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Zhou W, Shi H, Wang Z, Huang Y, Ni L, Chen X, Liu Y, Li H, Li C, Liu Y. Identification of Highly Repetitive Enhancers with Long-range Regulation Potential in Barley via STARR-seq. GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2024; 22:qzae012. [PMID: 39167800 DOI: 10.1093/gpbjnl/qzae012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Enhancers are DNA sequences that can strengthen transcription initiation. However, the global identification of plant enhancers is complicated due to uncertainty in the distance and orientation of enhancers, especially in species with large genomes. In this study, we performed self-transcribing active regulatory region sequencing (STARR-seq) for the first time to identify enhancers across the barley genome. A total of 7323 enhancers were successfully identified, and among 45 randomly selected enhancers, over 75% were effective as validated by a dual-luciferase reporter assay system in the lower epidermis of tobacco leaves. Interestingly, up to 53.5% of the barley enhancers were repetitive sequences, especially transposable elements (TEs), thus reinforcing the vital role of repetitive enhancers in gene expression. Both the common active mark H3K4me3 and repressive mark H3K27me3 were abundant among the barley STARR-seq enhancers. In addition, the functional range of barley STARR-seq enhancers seemed much broader than that of rice or maize and extended to ±100 kb of the gene body, and this finding was consistent with the high expression levels of genes in the genome. This study specifically depicts the unique features of barley enhancers and provides available barley enhancers for further utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanlin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Haoran Shi
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Chengdu Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yuxin Huang
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Lin Ni
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Xudong Chen
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Haojie Li
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Caixia Li
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
| | - Yaxi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
- Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
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Stricker E, Peckham-Gregory EC, Scheurer ME. HERVs and Cancer-A Comprehensive Review of the Relationship of Human Endogenous Retroviruses and Human Cancers. Biomedicines 2023; 11:936. [PMID: 36979914 PMCID: PMC10046157 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability and genetic mutations can lead to exhibition of several cancer hallmarks in affected cells such as sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppression, activated invasion, deregulation of cellular energetics, and avoidance of immune destruction. Similar biological changes have been observed to be a result of pathogenic viruses and, in some cases, have been linked to virus-induced cancers. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), once external pathogens, now occupy more than 8% of the human genome, representing the merge of genomic and external factors. In this review, we outline all reported effects of HERVs on cancer development and discuss the HERV targets most suitable for cancer treatments as well as ongoing clinical trials for HERV-targeting drugs. We reviewed all currently available reports of the effects of HERVs on human cancers including solid tumors, lymphomas, and leukemias. Our review highlights the central roles of HERV genes, such as gag, env, pol, np9, and rec in immune regulation, checkpoint blockade, cell differentiation, cell fusion, proliferation, metastasis, and cell transformation. In addition, we summarize the involvement of HERV long terminal repeat (LTR) regions in transcriptional regulation, creation of fusion proteins, expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and promotion of genome instability through recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Stricker
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
| | | | - Michael E. Scheurer
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
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Nicolescu RCB, Maylin ZR, Pérez‐Areales FJ, Iegre J, Pandha HS, Asim M, Spring DR. Hybrid Androgen Receptor Inhibitors Outperform Enzalutamide and EPI-001 in in vitro Models of Prostate Cancer Drug Resistance. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202200548. [PMID: 36300876 PMCID: PMC10098645 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200548] [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: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Androgen receptor targeted therapies for prostate cancer have serious limitations in advanced stages of the disease. While resistance to the FDA-approved enzalutamide is extensively documented, novel therapies based on epichlorohydrin scaffolds (EPI) are currently in clinical trials, but display suboptimal pharmacokinetics. Herein, we report the synthesis and biological characterisation of a novel class of compounds designed through covalently linking enzalutamide and EPI-001 through various triazole based linkers. The compounds display an 18 to 53 fold improvement in the cell killing potency towards C4-2b prostate cancer (PCa) cells compared to the gold standards of therapy, enzalutamide and EPI-001. The most promising compounds were proven to exhibit their toxicity exclusively through androgen receptor (AR) mediated pathways. This work sets the basis for the first class of hybrid AR inhibitors which successfully combine two drug moieties - EPI-001 and enzalutamide - into the same molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zoe R. Maylin
- Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of SurreyGuildfordGU2 TXHUK
| | | | - Jessica Iegre
- Yusuf Hamied Department of ChemistryUniversity of CambridgeLensfield RoadCambridgeCB2 1EWUK
| | - Hardev S. Pandha
- Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of SurreyGuildfordGU2 TXHUK
| | - Mohammad Asim
- Department of Clinical and Experimental MedicineUniversity of SurreyGuildfordGU2 TXHUK
| | - David R. Spring
- Yusuf Hamied Department of ChemistryUniversity of CambridgeLensfield RoadCambridgeCB2 1EWUK
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DiNatale A, Worrede A, Iqbal W, Marchioli M, Toth A, Sjöström M, Zhu X, Corey E, Feng FY, Zhou W, Fatatis A. IL-1β expression driven by androgen receptor absence or inactivation promotes prostate cancer bone metastasis. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:1545-1557. [PMID: 36561929 PMCID: PMC9770512 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-22-0262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
