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Raj A, Chandran C S, Dua K, Kamath V, Alex AT. Targeting overexpressed surface proteins: A new strategy to manage the recalcitrant triple-negative breast cancer. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 981:176914. [PMID: 39154820 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176914] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive and heterogeneous cancer that lacks all three molecular markers, Estrogen, Progesterone, and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2). This unique characteristic of TNBC makes it more resistant to hormonal therapy; hence, chemotherapy and surgery are preferred. Active targeting with nanoparticles is more effective in managing TNBC than a passive approach. The surface of TNBC cells overexpresses several cell-specific proteins, which can be explored for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Immunohistochemical analysis has revealed that TNBC cells overexpress αVβ3 integrin, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1), Glucose Transporter 5 (GLUT5), Transmembrane Glycoprotein Mucin 1 (MUC-1), and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). These surface proteins can be targeted using ligands, such as aptamers, antibodies, and sugar molecules. Targeting the surface proteins of TNBC with ligands helps harmonize treatment and improve patient compliance. In this review, we discuss the proteins expressed, which are limited to αVβ3 integrin proteins, ICAM-1, GLUT-5, MUC1, and EGFR, on the surface of TNBC, the challenges associated with the preclinical setup of breast cancer for targeted nanoformulations, internalization techniques and their challenges, suggestions to overcome the limitations of successful translation of nanoparticles, and the possibility of ligand-conjugated nanoparticles targeting these surface receptors for a better therapeutic outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Raj
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka state, India, 576104.
| | - Sarath Chandran C
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government Medical College Kannur, Pariyaram, Kerala, India, 670 503; Kerala University of Health Sciences, Thrissur, Kerala, India - 680 596.
| | - Kamal Dua
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia-2007; Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia-2007.
| | - Venkatesh Kamath
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka state, India, 576104.
| | - Angel Treasa Alex
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka state, India, 576104.
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Barik D, Shyamal S, Das K, Jena S, Dash M. Glycoprotein Injectable Hydrogels Promote Accelerated Bone Regeneration through Angiogenesis and Innervation. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2301959. [PMID: 37712303 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202301959] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Glycoproteins are gaining prominence as multifunctional biomaterials. The study reports development of glycoprotein mucin as biomaterial promoting bone regeneration. Mucin 1 deletion has resulted in stiffer femoral bones with scarce presence of osteoblasts in trabecular linings and its role has been established in determining bone mass and mineralization. Limited information about its structure limits its processability, exploration as biomaterial, which is discussed in this study. The role of mucin in ECM (extracellular cellular matrix) formation validated by RNA sequencing analysis of human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells is reported. The structure and stability of mucins is dependent on the presence of glycans in its structure. A thermosensitive hydrogel acquired from thermosensitive Poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide)-(PNIPAM) modified mucin and collagen is developed. The hydrogel demonstrates porous structure and mechanical strength. Newly formed bone tissue is observed at 8 weeks post-implantation in the hydrogel treated groups. The formation of blood vessels, nerves, and bone is observed with upregulation of angiopoietin (ANG), neurofilament heavy chain (NF-H), and osteoadherin (OSAD) or osteocalcin (OCN) respectively in rat calvarial defects. The outcome demonstrates that the thermosensitive injectable hydrogel accelerates repair and healing in calvarial bone defects making it a promising biodegradable biomaterial capable of regenerating bone by promoting angiogenesis and innervation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debyashreeta Barik
- Therapeutics Biomaterials Team, Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Sharmistha Shyamal
- RNA Biology Lab, Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
| | - Kapilash Das
- Therapeutics Biomaterials Team, Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
| | - Sarita Jena
- Animal House Facility, DBT-Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
| | - Mamoni Dash
- Therapeutics Biomaterials Team, Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India
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Ghorbani Ranjbary A, Mehrzad J, Rahbar N, Dehghani H. Impacts of some clinicopathodemography and colorectal tissues key cell cycle and mucin stabilizing molecules on the metastasis trend in colorectal cancer patients. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:8589-8601. [PMID: 37644368 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08766-x] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to evaluate the various clinicopathodemographical, epidemiological, and molecular contributors to cumulatively worldwide metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) in CRC patients from a highly populated area in northeastern Iran to pinpoint metastasis risk. METHODS A retrospective clinical material-based cohort including a total of 6260 registered CRC patients, of whom 3829 underwent surgery, from regional university hospitals, during 2006-2016, were analyzed for the clinicopathodemographical aspects of age, sex, stage of CRC, history of smoking, type 2 diabetes (T2D), hypertension, body mass index (BMI), familial/occupational status, post-surgery survival period and mRNA/protein expression of mucin stabilizer (B3GALNT2), mucin I (MUC1), key cell cycle molecules (i.e., P53 and Ki67), and MMR-related genes. Factors were set to estimate the risk of metastatic CRC and mortality. RESULTS Predominant adenocarcinomatous CRCs were found in colon. Post-surgery survival period of metastatic CRC patients was remarkably longer in patients aged > 50 compared to those aged < 50 years, and worse in females than males. B3GALNT2high, MUChigh, P53low, and Ki67high mRNA/protein expression in the metastatic stage III CRC along with T2D and hypertension were associated with increased metastasis/mortality, with more worsening in males, older, BMI > 25, urban residing, and employed individuals, indicative of non-genetic attributable factors. CONCLUSION B3GALNT2, MUC1, and "Ki67" can be used as promising biomarkers for prognosis and early diagnosis of increasingly/predominantly non-genetic/environmental originated metastatic CRCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ghorbani Ranjbary
- Department of Pathobiology, Section Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jalil Mehrzad
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Nasrollah Rahbar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hesam Dehghani
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Research Group, Research Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
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Morimoto Y, Yamashita N, Daimon T, Hirose H, Yamano S, Haratake N, Ishikawa S, Bhattacharya A, Fushimi A, Ahmad R, Takahashi H, Dashevsky O, Mitsiades C, Kufe D. MUC1-C is a master regulator of MICA/B NKG2D ligand and exosome secretion in human cancer cells. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e006238. [PMID: 36754452 PMCID: PMC9923360 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The MUC1-C protein evolved in mammals to protect barrier tissues from loss of homeostasis; however, MUC1-C promotes oncogenesis in association with chronic inflammation. Aberrant expression of MUC1-C in cancers has been linked to depletion and dysfunction of T cells in the tumor microenvironment. In contrast, there is no known involvement of MUC1-C in the regulation of natural killer (NK) cell function. METHODS Targeting MUC1-C genetically and pharmacologically in cancer cells was performed to assess effects on intracellular and cell surface expression of the MHC class I chain-related polypeptide A (MICA) and MICB ligands. The MICA/B promoters were analyzed for H3K27 and DNA methylation. Shedding of MICA/B was determined by ELISA. MUC1-C interactions with ERp5 and RAB27A were assessed by coimmunoprecipitation and direct binding studies. Exosomes were isolated for analysis of secretion. Purified NK cells were assayed for killing of cancer cell targets. RESULTS Our studies demonstrate that MUC1-C represses expression of the MICA and MICB ligands that activate the NK group 2D receptor. We show that the inflammatory MUC1-C→NF-κB pathway drives enhancer of zeste homolog 2-mediated and DNMT-mediated methylation of the MICA and MICB promoter regions. Targeting MUC1-C genetically and pharmacologically with the GO-203 inhibitor induced intracellular and cell surface MICA/B expression but not MICA/B cleavage. Mechanistically, MUC1-C regulates the ERp5 thiol oxidoreductase that is necessary for MICA/B protease digestion and shedding. In addition, MUC1-C interacts with the RAB27A protein, which is required for exosome formation and secretion. As a result, targeting MUC1-C markedly inhibited secretion of exosomes expressing MICA/B. In concert with these results, we show that targeting MUC1-C promotes NK cell-mediated killing. CONCLUSIONS These findings uncover pleotropic mechanisms by which MUC1-C confers evasion of cancer cells to NK cell recognition and destruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiro Morimoto
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nami Yamashita
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tatsuaki Daimon
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Haruka Hirose
- Division of Systems Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine Faculty of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shizuka Yamano
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Naoki Haratake
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Satoshi Ishikawa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Atrayee Bhattacharya
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Atsushi Fushimi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rehan Ahmad
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hidekazu Takahashi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Olga Dashevsky
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Constantine Mitsiades
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Fushimi A, Morimoto Y, Ishikawa S, Yamashita N, Bhattacharya A, Daimon T, Rajabi H, Jin C, Hagiwara M, Yasumizu Y, Luan Z, Suo W, Wong KK, Withers H, Liu S, Long MD, Kufe D. Dependence on the MUC1-C Oncoprotein in Classic, Variant, and Non-neuroendocrine Small Cell Lung Cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2022; 20:1379-1390. [PMID: 35612556 PMCID: PMC9437561 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-22-0165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a recalcitrant malignancy defined by subtypes on the basis of differential expression of the ASCL1, NEUROD1, and POU2F3 transcription factors. The MUC1-C protein is activated in pulmonary epithelial cells by exposure to environmental carcinogens and promotes oncogenesis; however, there is no known association between MUC1-C and SCLC. We report that MUC1-C is expressed in classic neuroendocrine (NE) SCLC-A, variant NE SCLC-N and non-NE SCLC-P cells and activates the MYC pathway in these subtypes. In SCLC cells characterized by NE differentiation and DNA replication stress, we show that MUC1-C activates the MYC pathway in association with induction of E2F target genes and dysregulation of mitotic progression. Our studies further demonstrate that the MUC1-C→MYC pathway is necessary for induction of (i) NOTCH2, a marker of pulmonary NE stem cells that are the proposed cell of SCLC origin, and (ii) ASCL1 and NEUROD1. We also show that the MUC1-C→MYC→NOTCH2 network is necessary for self-renewal capacity and tumorigenicity of NE and non-NE SCLC cells. Analyses of datasets from SCLC tumors confirmed that MUC1 expression in single SCLC cells significantly associates with activation of the MYC pathway. These findings demonstrate that SCLC cells are addicted to MUC1-C and identify a potential new target for SCLC treatment. IMPLICATIONS This work uncovers addiction of SCLC cells to MUC1-C, which is a druggable target that could provide new opportunities for advancing SCLC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Fushimi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yoshihiro Morimoto
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Satoshi Ishikawa
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nami Yamashita
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Tatsuaki Daimon
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masayuki Hagiwara
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yota Yasumizu
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Zhou Luan
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Wenhao Suo
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Henry Withers
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Mark D. Long
