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Ferdoush J, Kadir RA, Ogle M, Saha A. Regulation of eukaryotic transcription initiation in response to cellular stress. Gene 2024; 924:148616. [PMID: 38795856 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Transcription initiation is a vital step in the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. It can be dysregulated in response to various cellular stressors which is associated with numerous human diseases including cancer. Transcription initiation is facilitated via many gene-specific trans-regulatory elements such as transcription factors, activators, and coactivators through their interactions with transcription pre-initiation complex (PIC). These trans-regulatory elements can uniquely facilitate PIC formation (hence, transcription initiation) in response to cellular nutrient stress. Cellular nutrient stress also regulates the activity of other pathways such as target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway. TOR pathway exhibits distinct regulatory mechanisms of transcriptional activation in response to stress. Like TOR pathway, the cell cycle regulatory pathway is also found to be linked to transcriptional regulation in response to cellular stress. Several transcription factors such as p53, C/EBP Homologous Protein (CHOP), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6α), E2F, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), SMAD, and MYC have been implicated in regulation of transcription of target genes involved in cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and DNA damage repair pathways. Additionally, cellular metabolic and oxidative stressors have been found to regulate the activity of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA). LncRNA regulates transcription by upregulating or downregulating the transcription regulatory proteins involved in metabolic and cell signaling pathways. Numerous human diseases, triggered by chronic cellular stressors, are associated with abnormal regulation of transcription. Hence, understanding these mechanisms would help unravel the molecular regulatory insights with potential therapeutic interventions. Therefore, here we emphasize the recent advances of regulation of eukaryotic transcription initiation in response to cellular stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannatul Ferdoush
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 615 McCallie Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA.
| | - Rizwaan Abdul Kadir
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 615 McCallie Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
| | - Matthew Ogle
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 615 McCallie Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
| | - Ayan Saha
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Asian University for Women, Chattogram, Bangladesh
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Wang Q, Liu XY, Zhang XQ, Huo ZX, Chen CY, Chen S, Liu CY, Zhu J, Liu SS, Lu B. LRRC45 promotes lung cancer proliferation and progression by enhancing c-MYC, Slug, MMP2, and MMP9 expression. Adv Med Sci 2024:S1896-1126(24)00055-5. [PMID: 39326735 DOI: 10.1016/j.advms.2024.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2024] [Accepted: 09/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The leucine-rich repeat-containing (LRRC) superfamily members are known for their significant roles in tumorigenesis and cellular proliferation. However, the specific regulatory role of LRRC45 in lung cancer remains unexplored. This study investigated the impact and underlying mechanisms of LRRC45 on the proliferative, migratory, and invasive capacities of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells, potentially identifying new targets for therapeutic intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS The importance of LRRC45 in lung cancer was analyzed using the online databases of UCSC Xena, TCGA, TISIDB, and UALCAN, whereas to detect target gene expression, we used the qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence confocal. The cell growth was monitored by colony formation assay and migration was examined by cell migration assay. Finally, a xenograft mouse tumor model using A549 cells was used to explore the in vivo effect of LRRC45 in lung cancer. RESULTS Inhibition of LRRC45 expression led to a notable decrease in proliferation, migration, and invasion of A549 and H1299 cells. LRRC45 silencing significantly reduced the tumor volume and improved the mice's survival. Additionally, inhibition of LRRC45 expression dramatically suppressed c-MYC, Slug, MMP2, and MMP9 expression. Overexpression of c-MYC and/or Slug in the LRRC45-deficient cells can partially or totally restore the LRRC45 deficiency-suppressed growth. Moreover, the overexpression of MMP2 and/or MMP9 could partially or totally restore LRRC45 deficiency-reduced cell metastasis. CONCLUSIONS LRRC45 could promote the proliferative, migrative, and invasive capacities of lung cancer cells by increasing c-MYC, Slug, MMP2, and MMP9 expression, indicating the therapeutic implications and potential significance of these pathways in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Jiangsu, China; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Suqian Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suqian Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Suqian Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xin-Yan Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao-Qi Zhang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Jiangsu, China
| | - Zheng-Xing Huo
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Jiangsu, China
| | - Cheng-Yu Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Jiangsu, China
| | - Shi Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Jiangsu, China
| | - Cheng-Yong Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Jiangsu, China
| | - Jia Zhu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Jiangsu, China
| | - Shan-Shan Liu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Suqian Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suqian Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Suqian Jiangsu, China.
| | - Bing Lu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Taicang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taicang Jiangsu, China.
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Luo X, Shi J, Wang S, Jin X. The role of circular RNA targeting IGF2BPs in cancer-a potential target for cancer therapy. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00109-024-02488-8. [PMID: 39287635 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-024-02488-8] [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: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 09/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are an interesting class of conserved single-stranded RNA molecules derived from exon or intron sequences produced by the reverse splicing of precursor mRNA. CircRNAs play important roles as microRNA sponges, gene splicing and transcriptional regulators, RNA-binding protein sponges, and protein/peptide translation factors. Abnormal functions of circRNAs and RBPs in tumor progression have been widely reported. Insulin-like growth factor-2 mRNA-binding proteins (IGF2BPs) are a highly conserved family of RBPs identified in humans that function as post-transcriptional fine-tuners of target transcripts. Emerging evidence suggests that IGF2BPs regulate the processing and metabolism of RNA, including its stability, translation, and localization, and participate in a variety of cellular functions and pathophysiology. In this review, we have summarized the roles and molecular mechanisms of circRNAs and IGF2BPs in cancer development and progression. In addition, we briefly introduce the role of other RNAs and IGF2BPs in cancer, discuss the current clinical applications and challenges faced by circRNAs and IGF2BPs, and propose future directions for this promising research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Luo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Jiaxin Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Siyuan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Xiaofeng Jin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
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Golmohammadi M, Zamanian MY, Al-Ani AM, Jabbar TL, Kareem AK, Aghaei ZH, Tahernia H, Hjazi A, Jissir SAR, Hakimizadeh E. Targeting STAT3 signaling pathway by curcumin and its analogues for breast cancer: A narrative review. Animal Model Exp Med 2024. [PMID: 39219410 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BC) continues to be a significant global health issue, with a rising number of cases requiring ongoing research and innovation in treatment strategies. Curcumin (CUR), a natural compound derived from Curcuma longa, and similar compounds have shown potential in targeting the STAT3 signaling pathway, which plays a crucial role in BC progression. AIMS The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin and its analogues on BC based on cellular and molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS & METHODS The literature search conducted for this study involved utilizing the Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases in order to identify pertinent articles. RESULTS This narrative review explores the potential of CUR and similar compounds in inhibiting STAT3 activation, thereby suppressing the proliferation of cancer cells, inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting metastasis. The review demonstrates that CUR directly inhibits the phosphorylation of STAT3, preventing its movement into the nucleus and its ability to bind to DNA, thereby hindering the survival and proliferation of cancer cells. CUR also enhances the effectiveness of other therapeutic agents and modulates the tumor microenvironment by affecting tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). CUR analogues, such as hydrazinocurcumin (HC), FLLL11, FLLL12, and GO-Y030, show improved bioavailability and potency in inhibiting STAT3, resulting in reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. CONCLUSION CUR and its analogues hold promise as effective adjuvant treatments for BC by targeting the STAT3 signaling pathway. These compounds provide new insights into the mechanisms of action of CUR and its potential to enhance the effectiveness of BC therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Golmohammadi
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Yassin Zamanian
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Ahmed Muzahem Al-Ani
- Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, AL-Nisour University College, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Thaer L Jabbar
- College of pharmacy, Al- Ayen University, Nasiriyah, Iraq
| | - Ali Kamil Kareem
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Hillah, Iraq
| | - Zeinab Hashem Aghaei
- Preventative Gynecology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Tahernia
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Elham Hakimizadeh
- Physiology-Pharmacology Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
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Ding XJ, Cai XM, Wang QQ, Liu N, Zhong WL, Xi XN, Lu YX. Vitexicarpin suppresses malignant progression of colorectal cancer through affecting c-Myc ubiquitination by targeting IMPDH2. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 132:155833. [PMID: 39008915 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality and is characterised by extensive invasive and metastatic potential. Previous studies have shown that vitexicarpin extracted from the fruits of Vitex rotundifolia can impede tumour progression. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in CRC treatment are still not fully established. PURPOSE Our study aimed to investigate the anticancer activity, targets, and molecular mechanisms of vitexicarpin in CRC hoping to provide novel therapies for patients with CRC. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS The impact of vitexicarpin on CRC was assessed through various experiments including MTT, clone formation, EDU, cell cycle, and apoptosis assays, as well as a tumour xenograft model. CETSA, label-free quantitative proteomics, and Biacore were used to identify the vitexicarpin targets. WB, Co-IP, Ubiquitination assay, IF, molecular docking, MST, and cell transfection were used to investigate the mechanism of action of vitexicarpin in CRC cells. Furthermore, we analysed the expression patterns and correlation of target proteins in TCGA and GEPIA datasets and clinical samples. Finally, wound healing, Transwell, tail vein injection model, and tissue section staining were used to demonstrate the antimetastatic effect of vitexicarpin on CRC in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS Our findings demonstrated that vitexicarpin exhibits anticancer activity by directly binding to inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase 2 (IMPDH2) and that it promotes c-Myc ubiquitination by disrupting the interaction between IMPDH2 and c-Myc, leading to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) inhibition. Vitexicarpin hinders the migration and invasion of CRC cells by reversing EMT both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, these results were validated by the overexpression and knockdown of IMPDH2 in CRC cells. CONCLUSION These results demonstrated that vitexicarpin regulates the interaction between IMPDH2 and c-Myc to inhibit CRC proliferation and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. These discoveries introduce potential molecular targets for CRC treatment and shed light on new mechanisms for c-Myc regulation in tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Jing Ding
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Xue-Mei Cai
- Huabei Petroleum Administration Bureau General Hospital, Renqiu 062550, PR China
| | - Qian-Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Ning Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China
| | - Wei-Long Zhong
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Institute of Digestive Diseases, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Tianjin 300052, PR China.
| | - Xiao-Nan Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China.
| | - Ya-Xin Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China; College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, PR China.