We report the inverse association between the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) in a cohort of patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We also discovered that AR represses the IL-1β gene by binding an androgen response element (ARE) half-site located within the promoter, which explains the IL-1β expression in AR-negative (ARNEG) cancer cells. Consistently, androgen-depletion or AR-pathway inhibitors (ARIs) de-repressed IL-1β in ARPOS cancer cells, both in vitro and in vivo. The AR transcriptional repression is sustained by histone de-acetylation at the H3K27 mark in the IL-1β promoter. Notably, patients' data suggest that DNA methylation prevents IL-1β expression, even if the AR-signaling axis is inactive. Our previous studies show that secreted IL-1β supports metastatic progression in mice by altering the transcriptome of tumor-associated bone stroma. Thus, in prostate cancer patients harboring ARNEG tumor cells or treated with ADT/ARIs, and with the IL-1β gene unmethylated, IL-1β could condition the metastatic microenvironment to sustain disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony DiNatale
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Janssen Oncology, Spring House, Pennsylvania
| | - Asurayya Worrede
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- AstraZeneca, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Waleed Iqbal
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Michael Marchioli
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Allison Toth
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Martin Sjöström
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - Xiaolin Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - Eva Corey
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Felix Y. Feng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UCSF, San Francisco, California
| | - Wanding Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Alessandro Fatatis
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Program in Translational and Cellular Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Yuan P, Ling L, Fan Q, Gao X, Sun T, Miao J, Yuan X, Liu J, Liu B. A four-gene signature associated with clinical features can better predict prognosis in prostate cancer. Cancer Med 2020; 9:8202-8215. [PMID: 32924329 PMCID: PMC7643642 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most deadly urinary tumors in men globally, and the 5‐year over survival is poor due to metastasis of tumor. It is significant to explore potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and personalized therapy of PCa. In the present study, we performed an integrated analysis based on multiple microarrays in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset and obtained differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between 510 PCa and 259 benign issues. The weighted correlation network analysis indicated that prognostic profile was the most relevant to DEGs. Then, univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses were conducted and four prognostic genes were obtained to establish a four‐gene prognostic model. And the predictive effect and expression profiles of the four genes were well validated in another GEO dataset, The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Human Protein Atlas datasets. Furthermore, combination of four‐gene model and clinical features was analyzed systematically to guide the prognosis of patients with PCa to a largest extent. In summary, our findings indicate that four genes had important prognostic significance in PCa and combination of four‐gene model and clinical features could achieve a better prediction to guide the prognosis of patients with PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penghui Yuan
- Department of Urology Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Le Ling
- Department of Urology Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing Fan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xintao Gao
- Department of Urology Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Taotao Sun
- Department of Urology Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianping Miao
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xianglin Yuan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jihong Liu
- Department of Urology Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Sweet TJ, Ting AH. WOMEN IN CANCER THEMATIC REVIEW: Diverse functions of DNA methylation: implications for prostate cancer and beyond. Endocr Relat Cancer 2016; 23:T169-T178. [PMID: 27605446 DOI: 10.1530/erc-16-0306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in men worldwide. Current clinical screening ensures that most prostate cancers are diagnosed while still organ confined, but disease outcome is highly variable. Thus, a better understanding of the molecular features contributing to prostate cancer aggressiveness is being sought. For many cancers, aberrant genome-wide patterns of cytosine DNA methylation in CpG dinucleotides distinguish tumor from normal tissue and contribute to disease progression by altering the transcriptome. In prostate cancer, recent genomic studies identified cancer and high grade-specific differential DNA methylation in gene promoters, gene bodies, gene 3' ends and at distal regulatory elements. Using examples from developmental and disease systems, we will discuss how DNA methylation in each of these genomic contexts can contribute to transcriptome diversity by modulating transcription initiation, alternative transcription start site selection, alternative pre-mRNA splicing and alternative polyadenylation. Alternative transcripts from the same gene often exhibit altered protein-coding potential, translatability, stability and/or localization. All of these can have functional consequences in cells. In future work, it will be important to determine if DNA methylation abnormalities in prostate cancer modify the transcriptome through some or all of these mechanisms and if these DNA methylation-mediated transcriptome alterations impact prostate tumorigenesis and aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Sweet
- Genomic Medicine InstituteLerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Angela H Ting
- Genomic Medicine InstituteLerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Goering W, Schmitt K, Dostert M, Schaal H, Deenen R, Mayer J, Schulz WA. Human endogenous retrovirus HERV-K(HML-2) activity in prostate cancer is dominated by a few loci. Prostate 2015; 75:1958-71. [PMID: 26384005 DOI: 10.1002/pros.23095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased expression of human endogenous retroviruses, especially HERV-K(HML-2) proviruses, has recently been associated with prostate carcinoma progression. In particular, a HML-2 locus in chromosome 22q11.23 (H22q) is upregulated in many cases. We therefore aimed at delineating the extent and repertoire of HML-2 transcription in prostate cancer tissues and cell lines and to define the transcription pattern and biological effects of H22q. METHODS Sanger and high throughput amplicon sequencing was used to define the repertoire of expressed HML-2 in a selected set of samples. qRT-PCR was used to quantify expression of selected proviruses in an extended set of prostate cancer tissues. Transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) were compared bioinformatically using the Transfac database. Expression of H22q was further characterized by siRNA-mediated knockdown, 5' RACE mapping of transcriptional start sites (TSS) and identification of splice sites. Functional