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Xiang Y, Zhao Z, Yao EJ, Balayan A, Fiering SN, Steinmetz NF, Chen S. Multifaceted cancer alleviation by cowpea mosaic virus in a bioprinted ovarian cancer peritoneal spheroid model. Biomaterials 2024; 311:122663. [PMID: 38878481 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2024.122663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is a leading cause of mortality among gynecological malignancies and usually manifests as intraperitoneal spheroids that generate metastases, ascites, and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. In this study, we explore the immunomodulatory properties of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) as an adjuvant immunotherapeutic agent using an in vitro model of OvCa peritoneal spheroids. Previous findings highlighted the potent efficacy of intratumoral CPMV against OvCa in mouse tumor models. Leveraging the precision control over material deposition and cell patterning afforded by digital-light-processing (DLP) based bioprinting, we constructed OvCa-macrophage spheroids to mimic peritoneal spheroids using gelatin methacrylate (GelMA), a collagen-derived photopolymerizable biomaterial to mimic the extracellular matrix. Following CPMV treatment, bioprinted spheroids exhibited inhibited OvCa progression mediated by macrophage activation. Our analysis indicates that CPMV regulates and activates macrophage to both induce OvCa cell killing and restore normal cell-cell junctions. This study deepened our understanding of the mechanism of CPMV intratumoral immunotherapy in the setting of OvCa. This study also highlights the potential of studying immunotherapies using high throughput tissue models via DLP bioprinting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xiang
- Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Zhongchao Zhao
- Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Emmie J Yao
- Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Alis Balayan
- Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Steven N Fiering
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA; Dartmouth Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and Dartmouth Health, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA
| | - Nicole F Steinmetz
- Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Center for Engineering in Cancer, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Shu and K.C. Chien and Peter Farrell Collaboratory, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Shaochen Chen
- Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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Ye QW, Liu YJ, Li JQ, Han M, Bian ZR, Chen TY, Li JP, Liu SL, Zou X. GJA4 expressed on cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs)-A 'promoter' of the mesenchymal phenotype. Transl Oncol 2024; 46:102009. [PMID: 38833783 PMCID: PMC11190749 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.102009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. Connexin is a transmembrane protein involved in gap junctions (GJs) formation. Our previous study found that connexin 37 (Cx37), encoded by gap junction protein alpha 4 (GJA4), expressed on fibroblasts acts as a promoter of CRC and is closely related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor immune microenvironment. However, to date, the mechanism concerning the malignancy of GJA4 in tumor stroma has not been studied. METHODS Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining were used to validate the expression and localization of GJA4. Using single-cell analysis, enrichment analysis, spatial transcriptomics, immunofluorescence staining (IF), Sirius red staining, wound healing and transwell assays, western blotting (WB), Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay and in vivo experiments, we investigated the possible mechanisms of GJA4 in promoting CRC. RESULTS We discovered that in CRC, GJA4 on fibroblasts is involved in promoting fibroblast activation and promoting EMT through a fibroblast-dependent pathway. Furthermore, GJA4 may act synergistically with M2 macrophages to limit T cell infiltration by stimulating the formation of an immune-excluded desmoplasic barrier. Finally, we found a significantly correlation between GJA4 and pathological staging (P < 0.0001) or D2 dimer (R = 0.03, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION We have identified GJA4 expressed on fibroblasts is actually a promoter of the tumor mesenchymal phenotype. Our findings suggest that the interaction between GJA4+ fibroblasts and M2 macrophages may be an effective target for enhancing tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian-Wen Ye
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China; No.1 Clinical Medicial College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Yuan-Jie Liu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China; No.1 Clinical Medicial College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jia-Qi Li
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China; No.1 Clinical Medicial College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Mei Han
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Ze-Ren Bian
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China; No.1 Clinical Medicial College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Tian-Yuan Chen
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China; No.1 Clinical Medicial College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jie-Pin Li
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology and Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Shen-Lin Liu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Xi Zou
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China; Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology and Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
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Rozas-Villanueva FM, Orellana VP, Alarcón R, Maripillan J, Martinez AD, Alfaro IE, Retamal MA. Cx40 Levels Regulate Hypoxia-Induced Changes in the Migration, Proliferation, and Formation of Gap Junction Plaques in an Extravillous Trophoblast Cell Model. Cells 2024; 13:1150. [PMID: 38995001 PMCID: PMC11240472 DOI: 10.3390/cells13131150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) form stratified columns at the placenta-uterus interface. In the closest part to fetal structures, EVTs have a proliferative phenotype, whereas in the closest part to maternal structures, they present a migratory phenotype. During the placentation process, Connexin 40 (Cx40) participates in both the proliferation and migration of EVTs, which occurs under hypoxia. However, a possible interaction between hypoxia and Cx40 has not yet been established. METHODS We developed two cellular models, one with "low Cx40" (Jeg-3), which reflected the expression of this protein found in migratory EVTs, and one with "high Cx40" (Jeg-3/hCx40), which reflected the expression of this protein in proliferative cells. We analyzed the migration and proliferation of these cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions for 24 h. Jeg-3 cells under hypoxia increased their migratory capacity over their proliferative capacity. However, in Jeg-3/hCx40, the opposite effect was induced. On the other hand, hypoxia promoted gap junction (GJ) plaque formation between neighboring Jeg-3 cells. Similarly, the activation of a nitro oxide (NO)/cGMP/PKG-dependent pathway induced an increase in GJ-plaque formation in Jeg-3 cells. CONCLUSIONS The expression patterns of Cx40 play a crucial role in shaping the responses of EVTs to hypoxia, thereby influencing their migratory or proliferative phenotype. Simultaneously, hypoxia triggers an increase in Cx40 gap junction (GJ) plaque formation through a pathway dependent on NO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda M Rozas-Villanueva
- Programa de Comunicación Celular en Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7550000, Chile
| | - Viviana P Orellana
- Programa de Comunicación Celular en Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7550000, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Alarcón
- Programa de Comunicación Celular en Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7550000, Chile
| | - Jaime Maripillan
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Instituto de Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile
| | - Agustin D Martinez
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Instituto de Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile
| | - Ivan E Alfaro
- Programa de Comunicación Celular en Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7550000, Chile
| | - Mauricio A Retamal
- Programa de Comunicación Celular en Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7550000, Chile
- Center for Membrane Protein Research, Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
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Li JP, Liu YJ, Li Y, Yin Y, Ye QW, Lu ZH, Dong YW, Zhou JY, Zou X, Chen YG. Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of LMOD1 expression summarizes two modes of cell communication in colorectal cancer. J Transl Med 2024; 22:549. [PMID: 38849852 PMCID: PMC11161970 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05369-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular communication (CC) influences tumor development by mediating intercellular junctions between cells. However, the role and underlying mechanisms of CC in malignant transformation remain unknown. Here, we investigated the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of CC molecular expression during malignant transformation. It was found that although both tight junctions (TJs) and gap junctions (GJs) were involved in maintaining the tumor microenvironment (TME), they exhibited opposite characteristics. Mechanistically, for epithelial cells (parenchymal component), the expression of TJ molecules consistently decreased during normal-cancer transformation and is a potential oncogenic factor. For fibroblasts (mesenchymal component), the expression of GJs consistently increased during normal-cancer transformation and is a potential oncogenic factor. In addition, the molecular profiles of TJs and GJs were used to stratify colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, where subtypes characterized by high GJ levels and low TJ levels exhibited enhanced mesenchymal signals. Importantly, we propose that leiomodin 1 (LMOD1) is biphasic, with features of both TJs and GJs. LMOD1 not only promotes the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) but also inhibits the Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program in cancer cells. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate the molecular heterogeneity of CC and provide new insights into further understanding of TME heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie-Pin Li
- Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Hanzhong Road No.155, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology and Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuan-Jie Liu
- Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Hanzhong Road No.155, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yang Li
- Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Hanzhong Road No.155, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi Yin
- Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Hanzhong Road No.155, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qian-Wen Ye
- Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Hanzhong Road No.155, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhi-Hua Lu
- Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Hanzhong Road No.155, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu-Wei Dong
- Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Hanzhong Road No.155, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
- Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin-Yong Zhou
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xi Zou
- Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Hanzhong Road No.155, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology and Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- Institute of Chinese & Western Medicine and Oncology Clinical Research, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yu-Gen Chen
- Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Hanzhong Road No.155, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology and Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
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Xu H, Wang X, Zhu F, Guo S, Chao Z, Cao C, Lu Z, Zhu H, Wang M, Zhu F, Yang J, Zeng R, Yao Y. Comprehensive Pan-Cancer Analysis of Connexin 43 as a Potential Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Human Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC). MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:780. [PMID: 38792963 PMCID: PMC11123162 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60050780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Connexin 43 (Cx43) is involved in the transfer of small signaling molecules between neighboring cells, thereby exerting a major influence on the initiation and progression of tumorigenesis. However, there is a lack of systematic research on Cx43 expression and its predictive role in clinical diagnosis and prognosis in pan-cancer. Materials and Methods: Several biological databases were used to evaluate the expression levels of GJA1 (encoding Cx43) and its diagnostic and prognostic significance in pan-cancer. We targeted kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) and investigated the relationship between GJA1 expression and different clinical features of KIRC patients. Then, we performed cell-based experiments to partially confirm our results and predicted several proteins that were functionally related to Cx43. Results: The expression of GJA1 has a high level of accuracy in predicting KIRC. High GJA1 expression was remarkably correlated with a favorable prognosis, and this expression was reduced in groups with poor clinical features in KIRC. Cell experiments confirmed the inhibitory effects of increased GJA1 expression on the migratory capacity of human renal cancer (RCC) cell lines, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis predicted that CDH1 and CTNNB1 were closely related to Cx43. Conclusions: GJA1 could be a promising independent favorable prognostic factor for KIRC, and upregulation of GJA1 expression could inhibit the migratory capacity of renal cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huzi Xu
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Xiuru Wang
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Fan Zhu
- Wuhan Central Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China;
| | - Shuiming Guo
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Zheng Chao
- Division of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China;
| | - Chujin Cao
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Zhihui Lu
- Division of Nursing, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China;
| | - Han Zhu
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Meng Wang
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Fengming Zhu
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Juan Yang
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Rui Zeng
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Ying Yao
- Division of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China; (H.X.); (X.W.); (S.G.); (C.C.); (H.Z.); (M.W.); (F.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Division of Nutrition, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan 430030, China
