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Gagnon J, Caron V, Tremblay A. SUMOylation of nuclear receptor Nor1/NR4A3 coordinates microtubule cytoskeletal dynamics and stability in neuronal cells. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:91. [PMID: 38997783 PMCID: PMC11245793 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-024-01273-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nor1/NR4A3 is a member of the NR4A subfamily of nuclear receptors that play essential roles in regulating gene expression related to development, cell homeostasis and neurological functions. However, Nor1 is still considered an orphan receptor, as its natural ligand remains unclear for mediating transcriptional activation. Yet other activation signals may modulate Nor1 activity, although their precise role in the development and maintenance of the nervous system remains elusive. METHODS We used transcriptional reporter assays, gene expression profiling, protein turnover measurement, and cell growth assays to assess the functional relevance of Nor1 and SUMO-defective variants in neuronal cells. SUMO1 and SUMO2 conjugation to Nor1 were assessed by immunoprecipitation. Tubulin stability was determined by acetylation and polymerization assays, and live-cell fluorescent microscopy. RESULTS Here, we demonstrate that Nor1 undergoes SUMO1 conjugation at Lys-89 within a canonical ψKxE SUMOylation motif, contributing to the complex pattern of Nor1 SUMOylation, which also includes Lys-137. Disruption of Lys-89, thereby preventing SUMO1 conjugation, led to reduced Nor1 transcriptional competence and protein stability, as well as the downregulation of genes involved in cell growth and metabolism, such as ENO3, EN1, and CFLAR, and in microtubule cytoskeleton dynamics, including MAP2 and MAPT, which resulted in reduced survival of neuronal cells. Interestingly, Lys-89 SUMOylation was potentiated in response to nocodazole, a microtubule depolymerizing drug, although this was insufficient to rescue cells from microtubule disruption despite enhanced Nor1 gene expression. Instead, Lys-89 deSUMOylation reduced the expression of microtubule-severing genes like KATNA1, SPAST, and FIGN, and enhanced α-tubulin cellular levels, acetylation, and microfilament organization, promoting microtubule stability and resistance to nocodazole. These effects contrasted with Lys-137 SUMOylation, suggesting distinct regulatory mechanisms based on specific Nor1 input SUMOylation signals. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides novel insights into Nor1 transcriptional signaling competence and identifies a hierarchical mechanism whereby selective Nor1 SUMOylation may govern neuronal cytoskeleton network dynamics and resistance against microtubule disturbances, a condition strongly associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Gagnon
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Véronique Caron
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - André Tremblay
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, 3175 Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1C5, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada.
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 7C6, Canada.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada.
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Ashton AW, Dhanjal HK, Rossner B, Mahmood H, Patel VI, Nadim M, Lota M, Shahid F, Li Z, Joyce D, Pajkos M, Dosztányi Z, Jiao X, Pestell RG. Acetylation of nuclear receptors in health and disease: an update. FEBS J 2024; 291:217-236. [PMID: 36471658 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Lysine acetylation is a common reversible post-translational modification of proteins that plays a key role in regulating gene expression. Nuclear receptors (NRs) include ligand-inducible transcription factors and orphan receptors for which the ligand is undetermined, which together regulate the expression of genes involved in development, metabolism, homeostasis, reproduction and human diseases including cancer. Since the original finding that the ERα, AR and HNF4 are acetylated, we now understand that the vast majority of NRs are acetylated and that this modification has profound effects on NR function. Acetylation sites are often conserved and involve both ordered and disordered regions of NRs. The acetylated residues function as part of an intramolecular signalling platform intersecting phosphorylation, methylation and other modifications. Acetylation of NR has been shown to impact recruitment into chromatin, co-repressor and coactivator complex formation, sensitivity and specificity of regulation by ligand and ligand antagonists, DNA binding, subcellular distribution and transcriptional activity. A growing body of evidence in mice indicates a vital role for NR acetylation in metabolism. Additionally, mutations of the NR acetylation site occur in human disease. This review focuses on the role of NR acetylation in coordinating signalling in normal physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony W Ashton
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
- Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, Wynnewood, PA, USA
| | | | - Benjamin Rossner
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
| | - Huma Mahmood
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
| | - Vivek I Patel
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
| | - Mohammad Nadim
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
| | - Manpreet Lota
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
| | - Farhan Shahid
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
| | - Zhiping Li
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
- Pennsylvania Cancer and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Wynnewood, PA, USA
| | - David Joyce
- Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Matyas Pajkos
- Department of Biochemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Dosztányi
- Department of Biochemistry, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Xuanmao Jiao
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
- Pennsylvania Cancer and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Wynnewood, PA, USA
| | - Richard G Pestell
- Xavier University School of Medicine at Aruba, Oranjestad, Aruba
- Pennsylvania Cancer and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Wynnewood, PA, USA
- The Wistar Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Zhang L, Mohankumar K, Martin G, Mariyam F, Park Y, Han SJ, Safe S. Flavonoids Quercetin and Kaempferol Are NR4A1 Antagonists and Suppress Endometriosis in Female Mice. Endocrinology 2023; 164:bqad133. [PMID: 37652054 PMCID: PMC10502789 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1) plays an important role in endometriosis progression; levels of NR4A1 in endometriotic lesions are higher than in normal endometrium, and substituted bis-indole analogs (NR4A1) antagonists suppress endometriosis progression in mice with endometriosis. In addition, the flavonoids kaempferol and quercetin are natural products that directly bind NR4A1 and significantly repress the intrinsic NR4A1-dependent transcriptional activity in human endometriotic epithelial and stromal cells and Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells. NR4A1 knockdown and inhibition of NR4A1 by kaempferol and quercetin suppressed proliferation of human endometriotic epithelial cells and Ishikawa cells by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor/c-Myc/survivin-mediated growth-promoting and survival pathways, The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and αSMA/CTGF/COL1A1/FN-mediated fibrosis signaling but increasing Thioredoxin domain Containing 5/SESN2-mediated oxidative/estrogen receptors stress signaling. In human endometriotic stromal cells, NR4A1 knockdown and inhibition of NR4A1 by kaempferol and quercetin primarily inhibited mTOR signaling by suppressing proliferation of human endometrial stromal cells. In addition, kaempferol and quercetin treatment also effectively suppressed the growth of endometriotic lesions in mice with endometriosis compared with the vehicle without any body weight changes. Therefore, kaempferol and quercetin are NR4A1 antagonists with potential as nutritional therapy for endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Kumaravel Mohankumar
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Gregory Martin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Fuada Mariyam
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Yuri Park
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sang Jun Han
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Gomatou G, Karachaliou A, Veloudiou OZ, Karvela A, Syrigos N, Kotteas E. The Role of REV-ERB Receptors in Cancer Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108980. [PMID: 37240325 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
REV-ERB receptors are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily of proteins, which act as both intracellular receptors and transcription factors, therefore modulating the expression of target genes. REV-ERBs act as transcription repressors because of their unique structure. Their predominant role involves the control of peripheral circadian rhythmicity by participating in a transcription-translation feedback loop with other major clock genes. Regarding their role in cancer pathogenesis, recent studies in various cancerous tissues have revealed that their expression was downregulated in the majority of the cases. Dysregulation of their expression was also implicated in cancer-associated cachexia. The pharmacological restoration of their effects is feasible with synthetic agonists, which have been explored in preclinical studies but with scarce data. There is a need for further investigation, primarily with mechanistic studies, on the effect of the REV-ERB-induced circadian rhythm deregulation in carcinogenesis and cancer-related systemic effects, such as cachexia, in order to address the potential of relevant therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Gomatou
- Oncology Unit, Third Department of Medicine, "Sotiria" General Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Karachaliou
- Oncology Unit, Third Department of Medicine, "Sotiria" General Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
| | - Orsalia-Zoi Veloudiou
- Oncology Unit, Third Department of Medicine, "Sotiria" General Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
| | - Alexandra Karvela
- Oncology Unit, Third Department of Medicine, "Sotiria" General Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Syrigos
- Oncology Unit, Third Department of Medicine, "Sotiria" General Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
| | - Elias Kotteas
- Oncology Unit, Third Department of Medicine, "Sotiria" General Hospital for Diseases of the Chest, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece
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MicroRNA-377: A therapeutic and diagnostic tumor marker. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 226:1226-1235. [PMID: 36442575 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.11.236] [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: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is considered as one of the main causes of human deaths globally. Despite the recent progresses in therapeutic modalities, there is still a high rate of mortality among cancer patients. Late diagnosis in advanced tumor stages is one of the main reasons for treatment failure in cancer patients. Therefore, it is required to suggest the novel strategies for the early tumor detection. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have critical roles in neoplastic transformation by regulation of cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. They are always considered as non-invasive markers due to their high stability in body fluids. Since, all of the miRNAs have tissue-specific functions in different tumors as tumor suppressor or oncogene; it is required to investigate the molecular mechanisms of every miRNA in different tumors to introduce that as a suitable non-invasive diagnostic marker in cancer patients. For the first time in the present review, we discussed the role of miR-377 during tumor progression. It has been reported that miR-377 mainly functions as a tumor suppressor through the regulation of signaling pathways and transcription factors. This review is an important step toward introducing the miR-377 as a novel diagnostic marker as well as a therapeutic target in cancer patients.
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Health Benefits of Coffee Consumption for Cancer and Other Diseases and Mechanisms of Action. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032706. [PMID: 36769029 PMCID: PMC9916720 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide, and epidemiology studies associate higher coffee consumption with decreased rates of mortality and decreased rates of neurological and metabolic diseases, including Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes. In addition, there is also evidence that higher coffee consumption is associated with lower rates of colon and rectal cancer, as well as breast, endometrial, and other cancers, although for some of these cancers, the results are conflicting. These studies reflect the chemopreventive effects of coffee; there is also evidence that coffee consumption may be therapeutic for some forms of breast and colon cancer, and this needs to be further investigated. The mechanisms associated with the chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic effects of over 1000 individual compounds in roasted coffee are complex and may vary with different diseases. Some of these mechanisms may be related to nuclear factor erythroid 2 (Nrf2)-regulated pathways that target oxidative stress or pathways that induce reactive oxygen species to kill diseased cells (primarily therapeutic). There is evidence for the involvement of receptors which include the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and orphan nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1), as well as contributions from epigenetic pathways and the gut microbiome. Further elucidation of the mechanisms will facilitate the potential future clinical applications of coffee extracts for treating cancer and other inflammatory diseases.
