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Davis D, Wizel A, Drier Y. Accurate estimation of pathway activity in single cells for clustering and differential analysis. Genome Res 2024; 34:925-936. [PMID: 38981682 PMCID: PMC11293543 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278431.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Inferring which and how biological pathways and gene sets change is a key question in many studies that utilize single-cell RNA sequencing. Typically, these questions are addressed by quantifying the enrichment of known gene sets in lists of genes derived from global analysis. Here we offer SiPSiC, a new method to infer pathway activity in every single cell. This allows more sensitive differential analysis and utilization of pathway scores to cluster cells and compute UMAP or other similar projections. We apply our method to COVID-19, lung adenocarcinoma and glioma data sets, and demonstrate its utility. SiPSiC analysis results are consistent with findings reported in previous studies in many cases, but SiPSiC also reveals the differential activity of novel pathways, enabling us to suggest new mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of these diseases and demonstrating SiPSiC's high accuracy and sensitivity in detecting biological function and traits. In addition, we demonstrate how it can be used to better classify cells based on activity of biological pathways instead of single genes and its ability to overcome patient-specific artifacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Davis
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, IMRIC, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Avishai Wizel
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, IMRIC, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Yotam Drier
- The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, IMRIC, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
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2
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Kahkesh S, Khoshnazar SM, Gholinezhad Y, Esmailzadeh S, Hosseini SA, Alimohammadi M, Mafi A. The potential role of circular RNAs -regulated PI3K signaling in non-small cell lung cancer: Molecular insights and clinical perspective. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 257:155316. [PMID: 38692125 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), accounting for more than 80% of all cases, is the predominant form of lung cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Significant progress has been made in diagnostic techniques, surgical interventions, chemotherapy protocols, and targeted therapies at the molecular level, leading to enhanced treatment outcomes in patients with NSCLC. Extensive evidence supports the use of circular RNAs (circRNAs), a specific category of naturally occurring non-coding small RNAs (ncRNAs), for the diagnosis, monitoring of treatment efficacy, and assessment of survival in NSCLC. CircRNAs have been identified to play significant roles in various aspects of cancer formation, either as tumor suppressors or tumor promoters, contributing to cancer development through several signaling pathways, including the phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) pathway. This pathway is well-established because of its regulatory role in essential cellular processes. CircRNAs regulate the PI3K/AKT pathway by targeting diverse cellular elements. This review aims to provide insight into the involvement of several circRNAs linked to the PI3K/AKT pathway in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Kahkesh
- Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Seyedeh Mahdieh Khoshnazar
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Yasaman Gholinezhad
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shakiba Esmailzadeh
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Ali Hosseini
- Student Research Committee, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mina Alimohammadi
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Alireza Mafi
- Nutrition and Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
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3
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Jiang P, Jiang W, Li X, Zhu Q. Combination of Formononetin and Sulforaphane Natural Drug Repress the Proliferation of Cervical Cancer Cells via Impeding PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12010-024-04873-y. [PMID: 38401043 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-024-04873-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Natural substances have been demonstrated to be an unrivalled source of anticancer drugs in the present era of pharmacological development. Plant-based substances, together with their derivatives through analogues, play a significant character in the treatment of cancer by altering the tumor microenvironment and several signaling pathways. In this study, it was investigated whether the natural drugs, formononetin (FN) and sulforaphane (SFN), when combined, assess the efficacy of inhibiting cervical cancer cell proliferation by impeding the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in HeLa cells. The cells were treated with the combination of FN and SFN (FN + SFN) in various concentrations (0-50 µM) for 24 h and then analyzed for various experiments. The combination of FN + SFN-mediated cytotoxicity was analyzed by MTT assay. DCFH-DA staining was used to assess the ROS measurement, and apoptotic changes were studied by dual (AO/EtBr) staining assays. Protein expressions of cell survival, cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis protein were evaluated by flow cytometry and western blotting. Results showed that the cytotoxicity of FN and SFN was determined to be around 23.7 µM and 26.92 µM, respectively. Combining FN and SFN causes considerable cytotoxicity in HeLa cells, with an IC50 of 21.6 µM after 24-h incubation. Additionally, HeLa cells treated with FN and SFN together showed increased apoptotic signals and considerable ROS generation. Consequently, by preventing the production of PI3K, AKT, and mToR-mediated regulation of proliferation and cell cycle-regulating proteins, the combined use of FN + SFN has been regarded as a chemotherapeutic medication. Further research will need to be done shortly to determine how effectively the co-treatment promotes apoptosis to employ them economically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Jiang
- Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Yantai Mountain Hospital, Yantai, 264005, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Medical Department, Jinan Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Jinan, 250000, China
| | - Xiujin Li
- Delivery Room, Jinan Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Jinan, 250000, China
| | - Qiuling Zhu
- Delivery Room, Jinan Maternity and Child Care Hospital, Jinan, 250000, China.
