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D'Aguanno S, Brignone M, Scalera S, Chiacchiarini M, Di Martile M, Valentini E, De Nicola F, Ricci A, Pelle F, Botti C, Maugeri-Saccà M, Del Bufalo D. Bcl-2 dependent modulation of Hippo pathway in cancer cells. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:277. [PMID: 38755629 PMCID: PMC11097437 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01647-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL are the most studied anti-apoptotic members of Bcl-2 family proteins. We previously characterized both of them, not only for their role in regulating apoptosis and resistance to therapy in cancer cells, but also for their non-canonical functions, mainly including promotion of cancer progression, metastatization, angiogenesis, and involvement in the crosstalk among cancer cells and components of the tumor microenvironment. Our goal was to identify transcriptional signature and novel cellular pathways specifically modulated by Bcl-2. METHODS We performed RNAseq analysis of siRNA-mediated transient knockdown of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL in human melanoma cells and gene ontology analysis to identify a specific Bcl-2 transcriptional signature. Expression of genes modulated by Bcl-2 and associated to Hippo pathway were validated in human melanoma, breast adenocarcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer cell lines by qRT-PCR. Western blotting analysis were performed to analyse protein expression of upstream regulators of YAP and in relation to different level of Bcl-2 protein. The effects of YAP silencing in Bcl-2 overexpressing cancer cells were evaluated in migration and cell viability assays in relation to different stiffness conditions. In vitro wound healing assays and co-cultures were used to evaluate cancer-specific Bcl-2 ability to activate fibroblasts. RESULTS We demonstrated the Bcl-2-dependent modulation of Hippo Pathway in cancer cell lines from different tumor types by acting on upstream YAP regulators. YAP inhibition abolished the ability of Bcl-2 to increase tumor cell migration and proliferation on high stiffness condition of culture, to stimulate in vitro fibroblasts migration and to induce fibroblasts activation. CONCLUSIONS We discovered that Bcl-2 regulates the Hippo pathway in different tumor types, promoting cell migration, adaptation to higher stiffness culture condition and fibroblast activation. Our data indicate that Bcl-2 inhibitors should be further investigated to counteract cancer-promoting mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona D'Aguanno
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy.
| | - Matteo Brignone
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Stefano Scalera
- Clinical Trial Center, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Martina Chiacchiarini
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Marta Di Martile
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Valentini
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | | | - Alessia Ricci
- Department of Pharmacy, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, 66100, Italy
| | - Fabio Pelle
- Department of Surgery, Division of Breast Surgery, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Claudio Botti
- Department of Surgery, Division of Breast Surgery, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Marcello Maugeri-Saccà
- Clinical Trial Center, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
| | - Donatella Del Bufalo
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, 00144, Italy
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Sosa J, Oyelakin A, Sinha S. The Reign of Follistatin in Tumors and Their Microenvironment: Implications for Drug Resistance. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:130. [PMID: 38392348 PMCID: PMC10887188 DOI: 10.3390/biology13020130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Follistatin (FST) is a potent neutralizer of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily and is associated with normal cellular programs and various hallmarks of cancer, such as proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, and immune evasion. The aberrant expression of FST by solid tumors is a well-documented observation, yet how FST influences tumor progression and therapy response remains unclear. The recent surge in omics data has revealed new insights into the molecular foundation underpinning tumor heterogeneity and its microenvironment, offering novel precision medicine-based opportunities to combat cancer. In this review, we discuss these recent FST-centric studies, thereby offering an updated perspective on the protean role of FST isoforms in shaping the complex cellular ecosystem of tumors and in mediating drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Sosa
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Akinsola Oyelakin
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
- Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Satrajit Sinha
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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Hu Y, Recouvreux MS, Haro M, Taylan E, Taylor-Harding B, Walts AE, Karlan BY, Orsulic S. INHBA(+) cancer-associated fibroblasts generate an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in ovarian cancer. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:35. [PMID: 38360876 PMCID: PMC10869703 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00523-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Effective targeting of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) is hindered by the lack of specific biomarkers and a poor understanding of the mechanisms by which different populations of CAFs contribute to cancer progression. While the role of TGFβ in CAFs is well-studied, less attention has been focused on a structurally and functionally similar protein, Activin A (encoded by INHBA). Here, we identified INHBA(+) CAFs as key players in tumor promotion and immunosuppression. Spatiotemporal analyses of patient-matched primary, metastatic, and recurrent ovarian carcinomas revealed that aggressive metastatic tumors enriched in INHBA(+) CAFs were also enriched in regulatory T cells (Tregs). In ovarian cancer mouse models, intraperitoneal injection of the Activin A neutralizing antibody attenuated tumor progression and infiltration with pro-tumorigenic subsets of myofibroblasts and macrophages. Downregulation of INHBA in human ovarian CAFs inhibited pro-tumorigenic CAF functions. Co-culture of human ovarian CAFs and T cells revealed the dependence of Treg differentiation on direct contact with INHBA(+) CAFs. Mechanistically, INHBA/recombinant Activin A in CAFs induced the autocrine expression of PD-L1 through SMAD2-dependent signaling, which promoted Treg differentiation. Collectively, our study identified an INHBA(+) subset of immunomodulatory pro-tumoral CAFs as a potential therapeutic target in advanced ovarian cancers which typically show a poor response to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Maria Sol Recouvreux
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Marcela Haro
- Women's Cancer Program, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Enes Taylan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Barbie Taylor-Harding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Ann E Walts
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Beth Y Karlan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Sandra Orsulic
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, 90073, USA.
