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Wang Y, Xu T, Wang H, Xia G, Huang X. Inhibition of autophagy induced by tetrandrine promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and sensitizes efficacy of tetrandrine in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:241. [PMID: 38987818 PMCID: PMC11238362 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03410-5] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer, characterized by its poor prognosis, exhibits a marked resistance to conventional chemotherapy and immunotherapy, underscoring the urgent need for more effective treatment modalities. In light of this, the present study is designed to assess the potential antineoplastic efficacy of a combined regimen involving tetrandrine, a plant-derived alkaloid, and autophagy inhibitors in the context of pancreatic cancer. Electron microscopy and immunoblots showed that tetrandrine promoted the formation of autophagosomes and the upregulation of LC3II and the downregulation of p62 expression, indicating that tetrandrine induced autophagy in pancreatic cancer cells. Western blot revealed that tetrandrine inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR, as well as the expression of Bcl-2, while upregulating Beclin-1 expression. Moreover, tetrandrine promoted the transcription and protein expression of ATG7. Following the combination of autophagy inhibitors and tetrandrine, the apoptotic rate and cell death significantly increased in pancreatic cancer cells. Consistent results were obtained when ATG7 was silenced. Additionally, tetrandrine induced the generation of ROS, which was involved in the activation of autophagy and apoptosis. Further investigation revealed that upon autophagy inhibition, ROS accumulated in pancreatic cancer cells, resulting in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and further induction of apoptosis. The results of treating subcutaneous xenograft tumors with a combination of tetrandrine and chloroquine validated that autophagy inhibition enhances the toxicity of tetrandrine against pancreatic cancer in vivo. Altogether, our study demonstrates that tetrandrine induces cytoprotective autophagy in pancreatic cancer cells. Inhibiting tetrandrine-induced autophagy promotes the accumulation of ROS and enhances its toxicity against pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Wang
- Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Yishan Rd, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Yishan Rd, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Hongcheng Wang
- Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Yishan Rd, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Guanggai Xia
- Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Yishan Rd, Shanghai, 200233, China.
| | - Xinyu Huang
- Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Yishan Rd, Shanghai, 200233, China.
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Liu Y, Meng Y, Zhang J, Gu L, Shen S, Zhu Y, Wang J. Pharmacology Progresses and Applications of Chloroquine in Cancer Therapy. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:6777-6809. [PMID: 38983131 PMCID: PMC11232884 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s458910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Chloroquine is a common antimalarial drug and is listed in the World Health Organization Standard List of Essential Medicines because of its safety, low cost and ease of use. Besides its antimalarial property, chloroquine also was used in anti-inflammatory and antivirus, especially in antitumor therapy. A mount of data showed that chloroquine mainly relied on autophagy inhibition to exert its antitumor effects. However, recently, more and more researches have revealed that chloroquine acts through other mechanisms that are autophagy-independent. Nevertheless, the current reviews lacked a comprehensive summary of the antitumor mechanism and combined pharmacotherapy of chloroquine. So here we focused on the antitumor properties of chloroquine, summarized the pharmacological mechanisms of antitumor progression of chloroquine dependent or independent of autophagy inhibition. Moreover, we also discussed the side effects and possible application developments of chloroquine. This review provided a more systematic and cutting-edge knowledge involved in the anti-tumor mechanisms and combined pharmacotherapy of chloroquine in hope of carrying out more in-depth exploration of chloroquine and obtaining more clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuqing Meng
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, People's Republic of China
| | - Junzhe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwei Gu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengnan Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongping Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, People's Republic of China
| | - Jigang Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-Di Herbs, Artemisinin Research Center, and Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, People's Republic of China
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117600, Singapore
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Liu Y, Wang Y, Zhang J, Peng Q, Wang X, Xiao X, Shi K. Nanotherapeutics targeting autophagy regulation for improved cancer therapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2447-2474. [PMID: 38828133 PMCID: PMC11143539 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The clinical efficacy of current cancer therapies falls short, and there is a pressing demand to integrate new targets with conventional therapies. Autophagy, a highly conserved self-degradation process, has received considerable attention as an emerging therapeutic target for cancer. With the rapid development of nanomedicine, nanomaterials have been widely utilized in cancer therapy due to their unrivaled delivery performance. Hence, considering the potential benefits of integrating autophagy and nanotechnology in cancer therapy, we outline the latest advances in autophagy-based nanotherapeutics. Based on a brief background related to autophagy and nanotherapeutics and their impact on tumor progression, the feasibility of autophagy-based nanotherapeutics for cancer treatment is demonstrated. Further, emerging nanotherapeutics developed to modulate autophagy are reviewed from the perspective of cell signaling pathways, including modulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, autophagy-related (ATG) and its complex expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitophagy, interference with autophagosome-lysosome fusion, and inhibition of hypoxia-mediated autophagy. In addition, combination therapies in which nano-autophagy modulation is combined with chemotherapy, phototherapy, and immunotherapy are also described. Finally, the prospects and challenges of autophagy-based nanotherapeutics for efficient cancer treatment are envisioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunmeng Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yaxin Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Jincheng Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Qikai Peng
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xingdong Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xiyue Xiao
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Kai Shi
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
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Xu Y, Duan S, Ye W, Zheng Z, Zhang J, Gao Y, Ye S. SLC34A2 promotes cell proliferation by activating STX17-mediated autophagy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Thorac Cancer 2024; 15:1369-1384. [PMID: 38720472 PMCID: PMC11168907 DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.15314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Solute carrier family 34 member 2 (SLC34A2) has been implicated in the development of various malignancies. However, the clinical significance and underlying molecular mechanisms of SLC34A2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain elusive. METHODS Western blotting, quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were utilized to evaluate the expression levels of SLC34A2 mRNA/protein in ESCC cell lines or tissues. Kaplan-Meier curves were employed for survival analysis. CCK-8, colony formation, EdU and xenograft tumor model assays were conducted to determine the impact of SLC34A2 on ESCC cell proliferation. Cell cycle was examined using flow cytometry. RNA-sequencing and enrichment analysis were carried out to explore the potential signaling pathways. The autophagic flux was evaluated by western blotting, mRFP-GFP-LC3 reporter system and transmission electron microscopy. Immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry were utilized for identification of potential SLC34A2-interacting proteins. Cycloheximide (CHX) chase and ubiquitination assays were conducted to test the protein stability. RESULTS The expression of SLC34A2 was significantly upregulated in ESCC and correlated with unfavorable clinicopathologic characteristics particularly the Ki-67 labeling index and poor prognosis of ESCC patients. Overexpression of SLC34A2 promoted ESCC cell proliferation, while silencing SLC34A2 had the opposite effect. Moreover, SLC34A2 induced autophagy to promote ESCC cell proliferation, whereas inhibition of autophagy suppressed the proliferation of ESCC cells. Further studies showed that SLC34A2 interacted with an autophagy-related protein STX17 to promote autophagy and proliferation of ESCC cells by inhibiting the ubiquitination and degradation of STX17. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that SLC34A2 may serve as a prognostic biomarker for ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shiyu Duan
- Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People's HospitalGuangdong Academy of Medical SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Wen Ye
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhousan Zheng
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jiaxing Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Ying Gao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Sheng Ye
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
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Chen C, Liu J, Lin X, Xiang A, Ye Q, Guo J, Rui T, Xu J, Hu S. Crosstalk between cancer-associated fibroblasts and regulated cell death in tumors: insights into apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:189. [PMID: 38649701 PMCID: PMC11035635 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01958-9] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the main stromal component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), play multifaceted roles in cancer progression through paracrine signaling, exosome transfer, and cell interactions. Attractively, recent evidence indicates that CAFs can modulate various forms of regulated cell death (RCD) in adjacent tumor cells, thus involving cancer proliferation, therapy resistance, and immune exclusion. Here, we present a brief introduction to CAFs and basic knowledge of RCD, including apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. In addition, we further summarize the different types of RCD in tumors that are mediated by CAFs, as well as the effects of these modes of RCD on CAFs. This review will deepen our understanding of the interactions between CAFs and RCD and might offer novel therapeutic avenues for future cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xia Lin
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Aizhai Xiang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qianwei Ye
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jufeng Guo
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tao Rui
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shufang Hu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.