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Shen J, Huang C, Cui L, Zhao Y, Zhu M, Chen Z, Wang M, Zhu W, Shen B. Chemotherapeutic Drugs Endow Gastric Cancer Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Stronger Tumor-Promoting Ability. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol 2024; 43:1-13. [PMID: 37824366 DOI: 10.1615/jenvironpatholtoxicoloncol.2023041847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most aggressive tumors and has a poor prognosis. It has been demonstrated that gastric cancer mesenchymal stem cells (GC-MSCs) can promote the progression, metastasis, and chemoresistance of GC through various mechanisms, but the effect of GC-MSCs on GC during chemotherapy is still unknown. In this study, flow cytometry, CCK8 assay, migration assay, colony formation assay, and western blot were conducted. We also analyzed GC patients from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA). Our results showed that GC-MSCs were resistant to 5-FU and Taxol at the IC50 concentration for GC cells, and 5-FU could promote the migration of GC-MSCs at low doses. Furthermore, the conditioned medium of GC-MSCs pretreated with chemotherapeutic drugs was more effective in promoting the proliferation, migration, and stemness of GC cell lines than the conditioned medium of GC-MSCs without chemotherapeutic drugs treatment. These effects were dependent on the activation of phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT) in GC cell lines. Correspondingly, the inhibition of p-AKT reversed the tumor-promoting effect of the conditioned medium of GC-MSCs pretreated with chemotherapeutic drugs. Additionally, the expression of AKT1 was higher in GC tissues than in both paracancerous tissues and normal tissues, and patients resistant to chemotherapy expressed more AKT1 compared to those who were sensitive. Taken together, our data demonstrated that GC-MSCs gained more tumor-promoting abilities during chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Shen
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Chao Huang
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Linjing Cui
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhao
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430030, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Wuhan 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan 430030, China; School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Miaolin Zhu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical, Jiangsu University, Nanjing 21000, China
| | - Zhihong Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu, Zhenjiang 212002, China
| | - Mei Wang
- Department of Oncology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 168 Changhai Road, Shanghai, People's Republic of China, 200433; School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Bo Shen
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical, Jiangsu University, Nanjing 21000, China
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Zha HL, Chen W, Shi W, Liao YY. Inhibition of Eukaryotic Initiating Factor eIF4E Overcomes Abemaciclib Resistance in Gastric Cancer. Curr Med Sci 2023; 43:927-934. [PMID: 37752406 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-023-2789-3] [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: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Aberrant activating mutations in cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) are common in various cancers, including gastroesophageal malignancies. Although CDK4/6 inhibitors, such as abemaciclib and palbociclib, have been approved for breast cancer treatment, their effectiveness as a monotherapy remains limited for gastroesophageal tumors. The present study explored the underlying mechanism of abemaciclib resistance. METHODS Abemaciclib-resistant gastric cancer cell lines were generated, and the phospho-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (p-eIF4E) and eIF4E expression was compared between resistant and parental cell lines. In order to analyze the role of eIF4E in cell resistance, siRNA knockdown was employed. The effectiveness of ribavirin alone and its combination with abemaciclib was evaluated in the gastric cancer xenograft mouse model. RESULTS The upregulation of eIF4E was a common feature in gastric cancer cells exposed to prolonged abemaciclib treatment. Gastric cancer cells with increased eIF4E levels exhibited a better response to eIF4E inhibition, especially those that were resistant to abemaciclib. Ribavirin, which is an approved anti-viral drug, significantly improved the efficacy of abemaciclib, both in vitro and in vivo, by inhibiting eIF4E. Importantly, ribavirin effectively suppressed the abemaciclib-resistant gastric cancer growth in mice without causing toxicity. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that targeting eIF4E can enhance the abemaciclib treatment for gastric cancer, proposing the potential combination therapy of CDK4/6 inhibitors with ribavirin for advanced gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huo-Long Zha
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Wei Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China.
| | - Ying-Ying Liao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China.
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Mao J, Shi X, Hua L, Yang M, Shen Y, Ruan Z, Li B, Xi X. Arsenic Inhibits Proliferation and Induces Autophagy of Tumor Cells in Pleural Effusion of Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Expressing EGFR with or without Mutations via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1721. [PMID: 37371816 PMCID: PMC10295848 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
To clarify whether arsenic could exert inhibitory effects on tumor cells in pleural effusions of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 36 NSCLC pleural effusion samples were collected from Changzheng Hospital and Ruijin Hospital, from 2019 to 2022. The genotype of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was identified. Tumor cells were isolated and treated with arsenic trioxide (ATO) or/and gefitinib. Additionally, six patients were intrapleurally administrated with ATO. Results showed that 25 samples bore EGFR wild type (WT) and 11 harbored EGFR mutations, including 6 with L858R, 3 with ΔE746-A750, and 2 with T790M. ATO diminished the number of tumor cells from patients with WT and mutant EGFR, down-regulated the expression or phosphorylation of EGFR, pmTOR, PI3K, PTEN, and p4E-BP1, and up-regulated the expression of LC3. Immunofluorescent experiments showed that ATO enhanced LC3 and P62. By contrast, gefitinib was only effective in those harboring EGFR sensitizing mutations. Notably, in patients with intrapleural ATO injection, the pleural effusion underwent a bloody to pale yellow color change, the volume of the pleural effusion was reduced, and the number of the tumor cells was significantly reduced. In conclusion, arsenic is effective against NSCLC with various EGFR genotypes in vitro and in vivo, and potentially circumvents gefitinib resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Mao
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; (J.M.); (Z.R.)
| | - Xiaoqian Shi
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 1279 Sanmen Road, Shanghai 200434, China;
| | - Li Hua
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China;
| | - Menghang Yang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai 200433, China;
| | - Yan Shen
- Research Center for Experimental Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China;
| | - Zheng Ruan
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; (J.M.); (Z.R.)
| | - Bing Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 1279 Sanmen Road, Shanghai 200434, China;
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai 200003, China
| | - Xiaodong Xi
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; (J.M.); (Z.R.)