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Oyelakin A, Sosa J, Nayak K, Glathar A, Gluck C, Sethi I, Tsompana M, Nowak N, Buck M, Romano RA, Sinha S. An integrated genomic approach identifies follistatin as a target of the p63-epidermal growth factor receptor oncogenic network in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. NAR Cancer 2023; 5:zcad038. [PMID: 37492374 PMCID: PMC10365026 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcad038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Although numerous putative oncogenes have been associated with the etiology of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the mechanisms by which these oncogenes and their downstream targets mediate tumor progression have not been fully elucidated. We performed an integrative analysis to identify a crucial set of targets of the oncogenic transcription factor p63 that are common across multiple transcriptomic datasets obtained from HNSCC patients, and representative cell line models. Notably, our analysis revealed FST which encodes follistatin, a secreted glycoprotein that inhibits the transforming growth factor TGFβ/activin signaling pathways, to be a direct transcriptional target of p63. In addition, we found that FST expression is also driven by epidermal growth factor receptor EGFR signaling, thus mediating a functional link between the TGF-β and EGFR pathways. We show through loss- and gain-of-function studies that FST predominantly imparts a tumor-growth and migratory phenotype in HNSCC cells. Furthermore, analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data from HNSCC patients unveiled cancer cells as the dominant source of FST within the tumor microenvironment and exposed a correlation between the expression of FST and its regulators with immune infiltrates. We propose FST as a prognostic biomarker for patient survival and a compelling candidate mediating the broad effects of p63 on the tumor and its associated microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinsola Oyelakin
- Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer Sosa
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kasturi Bala Nayak
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra Glathar
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Christian Gluck
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Isha Sethi
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Maria Tsompana
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Norma Nowak
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Michael Buck
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Rose-Anne Romano
- Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Satrajit Sinha
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Korzun T, Moses AS, Diba P, Sattler AL, Olson B, Taratula OR, Pejovic T, Marks DL, Taratula O. Development and Perspectives: Multifunctional Nucleic Acid Nanomedicines for Treatment of Gynecological Cancers. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023:e2301776. [PMID: 37518857 PMCID: PMC10827528 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202301776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Gynecological malignancies are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe. Due to delayed presentation, gynecological cancer patients are often referred late in the disease's course, resulting in poor outcomes. A considerable number of patients ultimately succumb to chemotherapy-resistant disease, which reoccurs at advanced stages despite treatment interventions. Although efforts have been devoted to developing therapies that demonstrate reduced resistance to chemotherapy and enhanced toxicity profiles, current clinical outcomes remain unsatisfactory due to treatment resistance and unfavorable off-target effects. Consequently, innovative biological and nanotherapeutic approaches are imperative to strengthen and optimize the therapeutic arsenal for gynecological cancers. Advancements in nanotechnology-based therapies for gynecological malignancies offer significant advantages, including reduced toxicity, expanded drug circulation, and optimized therapeutic dosing, ultimately leading to enhanced treatment effectiveness. Recent advances in nucleic acid therapeutics using microRNA, small interfering RNA, and messenger RNA provide novel approaches for cancer therapeutics. Effective single-agent and combinatorial nucleic acid therapeutics for gynecological malignancies have the potential to transform cancer treatment by giving safer, more tailored approaches than conventional therapies. This review highlights current preclinical studies that effectively exploit these approaches for the treatment of gynecological malignant tumors and malignant ascites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetiana Korzun
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, 2730 S Moody Avenue, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, 3303 SW Bond Avenue Portland, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Mail Code L481, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Abraham S Moses
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, 2730 S Moody Avenue, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Parham Diba
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Mail Code L481, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Ariana L Sattler
- Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Mail Code L481, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 97201, USA
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health & Science University, 2730 S Moody Avenue, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Brennan Olson
- Mayo Clinic Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Olena R Taratula
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, 2730 S Moody Avenue, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Tanja Pejovic
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pathology, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Daniel L Marks
- Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Mail Code L481, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, 2720 S Moody Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 97201, USA
- Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, Oregon Health & Science University, 2730 S Moody Avenue, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Oleh Taratula
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, 2730 S Moody Avenue, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, 3303 SW Bond Avenue Portland, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
