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Tabatabaee A, Nafari B, Farhang A, Hariri A, Khosravi A, Zarrabi A, Mirian M. Targeting vimentin: a multifaceted approach to combatting cancer metastasis and drug resistance. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:363-377. [PMID: 38012357 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10154-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
This comprehensive review explores vimentin as a pivotal therapeutic target in cancer treatment, with a primary focus on mitigating metastasis and overcoming drug resistance. Vimentin, a key player in cancer progression, is intricately involved in processes such as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and resistance mechanisms to standard cancer therapies. The review delves into diverse vimentin inhibition strategies. Precision tools, including antibodies and nanobodies, selectively neutralize vimentin's pro-tumorigenic effects. DNA and RNA aptamers disrupt vimentin-associated signaling pathways through their adaptable binding properties. Innovative approaches, such as vimentin-targeted vaccines and microRNAs (miRNAs), harness the immune system and post-transcriptional regulation to combat vimentin-expressing cancer cells. By dissecting vimentin inhibition strategies across these categories, this review provides a comprehensive overview of anti-vimentin therapeutics in cancer treatment. It underscores the growing recognition of vimentin as a pivotal therapeutic target in cancer and presents a diverse array of inhibitors, including antibodies, nanobodies, DNA and RNA aptamers, vaccines, and miRNAs. These multifaceted approaches hold substantial promise for tackling metastasis and overcoming drug resistance, collectively presenting new avenues for enhanced cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliye Tabatabaee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran
| | - Behjat Nafari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran
| | - Armin Farhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran
| | - Amirali Hariri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran
| | - Arezoo Khosravi
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Okan University, Istanbul, 34959, Türkiye
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul, 34396, Türkiye.
- Department of Research Analytics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600 077, India.
| | - Mina Mirian
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, 8174673461, Iran.
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Saini S, Khurana S, Saini D, Rajput S, Thakur CJ, Singh J, Jaswal A, Kapoor Y, Kumar V, Saini A. In silico analysis of genomic landscape of SARS-CoV-2 and its variant of concerns (Delta and Omicron) reveals changes in the coding potential of miRNAs and their target genes. Gene 2023; 853:147097. [PMID: 36470485 PMCID: PMC9721428 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.147097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 related morbidities and mortalities are still continued due to the emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2. In the last few years, viral miRNAs have been the centre of study to understand the disease pathophysiology. In this work, we aimed to predict the change in coding potential of the viral miRNAs in SARS-CoV-2's VOCs, Delta and Omicron compared to the Reference (Wuhan origin) strain using bioinformatics tools. After ab-intio based screening by the Vmir tool and validation, we retrieved 22, 6, and 6 pre-miRNAs for Reference, Delta, and Omicron. Most of the predicted unique pre-miRNAs of Delta and Omicron were found to be encoded from the terminal and origin of the genomic sequence, respectively. Mature miRNAs identified by MatureBayes from the unique pre-miRNAs were used for target identification using miRDB. A total of 1786, 216, and 143 high-confidence target genes were captured for GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) analysis. The GO and KEGG pathways terms analysis revealed the involvement of Delta miRNAs targeted genes in the pathways such as Human cytomegalovirus infection, Breast cancer, Apoptosis, Neurotrophin signaling, and Axon guidance whereas the Sphingolipid signaling pathway was found for the Omicron. Furthermore, we focussed our analysis on target genes that were validated through GEO's (Gene Expression Omnibus) DEGs (Differentially Expressed Genes) dataset, in which FGL2, TNSF12, OGN, GDF11, and BMP11 target genes were found to be down-regulated by Reference miRNAs and YAE1 and RSU1 by Delta. Few genes were also observed to be validated among in up-regulated gene set of the GEO dataset, in which MMP14, TNFRSF21, SGMS1, and TMEM192 were related to Reference whereas ZEB2 was detected in all three strains. This study thus provides an in-silico based analysis that deciphered the unique pre-miRNAs in Delta and Omicron compared to Reference. However, the findings need future wet lab studies for validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Saini
- Department of Bioinformatics, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32, Chandigarh 160030, India; Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh 160014, India.
