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Krsek A, Baticic L, Sotosek V, Braut T. The Role of Biomarkers in HPV-Positive Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Towards Precision Medicine. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:1448. [PMID: 39001338 PMCID: PMC11241541 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14131448] [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: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) represents a significant global health challenge, with squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) accounting for approximately 90% of all HNC cases. These malignancies, collectively referred to as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), originate from the mucosal epithelium lining the larynx, pharynx, and oral cavity. The primary risk factors associated with HNSCC in economically disadvantaged nations have been chronic alcohol consumption and tobacco use. However, in more affluent countries, the landscape of HNSCC has shifted with the identification of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, particularly HPV-16, as a major risk factor, especially among nonsmokers. Understanding the evolving risk factors and the distinct biological behaviors of HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC is critical for developing targeted treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes in this complex and diverse group of cancers. Accurate diagnosis of HPV-positive HNSCC is essential for developing a comprehensive model that integrates the molecular characteristics, immune microenvironment, and clinical outcomes. The aim of this comprehensive review was to summarize the current knowledge and advances in the identification of DNA, RNA, and protein biomarkers in bodily fluids and tissues that have introduced new possibilities for minimally or non-invasive cancer diagnosis, monitoring, and assessment of therapeutic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antea Krsek
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia;
| | - Lara Baticic
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Vlatka Sotosek
- Department of Clinical Medical Sciences I, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia;
- Department of Anesthesiology, Reanimatology, Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Tamara Braut
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia;
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Tang JY, Chuang YT, Shiau JP, Yen CY, Chang FR, Tsai YH, Farooqi AA, Chang HW. Connection between Radiation-Regulating Functions of Natural Products and miRNAs Targeting Radiomodulation and Exosome Biogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12449. [PMID: 37569824 PMCID: PMC10419287 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512449] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Exosomes are cell-derived membranous structures primarily involved in the delivery of the payload to the recipient cells, and they play central roles in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Radiotherapy is a common cancer treatment that occasionally generates exosomal miRNA-associated modulation to regulate the therapeutic anticancer function and side effects. Combining radiotherapy and natural products may modulate the radioprotective and radiosensitizing responses of non-cancer and cancer cells, but there is a knowledge gap regarding the connection of this combined treatment with exosomal miRNAs and their downstream targets for radiation and exosome biogenesis. This review focuses on radioprotective natural products in terms of their impacts on exosomal miRNAs to target radiation-modulating and exosome biogenesis (secretion and assembly) genes. Several natural products have individually demonstrated radioprotective and miRNA-modulating effects. However, the impact of natural-product-modulated miRNAs on radiation response and exosome biogenesis remains unclear. In this review, by searching through PubMed/Google Scholar, available reports on potential functions that show radioprotection for non-cancer tissues and radiosensitization for cancer among these natural-product-modulated miRNAs were assessed. Next, by accessing the miRNA database (miRDB), the predicted targets of the radiation- and exosome biogenesis-modulating genes from the Gene Ontology database (MGI) were retrieved bioinformatically based on these miRNAs. Moreover, the target-centric analysis showed that several natural products share the same miRNAs and targets to regulate radiation response and exosome biogenesis. As a result, the miRNA-radiomodulation (radioprotection and radiosensitization)-exosome biogenesis axis in regard to natural-product-mediated radiotherapeutic effects is well organized. This review focuses on natural products and their regulating effects on miRNAs to assess the potential impacts of radiomodulation and exosome biogenesis for both the radiosensitization of cancer cells and the radioprotection of non-cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Yang Tang
- School of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ting Chuang
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, PhD Program in Life Sciences, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - Jun-Ping Shiau
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
| | - Ching-Yu Yen
- School of Dentistry, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan 71004, Taiwan
| | - Fang-Rong Chang
- Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (F.-R.C.); (Y.-H.T.)
| | - Yi-Hong Tsai
- Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (F.-R.C.); (Y.-H.T.)
| | - Ammad Ahmad Farooqi
- Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), Islamabad 54000, Pakistan
| | - Hsueh-Wei Chang
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan;
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, PhD Program in Life Sciences, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
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Yanan L, Hui L, Zhuo C, Longqing D, Ran S. Comprehensive analysis of mitophagy in HPV-related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7480. [PMID: 37161060 PMCID: PMC10170109 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34698-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common tumour type in otorhinolaryngology, and its occurrence is related to long-term exposure to tobacco and alcohol. Recently, HPV infection has become an increasingly important contributor to HNSCC, and HPV-associated HNSCC has a different clinical course and better prognosis than non-HPV-associated HNSCC. However, the exact molecular mechanism of HNSCC is unclear. Here, we obtained data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and gene expression omnibus (GEO) to analyse the mitophagy process and related influencing factors of HPV-associated HNSCC via the integration of bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. We found that in HPV-associated HNSCC, process of mitophagy affects tumour development, immune cell infiltration and prognosis. In the mitophagy process of HPV-related HNSCC: NOS2, IL17REL, TMSB15A, TUBB4A and other hub genes showed significantly higher expression levels than in non-HPV-related HNSCC. Furthermore, this was also confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT‒PCR), which was used to detect the expression of differentially expressed genes in HNSCC tissues. Furthermore, we found that the unique immunological characteristics by expressing CD8+ T cell in a high level in HPV-related HNSCC, and the scores obtained from the score model affected the prognosis of patients. In conclusion, our study revealed the unique biomolecular signature of mitophagy in HPV-associated HNSCC, which may contribute to the development of precise treatment regimens for HPV-associated HNSCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yanan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, 250000, Shandong, China
| | - Liang Hui
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Ji'nan, 250014, Shandong, China.