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Pirkkanen J, Tharmalingam S, Thome C, Sinex HC, Benjamin LV, Losch AC, Borgmann AJ, Dhaemers RM, Gordon C, Boreham DR, Mendonca MS. Genomic Loss and Epigenetic Silencing of the FOSL1 Tumor Suppressor Gene in Radiation-induced Neoplastic Transformation of Human CGL1 Cells Alters the Tumorigenic Phenotype In Vitro and In Vivo. Radiat Res 2023; 200:48-64. [PMID: 37141110 PMCID: PMC10409446 DOI: 10.1667/rade-22-00216.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The CGL1 human hybrid cell system has been utilized for many decades as an excellent cellular tool for investigating neoplastic transformation. Substantial work has been done previously implicating genetic factors related to chromosome 11 to the alteration of tumorigenic phenotype in CGL1 cells. This includes candidate tumor suppressor gene FOSL1, a member of the AP-1 transcription factor complex which encodes for protein FRA1. Here we present novel evidence supporting the role of FOSL1 in the suppression of tumorigenicity in segregants of the CGL1 system. Gamma-induced mutant (GIM) and control (CON) cells were isolated from 7 Gy gamma-irradiated CGL1s. Western, Southern and Northern blot analysis were utilized to assess FOSL1/FRA1 expression as well as methylation studies. GIMs were transfected to re-express FRA1 and in vivo tumorigenicity studies were conducted. Global transcriptomic microarray and RT-qPCR analysis were used to further characterize these unique cell segregants. GIMs were found to be tumorigenic in vivo when injected into nude mice whereas CON cells were not. GIMs show loss of Fosl/FRA1 expression as confirmed by Western blot. Southern and Northern blot analysis further reveals that FRA1 reduction in tumorigenic CGL1 segregants is likely due to transcriptional suppression. Results suggest that radiation-induced neoplastic transformation of CGL1 is in part due to silencing of the FOSL1 tumor suppressor gene promoter by methylation. The radiation-induced tumorigenic GIMs transfected to re-express FRA1 resulted in suppression of subcutaneous tumor growth in nude mice in vivo. Global microarray analysis and RT-qPCR validation elucidated several hundred differentially expressed genes. Downstream analysis reveals a significant number of altered pathways and enriched Gene Ontology terms genes related to cellular adhesion, proliferation, and migration. Together these findings provide strong evidence that FRA1 is a tumor suppressor gene deleted and epigenetically silenced after ionizing radiation-induced neoplastic transformation in the CGL1 human hybrid cell system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Pirkkanen
- Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
- Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Sujeenthar Tharmalingam
- Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
- Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
- Medical Sciences Division, NOSM University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Christopher Thome
- Department of Biology, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
- Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
- Medical Sciences Division, NOSM University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Helen Chin Sinex
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratories, and Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Laura V. Benjamin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratories, and Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Adam C. Losch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratories, and Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Anthony J. Borgmann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratories, and Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Ryan M. Dhaemers
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratories, and Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Christopher Gordon
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratories, and Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Douglas R. Boreham
- Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratories, and Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
- Bruce Power, PO Box 1540, 177 Tie Rd, R.R. 2, Tiverton, Ontario, N0G 2T0, Canada
- Nuclear Innovation Institute, Port Elgin, Ontario, N0H 2C0, Canada
| | - Marc S. Mendonca
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation and Cancer Biology Laboratories, and Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
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Dube G, Tiamiou A, Bizet M, Boumahd Y, Gasmi I, Crake R, Bellier J, Nokin MJ, Calonne E, Deplus R, Wissocq T, Peulen O, Castronovo V, Fuks F, Bellahcène A. Methylglyoxal: a novel upstream regulator of DNA methylation. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:78. [PMID: 36998085 PMCID: PMC10064647 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02637-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aerobic glycolysis, also known as the Warburg effect, is predominantly upregulated in a variety of solid tumors, including breast cancer. We have previously reported that methylglyoxal (MG), a very reactive by-product of glycolysis, unexpectedly enhanced the metastatic potential in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. MG and MG-derived glycation products have been associated with various diseases, such as diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. Glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) exerts an anti-glycation defense by detoxifying MG to D-lactate. METHODS Here, we used our validated model consisting of stable GLO1 depletion to induce MG stress in TNBC cells. Using genome-scale DNA methylation analysis, we report that this condition resulted in DNA hypermethylation in TNBC cells and xenografts. RESULTS GLO1-depleted breast cancer cells showed elevated expression of DNMT3B methyltransferase and significant loss of metastasis-related tumor suppressor genes, as assessed using integrated analysis of methylome and transcriptome data. Interestingly, MG scavengers revealed to be as potent as typical DNA demethylating agents at triggering the re-expression of representative silenced genes. Importantly, we delineated an epigenomic MG signature that effectively stratified TNBC patients based on survival. CONCLUSION This study emphasizes the importance of MG oncometabolite, occurring downstream of the Warburg effect, as a novel epigenetic regulator and proposes MG scavengers to reverse altered patterns of gene expression in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Dube
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, ULB-Cancer Research Center (U-CRC), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Assia Tiamiou
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Martin Bizet
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, ULB-Cancer Research Center (U-CRC), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yasmine Boumahd
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Imène Gasmi
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Rebekah Crake
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Justine Bellier
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Marie-Julie Nokin
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Emilie Calonne
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, ULB-Cancer Research Center (U-CRC), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rachel Deplus
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, ULB-Cancer Research Center (U-CRC), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tom Wissocq
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Olivier Peulen
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Vincent Castronovo
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - François Fuks