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Effect of BIM expression on the prognostic value of PD-L1 in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with EGFR-TKIs. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3943. [PMID: 36894581 PMCID: PMC9998621 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30565-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in predicting epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKIs) efficacy remains controversial. Recent studies have highlighted that tumor-intrinsic PD-L1 signaling can be modulated by STAT3, AKT, MET oncogenic pathway, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, or BIM expression. This study aimed to investigate whether these underlying mechanisms affect the prognostic role of PD-L1. We retrospectively enrolled patients with EGFR mutant advanced stage NSCLC who received first-line EGFR-TKI between January 2017 and June 2019, the treatment efficacy of EGFR-TKI was assessed. Kaplan-Meier analysis of progression-free survival (PFS) revealed that patients with high BIM expression had shorter PFS, regardless of PD-L1 expression. This result was also supported by the COX proportional hazard regression analysis. In vitro, we further proved that the knockdown of BIM, instead of PDL1, induced more cell apoptosis following gefitinib treatment. Our data suggest that among the pathways affecting tumor-intrinsic PD-L1 signaling, BIM is potentially the underlying mechanism that affects the role of PD-L1 expression in predicting response to EGFR TKI and mediates cell apoptosis under treatment with gefitinib in EGFR-mutant NSCLC. Further prospective studies are required to validate these results.
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Li M, Hu Z, Guo T, Xie T, Tang Y, Wu X, Luo F. Targeting mTOR Signaling by Dietary Polysaccharides in Cancer Prevention: Advances and Challenges. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2023; 71:96-109. [PMID: 36541706 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c06780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is the most serious problem for public health. Traditional treatments often come with unavoidable side effects. Therefore, the therapeutic effects of natural products with wide sources and low toxicity are attracting more and more attention. Polysaccharides have been shown to have cancer-fighting potential, but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has become an attractive target of antitumor therapy research in recent years. The regulation of mTOR pathway not only affects cell proliferation and growth but also has an important effect in tumor metabolism. Recent studies indicate that dietary polysaccharides play a vital role in cancer prevention and treatment by regulating mTOR pathway. Here, the progress in targeting mTOR signaling by dietary polysaccharides in cancer prevention and their molecular mechanisms are systemically summarized. It will promote the understanding of the anticancer effects of polysaccharides and provide reference to investigators of this cutting edge field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyuan Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-oil Deep Process and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Forestry Edible Resources Safety and Processing, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Zuomin Hu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-oil Deep Process and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Tianyi Guo
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-oil Deep Process and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Tiantian Xie
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-oil Deep Process and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Yanqin Tang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-oil Deep Process and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Xiuxiu Wu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-oil Deep Process and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
| | - Feijun Luo
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Grain-oil Deep Process and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Forestry Edible Resources Safety and Processing, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
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Kerdjoudj M, De La Torre RA, Arnouk H. Characterization of DJ-1, PTEN, and p-Akt as Prognostic Biomarkers in the Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cureus 2023; 15:e34436. [PMID: 36874678 PMCID: PMC9979586 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.34436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Oral cancer has a five-year survival rate of 68%, and the methods used to assess it still rely heavily on morphology. Protein biomarkers can potentially increase the predictive power of histopathological evaluation. This study aims to examine the expression of three closely linked proteins implicated in the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); protein deglycase (DJ-1), an oncogene, phosphatase, and tensin homolog (PTEN), a tumor suppressor gene, and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), the activated form of a vital serine/threonine kinase, which is involved in the oncogenesis of several human malignancies, throughout the tumor progression steps to establish their potential as prognostic biomarkers. Study design Western blot analysis was carried out using four different cell lines representing the successive steps of OSCC progression, including normal oral keratinocytes, dysplastic oral keratinocytes, locally invasive OSCC, and metastatic OSCC. Results DJ-1 expression was found to be upregulated gradually throughout the successive steps of OSCC progression from normal to dysplastic to locally invasive to metastatic OSCC. PTEN expression showed an overall opposite trend. Interestingly, a significant downregulation of p-Akt was seen in the locally invasive OSCC cells, although it was followed by a significant increase in p-Akt expression in the metastatic OSCC cell line, which is consistent with the role of p-Akt in the motility and migration of cancer cells. Conclusion This study documented trends in expression patterns of three important signaling molecules, DJ-1, PTEN, and p-Akt, in normal, premalignant, and malignant oral keratinocytes. The oncogenic DJ-1 and tumor suppressor PTEN were expressed in a manner consistent with their respective roles in tumorigenesis, while p-Akt only showed a significant upregulation in the metastatic OSCC cells. Overall, all three proteins exhibited unique trends throughout the progressive stages of OSCC tumor progression, thereby adding to their potential utility as prognostic biomarkers for oral cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mourad Kerdjoudj
- Internal Medicine, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, USA
| | - Rey A De La Torre