effects of H22q knockdown were investigated by viability and apoptosis assays. RESULTS In addition to H22q, a limited number of other proviruses were found expressed by sequencing. Of these, provirus ERVK-5 and to a lesser degree ERVK-15 were frequently upregulated in prostate cancer. In contrast, expression of ERVK-24, predominant in germ cell tumors, was not detectable in prostatic tissues. While HML-2 LTRs contain binding sites for the androgen receptor and cofactors, no consistent differences in transcription factor binding sites were found between expressed and non-expressed proviruses. The H22q locus contains two 5'-LTRs of which the upstream LTR is predominantly used in prostatic cells, with an imprecise TSS. Splicing of H22q transcripts is complex, generating, among others, a transcript with an Np9-like ORF. Knockdown of H22q did not significantly affect proliferation or apoptosis of prostate cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS Our findings further underline that HML-2 expression is commonly highly tissue-specific. In prostate cancer, a limited number of loci become activated, especially H22q and ERVK-5. As expressed and non-expressed proviruses do not differ significantly in TFBS, tissue- and tumor-specific expression may be governed primarily by chromatin context. Overexpression of HML-2 H22q is more likely consequence than cause of prostate cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Goering
- Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Katja Schmitt
- Institute of Human Genetics, Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Dostert
- Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Heiner Schaal
- Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - René Deenen
- GTL, Biomedical Research Center, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jens Mayer
- Institute of Human Genetics, Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang A Schulz
- Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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Marques PI, Fonseca F, Sousa T, Santos P, Camilo V, Ferreira Z, Quesada V, Seixas S. Adaptive Evolution Favoring KLK4 Downregulation in East Asians. Mol Biol Evol 2015; 33:93-108. [PMID: 26420451 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msv199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The human kallikrein (KLK) cluster, located at chromosome 19q13.3-13.4, encodes 15 serine proteases, including neighboring genes (KLK3, KLK2, KLK4, and KLK5) with key roles in the cascades of semen liquefaction, tooth enamel maturation, and skin desquamation. KLK2 and KLK3 were previously identified as targets of adaptive evolution in primates through different mechanisms linked to reproductive biology and, in humans, genome-wide scans of positive selection captured, a yet unexplored, evidence for KLK neutrality departure in East Asians. We perform a detailed evaluation of KLK3-KLK5 variability in the 1000 Genomes samples from East Asia, Europe, and Africa, which was sustained by our own sequencing. In East Asians, we singled out a 70-kb region surrounding KLK4 that combined unusual low levels of diversity, high frequency variants with significant levels of population differentiation (FST > 0.5) and fairly homogenous haplotypes given the large local recombination rates. Among these variants, rs1654556_G, rs198968_T, and rs17800874_A stand out for their location on putative regulatory regions and predicted functional effects, namely the introduction of several microRNA binding sites and a repressor motif. Our functional assays carried out in different cellular models showed that rs198968_T and rs17800874_A operate synergistically to reduce KLK4 expression and could be further assisted by rs1654556_G. Considering the previous findings that KLK4 inactivation causes enamel malformations in humans and mice, and that this gene is coexpressed in epidermal layers along with several substrates involved in either cell adhesion or keratinocyte differentiation, we propose KLK4 as another target of selection in East Asians correlated to tooth and epidermal morphological traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Isabel Marques
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto (I3S), Porto, Portugal Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-IUOPA, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Filipa Fonseca
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto (I3S), Porto, Portugal Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Tânia Sousa
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto (I3S), Porto, Portugal Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Santos
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto (I3S), Porto, Portugal Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Vânia Camilo
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto (I3S), Porto, Portugal Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Zélia Ferreira
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Victor Quesada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-IUOPA, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Susana Seixas
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto (I3S), Porto, Portugal Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal
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The kallikrein-related peptidase family: Dysregulation and functions during cancer progression. Biochimie 2015; 122:283-99. [PMID: 26343558 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2015.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death with 14 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2012. Despite the progress made in cancer therapies, neoplastic diseases are still a major therapeutic challenge notably because of intra- and inter-malignant tumour heterogeneity and adaptation/escape of malignant cells to/from treatment. New targeted therapies need to be developed to improve our medical arsenal and counter-act cancer progression. Human kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) are secreted serine peptidases which are aberrantly expressed in many cancers and have great potential in developing targeted therapies. The potential of KLKs as cancer biomarkers is well established since the demonstration of the association between KLK3/PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels and prostate cancer progression. In addition, a constantly increasing number of in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate the functional involvement of KLKs in cancer-related processes. These peptidases are now considered key players in the regulation of cancer cell growth, migration, invasion, chemo-resistance, and importantly, in mediating interactions between cancer cells and other cell populations found in the tumour microenvironment to facilitate cancer progression. These functional roles of KLKs in a cancer context further highlight their potential in designing new anti-cancer approaches. In this review, we comprehensively review the biochemical features of KLKs, their functional roles in carcinogenesis, followed by the latest developments and the successful utility of KLK-based therapeutics in counteracting cancer progression.