| | - Savi Khurana
- Department of Bioinformatics, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32, Chandigarh 160030, India
| | - Dikshant Saini
- Department of Bioinformatics, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32, Chandigarh 160030, India
| | - Saru Rajput
- Department of Bioinformatics, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32, Chandigarh 160030, India
| | - Chander Jyoti Thakur
- Department of Bioinformatics, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32, Chandigarh 160030, India
| | - Jeevisha Singh
- Department of Bioinformatics, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32, Chandigarh 160030, India
| | - Akanksha Jaswal
- Department of Bioinformatics, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32, Chandigarh 160030, India
| | - Yogesh Kapoor
- Department of Engineering and Technology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Varinder Kumar
- Department of Bioinformatics, Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector 32, Chandigarh 160030, India
| | - Avneet Saini
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Sector 25, Chandigarh 160014, India.
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Zheng ZY, Jiang T, Huang ZF, Chu B, Gu J, Zhao X, Liu H, Fan J, Yu LP, Jiang SH, Li Q, Hu LP, Kong FQ, Zhang L, Chen Q, Chen J, Zhang HW, Yin GY, Zhao SJ. Fatty acids derived from apoptotic chondrocytes fuel macrophages FAO through MSR1 for facilitating BMSCs osteogenic differentiation. Redox Biol 2022; 53:102326. [PMID: 35525025 PMCID: PMC9093016 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The nonunion following a fracture is associated with severe patient morbidity and economic consequences. Currently, accumulating studies are focusing on the importance of macrophages during fracture repair. However, details regarding the process by which macrophages facilitate endochondral ossification (EO) are largely unknown. In this study, we present evidence that apoptotic chondrocytes (ACs) are not inert corpses awaiting removal, but positively modulate the osteoinductive ability of macrophages. In vivo experiments revealed that fatty acid (FA) metabolic processes up-regulated following EO. In vitro studies further uncovered that FAs derived from ACs are taken up by macrophages mainly through macrophage scavenger receptor 1 (MSR1). Then, our functional experiments confirmed that these exogenous FAs subsequently activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), which further facilitates lipid droplets generation and fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Mechanistically, elevated FAO is involved in up-regulating the osteoinductive effect by generating BMP7 and NAD+/SIRT1/EZH2 axis epigenetically controls BMP7 expression in macrophages cultured with ACs culture medium. Our findings advanced the concept that ACs could promote bone regeneration by regulating metabolic and function reprogram in macrophages and identified macrophage MSR1 represents a valuable target for fracture treatments.
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CRISPR-SID: Identifying EZH2 as a druggable target for desmoid tumors via in vivo dependency mapping. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2115116118. [PMID: 34789568 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115116118] [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] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer precision medicine implies identification of tumor-specific vulnerabilities associated with defined oncogenic pathways. Desmoid tumors are soft-tissue neoplasms strictly driven by Wnt signaling network hyperactivation. Despite this clearly defined genetic etiology and the strict and unique implication of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, no specific molecular targets for these tumors have been identified. To address this caveat, we developed fast, efficient, and penetrant genetic Xenopus tropicalis desmoid tumor models to identify and characterize drug targets. We used multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in these models to simultaneously target a tumor suppressor gene (apc) and candidate dependency genes. Our methodology CRISPR/Cas9 selection-mediated identification of dependencies (CRISPR-SID) uses calculated deviations between experimentally observed gene editing outcomes and deep-learning-predicted double-strand break repair patterns to identify genes under negative selection during tumorigenesis. This revealed EZH2 and SUZ12, both encoding polycomb repressive complex 2 components, and the transcription factor CREB3L1 as genetic dependencies for desmoid tumors. In vivo EZH2 inhibition by Tazemetostat induced partial regression of established autochthonous tumors. In vitro models of patient desmoid tumor cells revealed a direct effect of Tazemetostat on Wnt pathway activity. CRISPR-SID represents a potent approach for in vivo mapping of tumor vulnerabilities and drug target identification.