- Osteopathic Medicine, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, USA
| | - Hilal Arnouk
- Pathology, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, USA
- Pathology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, USA
- Pathology, College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, USA
- Pathology, Chicago College of Optometry, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, USA
- Molecular Pathology, Precision Medicine Program, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, USA
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Qiu W, Ren M, Wang C, Fu Y, Liu Y. The clinicopathological and prognostic significance of mTOR and p-mTOR expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e32340. [PMID: 36595789 PMCID: PMC9794261 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000032340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has a crucial role in carcinogenesis, angiogenesis, cellular proliferation, and metastasis; however, its significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains contentious. Consequently, this study aims to assess the clinicopathological and prognostic importance of mTOR/p-mTOR expression in NSCLC. METHODS Literature retrieval was undertaken by searching English databases PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library as well as Chinese databases CNKI, Wan Fang, and VIP for full-text publications that satisfied our eligibility criteria up to November 2021. STATA 12.0 was used to conduct statistical analysis (STATA Corporation, College Station, TX). RESULTS This meta-analysis includes a total of 4683 patients from 28 primary publications. mTOR/p-mTOR expression was associated with sex (OR = 0.608, 95% CI: 0.442-0.836), lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.084, 95% CI: 1.437-3.182), and CEA (OR = 1.584, 95% CI: 1.135-2.209), but not with age, histological type, depth of tumor invasion, distant metastasis, TNM stage, differentiation degree, tumor size, or smoking. In addition, the expression of mTOR/p-mTOR is related to shorter overall survival in NSCLC patients (HR = 1.415, 95% CI: 1.051-1.905). CONCLUSION Positive mTOR/p-mTOR expression was substantially correlated with unfavorable conditions on the sex, lymph node metastases, and CEA levels. mTOR/p-mTOR may indicate a bad prognosis for NSCLC. The current findings must be confirmed and changed by other high-quality research employing a multivariate analysis on bigger sample size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Qiu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, China
- Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, China
| | - Meiying Ren
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, China
- * Correspondence: Meiying Ren, Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, 41 Linyin Road, Kundulun District, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia 014010, China (e-mail: )
| | - Cuifeng Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, China
| | - Yuhua Fu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, China
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da Silva-Oliveira RJ, Gomes INF, da Silva LS, Lengert AVH, Laus AC, Melendez ME, Munari CC, Cury FDP, Longato GB, Reis RM. Efficacy of Combined Use of Everolimus and Second-Generation Pan-EGRF Inhibitors in KRAS Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147774. [PMID: 35887120 PMCID: PMC9317664 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: EGFR mutations are present in approximately 15−50% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which are predictive of anti-EGFR therapies. At variance, NSCLC patients harboring KRAS mutations are resistant to those anti-EGFR approaches. Afatinib and allitinib are second-generation pan-EGFR drugs, yet no predictive biomarkers are known in the NSCLC context. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of pan-EGFR inhibitors in a panel of 15 lung cancer cell lines associated with the KRAS mutations phenotype. Methods: KRAS wild-type sensitive NCI-H292 cell line was further transfected with KRAS mutations (p.G12D and p.G12S). The pan-EGFR inhibitors’ activity and biologic effect of KRAS mutations were evaluated by cytotoxicity, MAPK phospho-protein array, colony formation, migration, invasion, and adhesion. In addition, in vivo chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay was performed in KRAS mutant cell lines. The gene expression profile was evaluated by NanoString. Lastly, everolimus and pan-EGFR combinations were performed to determine the combination index. Results: The GI50 score classified two cell lines treated with afatinib and seven treated with allitinib as high-sensitive phenotypes. All KRAS mutant cell lines demonstrated a resistant profile for both therapies (GI50 < 30%). The protein array of KRAS edited cells indicated a significant increase in AKT, CREB, HSP27, JNK, and, importantly, mTOR protein levels compared with KRAS wild-type cells. The colony formation, migration, invasion, adhesion, tumor perimeter, and mesenchymal phenotype were increased in the H292 KRAS mutated cells. Gene expression analysis showed 18 dysregulated genes associated with the focal adhesion-PI3K-Akt-mTOR-signaling correlated in KRAS mutant cell lines. Moreover, mTOR overexpression in KRAS mutant H292 cells was inhibited after everolimus exposure, and sensitivity to afatinib and allitinib was restored. Conclusions: Our results indicate that allitinib was more effective than afatinib in NSCLC cell lines. KRAS mutations increased aggressive behavior through upregulation of the focal adhesion-PI3K-Akt-mTOR-signaling in NSCLC cells. Significantly, everolimus restored sensibility and improved cytotoxicity of EGFR inhibitors in the KRAS mutant NSCLC cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato José da Silva-Oliveira
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
- Correspondence: (R.J.d.S.-O.); (R.M.R.)
| | - Izabela Natalia Faria Gomes
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
| | - Luciane Sussuchi da Silva
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
| | - André van Helvoort Lengert
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
| | - Ana Carolina Laus
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
| | - Matias Eliseo Melendez
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
| | - Carla Carolina Munari
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
| | - Fernanda de Paula Cury
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
| | - Giovanna Barbarini Longato
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
| | - Rui Manuel Reis
- Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos 14784-400, Brazil; (I.N.F.G.); (L.S.d.S.); (A.v.H.L.); (A.C.L.); (M.E.M.); (C.C.M.); (F.d.P.C.); (G.B.L.)
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS) Medical School, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Correspondence: (R.J.d.S.-O.); (R.M.R.)
