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Cassandri M, Porrazzo A, Pomella S, Noce B, Zwergel C, Aiello FA, Vulcano F, Milazzo L, Camero S, Pajalunga D, Spada M, Manzi V, Gravina GL, Codenotti S, Piccione M, Tomaciello M, Signore M, Barillari G, Marchese C, Fanzani A, De Angelis B, Quintarelli C, Vakoc CR, Chen EY, Megiorni F, Locatelli F, Valente S, Mai A, Rota R, Marampon F. HDAC3 genetic and pharmacologic inhibition radiosensitizes fusion positive rhabdomyosarcoma by promoting DNA double-strand breaks. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:351. [PMID: 39107280 PMCID: PMC11303816 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02115-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) plays a critical role in the management of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the prevalent soft tissue sarcoma in childhood. The high risk PAX3-FOXO1 fusion-positive subtype (FP-RMS) is often resistant to RT. We have recently demonstrated that inhibition of class-I histone deacetylases (HDACs) radiosensitizes FP-RMS both in vitro and in vivo. However, HDAC inhibitors exhibited limited success on solid tumors in human clinical trials, at least in part due to the presence of off-target effects. Hence, identifying specific HDAC isoforms that can be targeted to radiosensitize FP-RMS is imperative. We, here, found that only HDAC3 silencing, among all class-I HDACs screened by siRNA, radiosensitizes FP-RMS cells by inhibiting colony formation. Thus, we dissected the effects of HDAC3 depletion using CRISPR/Cas9-dependent HDAC3 knock-out (KO) in FP-RMS cells, which resulted in Endoplasmatic Reticulum Stress activation, ERK inactivation, PARP1- and caspase-dependent apoptosis and reduced stemness when combined with irradiation compared to single treatments. HDAC3 loss-of-function increased DNA damage in irradiated cells augmenting H2AX phosphorylation and DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and counteracting irradiation-dependent activation of ATM and DNA-Pkcs as well as Rad51 protein induction. Moreover, HDAC3 depletion hampers FP-RMS tumor growth in vivo and maximally inhibits the growth of irradiated tumors compared to single approaches. We, then, developed a new HDAC3 inhibitor, MC4448, which showed specific cell anti-tumor effects and mirrors the radiosensitizing effects of HDAC3 depletion in vitro synergizing with ERKs inhibition. Overall, our findings dissect the pro-survival role of HDAC3 in FP-RMS and suggest HDAC3 genetic or pharmacologic inhibition as a new promising strategy to overcome radioresistance in this tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Cassandri
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Porrazzo
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Pomella
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Beatrice Noce
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Clemens Zwergel
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Antonella Aiello
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Vulcano
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Luisa Milazzo
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Camero
- Department of Life Sciences, Health and Health Professions, Link Campus University, Rome, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Deborah Pajalunga
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Spada
- Center of Animal Research and Welfare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Manzi
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Luca Gravina
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Silvia Codenotti
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Michela Piccione
- Confocal Microscopy Core Facility, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Miriam Tomaciello
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Michele Signore
- RPPA Unit, Proteomics Area, Core Facilities, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Barillari
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Cinzia Marchese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fanzani
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Biagio De Angelis
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Concetta Quintarelli
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Eleanor Y Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Francesca Megiorni
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Franco Locatelli
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Sergio Valente
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonello Mai
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Pasteur Institute, Cenci-Bolognetti Foundation, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Rota
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Marampon
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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Saoud C, Dermawan JK, Sharma AE, Tap W, Wexler LH, Antonescu CR. Genomic profiling of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma reveals a genomic signature distinct from that of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2024; 63:e23238. [PMID: 38722224 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.23238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma (PRMS) is a rare and highly aggressive sarcoma, occurring mostly in the deep soft tissues of middle-aged adults and showing a variable degree of skeletal muscle differentiation. The diagnosis is challenging as pathologic features overlap with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS), malignant Triton tumor, and other pleomorphic sarcomas. As recurrent genetic alterations underlying PRMS have not been described to date, ancillary molecular diagnostic testing is not useful in subclassification. Herein, we perform genomic profiling of a well-characterized cohort of 14 PRMS, compared to a control group of 23 ERMS and other pleomorphic sarcomas (undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and pleomorphic liposarcoma) using clinically validated DNA-targeted Next generation sequencing (NGS) panels (MSK-IMPACT). The PRMS cohort included eight males and six females, with a median age of 53 years (range 31-76 years). Despite similar tumor mutation burdens, the genomic landscape of PRMS, with a high frequency of TP53 (79%) and RB1 (43%) alterations, stood in stark contrast to ERMS, with 4% and 0%, respectively. CDKN2A deletions were more common in PRMS (43%), compared to ERMS (13%). In contrast, ERMS harbored somatic driver mutations in the RAS pathway and loss of function mutations in BCOR, which were absent in PRMS. Copy number variations in PRMS showed multiple chromosomal arm-level changes, most commonly gains of chr17p and chr22q and loss of chr6q. Notably, gain of chr8, commonly seen in ERMS (61%) was conspicuously absent in PRMS. The genomic profiles of other pleomorphic sarcomas were overall analogous to PRMS, showing shared alterations in TP53, RB1, and CDKN2A. Overall survival and progression-free survival of PRMS were significantly worse (p < 0.0005) than that of ERMS. Our findings revealed that the molecular landscape of PRMS aligns with other adult pleomorphic sarcomas and is distinct from that of ERMS. Thus, NGS assays may be applied in select challenging cases toward a refined classification. Finally, our data corroborate the inclusion of PRMS in the therapeutic bracket of pleomorphic sarcomas, given that their clinical outcomes are comparable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Saoud
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Josephine K Dermawan
- Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Aarti E Sharma
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - William Tap
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Leonard H Wexler
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Cristina R Antonescu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
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Bernardo T, Behrends C, Klein D, Kuntze A, Timmermann B, von Neubeck C. Similar additive effects of doxorubicin in combination with photon or proton irradiation in soft tissue sarcoma models. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1211984. [PMID: 37503316 PMCID: PMC10368985 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1211984] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
High-precision radiotherapy with proton beams is frequently used in the management of aggressive soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and is often combined with doxorubicin (Dox), the first-line chemotherapy for STS. However, current treatment approaches continue to result in high local recurrence rates often occurring within the treatment field. This strongly indicates the need of optimized treatment protocols taking the vast heterogeneity of STS into account, thereby fostering personalized treatment approaches. Here, we used preclinical STS models to investigate the radiation response following photon (X) or proton (H) irradiation alone and in combination with different treatment schedules of Dox. As preclinical models, fibrosarcoma (HT-1080), undifferentiated pleiomorphic sarcoma (GCT), and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cell lines were used; the latter two are mutated for TP53. The cellular response regarding clonogenic survival, apoptosis, cell-cycle distribution, proliferation, viability, morphology, and motility was investigated. The different STS cell types revealed a dose-dependent radiation response with reduced survival, proliferation, viability, and motility whereas G2/M phase arrest as well as apoptosis were induced. RD cells showed the most radiosensitive phenotype; the linear quadratic model fit could not be applied. In combined treatment schedules, Dox showed the highest efficiency when applied after or before and after radiation; Dox treatment only before radiation was less efficient. GCT cells were the most chemoresistant cell line in this study most probably due to their TP53 mutation status. Interestingly, similar additive effects could be observed for X or H irradiation in combination with Dox treatment. However, the additive effects were determined more frequently for X than for H irradiation. Thus, further investigations are needed to specify alternative drug therapies that display superior efficacy when combined with H therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Bernardo
- Department of Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Carina Behrends
- West German Proton Therapy Center Essen (WPE), Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
- Faculty of Physics, Technical University (TU) Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Diana Klein
- Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Anna Kuntze
- Gerhard Domagk Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Beate Timmermann
- Department of Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- West German Proton Therapy Center Essen (WPE), Essen, Germany
- West German Cancer Centre (WTZ), University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Essen, Germany
| | - Cläre von Neubeck
- Department of Particle Therapy, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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Liu C, Kuang S, Wu L, Cheng Q, Gong X, Wu J, Zhang L. Radiotherapy and radio-sensitization in H3 K27M -mutated diffuse midline gliomas. CNS Neurosci Ther 2023. [PMID: 37157237 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND H3K27M mutated diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs) are extremely aggressive and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in pediatric brain tumors with 5-year survival <1%. Radiotherapy is the only established adjuvant treatment of H3K27M DMGs; however, the radio-resistance is commonly observed. METHODS We summarized current understandings of the molecular responses of H3K27M DMGs to radiotherapy and provide crucial insights into current advances in radiosensitivity enhancement. RESULTS Ionizing radiation (IR) can mainly inhibit tumor cell growth by inducing DNA damage regulated by the cell cycle checkpoints and DNA damage repair (DDR) system. In H3K27M DMGs, the aberrant genetic and epigenetic changes, stemness genotype, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) disrupt the cell cycle checkpoints and DDR system by altering the associated regulatory signaling pathways, which leads to the development of radio-resistance. CONCLUSIONS The advances in mechanisms of radio-resistance in H3K27M DMGs promote the potential targets to enhance the sensitivity to radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Liu
- Departments of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shuwen Kuang
- Departments of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lei Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Quan Cheng
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xuan Gong
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Longbo Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Departments of Neurosurgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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5
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Yang L, Guo P, Wang P, Wang W, Liu J. IL-6/ERK signaling pathway participates in type I IFN-programmed, unconventional M2-like macrophage polarization. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1827. [PMID: 36726024 PMCID: PMC9892596 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23721-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Type I interferons (IFN-Is) have been harnessed for cancer therapies due to their immunostimulatory functions. However, certain tumor-tolerating activities by IFN-Is also exist, and may potentially thwart their therapeutic effects. In this respect, our previous studies have demonstrated a monocyte-orchestrated, IFN-I-to-IL-4 cytokine axis, which can subsequently drive M2-skewed pro-tumoral polarization of macrophages. Whether other IFN-dependent signals may also contribute to such an unconventional circumstance of M2-like macrophage skewing remain unexplored. Herein, we first unveil IL-6 as another ligand that participates in IFN-dependent induction of a typical M2 marker (ARG1) in transitional monocytes. Indeed, IL-6 significantly promotes IL-4-dependent induction of a major group of prominent M2 markers in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and human peripheral blood-derived macrophages, while it alone does not engage marked increases of these markers. Such a pattern of regulation is confirmed globally by RNAseq analyses in BMDMs, which in turn suggests an association of IL-6-amplified subset of M2 genes with the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Interestingly, pharmacological experiments establish the role of SHP2-ERK cascade in mediating IL-6's enhancement effect on these M2 targets. Similar approaches also validate the involvement of IL-6/ERK signaling in promoting the IFN-dependent, unconventional M2-skewing phenotype in transitional monocytes. Furthermore, an inhibitor of ERK signaling cooperates with an IFN-I inducer to enable a greater antitumor effect, which correlates with suppression of treatment-elicited ARG1. The present work establishes a role of IL-6/ERK signaling in promoting M2-like macrophage polarization, and suggests this axis as a potential therapeutic target for combination with IFN-I-based cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Limin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center at Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210061, China.,Yancheng First Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Yancheng, 224006, China
| | - Panpan Guo
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Pei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center at Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210061, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Yancheng First Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Yancheng, 224006, China. .,The First People's Hospital of Yancheng, Yancheng, 224006, China.