| | - Cheng Zhuo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, 250000, Shandong, China
| | - Ding Longqing
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, 250000, Shandong, China
| | - Sun Ran
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, 250000, Shandong, China
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Are we ready for deintensification in human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal carcinomas? Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2023; 31:118-128. [PMID: 36912224 DOI: 10.1097/moo.0000000000000871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Excellent outcomes following contemporary treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma (HPV+ OPC) have prompted the exploration of deintensification approaches to minimize treatment-related toxicities. This review describes the landscape of deintensification to date (up to November 2022). RECENT FINDINGS Although several deintensification trials have been published, none are practice changing. Three phase III randomized-controlled trials studying cetuximab and radiation therapy vs. standard chemoradiotherapy all showed inferior outcomes. Although some phase II trials reported favourable outcomes, they are often single-arm trials without an adequate control arm, thereby limiting the ability to modify practice. SUMMARY Substantial effort has been expended to explore deintensification options for selected HPV+ OPC patients aiming to avoid unnecessary toxicity. Strategies have included replacing cisplatin with cetuximab, reduced chemotherapy or radiotherapy intensity, reduction of radiotherapy volumes and risk stratification after trans-oral surgery or following induction chemotherapy. Challenges remain in the current deintensification landscape, including identifying the most suitable candidates along with a choice of most appropriate deintensification strategies. Promising selection criteria included either static baseline features or kinetic characteristics of clinical-biological parameters. Practice-changing trials remain elusive, and the search continues to attempt optimization of the therapeutic ratio for these patients.
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Guo D, Yang M, Li S, Zhu W, Chen M, Pan J, Long D, Liu Z, Zhang C. Expression and molecular regulation of non-coding RNAs in HPV-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1122982. [PMID: 37064141 PMCID: PMC10090466 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1122982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most prevalent malignancy worldwide. Accumulating evidence suggests that persistent HPV infection is closely related to a subset of HNSCC types, and the incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive HNSCC has been annually increasing in recent decades. Although the carcinogenesis of HPV-positive HNSCC has not been completely elucidated, it has been well confirmed that E6 and E7, the main viral oncoproteins are responsible for the maintenance of malignant transformation, promotion of cell proliferation, and increase in tumor invasion. Moreover, compared with HPV-negative HNSCC, HPV-positive HNSCC shows some special clinical-pathological features, which are possibly related to HPV infection and their specific regulatory mechanisms. Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) is a class of RNA lacking the protein-coding function and playing a critical regulatory role via multiple complex molecular mechanisms. NcRNA is an important regulatory pattern of epigenetic modification, which can exert significant effects on HPV-induced tumorigenesis and progression by deregulating downstream genes. However, the knowledge of ncRNAs is still limited, hence, a better understanding of ncRNAs could provide some insights for exploring the carcinogenesis mechanism and identifying valuable biomarkers in HPV-positive HNSCC. Therefore, in this review, we mainly focused on the expression profile of ncRNAs (including lncRNA, miRNA, and circRNA) and explored their regulatory role in HPV-positive HNSCC, aiming to clarify the regulatory mechanism of ncRNAs and identify valuable biomarkers for HPV-positive HNSCC.