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Perez-Castro L, Garcia R, Venkateswaran N, Barnes S, Conacci-Sorrell M. Tryptophan and its metabolites in normal physiology and cancer etiology. FEBS J 2023; 290:7-27. [PMID: 34687129 PMCID: PMC9883803 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Within the growing field of amino acid metabolism, tryptophan (Trp) catabolism is an area of increasing interest. Trp is essential for protein synthesis, and its metabolism gives rise to biologically active catabolites including serotonin and numerous metabolites in the kynurenine (Kyn) pathway. In normal tissues, the production of Trp metabolites is directly regulated by the tissue-specific expression of Trp-metabolizing enzymes. Alterations of these enzymes in cancers can shift the balance and lead to an increased production of specific byproducts that can function as oncometabolites. For example, increased expression of the enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, which converts Trp into Kyn, leads to an increase in Kyn levels in numerous cancers. Kyn functions as an oncometabolite in cancer cells by promoting the activity of the transcription factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor, which regulates progrowth genes. Moreover, Kyn also inhibits T-cell activity and thus allows cancer cells to evade clearance by the immune system. Therefore, targeting the Kyn pathway has become a therapeutic focus as a novel means to abrogate tumor growth and immune resistance. This review summarizes the biological role and regulation of Trp metabolism and its catabolites with an emphasis on tumor cell growth and immune evasion and outlines areas for future research focus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizbeth Perez-Castro
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Roy Garcia
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Niranjan Venkateswaran
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Spencer Barnes
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Maralice Conacci-Sorrell
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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hUMSCs Transplantation Regulates AMPK/NR4A1 Signaling Axis to Inhibit Ovarian Fibrosis in POI Rats. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2022:10.1007/s12015-022-10469-y. [PMID: 36307672 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-022-10469-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanism of human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hUMSCs) transplantation to improve ovarian function in the rats with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) is still unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the signal axis mechanism that is involved in the ovarian function recovery of POI rats following hUMSCs transplantation. METHODS The rat model with POI was established by intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin. The hUMSCs were transplanted by caudal vein injection into POI rats. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining was performed to examine the morphology of rat ovarian tissue. Masson staining, Sirus red staining and immunofluorescence were used to observe the fibrosis extent of ovarian tissue. The levels of serum sex hormones and the expression of fibrosis related markers in ovarian tissues were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of NR4A1, Phospho-NR4A1 and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling in rat ovarian tissues was measured by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The role of AMPK/NR4A1 signaling axis in the regulation of ovarian function recovery in POI rats following hUMSCs transplantation was further investigated by adenovirus and siRNA intervention in isolated stromal cells. RESULTS The results showed that the hUMSCs transplantation significantly inhibited ovarian tissue fibrosis and restored the ovarian function in POI rats. The level of NR4A1 and AMPK expression in ovarian tissue of POI rats after hUMSCs transplantation was significantly increased compared with the control group. In the cultured ovarian stromal cells, the similar results were obtained on the expression of NR4A1 and its regulation on fibrosis related molecular markers in Cisplatin (CDDP) damaged stromal cells following hUMSCs supernatant treatment. Both hUMSCs supernatant treatment and the addition of AMPK inhibitors increased NR4A1 expression in stromal cells. And after NR4A1 molecular intervention, fibrosis-related indicators in stromal cells changed. The data suggests that the AMPK/NR4A1 signaling axis is involved in the ovarian function changes in POI rats following hUMSCs transplantation. CONCLUSION The data from this study indicate that the inhibition of tissue fibrosis and recovery of ovarian function is regulated by AMPK/NR4A1 signaling axis in POI rats following hUMSCs transplantation.
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Therapeutic targets and biomarkers of tumor immunotherapy: response versus non-response. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:331. [PMID: 36123348 PMCID: PMC9485144 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01136-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancers are highly complex diseases that are characterized by not only the overgrowth of malignant cells but also an altered immune response. The inhibition and reprogramming of the immune system play critical roles in tumor initiation and progression. Immunotherapy aims to reactivate antitumor immune cells and overcome the immune escape mechanisms of tumors. Represented by immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive cell transfer, tumor immunotherapy has seen tremendous success in the clinic, with the capability to induce long-term regression of some tumors that are refractory to all other treatments. Among them, immune checkpoint blocking therapy, represented by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (nivolumab) and CTLA-4 inhibitors (ipilimumab), has shown encouraging therapeutic effects in the treatment of various malignant tumors, such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma. In addition, with the advent of CAR-T, CAR-M and other novel immunotherapy methods, immunotherapy has entered a new era. At present, evidence indicates that the combination of multiple immunotherapy methods may be one way to improve the therapeutic effect. However, the overall clinical response rate of tumor immunotherapy still needs improvement, which warrants the development of novel therapeutic designs as well as the discovery of biomarkers that can guide the prescription of these agents. Learning from the past success and failure of both clinical and basic research is critical for the rational design of studies in the future. In this article, we describe the efforts to manipulate the immune system against cancer and discuss different targets and cell types that can be exploited to promote the antitumor immune response.
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Hong H, Su J, Huang C, Lu X, Cui Z. Comprehensive insights into the function and molecular and pharmacological regulation of neuron-derived orphan receptor 1, an orphan receptor. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:981490. [PMID: 36110555 PMCID: PMC9468329 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.981490] [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: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuron-derived orphan receptor 1 (NOR1), also called nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 3 (NR4A3), is a nuclear receptor belonging to the NR4A family. Since no endogenous ligand has been identified to date, NOR1 is also referred to as an orphan receptor. NOR1 is expressed in a variety of cells and tissues, including neurons, vascular smooth muscle cells, T lymphocytes, dendritic cells, tumor cells, heart, liver, and pancreas. Because NOR1 was first identified in apoptotic neurons, it is functionally associated with the regulation of cell migration and the growth of neuronal synapses. In-depth studies have shown that NOR1 can be edited by the immediate early gene and functions as a transcription factor. NOR1 has been shown to be rapidly induced by a number of stimulants including growth factors, fatty acids, and neurotransmitters. Elevated NOR1 levels may be involved in a number of pathophysiological processes. These include regulation of cellular apoptosis and regeneration, neuron formation, contextual fearing memory, inflammation, vascular smooth muscle proliferation, insulin secretion, and tumor development, whereby NOR1 mediates the pathogenesis of numerous diseases such as cerebral ischemia, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, cardiac hypertrophy, diabetes, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. However, to date, comprehensive insights into the function of NOR1 are not available in sources published online. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the function and molecular and pharmacological regulation of NOR1 in various pathological or physiological conditions to advance the development of NOR1 as a novel target for disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxiang Hong
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Jianbin Su
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Chao Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xu Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Zhiming Cui
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
- *Correspondence: Zhiming Cui,
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Identifying General Tumor and Specific Lung Cancer Biomarkers by Transcriptomic Analysis. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11071082. [PMID: 36101460 PMCID: PMC9313083 DOI: 10.3390/biology11071082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The bioinformatic pipeline previously developed in our research laboratory is used to identify potential general and specific deregulated tumor genes and transcription factors related to the establishment and progression of tumoral diseases, now comparing lung cancer with other two types of cancer. Twenty microarray datasets were selected and analyzed separately to identify hub differentiated expressed genes and compared to identify all the deregulated genes and transcription factors in common between the three types of cancer and those unique to lung cancer. The winning DEGs analysis allowed to identify an important number of TFs deregulated in the majority of microarray datasets, which can become key biomarkers of general tumors and specific to lung cancer. A coexpression network was constructed for every dataset with all deregulated genes associated with lung cancer, according to DAVID’s tool enrichment analysis, and transcription factors capable of regulating them, according to oPOSSUM´s tool. Several genes and transcription factors are coexpressed in the networks, suggesting that they could be related to the establishment or progression of the tumoral pathology in any tissue and specifically in the lung. The comparison of the coexpression networks of lung cancer and other types of cancer allowed the identification of common connectivity patterns with deregulated genes and transcription factors correlated to important tumoral processes and signaling pathways that have not been studied yet to experimentally validate their role in lung cancer. The Kaplan–Meier estimator determined the association of thirteen deregulated top winning transcription factors with the survival of lung cancer patients. The coregulatory analysis identified two top winning transcription factors networks related to the regulatory control of gene expression in lung and breast cancer. Our transcriptomic analysis suggests that cancer has an important coregulatory network of transcription factors related to the acquisition of the hallmarks of cancer. Moreover, lung cancer has a group of genes and transcription factors unique to pulmonary tissue that are coexpressed during tumorigenesis and must be studied experimentally to fully understand their role in the pathogenesis within its very complex transcriptomic scenario. Therefore, the downstream bioinformatic analysis developed was able to identify a coregulatory metafirm of cancer in general and specific to lung cancer taking into account the great heterogeneity of the tumoral process at cellular and population levels.
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Lee HS, Kim DH, Lee IS, Park JH, Martin G, Safe S, Kim KJ, Kim JH, Jang BI, Lee SO. Plant Alkaloid Tetrandrine Is a Nuclear Receptor 4A1 Antagonist and Inhibits Panc-1 Cell Growth In Vitro and In Vivo. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5280. [PMID: 35563670 PMCID: PMC9104798 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The orphan nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1) is highly expressed in human pancreatic cancer cells and exerts pro-oncogenic activity. In a previous study, we demonstrated that fangchinoline (FCN), a natural inhibitor of nuclear NR4A1, induces NR4A1-dependent apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated FCN and its structural analogs (berbamine, isotetrandrine, tetrandrine, and tubocurarine) for their inhibitory effects on NR4A1 transactivity, and confirmed that tetrandrine (TTD) showed the highest inhibitory effect in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, in a tryptophan fluorescence quenching assay, TTD directly bound to the ligand binding domain (LBD) of NR4A1 with a KD value of 10.60 μM. Treatment with TTD decreased proliferation and induced apoptosis in Panc-1 human pancreatic cancer cells in part through the reduced expression of the Sp1-dependent anti-apoptotic gene survivin and induction of ROS-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress, which are the well-known NR4A1-dependent proapoptotic pathways. Furthermore, at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day, TTD reduced tumor growth in an athymic nude mouse xenograft model bearing Panc-1 cells. These data show that TTD is an NR4A1 antagonist and that modulation of the NR4A1-mediated pro-survival pathways is involved in the antitumor effects of TTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo-Seon Lee
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea; (H.-S.L.); (I.-S.L.); (J.-H.P.)
| | - Dae Hwan Kim
- Department of Laboratory Animal Research Support Team, Yeungnam University Medical Center, Daegu 42415, Korea;
| | - In-Seon Lee
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea; (H.-S.L.); (I.-S.L.); (J.-H.P.)
| | - Ji-Hyun Park
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea; (H.-S.L.); (I.-S.L.); (J.-H.P.)
| | - Gregory Martin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4466, USA; (G.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4466, USA; (G.M.); (S.S.)
| | - Keuk-Jun Kim
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Daekyeung College, Gyeongsan 38547, Korea; (K.-J.K.); (J.-H.K.)
| | - Joung-Hee Kim
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Daekyeung College, Gyeongsan 38547, Korea; (K.-J.K.); (J.-H.K.)
| | - Byung Ik Jang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu 42415, Korea;
| | - Syng-Ook Lee
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea; (H.-S.L.); (I.-S.L.); (J.-H.P.)