| | - Jianghuai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center at Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210061, China. .,Yancheng First Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Yancheng, 224006, China. .,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
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6
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Song Y, Cheng Y, Lan T, Bai Z, Liu Y, Bi Z, Alu A, Cheng D, Wei Y, Wei X. ERK inhibitor: A candidate enhancing therapeutic effects of conventional chemo-radiotherapy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2023; 554:216012. [PMID: 36470544 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.216012] [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: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
For patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), standard therapeutic methods (cisplatin and radiotherapy) have been found to be ineffective and severely toxic. Targeted therapy emerges as a promising solution for this dilemma. It has been reported that targeted therapies are applied alone or in combination with standard conventional therapies for the treatment of a variety of cancers. To the best of our knowledge, in patients with ESCC, the combinational methods containing standard therapy and ERK-targeted therapy have yet to be explored. To analyze the prognostic role of p-ERK in ESCC patients, the Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression model were used. To assess the effects of ERK-targeted therapy (GDC0994) on ESCC cells, in vitro studies including CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and scratch wound healing assay were conducted. In addition, the changes in cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Besides, to assess the efficacy of different therapies in vivo, the xenograft tumor models were established by subcutaneously inoculating tumor cells into the flank/leg of mice. In patients with ESCC, a strong correlation between the high expression level of p-ERK and the poor prognosis (p < 0.01, Log-Rank test) has been identified. By analyzing the results from CCK-8 and scratch wound healing assays, we demonstrated that the ERK inhibitor repressed the viability and migration of ESCC cells. In addition, following the treatment of GDC0994, the volumes of xenograft tumors significantly decreased (p < 0.001, one-way ANOVA). Furthermore, blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of both cisplatin and radiotherapy (p < 0.05). These findings imply the role of p-ERK in the prognosis of ESCC patients and the therapeutic value of ERK inhibitors in ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Song
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuan Cheng
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianxia Lan
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ziyi Bai
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhenfei Bi
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Aqu Alu
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Diou Cheng
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuquan Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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Hensch NR, Bondra K, Wang L, Sreenivas P, Zhao XR, Modi P, Vaseva AV, Houghton PJ, Ignatius MS. Sensitization to Ionizing Radiation by MEK Inhibition Is Dependent on SNAI2 in Fusion-Negative Rhabdomyosarcoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2023; 22:123-134. [PMID: 36162055 PMCID: PMC10046682 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-22-0310] [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: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma (FN-RMS), a pediatric malignancy with skeletal muscle characteristics, >90% of high-risk patients have mutations that activate the RAS/MEK signaling pathway. We recently discovered that SNAI2, in addition to blocking myogenic differentiation downstream of MEK signaling in FN-RMS, represses proapoptotic BIM expression to protect RMS tumors from ionizing radiation (IR). As clinically relevant concentrations of the MEK inhibitor trametinib elicit poor responses in preclinical xenograft models, we investigated the utility of low-dose trametinib in combination with IR for the treatment of RAS-mutant FN-RMS. We hypothesized that trametinib would sensitize FN-RMS to IR through its downregulation of SNAI2 expression. While we observed little to no difference in myogenic differentiation or cell survival with trametinib treatment alone, robust differentiation and reduced survival were observed after IR. In addition, IR-induced apoptosis was significantly increased in FN-RMS cells treated concurrently with trametinib, as was increased BIM expression. SNAI2's role in these processes was established using overexpression rescue experiments, where overexpression of SNAI2 prevented IR-induced myogenic differentiation and apoptosis. Moreover, combining MEK inhibitor with IR resulted in complete tumor regression and a 2- to 4-week delay in event-free survival (EFS) in preclinical xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models. Our findings demonstrate that the combination of MEK inhibition and IR results in robust differentiation and apoptosis, due to the reduction of SNAI2, which leads to extended EFS in FN-RMS. SNAI2 thus is a potential biomarker of IR insensitivity and target for future therapies to sensitize aggressive sarcomas to IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole R. Hensch
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Kathryn Bondra
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Long Wang
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Prethish Sreenivas
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Xiang R. Zhao
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Paulomi Modi
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Angelina V. Vaseva
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Peter J. Houghton
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Myron S. Ignatius
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute (GCCRI), Department of Molecular Medicine, UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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8
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Vaccaro S, Rossetti A, Porrazzo A, Camero S, Cassandri M, Pomella S, Tomaciello M, Macioce G, Pedini F, Barillari G, Marchese C, Rota R, Cenci G, Tombolini M, Newman RA, Yang P, Codenotti S, Fanzani A, Megiorni F, Festuccia C, Minniti G, Gravina GL, Vulcano F, Milazzo L, Marampon F. The botanical drug PBI-05204, a supercritical CO2 extract of Nerium oleander, sensitizes alveolar and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma to radiotherapy in vitro and in vivo. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1071176. [DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1071176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common a soft tissue sarcoma in childhood, provides intensive multimodal therapy, with radiotherapy (RT) playing a critical role for local tumor control. However, since RMS efficiently activates mechanisms of resistance to therapies, despite improvements, the prognosis remains still largely unsatisfactory, mainly in RMS expressing chimeric oncoproteins PAX3/PAX7-FOXO1, and fusion-positive (FP)-RMS. Cardiac glycosides (CGs), plant-derived steroid-like compounds with a selective inhibitory activity of the Na+/K+-ATPase pump (NKA), have shown antitumor and radio-sensitizing properties. Herein, the therapeutic properties of PBI-05204, an extract from Nerium oleander containing the CG oleandrin already studied in phase I and II clinical trials for cancer patients, were investigated, in vitro and in vivo, against FN- and FP-RMS cancer models. PBI-05204 induced growth arrest in a concentration dependent manner, with FP-RMS being more sensitive than FN-RMS, by differently regulating cell cycle regulators and commonly upregulating cell cycle inhibitors p21Waf1/Cip1 and p27Cip1/Kip1. Furthermore, PBI-05204 concomitantly induced cell death on both RMS types and senescence in FN-RMS. Notably, PBI-05204 counteracted in vitro migration and invasion abilities and suppressed the formation of spheroids enriched in CD133+ cancer stem cells (CSCs). PBI-05204 sensitized both cell types to RT by improving the ability of RT to induce G2 growth arrest and counteracting the RT-induced activation of both Non‐Homologous End‐Joining and homologous recombination DSBs repair pathways. Finally, the antitumor and radio-sensitizing proprieties of PBI-05204 were confirmed in vivo. Notably, both in vitro and in vivo evidence confirmed the higher sensitivity to PBI-05204 of FP-RMS. Thus, PBI-05204 represents a valid radio-sensitizing agent for the treatment of RMS, including the intrinsically radio-resistant FP-RMS.
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Pomella S, Porrazzo A, Cassandri M, Camero S, Codenotti S, Milazzo L, Vulcano F, Barillari G, Cenci G, Marchese C, Fanzani A, Megiorni F, Rota R, Marampon F. Translational Implications for Radiosensitizing Strategies in Rhabdomyosarcoma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13281. [PMID: 36362070 PMCID: PMC9656983 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood and adolescence that includes FP-RMS, harboring the fusion oncoprotein PAX3/7-FOXO1 and FN-RMS, often mutant in the RAS pathway. Risk stratifications of RMS patients determine different prognostic groups and related therapeutic treatment. Current multimodal therapeutic strategies involve surgery, chemotherapy (CHT) and radiotherapy (RT), but despite the deeper knowledge of response mechanisms underpinning CHT treatment and the technological improvements that characterize RT, local failures and recurrence frequently occur. This review sums up the RMS classification and the management of RMS patients, with special attention to RT treatment and possible radiosensitizing strategies for RMS tumors. Indeed, RMS radioresistance is a clinical problem and further studies aimed at dissecting radioresistant molecular mechanisms are needed to identify specific targets to hit, thus improving RT-induced cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pomella
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, 00146 Rome, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Porrazzo
- Units of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, 00146 Rome, Italy
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Cassandri
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, 00146 Rome, Italy
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Camero
- Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Codenotti
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biotechnology, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Luisa Milazzo
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Vulcano
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Barillari
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cenci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Cinzia Marchese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fanzani
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biotechnology, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesca Megiorni
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Rota
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Marampon
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
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10
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Camero S, Cassandri M, Pomella S, Milazzo L, Vulcano F, Porrazzo A, Barillari G, Marchese C, Codenotti S, Tomaciello M, Rota R, Fanzani A, Megiorni F, Marampon F. Radioresistance in rhabdomyosarcomas: Much more than a question of dose. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1016894. [PMID: 36248991 PMCID: PMC9559533 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1016894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Management of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children, frequently accounting the genitourinary tract is complex and requires a multimodal therapy. In particular, as a consequence of the advancement in dose conformity technology, radiation therapy (RT) has now become the standard therapeutic option for patients with RMS. In the clinical practice, dose and timing of RT are adjusted on the basis of patients' risk stratification to reduce late toxicity and side effects on normal tissues. However, despite the substantial improvement in cure rates, local failure and recurrence frequently occur. In this review, we summarize the general principles of the treatment of RMS, focusing on RT, and the main molecular pathways and specific proteins involved into radioresistance in RMS tumors. Specifically, we focused on DNA damage/repair, reactive oxygen species, cancer stem cells, and epigenetic modifications that have been reported in the context of RMS neoplasia in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The precise elucidation of the radioresistance-related molecular mechanisms is of pivotal importance to set up new more effective and tolerable combined therapeutic approaches that can radiosensitize cancer cells to finally ameliorate the overall survival of patients with RMS, especially for the most aggressive subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Camero
- Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Cassandri
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Pomella
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Luisa Milazzo
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Vulcano
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Porrazzo
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Units of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCSS), Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Barillari
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Cinzia Marchese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Codenotti
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Miriam Tomaciello
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Rota
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fanzani
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesca Megiorni
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Marampon
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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11
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Zhang G, Wang Y, Fuchs BC, Guo W, Drum DL, Erstad DJ, Shi B, DeLeo AB, Zheng H, Cai L, Zhang L, Tanabe KK, Wang X. Improving the Therapeutic Efficacy of Sorafenib for Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Repurposing Disulfiram. Front Oncol 2022; 12:913736. [PMID: 35912209 PMCID: PMC9329590 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.913736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundSorafenib, a kinase inhibitor, is a standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but provides only a limited survival benefit. Disulfiram (DSF), a drug for treating alcoholism and a chelator of copper (Cu), forms a complex with Cu (DSF/Cu). DSF/Cu is a potent inducer of autophagic apoptosis of cancer stem cells, which can demonstrate drug resistance. Thus, we hypothesized that DSF/Cu could increase the sensitivity of HCC cells to sorafenib by targeting hepatic cancer stem cells.MethodsThe synergistic effect of DSF/Cu and sorafenib on human HCC cell lines was assessed by cell viability MTT assay. Changes in stemness gene expression in HCC cells were investigated by assessing the presence of hepatic cancer stem cells (HCSCs) (defined as ALDH+ cells) using flow cytometry, sphere formation ability as an index of in vitro tumorigenicity, and expression of stemness gene-encoded proteins by western blot. Autophagic apoptosis and the ERK signaling pathway were also assessed by western blot. Most importantly, the in vivo anti-tumor efficacy of DSF/Cu and sorafenib was tested using orthotopic HCC xenografts in mice.ResultsCompared with sorafenib alone, DSF/Cu + sorafenib synergistically inhibited proliferation of all HCC cell lines, decreased the stemness of HCC cells, and increased the autophagy and apoptosis of HCC cells. The mechanism by which DSF/Cu mediated these phenomena with sorafenib was sustained activation of the ERK pathway. The combination of DSF/Cu (formed with endogenous Cu2+) and sorafenib was significantly more effective than sorafenib alone in inhibiting the growth of orthotopic HCC xenografts in mice. This in vivo anti-tumor efficacy was associated with decreased stemness in treated HCC tumors.ConclusionsDSF/Cu and sorafenib can synergistically and effectively treat HCC by targeting HCSCs in vitro and in vivo. Our data provide a foundation for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gong Zhang
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bryan C. Fuchs
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Wei Guo
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David L. Drum
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Derek J. Erstad
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Baomin Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Albert B. DeLeo
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Hui Zheng
- Biostatistics Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lei Cai
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Liyuan Zhang
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kenneth K. Tanabe
