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Dabiri A, Sharifi M, Sarmadi A. Knockdown of SOX12 Expression Induced Apoptotic Factors is Associated with TWIST1 and CTNNB1 Expression in Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR MEDICINE 2022; 10:249-258. [PMID: 35875337 PMCID: PMC9273156 DOI: 10.22088/ijmcm.bums.10.4.249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent improvements in molecular treatment and gene therapy led to discovering novel cancer remedies. Antisense LNA GapmeRs is a state-of-the-art molecular research field for diagnosing and treating various cancer types. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematopoietic malignancy defined by the rapid accumulation and malignant proliferation of immature myeloid progenitors. SOX12 is a new potential target for acute myeloid leukemia. In this study, SOX12 was blocked by antisense LNA GapmeRs (ALG) in human AML cell lines (KG1 and M07e). Cells were transfected with Gapmer anti-SOX12 at 24, 48, and 72 h post-transfection. Transfection efficiency was assessed by a fluorescent microscope. Furthermore, evaluation of SOX12, TWIST1, CTNNB1, CASP3, and CASP9 expression was performed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. SOX12 expression was decreased remarkably in the ALG group. Moreover, SOX12 knockdown was associated with a decrease in TWIST1 and CTNNB1 expression. Besides, downregulation of SOX12 in both cell lines could induce apoptosis, probably through upregulation of CASP3 and CASP9. The findings reveal that SOX12 knockdown could be a new target for reducing AML cells proliferation through antisense therapy approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arezou Dabiri
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Sharifi
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Akram Sarmadi
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Hwang JH, Lee J, Choi WY, Kim MJ, Lee J, Chu KHB, Kim LK, Kim YJ. ZNF204P is a stemness-associated oncogenic long non-coding RNA in hepatocellular carcinoma. BMB Rep 2022. [PMID: 35168700 PMCID: PMC9252894 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2022.55.6.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hyun Hwang
- Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated OMICS for Biomedical Science, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Jungwoo Lee
- Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated OMICS for Biomedical Science, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Won-Young Choi
- Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated OMICS for Biomedical Science, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Min-Jung Kim
- Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated OMICS for Biomedical Science, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Jiyeon Lee
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 06230, Korea
| | - Khanh Hoang Bao Chu
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Lark Kyun Kim
- Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 06230, Korea
| | - Young-Joon Kim
- Interdisciplinary Program of Integrated OMICS for Biomedical Science, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
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Suzuki H, Iwamoto H, Yamamoto K, Tsukaguchi M, Nakamura T, Masuda A, Sakaue T, Tanaka T, Niizeki T, Okamura S, Shimose S, Shirono T, Noda Y, Kamachi N, Kuromatsu R, Hisaka T, Yano H, Koga H, Torimura T. DNA Methylation in Noncancerous Liver Tissues as Biomarker for Multicentric Occurrence of Hepatitis C Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma. GASTRO HEP ADVANCES 2022; 1:555-562. [PMID: 39132059 PMCID: PMC11307517 DOI: 10.1016/j.gastha.2022.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Background and Aims Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progresses with a highly multicentric occurrence (MO) even after radical hepatectomy. Despite several efforts to clarify the pathogenesis of MO, the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. The aim of this study was to evaluate alterations in DNA methylation in noncancerous liver tissues in the MO of HCC. Methods A total of 203 patients with HCV-related HCC who underwent radical hepatectomy at our hospital between January 2008 and January 2012 were recruited. We defined a group of nonearly recurrence of HCC (NR) for ≥3 years after radical hepatectomy and a group of early recurrence of HCC (ER) with MO within 2 years after radical hepatectomy. Results Three patients each were selected in the NR and ER groups in the first set, and 13 patients in the NR group and 17 patients in the ER group were selected in the second set. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles were obtained from noncancerous liver tissues using a Human Methylation 450 BeadChip, and the differences between the groups were analyzed for each set. After excluding single nucleotide polymorphism-associated methylation sites and low-call sites, 401,282 sites were assessed using a generalized linear model without any adjustments. Nine gene regions, APBB1P, CLSTN3, DLG5, IRX5, OAS1, SOX12, SNX19, TENM2, and TRIM54, exhibiting a significant difference (P < .001) in DNA methylation levels were identified in the common direction between the 2 analysis sets. Conclusion Alterations in DNA methylation of 9 genes in noncancerous liver tissues appear to be involved in MO after radical hepatectomy for HCV-related HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Hideki Iwamoto
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Ken Yamamoto
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Mai Tsukaguchi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Toru Nakamura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Atsutaka Masuda
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Takahiko Sakaue
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Toshimitsu Tanaka