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Mickus R, Raškevičius V, Sarapinienė I, Mikalayeva V, Prekeris R, Skeberdis VA. Phosphorylation-dependent allosteric regulation of Cx43 gap junction inhibitor potency. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116550. [PMID: 38593702 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Physiological and pathological processes such as homeostasis, embryogenesis, development, tumorigenesis, and cell movement depend on the intercellular communication through gap junctions (GJIC). Connexin (Cx)-based GJ channels are formed of two apposing hemichannels in the contiguous cells and provide a direct pathway for electrical and metabolic intercellular communication. The main modulators of GJ conductance are transjunctional voltage, intracellular pH, Ca2+, Mg2+, and phosphorylation. Chemical modulators of GJIC are being used in cases of various intercellular communication-dependent diseases. In this study, we used molecular docking, dual whole-cell patch-clamp, and Western blotting to investigate the impact of connexin phosphorylation on GJ chemical gating by α-pinene and other GJ inhibitors (octanol, carbenoxolone, mefloquine, intracellular pH, glycyrrhetinic acid, and sevoflurane) in HeLa cells expressing exogenous Cx43 (full length and truncated at amino acid 258) and other connexins typical of heart and/or nervous system (Cx36, Cx40, Cx45, and Cx47), and in cells expressing endogenous Cx43 (Novikoff and U-87). We found that Ca2+-regulated kinases, such as Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II, atypical protein kinase C, cyclin-dependent kinase, and Pyk2 kinase may allosterically modulate the potency of α-pinene through phosphorylation of Cx43 C-terminus. The identified new phenomenon was Cx isoform-, inhibitor-, and cell type-dependent. Overall, these results suggest that compounds, the potency of which depends on receptor phosphorylation, might be of particular interest in developing targeted therapies for diseases accompanied by high kinase activity, such as cardiac arrhythmias, epilepsy, stroke, essential tremor, inflammation, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rokas Mickus
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas LT-50162, Lithuania
| | - Vytautas Raškevičius
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas LT-50162, Lithuania
| | - Ieva Sarapinienė
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas LT-50162, Lithuania
| | - Valeryia Mikalayeva
- Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas LT-50162, Lithuania
| | - Rytis Prekeris
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80015, USA
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Muramatsu J, Arihara Y, Yoshida M, Kubo T, Nakamura H, Ishikawa K, Fujita H, Sugita S, Konno T, Kojima T, Kawano Y, Kobune M, Takada K. Gap junction beta-4 accelerates cell cycle progression and metastasis through MET-AKT activation in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Sci 2024; 115:1564-1575. [PMID: 38342100 PMCID: PMC11093205 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite continuing advances in the development of effective new therapies, including immunotherapies, the prognosis of pancreatic cancer remains extremely poor. Gap junction proteins have become attractive targets for potential cancer therapy. However, the role of gap junction beta-4 (GJB4) protein remains unexplored in pancreatic cancer. Through bioinformatic analyses we discovered pancreatic cancer tissues showed higher levels of GJB4 transcripts compared to normal pancreatic tissues and this had a negative effect on overall survival in patients that had pancreatic cancer. The high expression of nuclear GJB4 was identified as a negative prognostic factor in such patients. Knockdown of GJB4 in cultured pancreatic cancer cells resulted in G0/G1 arrest followed by decreased cell proliferation and suppression of metastatic potential. The overexpression of GJB4 accelerated cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in a SUIT-2 cell line, whereas MET inhibitor canceled the acceleration. GJB4 suppression with siRNA significantly inhibited tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. Mechanistically, suppression of GJB4 inhibited MET-AKT activities. Such data suggest that targeting the GJB4-MET axis could represent a promising new therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joji Muramatsu
- Department of Medical OncologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Yohei Arihara
- Department of Medical OncologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Makoto Yoshida
- Department of Medical OncologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Tomohiro Kubo
- Department of Medical OncologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Hajime Nakamura
- Department of Medical OncologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Kazuma Ishikawa
- Department of Medical OncologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Hiromi Fujita
- Department of Surgical PathologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Shintaro Sugita
- Department of Surgical PathologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Takumi Konno
- Department of Cell Science, Research Institute for Frontiers MedicineSapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Takashi Kojima
- Department of Cell Science, Research Institute for Frontiers MedicineSapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Yutaka Kawano
- Department of Community Medicine and Medical ScienceTokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesTokushimaJapan
| | - Masayoshi Kobune
- Department of HematologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
| | - Kohichi Takada
- Department of Medical OncologySapporo Medical University School of MedicineSapporoJapan
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Pourjamal N, Shirkoohi R, Rohani E, Hashemi M. The Expression Analysis of MEST1 and GJA1 Genes in Gastric Cancer in Association with Clinicopathological Characteristics. Int J Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Res 2024; 18:83-91. [PMID: 38680714 PMCID: PMC11055422 DOI: 10.18502/ijhoscr.v18i1.14747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Gastric cancer is an invasive cancer, which is usually diagnosed in advanced stages. However, the markers affecting its progression, and invasion are of great importance in its diagnosis and treatment. The current research aimed to study the correlation of genes that contributed to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), Mest1, and GjA1, with some clinicopathological specifications in gastric cancer patients to better comprehend the functions of these genes in this tumor. Materials and Methods: RNA was extracted from the tumor, and normal tissues and cDNA were synthesized. Then, by designing specific primers for Gja1 and Mest1 genes, their expressions were studied by RT-PCR. The data was analyzed by GraphPad Prism 8 software. Results: Significant differences among the expressions of mentioned genes associated with clinicopathological variables of gastric cancer patients, including tumor size, grade, stage, metastasis, and lymphatic invasion were seen. Conclusion: The obtained data showed the important role of EMT-related genes, Gja1 and Mest1 in the clinical progression of the tumor. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm these genes as biomarker candidates for detecting gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nooshin Pourjamal
- Department of Genetics, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Shirkoohi
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Cancer Research Institute, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Rohani
- Department of Genetics, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Hashemi
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
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9
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Karmakar S, Lal G. Role of Serotonergic System in Regulating Brain Tumor-Associated Neuroinflammatory Responses. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2761:181-207. [PMID: 38427238 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3662-6_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Serotonin signaling regulates wide arrays of both neural and extra-neural functions. Serotonin is also found to affect cancer progression directly as well as indirectly by modulating the immune cells. In the brain, serotonin plays a key role in regulating various functions; disturbance of the normal activities of serotonin leads to various mental illnesses, including the neuroinflammatory response in the central nervous system (CNS). The neuroinflammatory response can be initiated in various psychological illnesses and brain cancer. Serotonergic signaling can impact the functions of both glial as well as the immune cells. It can also affect the tumor immune microenvironment and the inflammatory response associated with brain cancers. Apart from this, many drugs used for treatment of psychological illness are known to modulate serotonergic system and can cross the blood-brain barrier. Understanding the role of serotonergic pathways in regulating neuroinflammatory response and brain cancer will provide a new paradigm in modulating the serotonergic components in treating brain cancer and associated inflammation-induced brain damages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surojit Karmakar
- National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), SPPU Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Girdhari Lal
- National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), SPPU Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
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10
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Wang N, Wang H. Identification of metabolism-related gene signature in lung adenocarcinoma. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e36267. [PMID: 38013279 PMCID: PMC10681599 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000036267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in China and has a high mortality rate. Most patients who are diagnosed have lost the opportunity to undergo surgery. Aberrant metabolism is closely associated with tumorigenesis. We aimed to identify an effective metabolism-related prediction model for assessing prognosis based on the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) and GSE116959 databases. METHODS TCGA and GSE116959 datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus were used to obtain lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) data. Additionally, we captured metabolism-related genes (MRGs) from the GeneCards database. First, we extracted differentially expressed genes using R to analyze the LUAD data. We then selected the same differentially expressed genes, including 168 downregulated and 77 upregulated genes. Finally, 218 differentially expressed MRGs (DEMRGs) were included to perform functional enrichment analysis and construct a protein-protein interaction network with the help of Cytoscape and Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database. Cytoscape was used to visualize the intensive intervals in the network. Then univariate and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator Cox regression analyses, which assisted in identifying the overall survival (OS)-related DEMRGs and building a 10-DEMRG prognosis model, were performed. The prognostic values, tumor immunity relevance, and molecular mechanism were further investigated. A nomogram incorporating signature, age, gender, and TNM stage was established. RESULTS A 10-DEMRG model was established to forecast the OS of LUAD through Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator regression analysis. This prognostic signature stratified LUAD patients into low-risk and high-risk groups. The receiver operating characteristic curve and K-M analysis indicated good performance of the DEMRGs signature at predicting OS in the TCGA dataset. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression also revealed that the DEMRGs signature was an independent prognosis factor in LUAD. We noticed that the risk score was substantially related to the clinical parameters of LUAD patients, covering age and stage. Immune analysis results showed that risk score was associated with some immune cells and immune checkpoints. Nomogram also verified the clinical value of the DEMRGs signature. CONCLUSION In this study, we constructed a DEMRGs signature and established a prognostic nomogram that is robust and reliable to predict OS in LUAD. Overall, the findings could help with therapeutic customization and personalized therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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11
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Wang W, Shi J, Zheng L. METTL3 promotes choriocarcinoma progression by activating the miR-935/GJA1 pathway in an m6A-dependent manner. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023; 90:e13791. [PMID: 37881126 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The emerging role of microRNA-935 (miR-935) in modulating cancer progression has been recognized. However, its role in regulating choriocarcinoma (CCA) development and progression remains unknown. The present work aims to reveal the effect of miR-935 on CCA cell tumor properties and the related mechanism. The RNA expression of methyltransferase 3, N6-adenosine-methyltransferase complex catalytic subunit (METTL3), miR-935, and gap junction protein alpha 1 (GJA1) was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression of GJA1, Ki67, and METTL3 was measured by western blotting and immunohistochemistry assays. CCK-8 and colony formation were used to analyze cell proliferation. Transwell assays were performed to assess cell migration and invasion. Angiogenesis was investigated by tube formation assay. Xenograft mouse model assay was used to determine miR-935-mediated effect on tumor formation in vivo. The luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay were used to verify the relationship between miR-935 and GJA1. MeRIP assay was used to analyze the m6A methylation of pri-miR-935. MiR-935 expression was significantly upregulated in CCA tissues and cells when compared with control groups. MiR-935 overexpression promoted CCA cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tube formation and tumor tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo, but miR-935 knockdown showed the opposite effects. In addition, miR-935 targeted GJA1 and mediated CCA cell tumor properties by negatively regulating GJA1 expression. METTL3 promoted miR-935 maturation by inducing m6A methylation of pri-miR-935, and its overexpression contributed to CCA cell tumor properties through the regulation of miR-935. METTL3 promoted choriocarcinoma progression by m6A-dependently activating the miR-935/GJA1 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhi Wang
- Department of Gynaecology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Jianyong Shi
- Department of Gynaecology, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Lei Zheng
- College of Pharmacy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
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12
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Melwani PK, Pandey BN. Tunneling nanotubes: The intercellular conduits contributing to cancer pathogenesis and its therapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:189028. [PMID: 37993000 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are intercellular conduits which meet the communication needs of non-adjacent cells situated in the same tissue but at distances up to a few hundred microns. TNTs are unique type of membrane protrusion which contain F-actin and freely hover over substratum in the extracellular space to connect the distant cells. TNTs, known to form through actin remodeling mechanisms, are intercellular bridges that connect cytoplasm of two cells, and facilitate the transfer of organelles, molecules, and pathogens among the cells. In tumor microenvironment, TNTs act as communication channel among cancer, normal, and immune cells to facilitate the transfer of calcium waves, mitochondria, lysosomes, and proteins, which in turn contribute to the survival, metastasis, and chemo-resistance in cancer cells. Recently, TNTs were shown to mediate the transfer of nanoparticles, drugs, and viruses between cells, suggesting that TNTs could be exploited as a potential route for delivery of anti-cancer agents and oncolytic viruses to the target cells. The present review discusses the emerging concepts and role of TNTs in the context of chemo- and radio-resistance with implications in the cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Kamal Melwani
- Radiation Biology & Health Sciences Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Badri Narain Pandey
- Radiation Biology & Health Sciences Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India.