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12
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Tang Y, Luo J, Zhou Y, Zang H, Yang Y, Liu S, Zheng H, Ma J, Fan S, Wen Q. Overexpressed p-S6 associates with lymph node metastasis and predicts poor prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:564. [PMID: 35596155 PMCID: PMC9123697 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-09664-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ribosomal protein S6 (S6), a downstream effect media of the AKT/mTOR pathway, not only is a part of 40S small subunit of eukaryotic ribosome, but also involves in protein synthesis and cell proliferation during cancer development. Methods In present study, we explore the association between phosphorylated S6 (p-S6) protein expression and clinicopathological features as well as prognostic implications in NSCLC. P-S6 was detected in tissue microarrays (TMAs) containing 350 NSCLC, 53 non-cancerous lung tissues (Non-CLT), and 88 cases of matched metastatic lymph node lesions via immunohistochemistry (IHC). Transwell assays and wound healing assay were used to assess the effects of p-S6 inhibition on NSCLC cell metastasis. Results The p-S6 expression in NSCLC was more evident than that in Non-CLT (p < 0.05). Compared to NSCLC patients who have no lymph node metastasis (LNM), those with LNM had higher p-S6 expression (p = 0.001). Regardless of lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or adenocarcinoma (ADC), p-S6 was increased obviously in metastatic lymph nodes compared with matched primary cancers (p = 0.001, p = 0.022, respectively). Inhibition of p-S6 decreased the metastasis ability of NSCLC cells. In addition, p-S6 was an independent predicted marker for LNM in patients with NSCLC (p < 0.001). According to survival analysis, patients with highly expressed p-S6 had a lower survival rate compared with that with lower expression (p = 0.013). P-S6 is an unfavorable independent prognostic factor for NSCLC patients (p = 0.011). Conclusion Increased expression of p-S6 is not only a novel predictive biomarker of LNM but also poor prognosis in NSCLC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09664-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoxiang Tang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Jiadi Luo
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Hongjing Zang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Sile Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Hongmei Zheng
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Jian Ma
- Cancer Research Institute of Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Songqing Fan
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Qiuyuan Wen
- Department of Pathology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
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13
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Cheng F, Peng L, Luo D. METTL3
Promotes the Progression of Lung Cancer via Activating
PI3K
/
AKT
/
mTOR
Pathway. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 2022; 49:748-758. [PMID: 35434840 DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.13647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Feng‐Wu Cheng
- Department of Oncology Yichun People’s Hospital Yichun City Jiangxi Province China
| | - Li‐Ming Peng
- Department of Oncology Yichun People’s Hospital Yichun City Jiangxi Province China
| | - Dan Luo
- Department of Oncology Yichun People’s Hospital Yichun City Jiangxi Province China
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14
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RNA-binding proteins and cancer metastasis. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:748-768. [PMID: 35339667 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) can regulate gene expression through post-transcriptionally influencing all manner of RNA biology, including alternative splicing (AS), polyadenylation, stability, and translation of mRNAs, as well as microRNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) processing. There is accumulating evidence reinforcing the perception that dysregulation or dysfunction of RBPs can lead to various human diseases, including cancers. RBPs influence diverse cancer-associated cellular phenotypes, such as proliferation, apoptosis, senescence, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis, contributing to the initiation and development of tumors, as well as clinical prognosis. Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related recurrence and death. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanisms behind tumor metastasis. In fact, a growing body of published research has proved that RBPs play pivotal roles in cancer metastasis. In this review, we will summarize the recent advances for helping us understand the role of RBPs in tumor metastasis, and discuss dysfunctions and dysregulations of RBPs affecting metastasis-associated processes including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration, and invasion of cancer cells. Furthermore, we will discuss emerging RBP-based strategy for the treatment of cancer metastasis.
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15
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Cháirez-Ramírez MH, de la Cruz-López KG, García-Carrancá A. Polyphenols as Antitumor Agents Targeting Key Players in Cancer-Driving Signaling Pathways. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:710304. [PMID: 34744708 PMCID: PMC8565650 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.710304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyphenols constitute an important group of natural products that are traditionally associated with a wide range of bioactivities. These are usually found in low concentrations in natural products and are now available in nutraceuticals or dietary supplements. A group of polyphenols that include apigenin, quercetin, curcumin, resveratrol, EGCG, and kaempferol have been shown to regulate signaling pathways that are central for cancer development, progression, and metastasis. Here, we describe novel mechanistic insights on the effect of this group of polyphenols on key elements of the signaling pathways impacting cancer. We describe the protein modifications induced by these polyphenols and their effect on the central elements of several signaling pathways including PI3K, Akt, mTOR, RAS, and MAPK and particularly those affecting the tumor suppressor p53 protein. Modifications of p53 induced by these polyphenols regulate p53 gene expression and protein levels and posttranslational modifications such as phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination that influence stability, subcellular location, activation of new transcriptional targets, and the role of p53 in response to DNA damage, apoptosis control, cell- cycle regulation, senescence, and cell fate. Thus, deep understanding of the effects that polyphenols have on these key players in cancer-driving signaling pathways will certainly lead to better designed targeted therapies, with less toxicity for cancer treatment. The scope of this review centers on the regulation of key elements of cancer signaling pathways by the most studied polyphenols and highlights the importance of a profound understanding of these regulations in order to improve cancer treatment and control with natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Humberto Cháirez-Ramírez
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Karen Griselda de la Cruz-López
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, Mexico.,Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alejandro García-Carrancá
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, Mexico
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16
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Arunachalam A, Lakshmanan DK, Ravichandran G, Paul S, Manickam S, Kumar PV, Thilagar S. Regulatory mechanisms of heme regulatory protein BACH1: a potential therapeutic target for cancer. Med Oncol 2021; 38:122. [PMID: 34482423 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-021-01573-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A limited number of overexpressed transcription factors are associated with cancer progression in many types of cancer. BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) is the first mammalian heme-binding transcription factor that belongs to the basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) family and a member of CNC (cap 'n' collar). It forms heterodimers with the small musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma (MAF) proteins and stimulates or suppresses the expression of target genes under a very low intracellular heme concentration. It possesses a significant regulatory role in heme homeostasis, oxidative stress, cell cycle, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and cancer metastasis progression. This review discusses the current knowledge about how BACH1 regulates cancer metastasis in various types of cancer and other carcinogenic associated factors such as oxidative stress, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Overall, from the reported studies and outcomes, it could be realized that BACH1 is a potential pharmacological target for discovering new therapeutic anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abirami Arunachalam
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620024, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar Lakshmanan
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620024, India
| | - Guna Ravichandran
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620024, India
| | - Soumi Paul
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620024, India
| | - Sivakumar Manickam
- Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, BE1410, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Palanirajan Vijayaraj Kumar
- Department (Pharmaceutical Technology), Faculty of Pharmacy, UCSI University, South Campus, Taman Connaught, 56000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sivasudha Thilagar
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, School of Environmental Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620024, India.
