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Agbana S, McIlroy M. Extra-nuclear and cytoplasmic steroid receptor signalling in hormone dependent cancers. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 243:106559. [PMID: 38823459 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2024.106559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Steroid hormone receptors are key mediators in the execution of hormone action through a combination of genomic and non-genomic action. Since their isolation and characterisation in the early 20th Century much of our understanding of the biological actions of steroid hormones are underpinned by their activated receptor activity. Over the past two decades there has been an acceleration of more omics-based research which has resulted in a major uptick in our comprehension of genomic steroid action. However, it is well understood that steroid hormones can induce very rapid signalling events in tandem with their genomic actions wherein they exert their influence through alterations in gene expression. Thus the totality of genomic and non-genomic steroid action occurs in a simultaneous and reciprocal manner and a greater appreciation of whole cell action is required to fully evaluate steroid hormone activity in vivo. In this mini-review we outline the most recent developments in non-genomic steroid action and cytoplasmic steroid hormone receptor biology in endocrine-related cancers with a focus on the 3-keto steroid receptors, in particular the androgen receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Agbana
- Androgens in Health and Disease research group, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland
| | - Marie McIlroy
- Androgens in Health and Disease research group, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Surgery, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland.
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2
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Kumar S, Chaudhri S. Recent update on IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling axis as a promising therapeutic target for triple-negative breast cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 263:155620. [PMID: 39357179 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155620] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 09/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/25/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
Insulin-like growth factor 1/Insulin-like growth factor 1-receptor (IGF-1/IGF-1R) pathway is highly breast cancer subtype context-dependent. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive, highly metastatic cancer showing early recurrence and poor prognosis. High expression of IGF-1 and its receptor IGF-1R, their interaction, autophosphorylation, and activation of intracellular signaling cascades have been significantly associated with TNBC pathophysiology. In the last five to seven years, marvelous work has been done to explore the role of IGF-1/IGF-1R axis in TNBC. In the present review, starting from the general introduction to IGF-1/IGF-1R pathway an up-to-date discussion was focused on its role in TNBC pathophysiology. Further we discussed the up/down stream molecular events of IGF-1/IGF-1R axis, clinical relevance of IGF-1 and IGF-1R levels in TNBC patients, anti-TNBC therapy and possible way-out for IGF-1/IGF-1R axis mediate therapy resistance in TNBC. Combination therapy strategy has been researched to overcome direct IGF-1/IGF-1R pathway inhibition mediated therapy resistance and produced promising results in the management of TNBC. The understanding of up/downstream of the IGF-1/IGF-1R axis provide immense focus on the pathway as a therapeutic target. It is expected within the next decade to determine its potentiality, or lack thereof, for TNBC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashank Kumar
- Molecular Signaling & Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Punjab, Guddha, Bathinda, Punjab 151401, India.
| | - Smriti Chaudhri
- Molecular Signaling & Drug Discovery Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Central University of Punjab, Guddha, Bathinda, Punjab 151401, India
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3
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Wang Z, Xie M, Jia Z, Tao Z, Zhao P, Ying M. FOXF1 inhibits invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cells and enhances anti-tumor immunity via MFAP4/FAK signal axis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:21451. [PMID: 39271782 PMCID: PMC11399389 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-72578-7] [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: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Based on the joint analysis of multi-omic data and the biological experiments, we demonstrate that FOXF1 inhibits invasion and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cells and enhances anti-tumor immunity via regulating MFAP4/FAK signal axis in this study. The levels of FOXF1 and MFAP4 are significantly down-regulated in LUAD, and the increased levels of two genes can improve the clinical prognosis of LUAD patients. Fluorescein reporter gene determination, chromatin immunoprecipitation and gene co-expression analysis indicate that MFAP4 level is positively regulated by transcription factor FOXF1. The function enrichment analysis shows that the levels of FOXF1 and MFAP4 are closely associated with an enrichment of tumor metastasis signatures. FOXF1 can inhibit the migration and invasion of LAUD cells by transcriptionally activating MFAP4 expression. And the overexpression of FOXF1/MFAP4 can reduce focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation, while their knockdown result in the opposite effects. The increased levels of FOXF1/MFAP4 enhance the antitumor immunity by increasing the infiltration of dendritic cells and CD4+ T cells, and the interactions between LUAD cells and immune cells, and activating multiple anti-tumor immunity-related pathways. In conclusion, our study reveals the potential function of FOXF1/MFAP4/FAK signal axis in inhibiting metastasis of LUAD cells and modulating anti-tumor immunity of LUAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - MengXia Xie
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Zhongyue Jia
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Ziwei Tao
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- The First Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang, 310000, China
| | - Muying Ying
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
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Dong H, Zeng X, Xu J, He C, Sun Z, Liu L, Huang Y, Sun Z, Cao Y, Peng Z, Qiu YA, Yu T. Advances in immune regulation of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 136:112369. [PMID: 38824903 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.112369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen and related receptors have been shown to have a significant impact on human development, reproduction, metabolism and immune regulation and to play a critical role in tumor development and treatment. Traditionally, the nuclear estrogen receptors (nERs) ERα and ERβ have been thought to be involved in mediating the estrogenic effects. However, our group and others have previously demonstrated that the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is the third independent ER, and estrogen signaling mediated by GPER is known to play an important role in normal physiology and a variety of abnormal diseases. Interestingly, recent studies have progressively revealed GPER involvement in the maintenance of the normal immune system, abnormal immune diseases, and inflammatory lesions, which may be of significant clinical value primarily in the immunotherapy of tumors. In this article, we review current advances in GPER-related immunomodulators and provide a theoretical basis and potential clinical targets to ameliorate immune-related diseases and immunotherapy for tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanzhi Dong
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Zeng
- Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Jiawei Xu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Nanchang 330029, China
| | - Chongwu He
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Nanchang 330029, China
| | - Zhengkui Sun
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Nanchang 330029, China
| | - Liyan Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Nanchang 330029, China
| | - Yanxiao Huang
- Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Zhe Sun
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Yuan Cao
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Zhiqiang Peng
- Department of Lymphohematology, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Nanchang 330029, China.
| | - Yu-An Qiu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Nanchang 330029, China.
| | - Tenghua Yu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Jiangxi Cancer Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Nanchang 330029, China.
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5
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Abbas MA, Al-Kabariti AY, Sutton C. Comprehensive understanding of the role of GPER in estrogen receptor-alpha negative breast cancer. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 241:106523. [PMID: 38636681 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2024.106523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) plays a prominent role in facilitating the rapid, non-genomic signaling of estrogens in breast cancer cells. Herein, a comprehensive overview of the role of GPER in ER-ɑ-negative breast cancer is provided. Activation of GPER affected proliferation, metastasis and epithelial mesenchymal transition in ER-ɑ negative breast cancer cells. Clinical studies have demonstrated that GPER positivity was strongly correlated with larger tumor size and advanced clinical stage, suggesting that GPER/ERK signaling may play a role in promoting tumor progression. Strong evidence existed that environmental contaminants like bisphenol A have a carcinogenic potential mediated by GPER activation. The complexity of the cross talk between GPER and other receptors including ER-β, ER-α36, Estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) and androgen receptor has been discussed. The potential utility of small molecules and phytoestrogens targeting GPER, adds valuable insights into its therapeutic potential. This review holds promises in advancing our understanding of GPER role in ER-ɑ-negative breast cancer. Overall, the consequences of GPER activation are still an area of active research and the implication are not entirely clear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manal A Abbas
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan; Pharmacological and Diagnostic Research Centre, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan
| | - Aya Y Al-Kabariti
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan; Pharmacological and Diagnostic Research Centre, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan.
| | - Chris Sutton
- School of Chemistry and Biosciences, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK
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Talia M, Cirillo F, Scordamaglia D, Di Dio M, Zicarelli A, De Rosis S, Miglietta AM, Capalbo C, De Francesco EM, Belfiore A, Grande F, Rizzuti B, Occhiuzzi MA, Fortino G, Guzzo A, Greco G, Maggiolini M, Lappano R. The G Protein Estrogen Receptor (GPER) is involved in the resistance to the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in breast cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:171. [PMID: 38886784 PMCID: PMC11184778 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03096-7] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cyclin D1-cyclin dependent kinases (CDK)4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in combination with endocrine therapy shows remarkable efficacy in the management of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer (BC). Nevertheless, resistance to palbociclib frequently arises, highlighting the need to identify new targets toward more comprehensive therapeutic strategies in BC patients. METHODS BC cell lines resistant to palbociclib were generated and used as a model system. Gene silencing techniques and overexpression experiments, real-time PCR, immunoblotting and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies as well as cell viability, colony and 3D spheroid formation assays served to evaluate the involvement of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in the resistance to palbociclib in BC cells. Molecular docking simulations were also performed to investigate the potential interaction of palbociclib with GPER. Furthermore, BC cells co-cultured with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) isolated from mammary carcinoma, were used to investigate whether GPER signaling may contribute to functional cell interactions within the tumor microenvironment toward palbociclib resistance. Finally, by bioinformatics analyses and k-means clustering on clinical and expression data of large cohorts of BC patients, the clinical significance of novel mediators of palbociclib resistance was explored. RESULTS Dissecting the molecular events that characterize ER-positive BC cells resistant to palbociclib, the down-regulation of ERα along with the up-regulation of GPER were found. To evaluate the molecular events involved in the up-regulation of GPER, we determined that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) interacts with the promoter region of GPER and stimulates its expression toward BC cells resistance to palbociclib treatment. Adding further cues to these data, we ascertained that palbociclib does induce pro-inflammatory transcriptional events via GPER signaling in CAFs. Of note, by performing co-culture assays we demonstrated that GPER contributes to the reduced sensitivity to palbociclib also facilitating the functional interaction between BC cells and main components of the tumor microenvironment named CAFs. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results provide novel insights on the molecular events through which GPER may contribute to palbociclib resistance in BC cells. Additional investigations are warranted in order to assess whether targeting the GPER-mediated interactions between BC cells and CAFs may be useful in more comprehensive therapeutic approaches of BC resistant to palbociclib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Talia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Francesca Cirillo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Domenica Scordamaglia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Marika Di Dio
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Azzurra Zicarelli
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Salvatore De Rosis
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Miglietta
- Breast and General Surgery Unit, Regional Hospital Cosenza, Cosenza, 87100, Italy
| | - Carlo Capalbo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
- Complex Operative Oncology Unit, Regional Hospital Cosenza, Cosenza, 87100, Italy
| | | | - Antonino Belfiore
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, 95122, Italy
| | - Fedora Grande
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Bruno Rizzuti
- Department of Physics, CNR-NANOTEC, SS Rende (CS), University of Calabria, Rende, CS, 87036, Italy
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), Joint Unit GBsC-CSIC-BIFI, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, 50018, Spain
| | | | - Giancarlo Fortino
- Department of Informatics, Modeling, Electronic, and System Engineering, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Antonella Guzzo
- Department of Informatics, Modeling, Electronic, and System Engineering, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Greco
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Calabria, Cosenza, Italy
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy.
| | - Rosamaria Lappano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, 87036, Italy.