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Bai X, Xiong J, Li L, Yu C, Sun C. Suppression of hypoxia-induced CAV1 autophagic degradation enhances nanoalbumin-paclitaxel transcytosis and improves therapeutic activity in pancreatic cancer. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 969:176431. [PMID: 38395374 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Nanoalbumin-paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) is a standard chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer but has shown limited efficacy. However, the mechanism through which circulating nab-paclitaxel passes through the tumour vascular endothelium has not been determined. In our study, a new nonradioactive and highly sensitive method for analysing nab-paclitaxel transcytosis was established. Based on these methods, we found that hypoxia significantly enhanced the autophagic degradation of CAV1 and therefore attenuated caveolae-mediated nab-paclitaxel transcytosis across endothelial cells (ECs). In a proof-of-concept experiment, higher levels of CAV1, accompanied by lower levels of LC3B, were observed in the vascular endothelium of pancreatic cancer tissues collected from patients who showed a good response to nab-paclitaxel compared with those from patients who showed a poor response to nab-paclitaxel. Furthermore, both in vivo and in vitro studies confirmed that suppressing the autophagic degradation of CAV1 via EC-specific ATG5 knockdown or hydroxychloroquine sulfate (HCQ) treatment significantly enhanced nab-paclitaxel translocation across the endothelial barrier into pancreatic cancer cells and amplified the inhibitory effect of nab-paclitaxel on pancreatic tumour growth. The stimulation of CAV1 expression by EC-specific overexpression of exogenous CAV1 or administration of gemcitabine hydrochloride (GE) had the same effect. These results demonstrated that suppressing CAV1 autophagic degradation is a novel translatable strategy for enhancing nab-paclitaxel chemotherapeutic activity in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangli Bai
- School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, 5500025, Guiyang, Guizhou, China; Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, 550004, Guiyang, Guizhou, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430077, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jia Xiong
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Jinan University 2nd Clinical Medicine College People's Hospital of Shenzhen, 518020, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Lin Li
- School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, 5500025, Guiyang, Guizhou, China; Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, 550004, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Chao Yu
- Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, 550004, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Chengyi Sun
- School of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, 5500025, Guiyang, Guizhou, China; Department of Hepatic-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, 550004, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
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7
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Hou XJ, Chang R, Wang YH, Kang TL, Wei JCC. Hydroxychloroquine had neutral effect on long-term risk of malignancy in rheumatoid arthritis patients: A population-based retrospective cohort study. Int J Rheum Dis 2024; 27:e15102. [PMID: 38450839 DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.15102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cancer risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients has been discussed. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) may exert protective effects against malignancy. The study investigated the association between HCQ use and the risk of subsequent malignancy in RA patients. METHODS Catastrophic illness certificated RA patients were extracted from the National Health Insurance Research Database. The index date was set 180 days after the RA diagnosis date to avoid immortal time bias. Two groups were matched in a 1-to-1 ratio by propensity score regarding age, gender, index date, relevant comorbidities, and comedication. HCQ users prior to the diagnosis of RA were exempted to ensure compliance with the new-user design. Cancers diagnosed before or less than 180 days after the index date were excluded to mitigate protopathic bias. The study adopted the Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox proportional hazards model to examine the association between HCQ use and cancer risk. The assumption of proportional hazard was also tested. RESULTS Based on strict criteria, we included 492 eligible RA patients and divided them into study and control groups (N = 246 in each group). HCQ users exhibited a neutral risk of cancer relative to the controls (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.44-2.21, p > .05). The assumption of proportional hazard was not violated. CONCLUSION This study does not observe the effect of using HCQ as a primary regimen to prevent cancer in RA patients. We are assured that HCQ is not associated with an increased risk of subsequent malignancy in RA patients. Further mechanistic research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiu-Juan Hou
- Department of Rheumatism, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Renin Chang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsun Wang
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tian-Lun Kang
- Department of Rheumatism, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - James Cheng-Chung Wei
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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8
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Uddin MH, Zhang D, Muqbil I, El-Rayes BF, Chen H, Philip PA, Azmi AS. Deciphering cellular plasticity in pancreatic cancer for effective treatments. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:393-408. [PMID: 38194153 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Cellular plasticity and therapy resistance are critical features of pancreatic cancer, a highly aggressive and fatal disease. The pancreas, a vital organ that produces digestive enzymes and hormones, is often affected by two main types of cancer: the pre-dominant ductal adenocarcinoma and the less common neuroendocrine tumors. These cancers are difficult to treat due to their complex biology characterized by cellular plasticity leading to therapy resistance. Cellular plasticity refers to the capability of cancer cells to change and adapt to different microenvironments within the body which includes acinar-ductal metaplasia, epithelial to mesenchymal/epigenetic/metabolic plasticity, as well as stemness. This plasticity allows heterogeneity of cancer cells, metastasis, and evasion of host's immune system and develops resistance to radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. To overcome this resistance, extensive research is ongoing exploring the intrinsic and extrinsic factors through cellular reprogramming, chemosensitization, targeting metabolic, key survival pathways, etc. In this review, we discussed the mechanisms of cellular plasticity involving cellular adaptation and tumor microenvironment and provided a comprehensive understanding of its role in therapy resistance and ways to overcome it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Hafiz Uddin
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4100 John R, HWCRC 740, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
| | - Dingqiang Zhang
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lawrence Technological University, 21000 W 10 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI, 48075, USA
| | - Irfana Muqbil
- Department of Natural Sciences, Lawrence Technological University, 21000 W 10 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI, 48075, USA
| | - Bassel F El-Rayes
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Herbert Chen
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Philip A Philip
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4100 John R, HWCRC 740, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
- Henry Ford Health Systems, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Asfar S Azmi
- Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4100 John R, HWCRC 740, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
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Chauhan N, Patro BS. Emerging roles of lysosome homeostasis (repair, lysophagy and biogenesis) in cancer progression and therapy. Cancer Lett 2024; 584:216599. [PMID: 38135207 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
In the era of personalized therapy, precise targeting of subcellular organelles holds great promise for cancer modality. Taking into consideration that lysosome represents the intersection site in numerous endosomal trafficking pathways and their modulation in cancer growth, progression, and resistance against cancer therapies, the lysosome is proposed as an attractive therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Based on the recent advances, the current review provides a comprehensive understanding of molecular mechanisms of lysosome homeostasis under 3R responses: Repair, Removal (lysophagy) and Regeneration of lysosomes. These arms of 3R responses have distinct role in lysosome homeostasis although their interdependency along with switching between the pathways still remain elusive. Recent advances underpinning the crucial role of (1) ESCRT complex dependent/independent repair of lysosome, (2) various Galectins-based sensing and ubiquitination in lysophagy and (3) TFEB/TFE proteins in lysosome regeneration/biogenesis of lysosome are outlined. Later, we also emphasised how these recent advancements may aid in development of phytochemicals and pharmacological agents for targeting lysosomes for efficient cancer therapy. Some of these lysosome targeting agents, which are now at various stages of clinical trials and patents, are also highlighted in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitish Chauhan
- Bio-Organic Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400085, India; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400094, India
| | - Birija Sankar Patro
- Bio-Organic Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400085, India; Homi Bhabha National Institute, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400094, India.
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10
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Bi J, Witt E, McGovern MK, Cafi AB, Rosenstock LL, Pearson AB, Brown TJ, Karasic TB, Absler LC, Machkanti S, Boyce H, Gallo D, Becker SL, Ishida K, Jenkins J, Hayward A, Scheiflinger A, Bodeker KL, Kumar R, Shaw SK, Jabbour SK, Lira VA, Henry MD, Tift MS, Otterbein LE, Traverso G, Byrne JD. Oral Carbon Monoxide Enhances Autophagy Modulation in Prostate, Pancreatic, and Lung Cancers. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2308346. [PMID: 38084435 PMCID: PMC10916612 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Modulation of autophagy, specifically its inhibition, stands to transform the capacity to effectively treat a broad range of cancers. However, the clinical efficacy of autophagy inhibitors has been inconsistent. To delineate clinical and epidemiological features associated with autophagy inhibition and a positive oncological clinical response, a retrospective analysis of patients is conducted treated with hydroxychloroquine, a known autophagy inhibitor. A direct correlation between smoking status and inhibition of autophagy with hydroxychloroquine is identified. Recognizing that smoking is associated with elevated circulating levels of carbon monoxide (CO), it is hypothesized that supplemental CO can amplify autophagy inhibition. A novel, gas-entrapping material containing CO in a pre-clinical model is applied and demonstrated that CO can dramatically increase the cytotoxicity of autophagy inhibitors and significantly inhibit the growth of tumors when used in combination. These data support the notion that safe, therapeutic levels of CO can markedly enhance the efficacy of autophagy inhibitors, opening a promising new frontier in the quest to improve cancer therapies.
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11
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Zhang J, Wang Y, Wang L, You L, Zhang T. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma chemoresistance: From metabolism reprogramming to novel treatment. Chin Med J (Engl) 2024; 137:408-420. [PMID: 37545027 PMCID: PMC10876258 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000002758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT As pancreatic cancer (PC) is highly malignant, its patients tend to develop metastasis at an early stage and show a poor response to conventional chemotherapies. First-line chemotherapies for PC, according to current guidelines, include fluoropyrimidine- and gemcitabine-based regimens. Accumulating research on drug resistance has shown that biochemical metabolic aberrations in PC, especially those involving glycolysis and glutamine metabolism, are highly associated with chemoresistance. Additionally, lipid metabolism is a major factor in chemoresistance. However, emerging compounds that target these key metabolic pathways have the potential to overcome chemoresistance. This review summarizes how PC develops chemoresistance through aberrations in biochemical metabolism and discusses novel critical targets and pathways within cancer metabolism for new drug research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingcheng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
- Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yutong Wang
- Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Lejunzi Wang
- Department of Anaesthesia, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Lei You
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Taiping Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
- Clinical Immunology Centre, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
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12
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Akbari A, Noorbakhsh Varnosfaderani SM, Haeri MS, Fathi Z, Aziziyan F, Yousefi Rad A, Zalpoor H, Nabi-Afjadi M, Malekzadegan Y. Autophagy induced by Helicobacter Pylori infection can lead to gastric cancer dormancy, metastasis, and recurrence: new insights. Hum Cell 2024; 37:139-153. [PMID: 37924488 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-00996-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
According to the findings of recent research, Helicobacter Pylori (H. pylori) infection is not only the primary cause of gastric cancer (GC), but it is also linked to the spread and invasion of GC through a number of processes and factors that contribute to virulence. In this study, we discussed that H. pylori infection can increase autophagy in GC tumor cells, leading to poor prognosis in such patients. Until now, the main concerns have been focused on H. pylori's role in GC development. According to our hypothesis, however, H. pylori infection may also lead to GC dormancy, metastasis, and recurrence by stimulating autophagy. Therefore, understanding how H. pylori possess these processes through its virulence factors and various microRNAs can open new windows for providing new prevention and/or therapeutic approaches to combat GC dormancy, metastasis, and recurrence which can occur in GC patients with H. pylori infection with targeting autophagy and eradicating H. pylori infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullatif Akbari
- Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Melika Sadat Haeri
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zeinab Fathi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Aziziyan
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Yousefi Rad
- Department of Biochemistry, Falavarjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Zalpoor
- Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Nabi-Afjadi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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13