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York.,Corresponding Authors: Donald Kufe, Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. E-mail: ; and Mark D. Long, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carlton & Elm Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263. E-mail:
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Corresponding Authors: Donald Kufe, Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. E-mail: ; and Mark D. Long, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carlton & Elm Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263. E-mail:
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6
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Yamashita N, Kufe D. Addiction of Cancer Stem Cells to MUC1-C in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:8219. [PMID: 35897789 PMCID: PMC9331006 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive malignancy with limited treatment options. TNBC progression is associated with expansion of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Few insights are available regarding druggable targets that drive the TNBC CSC state. This review summarizes the literature on TNBC CSCs and the compelling evidence that they are addicted to the MUC1-C transmembrane protein. In normal epithelia, MUC1-C is activated by loss of homeostasis and induces reversible wound-healing responses of inflammation and repair. However, in settings of chronic inflammation, MUC1-C promotes carcinogenesis. MUC1-C induces EMT, epigenetic reprogramming and chromatin remodeling in TNBC CSCs, which are dependent on MUC1-C for self-renewal and tumorigenicity. MUC1-C-induced lineage plasticity in TNBC CSCs confers DNA damage resistance and immune evasion by chronic activation of inflammatory pathways and global changes in chromatin architecture. Of therapeutic significance, an antibody generated against the MUC1-C extracellular domain has been advanced in a clinical trial of anti-MUC1-C CAR T cells and in IND-enabling studies for development as an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). Agents targeting the MUC1-C cytoplasmic domain have also entered the clinic and are undergoing further development as candidates for advancing TNBC treatment. Eliminating TNBC CSCs will be necessary for curing this recalcitrant cancer and MUC1-C represents a promising druggable target for achieving that goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nami Yamashita
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Hosseinzadeh A, Merikhian P, Naseri N, Eisavand MR, Farahmand L. MUC1 is a potential target to overcome trastuzumab resistance in breast cancer therapy. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:110. [PMID: 35248049 PMCID: PMC8897942 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02523-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although resistance is its major obstacle in cancer therapy, trastuzumab is the most successful agent in treating epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2 +) breast cancer (BC). Some patients show resistance to trastuzumab, and scientists want to circumvent this problem. This review elaborately discusses possible resistance mechanisms to trastuzumab and introduces mucin 1 (MUC1) as a potential target efficient for overcoming such resistance. MUC1 belongs to the mucin family, playing the oncogenic/mitogenic roles in cancer cells and interacting with several other oncogenic receptors and pathways, such as HER2, β-catenin, NF-κB, and estrogen receptor (ERα). Besides, it has been established that MUC1- Cytoplasmic Domain (MUC1-CD) accelerates the development of resistance to trastuzumab and that silencing MUC1-C proto-oncogene is associated with increased sensitivity of HER2+ cells to trastuzumab-induced growth inhibitors. We mention why targeting MUC1 can be useful in overcoming trastuzumab resistance in cancer therapy.
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Luan Z, Morimoto Y, Fushimi A, Yamashita N, Suo W, Bhattacharya A, Hagiwara M, Jin C, Kufe D. MUC1-C dictates neuroendocrine lineage specification in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. Carcinogenesis 2022; 43:67-76. [PMID: 34657147 PMCID: PMC8832436 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgab097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) and poorly differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine (NE) carcinomas are KRAS mutant malignancies with a potential common cell of origin. PDAC ductal, but not NE, lineage traits have been associated with cell-intrinsic activation of interferon (IFN) pathways. The present studies demonstrate that the MUC1 C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C), which evolved to protect mammalian epithelia from loss of homeostasis, is aberrantly overexpressed in KRAS mutant PDAC tumors and cell lines. We show that MUC1-C is necessary for activation of the type I and II IFN pathways and for expression of the Yamanaka OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and MYC (OSKM) pluripotency factors. Our results demonstrate that MUC1-C integrates IFN signaling and pluripotency with NE dedifferentiation by forming a complex with MYC and driving the (i) achaete-scute homolog 1 and BRN2/POU3F2 neural, and (ii) NOTCH1/2 stemness transcription factors. Of translational relevance, targeting MUC1-C genetically and pharmacologically in PDAC cells (i) suppresses OSKM, NE dedifferentiation and NOTCH1/2, and (ii) inhibits self-renewal capacity and tumorigenicity. In PDAC tumors, we show that MUC1 significantly associates with activation of IFN signaling, MYC and NOTCH, and that upregulation of the MUC1-C → MYC pathway confers a poor prognosis. These findings indicate that MUC1-C dictates PDAC NE lineage specification and is a potential target for the treatment of recalcitrant pancreatic carcinomas with NE dedifferentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Luan
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | | | - Atsushi Fushimi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Molecular Epidemiology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nami Yamashita
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wenhao Suo
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | | | - Masayuki Hagiwara
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Urology, Keio University Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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9
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Vafaei R, Samadi M, Hosseinzadeh A, Barzaman K, Esmailinejad M, Khaki Z, Farahmand L. Comparison of mucin-1 in human breast cancer and canine mammary gland tumor: a review study. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:14. [PMID: 35000604 PMCID: PMC8744232 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02398-6] [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: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucin-1 (MUC-1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein, which bears many similarities between dogs and humans. Since the existence of animal models is essential to understand the significant factors involved in breast cancer mechanisms, canine mammary tumors (CMTs) could be used as a spontaneously occurring tumor model for human studies. Accordingly, this review assessed the comparison of canine and human MUC-1 based on their diagnostic and therapeutic aspects and showed how comparative oncology approaches could provide insights into translating pre-clinical trials from human to veterinary oncology and vice versa which could benefit both humans and dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Vafaei
- Recombinant Proteins Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mitra Samadi
- Recombinant Proteins Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aysooda Hosseinzadeh
- Recombinant Proteins Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Barzaman
- Recombinant Proteins Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - MohammadReza Esmailinejad
- Department of Surgery and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zohreh Khaki
- Recombinant Proteins Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Leila Farahmand
- Recombinant Proteins Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, Iran.
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10
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Lee DH, Choi S, Park Y, Jin HS. Mucin1 and Mucin16: Therapeutic Targets for Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14101053. [PMID: 34681277 PMCID: PMC8537522 DOI: 10.3390/ph14101053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The mucin (MUC) family is a group of highly glycosylated macromolecules that are abundantly expressed in mammalian epithelial cells. MUC proteins contribute to the formation of the mucus barrier and thus have protective functions against infection. Interestingly, some MUC proteins are aberrantly expressed in cancer cells and are involved in cancer development and progression, including cell growth, proliferation, the inhibition of apoptosis, chemoresistance, metabolic reprogramming, and immune evasion. With their unique biological and structural features, MUC proteins have been considered promising therapeutic targets and also biomarkers for human cancer. In this review, we discuss the biological roles of the transmembrane mucins MUC1 and MUC16 in the context of hallmarks of cancer and current efforts to develop MUC1- and MUC16-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Hee Lee
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea;
| | - Seunghyun Choi
- Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea;
| | - Yoon Park
- Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea;
- Correspondence: (Y.P.); (H.-s.J.)
| | - Hyung-seung Jin
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea;
- Correspondence: (Y.P.); (H.-s.J.)
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11
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Supruniuk K, Radziejewska I. MUC1 is an oncoprotein with a significant role in apoptosis (Review). Int J Oncol 2021; 59:68. [PMID: 34278474 PMCID: PMC8360618 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2021.5248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a membrane-bound, highly glycosylated protein that is overexpressed in all stages of malignant transformation. Overexpression of MUC1 together with loss of polarization and hypoglycosylation are associated with resistance to apoptosis, which is the process that results in efficient removal of damaged cells. Inhibition of the apoptotic process is responsible for tumor development, tumor progression and drug resistance. MUC1 is considered as an oncogenic molecule that is involved in various signaling pathways responsible for the regulation of apoptosis. Based on this, the aim of the present study was to discuss the involvement of MUC1 in the divergent mechanisms regulating programmed cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Supruniuk
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Białystok, 15‑222 Białystok, Poland
| | - Iwona Radziejewska
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Białystok, 15‑222 Białystok, Poland
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12
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Kufe DW. MUC1-C in chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis; emergence as a target for cancer treatment. Carcinogenesis 2021; 41:1173-1183. [PMID: 32710608 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgaa082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic inflammation is a highly prevalent consequence of changes in environmental and lifestyle factors that contribute to the development of cancer. The basis for this critical association has largely remained unclear. The MUC1 gene evolved in mammals to protect epithelia from the external environment. The MUC1-C subunit promotes responses found in wound healing and cancer. MUC1-C induces EMT, epigenetic reprogramming, dedifferentiation and pluripotency factor expression, which when prolonged in chronic inflammation promote cancer progression. As discussed in this review, MUC1-C also drives drug resistance and immune evasion, and is an important target for cancer therapeutics now under development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald W Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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13
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Brockhausen I, Melamed J. Mucins as anti-cancer targets: perspectives of the glycobiologist. Glycoconj J 2021; 38:459-474. [PMID: 33704667 DOI: 10.1007/s10719-021-09986-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mucins are highly O-glycosylated glycoproteins that carry a heterogenous variety of O-glycan structures. Tumor cells tend to overexpress specific mucins, such as the cell surface mucins MUC1 and MUC4 that are engaged in signaling and cell growth, and exhibit abnormal glycosylation. In particular, the Tn and T antigens and their sialylated forms are common in cancer mucins. We review herein methods chosen to use cancer-associated glycans and mucins as targets for the design of anti-cancer immunotherapies. Mucin peptides from the glycosylated and transmembrane domains have been combined with immune-stimulating adjuvants in a wide variety of approaches to produce anti-tumor antibodies and vaccines. These mucin conjugates have been tested on cancer cells in vitro and in mice with significant successes in stimulating anti-tumor responses. The clinical trials in humans, however, have shown limited success in extending survival. It seems critical that the individual-specific epitope expression of cancer mucins is considered in future therapies to result in lasting anti-tumor responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inka Brockhausen
- Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.
