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Ren Y, Hong Y, He W, Liu Y, Chen W, Wen S, Sun M. EGF/EGFR Promotes Salivary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Cell Malignant Neural Invasion via Activation of PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK Signaling. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2022; 22:603-616. [PMID: 35410600 DOI: 10.2174/1568009622666220411112312] [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: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) is one of the most common malignant cancers of the salivary gland, and 32.4-72.0% of SACC cases exhibit neural invasion (NI), however, the molecular mechanism underlying the high invasion potential of SACC remains unclear. METHODS The present study investigated the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the AKT inhibition- or mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)-induced NI and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in SACC cells using EGFR, PI3K and MEK inhibitors. SACC 83 cell viability was assessed using an MTT assay, and a wound healing assay was performed to evaluate cell migration. Immunohistochemical staining with streptavidin peroxidase was used to detect the positive expression rate of EMT, AKT, phosphorylated (p)-AKT, ERK and p-ERK proteins. The impact of EGFR, PI3K and MEK inhibitors on tumor growth and NI was examined in a xenograft model in nude mice. RESULTS EGF and EGFR are effective in increasing cell viability, migration and invasion. SACC metastasis is affected by the PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK pathways, both of which are initiated by EGF/EGFR. The EMT and NI are regulated by the EGF/EGFR, PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK pathways. The present findings demonstrate the importance of suppressed EGFR/AKT/MEK signaling in NI in SACC by neural-tumor co-culture in vitro. Furthermore, our preclinical experiment provides solid evidence that injection of EGFR, PI3K and MEK inhibitors obviously suppressed the tumor growth and NI of SACC cells in nude mice. CONCLUSION It was identified that inhibitors of EGFR, PI3K/AKT or MEK/ERK suppressed the proliferation, migration and NI of SACC-83 cells via downregulation of the PI3K/AKT or MEK/ERK pathways. It was also demonstrated that inhibition of EGFR abolishes EMT in SACC by inhibiting the signaling of PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK. The present results suggest the potential effectiveness of targeting multiple oncogenes associated with downstream pathways of EGF/EGFR, as well as potential therapeutic targets to limit NI in SACC by PI3K/AKT or MEK/ERK inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixiong Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shaanxi Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shanxi Province People's Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Yonglong Hong
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenting He
- Nursing College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Yakun Liu
- Department of Obstetrics, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Wenge Chen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shanxi Province People's Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Sui Wen
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Moyi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shaanxi Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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Li R, Tian Y, Zhu B, Wang Y, Dang R, Zhao L, Yang S, Li Y, Wen N. Graphene-containing metal-organic framework nanocomposites for enhanced microwave ablation of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2022; 4:1308-1317. [PMID: 36133686 PMCID: PMC9419482 DOI: 10.1039/d1na00729g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC), one of the most common malignant tumors in the head and neck region, is characterized by high postoperative recurrence rate and poor prognosis. Microwave (MW) ablation possesses advantages in preserving SACC patients' facial aesthetics and oral function, but unfortunately, it suffers from low therapeutic efficacy due to the limited MW-thermal efficiency. Moreover, the insufficient thermal ablation may aggravate hypoxic state in tumors, which is deleterious to the treatment of residual tumors and aggressive tumors. Hence, MW ablation has been rarely applied in treating head and neck tumors in recent years. To minimize the unfavorable outcomes and maximize the therapeutic effects of MW ablation, a MW sensitizer coupled with a self-sufficient oxygen nanoagent was employed for the first time in MW ablation to treat head and neck tumors. We prepared a graphene-containing metal-organic framework (ZIF67@Gr-PEG), which exhibited excellent MW thermal conversion ability endowed by the incorporated Gr and showed in situ oxygen generation capacity derived from the ZIF67 matrix. In an animal experiment, ZIF67@Gr-PEG-based MW ablation with a temperature up to 66.1 °C exhibited a high tumor ablation rate. More importantly, insufficient MW ablation-induced high expressions of HIF-1α and VEGF were observed in our experiment, whereas the levels of tumor hypoxia and angiogenesis were efficiently decreased in MW ablation with the assistance of ZIF67@Gr-PEG nanocomposites (NCs). Notably, our strategy for MW ablation not only evidences the great potential of ZIF67@Gr-PEG but also promotes the translation of thermotherapeutic graphene from basic research to clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruozhen Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA Beijing 100853 China
- Department of Stomatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital No. 28 Fuxing Road Beijing 100853 China
| | - Yaping Tian
- Birth Defects Prevention and Control Technology Research Center, Translational Medicine Research Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital 28 FuXing Road Beijing 100853 China
| | - Biao Zhu