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13
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Silva J, Omar N, Sittaramane V, Cowell JK. Identification of small molecules that suppress cell invasion and metastasis promoted by WASF3 activation. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20662. [PMID: 37867831 PMCID: PMC10585217 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The WASF3 gene promotes cancer cell invasion and metastasis, and genetic inactivation leads to suppression of metastasis. To identify small molecules that might interfere with WASF3 function, we performed an in silico docking study to the regulatory pocket of WASF3 using the National Cancer Institute (NCI) diversity set VI small molecule library. Compounds that showed the maximum likelihood of interaction with WASF3 were screened for their effect on cell movement in breast and prostate cancer cells, a well-established predictor of invasion and metastasis. Three hit compounds were identified that affected cell movement, and the same compounds also suppressed cell migration and invasion in vitro in both MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and Du145 prostate cancer cells. Using a zebrafish metastasis assay, one of these compounds, NSC670283, showed significant suppression of metastasis in vivo while not affecting cell proliferation. NSC670283 showed a consistent effect on suppression of invasion and metastasis, and cellular temperature shift assays provided support for physical interaction with WASF3. In addition, suppression of cell movement and invasion was accompanied by a decrease in actin filament polymerization. The data in this study suggest that these small molecules inhibit cancer cell invasion and metastasis, and to our knowledge, it is the first identification of a small molecule that can potentially inhibit WASF3-directed metastasis, laying the foundation for medicinal chemistry approaches to enhance the potency of the identified compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeane Silva
- The Georgia Cancer Center, 1410 Laney Walker Blvd., Augusta, GA 30912, Georgia
- Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, College of Allied Sciences, Augusta University, GA, 30912, Georgia
| | - Nivin Omar
- Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, GA, 30912, Georgia
| | - Vinoth Sittaramane
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458, Georgia
| | - John K. Cowell
- The Georgia Cancer Center, 1410 Laney Walker Blvd., Augusta, GA 30912, Georgia
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14
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Oliveira MC, Cordeiro RM, Bogaerts A. Effect of lipid oxidation on the channel properties of Cx26 hemichannels: A molecular dynamics study. Arch Biochem Biophys 2023; 746:109741. [PMID: 37689256 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2023.109741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Intercellular communication plays a crucial role in cancer, as well as other diseases, such as inflammation, tissue degeneration, and neurological disorders. One of the proteins responsible for this, are connexins (Cxs), which come together to form a hemichannel. When two hemichannels of opposite cells interact with each other, they form a gap junction (GJ) channel, connecting the intracellular space of these cells. They allow the passage of ions, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), and signaling molecules from the interior of one cell to another cell, thus playing an essential role in cell growth, differentiation, and homeostasis. The importance of GJs for disease induction and therapy development is becoming more appreciated, especially in the context of oncology. Studies have shown that one of the mechanisms to control the formation and disruption of GJs is mediated by lipid oxidation pathways, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we performed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate how lipid oxidation influences the channel properties of Cx26 hemichannels, such as channel gating and permeability. Our results demonstrate that the Cx26 hemichannel is more compact in the presence of oxidized lipids, decreasing its pore diameter at the extracellular side and increasing it at the amino terminus domains, respectively. The permeability of the Cx26 hemichannel for water and RONS molecules is higher in the presence of oxidized lipids. The latter may facilitate the intracellular accumulation of RONS, possibly increasing oxidative stress in cells. A better understanding of this process will help to enhance the efficacy of oxidative stress-based cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C Oliveira
- Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine-Antwerp (PLASMANT), Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Rodrigo M Cordeiro
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Avenida dos Estados 5001, CEP 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Annemie Bogaerts
- Plasma Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine-Antwerp (PLASMANT), Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610, Antwerp, Belgium
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15
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Travis L, Ou Yang J, Andersen RK, Skovby F, Jemec GB, Saunte DM. Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome and hidradenitis suppurativa. JAAD Case Rep 2023; 38:158-162. [PMID: 37555193 PMCID: PMC10404597 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdcr.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Travis
- Department of Dermatology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Janie Ou Yang
- Department of Dermatology, NYC Health+Hospitals/Woodhull, New York, New York
| | - Rune Kjærsgaard Andersen
- Department of Dermatology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Skin Immunology Research Center, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Flemming Skovby
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, University of Copenhagen, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Gregor B.E. Jemec
- Department of Dermatology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ditte M. Saunte
- Department of Dermatology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health & Medical Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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16
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Acharya BR, Fang JS, Jeffery ED, Chavkin NW, Genet G, Vasavada H, Nelson EA, Sheynkman GM, Humphries MJ, Hirschi KK. Connexin 37 sequestering of activated-ERK in the cytoplasm promotes p27-mediated endothelial cell cycle arrest. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201685. [PMID: 37197981 PMCID: PMC10192821 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Connexin37-mediated regulation of cell cycle modulators and, consequently, growth arrest lack mechanistic understanding. We previously showed that arterial shear stress up-regulates Cx37 in endothelial cells and activates a Notch/Cx37/p27 signaling axis to promote G1 cell cycle arrest, and this is required to enable arterial gene expression. However, how induced expression of a gap junction protein, Cx37, up-regulates cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 to enable endothelial growth suppression and arterial specification is unclear. Herein, we fill this knowledge gap by expressing wild-type and regulatory domain mutants of Cx37 in cultured endothelial cells expressing the Fucci cell cycle reporter. We determined that both the channel-forming and cytoplasmic tail domains of Cx37 are required for p27 up-regulation and late G1 arrest. Mechanistically, the cytoplasmic tail domain of Cx37 interacts with, and sequesters, activated ERK in the cytoplasm. This then stabilizes pERK nuclear target Foxo3a, which up-regulates p27 transcription. Consistent with previous studies, we found this Cx37/pERK/Foxo3a/p27 signaling axis functions downstream of arterial shear stress to promote endothelial late G1 state and enable up-regulation of arterial genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bipul R Acharya
- Department of Cell Biology, Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jennifer S Fang
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Erin D Jeffery
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Nicholas W Chavkin
- Department of Cell Biology, Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Gael Genet
- Department of Cell Biology, Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Hema Vasavada
- Departments of Medicine and Genetics, Cardiovascular Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Nelson
- Department of Cell Biology, Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Gloria M Sheynkman
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Martin J Humphries
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Karen K Hirschi
- Department of Cell Biology, Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Departments of Medicine and Genetics, Cardiovascular Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Ismailov ZB, Belykh ES, Chernykh AA, Udoratina AM, Kazakov DV, Rybak AV, Kerimova SN, Velegzhaninov IO. Systematic review of comparative transcriptomic studies of cellular resistance to genotoxic stress. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2023; 792:108467. [PMID: 37657754 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2023.108467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
The development of resistance by tumor cells to various types of therapy is a significant problem that decreases the effectiveness of oncology treatments. For more than two decades, comparative transcriptomic studies of tumor cells with different sensitivities to ionizing radiation and chemotherapeutic agents have been conducted in order to identify the causes and mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. However, the results of such studies have little in common and often contradict each other. We have assumed that a systematic analysis of a large number of such studies will provide new knowledge about the mechanisms of development of therapeutic resistance in tumor cells. Our comparison of 123 differentially expressed gene (DEG) lists published in 98 papers suggests a very low degree of consistency between the study results. Grouping the data by type of genotoxic agent and tumor type did not increase the similarity. The most frequently overexpressed genes were found to be those encoding the transport protein ABCB1 and the antiviral defense protein IFITM1. We put forward a hypothesis that the role played by the overexpression of the latter in the development of resistance may be associated not only with the stimulation of proliferation, but also with the limitation of exosomal communication and, as a result, with a decrease in the bystander effect. Among down regulated DEGs, BNIP3 was observed most frequently. The expression of BNIP3, together with BNIP3L, is often suppressed in cells resistant to non-platinum genotoxic chemotherapeutic agents, whereas it is increased in cells resistant to ionizing radiation. These observations are likely to be mediated by the binary effects of these gene products on survival, and regulation of apoptosis and autophagy. The combined data also show that even such obvious mechanisms as inhibition of apoptosis and increase of proliferation are not universal but show multidirectional changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z B Ismailov
- Institute of Biology of Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 28b Kommunisticheskaya St., Syktyvkar 167982, Russia
| | - E S Belykh
- Institute of Biology of Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 28b Kommunisticheskaya St., Syktyvkar 167982, Russia
| | - A A Chernykh
- Institute of Physiology of Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 50 Pervomaiskaya St., Syktyvkar 167982, Russia
| | - A M Udoratina
- Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, 23 Gagarin Avenue, Nizhny Novgorod 603022, Russia
| | - D V Kazakov
- Institute of Physics and Mathematics of Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Oplesnina St., Syktyvkar 167982, Russia
| | - A V Rybak
- Institute of Biology of Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 28b Kommunisticheskaya St., Syktyvkar 167982, Russia
| | - S N Kerimova
- State Medical Institution Komi Republican Oncology Center, 46 Nyuvchimskoe highway, Syktyvkar 167904, Russia
| | - I O Velegzhaninov
- Institute of Biology of Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 28b Kommunisticheskaya St., Syktyvkar 167982, Russia.
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18
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Jia Y, Guo B, Zhang W, Wang F, Zhang Y, Zhang Q, Li E. Pan-cancer analysis of the prognostic and immunological role of GJB2: a potential target for survival and immunotherapy. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1110207. [PMID: 37427102 PMCID: PMC10327570 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1110207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background GJB2 plays an essential role in the growth and progression of several cancers. However, asystematic pan-cancer analysis of GJB2 is lacking. Therefore, in this study, we performed a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis to determine the potential role of GJB2 in prognostic prediction and cancer immunotherapy response. Methods The differential expression of GJB2 in the tumor and adjacent normal tissues of various cancer types was analyzed using the TIMER, GEPIA, and Sangerbox databases. GEPIA and Kaplan-Meier plotter databases were used to analyze the survival outcomes based on GJB2 expression levels in pan-cancer. Furthermore, the association of GJB2 expression with the immune checkpoint (ICP) genes, tumor mutational load (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), neoantigens, and tumor infiltration of immune cells was analyzed using via the Sangerbox database. The cBioPortal database was used to determine the characteristics of GJB2 gene alterations in the cancer tissues. The STRING database was used to identify the GJB2-binding proteins. GEPIA database was used to identify the GJB2 co-expressed genes. DAVID was used to perform the functional enrichment analysis of gene ontology (GO) terms and KEGG pathways associated with GJB2. Finally, the mechanistic role of GJB2 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) was analyzed using the LinkedOmics database. Results The GJB2 gene was highly expressed in a variety of tumors. Furthermore, GJB2 expression levels showed significant positive or negative association with the survival outcomes in various cancers. GJB2 expression levels cor related with tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, neoantigens, and tumor infiltration of immune cells in multiple cancers. This suggested that GJB2 played a critical role in the tumor microenvironment. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the biological role of GJB2 in tumors included modulation of gap junction-mediated intercellular transport, regulation of cell communication by electrical coupling, ion transmembrane transport, autocrine signaling, apoptotic signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that GJB2 played a significant role in tumorigenesis and tumor immunity in multiple cancers. Furthermore, GJB2 is a potential prognostic biomarker and a promising therapeutic target in multiple types of cancers.