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de Jesus VHF, Mathias-Machado MC, de Farias JPF, Aruquipa MPS, Jácome AA, Peixoto RD. Targeting KRAS in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: The Long Road to Cure. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5015. [PMID: 37894382 PMCID: PMC10605759 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15205015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains an important cause of cancer-related mortality, and it is expected to play an even bigger part in cancer burden in the years to come. Despite concerted efforts from scientists and physicians, patients have experienced little improvement in survival over the past decades, possibly because of the non-specific nature of the tested treatment modalities. Recently, the discovery of potentially targetable molecular alterations has paved the way for the personalized treatment of PDAC. Indeed, the central piece in the molecular framework of PDAC is starting to be unveiled. KRAS mutations are seen in 90% of PDACs, and multiple studies have demonstrated their pivotal role in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Recent investigations have shed light on the differences in prognosis as well as therapeutic implications of the different KRAS mutations and disentangled the relationship between KRAS and effectors of downstream and parallel signaling pathways. Additionally, the recognition of other mechanisms involving KRAS-mediated pathogenesis, such as KRAS dosing and allelic imbalance, has contributed to broadening the current knowledge regarding this molecular alteration. Finally, KRAS G12C inhibitors have been recently tested in patients with pancreatic cancer with relative success, and inhibitors of KRAS harboring other mutations are under clinical development. These drugs currently represent a true hope for a meaningful leap forward in this dreadful disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Alexandre A. Jácome
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Oncoclínicas, Belo Horizonte 30360-680, Brazil
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14
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Koh Y, Kim H, Joo SY, Song S, Choi YH, Kim HR, Moon B, Byun J, Hong J, Shin DY, Park S, Lee KH, Lee KT, Lee JK, Park D, Lee SH, Jang JY, Lee H, Kim JA, Yoon SS, Park JK. Genetic assessment of pathogenic germline alterations in lysosomal genes among Asian patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. J Transl Med 2023; 21:730. [PMID: 37848935 PMCID: PMC10580633 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04549-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lysosomes are closely linked to autophagic activity, which plays a vital role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) biology. The survival of PDAC patients is still poor, and the identification of novel genetic factors for prognosis and treatment is highly required to prevent PDAC-related deaths. This study investigated the germline variants related to lysosomal dysfunction in patients with PDAC and to analyze whether they contribute to the development of PDAC. METHODS The germline putative pathogenic variants (PPV) in genes involved in lysosomal storage disease (LSD) was compared between patients with PDAC (n = 418) and healthy controls (n = 845) using targeted panel and whole-exome sequencing. Furthermore, pancreatic organoids from wild-type and KrasG12D mice were used to evaluate the effect of lysosomal dysfunction on PDAC development. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was performed with established PDAC patient-derived organoids (PDOs) according to the PPV status. RESULTS The PPV in LSD-related genes was higher in patients with PDAC than in healthy controls (8.13 vs. 4.26%, Log2 OR = 1.65, P = 3.08 × 10-3). The PPV carriers of LSD-related genes with PDAC were significantly younger than the non-carriers (mean age 61.5 vs. 65.3 years, P = 0.031). We further studied a variant of the lysosomal enzyme, galactosylceramidase (GALC), which was the most frequently detected LSD variant in our cohort. Autophagolysosomal activity was hampered when GALC was downregulated, which was accompanied by paradoxically elevated autophagic flux. Furthermore, the number of proliferating Ki-67+ cells increased significantly in pancreatic organoids derived from Galc knockout KrasG12D mice. Moreover, GALC PPV carriers tended to show drug resistance in both PDAC cell line and PDAC PDO, and RNA-seq analysis revealed that various metabolism and gene repair pathways were upregulated in PDAC PDOs harboring a GALC variant. CONCLUSIONS Genetically defined lysosomal dysfunction is frequently observed in patients with young-onset PDAC. This might contribute to PDAC development by altering metabolism and impairing autophagolysosomal activity, which could be potentially implicated in therapeutic applications for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngil Koh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyemin Kim
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - So Young Joo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seulki Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hoon Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Rae Kim
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byul Moon
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jamin Byun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Junshik Hong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Yeop Shin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Solip Park
- Structural Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Kwang Hyuck Lee
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu Taek Lee
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Kyun Lee
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Daechan Park
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Department of Biological Sciences, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Se-Hoon Lee
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Young Jang
- Departments of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyunsook Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jung-Ae Kim
- Aging Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Functional Genomics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sung-Soo Yoon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Joo Kyung Park
- Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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15
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Chen JL, Wu X, Yin D, Jia XH, Chen X, Gu ZY, Zhu XM. Autophagy inhibitors for cancer therapy: Small molecules and nanomedicines. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 249:108485. [PMID: 37406740 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved process in which the cytosolic materials are degraded and eventually recycled for cellular metabolism to maintain homeostasis. The dichotomous role of autophagy in pathogenesis is complicated. Accumulating reports have suggested that cytoprotective autophagy is responsible for tumor growth and progression. Autophagy inhibitors, such as chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), are promising for treating malignancies or overcoming drug resistance in chemotherapy. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, nanomaterials also show autophagy-inhibitory effects or are reported as the carriers delivering autophagy inhibitors. In this review, we summarize the small-molecule compounds and nanomaterials inhibiting autophagic flux as well as the mechanisms involved. The nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems for autophagy inhibitors and their distinct advantages are also described. The progress of autophagy inhibitors for clinical applications is finally introduced, and their future perspectives are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Li Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Xuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Dan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Xu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Ze-Yun Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China.
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16
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Yang J, Liu Y, Liu S. The role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and autophagy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma invasion. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:506. [PMID: 37550301 PMCID: PMC10406904 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06032-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Of all pancreatic cancer (PC) cases, approximately 90% are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which progress rapidly due to its high degree of invasiveness and high metastatic potential. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a prerequisite for cancer cell invasion and spread, and it is mediated by the specific cellular behaviors and the tumor microenvironment. Autophagy has long been a target of cancer therapy, and it has been considered to play a dual and contradictory role, particularly regarding EMT-mediated PDAC invasion. This review discusses the characteristics and the biological role of EMT and autophagy from a cellular perspective, explaining invasion as a survival behavior of PDAC, with the aim of providing novel insights into targeting EMT and autophagy to overcome PDAC invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Yang
- Central Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Shi Liu
- Central Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, 161000, Heilongjiang Province, P.R. China.
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17
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Sarkar S, Bisoi A, Singh PC. Antimalarial Drugs Induce the Selective Folding of Human Telomeric G-Quadruplex in a Cancer-Mimicking Microenvironment. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:6648-6655. [PMID: 37467470 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c03042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Regulating the equilibrium between the duplex form of DNA and G-quadruplex (Gq) and stabilizing the folded Gq are the critical factors for any drug to be effective in cancer therapy due to the direct involvement of Gq in controlling the transcription process. Antimalarial drugs are in the trial stage for different types of cancer diseases; however, the plausible mechanism of action of these drug molecules is not well known. Hence, we investigate the plausible role of antimalarial drugs in the folding and stabilization of Gq-forming DNA sequences from the telomere and promoter gene regions by varying the salt (KCl) concentrations, mimicking the in vitro cancerous and normal cell microenvironments. The study reveals that antimalarial drugs fold and stabilize specifically to telomere Gq-forming sequences in the cancerous microenvironment than the DNA sequences located in the promoter region of the gene. Antimalarial drugs are not only able to fold Gq but also efficiently protect them from unfolding by their complementary strands, hence significantly biasing the equilibrium toward the Gq formation from the duplex. In contrast, in a normal cell microenvironment, K+ controls the folding of telomeres, and the role of antimalarial drugs is not prominent. This study suggests that the action of antimalarial drugs is sensitive to the cancer microenvironment as well as selective to the Gq-forming region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunipa Sarkar
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Asim Bisoi
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Prashant Chandra Singh
- School of Chemical Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
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18
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Komarla A, Dufresne S, Towers CG. Recent Advances in the Role of Autophagy in Endocrine-Dependent Tumors. Endocr Rev 2023; 44:629-646. [PMID: 36631217 PMCID: PMC10335171 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnad001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy plays a complex role in several cancer types, including endocrine-dependent cancers, by fueling cellular metabolism and clearing damaged substrates. This conserved recycling process has a dual function across tumor types where it can be tumor suppressive at early stages but tumor promotional in established disease. This review highlights the controversial roles of autophagy in endocrine-dependent tumors regarding cancer initiation, tumorigenesis, metastasis, and treatment response. We summarize clinical trial results thus far and highlight the need for additional mechanistic, preclinical, and clinical studies in endocrine-dependent tumors, particularly in breast cancer and prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvita Komarla
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- The Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Suzanne Dufresne
- The Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Christina G Towers
- The Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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19
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Deng Z, Shen D, Yu M, Zhou F, Shan D, Fang Y, Jin W, Qian K, Li S, Wang G, Zhang Y, Ju L, Xiao Y, Wang X. Pectolinarigenin inhibits bladder urothelial carcinoma cell proliferation by regulating DNA damage/autophagy pathways. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:214. [PMID: 37393350 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01508-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Pectolinarigenin (PEC), an active compound isolated from traditional herbal medicine, has shown potential anti-tumor properties against various types of cancer cells. However, its mechanism of action in bladder cancer (BLCA), which is one of the fatal human carcinomas, remains unexplored. In this study, we first revealed that PEC, as a potential DNA topoisomerase II alpha (TOP2A) poison, can target TOP2A and cause significant DNA damage. PEC induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest via p53 pathway. Simultaneously, PEC can perform its unique function by inhibiting the late autophagic flux. The blocking of autophagy caused proliferation inhibition of BLCA and further enhanced the DNA damage effect of PEC. In addition, we proved that PEC could intensify the cytotoxic effect of gemcitabine (GEM) on BLCA cells in vivo and in vitro. Summarily, we first systematically revealed that PEC had great potential as a novel TOP2A poison and an inhibitor of late autophagic flux in treating BLCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Deng
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Dexin Shen
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengxue Yu
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Fenfang Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Danni Shan
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Yayun Fang
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Wan Jin
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Euler Technology, ZGC Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
| | - Kaiyu Qian
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shenjuan Li
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Gang Wang
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Euler Technology, ZGC Life Sciences Park, Beijing, China
- Center for Quantitative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lingao Ju
- Department of Biological Repositories, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Yu Xiao
- Human Genetic Resources Preservation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Urological Diseases, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Xinghuan Wang
- Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- TaiKang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
- Wuhan Research Center for Infectious Diseases and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, China.