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, ULB-Cancer Research Center (U-CRC), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
- WELBIO (Walloon Excellence in Lifesciences & Biotechnology), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Akeila Bellahcène
- Metastasis Research Laboratory, GIGA-Cancer, GIGA Institute, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
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Abozaid OAR, Rashed LA, El-Sonbaty SM, Abu-Elftouh AI, Ahmed ESA. Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Selenium Nanoparticles Synergize with Low Dose of Gamma Radiation to Suppress Mammary Gland Carcinogenesis via Regulation of Tumor Microenvironment. Biol Trace Elem Res 2023; 201:338-352. [PMID: 35138531 PMCID: PMC9823077 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03146-1] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadliest cancers among women in the world because of its aggressive behavior and inadequate response to conventional therapies. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) combined with green nanomaterials could be an efficient tool in cell cancer therapy. This study examined the curative effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) with selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) coated with fermented soymilk and a low dose of gamma radiation (LDR) in DMBA-induced mammary gland carcinoma in female rats. DMBA-induced mammary gland carcinoma as marked by an elevation of mRNA level of cancer promoter genes (Serpin and MIF, LOX-1, and COL1A1) and serum level of VEGF, TNF-α, TGF-β, CA15-3, and caspase-3 with the reduction in mRNA level of suppressor gene (FST and ADRP). These deleterious effects were hampered after treatment with BM-MSCs (1 × 106 cells/rat) once and daily administration of SeNPs (20 mg/kg body weight) and exposure once to (0.25 Gy) LDR. Finally, MSCs, SeNPs, and LDR notably modulated the expression of multiple tumor promoters and suppressor genes playing a role in breast cancer induction and suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omayma A. R. Abozaid
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Banha, Egypt
| | - Laila A. Rashed
- Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sawsan M. El-Sonbaty
- Radiation Microbiology Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Esraa S. A. Ahmed
- Radiation Biology Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Nasr City, Cairo, 11787 Egypt
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9
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Sers C, Schäfer R. Silencing effects of mutant RAS signalling on transcriptomes. Adv Biol Regul 2023; 87:100936. [PMID: 36513579 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2022.100936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Mutated genes of the RAS family encoding small GTP-binding proteins drive numerous cancers, including pancreatic, colon and lung tumors. Besides the numerous effects of mutant RAS gene expression on aberrant proliferation, transformed phenotypes, metabolism, and therapy resistance, the most striking consequences of chronic RAS activation are changes of the genetic program. By performing systematic gene expression studies in cellular models that allow comparisons of pre-neoplastic with RAS-transformed cells, we and others have estimated that 7 percent or more of all transcripts are altered in conjunction with the expression of the oncogene. In this context, the number of up-regulated transcripts approximates that of down-regulated transcripts. While up-regulated transcription factors such as MYC, FOSL1, and HMGA2 have been identified and characterized as RAS-responsive drivers of the altered transcriptome, the suppressed factors have been less well studied as potential regulators of the genetic program and transformed phenotype in the breadth of their occurrence. We therefore have collected information on downregulated RAS-responsive factors and discuss their potential role as tumor suppressors that are likely to antagonize active cancer drivers. To better understand the active mechanisms that entail anti-RAS function and those that lead to loss of tumor suppressor activity, we focus on the tumor suppressor HREV107 (alias PLAAT3 [Phospholipase A and acyltransferase 3], PLA2G16 [Phospholipase A2, group XVI] and HRASLS3 [HRAS-like suppressor 3]). Inactivating HREV107 mutations in tumors are extremely rare, hence epigenetic causes modulated by the RAS pathway are likely to lead to down-regulation and loss of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Sers
- Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology and systems Biology, Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätstmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Reinhold Schäfer
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117, Berlin, Germany; German Cancer Consortium, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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10
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Yu Z, Ouyang L. Odd-skipped related 1 plays a tumor suppressor role in ovarian cancer via promoting follistatin-like protein 1 transcription. Hum Cell 2022; 35:1824-1837. [DOI: 10.1007/s13577-022-00767-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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11
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Ge L, Liu SF. Lentivirus-Mediated Short Hairpin RNA for Follistatin Downregulation Suppresses Tumor Progression in Hypopharyngeal Carcinoma. Curr Med Sci 2022; 42:832-840. [DOI: 10.1007/s11596-022-2615-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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12
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Fei ZY, Wang J, Liang J, Zhou X, Guo M. Analysis of bacterial spectrum, activin A, and CD64 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients complicated with pulmonary infections. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:2382-2392. [PMID: 35434072 PMCID: PMC8968607 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i8.2382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pulmonary infections often lead to poor prognoses in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Activin A and CD64 play crucial pathological roles in the development of COPD.
AIM To explore the bacterial spectrum via analysis of activing A levels, CD64 index, and related mechanisms in COPD patients complicated with pulmonary infection.
METHODS Between March 2015 and January 2018, a total of 85 patients with COPD, who also suffered from pulmonary infections, were enrolled in this study as the pulmonary infection group. In addition, a total of 96 COPD patients, without pulmonary infection, were selected as the control group. Sputum samples of patients in the pulmonary infection group were cultivated for bacterial identification prior to administration of antibiotics. The neutrophil CD64 index was measured using flow cytometry, serum activin A levels were detected via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and activin A, Smad3, TLR4, MyD88, and NFκB protein expression was analyzed by Western blotting.