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Li X, Fang J, Tao X, Xia J, Cheng B, Wang Y. Splice site m 6A methylation prevents binding of DGCR8 to suppress KRT4 pre-mRNA splicing in oral squamous cell carcinoma. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14824. [PMID: 36811004 PMCID: PMC9939020 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the 11th most prevalent tumor worldwide. Despite advantages of therapeutic approaches, the 5-year survival rate of patients with OSCC is less than 50%. It is urgent to elucidate mechanisms underlying OSCC progression for developing novel treatment strategies. Our recent study has revealed that Keratin 4 (KRT4) suppresses OSCC development, which is downregulated in OSCC. Nevertheless, the mechanism downregulating KRT4 in OSCC remains unknown. In this study, touchdown PCR was utilized to detect KRT4 pre-mRNA splicing, while m6A RNA methylation was identified by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP). Besides, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) was used to determine RNA-protein interaction. Herein, this study indicated that intron splicing of KRT4 pre-mRNA was suppressed in OSCC. Mechanistically, m6A methylation of exon-intron boundaries prevented intron splicing of KRT4 pre-mRNA in OSCC. Besides, m6A methylation suppressed the binding of splice factor DGCR8 microprocessor complex subunit (DGCR8) to exon-intron boundaries in KRT4 pre-mRNA to prohibit intron splicing of KRT4 pre-mRNA in OSCC. These findings revealed the mechanism downregulating KRT4 in OSCC and provided potential therapeutic targets for OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxu Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Juan Fang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoan Tao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Juan Xia
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Bin Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yun Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Scarini JF, Lavareze L, Lima-Souza RAD, Emerick C, Gonçalves MT, Figueiredo-Maciel T, Vieira GDS, Kimura TDC, de Sá RS, Aquino IG, Fernandes PM, Kowalski LP, Altemani A, Mariano FV, Egal ESA. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Exploring frontiers of combinatorial approaches with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint therapy. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 180:103863. [DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Köcher S, Zech HB, Krug L, Gatzemeier F, Christiansen S, Meyer F, Rietow R, Struve N, Mansour WY, Kriegs M, Petersen C, Betz C, Rothkamm K, Rieckmann T. A Lack of Effectiveness in the ATM-Orchestrated DNA Damage Response Contributes to the DNA Repair Defect of HPV-Positive Head and Neck Cancer Cells. Front Oncol 2022; 12:765968. [PMID: 35719921 PMCID: PMC9204973 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.765968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with human papillomavirus-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HPV+ HNSCC) have a favorable prognosis compared to those with HPV-negative (HPV−) ones. We have shown previously that HPV+ HNSCC cell lines are characterized by enhanced radiation sensitivity and impaired DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. Since then, various publications have suggested a defect in homologous recombination (HR) and dysregulated expression of DSB repair proteins as underlying mechanisms, but conclusions were often based on very few cell lines. When comparing the expression levels of suggested proteins and other key repair factors in 6 HPV+ vs. 5 HPV− HNSCC strains, we could not confirm most of the published differences. Furthermore, HPV+ HNSCC strains did not demonstrate enhanced sensitivity towards PARP inhibition, questioning a general HR defect. Interestingly, our expression screen revealed minimal levels of the central DNA damage response kinase ATM in the two most radiosensitive HPV+ strains. We therefore tested whether insufficient ATM activity may contribute to the enhanced cellular radiosensitivity. Irrespective of their ATM expression level, radiosensitive HPV+ HNSCC cells displayed DSB repair kinetics similar to ATM-deficient cells. Upon ATM inhibition, HPV+ cell lines showed only a marginal increase in residual radiation-induced γH2AX foci and induction of G2 cell cycle arrest as compared to HPV− ones. In line with these observations, ATM inhibition sensitized HPV+ HNSCC strains less towards radiation than HPV− strains, resulting in similar levels of sensitivity. Unexpectedly, assessment of the phosphorylation kinetics of the ATM targets KAP-1 and Chk2 as well as ATM autophosphorylation after radiation did not indicate directly compromised ATM activity in HPV-positive cells. Furthermore, ATM inhibition delayed radiation induced DNA end resection in both HPV+ and HPV− cells to a similar extent, further suggesting comparable functionality. In conclusion, DNA repair kinetics and a reduced effectiveness of ATM inhibition clearly point to an impaired ATM-orchestrated DNA damage response in HPV+ HNSCC cells, but since ATM itself is apparently functional, the molecular mechanisms need to be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Köcher
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Henrike Barbara Zech
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred-Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Leonie Krug
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Fruzsina Gatzemeier
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Christiansen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Felix Meyer
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ruth Rietow
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Department, Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nina Struve
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred-Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wael Yassin Mansour
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred-Scheel Cancer Career Center HaTriCS, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Malte Kriegs
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cordula Petersen
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Betz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kai Rothkamm
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Rieckmann
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Thorsten Rieckmann,
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Matsumoto Y. Development and Evolution of DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Inhibitors toward Cancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084264. [PMID: 35457081 PMCID: PMC9032228 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA double-strand break (DSB) is considered the most deleterious type of DNA damage, which is generated by ionizing radiation (IR) and a subset of anticancer drugs. DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), which is composed of a DNA-PK catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and Ku80-Ku70 heterodimer, acts as the molecular sensor for DSB and plays a pivotal role in DSB repair through non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Cells deficient for DNA-PKcs show hypersensitivity to IR and several DNA-damaging agents. Cellular sensitivity to IR and DNA-damaging agents can be augmented by the inhibition of DNA-PK. A number of small molecules that inhibit DNA-PK have been developed. Here, the development and evolution of inhibitors targeting DNA-PK for cancer therapy is reviewed. Significant parts of the inhibitors were developed based on the structural similarity of DNA-PK to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) and PI3K-related kinases (PIKKs), including Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM). Some of DNA-PK inhibitors, e.g., NU7026 and NU7441, have been used extensively in the studies for cellular function of DNA-PK. Recently developed inhibitors, e.g., M3814 and AZD7648, are in clinical trials and on the way to be utilized in cancer therapy in combination with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihisa Matsumoto
- Laboratory for Zero-Carbon Energy, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
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