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Satriyo PB, Mustofa M, Wahyuningsih TD, Damayanti E, Wiraswati HL, Satria D, Bashari MH, Sholikhah EN. N-phenyl pyrazoline derivative inhibits cell aggressiveness and enhances paclitaxel sensitivity of triple negative breast cancer cells. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13200. [PMID: 38851778 PMCID: PMC11162478 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63778-2] [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: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein kinase dysregulation induces cancer cell aggressiveness leading to rapid tumor progression and poor prognosis in TNBC patients. Many small-molecule kinase inhibitors have been tested in clinical trials to treat TNBC patients. In the previous study, we found that N-phenylpyrazoline small molecule acts as a protein kinase inhibitor in cervical cancer cells. However, there remains unknown about N-phenyl pyrazoline potency as a kinase inhibitor and its anti-cancer activity in TNBC cells. In this study, we investigated the activity of N-phenyl pyrazoline against TNBC cells via tyrosine kinase inhibition. Based on the MTT assay, the IC50 values for the N-phenyl pyrazoline 2, 5, A, B, C, and D against Hs578T were 12.63 µM, 3.95 µM, not available, 18.62 µM, 30.13 µM, and 26.79 µM, respectively. While only P5 exhibited the IC50 against MDA MB 231 (21.55 µM). Further, N-phenyl pyrazoline 5 treatment significantly inhibited the cell proliferation rate of Hs578T and MDA MB 231 cells. The migration assay showed that treatment with the compound N-phenyl pyrazoline 5 with 4 µM concentration significantly reduced cell migration of Hs578T cells. N-phenyl pyrazoline 5 treatment at 1 µM and 2 µM was able to reduce the tumorsphere size of Hs578t cells. A combination treatment of P5 and paclitaxel showed a synergistic effect with a combination index score > 1 in both TNBC cells. Further, the P5 predictively targeted the protein kinases that significantly correlated to breast cancer prognosis. The GSEA analysis result shows that receptor tyrosine kinase, Notch3, Notch4, and Ephrin signaling pathways were targeted by P5. The P5 treatment reduced the EGFR expression level and activation in TNBC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamungkas Bagus Satriyo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
| | - Mustofa Mustofa
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
| | - Tutik Dwi Wahyuningsih
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
| | - Ema Damayanti
- Research Center for Food Technology and Processing, National Research and Innovation Agency, Gunungkidul, 55861, Indonesia
| | - Hesti Lina Wiraswati
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
- Oncology and Stem Cell Working Group, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Denny Satria
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia
| | - M Hasan Bashari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
- Oncology and Stem Cell Working Group, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Eti Nurwening Sholikhah
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia.
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Yang M, Xiang H, Luo G. Targeting focal adhesion kinase (FAK) for cancer therapy: FAK inhibitors, FAK-based dual-target inhibitors and PROTAC degraders. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 224:116246. [PMID: 38685282 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, plays an essential role in regulating cell proliferation, migration and invasion through both kinase-dependent enzymatic function and kinase-independent scaffolding function. The overexpression and activation of FAK is commonly observed in various cancers and some drug-resistant settings. Therefore, targeted disruption of FAK has been identified as an attractive strategy for cancer treatment. To date, numerous structurally diverse inhibitors targeting distinct domains of FAK have been developed, encompassing kinase domain inhibitors, FERM domain inhibitors, and FAT domain inhibitors, with several FAK inhibitors advanced to clinical trials. Moreover, given the critical role of FAK scaffolding function in signal transduction, FAK-targeted PROTACs have also been developed. Although no current FAK-targeted therapeutics have been approved for the market, the combination of FAK inhibitors with other anticancer drugs has shown considerable promise in the clinic. This review provides an overview of current drug discovery strategies targeting FAK, including the development of FAK inhibitors, FAK-based dual-target inhibitors and proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) in both literature and patent applications. Accordingly, their design and optimization process, mechanisms of action and biological activities are discussed to offer insights into future directions of FAK-targeting drug discovery in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, PR China
| | - Hua Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, PR China.
| | - Guoshun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, PR China.
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Zhang D, Chen H, Wang J, Ji J, Imam M, Zhang Z, Yan S. Current progress and prospects for G protein-coupled estrogen receptor in triple-negative breast cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1338448. [PMID: 38476263 PMCID: PMC10928007 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1338448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a biologically and clinically heterogeneous disease. The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) plays a crucial role in mediating the effect of estrogen and estrogen-like compounds in TNBC cells. Compared with other subtypes, GPER has a higher expression in TNBC. The GPER mechanisms have been thoroughly characterized and analyzed in estrogen receptor α (ERα) positive breast cancer, but not in TNBC. Our previous work revealed that a higher expression of GPER mRNA indicates a better prognosis for ERα-positive breast cancer; however, its effects in TNBC differ. Whether GPER could serve as a predictive prognostic marker or therapeutic target for TNBC remains unclear. In this review, we provide a detailed introduction to the subcellular localization of GPER, the different effects of various ligands, and the interactions between GPER and closely associated factors in TNBC. We focused on the internal molecular mechanisms specific to TNBC and thoroughly explored the role of GPER in promoting tumor development. We also discussed the interaction of GPER with specific cytokines and chemokines, and the relationship between GPER and immune evasion. Additionally, we discussed the feasibility of using GPER as a therapeutic target in the context of existing studies. This comprehensive review highlights the effects of GPER on TNBC, providing a framework and directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Shunchao Yan
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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10
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Ahmed SA, Mendonca P, Messeha SS, Oriaku ET, Soliman KFA. The Anticancer Effects of Marine Carotenoid Fucoxanthin through Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase (PI3K)-AKT Signaling on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Molecules 2023; 29:61. [PMID: 38202644 PMCID: PMC10779870 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010061] [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: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that lacks specific targets such as estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors. TNBC affects one in eight women in the United States, making up 15-20% of breast cancer cases. Patients with TNBC can develop resistance to chemotherapy over time, leading to treatment failure. Therefore, finding other options like natural products is necessary for treatment. The advantages of using natural products sourced from plants as anticancer agents are that they are less toxic, more affordable, and have fewer side effects. These products can modulate several cellular processes of the tumor microenvironment, such as proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. The phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT signaling pathway is an important pathway that contributes to the survival and growth of the tumor microenvironment and is associated with these cellular processes. This current study examined the anticancer effects of fucoxanthin, a marine carotenoid isolated from brown seaweed, in the MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cell lines. The methods used in this study include a cytotoxic assay, PI3K-AKT signaling pathway PCR arrays, and Wes analysis. Fucoxanthin (6.25 µM) + TNF-α (50 ng/mL) and TNF-α (50 ng/mL) showed no significant effect on cell viability compared to the control in both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells after a 24 h treatment period. PI3K-AKT signaling pathway PCR array studies showed that in TNF-α-stimulated (50 ng/mL) MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells, fucoxanthin (6.25 µM) modulated the mRNA expression of 12 genes, including FOXO1, RASA1, HRAS, MAPK3, PDK2, IRS1, EIF4EBP1, EIF4B, PTK2, TIRAP, RHOA, and ELK1. Additionally, fucoxanthin significantly downregulated the protein expression of IRS1, EIF4B, and ELK1 in MDA-MB-231 cells, and no change in the protein expression of EIF4B and ELK1 was shown in MDA-MB-468 cells. Fucoxanthin upregulated the protein expression of RHOA in both cell lines. The modulation of the expression of genes and proteins of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway may elucidate fucoxanthin's effects in cell cycle progression, apoptotic processes, migration, and proliferation, which shows that PI3K-AKT may be the possible molecular mechanism for fucoxanthin's effects. In conclusion, the results obtained in this study elucidate fucoxanthin's molecular mechanisms and indicate that fucoxanthin may be considered a promising candidate for breast cancer-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shade’ A. Ahmed
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; (S.A.A.); (E.T.O.)
| | - Patricia Mendonca
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA;
| | - Samia S. Messeha
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA;
| | - Ebenezer T. Oriaku
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; (S.A.A.); (E.T.O.)
| | - Karam F. A. Soliman
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307, USA; (S.A.A.); (E.T.O.)
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11
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Mubtasim N, Gollahon L. The Effect of Adipocyte-Secreted Factors in Activating Focal Adhesion Kinase-Mediated Cell Signaling Pathway towards Metastasis in Breast Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16605. [PMID: 38068928 PMCID: PMC10706115 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity-associated perturbations in the normal secretion of adipocytokines from white adipocytes can drive the metastatic progression of cancer. However, the association between obesity-induced changes in secretory factors of white adipocytes and subsequent transactivation of the downstream effector proteins impacting metastasis in breast cancer cells remains unclear. Focal adhesion kinase, a cytoplasmic signal transducer, regulates the biological phenomenon of metastasis by activating downstream targets such as beta-catenin and MMP9. Thus, the possible role of phosphorylated FAK in potentiating cancer cell migration was investigated. To elucidate this potential relationship, MCF7 (ER+), MDA-MB-231 (Triple Negative) breast cancer cells, and MCF-10A non-tumorigenic breast cells were exposed to in vitro murine adipocyte-conditioned medium derived from 3T3-L1 MBX cells differentiated to obesity with fatty acid supplementation. Our results show that the conditioned medium derived from these obese adipocytes enhanced motility and invasiveness of breast cancer cells. Importantly, no such changes were observed in the non-tumorigenic breast cells. Our results also show that increased FAK autophosphorylation was followed by increased expression of beta-catenin and MMP9 in the breast cancer cells when exposed to obese adipocyte-conditioned medium, but not in the MCF10A cells. These results indicate that adipocyte-derived secretory factors induced FAK activation through phosphorylation. This in turn increased breast cancer cell migration and invasion by activating its downstream effector proteins beta-catenin and MMP9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noshin Mubtasim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA;
| | - Lauren Gollahon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA;
- Obesity Research Institute, Texas Tech University, 2500 Broadway, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
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12
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Boscaro C, Ramaschi GE, Trevisi L, Cignarella A, Bolego C. MiR-206 inhibits estrogen signaling and ovarian cancer cell migration without affecting GPER. Life Sci 2023; 333:122135. [PMID: 37778413 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Estrogen-regulated pathways are involved in the etiology and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but the relative contribution of estrogen receptor isoforms is unclear. Only a subset of patients responds to antiestrogens including tamoxifen. Based on our previous evidence that miR-206 behaves as an oncosuppressor in EOC, we hypothesized that miR-206 would interfere with G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER)-mediated signaling and cell motility. MAIN METHODS PFKFB3 and FAK proteins from OC cells challenged with selective estrogen receptor agonist and antagonist were measured by Western blotting. Cell proliferation and motility were analyzed by MTT and Boyden chamber, respectively. Estrogen-dependent cells were transfected with miR-206 mimic or control using Lipofectamine. KEY FINDINGS The migration of SKOV3 and OVCAR5 cells significantly increased following treatment with 17β-estradiol (E2) and the selective GPER agonist G1. However, tamoxifen failed to inhibit E2 effect and even promoted SKOV3 cell migration. Estrogen receptor ligands did not affect SKOV3 proliferation. The GPER antagonist G15 significantly prevented E2-mediated upregulation of PFKFB3 expression, while G1 concentration-dependently upregulated PFKFB3 levels. Consistent with the functional link between PFKFB3 and FAK activation, E2 and G1 increased FAK phosphorylation at Tyr397. Transfection with miR-206 abolished estrogen-induced EOC migration and down-regulated PFKFB3 protein levels. Notably, miR-206 transfection reduced ERα protein abundance, whereas GPER amount was unchanged. SIGNIFICANCE By blocking estrogen signaling and G1-induced EOC cell invasiveness with no direct interference with GPER levels, miR-206 mimics have the potential to act as pathway-selective antagonists and deserve further testing as RNA therapeutics in estrogen-dependent EOC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lucia Trevisi
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Bolego
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Italy.