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13
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Lin HY, Ko CJ, Lo TY, Wu SR, Lan SW, Huang CA, Lin YC, Lin HH, Tu HF, Lee CF, Hsiao PW, Huang HP, Chen MJ, Chang KH, Lee MS. Matriptase-2/NR4A3 axis switches TGF-β action toward suppression of prostate cancer cell invasion, tumor growth, and metastasis. Oncogene 2022; 41:2833-2845. [PMID: 35418692 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02303-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of pericellular proteolysis is strongly implicated in cancer metastasis through alteration of cell invasion and the microenvironment. Matriptase-2 (MT-2) is a membrane-anchored serine protease which can suppress prostate cancer (PCa) cell invasion. In this study, we showed that MT-2 was down-regulated in PCa and could suppress PCa cell motility, tumor growth, and metastasis. Using microarray and biochemical analysis, we found that MT-2 shifted TGF-β action towards its tumor suppressor function by repressing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promoting Smad2 phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation to upregulate two TGF-β1 downstream effectors (p21 and PAI-1), culminating in hindrance of PCa cell motility and malignant growth. Mechanistically, MT-2 could dramatically up-regulate the expression of nuclear receptor NR4A3 via iron metabolism in PCa cells. MT-2-induced NR4A3 further coactivated Smad2 to activate p21 and PAI-1 expression. In addition, NR4A3 functioned as a suppressor of PCa and mediated MT-2 signaling to inhibit PCa tumorigenesis and metastasis. These results together indicate that NR4A3 sustains MT-2 signaling to suppress PCa cell invasion, tumor growth, and metastasis, and serves as a contextual factor for the TGF-β/Smad2 signaling pathway in favor of tumor suppression via promoting p21 and PAI-1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Ying Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chun-Jung Ko
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tzu-Yu Lo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shang-Ru Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shao-Wei Lan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chen-An Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Chin Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsin-Hsien Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsin-Fang Tu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Cheng-Fan Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pei-Wen Hsiao
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hsiang-Po Huang
- Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics and Proteomics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Mei-Jou Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Kai-Hsiung Chang
- Institute of Cellular and System Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ming-Shyue Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
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14
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TR3 Enhances AR Variant Production and Transactivation, Promoting Androgen Independence of Prostate Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14081911. [PMID: 35454821 PMCID: PMC9031921 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081911] [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: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Advanced prostate cancer development is associated with androgen-independent AR signaling. TR3 overexpression alters AR expression, splicing process, and transactivation towards increasing the androgen independence of AR signaling in prostate cancer cells. These results suggest that TR3 is a pivotal factor in the progression of prostate cancer to advanced form. Abstract The pro-oncogenic function of TR3, an orphan nuclear receptor, has been reported in prostate cancer. However, the roles of TR3 in androgen receptor (AR) expression and signaling in prostate cancer cells are poorly understood. Database analysis revealed that TR3 expression level is elevated in prostate tumors, and is positively, although weakly, correlated with that of AR. TR3 overexpression increased the production of AR splice variants in addition to general upregulation of AR expression. TR3 interacted with some spliceosomal complex components and AR precursor mRNA, altering the splice junction rates between exons. TR3 also enhanced androgen-independent AR function. Furthermore, TR3 overexpression increased cell proliferation and mobility of AR-positive prostate cancer cells and stimulated tumorigenesis of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells in mouse xenograft models. This is the first study to report that TR3 is a multifunctional regulator of AR signaling in prostate cancer cells. TR3 alters AR expression, splicing process, and activity in prostate cancer cells, increasing the androgen independence of AR signaling. Therefore, TR3 may play a crucial role in the progression of prostate cancer to an advanced castration-resistant form.
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15
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Wang J, Zhou T, Liu Y, Chen S, Yu Z. Application of Nanoparticles in the Treatment of Lung Cancer With Emphasis on Receptors. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:781425. [PMID: 35082668 PMCID: PMC8785094 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.781425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is one of the malignant tumors that has seen the most rapid growth in terms of morbidity and mortality in recent years, posing the biggest threat to people’s health and lives. In recent years, the nano-drug loading system has made significant progress in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer. Nanomaterials are used to specifically target tumor tissue to minimize therapeutic adverse effects and increase bioavailability. It is achieved primarily through two mechanisms: passive targeting, which entails the use of enhanced penetration and retention (EPR) effect, and active targeting, which entails the loading recognition ligands for tumor marker molecules onto nanomaterials. However, it has been demonstrated that the EPR effect is effective in rodents but not in humans. Taking this into consideration, researchers paid significant attention to the active targeting nano-drug loading system. Additionally, it has been demonstrated to have a higher affinity and specificity for tumor cells. In this review, it describes the development of research into active targeted nano-drug delivery systems for lung cancer treatment from the receptors’ or targets’ perspective. We anticipate that this study will help biomedical researchers use nanoparticles (NPs) to treat lung cancer by providing more and novel drug delivery strategies or solid ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyue Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Tong Zhou
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Respiration, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shuangmin Chen
- Department of Respiration, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zhenxiang Yu
- Department of Respiration, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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16
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Mohankumar K, Shrestha R, Safe S. Nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1) antagonists target paraspeckle component 1 (PSPC1) in cancer cells. Mol Carcinog 2022; 61:73-84. [PMID: 34699643 PMCID: PMC8665050 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Paraspeckles compound 1 (PSPC1) is a multifunctional protein that plays an important role in cancer cells, where PSPC1 is a master regulator of pro-oncogenic responses that includes activation of TGFβ (TGFβ1), TGFβ-dependent EMT, and metastasis. The pro-oncogenic activities of PSPC1 closely resembled those observed for the orphan nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1, Nur77) and knockdown of NR4A1 decreased expression of PSPC1 in MDA-MB-231 breast, H1299 lung, and SNU449 liver cancer cells. Similar results were observed in these same cell lines after treatment with bisindole-derived (CDIMs) NR4A1 antagonists. Moreover, PSPC1-dependent regulation of TGFβ, genes associated with cancer stem cells and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) were also downregulated after NR4A1 silencing or treatment of breast, lung, and liver cancer cells with CDIM/NR4A1 antagonists. Results of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays suggest that NR4A1 regulates PSPC1 through interaction with an NBRE sequence in the PSPC1 gene promoter. These results coupled with in vivo studies showing that NR4A1 antagonists inhibit breast tumor growth and downregulate PSPC1 in tumors indicate that the pro-oncogenic nuclear PSPC1 factor can be targeted by CDIM/NR4A1 antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumaravel Mohankumar
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - Rupesh Shrestha
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA, 77843
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843 USA
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17
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Xiang XS, Li PC, Wang WQ, Liu L. Histone deacetylases: A novel class of therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188676. [PMID: 35016922 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the seventh leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with a low 5-year survival rate. Novel agents are urgently necessary to treat the main pathological type, known as pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDAC). The dysregulation of histone deacetylases (HDACs) has been identified in association with PDAC, which can be more easily targeted by small molecular inhibitors than gene mutations and may represent a therapeutic breakthrough for PDAC. However, the contributions of HDACs to PDAC remain controversial, and pharmacokinetic challenges have limited the application of HDAC inhibitors (HDACis) in PDAC. This review summarizes the mechanisms associated with success and failure of HDACis in PDAC and discusses the recent progress made in HDACi development and application, such as combination therapies designed to enhance efficacy. More precise strategies involving HDACis might eventually improve the outcomes of PDAC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Song Xiang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng-Cheng Li
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Quan Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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18
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Jiang J, Yuan J, Hu Z, Xu M, Zhang Y, Long M, Fan Y, Montone K, Tanyi JL, Tavana O, Chan HM, Zhang L, Hu X. Systematic pan-cancer characterization of nuclear receptors identifies potential cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Cancer Res 2021; 82:46-59. [PMID: 34750098 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-3458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily is one of the major druggable gene families, representing targets of approximately 13.5% of approved drugs. Certain NRs, such as estrogen receptor and androgen receptor, have been well demonstrated to be functionally involved in cancer and serve as informative biomarkers and therapeutic targets in oncology. However, the spectrum of NR dysregulation across cancers remains to be comprehensively characterized. Through computational integration of genetic, genomic, and pharmacologic profiles, we characterized the expression, recurrent genomic alterations, and cancer dependency of NRs at a large scale across primary tumor specimens and cancer cell lines. Expression levels of NRs were highly cancer-type specific and globally downregulated in tumors compared to corresponding normal tissue. Although the majority of NRs showed copy number losses in cancer, both recurrent focal gains and losses were identified in select NRs. Recurrent mutations and transcript fusions of NRs were observed in a small portion of cancers, serving as actionable genomic alterations. Analysis of large-scale CRISPR and RNAi screening datasets identified 10 NRs as strongly selective essential genes for cancer cell growth. In a subpopulation of tumor cells, growth dependencies correlated significantly with expression or genomic alterations. Overall, our comprehensive characterization of NRs across cancers may facilitate the identification and prioritization of potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets, as well as the selection of patients for precision cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiao Yuan
- Ob and Gyn, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Zhongyi Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Mu Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania
| | | | - Meixiao Long
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University
| | - Yi Fan
- Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania
| | | | | | | | - Ho Man Chan
- Bioscience, Research and Early Development, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca (United States)
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania
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19
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Nelson AT, Wang Y, Nelson ER. TLX, an Orphan Nuclear Receptor With Emerging Roles in Physiology and Disease. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6360449. [PMID: 34463725 PMCID: PMC8462384 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
TLX (NR2E1), an orphan member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a transcription factor that has been described to be generally repressive in nature. It has been implicated in several aspects of physiology and disease. TLX is best known for its ability to regulate the proliferation of neural stem cells and retinal progenitor cells. Dysregulation, overexpression, or loss of TLX expression has been characterized in numerous studies focused on a diverse range of pathological conditions, including abnormal brain development, psychiatric disorders, retinopathies, metabolic disease, and malignant neoplasm. Despite the lack of an identified endogenous ligand, several studies have described putative synthetic and natural TLX ligands, suggesting that this receptor may serve as a therapeutic target. Therefore, this article aims to briefly review what is known about TLX structure and function in normal physiology, and provide an overview of TLX in regard to pathological conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on TLX and cancer, and the potential utility of this receptor as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T Nelson
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Erik R Nelson
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Anticancer Discovery from Pets to People Theme, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
- Correspondence: Erik R. Nelson, PhD, Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 407 S Goodwin Ave (MC-114), Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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20
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Zaienne D, Willems S, Schierle S, Heering J, Merk D. Development and Profiling of Inverse Agonist Tools for the Neuroprotective Transcription Factor Nurr1. J Med Chem 2021; 64:15126-15140. [PMID: 34633810 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The ligand-sensing transcription factor nuclear receptor related 1 (Nurr1) evolves as an appealing target to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Despite its therapeutic potential observed in various rodent models, potent modulators for Nurr1 are lacking as pharmacological tools. Here, we report the structure-activity relationship and systematic optimization of indole-based inverse Nurr1 agonists. Optimized analogues decreased the receptor's intrinsic transcriptional activity by up to more than 90% and revealed preference for inhibiting Nurr1 monomer activity. In orthogonal cell-free settings, we detected displacement of NCoRs and disruption of the Nurr1 homodimer as molecular modes of action. The inverse Nurr1 agonists reduced the expression of Nurr1-regulated genes in T98G cells, and treatment with an inverse Nurr1 agonist mimicked the effect of Nurr1 silencing on interleukin-6 release from LPS-stimulated human astrocytes. The indole-based inverse Nurr1 agonists valuably extend the toolbox of Nurr1 modulators to further probe the role of Nurr1 in neuroinflammation, cancer, and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zaienne
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Willems
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Simone Schierle
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jan Heering
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-81377 Munich, Germany
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21
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SPDEF suppresses head and neck squamous cell carcinoma progression by transcriptionally activating NR4A1. Int J Oral Sci 2021; 13:33. [PMID: 34667150 PMCID: PMC8526567 DOI: 10.1038/s41368-021-00138-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
SAM pointed domain containing E26 transformation-specific transcription factor (SPDEF) plays dual roles in the initiation and development of human malignancies. However, the biological role of SPDEF in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. In this study, the expression level of SPDEF and its correlation with the clinical parameters of patients with HNSCC were determined using TCGA-HNSC, GSE65858, and our own clinical cohorts. CCK8, colony formation, cell cycle analysis, and a xenograft tumor growth model were used to determine the molecular functions of SPDEF in HNSCC. ChIP-qPCR, dual luciferase reporter assay, and rescue experiments were conducted to explore the potential molecular mechanism of SPDEF in HNSCC. Compared with normal epithelial tissues, SPDEF was significantly downregulated in HNSCC tissues. Patients with HNSCC with low SPDEF mRNA levels exhibited poor clinical outcomes. Restoring SPDEF inhibited HNSCC cell viability and colony formation and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, while silencing SPDEF promoted cell proliferation in vitro. The xenograft tumor growth model showed that tumors with SPDEF overexpression had slower growth rates, smaller volumes, and lower weights. SPDEF could directly bind to the promoter region of NR4A1 and promoted its transcription, inducing the suppression of AKT, MAPK, and NF-κB signaling pathways. Moreover, silencing NR4A1 blocked the suppressive effect of SPDEF in HNSCC cells. Here, we demonstrate that SPDEF acts as a tumor suppressor by transcriptionally activating NR4A1 in HNSCC. Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of SPDEF in tumorigenesis and a novel potential therapeutic target for HNSCC.