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Wang Z, Li Y, Yang J, Sun Y, He Y, Wang Y, Liang Y, Chen X, Chen T, Han D, Zhang N, Chen B, Zhao W, Wang L, Luo D, Yang Q. CircCFL1 Promotes TNBC Stemness and Immunoescape via Deacetylation-Mediated c-Myc Deubiquitylation to Facilitate Mutant TP53 Transcription. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2404628. [PMID: 38981022 PMCID: PMC11425638 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202404628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant subtype of breast cancer. TP53, which has a mutation rate of ≈70%-80% in TNBC patients, plays oncogenic roles when mutated. However, whether circRNAs can exert their effects on TNBC through regulating mutant TP53 has not been well evaluated. In this study, circCFL1, which is highly expressed in TNBC cells and tissues and has prognostic potential is identified. Functionally, circCFL1 promoted the proliferation, metastasis and stemness of TNBC cells. Mechanistically, circCFL1 acted as a scaffold to enhance the interaction between HDAC1 and c-Myc, further promoting the stability of c-Myc via deacetylation-mediated inhibition of K48-linked ubiquitylation. Stably expressed c-Myc further enhanced the expression of mutp53 in TNBC cells with TP53 mutations by directly binding to the promoter of TP53, which promoted the stemness of TNBC cells via activation of the p-AKT/WIP/YAP/TAZ pathway. Moreover, circCFL1 can facilitate the immune escape of TNBC cells by promoting the expression of PD-L1 and suppressing the antitumor immunity of CD8+ T cells. In conclusion, the results revealed that circCFL1 plays an oncogenic role by promoting the HDAC1/c-Myc/mutp53 axis, which can serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for TNBC patients with TP53 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekun Wang
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Yaming Li
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Jingwen Yang
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Yuhan Sun
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Yinqiao He
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Yuping Wang
- School of Basic MedicineJining Medical CollegeJiningShandong272067P. R. China
| | - Yiran Liang
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Tong Chen
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Dianwen Han
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Ning Zhang
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Bing Chen
- Pathology Tissue BankQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Wenjing Zhao
- Pathology Tissue BankQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Pathology Tissue BankQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Dan Luo
- Pathology Tissue BankQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
| | - Qifeng Yang
- Department of Breast SurgeryQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
- Pathology Tissue BankQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
- Research Institute of Breast CancerShandong UniversityJinanShandong250012P. R. China
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Chen S, Zhao L, Liu J, Han P, Jiang W, Liu Y, Hou J, Wang F, Li J. Inhibition of KIF20A enhances the immunotherapeutic effect of hepatocellular carcinoma by enhancing c-Myc ubiquitination. Cancer Lett 2024; 598:217105. [PMID: 38971490 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217105] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Immune therapy has significantly improved the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, yet its efficacy remains limited, underscoring the urgency to identify new therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Here, we investigated the pathological and physiological roles of KIF20A and assess its potential in enhancing HCC treatment efficacy when combined with PD-1 inhibitors. We initially assess KIF20A's oncogenic function using liver-specific KIF20A knockout (Kif20a CKO) mouse models and orthotopic xenografts. Subsequently, we establish a regulatory axis involving KIF20A, FBXW7, and c-Myc, validated through construction of c-Myc splicing mutants. Large-scale clinical immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses confirm the pathological relevance of the KIF20A-FBXW7-c-Myc axis in HCC. We demonstrate that KIF20A overexpression correlates with poor prognosis in HCC by competitively inhibiting FBXW7-mediated degradation of c-Myc, thereby promoting glycolysis and enhancing tumor proliferation. Conversely, KIF20A downregulation suppresses these effects, impairing tumor growth through c-Myc downregulation. Notably, KIF20A inhibition attenuates c-Myc-induced MMR expression, associated with improved prognosis in HCC patients receiving PD-1 inhibitor therapy. Furthermore, in Kif20a CKO HCC mouse models, we observe synergistic effects between Kif20a knockout and anti-PD-1 antibodies, significantly enhancing immunotherapeutic efficacy against HCC. Our findings suggest that targeting the KIF20A-c-Myc axis could identify HCC patients likely to benefit from anti-PD-1 therapy. In conclusion, we propose that combining KIF20A inhibitors with anti-PD-1 treatment represents a promising therapeutic strategy for HCC, offering new avenues for clinical development and patient stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujia Chen
- Clinical School of the Second People's Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300211, China; Department of Hepatology, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, No. 7, Sudi South Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Lili Zhao
- Department of Hepatology, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, No. 7, Sudi South Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Hepatology, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, No. 7, Sudi South Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Ping Han
- Clinical School of the Second People's Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300211, China; Department of Hepatology, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, No. 7, Sudi South Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Wentao Jiang
- Department of Liver Transplantation, Tianjin First Center Hospital, 2 West Baoshan Road, Xiqing District, Tianjin, 300392, China
| | - Yonggang Liu
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, No. 7, Sudi South Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Jiancun Hou
- Department of Liver Surgery, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, No. 7, Sudi South Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Fengmei Wang
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, 2 West Baoshan Road, Xiqing District, Tianjin, 300392, China.
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Hepatology, Tianjin Second People's Hospital, No. 7, Sudi South Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, China.
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Zhang Q, Zhu F, Tong Y, Shi D, Zhang J. CHD4 R975H mutant activates tumorigenic pathways and promotes stemness and M2-like macrophage polarization in endometrial cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18617. [PMID: 39127769 PMCID: PMC11316823 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69233-6] [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: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer (EC), one of the most prevalent carcinomas in females, is associated with increasing mortality. We identified the CHD4 R975H mutation as a high-frequency occurrence in EC patients through a comprehensive survey of EC databases. Computational predictions suggest that this mutation profoundly impacts the structural and functional integrity of CHD4. Functional assays revealed that the CHD4 R975H mutation enhances EC cell invasion, proliferation, and colony formation, promoting a cancer stem cell (CSC)-like phenotype. RNA-seq analysis of cells expressing CHD4 R975H mutant revealed a transcriptomic landscape marked by the activation of several cancer-promoting signaling pathways, including TNF-α signaling via NF-κB, KRAS, P53, mTOR, TGF-β, EGFR, Myc and growth factor signaling. Validation assays confirmed the activation of these pathways, further demonstrating that CHD4 R975H mutation induces stemness in EC cells and M2-like polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Our study elucidated the oncogenic role of CHD4 R975H mutation, highlighting its dual impact on facilitating cancer stemness and transforming TAMs into an immunosuppressive subtype. These findings contribute valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms driving EC progression and open avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglin Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Fengzhi Zhu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Yin Tong
- Centre for Oncology and Immunology, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Diwen Shi
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jiangwen Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Luković D, Franich AA, Živković MD, Rajković S, Stojanović B, Gajović N, Jurišević M, Pavlović S, Simović Marković B, Jovanović M, Stojanović BS, Pavlović R, Jovanović I. Biological Evaluation of Dinuclear Platinum(II) Complexes with Aromatic N-Heterocycles as Bridging Ligands. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8525. [PMID: 39126093 PMCID: PMC11312983 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158525] [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: 07/13/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The history of effective anti-cancer medications begins with the discovery of cisplatin's anti-cancer properties. Second-generation analogue, carboplatin, with a similar range of effectiveness, made progress in improving these drugs with fewer side effects and better solubility. Renewed interest in platinum-based drugs has been increasing in the past several years. These developments highlight a revitalized enthusiasm and ongoing exploration in platinum chemotherapy based on the series of dinuclear platinum(II) complexes, [{Pt(L)Cl}2(μ-bridging ligand)]2+, which have been synthesized and evaluated for their biological activities. These complexes are designed to target various cancerous conditions, exhibiting promising antitumor, antiproliferative, and apoptosis-inducing activities. The current work aims to shed light on the potential of these complexes as next-generation platinum-based therapies, highlighting their enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects, which could revolutionize the approach to chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desimir Luković
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (D.L.); (N.G.); (M.J.); (S.P.); (B.S.M.); (M.J.); (B.S.S.); (I.J.)
| | - Andjela A. Franich
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovića 12, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (A.A.F.); (S.R.)
| | - Marija D. Živković
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Snežana Rajković
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, R. Domanovića 12, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (A.A.F.); (S.R.)
| | - Bojan Stojanović
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (D.L.); (N.G.); (M.J.); (S.P.); (B.S.M.); (M.J.); (B.S.S.); (I.J.)
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Nevena Gajović
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (D.L.); (N.G.); (M.J.); (S.P.); (B.S.M.); (M.J.); (B.S.S.); (I.J.)
| | - Milena Jurišević
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (D.L.); (N.G.); (M.J.); (S.P.); (B.S.M.); (M.J.); (B.S.S.); (I.J.)
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia;
| | - Slađana Pavlović
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (D.L.); (N.G.); (M.J.); (S.P.); (B.S.M.); (M.J.); (B.S.S.); (I.J.)
| | - Bojana Simović Marković
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (D.L.); (N.G.); (M.J.); (S.P.); (B.S.M.); (M.J.); (B.S.S.); (I.J.)
| | - Marina Jovanović
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (D.L.); (N.G.); (M.J.); (S.P.); (B.S.M.); (M.J.); (B.S.S.); (I.J.)
| | - Bojana S. Stojanović
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (D.L.); (N.G.); (M.J.); (S.P.); (B.S.M.); (M.J.); (B.S.S.); (I.J.)
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Radiša Pavlović
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia;
| | - Ivan Jovanović
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, S. Markovića 69, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia; (D.L.); (N.G.); (M.J.); (S.P.); (B.S.M.); (M.J.); (B.S.S.); (I.J.)
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10
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Lei Z, Zhu Z, Yao Z, Dai X, Dong Y, Chen B, Wang S, Wang S, Bentum-Ennin L, Jin L, Gu H, Hu W. Reciprocal interactions between lncRNAs and MYC in colorectal cancer: partners in crime. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:539. [PMID: 39075086 PMCID: PMC11286766 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06918-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Proto-oncogenic MYC is frequently dysregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). In the past decades, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important regulators in cancers, acting as scaffolds, molecular decoys, post-transcriptional regulators, and others. Interestingly, lncRNAs are able to control MYC expression both at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. It is suggested that the reciprocal interaction of MYC and lncRNAs often occurs in CRC. MYC can affect the cell fate by promoting or inhibiting the transcription of some lncRNAs. At the same time, some lncRNAs can also affect MYC expression or transcriptional activity, and in turn decide the cell fate. In this review we summarized the current knowledge about the MYC and lncRNA axis, focusing on its mutual regulation, roles in CRC, and proposed potential therapeutic prospects for CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Lei
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Zhipu Zhu
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Zhihui Yao
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Xiangyu Dai
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Yi Dong
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Songyu Wang
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Siyue Wang
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Lutterodt Bentum-Ennin
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Lei Jin
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China.
| | - Hao Gu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230027, China.
| | - Wanglai Hu
- Translational Research Institute, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Science, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Non-coding RNA and Metabolism in Cancer, Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, China.
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230027, China.
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11
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Zhao C, Zhao F, Yang L, Wang Y, Wang H, Fang F, Zuo H, Li Z, He G, Zhan W, Ma X. Directly Suppressing MYC Function with Novel Alkynyl-Substituted Phenylpyrazole Derivatives that Induce Protein Degradation and Perturb MYC/MAX Interaction. J Med Chem 2024; 67:11751-11768. [PMID: 38989847 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Despite being a highly sought-after therapeutic target for human malignancies, myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homologue (MYC) has been considered intractable due to its intrinsically disordered nature, making the discovery of in vivo effective inhibitors that directly block its function challenging. Herein, we report structurally novel alkynyl-substituted phenylpyrazole derivatives directly perturbing MYC function. Among them, compound 37 exhibited superior antiproliferative activities to those of MYCi975 against multiple malignant cell lines. It induced dose-dependent MYC degradation in cells with degradation observed at the concentration as low as 1.0 μM. Meanwhile, its direct suppression of MYC function was confirmed by the capability to inhibit the binding of MYC/MYC-associated protein X (MAX) heterodimer to DNA consensus sequence, induce MYC thermal instability, and disturb MYC/MAX interaction. Moreover, 37 demonstrated enhanced therapeutic efficacy over MYCi975 in a mouse allograft model of prostate cancer. Overall, 37 deserves further development for exploring MYC-targeting cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Fang Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Liuqing Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Yang Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Henian Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Fang Fang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Haojie Zuo
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Zhi Li
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Ge He
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Wenhu Zhan
- iCarbonX (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research & Development of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
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12
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Mayse L, Wang Y, Ahmad M, Movileanu L. Real-Time Measurement of a Weak Interaction of a Transcription Factor Motif with a Protein Hub at Single-Molecule Precision. ACS NANO 2024; 18:20468-20481. [PMID: 39049818 PMCID: PMC11308778 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c04857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Transcription factors often interact with other protein cofactors, regulating gene expression. Direct detection of these brief events using existing technologies remains challenging due to their transient nature. In addition, intrinsically disordered domains, intranuclear location, and lack of cofactor-dependent active sites of transcription factors further complicate the quantitative analysis of these critical processes. Here, we create a genetically encoded label-free sensor to identify the interaction between a motif of the MYC transcription factor, a primary cancer driver, and WDR5, a chromatin-associated protein hub. Using an engineered nanopore equipped with this motif, WDR5 is probed through reversible captures and releases in a one-by-one and time-resolved fashion. Our single-molecule kinetic measurements indicate a weak-affinity interaction arising from a relatively slow complex association and a fast dissociation of WDR5 from the tethered motif. Further, we validate this subtle interaction by determinations in an ensemble using single nanodisc-wrapped nanopores immobilized on a biolayer interferometry sensor. This study also provides the proof-of-concept for a sensor that reveals unique recognition signatures of different protein binding sites. Our foundational work may be further developed to produce sensing elements for analytical proteomics and cancer nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren
A. Mayse
- Department
of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- Department
of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, 329 Link Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Yazheng Wang
- Department
of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- Department
of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, 329 Link Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Mohammad Ahmad
- Department
of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Liviu Movileanu
- Department
of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- Department
of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, 329 Link Hall, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- Department
of Biology, Syracuse University, 114 Life Sciences Complex, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- The
BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
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13
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Lahera A, Vela-Martín L, Fernández-Navarro P, Llamas P, López-Lorenzo JL, Cornago J, Santos J, Fernández-Piqueras J, Villa-Morales M. PIM1 is a potential therapeutic target for the leukemogenic effects mediated by JAK/STAT pathway mutations in T-ALL/LBL. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:152. [PMID: 39033228 PMCID: PMC11271448 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00638-2] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Precursor T-cell neoplasms (T-ALL/LBL) are aggressive hematological malignancies that arise from the malignant transformation of immature thymocytes. Despite the JAK/STAT pathway is recurrently altered in these neoplasms, there are not pharmacological inhibitors officially approved for the treatment of T-ALL/LBL patients that present oncogenic JAK/STAT pathway mutations. In the effort to identify potential therapeutic targets for those patients, we followed an alternative approach and focused on their transcriptional profile. We combined the analysis of molecular data from T-ALL/LBL patients with the generation of hematopoietic cellular models to reveal that JAK/STAT pathway mutations are associated with an aberrant transcriptional profile. Specifically, we demonstrate that JAK/STAT pathway mutations induce the overexpression of the PIM1 gene. Moreover, we show that the pan-PIM inhibitor, PIM447, significantly reduces the leukemogenesis, as well as the aberrant activation of c-MYC and mTOR pathways in cells expressing different JAK/STAT pathway mutations, becoming a potential therapeutic opportunity for a relevant subset of T-ALL/LBL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Lahera
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain.
