270 and miR-423-3p increased the risk of BM in mouse models by targeting MMP19 and P21, respectively. Our results suggested that miR-4270 and miR-423-3p might be useful markers of BM in lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guogui Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, North China University of Science and Technology Affiliated People's Hospital, Hebei, China
| | - Xiao Ding
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong, China
| | - Nan Bi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiwu Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, North China University of Science and Technology Affiliated People's Hospital, Hebei, China
| | - Lihong Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zitong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jingbo Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Weimin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - WenJue Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Dong
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Lv
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yongmei Song
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (YS); (QZ); (LHW)
| | - Qimin Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (YS); (QZ); (LHW)
| | - LuHua Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (YS); (QZ); (LHW)
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20
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Huang QY, Lai XN, Qian XL, Lv LC, Li J, Duan J, Xiao XH, Xiong LX. Cdc42: A Novel Regulator of Insulin Secretion and Diabetes-Associated Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20010179. [PMID: 30621321 PMCID: PMC6337499 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cdc42, a member of the Rho GTPases family, is involved in the regulation of several cellular functions including cell cycle progression, survival, transcription, actin cytoskeleton organization and membrane trafficking. Diabetes is a chronic and metabolic disease, characterized as glycometabolism disorder induced by insulin deficiency related to β cell dysfunction and peripheral insulin resistance (IR). Diabetes could cause many complications including diabetic nephropathy (DN), diabetic retinopathy and diabetic foot. Furthermore, hyperglycemia can promote tumor progression and increase the risk of malignant cancers. In this review, we summarized the regulation of Cdc42 in insulin secretion and diabetes-associated diseases. Organized researches indicate that Cdc42 is a crucial member during the progression of diabetes, and Cdc42 not only participates in the process of insulin synthesis but also regulates the insulin granule mobilization and cell membrane exocytosis via activating a series of downstream factors. Besides, several studies have demonstrated Cdc42 as participating in the pathogenesis of IR and DN and even contributing to promote cancer cell proliferation, survival, invasion, migration, and metastasis under hyperglycemia. Through the current review, we hope to cast light on the mechanism of Cdc42 in diabetes and associated diseases and provide new ideas for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Yuan Huang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, 461 Bayi Road, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Xing-Ning Lai
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, 461 Bayi Road, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Xian-Ling Qian
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, 461 Bayi Road, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Lin-Chen Lv
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, 461 Bayi Road, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, 461 Bayi Road, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Jing Duan
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, 461 Bayi Road, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Xing-Hua Xiao
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, 461 Bayi Road, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Li-Xia Xiong
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College, Nanchang University, Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Pathogenesis and Molecular Pathology, 461 Bayi Road, Nanchang 330006, China.
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21
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Liu X, Taftaf R, Kawaguchi M, Chang YF, Chen W, Entenberg D, Zhang Y, Gerratana L, Huang S, Patel DB, Tsui E, Adorno-Cruz V, Chirieleison SM, Cao Y, Harney AS, Patel S, Patsialou A, Shen Y, Avril S, Gilmore HL, Lathia JD, Abbott DW, Cristofanilli M, Condeelis JS, Liu H. Homophilic CD44 Interactions Mediate Tumor Cell Aggregation and Polyclonal Metastasis in Patient-Derived Breast Cancer Models. Cancer Discov 2018; 9:96-113. [PMID: 30361447 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-18-0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 08/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTC) seed cancer metastases; however, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. CTC clusters were less frequently detected but more metastatic than single CTCs of patients with triple-negative breast cancer and representative patient-derived xenograft models. Using intravital multiphoton microscopic imaging, we found that clustered tumor cells in migration and circulation resulted from aggregation of individual tumor cells rather than collective migration and cohesive shedding. Aggregated tumor cells exhibited enriched expression of the breast cancer stem cell marker CD44 and promoted tumorigenesis and polyclonal metastasis. Depletion of CD44 effectively prevented tumor cell aggregation and decreased PAK2 levels. The intercellular CD44-CD44 homophilic interactions directed multicellular aggregation, requiring its N-terminal domain, and initiated CD44-PAK2 interactions for further activation of FAK signaling. Our studies highlight that CD44+ CTC clusters, whose presence is correlated with a poor prognosis of patients with breast cancer, can serve as novel therapeutic targets of polyclonal metastasis. SIGNIFICANCE: CTCs not only serve as important biomarkers for liquid biopsies, but also mediate devastating metastases. CD44 homophilic interactions and subsequent CD44-PAK2 interactions mediate tumor cluster aggregation. This will lead to innovative biomarker applications to predict prognosis, facilitate development of new targeting strategies to block polyclonal metastasis, and improve clinical outcomes.See related commentary by Rodrigues and Vanharanta, p. 22.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.