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22
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Dodat F, Mader S, Lévesque D. Minireview: What is Known about SUMOylation Among NR4A Family Members? J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167212. [PMID: 34437889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
NR4A receptors, including NUR77 (NR4A1), NURR1 (NR4A2) and NOR-1 (NR4A3), form a family of nuclear receptors that act as transcription factors to regulate many physiological and pathological processes such as cell cycle and apoptosis, lipid metabolism, inflammation, carcinogenesis, vascular and neuronal functions. In the absence of known endogenous ligand modulating their physiological functions, the NR4A family remains a class of orphan receptors. However, several post-translational modifications (PTMs), including SUMOylation, have been shown to regulate the expression and/or activity of these receptors. Addition of Small Ubiquitin-like MOdifier (SUMO) proteins is a dynamic and reversible enzymatic process that regulates multiple essential functions of proteins, including nuclear receptors. This review aims at summarizing what is known about the impact of SUMOylation on NR4A family member transcriptional activities and physiological functions.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Apoptosis/genetics
- Carcinogenesis/genetics
- Carcinogenesis/metabolism
- Carcinogenesis/pathology
- Cell Cycle/genetics
- DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
- DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
- Eukaryotic Cells/cytology
- Eukaryotic Cells/metabolism
- Humans
- Inflammation
- Lipid Metabolism/genetics
- Multigene Family
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1/genetics
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1/metabolism
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2/genetics
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2/metabolism
- Protein Processing, Post-Translational
- Receptors, Steroid/genetics
- Receptors, Steroid/metabolism
- Receptors, Thyroid Hormone/genetics
- Receptors, Thyroid Hormone/metabolism
- Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins/genetics
- Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins/metabolism
- Sumoylation
- Transcription, Genetic
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatéma Dodat
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Institut de Recherche en Immunologie et Cancérologie (IRIC) and Département de biochimie et de médecine moléculaire, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
| | - Sylvie Mader
- Institut de Recherche en Immunologie et Cancérologie (IRIC) and Département de biochimie et de médecine moléculaire, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel Lévesque
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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23
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Peng SZ, Chen XH, Chen SJ, Zhang J, Wang CY, Liu WR, Zhang D, Su Y, Zhang XK. Phase separation of Nur77 mediates celastrol-induced mitophagy by promoting the liquidity of p62/SQSTM1 condensates. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5989. [PMID: 34645818 PMCID: PMC8514450 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26295-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation promotes the formation of membraneless condensates that mediate diverse cellular functions, including autophagy of misfolded proteins. However, how phase separation participates in autophagy of dysfunctional mitochondria (mitophagy) remains obscure. We previously discovered that nuclear receptor Nur77 (also called TR3, NGFI-B, or NR4A1) translocates from the nucleus to mitochondria to mediate celastrol-induced mitophagy through interaction with p62/SQSTM1. Here, we show that the ubiquitinated mitochondrial Nur77 forms membraneless condensates capable of sequestrating damaged mitochondria by interacting with the UBA domain of p62/SQSTM1. However, tethering clustered mitochondria to the autophagy machinery requires an additional interaction mediated by the N-terminal intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of Nur77 and the N-terminal PB1 domain of p62/SQSTM1, which confers Nur77-p62/SQSTM1 condensates with the magnitude and liquidity. Our results demonstrate how composite multivalent interaction between Nur77 and p62/SQSTM1 coordinates to sequester damaged mitochondria and to connect targeted cargo mitochondria for autophagy, providing mechanistic insight into mitophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang-Zhou Peng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Si-Jie Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Chuan-Ying Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Wei-Rong Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Duo Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Ying Su
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
- NucMito Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Xiamen, 361101, China
| | - Xiao-Kun Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China.
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Esmaeili S, Salari S, Kaveh V, Ghaffari SH, Bashash D. Alteration of PPAR-GAMMA (PPARG; PPARγ) and PTEN gene expression in acute myeloid leukemia patients and the promising anticancer effects of PPARγ stimulation using pioglitazone on AML cells. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2021; 9:e1818. [PMID: 34549887 PMCID: PMC8606220 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the new era of tailored cancer treatment strategies, finding a molecule to regulate a wide range of intracellular functions is valuable. The unique property of nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPARγ; PPARG) in transmitting the anti‐survival signals of the chemotherapeutic drugs has fired the enthusiasm into the application of this receptor in cancer treatment. Objectives We aimed to investigate the expression of PPARγ and one of its downstream targets PTEN in non‐M3 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. We also investigated the therapeutic value of PPARγ stimulation using pioglitazone in the AML‐derived U937 cell line. Methods The blood samples from 30 patients diagnosed with non‐M3 AML as well as 10 healthy individuals were collected and the mRNA expression levels of PPARγ and PTEN were evaluated. Additionally, we used trypan blue assay, MTT assay, and flow cytometry analysis to evaluate the anti‐leukemic effects of pioglitazone on U937 cells. Results While PTEN was significantly downregulated in AML patients as compared to the control group, the expression of PPARγ was increased in the patients’ group. The expression level of PPARγ was also negatively correlated with PTEN; however, it was not statistically significant. Besides, PPARγ stimulation using pioglitazone reduced survival and proliferative capacity of U937 cells through inducing apoptosis and suppression of cell transition from the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Conclusion The results of the present study shed more light on the importance of PPARγ and its stimulation in the therapeutic strategies of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shadi Esmaeili
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sina Salari
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahid Kaveh
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed H Ghaffari
- Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Shariati Hospital, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Bashash
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Gagnon J, Caron V, Gyenizse L, Tremblay A. Atypic SUMOylation of Nor1/NR4A3 regulates neural cell viability and redox sensitivity. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21827. [PMID: 34383980 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100395r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Neuron-derived orphan receptor 1, NR4A3 (Nor1)/NR4A3 is an orphan nuclear receptor involved in the transcriptional control of developmental and neurological functions. Oxidative stress-induced conditions are primarily associated with neurological defects in humans, yet the impact on Nor1-mediated transcription of neuronal genes remains with unknown mechanism. Here, we demonstrate that Nor1 is a non-conventional target of SUMO2/3 conjugation at Lys-137 contained in an atypic ψKxSP motif referred to as the pSuM. Nor1 pSuM SUMOylation differs from the canonical process with the obligate phosphorylation of Ser-139 by Ras signaling to create the required negatively charged interface for SUMOylation. Additional phosphorylation at sites flanking the pSuM is also mediated by the coordinated action of protein kinase casein kinase 2 to function as a small ubiquitin-like modifier enhancer, regulating Nor1-mediated transcription and proteasomal degradation. Nor1 responsive genes involved in cell proliferation and metabolism, such as activating transcription factor 3, cyclin D1, CASP8 and FADD-like apoptosis regulator, and enolase 3 were upregulated in response to pSuM disruption in mouse HT-22 hippocampal neuronal cells and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. We also identified critical antioxidant genes, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase 1, and microsomal glutathione S-transferase 2, as responsive targets of Nor1 under pSuM regulation. Nor1 SUMOylation impaired gene transcription through less effective Nor1 chromatin binding and reduced enrichment of histone H3K27ac marks to gene promoters. These effects resulted in decreased neuronal cell growth, increased apoptosis, and reduced survival to oxidative stress damage, underlying the role of pSuM-modified Nor1 in redox homeostasis. Our findings uncover a hierarchical post-translational mechanism that dictates Nor1 non-canonical SUMOylation, disrupting Nor1 transcriptional competence, and neuroprotective redox sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Gagnon
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Véronique Caron
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Laurent Gyenizse
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - André Tremblay
- Research Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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NR4A1 Ligands as Potent Inhibitors of Breast Cancer Cell and Tumor Growth. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13112682. [PMID: 34072371 PMCID: PMC8198788 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13112682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1, Nur77, TR3) is more highly expressed in breast and solid tumors compared to non-tumor tissues and is a pro-oncogenic factor in solid tumor-derived cancers. NR4A1 regulates cancer cell growth, survival, migration, and invasion, and bis-indole-derived compounds (CDIMs) that bind NR4A1 act as antagonists and inhibit tumor growth. Preliminary structure-binding studies identified 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(3,5-disubstitutedphenyl)methane analogs as NR4A1 ligands with low KD values; we further investigated the anticancer activity of the four most active analogs (KD's ≤ 3.1 µM) in breast cancer cells and in athymic mouse xenograft models. The treatment of MDA-MB-231 and SKBR3 breast cancer cells with the 3-bromo-5-methoxy, 3-chloro-5-trifluoromethoxy, 3-chloro-5-trifluoromethyl, and 3-bromo-5-trifluoromethoxy phenyl-substituted analogs decreased cell growth and the expression of epidermal of growth factor receptor (EGFR), hepatocyte growth factor receptor (cMET), and PD-L1 as well as inhibited mTOR phosphorylation. In addition, all four compounds inhibited tumor growth in athymic nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 cells (orthotopic) at a dose of 1 mg/kg/d, which was not accompanied by changes in body weight. These 3,5-disubstituted analogs were the most potent CDIM/NR4A1 ligands reported and are being further developed for clinical applications.
