1
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Li XF, Zhang HB, Huo Y. High HOXA9 gene expression predicts response to chemotherapy and prognosis of high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients. J Int Med Res 2022; 50:3000605221135864. [DOI: 10.1177/03000605221135864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a deadly malignancy. Homeobox protein A9 ( HOXA9) is linked with serous papillary histotype differentiation, and inappropriate HOXA9 expression is a step in ovarian cancer that induces aberrant differentiation. This study aimed to reveal the significance of HOXA9 in HGSOC. Methods HOXA9 mRNA and protein expression were examined by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The chi-square test was used to evaluate associations between HOXA9 expression and clinical characteristics. The prognostic value of HOXA9 was calculated by the Kaplan–Meier method. The Kaplan–Meier Plotter database was used to assess the prognostic value of HOXA9. Results The mRNA and protein expression of HOXA9 were significantly upregulated in chemotherapy-resistant HGSOC compared with chemotherapy-sensitive HGSOC. The chi-square test showed that high HOXA9 expression was significantly related with grade, clinical stage, and residual disease. High HOXA9 expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis. The Kaplan–Meier Plotter database further confirmed these results. Cox hazard regression showed that high HOXA9 expression was an independent prognostic factor for survival in HGSOC patients. Conclusion This study showed that HOXA9 expression was associated with chemotherapy resistance and poor outcomes in HGSOC patients. High HOXA9 expression might be a prognostic indicator for HGSOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-fei Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hebei Medical University, Fourth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Hai-Bo Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hebei Medical University, Fourth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yan Huo
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Hebei Medical University, Fourth Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
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2
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Arunachalam E, Rogers W, Simpson GR, Möller-Levet C, Bolton G, Ismael M, Smith C, Keegen K, Bagwan I, Brend T, Short SC, Hong B, Otani Y, Kaur B, Annels N, Morgan R, Pandha H. HOX and PBX gene dysregulation as a therapeutic target in glioblastoma multiforme. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:400. [PMID: 35418059 PMCID: PMC9006463 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09466-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common high-grade malignant brain tumour in adults and arises from the glial cells in the brain. The prognosis of treated GBM remains very poor with 5-year survival rates of 5%, a figure which has not improved over the last few decades. Currently, there is a modest 14-month overall median survival in patients undergoing maximum safe resection plus adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. HOX gene dysregulation is now a widely recognised feature of many malignancies. METHODS In this study we have focused on HOX gene dysregulation in GBM as a potential therapeutic target in a disease with high unmet need. RESULTS We show significant dysregulation of these developmentally crucial genes and specifically that HOX genes A9, A10, C4 and D9 are strong candidates for biomarkers and treatment targets for GBM and GBM cancer stem cells. We evaluated a next generation therapeutic peptide, HTL-001, capable of targeting HOX gene over-expression in GBM by disrupting the interaction between HOX proteins and their co-factor, PBX. HTL-001 induced both caspase-dependent and -independent apoptosis in GBM cell lines. CONCLUSION In vivo biodistribution studies confirmed that the peptide was able to cross the blood brain barrier. Systemic delivery of HTL-001 resulted in improved control of subcutaneous murine and human xenograft tumours and improved survival in a murine orthotopic model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einthavy Arunachalam
- Targeted Cancer Therapy, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
| | - William Rogers
- Targeted Cancer Therapy, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
| | - Guy R Simpson
- Targeted Cancer Therapy, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
| | - Carla Möller-Levet
- Targeted Cancer Therapy, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
| | - Gemma Bolton
- Targeted Cancer Therapy, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
- Surrey Technology Centre, HOX Therapeutics Ltd, Unit 2440 Occam Rd, Guildford, GU2 7YG, UK
| | - Mohammed Ismael
- Targeted Cancer Therapy, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
- Surrey Technology Centre, HOX Therapeutics Ltd, Unit 2440 Occam Rd, Guildford, GU2 7YG, UK
| | - Christopher Smith
- Targeted Cancer Therapy, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
| | - Karl Keegen
- Surrey Technology Centre, HOX Therapeutics Ltd, Unit 2440 Occam Rd, Guildford, GU2 7YG, UK
| | - Izhar Bagwan
- Department of Pathology, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford, GU2 7XX, Surrey, UK
| | - Tim Brend
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK
| | - Susan C Short
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK
| | - Bangxing Hong
- Department of Neurosurgery, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yoshihiro Otani
- Department of Neurosurgery, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Balveen Kaur
- Department of Neurosurgery, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Nicola Annels
- Targeted Cancer Therapy, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
| | - Richard Morgan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of West London, St Mary's Road, Ealing, London, W5 5RF, UK
| | - Hardev Pandha
- Targeted Cancer Therapy, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK.
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3
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Kulasekera K, Siriwardhana C. Multi-Response Based Personalized Treatment Selection with Data from Crossover Designs for Multiple Treatments. COMMUN STAT-SIMUL C 2022; 51:554-569. [PMID: 35299995 PMCID: PMC8923529 DOI: 10.1080/03610918.2019.1656739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In this work we propose a novel method for treatment selection based on individual covariate information when the treatment response is multivariate and data are available from a crossover design. Our method covers any number of treatments and it can be applied for a broad set of models. The proposed method uses a rank aggregation technique to estimate an ordering of treatments based on ranked lists of treatment performance measures such as smooth conditional means and conditional probability of a response for one treatment dominating others. An empirical study demonstrates the performance of the proposed method in finite samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.B. Kulasekera
- Department of Bioinformatics & Biostatistics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Chathura Siriwardhana
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
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4
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Kim CY, Kim YC, Oh JH, Kim MH. HOXA5 confers tamoxifen resistance via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in ER-positive breast cancer. J Cancer 2021; 12:4626-4637. [PMID: 34149926 PMCID: PMC8210559 DOI: 10.7150/jca.59740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tamoxifen is a commonly used drug to treat estrogen receptor-positive patients with breast cancer. Despite the outstanding efficacy of tamoxifen, approximately one-third of patients develop resistance toward it, thereby presenting a therapeutic challenge. HOX genes may be involved in the acquisition of tamoxifen resistance. In this study, we identified HOXA5, a member of the HOX gene family, as a marker of tamoxifen resistance. Using ChIP assay, we found that HOXA5 expression was significantly overexpressed in tamoxifen-resistant MCF7 (TAMR) breast cancer cells because of reduced H3K27me3 binding. HOXA5 upregulation resulted in activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling cascade, which in turn, led to p53 and p21 reduction, ultimately making the TAMR cells less apoptotic. Furthermore, elevated HOXA5 expression resulted in breast cancer cells acquiring more mesenchymal-like and stem cell traits associated with aggressive breast cancer phenotypes. In conclusion, our results delineate a mechanism by which HOXA5 promotes tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Yuri Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Yu Cheon Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Department of Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical Science, Bain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Ji Hoon Oh
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Myoung Hee Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
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5
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Yaiche H, Tounsi-Kettiti H, Ben Jemii N, Jaballah Gabteni A, Mezghanni N, Ardhaoui M, Fehri E, Maaloul A, Abdelhak S, Boubaker S. New insights in the clinical implication of HOXA5 as prognostic biomarker in patients with colorectal cancer. Cancer Biomark 2021; 30:213-221. [PMID: 33136093 DOI: 10.3233/cbm-201758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Homeobox A5 (HOXA5) is a member of the HOX protein family which is involved in several carcinogenesis pathways, and is dysregulated in many cancer types. However, its expression and function in human colorectal cancer (CRC) is still largely unknown. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate HOXA5 expression in Tunisian patients with CRC in order to define new potential biomarker. METHODS An immunohistochemical labeling using an HOXA5 antibody was performed on 85 formalin fixed paraffin embedded specimens from patients with CRC. Six normal colon mucosa cases were used as controls. RESULTS HOXA5 expression showed a cytoplasmic staining in both tumor and stromal/endothelial cells. Loss or low HOXA5 expression was seen in tumor cells in 74/85 cases (87.06%) and in stromal/endothelial cells, in 77/85 (90.59%). In control group of normal colon mucosa HOXA5 was moderately expressed in all the cases. The abnormal expression, was significantly associated to lymph nodes metastasis in tumor cells (p= 0.043) and in stromal/endothelial cells (p= 0.024). CONCLUSION HOXA5 immunostaining results suggest the valuable role of this protein in colorectal carcinogenesis. Moreover, the association of lymph node metastasis to HOXA5 abnormal expression underlies its crucial role in colorectal cancer dissemination and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza Yaiche
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.,Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics and Oncogenetics, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Haifa Tounsi-Kettiti
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.,Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics and Oncogenetics, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Nadia Ben Jemii
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.,Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics and Oncogenetics, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Amira Jaballah Gabteni
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.,Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics and Oncogenetics, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Najla Mezghanni
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.,Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics and Oncogenetics, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Monia Ardhaoui
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Emna Fehri
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Afifa Maaloul
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Sonia Abdelhak
- Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics and Oncogenetics, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Samir Boubaker
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.,Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics and Oncogenetics, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
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6
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Manasa P, Sidhanth C, Krishnapriya S, Vasudevan S, Ganesan TS. Oncogenes in high grade serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary. Genes Cancer 2020; 11:122-136. [PMID: 33488950 PMCID: PMC7805537 DOI: 10.18632/genesandcancer.206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
High grade serous ovarian cancer is characterized by relatively few mutations occurring at low frequency, except in TP53. However other genetic aberrations such as copy number variation alter numerous oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Oncogenes are positive regulators of tumorigenesis and play a critical role in cancer cell growth, proliferation, and survival. Accumulating evidence suggests that they are crucial for the development and the progression of high grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). Though many oncogenes have been identified, no successful inhibitors targeting these molecules and their associated pathways are available. This review discusses oncogenes that have been identified recently in HGSOC using different screening strategies. All the genes discussed in this review have been functionally characterized both in vitro and in vivo and some of them are able to transform immortalized ovarian surface epithelial and fallopian tube cells upon overexpression. However, it is necessary to delineate the molecular pathways affected by these oncogenes for the development of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pacharla Manasa
- Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Department of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, India
| | - Chirukandath Sidhanth
- Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Department of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, India
| | - Syama Krishnapriya
- Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Department of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, India
| | - Sekar Vasudevan
- Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Department of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, India
| | - Trivadi S Ganesan
- Laboratory for Cancer Biology, Department of Medical Oncology and Clinical Research Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, India
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7