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Xinhui Wang
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Xinhui Wang,
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12
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Agaram NP, Huang SC, Tap WD, Wexler LH, Antonescu CR. Clinicopathologic and survival correlates of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma driven by RAS/RAF mutations. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2022; 61:131-137. [PMID: 34755412 PMCID: PMC8956004 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.23010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) is the most common subtype of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Among RMS subtypes, ERMS is associated with a favorable outcome with an overall survival of 70% at 5 years for localized disease. The molecular profile of ERMS is heterogeneous, including mostly point mutations in various genes. Therapeutic strategies have remained relatively consistent irrespective of the molecular abnormalities. In this study, we focus on a homogeneous RAS/RAF mutated ERMS subset and correlate with clinicopathologic findings. Twenty-six cases (16 males and 10 females) were identified from screening 98 ERMS, either by targeted DNA sequencing (MSK-IMPACT) or by Sanger sequencing. Fourteen (54%) cases had NRAS mutations, 6 (23%) had KRAS mutations, 5 (19%) had HRAS mutations, and 1 case (4%) had BRAF mutation. Median age at diagnosis was 8 years (range 1-70) with two-thirds occurring in the children. Tumor sites varied with H&N and GU sites accounting for 62% of cases. RAS isoform hot spot mutations predominated: NRAS p.Q61K (57%), KRAS p.G12D (67%), and HRAS (codons 12, 14, and 61). Additional genetic abnormalities were identified in 85% of the RAS-mutated cases. At last follow-up, 29% of patients died of disease and 23% were alive with disease. The 3-year and 5-year survival rates were 75% and 61% respectively. In conclusion, RAS mutations occur in 27% of ERMS, with NRAS mutations encompassing half of the cases. Overall RAS-mutant RMS does not correlate with age or site, but most tumors show an undifferentiated and spindle cell morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narasimhan P. Agaram
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY,Correspondence to: Narasimhan P. Agaram, MBBS, Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY, 10065 () or Cristina R Antonescu, MD, Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY 10065 ()
| | - Shih-Chiang Huang
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - William D. Tap
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Leonard H. Wexler
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Cristina R. Antonescu
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY,Correspondence to: Narasimhan P. Agaram, MBBS, Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY, 10065 () or Cristina R Antonescu, MD, Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, New York, NY 10065 ()
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13
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Alamilla-Presuel JC, Burgos-Molina AM, González-Vidal A, Sendra-Portero F, Ruiz-Gómez MJ. Factors and molecular mechanisms of radiation resistance in cancer cells. Int J Radiat Biol 2022; 98:1301-1315. [PMID: 35225732 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2022.2047825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this work is to review the published studies on radiation resistance mechanisms and molecular markers involved in different tumors. The revision has been focused in the last 5 years (2016-2021). CONCLUSIONS Radioresistance is a cause of concern as it causes failure of radiation therapy and subsequent tumor relapse. Combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy are clinically successful in treating many types of tumors. Despite continued improvements in cancer treatment, locoregional recurrence or metastatic spread continues to occur in a high proportion of patients after being treated with radiation therapy or combination treatments. There is strong evidence that cancer stem cells contribute to radiation resistance, contributing to treatment failure. The mechanisms of radiation resistance in different tumors are not fully understood. A better understanding of cancer stem cells and the associated signaling pathways that regulate radiation resistance will open up new strategies for treating cancer by radiation therapy. Radiation can damage malignant cells mainly by the induction of DNA double strand breaks. However, in some tumors appear resistant cells that repopulate the tumor following therapy leading over time to the failure of the treatment. Native mechanisms and induced pathways, are the cause of radiation resistance. It has been described that numerous molecular markers acting through numerous mechanisms of action involved in radiation resistance, such as apoptosis resistance, alterations of cell growth, proliferation and DNA repair, hypoxia, increase in invasiveness and migration capacity, cell cycle alterations and expression of heat shock proteins, among others. Therefore, resistance to radiation is a multifactorial phenomenon that, in different cell types, it occurs through different regulatory mechanisms in which different molecules intervene. Resistance can be acquired by altering different regulatory pathways in different tumors. The knowledge of radiation resistance markers could help in the classification and treatment of patients with more aggressive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C Alamilla-Presuel
- Departamento de Radiología y Medicina Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España
| | - Antonio M Burgos-Molina
- Departamento de Especialidades Quirúrgicas, Bioquímica e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España
| | - Alejandro González-Vidal
- Departamento de Radiología y Medicina Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España
| | - Francisco Sendra-Portero
- Departamento de Radiología y Medicina Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España
| | - Miguel J Ruiz-Gómez
- Departamento de Radiología y Medicina Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España
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14
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Shi Y, Wang X, Meng Y, Ma J, Zhang Q, Shao G, Wang L, Cheng X, Hong X, Wang Y, Yan Z, Cao Y, Kang J, Fu C. A Novel Mechanism of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress- and c-Myc-Degradation-Mediated Therapeutic Benefits of Antineurokinin-1 Receptor Drugs in Colorectal Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:e2101936. [PMID: 34605226 PMCID: PMC8564433 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202101936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) antagonists are approved as treatment for chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. The emerging role of the substance P-NK-1R system in oncogenesis raises the possibility of repurposing well-tolerated NK-1R antagonists for cancer treatment. This study reports that human colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with high NK-1R expression have poor survival, and NK-1R antagonists SR140333 and aprepitant induce apoptotic cell death in CRC cells and inhibit CRC xenograft growth. This cytotoxicity induced by treatment with NK-1R antagonists is mediated by induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. ER stress triggers calcium release, resulting in the suppression of prosurvival extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-c-Myc signaling. Along with ER calcium release, one ER stress pathway mediated by protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK) is specifically activated, leading to increased expression of proapoptotic C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP). Moreover, NK-1R antagonists enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy by increasing the sensitivity and overcoming resistance to 5-fluorouracil in CRC cells through the induction of sustained ER stress and the consequent suppression of ERK-c-Myc signaling both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, the findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the efficacy of NK-1R antagonists either as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapy for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Shi
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and BiomedicineCollege of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhou310018China
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of OncologyNo. 903 Hospital of PLA Joint Logistic Support ForceXi Hu Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou310013China
| | - Yueming Meng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and BiomedicineCollege of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhou310018China
| | - Junjie Ma
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and BiomedicineCollege of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhou310018China
| | - Qiyu Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and BiomedicineCollege of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhou310018China
| | - Gang Shao
- Department of OncologyNo. 903 Hospital of PLA Joint Logistic Support ForceXi Hu Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou310013China
| | - Lingfei Wang
- Department of OncologyNo. 903 Hospital of PLA Joint Logistic Support ForceXi Hu Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou310013China
| | - Xurui Cheng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and BiomedicineCollege of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhou310018China
| | - Xiangyu Hong
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and BiomedicineCollege of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhou310018China
| | - Yong Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and BiomedicineCollege of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhou310018China
| | - Zhibin Yan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and BiomedicineCollege of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhou310018China
| | - Yihai Cao
- Department of MicrobiologyTumor and Cell BiologyKarolinska InstituteStockholm171 77Sweden
| | - Jian Kang
- Oncogenic Signalling and Growth Control ProgramPeter MacCallum Cancer Centre305 Grattan StreetMelbourneVictoria3000Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of OncologyUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoria3000Australia
| | - Caiyun Fu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and BiomedicineCollege of Life Sciences and MedicineZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhou310018China
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Prognostic Gene Signature for Squamous Cell Carcinoma with a Higher Risk for Treatment Failure and Accelerated MEK-ERK Pathway Activity. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13205182. [PMID: 34680330 PMCID: PMC8534038 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most prevalent type of human cancer worldwide and represents the majority of head and neck tumors. As SCC from aerodigestive or genitourinary tracts share not only common etiology and histological features but also molecular patterns, the major objectives of this study were the establishment of a pan-SCC-related prognostic gene signature by an integrative analysis of multi-omics data and the elucidation of underlying oncogenic pathway activities as potential vulnerabilities for a more efficient and less toxic therapy. Our approach delivers a reliable molecular classifier to identify HNSCC and other SCC patients at higher risk for treatment failure with tumors characterized by a more prominent MAPK activity, who might benefit from a targeted treatment with MEK inhibitors. Abstract Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most prevalent histological type of human cancer, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, reliable prognostic gene signatures for SCC and underlying genetic and/or epigenetic principles are still unclear. We identified 37 prognostic candidate genes by best cutoff computation based on survival in a pan-SCC cohort (n = 1334) of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), whose expression stratified not only the pan-SCC cohort but also independent HNSCC validation cohorts into three distinct prognostic subgroups. The most relevant prognostic genes were prioritized by a Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator Cox regression model and were used to identify subgroups with high or low risks for unfavorable survival. An integrative analysis of multi-omics data identified FN1, SEMA3A, CDH2, FBN1, COL5A1, and ADAM12 as key nodes in a regulatory network related to the prognostic phenotype. An in-silico drug screen predicted two MEK inhibitors (Trametinib and Selumetinib) as effective compounds for high-risk SCC based on the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, which is supported by a higher p-MEK1/2 immunohistochemical staining of high-risk HNSCC. In conclusion, our data identified a molecular classifier for high-risk HNSCC as well as other SCC patients, who might benefit from treatment with MEK inhibitors.
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16
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Lebedev TD, Vagapova ER, Prassolov VS. The Different Impact of ERK Inhibition on Neuroblastoma, Astrocytoma, and Rhabdomyosarcoma Cell Differentiation. Acta Naturae 2021; 13:69-77. [PMID: 35127149 PMCID: PMC8807533 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.11461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant ERK activity can lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation,
immortalization, and impaired cell differentiation. Impairment of normal cell
differentiation is one of the critical stages in malignant cell transformation.
In this study, we investigated a relationship between ERK tyrosine kinase
activity and the main differentiation features (changes in cell morphology and
expression of genes encoding differentiation markers and growth factor
receptors) in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma, U-251 astrocytoma, and TE-671
rhabdomyosarcoma cells. ERK activity was assessed using a reporter system that
enabled live measurements of ERK activity in single cells. We demonstrated that
suppression of ERK activity by selective ERK inhibitors, in contrast to a
commonly used differentiation inducer, retinoic acid, leads to significant
changes in TE-671 cell morphology and expression of the myogenic
differentiation marker genes PROM1, MYOG, and PAX7. There was a relationship
between ERK activity and morphological changes at an individual cell level. In
this case, SH-SY5Y cell differentiation induced by retinoic acid was
ERK-independent. We showed that ERK inhibition increases the sensitivity of
TE-671 cells to the EGF, IGF-1, and NGF growth factors, presumably by reducing
basal ERK activity, and to the BDNF growth factor, by increasing expression of
the TrkB receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. D. Lebedev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russia
| | - E. R. Vagapova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russia
| | - V. S. Prassolov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russia
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17
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Sirtuin 2 promotes cell stemness and MEK/ERK signaling pathway while reduces chemosensitivity in endometrial cancer. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2021; 305:693-701. [PMID: 34476599 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-021-06216-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) is functionally important in cancer progression and treatment resistance as an NAD+-dependent deacetylase, whereas its role in endometrial cancer (EC) is limitedly investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the regulatory role of SIRT2 on cell stemness and chemosensitivity in EC. METHODS SIRT2 expression was detected in human EC cell lines, including Ishikawa, AN3CA, HEC1A, KLE, and normal human endometrial (uterine) epithelial cells (served as controls). Then, SIRT2 overexpression plasmids (constructed with pcDNA3.1 vector) and knock-down plasmids (constructed with pGPH1 vector) were transfected in Ishikawa cells and KLE cells, respectively to assess the influence of SIRT2 on EC cell stemness and chemosensitivity to cisplatin and paclitaxel. RESULTS SIRT2 mRNA and protein were both overexpressed in EC cell lines (including Ishikawa cells, AN3CA cells, HEC1A cells, and KLE cells) compared with controls. Upregulation of SIRT2 increased the sphere formation capacity (by sphere formation assay and extreme limiting dilution analysis) and CD133+ cells rate in Ishikawa cells, whereas knock-down of SIRT2 reduced the sphere formation capacity and CD133+ cells rate in KLE cells. As for chemosensitivity, upregulation of SIRT2 increased relative cell viability in cisplatin-treated and paclitaxel-treated Ishikawa cells. In contrast, SIRT2 knock-down suppressed relative cell viability in cisplatin-treated but not in paclitaxel-treated KLE cells. In addition, SIRT2 overexpression increased, while SIRT2 knock-down reduced p-MEK and p-ERK1/2 levels in EC cells. CONCLUSION SIRT2 promotes cell stemness and activates the MEK/ERK signaling pathway while represses chemosensitivity in EC.