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Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition and its transcription factors. Biosci Rep 2021; 42:230017. [PMID: 34708244 PMCID: PMC8703024 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20211754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition or EMT is an extremely dynamic process involved in conversion of epithelial cells into mesenchymal cells, stimulated by an ensemble of signaling pathways, leading to change in cellular morphology, suppression of epithelial characters and acquisition of properties such as enhanced cell motility and invasiveness, reduced cell death by apoptosis, resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs etc. Significantly, EMT has been found to play a crucial role during embryonic development, tissue fibrosis and would healing, as well as during cancer metastasis. Over the years, work from various laboratories have identified a rather large number of transcription factors (TFs) including the master regulators of EMT, with the ability to regulate the EMT process directly. In this review, we put together these EMT TFs and discussed their role in the process. We have also tried to focus on their mechanism of action, their interdependency, and the large regulatory network they form. Subsequently, it has become clear that the composition and structure of the transcriptional regulatory network behind EMT probably varies based upon various physiological and pathological contexts, or even in a cell/tissue type-dependent manner.
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Usman S, Waseem NH, Nguyen TKN, Mohsin S, Jamal A, Teh MT, Waseem A. Vimentin Is at the Heart of Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) Mediated Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4985. [PMID: 34638469 PMCID: PMC8507690 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13194985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a reversible plethora of molecular events where epithelial cells gain the phenotype of mesenchymal cells to invade the surrounding tissues. EMT is a physiological event during embryogenesis (type I) but also happens during fibrosis (type II) and cancer metastasis (type III). It is a multifaceted phenomenon governed by the activation of genes associated with cell migration, extracellular matrix degradation, DNA repair, and angiogenesis. The cancer cells employ EMT to acquire the ability to migrate, resist therapeutic agents and escape immunity. One of the key biomarkers of EMT is vimentin, a type III intermediate filament that is normally expressed in mesenchymal cells but is upregulated during cancer metastasis. This review highlights the pivotal role of vimentin in the key events during EMT and explains its role as a downstream as well as an upstream regulator in this highly complex process. This review also highlights the areas that require further research in exploring the role of vimentin in EMT. As a cytoskeletal protein, vimentin filaments support mechanical integrity of the migratory machinery, generation of directional force, focal adhesion modulation and extracellular attachment. As a viscoelastic scaffold, it gives stress-bearing ability and flexible support to the cell and its organelles. However, during EMT it modulates genes for EMT inducers such as Snail, Slug, Twist and ZEB1/2, as well as the key epigenetic factors. In addition, it suppresses cellular differentiation and upregulates their pluripotent potential by inducing genes associated with self-renewability, thus increasing the stemness of cancer stem cells, facilitating the tumour spread and making them more resistant to treatments. Several missense and frameshift mutations reported in vimentin in human cancers may also contribute towards the metastatic spread. Therefore, we propose that vimentin should be a therapeutic target using molecular technologies that will curb cancer growth and spread with reduced mortality and morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saima Usman
- Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Turner Str., London E1 2AT, UK; (S.U.); (T.K.N.N.); (A.J.); (M.-T.T.)
| | - Naushin H. Waseem
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Str., London EC1V 9EL, UK;
| | - Thuan Khanh Ngoc Nguyen
- Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Turner Str., London E1 2AT, UK; (S.U.); (T.K.N.N.); (A.J.); (M.-T.T.)
| | - Sahar Mohsin
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 17666, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Ahmad Jamal
- Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Turner Str., London E1 2AT, UK; (S.U.); (T.K.N.N.); (A.J.); (M.-T.T.)
| | - Muy-Teck Teh
- Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Turner Str., London E1 2AT, UK; (S.U.); (T.K.N.N.); (A.J.); (M.-T.T.)
| | - Ahmad Waseem
- Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Turner Str., London E1 2AT, UK; (S.U.); (T.K.N.N.); (A.J.); (M.-T.T.)