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20
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Liang Z, You G. Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine, as Proteasome Inhibitors, Upregulate the Expression and Activity of Organic Anion Transporter 3. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:1725. [PMID: 37376173 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15061725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3), at the basolateral membrane of kidney proximal tubule cells, facilitates the elimination of numerous widely used drugs. Earlier investigation from our laboratory revealed that ubiquitin conjugation to OAT3 leads to OAT3 internalization from the cell surface, followed by degradation in the proteasome. In the current study, we examined the roles of chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), two well-known anti-malarial drugs, in their action as proteasome inhibitors and their effects on OAT3 ubiquitination, expression, and function. We showed that in cells treated with CQ and HCQ, the ubiquitinated OAT3 was considerably enhanced, which correlated well with a decrease in 20S proteasome activity. Furthermore, in CQ- and HCQ-treated cells, OAT3 expression and OAT3-mediated transport of estrone sulfate, a prototypical substrate, were significantly increased. Such increases in OAT3 expression and transport activity were accompanied by an increase in the maximum transport velocity and a decrease in the degradation rate of the transporter. In conclusion, this study unveiled a novel role of CQ and HCQ in enhancing OAT3 expression and transport activity by preventing the degradation of ubiquitinated OAT3 in proteasomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengxuan Liang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Guofeng You
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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21
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Wang H, Shi Y, Ma D, Cao M, Sun Y, Jiang X, Xu Z, Wang Y, Yang Y, Shi Y, Wang K. Cinchonine exerts anti-tumor and immunotherapy sensitizing effects in lung cancer by impairing autophagic-lysosomal degradation. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 164:114980. [PMID: 37301135 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, there are several treatments approaches available for lung cancer; however, patients who develop drug resistance or have poor survival rates urgently require new therapeutic strategies for lung cancer. In autophagy, damaged proteins or organelles are enclosed within autophagic vesicles with a bilayer membrane structure and transported to the lysosomes for degradation and recirculation. Autophagy is a crucial pathway involved in the clearance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damaged mitochondria. Meanwhile, inhibiting autophagy is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. In this study, we found for the first time that Cinchonine (Cin) can act as an autophagy suppressor and exert anti-tumor effects. Cin significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells in vitro and the tumor growth and metastasis in vivo, without obvious toxic effects. We found that Cin suppressed the autophagic process by blocking autophagosome degradation through the inhibition of the maturation of lysosomal hydrolases. Cin-mediated autophagy inhibition resulted in the elevated ROS level and the accumulation of damaged mitochondria, which in turn promoted apoptosis. N-acetylcysteine, a potential ROS scavenger, significantly suppressed Cin-induced apoptosis. Additionally, Cin upregulated programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in lung cancer cells by inhibiting autophagy. Compared with monotherapy and control group, the combined administration of anti-PD-L1 antibody and Cin significantly reduced tumor growth. These results suggest that Cin exerts anti-tumor effects by inhibiting autophagy, and that the combination of Cin and PD-L1 blockade has synergistic anti-tumor effects. The data demonstrates the significant clinical potential of Cin in lung cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Yuting Shi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Dannv Ma
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengqing Cao
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Yuchao Sun
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Xinyuan Jiang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Zhiyong Xu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Yongfang Wang
- Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China
| | - Yueli Shi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China.
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, International Institutes of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu City, China.
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22
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Jain V, Singh MP, Amaravadi RK. Recent advances in targeting autophagy in cancer. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:290-302. [PMID: 36931971 PMCID: PMC10106406 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a cellular homeostasis mechanism that fuels the proliferation and survival of advanced cancers by degrading and recycling organelles and proteins. Preclinical studies have identified that within an established tumor, tumor cell autophagy and host cell autophagy conspire to support tumor growth. A growing body of evidence suggests that autophagy inhibition can augment the efficacy of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy to enhance tumor shrinkage. First-generation autophagy inhibition trials in cancer using the lysosomal inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have produced mixed results but have guided the way for the development of more potent and specific autophagy inhibitors in clinical trials. In this review, we will discuss the role of autophagy in cancer, newly discovered molecular mechanisms of the autophagy pathway, the effects of autophagy modulation in cancer and host cells, and novel autophagy inhibitors that are entering clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav Jain
- Abramson Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Mahendra Pal Singh
- Abramson Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ravi K Amaravadi
- Abramson Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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23
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Halbrook CJ, Lyssiotis CA, Pasca di Magliano M, Maitra A. Pancreatic cancer: Advances and challenges. Cell 2023; 186:1729-1754. [PMID: 37059070 PMCID: PMC10182830 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 243.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the deadliest cancers. Significant efforts have largely defined major genetic factors driving PDAC pathogenesis and progression. Pancreatic tumors are characterized by a complex microenvironment that orchestrates metabolic alterations and supports a milieu of interactions among various cell types within this niche. In this review, we highlight the foundational studies that have driven our understanding of these processes. We further discuss the recent technological advances that continue to expand our understanding of PDAC complexity. We posit that the clinical translation of these research endeavors will enhance the currently dismal survival rate of this recalcitrant disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Halbrook
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Institute for Immunology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
| | - Costas A Lyssiotis
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Marina Pasca di Magliano
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Anirban Maitra
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Sheikh Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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24
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Park WJ, Kim MJ. A New Wave of Targeting 'Undruggable' Wnt Signaling for Cancer Therapy: Challenges and Opportunities. Cells 2023; 12:cells12081110. [PMID: 37190019 DOI: 10.3390/cells12081110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant Wnt signaling activation is frequently observed in many cancers. The mutation acquisition of Wnt signaling leads to tumorigenesis, whereas the inhibition of Wnt signaling robustly suppresses tumor development in various in vivo models. Based on the excellent preclinical effect of targeting Wnt signaling, over the past 40 years, numerous Wnt-targeted therapies have been investigated for cancer treatment. However, Wnt signaling-targeting drugs are still not clinically available. A major obstacle to Wnt targeting is the concomitant side effects during treatment due to the pleiotropic role of Wnt signaling in development, tissue homeostasis, and stem cells. Additionally, the complexity of the Wnt signaling cascades across different cancer contexts hinders the development of optimized targeted therapies. Although the therapeutic targeting of Wnt signaling remains challenging, alternative strategies have been continuously developed alongside technological advances. In this review, we give an overview of current Wnt targeting strategies and discuss recent promising trials that have the potential to be clinically realized based on their mechanism of action. Furthermore, we highlight new waves of Wnt targeting that combine recently developed technologies such as PROTAC/molecular glue, antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), and anti-sense oligonucleotides (ASO), which may provide us with new opportunities to target 'undruggable' Wnt signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo-Jung Park
- Department of Life Science, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Moon Jong Kim
- Department of Life Science, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea
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25
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Ivey AD, Matthew Fagan B, Murthy P, Lotze MT, Zeh HJ, Hazlehurst LA, Geldenhuys WJ, Boone BA. Chloroquine reduces neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation through inhibition of peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4). Clin Exp Immunol 2023; 211:239-247. [PMID: 36655514 PMCID: PMC10038322 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxad005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) occur when chromatin is decondensed and extruded from the cell, generating a web-like structure. NETs have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several sterile disease states and thus are a potential therapeutic target. Various pathways have been shown to induce NETs, including autophagy, with several key enzymes being activated like peptidyl arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4), an enzyme responsible for citrullination of histones, allowing for DNA unwinding and subsequent release from the cell. Pre-clinical studies have already demonstrated that chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) are able to reduce NETs and slow disease progression. The exact mechanism as to how these drugs reduce NETs has yet to be elucidated. CQ and HCQ decrease NET formation from various NET activators, independent of their autophagy inhibitory function. CQ and HCQ were found to inhibit PAD4 exclusively, in a dose-dependent manner, confirmed with reduced CitH3+ NETs after CQ or HCQ treatment. Circulating CitH3 levels were reduced in pancreatic cancer patients after HCQ treatment. In silico screening of PAD4 protein structure identified a likely binding site interaction at Arg639 for CQ and Trp347, Ser468, and Glu580 for HCQ. SPR analysis confirmed the binding of HCQ and CQ with PAD4 with KD values of 54.1 µM (CQ) and 88.1 µM (HCQ). This data provide evidence of direct PAD4 inhibition as a mechanism for CQ/HCQ inhibition of NETs. We propose that these drugs likely reduce NET formation through multiple mechanisms; the previously established TLR9 and autophagy inhibitory mechanism and the novel PAD4 inhibitory mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby D Ivey
- Cancer Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - B Matthew Fagan
- Department of Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Pranav Murthy
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michael T Lotze
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Herbert J Zeh
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lori A Hazlehurst
- Cancer Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Werner J Geldenhuys
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
- Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Brian A Boone
- Cancer Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
- Department of Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
- Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
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26
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Takano N, Hiramoto M, Yamada Y, Kokuba H, Tokuhisa M, Hino H, Miyazawa K. Azithromycin, a potent autophagy inhibitor for cancer therapy, perturbs cytoskeletal protein dynamics. Br J Cancer 2023; 128:1838-1849. [PMID: 36871041 PMCID: PMC10147625 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02210-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autophagy plays an important role in tumour cell growth and survival and also promotes resistance to chemotherapy. Hence, autophagy has been targeted for cancer therapy. We previously reported that macrolide antibiotics including azithromycin (AZM) inhibit autophagy in various types of cancer cells in vitro. However, the underlying molecular mechanism for autophagy inhibition remains unclear. Here, we aimed to identify the molecular target of AZM for inhibiting autophagy. METHODS We identified the AZM-binding proteins using AZM-conjugated magnetic nanobeads for high-throughput affinity purification. Autophagy inhibitory mechanism of AZM was analysed by confocal microscopic and transmission electron microscopic observation. The anti-tumour effect with autophagy inhibition by oral AZM administration was assessed in the xenografted mice model. RESULTS We elucidated that keratin-18 (KRT18) and α/β-tubulin specifically bind to AZM. Treatment of the cells with AZM disrupts intracellular KRT18 dynamics, and KRT18 knockdown resulted in autophagy inhibition. Additionally, AZM treatment suppresses intracellular lysosomal trafficking along the microtubules for blocking autophagic flux. Oral AZM administration suppressed tumour growth while inhibiting autophagy in tumour tissue. CONCLUSIONS As drug-repurposing, our results indicate that AZM is a potent autophagy inhibitor for cancer treatment, which acts by directly interacting with cytoskeletal proteins and perturbing their dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoharu Takano
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Masaki Hiramoto
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yumiko Yamada
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Kokuba
- Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mayumi Tokuhisa
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirotsugu Hino
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Miyazawa
- Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
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27
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Ren J, Hu Z, Niu G, Xia J, Wang X, Hong R, Gu J, Wang D, Ke C. Annexin A1 induces oxaliplatin resistance of gastric cancer through autophagy by targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22790. [PMID: 36786694 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202200400rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Resistance to oxaliplatin (OXA) is a major cause of recurrence in gastric cancer (GC) patients. Autophagy is an important factor ensuring the survival of cancer cells under chemotherapeutic stress. We aimed to investigate the role of OXA-related genes in autophagy and chemoresistance of gastric cancer cells. We established OXA-resistant gastric cancer cells and used RNA-seq to profile gene expression within OXA-resistant GC and corresponding parental cells. Immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR was performed to detect gene expression in tissues of two cohorts of GC patients who received OXA-based chemotherapy. The chemoresistant effects of the gene were assessed by cell viability, apoptosis, and autophagy assays. The effects of the gene on autophagy were assessed with mRFP-GFP-LC3 and Western blotting (WB). Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and WB were performed to detect the activity of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling under the regulation of the gene. The OXA-resistant property of GC cells is related to their enhanced autophagic activity. Based on RNA-seq profiling, ANXA1 was selected as a candidate, as it was upregulated significantly in OXA-resistant cells. Furthermore, we found that higher ANXA1 expression before chemotherapy was associated with subsequent development of resistance to oxaliplatin, and overexpression of ANXA1 promoted the resistance of gastric cancer cells to oxaliplatin. So, it may serve as a key regulator in GC chemo-resistance knockdown of ANXA1, via inhibiting autophagy, enhancing the sensitivity of OXA-resistant GC cells to OXA in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, we identified that PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was activated in the ANXA1 stable knockdown AGS/OXA cells, which leads to the suppression of autophagy. ANXA1 functions as a chemoresistant gene in GC cells by targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and might be a prognostic predictor for GC patients who receive OXA-based chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ren
