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Targeting cancer stem cells by melatonin: Effective therapy for cancer treatment. Pathol Res Pract 2020; 216:152919. [PMID: 32171553 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2020.152919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Melatonin is a physiological hormone produced by the pineal gland. In recent decades, enormous investigations showed that melatonin can prompt apoptosis in cancer cells and inhibit tumor metastasis and angiogenesis in variety of malignancies such as ovarian, melanoma, colon, and breast cancer; therefore, its possible therapeutic usage in cancer treatment was confirmed. CSCs, which has received much attention from researchers in past decades, are major challenges in the treatment of cancer. Because CSCs are resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs and cause recurrence of cancer and also have the ability to be regenerated; they can cause serious problems in the treatment of various cancers. For these reasons, the researchers are trying to find a solution to destroy these cells within the tumor mass. In recent years, the effect of melatonin on CSCs has been investigated in some cancers. Given the importance of CSCs in the process of cancer treatment, this article reviewed the studies conducted on the effect of melatonin on CSCs as a solution to the problems caused by CSCs in the treatment of various cancers.
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Wang D, Guo Q, Ba H, Li C. Cloning and Characterization of a Nanog Pseudogene in Sika Deer (Cervus nippon). DNA Cell Biol 2016; 35:576-584. [PMID: 27351458 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2016.3303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanog plays a crucial role in the maintenance of stem cell pluripotency. Annual full regeneration of deer antlers has been shown to be a stem cell-based process, and antler stem cells (ASCs) reportedly express Nanog. In the present study, we found that Nanog RNA expressed by ASCs was a pseudogene (Nanog-ps). The coding sequence of Nanog-ps was 93.1% homologous to that of bovine Nanog, but with two missing nucleotides after position 391. Deletion of the two nucleotides in Nanog-ps resulted in a frame-shift mutation, suggesting that Nanog-ps would not encode a normal Nanog protein. Overexpression of Nanog-ps failed to affect downstream genes of Nanog or to enhance cell proliferation in the ASCs. However, this pseudogene was transcribed in the ASCs and encoded a nuclear protein; the expression levels of Nanog-ps were also related to the degree of stemness in antler cells. Here, we reported this pseudogene, because it could serve as a useful marker for identifying ASCs and evaluating the degree of their stemness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Datao Wang
- 1 Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Special Wild Economic Animal and Plant Science , Jilin, China .,2 State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economical Animals , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jilin, China
| | - Qianqian Guo
- 1 Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Special Wild Economic Animal and Plant Science , Jilin, China
| | - Hengxing Ba
- 1 Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Special Wild Economic Animal and Plant Science , Jilin, China
| | - Chunyi Li
- 1 Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Special Wild Economic Animal and Plant Science , Jilin, China .,2 State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economical Animals , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jilin, China
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Overexpression of OCT4 contributes to progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Tumour Biol 2015; 37:4649-54. [PMID: 26508029 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-015-4285-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The abnormal change of octamer transcription factor 4 (OCT4) is associated with tumor progression; however, its effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) behavior remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between HCC and OCT4. In the present study, IHC, western blot analysis, and QRT-PCR were performed to identify differentially expressed OCT4 in a series of HCC tissues and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. In addition, the functions of OCT4 on HCC progression were studied in vitro. Silencing of OCT4 with siRNA was performed in HCC cell lines, and the impact on proliferation, migration, and the EMT marker of HCC was analyzed. Our results found that OCT4 levels were significantly higher in HCC tissues compared with the adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Furthermore, OCT4 siRNA significantly reduced the proliferation rate of SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cells, inhibited the migration and inversion, and could reverse EMT in HCC cells, indicating that OCT4 plays a critical role in HCC progression. Our data suggest that the pathogenesis of human HCC may be mediated by OCT4, and thus, OCT4 could represent selective targets for the molecularly targeted treatments of HCC.