- Department of Genome dynamics and function, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, 28049, Spain.
- Area of Genetics and Genomics, IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
| | - Laura Vela-Martín
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain
- Department of Genome dynamics and function, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, 28049, Spain
- Area of Genetics and Genomics, IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Pablo Fernández-Navarro
- Unit of Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology, Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, 28029, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Pilar Llamas
- Division of Hematology and Hemotherapy, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - José L López-Lorenzo
- Division of Hematology and Hemotherapy, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Javier Cornago
- Division of Hematology and Hemotherapy, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Javier Santos
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain
- Department of Genome dynamics and function, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, 28049, Spain
- Area of Genetics and Genomics, IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, 28040, Spain
- Institute for Molecular Biology-IUBM (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - José Fernández-Piqueras
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain.
- Department of Genome dynamics and function, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, 28049, Spain.
- Area of Genetics and Genomics, IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
- Institute for Molecular Biology-IUBM (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain.
| | - María Villa-Morales
- Department of Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain.
- Department of Genome dynamics and function, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), Madrid, 28049, Spain.
- Area of Genetics and Genomics, IIS Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
- Institute for Molecular Biology-IUBM (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain.
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14
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Bogale DE. The roles of FGFR3 and c-MYC in urothelial bladder cancer. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:295. [PMID: 39031286 PMCID: PMC11264706 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01173-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer is one of the most frequently occurring cancers worldwide. At diagnosis, 75% of urothelial bladder cancer cases have non-muscle invasive bladder cancer while 25% have muscle invasive or metastatic disease. Aberrantly activated fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-3 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer. Activating mutations of FGFR3 are observed in around 70% of NMIBC cases and ~ 15% of MIBCs. Activated FGFR3 leads to ligand-independent receptor dimerization and activation of downstream signaling pathways that promote cell proliferation and survival. FGFR3 is an important therapeutic target in bladder cancer, and clinical studies have shown the benefit of FGFR inhibitors in a subset of bladder cancer patients. c-MYC is a well-known major driver of carcinogenesis and is one of the most commonly deregulated oncogenes identified in human cancers. Studies have shown that the antitumor effects of FGFR inhibition in FGFR3 dependent bladder cancer cells and other FGFR dependent cancers may be mediated through c-MYC, a key downstream effector of activated FGFR that is involved tumorigenesis. This review will summarize the current general understanding of FGFR signaling and MYC alterations in cancer, and the role of FGFR3 and MYC dysregulation in the pathogenesis of urothelial bladder cancer with the possible therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dereje E Bogale
- School of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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15
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Park BS, Jeon H, Kim Y, Kwon H, Choi GE, Chi SG, Park HM, Lee H, Kim T. Polyamine and EIF5A hypusination downstream of c-Myc confers targeted therapy resistance in BRAF mutant melanoma. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:136. [PMID: 38965534 PMCID: PMC11223307 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02031-w] [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: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND BRAF inhibitors are widely employed in the treatment of melanoma with the BRAF V600E mutation. However, the development of resistance compromises their therapeutic efficacy. Diverse genomic and transcriptomic alterations are found in BRAF inhibitor resistant melanoma, posing a pressing need for convergent, druggable target that reverse therapy resistant tumor with different resistance mechanisms. METHODS CRISPR-Cas9 screens were performed to identify novel target gene whose inhibition selectively targets A375VR, a BRAF V600E mutant cell line with acquired resistance to vemurafenib. Various in vitro and in vivo assays, including cell competition assay, water soluble tetrazolium (WST) assay, live-dead assay and xenograft assay were performed to confirm synergistic cell death. Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analyses quantified polyamine biosynthesis and changes in proteome in vemurafenib resistant melanoma. EIF5A hypusination dependent protein translation and subsequent changes in mitochondrial biogenesis and activity were assayed by O-propargyl-puromycin labeling assay, mitotracker, mitoSOX labeling and seahorse assay. Bioinformatics analyses were used to identify the association of polyamine biosynthesis with BRAF inhibitor resistance and poor prognosis in melanoma patient cohorts. RESULTS We elucidate the role of polyamine biosynthesis and its regulatory mechanisms in promoting BRAF inhibitor resistance. Leveraging CRISPR-Cas9 screens, we identify AMD1 (S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase 1), a critical enzyme for polyamine biosynthesis, as a druggable target whose inhibition reduces vemurafenib resistance. Metabolomic and proteomic analyses reveal that polyamine biosynthesis is upregulated in vemurafenib-resistant cancer, resulting in enhanced EIF5A hypusination, translation of mitochondrial proteins and oxidative phosphorylation. We also identify that sustained c-Myc levels in vemurafenib-resistant cancer are responsible for elevated polyamine biosynthesis. Inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis or c-Myc reversed vemurafenib resistance both in vitro cell line models and in vivo in a xenograft model. Polyamine biosynthesis signature is associated with poor prognosis and shorter progression free survival after BRAF/MAPK inhibitor treatment in melanoma cohorts, highlighting the clinical relevance of our findings. CONCLUSIONS Our findings delineate the molecular mechanisms involving polyamine-EIF5A hypusination-mitochondrial respiration pathway conferring BRAF inhibitor resistance in melanoma. These targets will serve as effective therapeutic targets that can maximize the therapeutic efficacy of existing BRAF inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byung-Sun Park
- Medicinal Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro-14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, 145 AnamRo, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Heeju Jeon
- Medicinal Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro-14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, 145 AnamRo, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeonseo Kim
- Center for Advanced Biomolecular Recognition, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro- 14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Haejin Kwon
- Advanced Analysis and Data Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro-14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Ga-Eun Choi
- Medicinal Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro-14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Gil Chi
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, 145 AnamRo, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Mee Park
- Advanced Analysis and Data Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro-14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunbeom Lee
- Center for Advanced Biomolecular Recognition, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro- 14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Tackhoon Kim
- Medicinal Materials Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Hwarangro-14-Gil, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, 145 AnamRo, SeongbukGu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, Korea University of Science and Technology, 217 GajeongRo YuseongGu, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea.
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16
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Mardi A, Alizadeh M, Abdolalizadeh AS, Baghbanzadeh A, Baradaran B, Aghebaqti-Maleki A, Sandoghchian Shotorbani S, Movloudi M, Aghebati-Maleki L. CTLA-4 silencing could promote anti-tumor effects in hepatocellular. Med Oncol 2024; 41:193. [PMID: 38955918 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02361-1] [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: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Preclinical and clinical research showed that immune checkpoint blockade provides beneficial effects for many patients with liver cancer. This study aimed to assess the effect of CTLA-4-specific siRNA on the proliferation, cell cycle, migration, and apoptosis of HePG2 cells. Transfection of siRNA was performed by electroporation. The viability of cells was determined through MTT assay. Flow cytometry was performed to investigate the cell cycle and apoptosis rate, and the wound-healing assay was used to determine HepG2 cells migration. The expression levels of CTLA-4, c-Myc, Ki-67, BCL-2, BAX, caspase-9 (CAS9), and MMP-2,9,13 were measured by qRT-PCR. Transfection of specific CTLA-4-siRNA significantly inhibited the expression of the CTLA-4 gene. Also, our results revealed that CTLA-4 silencing diminished the proliferation and migration as well as induced the apoptosis of HePG2 cells. CTLA-4-siRNA transfection induced the cell cycle arrest in G2 phase. Moreover, CTLA-4-siRNA transfection reduced the expression levels of c-Myc, Ki-67, BCL-2, MMP-2,9,13, and elevated the expression levels of BAX and caspase-9. Our results suggest that silencing CTLA-4 through specific siRNA may be a promising strategy for future therapeutic interventions for treating liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirhossein Mardi
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mahsan Alizadeh
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Shahabaddin Abdolalizadeh
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tabriz Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Amir Baghbanzadeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ali Aghebaqti-Maleki
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Movloudi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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17
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Di Crosta M, Ragone FC, Benedetti R, D’Orazi G, Gilardini Montani MS, Cirone M. SAHA/5-AZA Enhances Acetylation and Degradation of mutp53, Upregulates p21 and Downregulates c-Myc and BRCA-1 in Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7020. [PMID: 39000128 PMCID: PMC11241381 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic changes are common in cancer and include aberrant DNA methylation and histone modifications, including both acetylation or methylation. DNA methylation in the promoter regions and histone deacetylation are usually accompanied by gene silencing, and may lead to the suppression of tumor suppressors in cancer cells. An interaction between epigenetic pathways has been reported that could be exploited to more efficiently target aggressive cancer cells, particularly those against which current treatments usually fail, such as pancreatic cancer. In this study, we explored the possibility to combine the DNA demethylating agent 5-AZA with HDAC inhibitor SAHA to treat pancreatic cancer cell lines, focusing on the acetylation of mutp53 and the consequences on its stability, as well as on the interaction of this protein with c-myc and BRCA-1, key molecules in cancer survival. The results obtained suggest that SAHA/5-AZA combination was more effective than single treatments to promote the degradation of mutp53, to upregulate p21 and downregulate c-Myc and BRCA-1, thus increasing DNA damage and cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Di Crosta
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.D.C.); (F.C.R.); (R.B.)
| | - Francesca Chiara Ragone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.D.C.); (F.C.R.); (R.B.)
| | - Rossella Benedetti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.D.C.); (F.C.R.); (R.B.)
| | - Gabriella D’Orazi
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. D’Annunzio” Chieti, 66100 Pescara, Italy;
- Department of Research and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Mara Cirone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.D.C.); (F.C.R.); (R.B.)