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Zhu R, Tu Y, Chang J, Xu H, Li JC, Liu W, Do AD, Zhang Y, Wang J, Li B. The Orphan Nuclear Receptor Gene NR0B2 Is a Favorite Prognosis Factor Modulated by Multiple Cellular Signal Pathways in Human Liver Cancers. Front Oncol 2021; 11:691199. [PMID: 34055653 PMCID: PMC8162207 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.691199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver cancer is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and novel prognostic factor is needed for early detection and therapeutic responsiveness monitoring. The orphan nuclear receptor NR0B2 was reported to suppress liver cancer development in a mouse model, and its expression levels were reduced in liver cancer tissues and cell lines due to hypermethylation within its promoter region. However, it is not clear if NR0B2 expression is associated with cancer survival or disease progression and how NR0B2 gene expression is regulated at the molecular level. METHODS Multiple cancer databases were utilized to explore NR0B2 gene expression profiles crossing a variety of human cancers, including liver cancers, on several publicly assessable bioinformatics platforms. NR0B2 gene expression with or without kinase inhibitor treatment was analyzed using the qPCR technique, and NR0B2 protein expression was assessed in western blot assays. Two human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines HepG2 and Huh7, were used in these experiments. NR0B2 gene activation was evaluated using NR0B2 promoter-driven luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS NR0B2 gene is predominantly expressed in liver tissue crossing human major organs or tissues, but it is significantly downregulated in liver cancers. NR0B2 expression is mostly downregulated in most common cancers but also upregulated in a few intestinal cancers. NR0B2 gene expression significantly correlated with patient overall survival status in multiple human malignancies, including lung, kidney, breast, urinary bladder, thyroid, colon, and head-neck cancers, as well as liposarcoma and B-cell lymphoma. In liver cancer patients, higher NR0B2 expression is associated with favorite relapse-free and progression-free survival, especially in Asian male patients with viral infection history. In addition, NR0B2 expression negatively correlated with immune infiltration and PIK3CA and PIK3CG gene expression in liver cancer tissues. In HepG2 and Huh7 cells, NR0B2 expression at the transcription level was drastically reduced after MAPK inhibition but was significantly enhanced after PI3K inhibition. CONCLUSION NR0B2 gene expression is altered mainly in most human malignancies and significantly reduced in liver cancers. NR0B2 is a prognosis factor for patient survival in liver cancers. MAPK and PI3K oppositely modulate NR0B2 expression, and NR0B2 gene upregulation might serve as a therapeutic responsiveness factor in anti-PI3K therapy for liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runzhi Zhu
- The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China,Department of Urology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States,*Correspondence: Runzhi Zhu, ; Benyi Li,
| | - Yanjie Tu
- Department of Urology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Jingxia Chang
- Department of Urology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Haixia Xu
- Department of Urology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Jean C. Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Wang Liu
- Department of Urology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Ahn-Dao Do
- Department of Urology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Yuxia Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Jinhu Wang
- The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China,Zhejiang University Cancer Center, Hangzhou, China
| | - Benyi Li
- Department of Urology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States,*Correspondence: Runzhi Zhu, ; Benyi Li,
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Cheloshkina K, Poptsova M. Comprehensive analysis of cancer breakpoints reveals signatures of genetic and epigenetic contribution to cancer genome rearrangements. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008749. [PMID: 33647036 PMCID: PMC7951985 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding mechanisms of cancer breakpoint mutagenesis is a difficult task and predictive models of cancer breakpoint formation have to this time failed to achieve even moderate predictive power. Here we take advantage of a machine learning approach that can gather important features from big data and quantify contribution of different factors. We performed comprehensive analysis of almost 630,000 cancer breakpoints and quantified the contribution of genomic and epigenomic features-non-B DNA structures, chromatin organization, transcription factor binding sites and epigenetic markers. The results showed that transcription and formation of non-B DNA structures are two major processes responsible for cancer genome fragility. Epigenetic factors, such as chromatin organization in TADs, open/closed regions, DNA methylation, histone marks are less informative but do make their contribution. As a general trend, individual features inside the groups show a relatively high contribution of G-quadruplexes and repeats and CTCF, GABPA, RXRA, SP1, MAX and NR2F2 transcription factors. Overall, the cancer breakpoint landscape can be represented by well-predicted hotspots and poorly predicted individual breakpoints scattered across genomes. We demonstrated that hotspot mutagenesis has genomic and epigenomic factors, and not all individual cancer breakpoints are just random noise but have a definite mutation signature. Besides we found a long-range action of some features on breakpoint mutagenesis. Combining omics data, cancer-specific individual feature importance and adding the distant to local features, predictive models for cancer breakpoint formation achieved 70-90% ROC AUC for different cancer types; however precision remained low at 2% and the recall did not exceed 50%. On the one hand, the power of models strongly correlates with the size of available cancer breakpoint and epigenomic data, and on the other hand finding strong determinants of cancer breakpoint formation still remains a challenge. The strength of predictive signals of each group and of each feature inside a group can be converted into cancer-specific breakpoint mutation signatures. Overall our results add to the understanding of cancer genome rearrangement processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kseniia Cheloshkina
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Digital Transformation, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maria Poptsova
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
- * E-mail:
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Crean D, Murphy EP. Targeting NR4A Nuclear Receptors to Control Stromal Cell Inflammation, Metabolism, Angiogenesis, and Tumorigenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:589770. [PMID: 33634114 PMCID: PMC7901948 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.589770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The NR4A1–NR4A3 (Nur77, Nurr1, and Nor-1) subfamily of nuclear receptors is a group of immediate early genes induced by a pleiotropy of stimuli including peptide hormones, growth factors, cytokines, inflammatory, and physiological stimuli, and cellular stress. NR4A receptors function as potent sensors of changes in the cellular microenvironment to control physiological and pathological processes through genomic and non-genomic actions. NR4A receptors control metabolism and cardiovascular and neurological functions and mediate immune cell homeostasis in inflammation and cancer. This receptor subfamily is increasingly recognized as an important molecular connection between chronic inflammation, altered immune cell responses, and cancer development. In this review, we examine how transcriptome analysis identified NR4A1/NR4A2 receptors as transcriptional regulators in mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) migration, cell cycle progression, and cytokine production to control local immune responses. In chronic inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, NR4A receptors have been shown to modify the activity of MSC and fibroblast-like stromal cells to regulate synovial tissue hyperplasia, pathological angiogenesis, and cartilage turnover in vivo. Additionally, as NR4A1 has been observed as a major transcriptional regulator in tumor–stromal communication controlling tumorigenesis, we discuss how advances in the pharmacological control of these receptors lead to important new mechanistic insights into understanding the role of the tumor microenvironment in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Crean
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Evelyn P Murphy
- School of Medicine, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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30
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Shrestha R, Mohankumar K, Jin UH, Martin G, Safe S. The Histone Methyltransferase Gene G9A Is Regulated by Nuclear Receptor 4A1 in Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma Cells. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 20:612-622. [PMID: 33277444 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The histone methyltransferase G9A (EHMT2) gene catalyzes methylation of histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9), and this gene silencing activity contributes to the tumor promoter-like activity of G9A in several tumor types including alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS). Previous studies show the orphan nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1, Nur77) is overexpressed in rhabdomyosarcoma and exhibits pro-oncogenic activity. In this study, we show that knockdown of NR4A1 in ARMS cells decreased expression of G9A mRNA and protein. Moreover, treatment of ARMS cells with several bis-indole-derived NR4A1 ligands (antagonists) including 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane (CDIM8), 3,5-dimethyl (3,5-(CH3)2), and 3-bromo-5-methoxy (3-Br-5-OCH3) analogs also decreased G9A expression. Furthermore, NR4A1 antagonists also decreased G9A expression in breast, lung, liver, and endometrial cancer cells confirming that G9A is an NR4A1-regulated gene in ARMS and other cancer cell lines. Mechanistic studies showed that the NR4A1/Sp1 complex interacted with the GC-rich 511 region of the G9A promoter to regulate G9A gene expression. Moreover, knockdown of NR4A1 or treatment with NR4A1 receptor antagonists decreased overall H3K9me2, H3K9me2 associated with the PTEN promoter, and PTEN-regulated phospho-Akt. In vivo studies showed that the NR4A1 antagonist (3-Br-5-OCH3) inhibited tumor growth in athymic nude mice bearing Rh30 ARMS cells and confirmed that G9A was an NR4A1-regulated gene that can be targeted by NR4A1 receptor antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupesh Shrestha
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Kumaravel Mohankumar
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Un-Ho Jin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Gregory Martin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. .,Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
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Zhang C, Zhang B, Zhang X, Sun G, Sun X. Targeting Orphan Nuclear Receptors NR4As for Energy Homeostasis and Diabetes. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:587457. [PMID: 33328994 PMCID: PMC7728612 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.587457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Orphan nuclear receptors are important members of the nuclear receptor family and may regulate cell proliferation, metabolism, differentiation, and apoptosis. NR4As, a subfamily of orphan nuclear receptors, have been reported to play key roles in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. Popularity of obesity has resulted in a series of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and its complications. While imbalance of energy intake and expenditure is the main cause of obesity, the concrete mechanism of obesity has not been fully understood. It has been reported that NR4As have significant regulatory effects on energy homeostasis and diabetes and are expected to become new targets for discovering drugs for metabolic syndrome. A number of studies have demonstrated that abnormalities in metabolism induced by altered levels of NR4As may contribute to numerous diseases, such as chronic inflammation, tumorigenesis, diabetes and its complications, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases. However, systematic reviews focusing on the roles of NR4As in mediating energy homeostasis and diabetes remain limited. Therefore, this article reviews the structure and regulation of NR4As and their critical function in energy homeostasis and diabetes, as well as small molecules that may regulate NR4As. Our work is aimed at providing valuable support for the research and development of drugs targeting NR4As for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Chinese Medicine against Glycolipid Metabolic Disorders, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Chinese Medicine against Glycolipid Metabolic Disorders, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuelian Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Chinese Medicine against Glycolipid Metabolic Disorders, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guibo Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Chinese Medicine against Glycolipid Metabolic Disorders, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaobo Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Discovery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Natural Medicine) and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resource Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Efficacy Evaluation of Chinese Medicine against Glycolipid Metabolic Disorders, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of New Drug Discovery Based on Classic Chinese Medicine Prescription, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Tini G, Varma V, Lombardo R, Nolen GT, Lefebvre G, Descombes P, Métairon S, Priami C, Kaput J, Scott-Boyer MP. DNA methylation during human adipogenesis and the impact of fructose. GENES AND NUTRITION 2020; 15:21. [PMID: 33243154 PMCID: PMC7691080 DOI: 10.1186/s12263-020-00680-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased adipogenesis and altered adipocyte function contribute to the development of obesity and associated comorbidities. Fructose modified adipocyte metabolism compared to glucose, but the regulatory mechanisms and consequences for obesity are unknown. Genome-wide methylation and global transcriptomics in SGBS pre-adipocytes exposed to 0, 2.5, 5, and 10 mM fructose, added to a 5-mM glucose-containing medium, were analyzed at 0, 24, 48, 96, 192, and 384 h following the induction of adipogenesis. RESULTS Time-dependent changes in DNA methylation compared to baseline (0 h) occurred during the final maturation of adipocytes, between 192 and 384 h. Larger percentages (0.1% at 192 h, 3.2% at 384 h) of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were found in adipocytes differentiated in the glucose-containing control media compared to adipocytes differentiated in fructose-supplemented media (0.0006% for 10 mM, 0.001% for 5 mM, and 0.005% for 2.5 mM at 384 h). A total of 1437 DMRs were identified in 5237 differentially expressed genes at 384 h post-induction in glucose-containing (5 mM) control media. The majority of them inversely correlated with the gene expression, but 666 regions were positively correlated to the gene expression. CONCLUSIONS Our studies demonstrate that DNA methylation regulates or marks the transformation of morphologically differentiating adipocytes (seen at 192 h), to the more mature and metabolically robust adipocytes (as seen at 384 h) in a genome-wide manner. Lower (2.5 mM) concentrations of fructose have the most robust effects on methylation compared to higher concentrations (5 and 10 mM), suggesting that fructose may be playing a signaling/regulatory role at lower concentrations of fructose and as a substrate at higher concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Tini
- The Microsoft Research - University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, Italy.,Department of Mathematics, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38050, Povo, Italy.,Present address: Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCSS, Milan, Italy
| | - Vijayalakshmi Varma
- Division of Systems Biology, National Center for Toxicological Research, FDA, 3900 NCTR Road, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA.,Present Address: Cardiovascular Renal and Metabolism Division of MedImmune, Astrazeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, 20878, USA
| | - Rosario Lombardo
- The Microsoft Research - University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Greg T Nolen
- Division of Systems Biology, National Center for Toxicological Research, FDA, 3900 NCTR Road, Jefferson, AR, 72079, USA
| | | | | | | | - Corrado Priami
- The Microsoft Research - University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, Italy.,Department of Computer Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jim Kaput
- Nestlé Institute of Health Science, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Present Addresses: Vydiant Inc., Folsom, CA, 95630, USA
| | - Marie-Pier Scott-Boyer
- The Microsoft Research - University of Trento Centre for Computational and Systems Biology, Piazza Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, Italy. .,Present Address: CRCHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, Québec, Canada.