RESULTS Gram-negative bacteria were identified in 57.65% of the sputum samples in the pulmonary infection group. The most prevalent Gram-negative species were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Conversely, Gram-positive bacteria were identified in 41.18% of the sputum samples in the pulmonary infection group. The most common Gram-positive species was Streptococcus pneumoniae. Fungi were identified in 1.17% of the sputum samples in the pulmonary infection group. The CD64 index was significantly higher in the pulmonary infection group (0.91 ± 0.38) than in the control group (0.23 ± 0.14, P < 0.001). The serum activin A levels were significantly higher in the pulmonary infection group (43.50 ± 5.22 ng/mL), compared to the control group (34.82 ± 4.16 ng/mL, P < 0.001). The relative expression levels of activin A, Smad3, TLR4, MyD88, and NFκB were all significantly higher in the pulmonary infection group, compared to the control group (all P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION Pulmonary infections in COPD patients are mainly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Pulmonary infections can significantly increase neutrophil CD64 index and serum levels of activin A, thereby activating the activin A/Smad3 signaling pathway, which may positively regulate the TLR4/MyD88/NFκB signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Yang Fei
- Experimental Research Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Jiang Wang
- Experimental Research Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Jie Liang
- Experimental Research Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Xue Zhou
- Experimental Research Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Min Guo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lianyungang Second People's Hospital, Lianyungang 222006, Jiangsu Province, China
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13
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Barany N, Rozsas A, Megyesfalvi Z, Grusch M, Hegedus B, Lang C, Boettiger K, Schwendenwein A, Tisza A, Renyi-Vamos F, Schelch K, Hoetzenecker K, Hoda MA, Paku S, Laszlo V, Dome B. Clinical relevance of circulating activin A and follistatin in small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer 2021; 161:128-135. [PMID: 34583221 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2021.09.008] [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] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Circulating levels of activin A (ActA) and follistatin (FST) have been investigated in various disorders including malignancies. However, to date, their diagnostic and prognostic relevance is largely unknown in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Our aim was to evaluate circulating ActA and FST levels as potential biomarkers in this devastating disease. METHODS Seventy-nine Caucasian SCLC patients and 67 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included in this study. Circulating ActA and FST concentrations were measured by ELISA and correlated with clinicopathological parameters and long-term outcomes. RESULTS Plasma ActA and FST concentrations were significantly elevated in SCLC patients when compared to healthy volunteers (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, extensive-stage SCLC patients had significantly higher circulating ActA levels than those with limited-stage disease (p = 0.0179). Circulating FST concentration was not associated with disease stage (p = 0.6859). Notably, patients with high (≥548.8 pg/ml) plasma ActA concentration exhibited significantly worse median overall survival (OS) compared to those with low (<548.8 pg/ml) ActA levels (p = 0.0009). Moreover, Cox regression analysis adjusted for clinicopathological parameters revealed that high ActA concentration is an independent predictor of shorter OS (HR: 1.932; p = 0.023). No significant differences in OS have been observed with regards to plasma FST levels (p = 0.1218). CONCLUSION Blood ActA levels are elevated and correlate with disease stage in SCLC patients. Measurement of circulating ActA levels might help in the estimation of prognosis in patients with SCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandor Barany
- National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary; 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anita Rozsas
- National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Megyesfalvi
- National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Semmelweis University and National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Michael Grusch
- Department of Medicine I, Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Balazs Hegedus
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruhrlandklinik, University Clinic Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Christian Lang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kristiina Boettiger
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Schwendenwein
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Tisza
- National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary; 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Renyi-Vamos
- National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Semmelweis University and National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Karin Schelch
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Medicine I, Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Konrad Hoetzenecker
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mir Alireza Hoda
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sandor Paku
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Viktoria Laszlo
- National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Balazs Dome
- National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Semmelweis University and National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary.
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14
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Liu S, Liu B, Zhao Q, Shi J, Gu Y, Guo Y, Li Y, Liu Y, Cheng Y, Qiao Y, Liu Y. Down-regulated FST expression is involved in the poor prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:267. [PMID: 34001106 PMCID: PMC8130405 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-01977-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is more commonly associated with young patients, featuring high histological grade, visceral metastasis, and distant recurrence. Follistatin (FST) is a secreted extracellular regulatory protein that antagonizes TGF-β superfamily such as activin and TGF-β related superfamily such as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP). The implication of FST in the proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis of solid tumors documents good or poor outcome of patients with BC. However, the role of FST in TNBC remains unclear. Methods Data of 935 patients with breast cancer (BC) were extracted from TCGA. Case–control study, Kaplan–Meier, uni-multivariate COX, and ROC curve were utilized to investigate the relationship between FST expression and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of BC. Functional studies were used to analyze the effect of FST expression on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of TNBC cell lines. Bioinformatic methods such as volcanoplot, GO annd KEGG enrichment, and protein–protein interactions (PPI) analyses were conducted to further confirm the different roles of FST in the apoptotic pathways among mesenchymal and mesenchymal stem-like cells of TNBC. Results Data from TCGA showed that low FST expression correlated with poor prognosis (for univariate analysis, HR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.27–0.82, p = 0.008; for multivariate analysis, HR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.21–0.75, p = 0.004). Low FST expression provided high predicted value of poor prognosis in TNBC amongst BCs. FST knockdown promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of BT549 and HS578T cell lines. FST inhibited the apoptosis of mesenchymal cells by targeting BMP7. Conclusions Low FST expression is associated with poor prognosis of patients with TNBC. FST expressions exhibit the anisotropic roles of apoptosis between mesenchymal and mesenchymal stem-like cells but promote the proliferation, migration, invasion in both of two subtypes of TNBC in vitro. FST may be a subtype-heterogeneous biomarker for monitoring the progress of TNBC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-01977-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sainan Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Jikang Shi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yulu Gu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yanbo Guo
