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Jacenik D. Tumor microenvironment and immune response: A gateway to novel therapies in gastrointestinal cancers. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167203. [PMID: 38688415 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Damian Jacenik
- University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Cytobiochemistry, Lodz, Poland.
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2
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Jacenik D, Lebish EJ, Beswick EJ. MK2 drives progression of pancreas and colon cancers by suppressing CD8 + T cell cytotoxic function and is a potential immunotherapy target. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1212100. [PMID: 37415974 PMCID: PMC10321668 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1212100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Immune cell composition is a critical and dynamic component of the tumor microenvironment, which has an impact on immunosuppression and progression of cancer. T cells, especially CD8+ T cells, are one of the major immune cell types responsible for tumor cell killing employing receptor-ligand mediated apoptosis and/or releasing lytic granules among others. Accumulating evidence highlighted that adoptive transfer of activated and/or modified immune cells can enhance anti-tumorigenic immune responses and serve as promising therapy approach for patients with cancers. The mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) is a serine/threonine protein kinase, which controls production and secretion of numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines involved in tumorigenesis. However, limited efforts have been made to learn how MK2 may affects CD8+ T cell action and function in the tumor microenvironment especially in gastrointestinal cancers. Methods To explore the therapeutic potential of MK2 in the immune response mediated by CD8+ T cells, RAG1 knockout mice with PK5L1940 and BRAF cells-derived allograft tumors were treated with WT or MK2 knockout CD8+ T cells. The phenotype of CD8+ T cells with MK2 depletion were evaluated in vitro. Immunofluorescence staining, real-time PCR and multiplex analysis were utilized to estimate the expression of apoptotic and lytic factors. Results Here, we show that CD8+ T cells with MK2 depletion prevent gastrointestinal cancer growth, which is accompanied by enhanced expression and secretion of factors related to apoptosis. Moreover, using in vitro and in vivo approaches, we found that depletion of MK2 lead to hyperactivation of CD8+ T cells and enhanced anti-tumor immunity. Conclusion Overall, we documented that MK2 drives the progression of gastrointestinal cancers and prevents immune response generated by CD8+ T cells suggesting potential implications of MK2 in the immunotherapy of gastrointestinal cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian Jacenik
- Department of Cytobiochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Eric J. Lebish
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Ellen J. Beswick
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Zhou Y, Oki R, Tanaka A, Song L, Takashima A, Hamada N, Yokoyama S, Yano S, Sakurai H. Cellular stress induces non-canonical activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 through the p38-MK2-RSK signaling pathway. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104699. [PMID: 37059179 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104699] [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: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 is overexpressed in malignant tumors. We previously reported that non-canonical EphA2 phosphorylation at Ser-897 was catalyzed by p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) via the MEK-ERK pathway in ligand- and tyrosine kinase-independent manners. Non-canonical EphA2 activation plays a key role in tumor progression; however, its activation mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we focused on cellular stress signaling as a novel inducer of non-canonical EphA2 activation. p38, instead of ERK in the case of epidermal growth factor signaling, activated RSK-EphA2 under cellular stress conditions, including anisomycin, cisplatin and high osmotic stress. Notably, p38 activated the RSK-EphA2 axis via downstream MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2). Furthermore, MK2 directly phosphorylated both RSK1 Ser-380 and RSK2 Ser-386, critical residues for the activation of their N-terminal kinases, which is consistent with the result showing that the C-terminal kinase domain of RSK1 was dispensable for MK2-mediated EphA2 phosphorylation. Moreover, the p38-MK2-RSK-EphA2 axis promoted glioblastoma cell migration induced by temozolomide, a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of glioblastoma patients. Collectively, the present results reveal a novel molecular mechanism for non-canonical EphA2 activation under stress conditions in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhou
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Ryota Oki
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Akihiro Tanaka
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Leixin Song