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17
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Li N, Chen J, Liu Q, Qu H, Yang X, Gao P, Wang Y, Gao H, Wang H, Zhao Z. Prognostic significance and tumor-immune infiltration of mTOR in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11901. [PMID: 34458019 PMCID: PMC8378334 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a serine/threonine kinase involved in cell proliferation, survival, metabolism and immunity, was reportedly activated in various cancers. However, the clinical role of mTOR in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is controversial. Here we detected the expression and prognosis of total mTOR and phosphorylated mTOR (p-mTOR) in clear cell RCC (ccRCC) patients, and explored the interactions between mTOR and immune infiltrates in ccRCC. The protein level of mTOR and p-mTOR was determined by western blotting (WB), and their expression was evaluated in 145 ccRCC and 13 non-tumor specimens by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relationship to immune infiltration of mTOR was further investigated using TIMER and TISIDB databases, respectively. WB demonstrated the ratio of p-mTOR to mTOR was higher in ccRCC than adjacent specimens (n = 3), and IHC analysis elucidated that p-mTOR expression was positively correlated with tumor size, stage and metastasis status, and negatively correlated with cancer-specific survival (CSS). In univariate analysis, high grade, large tumor, advanced stage, metastasis, and high p-mTOR expression were recognized as prognostic factors of poorer CSS, and multivariate survival analysis elucidated that tumor stage, p-mTOR and metastasis were of prognostic value for CSS in ccRCC patients. Further TIMER and TISIDB analyses uncovered that mTOR gene expression was significantly associated with numerous immune cells and immunoinhibitors in patients with ccRCC. Collectively, these findings revealed p-mTOR was identified as an independent predictor of poor survival, and mTOR was associated with tumor immune infiltrates in ccRCC patients, which validated mTOR could be implicated in the initiation and progression of ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Li
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China.,Department of Urology, Jinan Central Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Hongyi Qu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Pediatric Drug Development, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoqing Yang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Peng Gao
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Huayu Gao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Pediatric Drug Development, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zuohui Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Pediatric Drug Development, Jinan, Shandong, China
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18
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Li C, Li Z, Song L, Meng L, Xu G, Zhang H, Hu J, Li F, Liu C. GEFT Inhibits Autophagy and Apoptosis in Rhabdomyosarcoma via Activation of the Rac1/Cdc42-mTOR Signaling Pathway. Front Oncol 2021; 11:656608. [PMID: 34221974 PMCID: PMC8252888 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.656608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy and apoptosis are dynamic processes that determine the fate of cells, and regulating these processes can treat cancer. GEFT is highly expressed in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), which accelerates the tumorigenicity and metastasis of RMS by activating Rac1/Cdc42 signaling, but the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy and apoptosis are unclear. In our study, we found that the RMS tissues had high Rac1, Cdc42, mTOR, and Bcl-2 expression levels and low Beclin1, LC3, and Bax expression levels compared with the normal striated muscle tissues (P < 0.05). In addition, multivariate analysis has proven that Rac1 is an independent prognostic factor (P < 0.05), and the high expression level of the Beclin1 protein was closely associated with the tumor diameter of the RMS patients (P = 0.044), whereas the high expression level of the LC3 protein was associated with the clinical stage of the RMS patients (P = 0.027). Furthermore, GEFT overexpression could inhibit autophagy and apoptosis in RMS. A Rac1/Cdc42 inhibitor was added, and the inhibition of autophagy and apoptosis decreased. Rac1 and Cdc42 could regulate mTOR to inhibit autophagy and apoptosis in RMS. Overall, these studies demonstrated that the GEFT–Rac1/Cdc42–mTOR pathway can inhibit autophagy and apoptosis in RMS and provide evidence for innovative treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunsen Li
- Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Zhenzhen Li
- Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Lingxie Song
- Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.,Department of Pathology and Medical Research Center, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lian Meng
- Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Guixuan Xu
- Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Haijun Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Jianming Hu
- Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.,Department of Pathology and Medical Research Center, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chunxia Liu
- Department of Pathology and Key Laboratory for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, China.,Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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19
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Thomas A, Reetz S, Stenzel P, Tagscherer K, Roth W, Schindeldecker M, Michaelis M, Rothweiler F, Cinatl J, Cinatl J, Dotzauer R, Vakhrusheva O, Albersen M, Macher-Goeppinger S, Haferkamp A, Juengel E, Neisius A, Tsaur I. Assessment of PI3K/mTOR/AKT Pathway Elements to Serve as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Penile Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:2323. [PMID: 34066040 PMCID: PMC8151654 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The PI3K/mTOR/AKT pathway might represent an intriguing option for treatment of penile cancer (PeCa). We aimed to assess whether members of this pathway might serve as biomarkers and targets for systemic therapy. Tissue of primary cancer from treatment-naïve PeCa patients was used for tissue microarray analysis. Immunohistochemical staining was performed with antibodies against AKT, pAKT, mTOR, pmTOR, pS6, pPRAS, p4EBP1, S6K1 and pp70S6K. Protein expression was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics as well as overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and metastasis-free survival (MFS). AKT inhibition was tested in two primarily established, treatment-naïve PeCa cell lines by treatment with capivasertib and analysis of cell viability and chemotaxis. A total of 76 patients surgically treated for invasive PeCa were included. Higher expression of AKT was significantly more prevalent in high-grade tumors and predictive of DSS and OS in the Kaplan-Meier analysis, and an independent predictor of worse OS and DSS in the multivariate regression analysis. Treatment with pan-AKT inhibitor capivasertib in PeCa cell lines induced a significant downregulation of both total AKT and pAKT as well as decreased cell viability and chemotaxis. Selected protein candidates of the mTOR/AKT signaling pathway demonstrate association with histological and survival parameters of PeCa patients, whereas AKT appears to be the most promising one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Thomas
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (A.T.); (S.R.); (R.D.); (O.V.); (S.M.-G.); (A.H.); (E.J.); (A.N.)
| | - Sascha Reetz
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (A.T.); (S.R.); (R.D.); (O.V.); (S.M.-G.); (A.H.); (E.J.); (A.N.)