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yunkai Liu
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yi Cheng
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Yichun Qiao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
| | - Yawen Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
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15
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A SNAI2-PEAK1-INHBA stromal axis drives progression and lapatinib resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer by supporting subpopulations of tumor cells positive for antiapoptotic and stress signaling markers. Oncogene 2021; 40:5224-5235. [PMID: 34239043 PMCID: PMC8376636 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01906-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Intercellular mechanisms by which the stromal microenvironment contributes to solid tumor progression and targeted therapy resistance remain poorly understood, presenting significant clinical hurdles. PEAK1 (Pseudopodium-Enriched Atypical Kinase One) is an actin cytoskeleton- and focal adhesion-associated pseudokinase that promotes cell state plasticity and cancer metastasis by mediating growth factor-integrin signaling crosstalk. Here, we determined that stromal PEAK1 expression predicts poor outcomes in HER2-positive breast cancers high in SNAI2 expression and enriched for MSC content. Specifically, we identified that the fibroblastic stroma in HER2-positive breast cancer patient tissue stains positive for both nuclear SNAI2 and cytoplasmic PEAK1. Furthermore, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) express high PEAK1 protein levels and potentiate tumorigenesis, lapatinib resistance and metastasis of HER2-positive breast cancer cells in a PEAK1-dependent manner. Analysis of PEAK1-dependent secreted factors from MSCs revealed INHBA/activin-A as a necessary factor in the conditioned media of PEAK1-expressing MSCs that promotes lapatinib resistance. Single-cell CycIF analysis of MSC-breast cancer cell co-cultures identified enrichment of p-Akthigh/p-gH2AXlow, MCL1high/p-gH2AXlow and GRP78high/VIMhigh breast cancer cell subpopulations by the presence of PEAK1-expressing MSCs and lapatinib treatment. Bioinformatic analyses on a PEAK1-centric stroma-tumor cell gene set and follow-up immunostaining of co-cultures predict targeting antiapoptotic and stress pathways as a means to improve targeted therapy responses and patient outcomes in HER2-positive breast cancer and other stroma-rich malignancies. These data provide the first evidence that PEAK1 promotes tumorigenic phenotypes through a previously unrecognized SNAI2-PEAK1-INHBA stromal cell axis.
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16
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The Hippo pathway oncoprotein YAP promotes melanoma cell invasion and spontaneous metastasis. Oncogene 2020; 39:5267-5281. [PMID: 32561850 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1362-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is a deadly form of skin cancer that accounts for a disproportionally large proportion of cancer-related deaths in younger people. Compared with most other skin cancers, a feature of melanoma is its high metastatic capacity, although the mechanisms that confer this are not well understood. The Hippo pathway is a key regulator of organ growth and cell fate that is deregulated in many cancers. To analyse the Hippo pathway in cutaneous melanoma, we generated a transcriptional signature of melanoma cells that overexpressed YAP, the key downstream Hippo pathway oncoprotein. YAP-mediated transcriptional activity varied in melanoma cell lines but did not cluster with known genetic drivers of melanomagenesis such as BRAF and NRAS mutations. Instead, it correlated strongly with published gene expression profiles linked to melanoma cell invasiveness and varied throughout the metastatic cascade in melanoma patient tumours. Consistent with this, YAP was both necessary and sufficient for melanoma cell invasion in vitro. In vivo, YAP promoted spontaneous melanoma metastasis, whilst the growth of YAP-expressing primary tumours was impeded. Finally, we identified the YAP target genes AXL, THBS1 and CYR61 as key mediators of YAP-induced melanoma cell invasion. These data suggest that YAP is a critical regulator of melanoma metastasis.
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17
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Cangkrama M, Wietecha M, Mathis N, Okumura R, Ferrarese L, Al-Nuaimi D, Antsiferova M, Dummer R, Innocenti M, Werner S. A paracrine activin A-mDia2 axis promotes squamous carcinogenesis via fibroblast reprogramming. EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e11466. [PMID: 32150356 PMCID: PMC7136968 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201911466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key regulators of tumorigenesis and promising targets for next‐generation therapies. We discovered that cancer cell‐derived activin A reprograms fibroblasts into pro‐tumorigenic CAFs. Mechanistically, this occurs via Smad2‐mediated transcriptional regulation of the formin mDia2, which directly promotes filopodia formation and cell migration. mDia2 also induces expression of CAF marker genes through prevention of p53 nuclear accumulation, resulting in the production of a pro‐tumorigenic matrisome and secretome. The translational relevance of this finding is reflected by activin A overexpression in tumor cells and of mDia2 in the stroma of skin cancer and other malignancies and the correlation of high activin A/mDia2 levels with poor patient survival. Blockade of this signaling axis using inhibitors of activin, activin receptors, or mDia2 suppressed cancer cell malignancy and squamous carcinogenesis in 3D organotypic cultures, ex vivo, and in vivo, providing a rationale for pharmacological inhibition of activin A‐mDia2 signaling in stratified cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Cangkrama
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mateusz Wietecha
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Mathis
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rin Okumura
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luca Ferrarese
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dunja Al-Nuaimi
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maria Antsiferova
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Reinhard Dummer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Metello Innocenti
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Werner
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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18