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18
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de Miranda MC, Ferreira ADF, de Melo MIA, Kunrath-Lima M, Goes AMD, Rodrigues MA, Gomes DA, Faria JAQA. Adipose-derived stem/stromal cell secretome modulates breast cancer cell proliferation and differentiation state towards aggressiveness. Biochimie 2021; 191:69-77. [PMID: 34454978 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
It is becoming increasingly evident that mesenchymal stem/stromal cells are recruited by cancer cells from nearby endogenous host stroma and promote events such as tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis, as well as mediate therapeutic resistance. Consequently, understanding the regulatory mechanisms of ASCs that influence the tumor microenvironment may provide an avenue for further treatment. To understand the role of the ASC secretome in breast cancer cell proliferation, death, and phenotype alteration, adipose-derived stem cell-conditioned medium (mASC) was used to cultivate MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. These breast cancer cells in mASC showed a shorter doubling time, higher frequency of EdU positivity, and higher levels of phosphorylated histone 3. In addition, increased expression of cyclin B1 was observed, suggesting that proliferation was induced. The mASC was also able to increase apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, which was confirmed by caspase-7 activation. The number of tumor-initiating cells (CD44+ CD24-/low) and migration capacity were increased in cells cultivated in mASC. These data collectively suggest that ASC-conditioned medium can induce selective pressure by increasing cell proliferation, giving rise to a more aggressive phenotype in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Our study provides a foundation for further elucidation of the precise mechanism underlying ASCs in breast cancer cells and the modulation of ASCs in potential therapeutic uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Coutinho de Miranda
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Andrea da Fonseca Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mariane Izabella Abreu de Melo
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marianna Kunrath-Lima
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Alfredo Miranda de Goes
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Michele Angela Rodrigues
- Departamento de Patologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Dawidson Assis Gomes
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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19
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Manoochehri H, Jalali A, Tanzadehpanah H, Taherkhani A, Saidijam M. Identification of Key Gene Targets for Sensitizing Colorectal Cancer to Chemoradiation: an Integrative Network Analysis on Multiple Transcriptomics Data. J Gastrointest Cancer 2021; 53:649-668. [PMID: 34432208 DOI: 10.1007/s12029-021-00690-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a main cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Chemoradioresistance is a major problem in CRC treatment. Identification of novel therapeutic targets in order to overcome treatment resistance in CRC is necessary. METHODS In this study, gene expression omnibus (GEO) database was searched to find microarray datasets. Data normalization/analyzing was performed using ExAtlas. The gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis was performed using g:Profiler. Protein-protein interaction network (PPIN) was constructed by Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and analyzed using Cytoscape. Survival analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier curve method. RESULTS Forty-one eligible datasets were included in study. A total of 12,244 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 7337 unique DEGs were identified. Among them, 1187 DEGs were overlapped in ≥ 3 datasets. Fifty-five overlapped genes were considered as hub genes. Common hub genes in chemo/radiation/chemoradiation datasets were chosen as the essential candidate genes (n = 13). Forty-one hub gene and 7 essential candidate genes were contributed in the significant modules. The modules were mainly enriched in the signaling pathways of senescence, autophagy, NF-κB, HIF-1, stem cell pluripotency, notch, neovascularization, cell cycle, p53, chemokine, and PI3K-Akt. NGFR, FGF2, and PROM1 genes were significantly predictors of CRC patient's survival. CONCLUSION Our study revealed three-gene signatures as potential therapeutic targets and also candidate molecular markers in CRC chemoradioresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Manoochehri
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Akram Jalali
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Hamid Tanzadehpanah
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. .,Department of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
| | - Amir Taherkhani
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Massoud Saidijam
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. .,Department of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
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20
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Yoon C, Lu J, Ryeom SW, Simon MC, Yoon SS. PIK3R3, part of the regulatory domain of PI3K, is upregulated in sarcoma stem-like cells and promotes invasion, migration, and chemotherapy resistance. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:749. [PMID: 34321458 PMCID: PMC8319167 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04036-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
To identify drivers of sarcoma cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), we compared gene expression using RNA sequencing between HT1080 fibrosarcoma and SK-LMS-1 leiomyosarcoma spheroids (which are enriched for CSCs) compared with the parent populations. The most overexpressed survival signaling-related gene in spheroids was phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 3 (PIK3R3), a regulatory subunit of PI3K, which functions in tumorigenesis and metastasis. In a human sarcoma microarray, PIK3R3 was also overexpressed by 4.1-fold compared with normal tissues. PIK3R3 inhibition using shRNA in the HT1080, SK-LMS-1, and DDLS8817 dedifferentiated liposarcoma in spheroids and in CD133+ cells (a CSC marker) reduced expression of CD133 and the stem cell factor Nanog and blocked spheroid formation by 61-71%. Mechanistic studies showed that in spheroid cells, PIK3R3 activated AKT and ERK signaling. Inhibition of PIK3R3, AKT, or ERK using shRNA or inhibitors decreased expression of Nanog, spheroid formation by 68-73%, and anchorage-independent growth by 76-91%. PIK3R3 or ERK1/2 inhibition similarly blocked sarcoma spheroid cell migration, invasion, secretion of MMP-2, xenograft invasion into adjacent normal tissue, and chemotherapy resistance. Together, these results show that signaling through the PIK3R3/ERK/Nanog axis promotes sarcoma CSC phenotypes such as migration, invasion, and chemotherapy resistance, and identify PIK3R3 as a potential therapeutic target in sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhwan Yoon
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jun Lu
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fujian, China
| | - Sandra W Ryeom
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - M Celeste Simon
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Sam S Yoon
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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21
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Ma S, Cheng J, Wang H, Ding N, Zhou F, Ji R, Zhu L, Zhu C, Pan Y. A novel regulatory loop miR-101/ANXA2/EGR1 mediates malignant characteristics of liver cancer stem cells. Carcinogenesis 2021; 42:93-104. [PMID: 32531042 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgaa055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are the cellular determinants that promote tumor recurrence and metastases. Aberrantly expressed miRNAs were identified in LCSCs and found to play a significant role in modulating biological characteristics of LCSCs. In this study, we implemented miRNA microarrays in CD133+ LCSCs and found miR-101 expression was downregulated. Increasing miR-101 expression repressed the metastasis and tumorigenic potential in LCSCs. Further investigations showed that ANXA2 was a novel target of miR-101. And we revealed that ANXA2 plays a critical role in acceleration of cell cycle and enhancing the migration and invasion abilities of LCSCs. Elevated ANXA2 increased activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) which regulated SOX2 and cell cycle-related kinases. Moreover, ERK phosphorylation inhibited the expression of early growth response 1 (EGR1) which in turn restrained the transcription of miR-101. In vivo experiments, overexpression of miR-101 produced potent inhibitory effects on the growth of LCSCs xenograft tumors as well as ANXA2 knockdown. Taken together, our findings suggest a novel regulatory loop miR-101/ANXA2/EGR1 in LCSCs and may serve as potential therapeutic targets in liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Ma
- Department of Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Junping Cheng
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Infectious Diseases Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Infectious Diseases Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ningling Ding
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Infectious Diseases Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Feng Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Infectious Diseases Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Runing Ji
- Department of Laboratory, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Li Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Infectious Diseases Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chuanwu Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Infectious Diseases Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yunzhi Pan
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Infectious Diseases Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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22
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Rossetti A, Petragnano F, Milazzo L, Vulcano F, Macioce G, Codenotti S, Cassandri M, Pomella S, Cicchetti F, Fasciani I, Antinozzi C, Di Luigi L, Festuccia C, De Felice F, Vergine M, Fanzani A, Rota R, Maggio R, Polimeni A, Tombolini V, Gravina GL, Marampon F. Romidepsin (FK228) fails in counteracting the transformed phenotype of rhabdomyosarcoma cells but efficiently radiosensitizes, in vitro and in vivo, the alveolar phenotype subtype. Int J Radiat Biol 2021; 97:943-957. [PMID: 33979259 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2021.1928786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Herein we describe the in vitro and in vivo activity of FK228 (Romidepsin), an inhibitor of class I HDACs, in counteracting and radiosensitizing embryonal (ERMS, fusion-negative) and alveolar (ARMS, fusion-positive) rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). METHODS RH30 (ARMS, fusion-positive) and RD (ERMS, fusion-negative) cell lines and human multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (HMSC) were used. Flow cytometry analysis, RT-qPCR, western blotting and enzymatic assays were performed. Irradiation was delivered by using an x-6 MV photon linear accelerator. FK228 (1.2 mg/kg) in vivo activity, combined or not with radiation therapy (2 Gy), was assessed in murine xenografts. RESULTS Compared to HMSC, RMS expressed low levels of class I HDACs. In vitro, FK228, as single agents, reversibly downregulated class I HDACs expression and activity and induced oxidative stress, DNA damage and a concomitant growth arrest associated with PARP-1-mediated transient non-apoptotic cell death. Surviving cells upregulated the expression of cyclin A, B, D1, p27, Myc and activated PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MAPK signaling, known to be differently involved in cancer chemoresistance. Interestingly, while no radiosensitizing effects were detected, in vitro or in vivo, on RD cells, FK228 markedly radiosensitized RH30 cells by impairing antioxidant and DSBs repair pathways in vitro. Further, FK228 when combined with RT in vivo significantly reduced tumor mass in mouse RH30 xenografts. CONCLUSION FK228 did not show antitumor activity as a single agent whilst its combination with RT resulted in radiosensitization of fusion-positive RMS cells, thus representing a possible strategy for the treatment of the most aggressive RMS subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Rossetti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Francesco Petragnano
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Luisa Milazzo
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Vulcano
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Giampiero Macioce
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Codenotti
- Division of Biotechnology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Matteo Cassandri
- Group of Epigenetics of Pediatric Sarcomas, Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Pomella
- Group of Epigenetics of Pediatric Sarcomas, Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Irene Fasciani
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Cristina Antinozzi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Di Luigi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Festuccia
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Francesca De Felice
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Vergine
- Department of Surgical Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fanzani
- Division of Biotechnology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Rossella Rota
- Group of Epigenetics of Pediatric Sarcomas, Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Maggio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Antonella Polimeni
- Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Tombolini
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Luca Gravina
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Francesco Marampon
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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23
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Mishra S, Charan M, Verma AK, Ramaswamy B, Ahirwar DK, Ganju RK. Racially Disparate Expression of mTOR/ERK-1/2 Allied Proteins in Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:601929. [PMID: 33996789 PMCID: PMC8120233 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.601929] [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: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies revealed that ethnic differences in mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK-1/2) signaling pathways might be associated with the development and progression of different human malignancies. The African American (AA) population has an increased rate of cancer incidence and mortality compared to the Caucasian American (CA) population. Although the socioeconomic differences across different ethnic groups contribute to the disparity in developing different cancers, recent scientific evidence indicates the association of molecular and genetic variations in racial disparities of different human malignancies. The mTOR and ERK-1/2 signaling pathways are one of the well-known oncogenic signaling mechanisms that regulate diverse molecular and phenotypic aspects of normal as well as cancer cells in response to different external or internal stimuli. To date, very few studies have been carried out to explore the significance of racial disparity with abnormal mTOR and ERK-1/2 kinase signaling pathways, which may contribute to the development of aggressive human cancers. In this review, we discuss the differential regulation of mTOR and ERK-1/2 kinase signaling pathways across different ethnic groups, especially between AA and CA populations. Notably, we observed that key signaling proteins associated with mTOR and ERK-1/2 pathway including transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), Akt, and VEGFR showed racially disparate expression in cancer patients. Overall, this review article encompasses the significance of racially disparate signaling molecules related to mTOR/ERK1/2 and their potential in developing tailor-made anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Mishra
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Manish Charan
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ajeet Kumar Verma
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | | | - Dinesh Kumar Ahirwar
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ramesh K Ganju
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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24
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Skeletal Muscle Subpopulation Rearrangements upon Rhabdomyosarcoma Development through Single-Cell Mass Cytometry. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10040823. [PMID: 33671425 PMCID: PMC7922544 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10040823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (eRMS) is a soft tissue sarcoma commonly affecting the head and neck, the extremities and the genitourinary tract. To contribute to revealing the cell types that may originate this tumor, we exploited mass cytometry, a single-cell technique that, by using heavy-metal-tagged antibodies, allows the accurate monitoring of the changes occurring in the mononuclear cell composition of skeletal muscle tissue during tumor development. To this end, we compared cell populations of healthy muscles with those from spatiotemporal-induced eRMS tumors in a mouse model (LSL-KrasG12D/+;Tp53Fl/Fl) that can be used to develop rhabdomyosarcoma by means of infection with an adenovirus vector expressing Cre (Ad-Cre) recombinase. By monitoring different time points after tumor induction, we were able to analyze tumor progression and composition, identifying fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) as the cell type that, in this model system, had a pivotal role in tumor development. In vitro studies highlighted that both FAPs and satellite cells (SCs), upon infection with the Ad-Cre, acquired the potential to develop rhabdomyosarcomas when transplanted into immunocompromised mice. However, only infected FAPs had an antigen profile that was similar to embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma cells. Overall, our analysis supports the involvement of FAPs in eRMS development.