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Siriwardhana C, Kulasekera KB. Personalized treatment plans with multivariate outcomes. Biom J 2020; 62:1973-1985. [PMID: 32627863 DOI: 10.1002/bimj.201800072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In this work, we propose a novel method for individualized treatment selection when the treatment response is multivariate. Our method covers any number of treatments and it can be applied for a broad set of models. The proposed method uses a Mahalanobis-type distance measure to establish an ordering of treatments based on treatment performance measures. Our investigation in this work deals with means of responses conditional on lower dimensional composite scores based on covariates where these scores are built using single index models to approximate mean responses against patient covariates. Smoothed estimates of such conditional means are combined to construct an estimate of the aforementioned distance measure, which is then used to estimate the optimal treatment. An empirical study demonstrates the performance of the proposed method in finite samples. We also present a data analysis using an HIV clinical trial data to show the applicability of the proposed procedure for real data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chathura Siriwardhana
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
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8
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Guo M, Yu JJ, Perl AK, Wikenheiser-Brokamp KA, Riccetti M, Zhang EY, Sudha P, Adam M, Potter A, Kopras EJ, Giannikou K, Potter SS, Sherman S, Hammes SR, Kwiatkowski DJ, Whitsett JA, McCormack FX, Xu Y. Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies a Unique Pulmonary Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Cell. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2020; 202:1373-1387. [PMID: 32603599 PMCID: PMC7667901 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201912-2445oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a metastatic neoplasm of reproductive-age women associated with mutations in tuberous sclerosis complex genes. LAM causes cystic remodeling of the lung and progressive respiratory failure. The sources and cellular characteristics of LAM cells underlying disease pathogenesis remain elusive.Objectives: Identification and characterization of LAM cells in human lung and uterus using a single-cell approach.Methods: Single-cell and single-nuclei RNA sequencing on LAM (n = 4) and control (n = 7) lungs, immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, ELISA, and aptamer proteomics were used to identify and validate LAMCORE cells and secreted biomarkers, predict cellular origins, and define molecular and cellular networks in LAM.Measurements and Main Results: A unique cell type termed LAMCORE was identified, which was distinct from, but closely related to, lung mesenchymal cells. LAMCORE cells expressing signature genes included known LAM markers such as PMEL, FIGF, CTSK, and MLANA and novel biomarkers validated by aptamer screening, ELISA, and immunofluorescence microscopy. LAM cells in lung and uterus are morphologically indistinguishable and share similar gene expression profiles and biallelic TSC2 mutations, supporting a potential uterine origin for the LAMCORE cell. Effects of LAM on resident pulmonary cell types indicated recruitment and activation of lymphatic endothelial cells.Conclusions: A unique population of LAMCORE cells was identified in lung and uterus of patients with LAM, sharing close transcriptomic identity. LAM cell selective markers, secreted biomarkers, and the predicted cellular molecular features provide new insights into the signaling and transcriptional programs that may serve as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets to influence the pathogenesis of LAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minzhe Guo
- The Perinatal Institute and Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology
| | - Jane J. Yu
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
| | - Anne Karina Perl
- The Perinatal Institute and Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology
- Department of Pediatrics
| | - Kathryn A. Wikenheiser-Brokamp
- The Perinatal Institute and Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology
- Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and
| | - Matt Riccetti
- The Perinatal Institute and Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Erik Y. Zhang
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
| | - Parvathi Sudha
- The Perinatal Institute and Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology
| | - Mike Adam
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Andrew Potter
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | | | - Krinio Giannikou
- Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - S. Steven Potter
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Department of Pediatrics
| | | | - Stephen R. Hammes
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
| | - David J. Kwiatkowski
- Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jeffrey A. Whitsett
- The Perinatal Institute and Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology
- Department of Pediatrics
| | | | - Yan Xu
- The Perinatal Institute and Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology
- Department of Pediatrics
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
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9
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VanOpstall C, Perike S, Brechka H, Gillard M, Lamperis S, Zhu B, Brown R, Bhanvadia R, Vander Griend DJ. MEIS-mediated suppression of human prostate cancer growth and metastasis through HOXB13-dependent regulation of proteoglycans. eLife 2020; 9:e53600. [PMID: 32553107 PMCID: PMC7371429 DOI: 10.7554/elife.53600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular roles of HOX transcriptional activity in human prostate epithelial cells remain unclear, impeding the implementation of new treatment strategies for cancer prevention and therapy. MEIS proteins are transcription factors that bind and direct HOX protein activity. MEIS proteins are putative tumor suppressors that are frequently silenced in aggressive forms of prostate cancer. Here we show that MEIS1 expression is sufficient to decrease proliferation and metastasis of prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo murine xenograft models. HOXB13 deletion demonstrates that the tumor-suppressive activity of MEIS1 is dependent on HOXB13. Integration of ChIP-seq and RNA-seq data revealed direct and HOXB13-dependent regulation of proteoglycans including decorin (DCN) as a mechanism of MEIS1-driven tumor suppression. These results define and underscore the importance of MEIS1-HOXB13 transcriptional regulation in suppressing prostate cancer progression and provide a mechanistic framework for the investigation of HOXB13 mutants and oncogenic cofactors when MEIS1/2 are silenced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calvin VanOpstall
- The Committee on Cancer Biology, The University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Srikanth Perike
- Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Hannah Brechka
- The Committee on Cancer Biology, The University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Marc Gillard
- Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, The University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Sophia Lamperis
- Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Baizhen Zhu
- Department of Surgery, Section of Urology, The University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Ryan Brown
- Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Raj Bhanvadia
- Department of Urology, UT SouthwesternDallasUnited States
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10
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Brotto DB, Siena ÁDD, de Barros II, Carvalho SDCES, Muys BR, Goedert L, Cardoso C, Plaça JR, Ramão A, Squire JA, Araujo LF, Silva WAD. Contributions of HOX genes to cancer hallmarks: Enrichment pathway analysis and review. Tumour Biol 2020; 42:1010428320918050. [PMID: 32456563 DOI: 10.1177/1010428320918050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeobox genes function as master regulatory transcription factors during development, and their expression is often altered in cancer. The HOX gene family was initially studied intensively to understand how the expression of each gene was involved in forming axial patterns and shaping the body plan during embryogenesis. More recent investigations have discovered that HOX genes can also play an important role in cancer. The literature has shown that the expression of HOX genes may be increased or decreased in different tumors and that these alterations may differ depending on the specific HOX gene involved and the type of cancer being investigated. New studies are also emerging, showing the critical role of some members of the HOX gene family in tumor progression and variation in clinical response. However, there has been limited systematic evaluation of the various contributions of each member of the HOX gene family in the pathways that drive the common phenotypic changes (or "hallmarks") and that underlie the transformation of normal cells to cancer cells. In this review, we investigate the context of the engagement of HOX gene targets and their downstream pathways in the acquisition of competence of tumor cells to undergo malignant transformation and tumor progression. We also summarize published findings on the involvement of HOX genes in carcinogenesis and use bioinformatics methods to examine how their downstream targets and pathways are involved in each hallmark of the cancer phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Barbosa Brotto
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Ádamo Davi Diógenes Siena
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Isabela Ichihara de Barros
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Simone da Costa E Silva Carvalho
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Bruna Rodrigues Muys
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Lucas Goedert
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Cibele Cardoso
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Jessica Rodrigues Plaça
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Anelisa Ramão
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Jeremy Andrew Squire
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Luiza Ferreira Araujo
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Wilson Araújo da Silva
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCT/CNPq) and Center for Cell-Based Therapy, CEPID/FAPESP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,Center for Integrative System Biology (CISBi), NAP/USP, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.,Center for Medical Genomics, Clinics Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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11
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Wei C, Zhao L, Liang H, Zhen Y, Han L. Recent advances in unraveling the molecular mechanisms and functions of HOXA11‑AS in human cancers and other diseases (Review). Oncol Rep 2020; 43:1737-1754. [PMID: 32236611 PMCID: PMC7160552 DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A large number of previously published research articles have demonstrated that the expression levels of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are generally dysregulated, either through overexpression or underexpression, in cancer and other types of disease. As a recently discovered lncRNA, HOXA11 antisense RNA (HOXA11‑AS) is able to serve as an oncogenic or tumor‑suppressor gene and serves a vital role in the processes of proliferation, invasion, and migration of cancer cells. HOXA11‑AS appears to be a major factor contributing to epigenetic modification, and exerts transcriptional, post‑transcriptional, translational and post‑translational regulatory effects on genes through a variety of mechanisms; for example, by competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) and a molecular scaffold mechanism. A number of reports have demonstrated that HOXA11‑AS functions as a protein scaffold for polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), lysine‑specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) to perform epigenetic modifications on chromosomes in the nucleus. Furthermore, HOXA11‑AS is also located in the cytoplasm and can act as a ceRNA, which sponges miRNAs. In addition, HOXA11‑AS may be useful as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. In the present review article, the clinical value, phenotype and mechanism of HOXA11‑AS in a variety of tumors types are briefly summarized, as well as its clinical value in certain additional diseases. The perspective of the authors is that HOXA11‑AS may represent an effective tumor marker and therapeutic target for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wei
- Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Heping, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
| | - Liangjuan Zhao
- Tianjin Customs District China, Heping, Tianjin 300041, P.R. China
| | - Hao Liang
- Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Heping, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
| | - Yingwei Zhen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 453002, P.R. China
| | - Lei Han
- Tianjin Neurological Institute, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education and Tianjin City, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Heping, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China
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12
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Vellingiri B, Iyer M, Devi Subramaniam M, Jayaramayya K, Siama Z, Giridharan B, Narayanasamy A, Abdal Dayem A, Cho SG. Understanding the Role of the Transcription Factor Sp1 in Ovarian Cancer: from Theory to Practice. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E1153. [PMID: 32050495 PMCID: PMC7038193 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21031153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the deadliest cancers among women contributing to high risk of mortality, mainly owing to delayed detection. There is no specific biomarker for its detection in early stages. However, recent findings show that over-expression of specificity protein 1 (Sp1) is involved in many OC cases. The ubiquitous transcription of Sp1 apparently mediates the maintenance of normal and cancerous biological processes such as cell growth, differentiation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, cellular reprogramming and tumorigenesis. Sp1 exerts its effects on cellular genes containing putative GC-rich Sp1-binding site in their promoters. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying Sp1 transcription factor (TF) regulation and functions in OC tumorigenesis could help identify novel prognostic markers, to target cancer stem cells (CSCs) by following cellular reprogramming and enable the development of novel therapies for future generations. In this review, we address the structure, function, and biology of Sp1 in normal and cancer cells, underpinning the involvement of Sp1 in OC tumorigenesis. In addition, we have highlighted the influence of Sp1 TF in cellular reprogramming of iPSCs and how it plays a role in controlling CSCs. This review highlights the drugs targeting Sp1 and their action on cancer cells. In conclusion, we predict that research in this direction will be highly beneficial for OC treatment, and chemotherapeutic drugs targeting Sp1 will emerge as a promising therapy for OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balachandar Vellingiri
- Human Molecular Cytogenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, India
| | - Mahalaxmi Iyer
- Department of Zoology, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore 641043, India; (M.I.); (K.J.)