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13
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Pacheco JHL, Elizondo G. Interplay between Estrogen, Kynurenine, and AHR Pathways: An immunosuppressive axis with therapeutic potential for breast cancer treatment. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 217:115804. [PMID: 37716620 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women worldwide. Estrogen exposure via endogenous and exogenous sources during a lifetime, together with environmental exposure to estrogenic compounds, represent the most significant risk factor for breast cancer development. As breast tumors establish, multiple pathways are deregulated. Among them is the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signaling pathway. AHR, a ligand-activated transcription factor associated with the metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and estrogens, is overexpressed in breast cancer. Furthermore, AHR and estrogen receptor (ER) cross-talk pathways have been observed. Additionally, the Tryptophan (Trp) catabolizing enzymes indolamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) are overexpressed in breast cancer. IDO/TDO catalyzes the formation of Kynurenine (KYN) and other tryptophan-derived metabolites, which are ligands of AHR. Once KYN activates AHR, it stimulates the expression of the IDO enzyme, increases the level of KYN, and activates non-canonical pathways to control inflammation and immunosuppression in breast tumors. The interplay between E2, AHR, and IDO/TDO/KYN pathways and their impact on the immune system represents an immunosuppressive axis on breast cancer. The potential modulation of the immunosuppressive E2-AHR-IDO/TDO/KYN axis has aroused great expectations in oncotherapy. The present article will review the mechanisms implicated in generating the immunosuppressive axis E2-AHR-IDO/TDO/KYN in breast cancer and the current state of knowledge as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guillermo Elizondo
- Departamento de Biología Celular, CINVESTAV-IPN, Av. IPN 2508, C.P. 07360 Ciudad de México, México.
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14
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Moisand A, Madéry M, Boyer T, Domblides C, Blaye C, Larmonier N. Hormone Receptor Signaling and Breast Cancer Resistance to Anti-Tumor Immunity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15048. [PMID: 37894728 PMCID: PMC10606577 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015048] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancers regroup many heterogeneous diseases unevenly responding to currently available therapies. Approximately 70-80% of breast cancers express hormone (estrogen or progesterone) receptors. Patients with these hormone-dependent breast malignancies benefit from therapies targeting endocrine pathways. Nevertheless, metastatic disease remains a major challenge despite available treatments, and relapses frequently ensue. By improving patient survival and quality of life, cancer immunotherapies have sparked considerable enthusiasm and hope in the last decade but have led to only limited success in breast cancers. In addition, only patients with hormone-independent breast cancers seem to benefit from these immune-based approaches. The present review examines and discusses the current literature related to the role of hormone receptor signaling (specifically, an estrogen receptor) and the impact of its modulation on the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to the effector mechanisms of anti-tumor immune responses and on the capability of breast cancers to escape from protective anti-cancer immunity. Future research prospects related to the possibility of promoting the efficacy of immune-based interventions using hormone therapy agents are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Moisand
- CNRS UMR 5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Biological and Medical Sciences Department, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (A.M.); (M.M.); (T.B.); (C.D.)
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, UB Grad 2.0, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Mathilde Madéry
- CNRS UMR 5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Biological and Medical Sciences Department, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (A.M.); (M.M.); (T.B.); (C.D.)
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, UB Grad 2.0, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Thomas Boyer
- CNRS UMR 5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Biological and Medical Sciences Department, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (A.M.); (M.M.); (T.B.); (C.D.)
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, UB Grad 2.0, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Charlotte Domblides
- CNRS UMR 5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Biological and Medical Sciences Department, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (A.M.); (M.M.); (T.B.); (C.D.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Céline Blaye
- CNRS UMR 5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Biological and Medical Sciences Department, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (A.M.); (M.M.); (T.B.); (C.D.)
| | - Nicolas Larmonier
- CNRS UMR 5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Biological and Medical Sciences Department, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France; (A.M.); (M.M.); (T.B.); (C.D.)
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, UB Grad 2.0, University of Bordeaux, 33076 Bordeaux, France
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15
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Tirado-Garibay AC, Falcón-Ruiz EA, Ochoa-Zarzosa A, López-Meza JE. GPER: An Estrogen Receptor Key in Metastasis and Tumoral Microenvironments. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14993. [PMID: 37834441 PMCID: PMC10573234 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914993] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogens and their role in cancer are well-studied, and some cancer types are classified in terms of their response to them. In recent years, a G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) has been described with relevance in cancer. GPER is a pleiotropic receptor with tissue-specific activity; in normal tissues, its activation is related to correct development and homeostasis, while in cancer cells, it can be pro- or anti-tumorigenic. Also, GPER replaces estrogen responsiveness in estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-lacking cancer cell lines. One of the most outstanding activities of GPER is its role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is relevant for metastasis development. In addition, the presence of this receptor in tumor microenvironment cells contributes to the phenotypic plasticity required for the dissemination and maintenance of tumors. These characteristics suggest that GPER could be a promising therapeutic target for regulating cancer development. This review focuses on the role of GPER in EMT in tumorigenic and associated cells, highlighting its role in relation to the main hallmarks of cancer and possible therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Joel E. López-Meza
- Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología—FMVZ, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia 58893, Mexico; (A.C.T.-G.); (E.A.F.-R.); (A.O.-Z.)
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16
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Cirillo F, Talia M, Santolla MF, Pellegrino M, Scordamaglia D, Spinelli A, De Rosis S, Giordano F, Muglia L, Zicarelli A, Di Dio M, Rigiracciolo DC, Miglietta AM, Filippelli G, De Francesco EM, Belfiore A, Lappano R, Maggiolini M. GPER deletion triggers inhibitory effects in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells through the JNK/c-Jun/p53/Noxa transduction pathway. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:353. [PMID: 37749101 PMCID: PMC10520078 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01654-0] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) mediates estrogen action in different pathophysiological conditions, including cancer. GPER expression and signaling have been found to join in the progression of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), even though controversial data have been reported. In present study, we aimed at providing new mechanistic and biological discoveries knocking out (KO) GPER expression by CRISPR/Cas9 technology in MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells. GPER KO whole transcriptome respect to wild type (WT) MDA-MB-231 cells was determined through total RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. We ascertained that anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic gene signatures characterize GPER KO MDA-MB-231 cells. Thereafter, we determined that these cells exhibit a reduced proliferative, clonogenic and self-renewal potential along with an increased mitochondria-dependent apoptosis phenotype. In addition, we recognized that decreased cAMP levels trigger the JNK/c-Jun/p53/Noxa axis, which in turn orchestrates the pro-apoptotic effects observed in GPER KO cells. In accordance with these data, survival analyses in TNBC patients of the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) dataset indicated that high Noxa expression correlates with improved outcomes in TNBC patients. Furthermore, we demonstrated that GPER KO in TNBC cells impairs the expression and secretion of the well-acknowledged GPER target gene named CTGF, thus resulting in the inhibition of migratory effects in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Overall, the present study provides novel mechanistic and biological insights on GPER KO in TNBC cells suggesting that GPER may be considered as a valuable target in comprehensive therapeutic approaches halting TNBC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Cirillo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Marianna Talia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Maria Francesca Santolla
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Michele Pellegrino
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Domenica Scordamaglia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Asia Spinelli
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Salvatore De Rosis
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Francesca Giordano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Lucia Muglia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Azzurra Zicarelli
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Marika Di Dio
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Damiano Cosimo Rigiracciolo
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milano, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Miglietta
- Breast and General Surgery Unit, Regional Hospital Cosenza, 87100, Cosenza, Italy
| | | | - Ernestina Marianna De Francesco
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122, Catania, Italy
| | - Antonino Belfiore
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122, Catania, Italy
| | - Rosamaria Lappano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy.
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy.
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17
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Tan X, Yan Y, Song B, Zhu S, Mei Q, Wu K. Focal adhesion kinase: from biological functions to therapeutic strategies. Exp Hematol Oncol 2023; 12:83. [PMID: 37749625 PMCID: PMC10519103 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-023-00446-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a nonreceptor cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase, is a vital participant in primary cellular functions, such as proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion. In addition, FAK regulates cancer stem cell activities and contributes to the formation of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Importantly, increased FAK expression and activity are strongly associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes and metastatic characteristics in numerous tumors. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that modulating FAK activity by application of FAK inhibitors alone or in combination treatment regimens could be effective for cancer therapy. Based on these findings, several agents targeting FAK have been exploited in diverse preclinical tumor models. This article briefly describes the structure and function of FAK, as well as research progress on FAK inhibitors in combination therapies. We also discuss the challenges and future directions regarding anti-FAK combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximin Tan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yuheng Yan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Bin Song
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Shuangli Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Qi Mei
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China.
| | - Kongming Wu
- Cancer Center, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Science, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China.