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Davis JT, Ghosh TM, Mazumder S, Mitra A, Bird RC, Arnold RD. Extended Exposure Topotecan Significantly Improves Long-Term Drug Sensitivity by Decreasing Malignant Cell Heterogeneity and by Preventing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108490. [PMID: 37239838 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Maximum tolerable dosing (MTD) of chemotherapeutics has long been the gold standard for aggressive malignancies. Recently, alternative dosing strategies have gained traction for their improved toxicity profiles and unique mechanisms of action, such as inhibition of angiogenesis and stimulation of immunity. In this article, we investigated whether extended exposure (EE) topotecan could improve long-term drug sensitivity by preventing drug resistance. To achieve significantly longer exposure times, we used a spheroidal model system of castration-resistant prostate cancer. We also used state-of-the-art transcriptomic analysis to further elucidate any underlying phenotypic changes that occurred in the malignant population following each treatment. We determined that EE topotecan had a much higher barrier to resistance relative to MTD topotecan and was able to maintain consistent efficacy throughout the study period (EE IC50 of 54.4 nM (Week 6) vs. MTD IC50 of 2200 nM (Week 6) vs. 83.8 nM IC50 for control (Week 6) vs. 37.8 nM IC50 for control (Week 0)). As a possible explanation for these results, we determined that MTD topotecan stimulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), upregulated efflux pumps, and produced altered topoisomerases relative to EE topotecan. Overall, EE topotecan resulted in a more sustained treatment response and maintained a less aggressive malignant phenotype relative to MTD topotecan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T Davis
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Taraswi Mitra Ghosh
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- Department of Urology Research, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Suman Mazumder
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- UAB O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Amit Mitra
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- UAB O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
- Center for Pharmacogenomics and Single-Cell Omics (AUPharmGx), Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Richard Curtis Bird
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Robert D Arnold
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
- UAB O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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20
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Dunn P, Annamdevula NS, Leavesley SJ, Rich TC, Phan AV. A two-dimensional finite element model of intercellular cAMP signaling through gap junction channels. J Biomech 2023; 152:111588. [PMID: 37094384 PMCID: PMC10173664 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2023.111588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
While cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is typically considered an intracellular signal, it has been shown to spread between adjacent cells through connexin-based gap junction channels, promoting gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). Gap junction-mediated signaling is critical for the coordinated function of many tissues, and have been linked with cardiovascular disease, neurogenerative disease, and cancers. In particular, it plays a complex role in tumor suppression or promotion. This work introduces a two-dimensional finite element model that can describe intercellular cAMP signaling in the presence of gap junctions on membrane interfaces. The model was utilized to simulate cAMP transfer through one and two gap junction channels on the interface of a cluster of two pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells. The simulation results were found to generally agree with what has been observed in the literature in terms of GJIC. The research outcomes suggest that the proposed model can be employed to evaluate the permeability properties of a gap junction channel if its cAMP volumetric flow rate can be experimentally measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Dunn
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - N S Annamdevula
- Center for Lung Biology & Department of Pharmacology University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - S J Leavesley
- Center for Lung Biology & Department of Pharmacology University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - T C Rich
- Center for Lung Biology & Department of Pharmacology University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - A-V Phan
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688, USA.
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21
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吕 振, 季 文, 程 倩, 周 雪, 王 威, 杨 燕. [Methylselenocysteine Promotes Etoposide Cytotoxicity by Enhancing Homotypic Gap Junctions Composed of Connexin 26]. SICHUAN DA XUE XUE BAO. YI XUE BAN = JOURNAL OF SICHUAN UNIVERSITY. MEDICAL SCIENCE EDITION 2023; 54:532-538. [PMID: 37248580 PMCID: PMC10475426 DOI: 10.12182/20230560205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Objective To investigate the effect of methylselenocysteine (MSC) on the function of homotypic gap junction (GJ) composed of connexin (Cx) 26 and its regulation of chemotherapeutic drug cytotoxicity. Methods The Tet-on HeLa cells transfected with and stably expressing Cx26 were used as the tool cells. Effects of MSC on cell growth, GJ function, and Cx26 protein expression were examined by MTT method, parachute assay, and Western blot analysis, respectively. The cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs was determined by standard colony-forming assay, and the relationship between MSC's effect on cytotoxicity of these chemotherapeutic drugs and its regulation of GJ was further analyzed. Results In Tet-on HeLa cells, doxycycline (Dox) can induce the expression of Cx26, which could then form functional GJs. Within a concentration range of 50 μmol/L, MSC had no significant effect on HeLa cell growth. Non-toxic concentrations of MSC can enhance GJs in a concentration-dependent manner and exert its effect at the nanomolar level. This effect was associated with an induction of Cx26 protein expression by MSC. Among the three common chemotherapeutic agents with different mechanisms of action, etoposide (Eto) presented cytotoxicity differences between HeLa cells cultured at low density (nonconfluent, no GJ formed) and high density (confluent, GJ formed). What's more, the inhibitory effect of Eto combined with MSC on HeLa cell colony formation was stronger than that of Eto alone, and this effect occurred only in HeLa cells with GJ formation. Conclusion MSC can potentiate the cytotoxicity of Eto by enhancing the GJs composed of Cx26, indicating that combined strategy of selenide and chemotherapy shows potential value in the treatment of malignant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- 振宇 吕
- 蚌埠医学院第一附属医院 肿瘤内科 (蚌埠 233004)Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - 文斌 季
- 蚌埠医学院第一附属医院 肿瘤内科 (蚌埠 233004)Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - 倩倩 程
- 蚌埠医学院第一附属医院 肿瘤内科 (蚌埠 233004)Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - 雪丽 周
- 蚌埠医学院第一附属医院 肿瘤内科 (蚌埠 233004)Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - 威 王
- 蚌埠医学院第一附属医院 肿瘤内科 (蚌埠 233004)Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
| | - 燕 杨
- 蚌埠医学院第一附属医院 肿瘤内科 (蚌埠 233004)Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China
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22
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Sinha S, Callow BW, Farfel AP, Roy S, Chen S, Rajendran S, Buschhaus JM, Luker KE, Ghosh P, Luker GD. A Multiomic Analysis Reveals How Breast Cancers Disseminated to the Bone Marrow Acquire Aggressive Phenotypes through Tumor-Stroma Tunnels. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.18.533175. [PMID: 36993616 PMCID: PMC10055300 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.18.533175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer commonly disseminates to bone marrow, where interactions with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) shape disease trajectory. We modeled these interactions with tumor-MSC co-cultures and used an integrated transcriptome-proteome-network- analyses workflow to identify a comprehensive catalog of contact-induced changes. Induced genes and proteins in cancer cells, some borrowed and others tumor-intrinsic, were not recapitulated merely by conditioned media from MSCs. Protein-protein interaction networks revealed the rich connectome between 'borrowed' and 'intrinsic' components. Bioinformatic approaches prioritized one of the 'borrowed' components, CCDC88A /GIV, a multi-modular metastasis-related protein which has recently been implicated in driving one of the hallmarks of cancers, i.e., growth signaling autonomy. MSCs transferred GIV protein to ER+ breast cancer cells (that lack GIV) through tunnelling nanotubes via connexin (Cx)43-facilitated intercellular transport. Reinstating GIV alone in GIV-negative breast cancer cells reproduced ∼20% of both the 'borrowed' and the 'intrinsic' gene induction patterns from contact co-cultures; conferred resistance to anti-estrogen drugs; and enhanced tumor dissemination. Findings provide a multiomic insight into MSC→tumor cell intercellular transport and validate how transport of one such candidate, GIV, from the haves (MSCs) to have-nots (ER+ breast cancer) orchestrates aggressive disease states.