| | - Mohana Devi Subramaniam
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai 600006, India;
| | - Kaavya Jayaramayya
- Department of Zoology, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore 641043, India; (M.I.); (K.J.)
| | - Zothan Siama
- Department of Zoology, School of Life-science, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India;
| | - Bupesh Giridharan
- R&D Wing, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH), BIHER, Chromepet, Chennai 600044, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Arul Narayanasamy
- Disease Proteomics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Ahmed Abdal Dayem
- Molecular & Cellular Reprogramming Center, Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea;
| | - Ssang-Goo Cho
- Molecular & Cellular Reprogramming Center, Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea;
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13
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Siriwardhana C, Datta S, Kulasekera KB. Selection of the optimal personalized treatment from multiple treatments with multivariate outcome measures. J Biopharm Stat 2019; 30:462-480. [PMID: 31691633 DOI: 10.1080/10543406.2019.1684304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
In this work, we propose a novel method for individualized treatment selection when the treatment response is multivariate. For the K treatment (K ≥2) scenario we compare quantities that are suitable indexes based on outcome variables for each treatment conditional on patient-specific scores constructed from collected covariate measurements. Our method covers any number of treatments and outcome variables, and it can be applied for a broad set of models. The proposed method uses a rank aggregation technique to estimate an ordering of treatments based on ranked lists of treatment performance measures such as smooth conditional means and conditional probability of a response for one treatment dominating others. The method has the flexibility to incorporate patient and clinician preferences to the optimal treatment decision on an individual case basis. A simulation study demonstrates the performance of the proposed method in finite samples. We also present data analyses using HIV and Diabetes clinical trials data to show the applicability of the proposed procedure for real data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chathura Siriwardhana
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Somnath Datta
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - K B Kulasekera
- Department of Bioinformatics & Biostatistics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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14
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Paço A, Freitas R. HOX genes as transcriptional and epigenetic regulators during tumorigenesis and their value as therapeutic targets. Epigenomics 2019; 11:1539-1552. [PMID: 31556724 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2019-0090] [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] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Several HOX genes are aberrantly expressed in a wide range of cancers interfering with their development and resistance to treatment. This seems to be often caused by alterations in the methylation profiles of their promoters. The role of HOX gene products in cancer is highly 'tissue specific', relying ultimately on their ability to regulate oncogenes or tumor-suppressor genes, directly as transcriptional regulators or indirectly interfering with the levels of epigenetic regulators. Nowadays, different strategies have been tested the use of HOX genes as therapeutic targets for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Here, we trace the history of the research concerning the involvement of HOX genes in cancer, their connection with epigenetic regulation and their potential use as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paço
- Laboratório de Microbiologia do Solo, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas (ICAAM), Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA), Universidade de Évora, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
| | - Renata Freitas
- I3S - Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,IBMC - Institute for Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.,ICBAS - Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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15
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HOX Genes in High Grade Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11081107. [PMID: 31382546 PMCID: PMC6721551 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11081107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
HOX genes are highly conserved members of the homeobox superfamily that have a crucial role in determining cellular identity. High grade ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological malignancy. Our understanding of the role of HOX genes in the oncogenesis of ovarian cancer is evolving, and here we review their dysregulated expression patterns, their function in cell survival and invasion, their potential uses as biomarkers, and ways in which HOX genes are being targeted with new and existing drugs.
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16
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Primon M, Hunter KD, Pandha HS, Morgan R. Kinase Regulation of HOX Transcription Factors. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11040508. [PMID: 30974835 PMCID: PMC6521248 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11040508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The HOX genes are a group of homeodomain-containing transcription factors that play important regulatory roles in early development, including the establishment of cell and tissue identity. HOX expression is generally reduced in adult cells but is frequently re-established as an early event in tumour formation and supports an oncogenic phenotype. HOX transcription factors are also involved in cell cycle regulation and DNA repair, along with normal adult physiological process including stem cell renewal. There have been extensive studies on the mechanism by which HOX proteins regulate transcription, with particular emphasis on their interaction with cofactors such as Pre-B-cell Leukaemia Homeobox (PBX) and Myeloid Ecotropic Viral Integration Site 1 (MEIS). However, significantly less is known of how the activity of HOX proteins is regulated. There is growing evidence that phosphorylation may play an important role in this context, and in this review, we draw together a number of important studies published over the last 20 years, and discuss the relevance of phosphorylation in the regulation and function of HOX proteins in development, evolution, cell cycle regulation, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Primon
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK.
| | - Keith D Hunter
- Unit of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
| | - Hardev S Pandha
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK.
| | - Richard Morgan
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK.
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17
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McGrath SE, Annels N, Madhuri TK, Tailor A, Butler-Manuel SA, Morgan R, Pandha H, Michael A. Engrailed-2 (EN2) - a novel biomarker in epithelial ovarian cancer. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:943. [PMID: 30285763 PMCID: PMC6171236 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4816-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Epithelial ovarian cancer is a common malignancy, with no clinically approved diagnostic biomarker. Engrailed-2 (EN2) is a homeodomain-containing transcription factor, essential during embryological neural development, which is dysregulated in several cancer types. We evaluated the expression of EN2 in Epithelial ovarian cancer, and reviewed its role as a biomarker. Methods We evaluated 8 Epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines, along with > 100 surgical specimens from the Royal Surrey County Hospital (2009–2014). In total, 108 tumours and 5 normal tissue specimens were collected. En2 mRNA was evaluated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Histological sub-type, and platinum-sensitive/−resistant status were compared. Protein expression was assessed in cell lines (immunofluorescence), and in > 150 tumours (immunohistochemistry). Results En2 mRNA expression was elevated in serous ovarian tumours compared with normal ovary (p < 0.001), particularly in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (p < 0.0001) and in platinum-resistant tumours (p = 0.0232). Median Overall Survival and Progression-free Survival were reduced with high En2 expression (OS = 28 vs 42 months, p = 0.0329; PFS = 8 vs 27 months; p = 0.0004). Positive cytoplasmic EN2 staining was demonstrated in 78% of Epithelial ovarian cancers, with absence in normal ovary. EN2 positive high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients had a shorter PFS (10 vs 17.5 months; p = 0.0103). Conclusion The EN2 transcription factor is a novel ovarian cancer biomarker. It demonstrates prognostic value, correlating with worse Overall Survival and Progression-free Survival. It is hoped that further work will validate its use as a biomarker, and provide insight into the role of EN2 in the development, progression and spread of ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Elena McGrath
- Oncology, School of Biosciences and Medicine, FHMS, University of Surrey, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK.,Present Address: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Rd, Sutton, London, SM2 5PT, UK
| | - Nicola Annels
- Oncology, School of Biosciences and Medicine, FHMS, University of Surrey, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
| | | | - Anil Tailor
- Royal Surrey County Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford, GU2 7XX, UK
| | | | - Richard Morgan
- Oncology, School of Biosciences and Medicine, FHMS, University of Surrey, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK.,Present Address: The Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Hardev Pandha
- Oncology, School of Biosciences and Medicine, FHMS, University of Surrey, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK
| | - Agnieszka Michael
- Oncology, School of Biosciences and Medicine, FHMS, University of Surrey, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, GU2 7WG, UK.