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25
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Bandyopadhayaya S, Akimov MG, Verma R, Sharma A, Sharma D, Kundu GC, Gretskaya NM, Bezuglov VV, Mandal CC. N-arachidonoyl dopamine inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition of breast cancer cells through ERK signaling and decreasing the cellular cholesterol. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2021; 35:e22693. [PMID: 33393692 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.22693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
N-acyl dopamines (NADAs) are bioactive lipids of the endovanilloid family with known cytotoxicity for the cancer cells; however, the available data on the participation of the endovanilloids in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stemness are controversial. This study unveils the inhibitory role of N-arachidonoyl dopamine (AA-DA), a typical representative of the NADA family, in breast cancer cell migration, EMT, and stemness. AA-DA treatment also led to a decrease in cholesterol biosynthesis gene expressions, and addition of exogenous cholesterol reverted these AA-DA-mediated inhibitory effects. Notably, AA-DA treatment inhibited the key regulatory gene of the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), with concurrent repression of the endoplasmic reticulum kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway. Furthermore, U0126, an ERK inhibitor, inhibited SREBP1 and decreased cellular cholesterol level, unwinding the molecular mechanism behind AA-DA-mediated anticancer activity. Thus, we, for the first time, revealed that AA-DA counteracts breast cancer EMT via inhibition of ERK signaling and cholesterol content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreetama Bandyopadhayaya
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
| | - Mikhail G Akimov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ranjeet Verma
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
| | - Ankit Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
| | - Divya Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
| | - Gopal C Kundu
- School of Biotechnology, Institute of Eminence, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Natalia M Gretskaya
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir V Bezuglov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Chandi C Mandal
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
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26
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Zhang M, Chen X, Radacsi N. New tricks of old drugs: Repurposing non-chemo drugs and dietary phytochemicals as adjuvants in anti-tumor therapies. J Control Release 2020; 329:96-120. [PMID: 33259852 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.11.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Combination therapy has long been applied to enhance therapeutic effect and deal with the occurrence of multi-drug resistance in cancer treatment. However, the overlapping toxicity of multiple anticancer drugs to healthy tissues and increasing financial burden on patients emerged as major concerns. As promising alternatives to chemo agents, repurposed non-chemo drugs and dietary phytochemicals have been investigated as adjuvants to conventional anti-tumor therapeutics, offering a safe and economic strategy for combination therapy. In this review, we aim to highlight the advances in research about combination therapy using conventional therapeutics and repurposed drugs or phytochemicals for an enhanced anti-tumor efficacy, along with the mechanisms involved in the synergism. Beyond these, we outlined the potential challenges and solutions for clinical translation of the proposed combination therapy, providing a safe and affordable strategy to improve the reach of cancer therapy to low income regions with such new tricks of old drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Zhang
- School of Engineering, Institute for Materials and Processes, University of Edinburgh, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, United Kingdom; School of Engineering, Institute for Bioengineering, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, United Kingdom.
| | - Xianfeng Chen
- School of Engineering, Institute for Bioengineering, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, United Kingdom.
| | - Norbert Radacsi
- School of Engineering, Institute for Materials and Processes, University of Edinburgh, Robert Stevenson Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, United Kingdom.
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B7-H3 regulates KIF15-activated ERK1/2 pathway and contributes to radioresistance in colorectal cancer. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:824. [PMID: 33011740 PMCID: PMC7532977 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03041-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
As an important modality for the local control of colorectal cancer (CRC), radiotherapy or neoadjuvant radiotherapy is widely applied in the clinic, but radioresistance has become a major obstacle for CRC radiotherapy. Here we reported that B7-H3, an important costimulatory molecule, is associated with radioresistance in CRC. The expression of B7-H3 was obviously increased in CRC cells after irradiation. The enhanced expression of B7-H3 promoted, while the knockdown of B7-H3 inhibited, colony formation and cell activity in CRC cells following radiation treatment. B7-H3 overexpression reduced S phase arrest and protected cell apoptosis induced by radiation, whereas B7-H3 knockdown had the opposite effects. In addition, B7-H3 blockade by 3E8, a specific B7-H3 antibody, significantly sensitized CRC cells to irradiation in vivo. Mechanistic analysis revealed that B7-H3 regulated KIF15 via RNA sequencing, which was in dependent of NF-κB pathway. And small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated KIF15 silencing or KIF15 blockade by the inhibitor SB743921 abolished the effect of B7-H3 on radioresistance in vitro and in vivo. Similar to B7-H3, we find that the protein expression levels of KIF15, which showed a positive correlation with B7-H3, was abnormal upregulated in cancer tissues than in adjacent normal tissues and associated with TNM stage. Finally, B7-H3/KIF15 enhanced resistance against irradiation in CRC cells via activating ERK1/2 signaling, a key pathway involved in radioresistance in cancer. Our findings reveal an alternative mechanism by which CRC cells can acquire radioresistance via the B7-H3/KIF15/ERK axis.
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Gao J, Pan H, Zhu Z, Yu T, Huang B, Zhou Y. Guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit beta-4 promotes gastric cancer progression via activating Erk1/2. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2020; 52:975-987. [PMID: 32747927 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmaa084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common and lethal malignancies worldwide, and its poor prognosis is mainly due to the rapid tumor progression including tumor invasion, distant metastasis, etc. Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating GC progression lays the basis for the development of targeted therapeutic agents. Increasing evidence suggests that guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit beta-4 (GNB4), a key subunit of heterotrimeric G protein, plays a crucial role in the initiation and progression of multiple malignancies. However, whether and how GNB4 promotes GC progression are still unknown. In this study, we found that GNB4 was highly expressed in GC tissues compared to that in non-tumor tissues and was significantly associated with tumor invasion depth, pathological stage and poor survival rate of GC patients. Both gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies revealed that GNB4 significantly enhanced GC cell growth and motility both in vitro and in vivo. Further studies revealed that GNB4 overexpression induced G1-S transition and promoted the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation. These tumor promoting effects were mediated by GNB4 which activates the Erk1/2 pathway through upregulating Erk1/2 phosphorylation, as U0126, an Erk1/2 phosphorylation inhibitor, could significantly inhibit GNB4-mediated cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In summary, GNB4 contributes to the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells by activating the Erk1/2 signaling pathway, and it may serve as a potential therapeutic target of GC.
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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
| | - 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
| | - Zhenglun Zhu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Teng Yu
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Binhao Huang
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ye Zhou
- 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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Petragnano F, Pietrantoni I, Camero S, Codenotti S, Milazzo L, Vulcano F, Macioce G, Giordani I, Tini P, Cheleschi S, Gravina GL, Festuccia C, Rossetti A, Delle Monache S, Ordinelli A, Ciccarelli C, Mauro A, Barbara B, Antinozzi C, Schiavetti A, Maggio R, Di Luigi L, Polimeni A, Marchese C, Tombolini V, Fanzani A, Bernabò N, Megiorni F, Marampon F. Clinically relevant radioresistant rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines: functional, molecular and immune-related characterization. J Biomed Sci 2020; 27:90. [PMID: 32854690 PMCID: PMC7453562 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-020-00683-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The probability of local tumor control after radiotherapy (RT) remains still miserably poor in pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible of tumor relapse is essential to identify personalized RT-based strategies. Contrary to what has been done so far, a correct characterization of cellular radioresistance should be performed comparing radioresistant and radiosensitive cells with the same isogenic background. METHODS Clinically relevant radioresistant (RR) embryonal (RD) and alveolar (RH30) RMS cell lines have been developed by irradiating them with clinical-like hypo-fractionated schedule. RMS-RR cells were compared to parental isogenic counterpart (RMS-PR) and studied following the radiobiological concept of the "6Rs", which stand for repair, redistribution, repopulation, reoxygenation, intrinsic radioresistance and radio-immuno-biology. RESULTS RMS-RR cell lines, characterized by a more aggressive and in vitro pro-metastatic phenotype, showed a higher ability to i) detoxify from reactive oxygen species; ii) repair DNA damage by differently activating non-homologous end joining and homologous recombination pathways; iii) counteract RT-induced G2/M cell cycle arrest by re-starting growth and repopulating after irradiation; iv) express cancer stem-like profile. Bioinformatic analyses, performed to assess the role of 41 cytokines after RT exposure and their network interactions, suggested TGF-β, MIF, CCL2, CXCL5, CXCL8 and CXCL12 as master regulators of cancer immune escape in RMS tumors. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that RMS could sustain intrinsic and acquire radioresistance by different mechanisms and indicate potential targets for future combined radiosensitizing strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Petragnano
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Ilaria Pietrantoni
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Simona Camero
- Department of Maternal, Infantile, and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Codenotti
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biotechnology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Luisa Milazzo
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Vulcano
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, Rome, Italy
| | - Giampiero Macioce
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilenia Giordani
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, "Sapienza" University, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Tini
- Sbarro Health Research Organization, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Unit of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Sara Cheleschi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Rheumatology Unit, University of Siena, Policlinico Le Scotte, Siena, Italy
| | - Giovanni Luca Gravina
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Claudio Festuccia
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Alessandra Rossetti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Simona Delle Monache
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Alessandra Ordinelli
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Carmela Ciccarelli
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Annunziata Mauro
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Barboni Barbara
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Cristina Antinozzi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Amalia Schiavetti
- Department of Maternal, Infantile, and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Maggio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Luigi Di Luigi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Polimeni
- Department of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Cinzia Marchese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Tombolini
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fanzani
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Division of Biotechnology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Nicola Bernabò
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Francesca Megiorni
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Marampon
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacies of the EGFR/MEK/ERK Signaling Inhibitors in the Treatment of Alveolar Echinococcosis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.00341-20. [PMID: 32482675 PMCID: PMC7526812 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00341-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis, is a lethal disease in humans. Novel therapeutic options are urgently needed since the current chemotherapy displays limited efficiency in AE treatment. In this study, we assessed the in vitro and in vivo effects of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling inhibitors, including BIBW2992, CI-1033, and U0126, on E. multilocularis. Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis, is a lethal disease in humans. Novel therapeutic options are urgently needed since the current chemotherapy displays limited efficiency in AE treatment. In this study, we assessed the in vitro and in vivo effects of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling inhibitors, including BIBW2992, CI-1033, and U0126, on E. multilocularis. Our data showed that BIBW2992, CI-1033, and U0126 all displayed in vitro effects on the viability of the E. multilocularis metacestode. These inhibitors also showed protoscolicidal activities and caused severe ultrastructural alterations in the parasite. Moreover, BIBW2992 and CI-1033 exhibited potent proapoptotic effects on E. multilocularis metacestodes. Strikingly, a large portion of the apoptotic cells were found to be the germinative cells. In vivo studies showed that BIBW2992 and U0126 significantly reduced parasite burden, and the parasite obtained from BIBW2992-treated mice displayed impaired structural integrity of the germinal layer. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate the potential of EGFR-mediated signaling as a target for the development of novel anti-AE agents. The EGFR inhibitor BIBW2992 represents a promising drug candidate and/or a lead compound for anti-AE chemotherapy.