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Takashi Niizeki
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Shusuke Okamura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Shigeo Shimose
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Tomotake Shirono
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Yu Noda
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Naoki Kamachi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Ryoko Kuromatsu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Toru Hisaka
- Department of Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Hirohisa Yano
- Department of Pathology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Hironori Koga
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
| | - Takuji Torimura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan
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The Dysregulation of SOX Family Correlates with DNA Methylation and Immune Microenvironment Characteristics to Predict Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:2676114. [PMID: 35465267 PMCID: PMC9020970 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2676114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Due to the molecular heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), majority of patients respond poorly among various of therapy. This study is aimed at conducting a comprehensive analysis about roles of SOX family in HCC for obtaining more therapeutic targets and biomarkers which may bring new ideas for the treatment of HCC. Methods UALCAN, Kaplan Meier plotter, cBioPortal, STRING, WebGestalt, Metascape, TIMER 2.0, DiseaseMeth, MethSurv, HPA, CCLE database, and Cytoscape software were used to comprehensively analyze the bioinformatic data. Results SOX2, SOX4, SOX8, SOX10, SOX11, SOX12, SOX17, and SOX18 were significantly differentially expressed in HCC and normal tissues and were valuable for the grade and survival of HCC patients. In addition, the gene alterations of SOX family happened frequently, and SOX4 and SOX17 had the highest mutation rate. The function of SOX family on HCC may be closely correlated with the regulation of angiogenesis-related signaling pathways. Moreover, SOX4, SOX8, SOX11, SOX12, SOX17, and SOX18 were correlation with 8 types of immune cells (including CD8+ T cell, CD4+ T cell, B cell, Tregs, neutrophil, macrophage, myeloid DC, and NK cell), and we found that most types of immune cells had a positive correlation with SOX family. Notably, CD4+ T cell and macrophage were positively related with all these SOX family. NK cells were negatively related with most SOX family genes. DNA methylation levels in promoter area of SOX2, SOX4, and SOX10 were lower in HCC than normal tissues, while SOX8, SOX11, SOX17, and SOX18 had higher DNA methylation levels than normal tissues. Moreover, higher DNA methylation level of SOX12 and SOX18 demonstrated worse survival rates in patients with HCC. Conclusion SOX family genes could predict the prognosis of HCC. In addition, the regulation of angiogenesis-related signaling pathways may participate in the development of HCC. DNA methylation level and immune microenvironment characteristics (especially CD4+ T cell and macrophage immune cell infiltration) could be a novel insight for predicting prognosis in HCC.
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Advance of SOX Transcription Factors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Role, Tumor Immune Relevance to Targeted Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14051165. [PMID: 35267473 PMCID: PMC8909699 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest human health burdens worldwide. However, the molecular mechanism of HCC development is still not fully understood. Sex determining region Y-related high-mobility group box (SOX) transcription factors not only play pivotal roles in cell fate decisions during development but also participate in the initiation and progression of cancer. Given the significance of SOX factors in cancer and their ‘undruggable’ properties, we summarize the role and molecular mechanism of SOX family members in HCC and the regulatory effect of SOX factors in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of various cancers. For the first time, we analyze the association between the levels of SOX factors and that of immune components in HCC, providing clues to the pivotal role of SOX factors in the TIME of HCC. We also discuss the opportunities and challenges of targeting SOX factors for cancer. Abstract Sex determining region Y (SRY)-related high-mobility group (HMG) box (SOX) factors belong to an evolutionarily conserved family of transcription factors that play essential roles in cell fate decisions involving numerous developmental processes. In recent years, the significance of SOX factors in the initiation and progression of cancers has been gradually revealed, and they act as potential therapeutic targets for cancer. However, the research involving SOX factors is still preliminary, given that their effects in some leading-edge fields such as tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) remain obscure. More importantly, as a class of ‘undruggable’ molecules, targeting SOX factors still face considerable challenges in achieving clinical translation. Here, we mainly focus on the roles and regulatory mechanisms of SOX family members in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the fatal human health burdens worldwide. We then detail the role of SOX members in remodeling TIME and analyze the association between SOX members and immune components in HCC for the first time. In addition, we emphasize several alternative strategies involved in the translational advances of SOX members in cancer. Finally, we discuss the alternative strategies of targeting SOX family for cancer and propose the opportunities and challenges they face based on the current accumulated studies and our understanding.