- Cancer Center, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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18
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Lima LTFD, Ganzella FADO, Cardoso GC, Pires VDS, Chequin A, Santos GL, Braun-Prado K, Galindo CM, Braz Junior O, Molento MB, Acco A, Adami ER, Costa ET, Cavichiolo Franco CR, Klassen G, Ramos EADS. l-carvone decreases breast cancer cells adhesion, migration, and invasion by suppressing FAK activation. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 378:110480. [PMID: 37059214 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world and current therapeutic strategies present severe drawbacks. l-carvone (CRV), a monoterpene found in Mentha spicata (spearmint), has been reported to have potent anti-inflammatory activity. Here, we examined the role of CRV in breast cancer cell adhesion, migration and invasion in vitro and how this component could suppress the growth of Ehrlich carcinoma-bearing mice. In vivo, treatment with CRV significantly decreased tumor growth, increased tumor necrosis area, and reduced the expression of VEGF and HIF-1α in Ehrlich carcinoma-bearing mice. Furthermore, the anticancer efficacy of CRV was similar to currently used chemotherapy (Methotrexate), and the combination of CRV with MTX potentiated the chemotherapy effects. Further mechanistic investigation in vitro revealed that CRV modulates the interaction of breast cancer cells with the extracellular matrix (ECM) by disrupting focal adhesion, which was shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and immunofluorescence. Moreover, CRV caused a decrease in β1-integrin expression and inhibited focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation. FAK is one of the most important downstream activators of several metastatic processes, including MMP-2 mediated invasion and HIF-1α/VEGF angiogenesis stimulus, both of which were found to be reduced in MDA-MB-231 cells exposed to CRV. Our results provide new insight about targeting β1-integrin/FAK signaling pathway with CRV, which could be a new potential agent in the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Trevisan França de Lima
- Pos-graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Gabriela Casani Cardoso
- Pos-graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Verônica Dos Santos Pires
- Pos-graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Andressa Chequin
- Pos-graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Giulia Luiza Santos
- Molecular Oncology Center, Research and Education Institute, Hospital Sirio-Libanes, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Karin Braun-Prado
- Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Odair Braz Junior
- Pos-graduate Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Beltrão Molento
- Pos-graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Alexandra Acco
- Pos-graduate Program of Pharmacology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Eliana Rezende Adami
- Pos-graduate Program of Pharmacology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Erico Tosoni Costa
- Molecular Oncology Center, Research and Education Institute, Hospital Sirio-Libanes, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Giseli Klassen
- Pos-graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Edneia Amancio de Souza Ramos
- Pos-graduate Program of Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Department of Basic Pathology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
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19
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Gou L, Yue GGL, Lee JKM, Puno PT, Lau CBS. Natural product Eriocalyxin B suppressed triple negative breast cancer metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 210:115491. [PMID: 36898414 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women, and its metastasis to distant organs accounts for the majority of death. Eriocalyxin B (Eri B), an ent-kaurane diterpenoid isolating from Isodon eriocalyx var. laxiflora, has previously been reported to have anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effects in breast cancer. Here, we investigated the effect of Eri B on cell migration and adhesion in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, as well as aldehyde dehydrogenases 1 family member A1 (ALDH1A1) expression, colony- and sphere-formation in cancer stem cell (CSC) enriched MDA-MB-231 cells. The in vivo anti-metastatic activities of Eri B were determined in 3 different breast tumor-bearing mouse models. Our results indicated that Eri B inhibited TNBC cell migration and adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins, and also reduced ALDH1A1 expression and colony formation in CSC-enriched MDA-MB-231 cells. The metastasis-related pathways, such as epidermal growth factor receptor/ mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases 1/2/ extracellular regulated protein kinase signaling altered by Eri B was firstly shown in MDA-MB-231 cells. The potent anti-metastatic efficacies of Eri B were demonstrated in breast xenograft-bearing mice and syngeneic breast tumor-bearing mice. Gut microbiome analysis results revealed the change in the diversity and composition of microbiome after Eri B treatment, and the potential pathways that are involved in the anti-cancer efficacy of Eri B. In conclusion, Eri B was shown to inhibit breast cancer metastasis in both in vitro and in vivo models. Our findings further support the development of Eri B as an anti-metastatic agent for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leilei Gou
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Grace Gar-Lee Yue
- Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China; State Key Laboratory of Research on Bioactivities and Clinical Applications of Medicinal Plants, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Julia Kin-Ming Lee
- Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China; State Key Laboratory of Research on Bioactivities and Clinical Applications of Medicinal Plants, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Pema Tenzin Puno
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China.
| | - Clara Bik-San Lau
- Institute of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China; State Key Laboratory of Research on Bioactivities and Clinical Applications of Medicinal Plants, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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20
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Design, synthesis and evaluation of nitric oxide releasing derivatives of 2,4-diaminopyrimidine as novel FAK inhibitors for intervention of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 250:115192. [PMID: 36801517 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
To search for novel medicines for intervention of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a series of phenylsulfonyl furoxan-based 2,4-diaminopyrimidine derivatives (8a-t) were designed and synthesized based on blocking FAK-mediated signaling pathways through both kinase-dependent and -independent manners. The most active compound 8f not only significantly inhibited FAK kinase activity (IC50 = 27.44 nM), displayed potent inhibitory effects on the proliferation (IC50 = 0.126 μM), invasion and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells, superior to the most widely studied FAK inhibitor, TAE226, bearing 2,4-diaminopyrimidine, but also released high levels of NO, contributing to blockage of FAK mediated-signaling pathways by upregulating of p53 as well as suppressing the Y397 phosphorylation and its downstream effectors, including p-Akt, MMP-2, and MMP-9 via kinase-independent manner, leading to apoptosis induction and decrease of FAs and SFs in TNBC cells. Importantly, 8f inhibited the lung metastasis of TNBC in vivo. Together, 8f may serve as a promising candidate for the treatment of metastatic TNBC.
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21
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Shaughness MC, Pierron N, Smith AN, Byrnes KR. The Integrin Pathway Partially Mediates Stretch-Induced Deficits in Primary Rat Microglia. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:3396-3412. [PMID: 36856961 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03291-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Stretch-injured microglia display significantly altered morphology, function and inflammatory-associated gene expression when cultured on a synthetic fibronectin substrate. However, the mechanism by which stretch induces these changes is unknown. Integrins, such as α5β1, mediate microglial attachment to fibronectin via the RGD binding peptide; following integrin ligation the integrin-associated signaling enzyme, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), autophosphorylates tyrosine residue 397 and mediates multiple downstream cellular processes. We therefore hypothesize that blocking the RGD binding/integrin pathway with a commercially available RGD peptide will mimic the stretch-induced morphological alterations and functional deficits in microglia. Further, we hypothesize that upregulation of stretch-inhibited downstream integrin signaling will reverse these effects. Using primary rat microglia, we tested the effects of RGD binding peptide and a FAK activator on cellular function and structure and response to stretch-injury. Similar to injured cells, RGD peptide administration significantly decreases media nitric oxide (NO) levels and iNOS expression and induced morphological alterations and migratory deficits. While stretch-injury and RGD peptide administration decreased phosphorylation of the tyrosine 397 residue on FAK, 20 nM of ZINC 40099027, an activator specific to the tyrosine 397 residue, rescued the stretch-induced decrease in FAK phosphorylation and ameliorated the injury-induced decrease in media NO levels, iNOS expression and inflammatory associated gene expression. Additionally, treatment alleviated morphological changes observed after stretch-injury and restored normal migratory behavior to control levels. Taken together, these data suggest that the integrin/FAK pathway partially mediates the stretch-injured phenotype in microglia, and may serve as a pathway to modulate microglial responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Shaughness
- Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd., Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.,Operational and Undersea Medicine Directorate (OUMD), En Route & Critical Care Department (ECD), Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC), Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Nathan Pierron
- F.E. Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Austin N Smith
- Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd., Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Kimberly R Byrnes
- Neuroscience Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd., Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA. .,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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22
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Lappano R, Maggiolini M. Role of the G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Cancer and Stromal Cells: From Functions to Novel Therapeutic Perspectives. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040626. [PMID: 36831293 PMCID: PMC9954232 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are transmembrane signal transducers that regulate a plethora of physiological and pathological processes [...].
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23
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Transcriptomic Analysis of Subtype-Specific Tyrosine Kinases as Triple Negative Breast Cancer Biomarkers. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15020403. [PMID: 36672350 PMCID: PMC9856281 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15020403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) shows impediment to the development of targeted therapies due to the absence of specific molecular targets. The high heterogeneity across TNBC subtypes, which can be classified to be at least four subtypes, including two basal-like (BL1, BL2), a mesenchymal (M), and a luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype, limits the response to cancer therapies. Despite many attempts to identify TNBC biomarkers, there are currently no effective targeted therapies against this malignancy. In this study, thus, we identified the potential tyrosine kinase (TK) genes that are uniquely expressed in each TNBC subtype, since TKs have been typically used as drug targets. Differentially expressed TK genes were analyzed from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and were confirmed with the other datasets of both TNBC patients and cell lines. The results revealed that each TNBC subtype expressed distinct TK genes that were specific to the TNBC subtype. The identified subtype-specific TK genes of BL1, BL2, M, and LAR are LYN, CSF1R, FGRF2, and SRMS, respectively. These findings could serve as a potential biomarker of specific TNBC subtypes, which could lead to an effective treatment for TNBC patients.