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18
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Xue JY, Huang C, Wang W, Li HB, Sun M, Xie M. HOXA11-AS: a novel regulator in human cancer proliferation and metastasis. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:4387-4393. [PMID: 30100744 PMCID: PMC6067783 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s166961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs extensively participate in human cancer proliferation and metastasis. Epigenetic modification, transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms are involved in lncRNA-led tumorigenesis and transfer. Recently, a novel identified homeobox (HOX) A11 antisense lncRNA, HOXA11-AS, 1,628 bp in length, has been excessively highlighted to be an essential initiator and facilitator in the process of malignant tumor proliferation and metastasis. As found in many reports, HOXA11-AS can not only act as a molecular scaffold of PRC2, LSD1 and DNMT1 to epigenetically modify chromosomes in the nucleus but also occur as ceRNA competitively sponging miRNAs in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, HOXA11-AS may function as a potential biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this review, we summarize the evolvement and mechanisms of HOXA11-AS in proliferation and metastasis of various human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Yang Xue
- Center for Reproduction and Genetics, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chao Huang
- Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China,
| | - Wei Wang
- Center for Reproduction and Genetics, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hai-Bo Li
- Center for Reproduction and Genetics, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ming Sun
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA,
| | - Min Xie
- Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China,
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19
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Platais C, Radhakrishnan R, Ebensberger SN, Morgan R, Lambert DW, Hunter KD. Targeting HOX-PBX interactions causes death in oral potentially malignant and squamous carcinoma cells but not normal oral keratinocytes. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:723. [PMID: 29980182 PMCID: PMC6035449 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4622-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High HOX gene expression has been described in many cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinoma and the functional roles of these genes are gradually being understood. The pattern of overexpression suggests that inhibition may be useful therapeutically. Inhibition of HOX protein binding to PBX cofactors by the use of synthetic peptides, such as HXR9, results in apoptosis in multiple cancers. METHODS Activity of the HOX-PBX inhibiting peptide HXR9 was tested in immortalised normal oral (NOK), potentially-malignant (PMOL) and squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells, compared to the inactive peptide CXR9. Cytotoxicity was assessed by LDH assay. Expression of PBX1/2 and c-Fos was assessed by qPCR and western blotting. Apoptosis was assessed by Annexin-V assay. RESULTS PMOL and OSCC cells expressed PBX1/2. HOX-PBX inhibition by HXR9 caused death of PMOL and OSCC cells, but not NOKs. HXR9 treatment resulted in apoptosis and increased expression of c-Fos in some cells, whereas CXR9 did not. A correlation was observed between HOX expression and resistance to HXR9. CONCLUSION Inhibition of HOX-PBX interactions causes selective apoptosis of OSCC/PMOL, indicating selective toxicity that may be useful clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Platais
- Integrated Biosciences, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Raghu Radhakrishnan
- Integrated Biosciences, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sven Niklander Ebensberger
- Integrated Biosciences, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Facultad de Odontologia, Universidad Andres Bello, av. Valparaiso, 1560 Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Richard Morgan
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - Daniel W. Lambert
- Integrated Biosciences, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Keith D. Hunter
- Integrated Biosciences, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Oral Biology and Pathology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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20
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HOXB4 knockdown enhances the cytotoxic effect of paclitaxel and cisplatin by downregulating ABC transporters in ovarian cancer cells. Gene 2018; 663:9-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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21
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Morgan R, El-Tanani M, Hunter KD, Harrington KJ, Pandha HS. Targeting HOX/PBX dimers in cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 8:32322-32331. [PMID: 28423659 PMCID: PMC5458287 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.15971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The HOX and PBX gene families encode transcription factors that have key roles in establishing the identity of cells and tissues in early development. Over the last 20 years it has become apparent that they are also dysregulated in a wide range of solid and haematological malignancies and have a predominantly pro-oncogenic function. A key mode of transcriptional regulation by HOX and PBX proteins is through their interaction as a heterodimer or larger complex that enhances their binding affinity and specificity for DNA, and there is growing evidence that this interaction is a potential therapeutic target in malignancies that include prostate, breast, renal, ovarian and lung cancer, melanoma, myeloma, and acute myeloid leukaemia. This review summarizes the roles of HOX and PBX genes in cancer and assesses the therapeutic potential of HOX/PBX dimer inhibition, including the availability of biomarkers for its application in precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Morgan
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, UK
| | - Mohamed El-Tanani
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, UK
| | - Keith D Hunter
- Unit of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Kevin J Harrington
- Targeted Therapy Team, Chester Beatty Laboratories, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Hardev S Pandha
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
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22
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Chang CYY, Lai MT, Chen Y, Yang CW, Chang HW, Lu CC, Chen CM, Chan C, Chung C, Tseng CC, Hwang T, Sheu JJC, Tsai FJ. Up-regulation of ribosome biogenesis by MIR196A2 genetic variation promotes endometriosis development and progression. Oncotarget 2018; 7:76713-76725. [PMID: 27741504 PMCID: PMC5363543 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant miRNA expression has been reported in endometriosis and miRNA gene polymorphisms have been linked to cancer. Because certain ovarian cancers arise from endometriosis, we genotyped seven cancer-related miRNA single nucleotide polymorphisms (MiRSNPs) to investigate their possible roles in endometriosis. Genetic variants in MIR196A2 (rs11614913) and MIR100 (rs1834306) were found to be associated with endometriosis development and related clinical phenotypes, such as infertility and pain. Downstream analysis of the MIR196A2 risk allele revealed upregulation of rRNA editing and protein synthesis genes, suggesting hyper-activation of ribosome biogenesis as a driving force for endometriosis progression. Clinical studies confirmed higher levels of small nucleolar RNAs and ribosomal proteins in atypical endometriosis lesions, and this was more pronounced in the associated ovarian clear cell carcinomas. Treating ovarian clear cells with CX5461, an RNA polymerase I inhibitor, suppressed cell growth and mobility followed by cell cycle arrest at G2/M stage and apoptosis. Our study thus uncovered a novel tumorigenesis pathway triggered by the cancer-related MIR196A2 risk allele during endometriosis development and progression. We suggest that anti-RNA polymerase I therapy may be efficacious for treating endometriosis and associated malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherry Yin-Yi Chang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Tsung Lai
- Department of Pathology, Taichung Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi Chen
- Human Genetic Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Wen Yang
- The Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Wen Chang
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chan Lu
- The Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Mei Chen
- Human Genetic Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Carmen Chan
- Human Genetic Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ching Chung
- Human Genetic Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Cheng Tseng
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Tritium Hwang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jim Jinn-Chyuan Sheu
- Human Genetic Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Fuu-Jen Tsai
- Human Genetic Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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23
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Gao F, Liu W, Guo Q, Bai Y, Yang H, Chen H. Physcion blocks cell cycle and induces apoptosis in human B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells by downregulating HOXA5. Biomed Pharmacother 2017; 94:850-857. [PMID: 28810515 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.07.149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) presents the most common type of malignancy in children and ranks the third most common cancer in adults. This study is aimed to investigate the anti-leukemia activity of physcion in ALL. Our results have showed that physcion could significantly suppress cell growth, induce apoptosis and blocked cell cycle progression in vitro. Mechanistically, we found that physcion downregulated the expression of HOXA5, which is responsible for the anti-leukemia activity of physcion. To verify this finding, siRNA targeting HOXA5 and overexpressing plasmid were used to repress HOXA5 expression and introduce ectopic overexpression of HOXA5 in ALL cell lines, respectively. Our results showed that overexpression of HOXA5 significantly abrogated the inducing effect of physcion on apoptosis and cell cycle blockasde. In contrast, knockdown of HOXA5 by siRNA enhanced the anti-tumor effect of physcion on ALL cell lines. Our results provided experimental base for the use of physcion in the treatment of ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Gao
- Department of Pediatrics, Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenjun Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China.