- Department of Stomatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital No. 28 Fuxing Road Beijing 100853 China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Oncology, Air Force Medical Center, PLA No. 30 FuCheng Road, Haidian District Beijing 100142 China
| | - Ruijie Dang
- Department of Stomatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital No. 28 Fuxing Road Beijing 100853 China
| | - Lisheng Zhao
- Department of Stomatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital No. 28 Fuxing Road Beijing 100853 China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Department of Stomatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital No. 28 Fuxing Road Beijing 100853 China
| | - Yunxia Li
- Department of Stomatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital No. 28 Fuxing Road Beijing 100853 China
| | - Ning Wen
- Department of Stomatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital No. 28 Fuxing Road Beijing 100853 China
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Quantitative ubiquitylomics reveals the ubiquitination regulation landscape in oral adenoid cystic carcinoma. Biosci Rep 2021; 41:229447. [PMID: 34350460 PMCID: PMC8385350 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20211532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is an extremely rare salivary gland tumor with a poor prognosis and needs attention on molecular mechanisms. Protein ubiquitination is an evolutionarily conserved post-translational modification (PTM) for substrates degradation and controls diverse cellular functions. The broad cellular function of ubiquitination network holds great promise to detect potential targets and identify respective receptors. Novel technologies are discovered for in-depth research and characterization of the precise and dynamic regulation of ubiquitylomics in multiple cellular processes during cancer initiation, progression and treatment. In the present study, 4D label-free quantitative techniques of ubiquitination proteomics were used and we identified a total of 4152 ubiquitination sites in 1993 proteins. We also performed a systematic bioinformatics analysis for differential modified proteins and peptides containing quantitative information through the comparation between oral ACC (OACC) tumor with adjacent normal tissues, as well as the identification of eight protein clusters with motif analysis. Our findings offered an important reference of potential biomarkers and effective therapeutic targets for ACC.
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Wei Y, Jiang Z, Lu J. USP22 promotes melanoma and BRAF inhibitor resistance via YAP stabilization. Oncol Lett 2021; 21:394. [PMID: 33777217 PMCID: PMC7988733 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a conserved transcriptional coactivator that plays key roles in controlling organ size, tumorigenesis and drug resistance. Emerging evidence shows that YAP is overexpressed and associated with resistance to BRAF inhibitor treatment in melanoma. However, the mechanism accounting for YAP-overexpression in melanoma is largely unknown. The present study characterized ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22) as a deubiquitinase controlling YAP abundance and biological functions in melanoma. Using western blotting and immunohistochemical staining, it was found that the expression of USP22 and YAP was associated in melanoma cell lines and patient samples. Moreover, USP22 interacted with and deubiquitinated YAP to prevent YAP turnover. Depletion of USP22 decreased YAP expression, which in turn suppressed cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Furthermore, overexpression of USP22 conferred vemurafenib resistance in a YAP-dependent manner. Overall, the present study revealed the important role of the USP22/YAP axis in melanoma and BRAF inhibitor resistance, and provides a rationale to target USP22/YAP for melanoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wei
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Changxing People's Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313100, P.R. China
| | - Ziyun Jiang
- Research Department, Shanghai Zhuole Biotechnology Center, Shanghai 201499, P.R. China
| | - Jianfeng Lu
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Changxing People's Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313100, P.R. China
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Adwani A, Kheur S, Kheur M, Mahajan P. Prognostic biomarkers for salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma: A systematic review. CLINICAL CANCER INVESTIGATION JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.4103/ccij.ccij_110_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Young MJ, Hsu KC, Lin TE, Chang WC, Hung JJ. The role of ubiquitin-specific peptidases in cancer progression. J Biomed Sci 2019; 26:42. [PMID: 31133011 PMCID: PMC6537419 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-019-0522-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein ubiquitination is an important mechanism for regulating the activity and levels of proteins under physiological conditions. Loss of regulation by protein ubiquitination leads to various diseases, such as cancer. Two types of enzymes, namely, E1/E2/E3 ligases and deubiquitinases, are responsible for controlling protein ubiquitination. The ubiquitin-specific peptidases (USPs) are the main members of the deubiquitinase family. Many studies have addressed the roles of USPs in various diseases. An increasing number of studies have indicated that USPs are critical for cancer progression, and some USPs have been used as targets to develop inhibitors for cancer prevention. Herein we collect and organize most of the recent studies on the roles of USPs in cancer progression and discuss the development of USP inhibitors for cancer therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Jer Young
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Cheng Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Biomedical Commercialization Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tony Eight Lin