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Buocikova V, Rios-Mondragon I, Pilalis E, Chatziioannou A, Miklikova S, Mego M, Pajuste K, Rucins M, Yamani NE, Longhin EM, Sobolev A, Freixanet M, Puntes V, Plotniece A, Dusinska M, Cimpan MR, Gabelova A, Smolkova B. Epigenetics in Breast Cancer Therapy-New Strategies and Future Nanomedicine Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3622. [PMID: 33287297 PMCID: PMC7761669 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic dysregulation has been recognized as a critical factor contributing to the development of resistance against standard chemotherapy and to breast cancer progression via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Although the efficacy of the first-generation epigenetic drugs (epi-drugs) in solid tumor management has been disappointing, there is an increasing body of evidence showing that epigenome modulation, in synergy with other therapeutic approaches, could play an important role in cancer treatment, reversing acquired therapy resistance. However, the epigenetic therapy of solid malignancies is not straightforward. The emergence of nanotechnologies applied to medicine has brought new opportunities to advance the targeted delivery of epi-drugs while improving their stability and solubility, and minimizing off-target effects. Furthermore, the omics technologies, as powerful molecular epidemiology screening tools, enable new diagnostic and prognostic epigenetic biomarker identification, allowing for patient stratification and tailored management. In combination with new-generation epi-drugs, nanomedicine can help to overcome low therapeutic efficacy in treatment-resistant tumors. This review provides an overview of ongoing clinical trials focusing on combination therapies employing epi-drugs for breast cancer treatment and summarizes the latest nano-based targeted delivery approaches for epi-drugs. Moreover, it highlights the current limitations and obstacles associated with applying these experimental strategies in the clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verona Buocikova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia; (V.B.); (S.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Ivan Rios-Mondragon
- Department of Clinical Dentistry, University of Bergen, Aarstadveien 19, 5009 Bergen, Norway; (I.R.-M.); (M.R.C.)
| | - Eleftherios Pilalis
- e-NIOS Applications Private Company, Alexandrou Pantou 25, 17671 Kallithea, Greece; (E.P.); (A.C.)
- Center of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Aristotelis Chatziioannou
- e-NIOS Applications Private Company, Alexandrou Pantou 25, 17671 Kallithea, Greece; (E.P.); (A.C.)
- Center of Systems Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Svetlana Miklikova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia; (V.B.); (S.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Michal Mego
- 2nd Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute, Klenova 1, 833 10 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Karlis Pajuste
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles str. 21, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia; (K.P.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (A.P.)
| | - Martins Rucins
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles str. 21, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia; (K.P.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (A.P.)
| | - Naouale El Yamani
- Health Effects Laboratory, NILU-Norwegian Institute for Air Research, 2007 Kjeller, Norway; (N.E.Y.); (E.M.L.); (M.D.)
| | - Eleonora Marta Longhin
- Health Effects Laboratory, NILU-Norwegian Institute for Air Research, 2007 Kjeller, Norway; (N.E.Y.); (E.M.L.); (M.D.)
| | - Arkadij Sobolev
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles str. 21, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia; (K.P.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (A.P.)
| | - Muriel Freixanet
- Vall d Hebron, Institut de Recerca (VHIR), 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (M.F.); (V.P.)
| | - Victor Puntes
- Vall d Hebron, Institut de Recerca (VHIR), 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (M.F.); (V.P.)
- Institut Català de Nanosciència i Nanotecnologia (ICN2), Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aiva Plotniece
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles str. 21, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia; (K.P.); (M.R.); (A.S.); (A.P.)
| | - Maria Dusinska
- Health Effects Laboratory, NILU-Norwegian Institute for Air Research, 2007 Kjeller, Norway; (N.E.Y.); (E.M.L.); (M.D.)
| | - Mihaela Roxana Cimpan
- Department of Clinical Dentistry, University of Bergen, Aarstadveien 19, 5009 Bergen, Norway; (I.R.-M.); (M.R.C.)
| | - Alena Gabelova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia; (V.B.); (S.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Bozena Smolkova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 9, 845 05 Bratislava, Slovakia; (V.B.); (S.M.); (A.G.)