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Shahid K, Khan K, Badshah Y, Mahmood Ashraf N, Hamid A, Trembley JH, Shabbir M, Afsar T, Almajwal A, Abusharha A, Razak S. Pathogenicity of PKCγ Genetic Variants-Possible Function as a Non-Invasive Diagnostic Biomarker in Ovarian Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:236. [PMID: 36672978 PMCID: PMC9858858 DOI: 10.3390/genes14010236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecologic malignancies, owing to its misdiagnosis or late diagnosis. Identification of its genetic determinants could improve disease outcomes. Conventional Protein Kinase C-γ (PKCγ) dysregulation is reported in several cancers. Similarly, its variant rs1331262028 is also reported to have an association with hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the variant rs1331262028 association with ovarian cancer and to determine its impact on PKCγ's protein interactions. Association of variation was determined through genotyping PCR (cohort size:100). Protein-protein docking and molecular dynamic simulation were carried out to study the variant impact of PKCγ interactions. The study outcome indicated the positive association of variant rs1331262028 with ovarian cancer and its clinicopathological features. Molecular dynamics simulation depicted the potential influence of variation on PKCγ molecular signaling. Hence, this study provided the foundations for assessing variant rs1331262028 as a potential prognostic marker for ovarian cancer. Through further validation, it can be applied at the clinical level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanza Shahid
- Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 44010, Pakistan
| | - Khushbukhat Khan
- Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 44010, Pakistan
| | - Yasmin Badshah
- Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 44010, Pakistan
| | - Naeem Mahmood Ashraf
- School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Arslan Hamid
- LIMES Institute (AG-Netea), University of Bonn, Carl-Troll-Str. 31, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Janeen H. Trembley
- Minneapolis VA Health Care System Research Service, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Maria Shabbir
- Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 44010, Pakistan
| | - Tayyaba Afsar
- Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Almajwal
- Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Abusharha
- Department of Optometry, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suhail Razak
- Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia
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Alsabbagh MM. Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome: A comprehensive review of cutaneous and systemic manifestations. Pediatr Dermatol 2023; 40:19-27. [PMID: 36444857 DOI: 10.1111/pde.15201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome is a rare genetic disease presenting with cutaneous, ocular, and otic defects. This comprehensive review provides insight into the clinical presentations, highlighting the cutaneous manifestations including histopathology and treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manahel Mahmood Alsabbagh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Princess Al-Jawhara Center for Molecular Medicine and Inherited Disorders, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
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25
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Nunn AV, Guy GW, Bell JD. Bioelectric Fields at the Beginnings of Life. Bioelectricity 2022; 4:237-247. [PMID: 36636557 PMCID: PMC9810354 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2022.0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The consensus on the origins of life is that it involved organization of prebiotic chemicals according to the underlying principles of thermodynamics to dissipate energy derived from photochemical and/or geochemical sources. Leading theories tend to be chemistry-centric, revolving around either metabolism or information-containing polymers first. However, experimental data also suggest that bioelectricity and quantum effects play an important role in biology, which might suggest that a further factor is required to explain how life began. Intriguingly, in the early part of 20th century, the concept of the "morphogenetic field" was proposed by Gurwitsch to explain how the shape of an organism was determined, while a role for quantum mechanics in biology was suggested by Bohr and Schrödinger, among others. This raises the question as to the potential of these phenomena, especially bioelectric fields, to have been involved in the origin of life. It points to the possibility that as bioelectricity is universally prevalent in biological systems today, it represents a more complex echo of an electromagnetic skeleton which helped shape life into being. It could be argued that as a flow of ions creates an electric field, this could have been pivotal in the formation of an energy dissipating structure, for instance, in deep sea thermal vents. Moreover, a field theory might also hint at the potential involvement of nontrivial quantum effects in life. Not only might this perspective help indicate the origins of morphogenetic fields, but also perhaps suggest where life may have started, and whether metabolism or information came first. It might also help to provide an insight into aging, cancer, consciousness, and, perhaps, how we might identify life beyond our planet. In short, when thinking about life, not only do we have to consider the accepted chemistry, but also the fields that must also shape it. In effect, to fully understand life, as well as the yin of accepted particle-based chemistry, there is a yang of field-based interaction and an ethereal skeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair V.W. Nunn
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom.,Address correspondence to: Alistair V.W. Nunn, PhD, Research Centre for Optimal Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London W1W 6UW, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jimmy D. Bell
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
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Gao J, Zhao Z, Zhang H, Huang S, Xu M, Pan H. Transcriptomic characterization and construction of M2 macrophage-related prognostic and immunotherapeutic signature in ovarian metastasis of gastric cancer. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2022; 72:1121-1138. [PMID: 36336725 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-022-03316-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian metastasis (OM) poses a major threat to the outcome of gastric cancer (GC) patients. Recently, immunotherapy emerged as a novel promising therapeutic strategy to treat late-stage GC, whereas its efficacy is influenced by tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). M2 macrophage, a key subset within TIME, plays dual immunosuppressive and pro-tumorigenic roles in cancer progression and is recognized as a potential therapeutic target. However, molecular mechanisms underlying OM remain elusive and the TIME-related prognostic and immunotherapeutic index for these patients is yet to establish. METHODS Differential expressed genes (DEGs) between paired normal mucosa, primary GC and OM of patients from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) cohort (n = 6) were identified by transcriptome sequencing, followed by the functional annotation of enriched hallmark pathways of DEGs between them. CIBERSORT was used to profile the relative expression level of 22 immune cell subsets in normal tissues, primary and metastatic tumors, followed by weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) uncovering immune cell-correlated gene sets. The intersected genes between DEGs and M2 macrophage-related genes were processed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis to construct a predictive signature, M2GO, which was further validated by training set and test set of The Cancer Genome Atlas-Stomach Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-STAD), GSE62254 and GSE84437 cohorts. GC patients were divided into M2GO-high and -low subgroup according to the optimal cutoff value of the M2GO score. Furthermore, the clinical, molecular and immune features between M2GO-high and -low subgroups were analyzed. Clinical cohorts of immunotherapy were used to validate the predictive value of M2GO in regard to immunotherapy effectiveness. RESULTS Transcriptomic sequencing and follow-up analyses of triple-matched normal tissues, primary and ovarian metastatic tumors identified distinctive sets of DEGs and enriched immune-, cancer- and metastasis-related pathways between them. Of note, M2 macrophage, a major immunosuppressive and pro-tumorigenic component within TIME, was significantly up-regulated in OMs. WGCNA and LASSO regression were applied to establish a novel OM- and M2 macrophage-related predictive signature, M2GO, based on M2 macrophage-related prognostic genes including GJA1, MAGED1 and SERPINE1. M2GO served as an independent prognostic factor of GC patients. Comprehensive molecular and immune characterization of M2GO-based subgroups uncovered their distinctive features in terms of enriched functional pathways, tumor mutation burden, key immune checkpoints, major regulators of natural immune cGAS-STING pathway, infiltrated subsets of immune cells and tumor immune exclusion/dysfunction (TIDE) score. Notably, the M2GO score was significantly lower in responsive group than non-responsive group (P < 0.05) in clinical cohort of metastatic GC patients undergoing immunotherapy. CONCLUSION Transcriptomic characterization of paired normal mucosae, primary and ovarian metastatic tumors revealed their unique molecular and immune features. Follow-up analyses established a novel OM- and M2 macrophage-related signature, M2GO, which served as a promising prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker to distinguish the clinical outcome, molecular and immune features of GC patients and predict their differential responses to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianpeng Gao
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Zhenxiong Zhao
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hena Zhang
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, The International Co-Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shenglin Huang
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, The International Co-Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Midie Xu
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Institute of Pathology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Hongda Pan
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Qi J, Yin J, Ding G. A Connexin-Based Biomarker Model Applicable for Prognosis and Immune Landscape Assessment in Lung Adenocarcinoma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:9261339. [PMID: 36276289 PMCID: PMC9581606 DOI: 10.1155/2022/9261339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Gap junction protein (Connexin) family is the basic unit of cellular connection, whose multiple members were recently demonstrated to be associated with tumor progression. However, the expression pattern and prognostic value of connexin in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have not yet been elucidated. Methods Consensus cluster algorithm was first applied to determine a novel molecular subtype in LUAD based on connexin genes. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two clusters were obtained to include in Cox regression analyses for the model construction. To examine the predictive capacity of the signature, survival curves and ROC plots were conducted. We implemented GSEA method to uncover the function effects enriched in the risk model. Moreover, the tumor immune microenvironment in LUAD was depicted by CIBERSORT and ssGSEA methods. Results The integrated LUAD cohort (TCGA-LUAD and GSE68465) were clustered into two subtypes (C1 = 217 and C2 = 296) based on 21 connexins and the clinical outcomes of LUAD cases in the two clusters showed remarkable discrepancy. Next, we collected 222 DEGs among two subclusters to build a prognostic model using stepwise Cox analyses. Our proposed model consisted of six genes that accurately forecast patient outcomes and differentiate patient risk. GSEA indicated that high-risk group was involved in tumor relevant pathways were activated in high-risk group, such as PI3K/AKT signaling, TGF-β pathway, and p53 pathway. Furthermore, LUAD cases with high-risk presented higher infiltration level of M2 macrophage and neutrophil, suggesting high-risk group were more likely to generate an immunosuppressive status. Conclusion Our data identified a novel connexin-based subcluster in LUAD and further created a risk signature which plays a central part in prognosis assessment and clinical potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqing Qi
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Jun Yin
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Guowen Ding
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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Liu S, Lan Y, Zhao Y, Zhang Q, Lin T, Lin K, Guo J, Yan Y. Expression of connexin 43 protein in cardiomyocytes of heart failure mouse model. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:1028558. [PMID: 36277751 PMCID: PMC9581147 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1028558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is the end stage of various cardiovascular diseases, with high morbidity and mortality, and is associated with a poor prognosis. One of the primary causes of HF is aortic valve disease, manifested by progressive aortic valve stenosis (AVS), resulting in increased left ventricular load, ventricular hypertrophy, ultimately ventricular dysfunction, and HF. Early assessment of the degree of cardiomyopathy and timely intervention is expected to improve patients’ cardiac function and delay or even avoid the occurrence of HF. The Wnt signaling pathway is mainly involved in regulating myocardial insufficiency after valve stenosis. Connexin 43 protein (Cx43) is an essential target of Wnt signaling pathway that forms gap junction (GJ) structures and is widely distributed in various organs and tissues, especially in the heart. The distribution and transformation of Cx43 among cardiac cells are crucial for the development of HF. To specifically label Cx43 in vivo, we established a new Cx43-BFP-GFP mouse model with two loxp sites on both sides of the tag BFP-polyA box, which can be removed by Cre recombination. This double-reporter line endowed us with a powerful genetic tool for determining the area, spatial distribution, and functional status of Cx43. It also indicated changes in electrical conduction between cells in a steady or diseased state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoyan Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Lan
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Zhao
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianyu Zhang
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tzuchun Lin
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaibin Lin
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junjie Guo
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China,Qingdao Municipal Key Laboratory of Hypertension (Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine), Qingdao, China,*Correspondence: Junjie Guo,
| | - Yan Yan
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Yan Yan,
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Li H, Wang B, Qi B, Jiang G, Qin M, Yu M. Connexin32 regulates expansion of liver cancer stem cells via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Oncol Rep 2022; 48:166. [PMID: 35894130 PMCID: PMC9351005 DOI: 10.3892/or.2022.8381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are responsible for liver cancer recurrence, metastasis, and drug resistance. Previous studies by the authors demonstrated that upregulated expression of connexin 32 (Cx32) reversed doxorubicin resistance and reduced invasion and metastasis of liver cancer cells. However, the role of Cx32 in expansion of LCSCs remains unclear. A total of 85 patients were enrolled in the present study and followed-up for 5 years. The expression of Cx32 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and corresponding paracancerous tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Cx32 was silenced in HepG2 cells and overexpressed in HCCLM3 cells and the stemness of liver cells was examined by detecting the expression of LCSC markers (EpCAM, CD133, Nanog, Oct4, Sox9, c-Myc), sphere formation, and xenograft tumorigenesis. Finally, the effect of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway on Cx32-regulated LCSC expansion was investigated. Cx32 was downregulated in LCSCs and HCC tissues, and predicted poor prognosis in patients with HCC. Overexpression of Cx32 in HCCLM3 cells significantly inhibited LCSC expansion, tumorigenesis, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway activity. By contrast, silencing of Cx32 in HepG2 cells upregulated expansion of LCSCs and PI3K/Akt pathway activity. Modulating the activity of the PI3K/Akt pathway by SC-79 and LY294002 in HepG2 and HCCLM3 cells, respectively, confirmed that Cx32 could affect the expansion of LCSCs through PI3K/Akt signaling. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that Cx32 regulated the expansion of LCSCs, and increased expression of Cx32 significantly inhibited the expansion of LCSCs, suggesting that Cx32 may be an optimal target for intervention of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233004, P.R. China
| | - Boying Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233004, P.R. China
| | - Benquan Qi
- Department of Emergency Internal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233004, P.R. China
| | - Guojun Jiang
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233004, P.R. China
| | - Min Qin
- Department of Pharmacy, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China
| | - Meiling Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233004, P.R. China
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Zhou S, Wang H, Huang Y, Wu Y, Lin Z. The global change of gene expression pattern caused by PTEN mutation affects the prognosis of glioblastoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:952521. [PMID: 36016609 PMCID: PMC9396408 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.952521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive primary tumor, is common in humans, accounting for 12–15% of all intracranial tumors, and has median survival of fewer than 15 months. Since a growing body of evidence suggests that conventional drugs are ineffective against GBM, our goal is to find emerging therapies that play a role in its treatment. This research constructs a risk model to predict the prognosis of GBM patients. A set of genes associated with GBM was taken from a GBM gene data bank, and clinical information on patients with GBM was retrieved from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data bank. One-way Cox and Kaplan–Meier analyses were performed to identify genes in relation to prognosis. Groups were classified into high and low expression level of PTEN expression. Prognosis-related genes were further identified, and multi-factor Cox regression analysis was used to build risk score equations for the prognostic model to construct a survival prognostic model. The area under the ROC curve suggested that the pattern had high accuracy. When combined with nomogram analysis, GJB2 was considered an independent predictor of GBM prognosis. This study provides a potential prognostic predictive biological marker for GBM patients and confirms that GJB2 is a key gene for GBM progression.