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18
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Andrés CMC, Pérez de la Lastra JM, Bustamante Munguira E, Andrés Juan C, Pérez-Lebeña E. Michael Acceptors as Anti-Cancer Compounds: Coincidence or Causality? Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6099. [PMID: 38892287 PMCID: PMC11172677 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116099] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Michael acceptors represent a class of compounds with potential anti-cancer properties. They act by binding to nucleophilic sites in biological molecules, thereby disrupting cancer cell function and inducing cell death. This mode of action, as well as their ability to be modified and targeted, makes them a promising avenue for advancing cancer therapy. We are investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying Michael acceptors and their interactions with cancer cells, in particular their ability to interfere with cellular processes and induce apoptosis. The anti-cancer properties of Michael acceptors are not accidental but are due to their chemical structure and reactivity. The electrophilic nature of these compounds allows them to selectively target nucleophilic residues on disease-associated proteins, resulting in significant therapeutic benefits and minimal toxicity in various diseases. This opens up new perspectives for the development of more effective and precise cancer drugs. Nevertheless, further studies are essential to fully understand the impact of our discoveries and translate them into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José Manuel Pérez de la Lastra
- Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology, CSIC-Spanish Research Council, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, 3, 38206 La Laguna, Spain
| | | | - Celia Andrés Juan
- Cinquima Institute and Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Valladolid University, Paseo de Belén, 7, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
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19
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Pernomian L, Waigi EW, Nguyen V, Mohammed AD, da Costa TJ, Fontes MT, Kubinak JL, Aitken A, Biancardi VC, Sinclair DA, McCarthy CG, Wang Y, Tan W, Wenceslau CF. A Single-Short Partial Reprogramming of the Endothelial Cells decreases Blood Pressure via attenuation of EndMT in Hypertensive Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.20.595057. [PMID: 38826452 PMCID: PMC11142064 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.20.595057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Background Small artery remodeling and endothelial dysfunction are hallmarks of hypertension. Growing evidence supports a likely causal association between cardiovascular diseases and the presence of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), a cellular transdifferentiation process in which endothelial cells (ECs) partially lose their identity and acquire additional mesenchymal phenotypes. EC reprogramming represents an innovative strategy in regenerative medicine to prevent deleterious effects induced by cardiovascular diseases. Methods Using a partial reprogramming of ECs, via overexpression of Oct-3/4, Sox-2, and Klf-4 (OSK) transcription factors, we aimed to bring ECs back to a youthful phenotype in hypertensive mice. Primary ECs were infected with lentiviral vectors (LV) containing the specific EC marker cadherin 5 (Cdh5) and the fluorescent reporter enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) with empty vector (LVCO) or with OSK (LV-OSK). Confocal microscopy and western blotting analysis were used to confirm the OSK overexpression. Cellular migration, senescence, and apoptosis were evaluated. Human aortic ECs (HAoECs) from male and female normotensive and hypertensive patients were analyzed after OSK or control treatments for their endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) levels, nitric oxide (NO), and genetic profile. Male and female normotensive (BPN/3J) and hypertensive (BPH/2J) mice were treated with an intravenous (i.v.) injection of LVCO or LV-OSK and evaluated 10 days post-infection. The blood pressure, cardiac function, vascular reactivity of small arteries, in vivo EGFP signal and EndMT inhibition were analyzed. Results OSK overexpression induced partial EC reprogramming in vitro , and these cells showed endothelial progenitor cell (EPC)-like features with lower migratory capability. OSK treatment of hypertensive BPH/2J mice normalized blood pressure and resistance arteries hypercontractility, via the attenuation of EndMT and elastin breaks. EGFP signal was detected in vivo in the prefrontal cortex of both BPN/3J and BPH/2J-treated mice, but OSK induced angiogenesis only in male BPN/3J mice. OSK-treated human ECs from hypertensive patients showed high eNOS activation and NO production, with low ROS formation. Single-cell RNA analysis showed that OSK alleviated EC senescence and EndMT, restoring their phenotypes in human ECs from hypertensive patients. Conclusion Overall, these data indicate that OSK treatment and EC reprogramming can decrease blood pressure and reverse hypertension-induced vascular damage.
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20
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Hossain I, Fanfani V, Fischer J, Quackenbush J, Burkholz R. Biologically informed NeuralODEs for genome-wide regulatory dynamics. Genome Biol 2024; 25:127. [PMID: 38773638 PMCID: PMC11106922 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03264-0] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene regulatory network (GRN) models that are formulated as ordinary differential equations (ODEs) can accurately explain temporal gene expression patterns and promise to yield new insights into important cellular processes, disease progression, and intervention design. Learning such gene regulatory ODEs is challenging, since we want to predict the evolution of gene expression in a way that accurately encodes the underlying GRN governing the dynamics and the nonlinear functional relationships between genes. Most widely used ODE estimation methods either impose too many parametric restrictions or are not guided by meaningful biological insights, both of which impede either scalability, explainability, or both. RESULTS We developed PHOENIX, a modeling framework based on neural ordinary differential equations (NeuralODEs) and Hill-Langmuir kinetics, that overcomes limitations of other methods by flexibly incorporating prior domain knowledge and biological constraints to promote sparse, biologically interpretable representations of GRN ODEs. We tested the accuracy of PHOENIX in a series of in silico experiments, benchmarking it against several currently used tools. We demonstrated PHOENIX's flexibility by modeling regulation of oscillating expression profiles obtained from synchronized yeast cells. We also assessed the scalability of PHOENIX by modeling genome-scale GRNs for breast cancer samples ordered in pseudotime and for B cells treated with Rituximab. CONCLUSIONS PHOENIX uses a combination of user-defined prior knowledge and functional forms from systems biology to encode biological "first principles" as soft constraints on the GRN allowing us to predict subsequent gene expression patterns in a biologically explainable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Viola Fanfani
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonas Fischer
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Rebekka Burkholz
- CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, Saarbrücken, Germany
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21
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De Carli A, Kapelyukh Y, Kursawe J, Chaplain MAJ, Wolf CR, Hamis S. Simulating BRAFV600E-MEK-ERK signalling dynamics in response to vertical inhibition treatment strategies. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:51. [PMID: 38750040 PMCID: PMC11096323 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00379-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In vertical inhibition treatment strategies, multiple components of an intracellular pathway are simultaneously inhibited. Vertical inhibition of the BRAFV600E-MEK-ERK signalling pathway is a standard of care for treating BRAFV600E-mutated melanoma where two targeted cancer drugs, a BRAFV600E-inhibitor, and a MEK inhibitor, are administered in combination. Targeted therapies have been linked to early onsets of drug resistance, and thus treatment strategies of higher complexities and lower doses have been proposed as alternatives to current clinical strategies. However, finding optimal complex, low-dose treatment strategies is a challenge, as it is possible to design more treatment strategies than are feasibly testable in experimental settings. To quantitatively address this challenge, we develop a mathematical model of BRAFV600E-MEK-ERK signalling dynamics in response to combinations of the BRAFV600E-inhibitor dabrafenib (DBF), the MEK inhibitor trametinib (TMT), and the ERK-inhibitor SCH772984 (SCH). From a model of the BRAFV600E-MEK-ERK pathway, and a set of molecular-level drug-protein interactions, we extract a system of chemical reactions that is parameterised by in vitro data and converted to a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using the law of mass action. The ODEs are solved numerically to produce simulations of how pathway-component concentrations change over time in response to different treatment strategies, i.e., inhibitor combinations and doses. The model can thus be used to limit the search space for effective treatment strategies that target the BRAFV600E-MEK-ERK pathway and warrant further experimental investigation. The results demonstrate that DBF and DBF-TMT-SCH therapies show marked sensitivity to BRAFV600E concentrations in silico, whilst TMT and SCH monotherapies do not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice De Carli
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK
| | - Yury Kapelyukh
- School of Medicine, Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK
| | - Jochen Kursawe
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK
| | - Mark A J Chaplain
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK
| | - C Roland Wolf
- School of Medicine, Jacqui Wood Cancer Centre, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, UK
| | - Sara Hamis
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK.
- Tampere Institute for Advanced Study, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
- Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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22
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Ellenbroek BD, Kahler JP, Evers SR, Pomplun SJ. Synthetic Peptides: Promising Modalities for the Targeting of Disease-Related Nucleic Acids. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202401704. [PMID: 38456368 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202401704] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
DNA and RNA play pivotal roles in life processes by storing and transferring genetic information, modulating gene expression, and contributing to essential cellular machinery such as ribosomes. Dysregulation and mutations in nucleic acid-related processes are implicated in numerous diseases. Despite the critical impact on health of nucleic acid mutations or dysregulation, therapeutic compounds addressing these biomolecules remain limited. Peptides have emerged as a promising class of molecules for biomedical research, offering potential solutions for challenging drug targets. This review focuses on the use of synthetic peptides to target disease-related nucleic acids. We discuss examples of peptides targeting double-stranded DNA, including the clinical candidate Omomyc, and compounds designed for regulatory G-quadruplexes. Further, we provide insights into both library-based screenings and the rational design of peptides to target regulatory human RNA scaffolds and viral RNAs, emphasizing the potential of peptides in addressing nucleic acid-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sophie R Evers
- Leiden University, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Present address, Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Wintherthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
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23
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Nagy G, Bojcsuk D, Tzerpos P, Cseh T, Nagy L. Lineage-determining transcription factor-driven promoters regulate cell type-specific macrophage gene expression. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:4234-4256. [PMID: 38348998 PMCID: PMC11077085 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Mammalian promoters consist of multifarious elements, which make them unique and support the selection of the proper transcript variants required under diverse conditions in distinct cell types. However, their direct DNA-transcription factor (TF) interactions are mostly unidentified. Murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) are a widely used model for studying gene expression regulation. Thus, this model serves as a rich source of various next-generation sequencing data sets, including a large number of TF cistromes. By processing and integrating the available cistromic, epigenomic and transcriptomic data from BMDMs, we characterized the macrophage-specific direct DNA-TF interactions, with a particular emphasis on those specific for promoters. Whilst active promoters are enriched for certain types of typically methylatable elements, more than half of them contain non-methylatable and prototypically promoter-distal elements. In addition, circa 14% of promoters-including that of Csf1r-are composed exclusively of 'distal' elements that provide cell type-specific gene regulation by specialized TFs. Similar to CG-rich promoters, these also contain methylatable CG sites that are demethylated in a significant portion and show high polymerase activity. We conclude that this unusual class of promoters regulates cell type-specific gene expression in macrophages, and such a mechanism might exist in other cell types too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Nagy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Dóra Bojcsuk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Petros Tzerpos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tímea Cseh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - László Nagy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Departments of Medicine and Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
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24
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Perurena N, Situ L, Cichowski K. Combinatorial strategies to target RAS-driven cancers. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:316-337. [PMID: 38627557 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-024-00679-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Although RAS was formerly considered undruggable, various agents that inhibit RAS or specific RAS oncoproteins have now been developed. Indeed, the importance of directly targeting RAS has recently been illustrated by the clinical success of mutant-selective KRAS inhibitors. Nevertheless, responses to these agents are typically incomplete and restricted to a subset of patients, highlighting the need to develop more effective treatments, which will likely require a combinatorial approach. Vertical strategies that target multiple nodes within the RAS pathway to achieve deeper suppression are being investigated and have precedence in other contexts. However, alternative strategies that co-target RAS and other therapeutic vulnerabilities have been identified, which may mitigate the requirement for profound pathway suppression. Regardless, the efficacy of any given approach will likely be dictated by genetic, epigenetic and tumour-specific variables. Here we discuss various combinatorial strategies to treat KRAS-driven cancers, highlighting mechanistic concepts that may extend to tumours harbouring other RAS mutations. Although many promising combinations have been identified, clinical responses will ultimately depend on whether a therapeutic window can be achieved and our ability to prospectively select responsive patients. Therefore, we must continue to develop and understand biologically diverse strategies to maximize our likelihood of success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiara Perurena
- Genetics Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lisa Situ
- Genetics Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karen Cichowski