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Lavin DP, Tiwari VK. Unresolved Complexity in the Gene Regulatory Network Underlying EMT. Front Oncol 2020; 10:554. [PMID: 32477926 PMCID: PMC7235173 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the process whereby a polarized epithelial cell ceases to maintain cell-cell contacts, loses expression of characteristic epithelial cell markers, and acquires mesenchymal cell markers and properties such as motility, contractile ability, and invasiveness. A complex process that occurs during development and many disease states, EMT involves a plethora of transcription factors (TFs) and signaling pathways. Whilst great advances have been made in both our understanding of the progressive cell-fate changes during EMT and the gene regulatory networks that drive this process, there are still gaps in our knowledge. Epigenetic modifications are dynamic, chromatin modifying enzymes are vast and varied, transcription factors are pleiotropic, and signaling pathways are multifaceted and rarely act alone. Therefore, it is of great importance that we decipher and understand each intricate step of the process and how these players at different levels crosstalk with each other to successfully orchestrate EMT. A delicate balance and fine-tuned cooperation of gene regulatory mechanisms is required for EMT to occur successfully, and until we resolve the unknowns in this network, we cannot hope to develop effective therapies against diseases that involve aberrant EMT such as cancer. In this review, we focus on data that challenge these unknown entities underlying EMT, starting with EMT stimuli followed by intracellular signaling through to epigenetic mechanisms and chromatin remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vijay K. Tiwari
- The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
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Li D, Yun Y, Gao R. Oxygenated Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Oxy-PAHs) facilitate lung cancer metastasis by epigenetically regulating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 255:113261. [PMID: 31580991 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Oxygenated Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Oxy-PAHs) are widely distributed in the atmosphere, water, soil and sediments. Oxy-PAHs have been proved more carcinogenic than their parent PAHs, while there still lack of studies about the toxicological mechanism of Oxy-PAHs in epigenetic regulation. Our study revealed that exposure to Oxy-PAHs induced the invasion and migration of lung epithelial cells by the activation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including the up-regulation of Vimentin and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and the down-regulation of E-cadherin (E-cad). The reactive oxygen species (ROS) promoted histone acetylation mediated-Snail regulating the expression of E-cad after Oxy-PAHs treatment. Meanwhile, DNA methylation was also involved in epigenetic regulation of EMT. These results demonstrated a potential mechanism about Oxy-PAHs facilitate lung carcinogenesis by epigenetic regulation and suggested new ways for the treatment, improvement, and prevention of lung cancer caused by Oxy-PAHs environmental exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, PR China
| | - Yang Yun
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, PR China.
| | - Rui Gao
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, PR China
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Wu J, Huang Q, Li P, Wang Y, Zheng C, Lei X, Li S, Gong W, Yin B, Luo C, Xiao J, Zhou W, Xu Z, Chen Y, Peng F, Long H. MicroRNA-145 promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in peritoneal dialysis-associated fibrosis by suppressing fibroblast growth factor 10. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:15052-15067. [PMID: 31431501 PMCID: PMC6791318 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.007404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Peritoneal fibrosis is a common complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) and the principal cause of ultrafiltration failure during PD. The initial and reversible step in PD-associated peritoneal fibrosis is the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Although the mechanisms in the EMT have been the focus of many studies, only limited information is currently available concerning microRNA (miRNA) regulation in peritoneal fibrosis. In this study, we aimed to characterize the roles of microRNA-145 (miR-145) and fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10) in peritoneal fibrosis. After inducing EMT with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in vitro, we found that miR-145 is significantly up-regulated, whereas FGF10 is markedly down-regulated, suggesting a close link between miR-145 and FGF10 in peritoneal fibrosis, further confirmed in luciferase reporter experiments. Furthermore, in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (i.e. HMrSV5 cells), miR-145 mimics induced EMT, whereas miR-145 inhibition suppressed EMT, and we also observed that miR-145 suppressed FGF10 expression. In vivo, we found that the exogenous delivery of an miR-145 expression plasmid both blocked FGF10 and intensified the EMT, whereas miR-145 inhibition promoted the expression of FGF10 and reversed the EMT. In conclusion, miR-145 promotes the EMT during the development of peritoneal fibrosis by suppressing FGF10 activity, suggesting that miR-145 represents a potential therapeutic target for managing peritoneal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Wu
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Qianyin Huang
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Peilin Li