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Wen J, Liu X, Qi Y, Niu F, Niu Z, Geng W, Zou Z, Huang R, Wang J, Zou H. BMP3 suppresses colon tumorigenesis via ActRIIB/SMAD2-dependent and TAK1/JNK signaling pathways. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:428. [PMID: 31665064 PMCID: PMC6819484 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1435-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Background BMP3 gene is often found hypermethylated and hence inactivated in several types of cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC), indicating that it has a suppressor role in carcinogenesis. Though BMP3 is a reliable biomarker for screening CRC, the molecular mechanism of BMP3 in carcinogenesis remains largely unknown. Methods The expression level of BMP3 was examined by immunohistochemistry staining and western blot. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and real-time quantitative MSP were used to test the hypermethylation status of BMP3 gene. Analyses of BMP3 function in colon cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were performed using HCT116 and KM12 cells. BMP3 was further knocked down or overexpressed in CRC cells, and the effects on cell growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice were assessed. Co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence staining were used to analyze the association between BMP3 and BMPR2 or BMP3 and ActRIIB. Microarray analysis was performed to identify most differentially expressed genes and pathways regulated by BMP3. The BMP3-regulated SMAD2-dependent signaling pathway and TAK1/JNK signal axes were further investigated by quantitative PCR and western blot. Results BMP3 gene was hypermethylated and its expression was downregulated in both CRC tissues and cell lines. Expressing exogenous BMP3 in HCT116 inhibited cell growth, migration, and invasion and increased rate of apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. However, shRNA-mediated attenuation of endogenous BMP3 in KM12 reversed such inhibitory and apoptotic effects. Furthermore, BMP3 could bind to ActRIIB, an activin type II receptor at the cellular membrane, thereby activating SMAD2-dependent pathway and TAK1/JNK signal axes to regulate downstream targets including caspase-7, p21, and SMAD4 that play crucial roles in cell cycle control and apoptosis. Conclusions Our study reveals a previously unknown mechanism of BMP3 tumor suppression in CRC and provides a rationale for future investigation of BMP3 as a potential target for the development of novel therapeutic agents to fight CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialing Wen
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xianglin Liu
- Creative Biosciences (Guangzhou) CO., Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Qi
- Creative Biosciences (Guangzhou) CO., Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Feng Niu
- Creative Biosciences (Guangzhou) CO., Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhitong Niu
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenjing Geng
- Department of pathology, Xiaolan Hospital, Southern Medical University, Zhongshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhaowei Zou
- Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Renli Huang
- Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianping Wang
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongzhi Zou
- Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. .,Creative Biosciences (Guangzhou) CO., Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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19
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Rautela J, Dagley LF, de Oliveira CC, Schuster IS, Hediyeh-Zadeh S, Delconte RB, Cursons J, Hennessy R, Hutchinson DS, Harrison C, Kita B, Vivier E, Webb AI, Degli-Esposti MA, Davis MJ, Huntington ND, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F. Therapeutic blockade of activin-A improves NK cell function and antitumor immunity. Sci Signal 2019; 12:12/596/eaat7527. [PMID: 31455725 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aat7527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play a major role in immunosurveillance against tumor initiation and metastatic spread. The signals and checkpoints that regulate NK cell fitness and function in the tumor microenvironment are not well defined. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a suppressor of NK cells that inhibits interleukin-15 (IL-15)-dependent signaling events and increases the abundance of receptors that promote tissue residency. Here, we showed that NK cells express the type I activin receptor ALK4, which, upon binding to its ligand activin-A, phosphorylated SMAD2/3 to suppress IL-15-mediated NK cell metabolism. Activin-A impaired human and mouse NK cell proliferation and reduced the production of granzyme B to impair tumor killing. Similar to TGF-β, activin-A also induced SMAD2/3 phosphorylation and stimulated NK cells to increase their cell surface expression of several markers of ILC1 cells. Activin-A also induced these changes in TGF-β receptor-deficient NK cells, suggesting that activin-A and TGF-β stimulate independent pathways that drive SMAD2/3-mediated NK cell suppression. Last, inhibition of activin-A by follistatin substantially slowed orthotopic melanoma growth in mice. These data highlight the relevance of examining TGF-β-independent SMAD2/3 signaling mechanisms as a therapeutic axis to relieve NK cell suppression and promote antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jai Rautela
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Laura F Dagley
- Systems Biology and Personalized Medicine Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Carolina C de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Células Inflamatórias e Neoplásicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, SCB, Centro Politecnico, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, CEP 81531-980, PR, Brazil
| | - Iona S Schuster
- Immunology and Virology Program, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Experimental Immunology, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Soroor Hediyeh-Zadeh
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Rebecca B Delconte
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Joseph Cursons
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Robert Hennessy
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Dana S Hutchinson
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Craig Harrison
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Badia Kita
- Paranta Biosciences Limited, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Eric Vivier
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Aix Marseille Université, Inserm, CNRS, 13288 Marseille, France
| | - Andrew I Webb
- Systems Biology and Personalized Medicine Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Mariapia A Degli-Esposti
- Immunology and Virology Program, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Experimental Immunology, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Melissa J Davis
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology and Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nicholas D Huntington
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fernando Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes
- Division of Molecular Immunology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia. .,University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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20