| | - Jacob Melamed
- Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
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14
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Hagiwara M, Yasumizu Y, Yamashita N, Rajabi H, Fushimi A, Long MD, Li W, Bhattacharya A, Ahmad R, Oya M, Liu S, Kufe D. MUC1-C Activates the BAF (mSWI/SNF) Complex in Prostate Cancer Stem Cells. Cancer Res 2020; 81:1111-1122. [PMID: 33323379 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-2588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The Brg/Brahma-associated factor (BAF, mSWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complex is of importance in development and has been linked to prostate oncogenesis. The oncogenic MUC1-C protein promotes lineage plasticity in the progression of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), however, there is no known association between MUC1-C and BAF. We report here that MUC1-C binds directly to the E2F1 transcription factor and that the MUC1-C→E2F1 pathway induces expression of embryonic stem cell-specific BAF (esBAF) components BRG1, ARID1A, BAF60a, BAF155, and BAF170 in castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and NEPC cells. In concert with this previously unrecognized pathway, MUC1 was associated with increased expression of E2F1 and esBAF components in NEPC tumors as compared with CRPC, supporting involvement of MUC1-C in activating the E2F1→esBAF pathway with progression to NEPC. MUC1-C formed a nuclear complex with BAF and activated cancer stem cell (CSC) gene signatures and the core pluripotency factor gene network. The MUC1-C→E2F1→BAF pathway was necessary for induction of both the NOTCH1 effector of CSC function and the NANOG pluripotency factor, and collectively, this network drove CSC self-renewal. These findings indicate that MUC1-C promotes NEPC progression by integrating activation of E2F1 and esBAF with induction of NOTCH1, NANOG, and stemness. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings show that MUC1-C, which promotes prostate cancer progression, activates a novel pathway that drives the BAF remodeling complex, induces NOTCH1 and NANOG, and promotes self-renewal of prostate cancer stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Hagiwara
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yota Yasumizu
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nami Yamashita
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Atsushi Fushimi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mark D Long
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Wei Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Rehan Ahmad
- King Khalid University Hospital College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mototsugu Oya
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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15
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Li W, Zhang N, Jin C, Long MD, Rajabi H, Yasumizu Y, Fushimi A, Yamashita N, Hagiwara M, Zheng R, Wang J, Kui L, Singh H, Kharbanda S, Hu Q, Liu S, Kufe D. MUC1-C drives stemness in progression of colitis to colorectal cancer. JCI Insight 2020; 5:137112. [PMID: 32427590 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.137112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Colitis is associated with the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) by largely undefined mechanisms that are critical for understanding the link between inflammation and cancer. Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) marked by leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) expression are of importance in both the inflammatory response to colitis and progression to colitis-associated colon cancer (CACC). Here, we report in human mucin 1-transgenic (MUC1-transgenic) mouse models of CACC, targeting the MUC1-C oncogenic protein suppresses the (a) Lgr5+ ISC population, (b) induction of Myc and core pluripotency stem cell factors, and (c) severity and progression of colitis to dysplasia and cancer. By extension to human colon cancer cells, we demonstrate that MUC1-C drives MYC, forms a complex with MYC on the LGR5 promoter, and activates LGR5 expression. We also show in CRC cells that MUC1-C induces cancer stem cell (CSC) markers (BMI1, ALDH1, FOXA1, LIN28B) and the OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG pluripotency factors. Consistent with conferring the CSC state, targeting MUC1-C suppresses the capacity of CRC cells to promote wound healing, invasion, self-renewal, and tumorigenicity. In analysis of human tissues, MUC1 expression associates with activation of inflammatory pathways, development of colitis, and aggressiveness of CRCs. These results collectively indicate that MUC1-C is of importance for integrating stemness and pluripotency in colitis and CRC. Of clinical relevance, the findings further indicate that MUC1-C represents a potentially previously unrecognized target that is druggable for treating progression of colitis and CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ning Zhang
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark D Long
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yota Yasumizu
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Atsushi Fushimi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nami Yamashita
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Masayuki Hagiwara
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rongbin Zheng
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Kui
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Surender Kharbanda
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qiang Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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16
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Yasumizu Y, Rajabi H, Jin C, Hata T, Pitroda S, Long MD, Hagiwara M, Li W, Hu Q, Liu S, Yamashita N, Fushimi A, Kui L, Samur M, Yamamoto M, Zhang Y, Zhang N, Hong D, Maeda T, Kosaka T, Wong KK, Oya M, Kufe D. MUC1-C regulates lineage plasticity driving progression to neuroendocrine prostate cancer. Nat Commun 2020; 11:338. [PMID: 31953400 PMCID: PMC6969104 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14219-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive malignancy with no effective targeted therapies. The oncogenic MUC1-C protein is overexpressed in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and NEPC, but its specific role is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that upregulation of MUC1-C in androgen-dependent PC cells suppresses androgen receptor (AR) axis signaling and induces the neural BRN2 transcription factor. MUC1-C activates a MYC→BRN2 pathway in association with induction of MYCN, EZH2 and NE differentiation markers (ASCL1, AURKA and SYP) linked to NEPC progression. Moreover, MUC1-C suppresses the p53 pathway, induces the Yamanaka pluripotency factors (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and MYC) and drives stemness. Targeting MUC1-C decreases PC self-renewal capacity and tumorigenicity, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for CRPC and NEPC. In PC tissues, MUC1 expression associates with suppression of AR signaling and increases in BRN2 expression and NEPC score. These results highlight MUC1-C as a master effector of lineage plasticity driving progression to NEPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yota Yasumizu
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tsuyoshi Hata
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Sean Pitroda
- Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mark D Long
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Masayuki Hagiwara
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wei Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Qiang Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Nami Yamashita
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Atsushi Fushimi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ling Kui
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mehmet Samur
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Masaaki Yamamoto
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yan Zhang
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ning Zhang
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deli Hong
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Takahiro Maeda
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeo Kosaka
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kwok K Wong
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mototsugu Oya
- Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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17
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Carmicheal J, Atri P, Sharma S, Kumar S, Chirravuri Venkata R, Kulkarni P, Salgia R, Ghersi D, Kaur S, Batra SK. Presence and structure-activity relationship of intrinsically disordered regions across mucins. FASEB J 2020; 34:1939-1957. [PMID: 31908009 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901898rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Many members of the mucin family are evolutionarily conserved and are often aberrantly expressed and glycosylated in various benign and malignant pathologies leading to tumor invasion, metastasis, and immune evasion. The large size and extensive glycosylation present challenges to study the mucin structure using traditional methods, including crystallography. We offer the hypothesis that the functional versatility of mucins may be attributed to the presence of intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) that provide dynamism and flexibility and that the IDRs offer potential therapeutic targets. Herein, we examined the links between the mucin structure and function based on IDRs, posttranslational modifications (PTMs), and potential impact on their interactome. Using sequence-based bioinformatics tools, we observed that mucins are predicted to be moderately (20%-40%) to highly (>40%) disordered and many conserved mucin domains could be disordered. Phosphorylation sites overlap with IDRs throughout the mucin sequences. Additionally, the majority of predicted O- and N- glycosylation sites in the tandem repeat regions occur within IDRs and these IDRs contain a large number of functional motifs, that is, molecular recognition features (MoRFs), which directly influence protein-protein interactions (PPIs). This investigation provides a novel perspective and offers an insight into the complexity and dynamic nature of mucins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Carmicheal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Pranita Atri
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Sunandini Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Sushil Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.,Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | | | - Prakash Kulkarni
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Dario Ghersi
- School of Interdisciplinary Informatics, University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Sukhwinder Kaur
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.,Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Surinder K Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.,Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
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18
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Hata T, Rajabi H, Takahashi H, Yasumizu Y, Li W, Jin C, Long MD, Hu Q, Liu S, Fushimi A, Yamashita N, Kui L, Hong D, Yamamoto M, Miyo M, Hiraki M, Maeda T, Suzuki Y, Samur MK, Kufe D. MUC1-C Activates the NuRD Complex to Drive Dedifferentiation of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Cancer Res 2019; 79:5711-5722. [PMID: 31519689 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-1034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The NuRD chromatin remodeling and deacetylation complex, which includes MTA1, MBD3, CHD4, and HDAC1 among other components, is of importance for development and cancer progression. The oncogenic mucin 1 (MUC1) C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) protein activates EZH2 and BMI1 in the epigenetic reprogramming of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, there is no known link between MUC1-C and chromatin remodeling complexes. Here, we showed that MUC1-C binds directly to the MYC HLH-LZ domain and identified a previously unrecognized MUC1-C→MYC pathway that regulates the NuRD complex. MUC1-C/MYC complexes selectively activated the MTA1 and MBD3 genes and posttranscriptionally induced CHD4 expression in basal- but not luminal-type BC cells. In turn, MUC1-C formed complexes with these NuRD components on the ESR1 promoter. Downregulating MUC1-C decreased MTA1/MBD3/CHD4/HDAC1 occupancy and increased H3K27 acetylation on the ESR1 promoter, with induction of ESR1 expression and downstream estrogen response pathways. Targeting MUC1-C and these NuRD components also induced expression of FOXA1, GATA3, and other markers associated with the luminal phenotype. These findings support a model in which MUC1-C activates the NuRD complex to drive dedifferentiation and reprogramming of TNBC cells. SIGNIFICANCE: MUC1-C directly interacts with MYC to activate the NuRD complex, mediating regulation of the estrogen receptor in triple-negative breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Hata