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Effect of selected bisphenol derivatives on nuclear receptor expression in ovarian cell line COV434. Endocr Regul 2020; 54:275-283. [PMID: 33885253 DOI: 10.2478/enr-2020-0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives. Bisphenol A (BPA), as an indispensable plastic additive, has also been proven as an endocrine disruptor associated with adverse health effects including impaired ovarian function and cancer. Due to the restrictions of its usage, several analogs have been employed to replace BPA. Although many studies revealed a harmfulness in the biological effects of BPA analogs, their specific targets remain largely unknown. Nuclear receptors (NRs) may be one of the most important targets of bisphenols. Therefore, in this study, our attention was directed to explore the effect of BPA and its analogs, AF and S, on the mRNA expression of selected NRs involved in the steroidogenic and carcinogenic pathways in the human granulosa cell line COV434. The NRs investigated included: thyroid hormone receptor α (THRA), peroxisome proliferator activating receptor β/δ (PPARD), retinoid X receptor α (RXRA), chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor II (COUPTFII), nuclear receptor-related protein 1 (NURR1), and liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH1).Methods. COV434 cells were treated with the bisphenols at the concentrations of 10-9 M, 10-7 M, and 10-5 M, and after 24 and 48 h, cell viability was monitored by the MTS assay and gene expressions were analyzed using RT-qPCR.Results. Bisphenol treatment did not alter the COV434 cell viability. After 24 h, the expression of neither of the NRs was changed. Likewise, after 48 h, the expression of the selected genes was not altered. However, both BPAF and BPS increased, at the highest concentration (10-5 M) used, the mRNA levels of both PPARD and NURR1 NRs after 48 h of the treatment. In the BPA-treated groups, no significant upregulation was observed.Conclusions. In the present study, the effect of bisphenols on COUP-TFII, Nurr1, and LRH-1 NRs was investigated for the first time. Although generally we did not observe that BPs provoked any alterations in the expression of the selected NRs in COV434 cells, at specific concentrations and time points they might alter mRNA expression of certain NRs (NURR1, PPARD).
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Zhou W, Jiang R, Wang Y, Li Y, Sun Z, Zhao H. hsa_circ_001653 up-regulates NR6A1 expression and elicits gastric cancer progression by binding to microRNA-377. Exp Physiol 2020; 105:2141-2153. [PMID: 33006200 DOI: 10.1113/ep088399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? Does hsa_circ_001653 influence the development of gastric cancer (GC) and if so how? What is the main finding and its importance? Bioinformatics analysis revealed the presence of differentially expressed hsa_circ_001653 in GC and adjacent normal tissues, and this was strongly related to the pathology of patients with GC. Knockdown of hsa_circ_001653 suppressed the proliferation, invasion and migration of GC cells, while inducing cell apoptosis via miR-377-mediated NR6A1 inhibition. The effect of hsa_circ_001653 and miR-377 on tumour growth in GC was further confirmed in vivo. ABSTRACT Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of human mortality through malignant tumours. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified as binding to microRNAs (miRNAs) to modulate the progression of tumours. This study explores the role of hsa_circ_001653, a newly identified circRNA, in the development of GC. hsa_circ_001653 expression was measured in 86 paired normal and tumour tissues surgically resected from GC patients. Cross-talk between hsa_circ_001653 and microRNA-377 (miR-377)/nuclear receptor subfamily 6, group A, member 1 (NR6A1) was assessed using bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay, Ago2 immunoprecipitation and western blot analysis. A series of functional experiments were carried out to elucidate the role of hsa_circ_001653 in GC cell proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis, and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Nude mice were inoculated with GC cells for in vivo analysis. hsa_circ_001653 was found to be an up-regulated circRNA in GC tissues and cells. Down-regulation of hsa_circ_001653 inhibited GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, while stimulating cell apoptosis. hsa_circ_001653 was found to bind to miR-377, which targeted NR6A1 and repressed its expression. Inhibition of miR-377 and overexpression of NR6A1 restored the proliferation, migration and invasion in GC cells lacking hsa_circ_001653. Furthermore, inhibition of hsa_circ_001653 attenuated tumour growth in nude mice inoculated with GC cells. Collectively, the demonstration that hsa_circ_001653 exerts its anticancer effects by regulating the miR-377-NR6A1 axis increases our understanding of gastric cancer pathophysiology. The findings uncover new potential therapeutic targets for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuyuan Zhou
- Department of Hepatopancreatobillary Surgery, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Rongke Jiang
- Department of Oncology, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yanfang Li
- Department of Oncology, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ziqian Sun
- Department of Oncology, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Hongying Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou, China
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Dodat F, Cotnoir-White D, Dianati E, Vallet A, Mader S, Lévesque D. Complex regulation of orphan nuclear receptor Nur77 (Nr4a1) transcriptional activity by SUMO2 and PIASγ. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2020; 1868:118908. [PMID: 33189785 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2020.118908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Nur77 (NGFI-B) is a nuclear receptor that belongs to the Nr4a family of orphan nuclear receptors (Nr4a1). This transcription factor has been implicated in the regulation of multiple functions, such as cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism, and brain function. However, the mechanisms involved in its different regulatory properties remain unclear. In search for regulatory mechanisms of Nur77 function, we identified that Protein Inhibitor of Activated STAT gamma (PIASγ), an E3 SUMO-protein ligase, potently repressed Nur77 transcriptional activity in HEK-293T cells. This PIASγ activity was sensitive to Sentrin SUMO-specific protease 1 (SENP1). Substitution of two putative phylogenetically well-conserved small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) acceptor sites, lysine 102 (K102) and 577 (K577) by arginine residues (R) modulated Nur77 transcriptional activity. In particular, Nur77-K102R and Nur77-K102R/K577R mutants strongly decreased the transcriptional activity of Nur77, whereas single K577R substitution increased transcriptional activity of Nur77. Repression of Nur77 transcriptional activity by SUMO2 and PIASγ was reduced by the K577R mutation, whereas the K102R mutant remained insensitive to SUMO2. Interestingly, the roles of these SUMO acceptor sites in Nur77 are distinct from previously observed activities on its close homolog Nurr1. Thus, the present study identified SUMO2 and PIASγ as important transcriptional co-regulators of Nur77.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatéma Dodat
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - David Cotnoir-White
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Institut de Recherche en Immunologie et Cancérologie (IRIC), Université de Montréal et Département de biochimie et médecine moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Elham Dianati
- Institut de Recherche en Immunologie et Cancérologie (IRIC), Université de Montréal et Département de biochimie et médecine moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Amandine Vallet
- Institut de Recherche en Immunologie et Cancérologie (IRIC), Université de Montréal et Département de biochimie et médecine moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Mader
- Institut de Recherche en Immunologie et Cancérologie (IRIC), Université de Montréal et Département de biochimie et médecine moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel Lévesque
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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Tu X, Chen X, Zhang D, Gao M, Liang J, Bao G, Zhang J, Peng S, Zhang X, Zeng Z, Su Y. Optimization of novel oxidative DIMs as Nur77 modulators of the Nur77-Bcl-2 apoptotic pathway. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 211:113020. [PMID: 33279290 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.113020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Nur77, an orphan nuclear receptor, is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Nur77 plays important roles in various biological processes. Previously we reported that BI1071(DIM-C-pPhCF3+MeSO3-), an oxidized form and methanesulfonate salt of (4-CF3-Ph-C-DIM), can modulate Nur77's non-genomic apoptotic pathway through that Nur77 translocated from the nucleus to mitochondria to induce cytochrome c releasing and promote apoptosis of cancer cell. Here we report our efforts to further optimize BI1071. A series of BI1071 analogs were designed, synthesized and their apoptosis potency was systematically evaluated. Our preliminary structure-activity relationship study identified compound 10b as a better modulator with strong binding to Nur77 and enhanced apoptotic activity. Binding studies demonstrated that 10b could bind to its target Nur77 with an affinity value of 33 nM. Furthermore, mechanism studies reveal that 10b acts as an anticancer agent by utilizing the Nur77-Bcl-2 apoptotic pathway.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents/chemical synthesis
- Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Apoptosis/drug effects
- Cell Proliferation/drug effects
- Cells, Cultured
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Transgenic
- Molecular Docking Simulation
- Molecular Structure
- Neoplasms, Experimental/drug therapy
- Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1/metabolism
- Oxidation-Reduction
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Structure-Activity Relationship
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuhuang Tu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Xiaohui Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Dongliang Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Meichun Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Jingmei Liang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Guoliang Bao
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Shuangzhou Peng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Xiaokun Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China
| | - Zhiping Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China.
| | - Ying Su
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Fujian, 361002, China; NucMito Pharmaceuticals, Xiamen 361000, China.
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Lam KK, Sethi R, Tan G, Tomar S, Lo M, Loi C, Tang CL, Tan E, Lai PS, Cheah PY. The orphan nuclear receptor
NR0B2
could be a novel susceptibility locus associated with microsatellite‐stable,
APC
mutation‐negative early‐onset colorectal carcinomas with metabolic manifestation. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2020; 60:61-72. [DOI: 10.1002/gcc.22904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kuen Kuen Lam
- Department of Colorectal Surgery Singapore General Hospital Singapore Singapore
| | - Raman Sethi
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Grace Tan
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Swati Tomar
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Michelle Lo
- Department of Colorectal Surgery Singapore General Hospital Singapore Singapore
| | - Carol Loi
- Department of Colorectal Surgery Singapore General Hospital Singapore Singapore
| | - Choong Leong Tang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery Singapore General Hospital Singapore Singapore
| | - Emile Tan
- Department of Colorectal Surgery Singapore General Hospital Singapore Singapore
| | - Poh San Lai
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
- Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR Singapore Singapore
| | - Peh Yean Cheah
- Department of Colorectal Surgery Singapore General Hospital Singapore Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
- Duke‐NUS Medical School National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
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Wang Y, Gao W, Li Y, Chow ST, Xie W, Zhang X, Zhou J, Chan FL. Interplay between orphan nuclear receptors and androgen receptor-dependent or-independent growth signalings in prostate cancer. Mol Aspects Med 2020; 78:100921. [PMID: 33121737 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2020.100921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
It is well-established that both the initial and advanced growth of prostate cancer depends critically on androgens and thus on the activated androgen receptor (AR) -mediated signaling pathway. The unique hormone-dependent feature of prostate cancer forms the biological basis of hormone or androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) that aims to suppress the AR signaling by androgen depletion or AR antagonists. ADT still remains the mainstay treatment option for locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer. However, most patients upon ADT will inevitably develop therapy-resistance and progress to relapse in the form of castration-resistant disease (castration-resistant prostate cancer or CRPC) or even a more aggressive androgen-independent subtype (therapy-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer or NEPC). Recent advances show that besides AR, some ligand-independent members of nuclear receptor superfamily-designated as orphan nuclear receptors (ONRs), as their endogenous physiological ligands are either absent or not yet identified to date, also play significant roles in the growth regulation of prostate cancer via multiple AR-dependent or -independent (AR-bypass) pathways or mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the newly elucidated roles of ONRs in prostate cancer, with a focus on their interplay in the AR-dependent pathways (intratumoral androgen biosynthesis and suppression of AR signaling) and AR-independent pathways or cellular processes (hypoxia, oncogene- or tumor suppressor-induced senescence, apoptosis and regulation of prostate cancer stem cells). These ONRs with their newly characterized roles not only can serve as novel biomarkers but also as potential therapeutic targets for management of advanced prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliang Wang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Weijie Gao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Youjia Li
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sin Ting Chow
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenjuan Xie
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xingxing Zhang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jianfu Zhou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510370, China
| | - Franky Leung Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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39
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Lee DY, Brayer KJ, Mitani Y, Burns EA, Rao PH, Bell D, Williams MD, Ferrarotto R, Pytynia KB, El-Naggar AK, Ness SA. Oncogenic Orphan Nuclear Receptor NR4A3 Interacts and Cooperates with MYB in Acinic Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2433. [PMID: 32867110 PMCID: PMC7565926 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) is a morphologically distinctive salivary gland malignancy often associated with chromosome rearrangements leading to overexpression of the NR4A3 transcription factor. However, little is known about how NR4A3 contributes to AcCC biology. Detailed RNA-sequencing of 21 archived AcCC samples revealed fusion reads arising from recurrent t(4;9), t(9;12), t(8;9) or t(2;4) chromosomal translocations, which positioned highly active enhancers adjacent to the promoter of the NR4A3 gene or the closely related NR4A2 gene, resulting in their aberrant overexpression. Transcriptome analyses revealed several distinct subgroups of AcCC tumors, including a subgroup that overexpressed both NR4A3 and MSANTD3. A poor survival subset of the tumors with high-grade transformation expressed NR4A3 and POMC as well as MYB, an oncogene that is the major driver in a different type of salivary gland tumor, adenoid cystic carcinoma. The combination of NR4A3 and MYB showed cooperativity in regulating a distinct set of genes. In addition, the ligand binding domain of NR4A3 directly bound the Myb DNA binding domain. Transformation assays indicated that, while overexpressed NR4A3 was sufficient to generate transformed colonies, the combination of NR4A3 plus Myb was more potent, leading to anchorage-independent growth and increased cellular invasiveness. The results confirm that NR4A3 and NR4A2 are the main driver genes of AcCC and suggest that concurrent overexpression of NR4A3 and MYB defines a subset of AcCC patients with high-grade transformation that display exceptionally poor outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Y. Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Section of Radiation Oncology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (D.Y.L.); (E.A.B.)