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Seachrist DD, Keri RA. The Activin Social Network: Activin, Inhibin, and Follistatin in Breast Development and Cancer. Endocrinology 2019; 160:1097-1110. [PMID: 30874767 PMCID: PMC6475112 DOI: 10.1210/en.2019-00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Activins and inhibins are closely related protein heterodimers with a similar tissue distribution; however, these two complexes have opposing functions in development and disease. Both are secreted cytokine hormones, with activin the primary inducer of downstream signaling cascades and inhibin acting as a rheostat that exquisitely governs activin function. Adding to the complexity of activin signaling, follistatin, a highly glycosylated monomeric protein, binds activin with high affinity and restrains downstream pathway activation but through a mechanism distinct from that of inhibin. These three proteins were first identified as key ovarian hormones in the pituitary-gonadal axis that direct the synthesis and secretion of FSH from the pituitary, hence controlling folliculogenesis. Research during the past 30 years has expanded the roles of these proteins, first by discovering the ubiquitous expression of the trio and then by implicating them in a wide array of biological functions. In concert, these three hormones govern tissue development, homeostasis, and disease in multiple organ systems through diverse autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. In the present study, we have reviewed the actions of activin and its biological inhibitors, inhibin, and follistatin, in mammary gland morphogenesis and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darcie D Seachrist
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Ruth A Keri
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
- Division of General Medical Sciences–Oncology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
- Correspondence: Ruth A. Keri, PhD, Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. E-mail:
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21
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Kalli M, Mpekris F, Wong CK, Panagi M, Ozturk S, Thiagalingam S, Stylianopoulos T, Papageorgis P. Activin A Signaling Regulates IL13Rα2 Expression to Promote Breast Cancer Metastasis. Front Oncol 2019; 9:32. [PMID: 30805303 PMCID: PMC6370707 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic dissemination of cancer cells to distal organs is the major cause of death for patients suffering from the aggressive basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) subtype. Recently, we have shown that interleukin 13 receptor alpha 2 (IL13Rα2) is a critical gene that is overexpressed in a subset of BLBC primary tumors associated with poor distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and can promote extravasation and metastasis of breast cancer cells to the lungs. However, the upstream signaling mechanisms that promote aberrant IL13Rα2 expression during tumor progression remain unknown. Driven by our previously published gene expression microarray data derived from a well-characterized cell line model for BLBC progression, we show that both Inhibin βA (INHBA) and IL13Rα2 genes exhibit similarly higher expression levels in metastatic compared to non-metastatic cells and that overexpression of both genes predicts worse metastasis-free survival of patients with high grade tumors. Activin A, a member of the TGFβ superfamily comprising two INHBA subunits, has been shown to play context-depended roles in cancer progression. Here, we demonstrate that INHBA depletion downregulates IL13Rα2 expression in metastatic breast cancer cells, whereas treatment with Activin A in non-metastatic cells increases its expression levels. We also find that Activin A predominantly induces Smad2 phosphorylation and to a lesser extent activates Smad3 and Akt. Interestingly, we also show that Activin A-mediated upregulation of IL13Rα2 is Smad2-dependent since knocking down Smad2 or using the ALK4/ALK5 inhibitors EW-7197 and SB-505124 abolishes this effect. Most importantly, our data indicate that knocking down INHBA levels in breast cancer cells delays primary tumor growth, suppresses migration in vitro and inhibits the formation of lung metastases in vivo. Conclusively, our findings presented here suggest that the development of therapeutic interventions employing small molecule inhibitors against Activin receptors or neutralizing antibodies targeting Activin A ligand, could serve as alternative approaches against breast tumors overexpressing INHBA and/or IL13Rα2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kalli
- Department of Life Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.,Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Fotios Mpekris
- Department of Life Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.,Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Chen K Wong
- Genetics & Genomics and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Biomedical Genetics Section, Molecular Medicine Program and Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Myrofora Panagi
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Sait Ozturk
- Genetics & Genomics and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Biomedical Genetics Section, Molecular Medicine Program and Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sam Thiagalingam
- Genetics & Genomics and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Biomedical Genetics Section, Molecular Medicine Program and Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos
- Cancer Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
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22
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Zhang P, Ruan Y, Xiao J, Chen F, Zhang X. Association of serum follistatin levels with histological types and progression of tumor in human lung cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2018; 18:162. [PMID: 30377409 PMCID: PMC6195981 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-018-0664-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Follistatin (FST), an activin-binding protein, inhibits activin action by interfering with activin binding to its receptor. The prognostic value of FST has been studied in various cancers. However, these studies rarely focus on lung cancer. In our study, we investigated the relationship between serum FST levels and lung cancer with histologic types, TNM staging, and recurrence. Methods A total of 150 serum samples were collected, including 91 from patients with SCLC or NSCLC, 22 from patients with benign lung diseases, and 37 from healthy subjects. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine serum FST levels in healthy subjects, patients with benign lung diseases and patients with lung cancers. Results Serum FST levels in patients with LADC, SCC, LASC, LCLC, and SCLC were much higher than those in healthy subjects and in patients with lung benign disease. A ROC curve was constructed for differentiating the lung cancer from the healthy subjects and benign lung diseases. The results indicated that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.971 and 0.728 respectively. According to TNM staging, serum FST level increased significantly in patients with stage III and IV of LADC. Moreover, serum FST expression were increased in LADC patients with different TNM category. Furthermore, we found that a higher expression of serum FST was correlated with recurrence in LADC patients. Conclusions The serum FST levels gradually increased with the rise of TNM staging and category in lung cancer patients. These data suggest that serum FST levels not only can be used in auxiliary diagnosis for lung cancer but also might be associated with the disease progression and metastasis of lung cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyu Zhang
- 1Department of Clinical Laboratory, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, 300060 People's Republic of China
| | - Yingxin Ruan
- 2Department of Nephrology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300052 People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Xiao
- 4Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300070 People's Republic of China
| | - Fangfang Chen
- 3Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal and Anal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130031 People's Republic of China
| | - Xuejun Zhang
- 4Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Educational Ministry of China, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, No. 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300070 People's Republic of China
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