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The limitations of targeting MEK signalling in Glioblastoma therapy. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7401. [PMID: 32366879 PMCID: PMC7198577 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64289-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GB) is a highly aggressive, difficult to treat brain tumour. Successful treatment, consisting of maximal safe tumour de-bulking, followed by radiotherapy and treatment with the alkylating agent Temozolomide (TMZ), can extend patient survival to approximately 15 months. Combination treatments based on the inhibition of the PI3K pathway, which is the most frequently activated signalling cascade in GB, have so far only shown limited therapeutic success. Here, we use the clinically approved MEK inhibitor Trametinib to investigate its potential use in managing GB. Trametinib has a strong anti-proliferative effect on established GB cell lines, stem cell-like cells and their differentiated progeny and while it does not enhance anti-proliferative and cell death-inducing properties of the standard treatment, i.e. exposure to radiation or TMZ, neither does MEK inhibition block their effectiveness. However, upon MEK inhibition some cell populations appear to favour cell-substrate interactions in a sprouting assay and become more invasive in the Chorioallantoic Membrane assay, which assesses cell penetration into an organic membrane. While this increased invasion can be modulated by additional inhibition of the PI3K signalling cascade, there is no apparent benefit of blocking MEK compared to targeting PI3K.
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Huang C, Yoon C, Zhou XH, Zhou YC, Zhou WW, Liu H, Yang X, Lu J, Lee SY, Huang K. ERK1/2-Nanog signaling pathway enhances CD44(+) cancer stem-like cell phenotypes and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:266. [PMID: 32327629 PMCID: PMC7181750 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-2448-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) harbor a subset of cells that are CD44(+) and present with malignancy and radiotherapy resistance. As a key regulator of self-renewal, Nanog expression not only determines cell fate in pluripotent cells but also mediates tumorigenesis in cancer cells; thus, we examined the role of Nanog in CD44(+) HNSCC. Three HNSCC cell lines, tumor xenografts, and patient tumors were examined. Nanog levels were significantly higher in CD44(+) HNSCC spheroids than in CD44(-) spheroids, and further increased when grown as spheroids to enrich for CSCs. CD44(+) spheroids showed a 3.4-7.5-fold increase in migration and invasion compared with CD44(-) spheroids and were resistant to radiation therapy, which was reversed by inhibiting Nanog. Nanog knockdown also decreased spheroid formation by 66.5-68.8%. Moreover, a phosphokinase array identified upregulated ERK1/2 signaling in CD44(+) HNSCC cells compared with that in CD44(-) cells. ERK1/2 signaling was found to regulate Nanog expression, aiding tumor progression, metastasis, and radiotherapy resistance. In xenograft models, the combination of radiation and Nanog or ERK1/2 inhibition inhibited tumor growth by 75.6% and 79.1%, respectively. In lung metastasis models, CD44(+) cells injected into the tail vein of mice led to significantly more lung metastases and higher Nanog expression level compared with that by ERK1/2-knockdown CD44(+) cells. Finally, in tumor tissues, CD44 and Nanog expression levels were correlated with tumorigenesis in HNSCC patients. Thus, targeting Nanog and the ERK1/2 signaling pathway may prevent or reverse CSC phenotypes and epithelial-mesenchymal transition that drive tumor progression, metastasis, and radiotherapy resistance in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuang Huang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Changhwan Yoon
- Gastric and Mixed Tumor Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiao-Hong Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Ying-Chun Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Wen-Wen Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Lu
- Gastric and Mixed Tumor Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fujian Province, Chongqing, China
| | - Sei Young Lee
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Kun Huang
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Rieber M, Gomez-Sarosi LA, Rieber MS. Nitroprusside induces melanoma ferroptosis with serum supplementation and prolongs survival under serum depletion or hypoxia. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 525:626-632. [PMID: 32122653 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.02.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND When proliferating tumor cells expand to areas distant from vascular sites, poor diffusion of oxygen and nutrients occur, generating a restrictive hypoxic gradient in which susceptible tumor cells die. The heterogeneous population surviving hypoxia and metabolic starvation include de-differentiated cancer stem cells (CSC), capable of self-renewing tumor-initiating cells (TICs), or those that divide asymmetrically to produce non-tumor-initiating differentiated (NTI-D) cell progeny. Under such restrictive conditions, both populations slowly proliferate, entering quiescence or senescence, when exiting from cell cycle progression. This may drive chemoresistance and tumor recurrence, since most anti-cancer treatments target rapidly proliferating cells. PURPOSE Since persistent or additional stress may increase NTI-D cells conversion to TICs, we investigated whether nutrient depletion or hypoxia influence expression of tyrosinase, a crucial enzyme for melanin synthesis, and B16 melanoma survival, when exposed to iron-dependent cell death oxidative stress produced by the Fenton reaction, resembling ferroptosis. RESULTS -a) proliferating B16 melanoma with 10% serum-supplementation (10%S) normoxically express hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) but lose tyrosinase, in contrast to those transiently exposed to (SF) serum-free medium, in which both HIF1α and tyrosinase are co-expressed; b) in contrast to the resistance to SNP toxicity in (SF) cells with higher tyrosinase expression, those in (10%S) are killed by iron from nitroprusside/ferricyanide (SNP) irrespective of exogenous H2O2, in a reaction antagonized by the anti-oxidant and MEK inhibitor UO126; c) Moreover, under transient serum depletion, SNP cooperates with hypoxia (1.5% oxygen), prolonging B16 melanoma (SF) survival; d) the hypoxia mimetic CoCl2 inhibits proliferation-associated cyclin A, irrespective of SNP, in (10%S) cells or in transiently serum-depleted (SF) cells. However, only in the latter cells, CoCl2 but not SNP, induce loss of HIF1α and apoptosis-associated PARP cleavage; e) longer term adaptation to survive serum depletion, generates (SS) cells resistant to SNP toxicity, which aerobically co-express HIF1α and tyrosinase. In SS B16 melanoma, exogenous non-toxic 100 μM H2O2 super-induces the ratio of tyrosinase to HIF1α. However, co-treatment of SS-B16 cells with SNP plus exogenous H2O2, partly increases PARP cleavage by reciprocally decreasing tyrosinase expression. SIGNIFICANCE - These results suggest that a phenotypic plasticity in response to depletion of nutrients and/or oxygen, helps decide whether melanoma cells undergo either death by ferroptosis, or resistance to it, when challenged by the same exogenous oxidative stress (iron ± H2O2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Rieber
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), CMBC, Cancer Cell Biology Laboratory, Apartado 21827, Caracas, 1020A, Venezuela.
| | - Luis A Gomez-Sarosi
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), CMBC, Cancer Cell Biology Laboratory, Apartado 21827, Caracas, 1020A, Venezuela
| | - Mary Strasberg Rieber
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), CMBC, Cancer Cell Biology Laboratory, Apartado 21827, Caracas, 1020A, Venezuela
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da Cunha Jaeger M, Ghisleni EC, Cardoso PS, Siniglaglia M, Falcon T, Brunetto AT, Brunetto AL, de Farias CB, Taylor MD, Nör C, Ramaswamy V, Roesler R. HDAC and MAPK/ERK Inhibitors Cooperate To Reduce Viability and Stemness in Medulloblastoma. J Mol Neurosci 2020; 70:981-992. [PMID: 32056089 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-020-01505-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB), which originates from embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs) or neural precursors in the developing cerebellum, is the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood. Recurrent and metastatic disease is the principal cause of death and may be related to resistance within cancer stem cells (CSCs). Chromatin state is involved in maintaining signaling pathways related to stemness, and inhibition of histone deacetylase enzymes (HDAC) has emerged as an experimental therapeutic strategy to target this cell population. Here, we observed antitumor actions and changes in stemness induced by HDAC inhibition in MB. Analyses of tumor samples from patients with MB showed that the stemness markers BMI1 and CD133 are expressed in all molecular subgroups of MB. The HDAC inhibitor (HDACi) NaB reduced cell viability and expression of BMI1 and CD133 and increased acetylation in human MB cells. Enrichment analysis of genes associated with CD133 or BMI1 expression showed mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK signaling as the most enriched processes in MB tumors. MAPK/ERK inhibition reduced expression of the stemness markers, hindered MB neurosphere formation, and its antiproliferative effect was enhanced by combination with NaB. These results suggest that combining HDAC and MAPK/ERK inhibitors may be a novel and more effective approach in reducing MB proliferation when compared to single-drug treatments, through modulation of the stemness phenotype of MB cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariane da Cunha Jaeger
- Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Clinical Hospital (CPE-HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Eduarda Chiesa Ghisleni
- Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Clinical Hospital (CPE-HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Paula Schoproni Cardoso
- Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Clinical Hospital (CPE-HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Marialva Siniglaglia
- Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Clinical Hospital (CPE-HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tiago Falcon
- Bioinformatics Core, Experimental Research Center, Clinical Hospital (CPE-HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - André T Brunetto
- Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Clinical Hospital (CPE-HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Algemir L Brunetto
- Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Clinical Hospital (CPE-HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Caroline Brunetto de Farias
- Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Clinical Hospital (CPE-HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Children's Cancer Institute, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Michael D Taylor
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carolina Nör
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vijay Ramaswamy
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rafael Roesler
- Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Clinical Hospital (CPE-HCPA), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute for Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Sarmento Leite, 500 (ICBS, Campus Centro/UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.