| | - Qulian Guo
- Department of Pediatrics, Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yongqi Bai
- Department of Pediatrics, Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Hongying Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Affliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
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24
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Lai CY, Yu GS, Xu Y, Wu X, Heng BL, Xue YJ, Su ZX. Engrailed-2 promoter hyper-methylation is associated with its downregulation in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:6888-6894. [PMID: 29151918 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.7000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In a previous study by the present authors, it was identified that the expression of engrailed-2 (EN2) gene was downregulated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (cc-RCC). The aim of the present study was to determine whether aberrant methylation was the mechanism underlying the silencing of EN2 gene in cc-RCC. A total of forty paired cc-RCC tissues, four cc-RCC cell lines and one normal human proximal tubule epithelial cell line were evaluated for EN2 gene methylation status using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Following treatment with 5-Aza-dc, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis were performed to examine the expression of EN2. Furthermore, cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion assays were conducted to analyze the inhibitory effects of EN2 re-expression in 786-O cells. The results of the present study demonstrated that hyper-methylation of EN2 was identified in 12/40 cc-RCC tissues and all cc-RCC cell lines. The methylation status of the EN2 gene was revealed to be associated with histological grade and tumor size in cc-RCC. Following 5-Aza-dc treatment, demethylation of the EN2 gene was identified in 786-O cells, in conjunction with EN2 re-expression. Furthermore, re-activation of the EN2 gene markedly inhibited the proliferative and invasive capacities of cc-RCC. The results of the present study demonstrated that the EN2 gene promoter was hyper-methylated in cc-RCC, which may underlie the silencing of the EN2 gene in cc-RCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cai-Yong Lai
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, P.R. China.,Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical College, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China
| | - Gan-Shen Yu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, P.R. China
| | - Yin Xu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, P.R. China
| | - Xun Wu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, P.R. China
| | - Bao-Li Heng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Jun Xue
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical College, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China
| | - Ze-Xuan Su
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510632, P.R. China
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25
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Han Y, Zhao Q, Zhou J, Shi R. miR-429 mediates tumor growth and metastasis in colorectal cancer. Am J Cancer Res 2017; 7:218-233. [PMID: 28337372 PMCID: PMC5336497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC), presenting the third most common malignancy worldwide. In recent years, the aberrantly upregulation or downregulation of miRNAs in CRC have been evidenced in a number of studies. In this study, our results showed that the expression of miR-429 was significantly higher in CRC tissue compared with adjacent non-tumor tissue. In addition, our findings showed that miR-429 level was significantly associated with clinicoplathological features and prognosis of patients with CRC. Moreover, our findings showed that miR-429 exerted oncogenic effect by directly targeting HOXA5, a transcription factor of HOX families that is involved in the development and progression of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yantao Han
- Qingdao UniversityQingdao 266071, Shandong, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- Qingdao University Affiliated HospitalQingdao 266071, Shandong, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Qingdao University Affiliated HospitalQingdao 266071, Shandong, China
| | - Rui Shi
- Qingdao Hiser Medical CenterQingdao 266033, Shandong, China
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26
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Cardoso M, Maia S, Paulo P, Teixeira MR. Oncogenic mechanisms of HOXB13 missense mutations in prostate carcinogenesis. Oncoscience 2016; 3:288-296. [PMID: 28050579 PMCID: PMC5116946 DOI: 10.18632/oncoscience.322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The recurrent germline mutation HOXB13 p.(Gly84Glu) (G84E) has recently been identified as a risk factor for prostate cancer. In a recent study, we have performed full sequencing of the HOXB13 gene in 462 Portuguese prostate cancer patients with early-onset and/or familial/hereditary disease, and identified two novel missense mutations, p.(Ala128Asp) (A128D) and p.(Phe240Leu) (F240L), that were predicted to be damaging to protein function. In the present work we aimed to investigate the potential oncogenic role of these mutations, comparing to that of the recurrent G84E mutation and wild-type HOXB13. We induced site-directed mutagenesis in a HOXB13 expression vector and established in vitro cell models of prostate carcinogenesis with stable overexpression of either the wild-type or the mutated HOXB13 variants. By performing in vitro assays we observed that, while the wild-type promotes proliferation, also observed with the F240L variant along with a decrease in apoptosis, the A128D mutation decreases apoptosis and promotes anchorage independent growth. No phenotypic impact was observed for the G84E mutation in the cell line model used. Our data show that specific HOXB13 mutations are involved in the acquisition of different cancer-associated capabilities and further support an oncogenic role for HOXB13 in prostate carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Cardoso
- Cancer Genetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sofia Maia
- Cancer Genetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Paulo
- Cancer Genetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Manuel R Teixeira
- Cancer Genetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; Department of Genetics, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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27
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Yim GW, Kim HJ, Kim LK, Kim SW, Kim S, Nam EJ, Kim YT. Long Non-coding RNA HOXA11 Antisense Promotes Cell Proliferation and Invasion and Predicts Patient Prognosis in Serous Ovarian Cancer. Cancer Res Treat 2016; 49:656-668. [PMID: 27737536 PMCID: PMC5512379 DOI: 10.4143/crt.2016.263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The biological function of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is only partially understood; therefore, in this study, we investigated the expression of the novel HOXA11 antisense (HOXA11as) lncRNA and its oncogenic role in serous ovarian cancer (SOC). MATERIALS AND METHODS HOXA11as expression was examined in 129 SOC tissue samples by real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Clinicopathological factors and patient survival were compared between the high (n=27) and low HOXA11as expression group (n=102). To investigate the role of HOXA11as in cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, HOXA11as expression in ovarian cancer cells was knocked down using RNA interference. RESULTS HOXA11as expression in cancer tissue was 77-fold higher than that of noncancerous tissue (p < 0.05). Higher HOXA11as expression was significantly correlated with histological grade (p=0.017) and preoperative cancer antigen 125 (p=0.048). HOXA11as overexpression in SOC cells led to increased cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Moreover, HOXA11as was associated with the expression of genes involved in cell invasion, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), B-catenin, E-cadherin, Snail, Twist, and vimentin. Multivariate analysis revealed that HOXA11as was a prognostic factor of progressive disease and mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.730; p=0.043 and HR, 2.170; p=0.033, respectively). Progression-free and overall survival were significantly shorter in patients with high HOXA11as expression. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the clinical significance of HOXA11as to predicting the prognosis of SOC patients and suggest its potential in promoting tumor aggressiveness via regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), MMP-9, and EMT-related mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ga Won Yim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University Graduate School, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hee Jung Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Lee Kyung Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Wun Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sunghoon Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eun Ji Nam
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Tae Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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28
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A functional variant in HOXA11-AS, a novel long non-coding RNA, inhibits the oncogenic phenotype of epithelial ovarian cancer. Oncotarget 2016; 6:34745-57. [PMID: 26430965 PMCID: PMC4741487 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The homeobox A (HOXA) region of protein-coding genes impacts female reproductive system embryogenesis and ovarian carcinogenesis. The 5-prime end of HOXA includes three long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) (HOXA10-AS, HOXA11-AS, and HOTTIP) that are underexplored in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We evaluated whether common genetic variants in these lncRNAs are associated with EOC risk and/or have functional roles in EOC development. Using genome-wide association study data from 1,201 serous EOC cases and 2,009 controls, an exonic variant within HOXA11-AS, rs17427875 (A>T), was marginally associated with reduced serous EOC risk (OR = 0.88 (95% CI: 0.78-1.01, p = 0.06). Functional studies of ectopic expression of HOXA11-AS minor allele T in EOC cells showed decreased survival, proliferation, migration, and invasion compared to common allele A expression. Additionally, stable expression of HOXA11-AS minor allele T reduced primary tumor growth in mouse xenograft models to a greater extent than common allele A. Furthermore, HOXA11-AS expression levels were significantly lower in human EOC tumors than normal ovarian tissues (p < 0.05), suggesting that HOXA11-AS has a tumor suppressor function in EOC which may be enhanced by the T allele. These findings demonstrate for the first time a role for HOXA11-AS in EOC with effects that could be modified by germline variants.
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29
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Kelly Z, Moller-Levet C, McGrath S, Butler-Manuel S, Kavitha Madhuri T, Kierzek AM, Pandha H, Morgan R, Michael A. The prognostic significance of specificHOXgene expression patterns in ovarian cancer. Int J Cancer 2016; 139:1608-17. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Kelly
- Oncology, School of Biosciences and Medicine; FHMS, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, University of Surrey; Guildford GU2 7WG
| | - Carla Moller-Levet
- Computational & Systems Biology, School of Biosciences and Medicine; FHMS, University of Surrey; Guildford GU2 7TE
| | - Sophie McGrath
- Oncology, School of Biosciences and Medicine; FHMS, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, University of Surrey; Guildford GU2 7WG
| | | | | | - Andrzej M. Kierzek
- Computational & Systems Biology, School of Biosciences and Medicine; FHMS, University of Surrey; Guildford GU2 7TE
| | - Hardev Pandha
- Oncology, School of Biosciences and Medicine; FHMS, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, University of Surrey; Guildford GU2 7WG
| | - Richard Morgan
- ICT Building, Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford; West Yorkshire BD7 1DP
| | - Agnieszka Michael
- Oncology, School of Biosciences and Medicine; FHMS, Leggett Building, Daphne Jackson Road, University of Surrey; Guildford GU2 7WG
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30
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Miller KR, Patel JN, Ganapathi MK, Tait DL, Ganapathi RN. Biological role and clinical implications of homeobox genes in serous epithelial ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol 2016; 141:608-615. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2016.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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31
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Ravo M, Cordella A, Rinaldi A, Bruno G, Alexandrova E, Saggese P, Nassa G, Giurato G, Tarallo R, Marchese G, Rizzo F, Stellato C, Biancardi R, Troisi J, Di Spiezio Sardo A, Zullo F, Weisz A, Guida M. Small non-coding RNA deregulation in endometrial carcinogenesis. Oncotarget 2016; 6:4677-91. [PMID: 25686835 PMCID: PMC4467107 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) represent a heterogeneous group of <200nt-long transcripts comprising microRNAs, PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and small-nucleolar-RNAs (snoRNAs) involved in physiological and pathological processes such as carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Aberrant sncRNA expression in cancer has been associated with specific clinical phenotypes, grading, staging, metastases development and resistance to therapy.Aim of the present work is to study the role of sncRNAs in endometrial carcinogenesis. Changes in sncRNA expression were identified by high-throughput genomic analysis of paired normal, hyperplastic and cancerous endometrial tissues obtained by endometrial biopsies (n = 10). Using smallRNA sequencing and microarrays we identified significant differences in sncRNA expression pattern between normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrium. This led to the definition of a sncRNA signature (129 microRNAs, 2 of which not previously described, 10 piRNAs and 3 snoRNAs) of neoplastic transformation. Functional bioinformatics analysis identified as downstream targets multiple signaling pathways potentially involved in the hyperplastic and neoplastic tissue responses, including Wnt/β-catenin, and ERK/MAPK and TGF-β-Signaling.Considering the regulatory role of sncRNAs, this newly identified sncRNA signature is likely to reflect the events leading to endometrial cancer, which can be exploited to dissect the carcinogenic process including novel biomarkers for early and non-invasive diagnosis of these tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ravo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Rinaldi
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Bruno
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Elena Alexandrova
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Genomix4Life Srl, Spin-Off of the Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Pasquale Saggese