| | - Kathryn J. Brayer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Molecular Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA;
| | - Yoshitsugu Mitani
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.M.); (D.B.); (M.D.W.)
| | - Eric A. Burns
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Section of Radiation Oncology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; (D.Y.L.); (E.A.B.)
| | - Pulivarthi H. Rao
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Diana Bell
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.M.); (D.B.); (M.D.W.)
| | - Michelle D. Williams
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.M.); (D.B.); (M.D.W.)
| | - Renata Ferrarotto
- Department of Thoracic and Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Kristen B. Pytynia
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Adel K. El-Naggar
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (Y.M.); (D.B.); (M.D.W.)
| | - Scott A. Ness
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Molecular Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA;
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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40
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Cannes do Nascimento N, dos Santos AP, Sivasankar MP, Cox A. Unraveling the molecular pathobiology of vocal fold systemic dehydration using an in vivo rabbit model. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236348. [PMID: 32735560 PMCID: PMC7394397 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Vocal folds are a viscoelastic multilayered structure responsible for voice production. Vocal fold epithelial damage may weaken the protection of deeper layers of lamina propria and thyroarytenoid muscle and impair voice production. Systemic dehydration can adversely affect vocal function by creating suboptimal biomechanical conditions for vocal fold vibration. However, the molecular pathobiology of systemically dehydrated vocal folds is poorly understood. We used an in vivo rabbit model to investigate the complete gene expression profile of systemically dehydrated vocal folds. The RNA-Seq based transcriptome revealed 203 differentially expressed (DE) vocal fold genes due to systemic dehydration. Interestingly, function enrichment analysis showed downregulation of genes involved in cell adhesion, cell junction, inflammation, and upregulation of genes involved in cell proliferation. RT-qPCR validation was performed for a subset of DE genes and confirmed the downregulation of DSG1, CDH3, NECTIN1, SDC1, S100A9, SPINK5, ECM1, IL1A, and IL36A genes. In addition, the upregulation of the transcription factor NR4A3 gene involved in epithelial cell proliferation was validated. Taken together, these results suggest an alteration of the vocal fold epithelial barrier independent of inflammation, which could indicate a disruption and remodeling of the epithelial barrier integrity. This transcriptome provides a first global picture of the molecular changes in vocal fold tissue in response to systemic dehydration. The alterations observed at the transcriptional level help to understand the pathobiology of dehydration in voice function and highlight the benefits of hydration in voice therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naila Cannes do Nascimento
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (NCN); (AC)
| | - Andrea P. dos Santos
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - M. Preeti Sivasankar
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Abigail Cox
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (NCN); (AC)
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Yao PL, Peavey J, Malek G. Leveraging Nuclear Receptors as Targets for Pathological Ocular Vascular Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21082889. [PMID: 32326149 PMCID: PMC7215709 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Vasculogenesis and angiogenesis are physiological mechanisms occurring throughout the body. Any disruption to the precise balance of blood vessel growth necessary to support healthy tissue, and the inhibition of abnormal vessel sprouting has the potential to negatively impact stages of development and/or healing. Therefore, the identification of key regulators of these vascular processes is critical to identifying therapeutic means by which to target vascular-associated compromises and complications. Nuclear receptors are a family of transcription factors that have been shown to be involved in modulating different aspects of vascular biology in many tissues systems. Most recently, the role of nuclear receptors in ocular biology and vasculopathies has garnered interest. Herein, we review studies that have used in vitro assays and in vivo models to investigate nuclear receptor-driven pathways in two ocular vascular diseases associated with blindness, wet or exudative age-related macular degeneration, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The potential therapeutic targeting of nuclear receptors for ocular diseases is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Li Yao
- Duke Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27503, USA; (P.-L.Y.); (J.P.)
| | - Jeremy Peavey
- Duke Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27503, USA; (P.-L.Y.); (J.P.)
| | - Goldis Malek
- Duke Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27503, USA; (P.-L.Y.); (J.P.)
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27503, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +919-684-0820
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Hua TNM, Oh J, Kim S, Antonio JM, Vo VTA, Om J, Choi JW, Kim JY, Jung CW, Park MJ, Jeong Y. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma as a theragnostic target for mesenchymal-type glioblastoma patients. Exp Mol Med 2020; 52:629-642. [PMID: 32280134 PMCID: PMC7210935 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-020-0413-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastomas (GBMs) are characterized by four subtypes, proneural (PN), neural, classical, and mesenchymal (MES) GBMs, and they all have distinct activated signaling pathways. Among the subtypes, PN and MES GBMs show mutually exclusive genetic signatures, and the MES phenotype is, in general, believed to be associated with more aggressive features of GBM: tumor recurrence and drug resistance. Therefore, targeting MES GBMs would improve the overall prognosis of patients with fatal tumors. In this study, we propose peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker as well as therapeutic target for MES GBM; we used multiple approaches to assess PPARγ, including biostatistics analysis and assessment of preclinical studies. First, we found that PPARγ was exclusively expressed in MES glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs), and ligand activation of endogenous PPARγ suppressed cell growth and stemness in MES GSCs. Further in vivo studies involving orthotopic and heterotopic xenograft mouse models confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of targeting PPARγ; compared to control mice, those that received ligand treatment exhibited longer survival as well as decreased tumor burden. Mechanistically, PPARγ activation suppressed proneural-mesenchymal transition (PMT) by inhibiting the STAT3 signaling pathway. Biostatistical analysis using The Cancer Genomics Atlas (TCGA, n = 206) and REMBRANDT (n = 329) revealed that PPARγ upregulation is linked to poor overall survival and disease-free survival of GBM patients. Analysis was performed on prospective (n = 2) and retrospective (n = 6) GBM patient tissues, and we finally confirmed that PPARγ expression was distinctly upregulated in MES GBM. Collectively, this study provides insight into PPARγ as a potential therapeutic target for patients with MES GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuyen N M Hua
- Departments of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
- Departments of Global Medical Science, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
- Departments of Mitohormesis Research Center, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwoong Oh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Sohyun Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jayson M Antonio
- Departments of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
- Departments of Global Medical Science, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
- Departments of Mitohormesis Research Center, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Vu T A Vo
- Departments of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
- Departments of Global Medical Science, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
- Departments of Mitohormesis Research Center, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyeon Om
- Departments of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Whan Choi
- Departments of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Yub Kim
- Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan-Woong Jung
- Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Jin Park
- Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yangsik Jeong
- Departments of Biochemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
- Departments of Global Medical Science, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
- Departments of Mitohormesis Research Center, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
- Institutes of Lifestyle Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
- Departments of Mitochondrial Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
- Departments of Nuclear Receptor Research Consortium, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-Do, 26426, Republic of Korea.
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Mohankumar K, Li X, Sung N, Cho YJ, Han SJ, Safe S. Bis-Indole-Derived Nuclear Receptor 4A1 (NR4A1, Nur77) Ligands as Inhibitors of Endometriosis. Endocrinology 2020; 161:5758064. [PMID: 32099996 PMCID: PMC7105386 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease that primarily affects women during their reproductive years, and since current hormonal therapies are of concern, new hormone-independent treatment regimens are needed. The orphan nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1, Nur77) is expressed in patient-derived (stromal) endometriotic cells and also epithelial cell lines, and we observed that knockdown of NR4A1 in patient-derived ectopic endometrium-isolated ovarian endometrioma (ESECT)-7 and ESECT-40 cells decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. Moreover, the treatment of these cells with bis-indole derived NR4A1 ligands 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(p-hydroxyphenyl)methane (DIM-C-pPhOH) and its buttressed 3-chloro-5-methoxy analog (DIM-C-pPhOH-3-Cl-5-OCH3) inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis and related genes. The compounds exhibit NR4A1 antagonist activities in both functional and transactivation assays whereas these effects were not observed in normal endometrial cells. We also observed that NR4A1 knockdown and treatment with NR4A1 antagonists decreased fibrosis, α-smooth muscle actin, and related pro-fibrotic genes in ESECT-7 and ESECT-40 cells, and similar results were observed in epithelial-derived endometriotic cell lines. Moreover, in an endometriosis mouse model with auto-transplantation and also in severe combined immune deficiency mice transplanted with human endometriotic cells treatment with 25 mg/kg/day DIM-C-pPhOH-3-Cl-5-OCH3 significantly inhibited growth and expansion of endometriotic lesions. Thus, bis-indole-derived NR4A1 ligands represent a novel class of drugs as nonhormonal therapy for endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumaravel Mohankumar
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX US
| | - Xi Li
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX US
| | - Nuri Sung
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX US
| | - Yeon Jean Cho
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dong-A University, College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Jun Han
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX US
- Correspondence: Stephen Safe, Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-4466. E-mail: ; or Sang Jun Han, Department of molecular and Cell Biology, Baylor college of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail:
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX US
- Correspondence: Stephen Safe, Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-4466. E-mail: ; or Sang Jun Han, Department of molecular and Cell Biology, Baylor college of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail:
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Guan YF, Huang QL, Ai YL, Chen QT, Zhao WX, Wang XM, Wu Q, Chen HZ. Nur77-activated lncRNA WFDC21P attenuates hepatocarcinogenesis via modulating glycolysis. Oncogene 2020; 39:2408-2423. [PMID: 31959898 PMCID: PMC7067692 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1158-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Orphan nuclear receptor Nur77, which is low expressed in HCC, functions as a tumor suppressor to suppress HCC. However, the detailed mechanism is still not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that Nur77 could inhibit HCC development via transcriptional activation of the lncRNA WAP four-disulfide core domain 21 pseudogene (WFDC21P). Nur77 binds to its response elements on the WFDC21P promoter to directly induce WFDC21P transcription, which inhibits HCC cell proliferation, tumor growth, and tumor metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. In clinical HCC samples, WFDC21P expression positively correlated with that of Nur77, and the loss of WFDC21P is associated with worse prognosis. Mechanistically, WFDC21P could inhibit glycolysis by simultaneously interacting with PFKP and PKM2, two key enzymes in glycolysis. These interactions not only abrogate the tetramer formation of PFKP to impede its catalytic activity but also prevent the nuclear translocation of PKM2 to suppress its function as a transcriptional coactivator. Cytosporone-B (Csn-B), an agonist for Nur77, could stimulate WFDC21P expression and suppress HCC in a WFDC21P-dependent manner. Therefore, our study reveals a new HCC suppressor and connects the glycolytic remodeling of HCC with the Nur77-WFDC21P-PFKP/PKM2 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Feng Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, PR China
| | - Qiao-Ling Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, PR China
| | - Yuan-Li Ai
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, PR China
| | - Qi-Tao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, PR China
| | - Wen-Xiu Zhao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Zhong Shan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian, PR China
| | - Xiao-Min Wang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Zhong Shan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian, PR China
| | - Qiao Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, PR China
| | - Hang-Zi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, PR China.