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People's Republic of China.,General Surgery Institute of Yangzhou, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiqing Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Gengming Niu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Xia
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Runqi Hong
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiawei Gu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Daorong Wang
- Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People's Republic of China.,General Surgery Institute of Yangzhou, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Chongwei Ke
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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28
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Chen Y, Meng J, Lu X, Li X, Wang C. Clustering analysis revealed the autophagy classification and potential autophagy regulators' sensitivity of pancreatic cancer based on multi-omics data. Cancer Med 2023; 12:733-746. [PMID: 35684936 PMCID: PMC9844610 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy and is unresponsive to conventional therapeutic modalities due to its high heterogeneity, expounding the necessity, and priority of searching for effective biomarkers and drugs. Autophagy, as an evolutionarily conserved biological process, is upregulated in PDAC and its regulation is linked to a poor prognosis. Increased autophagy sequestered MHC-I on PDAC cells and weaken the antigen presentation and antitumor immune response, indicating the potential therapeutic strategies of autophagy inhibitors. METHODS By performing 10 state-of-the-art multi-omics clustering algorithms, we constructed a robust PDAC classification model to reveal the autophagy-related genes among different subgroups. OUTCOMES After building a more comprehensive regulating network for potential autophagy regulators exploration, we concluded the top 20 autophagy-related hub genes (GAPDH, MAPK3, RHEB, SQSTM1, EIF2S1, RAB5A, CTSD, MAP1LC3B, RAB7A, RAB11A, FADD, CFKN2A, HSP90AB1, VEGFA, RELA, DDIT3, HSPA5, BCL2L1, BAG3, and ERBB2), six miRNAs, five transcription factors, and five immune infiltrated cells as biomarkers. The drug sensitivity database was screened based on the biomarkers to predict possible drug-targeting signal pathways, hoping to yield novel insights, and promote the progress of the anticancer therapeutic strategy. CONCLUSION We succefully constructed an autophagy-related mRNA/miRNA/TF/Immune cells network based on a 10 state-of art algorithm multi-omics analysis, and screened the drug sensitivity dataset for detecting potential signal pathway which might be possible autophagy modulators' targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghao Chen
- Department of GastroenterologyWest China Hospital of Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuanP.R. China
| | - Jialin Meng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiP.R. China
- Institute of UrologyAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiP.R. China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Genitourinary Diseases, Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiP.R. China
| | - Xiaofan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Research Center of Biostatistics and Computational PharmacyChina Pharmaceutical UniversityNanjingP.R. China
| | - Xiao Li
- Department of GastroenterologyWest China Hospital of Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuanP.R. China
| | - Chunhui Wang
- Department of GastroenterologyWest China Hospital of Sichuan UniversityChengduSichuanP.R. China
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29
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Singh G, Thakur N, Kumar U. RAS: Circuitry and therapeutic targeting. Cell Signal 2023; 101:110505. [PMID: 36341985 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2022.110505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cancer has affected the lives of millions worldwide and is truly regarded as a devastating disease process. Despite advanced understanding of the genomic underpinning of cancer development and progression, therapeutic challenges are still persistent. Among all the human cancers, around 33% are attributed to mutations in RAS oncogene, a crucial component of the signaling pathways. With time, our understanding of RAS circuitry has improved and now the fact that it activates several downstream effectors, depending on the type and grades of cancer has been established. The circuitry is controlled via post-transcriptional mechanisms and frequent distortions in these mechanisms lead to important metabolic as well as immunological states that favor cancer cells' growth, survival, plasticity and metastasis. Therefore, understanding RAS circuitry can help researchers/clinicians to develop novel and potent therapeutics that, in turn, can save the lives of patients suffering from RAS-mutant cancers. There are many challenges presented by resistance and the potential strategies with a particular focus on novel combinations for overcoming these, that could move beyond transitory responses in the direction of treatment. Here in this review, we will look at how understanding the circuitry of RAS can be put to use in making strategies for developing therapeutics against RAS- driven malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gagandeep Singh
- Department of Biosciences (UIBT), Chandigarh University, NH-05, Ludhiana - Chandigarh State Hwy, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab 140413, India
| | - Neelam Thakur
- Department of Biosciences (UIBT), Chandigarh University, NH-05, Ludhiana - Chandigarh State Hwy, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab 140413, India; Department of Zoology, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Government College Campus, Paddal, Kartarpur, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh 175001, India.
| | - Umesh Kumar
- School of Biosciences, Institute of Management Studies Ghaziabad (University Courses Campus), Adhyatmik Nagar, NH09, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201015, India.
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30
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Khan R, Panja S, Ding L, Tang S, Tang W, Kapoor E, Bennett RG, Oupický D. Polymeric Chloroquine as an Effective Antimigration Agent in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer. Mol Pharm 2022; 19:4631-4643. [PMID: 36346968 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c00596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been the subject of multiple recent preclinical and clinical studies for its beneficial use in the combination treatments of different types of cancers. Polymeric HCQ (PCQ), a macromolecular multivalent version of HCQ, has been shown to be effective in various cancer models both in vitro and in vivo as an inhibitor of cancer cell migration and experimental lung metastasis. Here, we present detailed in vitro studies that show that low concentrations of PCQ can efficiently inhibit cancer cell migration and colony formation orders of magnitude more effectively compared to HCQ. After intraperitoneal administration of PCQ in vivo, high levels of tumor accumulation and penetration are observed, combined with strong antimetastatic activity in an orthotopic pancreatic cancer model. These studies support the idea that PCQ may be effectively used at low doses as an adjuvant in the therapy of pancreatic cancer. In conjunction with previously published literature, these studies further undergird the potential of PCQ as an anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubayat Khan
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Sudipta Panja
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Ling Ding
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Siyuan Tang
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Weimin Tang
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Ekta Kapoor
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Robert G Bennett
- Department of Internal Medicine and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States.,Research Service, Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, Nebraska 68105, United States
| | - David Oupický
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
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31
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Troumpoukis D, Papadimitropoulou A, Charalampous C, Kogionou P, Palamaris K, Sarantis P, Serafimidis I. Targeting autophagy in pancreatic cancer: The cancer stem cell perspective. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1049436. [PMID: 36505808 PMCID: PMC9730023 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1049436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is currently the seventh leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with the estimated death toll approaching half a million annually. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common (>90% of cases) and most aggressive form of pancreatic cancer, with extremely poor prognosis and very low survival rates. PDAC is initiated by genetic alterations, usually in the oncogene KRAS and tumor suppressors CDKN2A, TP53 and SMAD4, which in turn affect a number of downstream signaling pathways that regulate important cellular processes. One of the processes critically altered is autophagy, the mechanism by which cells clear away and recycle impaired or dysfunctional organelles, protein aggregates and other unwanted components, in order to achieve homeostasis. Autophagy plays conflicting roles in PDAC and has been shown to act both as a positive effector, promoting the survival of pancreatic tumor-initiating cells, and as a negative effector, increasing cytotoxicity in uncontrollably expanding cells. Recent findings have highlighted the importance of cancer stem cells in PDAC initiation, progression and metastasis. Pancreatic cancer stem cells (PaCSCs) comprise a small subpopulation of the pancreatic tumor, characterized by cellular plasticity and the ability to self-renew, and autophagy has been recognised as a key process in PaCSC maintenance and function, simultaneously suggesting new strategies to achieve their selective elimination. In this review we evaluate recent literature that links autophagy with PaCSCs and PDAC, focusing our discussion on the therapeutic implications of pharmacologically targeting autophagy in PaCSCs, as a means to treat PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Troumpoukis
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Chrysanthi Charalampous
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Kogionou
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Kostas Palamaris
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Sarantis
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Serafimidis
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece,*Correspondence: Ioannis Serafimidis,
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32
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Niemann B, Puleo A, Stout C, Markel J, Boone BA. Biologic Functions of Hydroxychloroquine in Disease: From COVID-19 to Cancer. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14122551. [PMID: 36559044 PMCID: PMC9787624 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Chloroquine (CQ) and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), initially utilized in the treatment of malaria, have now developed a long list of applications. Despite their clinical relevance, their mechanisms of action are not clearly defined. Major pathways by which these agents are proposed to function include alkalinization of lysosomes and endosomes, downregulation of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) expression, high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) inhibition, alteration of intracellular calcium, and prevention of thrombus formation. However, there is conflicting data present in the literature. This is likely the result of the complex overlapping pathways between these mechanisms of action that have not previously been highlighted. In fact, prior research has focused on very specific portions of particular pathways without describing these in the context of the extensive CQ/HCQ literature. This review summarizes the detailed data regarding CQ/HCQ's mechanisms of action while also providing insight into the overarching themes. Furthermore, this review provides clinical context to the application of these diverse drugs including their role in malaria, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, thrombus formation, malignancies, and viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britney Niemann
- Department of Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-304-293-1254
| | - Amanda Puleo
- Department of Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Conley Stout
- Department of Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Justin Markel
- Department of Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Brian A. Boone
- Department of Surgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
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33
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Jahangiri B, Saei AK, Obi PO, Asghari N, Lorzadeh S, Hekmatirad S, Rahmati M, Velayatipour F, Asghari MH, Saleem A, Moosavi MA. Exosomes, autophagy and ER stress pathways in human diseases: Cross-regulation and therapeutic approaches. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2022; 1868:166484. [PMID: 35811032 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Exosomal release pathway and autophagy together maintain homeostasis and survival of cells under stressful conditions. Autophagy is a catabolic process through which cell entities, such as malformed biomacromolecules and damaged organelles, are degraded and recycled via the lysosomal-dependent pathway. Exosomes, a sub-type of extracellular vesicles (EVs) formed by the inward budding of multivesicular bodies (MVBs), are mostly involved in mediating communication between cells. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an adaptive response that is activated to sustain survival in the cells faced with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress through a complex network that involves protein synthesis, exosomes secretion and autophagy. Disruption of the critical crosstalk between EVs, UPR and autophagy may be implicated in various human diseases, including cancers and neurodegenerative diseases, yet the molecular mechanism(s) behind the coordination of these communication pathways remains obscure. Here, we review the available information on the mechanisms that control autophagy, ER stress and EV pathways, with the view that a better understanding of their crosstalk and balance may improve our knowledge on the pathogenesis and treatment of human diseases, where these pathways are dysregulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Jahangiri
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, P.O Box 14965/161, Iran
| | - Ali Kian Saei
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, P.O Box 14965/161, Iran
| | - Patience O Obi
- Applied Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3T 2N2, Canada; Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3T 2N2, Canada; Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3E 3P4, Canada
| | - Narjes Asghari
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, P.O Box 14965/161, Iran
| | - Shahrokh Lorzadeh
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9, Canada
| | - Shirin Hekmatirad
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Marveh Rahmati
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Velayatipour
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, P.O Box 14965/161, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hosseni Asghari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Ayesha Saleem
- Applied Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3T 2N2, Canada; Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3T 2N2, Canada; Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3E 3P4, Canada.