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Giovanni Nassa
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giurato
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Roberta Tarallo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Giovanna Marchese
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Genomix4Life Srl, Spin-Off of the Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Francesca Rizzo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Claudia Stellato
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Rossella Biancardi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery and Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, "SS. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona - Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno Hospital, Salerno, Italy
| | - Jacopo Troisi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery and Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, "SS. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona - Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno Hospital, Salerno, Italy
| | - Attilio Di Spiezio Sardo
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, University of Naples "Federico II", Napoli, Italy
| | - Fulvio Zullo
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, University of Naples "Federico II", Napoli, Italy
| | - Alessandro Weisz
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,Division of Molecular Pathology and Medical Genomics, "SS. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona - Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno Hospital, Salerno, Italy
| | - Maurizio Guida
- Department of Medicine and Surgery and Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, "SS. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona - Schola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno Hospital, Salerno, Italy
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32
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Fu Y, Lai Y, Liu J, Liu X, You Z, Yang G. Lentivirus-mediated shRNA interference of clusterin blocks proliferation, motility, invasion and cell cycle in the ovarian cancer cells. J Ovarian Res 2015; 8:59. [PMID: 26293319 PMCID: PMC4546134 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-015-0173-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In a previous analysis on the patients with ovarian cancers, we have found that clusterin is a biomarker associated with ovarian cancer in vivo and may be a prognostic factor associated with adverse outcome. Here, we explored the effect of lentivirus-mediated shRNA interference of clusterin, investigated whether clusterin was associated with adverse outcome of ovarian cancer cells in vitro. Methods OVCAR-3 and TOV-21G cell lines were infected with the lentivirus for delivering clusterin shRNA, and the stably transfected cells were selected. The effect of clusterin silencing was detected by western blotting assay. The proliferation, clonability, migration, invasion and cell cycle of two cell lines were detected separately by MTT assay, clone formation assay, scratch assay, transwell assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Results Following clusterin silencing with shRNA, the expression of clusterin in two cell lines were decreased. And the proliferation, clonability, migration, invasion of these two cell lines were down-regulated apparently. The cell cycle of two cell lines was disturbed, cells in G1 phase was increased, but cells in G2 and S phase was decreased. Conclusions The expression of clusterin is significantly correlated with the biological characteristics of ovarian cancer cells, it may be a potential molecular for ovarian cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxia Fu
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yingrong Lai
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
| | - Junfeng Liu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xingyang Liu
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zeshan You
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Guofen Yang
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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33
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Bisphenol-A induces expression of HOXC6, an estrogen-regulated homeobox-containing gene associated with breast cancer. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2015; 1849:697-708. [PMID: 25725483 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
HOXC6 is a homeobox-containing gene associated with mammary gland development and is overexpressed in variety of cancers including breast and prostate cancers. Here, we have examined the expression of HOXC6 in breast cancer tissue, investigated its transcriptional regulation via estradiol (E2) and bisphenol-A (BPA, an estrogenic endocrine disruptor) in vitro and in vivo. We observed that HOXC6 is differentially over-expressed in breast cancer tissue. E2 induces HOXC6 expression in cultured breast cancer cells and in mammary glands of Sprague Dawley rats. HOXC6 expression is also induced upon exposure to BPA both in vitro and in vivo. Estrogen-receptor-alpha (ERα) and ER-coregulators such as MLL-histone methylases are bound to the HOXC6 promoter upon exposure to E2 or BPA and that resulted in increased histone H3K4-trimethylation, histone acetylation, and recruitment of RNA polymerase II at the HOXC6 promoter. HOXC6 overexpression induces expression of tumor growth factors and facilitates growth 3D-colony formation, indicating its potential roles in tumor growth. Our studies demonstrate that HOXC6, which is a critical player in mammary gland development, is upregulated in multiple cases of breast cancer, and is transcriptionally regulated by E2 and BPA, in vitro and in vivo.
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34
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Zhang ML, Nie FQ, Sun M, Xia R, Xie M, Lu KH, Li W. HOXA5 indicates poor prognosis and suppresses cell proliferation by regulating p21 expression in non small cell lung cancer. Tumour Biol 2014; 36:3521-31. [PMID: 25549794 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-014-2988-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2014] [Accepted: 12/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeobox genes, a superfamily of evolutionarily conserved developmental genes, function as critical master regulatory factors in controlling body plan specification and cell fate determination. Recently, a substantial body of evidence indicates that the aberrant Homeobox (HOX) genes also play key roles in the development of cancers. Many reports have shown not only that HOX gene expression is upregulated or downregulated in many cancers but also that the expression of specific HOX genes tends to differ based on tissue type. Homeobox A5 (HOXA5) is a master regulator of the morphogenesis and cell differentiation, and its expression is also downregulated in many cancers mediated by DNA methylation. However, its biological role and clinical significance in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development and progression are not well documented. In this study, we found that expression levels of HOXA5 were significantly decreased in NSCLC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Its expression level was significantly correlated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stages, tumor size, and lymph node metastasis. Moreover, patients with lower levels of HOXA5 expression had a relatively poor prognosis. Furthermore, ectopic overexpression of HOXA5 could inhibit cell proliferation and invasion, while knockdown HOXA5 by siRNA promoted cell proliferation in NSCLC cells partly via regulating p21 expression. Our findings present that decreased HOXA5 could be identified as a poor prognostic biomarker in NSCLC and regulate cell proliferation and invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-ling Zhang
- Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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35
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Genome-wide modulation of gene transcription in ovarian carcinoma cells by a new mithramycin analogue. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104687. [PMID: 25110883 PMCID: PMC4128730 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer has a poor prognosis due to intrinsic or acquired resistance to some cytotoxic drugs, raising the interest in new DNA-binding agents such as mithramycin analogues as potential chemotherapeutic agents in gynecological cancer. Using a genome-wide approach, we have analyzed gene expression in A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells treated with the novel mithramycin analogue DIG-MSK (demycarosyl-3D-β-D-digitoxosyl-mithramycin SK) that binds to C+G-rich DNA sequences. Nanomolar concentrations of DIG-MSK abrogated the expression of genes involved in a variety of cell processes including transcription regulation and tumor development, which resulted in cell death. Some of those genes have been associated with cell proliferation and poor prognosis in ovarian cancer. Sp1 transcription factor regulated most of the genes that were down-regulated by the drug, as well as the up-regulation of other genes mainly involved in response to cell stress. The effect of DIG-MSK in the control of gene expression by other transcription factors was also explored. Some of them, such as CREB, E2F and EGR1, also recognize C/G-rich regions in gene promoters, which encompass potential DIG-MSK binding sites. DIG-MSK affected several biological processes and molecular functions related to transcription and its cellular regulation in A2780 cells, including transcription factor activity. This new compound might be a promising drug for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
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Koukoura O, Spandidos DA, Daponte A, Sifakis S. DNA methylation profiles in ovarian cancer: implication in diagnosis and therapy (Review). Mol Med Rep 2014; 10:3-9. [PMID: 24821107 PMCID: PMC4068729 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2014.2221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 05/09/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic alterations alone cannot account for the complexity of ovarian cancer. The potential reversibility of epigenetic mechanisms makes them attractive candidates for the prevention and/or treatment of ovarian carcinoma. Detection of the epigenetic signature of each cancer cell may be useful in the identification of candidate biomarkers for disease detection, classification and monitoring and may also facilitate personalized cancer treatment. In ovarian cancer, in addition to other non-gynaecological cancers, two opposite epigenetic phenomena occur. The first involves an overall global decrease in DNA methylation of heterochromatin leading to demethylation of several oncogenes, while the second involves specific CpG island hypermethylation associated with the promoters of tumor suppressor genes. Early studies focused on the methylation patterns of single genes associated with tumorigenesis. However, newer genome-wide methods have identified a group of genes whose regulation is altered by DNA methylation during ovarian cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ourania Koukoura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Thessaly, Greece
| | - Demetrios A Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, University of Crete Medical School, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Alexandros Daponte
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Thessaly, Greece
| | - Stavros Sifakis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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Kontos CK, Scorilas A, Papavassiliou AG. The role of transcription factors in laboratory medicine. Clin Chem Lab Med 2014; 51:1563-71. [PMID: 23612552 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2013-0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 03/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating genetic and epigenetic modifications lead to alterations in gene expression, resulting in dysregulation of cellular homeostasis. The transcriptional machinery comprises many factors that cooperate to modulate gene expression. "Crosstalk" between DNA-bound transcription factors may have synergistic or antagonistic effects on the rate of transcription. The aberrant expression of several transcription regulators in the vast majority of pathological conditions including neurodegenerative diseases and various malignancies, as well as their involvement in many cancer-related processes such as cell growth regulation, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis, renders transcription factors very appealing as potential molecular biomarkers and as candidates for targeted therapy. In the present mini-review, we provide a brief overview of the transcriptional machinery and summarize current knowledge regarding the implication of key transcription factors such as AP-1, NF-κB, STATs, HOX proteins, and histone modifiers, in human diseases, with emphasis on cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos K Kontos
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Pradhan MP, Desai A, Palakal MJ. Systems biology approach to stage-wise characterization of epigenetic genes in lung adenocarcinoma. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2013; 7:141. [PMID: 24369052 PMCID: PMC3882327 DOI: 10.1186/1752-0509-7-141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 12/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Epigenetics refers to the reversible functional modifications of the genome that do not correlate to changes in the DNA sequence. The aim of this study is to understand DNA methylation patterns across different stages of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Results Our study identified 72, 93 and 170 significant DNA methylated genes in Stages I, II and III respectively. A set of common 34 significant DNA methylated genes located in the promoter section of the true CpG islands were found across stages, and these were: HOX genes, FOXG1, GRIK3, HAND2, PRKCB, etc. Of the total significant DNA methylated genes, 65 correlated with transcription function. The epigenetic analysis identified the following novel genes across all stages: PTGDR, TLX3, and POU4F2. The stage-wise analysis observed the appearance of NEUROG1 gene in Stage I and its re-appearance in Stage III. The analysis showed similar epigenetic pattern across Stage I and Stage III. Pathway analysis revealed important signaling and metabolic pathways of LUAD to correlate with epigenetics. Epigenetic subnetwork analysis identified a set of seven conserved genes across all stages: UBC, KRAS, PIK3CA, PIK3R3, RAF1, BRAF, and RAP1A. A detailed literature analysis elucidated epigenetic genes like FOXG1, HLA-G, and NKX6-2 to be known as prognostic targets. Conclusion Integrating epigenetic information for genes with expression data can be useful for comprehending in-depth disease mechanism and for the ultimate goal of better target identification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mathew J Palakal
- School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis IN, USA.