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Tian X, Geng J, Zheng Q, Wang L, Huang P, Tong J, Zheng S. Single high dose irradiation induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells through the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathways. Int J Radiat Biol 2020; 96:740-747. [PMID: 32039644 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2020.1694188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is emerging as a new noninvasive treatment in patients with primary liver carcinoma or liver-confined metastatic cancer. However, the radiobiological targets remain a subject of debate. Here, we investigated the potential biological effects of the radiation on the human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells.Materials and methods: Firstly, HepG2 cells were divided into three groups: control group, 3.5 Gy*8f group (L group), and 15 Gy*1f group (H group). After treatment, cell proliferation was examined using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and plate colony formation assays. Cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed using propidium iodide and Hoechst 33258 staining, respectively. Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying irradiation-induced cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis were investigated by Western blot assay.Results: Irradiation could effectively inhibit the proliferation and colony formation of HepG2 cells, and the single high dose irradiation showed stronger inhibitory effects. Irradiation-induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in HepG2 cell, during which the expression levels of cyclin B1, CDK1, and p-CDK1 proteins were downregulated, whereas expression of p21 was upregulated in the irradiated HepG2 cells. After irradiation, typical morphological changes of apoptosis in HepG2 cells were observed; the number of cell apoptosis and the expression of apoptosis associated proteins were significantly increased in HepG2 cells by high dose irradiation compared with low dose irradiation. Additionally, compared with low dose irradiation, high dose irradiation significantly downregulated the phosphorylated proteins in the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway.Conclusions: Our results suggest that irradiation applied in SBRT, particularly single high dose irradiation, mediates its anti-tumor effects by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via modulation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- XiaoQiang Tian
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jie Geng
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qin Zheng
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - LiXue Wang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - PeiLin Huang
- Department of Pathology, Medicine School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - JinLong Tong
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - ShengQin Zheng
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Nanjing, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Mikeli M, Fujikawa M, Nagahisa K, Yasuda S, Yamada N, Tanabe T. Contribution of GPD2/mGPDH to an alternative respiratory chain of the mitochondrial energy metabolism and the stemness in CD133-positive HuH-7 cells. Genes Cells 2020; 25:139-148. [PMID: 31887237 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
HuH-7 cells, derived from human hepatocarcinoma, are known to contain the CD133-positive cancer stem cell populations. HuH-7 cells showed higher ATP synthesis activity through the respiratory chain compared to another human hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2 and showed an especially higher glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P)-driven ATP synthesis (G3P-ATPase) activity. We found that the CD133-positive HuH-7 cells expressed high levels of GPD2 (glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase or mGPDH) and showed high G3P-ATPase activity. Next, to elucidate the relationship between CD133 and GPD2, we inhibited downstream factors of CD133 and found that a p38 inhibitor decreased the expression of GPD2 and decreased the G3P-ATPase activity. Furthermore, GPD2-knockdown (GPD2-KD) cells exhibited strong reduction of the G3P-ATPase activity and reduction of lactic acid secretion. Finally, we validated the effect of GPD2-KD on tumorigenicity. GPD2-KD cells were found to show decreased anchorage-independent cell proliferation, suggesting the linkage of G3P-ATPase activity to the tumorigenicity of the CD133-positive HuH-7 cells. Inhibition of G3P-ATPase disrupts the homeostasis of energy metabolism and blocks cancer development and progression. Our results suggest inhibitors, targeting GPD2 may be potential new anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maimaiti Mikeli
- Department of Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Fujikawa
- Department of Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kai Nagahisa
- Department of Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuhei Yasuda
- Department of Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Natsuhiko Yamada
- Department of Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Tanabe
- Department of Pharmacology and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
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Wen Q, Luo K, Huang H, Liao W, Yang H. Xanthoxyletin Inhibits Proliferation of Human Oral Squamous Carcinoma Cells and Induces Apoptosis, Autophagy, and Cell Cycle Arrest by Modulation of the MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway. Med Sci Monit 2019; 25:8025-8033. [PMID: 31654522 PMCID: PMC6827329 DOI: 10.12659/msm.911697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background This study aimed to investigate the effects of xanthoxyletin, a plant-derived coumarin, on human oral squamous cancer cells in vitro and in mouse xenografts in vivo. Materia/Methods The study included SCC-1 human oral cancer cells and EBTr normal embryonic bovine tracheal epithelial cells, which were treated with 0 μM, 5 μM, 10 μM, and 20 μM of xanthoxyletin for 24 hours. The MTT assay assessed cell viability, and autophagy was detected by electron microscopy. Cell apoptosis was investigated using 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), annexin V, and propidium iodide (PI) fluorescence flow cytometry, which was also used to investigate the cell cycle. Protein expression was measured by Western blot. Mouse xenografts were used for the in vivo evaluation of the effects of xanthoxyletin. Results Xanthoxyletin significantly inhibited the proliferation of oral cancer cells (IC50, 10–30 μM) with lower cytotoxicity for normal cells. Xanthoxyletin treatment was associated with G2/M arrest of the cell cycle and with increased apoptosis and autophagy of SCC-1 cells. Apoptosis and autophagy induced by xanthoxyletin were also associated with changes in expression of the apoptosis-associated proteins, Bax and Bcl-2, and the autophagy-associated proteins, LC3I, LC3II, Beclin 1, p62, and VSp34. Xanthoxyletin inhibited the expression of components of the signaling cascade of the MEK/ERK pathway in the SCC-1 oral cancer cells. The in vivo effects of xanthoxyletin showed inhibition of growth of mouse xenografts. Conclusions Xanthoxyletin inhibited the proliferation of human oral squamous carcinoma cells and induced apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle arrest by modulation of the MEK/ERK signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingquan Wen
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (mainland)
| | - Kai Luo
- The Research Institute, Cancer Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (mainland)
| | - Haiyan Huang
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (mainland)
| | - Weiguo Liao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (mainland)
| | - Hong Yang
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (mainland)
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Marampon F, Di Nisio V, Pietrantoni I, Petragnano F, Fasciani I, Scicchitano BM, Ciccarelli C, Gravina GL, Festuccia C, Del Fattore A, Tombolini M, De Felice F, Musio D, Cecconi S, Tini P, Maddalo M, Codenotti S, Fanzani A, Polimeni A, Maggio R, Tombolini V. Pro-differentiating and radiosensitizing effects of inhibiting HDACs by PXD-101 (Belinostat) in in vitro and in vivo models of human rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines. Cancer Lett 2019; 461:90-101. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Chebotarev DA, Makhotkin MA, Naboka AV, Tyutyakina MG, Cherkasova EN, Tarasov VA. Involvement of MicroRNAs in Regulation of Radioresistance of HeLa and DU145 Cells. RUSS J GENET+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795419090047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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40
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Boscolo Sesillo F, Sacco A. Tumorsphere Derivation and Treatment from Primary Tumor Cells Isolated from Mouse Rhabdomyosarcomas. J Vis Exp 2019. [PMID: 31566597 DOI: 10.3791/59897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children. Although significant efforts have enabled the identification of common mutations associated with RMS and allowed discrimination of different RMS subtypes, major challenges still exist for the development of novel treatments to further improve prognosis. Although identified by the expression of myogenic markers, there is still significant controversy over whether RMS has myogenic or non-myogenic origins, as the cell of origin is still poorly understood. In the present study, a reliable method is provided for the tumorsphere assay for mouse RMS. The assay is based on functional properties of tumor cells and allows the identification of rare populations in the tumor with tumorigenic functions. Also described are procedures for testing recombinant proteins, integrating transfection protocols with the tumorsphere assay, and evaluating candidate genes involved in tumor development and growth. Described further is a procedure for allograft transplantation of tumorspheres into recipient mice to validate tumorigenic function in vivo. Overall, the described method allows reliable identification and testing of rare RMS tumorigenic populations that can be applied to RMS arising in different contexts. Finally, the protocol can be utilized as a platform for drug screening and future development of therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Boscolo Sesillo
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute; Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, University California San Diego
| | - Alessandra Sacco
- Development, Aging and Regeneration Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute;
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41
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van Erp AEM, Versleijen-Jonkers YMH, van der Graaf WTA, Fleuren EDG. Targeted Therapy-based Combination Treatment in Rhabdomyosarcoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 17:1365-1380. [PMID: 29967215 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-17-1131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Targeted therapies have revolutionized cancer treatment; however, progress lags behind in alveolar (ARMS) and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS), a soft-tissue sarcoma mainly occurring at pediatric and young adult age. Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R)-directed targeted therapy is one of the few single-agent treatments with clinical activity in these diseases. However, clinical effects only occur in a small subset of patients and are often of short duration due to treatment resistance. Rational selection of combination treatments of either multiple targeted therapies or targeted therapies with chemotherapy could hypothetically circumvent treatment resistance mechanisms and enhance clinical efficacy. Simultaneous targeting of distinct mechanisms might be of particular interest in this regard, as this affects multiple hallmarks of cancer at once. To determine the most promising and clinically relevant targeted therapy-based combination treatments for ARMS and ERMS, we provide an extensive overview of preclinical and (early) clinical data concerning a variety of targeted therapy-based combination treatments. We concentrated on the most common classes of targeted therapies investigated in rhabdomyosarcoma to date, including those directed against receptor tyrosine kinases and associated downstream signaling pathways, the Hedgehog signaling pathway, apoptosis pathway, DNA damage response, cell-cycle regulators, oncogenic fusion proteins, and epigenetic modifiers. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(7); 1365-80. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke E M van Erp
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Winette T A van der Graaf
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. .,The Institute of Cancer Research, Division of Clinical Studies, Clinical and Translational Sarcoma Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom
| | - Emmy D G Fleuren
- The Institute of Cancer Research, Division of Clinical Studies, Clinical and Translational Sarcoma Research, Sutton, United Kingdom.
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IGHG1 Regulates Prostate Cancer Growth via the MEK/ERK/c-Myc Pathway. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:7201562. [PMID: 31355278 PMCID: PMC6637713 DOI: 10.1155/2019/7201562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that immunoglobulins are important for the regulation of various cancers including prostate cancer (PCa). However, the underlying mechanisms of IgG regulated PCa development remain to be further explored. Here, we demonstrated that IgG1 heavy chain (IGHG1) was increased in tissues from PCa patients. Inhibition of IGHG1 by antibody blocking or genetic knockdown suppressed cell growth and induced cell cycle arrest and ultimate apoptosis. Expression levels of c-Myc were positively correlated with the levels of IGHG1. Furthermore, MEK/ERK/c-Myc pathway lied downstream of IGHG1 in cultured prostate cancer cells. Inhibition of IGHG1 restrained the tumor growth in nude mice and inactivated MEK/ERK/c-Myc pathway both in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that IGHG1 play a crucial role during the development of prostate cancer and inhibition of IGHG1 may be a potential therapy in the treatment of PCa.
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43
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Bahmad HF, Chamaa F, Assi S, Chalhoub RM, Abou-Antoun T, Abou-Kheir W. Cancer Stem Cells in Neuroblastoma: Expanding the Therapeutic Frontier. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:131. [PMID: 31191243 PMCID: PMC6546065 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor often diagnosed in childhood. Despite intense efforts to develop a successful treatment, current available therapies are still challenged by high rates of resistance, recurrence and progression, most notably in advanced cases and highly malignant tumors. Emerging evidence proposes that this might be due to a subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumor-initiating cells (TICs) found in the bulk of the tumor. Therefore, the development of more targeted therapy is highly dependent on the identification of the molecular signatures and genetic aberrations characteristic to this subpopulation of cells. This review aims at providing an overview of the key molecular players involved in NB CSCs and focuses on the experimental evidence from NB cell lines, patient-derived xenografts and primary tumors. It also provides some novel approaches of targeting multiple drivers governing the stemness of CSCs to achieve better anti-tumor effects than the currently used therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisham F Bahmad
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Farah Chamaa
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sahar Assi
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Reda M Chalhoub
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Tamara Abou-Antoun
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Wassim Abou-Kheir
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
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Biological Rationale for Targeting MEK/ERK Pathways in Anti-Cancer Therapy and to Potentiate Tumour Responses to Radiation. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20102530. [PMID: 31126017 PMCID: PMC6567863 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20102530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
ERK1 and ERK2 (ERKs), two extracellular regulated kinases (ERK1/2), are evolutionary-conserved and ubiquitous serine-threonine kinases involved in regulating cell signalling in normal and pathological tissues. The expression levels of these kinases are almost always different, with ERK2 being the more prominent. ERK1/2 activation is fundamental for the development and progression of cancer. Since their discovery, much research has been dedicated to their role in mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway signalling and in their activation by mitogens and mutated RAF or RAS in cancer cells. In order to gain a better understanding of the role of ERK1/2 in MAPK pathway signalling, many studies have been aimed at characterizing ERK1/2 splicing isoforms, mutants, substrates and partners. In this review, we highlight the differences between ERK1 and ERK2 without completely discarding the hypothesis that ERK1 and ERK2 exhibit functional redundancy. The main goal of this review is to shed light on the role of ERK1/2 in targeted therapy and radiotherapy and highlight the importance of identifying ERK inhibitors that may overcome acquired resistance. This is a highly relevant therapeutic issue that needs to be addressed to combat tumours that rely on constitutively active RAF and RAS mutants and the MAPK pathway.