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chang Chang
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jan-Jong Hung
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan. .,The Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Yang X, Zang H, Luo Y, Wu J, Fang Z, Zhu W, Li Y. High expression of USP22 predicts poor prognosis and advanced clinicopathological features in solid tumors: a meta-analysis. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:3035-3046. [PMID: 29872315 PMCID: PMC5973323 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s148662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The expression of USP22 has been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in solid tumors. However, the prognostic value of USP22 still remains unknown. Materials and methods A systematic meta-analysis was performed to assess the prognostic value of USP22 in cancers. A literature collection was conducted from inception to June 8, 2017 by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Ovid and Web of Science databases. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and odds ratio (OR) were used to correlate high expression of USP22 with overall survival (OS) and clinicopathological features. Results The results, pooled by 19 studies with 2,876 cases, indicated that high expression of USP22 predicted poor OS (HR=2.48, 95% CI: 2.11–2.84, p<0.001) and disease-free survival (DFS; HR=2.55, 95% CI: 2.05–3.05, p<0.001) of cancer patients. Furthermore, high expression of USP22 was also significantly associated with advanced clinicopathological parameters, including tumor stage, tumor differentiation, metastasis, nodal status and tumor size. Conclusion Our finding revealed that USP22 might be an indicator of poor prognosis and advanced clinicopathological features of solid tumors and could be served as a novel biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Yang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiyang Zang
- Department of Spleen and Stomach, Xinyi Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xinyi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yingbin Luo
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianchun Wu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihong Fang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weikang Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Ao N, Wang L, Liu Y. Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of ubiquitin-specific protease 22 overexpression in cancers: evidence from a meta-analysis. Onco Targets Ther 2017; 10:5533-5540. [PMID: 29200868 PMCID: PMC5702165 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s139458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose This meta-analysis study aimed to reveal the prognostic relevance of ubiquitin-specific protease 22 (USP22) expression in patients with cancers. Methods PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library electronic databases were searched for relevant studies published up to April 2017. The prognostic value of USP22 expression was evaluated by hazard ratio with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Relative risk (RR) with 95% CIs assessed the effects of USP22 expression on clinicopathological parameters. A total of 16 studies of 2,233 Chinese patients were included in the final meta-analysis. Results A significant association was found between USP22 overexpression and survival in patients with cancers. The pooled RR indicated that USP22 overexpression was related to histological grade, advanced tumor–node–metastasis stage, positive lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. Conclusion This meta-analysis demonstrated that USP22 could be a novel biomarker for predicting prognosis in patients with cancers in the Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Ao
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University
| | - Liang Wang
- Department of Pathology, Chinese PLA General Hospital
| | - Yuqin Liu
- Department of Pathology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Pinto-Fernandez A, Kessler BM. DUBbing Cancer: Deubiquitylating Enzymes Involved in Epigenetics, DNA Damage and the Cell Cycle As Therapeutic Targets. Front Genet 2016; 7:133. [PMID: 27516771 PMCID: PMC4963401 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2016.00133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Controlling cell proliferation is one of the hallmarks of cancer. A number of critical checkpoints ascertain progression through the different stages of the cell cycle, which can be aborted when perturbed, for instance by errors in DNA replication and repair. These molecular checkpoints are regulated by a number of proteins that need to be present at the right time and quantity. The ubiquitin system has emerged as a central player controlling the fate and function of such molecules such as cyclins, oncogenes and components of the DNA repair machinery. In particular, proteases that cleave ubiquitin chains, referred to as deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs), have attracted recent attention due to their accessibility to modulation by small molecules. In this review, we describe recent evidence of the critical role of DUBs in aspects of cell cycle checkpoint control, associated DNA repair mechanisms and regulation of transcription, representing pathways altered in cancer. Therefore, DUBs involved in these processes emerge as potentially critical targets for the treatment of not only hematological, but potentially also solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adan Pinto-Fernandez
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford, UK
| | - Benedikt M Kessler
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford, UK
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Abstract
Deubiquitinases are deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), which remove ubiquitin from proteins, thus regulating their proteasomal degradation, localization and activity. Here, we discuss DUBs as anti-cancer drug targets.