| | - Rokana Taftaf
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Madoka Kawaguchi
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ya-Fang Chang
- The Ben May Department for Cancer Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Wenjing Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - David Entenberg
- Deparment of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Integrated Imaging Program, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Youbin Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Division, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Lorenzo Gerratana
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Division, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Medicine (DAME), University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Simo Huang
- Deparment of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Dhwani B Patel
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Elizabeth Tsui
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Valery Adorno-Cruz
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Steven M Chirieleison
- Deparment of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Yue Cao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, TEES-AgriLife Center for Bioinformatics and Genomic Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Allison S Harney
- Deparment of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Integrated Imaging Program, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Shivani Patel
- Deparment of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Antonia Patsialou
- Deparment of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Integrated Imaging Program, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Yang Shen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, TEES-AgriLife Center for Bioinformatics and Genomic Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Stefanie Avril
- Deparment of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Hannah L Gilmore
- Deparment of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Justin D Lathia
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio.,The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Derek W Abbott
- Deparment of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Massimo Cristofanilli
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Division, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - John S Condeelis
- Deparment of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Integrated Imaging Program, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
| | - Huiping Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois. .,Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Division, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.,Deparment of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
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22
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Lei X, Deng L, Liu D, Liao S, Dai H, Li J, Rong J, Wang Z, Huang G, Tang C, Xu C, Xiao B, Li T. ARHGEF7 promotes metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma by regulating the motility of cancer cells. Int J Oncol 2018; 53:1980-1996. [PMID: 30132516 PMCID: PMC6192735 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2018.4535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 7 (ARHGEF7) is implicated in cytoskeleton remodelling, which is important for cell motility and invasiveness, and exhibits frequent high-level genetic amplification in metastatic lesions of colorectal adenocarcinoma. Therefore, it was hypothesized that ARHGEF7 may be involved in the metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma. In the present study, it was demonstrated that the expression level of ARHGEF7 was significantly upregulated in colorectal adenocarcinoma tumor tissues compared with matched nontumorous tissues, and its expression level correlated with colorectal adenocarcinoma metastasis. In vitro assays showed that the overexpression of ARHGEF7 in CRC cells significantly enhanced cell migration and invasion, whereas the knockdown of ARHGEF7 in colorectal adenocarcinoma cells significantly decreased cell migration and invasion. In vivo assays showed that the overexpression of ARHGEF7 in CRC cells facilitated tumor metastasis, whereas the knockdown of ARHGEF7 in CRC cells significantly inhibited tumor metastasis. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that ARHGEF7 promoted cell motility by regulating the actin cytoskeleton. Finally, according to ReMARK guidelines for reporting prognostic biomarkers in cancer, it was found that a high expression of ARHGEF7 was significantly correlated with lymph node, mesenteric and distant metastasis. Patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma with a high expression of ARHGEF7 had shorter disease-free survival (DFS) and shorter overall survival (OS) rates, compared with those with a low expression of ARHGEF7, as determined by the Kaplan-Meier method with a log-rank test. Cox regression analysis showed that a high expression of ARHGEF7 was an independent risk factor for DFS and OS rates in colorectal adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiong Lei
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Li Deng
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Pingxiang People's Hospital, Pingxiang, Jiangxi 337000, P.R. China