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Yuxian Wang
- Department of Gerontology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Chenghao Zheng
- Second Clinical Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Xianghong Lei
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Shuting Li
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Wangqiu Gong
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Bohui Yin
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Congwei Luo
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Jing Xiao
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Weidong Zhou
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Zhaozhong Xu
- Department of Emergency, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Yihua Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Fenfen Peng
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
| | - Haibo Long
- Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China
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11
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Jeong MH, Kim HR, Park YJ, Chung KH. Akt and Notch pathways mediate polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition via ZEB2. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2019; 380:114691. [PMID: 31348943 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2019.114691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG-p), an antimicrobial additive, was used as a humidifier disinfectant in Korea and caused severe lung injuries, including lung fibrosis, in hundreds of victims. As PHMG-p-induced lung fibrosis is different from that induced by known fibrogenic agents such as bleomycin, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect. A recent study showed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) could play key roles in PHMG-p-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the molecular mechanisms associated with PHMG-p-induced EMT. We observed EMT, macrophage infiltration, and fibrosis in mouse lung tissues after intratracheal instillation of PHMG-p. Furthermore, PHMG-p-induced EMT was observed in A549 cells by the evaluation of cell morphology and quantitation of mRNA and protein expression. The use of EMT inhibitors revealed that PHMG-p induced EMT through the activation of Akt and Notch signaling. Moreover, the transcription factor ZEB2 was observed in PHMG-p-treated A549 cells and mouse lungs. The results indicated that upstream regulators, including Akt and Notch 1, acted as intracellular effectors that triggered ZEB2 expression after exposure to PHMG-p. Attenuation of PHMG-p-induced EMT following inhibition or silencing of Akt and Notch signaling or ZEB2 implied that PHMG-p-induced EMT was a result of Akt, Notch, and ZEB2 activation. Our findings showed that PHMG-p induced EMT through Akt/Notch signaling pathways and that ZEB2 played an important role in PHMG-p-induced lung toxicity. This study will help to understand the mechanisms of action of PHMG-p associated with lung fibrogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Ho Jeong
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Ha Ryong Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Daegu Catholic University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do 38430, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Joo Park
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kyu Hyuck Chung
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Vandamme N, Berx G. From neural crest cells to melanocytes: cellular plasticity during development and beyond. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:1919-1934. [PMID: 30830237 PMCID: PMC11105195 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03049-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Here, we review melanocyte development and how the embryonic melanoblast, although specified to become a melanocyte, is prone to cellular plasticity and is not fully committed to the melanocyte lineage. Even fully differentiated and pigment-producing melanocytes do not always have a stable phenotype. The gradual lineage restriction of neural crest cells toward the melanocyte lineage is determined by both cell-intrinsic and extracellular signals in which differentiation and pathfinding ability reciprocally influence each other. These signals are leveraged by subtle differences in timing and axial positioning. The most extensively studied migration route is the dorsolateral path between the dermomyotome and the prospective epidermis, restricted to melanoblasts. In addition, the embryonic origin of the skin dermis through which neural crest derivatives migrate may also affect the segregation between melanogenic and neurogenic cells in embryos. It is widely accepted that, irrespective of the model organism studied, the immediate precursor of both melanoblast and neurogenic populations is a glial-melanogenic bipotent progenitor. Upon exposure to different conditions, melanoblasts may differentiate into other neural crest-derived lineages such as neuronal cells and vice versa. Key factors that regulate melanoblast migration and patterning will regulate melanocyte homeostasis during different stages of hair cycling in postnatal hair follicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Vandamme
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
- DAMBI, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Berx
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium.
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13
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Rab25 and RCP in cancer progression. Arch Pharm Res 2019; 42:101-112. [DOI: 10.1007/s12272-019-01129-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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