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Atsushi Takashima
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Naru Hamada
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Satoru Yokoyama
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Seiji Yano
- Division of Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Takara-Machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0934, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Sakurai
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
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4
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Kapoor S, Padwad YS. Phloretin induces G2/M arrest and apoptosis by suppressing the β-catenin signaling pathway in colorectal carcinoma cells. Apoptosis 2023; 28:810-829. [PMID: 36884140 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-023-01826-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer, causing a significant mortality worldwide. Present available therapies are surgery, chemotherapy including radiotherapy, and these are known to be associated with heavy side effects. Therefore, nutritional intervention in the form of natural polyphenols has been well recognised to prevent CRC. Phloretin, a known dihydrochalcone is present in apple, pear and strawberry. This has been proven to induce apoptosis in cancer cells and also exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, thus can be explored as a potential anticancer nutraceutical agent. This study demonstrated phloretin's significant in vitro anticancer activity against CRC. Phloretin suppressed cell proliferation, colony forming ability and cellular migration in human colorectal cancer HCT-116 and SW-480 cells. Results also revealed that phloretin generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) which provoked depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and further contributed to cytotoxicity in colon cancer cells. Phloretin also modulated the cell cycle regulators including cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and halted cell cycle at G2/M phase. Moreover, it also induced apoptosis by regulating the expression of Bax and BCl-2. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is inactivated by phloretin by targeting the downstream oncogenes namely CyclinD1, c-Myc and Survivin which are involved in the proliferation and apoptosis of colon cancer cells. In our study we showed that lithium chloride (LiCl) induced the expression of β-catenin and its target genes and the co-treatment of phloretin circumvent its effect and downregulated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In conclusion, our results strongly suggested that phloretin can be utilized as a nutraceutical anticancer agent for combating CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Kapoor
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Lab, Dietetics & Nutrition Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Himachal Pradesh, Palampur, 176 061, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Yogendra S Padwad
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Lab, Dietetics & Nutrition Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Himachal Pradesh, Palampur, 176 061, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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MAPKAPK2-centric transcriptome profiling reveals its major role in governing molecular crosstalk of IGFBP2, MUC4, and PRKAR2B during HNSCC pathogenesis. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:1292-1311. [PMID: 36817960 PMCID: PMC9929207 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptome analysis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has been pivotal to comprehending the convoluted biology of HNSCC tumors. MAPKAPK2 or MK2 is a critical modulator of the mRNA turnover of crucial genes involved in HNSCC progression. However, MK2-centric transcriptome profiles of tumors are not well known. This study delves into HNSCC progression with MK2 at the nexus to delineate the biological relevance and intricate crosstalk of MK2 in the tumor milieu. We performed next-generation sequencing-based transcriptome profiling of HNSCC cells and xenograft tumors to ascertain mRNA expression profiles in MK2-wild type and MK2-knockdown conditions. The findings were validated using gene expression assays, immunohistochemistry, and transcript turnover studies. Here, we identified a pool of crucial MK2-regulated candidate genes by annotation and differential gene expression analyses. Regulatory network and pathway enrichment revealed their significance and involvement in the HNSCC pathogenesis. Additionally, 3'-UTR-based filtering recognized important MK2-regulated downstream target genes and validated them by nCounter gene expression assays. Finally, immunohistochemistry and transcript stability studies revealed the putative role of MK2 in regulating the transcript turnover of IGFBP2, MUC4, and PRKAR2B in HNSCC. Conclusively, MK2-regulated candidate genes were identified in this study, and their plausible involvement in HNSCC pathogenesis was elucidated. These genes possess investigative values as targets for diagnosis and therapeutic interventions for HNSCC.