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Javed S, Langley SEM. Importance of HOX genes in normal prostate gland formation, prostate cancer development and its early detection. BJU Int 2013; 113:535-40. [PMID: 23937390 DOI: 10.1111/bju.12269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The aims of this paper were to review the published literature on the role of HOX genes in the development of the normal prostate gland and in prostate cancer and to discuss the potential role of the HOX family member, Engrailed-2 (EN2), as a diagnostic test of PCa. Hox genes were first described in the fruit fly Drosphila melanogaster, where they specify the body plan and control the formation of body segments. They belong to a family of homeodomain-containing transcription factors that determine cell and tissue identity during normal embryonic development. They have been shown to be re-expressed by several different types of cancers. Studies have shown that different Hox genes are responsible for the development of the separate lobes of the prostate gland, the seminal vesicles and the epididymis. All HOX13 paralogues are expressed in the adult human prostate, suggesting the possibility of similarities between the function and expression of HOX genes within urological structures at similar anterior-posterior positions. The oncogenic and tumour suppressor signalling pathways associated with PCa converge on the HOX gene network, which ultimately controls gene expression, affecting tumour formation and metastatic progression. The Engrailed genes (EN1 and EN2) from the HOX gene family show a very high degree of functional conservation during embryonic development. Urinary EN2 is being investigated as a potential diagnostic marker of early PCa. It is secreted into the urine by PCa cells but not by normal prostatic tissue. A recent study has shown an association between urinary EN2 levels and cancer volume in radical prostatectomy specimens. The ability to predict tumour volume could inform the treatment decision-making process for patients with localized PCa choosing between active surveillance and radical treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saqib Javed
- Department of Urology, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, UK
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How C, Hui ABY, Alajez NM, Shi W, Boutros PC, Clarke BA, Yan R, Pintilie M, Fyles A, Hedley DW, Hill RP, Milosevic M, Liu FF. MicroRNA-196b regulates the homeobox B7-vascular endothelial growth factor axis in cervical cancer. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67846. [PMID: 23861821 PMCID: PMC3701631 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The down-regulation of microRNA-196b (miR-196b) has been reported, but its contribution to cervical cancer progression remains to be investigated. In this study, we first demonstrated that miR-196b down-regulation was significantly associated with worse disease-free survival (DFS) for cervical cancer patients treated with combined chemo-radiation. Secondly, using a tri-modal approach for target identification, we determined that homeobox-B7 (HOXB7) was a bona fide target for miR-196b, and in turn, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was a downstream transcript regulated by HOXB7. Reconstitution of miR-196b expression by transient transfection resulted in reduced cell growth, clonogenicity, migration and invasion in vitro, as well as reduced tumor angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation in vivo. Concordantly, siRNA knockdown of HOXB7 or VEGF phenocopied the biological effects of miR-196b over-expression. Our findings have demonstrated that the miR-196b/HOXB7/VEGF pathway plays an important role in cervical cancer progression; hence targeting this pathway could be a promising therapeutic strategy for the future management of this disease.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/mortality
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/therapy
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation
- Female
- Gamma Rays/therapeutic use
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Homeodomain Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors
- Homeodomain Proteins/genetics
- Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism
- Humans
- MicroRNAs/genetics
- MicroRNAs/metabolism
- Middle Aged
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- RNA, Small Interfering/genetics
- RNA, Small Interfering/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Survival Analysis
- Transcription, Genetic
- Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/genetics
- Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/metabolism
- Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/mortality
- Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/therapy
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/antagonists & inhibitors
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/genetics
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine How
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Angela B. Y. Hui
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nehad M. Alajez
- Department of Anatomy, Stem Cell Unit, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wei Shi
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul C. Boutros
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Informatics and Biocomputing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Blaise A. Clarke
- Department of Pathology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rui Yan
- Informatics and Biocomputing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melania Pintilie
- Division of Biostatistics, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anthony Fyles
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David W. Hedley
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Medical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard P. Hill
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Milosevic
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fei-Fei Liu
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Biochemical and functional interactions of human papillomavirus proteins with polycomb group proteins. Viruses 2013; 5:1231-49. [PMID: 23673719 PMCID: PMC3712305 DOI: 10.3390/v5051231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Revised: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 04/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of enzymes involved in polycomb repression of gene transcription has been studied extensively in human cancer. Polycomb repressive complexes mediate oncogene-induced senescence, a principal innate cell-intrinsic tumor suppressor pathway that thwarts expansion of cells that have suffered oncogenic hits. Infections with human cancer viruses including human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and Epstein-Barr virus can trigger oncogene-induced senescence, and the viruses have evolved strategies to abrogate this response in order to establish an infection and reprogram their host cells to establish a long-term persistent infection. As a consequence of inhibiting polycomb repression and evading oncogene induced-senescence, HPV infected cells have an altered epigenetic program as evidenced by aberrant homeobox gene expression. Similar alterations are frequently observed in non-virus associated human cancers and may be harnessed for diagnosis and therapy.
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Sha S, Gu Y, Xu B, Hu H, Yang Y, Kong X, Wu K. Decreased expression of HOXB9 is related to poor overall survival in patients with gastric carcinoma. Dig Liver Dis 2013; 45:422-9. [PMID: 23332081 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2012.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2012] [Revised: 11/26/2012] [Accepted: 12/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have demonstrated the implication of HOXB9 in tumorigenesis, but its role in gastric carcinoma remains unknown. AIMS To investigate the expression and prognostic value of HOXB9 in patients with gastric carcinoma. METHODS The localization and expression of HOXB9 in gastric cancer cells lines were detected by immunofluorescence and western blot. The mRNA and protein expression level of HOXB9 was detected in subjects with gastric carcinoma and paired non-cancerous tissues. Correlation between HOXB9 expression and clinicopathological parameters, the association of HOXB9 expression with the patients' survival rate was also assessed. RESULTS HOXB9 was predominantly localized in the cell nucleus. A significant decrease in HOXB9 intensity in poorly differentiated gastric cancer cells is evident (P<0.01). A lower mRNA and protein expression level of HOXB9 was detected in gastric carcinoma (P<0.01). Decreased expression of HOXB9, poorly differentiation status and the presence of lymph node metastasis predict shorter overall survival (P<0.05). Patients without HOXB9 expression had a lower overall survival rate (P<0.01). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed HOXB9 was an independent prognostic factor in gastric carcinoma (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS HOXB9 is down-regulation in gastric carcinoma and may be a novel prognostic marker for poorer clinical outcome for patients with gastric carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumei Sha
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology & Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, PR China.
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HOXB8 expression in ovarian serous carcinoma effusions is associated with shorter survival. Gynecol Oncol 2013; 129:358-63. [PMID: 23438671 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2013.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2012] [Revised: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE HOX proteins are key transcription factors in embryogenesis. HOXB5 and HOXB8 were previously shown to be overexpressed in ovarian/primary peritoneal serous carcinoma compared to breast carcinoma using gene expression arrays. The present study investigated the clinical role of HOXB5 and HOXB8 in advanced-stage (FIGO III-IV) ovarian serous carcinoma. METHODS HOXB5 and HOXB8 protein expression was analyzed in 286 effusions and 76 patient-matched solid lesions (27 primary carcinomas, 49 metastases) using immunohistochemistry. Expression was analyzed for association with clinicopathologic parameters, including survival. RESULTS Cytoplasmic HOXB5 protein was detected in 268/286 (94%) effusions. HOXB8 was expressed at both the cytoplasm (252/286; 88%) and nucleus (131/286; 46%) of carcinoma cells. Cytoplasmic HOXB5, cytoplasmic HOXB8 and nuclear HOXB8 were found in 56/76 (74%), 76/76 (100%) and 30/76 (39%) solid lesions, respectively, with significantly higher HOXB5 expression in effusions (p=0.002) and higher cytoplasmic HOXB8 in solid lesions (p<0.001). HOXB5 expression was higher in post-chemotherapy disease recurrence effusions compared to pre-chemotherapy effusions tapped at diagnosis (p=0.04). In univariate survival analysis of the effusion cohort, higher expression of cytoplasmic HOXB8 was associated with significantly shorter progression-free survival (p=0.033), whereas higher nuclear HOXB8 expression was associated with significantly shorter overall survival in analysis limited to patients with post-chemotherapy effusions (p=0.036). Neither finding was independent prognostic factor in Cox multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS HOXB5 and HOXB8 are frequently expressed in ovarian serous carcinoma, with anatomic site-related differences for cytoplasmic staining. HOXB5 may be affected by chemotherapy in effusions. HOXB8 expression is associated with shorter survival in metastatic serous carcinoma.