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hidekazu Takahashi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yota Yasumizu
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Wei Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mark D Long
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Qiang Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Atsushi Fushimi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nami Yamashita
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ling Kui
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Deli Hong
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masaaki Yamamoto
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masaaki Miyo
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masayuki Hiraki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Takahiro Maeda
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yozo Suzuki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mehmet K Samur
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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19
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Hata T, Rajabi H, Yamamoto M, Jin C, Ahmad R, Zhang Y, Kui L, Li W, Yasumizu Y, Hong D, Miyo M, Hiraki M, Maeda T, Suzuki Y, Takahashi H, Samur M, Kufe D. Targeting MUC1-C Inhibits TWIST1 Signaling in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 18:1744-1754. [PMID: 31308076 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The oncogenic MUC1-C protein and the TWIST1 epithelial-mesenchymal transition transcription factor (EMT-TF) are aberrantly expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. However, there is no known association between MUC1-C and TWIST1 in TNBC or other cancer cells. Here, we show that MUC1-C activates STAT3, and that MUC1-C and pSTAT3 drive induction of the TWIST1 gene. In turn, MUC1-C binds directly to TWIST1, and MUC1-C/TWIST1 complexes activate MUC1-C expression in an autoinductive circuit. The functional significance of the MUC1-C/TWIST1 circuit is supported by the demonstration that this pathway is sufficient for driving (i) the EMT-TFs, ZEB1 and SNAIL, (ii) multiple genes in the EMT program as determined by RNA-seq, and (iii) the capacity for cell invasion. We also demonstrate that the MUC1-C/TWIST1 circuit drives (i) expression of the stem cell markers SOX2, BMI1, ALDH1, and CD44, (ii) self-renewal capacity, and (iii) tumorigenicity. In concert with these results, we show that MUC1-C and TWIST1 also drive EMT and stemness in association with acquired paclitaxel (PTX) resistance. Of potential therapeutic importance, targeting MUC1-C and thereby TWIST1 reverses the PTX refractory phenotype as evidenced by synergistic activity with PTX against drug-resistant cells. These findings uncover a master role for MUC1-C in driving the induction of TWIST1, EMT, stemness, and drug resistance, and support MUC1-C as a highly attractive target for inhibiting TNBC plasticity and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Hata
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masaaki Yamamoto
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rehan Ahmad
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yan Zhang
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ling Kui
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Wei Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yota Yasumizu
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Deli Hong
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masaaki Miyo
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masayuki Hiraki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Takahiro Maeda
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yozo Suzuki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hidekazu Takahashi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mehmet Samur
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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20
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Gatti-Mays ME, Strauss J, Donahue RN, Palena C, Del Rivero J, Redman JM, Madan RA, Marté JL, Cordes LM, Lamping E, Orpia A, Burmeister A, Wagner E, Pico Navarro C, Heery CR, Schlom J, Gulley JL. A Phase I Dose-Escalation Trial of BN-CV301, a Recombinant Poxviral Vaccine Targeting MUC1 and CEA with Costimulatory Molecules. Clin Cancer Res 2019; 25:4933-4944. [PMID: 31110074 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-19-0183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE BN-CV301 is a poxviral-based vaccine comprised of recombinant (rec.) modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA-BN-CV301; prime) and rec. fowlpox (FPV-CV301; boost). Like its predecessor PANVAC, BN-CV301 contains transgenes encoding tumor-associated antigens MUC1 and CEA as well as costimulatory molecules (B7.1, ICAM-1, and LFA-3). PANVAC was reengineered to make it safer and more antigenic. PATIENTS AND METHODS This open-label, 3+3 design, dose-escalation trial evaluated three dose levels (DL) of MVA-BN-CV301: one, two, or four subcutaneous injections of 4 × 108 infectious units (Inf.U)/0.5 mL on weeks 0 and 4. All patients received FPV-CV301 subcutaneously at 1 × 109 Inf.U/0.5 mL every 2 weeks for 4 doses, then every 4 weeks. Clinical and immune responses were evaluated. RESULTS There were no dose-limiting toxicities. Twelve patients enrolled on trial [dose level (DL) 1 = 3, DL2 = 3, DL3 = 6). Most side effects were seen with the prime doses and lessened with subsequent boosters. All treatment-related adverse events were temporary, self-limiting, grade 1/2, and included injection-site reactions and flu-like symptoms. Antigen-specific T cells to MUC1 and CEA, as well as to a cascade antigen, brachyury, were generated in most patients. Single-agent BN-CV301 produced a confirmed partial response (PR) in 1 patient and prolonged stable disease (SD) in multiple patients, most notably in KRAS-mutant gastrointestinal tumors. Furthermore, 2 patients with KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer had prolonged SD when treated with an anti-PD-L1 antibody following BN-CV301. CONCLUSIONS The BN-CV301 vaccine can be safely administered to patients with advanced cancer. Further studies of the vaccine in combination with other agents are planned.See related commentary by Repáraz et al., p. 4871.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E Gatti-Mays
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Julius Strauss
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Renee N Donahue
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Claudia Palena
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jaydira Del Rivero
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jason M Redman
- Medical Oncology Service, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ravi A Madan
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jennifer L Marté
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lisa M Cordes
- Oncology Clinical Pharmacy, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Elizabeth Lamping
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alanvin Orpia
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland
| | | | - Eva Wagner
- Bavarian Nordic GmbH, Martinsried, Germany
| | | | | | - Jeffrey Schlom
- Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - James L Gulley
- Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
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21
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Yamamoto M, Jin C, Hata T, Yasumizu Y, Zhang Y, Hong D, Maeda T, Miyo M, Hiraki M, Suzuki Y, Hinohara K, Rajabi H, Kufe D. MUC1-C Integrates Chromatin Remodeling and PARP1 Activity in the DNA Damage Response of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Cancer Res 2019; 79:2031-2041. [PMID: 30824588 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-3259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The oncogenic MUC1-C protein is overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and contributes to their epigenetic reprogramming and chemoresistance. Here we show that targeting MUC1-C genetically or pharmacologically with the GO-203 inhibitor, which blocks MUC1-C nuclear localization, induced DNA double-strand breaks and potentiated cisplatin (CDDP)-induced DNA damage and death. MUC1-C regulated nuclear localization of the polycomb group proteins BMI1 and EZH2, which formed complexes with PARP1 during the DNA damage response. Targeting MUC1-C downregulated BMI1-induced H2A ubiquitylation, EZH2-driven H3K27 trimethylation, and activation of PARP1. As a result, treatment with GO-203 synergistically sensitized both mutant and wild-type BRCA1 TNBC cells to the PARP inhibitor olaparib. These findings uncover a role for MUC1-C in the regulation of PARP1 and identify a therapeutic strategy for enhancing the effectiveness of PARP inhibitors against TNBC. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings demonstrate that targeting MUC1-C disrupts epigenetics of the PARP1 complex, inhibits PARP1 activity, and is synergistic with olaparib in TNBC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Yamamoto
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tsuyoshi Hata
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yota Yasumizu
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yan Zhang
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Deli Hong
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Takahiro Maeda
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masaaki Miyo
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masayuki Hiraki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yozo Suzuki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kunihiko Hinohara
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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22
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GongSun X, Zhao Y, Jiang B, Xin Z, Shi M, Song L, Qin Q, Wang Q, Liu X. Inhibition of MUC1-C regulates metabolism by AKT pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. J Cell Physiol 2018; 234:12019-12028. [PMID: 30523643 PMCID: PMC6587484 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.27863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common digestive tumors worldwide. The Mucin 1 (MUC1) heterodimeric protein has been confirmed that is overexpressed in ESCC and induced adverse outcomes. However, the detailed mechanism(s) remained challenging. So, we investigated the relationship between MUC1‐C and metabolism in ESCC cells. In the results, TP53‐induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) was overexpressed and correlative with MUC1‐C positively in ESCC tissue. Targeting MUC1‐C inhibits AKT–mTORC–S6K1 signaling and blocks TIGAR translation. We found that the inhibitory effect of GO‐203 on TIGAR was mediated by inhibition of AKT–mTOR–S6K1 pathway. The findings also demonstrated that the suppressive effect of GO‐203 on TIGAR is related to the decrease of glutathione level, the increase of reactive oxygen species and the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane membrane potential. In xenograft tissues, GO‐203 inhibited the growth of ESCC cells and lead to the low expression of transmembrane C‐terminal subunit (MUC1‐C) and TIGAR. This evidence supports the contention that MUC1‐C is significant for metabolism in ESCC and indicated that MUC1‐C is a potential target for the treatment of ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin GongSun
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - YongQiang Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Laiwu City People's Hospital, Laiwu, Shandong, China
| | - Bin Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - ZhongWei Xin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Mo Shi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Liang Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - QiMing Qin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - XiangYan Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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23