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Meng S, Liu Y, Wang X, Wu X, Xie W, Kang X, Liu X, Guo L, Wang C. The prognostic value and biological significance of gap junction beta protein 2 (GJB2 or Cx26) in cervical cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:907960. [PMID: 35936685 PMCID: PMC9355537 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.907960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveTo evaluate the prognostic value and explore the biological significance of gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2 or Cx26) in cervical cancer (CC).MethodsWe first compared GJB2 expression between CC and normal tissues using public databases and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas data (TCGA cohort, n = 304) and tissue microarray samples (OBC cohort, n = 111), we explored the prognostic value of GJB2 for CC patients using bioinformatics analysis and IHC scoring. To explore the biological significance of GJB2, Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and Gene Ontology (GO) were performed. The impact of GJB2 on the immune microenvironment was analyzed by CIBERSORTx and ESTIMATE algorithms. We finally investigated the relationship between GJB2 and drug sensitivity based on the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC).ResultsThe expression of GJB2 was significantly increased in CC over normal tissues. Both the TCGA and OBC cohort found that patients with high GJB2 expression had shorter overall survival (OS) time, and high GJB2 expression was the independent risk factor for prognosis (TCGA: HR, 2.566; 95% CI, 1.066–6.180; p = 0.036; OBC: HR, 2.198; 95% CI, 1.019–4.741; p = 0.045). GJB2 was correlated with patient clinical factors such as tumor size and differentiation grade. The p53 signaling pathway and toll-like receptor pathway may be regulated by GJB2. The abundance of various immune cells was significantly different between the low and high GJB2 expression groups. The ImmuneScore was significantly increased in the high GJB2 expression group. In addition, the expression level of GJB2 was positively correlated with the natural log of the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (LN_IC50) value of cisplatin/paclitaxel (Spearman r = 0.238/0.153, p < 0.001).ConclusionGJB2 can serve as a potential prognostic marker of poor survival and a therapeutic target in CC. Moreover, GJB2 may affect the immune microenvironment and is correlated with chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silu Meng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuhuan Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xue Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wan Xie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyan Kang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lili Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Changyu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Changyu Wang,
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Tang T, Tan X, Wang Z, Wang S, Wang Y, Xu J, Wei X, Zhang D, Liu Q, Jiang J. Germline Mutations in Patients With Early-Onset Prostate Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:826778. [PMID: 35734583 PMCID: PMC9207501 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.826778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the inherited mutations and their association with clinical features and treatment response in young-onset prostate cancer patients. Method Targeted gene sequencing on 139 tumor susceptibility genes was conducted with a total of 24 patients diagnosed with PCa under the age of 63 years old. Meanwhile, the related clinical information of those patients is collected and analyzed. Results Sixty-two germline mutations in 45 genes were verified in 22 patients. BRCA2 (20.8%) and GJB2 (20.8%) were found to be the most frequently mutated, followed by CHEK2, BRCA1, PALB2, CDKN2A, HOXB13, PPM1D, and RECQL (8.3% of each, 2/24). Of note, 58.3% (14/24) patients carry germline mutations in DNA repair genes (DRGs). Four families with HRR (homologous recombination repair)-related gene mutations were described and analyzed in detail. Two patients with BRCA2 mutation responded well to the combined treatment of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and radiotherapy/chemotherapy. Conclusion Mutations in DRGs are more prevalent in early-onset PCa with advanced clinical stages, and these patients had shorter progression-free survival. ADT Combined with either radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be effective in treating PCa caused by HRR-related gene mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tang Tang
- Department of Urology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xintao Tan
- Department of Urology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ze Wang
- Department of Urology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Urology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yapeng Wang
- Department of Urology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Urology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiajie Wei
- Genetron Health (Beijing) Co., Beijing, China
| | - Dianzheng Zhang
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Qiuli Liu
- Department of Urology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Jiang
- Department of Urology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Carvalho J. A computational model of organism development and carcinogenesis resulting from cells' bioelectric properties and communication. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9206. [PMID: 35654933 PMCID: PMC9163332 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13281-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A sound theory of biological organization is clearly missing for a better interpretation of observational results and faster progress in understanding life complexity. The availability of such a theory represents a fundamental progress in explaining both normal and pathological organism development. The present work introduces a computational implementation of some principles of a theory of organism development, namely that the default state of cells is proliferation and motility, and includes the principle of variation and organization by closure of constraints. In the present model, the bioelectric context of cells and tissue is the field responsible for organization, as it regulates cell proliferation and the level of communication driving the system's evolution. Starting from a depolarized (proliferative) cell, the organism grows to a certain size, limited by the increasingly polarized state after successive proliferation events. The system reaches homeostasis, with a depolarized core (proliferative cells) surrounded by a rim of polarized cells (non-proliferative in this condition). This state is resilient to cell death (random or due to injure) and to limited depolarization (potentially carcinogenic) events. Carcinogenesis is introduced through a localized event (a spot of depolarized cells) or by random depolarization of cells in the tissue, which returns cells to their initial proliferative state. The normalization of the bioelectric condition can reverse this out-of-equilibrium state to a new homeostatic one. This simplified model of embryogenesis, tissue organization and carcinogenesis, based on non-excitable cells' bioelectric properties, can be made more realistic with the introduction of other components, like biochemical fields and mechanical interactions, which are fundamental for a more faithful representation of reality. However, even a simple model can give insight for new approaches in complex systems and suggest new experimental tests, focused in its predictions and interpreted under a new paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joao Carvalho
- CFisUC, Department of Physics, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
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Li Z, Quan Y, Gu S, Jiang JX. Beyond the Channels: Adhesion Functions of Aquaporin 0 and Connexin 50 in Lens Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:866980. [PMID: 35465319 PMCID: PMC9022433 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.866980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Lens, an avascular tissue involved in light transmission, generates an internal microcirculatory system to promote ion and fluid circulation, thus providing nutrients to internal lens cells and excreting the waste. This unique system makes up for the lack of vasculature and distinctively maintains lens homeostasis and lens fiber cell survival through channels of connexins and other transporters. Aquaporins (AQP) and connexins (Cx) comprise the majority of channels in the lens microcirculation system and are, thus, essential for lens development and transparency. Mutations of AQPs and Cxs result in abnormal channel function and cataract formation. Interestingly, in the last decade or so, increasing evidence has emerged suggesting that in addition to their well-established channel functions, AQP0 and Cx50 play pivotal roles through channel-independent actions in lens development and transparency. Specifically, AQP0 and Cx50 have been shown to have a unique cell adhesion function that mediates lens development and transparency. Precise regulation of cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion is necessary for cell migration, a critical process during lens development. This review will provide recent advances in basic research of cell adhesion mediated by AQP0 and Cx50.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yumeng Quan
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Sumin Gu
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Jean X. Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
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Zhou X, Li M, Cheng Q, Shao Y, Wang W, Du Q, Liu J, Yang Y. Methylselenocysteine Potentiates Etoposide-Induced Cytotoxicity by Enhancing Gap Junction Activity. Biol Pharm Bull 2022; 45:467-476. [DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b21-00893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College
| | - Man Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College
| | - Qianqian Cheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College
| | - Yu Shao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College
| | - Qianyu Du
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College
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Citrus Flavone Tangeretin Inhibits CRPC Cell Proliferation by Regulating Cx26, AKT, and AR Signaling. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:6422500. [PMID: 35111229 PMCID: PMC8803427 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6422500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) progression depends on the action of androgen receptors (AR). Therefore, preventing ligand-mediated activation of AR is the first-line treatment strategy for metastatic PCa. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) can inhibit ligand binding to AR and alleviate PCa progression initially. However, due to the adaptation of PCa and recovery of AR signaling, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) eventually develops. Exploring novel dietary compounds that can target AR signaling appears to be a viable alternative therapeutic option for CRPC. In the present study, compounds from the citrus fruits were focused upon, which contain various flavonoid ingredients. Key components contained within orange peel, which is frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine, and downstream targets were first analyzed using network pharmacology approach. Notably, it was found that tangeretin, an active ingredient from orange peel, can significantly inhibit CRPC cell (C4-2 and Du145 cells) proliferation and migration whilst also synergistically increasing the sensitivity of CRPC cells to anti-tumor drugs sorafenib or cisplatin. Tangeretin also significantly reduced AR and AKT expressions in C4-2 cells and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 expression in the androgen-insensitive cell line Du145. In addition, tangeretin increased the expression of both connexin26 (Cx26) and gap junction function, which may mediate the bystander effects of cisplatin or sorafenib. Taken together, the present study revealed a novel molecular mechanism by which tangeretin may inhibit the proliferation of CRPC cells, by affecting the Cx26/AKT/AR pathway, to synergistically increase the sensitivity of CRPC cells to sorafenib and cisplatin.
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Savić I, Ivanović N, Oprić D. Role of gap junctions and connexin 43 in cancerogenesis and tumor metastasis. MEDICINSKI PODMLADAK 2022. [DOI: 10.5937/mp73-38352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Gap junctions are intercellular connections that enable direct communication between neighboring cells. They are important in tissue homeostasis, cell growth, and differentiation. They are composed of connexin proteins, of which the most common and most studied is connexin 43. The role of connexin 43 in the development and progression of tumors is contradictory. The aim of this paper is to summarize the current state of knowledge on the expression of connexin 43 in various primary and secondary tumors, in order to explain its role in the development and progression of malignant tumors. Previous studies have examined the expression of connexin 43 in various primary and secondary tumors, as well as its association with prognosis. The expression of connexin 43 has been shown to be associated with various aspects of tumor behavior. However, it has been shown that the expression of connexin 43 differs between different types and localizations of tumors, as well as between different stages in tumor progression, which indicates the complex role of connexin 43 in tumor evolution. Since gap junctions play a role in carcinogenesis, invasion, and metastasis of malignant cells, further studies should clarify whether connexin 43 can be used as a diagnostic biomarker.