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Key Words
- 3'-UTR
- 3′-UTR, 3′-untranslated region
- AREs, Adenylate-uridylate-rich element(s)
- ATCC, American Type Culture Collection
- ActD, Actinomycin D
- CISBP, Catalog of Inferred Sequence Binding Preferences
- Ct, Cycle Threshold
- DAP3, Death associated protein 3
- DEGs, Differentially expressed gene(s)
- Differentially expressed genes
- EHBP1, EH domain binding protein 1
- FC, Fold change
- FDR, False discovery rate
- FPKM, Fragments per kilobase of transcript per million mapped
- GFP, Green fluorescent protein
- GO, Gene Ontology
- HKG, House-keeping genes
- HNSCC
- HNSCCs, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(s)
- HQ, High quality
- IAEC, Institutional animal ethics committee
- IFN, Interferon
- IGFBP2, Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2
- IHC, Immunohistochemistry
- IP6K2, Inositol hexakisphosphate kinase 2
- KD, Knockdown
- KEGG, Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomics
- MAPK, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase
- MAPKAPK2
- MAPKAPK2 or MK2, Mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2
- MELK, Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase
- MK2KD, MK2-knockdown
- MK2WT, MK2 wild-type
- MKP-1, Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1
- MUC4, Mucin 4
- NGS, Next generation sequencing
- NOD/SCID, Non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient
- PRKAR2B, Protein kinase CAMP-dependent type II regulatory subunit beta
- QC, Quality control
- RBPs, RNA-binding protein(s)
- RIN, RNA integrity number
- RNA-seq, Ribose Nucleic Acid -sequencing
- RNA-sequencing
- RT-qPCR, Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction
- RUNX1, Runt-related transcription factor 1
- SLF2, SMC5-SMC6 complex localization factor 2
- TCGA, The cancer genome atlas
- TNF-α, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha
- TTP, Tristetraprolin
- Transcriptome
- VEGF, Vascular endothelial growth factor
- WB, Western blotting
- WT, Wild type
- ZNF662, Zinc finger protein 662
- p27, Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B
- shRNA, Short hairpin RNA
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Gleason AC, Ghadge G, Sonobe Y, Roos RP. Kozak Similarity Score Algorithm Identifies Alternative Translation Initiation Codons Implicated in Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810564. [PMID: 36142475 PMCID: PMC9506484 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribosome profiling and mass spectroscopy have identified canonical and noncanonical translation initiation codons (TICs) that are upstream of the main translation initiation site and used to translate oncogenic proteins. There have previously been conflicting reports about the patterns of nucleotides that surround noncanonical TICs. Here, we use a Kozak Similarity Score algorithm to find that nearly all of these TICs have flanking nucleotides closely matching the Kozak sequence. Remarkably, the nucleotides flanking alternative noncanonical TICs are frequently closer to the Kozak sequence than the nucleotides flanking TICs used to translate the gene’s main protein. Of note, the 5′ untranslated region (5‘UTR) of cancer-associated genes with an upstream TIC tend to be significantly longer than the same region in genes not associated with cancer. The presence of a longer-than-typical 5′UTR increases the likelihood of ribosome binding to upstream noncanonical TICs, and may be a distinguishing feature of a number of genes overexpressed in cancer. Noncanonical TICs that are located in the 5′UTR, although thought by some to be disadvantageous and suppressed by evolution, may translate oncogenic proteins because of their flanking nucleotides.
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Adamia S, Bhatt S, Wen K, Chyra Z, Fell GG, Tai YT, Pioso MS, Abiatari I, Letai A, Dorfman DM, Hideshima T, Anderson KC. Combination therapy targeting Erk1/2 and CDK4/6i in relapsed refractory multiple myeloma. Leukemia 2022; 36:1088-1101. [PMID: 35082402 PMCID: PMC8979823 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01475-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Oncogenic activated RAS mutations have been detected in 50% of de novo and 70% of relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Translocation t(11;14) involving IgH/CCDN1 and overexpression of cyclin-Ds are early events in MM pathogenesis, enhancing uncontrolled MM cell growth. We hypothesized that targeting both RAS/MAPK pathway molecules including Erk1/2 along with cyclin-Ds enhances MM cytotoxicity and minimizes side effects. Recent studies have demonstrated the high potency of Erk1/2 and CDK4/6 inhibitors in metastatic relapsed cancers, and here we tested anti-MM effects of the Erk1/2 + CDK4/6 inhibitor combination. Our studies showed strong synergistic (IC < 0.5) cytotoxicity of Erk1/2i + CDK4/6i in MM-cells. Erk1/2i + CDK4/6i treatment in a dose-dependent manner arrested MM-cells in the G0/G1 phase and activated mitochondrial apoptotic signaling. Our studies showed that Erk1/2i + CDK4/6i treatment-induced inhibition of key target molecules in Erk1/2 and CDK4/6 signaling, such as c-myc, p-RSK, p-S6, p-RB, and E2F1, suggesting on-target activity of these inhibitors. We identified Erk1/2i + CDK4/6i treatment associated five-gene signature which includes SNRPB and SLC25A5; these genes are involved in RNA processing and mitochondrial metabolism, respectively. Overall, our studies provide the preclinical framework for Erk1/2i + CDK4/6i combination clinical trials to target Ras+CDK pathways to improve patient outcome in MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Adamia
- Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Shruti Bhatt
- Dana-FArber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.,Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117559, Singapore
| | - Kenneth Wen
- Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Zuzana Chyra
- Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Geoffrey G Fell
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Data science, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yu-Tzu Tai
- Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Marisa S Pioso
- Dana-FArber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Ivane Abiatari
- Ilia State University, School of Medicine, Tbilisi, G409, Georgia
| | - Anthony Letai
- Dana-FArber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - David M Dorfman
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Teru Hideshima
- Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Kenneth C Anderson
- Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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Dey S, Singh AK, Singh AK, Rawat K, Banerjee J, Agnihotri V, Upadhaya D. Critical pathways of oral squamous cell carcinoma: molecular biomarker and therapeutic intervention. Med Oncol 2022; 39:30. [DOI: 10.1007/s12032-021-01633-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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9
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Morgan D, Berggren KL, Spiess CD, Smith HM, Tejwani A, Weir SJ, Lominska CE, Thomas SM, Gan GN. Mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-2 (MK2) and its role in cell survival, inflammatory signaling, and migration in promoting cancer. Mol Carcinog 2021; 61:173-199. [PMID: 34559922 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cancer and the immune system share an intimate relationship. Chronic inflammation increases the risk of cancer occurrence and can also drive inflammatory mediators into the tumor microenvironment enhancing tumor growth and survival. The p38 MAPK pathway is activated both acutely and chronically by stress, inflammatory chemokines, chronic inflammatory conditions, and cancer. These properties have led to extensive efforts to find effective drugs targeting p38, which have been unsuccessful. The immediate downstream serine/threonine kinase and substrate of p38 MAPK, mitogen-activated-protein-kinase-activated-protein-kinase-2 (MK2) protects cells against stressors by regulating the DNA damage response, transcription, protein and messenger RNA stability, and motility. The phosphorylation of downstream substrates by MK2 increases inflammatory cytokine production, drives an immune response, and contributes to wound healing. By binding directly to p38 MAPK, MK2 is responsible for the export of p38 MAPK from the nucleus which gives MK2 properties that make it unique among the large number of p38 MAPK substrates. Many of the substrates of both p38 MAPK and MK2 are separated between the cytosol and nucleus and interfering with MK2 and altering this intracellular translocation has implications for the actions of both p38 MAPK and MK2. The inhibition of MK2 has shown promise in combination with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy as a method for controlling cancer growth and metastasis in a variety of cancers. Whereas the current data are encouraging the field requires the development of selective and well tolerated drugs to target MK2 and a better understanding of its effects for effective clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deri Morgan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Kiersten L Berggren
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Section of Radiation Oncology, UNM School of Medicine, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Colby D Spiess
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Hannah M Smith
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Ajay Tejwani
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Scott J Weir
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Christopher E Lominska
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Sufi M Thomas
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA.,Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Gregory N Gan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
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Lu Y, Yan Y, Li B, Liu M, Liang Y, Ye Y, Cheng W, Li J, Jiao J, Chang S. A Novel Prognostic Model for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The Functions and Prognostic Values of RNA-Binding Proteins. Front Oncol 2021; 11:592614. [PMID: 34395233 PMCID: PMC8362834 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.592614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The biological roles and clinical significance of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are not fully understood. We investigated the prognostic value of RBPs in OSCC using several bioinformatic strategies. MATERIALS AND METHODS OSCC data were obtained from a public online database, the Limma R package was used to identify differentially expressed RBPs, and functional enrichment analysis was performed to elucidate the biological functions of the above RBPs in OSCC. We performed protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and Cox regression analyses to extract prognosis-related hub RBPs. Next, we established and validated a prognostic model based on the hub RBPs using Cox regression and risk score analyses. RESULTS We found that the differentially expressed RBPs were