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Codenotti S, Faggi F, Ronca R, Chiodelli P, Grillo E, Guescini M, Megiorni F, Marampon F, Fanzani A. Caveolin-1 enhances metastasis formation in a human model of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma through Erk signaling cooperation. Cancer Lett 2019; 449:135-144. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Nakagawa N, Kikuchi K, Yagyu S, Miyachi M, Iehara T, Tajiri T, Sakai T, Hosoi H. Mutations in the RAS pathway as potential precision medicine targets in treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 512:524-530. [PMID: 30904164 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.03.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Precision medicine strategies for treating rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a childhood malignancy, have not been developed. We examined the effect of CH5126766, a potent selective dual RAF/MEK inhibitor, on RMS cell lines. Among the eleven cell lines studied, one NRAS and two HRAS mutated cell lines were detected. CH5126766 inhibited the proliferation and growth in all of the RAS-mutated RMS cell lines, while it induced G1 cell cycle arrest in two of them. G1 cell cycle arrest was accompanied by p21 up-regulation and RB dephosphorylation. CH5126766 also suppressed the in vivo growth of RAS-mutated RMS tumor, and the mice showed improved survival. Thus, our results demonstrate that CH5126766 is an effective RAF/MEK inhibitor in RAS-mutated RMS. This study not only shows that in RMS, mutations in the RAS pathway can be a target for precision medicine, but also demonstrates that the evaluation of the gene mutation status is important in childhood malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norio Nakagawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken Kikuchi
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Pediatrics, Uji Takeda Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shigeki Yagyu
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Miyachi
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomoko Iehara
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Tatsuro Tajiri
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Sakai
- Department of Molecular-Targeting Cancer Prevention, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hajime Hosoi
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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Fujita M, Somasundaram V, Basudhar D, Cheng RYS, Ridnour LA, Higuchi H, Imadome K, No JH, Bharadwaj G, Wink DA. Role of nitric oxide in pancreatic cancer cells exhibiting the invasive phenotype. Redox Biol 2019; 22:101158. [PMID: 30852389 PMCID: PMC6409427 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2019.101158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a highly metastatic tumor with an extremely low 5-year survival rate. Lack of efficient diagnostics and dearth of effective therapeutics that can target the cancer as well as the microenvironment niche are the reasons for limited success in treatment and management of this disease. Cell invasion through extracellular matrix (ECM) involves the complex regulation of adhesion to and detachment from ECM and its understanding is critical to metastatic potential of pancreatic cancer. To understand the characteristics of these cancer cells and their ability to metastasize, we compared human pancreatic cancer cell line, PANC-1 and its invading phenotype (INV) collected from transwell inserts. The invasive cell type, INV, exhibited higher resistance to Carbon-ion radiation compared to whole cultured (normally dish-cultured) PANC-1 (WCC), and had more efficient in vitro spheroid formation capability. Invasiveness of INV was hampered by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors, suggesting that nitric oxide (NO) plays a cardinal role in PANC-1 invasion. In addition, in vitro studies indicated that a MEK-ERK-dependent, JAK independent mechanism through which NOS/NO modulate PANC-1 invasiveness. Suspended INV showed enhanced NO production as well as induction of several pro-metastatic, and stemness-related genes. NOS inhibitor, l-NAME, reduced the expression of these pro-metastatic or stemness-related genes, and dampened spheroid formation ability, suggesting that NO can potentially influence pancreatic cancer aggressiveness. Furthermore, xenograft studies with INV and WCC in NSG mouse model revealed a greater ability of INV compared to WCC, to metastasize to the liver and l-NAME diminished the metastatic lesions in mice injected with INV. Overall, data suggest that NO is a key player associated with resistance to radiation and metastasis of pancreatic cancer; and inhibition of NOS demonstrates therapeutic potential as observed in the animal model by specifically targeting the metastatic cells that harbor stem-like features and are potentially responsible for relapse. Highly invasive pancreatic cancer cell line, collected from transwell inserts showed increased resistance to C-ion radiation. NO is a key player in pancreatic cancer aggressiveness inducing pro-metastatic and stemness-related genes. NOS/NO modulate invasiveness through a MEK-ERK dependent, JAK signaling independent mechanism. NOS inhibition showed promising therapeutic potential in mouse model by reversing the pro-metastatic phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayumi Fujita
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, USA; Department of Basic Medical Sciences for Radiation Damages, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Veena Somasundaram
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, USA
| | - Debashree Basudhar
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, USA
| | - Robert Y S Cheng
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, USA
| | - Lisa A Ridnour
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, USA
| | - Harumi Higuchi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences for Radiation Damages, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kaori Imadome
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences for Radiation Damages, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Jae Hong No
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Gaurav Bharadwaj
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, USA
| | - David A Wink
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, MD, USA.
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Giannattasio S, Megiorni F, Di Nisio V, Del Fattore A, Fontanella R, Camero S, Antinozzi C, Festuccia C, Gravina GL, Cecconi S, Dominici C, Di Luigi L, Ciccarelli C, De Cesaris P, Riccioli A, Zani BM, Lenzi A, Pestell RG, Filippini A, Crescioli C, Tombolini V, Marampon F. Testosterone-mediated activation of androgenic signalling sustains in vitro the transformed and radioresistant phenotype of rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines. J Endocrinol Invest 2019; 42:183-197. [PMID: 29790086 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-018-0900-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common soft-tissue sarcoma in childhood, rarely affects adults, preferring male. RMS expresses the receptor for androgen (AR) and responds to androgen; however, the molecular action of androgens on RMS is unknown. METHODS Herein, testosterone (T) effects were tested in embryonal (ERMS) and alveolar (ARMS) RMS cell lines, by performing luciferase reporter assay, RT-PCR, and western blotting experiments. RNA interference experiments or bicalutamide treatment was performed to assess the specific role of AR. Radiation treatment was delivered to characterise the effects of T treatment on RMS intrinsic radioresistance. RESULTS Our study showed that RMS cells respond to sub-physiological levels of T stimulation, finally promoting AR-dependent genomic and non-genomic effects, such as the transcriptional regulation of several oncogenes, the phosphorylation-mediated post-transductional modifications of AR and the activation of ERK, p38 and AKT signal transduction pathway mediators that, by physically complexing or not with AR, participate in regulating its transcriptional activity and the expression of T-targeted genes. T chronic daily treatment, performed as for the hormone circadian rhythm, did not significantly affect RMS cell growth, but improved RMS clonogenic and radioresistant potential and increased AR mRNA both in ERMS and ARMS. AR protein accumulation was evident in ERMS, this further developing an intrinsic T-independent AR activity. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that androgens sustain and improve RMS transformed and radioresistant phenotype, and therefore, their therapeutic application should be avoided in RMS post puberal patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Giannattasio
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - F Megiorni
- Department of Paediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - V Di Nisio
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - A Del Fattore
- Multi-Factorial Disease and Complex Phenotype Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - R Fontanella
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - S Camero
- Department of Paediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - C Antinozzi
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - C Festuccia
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Coppito, Italy
| | - G L Gravina
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Coppito, Italy
| | - S Cecconi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - C Dominici
- Department of Paediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - L Di Luigi
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - C Ciccarelli
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Coppito, Italy
| | - P De Cesaris
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Coppito, Italy
| | - A Riccioli
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - B M Zani
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Coppito, Italy
| | - A Lenzi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - R G Pestell
- Pennsylvania Center for Cancer and Regenerative Medicine, Wynnewood, PA, 19096, USA
| | - A Filippini
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - C Crescioli
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy
| | - V Tombolini
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - F Marampon
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Coppito, Italy.
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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49
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Marampon F, Codenotti S, Megiorni F, Del Fattore A, Camero S, Gravina GL, Festuccia C, Musio D, De Felice F, Nardone V, Santoro AN, Dominici C, Fanzani A, Pirtoli L, Fioravanti A, Tombolini V, Cheleschi S, Tini P. NRF2 orchestrates the redox regulation induced by radiation therapy, sustaining embryonal and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells radioresistance. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2019; 145:881-893. [PMID: 30701326 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-019-02851-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Tumor cells generally exhibit higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), however, when stressed, tumor cells can undergo a process of 'Redox Resetting' to acquire a new redox balance with stronger antioxidant systems that enable cancer cells to become resistant to radiation therapy (RT). Here, we describe how RT affects the oxidant/antioxidant balance in human embryonal (RD) and alveolar (RH30) rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cell lines, investigating on the molecular mechanisms involved. METHODS Radiations were delivered using an x-6 MV photon linear accelerator and their effects were assessed by vitality and clonogenic assays. The expression of specific antioxidant-enzymes, such as Superoxide Dismutases (SODs), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione Peroxidases 4 (GPx4), miRNAs (miR-22, -126, -210, -375, -146a, -34a) and the transcription factor NRF2 was analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) and western blotting. RNA interference experiments were performed to evaluate the role of NRF2. RESULTS Doses of RT higher than 2 Gy significantly affected RMS clonogenic ability by increasing ROS production. RMS rapidly and efficiently brought back ROS levels by up-regulating the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes, miRNAs as well as of NRF2. Silencing of NRF2 restrained the RMS ability to counteract RT-induced ROS accumulation, antioxidant enzyme and miRNA expression and was able to increase the abundance of γ-H2AX, a biomarker of DNA damage, in RT-treated cells. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our data suggest the strategic role of oxidant/antioxidant balance in restraining the therapeutic efficiency of RT in RMS treatment and identify NRF2 as a new potential molecular target whose inhibition might represent a novel radiosensitizing therapeutic strategy for RMS clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Marampon
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Silvia Codenotti
- Division of Biotechnology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Del Fattore
- Multi-Factorial Disease and Complex Phenotype Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Viale di San Paolo 15, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Camero
- Department of Pediatrics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Luca Gravina
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Coppito 2, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Claudio Festuccia
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Coppito 2, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Daniela Musio
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca De Felice
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Carlo Dominici
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fanzani
- Division of Biotechnology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Luigi Pirtoli
- Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.,Unit of Radiation Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.,Istituto Toscano Tumori, Florence, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.,Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Rheumatology Unit, University of Siena, Policlinico Le Scotte, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo Tombolini
- Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Cheleschi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Rheumatology Unit, University of Siena, Policlinico Le Scotte, Siena, Italy
| | - Paolo Tini
- Unit of Radiation Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.,Istituto Toscano Tumori, Florence, Italy.,Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Sbarro Health Research Organization, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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50
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Eckert F, Schilbach K, Klumpp L, Bardoscia L, Sezgin EC, Schwab M, Zips D, Huber SM. Potential Role of CXCR4 Targeting in the Context of Radiotherapy and Immunotherapy of Cancer. Front Immunol 2018; 9:3018. [PMID: 30622535 PMCID: PMC6308162 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.03018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has been established as standard of care in different tumor entities. After the first reports on synergistic effects with radiotherapy and the induction of abscopal effects-tumor shrinkage outside the irradiated volume attributed to immunological effects of radiotherapy-several treatment combinations have been evaluated. Different immunotherapy strategies (e.g., immune checkpoint inhibition, vaccination, cytokine based therapies) have been combined with local tumor irradiation in preclinical models. Clinical trials are ongoing in different cancer entities with a broad range of immunotherapeutics and radiation schedules. SDF-1 (CXCL12)/CXCR4 signaling has been described to play a major role in tumor biology, especially in hypoxia adaptation, metastasis and migration. Local tumor irradiation is a known inducer of SDF-1 expression and release. CXCR4 also plays a major role in immunological processes. CXCR4 antagonists have been approved for the use of hematopoietic stem cell mobilization from the bone marrow. In addition, several groups reported an influence of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis on intratumoral immune cell subsets and anti-tumor immune response. The aim of this review is to merge the knowledge on the role of SDF-1/CXCR4 in tumor biology, radiotherapy and immunotherapy of cancer and in combinatorial approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Eckert
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Karin Schilbach
- Department of General Pediatrics/Pediatric Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Klumpp
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Lilia Bardoscia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Efe Cumhur Sezgin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Schwab
- Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany.,Departments of Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University Hospital and University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Zips
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Stephan M Huber
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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