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Footprints of microRNAs in Cancer Biology. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9101494. [PMID: 34680611 PMCID: PMC8533183 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9101494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Over the past years, various studies have demonstrated the role of aberrant miRNA expression in the onset of cancer. The mechanisms by which miRNA exerts its cancer-promoting or inhibitory effects are apparent through the various cancer hallmarks, which include selective proliferative advantage, altered stress response, vascularization, invasion and metastasis, metabolic rewiring, the tumor microenvironment and immune modulation; therefore, this review aims to highlight the association between miRNAs and the various cancer hallmarks by dissecting the mechanisms of miRNA regulation in each hallmark separately. It is hoped that the information presented herein will provide further insights regarding the role of cancer and serve as a guideline to evaluate the potential of microRNAs to be utilized as biomarkers and therapeutic targets on a larger scale in cancer research.
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Fromme JE, Zigrino P. Melanoma metastasis, BRAF mutation and GJB5 connexin expression: a new prognostic factor. Br J Dermatol 2021; 186:13-14. [PMID: 34590708 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.20756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J E Fromme
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, 50937, Germany.,Mildred Scheel School of Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (MSSO ABCD), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, 50937, Germany
| | - P Zigrino
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, 50937, Germany
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Tabadkani M, Bani N, Gharib M, Ziaeemehr A, Samadi S, Rastgar-Moghadam A, Mehramiz M, Alavi N, Moetamani-Ahmadi M, Samadian MM, Vahaz F, Daghigh-Bazaz ZS, Rajabian M, Rahbarian R, Ramshini H, Khazaei M, Ferns GA, Shaidsales S, Avan A. Association between the Cx371019 C > T genetic variant and risk of breast cancer. Meta Gene 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mgene.2021.100925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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Orellana VP, Tittarelli A, Retamal MA. Connexins in melanoma: Potential role of Cx46 in its aggressiveness. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2021; 34:853-868. [PMID: 33140904 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer, and in metastatic advanced states, it is completely refractory to chemotherapy. Therefore, it is relevant to understand the molecular bases that rule their aggressiveness. Connexins (Cxs) are proteins that under normal physiological conditions participate in intercellular communication, via the exchange of signaling molecules between the cytoplasm and extracellular milieu and the exchange of ions/second messengers between the cytoplasm of contacting cells. These proteins have shown important roles in cancer progression, chemo- and radiotherapy resistance, and metastasis. Accordingly, Cx26 and Cx43 seem to play important roles in melanoma progression and metastasis. On the other hand, Cx46 is typically expressed in the eye lens, where it seems to be associated with oxidative stress protection in fiber lens cells. However, in the last decade, Cx46 expression has been associated with breast and brain cancers, due to its role in potentiation of both extracellular vesicle release and cancer stem cell-like properties. In this review, we analyzed a potential role of Cx46 as a new biomarker and therapeutic target in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana P Orellana
- Universidad del Desarrollo. Centro de Fisiología Celular e Integrativa, Clinica Alemana Facultad de Medicina, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad del Desarrollo. Programa de Comunicación Celular en Cáncer, Clínica Alemana Facultad de Medicina, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrés Tittarelli
- Programa Institucional de Fomento a la Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación (PIDi), Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana (UTEM), Santiago, Chile
| | - Mauricio A Retamal
- Universidad del Desarrollo. Centro de Fisiología Celular e Integrativa, Clinica Alemana Facultad de Medicina, Santiago, Chile
- Universidad del Desarrollo. Programa de Comunicación Celular en Cáncer, Clínica Alemana Facultad de Medicina, Santiago, Chile
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Ray A, Mehta PP. Cysteine residues in the C-terminal tail of connexin32 regulate its trafficking. Cell Signal 2021; 85:110063. [PMID: 34146657 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2021.110063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Gap junctions (GJs) are formed by the assembly of constituent transmembrane proteins called connexins (Cxs). Aberrations in this assembly of Cxs are observed in several genetic diseases as well as in cancers. Hence it becomes imperative to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying such assembly defect. The polarized cells in the epithelia express Connexin32 (Cx32). The C-terminal tail (CT) of Cx32 orchestrates several aspects of GJ dynamics, function and growth. The study here was aimed at determining if post-translational modifications, specifically, palmitoylation of cysteine residues, present in the CT of Cx32, has any effect on GJ assembly. The CT of Cx32 was found to harbor three cysteine residues, which are likely to be modified by palmitoylation. The study here has revealed for the first time that Cx32 is palmitoylated at cysteine 217 (C217) in cell line derived from prostate tumors. However, it was found that mutating C217 to alanine affected neither the trafficking nor the ability of Cx32 to assemble into GJs. Intriguingly, it was discovered that mutating cysteine 280 and 283, only in combination, blocked the trafficking of Cx32 from the trans-Golgi network to the cell surface. The mutants showed reduced stability due to enhanced lysosomal degradation. Overall, the findings reveal the importance of the two C-terminal cysteine residues of Cx32 in regulating its trafficking and stability and hence its ability to assemble into GJs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuttoma Ray
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.
| | - Parmender P Mehta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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Zadeh Shirazi A, McDonnell MD, Fornaciari E, Bagherian NS, Scheer KG, Samuel MS, Yaghoobi M, Ormsby RJ, Poonnoose S, Tumes DJ, Gomez GA. A deep convolutional neural network for segmentation of whole-slide pathology images identifies novel tumour cell-perivascular niche interactions that are associated with poor survival in glioblastoma. Br J Cancer 2021; 125:337-350. [PMID: 33927352 PMCID: PMC8329064 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-021-01394-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [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: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma is the most aggressive type of brain cancer with high-levels of intra- and inter-tumour heterogeneity that contribute to its rapid growth and invasion within the brain. However, a spatial characterisation of gene signatures and the cell types expressing these in different tumour locations is still lacking. METHODS We have used a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) as a semantic segmentation model to segment seven different tumour regions including leading edge (LE), infiltrating tumour (IT), cellular tumour (CT), cellular tumour microvascular proliferation (CTmvp), cellular tumour pseudopalisading region around necrosis (CTpan), cellular tumour perinecrotic zones (CTpnz) and cellular tumour necrosis (CTne) in digitised glioblastoma histopathological slides from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Correlation analysis between segmentation results from tumour images together with matched RNA expression data was performed to identify genetic signatures that are specific to different tumour regions. RESULTS We found that spatially resolved gene signatures were strongly correlated with survival in patients with defined genetic mutations. Further in silico cell ontology analysis along with single-cell RNA sequencing data from resected glioblastoma tissue samples showed that these tumour regions had different gene signatures, whose expression was driven by different cell types in the regional tumour microenvironment. Our results further pointed to a key role for interactions between microglia/pericytes/monocytes and tumour cells that occur in the IT and CTmvp regions, which may contribute to poor patient survival. CONCLUSIONS This work identified key histopathological features that correlate with patient survival and detected spatially associated genetic signatures that contribute to tumour-stroma interactions and which should be investigated as new targets in glioblastoma. The source codes and datasets used are available in GitHub: https://github.com/amin20/GBM_WSSM .
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Zadeh Shirazi
- Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Computational Learning Systems Laboratory, UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, Australia
| | - Mark D McDonnell
- Computational Learning Systems Laboratory, UniSA STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, Australia
| | - Eric Fornaciari
- Department of Mathematics of Computation, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), CA, USA
| | | | - Kaitlin G Scheer
- Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Michael S Samuel
- Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Mahdi Yaghoobi
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Department of Artificial Intelligence, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Rebecca J Ormsby
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine & Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Santosh Poonnoose
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine & Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Department of Neurosurgery, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
| | - Damon J Tumes
- Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Guillermo A Gomez
- Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
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Godinho-Pereira J, Garcia AR, Figueira I, Malhó R, Brito MA. Behind Brain Metastases Formation: Cellular and Molecular Alterations and Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7057. [PMID: 34209088 PMCID: PMC8268492 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) brain metastases is a life-threatening condition to which accounts the poor understanding of BC cells' (BCCs) extravasation into the brain, precluding the development of preventive strategies. Thus, we aimed to unravel the players involved in the interaction between BCCs and blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelial cells underlying BBB alterations and the transendothelial migration of malignant cells. We used brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) as a BBB in vitro model, under conditions mimicking shear stress to improve in vivo-like BBB features. Mixed cultures were performed by the addition of fluorescently labelled BCCs to distinguish individual cell populations. BCC-BMEC interaction compromised BBB integrity, as revealed by junctional proteins (β-catenin and zonula occludens-1) disruption and caveolae (caveolin-1) increase, reflecting paracellular and transcellular hyperpermeability, respectively. Both BMECs and BCCs presented alterations in the expression pattern of connexin 43, suggesting the involvement of the gap junction protein. Myosin light chain kinase and phosphorylated myosin light chain were upregulated, revealing the involvement of the endothelial cytoskeleton in the extravasation process. β4-Integrin and focal adhesion kinase were colocalised in malignant cells, reflecting molecular interaction. Moreover, BCCs exhibited invadopodia, attesting migratory properties. Collectively, hub players involved in BC brain metastases formation were unveiled, disclosing possible therapeutic targets for metastases prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Godinho-Pereira
- iMed.ULisboa—Research Institute for Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.G.-P.); (A.R.G.); (I.F.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Garcia
- iMed.ULisboa—Research Institute for Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.G.-P.); (A.R.G.); (I.F.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Inês Figueira
- iMed.ULisboa—Research Institute for Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.G.-P.); (A.R.G.); (I.F.)