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Xin Z, Xin G, Shi M, Song L, Wang Q, Jiang B, Liu X. Inhibition of MUC1-C entering nuclear suppresses MYC expression and attenuates malignant growth in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:4125-4136. [PMID: 30050304 PMCID: PMC6056156 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s168813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The mucin 1 (MUC1) heterodimeric protein (N-terminal subunit and C-terminal subunit) is aberrantly overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and has been linked to poor outcomes in this disease. The detailed mechanism(s), however, remains unclear. In this article, we investigate the effects of the MUC1 C-terminal transmembrane subunit (MUC1-C) through the inhibitor GO-201, which inhibits MUC1-C targeting to nuclear. Patients and methods The expression of MUC1-C and MYC in the ESCC samples and cell lines was detected by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and western blotting. MYC mRNA level was determined by using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In addition, Cell Counting Kit-8, clonogenic assay, transwell assay and tumor xenograft in nude mice assay were utilized to determine the role of MUC1-C in proliferation, invasion and migration of ESCC cells. Results The level of MUC1-C in nuclear and MYC in whole cells in the ESCC tissue is significantly higher than that in the noncancerous tissue. Treatment of MUC1-C-overexpressing ESCC cells with GO-201 was associated with downregulation of MYC expression and induction of apoptosis. Besides, in vitro and in vivo assays have both shown that inhibiting MUC1-C targeting to the nucleus by the GO-201 significantly decreased the abilities of proliferation, invasion and migration in ESCC cells. Conclusion Our findings suggest that MUC1-C targeting to the nucleus plays an important role in suppressing the malignant growth of ESCC and indicate that MUC1-C is a potential target for the treatment of ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwei Xin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China,
| | - Gongsun Xin
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China,
| | - Mo Shi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China,
| | - Liang Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China,
| | - Qiang Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China,
| | - Bin Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China,
| | - Xiangyan Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People's Republic of China,
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24
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Panchamoorthy G, Jin C, Raina D, Bharti A, Yamamoto M, Adeebge D, Zhao Q, Bronson R, Jiang S, Li L, Suzuki Y, Tagde A, Ghoroghchian PP, Wong KK, Kharbanda S, Kufe D. Targeting the human MUC1-C oncoprotein with an antibody-drug conjugate. JCI Insight 2018; 3:99880. [PMID: 29925694 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.99880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a heterodimeric protein that is aberrantly overexpressed on the surface of diverse human carcinomas and is an attractive target for the development of mAb-based therapeutics. However, attempts at targeting the shed MUC1 N-terminal subunit have been unsuccessful. We report here the generation of mAb 3D1 against the nonshed oncogenic MUC1 C-terminal (MUC1-C) subunit. We show that mAb 3D1 binds with low nM affinity to the MUC1-C extracellular domain at the restricted α3 helix. mAb 3D1 reactivity is selective for MUC1-C-expressing human cancer cell lines and primary cancer cells. Internalization of mAb 3D1 into cancer cells further supported the conjugation of mAb 3D1 to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE). The mAb 3D1-MMAE antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) (a) kills MUC1-C-positive cells in vitro, (b) is nontoxic in MUC1-transgenic (MUC1.Tg) mice, and (c) is active against human HCC827 lung tumor xenografts. Humanized mAb (humAb) 3D1 conjugated to MMAE also exhibited antitumor activity in (a) MUC1.Tg mice harboring syngeneic MC-38/MUC1 tumors, (b) nude mice bearing human ZR-75-1 breast tumors, and (c) NCG mice engrafted with a patient-derived triple-negative breast cancer. These findings and the absence of associated toxicities support clinical development of humAb 3D1-MMAE ADCs as a therapeutic for the many cancers with MUC1-C overexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Ajit Bharti
- Departments of Medicine and Pathology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Masaaki Yamamoto
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dennis Adeebge
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Qing Zhao
- Departments of Medicine and Pathology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Roderick Bronson
- Division of Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shirley Jiang
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Linjing Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yozo Suzuki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ashujit Tagde
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - P Peter Ghoroghchian
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Surender Kharbanda
- Genus Oncology, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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25
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Stroopinsky D, Rajabi H, Nahas M, Rosenblatt J, Rahimian M, Pyzer A, Tagde A, Kharbanda A, Jain S, Kufe T, Leaf RK, Anastasiadou E, Bar-Natan M, Orr S, Coll MD, Palmer K, Ephraim A, Cole L, Washington A, Kufe D, Avigan D. MUC1-C drives myeloid leukaemogenesis and resistance to treatment by a survivin-mediated mechanism. J Cell Mol Med 2018; 22:3887-3898. [PMID: 29761849 PMCID: PMC6050463 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive haematological malignancy with an unmet need for improved therapies. Responses to standard cytotoxic therapy in AML are often transient because of the emergence of chemotherapy‐resistant disease. The MUC1‐C oncoprotein governs critical pathways of tumorigenesis, including self‐renewal and survival, and is aberrantly expressed in AML blasts and leukaemia stem cells (LSCs). However, a role for MUC1‐C in linking leukaemogenesis and resistance to treatment has not been described. In this study, we demonstrate that MUC1‐C overexpression is associated with increased leukaemia initiating capacity in an NSG mouse model. In concert with those results, MUC1‐C silencing in multiple AML cell lines significantly reduced the establishment of AML in vivo. In addition, targeting MUC1‐C with silencing or pharmacologic inhibition with GO‐203 led to a decrease in active β‐catenin levels and, in‐turn, down‐regulation of survivin, a critical mediator of leukaemia cell survival. Targeting MUC1‐C was also associated with increased sensitivity of AML cells to Cytarabine (Ara‐C) treatment by a survivin‐dependent mechanism. Notably, low MUC1 and survivin gene expression were associated with better clinical outcomes in patients with AML. These findings emphasize the importance of MUC1‐C to myeloid leukaemogenesis and resistance to treatment by driving survivin expression. Our findings also highlight the potential translational relevance of combining GO‐203 with Ara‐C for the treatment of patients with AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Stroopinsky
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Harvard Medical School, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Myrna Nahas
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jacalyn Rosenblatt
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maryam Rahimian
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Athalia Pyzer
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ashujit Tagde
- Harvard Medical School, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Akriti Kharbanda
- Harvard Medical School, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Salvia Jain
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Turner Kufe
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca K Leaf
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eleni Anastasiadou
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michal Bar-Natan
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shira Orr
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maxwell D Coll
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristen Palmer
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adam Ephraim
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leandra Cole
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Abigail Washington
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Harvard Medical School, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Avigan
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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26
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Hiraki M, Maeda T, Mehrotra N, Jin C, Alam M, Bouillez A, Hata T, Tagde A, Keating A, Kharbanda S, Singh H, Kufe D. Targeting MUC1-C suppresses BCL2A1 in triple-negative breast cancer. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2018; 3:13. [PMID: 29760958 PMCID: PMC5948210 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-018-0013-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
B-cell lymphoma 2-related protein A1 (BCL2A1) is a member of the BCL-2 family of anti-apoptotic proteins that confers resistance to treatment with anti-cancer drugs; however, there are presently no agents that target BCL2A1. The MUC1-C oncoprotein is aberrantly expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, induces the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotes anti-cancer drug resistance. The present study demonstrates that targeting MUC1-C genetically and pharmacologically in TNBC cells results in the downregulation of BCL2A1 expression. The results show that MUC1-C activates the BCL2A1 gene by an NF-κB p65-mediated mechanism, linking this pathway with the induction of EMT. The MCL-1 anti-apoptotic protein is also of importance for the survival of TNBC cells and is an attractive target for drug development. We found that inhibiting MCL-1 with the highly specific MS1 peptide results in the activation of the MUC1-C→NF-κB→BCL2A1 pathway. In addition, selection of TNBC cells for resistance to ABT-737, which inhibits BCL-2, BCL-xL and BCL-W but not MCL-1 or BCL2A1, is associated with the upregulation of MUC1-C and BCL2A1 expression. Targeting MUC1-C in ABT-737-resistant TNBC cells suppresses BCL2A1 and induces death, which is of potential therapeutic importance. These findings indicate that MUC1-C is a target for the treatment of TNBCs unresponsive to agents that inhibit anti-apoptotic members of the BCL-2 family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Hiraki
- 1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA.,4Present Address: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan
| | - Takahiro Maeda
- 1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Neha Mehrotra
- 2Center for Biomedical, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India
| | - Caining Jin
- 1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Maroof Alam
- 1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Audrey Bouillez
- 1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Tsuyoshi Hata
- 1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Ashujit Tagde
- 1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Amy Keating
- 3Departments of Biology and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | | | - Harpal Singh
- 2Center for Biomedical, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India
| | - Donald Kufe
- 1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
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27
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Rajabi H, Hiraki M, Kufe D. MUC1-C activates polycomb repressive complexes and downregulates tumor suppressor genes in human cancer cells. Oncogene 2018; 37:2079-2088. [PMID: 29379165 PMCID: PMC5908737 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-017-0096-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The PRC2 and PRC1 complexes are aberrantly expressed in human cancers and have been linked to decreases in patient survival. MUC1-C is an oncoprotein that is also overexpressed in diverse human cancers and is associated with a poor prognosis. Recent studies have supported a previously unreported function for MUC1-C in activating PRC2 and PRC1 in cancer cells. In the regulation of PRC2, MUC1-C (i) drives transcription of the EZH2 gene, (ii) binds directly to EZH2, and (iii) enhances occupancy of EZH2 on target gene promoters with an increase in H3K27 trimethylation. Regarding PRC1, which is recruited to PRC2 sites in the hierarchical model, MUC1-C induces BMI1 transcription, forms a complex with BMI1, and promotes H2A ubiquitylation. MUC1-C thereby contributes to the integration of PRC2 and PRC1-mediated repression of tumor suppressor genes, such as CDH1, CDKN2A, PTEN and BRCA1. Like PRC2 and PRC1, MUC1-C is associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program, cancer stem cell (CSC) state, and acquisition of anticancer drug resistance. In concert with these observations, targeting MUC1-C downregulates EZH2 and BMI1, inhibits EMT and the CSC state, and reverses drug resistance. These findings emphasize the significance of MUC1-C as a therapeutic target for inhibiting aberrant PRC function and reprogramming the epigenome in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Masayuki Hiraki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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28