- Genetics Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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25
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Wang J, Hong M, Cheng Y, Wang X, Li D, Chen G, Bao B, Song J, Du X, Yang C, Zheng L, Tong Q. Targeting c-Myc transactivation by LMNA inhibits tRNA processing essential for malate-aspartate shuttle and tumour progression. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1680. [PMID: 38769668 PMCID: PMC11106511 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A series of studies have demonstrated the emerging involvement of transfer RNA (tRNA) processing during the progression of tumours. Nevertheless, the roles and regulating mechanisms of tRNA processing genes in neuroblastoma (NB), the prevalent malignant tumour outside the brain in children, are yet unknown. METHODS Analysis of multi-omics results was conducted to identify crucial regulators of downstream tRNA processing genes. Co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry methods were utilised to measure interaction between proteins. The impact of transcriptional regulators on expression of downstream genes was measured by dual-luciferase reporter, chromatin immunoprecipitation, western blotting and real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods. Studies have been conducted to reveal impact and mechanisms of transcriptional regulators on biological processes of NB. Survival differences were analysed using the log-rank test. RESULTS c-Myc was identified as a transcription factor driving tRNA processing gene expression and subsequent malate-aspartate shuttle (MAS) in NB cells. Mechanistically, c-Myc directly promoted the expression of glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS) and leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LARS), resulting in translational up-regulation of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 1 (GOT1) as well as malate dehydrogenase 1 (MDH1) via inhibiting general control nonrepressed 2 or activating mechanistic target of rapamycin signalling. Meanwhile, lamin A (LMNA) inhibited c-Myc transactivation via physical interaction, leading to suppression of MAS, aerobic glycolysis, tumourigenesis and aggressiveness. Pre-clinically, lobeline was discovered as a LMNA-binding compound to facilitate its interaction with c-Myc, which inhibited aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase expression, MAS and tumour progression of NB, as well as growth of organoid derived from c-Myc knock-in mice. Low levels of LMNA or elevated expression of c-Myc, EPRS, LARS, GOT1 or MDH1 were linked to a worse outcome and a shorter survival time of clinical NB patients. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that targeting c-Myc transactivation by LMNA inhibits tRNA processing essential for MAS and tumour progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqun Wang
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Mei Hong
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Yang Cheng
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Xiaojing Wang
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
- Department of GeriatricsUnion Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceChina
| | - Dan Li
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Guo Chen
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Banghe Bao
- Department of PathologyUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Jiyu Song
- Department of PathologyUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Xinyi Du
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Chunhui Yang
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Liduan Zheng
- Department of PathologyUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
| | - Qiangsong Tong
- Department of Pediatric SurgeryUnion HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei ProvinceP. R. China
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26
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Li S, Wang Y, Yin J, Li K, Liu L, Gao J. Design, synthesis, and activity evaluation of 2-iminobenzimidazoles as c-Myc inhibitors for treating multiple myeloma. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28411. [PMID: 38590884 PMCID: PMC10999938 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy that remains incurable and poses a significant threat to global public health. The multifunctional transcription factor c-Myc plays a crucial role in various cellular processes and is closely associated with MM progression. As part of the basic-helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper (bHLHZip) family, c-Myc forms heterodimers with its obligate partner Max, binds to the Enhancer-box (E-box) of DNA, and ultimately co-regulates gene expression. Therefore, impeding the capacity for heterodimerization to bind to DNA represents a favored strategy in thwarting c-Myc transcription. In this study, we first synthesized a series of novel 2-iminobenzimidazole derivatives and further estimated their potential anti-MM activity. Notably, among all the derivatives, 5b and 5d demonstrated remarkable inhibitory activity against RPMI-8226 and U266 cells, with IC50 values of 0.85 μM and 0.97 μM for compound 5b, and 0.96 μM and 0.89 μM for compound 5d. Western blot and dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that compounds 5b and 5d effectively suppressed both c-Myc protein expression and transcriptional activity of the c-Myc promoter in RPMI-8226 and U266 cells. Furthermore, these compounds induced apoptosis and G1 cell cycle arrest in the aforementioned MM cells. Molecular docking studies revealed that 5b and 5d exhibited strong binding affinity to the interface between c-Myc/Max and E-box of DNA. Taken together, our findings suggest that further investigations are warranted for potential therapeutic applications of 5b and 5d for c-Myc-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihao Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, PR China
| | - Yinchuan Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, PR China
| | - Jiacheng Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, PR China
| | - Kaihang Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, PR China
| | - Linlin Liu
- College of Medical Imaging, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, PR China
| | - Jian Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, PR China
- School of Medicine, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, PR China
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27
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Zhao W, Ouyang C, Huang C, Zhang J, Xiao Q, Zhang F, Wang H, Lin F, Wang J, Wang Z, Jiang B, Li Q. ELP3 stabilizes c-Myc to promote tumorigenesis. J Mol Cell Biol 2024; 15:mjad059. [PMID: 37771073 PMCID: PMC11054291 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjad059] [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: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
ELP3, the catalytic subunit of the Elongator complex, is an acetyltransferase and associated with tumor progression. However, the detail of ELP3 oncogenic function remains largely unclear. Here, we found that ELP3 stabilizes c-Myc to promote tumorigenesis in an acetyltransferase-independent manner. Mechanistically, ELP3 competes with the E3-ligase FBXW7β for c-Myc binding, resulting in the inhibition of FBXW7β-mediated ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of c-Myc. ELP3 knockdown diminishes glycolysis and glutaminolysis and dramatically retards cell proliferation and xenograft growth by downregulating c-Myc, and such effects are rescued by the reconstitution of c-Myc expression. Moreover, ELP3 and c-Myc were found overexpressed with a positive correlation in colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. Taken together, we elucidate a new function of ELP3 in promoting tumorigenesis by stabilizing c-Myc, suggesting that inhibition of ELP3 is a potential strategy for treating c-Myc-driven carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Precision Treatment, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
| | - Cong Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Chen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jiaojiao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Qiao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Fengqiong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Huihui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Furong Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Jinyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Zhanxiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Precision Treatment, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361003, China
| | - Bin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Qinxi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
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28
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Yıldırım S, Kocabaş F, Mermer A. Development, synthesis and validation of improved c-Myc/Max inhibitors. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18272. [PMID: 38568057 PMCID: PMC10989597 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathophysiological foundations of various diseases are often subject to alteration through the utilization of small compounds, rendering them invaluable tools for the exploration and advancement of novel therapeutic strategies. Within the scope of this study, we meticulously curated a diverse library of novel small compounds meticulously designed to specifically target the c-Myc/Max complex. We conducted in vitro examinations of novel c-Myc inhibitors across a spectrum of cancer cell lines, including PANC1 (pancreatic adenocarcinoma), MCF7 (breast carcinoma), DU-145 (prostate carcinoma), and A549 (lung cancer). The initial analysis involved a 25 μM dose, which enabled the identification of potent anticancer compounds effective against a variety of tumour types. We identified c-Myc inhibitors with remarkable potency, featuring IC50 values as low as 1.6 μM and up to 40 times more effective than the reference molecule in diminishing cancer cell viability. Notably, c-Myc-i7 exhibited exceptional selectivity, displaying 37-fold and 59-fold preference for targeting prostate and breast cancers, respectively, over healthy cells. Additionally, we constructed drug-likeness models. This study underscores the potential for in vitro investigations of various tumour types using novel c-Myc inhibitors to yield ground-breaking and efficacious anticancer compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sümbül Yıldırım
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of EngineeringYeditepe UniversityIstanbulTurkey
- Graduate School of Natural and Applied SciencesYeditepe UniversityIstanbulTurkey
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz Diabetes Center, Helmholtz CenterNeuherbergGermany
| | - Fatih Kocabaş
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of EngineeringYeditepe UniversityIstanbulTurkey
- Graduate School of Natural and Applied SciencesYeditepe UniversityIstanbulTurkey
| | - Arif Mermer
- Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Health SciencesIstanbulTurkey
- Experimental Medicine Application and Research CenterUniversity of Health SciencesIstanbulTurkey
- UR22722, LABCİS, Faculty of Science and TechnologyUniversity of LimogesLimogesFrance
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29
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Chan KI, Zhang S, Li G, Xu Y, Cui L, Wang Y, Su H, Tan W, Zhong Z. MYC Oncogene: A Druggable Target for Treating Cancers with Natural Products. Aging Dis 2024; 15:640-697. [PMID: 37450923 PMCID: PMC10917530 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2023.0520] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Various diseases, including cancers, age-associated disorders, and acute liver failure, have been linked to the oncogene, MYC. Animal testing and clinical trials have shown that sustained tumor volume reduction can be achieved when MYC is inactivated, and different combinations of therapeutic agents including MYC inhibitors are currently being developed. In this review, we first provide a summary of the multiple biological functions of the MYC oncoprotein in cancer treatment, highlighting that the equilibrium points of the MYC/MAX, MIZ1/MYC/MAX, and MAD (MNT)/MAX complexes have further potential in cancer treatment that could be used to restrain MYC oncogene expression and its functions in tumorigenesis. We also discuss the multifunctional capacity of MYC in various cellular cancer processes, including its influences on immune response, metabolism, cell cycle, apoptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis, multidrug resistance, and intestinal flora. Moreover, we summarize the MYC therapy patent landscape and emphasize the potential of MYC as a druggable target, using herbal medicine modulators. Finally, we describe pending challenges and future perspectives in biomedical research, involving the development of therapeutic approaches to modulate MYC or its targeted genes. Patients with cancers driven by MYC signaling may benefit from therapies targeting these pathways, which could delay cancerous growth and recover antitumor immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ka Iong Chan
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Siyuan Zhang
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Guodong Li
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Yida Xu
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Liao Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Natural Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524000, China
| | - Yitao Wang
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Huanxing Su
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
| | - Wen Tan
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhangfeng Zhong
- Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China
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30
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Guzenko VV, Bachurin SS, Dzreyan VA, Khaitin AM, Kalyuzhnaya YN, Demyanenko SV. Acetylation of c-Myc at Lysine 148 Protects Neurons After Ischemia. Neuromolecular Med 2024; 26:8. [PMID: 38546874 DOI: 10.1007/s12017-024-08777-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
This study focuses on understanding the role of c-Myc, a cancer-associated transcription factor, in the penumbra following ischemic stroke. While its involvement in cell death and survival is recognized, its post-translational modifications, particularly acetylation, remain understudied in ischemia models. Investigating these modifications could have significant clinical implications for controlling c-Myc activity in the central nervous system. Although previous studies on c-Myc acetylation have been limited to non-neuronal cells, our research examines its expression in perifocal cells during stroke recovery to explore regulatory mechanisms via acetylation. We found that in peri-infarct neurons, c-Myc is upregulated with acetylation at K148 but not K323 during the acute phase of stroke, with SIRT2 deacetylase primarily affecting K148 acetylation. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that lysine 148 plays a crucial role in stabilizing c-Myc spatial structure. Increased acetylation at K148 reduces c-Myc compaction, potentially limiting its nuclear penetration, promoting calpain-mediated cleavage, and decreasing nuclear localization. Additionally, cytoplasmic acetylation at K148 may alter c-Myc's interaction with unidentified proteins, potentially influencing its pro-apoptotic effects and promoting cytoplasmic accumulation. Targeting SIRT2 with selective inhibitors could be a promising avenue for future stroke therapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- V V Guzenko
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, 194/1 Stachky Ave., Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russia
| | - S S Bachurin
- Department of General and Clinical Biochemistry No.2, Rostov State Medical University, 29 Nakhichevansky Lane, Rostov-on-Don, 344022, Russia
| | - V A Dzreyan
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, 194/1 Stachky Ave., Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russia
| | - A M Khaitin
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, 194/1 Stachky Ave., Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russia
| | - Y N Kalyuzhnaya
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, 194/1 Stachky Ave., Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russia
| | - S V Demyanenko
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Academy of Biology and Biotechnology, Southern Federal University, 194/1 Stachky Ave., Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russia.