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24
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Fu J, Peng S. Triple-negative mouse breast cancer initiating cells show high expression of beta1 integrin and increased malignant features. Open Life Sci 2023; 18:20220510. [PMID: 36879644 PMCID: PMC9985445 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer that exhibits aggressive tumor phenotypes, including rapid metastasis and tumor recurrence. Integrins belong to the family of transmembrane glycoproteins involved in regulating cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation through cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Aberrant β1 integrin signaling has been implicated in cancer invasion and metastasis processes. The present work aimed to investigate the role of β1 integrin in TNBC cancer progression using a mouse 4T1 cell line as a model system. We have sorted a subset of tumor-initiating cells (TICs) from the 4T1 cell line based on CD133 positivity by flow cytometry. RT-PCR and protein analysis studies showed the transcriptional upregulation of β1 integrin and its downstream target focal adhesion kinase in 4T1-TICs compared to parental 4T1 cells. In addition, the expression of β1 receptors in TICs is significantly higher than in parental population cells. Furthermore, in vitro cellular assays revealed that CD133+ TICs have higher clonogenic ability, invasion, and sphere formation potential. These findings suggest that β1 integrin has a potential role in TNBC invasion and metastasis. Hence, β1 integrin could be a possible factor for future targeted cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Fu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610000, China
| | - Shengkun Peng
- Department of Radiology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, No. 32 of West Section 1st Ring Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610000, China
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25
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Muhammad A, Forcados GE, Yusuf AP, Abubakar MB, Sadiq IZ, Elhussin I, Siddique MAT, Aminu S, Suleiman RB, Abubakar YS, Katsayal BS, Yates CC, Mahavadi S. Comparative G-Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor (GPER) Systems in Diabetic and Cancer Conditions: A Review. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27248943. [PMID: 36558071 PMCID: PMC9786783 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27248943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
For many patients, diabetes Mellitus and Malignancy are frequently encountered comorbidities. Diabetes affects approximately 10.5% of the global population, while malignancy accounts for 29.4 million cases each year. These troubling statistics indicate that current treatment approaches for these diseases are insufficient. Alternative therapeutic strategies that consider unique signaling pathways in diabetic and malignancy patients could provide improved therapeutic outcomes. The G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) is receiving attention for its role in disease pathogenesis and treatment outcomes. This review aims to critically examine GPER' s comparative role in diabetes mellitus and malignancy, identify research gaps that need to be filled, and highlight GPER's potential as a therapeutic target for diabetes and malignancy management. There is a scarcity of data on GPER expression patterns in diabetic models; however, for diabetes mellitus, altered expression of transport and signaling proteins has been linked to GPER signaling. In contrast, GPER expression in various malignancy types appears to be complex and debatable at the moment. Current data show inconclusive patterns of GPER expression in various malignancies, with some indicating upregulation and others demonstrating downregulation. Further research should be conducted to investigate GPER expression patterns and their relationship with signaling pathways in diabetes mellitus and various malignancies. We conclude that GPER has therapeutic potential for chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliyu Muhammad
- Center for Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria P.M.B. 1044, Nigeria
| | | | - Abdurrahman Pharmacy Yusuf
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Minna P.M.B. 65, Nigeria
| | - Murtala Bello Abubakar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto P.M.B. 2254, Nigeria
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research & Training (CAMRET), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto P.M.B. 2254, Nigeria
| | - Idris Zubairu Sadiq
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria P.M.B. 1044, Nigeria
| | - Isra Elhussin
- Center for Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA
| | - Md Abu Talha Siddique
- Center for Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA
| | - Suleiman Aminu
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria P.M.B. 1044, Nigeria
| | - Rabiatu Bako Suleiman
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria P.M.B. 1044, Nigeria
| | - Yakubu Saddeeq Abubakar
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria P.M.B. 1044, Nigeria
| | - Babangida Sanusi Katsayal
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria P.M.B. 1044, Nigeria
| | - Clayton C Yates
- Center for Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA
| | - Sunila Mahavadi
- Center for Cancer Research, Department of Biology, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA
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26
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Zhang Z, Li J, Jiao S, Han G, Zhu J, Liu T. Functional and clinical characteristics of focal adhesion kinases in cancer progression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1040311. [PMID: 36407100 PMCID: PMC9666724 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1040311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase and an adaptor protein that primarily regulates adhesion signaling and cell migration. FAK promotes cell survival in response to stress. Increasing evidence has shown that at the pathological level, FAK is highly expressed in multiple tumors in several systems (including lung, liver, gastric, and colorectal cancers) and correlates with tumor aggressiveness and patient prognosis. At the molecular level, FAK promotes tumor progression mainly by altering survival signals, invasive capacity, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, the tumor microenvironment, the Warburg effect, and stemness of tumor cells. Many effective drugs have been developed based on the comprehensive role of FAK in tumor cells. In addition, its potential as a tumor marker cannot be ignored. Here, we discuss the pathological and pre-clinical evidence of the role of FAK in cancer development; we hope that these findings will assist in FAK-based clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyu Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Hernia Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Jinlong Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Hernia Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Simin Jiao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Hernia Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Guangda Han
- Department of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Hernia Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Jiaming Zhu
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Tianzhou Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Nutrition and Hernia Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
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27
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Yang Y, Lin Y, Xu R, Zhang Z, Zeng W, Xu Q, Deng F. Micro/Nanostructured Topography on Titanium Orchestrates Dendritic Cell Adhesion and Activation via β2 Integrin-FAK Signals. Int J Nanomedicine 2022; 17:5117-5136. [PMID: 36345509 PMCID: PMC9636866 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s381222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose In clinical application of dental implants, the functional state of dendritic cells (DCs) has been suggested to have a close relationship with the implant survival rate or speed of osseointegration. Although microscale surfaces have a stable osteogenesis property, they also incline to trigger unfavorable DCs activation and threaten the osseointegration process. Nanoscale structures have an advantage in regulating cell immune response through orchestrating cell adhesion, indicating the potential of hierarchical micro/nanostructured surface in regulation of DCs’ activation without sacrificing the advantage of microscale topography. Materials and Methods Two micro/nanostructures were fabricated based on microscale rough surfaces through anodization or alkali treatment, the sand-blasted and acid-etched (SA) surface served as control. The surface characteristics, in vitro and in vivo DC immune reactions and β2 integrin-FAK signal expression were systematically investigated. The DC responses to different surface topographies after FAK inhibition were also tested. Results Both micro/nano-modified surfaces exhibited unique composite structures, with higher hydrophilicity and lower roughness compared to the SA surface. The DCs showed relatively immature functional states with round morphologies and significantly downregulated β2 integrin-FAK levels on micro/nanostructures. Implant surfaces with micro/nano-topographies also triggered lower levels of DC inflammatory responses than SA surfaces in vivo. The inhibited FAK activation effectively reduced the differences in topography-caused DC activation and narrowed the differences in DC activation among the three groups. Conclusion Compared to the SA surface with solely micro-scale topography, titanium surfaces with hybrid micro/nano-topographies reduced DC inflammatory response by influencing their adhesion states. This regulatory effect was accompanied by the modulation of β2 integrin-FAK signal expression. The β2 integrin-FAK-mediated adhesion plays a critical role in topography-induced DC activation, which represents a potential target for material–cell interaction regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Department of Oral Implantology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yujing Lin
- Department of Oral Implantology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruogu Xu
- Department of Oral Implantology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhengchuan Zhang
- Department of Oral Implantology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenyi Zeng
- Department of Oral Implantology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiong Xu
- Department of Oral Implantology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Qiong Xu; Feilong Deng, Department of Oral Implantology, Hospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 56, Ling Yuan Xi Road, Guangzhou, 510055, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 20 83862537, Fax +86 20 83822807, Email ;
| | - Feilong Deng
- Department of Oral Implantology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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28
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Focal adhesion kinase priming in pancreatic cancer, altering biomechanics to improve chemotherapy. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1129-1141. [PMID: 35929603 PMCID: PMC9444069 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The dense desmoplastic and fibrotic stroma is a characteristic feature of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), regulating disease progression, metastasis and response to treatment. Reciprocal interactions between the tumour and stroma are mediated by bidirectional integrin-mediated signalling, in particular by Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK). FAK is often hyperactivated and overexpressed in aggressive cancers, promoting stromal remodelling and inducing tissue stiffness which can accelerate cancer cell proliferation, survival and chemoresistance. Therapeutic targeting of the PDAC stroma is an evolving area of interest for pre-clinical and clinical research, where a subtle reshaping of the stromal architecture prior to chemotherapy may prove promising in the clinical management of disease and overall patient survival. Here, we describe how transient stromal manipulation (or ‘priming’) via short-term FAK inhibition, rather than chronic treatment, can render PDAC cells exquisitely vulnerable to subsequent standard-of-care chemotherapy. We assess how our priming publication fits with the recent literature and describe in this perspective how this could impact future cancer treatment. This highlights the significance of treatment timing and warrants further consideration of anti-fibrotic therapies in the clinical management of PDAC and other fibrotic diseases.
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29
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Xu T, Ma D, Chen S, Tang R, Yang J, Meng C, Feng Y, Liu L, Wang J, Luo H, Yu K. High GPER expression in triple-negative breast cancer is linked to pro-metastatic pathways and predicts poor patient outcomes. NPJ Breast Cancer 2022; 8:100. [PMID: 36042244 PMCID: PMC9427744 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-022-00472-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive and heterogeneous disease with few effective targeted therapies and precision therapeutic options over a long period. It is generally considered that TNBC is an estrogen-independent breast cancer, while a new estrogen receptor, namely G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), is demonstrated to mediate estrogenic actions in TNBC. Based on our transcriptomic analysis, expression of GPER was correlated with clinicopathological variables and survival of 360 TNBC patients. GPER expression at mRNA level was significantly correlated with immunohistochemistry scoring in 12 randomly chosen samples. According to the cutoff value, 26.4% (95/360) of patients showed high GPER expression and significant correlation with the mRNA subtype of TNBC (P = 0.001), total metastatic events (P = 0.019) and liver metastasis (P = 0.011). In quantitative comparison, GPER abundance is correlated with the high-risk subtype of TNBC. At a median follow-up interval of 67.1 months, a significant trend towards reduced distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (P = 0.014) was found by Kaplan–Meier analysis in patients with high GPER expression. Furthermore, univariate analysis confirmed that GPER was a significant prognostic factor for DMFS in TNBC patients. Besides, high GPER expression was significantly linked to the worse survival in patients with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage III as well as nuclear grade G3 tumors. Transcriptome-based bioinformatics analysis revealed that GPER was linked to pro-metastatic pathways in our cohort. These results may supply new insights into GPER-mediated estrogen carcinogenesis in TNBC, thus providing a potential strategy for endocrine therapy of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xu
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Ding Ma
- Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Tang
- Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medical Diagnostics, Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianling Yang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Weihai Municipal Hospital, 70 Heping Road, Huancui District, Weihai, Shandong, 264200, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunhui Meng
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Heze Municipal Hospital, 2888 Caozhou West Road, Heze, Shandong, 274031, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Feng
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 74 Linjiang Road, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 1 Youyi Road, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiangfen Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030000, People's Republic of China
| | - Haojun Luo
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 74 Linjiang Road, Chongqing, 400010, People's Republic of China.
| | - Keda Yu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Precision Cancer Medicine Center, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai, 200032, People's Republic of China.