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Tagde A, Rajabi H, Stroopinsky D, Gali R, Alam M, Bouillez A, Kharbanda S, Stone R, Avigan D, Kufe D. MUC1-C induces DNA methyltransferase 1 and represses tumor suppressor genes in acute myeloid leukemia. Oncotarget 2018; 7:38974-38987. [PMID: 27259275 PMCID: PMC5129907 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant DNA methylation is a hallmark of acute myeloid leukemia (AML); however, the regulation of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), which is responsible for maintenance of DNA methylation patterns, has largely remained elusive. MUC1-C is a transmembrane oncoprotein that is aberrantly expressed in AML stem-like cells. The present studies demonstrate that targeting MUC1-C with silencing or a pharmacologic inhibitor GO-203 suppresses DNMT1 expression. In addition, MUC1 expression positively correlates with that of DNMT1 in primary AML cells, particularly the CD34+/CD38- population. The mechanistic basis for this relationship is supported by the demonstration that MUC1-C activates the NF-κB p65 pathway, promotes occupancy of the MUC1-C/NF-κB complex on the DNMT1 promoter and drives DNMT1 transcription. We also show that targeting MUC1-C substantially reduces gene promoter-specific DNA methylation, and derepresses expression of tumor suppressor genes, including CDH1, PTEN and BRCA1. In support of these results, we demonstrate that combining GO-203 with the DNMT1 inhibitor decitabine is highly effective in reducing DNMT1 levels and decreasing AML cell survival. These findings indicate that (i) MUC1-C is an attractive target for the epigentic reprogramming of AML cells, and (ii) targeting MUC1-C in combination with decitabine is a potentially effective clinical approach for the treatment of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashujit Tagde
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dina Stroopinsky
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Reddy Gali
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maroof Alam
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Audrey Bouillez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Surender Kharbanda
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard Stone
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Avigan
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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29
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Maeda T, Hiraki M, Jin C, Rajabi H, Tagde A, Alam M, Bouillez A, Hu X, Suzuki Y, Miyo M, Hata T, Hinohara K, Kufe D. MUC1-C Induces PD-L1 and Immune Evasion in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancer Res 2018; 78:205-215. [PMID: 29263152 PMCID: PMC5754244 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-1636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The immune checkpoint ligand PD-L1 and the transmembrane mucin MUC1 are upregulated in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), where they contribute to its aggressive pathogenesis. Here, we report that genetic or pharmacological targeting of the oncogenic MUC1 subunit MUC1-C is sufficient to suppress PD-L1 expression in TNBC cells. Mechanistic investigations showed that MUC1-C acted to elevate PD-L1 transcription by recruitment of MYC and NF-κB p65 to the PD-L1 promoter. In an immunocompetent model of TNBC in which Eo771/MUC1-C cells were engrafted into MUC1 transgenic mice, we showed that targeting MUC1-C associated with PD-L1 suppression, increases in tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and tumor cell killing. MUC1 expression in TNBCs also correlated inversely with CD8, CD69, and GZMB, and downregulation of these markers associated with decreased survival. Taken together, our findings show how MUC1 contributes to immune escape in TNBC, and they offer a rationale to target MUC1-C as a novel immunotherapeutic approach for TNBC treatment.Significance: These findings show how upregulation of the transmembrane mucin MUC1 contributes to immune escape in an aggressive form of breast cancer, with potential implications for a novel immunotherapeutic approach. Cancer Res; 78(1); 205-15. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Maeda
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masayuki Hiraki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ashujit Tagde
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Maroof Alam
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Audrey Bouillez
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xiufeng Hu
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yozo Suzuki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masaaki Miyo
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tsuyoshi Hata
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kunihiko Hinohara
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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30
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Functional interactions of the cystine/glutamate antiporter, CD44v and MUC1-C oncoprotein in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Oncotarget 2017; 7:11756-69. [PMID: 26930718 PMCID: PMC4914246 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The xCT light chain of the cystine/glutamate transporter (system XC−) is of importance for the survival of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. The MUC1-C transmembrane oncoprotein is aberrantly overexpressed in TNBC and, like xCT, has been linked to maintaining glutathione (GSH) levels and redox balance. However, there is no known interaction between MUC1-C and xCT. Here we show that silencing MUC1-C is associated with decreases in xCT expression in TNBC cells. The results demonstrate that MUC1-C forms a complex with xCT and the CD44 variant (CD44v), which interacts with xCT and thereby controls GSH levels. MUC1-C binds directly with CD44v and in turn promotes stability of xCT in the cell membrane. The interaction between MUC1-C and xCT is further supported by the demonstration that targeting xCT with silencing or the inhibitor sulfasalazine suppresses MUC1 gene transcription by increasing histone and DNA methylation on the MUC1 promoter. In terms of the functional significance of the MUC1-C/xCT interaction, we show that MUC1-C protects against treatment with erastin, an inhibitor of XC− and inducer of ferroptosis, a form of non-apoptotic cell death. These findings indicate that targeting this novel MUC1-C/xCT pathway could represent a potential therapeutic approach for promoting TNBC cell death.
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31
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Tagde A, Markert T, Rajabi H, Hiraki M, Alam M, Bouillez A, Avigan D, Anderson K, Kufe D. Targeting MUC1-C suppresses polycomb repressive complex 1 in multiple myeloma. Oncotarget 2017; 8:69237-69249. [PMID: 29050200 PMCID: PMC5642475 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.20144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) includes the BMI1, RING1 and RING2 proteins. BMI1 is required for survival of multiple myeloma (MM) cells. The MUC1-C oncoprotein is aberrantly expressed by MM cells, activates MYC and is also necessary for MM cell survival. The present studies show that targeting MUC1-C with (i) stable and inducible silencing and CRISPR/Cas9 editing and (ii) the pharmacologic inhibitor GO-203, which blocks MUC1-C function, downregulates BMI1, RING1 and RING2 expression. The results demonstrate that MUC1-C drives BMI1 transcription by a MYC-dependent mechanism. MUC1-C thus promotes MYC occupancy on the BMI1 promoter and thereby activates BMI1 expression. We also show that the MUC1-C→MYC pathway induces RING2 expression. Moreover, in contrast to BMI1 and RING2, we found that MUC1-C drives RING1 by an NF-κB p65-dependent mechanism. Targeting MUC1-C and thereby the suppression of these key PRC1 proteins was associated with downregulation of the PRC1 E3 ligase activity as evidenced by decreases in ubiquitylation of histone H2A. Targeting MUC1-C also resulted in activation of the PRC1-repressed tumor suppressor genes, PTEN, CDNK2A and BIM. These findings identify a heretofore unrecognized role for MUC1-C in the epigenetic regulation of MM cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashujit Tagde
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tahireh Markert
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Masayuki Hiraki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maroof Alam
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Audrey Bouillez
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Avigan
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth Anderson
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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32
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Rajabi H, Hiraki M, Tagde A, Alam M, Bouillez A, Christensen CL, Samur M, Wong KK, Kufe D. MUC1-C activates EZH2 expression and function in human cancer cells. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7481. [PMID: 28785086 PMCID: PMC5547076 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07850-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The EZH2 histone methyltransferase is a member of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) that is highly expressed in diverse human cancers and is associated with a poor prognosis. MUC1-C is an oncoprotein that is similarly overexpressed in carcinomas and has been linked to epigenetic regulation. A role for MUC1-C in regulating EZH2 and histone methylation is not known. Here, we demonstrate that targeting MUC1-C in diverse human carcinoma cells downregulates EZH2 and other PRC2 components. MUC1-C activates (i) the EZH2 promoter through induction of the pRB→E2F pathway, and (ii) an NF-κB p65 driven enhancer in exon 1. We also show that MUC1-C binds directly to the EZH2 CXC region adjacent to the catalytic SET domain and associates with EZH2 on the CDH1 and BRCA1 promoters. In concert with these results, targeting MUC1-C downregulates EZH2 function as evidenced by (i) global and promoter-specific decreases in H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), and (ii) activation of tumor suppressor genes, including BRCA1. These findings highlight a previously unreported role for MUC1-C in activating EZH2 expression and function in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Masayuki Hiraki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Ashujit Tagde
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Maroof Alam
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Audrey Bouillez
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | | | - Mehmet Samur
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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33
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Yin L, Tagde A, Gali R, Tai YT, Hideshima T, Anderson K, Avigan D, Kufe D. MUC1-C is a target in lenalidomide resistant multiple myeloma. Br J Haematol 2017. [PMID: 28643330 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.14801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Lenalidomide (LEN) acts directly on multiple myeloma (MM) cells by inducing cereblon-mediated degradation of interferon regulatory factor 4, Ikaros (IKZF)1 and IKZF3, transcription factors that are essential for MM cell survival. The mucin 1 (MUC1) C-terminal transmembrane subunit (MUC1-C) oncoprotein is aberrantly expressed by MM cells and protects against reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated MM cell death. The present studies demonstrate that targeting MUC1-C with GO-203, a cell-penetrating peptide inhibitor of MUC1-C homodimerization, is more than additive with LEN in downregulating the WNT/β-catenin pathway, suppressing MYC, and inducing late apoptosis/necrosis. We show that the GO-203/LEN combination acts by synergistically increasing ROS and, in turn, suppressing β-catenin. LEN resistance has been linked to activation of the WNT/β-catenin→CD44 pathway. In this regard, our results further demonstrate that targeting MUC1-C is effective against LEN-resistant MM cells. Moreover, GO-203 resensitized LEN-resistant MM cells to LEN treatment in association with suppression of β-catenin and CD44. Targeting MUC1-C also resulted in downregulation of CD44 on the surface of primary MM cells. These findings, and the demonstration that expression of MUC1 and CD44 significantly correlate in microarrays from primary MM cells, provide support for combining GO-203 with LEN in the treatment of MM and in LEN-resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ashujit Tagde
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Reddy Gali
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yu-Tzu Tai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Teru Hideshima
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth Anderson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Avigan
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
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34
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Rajabi H, Kufe D. MUC1-C Oncoprotein Integrates a Program of EMT, Epigenetic Reprogramming and Immune Evasion in Human Carcinomas. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2017; 1868:117-122. [PMID: 28302417 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2017.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The MUC1 gene evolved in mammalian species to provide protection of epithelia. The transmembrane MUC1 C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) signals stress to the interior of the epithelial cell and, when overexpressed as in most carcinomas, functions as an oncoprotein. MUC1-C induces the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by activating the inflammatory NF-κB p65 pathway and, in turn, the EMT-transcriptional repressor ZEB1. Emerging evidence has indicated that MUC1-C drives a program integrating the induction of EMT with activation of stem cell traits, epigenetic reprogramming and immune evasion. This mini-review focuses on the potential importance of this MUC1-C program in cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