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Wang YJ, Herlyn M. The emerging roles of Oct4 in tumor-initiating cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2015; 309:C709-18. [PMID: 26447206 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00212.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4), a homeodomain transcription factor, is well established as a master factor controlling the self-renewal and pluripotency of pluripotent stem cells. Also, a large body of research has documented the detection of Oct4 in tumor cells and tissues and has indicated its enrichment in a subpopulation of undifferentiated tumor-initiating cells (TICs) that critically account for tumor initiation, metastasis, and resistance to anticancer therapies. There is circumstantial evidence for low-level expression of Oct4 in cancer cells and TICs, and the participation of Oct4 in various TIC functions such as its self-renewal and survival, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis, and drug resistance development is implicated from considerable Oct4 knockdown and overexpression-based studies. In a few studies, efforts have been made to identify Oct4 target genes in TICs of different sources. Based on such information, Oct4 in TICs appears to act via mechanisms quite distinct from those in pluripotent stem cells, and a main challenge for future studies is to unravel the molecular mechanisms of action of Oct4, particularly to address the question on how such low levels of Oct4 may exert its functions in TICs. Acquiring cells from their native microenvironment that are of high enough quantity and purity is the key to reliably analyze Oct4 functions and its target genes in TICs, and the information gained may greatly facilitate targeting and eradicating those cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; and Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Meenhard Herlyn
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Huang CE, Yu CC, Hu FW, Chou MY, Tsai LL. Enhanced chemosensitivity by targeting Nanog in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Int J Mol Sci 2014; 15:14935-48. [PMID: 25158233 PMCID: PMC4200775 DOI: 10.3390/ijms150914935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2014] [Revised: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemo-resistance is the major cause of high mortality in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) in which HNSCC-derived cancer stem cells (CSCs) may be involved. Previously, we enriched a subpopulation of HNSCC-derived spheroid cells (SC) (HNSCC-SC) and identified Nanog as a CSCs marker. The aim of this study was to determine the role of Nanog in the chemosensitivity of HNSCC. The functional and clinicopathological studies of Nanog were investigated in HNSCC cells and specimens. Nanog expression was increased in HNSCC cell lines as compared to a normal oral epithelial cell line. Nanog upregulation in clinical tissues from HNSCC patients with recurrent and metastatic specimens relative to the mRNA levels in the samples from normal or primary tissues were examined. Targeting Nanog in HNSCC-SC significantly inhibited their tumorigenic and CSCs-like abilities and effectively increased the sensitivity of HNSCC-SC to chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin treatment. Targeting Nanog in HNSCC-SC showed a synergistic therapeutic effect with cisplatin. Our results suggest that targeting Nanog may have promising therapeutic potential for HNSCC.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cisplatin/pharmacology
- Cisplatin/therapeutic use
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
- Epithelial Cells/drug effects
- Epithelial Cells/metabolism
- Head and Neck Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Head and Neck Neoplasms/metabolism
- Homeodomain Proteins/genetics
- Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism
- Humans
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Nude
- Nanog Homeobox Protein
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/drug effects
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Spheroids, Cellular/drug effects
- Spheroids, Cellular/metabolism
- Up-Regulation
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan-En Huang
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung 40201, Taiwan.
| | - Cheng-Chia Yu
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung 40201, Taiwan.
| | - Fang-Wei Hu
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung 40201, Taiwan.
| | - Ming-Yung Chou
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung 40201, Taiwan.
| | - Lo-Lin Tsai
- School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taichung 40201, Taiwan.
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Lin H, Sun LH, Han W, He TY, Xu XJ, Cheng K, Geng C, Su LD, Wen H, Wang XY, Chen QL. Knockdown of OCT4 suppresses the growth and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells through inhibition of the AKT pathway. Mol Med Rep 2014; 10:1335-42. [PMID: 25017645 PMCID: PMC4121418 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2014.2367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Octamer‑binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) is one of the factors associated with self‑renewal and differentiation in cancer stem cells, and is crucial for the progression of various types of human malignancy. However, the expression and function of OCT4 in human pancreatic cancer has not been fully elucidated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the function and molecular mechanisms of OCT4 in pancreatic cancer cells. The clinical significance of OCT4 expression was assessed by an immunohistochemical assay using a tissue microarray procedure in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells with different degrees of differentiation. A loss‑of‑function approach was used to examine the effects of a lentivirus‑mediated OCT4 small hairpin RNA vector on biological behaviors, including cell proliferative activity and invasive potential. The results demonstrated that the expression levels of OCT4 protein in cancer tissues were significantly elevated compared with those in adjacent non‑cancerous tissues (65.0 vs. 42.5%; P=0.005), which was correlated with tumor differentiation (P=0.008). The knockdown of OCT4 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells (Panc‑1) expressing high levels of OCT4, accompanied with decreased expression of AKT, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and matrix metalloproteinase‑2 (MMP‑2). In conclusion, the present study reveals that the increased expression of OCT4 is correlated with the differentiation of pancreatic cancer, while knockdown of OCT4 suppresses the growth and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells through inhibition of AKT pathway‑mediated PCNA and MMP‑2 expression, suggesting that OCT4 might serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Lin
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Li-Hua Sun
- Liver Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Wei Han
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Tie-Ying He
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Xin-Jian Xu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Kun Cheng
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Cheng Geng
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Li-Dan Su
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Hao Wen
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
| | - Xi-Yan Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830000, P.R. China
| | - Qi-Long Chen
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830054, P.R. China
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Besch R, Berking C. POU transcription factors in melanocytes and melanoma. Eur J Cell Biol 2014; 93:55-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2013.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2013] [Revised: 10/18/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
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Vinatzer BA, Monteil CL, Clarke CR. Harnessing population genomics to understand how bacterial pathogens emerge, adapt to crop hosts, and disseminate. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2014; 52:19-43. [PMID: 24820995 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-102313-045907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Crop diseases emerge without warning. In many cases, diseases cross borders, or even oceans, before plant pathologists have time to identify and characterize the causative agents. Genome sequencing, in combination with intensive sampling of pathogen populations and application of population genetic tools, is now providing the means to unravel how bacterial crop pathogens emerge from environmental reservoirs, how they evolve and adapt to crops, and what international and intercontinental routes they follow during dissemination. Here, we introduce the field of population genomics and review the population genomics research of bacterial plant pathogens over the past 10 years. We highlight the potential of population genomics for investigating plant pathogens, using examples of population genomics studies of human pathogens. We also describe the complementary nature of the fields of population genomics and molecular plant-microbe interactions and propose how to translate new insights into improved disease prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris A Vinatzer
- Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061; ,
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