| | - Mohammad Amin Moosavi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, P.O Box 14965/161, Iran.
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Targeting the Metabolic Rewiring in Pancreatic Cancer and Its Tumor Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14184351. [PMID: 36139512 PMCID: PMC9497173 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy with only a few effective therapeutic options. A characteristic feature of PDAC is its unique tumor microenvironment (TME), termed desmoplasia, which shows extensive fibrosis and extracellular matrix deposition, generating highly hypoxic and nutrient-deprived conditions within the tumor. To thrive in this harsh TME, PDAC undergoes extensive metabolic rewiring that includes the altered use of glucose and glutamine, constitutive activation of autophagy-lysosomal pathways, and nutrient acquisition from host cells in the TME. Notably, these properties support PDAC metabolism and mediate therapeutic resistance, including immune suppression. A deeper understanding of the unique metabolic properties of PDAC and its TME may aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies against this deadly disease.
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Yamamoto K, Iwadate D, Kato H, Nakai Y, Tateishi K, Fujishiro M. Targeting autophagy as a therapeutic strategy against pancreatic cancer. J Gastroenterol 2022; 57:603-618. [PMID: 35727403 PMCID: PMC9392712 DOI: 10.1007/s00535-022-01889-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) is a catabolic process through which cytosolic components are captured in the autophagosome and degraded in the lysosome. Autophagy plays two major roles: nutrient recycling under starvation or stress conditions and maintenance of cellular homeostasis by removing the damaged organelles or protein aggregates. In established cancer cells, autophagy-mediated nutrient recycling promotes tumor progression, whereas in normal/premalignant cells, autophagy suppresses tumor initiation by eliminating the oncogenic/harmful molecules. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly disease that is refractory to most currently available treatment modalities, including immune checkpoint blockade and molecular-targeted therapy. One prominent feature of PDAC is its constitutively active and elevated autophagy-lysosome function, which enables PDAC to thrive in its nutrient-scarce tumor microenvironment. In addition to metabolic support, autophagy promotes PDAC progression in a metabolism-independent manner by conferring resistance to therapeutic treatment or facilitating immune evasion. Besides to cell-autonomous autophagy in cancer cells, host autophagy (autophagy in non-cancer cells) supports PDAC progression, further highlighting autophagy as a promising therapeutic target in PDAC. Based on a growing list of compelling preclinical evidence, there are numerous ongoing clinical trials targeting the autophagy-lysosome pathway in PDAC. Given the multifaceted and context-dependent roles of autophagy in both cancer cells and normal host cells, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying the tumor-promoting roles of autophagy as well as of the consequences of autophagy inhibition is necessary for the development of autophagy inhibition-based therapies against PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Yamamoto
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
| | - Dosuke Iwadate
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kato
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yousuke Nakai
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tateishi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Fujishiro
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
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Eberli D, Kranzbühler B, Prause L, Baumgartner V, Preda S, Sousa R, Lehner F, Salemi S. Apalutamide and autophagy inhibition in a xenograft mouse model of human prostate cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2022; 148:3351-3360. [PMID: 35751683 PMCID: PMC9587065 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04059-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Background Apalutamide (APA) is a next-generation androgen receptor antagonist for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. We have previously shown that upregulation of autophagy is one of the mechanisms by which prostate cancer (PC) cells survive APA anti-tumor treatment in vitro. Therefore, we investigated the characteristics of the autophagic response to APA treatment, alone and in combination with autophagy inhibition, in an in vivo model. Methods Tumor cells were injected into previously castrated nude mice. Four groups of mice bearing LNCaP xenografts were treated with daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of vehicle (control), APA (10 mg/kg), APA (10 mg/kg) + Chl (Chloroquine, 10 mg/kg) or Chl (10 mg/kg). The animals of each treatment group (3/treatment) were kept for the duration of 2 and 3 weeks. At the end of the experiments, the animals were sacrificed and all samples assessed for tumor weight and size, histological analysis, immunoblotting (WES) and immunofluorescence. Results The tumor weight was significantly reduced in mice treated with APA + Chl (203.2 ± 5.0, SEM, P = 0.0066) compared to vehicle control (380.4 ± 37.0). Importantly, the combined treatment showed a higher impact on tumor weight than APA (320.4 ± 45.5) or Chl (337.9 ± 35) alone. The mice treated with the combination of APA + Chl exhibited a reduced expression of ATG5 (autophagy-related five protein), Beclin 1 and LC3 punctuations and an increase in P62 as visualized by immunofluorescence and WES. In addition, Ki-67 nuclear staining was detected in all samples however reduced in APA + Chl (58%) compared to vehicle control (100%). The reduction in Ki-67 protein was associated with an increase in caspase 3 and endothelial CD31 protein expression. Conclusion These data demonstrate that a treatment with APA + Chl leads to reduced autophagy levels and to tumor suppression compared to the APA monotherapy. Hence, the increased antitumor effect of APA in combination with autophagy inhibitors might provide a new therapeutic approach potentially translatable to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Eberli
- Department of Urology, Laboratory for Urologic Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy, University Hospital Zürich, Wagistrasse 21, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Benedikt Kranzbühler
- Department of Urology, Laboratory for Urologic Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy, University Hospital Zürich, Wagistrasse 21, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Prause
- Department of Urology, Laboratory for Urologic Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy, University Hospital Zürich, Wagistrasse 21, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Valentin Baumgartner
- Department of Urology, Laboratory for Urologic Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy, University Hospital Zürich, Wagistrasse 21, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Sheryl Preda
- Department of Urology, Laboratory for Urologic Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy, University Hospital Zürich, Wagistrasse 21, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Rosa Sousa
- Department of Urology, Laboratory for Urologic Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy, University Hospital Zürich, Wagistrasse 21, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Fabienne Lehner
- Department of Urology, Laboratory for Urologic Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy, University Hospital Zürich, Wagistrasse 21, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Souzan Salemi
- Department of Urology, Laboratory for Urologic Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy, University Hospital Zürich, Wagistrasse 21, 8952, Schlieren, Switzerland.