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31
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Dutta A, Thakur S, Dey DK, Kumar A. Cisplatin and Starvation Differently Sensitize Autophagy in Renal Carcinoma: A Potential Therapeutic Pathway to Target Variegated Drugs Resistant Cancerous Cells. Cells 2024; 13:471. [PMID: 38534315 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060471] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin, a powerful chemotherapy medication, has long been a cornerstone in the fight against cancer due to chemotherapeutic failure. The mechanism of cisplatin resistance/failure is a multifaceted and complex issue that consists mainly of apoptosis inhibition through autophagy sensitization. Currently, researchers are exploring ways to regulate autophagy in order to tip the balance in favor of effective chemotherapy. Based on this notion, the current study primarily identifies the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in cisplatin-treated autophagic ACHN cells through the Illumina Hi-seq platform. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database and KEGG. GO classifiers were implicated to identify genes and their participating biological pathways. ClueGO, David, and MCODE detected ontological enrichment and sub-networking. The network topology was further examined using 12 different algorithms to identify top-ranked hub genes through the Cytoscape plugin Cytohubba to identify potential targets, which established profound drug efficacy under an autophagic environment. Considerable upregulation of genes related to autophagy and apoptosis suggests that autophagy boosts cisplatin efficacy in malignant ACHN cells with minimal harm to normal HEK-293 growth. Furthermore, the determination of cellular viability and apoptosis by AnnexinV/FITC-PI assay corroborates with in silico data, indicating the reliability of the bioinformatics method followed by qRT-PCR. Altogether, our data provide a clear molecular insight into drug efficacy under starved conditions to improve chemotherapy and will likely prompt more clinical trials on this aspect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Dutta
- Advanced Nanoscale Molecular Oncology Laboratory (ANMOL), Department of Biotechnology, University of North Bengal, Siliguri 734013, West Bengal, India
| | - Subarna Thakur
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of North Bengal, Siliguri 734013, West Bengal, India
| | - Debasish Kumar Dey
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Anoop Kumar
- Advanced Nanoscale Molecular Oncology Laboratory (ANMOL), Department of Biotechnology, University of North Bengal, Siliguri 734013, West Bengal, India
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32
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Papadimitropoulou A, Makri M, Zoidis G. MYC the oncogene from hell: Novel opportunities for cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 267:116194. [PMID: 38340508 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116194] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Cancer comprises a heterogeneous disease, characterized by diverse features such as constitutive expression of oncogenes and/or downregulation of tumor suppressor genes. MYC constitutes a master transcriptional regulator, involved in many cellular functions and is aberrantly expressed in more than 70 % of human cancers. The Myc protein belongs to a family of transcription factors whose structural pattern is referred to as basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper. Myc binds to its partner, a smaller protein called Max, forming an Myc:Max heterodimeric complex that interacts with specific DNA recognition sequences (E-boxes) and regulates the expression of downstream target genes. Myc protein plays a fundamental role for the life of a cell, as it is involved in many physiological functions such as proliferation, growth and development since it controls the expression of a very large percentage of genes (∼15 %). However, despite the strict control of MYC expression in normal cells, MYC is often deregulated in cancer, exhibiting a key role in stimulating oncogenic process affecting features such as aberrant proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis, genomic instability and oncogenic transformation. In this review we aim to meticulously describe the fundamental role of MYC in tumorigenesis and highlight its importance as an anticancer drug target. We focus mainly on the different categories of novel small molecules that act as inhibitors of Myc function in diverse ways hence offering great opportunities for an efficient cancer therapy. This knowledge will provide significant information for the development of novel Myc inhibitors and assist to the design of treatments that would effectively act against Myc-dependent cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Papadimitropoulou
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Maria Makri
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, GR-15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Grigoris Zoidis
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, GR-15771, Athens, Greece.
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33
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Azizidoost S, Nasrolahi A, Sheykhi-Sabzehpoush M, Anbiyaiee A, Khoshnam SE, Farzaneh M, Uddin S. Signaling pathways governing the behaviors of leukemia stem cells. Genes Dis 2024; 11:830-846. [PMID: 37692500 PMCID: PMC10491880 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Leukemia is a malignancy in the blood that develops from the lymphatic system and bone marrow. Although various treatment options have been used for different types of leukemia, understanding the molecular pathways involved in the development and progression of leukemia is necessary. Recent studies showed that leukemia stem cells (LSCs) play essential roles in the pathogenesis of leukemia by targeting several signaling pathways, including Notch, Wnt, Hedgehog, and STAT3. LSCs are highly proliferative cells that stimulate tumor initiation, migration, EMT, and drug resistance. This review summarizes cellular pathways that stimulate and prevent LSCs' self-renewal, metastasis, and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirin Azizidoost
- Atherosclerosis Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran
| | - Ava Nasrolahi
- Infectious Ophthalmologic Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran
| | - Mohadeseh Sheykhi-Sabzehpoush
- Department of Laboratory, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 2193672411, Iran
| | - Amir Anbiyaiee
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran
| | - Seyed Esmaeil Khoshnam
- Persian Gulf Physiology Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran
| | - Maryam Farzaneh
- Fertility, Infertility and Perinatology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz 6193673111, Iran
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute and Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
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34
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Cai JH, Yang DY, Zhang JJ, Tan JH, Huang ZS, Chen SB. Constructing triazole-modified quinazoline derivatives as selective c-MYC G-quadruplex ligands and potent anticancer agents through click chemistry. Bioorg Chem 2024; 144:107173. [PMID: 38335759 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
c-MYC is a hallmark of various cancers, playing a critical role in promoting tumorigenesis. The formation of G-quadruplex (G4) in the c-MYC promoter region significantly suppresses its expression. Therefore, developing small-molecule ligands to stabilize c-MYC G4 formation and subsequentially suppress c-MYC expression is an attractive topic for c-MYC-driven cancer therapy. However, achieving selective ligands for c-MYC G4 poses challenges. In this study, we developed a series of triazole-modified quinazoline (TMQ) derivatives as potential c-MYC G4 ligands and c-MYC transcription inhibitors from 4-anilinoquinazoline lead 7a using click chemistry. Importantly, the c-MYC G4 stabilizing ability and antiproliferation activity were well correlated among these new derivatives, particularly in the c-MYC highly expressed colorectal cancer cell line HCT116. Among them, compound A6 exhibited good selectivity in stabilizing c-MYC G4 and in suppressing c-MYC transcription better than 7a. This compound induced G4 formation, selectively inhibited G4-related c-MYC transcription and suppressed the progression of HCT116 cells. These findings identify a new c-MYC transcription inhibitor and provide new insights for optimizing c-MYC G4-targeting ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiong-Heng Cai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Dan-Yan Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jun-Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jia-Heng Tan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhi-Shu Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Shuo-Bin Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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35
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Lama D, Vosselman T, Sahin C, Liaño-Pons J, Cerrato CP, Nilsson L, Teilum K, Lane DP, Landreh M, Arsenian Henriksson M. A druggable conformational switch in the c-MYC transactivation domain. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1865. [PMID: 38424045 PMCID: PMC10904854 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45826-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The c-MYC oncogene is activated in over 70% of all human cancers. The intrinsic disorder of the c-MYC transcription factor facilitates molecular interactions that regulate numerous biological pathways, but severely limits efforts to target its function for cancer therapy. Here, we use a reductionist strategy to characterize the dynamic and structural heterogeneity of the c-MYC protein. Using probe-based Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations and machine learning, we identify a conformational switch in the c-MYC amino-terminal transactivation domain (termed coreMYC) that cycles between a closed, inactive, and an open, active conformation. Using the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) to modulate the conformational landscape of coreMYC, we show through biophysical and cellular assays that the induction of a closed conformation impedes its interactions with the transformation/transcription domain-associated protein (TRRAP) and the TATA-box binding protein (TBP) which are essential for the transcriptional and oncogenic activities of c-MYC. Together, these findings provide insights into structure-activity relationships of c-MYC, which open avenues towards the development of shape-shifting compounds to target c-MYC as well as other disordered transcription factors for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilraj Lama
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, SE-17165, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Thibault Vosselman
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, SE-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cagla Sahin
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, SE-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory and the Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Judit Liaño-Pons
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, SE-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carmine P Cerrato
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, SE-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lennart Nilsson
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, SE-14813, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Kaare Teilum
- Department of Biology, Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory and the Linderstrøm-Lang Centre for Protein Science, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David P Lane
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, SE-17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Landreh
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, SE-17165, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Cell- and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, SE-751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Marie Arsenian Henriksson
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, SE-17165, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Division of Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 00, Lund, Sweden.
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36
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Zornić S, Simović Marković B, Franich AA, Janjić GV, Jadranin MB, Avdalović J, Rajković S, Živković MD, Arsenijević NN, Radosavljević GD, Pantić J. Characterization, modes of interactions with DNA/BSA biomolecules and anti-tumor activity of newly synthesized dinuclear platinum(II) complexes with pyridazine bridging ligand. J Biol Inorg Chem 2024; 29:51-73. [PMID: 38099936 DOI: 10.1007/s00775-023-02030-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Platinum-based drugs are widely recognized efficient anti-tumor agents, but faced with multiple undesirable effects. Here, four dinuclear platinum(II) complexes, [{Pt(1,2-pn)Cl}2(μ-pydz)]Cl2 (C1), [{Pt(ibn)Cl}2(μ-pydz)]Cl2 (C2), [{Pt(1,3-pn)Cl}2(μ-pydz)]Cl2 (C3) and [{Pt(1,3-pnd)Cl}2(μ-pydz)]Cl2 (C4), were designed (pydz is pyridazine, 1,2-pn is ( ±)-1,2-propylenediamine, ibn is 1,2-diamino-2-methylpropane, 1,3-pn is 1,3-propylenediamine, and 1,3-pnd is 1,3-pentanediamine). Interactions and binding ability of C1-C4 complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been monitored by viscosity measurements, UV-Vis, fluorescence emission spectroscopy and molecular docking. Binding affinities of C1-C4 complexes to the bovine serum albumin (BSA) has been monitored by fluorescence emission spectroscopy. The tested complexes exhibit variable cytotoxicity toward different mouse and human tumor cell lines. C2 shows the most potent cytotoxicity, especially against mouse (4T1) and human (MDA-MD468) breast cancer cells in the dose- and time-dependent manner. C2 induces 4T1 and MDA-MD468 cells apoptosis, further documented by the accumulation of cells at sub-G1 phase of cell cycle and increase of executive caspase 3 and caspase 9 levels in 4T1 cells. C2 exhibits anti-proliferative effect through the reduction of cyclin D3 and cyclin E expression and elevation of inhibitor p27 level. Also, C2 downregulates c-Myc and phosphorylated AKT, oncogenes involved in the control of tumor cell proliferation and death. In order to measure the amount of platinum(II) complexes taken up by the cells, the cellular platinum content were quantified. However, C2 failed to inhibit mouse breast cancer growth in vivo. Chemical modifications of tested platinum(II) complexes might be a valuable approach for the improvement of their anti-tumor activity, especially effects in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanja Zornić
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000, Kragujevac, Serbia
- Department of Microbiology, University Clinical Center Kragujevac, Zmaj Jovina 30, 34000, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Bojana Simović Marković
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Andjela A Franich
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Radoja Domanovića 12, 34000, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Goran V Janjić
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Njegoševa 12, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milka B Jadranin
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Njegoševa 12, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jelena Avdalović
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Njegoševa 12, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Snežana Rajković
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Radoja Domanovića 12, 34000, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Marija D Živković
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Nebojša N Arsenijević
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Gordana D Radosavljević
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000, Kragujevac, Serbia.
| | - Jelena Pantić
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Svetozara Markovića 69, 34000, Kragujevac, Serbia.