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35
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Bouillez A, Rajabi H, Jin C, Samur M, Tagde A, Alam M, Hiraki M, Maeda T, Hu X, Adeegbe D, Kharbanda S, Wong KK, Kufe D. MUC1-C integrates PD-L1 induction with repression of immune effectors in non-small-cell lung cancer. Oncogene 2017; 36:4037-4046. [PMID: 28288138 PMCID: PMC5509481 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapeutic approaches, particularly PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, have improved the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), supporting the premise that evasion of immune destruction is of importance for NSCLC progression. However, the signals responsible for upregulation of PD-L1 in NSCLC cells and whether they are integrated with the regulation of other immune-related genes are not known. Mucin 1 (MUC1) is aberrantly overexpressed in NSCLC, activates the NF-κB p65→ZEB1 pathway and confers a poor prognosis. The present studies demonstrate that MUC1-C activates PD-L1 expression in NSCLC cells. We show that MUC1-C increases NF-κB p65 occupancy on the CD274/PD-L1 promoter and thereby drives CD274 transcription. Moreover, we demonstrate that MUC1-C-induced activation of NF-κB→ZEB1 signaling represses the TLR9, IFNG, MCP-1 and GM-CSF genes, and that this signature is associated with decreases in overall survival. In concert with these results, targeting MUC1-C in NSCLC tumors suppresses PD-L1 and induces these effectors of innate and adaptive immunity. These findings support a previously unrecognized central role for MUC1-C in integrating PD-L1 activation with suppression of immune effectors and poor clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bouillez
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - H Rajabi
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - C Jin
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Samur
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A Tagde
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Alam
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Hiraki
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - T Maeda
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - X Hu
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - D Adeegbe
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S Kharbanda
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - K-K Wong
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - D Kufe
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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36
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MUC1-mediated induction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Blood 2017; 129:1791-1801. [PMID: 28126925 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2016-07-730614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a critical role in promoting immune tolerance and disease growth. The mechanism by which tumor cells evoke the expansion of MDSCs in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has not been well described. We have demonstrated that patients with AML exhibit increased presence of MDSCs in their peripheral blood, in comparison with normal controls. Cytogenetic studies demonstrated that MDSCs in patients with AML may be derived from leukemic or apparently normal progenitors. Engraftment of C57BL/6 mice with TIB-49 AML led to an expansion of CD11b+ Gr1+ MDSCs in bone marrow and spleen. Coculture of the AML cell lines MOLM-4, THP-1 or primary AML cells with donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells elicited a cell contact-dependent expansion of MDSCs. MDSCs were suppressive of autologous T-cell responses as evidenced by reduced T-cell proliferation and a switch from a Th1 to a Th2 phenotype. We hypothesized that the expansion of MDSCs in AML is accomplished by tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). Using tracking studies, we demonstrated that AML EVs are taken-up myeloid progenitor cells, resulting in the selective proliferation of MDSCs in comparison with functionally competent antigen-presenting cells. The MUC1 oncoprotein was subsequently identified as the critical driver of EV-mediated MDSC expansion. MUC1 induces increased expression of c-myc in EVs that induces proliferation in the target MDSC population via downstream effects on cell cycle proteins. Moreover, we demonstrate that the microRNA miR34a acts as the regulatory mechanism by which MUC1 drives c-myc expression in AML cells and EVs.
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37
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Wong N, Major P, Kapoor A, Wei F, Yan J, Aziz T, Zheng M, Jayasekera D, Cutz JC, Chow MJ, Tang D. Amplification of MUC1 in prostate cancer metastasis and CRPC development. Oncotarget 2016; 7:83115-83133. [PMID: 27825118 PMCID: PMC5347757 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence supports the upregulation of MUC1 in prostate cancer (PC). However, this has not been thoroughly investigated. We report here an association of MUC1 upregulation with PC metastasis and the development of castration resistant PC (CRPC). MUC1 expression was specifically increased in DU145 cell-derived PC stem-like cells (PCSLCs) in comparison to their non-PCSLCs counterparts. While immunohistochemistry staining of 34 primary PCs revealed variability in MUC1 expression, Nanostring technology demonstrated elevated MUC1 mRNA levels in 4 of 7 PCs compared to their normal matched tissues. By analyzing MUC1 mRNA levels and gene copy number (GCN) using the OncomineTM database, elevations in MUC1 mRNA in 82 metastases versus 280 primary PCs and in MUC1 GCN in 37 metastases over 181 primary tumors were demonstrated. Analysis of genomic datasets within cBioPortal revealed increases in MUC1 GCN in 2% (6/333) of primary PCs, 6% (9/150) of metastatic PCs, and 33% (27/82) of CRPCs; in comparison, the respective increase in androgen receptor (AR) GCN was 1%, 63%, and 56%, revealing a specific increase in MUC1 GCN for CRPC. Furthermore, a 25-gene MUC1 network was amplified in 52% of CRPCs compared to 69% of CRPCs displaying increases in an AR co-regulator group. While genomic alterations in the MUC1 network largely overlap with those in the AR group, 18 CRPCs (66.7% being neuroendocrine PC) showed genomic alterations only in the MUC1 network. Moreover, genomic alterations in the MUC1 network correlated with PC relapse. Collectively, our observations suggest a combination therapy involving MUC1-based immunotherapy and androgen deprivation.
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MESH Headings
- Adenocarcinoma/genetics
- Adenocarcinoma/metabolism
- Adenocarcinoma/secondary
- Adenocarcinoma/therapy
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology
- Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics
- Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Movement/drug effects
- Computational Biology
- Databases, Genetic
- Disease Progression
- Disease-Free Survival
- Docetaxel
- Gene Amplification
- Gene Dosage
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Gene Regulatory Networks
- Humans
- Male
- Mice, Inbred NOD
- Mice, SCID
- Middle Aged
- Mucin-1/genetics
- Mucin-1/metabolism
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/drug effects
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism
- Neoplastic Stem Cells/pathology
- Neuroendocrine Tumors/genetics
- Neuroendocrine Tumors/metabolism
- Neuroendocrine Tumors/secondary
- Neuroendocrine Tumors/therapy
- Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics
- Prostatic Neoplasms/metabolism
- Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology
- Prostatic Neoplasms/therapy
- Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/genetics
- Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/metabolism
- Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/pathology
- Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant/therapy
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Receptors, Androgen/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Survival Analysis
- Taxoids/pharmacology
- Time Factors
- Up-Regulation
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Wong
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Father Sean O'sullivan Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pierre Major
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anil Kapoor
- Father Sean O'sullivan Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fengxiang Wei
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Father Sean O'sullivan Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- The Genetics Laboratory, Longgang District Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Longgang District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Judy Yan
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Father Sean O'sullivan Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tariq Aziz
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mingxing Zheng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shenzhen 2nd People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Dulitha Jayasekera
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Father Sean O'sullivan Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jean-Claude Cutz
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mathilda Jing Chow
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Father Sean O'sullivan Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Damu Tang
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Father Sean O'sullivan Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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38
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Hiraki M, Maeda T, Bouillez A, Alam M, Tagde A, Hinohara K, Suzuki Y, Markert T, Miyo M, Komura K, Ahmad R, Rajabi H, Kufe D. MUC1-C activates BMI1 in human cancer cells. Oncogene 2016; 36:2791-2801. [PMID: 27893710 PMCID: PMC5436937 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Revised: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BMI1 is a component of the PRC1 complex that is overexpressed in breast and other cancers, and promotes self-renewal of cancer stem-like cells. The oncogenic mucin 1 (MUC1) C-terminal (MUC1-C) subunit is similarly overexpressed in human carcinoma cells and has been linked to their self-renewal. There is no known relationship between MUC1-C and BMI1 in cancer. The present studies demonstrate that MUC1-C drives BMI1 transcription by a MYC-dependent mechanism in breast and other cancer cells. In addition, we show that MUC1-C blocks miR-200c-mediated downregulation of BMI1 expression. The functional significance of this MUC1-C→BMI1 pathway is supported by the demonstration that targeting MUC1-C suppresses BMI1-induced ubiquitylation of H2A and thereby derepresses homeobox HOXC5 and HOXC13 gene expression. Notably, our results further show that MUC1-C binds directly to BMI1 and promotes occupancy of BMI1 on the CDKN2A promoter. In concert with BMI1-induced repression of the p16INK4a tumor suppressor, we found that targeting MUC1-C is associated with induction of p16INK4a expression. In support of these results, analysis of three gene expresssion datasets demonstrated highly significant correlations between MUC1-C and BMI1 in breast cancers. These findings uncover a previously unrecognized role for MUC1-C in driving BMI1 expression and in directly interacting with this stem cell factor, linking MUC1-C with function of the PRC1 in epigenetic gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hiraki
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - T Maeda
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A Bouillez
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Alam
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A Tagde
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - K Hinohara
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Y Suzuki
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - T Markert
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Miyo
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - K Komura
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R Ahmad
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - H Rajabi
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - D Kufe