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Ivey A, Pratt H, Boone BA. Molecular pathogenesis and emerging targets of gastric adenocarcinoma. J Surg Oncol 2022; 125:1079-1095. [PMID: 35481910 PMCID: PMC9069999 DOI: 10.1002/jso.26874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Gastric adenocarcinoma (GC) is a devastating disease and is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. This heterogeneous disease has several different classification systems that consider histological appearance and genomic alterations. Understanding the etiology of GC, including infection, hereditary conditions, and environmental factors, is of particular importance and is discussed in this review. To improve survival in GC, we also must improve our therapeutic strategies. Here, we discuss new targets that warrant further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby Ivey
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Hillary Pratt
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Brian A Boone
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, West Virginia University Cancer Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
- Department of Surgery, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cell Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
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Aguilera KY, Le T, Riahi R, Lay AR, Hinz S, Saadat EA, Vashisht AA, Wohlschlegel J, Donahue TR, Radu CG, Dawson DW. Porcupine Inhibition Disrupts Mitochondrial Function and Homeostasis in WNT Ligand-Addicted Pancreatic Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2022; 21:936-947. [PMID: 35313331 PMCID: PMC9167706 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
WNT signaling promotes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) through diverse effects on proliferation, differentiation, survival, and stemness. A subset of PDAC with inactivating mutations in ring finger protein 43 (RNF43) show growth dependency on autocrine WNT ligand signaling and are susceptible to agents that block WNT ligand acylation by Porcupine O-acyltransferase, which is required for proper WNT ligand processing and secretion. For this study, global transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analyses were performed to explore the therapeutic response of RNF43-mutant PDAC to the Porcupine inhibitor (PORCNi) LGK974. LGK974 disrupted cellular bioenergetics and mitochondrial function through actions that included rapid mitochondrial depolarization, reduced mitochondrial content, and inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation and tricarboxylic acid cycle. LGK974 also broadly altered transcriptional activity, downregulating genes involved in cell cycle, nucleotide metabolism, and ribosomal biogenesis and upregulating genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, hypoxia, endocytosis, and lysosomes. Autophagy and lysosomal activity were augmented in response to LGK974, which synergistically inhibited tumor cell viability in combination with chloroquine. Autocrine WNT ligand signaling dictates metabolic dependencies in RNF43-mutant PDAC through a combination of transcription dependent and independent effects linked to mitochondrial health and function. Metabolic adaptations to mitochondrial damage and bioenergetic stress represent potential targetable liabilities in combination with PORCNi for the treatment of WNT ligand-addicted PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Y. Aguilera
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Thuc Le
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Rana Riahi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Anna R. Lay
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Stefan Hinz
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Edris A. Saadat
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Ajay A. Vashisht
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - James Wohlschlegel
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Timothy R. Donahue
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
- Department of Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Caius G. Radu
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
- Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - David W. Dawson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
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Koltai T, Reshkin SJ, Carvalho TMA, Di Molfetta D, Greco MR, Alfarouk KO, Cardone RA. Resistance to Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Physiopathologic and Pharmacologic Review. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2486. [PMID: 35626089 PMCID: PMC9139729 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a very aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis and inadequate response to treatment. Many factors contribute to this therapeutic failure: lack of symptoms until the tumor reaches an advanced stage, leading to late diagnosis; early lymphatic and hematic spread; advanced age of patients; important development of a pro-tumoral and hyperfibrotic stroma; high genetic and metabolic heterogeneity; poor vascular supply; a highly acidic matrix; extreme hypoxia; and early development of resistance to the available therapeutic options. In most cases, the disease is silent for a long time, andwhen it does become symptomatic, it is too late for ablative surgery; this is one of the major reasons explaining the short survival associated with the disease. Even when surgery is possible, relapsesare frequent, andthe causes of this devastating picture are the low efficacy ofand early resistance to all known chemotherapeutic treatments. Thus, it is imperative to analyze the roots of this resistance in order to improve the benefits of therapy. PDAC chemoresistance is the final product of different, but to some extent, interconnected factors. Surgery, being the most adequate treatment for pancreatic cancer and the only one that in a few selected cases can achieve longer survival, is only possible in less than 20% of patients. Thus, the treatment burden relies on chemotherapy in mostcases. While the FOLFIRINOX scheme has a slightly longer overall survival, it also produces many more adverse eventsso that gemcitabine is still considered the first choice for treatment, especially in combination with other compounds/agents. This review discusses the multiple causes of gemcitabine resistance in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephan Joel Reshkin
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (M.R.G.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Tiago M. A. Carvalho
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (M.R.G.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Daria Di Molfetta
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (M.R.G.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Maria Raffaella Greco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (M.R.G.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Khalid Omer Alfarouk
- Zamzam Research Center, Zamzam University College, Khartoum 11123, Sudan;
- Alfarouk Biomedical Research LLC, Temple Terrace, FL 33617, USA
| | - Rosa Angela Cardone
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (D.D.M.); (M.R.G.); (R.A.C.)
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Zhou S, Sun X, Jin Z, Yang H, Ye W. The role of autophagy in initiation, progression, TME modification, diagnosis, and treatment of esophageal cancers. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 175:103702. [PMID: 35577254 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a highly conserved metabolic process with a cytoprotective function. Autophagy is involved in cancer, infection, immunity, and inflammation and may be a potential therapeutic target. Increasing evidence has revealed that autophagy has primary implications for esophageal cancer, including its initiation, progression, tumor microenvironment (TME) modification, diagnosis, and treatment. Notably, autophagy displayed excellent application potential in radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy. Radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy is a new potential therapeutic strategy for cancers, including esophageal cancer. Autophagy modulators can work as adjuvant enhancers in radiotherapy or immunotherapy of cancers. This review highlights the most recent data related to the role of autophagy regulation in esophageal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suna Zhou
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710018, P.R. China; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou 317000, Zhejiang, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Techniques & Rapid Rehabilitation of Digestive System Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Taizhou, P.R. China
| | - Xuefeng Sun
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou 317000, Zhejiang, P.R. China; Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, P.R. China
| | - Zhicheng Jin
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou 317000, Zhejiang, P.R. China; Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, P.R. China
| | - Haihua Yang
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou 317000, Zhejiang, P.R. China; Key Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Techniques & Rapid Rehabilitation of Digestive System Tumor of Zhejiang Province, Taizhou, P.R. China; Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, P.R. China
| | - Wenguang Ye
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
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Russell RC, Guan KL. The multifaceted role of autophagy in cancer. EMBO J 2022; 41:e110031. [PMID: 35535466 PMCID: PMC9251852 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021110031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a cellular degradative pathway that plays diverse roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Cellular stress caused by starvation, organelle damage, or proteotoxic aggregates can increase autophagy, which uses the degradative capacity of lysosomal enzymes to mitigate intracellular stresses. Early studies have shown a role for autophagy in the suppression of tumorigenesis. However, work in genetically engineered mouse models and in vitro cell studies have now shown that autophagy can be either cancer-promoting or inhibiting. Here, we summarize the effects of autophagy on cancer initiation, progression, immune infiltration, and metabolism. We also discuss the efforts to pharmacologically target autophagy in the clinic and highlight future areas for exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Russell
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Center for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Kun-Liang Guan
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Hsieh CH, Huang YW, Tsai TF. Oral Conventional Synthetic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs with Antineoplastic Potential: a Review. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 2022; 12:835-860. [PMID: 35381976 PMCID: PMC9021342 DOI: 10.1007/s13555-022-00713-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing trend of malignancy worldwide. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are the cornerstones for the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), but risk of malignancy is a major concern for patients receiving DMARDs. In addition, many IMIDs already carry higher background risks of neoplasms. Recently, the black box warning of malignancies has been added for Janus kinase inhibitors. Also, the use of biologic DMARDs in patients with established malignancies is usually discouraged owing to exclusion of such patients in pivotal studies and, hence, lack of evidence. In contrast, some conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) have been reported to show antineoplastic properties and can be beneficial for patients with cancer. Among the csDMARDs, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have been the most extensively studied, and methotrexate is an established chemotherapeutic agent. Even cyclosporine A, a well-known drug associated with cancer risk, can potentiate the effect of some chemotherapeutic agents. We review the possible mechanisms behind and clinical evidence of the antineoplastic activities of csDMARDs, including chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, cyclosporine, leflunomide, mycophenolate mofetil, mycophenolic acid, methotrexate, sulfasalazine, and thiopurines. This knowledge may guide physicians in the choice of csDMARDs for patients with concurrent IMIDs and malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cho-Hsun Hsieh
- Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Wei Huang
- Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung Shan S Rd, Taipei, 10048, Taiwan
| | - Tsen-Fang Tsai
- Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung Shan S Rd, Taipei, 10048, Taiwan. .,Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital & National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Philipson E, Engström C, Naredi P, Bourghardt Fagman J. High expression of p62/SQSTM1 predicts shorter survival for patients with pancreatic cancer. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:347. [PMID: 35354432 PMCID: PMC8969328 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09468-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accumulation of the signal adaptor protein p62 has been demonstrated in many forms of cancer, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Although data from experimental studies suggest that p62 accumulation accelerates the development of PDAC, the association between p62 protein expression and survival in PDAC patients is unclear. METHODS Thirty-three tumor specimens from PDAC patients treated by primary surgery were obtained. Immunohistochemical expression of p62, microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3), and nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) in tumor tissue was examined for associations with clinicopathological characteristics and disease-specific survival (DSS). RESULTS There was no association between p62 expression and any of the clinicopathological variables. However, high p62 protein expression in tumor cells was significantly associated with shorter DSS (7 months vs. 29 months, p = 0.017). The hazard ratio for death in patients with high p62 protein expression in tumor cells was 2.88 (95% confidence interval: 1.17-7.11, p = 0.022). In multivariable analysis, high p62 expression was an independent prognostic factor for shorter DSS (p = 0.020) when follow up time was more than 5 years. LC3 and NRF2 staining was not associated with survival or other clinicopathological parameters. CONCLUSION Our results show that high p62 protein expression in tumor cells is associated with shorter survival following pancreatic tumor resection. This association supports a role for p62 as a prognostic marker in patients with PDAC treated by primary surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Philipson
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska, Vita Stråket 12, paviljong plan 2, SE-413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Engström
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska, Vita Stråket 12, paviljong plan 2, SE-413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peter Naredi
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska, Vita Stråket 12, paviljong plan 2, SE-413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Johan Bourghardt Fagman
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska, Vita Stråket 12, paviljong plan 2, SE-413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Taucher E, Mykoliuk I, Fediuk M, Smolle-Juettner FM. Autophagy, Oxidative Stress and Cancer Development. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071637. [PMID: 35406408 PMCID: PMC8996905 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Autophagy, as an important cellular repair mechanism, is important for the prevention of several diseases, including metabolic and neurologic disorders, and cancer. Hence, dysfunctional autophagy has been linked to these diseases, and in recent years researchers have tried to outline therapeutic targets in autophagy-related pathways as a treatment. With this review of the literature, we want to give an overview about the connection between oxidative stress, autophagy and cancer. Abstract Autophagy is an important cellular repair mechanism, aiming at sequestering misfolded and dysfunctional proteins and damaged cell organelles. Dysfunctions in the autophagy process have been linked to several diseases, like infectious and neurodegenerative diseases, type II diabetes mellitus and cancer. Living organisms are constantly subjected to some degree of oxidative stress, mainly induced by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. It has been shown that autophagy is readily induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon nutrient deprivation. In recent years, research has increasingly focused on outlining novel therapeutic targets related to the autophagy process. With this review of the literature, we want to give an overview about the link between autophagy, oxidative stress and carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Taucher
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +43-316-385-12183
| | - Iurii Mykoliuk
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria; (I.M.); (M.F.); (F.-M.S.-J.)
| | - Melanie Fediuk
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria; (I.M.); (M.F.); (F.-M.S.-J.)
| | - Freyja-Maria Smolle-Juettner
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria; (I.M.); (M.F.); (F.-M.S.-J.)