| | - Philipp Stenzel
- Department of Pathology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (P.S.); (K.T.); (W.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Katrin Tagscherer
- Department of Pathology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (P.S.); (K.T.); (W.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Wilfried Roth
- Department of Pathology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (P.S.); (K.T.); (W.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Mario Schindeldecker
- Department of Pathology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (P.S.); (K.T.); (W.R.); (M.S.)
| | - Martin Michaelis
- Industrial Biotechnology Centre and School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK;
| | - Florian Rothweiler
- Institute of Medical Virology, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (F.R.); (J.C.J.); (J.C.)
| | - Jindrich Cinatl
- Institute of Medical Virology, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (F.R.); (J.C.J.); (J.C.)
| | - Jaroslav Cinatl
- Institute of Medical Virology, Goethe-University, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (F.R.); (J.C.J.); (J.C.)
| | - Robert Dotzauer
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (A.T.); (S.R.); (R.D.); (O.V.); (S.M.-G.); (A.H.); (E.J.); (A.N.)
| | - Olesya Vakhrusheva
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (A.T.); (S.R.); (R.D.); (O.V.); (S.M.-G.); (A.H.); (E.J.); (A.N.)
| | - Maarten Albersen
- Department of Urology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Stephan Macher-Goeppinger
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (A.T.); (S.R.); (R.D.); (O.V.); (S.M.-G.); (A.H.); (E.J.); (A.N.)
| | - Axel Haferkamp
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (A.T.); (S.R.); (R.D.); (O.V.); (S.M.-G.); (A.H.); (E.J.); (A.N.)
| | - Eva Juengel
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (A.T.); (S.R.); (R.D.); (O.V.); (S.M.-G.); (A.H.); (E.J.); (A.N.)
| | - Andreas Neisius
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (A.T.); (S.R.); (R.D.); (O.V.); (S.M.-G.); (A.H.); (E.J.); (A.N.)
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder Trier, 54292 Trier, Germany
| | - Igor Tsaur
- Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Medicine Mainz, 55122 Mainz, Germany; (A.T.); (S.R.); (R.D.); (O.V.); (S.M.-G.); (A.H.); (E.J.); (A.N.)
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Bi G, Zhu D, Bian Y, Huang Y, Zhan C, Yang Y, Wang Q. Knockdown of GTF2E2 inhibits the growth and progression of lung adenocarcinoma via RPS4X in vitro and in vivo. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:181. [PMID: 33757492 PMCID: PMC7989205 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-01878-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. However, the molecular mechanism of LUAD tumorigenesis and development remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively illustrate the role of GTF2E2 in the growth and progression of LUAD. Methods and materials We obtained the mRNA expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus database, and our institution. Systematic bioinformatical analyses were performed to investigate the expression and prognostic value of GTF2E2 in LUAD. The results were validated by immunohistochemistry and qPCR. The effect of knocking down GTF2E2 using two short hairpin RNAs was investigated by in vitro and in vivo assays. Subsequently, shotgun liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analyses were applied to identified potential GTF2E2 interacting proteins, and the downstream molecular mechanisms of GTF2E2-signaling were further explored by a series of cellular functional assays. Results We found that GTF2E2 expression was significantly increased in LUAD tissue compared with adjacent normal tissue and was negatively associated with patients’ overall survival. Besides, we demonstrated that GTF2E2 knockdown inhibited LUAD cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and promote apoptosis in vitro, as well as attenuated tumor growth in vivo. Results from LC–MS/MS suggested that RPS4X might physically interact with GTF2E2 and mediated GTF2E2’s regulatory effect on LUAD development through the mTOR pathway. Conclusion Our findings indicate that GTF2E2 promotes LUAD development by activating RPS4X. Therefore, GTF2E2 might serve as a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of LUAD patients, thus shedding light on the precise and personalized therapy for LUAD in the future. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-01878-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoshu Bi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Donglin Zhu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yunyi Bian
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yiwei Huang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Cheng Zhan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yong Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215000, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Qun Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, No. 180 Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China
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Chen X, Sun L, Wei X, Lu H, Tan Y, Sun Z, Jiang J. Antitumor effect and molecular mechanism of fucoidan in NSCLC. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021; 21:25. [PMID: 33430854 PMCID: PMC7802245 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-020-03191-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fucoidan, a water-soluble polysaccharide, exerts anticoagulant and antiviral functions. It was recently reported that fucoidan also exerts an antitumor function. Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. The aim of this study was to investigate anti-tumor,apoptosis and anti-metastasis effects of fucoidan in both cell-based assays and mouse xenograft model, as well as to clarify possible role of m-TOR pathway in the protection. Methods In vitro: Different concentrations of fucoidan were given to act on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines A549 and H1650. The effects of fucoidan on cell proliferation were observed by detecting cyclin expression levels, CCK8 and EDU experiments and cloning experiments. The apoptotic level was detected by flow cytometry and the apoptotic protein level was detected by Westernblot. By detecting the expression of adhesion molecules, the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family, and Transwell cell invasion and migration experiment, the effect of fucoidan on cell adhesion, invasion and migration was observed. Meanwhile the effect of fucoidan on angiogenesis was observed by detecting the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In vivo experiment: An animal model of NSCLC cell mouse subcutaneous xenograft tumor was established to analyze the correlation between the consumption of fucoidan and the size and volume of xenograft tumor through gross observation. Through immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence double staining, ki67 and cell adhesion molecules (E-cadherin, N-cadherin and CD31) and VEGF-A in the tumor were detected, and the correlation between the amount of fucoidan and the above indexes was analyzed. Results Fucoidan inhibited the proliferation and angiogenesis of NSCLC cells via the mTOR pathway and promoted their apoptosis by increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Not only that, fucoidan inhibited NSCLC cell invasion via epithelial–mesenchymal transformation (EMT). The mice fed fucoidan exhibited significant reductions in tumor volumes and weights. These indicators (Ki67, VEGF-A,N-cadherin) were decreased and E-cadherin expression was up-regulated in A549 mice that treated with fucoidan. The results showed that fucoidan inhibited tumor proliferation in vivo by affecting the expression of related proteins. Conclusion Fucoidan conveys antitumor effects and our results represent an ideal therapeutic agent for NSCLC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-020-03191-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Chen
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Oncology, Heze Municipal Hospital, Heze, 274000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xiaojuan Wei
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Haijun Lu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266003, China.