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Alam M, Bouillez A, Tagde A, Ahmad R, Rajabi H, Maeda T, Hiraki M, Suzuki Y, Kufe D. MUC1-C Represses the Crumbs Complex Polarity Factor CRB3 and Downregulates the Hippo Pathway. Mol Cancer Res 2016; 14:1266-1276. [PMID: 27658423 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-16-0233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Apical-basal polarity and epithelial integrity are maintained in part by the Crumbs (CRB) complex. The C--terminal subunit of MUC1 (MUC1-C) is a transmembrane protein that is expressed at the apical border of normal epithelial cells and aberrantly at high levels over the entire surface of their transformed counterparts. However, it is not known whether MUC1-C contributes to this loss of polarity that is characteristic of carcinoma cells. Here it is demonstrated that MUC1-C downregulates expression of the Crumbs complex CRB3 protein in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. MUC1-C associates with ZEB1 on the CRB3 promoter and represses CRB3 transcription. Notably, CRB3 activates the core kinase cassette of the Hippo pathway, which includes LATS1 and LATS2. In this context, targeting MUC1-C was associated with increased phosphorylation of LATS1, consistent with activation of the Hippo pathway, which is critical for regulating cell contact, tissue repair, proliferation, and apoptosis. Also shown is that MUC1-C--mediated suppression of CRB3 and the Hippo pathway is associated with dephosphorylation and activation of the oncogenic YAP protein. In turn, MUC1-C interacts with YAP, promotes formation of YAP/β-catenin complexes, and induces the WNT target gene MYC. These data support a previously unrecognized pathway in which targeting MUC1-C in TNBC cells (i) induces CRB3 expression, (ii) activates the CRB3-driven Hippo pathway, (iii) inactivates YAP, and thereby (iv) suppresses YAP/β-catenin-mediated induction of MYC expression. IMPLICATIONS These findings demonstrate a previously unrecognized role for the MUC1-C oncoprotein in the regulation of polarity and the Hippo pathway in breast cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 14(12); 1266-76. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maroof Alam
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Audrey Bouillez
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ashujit Tagde
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rehan Ahmad
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Takahiro Maeda
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Masayuki Hiraki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yozo Suzuki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Moore LJ, Roy LD, Zhou R, Grover P, Wu ST, Curry JM, Dillon LM, Puri PM, Yazdanifar M, Puri R, Mukherjee P, Dréau D. Antibody-Guided In Vivo Imaging for Early Detection of Mammary Gland Tumors. Transl Oncol 2016; 9:295-305. [PMID: 27567952 PMCID: PMC5006816 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2016.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Earlier detection of transformed cells using target-specific imaging techniques holds great promise. We have developed TAB 004, a monoclonal antibody highly specific to a protein sequence accessible in the tumor form of MUC1 (tMUC1). We present data assessing both the specificity and sensitivity of TAB 004 in vitro and in genetically engineered mice in vivo. METHODS: Polyoma Middle T Antigen mice were crossed to the human MUC1.Tg mice to generate MMT mice. In MMT mice, mammary gland hyperplasia is observed between 6 and 10 weeks of age that progresses to ductal carcinoma in situ by 12 to 14 weeks and adenocarcinoma by 18 to 24 weeks. Approximately 40% of these mice develop metastasis to the lung and other organs with a tumor evolution that closely mimics human breast cancer progression. Tumor progression was monitored in MMT mice (from ages 8 to 22 weeks) by in vivo imaging following retro-orbital injections of the TAB 004 conjugated to indocyanine green (TAB-ICG). At euthanasia, mammary gland tumors and normal epithelial tissues were collected for further analyses. RESULTS: In vivo imaging following TAB-ICG injection permitted significantly earlier detection of tumors compared with physical examination. Furthermore, TAB-ICG administration in MMT mice enabled the detection of lung metastases while sparing recognition of normal epithelia. CONCLUSIONS: The data highlight the specificity and the sensitivity of the TAB 004 antibody in differentiating normal versus tumor form of MUC1 and its utility as a targeted imaging agent for early detection, tumor monitoring response, as well as potential clinical use for targeted drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Jeffords Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
| | - Lopamudra Das Roy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA; OncoTAb, Inc., 243 Bioinformatics, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Ru Zhou
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
| | - Priyanka Grover
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
| | - Shu-Ta Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
| | - Jennifer M Curry
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
| | - Lloye M Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA; OncoTAb, Inc., 243 Bioinformatics, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Priya M Puri
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
| | - Mahboubeh Yazdanifar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA
| | - Rahul Puri
- OncoTAb, Inc., 243 Bioinformatics, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Pinku Mukherjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA; OncoTAb, Inc., 243 Bioinformatics, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Didier Dréau
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223 USA.
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Xu M, Wang DC, Wang X, Zhang Y. Correlation between mucin biology and tumor heterogeneity in lung cancer. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 64:73-78. [PMID: 27569189 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Mucins (MUC) are a family consisting of large O-glycoproteins whose primary functions are to protect and lubricate cell epithelial surfaces and contribute to intra- and inter-cellular signal pathways, cell proliferation, growth and apotosis. With the development of new technologies, MUCs begin to be identified as an effective marker in evaluating the tumor heterogeneity in lung cancer. MUCs' diverse expressions in subtypes of lung cancer indicate the inter-tumor heterogeneity. MUCs' mutation may also contribute to the development of intra-heterogeneity and evolution of lung cancer. Understanding MUCs' association with lung cancer heterogeneity and its molecular regulatory mechanism will benefit the development of diagnosis, therapy choice, and prognosis prediction of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menglin Xu
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Clinical Bioinformatics, Biomedical Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Diane C Wang
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Clinical Bioinformatics, Biomedical Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangdong Wang
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Clinical Bioinformatics, Biomedical Research Center, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yong Zhang
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Clinical Bioinformatics, Biomedical Research Center, Shanghai, China.
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Abstract
Mucin1 (MUC1) is a transmembrane oncogenic protein that plays a central role in malignant transformation and disease evolution, including cell proliferation, survival, self-renewal, and metastatic invasion. MUC1 has been shown to interact with diverse effectors such as β-catenin, receptor tyrosine kinases, and c-Abl, which are of importance in the pathogenesis of various hematological malignancies. In myeloid leukemia, MUC1 has been shown to have an essential role in leukemia stem-cell function, the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the promotion of terminal myeloid differentiation. As such, MUC1 is an attractive therapeutic target in hematologic malignancies. Targeting MUC1 has been shown to be an effective approach for inducing cell death in tumor in in vivo and in vitro models. Furthermore, MUC1 inhibition is synergistic with other therapeutic agents in the treatment of hematologic disorders. This review will explore the role of MUC1 in hematological malignancies, and strategies for targeting this oncoprotein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Stroopinsky
- a Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- b Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
| | - David Avigan
- a Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
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Hiraki M, Suzuki Y, Alam M, Hinohara K, Hasegawa M, Jin C, Kharbanda S, Kufe D. MUC1-C Stabilizes MCL-1 in the Oxidative Stress Response of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells to BCL-2 Inhibitors. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26643. [PMID: 27217294 PMCID: PMC4877578 DOI: 10.1038/srep26643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant expression of myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) is a major cause of drug resistance in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a heterodimeric oncoprotein that is aberrantly overexpressed in most TNBC. The present studies show that targeting the oncogenic MUC1 C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) in TNBC cells with silencing or pharmacologic inhibition with GO-203 is associated with downregulation of MCL-1 levels. Targeting MUC1-C suppresses the MEK → ERK and PI3K → AKT pathways, and in turn destabilizes MCL-1. The small molecules ABT-737 and ABT-263 target BCL-2, BCL-XL and BCL-w, but not MCL-1. We show that treatment with ABT-737 increases reactive oxygen species and thereby MUC1-C expression. In this way, MUC1-C is upregulated in TNBC cells resistant to ABT-737 or ABT-263. We also demonstrate that MUC1-C is necessary for the resistance-associated increases in MCL-1 levels. Significantly, combining GO-203 with ABT-737 is synergistic in inhibiting survival of parental and drug resistant TNBC cells. These findings indicate that targeting MUC1-C is a potential strategy for reversing MCL-1-mediated resistance in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Hiraki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yozo Suzuki
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Maroof Alam
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kunihiko Hinohara
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Masanori Hasegawa
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Surender Kharbanda
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02215, USA
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44
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MUC1 is upregulated in advanced prostate cancer and is an independent prognostic factor. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2016; 19:242-7. [DOI: 10.1038/pcan.2016.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 12/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Bouillez A, Rajabi H, Pitroda S, Jin C, Alam M, Kharbanda A, Tagde A, Wong KK, Kufe D. Inhibition of MUC1-C Suppresses MYC Expression and Attenuates Malignant Growth in KRAS Mutant Lung Adenocarcinomas. Cancer Res 2016; 76:1538-48. [PMID: 26833129 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-1804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of MYC expression is a hallmark of cancer, but the development of agents that target MYC has remained challenging. The oncogenic MUC1-C transmembrane protein is, like MYC, aberrantly expressed in diverse human cancers. The present studies demonstrate that MUC1-C induces MYC expression in KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, an effect that can be suppressed by targeting MUC1-C via shRNA silencing, CRISPR editing, or pharmacologic inhibition with GO-203. MUC1-C activated the WNT/β-catenin (CTNNB1) pathway and promoted occupancy of MUC1-C/β-catenin/TCF4 complexes on the MYC promoter. MUC1-C also promoted the recruitment of the p300 histone acetylase (EP300) and, in turn, induced histone H3 acetylation and activation of MYC gene transcription. We also show that targeting MUC1-C decreased the expression of key MYC target genes essential for the growth and survival of NSCLC cells, such as TERT and CDK4. Based on these results, we found that the combination of GO-203 and the BET bromodomain inhibitor JQ1, which targets MYC transcription, synergistically suppressed MYC expression and cell survival in vitro as well as tumor xenograft growth. Furthermore, MUC1 expression significantly correlated with that of MYC and its target genes in human KRAS mutant NSCLC tumors. Taken together, these findings suggest a therapeutic approach for targeting MYC-dependent cancers and provide the framework for the ongoing clinical studies addressing the efficacy of MUC1-C inhibition in solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Bouillez
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hasan Rajabi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sean Pitroda
- Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Caining Jin
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Maroof Alam
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Akriti Kharbanda
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ashujit Tagde
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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