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37
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Yu J, Li M, Ju L, Zhou F, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang R, Du W, Huang R, Qian K, Wang G, Xiao Y, Wang X. TRAIP suppresses bladder cancer progression by catalyzing K48-linked polyubiquitination of MYC. Oncogene 2024; 43:470-483. [PMID: 38123820 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02922-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
TRAF-interacting protein (TRAIP), an E3 ligase containing a RING domain, has emerged as a significant contributor to maintaining genome integrity and is closely associated with cancer. Our study reveals that TRAIP shows reduced expression in bladder cancer (BLCA), which correlates with an unfavorable prognosis. In vitro and in vivo, TRAIP inhibits proliferation and migration of BLCA cells. MYC has been identified as a novel target for TRAIP, wherein direct interaction promotes K48-linked polyubiquitination at neighboring K428 and K430 residues, ultimately resulting in proteasome-dependent degradation and downregulation of MYC transcriptional activity. This mechanism effectively impedes the progression of BLCA. Restoring MYC expression reverses suppressed proliferation and migration of BLCA cells induced by TRAIP. Moreover, our results suggest that MYC may bind to the transcriptional start region of TRAIP, thereby exerting regulatory control over TRAIP transcription. Consequently, this interaction establishes a negative feedback loop that regulates MYC expression, preventing excessive levels. Taken together, this study reveals a mechanism that TRAIP inhibits proliferation and migration of BLCA by promoting ubiquitin-mediated degradation of MYC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtian Yu
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mingxing Li
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lingao Ju
- Department of Biological Repositories, Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Hubei Key Laboratory of Urological Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fenfang Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yejinpeng Wang
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Euler Technology, ZGC Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
- Center for Quantitative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Renjie Zhang
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenzhi Du
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Ruoyu Huang
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaiyu Qian
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Biological Repositories, Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Hubei Key Laboratory of Urological Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Biological Repositories, Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Hubei Key Laboratory of Urological Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Xiao
- Department of Biological Repositories, Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Hubei Key Laboratory of Urological Diseases, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Xinghuan Wang
- Department of Urology, Laboratory of Precision Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Wuhan Research Center for Infectious Diseases and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China.
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Schütz S, Bergsdorf C, Hänni-Holzinger S, Lingel A, Renatus M, Gossert AD, Jahnke W. Intrinsically Disordered Regions in the Transcription Factor MYC:MAX Modulate DNA Binding via Intramolecular Interactions. Biochemistry 2024. [PMID: 38264995 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
The basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper (bHLH-LZ) transcription factor (TF) MYC is in large part an intrinsically disordered oncoprotein. In complex with its obligate heterodimerization partner MAX, MYC preferentially binds E-Box DNA sequences (CANNTG). At promoters containing these sequence motifs, MYC controls fundamental cellular processes such as cell cycle progression, metabolism, and apoptosis. A vast network of proteins in turn regulates MYC function via intermolecular interactions. In this work, we establish another layer of MYC regulation by intramolecular interactions. We used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to identify and map multiple binding sites for the C-terminal MYC:MAX DNA-binding domain (DBD) on the intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) in the MYC N-terminus. We find that these binding events in trans are driven by electrostatic attraction, that they have distinct affinities, and that they are competitive with DNA binding. Thereby, we observe the strongest effects for the N-terminal MYC box 0 (Mb0), a conserved motif involved in MYC transactivation and target gene induction. We prepared recombinant full-length MYC:MAX complex and demonstrate that the interactions identified in this work are also relevant in cis, i.e., as intramolecular interactions. These findings are supported by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments, which revealed that intramolecular IDR:DBD interactions in MYC decelerate the association of MYC:MAX complexes to DNA. Our work offers new insights into how bHLH-LZ TFs are regulated by intramolecular interactions, which open up new possibilities for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Schütz
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Bergsdorf
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Hänni-Holzinger
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Lingel
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Renatus
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Wolfgang Jahnke
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
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Gunasinghe KJ, Rahman T, Chee Wezen X. Unraveling the Behavior of Intrinsically Disordered Protein c-Myc: A Study Utilizing Gaussian-Accelerated Molecular Dynamics. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:2250-2262. [PMID: 38250404 PMCID: PMC10795134 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The protein c-Myc is a transcription factor that remains largely intrinsically disordered and is known to be involved in various biological processes and is overexpressed in various cancers, making it an attractive drug target. However, intrinsically disordered proteins such as c-Myc do not show funnel-like basins in their free-energy landscapes; this makes their druggability a challenge. For the first time, we propose a heterodimer model of c-Myc/Max in full length in this work. We used Gaussian-accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) simulations to explore the behavior of c-Myc and its various regions, including the transactivation domain (TAD) and the basic helix-loop-helix-leucine-zipper (bHLH-Zipper) motif in three different conformational states: (a) monomeric c-Myc, (b) c-Myc when bound to its partner protein, Max, and (c) when Max was removed after binding. We analyzed the GaMD trajectories using root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), radius of gyration, root-mean-square fluctuation, and free-energy landscape (FEL) calculations to elaborate the behaviors of these regions. The results showed that the monomeric c-Myc structure showed a higher RMSD fluctuation as compared with the c-Myc/Max heterodimer in the bHLH-Zipper motif. This indicated that the bHLH-Zipper motif of c-Myc is more stable when it is bound to Max. The TAD region in both monomeric and Max-bound states showed similar plasticity in terms of RMSD. We also conducted residue decomposition calculations and showed that the c-Myc and Max interaction could be driven mainly by electrostatic interactions and the residues Arg299, Ile403, and Leu420 seemed to play important roles in the interaction. Our work provides insights into the behavior of c-Myc and its regions that could support the development of drugs that target c-Myc and other intrinsically disordered proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Taufiq Rahman
- Department
of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, United Kingdom
| | - Xavier Chee Wezen
- Faculty
of Engineering, Computing and Science, Swinburne
University of Technology Sarawak, Kuching 93350, Malaysia
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40
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Zhu X, Li C, Gao Y, Zhang Q, Wang T, Zhou H, Bu F, Chen J, Mao X, He Y, Wu K, Li N, Luo H. The feedback loop of EFTUD2/c-MYC impedes chemotherapeutic efficacy by enhancing EFTUD2 transcription and stabilizing c-MYC protein in colorectal cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:7. [PMID: 38163859 PMCID: PMC10759692 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02873-0] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemoresistance presents a significant obstacle in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), yet the molecular basis underlying CRC chemoresistance remains poorly understood, impeding the development of new therapeutic interventions. Elongation factor Tu GTP binding domain containing 2 (EFTUD2) has emerged as a potential oncogenic factor implicated in various cancer types, where it fosters tumor growth and survival. However, its specific role in modulating the sensitivity of CRC cells to chemotherapy is still unclear. METHODS Public dataset analysis and in-house sample validation were conducted to assess the expression of EFTUD2 in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy-resistant CRC cells and the potential of EFTUD2 as a prognostic indicator for CRC. Experiments both in vitro, including MTT assay, EdU cell proliferation assay, TUNEL assay, and clone formation assay and in vivo, using cell-derived xenograft models, were performed to elucidate the function of EFTUD2 in sensitivity of CRC cells to 5-FU treatment. The molecular mechanism on the reciprocal regulation between EFTUD2 and the oncogenic transcription factor c-MYC was investigated through molecular docking, ubiquitination assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), dual luciferase reporter assay, and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). RESULTS We found that EFTUD2 expression was positively correlated with 5-FU resistance, higher pathological grade, and poor prognosis in CRC patients. We also demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo that knockdown of EFTUD2 sensitized CRC cells to 5-FU treatment, whereas overexpression of EFTUD2 impaired such sensitivity. Mechanistically, we uncovered that EFTUD2 physically interacted with and stabilized c-MYC protein by preventing its ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation. Intriguingly, we found that c-MYC directly bound to the promoter region of EFTUD2 gene, activating its transcription. Leveraging rescue experiments, we further confirmed that the effect of EFTUD2 on 5-FU resistance was dependent on c-MYC stabilization. CONCLUSION Our findings revealed a positive feedback loop involving an EFTUD2/c-MYC axis that hampers the efficacy of 5-FU chemotherapy in CRC cells by increasing EFTUD2 transcription and stabilizing c-MYC oncoprotein. This study highlights the potential of EFTUD2 as a promising therapeutic target to surmount chemotherapy resistance in CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojian Zhu
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Changxue Li
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
- Digestive Diseases Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Yunfei Gao
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
- Department of Otolaryngology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Qingyuan Zhang
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
- Digestive Diseases Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Huaixiang Zhou
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Fanqin Bu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Jia Chen
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
- Digestive Diseases Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Xinjun Mao
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, 533000, China
| | - Yulong He
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
- Digestive Diseases Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
| | - Kaiming Wu
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
- Digestive Diseases Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Cancer Research, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
| | - Ningning Li
- Tomas Lindahl Nobel Laureate Laboratory, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
- China-UK Institute for Frontier Science, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
| | - Hongliang Luo
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China.
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Singh VK, Rajak N, Giri R, Garg N. Advances in non-covalent based inhibitors targeting Myc: a promising approach for cancer treatment. Future Med Chem 2024; 16:101-103. [PMID: 38084612 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2023-0332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Vipendra Kumar Singh
- School of Biosciences & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, VPO Kamand, Mandi-175075, HP, India
| | - Naina Rajak
- Faculty of Ayurveda, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Rajanish Giri
- School of Biosciences & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, VPO Kamand, Mandi-175075, HP, India
| | - Neha Garg
- Faculty of Ayurveda, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
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Azzahra F, Amalia R, Karsono AH, Tjandrawinata RR, Ismaya WT, Rachmawati H. The mannose-binding protein from Agaricus bisporus inhibits the growth of MDA-MB-231 spheroids. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14365. [PMID: 37749066 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14365] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
A mannose-binding protein from the mushroom Agaricus bisporus (Abmb) inhibits the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells, which is of an aggressive breast cancer subtype. This ability was observed in a monolayer cell (2D) culture setup, which often is unable to capture changes in cell morphology, polarity and division. That shortcoming may overestimate Abmb potency for its development as a pharmaceutical agent and its use in a therapy. Hence, Abmb's inhibition to the cell growth was performed in the 3D cell (spheroid) culture, which is more representative to the situation in vivo. The result showed that, although the presence of Abmb at ~14.7 μM already disrupted the MDA-MB-231 cell morphology in the 2D culture, its presence at ~16.5 μM only ceased the growth of the MDA-MB-231 spheroid. Further, Abmb is unique because structurally it belongs to the R-type lectin (RTL) family; most of mannose-binding protein is of the C-type lectin (CTL). As the natural ligand of Abmb is unknown thus the mechanism of action is unclear, Abmb effect on the cancer cells was assessed via observation of the altered expression of genes involved in the Wnt/β-catenin signalling, which is one of the canonical pathways in the proliferation of cancer cells. The results suggested that Abmb did not alter the pathway upon exerting its anti-proliferative activity to the MDA-MB-231 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fauzia Azzahra
- Research Group of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Riezki Amalia
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Padjadjaran University, Jatinangor, Indonesia
| | - Agung Heru Karsono
- Dexa Laboratories of Biomolecular Sciences, Dexa Medica, Cikarang, Indonesia
| | - Raymond Rubianto Tjandrawinata
- Dexa Laboratories of Biomolecular Sciences, Dexa Medica, Cikarang, Indonesia
- Faculty of Biotechnology, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Tangerang, Indonesia
| | - Wangsa Tirta Ismaya
- Dexa Laboratories of Biomolecular Sciences, Dexa Medica, Cikarang, Indonesia
| | - Heni Rachmawati
- Research Group of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
- Research Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
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43
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Hasan A, Khan NA, Uddin S, Khan AQ, Steinhoff M. Deregulated transcription factors in the emerging cancer hallmarks. Semin Cancer Biol 2024; 98:31-50. [PMID: 38123029 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.12.001] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Cancer progression is a multifaceted process that entails several stages and demands the persistent expression or activation of transcription factors (TFs) to facilitate growth and survival. TFs are a cluster of proteins with DNA-binding domains that attach to promoter or enhancer DNA strands to start the transcription of genes by collaborating with RNA polymerase and other supporting proteins. They are generally acknowledged as the major regulatory molecules that coordinate biological homeostasis and the appropriate functioning of cellular components, subsequently contributing to human physiology. TFs proteins are crucial for controlling transcription during the embryonic stage and development, and the stability of different cell types depends on how they function in different cell types. The development and progression of cancer cells and tumors might be triggered by any anomaly in transcription factor function. It has long been acknowledged that cancer development is accompanied by the dysregulated activity of TF alterations which might result in faulty gene expression. Recent studies have suggested that dysregulated transcription factors play a major role in developing various human malignancies by altering and rewiring metabolic processes, modifying the immune response, and triggering oncogenic signaling cascades. This review emphasizes the interplay between TFs involved in metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming, evading immune attacks, cellular senescence, and the maintenance of cancer stemness in cancerous cells. The insights presented herein will facilitate the development of innovative therapeutic modalities to tackle the dysregulated transcription factors underlying cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adria Hasan
- Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory, Integral Information and Research Centre-4 (IIRC-4), Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India; Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Naushad Ahmad Khan
- Department of Surgery, Trauma and Vascular Surgery Clinical Research, Hamad General Hospital, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Department of Biosciences, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India; Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Abdul Q Khan
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar.