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Yan G, Lei H, He M, Gong R, Wang Y, He X, Li G, Pang P, Li X, Yu S, Du W, Yuan Y. Melatonin triggers autophagic cell death by regulating RORC in Hodgkin lymphoma. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 123:109811. [PMID: 31924597 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.109811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Melatonin (Mel) has been shown to involve in many essential cell functions via modulating many signaling pathways. We for the first time investigated that Mel exerted anti-tumor activities in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) via inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis. Further study revealed that Mel treatment increased expression of LC3-II and decreased p62 proteins with the enhanced production of autolysosome, indicating it induced activation of autophagy. Nevertheless, Mel treatment together with autophagy inhibitors 3-MA or CQ exacerbated the damage effect of Mel in HL cells, which means autophagy plays a protective role in this process. Furthermore, we found Mel treatment increased the expression of G protein-coupled receptors MT2 and retinoic acid-related orphan receptors (RORs), eg. RORA, RORB and RORC. While RORC has the highest increase in Mel treated HL cells. In addition, RORC overexpression induced autophagy activation. Therefore, Mel showed tumor-suppressive role due to an increased level of RORC induced autophagy in HL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gege Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Hong Lei
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Mingyu He
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Rui Gong
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Xiaoqi He
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Guanghui Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Ping Pang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Shuting Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Weijie Du
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China.
| | - Ye Yuan
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150086, China; Department of Clinical Pharmarcology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China.
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Karki K, Wright GA, Mohankumar K, Jin UH, Zhang XH, Safe S. A Bis-Indole-Derived NR4A1 Antagonist Induces PD-L1 Degradation and Enhances Antitumor Immunity. Cancer Res 2020; 80:1011-1023. [PMID: 31911554 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-2314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
PD-L1 is expressed in tumor cells and its interaction with PD-1 plays an important role in evading immune surveillance; this can be overcome using PD-L1 or PD-1 immunotherapy antibodies. This study reports a novel approach for targeting PD-L1. In human breast cancer cell lines and 4T1 mouse mammary tumor cells, PD-L1 expression was regulated by the nuclear receptor NR4A1/Sp1 complex bound to the proximal germinal center (GC)-rich region of the PD-L1 gene promoter. Treatment of breast cancer cells with bis-indole-derived NR4A1 antagonists including 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(3-chloro-4-hydroxy-5-methoxyphenyl)methane (Cl-OCH3) decreased expression of PD-L1 mRNA, promoter-dependent luciferase activity, and protein. In in vivo studies using a syngeneic mouse model bearing orthotopically injected 4T1 cells, Cl-OCH3 decreased tumor growth and weight and inhibited lung metastasis. Cl-OCH3 also decreased expression of CD3+/CD4+/CD25+/FoxP3+ regulatory T cells and increased the Teff/Treg ratio. Therefore, the potent anticancer activities of NR4A1 antagonists are also accompanied by enhanced antitumor immunity in PD-L1-expressing triple-negative breast cancer and thus represent a novel class of drugs that mimic immunotherapy. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that the orphan nuclear receptor NR4A1 controls PD-L1 expression and identify a chemical probe capable of disrupting this regulatory axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshav Karki
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Gus A Wright
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Kumaravel Mohankumar
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Un-Ho Jin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Xing-Han Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
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Otálora-Otálora BA, Florez M, López-Kleine L, Canas Arboleda A, Grajales Urrego DM, Rojas A. Joint Transcriptomic Analysis of Lung Cancer and Other Lung Diseases. Front Genet 2019; 10:1260. [PMID: 31867044 PMCID: PMC6908522 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Epidemiological and clinical evidence points cancer comorbidity with pulmonary chronic disease. The acquisition of some hallmarks of cancer by cells affected with lung pathologies as a cell adaptive mechanism to a shear stress, suggests that could be associated with the establishment of tumoral processes. Objective: To propose a bioinformatic pipeline for the identification of all deregulated genes and the transcriptional regulators (TFs) that are coexpressed during lung cancer establishment, and therefore could be important for the acquisition of the hallmarks of cancer. Methods: Ten microarray datasets (six of lung cancer, four of lung diseases) comparing normal and diseases-related lung tissue were selected to identify hub differentiated expressed genes (DEGs) in common between lung pathologies and lung cancer, along with transcriptional regulators through the utilization of specialized libraries from R language. DAVID bioinformatics tool for gene enrichment analyses was used to identify genes with experimental evidence associated to tumoral processes and signaling pathways. Coexpression networks of DEGs and TFs in lung cancer establishment were created with Coexnet library, and a survival analysis of the main hub genes was made. Results: Two hundred ten DEGs were identified in common between lung cancer and other lung diseases related to the acquisition of tumoral characteristics, which are coexpressed in a lung cancer network with TFs, suggesting that could be related to the establishment of the tumoral pathology in lung. The comparison of the coexpression networks of lung cancer and other lung diseases allowed the identification of common connectivity patterns (CCPs) with DEGs and TFs correlated to important tumoral processes and signaling pathways, that haven´t been studied to experimentally validate their role in the early stages of lung cancer. Some of the TFs identified showed a correlation between its expression levels and the survival of lung cancer patients. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that lung diseases share genes with lung cancer which are coexpressed in lung cancer, and might be able to explain the epidemiological observations that point to direct and inverse comorbid associations between some chronic lung diseases and lung cancer and represent a complex transcriptomic scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mauro Florez
- Departamento de Estadística, Grupo de Investigación en Bioinformática y Biología de sistemas – GiBBS, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Liliana López-Kleine
- Departamento de Estadística, Grupo de Investigación en Bioinformática y Biología de sistemas – GiBBS, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | - Adriana Rojas
- Instituto de Genética Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
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Karki K, Li X, Jin UH, Mohankumar K, Zarei M, Michelhaugh SK, Mittal S, Tjalkens R, Safe S. Nuclear receptor 4A2 (NR4A2) is a druggable target for glioblastomas. J Neurooncol 2019; 146:25-39. [PMID: 31754919 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-019-03349-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The orphan nuclear receptor 4A2 (NR4A2) has been extensively characterized in subcellular regions of the brain and is necessary for the function of dopaminergic neurons. The NR4A2 ligand, 1,1-bis (31-indoly1)-1-(p-chlorophenyl)methane (DIM-C-pPhCl) inhibits markers of neuroinflammation and degeneration in mouse models and in this study we investigated expression and function of NR4A2 in glioblastoma (GBM). METHODS Established and patient-derived cell lines were used as models and the expression and functions of NR4A2 were determined by western blots and NR4A2 gene silencing by antisense oligonucleotides respectively. Effects of NR4A2 knockdown and DIM-C-pPhCl on cell growth, induction of apoptosis (Annexin V Staining) and migration/invasion (Boyden chamber and spheroid invasion assay) and transactivation of NR4A2-regulated reporter genes were determined. Tumor growth was investigated in athymic nude mice bearing U87-MG cells as xenografts. RESULTS NR4A2 knockdown and DIM-C-pPhCl inhibited GBM cell and tumor growth, induced apoptosis and inhibited migration and invasion of GBM cells. DIM-C-pPhCl and related analogs also inhibited NR4A2-regulated transactivation (luciferase activity) confirming that DIM-C-pPhCl acts as an NR4A2 antagonist and blocks NR4A2-dependent pro-oncogenic responses in GBM. CONCLUSION We demonstrate for the first time that NR4A2 is pro-oncogenic in GBM and thus a potential druggable target for patients with tumors expressing this receptor. Moreover, our bis-indole-derived NR4A2 antagonists represent a novel class of anti-cancer agents with potential future clinical applications for treating GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keshav Karki
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Xi Li
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Un-Ho Jin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Kumaravel Mohankumar
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Mahsa Zarei
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | | | - Sandeep Mittal
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Tech University, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
| | - Ronald Tjalkens
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA. .,Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-4466, USA.
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Hedrick E, Mohankumar K, Lacey A, Safe S. Inhibition of NR4A1 Promotes ROS Accumulation and IL24-Dependent Growth Arrest in Rhabdomyosarcoma. Mol Cancer Res 2019; 17:2221-2232. [PMID: 31462501 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-0408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1, Nur77) is overexpressed in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), and inactivation of NR4A1 (siNR4A1) or treatment with the NR4A1 antagonist 1,1-bis(3'-indoly)-1-(p-hydroxy-phenyl)methane (DIM-C-pPhOH) has antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects on RMS cells. However, the mechanism by which NR4A1 inhibition exerts these effects is poorly defined. Here, we report that NR4A1 silencing or inhibition resulted in accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS-dependent induction of the tumor suppressor-like cytokine IL24 in RMS cells. Mechanistically, NR4A1 was found to regulate the expression of the proreductant genes thioredoxin domain-containing 5 (TXNDC5) and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), which are downregulated in RMS cells following NR4A1 knockdown or inhibition. Silencing TXNDC5 and IDH1 also induced ROS accumulation and IL24 expression in RMS cells, suggesting that NR4A1 antagonists mediate their antiproliferative and apoptotic effects through modulation of proreductant gene expression. Finally, cotreatment with the antioxidant glutathione or IL24-blocking antibody reversed the effects of NR4A1 inhibition, demonstrating the importance of both ROS and IL24 in mediating the cellular responses. IMPLICATIONS: Overall, these data elucidate the mechanism by which NR4A1 inhibition functions to inhibit the proliferation, survival, and migration of RMS cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Hedrick
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Kumaravel Mohankumar
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Alexandra Lacey
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.
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Li X, Tjalkens RB, Shrestha R, Safe S. Structure-dependent activation of gene expression by bis-indole and quinoline-derived activators of nuclear receptor 4A2. Chem Biol Drug Des 2019; 94:1711-1720. [PMID: 31102570 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Bis-indole derivatives including 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)methane (DIM-C-pPhCl) and substituted quinolines such as chloroquine (CQ) and amodiaquine (AQ) are nuclear receptor 4A2 (NR4A2, Nurr1) ligands, and they exhibit anti-inflammatory activities in mouse and rat models of Parkinson's disease, respectively. However, computational modeling demonstrates that the quinoline derivatives interact with the ligand-binding domain, whereas the bis-indoles preferentially interact with a C-terminal cofactor binding site of NR4A2. In this study, the effects of DIM-C-pPhCl and related analogs were compared with CQ/AQ as inducers of NR4A2-responsive genes including vasoactive intestinal peptide, osteopontin, proopiomelanocortin, and neuropilin 1 in Panc1 and Panc28 pancreatic cancer cells. The results demonstrate that, among the bis-indole analogs, their relative potencies as inducers were structure-gene- and cell context dependent. In contrast, CQ and AQ were significantly less potent than the bis-indole derivatives and, for some of the NR4A2-regulated genes, CQ and AQ were inactive as inducers. These results demonstrate that although bis-indole and quinoline derivatives have been characterized as activators of NR4A2-dependent gene expression, these two classes of compounds exhibit different activities, indicating that they are selective NR4A2 modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Li
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Ronald B Tjalkens
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Rupesh Shrestha
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
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