closely related to the defense response to viruses and multiple RNA processes. We identified 10 prognosis-related hub RBPs (ZC3H12D, OAS2, INTS10, ACO1, PCBP4, RNASE3, PTGES3L-AARSD1, RNASE13, DDX4, and PCF11) and effectively predicted the overall survival of OSCC patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of the risk score model was 0.781, suggesting that our model exhibited excellent prognostic performance. Finally, we built a nomogram integrating the 10 RBPs. The internal validation cohort results showed a reliable predictive capability of the nomogram for OSCC. CONCLUSION We established a novel 10-RBP-based model for OSCC that could enable precise individual treatment and follow-up management strategies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjuan Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongcong Yan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bowen Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mo Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yancan Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- RNA Biomedical Institute, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yushan Ye
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiqi Cheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinsong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiuyang Jiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaohai Chang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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11
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Pancione M, Cerulo L, Remo A, Giordano G, Gutierrez-Uzquiza Á, Bragado P, Porras A. Centrosome Dynamics and Its Role in Inflammatory Response and Metastatic Process. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050629. [PMID: 33922633 PMCID: PMC8146599 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is a process by which cancer cells escape from the location of the primary tumor invading normal tissues at distant organs. Chromosomal instability (CIN) is a hallmark of human cancer, associated with metastasis and therapeutic resistance. The centrosome plays a major role in organizing the microtubule cytoskeleton in animal cells regulating cellular architecture and cell division. Loss of centrosome integrity activates the p38-p53-p21 pathway, which results in cell-cycle arrest or senescence and acts as a cell-cycle checkpoint pathway. Structural and numerical centrosome abnormalities can lead to aneuploidy and CIN. New findings derived from studies on cancer and rare genetic disorders suggest that centrosome dysfunction alters the cellular microenvironment through Rho GTPases, p38, and JNK (c-Jun N-terminal Kinase)-dependent signaling in a way that is favorable for pro-invasive secretory phenotypes and aneuploidy tolerance. We here review recent data on how centrosomes act as complex molecular platforms for Rho GTPases and p38 MAPK (Mitogen activated kinase) signaling at the crossroads of CIN, cytoskeleton remodeling, and immune evasion via both cell-autonomous and non-autonomous mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Pancione
- Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0824305116
| | - Luigi Cerulo
- Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy;
| | - Andrea Remo
- Pathology Unit, Mater Salutis Hospital AULSS9, “Scaligera”, 37122 Verona, Italy;
| | - Guido Giordano
- Department of Medical Oncology Unit, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy;
| | - Álvaro Gutierrez-Uzquiza
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (Á.G.-U.); (P.B.); (A.P.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Bragado
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (Á.G.-U.); (P.B.); (A.P.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Almudena Porras
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (Á.G.-U.); (P.B.); (A.P.)
- Health Research Institute of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Atypical p38 Signaling, Activation, and Implications for Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22084183. [PMID: 33920735 PMCID: PMC8073329 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 is an essential family of kinases, regulating responses to environmental stress and inflammation. There is an ever-increasing plethora of physiological and pathophysiological conditions attributed to p38 activity, ranging from cell division and embryonic development to the control of a multitude of diseases including retinal, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Despite the decades of intense investigation, a viable therapeutic approach to disrupt p38 signaling remains elusive. A growing body of evidence supports the pathological significance of an understudied atypical p38 signaling pathway. Atypical p38 signaling is driven by a direct interaction between the adaptor protein TAB1 and p38α, driving p38 autophosphorylation independent from the classical MKK3 and MKK6 pathways. Unlike the classical MKK3/6 signaling pathway, atypical signaling is selective for just p38α, and at present has only been characterized during pathophysiological stimulation. Recent studies have linked atypical signaling to dermal and vascular inflammation, myocardial ischemia, cancer metastasis, diabetes, complications during pregnancy, and bacterial and viral infections. Additional studies are required to fully understand how, when, where, and why atypical p38 signaling is induced. Furthermore, the development of selective TAB1-p38 inhibitors represents an exciting new opportunity to selectively inhibit pathological p38 signaling in a wide array of diseases.