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Liu Y, Devescovi V, Chen S, Nardini C. Multilevel omic data integration in cancer cell lines: advanced annotation and emergent properties. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2013; 7:14. [PMID: 23418673 PMCID: PMC3610285 DOI: 10.1186/1752-0509-7-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2012] [Accepted: 01/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background High-throughput (omic) data have become more widespread in both quantity and frequency of use, thanks to technological advances, lower costs and higher precision. Consequently, computational scientists are confronted by two parallel challenges: on one side, the design of efficient methods to interpret each of these data in their own right (gene expression signatures, protein markers, etc.) and, on the other side, realization of a novel, pressing request from the biological field to design methodologies that allow for these data to be interpreted as a whole, i.e. not only as the union of relevant molecules in each of these layers, but as a complex molecular signature containing proteins, mRNAs and miRNAs, all of which must be directly associated in the results of analyses that are able to capture inter-layers connections and complexity. Results We address the latter of these two challenges by testing an integrated approach on a known cancer benchmark: the NCI-60 cell panel. Here, high-throughput screens for mRNA, miRNA and proteins are jointly analyzed using factor analysis, combined with linear discriminant analysis, to identify the molecular characteristics of cancer. Comparisons with separate (non-joint) analyses show that the proposed integrated approach can uncover deeper and more precise biological information. In particular, the integrated approach gives a more complete picture of the set of miRNAs identified and the Wnt pathway, which represents an important surrogate marker of melanoma progression. We further test the approach on a more challenging patient-dataset, for which we are able to identify clinically relevant markers. Conclusions The integration of multiple layers of omics can bring more information than analysis of single layers alone. Using and expanding the proposed integrated framework to integrate omic data from other molecular levels will allow researchers to uncover further systemic information. The application of this approach to a clinically challenging dataset shows its promising potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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McGrath SE, Michael A, Pandha H, Morgan R. Engrailed homeobox transcription factors as potential markers and targets in cancer. FEBS Lett 2013; 587:549-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.01.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2012] [Revised: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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HOXA4 gene promoter hypermethylation as an epigenetic mechanism mediating resistance to imatinib mesylate in chronic myeloid leukemia patients. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2012; 2013:129715. [PMID: 23484077 PMCID: PMC3591123 DOI: 10.1155/2013/129715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2012] [Accepted: 11/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Development of resistance to imatinib mesylate (IM) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients has emerged as a significant clinical problem. The observation that increased epigenetic silencing of potential tumor suppressor genes correlates with disease progression in some CML patients treated with IM suggests a relationship between epigenetic silencing and resistance development. We hypothesize that promoter hypermethylation of HOXA4 could be an epigenetic mechanism mediating IM resistance in CML patients. Thus a study was undertaken to investigate the promoter hypermethylation status of HOXA4 in CML patients on IM treatment and to determine its role in mediating resistance to IM. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of 95 CML patients (38 good responders and 57 resistant) and 12 normal controls. All samples were bisulfite treated and analysed by methylation-specific high-resolution melt analysis. Compared to the good responders, the HOXA4 hypermethylation level was significantly higher (P = 0.002) in IM-resistant CML patients. On comparing the risk, HOXA4 hypermethylation was associated with a higher risk for IM resistance (OR 4.658; 95% CI, 1.673–12.971; P = 0.003). Thus, it is reasonable to suggest that promoter hypermethylation of HOXA4 gene could be an epigenetic mechanism mediating IM resistance in CML patients.
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Pilato B, Pinto R, De Summa S, Lambo R, Paradiso A, Tommasi S. HOX gene methylation status analysis in patients with hereditary breast cancer. J Hum Genet 2012; 58:51-3. [PMID: 23051705 DOI: 10.1038/jhg.2012.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cancer development is related not only to genetic alterations but also to aberrant epigenetic changes that could lead to heritable gene patterns critical for neoplastic initiation and progression. Knowledge of epigenetic regulation in cancer cells is useful for both the understanding of carcinogenesis and for the possibility of using epigenetic drugs. HOX genes deregulation have a crucial role in oncogenesis process and tumor suppression. In this report, the methylation of HOXA1, HOXA9, HOXA10, HOXB13, HNF1B, OTX1, TLX1 genes have been analyzed in patients with hereditary breast cancer. This is the first study analyzing BRCA mutational status of patients with respect to methylation of HOX genes. HOXA10 has been found to be methylated in all patients analyzed but never in healthy subjects. With respect to clinical pathological information, hypermethylation of all studied genes, with the exception of OTX1, was significantly associated with absence of HER2 neu expression (P<0.05). Moreover, hypermethylation of HOXB13, HOXA10 and HOXA1 was associated with a high proliferation index (Mib1≥10%, P<0.05) and hypermethylation of HOXB13 and HOXA10 also with high expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors. These preliminary data suggest a possible involvement of HOX genes in familial breast cancer as marker helpful to identify high-risk patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brunella Pilato
- National Cancer Research Centre, Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, Bari, Italy
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Atabakhsh E, Wang JH, Wang X, Carter DE, Schild-Poulter C. RanBPM expression regulates transcriptional pathways involved in development and tumorigenesis. Am J Cancer Res 2012; 2:549-565. [PMID: 22957307 PMCID: PMC3433104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2012] [Accepted: 08/09/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
RanBPM is a ubiquitous protein that has been reported to regulate several cellular processes through interactions with various proteins. However, it is not known whether RanBPM may regulate gene expression patterns. As it has been shown that RanBPM interacts with a number of transcription factors, we hypothesized that it may have wide ranging effects on gene expression that may explain its function. To test this hypothesis, we generated stable RanBPM shRNA cell lines to analyze the effect of RanBPM on global gene expression. Microarray analyses were conducted comparing the gene expression profile of Hela and HCT116 RanBPM shRNA cells versus control shRNA cells. We identified 167 annotated genes significantly up- or down-regulated in the two cell lines. Analysis of the gene set revealed that down-regulation of RanBPM led to gene expression changes that affect regulation of cell, tissue, and organ development and morphology, as well as biological processes implicated in tumorigenesis. Analysis of Transcription Factor Binding Sites (TFBS) present in the gene set identified several significantly over-represented transcription factors of the Forkhead, HMG, and Homeodomain families of transcription factors, which have previously been demonstrated as having important roles in development and tumorigenesis. In addition, the combined results of these analyses suggested that several signaling pathways were affected by RanBPM down-regulation, including ERK1/2, Wnt, Notch, and PI3K/Akt pathways. Lastly, analysis of selected target genes by quantitative RT-qPCR confirmed the changes revealed by microarray. Several of the genes up-regulated in RanBPM shRNA cells encode proteins with known oncogenic functions, such as the RON tyrosine kinase, the adhesion molecule L1CAM, and transcription factor ELF3/ESE-1, suggesting that RanBPM functions as a tumor suppressor to prevent deregulated expression of these genes. Altogether, these results suggest that RanBPM does indeed function to regulate many genomic events that regulate embryonic, tissue, and cellular development as well as those involved in cancer development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elnaz Atabakhsh
- Robarts Research Institute and Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University London, Ontario, N6A 5K8, Canada
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Gendronneau G, Boucherat O, Aubin J, Lemieux M, Jeannotte L. The loss of Hoxa5 function causes estrous acyclicity and ovarian epithelial inclusion cysts. Endocrinology 2012; 153:1484-97. [PMID: 22315454 PMCID: PMC3281536 DOI: 10.1210/en.2011-1766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hox genes encode transcription factors that play essential roles during embryo morphogenesis and organogenesis. Expression of several Hox members persists at the adult age, indicating a wide spectrum of action from embryonic to postnatal life. In the present study, we reported that in adult mice, the Hoxa5 gene shows a dynamic expression profile in the ovary that depends on the estrous cycle, the gestational status, and the age of the female, suggesting that Hoxa5 may have distinct physiological functions in the ovary. Consistent with a role for Hoxa5 in ovarian function, Hoxa5(-/-) nulliparous females exhibit precocious puberty and an early onset of estrous acyclicity. They show a prolonged estrous cycle with increased metestrus-diestrus length, a phenotype that worsens with age. Older mutant females also develop ovarian epithelial inclusion cysts reminiscent of human endosalpingiosis. Immunolabeling studies suggest that these cysts originate from the ovarian surface epithelium, a source of epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Staining of the Hoxa5(-/-) ovarian cysts by the ovarian cancer markers paired box gene 8 (PAX8) and Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) further strengthens the notion that these cysts may constitute preneoplastic lesions. Moreover, the deregulation of the estrous cycle and the presence of ovarian epithelial cysts in Hoxa5(-/-) older females correlate with a reduced expression of specific epidermal growth factor receptor signaling components, namely Egfr, Areg, and Btc. Altogether, our data unveil that Hoxa5, a stroma-specific gene, plays a significant role in ovarian biology and may be involved in ovarian cancer predisposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Gendronneau
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de l'Université Laval, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, L'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, 9, rue McMahon, Québec, Québec, Canada
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