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30
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Vega-Lugo J, da Rocha-Azevedo B, Dasgupta A, Jaqaman K. Analysis of conditional colocalization relationships and hierarchies in three-color microscopy images. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:e202106129. [PMID: 35552363 PMCID: PMC9111757 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202106129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Colocalization analysis of multicolor microscopy images is a cornerstone approach in cell biology. It provides information on the localization of molecules within subcellular compartments and allows the interrogation of known molecular interactions in their cellular context. However, almost all colocalization analyses are designed for two-color images, limiting the type of information that they reveal. Here, we describe an approach, termed "conditional colocalization analysis," for analyzing the colocalization relationships between three molecular entities in three-color microscopy images. Going beyond the question of whether colocalization is present or not, it addresses the question of whether the colocalization between two entities is influenced, positively or negatively, by their colocalization with a third entity. We benchmark the approach and showcase its application to investigate receptor-downstream adaptor colocalization relationships in the context of functionally relevant plasma membrane locations. The software for conditional colocalization analysis is available at https://github.com/kjaqaman/conditionalColoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Vega-Lugo
- Department of Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | | | | | - Khuloud Jaqaman
- Department of Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
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31
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Li K, Zong D, Sun J, Chen D, Ma M, Jia L. Rewiring of the Endocrine Network in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:830894. [PMID: 35847875 PMCID: PMC9280148 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.830894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The immunohistochemical definition of estrogen/progesterone receptors dictates endocrine feasibility in the treatment course of breast cancer. Characterized by the deficiency of estrogen receptor α, ERα-negative breast cancers are dissociated from any endocrine regimens in the routine clinical setting, triple-negative breast cancer in particular. However, the stereotype was challenged by triple-negative breast cancers’ retained sensitivity and vulnerability to endocrine agents. The interplay of hormone action and the carcinogenic signaling program previously underscored was gradually recognized along with the increasing investigation. In parallel, the overlooked endocrine-responsiveness in ERα-negative breast cancers attracted attention and supplied fresh insight into the therapeutic strategy in an ERα-independent manner. This review elaborates on the genomic and non-genomic steroid hormone actions and endocrine-related signals in triple-negative breast cancers attached to the hormone insensitivity label. We also shed light on the non-canonical mechanism detected in common hormone agents to showcase their pleiotropic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixuan Li
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing University of Chinese medicine, Beijing, China
| | | | - Jianrong Sun
- School of Clinical Medicine. Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Danxiang Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Minkai Ma
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology, The Fourth Central Hospital, Baoding, China
| | - Liqun Jia
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Oncology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Liqun Jia,
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32
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De Francesco EM, Cirillo F, Vella V, Belfiore A, Maggiolini M, Lappano R. Triple-negative breast cancer drug resistance, durable efficacy, and cure: How advanced biological insights and emerging drug modalities could transform progress. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2022; 26:513-535. [PMID: 35761781 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2022.2094762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by the lack of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and often associated with poor survival outcomes. The backbone of current treatments for TNBC relies on chemotherapy; however, resistance to cytotoxic agents is a commonly encountered hurdle to overcome. AREAS COVERED : Current understanding on the mechanisms involved in TNBC chemoresistance is evaluated and novel potential actionable targets and recently explored modalities for carrying and delivering chemotherapeutics are highlighted. EXPERT OPINION : A comprehensive identification of both genomic and functional TNBC signatures is required for a more definite categorization of the patients in order to prevent insensitivity to chemotherapy and therefore realize the full potential of precision-medicine approaches. In this scenario, cell-line-derived xenografts (CDX), patient-derived xenografts (PDX), patient-derived orthotopic xenografts (PDOX) and patient-derived organoids (PDO) are indispensable experimental models for evaluating the efficacy of drug candidates and predicting the therapeutic response. The combination of increasingly sensitive "omics" technologies, computational algorithms and innovative drug modalities may accelerate the successful translation of novel candidate TNBC targets from basic research to clinical settings, thus contributing to reach optimal clinical output, with lower side effects and reduced resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernestina Marianna De Francesco
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy
| | - Francesca Cirillo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Veronica Vella
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy
| | - Antonino Belfiore
- Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Rosamaria Lappano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
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Rigiracciolo DC, Nohata N, Lappano R, Cirillo F, Talia M, Adame-Garcia SR, Arang N, Lubrano S, De Francesco EM, Belfiore A, Gutkind JS, Maggiolini M. Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK)-Hippo/YAP transduction signaling mediates the stimulatory effects exerted by S100A8/A9-RAGE system in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2022; 41:193. [PMID: 35655319 PMCID: PMC9164429 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02396-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the intricate signaling network involved in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a challenge for developing novel therapeutic approaches. Here, we aim to provide novel mechanistic insights on the function of the S100A8/A9-RAGE system in TNBC. METHODS TNM plot analyzer, Kaplan-Meier plotter, Meta-analysis, GEPIA2 and GOBO publicly available datasets were used to evaluate the clinical significance of S100A8/A9 and expression levels of S100A8/A9, RAGE and Filamin family members in breast cancer (BC) subtypes. METABRIC database and Cox proportional hazard model defined the clinical impact of high RAGE expression in BC patients. Multiple bioinformatics programs identified the main enriched pathways within high RAGE expression BC cohorts. By lentiviral system, TNBC cells were engineered to overexpress RAGE. Western blotting, immunofluorescence, nucleus/cytoplasm fractionation, qRT-PCR, gene silencing and luciferase experiments were performed to identify signal transduction mediators engaged by RAGE upon stimulation with S100A8/A9 in TNBC cells. Proliferation, colony formation and transwell migration assays were carried out to evaluate the growth and migratory capacity of TNBC cells. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA and independent t-tests. RESULTS We found a remarkable high expression of S100A8 and S100A9 in BC, particularly in HER2-positive and TNBC, with the latter associated to worst clinical outcomes. In addition, high RAGE expression correlated with a poor overall survival in BC. Next, we determined that the S100A8/A9-RAGE system triggers FAK activation by engaging a cytoskeleton mechanosensing complex in TNBC cells. Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified the Hippo pathway as the most enriched in BC patients expressing high RAGE levels. In accordance with these data, we demonstrated the involvement of S100A8/A9-RAGE-FAK signaling in the control of Hippo/YAP activities, and we established the crucial contribution of RAGE-FAK-YAP circuitry in the growth and migratory effects initiated by S100A8/A9 in TNBC cells. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides novel mechanistic insights on RAGE actions in TNBC. Moreover, our findings suggest that RAGE-FAK-YAP transduction pathway could be exploited as a druggable system halting the aggressive TNBC subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damiano Cosimo Rigiracciolo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy.,Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Rosamaria Lappano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Francesca Cirillo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Marianna Talia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | | | - Nadia Arang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Simone Lubrano
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Antonino Belfiore
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, Catania, Italy
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy.
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Wang J, Sun Q, Wang G, Wang H, Liu H. The effects of blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) IL-6 trans-signaling on immunity and iron metabolism via JAK/STAT3 pathway. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 131:104372. [PMID: 35217123 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2022.104372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic inflammatory cytokine, which plays a dual role in mammalian inflammation through both classical signaling (IL-6 binds to IL-6 receptor/IL-6R) and trans-signaling (IL-6 binds to soluble IL-6R). However, the function of IL-6, especially the regulatory mechanism of IL-6 trans-signaling in immunity and iron metabolism remains largely unclear in teleost. Here, L8824 cells (Ctenopharyngodon idella hepatic cells) were stimulated with blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) IL-6 combination with sIL-6R protein (rmaIL-6+rmasIL-6R/maIL-6 trans-signaling) or STAT3 inhibitor (c188-9), and RNA-sequencing, global transcriptional analyses. The enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG showed that maIL-6 trans-signaling is mainly involved in stress and inflammation response, and the activation of STAT3 is mainly related to cell proliferation, apoptosis and immune regulation. Furthermore, after treated L8824 cells with JAK2 inhibitors, it was found that the induction of IL-6 trans-signaling on the selected immune-related genes could be inhibited. These results implied that in early stage after rmaIL-6+rmasIL-6R treatment, the maIL-6 trans-signaling played an important role in the immune regulation through the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. By extending the rmaIL-6+rmasIL-6R treatment time, it was found that maIL-6 trans-signaling could promote the expression of iron metabolism related genes (ft, tf, tfr1, hamp and fpn1) in L8824 cells, indicating that maIL-6 trans-signaling may be involved in iron metabolism in the non-acute immune phase. Finally, after treated L8824 cells with JAK2 and STAT3 inhibitors, it was found that only tf and fpn1 were regulated by maIL-6 trans-signaling through the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. These findings provided novel insights into IL-6 trans-signaling regulatory mechanism in teleost, enriching our knowledge of fish immunity and iron metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixiu Wang
- College of Fisheries, Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair / Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Qianhui Sun
- College of Fisheries, Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair / Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Guowen Wang
- College of Fisheries, Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair / Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Huanling Wang
- College of Fisheries, Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair / Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Hong Liu
- College of Fisheries, Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair / Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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Liao M, Qin R, Huang W, Zhu HP, Peng F, Han B, Liu B. Targeting regulated cell death (RCD) with small-molecule compounds in triple-negative breast cancer: a revisited perspective from molecular mechanisms to targeted therapies. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:44. [PMID: 35414025 PMCID: PMC9006445 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01260-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of human breast cancer with one of the worst prognoses, with no targeted therapeutic strategies currently available. Regulated cell death (RCD), also known as programmed cell death (PCD), has been widely reported to have numerous links to the progression and therapy of many types of human cancer. Of note, RCD can be divided into numerous different subroutines, including autophagy-dependent cell death, apoptosis, mitotic catastrophe, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis and anoikis. More recently, targeting the subroutines of RCD with small-molecule compounds has been emerging as a promising therapeutic strategy, which has rapidly progressed in the treatment of TNBC. Therefore, in this review, we focus on summarizing the molecular mechanisms of the above-mentioned seven major RCD subroutines related to TNBC and the latest progress of small-molecule compounds targeting different RCD subroutines. Moreover, we further discuss the combined strategies of one drug (e.g., narciclasine) or more drugs (e.g., torin-1 combined with chloroquine) to achieve the therapeutic potential on TNBC by regulating RCD subroutines. More importantly, we demonstrate several small-molecule compounds (e.g., ONC201 and NCT03733119) by targeting the subroutines of RCD in TNBC clinical trials. Taken together, these findings will provide a clue on illuminating more actionable low-hanging-fruit druggable targets and candidate small-molecule drugs for potential RCD-related TNBC therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minru Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Rui Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Hong-Ping Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.,Antibiotics Research and Re-Evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Fu Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Quispe PA, Lavecchia MJ, León IE. Focal adhesion kinase inhibitors in the treatment of solid tumors: Preclinical and clinical evidence. Drug Discov Today 2021; 27:664-674. [PMID: 34856395 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) is a 125-kDa cytoplasmic protein kinase that is implicated in several cellular functions. This protein is an attractive molecular target for cancer therapy because a wide variety of studies have demonstrated associations between the activation or elevated expression of FAK and tumor progression, invasion, and drug resistance in malignant tumors. Here, we review the strategies used to inhibit FAK activity in solid tumors. We also include an overview of the preclinical (in vitro and in vivo) and clinical studies on FAK inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Quispe
- Centro de Química Inorgánica (CEQUINOR, CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bv 120 1465, 1900 La Plata, Argentina
| | - Martin J Lavecchia
- Centro de Química Inorgánica (CEQUINOR, CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bv 120 1465, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
| | - Ignacio E León
- Centro de Química Inorgánica (CEQUINOR, CONICET-UNLP), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Bv 120 1465, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
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Shiau JP, Wu CC, Chang SJ, Pan MR, Liu W, Ou-Yang F, Chen FM, Hou MF, Shih SL, Luo CW. FAK Regulates VEGFR2 Expression and Promotes Angiogenesis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9121789. [PMID: 34944605 PMCID: PMC8698860 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9121789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a significant clinical challenge because of its high vascularity and metastatic and recurrent rates. Tumor angiogenesis is considered an important mediator in the regulation of tumor cell survival and metastasis in TNBC. Angiogenesis is induced by the binding of vascular endothelial growth factor to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays an important role in regulating various cell functions in normal and cancer cells. Previous studies have focused on investigating the function of endothelial FAK in tumor cell angiogenesis. However, the association between tumor FAK and VEGFR2 in tumor angiogenesis and the possible mechanisms of this remain unclear. In this study, we used a public database and human specimens to examine the association between FAK and VEGFR2. At the same time, we verified the association between FAK and VEGFR2 through several experimental methods, such as quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and next-generation sequencing. In addition, we used the endothelial cell model, zebrafish, and xenograft animal models to investigate the role of FAK in TNBC angiogenesis. We found that FAK and VEGFR2 were positively correlated in patients with TNBC. VEGFR2 and several other angiogenesis-related genes were regulated by FAK. In addition, FAK regulated VEGFR2 and VEGF protein expression in TNBC cells. Functional assays showed that FAK knockdown inhibited endothelial tube formation and zebrafish angiogenesis. An animal model showed that FAK inhibitors could suppress tumor growth and tumor vascular formation. FAK promotes angiogenesis in TNBC cells by regulating VEGFR2 expression. Therefore, targeting FAK could be another antiangiogenic strategy for TNBC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Ping Shiau
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (J.-P.S.); (C.-C.W.); (F.O.-Y.); (F.-M.C.); (M.-F.H.); (S.-L.S.)
- Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung 812, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Che Wu
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (J.-P.S.); (C.-C.W.); (F.O.-Y.); (F.-M.C.); (M.-F.H.); (S.-L.S.)
| | - Shu-Jyuan Chang
- Department of Pathology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Ren Pan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Drug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Wangta Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Fu Ou-Yang
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (J.-P.S.); (C.-C.W.); (F.O.-Y.); (F.-M.C.); (M.-F.H.); (S.-L.S.)
| | - Fang-Ming Chen
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (J.-P.S.); (C.-C.W.); (F.O.-Y.); (F.-M.C.); (M.-F.H.); (S.-L.S.)
| | - Ming-Feng Hou
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (J.-P.S.); (C.-C.W.); (F.O.-Y.); (F.-M.C.); (M.-F.H.); (S.-L.S.)
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Liquid Biopsy and Cohort Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Shen-Liang Shih
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (J.-P.S.); (C.-C.W.); (F.O.-Y.); (F.-M.C.); (M.-F.H.); (S.-L.S.)
| | - Chi-Wen Luo
- Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (J.-P.S.); (C.-C.W.); (F.O.-Y.); (F.-M.C.); (M.-F.H.); (S.-L.S.)
- Drug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Liquid Biopsy and Cohort Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-7-3121101 (ext. 2260); Fax: +886-7-3165011
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Sigal DS, Hermel DJ, Hsu P, Pearce T. The role of Globo H and SSEA-4 in the development and progression of cancer, and their potential as therapeutic targets. Future Oncol 2021; 18:117-134. [PMID: 34734786 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2021-1110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycans, chains of sugar molecules found conjugated to cell proteins and lipids, contribute to their growth, movement and differentiation. Aberrant glycosylation is a hallmark of several medical conditions including tumorigenesis. Glycosphingolipids (GSLs), consisting of glycans conjugated to a lipid (ceramide) core, are found in the lipid bilayer of eukaryotic cell membranes. GSLs, play an active role in cell processes. Several GSLs are expressed by human embryonic stem cells and have been found to be overexpressed in several types of cancer. In this review, we discuss the data, hypotheses and perspectives related to the GSLs Globo H and SSEA-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren S Sigal
- Director, GI Oncology, Scripps Clinic & Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center, 10710 N Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - David J Hermel
- Scripps Clinic & Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center, 10710 N Torrey Pines Road, LA Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Pei Hsu
- Medical Advisor, Medical Affairs & Clinical Development, OBI Pharma Inc. 7F, No. 369, Zhongxiao E Road, Nangang District, Taipei City, 115, Taiwan
| | - Tillman Pearce
- Chief Medical Officer, OBI Pharma USA Inc., 6020 Cornerstone Court W, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
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The Role of 17β-Estrogen in Escherichia coli Adhesion on Human Vaginal Epithelial Cells via FAK Phosphorylation. Infect Immun 2021; 89:e0021921. [PMID: 34424749 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00219-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Estrogen, the predominant sex hormone, has been found to be related to the occurrence of vaginal infectious diseases. However, its role in the occurrence and development of bacterial vaginitis caused by Escherichia coli is still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of 17β-estrogen in E. coli adhesion on human vaginal epithelial cells. The vaginal epithelial cell line VK2/E6E7 was used to study the molecular events induced by estrogen between E. coli and cells. An adhesion study was performed to evaluate the involvement of the estrogen-dependent focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation with cell adhesion. The phosphorylation status of FAK and estrogen receptor α (ERα) upon estrogen challenge was assessed by Western blotting. Specific inhibitors for ERα were used to validate the involvement of ERα-FAK signaling cascade. The results showed that, following stimulation with 1,000 nM estrogen for 48 h, transient activation of ERα and FAK was observed, as was an increased average number of E. coli cells adhering to vaginal epithelial cells. In addition, estrogen-induced activation of ERα and FAK was inhibited by the specific inhibitor of ERα, especially when the inhibitor reached a 10 μM concentration and acted for 1 h, and a decrease in the number of adherent E. coli cells was observed simultaneously. However, this inhibitory effect diminished as the concentration of estrogen increased. In conclusion, FAK and ERα signaling cascades were associated with the increasing E. coli adherence to vaginal epithelial cells, which was promoted by a certain concentration of estrogen.
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Watts K, Richardson WJ. Effects of Sex and 17 β-Estradiol on Cardiac Fibroblast Morphology and Signaling Activities In Vitro. Cells 2021; 10:2564. [PMID: 34685546 PMCID: PMC8533711 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated estrogen's cardioprotective abilities in decreasing the fibrotic response of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). However, the majority of these studies are not sex-specific, and those at the cellular level utilize tissue culture plastic, a substrate with a much higher stiffness than physiological conditions. Understanding the intrinsic differences between male and female CFs under more physiologically "healthy" conditions will help to elucidate the divergences in their complex signaling networks. We aimed to do this by conducting a sex-disaggregated analysis of changes in cellular morphology and relative levels of profibrotic signaling proteins in CFs cultured on 8 kPa stiffness plates with and without 17 β-estradiol (E2). Cyclic immunofluorescent analysis indicated that there was a negligible change in cellular morphology due to sex and E2 treatment and that the differences between male and female CFs occur at a biochemical rather than structural level. Several proteins corresponding to profibrotic activity had various sex-specific responses with and without E2 treatment. Single-cell correlation analysis exhibited varied protein-protein interaction across experimental conditions. These findings demonstrate the need for further research into the dimorphisms of male and female CFs to develop better tailored sex-informed prevention and treatment interventions of cardiac fibrosis.
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Dissecting the Inorganic Nanoparticle-Driven Interferences on Adhesome Dynamics. JOURNAL OF NANOTHERANOSTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jnt2030011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Inorganic nanoparticles have emerged as an attractive theranostic tool applied to different pathologies such as cancer. However, the increment in inorganic nanoparticle application in biomedicine has prompted the scientific community to assess their potential toxicities, often preventing them from entering clinical settings. Cytoskeleton network and the related adhesomes nest are present in most cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, and cell death. The nanoparticle treatment can interfere with the cytoskeleton and adhesome dynamics, thus inflicting cellular damage. Therefore, it is crucial dissecting the molecular mechanisms involved in nanoparticle cytotoxicity. This review will briefly address the main characteristics of different adhesion structures and focus on the most relevant effects of inorganic nanoparticles with biomedical potential on cellular adhesome dynamics. Besides, the review put into perspective the use of inorganic nanoparticles for cytoskeleton targeting or study as a versatile tool. The dissection of the molecular mechanisms involved in the nanoparticle-driven interference of adhesome dynamics will facilitate the future development of nanotheranostics targeting cytoskeleton and adhesomes to tackle several diseases, such as cancer.
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miR-138-5p induces aggressive traits by targeting Trp53 expression in murine melanoma cells, and correlates with poor prognosis of melanoma patients. Neoplasia 2021; 23:823-834. [PMID: 34246986 PMCID: PMC8274245 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2021.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Deregulation of miRNAs contributes to the development of distinct cancer types, including melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer characterized by high metastatic potential and poor prognosis. The expression of a set of 580 miRNAs was investigated in a model of murine melanoma progression, comprising non-metastatic (4C11-) and metastatic melanoma (4C11+) cells. A significant increase in miR-138-5p expression was found in the metastatic 4C11+ melanoma cells compared to 4C11-, which prompted us to investigate its role in melanoma aggressiveness. Functional assays, including anoikis resistance, colony formation, collective migration, serum-deprived growth capacity, as well as in vivo tumor growth and experimental metastasis were performed in 4C11- cells stably overexpressing miR-138-5p. miR-138-5p induced an aggressive phenotype in mouse melanoma cell lines leading to increased proliferation, migration and cell viability under stress conditions. Moreover, by overexpressing miR-138-5p, low-growing and non-metastatic 4C11- cells became highly proliferative and metastatic in vivo, similar to the metastatic 4C11+ cells. Luciferase reporter analysis identified the tumor suppressor Trp53 as a direct target of miR-138-5p. Using data sets from independent melanoma cohorts, miR-138-5p and P53 expression were also found deregulated in human melanoma samples, with their levels negatively and positively correlated with prognosis, respectively. Our data shows that the overexpression of miR-138-5p contributes to melanoma metastasis through the direct suppression of Trp53.
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Mansoori H, Darbeheshti F, Daraei A, Mokhtari M, Tabei MB, Abdollahzadeh R, Dastsooz H, Bastami M, Nariman-Saleh-Fam Z, Salmani H, Mansoori Y, Tahmasebi S. Expression signature of lncRNA APTR in clinicopathology of breast cancer: Its potential oncogenic function in dysregulation of ErbB signaling pathway. GENE REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2021.101116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Timbrell S, Aglan H, Cramer A, Foden P, Weaver D, Pachter J, Kilgallon A, Clarke RB, Farnie G, Bundred NJ. FAK inhibition alone or in combination with adjuvant therapies reduces cancer stem cell activity. NPJ Breast Cancer 2021; 7:65. [PMID: 34050172 PMCID: PMC8163772 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-021-00263-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem-like cells (CSC) contribute to therapy resistance and recurrence. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) has a role in CSC regulation. We determined the effect of FAK inhibition on breast CSC activity alone and in combination with adjuvant therapies. FAK inhibition reduced CSC activity and self-renewal across all molecular subtypes in primary human breast cancer samples. Combined FAK and paclitaxel reduced self-renewal in triple negative cell lines. An invasive breast cancer cohort confirmed high FAK expression correlated with increased risk of recurrence and reduced survival. Co-expression of FAK and CSC markers was associated with the poorest prognosis, identifying a high-risk patient population. Combined FAK and paclitaxel treatment reduced tumour size, Ki67, ex-vivo mammospheres and ALDH+ expression in two triple negative patient derived Xenograft (PDX) models. Combined treatment reduced tumour initiation in a limiting dilution re-implantation PDX model. Combined FAK inhibition with adjuvant therapy has the potential to improve breast cancer survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Timbrell
- Breast Biology Group, Manchester Breast Centre, Oglesby Cancer Research Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Cancer Stem Cell Research, Oglesby Cancer Research Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Hosam Aglan
- Breast Biology Group, Manchester Breast Centre, Oglesby Cancer Research Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Cancer Stem Cell Research, Oglesby Cancer Research Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Angela Cramer
- Department of Oncology Cytogenetics, The Christie Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Phil Foden
- Academic Surgery, University of Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | | | | | - Aoife Kilgallon
- Breast Biology Group, Manchester Breast Centre, Oglesby Cancer Research Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Robert B Clarke
- Breast Biology Group, Manchester Breast Centre, Oglesby Cancer Research Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Gillian Farnie
- Cancer Stem Cell Research, Oglesby Cancer Research Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Farnie Lab, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal sciences, Botnar Research Centre, NDORMS, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Nigel J Bundred
- Breast Biology Group, Manchester Breast Centre, Oglesby Cancer Research Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Academic Surgery, University of Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
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Picturing Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis Development to Unravel Molecular Players and Cellular Crosstalk. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13040910. [PMID: 33671551 PMCID: PMC7926545 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Breast cancer is a devastating disorder affecting millions of women worldwide. With improved therapeutics for the primary tumor, the appearance of metastasis has been increasing. Breast cancer frequently metastasizes to the brain, constituting a major hurdle without cure and with a poor survival. It is imperative to better understand the mechanisms involved in malignant cell transposition of the brain microvasculature and parenchymal colonization by deciphering the alterations occurring in the tumor and microvascular cells, as well as the occurrence of intercellular communication during the process. We aimed to profile the process of the formation of breast cancer brain metastasis and the timeline of events governing it. We used a specific mouse model of the disease to perform extensive microscopic analyses. We identified phenotypic changes and the activation of relevant molecular players in tumorigenesis, together with vascular alterations, and the occurrence of crosstalk. Our findings unravel putative therapeutic targets to tackle breast cancer brain metastasis. Abstract With breast cancer (BC) therapy improvements, the appearance of brain metastases has been increasing, representing a life-threatening condition. Brain metastasis formation involves BC cell (BCC) extravasation across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and brain colonization by unclear mechanisms. We aimed to disclose the actors involved in BC brain metastasis formation, focusing on BCCs’ phenotype, growth factor expression, and signaling pathway activation, correlating with BBB alterations and intercellular communication. Hippocampi of female mice inoculated with 4T1 BCCs were examined over time by hematoxylin-eosin, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Well-established metastases were observed at seven days, increasing thereafter. BCCs entering brain parenchyma presented mesenchymal, migratory, and proliferative features; however, with time, they increasingly expressed epithelial markers, reflecting a mesenchymal–epithelial transition. BCCs also expressed platelet-derived growth factor-B, β4 integrin, and focal adhesion kinase, suggesting autocrine and/or paracrine regulation with adhesion signaling activation, while balance between Rac1 and RhoA was associated with the motility status. Intercellular communication via gap junctions was clear among BCCs, and between BCCs and endothelial cells. Thrombin accumulation, junctional protein impairment, and vesicular proteins increase reflect BBB alterations related with extravasation. Expression of plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein was increased in BCCs, along with augmented vascularization, whereas pericyte contraction indicated mural cells’ activation. Our results provide further understanding of BC brain metastasis formation, disclosing potential therapeutic targets.