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13
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Sacconi A, Donzelli S, Pulito C, Ferrero S, Spinella F, Morrone A, Rigoni M, Pimpinelli F, Ensoli F, Sanguineti G, Pellini R, Agrawal N, Izumchenko E, Ciliberto G, Giannì A, Muti P, Strano S, Blandino G. TMPRSS2, a SARS-CoV-2 internalization protease is downregulated in head and neck cancer patients. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2020; 39:200. [PMID: 32967703 PMCID: PMC7510014 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01708-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background SARS-coronavirus-2 enters host cells through binding of the Spike protein to ACE2 receptor and subsequent S priming by the TMPRSS2 protease. We aim to assess differences in both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in normal tissues from oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and lung tissues as well as neoplastic tissues from the same areas. Methods The study has been conducted using the TCGA and the Regina Elena Institute databases and validated by experimental model in HNSCC cells. We also included data from one COVID19 patient who went under surgery for HNSCC. Results TMPRSS2 expression in HNSCC was significantly reduced compared to the normal tissues. It was more evident in women than in men, in TP53 mutated versus wild TP53 tumors, in HPV negative patients compared to HPV positive counterparts. Functionally, we modeled the multivariate effect of TP53, HPV, and other inherent variables on TMPRSS2. All variables had a statistically significant independent effect on TMPRSS2. In particular, in tumor tissues, HPV negative, TP53 mutated status and elevated TP53-dependent Myc-target genes were associated with low TMPRSS2 expression. The further analysis of both TCGA and our institutional HNSCC datasets identified a signature anti-correlated to TMPRSS2. As proof-of-principle we also validated the anti-correlation between microRNAs and TMPRSS2 expression in a SARS-CoV-2 positive HNSCC patient tissues Finally, we did not find TMPRSS2 promoter methylation. Conclusions Collectively, these findings suggest that tumoral tissues, herein exemplified by HNSCC and lung cancers might be more resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection due to reduced expression of TMPRSS2. These observations may help to better assess the frailty of SARS-CoV-2 positive cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Sacconi
- UOSD Clinical Trial Center, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Donzelli
- Oncogenomic and Epigenetic Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Pulito
- Oncogenomic and Epigenetic Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Ferrero
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan La Statale, Milan, Italy.,Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Aldo Morrone
- Scientific Direction, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Rigoni
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan La Statale, Milan, Italy.,Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Fulvia Pimpinelli
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, San Gallicano Dermatologic Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ensoli
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology, San Gallicano Dermatologic Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sanguineti
- Radiotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Raul Pellini
- Otolaryngology Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Nishant Agrawal
- Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Evgeny Izumchenko
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Gennaro Ciliberto
- Scientific Direction, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Aldo Giannì
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan La Statale, Milan, Italy.,Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Muti
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan La Statale, Milan, Italy
| | - Sabrina Strano
- SAFU Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Blandino
- UOSD Clinical Trial Center, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
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Li Z, Liu FY, Kirkwood KL. The p38/MKP-1 signaling axis in oral cancer: Impact of tumor-associated macrophages. Oral Oncol 2020; 103:104591. [PMID: 32058294 PMCID: PMC7136140 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2020.104591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) constitute over 95% of all head and neck malignancies. As a key component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), chronic inflammation contributes towards the development, progression, and regional metastasis of OSCC. Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) associated with OSSC promote tumorigenesis through the production of cytokines and pro-inflammatory factors that are critical role in the various steps of malignant transformation, including tumor growth, survival, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) can regulate inflammation along with a wide range of cellular processes including cell metabolism, proliferation, motility, apoptosis, survival, differentiation and play a crucial role in cell growth and survival in physiological and pathological processes including innate and adaptive immune responses. Dual specificity MAPK phosphatases (MKPs) deactivates MAPKs. MKPs are considered as an important feedback control mechanism that limits MAPK signaling and subsequent target gene expression. This review outlines the role of MKP-1, the founding member of the MKP family, in OSCC and the TME. Herein, we summarize recent progress in understanding the regulation of p38 MAPK/MKP-1 signaling pathways via TAM-related immune responses in OSCC development, progression and treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenning Li
- Department of Oromaxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Oral Disease, Shenyang, China
- Department of Medical Genetics, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Fa-yu Liu
- Department of Oromaxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Oral Disease, Shenyang, China
- Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Keith L. Kirkwood
- Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Head and Neck/Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
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15
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Wang R, Liu H, Shao Y, Wang K, Yin S, Qiu Y, Wu H, Liu E, Wang T, Gao X, Yu H. Sophoridine Inhibits Human Colorectal Cancer Progression via Targeting MAPKAPK2. Mol Cancer Res 2019; 17:2469-2479. [DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-0553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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