| | - Martin Steinhoff
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Rumailah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha 24144, Qatar; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
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Hamilton G, Stickler S, Rath B. Bromodomain Protein-directed Agents and MYC in Small Cell Lung Cancer. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2024; 24:930-940. [PMID: 38275056 DOI: 10.2174/0115680096272757231211113206] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has a dismal prognosis. In addition to the inactivation of the tumor suppressors TP53 and RB1, tumor-promoting MYC and paralogs are frequently overexpressed in this neuroendocrine carcinoma. SCLC exhibits high resistance to second-line chemotherapy and all attempts of novel drugs and targeted therapy have failed so far to achieve superior survival. MYC and paralogs have key roles in the oncogenic process, orchestrating proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, and metabolism. In SCLC, MYC-L and MYC regulate the neuroendocrine dedifferentiation of SCLC cells from Type A (ASCL1 expression) to the other SCLC subtypes. Targeting MYC to suppress tumor growth is difficult due to the lack of suitable binding pockets and the most advanced miniprotein inhibitor Omomyc exhibits limited efficacy. MYC may be targeted indirectly via the bromodomain (BET) protein BRD4, which activates MYC transcription, by specific BET inhibitors that reduce the expression of this oncogenic driver. Here, novel BET-directed Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are discussed that show high antiproliferative activity in SCLC. Particularly, ARV-825, targeting specifically BRD4, exhibits superior cytotoxic effects on SCLC cell lines and may become a valuable adjunct to SCLC combination chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Hamilton
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sandra Stickler
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Rath
- Institute of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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45
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Pla-López A, Carda M, Falomir E. Tetrazole derivatives as potent immunomodulatory agents in tumor microenvironment. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 169:115668. [PMID: 37976894 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Twenty-seven compounds bearing a tetrazole ring as a central unit have been designed, synthetized and biologically evaluated. Studies have been performed in order to compare the effect of tetrazole derivatives bearing amine electron-donor or nitro electron-acceptor groups. The antiproliferative activity has been determined in monoculture studies on tumor cell lines HT-29, A-549, MCF-7 and on non-tumor cell line HEK-293 as well as in co-culture studies (HT-29/THP-1). All the compounds have been studied as PD-L1 (Programmed Death Ligand 1), VEGFR-2 (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor 2), CD-47 (Cluster of Differentiation 47) and c-Myc inhibitors. The effect on TNF-α secretion has also been determined. Bromoderivatives 23, 24 and chloroderivatives 26, 27 have demonstrated an apoptotic effect on HT-29 cancer cells. Compounds bearing an amine group have shown very promising effects as TME immunomodulatory agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Pla-López
- Inorganic and Organic Chemistry Department, University Jaume I, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Miguel Carda
- Inorganic and Organic Chemistry Department, University Jaume I, E-12071 Castellón, Spain
| | - Eva Falomir
- Inorganic and Organic Chemistry Department, University Jaume I, E-12071 Castellón, Spain.
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46
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Bhowmick S, Roy K, Saha A. Structure-guided screening of protein-protein interaction for the identification of Myc-Max heterodimer complex modulators. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-19. [PMID: 38109131 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2294174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
De-regulation of oncogenic myelocytomatosis (c-Myc or Myc) transcription factor is one of the most common molecular anomalies encountered in human cancers, and it is typically linked to many aggressive malignancies including breast, lung, cervix, colon glioblastomas, and other haematological organs. The Myc belongs to the basic helix-loop-helix zipper protein family (bHLH-ZIP), and its dimerization with another principal interactor protein partner Myc-associated factor X (Max) is essentially required for cellular transformation, cell growth and proliferation, and transcriptional activation. Intermolecular interactions have been evaluated between hetero-dimer Myc-Max protein, which identified protein-protein interaction (PPI) specific modulators using highly précised molecular docking study followed by long-range interaction stability analyzed through molecular dynamic (MD) simulation. Moreover, ADME profile analyses have been estimated for screened hit compounds. MM-GBSA-based binding free energy (ΔG) estimations have been performed for all screened hit compounds obtained from multi-step molecular docking-based virtual screening technique. According to the employed various rigorous multi-chemometric techniques, four identified inhibitors/modulators appear to have a considerable number of intermolecular contacts with hotspot residues in the hetero-dimer interface region of the Myc-Max PPI complex. However, identified hit compounds might need further structural optimization or extensive biophysical analyses for better understanding of the molecular mechanism for exhibiting the Myc-Max PPI interface binding stability.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shovonlal Bhowmick
- Department of Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - Kunal Roy
- Drug Theoretics and Cheminformatics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
| | - Achintya Saha
- Department of Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
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47
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Kubickova A, De Sanctis JB, Hajduch M. Isoform-Directed Control of c-Myc Functions: Understanding the Balance from Proliferation to Growth Arrest. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17524. [PMID: 38139353 PMCID: PMC10743581 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417524] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor c-Myc, a key regulator of cellular processes, has long been associated with roles in cell proliferation and apoptosis. This review analyses the multiple functions of c-Myc by examining the different c-Myc isoforms in detail. The impact of different c-Myc isoforms, in particular p64 and p67, on fundamental biological processes remains controversial. It is necessary to investigate the different isoforms in the context of proto-oncogenesis. The current knowledge base suggests that neoplastic lesions may possess the means for self-destruction via increased c-Myc activity. This review presents the most relevant information on the c-Myc locus and focuses on a number of isoforms, including p64 and p67. This compilation provides a basis for the development of therapeutic approaches that target the potent growth arresting and pro-apoptotic functions of c-Myc. This information can then be used to develop targeted interventions against specific isoforms with the aim of shifting the oncogenic effects of c-Myc from pro-proliferative to pro-apoptotic. The research summarised in this review can deepen our understanding of how c-Myc activity contributes to different cellular responses, which will be crucial in developing effective therapeutic strategies; for example, isoform-specific approaches may allow for precise modulation of c-Myc function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Kubickova
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.K.); (J.B.D.S.)
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Juan Bautista De Sanctis
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.K.); (J.B.D.S.)
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Marian Hajduch
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic; (A.K.); (J.B.D.S.)
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Hnevotinska 1333/5, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Nevzorova YA, Cubero FJ. Obesity under the moonlight of c-MYC. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1293218. [PMID: 38116204 PMCID: PMC10728299 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1293218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The moonlighting protein c-Myc is a master regulator of multiple biological processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, angiogenesis, apoptosis and metabolism. It is constitutively and aberrantly expressed in more than 70% of human cancers. Overwhelming evidence suggests that c-Myc dysregulation is involved in several inflammatory, autoimmune, metabolic and other non-cancerous diseases. In this review, we addressed the role of c-Myc in obesity. Obesity is a systemic disease, accompanied by multi-organ dysfunction apart from white adipose tissue (WAT), such as the liver, the pancreas, and the intestine. c-Myc plays a big diversity of functions regulating cellular proliferation, the maturation of progenitor cells, fatty acids (FAs) metabolism, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Moreover, c-Myc drives the expression of a wide range of metabolic genes, modulates the inflammatory response, induces insulin resistance (IR), and contributes to the regulation of intestinal dysbiosis. Altogether, c-Myc is an interesting diagnostic tool and/or therapeutic target in order to mitigate obesity and its consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia A. Nevzorova
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Complutense University School of Medicine, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Cubero
- Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ENT, Complutense University School of Medicine, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
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Andregic N, Weaver C, Basu S. The binding of a c-MYC promoter G-quadruplex to neurotransmitters: An analysis of G-quadruplex stabilization using DNA melting, fluorescence spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman scattering and molecular docking. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2023; 1867:130473. [PMID: 37778448 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2023.130473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
The interactions of several neurotransmitter and neural hormone molecules with the c-MYC G-quadruplex DNA sequence were analyzed using a combination of spectroscopic and computational techniques. The interactions between indole, catecholamine, and amino acid neurotransmitters and DNA sequences could potentially add to the understanding of the role of G-quadruplex structures play in various diseases. Also, the interaction of the DNA sequence derived from the nuclear hypersensitivity element (NHE) III1 region of c-MYC oncogene (Pu22), 5'-TGAGGGTGGGTAGGGTGGGTAA-3', has added significance in that these molecules may promote or inhibit the formation of G-quadruplex DNA which could lead to the development of promising drugs for anticancer therapy. The results showed that these molecules did not disrupt G-quadruplex formation even in the absence of quadruplex-stabilizing cations. There was also evidence of concentration-dependent binding and high binding affinities based on the Stern-Volmer model, and thermodynamically favorable interactions in the form of hydrogen-bonding and interactions involving the π system of the aromatic neurotransmitters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Andregic
- Department of Biology, Susquehanna University, 514 University Avenue, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, USA
| | - Caitlin Weaver
- Department of Biology, Susquehanna University, 514 University Avenue, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, USA
| | - Swarna Basu
- Department of Chemistry, Susquehanna University, 514 University Avenue, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, USA.
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Lee Y, Nam S. Network and Computational Drug Repurposing Analysis for c-Myc Inhibition in Burkitt Lymphoma. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2023; 20:712-722. [PMID: 38035700 PMCID: PMC10687731 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM The treatment rate of Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is still low in low-income countries and among elderly patients. The c-Myc dysregulation induced by mutations is one of the characteristics of BL. However, studies on the downstream signaling pathways of c-Myc are still lacking. This study aimed to identify the signaling pathways regulated by c-Myc. MATERIALS AND METHODS Network and gene set analyses using c-Myc inhibition (i.e., c-Myc knock-down and c-Myc inhibitor treatment) transcriptome datasets for BL cell lines were performed to determine the pathways regulated by c-Myc. In addition, computational drug repurposing was used to identify drugs that can regulate c-Myc downstream signaling pathway. RESULTS Computational drug repurposing revealed that the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway is regulated by c-Myc in BL and that this pathway can be modulated by vorinostat. Furthermore, in the pharmacogenomics database, vorinostat showed a cell viability half-maximal inhibitory concentration of less than 2 μM in the BL cell lines. CONCLUSION The downstream signaling pathway regulated by c-Myc and the drug that can modulate this pathway is presented for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongmin Lee
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (GAIHST), Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungyoon Nam
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (GAIHST), Gachon University, Incheon, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Genome Medicine and Science, AI Convergence Center for Medical Science, Gachon Institute of Genome Medicine and Science, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
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