| | - Dongning Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Shijun Liao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Hua Dai
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Jiaxi Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Jun Rong
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Pingxiang People's Hospital, Pingxiang, Jiangxi 337000, P.R. China
| | - Zhiwen Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Guodong Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Cheng Tang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Chen Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Benping Xiao
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Pingxiang People's Hospital, Pingxiang, Jiangxi 337000, P.R. China
| | - Taiyuan Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
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23
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Gavillet M, Martinod K, Renella R, Wagner DD, Williams DA. A key role for Rac and Pak signaling in neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation defines a new potential therapeutic target. Am J Hematol 2018; 93:269-276. [PMID: 29124783 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.24970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
NET formation in mice (NETosis) is supported by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by NADPH oxidase and histone hypercitrullination by peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4). Rac1 and Rac2, expressed in polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), regulate the cytoskeleton, cell shape, adhesion, and migration and are also essential components of the NADPH oxidase complex. We aimed to explore the role of the Rac signaling pathway including the upstream guanosine exchange factor (GEF) activator, Vav, and a downstream effector, the p21-activated kinase, Pak, on NETosis in PMNs using a previously described flow-cytometry-based assay. Rac2-/- PMNs showed reduced levels of citrullinated histone H3 (H3Cit)-positive cells and defective NETosis. Rac1Δ/Δ ; Rac2-/- PMNs demonstrated a further reduction in PMA-induced H3Cit levels and a more profound impairment of NETosis than deletion of Rac2 alone, suggesting an overlapping role of these two highly related proteins. Genetic knockouts of Vav1, or Vav2, did not impair H3Cit response to phorbol myristate ester (PMA) or NETosis. Combined, Vav1 and Vav3 deletions decreased H3Cit response and caused a modest but significant impairment of NETosis. Pharmacologic inhibition of Pak by two inhibitors with distinct mechanisms of action, led to reduced H3Cit levels after PMA stimulation, as well as significant inhibition of NETosis. We validated the importance of Pak using Pak2Δ/Δ PMNs, which demonstrated significantly impaired histone H3 citrullination and NETosis. These data confirm and more comprehensively define the key role of the Rac signaling pathway in PMN NETosis. The Rac signaling cascade may represent a valuable target for inhibition of NETosis and related pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Gavillet
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics; Harvard Medical School; Boston Massachusetts
- Department of Hematology; Lausanne University Hospital; Switzerland
| | - Kimberly Martinod
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine; Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Massachusetts
- Department of Pediatrics; Harvard Medical School; Boston Massachusetts
| | - Raffaele Renella
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics; Harvard Medical School; Boston Massachusetts
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit, Division of Pediatrics; Lausanne University Hospital; Switzerland
| | - Denisa D. Wagner
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics; Harvard Medical School; Boston Massachusetts
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine; Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Massachusetts
| | - David A. Williams
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Pediatrics; Harvard Medical School; Boston Massachusetts
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute; Cambridge Massachusetts
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24
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De Vita S, Li Y, Harris CE, McGuinness MK, Ma C, Williams DA. The gp130 Cytokine Interleukin-11 Regulates Engraftment of Vav1 -/- Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Lethally Irradiated Recipients. Stem Cells 2018; 36:446-457. [PMID: 29235178 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
During bone marrow transplantation, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) respond to signals from the hematopoietic microenvironment by coordinately activating molecular pathways through Rho GTPases, including Rac. We have previously shown that deletion of Vav1, a hematopoietic-specific activator of Rac, compromises engraftment of transplanted adult HSPCs without affecting steady-state hematopoiesis in adult animals. Here, we show that Vav1-/- fetal HSPCs can appropriately seed hematopoietic tissues during ontogeny but cannot engraft into lethally irradiated recipients. We demonstrate that the engraftment defect of Vav1-/- HSPCs is abrogated in the absence of irradiation and demonstrate that Vav1 is critical for the response of HSPCs to the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-11 (IL-11) that is upregulated in the marrow of irradiated recipients. Vav1-/- HSPCs display abnormal proliferative responses to IL-11 in vitro and dysregulated activation of pathways critical to engraftment of HSPCs. The engraftment of Vav1-/- HSPCs can be partially rescued in irradiated recipients treated with an anti-IL-11 antibody. These data suggest that HSPCs may respond to different functional demands by selective usage of the IL-11-Vav-Rac pathway, contextualizing further the recent view that HSPCs capable of reconstituting the blood system following transplantation might be distinct from those supporting hematopoiesis during homeostatic conditions. Stem Cells 2018; 36:446-457.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena De Vita