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Mohsen S, Sobash PT, Algwaiz GF, Nasef N, Al-Zeidaneen SA, Karim NA. Autophagy Agents in Clinical Trials for Cancer Therapy: A Brief Review. Curr Oncol 2022; 29:1695-1708. [PMID: 35323341 PMCID: PMC8946974 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol29030141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy has been of novel interest since it was first demonstrated to have effect in Burkitt's lymphoma. Since that time, the autophagy agents chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have become the only FDA (Food and Drug Administration)-approved autophagy inhibitors. While not approved for cancer therapy, there are ongoing clinical trials to evaluate their safety and efficacy. Pevonedistat has emerged as a novel inhibitor through the neddylation pathway and is an autophagy activator. This paper summarizes and presents current clinical trials for hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), chloroquine (CQ), and Pevonedistat for the clinician.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samiha Mohsen
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada;
| | - Philip T. Sobash
- Department of Internal Medicine, White River Health System, Batesville, AR 72501, USA;
| | - Ghada Fahad Algwaiz
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Al Mathar Ash Shamali, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Noor Nasef
- College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 72501, USA;
| | - Safaa Abed Al-Zeidaneen
- Department of Allied Medical Science, Al-Balqa’ Applied University, As-Salt 2PF8+XM, Jordan;
| | - Nagla Abdel Karim
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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Liu WS, Feng YX, Li SN, Shao YJ, Wang K. Prognostic Implications of an Autophagy-related Gene Signature in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Am J Clin Oncol 2022; 45:95-104. [PMID: 35195559 DOI: 10.1097/coc.0000000000000890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is difficult to diagnose and resistant to therapy and has a poor prognosis. Autophagy plays a vital role in PDAC development and progression. This study aimed to establish an autophagy-related gene (ARG) signature to predict the prognosis of patients with PDAC. MATERIALS AND METHODS The expression profiles of PDAC and healthy pancreatic tissues were obtained from The Cancer Genome of Atlas (TCGA) and GTEx (Genotype-Tissue Expression) databases, respectively. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed on differentially expressed ARGs to identify the optimal prognosis-related genes. RESULTS A total of 73 ARGs demonstrated significant differences in expression levels between PDAC and healthy pancreatic tissues. Several pathways that play crucial roles in biological processes were identified via enrichment analyses. Furthermore, an ARG signature was established based on overall survival-related ARGs (CASP4, BAK1, PIK3R4, CASP8, BIRC5, RPTOR, and CAPN1) using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Cox regression analysis confirmed that the 7-gene signature was an independent prognostic factor for patients with PDAC (P<0.001). In addition, the GSE21501 and GSE28735 datasets were used to validate the predictive value of the prognostic model for PDAC. We also constructed a clinical nomogram with a concordance index of 0.712 to predict the overall survival of patients by integrating clinical characteristics and the ARG signature. Calibration curves substantiated fine concordance between nomogram prediction and actual observation. CONCLUSION We constructed a new ARG-related prognostic model, which can be a prognostic biomarker and offers insights into identifying potential therapeutic targets for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Shuai Liu
- Departments of Pain Management
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Xing Feng
- Ultrasound
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Sheng-Nan Li
- Pancreatic Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Yue-Juan Shao
- Departments of Pain Management
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Kun Wang
- Departments of Pain Management
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, P.R. China
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Stalnecker CA, Grover KR, Edwards AC, Coleman MF, Yang R, DeLiberty JM, Papke B, Goodwin CM, Pierobon M, Petricoin EF, Gautam P, Wennerberg K, Cox AD, Der CJ, Hursting SD, Bryant KL. Concurrent Inhibition of IGF1R and ERK Increases Pancreatic Cancer Sensitivity to Autophagy Inhibitors. Cancer Res 2022; 82:586-598. [PMID: 34921013 PMCID: PMC8886214 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-1443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The aggressive nature of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) mandates the development of improved therapies. As KRAS mutations are found in 95% of PDAC and are critical for tumor maintenance, one promising strategy involves exploiting KRAS-dependent metabolic perturbations. The macrometabolic process of autophagy is upregulated in KRAS-mutant PDAC, and PDAC growth is reliant on autophagy. However, inhibition of autophagy as monotherapy using the lysosomal inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has shown limited clinical efficacy. To identify strategies that can improve PDAC sensitivity to HCQ, we applied a CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screen and found that a top sensitizer was the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R). Additionally, reverse phase protein array pathway activation mapping profiled the signaling pathways altered by chloroquine (CQ) treatment. Activating phosphorylation of RTKs, including IGF1R, was a common compensatory increase in response to CQ. Inhibition of IGF1R increased autophagic flux and sensitivity to CQ-mediated growth suppression both in vitro and in vivo. Cotargeting both IGF1R and pathways that antagonize autophagy, such as ERK-MAPK axis, was strongly synergistic. IGF1R and ERK inhibition converged on suppression of glycolysis, leading to enhanced dependence on autophagy. Accordingly, concurrent inhibition of IGF1R, ERK, and autophagy induced cytotoxicity in PDAC cell lines and decreased viability in human PDAC organoids. In conclusion, targeting IGF1R together with ERK enhances the effectiveness of autophagy inhibitors in PDAC. SIGNIFICANCE Compensatory upregulation of IGF1R and ERK-MAPK signaling limits the efficacy of autophagy inhibitors chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, and their concurrent inhibition synergistically increases autophagy dependence and chloroquine sensitivity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clint A. Stalnecker
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kajal R. Grover
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - A. Cole Edwards
- Cell Biology and Physiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Michael F. Coleman
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Runying Yang
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jonathan M. DeLiberty
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Björn Papke
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Craig M. Goodwin
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Mariaelena Pierobon
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia
| | - Emanuel F. Petricoin
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia
| | - Prson Gautam
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Krister Wennerberg
- Biotech Research & Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Adrienne D. Cox
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Cell Biology and Physiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Channing J. Der
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Cell Biology and Physiology Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Stephen D. Hursting
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kirsten L. Bryant
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Bradley ST, Lee YS, Gurel Z, Kimple RJ. Autophagy awakens-the myriad roles of autophagy in head and neck cancer development and therapeutic response. Mol Carcinog 2022; 61:243-253. [PMID: 34780672 PMCID: PMC8799495 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved cell survival mechanism that degrades damaged proteins and organelles to generate cellular energy during times of stress. Recycling of these cellular components occurs in a series of sequential steps with multiple regulatory points. Mechanistic dysfunction can lead to a variety of human diseases and cancers due to the complexity of autophagy and its ability to regulate vital cellular functions. The role that autophagy plays in both the development and treatment of cancer is highly complex, especially given the fact that most cancer therapies modulate autophagy. This review aims to discuss the balance of autophagy in the development, progression, and treatment of head and neck cancer, as well as highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of what is still unknown about autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha T Bradley
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Yong-Syu Lee
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Zafer Gurel
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Randall J Kimple
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- UW Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Reyes-Castellanos G, Abdel Hadi N, Carrier A. Autophagy Contributes to Metabolic Reprogramming and Therapeutic Resistance in Pancreatic Tumors. Cells 2022; 11:426. [PMID: 35159234 PMCID: PMC8834004 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is a feature of cancers for which recent research has been particularly active, providing numerous insights into the mechanisms involved. It occurs across the entire cancer process, from development to resistance to therapies. Established tumors exhibit dependencies for metabolic pathways, constituting vulnerabilities that can be targeted in the clinic. This knowledge is of particular importance for cancers that are refractory to any therapeutic approach, such as Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). One of the metabolic pathways dysregulated in PDAC is autophagy, a survival process that feeds the tumor with recycled intracellular components, through both cell-autonomous (in tumor cells) and nonautonomous (from the local and distant environment) mechanisms. Autophagy is elevated in established PDAC tumors, contributing to aberrant proliferation and growth even in a nutrient-poor context. Critical elements link autophagy to PDAC including genetic alterations, mitochondrial metabolism, the tumor microenvironment (TME), and the immune system. Moreover, high autophagic activity in PDAC is markedly related to resistance to current therapies. In this context, combining autophagy inhibition with standard chemotherapy, and/or drugs targeting other vulnerabilities such as metabolic pathways or the immune response, is an ongoing clinical strategy for which there is still much to do through translational and multidisciplinary research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alice Carrier
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (CRCM), CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix Marseille Université, F-13009 Marseille, France; (G.R.-C.); (N.A.H.)
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50
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Bildik G, Liang X, Sutton MN, Bast RC, Lu Z. DIRAS3: An Imprinted Tumor Suppressor Gene that Regulates RAS and PI3K-driven Cancer Growth, Motility, Autophagy, and Tumor Dormancy. Mol Cancer Ther 2022; 21:25-37. [PMID: 34667114 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
DIRAS3 is an imprinted tumor suppressor gene that encodes a 26 kDa GTPase with 60% amino acid homology to RAS, but with a distinctive 34 amino acid N-terminal extension required to block RAS function. DIRAS3 is maternally imprinted and expressed only from the paternal allele in normal cells. Loss of expression can occur in a single "hit" through multiple mechanisms. Downregulation of DIRAS3 occurs in cancers of the ovary, breast, lung, prostate, colon, brain, and thyroid. Reexpression of DIRAS3 inhibits signaling through PI3 kinase/AKT, JAK/STAT, and RAS/MAPK, blocking malignant transformation, inhibiting cancer cell growth and motility, and preventing angiogenesis. DIRAS3 is a unique endogenous RAS inhibitor that binds directly to RAS, disrupting RAS dimers and clusters, and preventing RAS-induced transformation. DIRAS3 is essential for autophagy and triggers this process through multiple mechanisms. Reexpression of DIRAS3 induces dormancy in a nu/nu mouse xenograft model of ovarian cancer, inhibiting cancer cell growth and angiogenesis. DIRAS3-mediated induction of autophagy facilitates the survival of dormant cancer cells in a nutrient-poor environment. DIRAS3 expression in dormant, drug-resistant autophagic cancer cells can serve as a biomarker and as a target for novel therapy to eliminate the residual disease that remains after conventional therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gamze Bildik
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Xiaowen Liang
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Margie N Sutton
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Robert C Bast
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Zhen Lu
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
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