| | - Ye Tan
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Shandong Province, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Zhanyi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Seaweed Substances, Qingdao Brightmoon Seaweed Group Co Ltd, Qingdao, 266400, China
| | - Jinju Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Seaweed Substances, Qingdao Brightmoon Seaweed Group Co Ltd, Qingdao, 266400, China
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Yao Z, Gao G, Yang J, Long Y, Wang Z, Hu W, Liu Y. Prognostic Role of the Activated p-AKT Molecule in Various Hematologic Malignancies and Solid Tumors: A Meta-Analysis. Front Oncol 2020; 10:588200. [PMID: 33363017 PMCID: PMC7758503 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.588200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the main causes of human death worldwide. Recently, many studies have firmly established the causal relationship between oxidative stress and cancer initiation and progression. As a key protein in PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, p-AKT (phosphorylated Akt) participates in the process of oxidative stress and plays a prognostic role in various hematologic tumors and solid tumors. We conducted a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane libraries to identify studies published in the past decade involving cancer patients expressing p-AKT that reported overall survival (OS) during follow-up. In this study, 6,128 patients in total were evaluated from 29 enrolled articles, and we concluded that overexpression of p-AKT was closely related to worse OS in cancer patients with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.33 (95% CI: 1.67–4.00). Furthermore, we conducted a subgroup analysis, and the results indicated that overexpression of p-AKT was associated with worse OS in hematological tumor (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.41–1.92), and solid tumor (HR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.61–5.26). High expression of p-AKT is related to poor prognosis of various hematologic tumors and solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yao
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Guangyu Gao
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jiawen Yang
- Department of Ultrasound, Xingtang Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Yuming Long
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhenzhen Wang
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wentao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, China
| | - Yulong Liu
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, China
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Prabhu SA, Moussa O, Miller WH, del Rincón SV. The MNK1/2-eIF4E Axis as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4055. [PMID: 32517051 PMCID: PMC7312468 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
: Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that originates in the pigment-producing cells of the body known as melanocytes. Most genetic aberrations in melanoma result in hyperactivation of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathways. We and others have shown that a specific protein synthesis pathway known as the MNK1/2-eIF4E axis is often dysregulated in cancer. The MNK1/2-eIF4E axis is a point of convergence for these signaling pathways that are commonly constitutively activated in melanoma. In this review we consider the functional implications of aberrant mRNA translation in melanoma and other malignancies. Moreover, we discuss the consequences of inhibiting the MNK1/2-eIF4E axis on the tumor and tumor-associated cells, and we provide important avenues for the utilization of this treatment modality in combination with other targeted and immune-based therapies. The past decade has seen the increased development of selective inhibitors to block the action of the MNK1/2-eIF4E pathway, which are predicted to be an effective therapy regardless of the melanoma subtype (e.g., cutaneous, acral, and mucosal).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sathyen A. Prabhu
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, 1001 Decarie Boulevard, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada; (S.A.P.); (O.M.); (W.H.M.J.)
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, 3755 Côte Ste-Catherine Road, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Omar Moussa
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, 1001 Decarie Boulevard, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada; (S.A.P.); (O.M.); (W.H.M.J.)
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, 3755 Côte Ste-Catherine Road, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Wilson H. Miller
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, 1001 Decarie Boulevard, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada; (S.A.P.); (O.M.); (W.H.M.J.)
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, 3755 Côte Ste-Catherine Road, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
- Department of Oncology, McGill University, 845 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- McGill Centre for Translational Research in Cancer (MCTRC), McGill University, 3755 Côte Ste-Catherine Road, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
- Rossy Cancer Network, McGill University, 1980 Sherbrooke Ouest, #1101, Montreal, QC H3H 1E8, Canada
| | - Sonia V. del Rincón
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, 1001 Decarie Boulevard, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada; (S.A.P.); (O.M.); (W.H.M.J.)
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, 3755 Côte Ste-Catherine Road, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
- Department of Oncology, McGill University, 845 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- McGill Centre for Translational Research in Cancer (MCTRC), McGill University, 3755 Côte Ste-Catherine Road, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
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Pinto-Díez C, Ferreras-Martín R, Carrión-Marchante R, González VM, Martín ME. Deeping in the Role of the MAP-Kinases Interacting Kinases (MNKs) in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21082967. [PMID: 32340135 PMCID: PMC7215568 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-interacting kinases (MNKs) are involved in oncogenic transformation and can promote metastasis and tumor progression. In human cells, there are four MNKs isoforms (MNK1a/b and MNK2a/b), derived from two genes by alternative splicing. These kinases play an important role controlling the expression of specific proteins involved in cell cycle, cell survival and cell motility via eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) regulation, but also through other substrates such as heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1, polypyrimidine tract-binding protein-associated splicing factor and Sprouty 2. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of MNK in human cancers, describing the studies conducted to date to elucidate the mechanism involved in the action of MNKs, as well as the development of MNK inhibitors in different hematological cancers and solid tumors.
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