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yanhua Li
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Lab, Beijing Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chad E Harris
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Meaghan K McGuinness
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Clement Ma
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David A Williams
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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25
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Schreck C, Istvánffy R, Ziegenhain C, Sippenauer T, Ruf F, Henkel L, Gärtner F, Vieth B, Florian MC, Mende N, Taubenberger A, Prendergast Á, Wagner A, Pagel C, Grziwok S, Götze KS, Guck J, Dean DC, Massberg S, Essers M, Waskow C, Geiger H, Schiemann M, Peschel C, Enard W, Oostendorp RAJ. Niche WNT5A regulates the actin cytoskeleton during regeneration of hematopoietic stem cells. J Exp Med 2016; 214:165-181. [PMID: 27998927 PMCID: PMC5206491 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20151414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Schreck et al. show that environmental Wnt5a regulates the transcriptome of HSCs during regeneration, particularly the expression of actin-regulatory mediators. In this manner, the niche affects engraftment through regulation of adhesion, migration, and homing of both normal and malignant cells. Here, we show that the Wnt5a-haploinsufficient niche regenerates dysfunctional HSCs, which do not successfully engraft in secondary recipients. RNA sequencing of the regenerated donor Lin− SCA-1+ KIT+ (LSK) cells shows dysregulated expression of ZEB1-associated genes involved in the small GTPase-dependent actin polymerization pathway. Misexpression of DOCK2, WAVE2, and activation of CDC42 results in apolar F-actin localization, leading to defects in adhesion, migration and homing of HSCs regenerated in a Wnt5a-haploinsufficient microenvironment. Moreover, these cells show increased differentiation in vitro, with rapid loss of HSC-enriched LSK cells. Our study further shows that the Wnt5a-haploinsufficient environment similarly affects BCR-ABLp185 leukemia-initiating cells, which fail to generate leukemia in 42% of the studied recipients, or to transfer leukemia to secondary hosts. Thus, we show that WNT5A in the bone marrow niche is required to regenerate HSCs and leukemic cells with functional ability to rearrange the actin cytoskeleton and engraft successfully.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Schreck
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Rouzanna Istvánffy
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Christoph Ziegenhain
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Theresa Sippenauer
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Franziska Ruf
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Lynette Henkel
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology, and Hygiene, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Gärtner
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Beate Vieth
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | | | - Nicole Mende
- Regeneration in Hematopoiesis and Animal Models in Hematopoiesis, Institute for Immunology, TU Dresden, 01309 Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Áine Prendergast
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alina Wagner
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Charlotta Pagel
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Sandra Grziwok
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Katharina S Götze
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, DKFZ, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jochen Guck
- Biotechnology Center TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Douglas C Dean
- Molecular Targets Program, James Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, Louisville, KY 40202
| | - Steffen Massberg
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Marieke Essers
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Waskow
- Regeneration in Hematopoiesis and Animal Models in Hematopoiesis, Institute for Immunology, TU Dresden, 01309 Dresden, Germany
| | - Hartmut Geiger
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Mathias Schiemann
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology, and Hygiene, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Peschel
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium, DKFZ, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Enard
- Anthropology and Human Genomics, Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Robert A J Oostendorp
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
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