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Rigiracciolo DC, Cirillo F, Talia M, Muglia L, Gutkind JS, Maggiolini M, Lappano R. Focal Adhesion Kinase Fine Tunes Multifaced Signals toward Breast Cancer Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:645. [PMID: 33562737 PMCID: PMC7915897 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer represents the most common diagnosed malignancy and the main leading cause of tumor-related death among women worldwide. Therefore, several efforts have been made in order to identify valuable molecular biomarkers for the prognosis and prediction of therapeutic responses in breast tumor patients. In this context, emerging discoveries have indicated that focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, might represent a promising target involved in breast tumorigenesis. Of note, high FAK expression and activity have been tightly correlated with a poor clinical outcome and metastatic features in several tumors, including breast cancer. Recently, a role for the integrin-FAK signaling in mechanotransduction has been suggested and the function of FAK within the breast tumor microenvironment has been ascertained toward tumor angiogenesis and vascular permeability. FAK has been also involved in cancer stem cells (CSCs)-mediated initiation, maintenance and therapeutic responses of breast tumors. In addition, the potential of FAK to elicit breast tumor-promoting effects has been even associated with the capability to modulate immune responses. On the basis of these findings, several agents targeting FAK have been exploited in diverse preclinical tumor models. Here, we recapitulate the multifaceted action exerted by FAK and its prognostic significance in breast cancer. Moreover, we highlight the recent clinical evidence regarding the usefulness of FAK inhibitors in the treatment of breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damiano Cosimo Rigiracciolo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (F.C.); (M.T.); (L.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Francesca Cirillo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (F.C.); (M.T.); (L.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Marianna Talia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (F.C.); (M.T.); (L.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Lucia Muglia
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (F.C.); (M.T.); (L.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Jorge Silvio Gutkind
- Department of Pharmacology, Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (F.C.); (M.T.); (L.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Rosamaria Lappano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (F.C.); (M.T.); (L.M.); (R.L.)
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Boscaro C, Trenti A, Baggio C, Scapin C, Trevisi L, Cignarella A, Bolego C. Sex Differences in the Pro-Angiogenic Response of Human Endothelial Cells: Focus on PFKFB3 and FAK Activation. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:587221. [PMID: 33390959 PMCID: PMC7773665 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.587221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Female hormones and sex-specific factors are established determinants of endothelial function, yet their relative contribution to human endothelium phenotypes has not been defined. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) genotyped by donor's sex, we investigated the influence of sex and estrogenic agents on the main steps of the angiogenic process and on key proteins governing HUVEC metabolism and migratory properties. HUVECs from female donors (fHUVECs) showed increased viability (p < 0.01) and growth rate (p < 0.01) compared with those from males (mHUVECs). Despite higher levels of G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in fHUVECs (p < 0.001), treatment with 17β-estradiol (E2) and the selective GPER agonist G1 (both 1-100 nM) did not affect HUVEC viability. Migration and tubularization in vitro under physiological conditions were higher in fHUVECs than in mHUVECs (p < 0.05). E2 treatment (1-100 nM) upregulated the glycolytic activator PFKFB3 with higher potency in fHUVECs than in mHUVECs, despite comparable baseline levels. Moreover, Y576/577 phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was markedly enhanced in fHUVECs (p < 0.001), despite comparable Src activation levels. While the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (25 µM) inhibited HUVEC migration (p < 0.05), Akt phosphorylation levels in fHUVECs and mHUVECs were comparable. Finally, digitoxin treatment, which inhibits Y576/577 FAK phosphorylation, abolished sexual dimorphism in HUVEC migration. These findings unravel complementary modulation of HUVEC functional phenotypes and signaling molecules involved in angiogenesis by hormone microenvironment and sex-specific factors, and highlight the need for sex-oriented pharmacological targeting of endothelial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Boscaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Baggio
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Scapin
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Lucia Trevisi
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Bolego
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Qiao W, Wang W, Liu H, Guo W, Li P, Deng M. Prognostic and clinical significance of focal adhesion kinase expression in breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100835. [PMID: 32702646 PMCID: PMC7378698 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The prognostic significance of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in breast cancer remains controversial. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis to explore the prognostic value of FAK expression in breast cancer. Materials and methods Possible prognostic significance of protein or mRNA expression of FAK in breast cancer was investigated with searches of electronic databases for relevant publications. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted from eligible studies. Results A total of eight eligible studies which included 2604 participants were analyzed in this meta-analysis. Increased expression of FAK protein was found to significantly correlate with shorter overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.12–1.83; P = 0.004), and not with disease-free survival (HR = 1.31, 95% CI: 0.92–1.85; P = 0.14). Elevated FAK protein expression was also associated with negative estrogen receptor (ER) expression (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.06–1.68; P = 0.01), negative progesterone receptor (PR) expression (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.22–1.93; P < 0.001), positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.28–2.09; P < 0.001), triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.14–2.17; P = 0.006), high nuclear grade (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.05–2.78; P = 0.03), high Ki-67 expression level (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.94–4.24; P < 0.001), and positive p53 status (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.58–3.29; P < 0.001). Conclusion Our meta-analysis identifies an association between increased FAK protein expression and worse OS among breast cancer patients. Moreover, enhanced FAK expression is associated with negative ER expression, negative PR expression, positive HER2 expression, TNBC, high nuclear grade, high Ki-67 expression level, and positive p53 status in breast carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqiang Qiao
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Wenhui Wang
- Department of Oncology, Zhengzhou People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450000, China
| | - Heyang Liu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Wanying Guo
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China
| | - Miao Deng
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471003, China.
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Treeck O, Schüler-Toprak S, Ortmann O. Estrogen Actions in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cells 2020; 9:cells9112358. [PMID: 33114740 PMCID: PMC7692567 DOI: 10.3390/cells9112358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks estrogen receptor (ER) α, but the expression of estrogen receptors ERβ and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER-1) is able to trigger estrogen-responsivity in TNBC. Estrogen signaling in TNBC can also be activated and modulated by the constitutively active estrogen-related receptors (ERRs). In this review article, we discuss the role of ERβ and GPER-1 as mediators of E2 action in TNBC as well as the function of ERRs as activators and modulators of estrogen signaling in this cancer entity. For this purpose, original research articles on estrogen actions in TNBC were considered, which are listed in the PubMed database. Additionally, we performed meta-analyses of publicly accessible integrated gene expression and survival data to elucidate the association of ERβ, GPER-1, and ERR expression levels in TNBC with survival. Finally, options for endocrine therapy strategies for TNBC were discussed.
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Al-Khafaji K, Taskin Tok T. Molecular dynamics simulation, free energy landscape and binding free energy computations in exploration the anti-invasive activity of amygdalin against metastasis. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2020; 195:105660. [PMID: 32726718 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2020.105660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Historically, amygdalin has been used as alternative medicine or in vitro and in vivo studies, but no single study exists which discusses the structural mechanism of amygdalin at a molecular level. This paper inquiries into the inhibitory actions of amygdalin on the selected targets: AKT1, FAK, and ILK, which are regulators for various mediated signaling pathways, and are associated with cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation. In order to get details at the molecular level of amygdalin's inhibitory activities against chosen proteins, molecular modeling and simulation techniques including double docking, molecular dynamics simulation, free energy landscape analysis, and binding free energy calculation were exerted. METHODS To get molecular level details of amygdalin inhibitory effects against the relevant proteins; here the utilized tools are the following: the double docking, molecular dynamics simulation, free energy landscape analysis, g_mmpbsa, and interaction entropy were used to evaluate the inhibitory activity against targeted proteins. RESULTS The computational calculations revealed that amygdalin inhibits the selected targets via block the ATP-binding pocket of AKT1, FAK, and ILK by forming stable hydrogen bonds. Moreover, free energy landscape, FEL exposed that amygdalin stabilized the global conformations of both FAK and ILK proteins to the minimum global energy besides it reduced the essential dynamics of FAK and ILK proteins. MMPBSA computations provided further evidence for amygdalin's stability inside the ATP-binding pocket of AKT1, FAK, and ILK with a binding free energy of 45.067, -13.033, 13.109 kJ/mol, respectively. The binding free energies are lastly consistent with the hydrogen bonding and pairs within 0.35 nm results. The decomposition of binding energy shows the pivotal amino acid residues responsible for the stability of amygdalin's interactions inside the ATP-binding sites by forming hydrogen bonds. CONCLUSIONS Before this work, it was enigmatic to make predictions about how amygdalin inhibits metastasis of cancer. But the computational results contribute in several ways to our understanding of amygdalin activity and provide a basic insight into the activity of amygdalin as a multi-target drug in the metastasis and invasion of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khattab Al-Khafaji
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Gaziantep University, 27310 Gaziantep, Turkey
| | - Tugba Taskin Tok
- Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Gaziantep University, 27310 Gaziantep, Turkey; Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Gaziantep University, 27310 Gaziantep, Turkey.
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