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Panos M, Christophi GP, Rodriguez M, Scarisbrick IA. Differential expression of multiple kallikreins in a viral model of multiple sclerosis points to unique roles in the innate and adaptive immune response. Biol Chem 2015; 395:1063-73. [PMID: 25153387 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2014-0141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2014] [Accepted: 06/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies provide a functional link between kallikrein 6 (Klk6) and the development and progression of disease in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and in its murine models. To evaluate the involvement of additional kallikrein family members, we compared Klk6 expression with four other kallikreins (Klk1, Klk7, Klk8, and Klk10) in the brain and spinal cord of mice infected with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus, an experimental model of progressive MS. The robust upregulation of Klk6 and Klk8 in the brain during the acute phase of viral encephalitis and in the spinal cord during disease development and progression points to their participation in inflammation, demyelination, and progressive axon degeneration. More limited changes in Klk1, Klk7, and Klk10 were also observed. In addition, Klk1, Klk6, and Klk10 were dynamically regulated in T cells in vitro as a recall response to viral antigen and in activated monocytes, pointing to their activities in the development of adaptive and innate immune function. Together, these results point to overlapping and unique roles for multiple kallikreins in the development and progression of virus-mediated central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating disease, including activities in the development of the adaptive and innate immune response, in demyelination, and in progressive axon degeneration.
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Genetic etiology of renal agenesis: fine mapping of Renag1 and identification of Kit as the candidate functional gene. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118147. [PMID: 25693193 PMCID: PMC4333340 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urogenital tract (CAKUT) occur in approximately 0.5% of live births and represent the most frequent cause of end-stage renal disease in neonates and children. The genetic basis of CAKUT is not well defined. To understand more fully the genetic basis of one type of CAKUT, unilateral renal agenesis (URA), we are studying inbred ACI rats, which spontaneously exhibit URA and associated urogenital anomalies at an incidence of approximately 10%. URA is inherited as an incompletely dominant trait with incomplete penetrance in crosses between ACI and Brown Norway (BN) rats and a single responsible genetic locus, designated Renag1, was previously mapped to rat chromosome 14 (RNO14). The goals of this study were to fine map Renag1, identify the causal genetic variant responsible for URA, confirm that the Renag1 variant is the sole determinant of URA in the ACI rat, and define the embryologic basis of URA in this rat model. Data presented herein localize Renag1 to a 379 kilobase (kb) interval that contains a single protein coding gene, Kit (v-kit Hardy-Zukerman 4 feline sarcoma viral oncogene homolog); identify an endogenous retrovirus-derived long terminal repeat located within Kit intron 1 as the probable causal variant; demonstrate aberrant development of the nephric duct in the anticipated number of ACI rat embryos; and demonstrate expression of Kit and Kit ligand (Kitlg) in the nephric duct. Congenic rats that harbor ACI alleles at Renag1 on the BN genetic background exhibit the same spectrum of urogenital anomalies as ACI rats, indicating that Renag1 is necessary and sufficient to elicit URA and associated urogenital anomalies. These data reveal the first genetic link between Kit and URA and illustrate the value of the ACI rat as a model for defining the mechanisms and cell types in which Kit functions during urogenital development.
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A bioengineered microenvironment to quantitatively measure the tumorigenic properties of cancer-associated fibroblasts in human prostate cancer. Biomaterials 2013; 34:4777-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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13
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Current World Literature. Curr Opin Urol 2013. [DOI: 10.1097/mou.0b013e3283605159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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