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Wang HC, Yang Y, Xu SY, Peng J, Jiang JH, Li CY. The CRISPR/Cas system inhibited the pro-oncogenic effects of alternatively spliced fibronectin extra domain A via editing the genome in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma cells. Oral Dis 2015; 21:608-18. [PMID: 25684411 DOI: 10.1111/odi.12323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Revised: 01/24/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H-C Wang
- The Central Laboratory; Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology; Haidian District Beijing China
| | - Y Yang
- The Central Laboratory; Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology; Haidian District Beijing China
| | - S-Y Xu
- Department of Oral Implanting; Shandong University School of Stomatology; Lixia District Jinan China
| | - J Peng
- The Central Laboratory; Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology; Haidian District Beijing China
| | - J-H Jiang
- The Department of Orthodontics; Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology; Haidian District China
| | - C-Y Li
- The Central Laboratory; Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology; Haidian District Beijing China
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Abstract
Deubiquitinases (DUBs) play important roles and therefore are potential drug targets in various diseases including cancer and neurodegeneration. In this review, we recapitulate structure-function studies of the most studied DUBs including USP7, USP22, CYLD, UCHL1, BAP1, A20, as well as ataxin 3 and connect them to regulatory mechanisms and their growing protein interaction networks. We then describe DUBs that have been associated with endocrine carcinogenesis with a focus on prostate, ovarian, and thyroid cancer, pheochromocytoma, and adrenocortical carcinoma. The goal is enhancing our understanding of the connection between dysregulated DUBs and cancer to permit the design of therapeutics and to establish biomarkers that could be used in diagnosis and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Pfoh
- Department of BiologyYork University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J1P3
| | - Ira Kay Lacdao
- Department of BiologyYork University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J1P3
| | - Vivian Saridakis
- Department of BiologyYork University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J1P3
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Pal A, Young MA, Donato NJ. Emerging potential of therapeutic targeting of ubiquitin-specific proteases in the treatment of cancer. Cancer Res 2014; 74:4955-66. [PMID: 25172841 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-14-1211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has emerged as a therapeutic focus and target for the treatment of cancer. The most clinically successful UPS-active agents (bortezomib and lenalidomide) are limited in application to hematologic malignancies, with only marginal efficacy in solid tumors. Inhibition of specific ubiquitin E3 ligases has also emerged as a valid therapeutic strategy, and many targets are currently being investigated. Another emerging and promising approach in regulation of the UPS involves targeting deubiquitinases (DUB). The DUBs comprise a relatively small group of proteins, most with cysteine protease activity that target several key proteins involved in regulation of tumorigenesis, apoptosis, senescence, and autophagy. Through their multiple contacts with ubiquitinated protein substrates involved in these pathways, DUBs provide an untapped means of modulating many important regulatory proteins that support oncogenic transformation and progression. Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USP) are one class of DUBs that have drawn special attention as cancer targets, as many are differentially expressed or activated in tumors or their microenvironment, making them ideal candidates for drug development. This review attempts to summarize the USPs implicated in different cancers, the current status of USP inhibitor-mediated pharmacologic intervention, and future prospects for USP inhibitors to treat diverse cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupama Pal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Matthew A Young
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Nicholas J Donato
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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