- Farm-ID—Faculty of Pharmacy Association for Research and Development, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rui Malhó
- BioISI—Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande 016, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Maria Alexandra Brito
- iMed.ULisboa—Research Institute for Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.G.-P.); (A.R.G.); (I.F.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
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Sato A, da Fonseca IIM, Nagamine MK, de Toledo GF, Olio R, Hernandez-Blazquez FJ, Yano T, Yeh ES, Dagli MLZ. Effects of Alpha-Connexin Carboxyl-Terminal Peptide (aCT1) and Bowman-Birk Protease Inhibitor (BBI) on Canine Oral Mucosal Melanoma (OMM) Cells. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:670451. [PMID: 34179163 PMCID: PMC8222509 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.670451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral mucosal melanomas (OMM) are aggressive cancers in dogs, and are good models for human OMM. Gap junctions are composed of connexin units, which may have altered expression patterns and/or subcellular localization in cancer cells. Cell-to-cell communication by gap junctions is often impaired in cancer cells, including in melanomas. Meanwhile, the upregulated expression of the gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) inhibits melanoma progression. The α-connexin carboxyl-terminal (aCT1) peptide reportedly maintains Cx43 expression and cell-cell communication in human mammary cells and increases the communication activity through gap junctions in functional assays, therefore causing decreased cell proliferation. The Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor (BBI), a component of soybeans, induces Cx43 expression in several tumor cells as a trypsin–chymotrypsin inhibition function, with antineoplastic effects. This study investigated the effect of aCT1 peptide and BBI treatment, alone or in combination, on TLM1 canine melanoma cell viability. Cell viability after treatment with aCT1, the reverse sequence peptide (R-pep), and/or BBI for 5 days was analyzed by PrestoBlue assay. Immunofluorescence was used to observe Cx43 localization and expression. aCT1 (200 μM) alone did not significantly decrease cell viability in TLM1 cells, whereas BBI (400 μg/ml) alone significantly decreased the TLM1 viability. Combined treatment with both aCT1 (200 μM) and BBI (400 μg/ml) significantly decreased cell viability in TLM1 cells. Cx43 expression, as identified by immunostainings in TLM1 cells, was increased in the cell membrane after the combination treatment with BBI and aCT1. This dual treatment can be combined to achieve the anticancer activity, possibly by increasing Cx 43 expression and affecting Cx43 migration to the cell membrane. In conclusion, a treatment strategy targeting Cx43 with BBI and aCT1 may possibly lead to new effective therapies for canine OMM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayami Sato
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Institute of Life Innovation Studies, Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Márcia Kazumi Nagamine
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Rennan Olio
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Tomohiro Yano
- Institute of Life Innovation Studies, Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Elizabeth Shinmay Yeh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Maria Lucia Zaidan Dagli
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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46
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Guo T, Gu C, Li B, Xu C. PLODs are overexpressed in ovarian cancer and are associated with gap junctions via connexin 43. J Transl Med 2021; 101:564-569. [PMID: 33483598 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-021-00533-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenases (PLODs) play important roles in cancer progression, but their role in ovarian cancer remains elusive. In silico analysis of expression of PLODs in ovarian cancer was performed with reproduction of The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. PLOD-enriched pathways and related gene(s) were validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 80 ovarian cancer tissue blocks and in vivo xenograft murine models. PLODs (PLOD-1, -2, and -3) were overexpressed in ovarian cancer tissue. Overexpression of individual PLODs showed mutual exclusivity. Each of the three PLODs was differentially expressed between normal and cancer tissue of the ovary. PLOD1 was not prognostic, whereas lower PLOD2 and higher PLOD3 expression were associated with worsened prognosis, respectively. Cases with PLOD overexpression showed enrichment in gap junctions. GJA1 (connexin 43) was significantly overexpressed in cases with PLOD overexpression. IHC in tissue showed the strongest positive correlation between PLOD3 and connexin 43 expression, followed by PLOD2. As per Harmonizome, we selected SKOV3 and CAOV3 cell lines based on constitutive high PLOD1 and PLOD2/PLOD3 expression, respectively for in vitro and in vivo modeling. Only knockdown of PLOD3 was significantly associated with decreased GJA1 expression level in both cell lines. IHC in murine xenograft tumors also showed significantly lower connexin 43 in PLOD3-KD SKOV3 tumors. We conclude that PLODs are generally overexpressed in ovarian cancer and each PLOD may be functionally non-redundant. Association between PLOD3 and gap junctions warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Guo
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, 419 Fangxie Rd, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Chao Gu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, 419 Fangxie Rd, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Bin Li
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, 419 Fangxie Rd, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Congjian Xu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, 419 Fangxie Rd, Shanghai, 200011, PR China.
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47
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Temozolomide Induces the Acquisition of Invasive Phenotype by O6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase (MGMT) + Glioblastoma Cells in a Snail-1/Cx43-Dependent Manner. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22084150. [PMID: 33923767 PMCID: PMC8073161 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) recurrences after temozolomide (TMZ) treatment result from the expansion of drug-resistant and potentially invasive GBM cells. This process is facilitated by O6-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase (MGMT), which counteracts alkylating TMZ activity. We traced the expansion of invasive cell lineages under persistent chemotherapeutic stress in MGMTlow (U87) and MGMThigh (T98G) GBM populations to look into the mechanisms of TMZ-induced microevolution of GBM invasiveness. TMZ treatment induced short-term, pro-invasive phenotypic shifts of U87 cells, in the absence of Snail-1 activation. They were illustrated by a transient induction of their motility and followed by the hypertrophy and the signs of senescence in scarce U87 sub-populations that survived long-term TMZ stress. In turn, MGMThigh T98G cells reacted to the long-term TMZ treatment with the permanent induction of invasiveness. Ectopic Snail-1 down-regulation attenuated this effect, whereas its up-regulation augmented T98G invasiveness. MGMTlow and MGMThigh cells both reacted to the long-term TMZ stress with the induction of Cx43 expression. However, only in MGMThigh T98G populations, Cx43 was directly involved in the induction of invasiveness, as manifested by the induction of T98G invasiveness after ectopic Cx43 up-regulation and by the opposite effect after Cx43 down-regulation. Collectively, Snail-1/Cx43-dependent signaling participates in the long-term TMZ-induced microevolution of the invasive GBM front. High MGMT activity remains a prerequisite for this process, even though MGMT-related GBM chemoresistance is not necessary for its initiation.
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48
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Klusa D, Lohaus F, Furesi G, Rauner M, Benešová M, Krause M, Kurth I, Peitzsch C. Metastatic Spread in Prostate Cancer Patients Influencing Radiotherapy Response. Front Oncol 2021; 10:627379. [PMID: 33747899 PMCID: PMC7971112 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.627379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy and surgery are curative treatment options for localized prostate cancer (PCa) with a 5-year survival rate of nearly 100%. Once PCa cells spread into distant organs, such as bone, the overall survival rate of patients drops dramatically. The metastatic cascade and organotropism of PCa cells are regulated by different cellular subtypes, organ microenvironment, and their interactions. This cross-talk leads to pre-metastatic niche formation that releases chemo-attractive factors enforcing the formation of distant metastasis. Biological characteristics of PCa metastasis impacting on metastatic sites, burden, and latency is of clinical relevance. Therefore, the implementation of modern hybrid imaging technologies into clinical routine increased the sensitivity to detect metastases at earlier stages. This enlarged the number of PCa patients diagnosed with a limited number of metastases, summarized as oligometastatic disease. These patients can be treated with androgen deprivation in combination with local-ablative radiotherapy or radiopharmaceuticals directed to metastatic sites. Unfortunately, the number of patients with disease recurrence is high due to the enormous heterogeneity within the oligometastatic patient population and the lack of available biomarkers with predictive potential for metastasis-directed radiotherapy. Another, so far unmet clinical need is the diagnosis of minimal residual disease before onset of clinical manifestation and/or early relapse after initial therapy. Here, monitoring of circulating and disseminating tumor cells in PCa patients during the course of radiotherapy may give us novel insight into how metastatic spread is influenced by radiotherapy and vice versa. In summary, this review critically compares current clinical concepts for metastatic PCa patients and discuss the implementation of recent preclinical findings improving our understanding of metastatic dissemination and radiotherapy resistance into standard of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Klusa
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fabian Lohaus
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Giulia Furesi
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden—Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden,Germany
| | - Martina Rauner
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden—Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden,Germany
| | | | - Mechthild Krause
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ina Kurth
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Peitzsch
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Tuffour A, Kosiba AA, Zhang Y, Peprah FA, Gu J, Shi H. Role of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) in cancer metastasis to bone: Identifying a potential therapeutic target. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1875:188528. [PMID: 33640382 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide due to its ability to evade immune surveillance and metastasize from its origin to a secondary point of contact. Though several treatment techniques have been developed to suppress or manage cancer spread, a strategy for total control over the disease continues to evade researchers. In considering ways to control or prevent cancer from metastasizing to the bone, we analyze the impact of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), whose primary role is to maintain calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis in cellular and systemic physiological processes. CaSR is a pleiotropic receptor capable of enhancing the proliferation of some cancers such as breast, lung, prostate and kidney cancers at its primary site(s) and stimulating bone metastasis, while exerting a suppressive effect in others such as colon cancer. The activity of CaSR not only increases cancer cell proliferation, migration and suppression of apoptosis in the organs indicated, but also increases the secretion of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) and epiregulin, which induce osteolytic activity and osteoblastic suppression. In addition, released cytokines and Ca2+ from bone resorption are critical factors that further promote cancer proliferation. In this review, we seek to highlight previous viewpoints on CaSR, discuss its role in a new context, and consider its potential clinical application in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Tuffour
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China.
| | | | - Yao Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Frank Addai Peprah
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Jie Gu
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Haifeng Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China.
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50
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Li S, Liu Y, Qiu G, Luo Y, Luan L, Xu T, Wang Y, Xia S. Long Non-Coding RNA CAR10 Facilitates Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion by Modulating the miR-892a/GJB2 Pathway. Cancer Manag Res 2021; 13:1967-1979. [PMID: 33664589 PMCID: PMC7923957 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s287386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Non-coding RNAs, including long non-coding (lnc)RNAs and microRNAs (miRs), play crucial roles in numerous malignant tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods The expression levels of chromatin-associated RNA Intergenic 10 (CAR10), gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2) and miR-892a in NSCLC were evaluated by reanalyzing three Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, and performing reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, immunohistochemistry staining and Western blot analysis, accordingly. Functionally, Transwell and Matrigel assays were performed to measure changes in the migration and invasion abilities of the A549 and H1299 cell lines. The targeted binding effects between CAR10 and miR-892a, as well as between miR-892a and GJB2 were confirmed by conducting dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays, respectively. Results The present study demonstrated that CAR10 was upregulated in patients with NSCLC, which was also associated with a poor prognosis. Functionally, CAR10 was confirmed to be oncogenic and promoted NSCLC cell migration and invasion, using overexpression and knockdown Transwell assays. Furthermore, GJB2 expression was revealed to be upregulated and was positively correlated with CAR10 expression in NSCLC. A further mechanistic study revealed that GJB2 was a downstream target of CAR10, which induced the migration and invasive potential of the A549 and H1299 cell lines. More specifically, miR-892a was found to serve as a bridge between CAR10 and GJB2, via similar miRNA response elements. The RNA pull-down and luciferase assays indicated that miR-892a directly binds both CAR10 and GJB2. Conclusion CAR10 promoted NSCLC cell migration and invasion by upregulating GJB2 and sponging miR-892a. These findings illustrated that the CAR10/miR-892a/GJB2 axis may be a novel molecular target for the treatment of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Li
- Respiratory Department, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China
| | - Yize Liu
- 4th Department of Orthopedics, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanzhen Qiu
- 4th Department of Orthopedics, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinzhou Luo
- 4th Department of Orthopedics, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan Luan
- Department of Pathology, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China
| | - Tiance Xu
- 2nd Department of Neurology, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong Wang
- 4th Department of Orthopedics, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China.,Central Laboratory, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuyue Xia
- Respiratory Department, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China.,Dean's Office, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110024, People's Republic of China
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