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Identification of SOX6 and SOX12 as Prognostic Biomarkers for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study Based on TCGA Database. DISEASE MARKERS 2021; 2021:7190301. [PMID: 34868396 PMCID: PMC8642026 DOI: 10.1155/2021/7190301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background The SOX gene family has been proven to display regulatory effects on numerous diseases, particularly in the malignant progression of neoplasms. However, the molecular functions and action mechanisms of SOX genes have not been clearly elucidated in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We aimed to explore the expression status, prognostic values, clinical significances, and regulatory actions of SOX genes in ccRCC. Methods RNA-sequence data and clinical information derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used for this study. Dysregulated SOX genes between the normal group and ccRCC group were screened using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The Kaplan-Meier analysis and univariate Cox analysis methods were used to estimate the overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) differences between different groups. The independent prognostic factors were identified by the use of uni- and multivariate assays. Subsequently, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test or Kruskal-Wallis test and the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability methods were employed to explore the association between clinicopathological variables and SOX genes. Finally, CIBERSORT was applied to study the samples and examine the infiltration of immune cells between different groups. Results Herein, 12 dysregulated SOX genes in ccRCC were screened. Among them, two independent prognostic SOX genes (SOX6 and SOX12) were identified. Further investigation results showed that SOX6 and SOX12 were distinctly associated with clinicopathological features. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis revealed that SOX6 and SOX12 were enriched in essential biological processes and signaling pathways. Finally, we found that the SOX6 and SOX12 expression levels were correlated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs). Conclusion The pooled analyses showed that SOX6 and SOX12 could serve as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets of patients with ccRCC.
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SOX12 Promotes Stem Cell-Like Phenotypes and Osteosarcoma Tumor Growth by Upregulating JAGGED1. Stem Cells Int 2021; 2021:9941733. [PMID: 34725550 PMCID: PMC8557074 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9941733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
SOX12 plays a role in promoting the growth of some tumors; however, its role in osteosarcoma remains unclear. From gene expression omnibus (GEO) and tumor alterations relevant for genomics-driven therapy (TARGET) databases, Kaplan–Meier analyses were conducted to establish relationships between SOX12 expression and osteosarcoma survival and recurrence in osteosarcoma patients. We also performed in vitro and in vivo assays to determine SOX12 function in osteosarcoma etiology. SOX12 expression was increased in osteosarcoma; high SOX12 expression levels were related to a poor prognosis and a high disease recurrence in patients. Moreover, SOX12 expression in osteosarcoma cell lines was increased, similar to osteosarcoma cancer stem cells. We also observed that SOX12 knockdown inhibited the spheroidization and expression of stemness markers in osteosarcoma cells and tumor formation in nude mice. In addition, SOX12 knockdown inhibited JAGGED1 and HES1 expression. Similarly, JAGGED1 knockdown also inhibited the formation of osteosarcoma cancer stem cells into pellets and reduced the expression of stemness markers and tumor formation capabilities in nude mice. Finally, during SOX12 knockdown, JAGGED1 overexpression rescued osteosarcoma cells from spheroidizing. SOX12 promotes stem cell-like phenotypes and osteosarcoma tumor growth by upregulating JAGGED1.
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Qin M, Meng Y, Luo C, He S, Qin F, Yin Y, Huang J, Zhao H, Hu J, Deng Z, Qiu Y, Hu G, Pan H, Qin Z, Huang Z, Yi T. lncRNA PRR34-AS1 promotes HCC development via modulating Wnt/β-catenin pathway by absorbing miR-296-5p and upregulating E2F2 and SOX12. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 25:37-52. [PMID: 34168917 PMCID: PMC8190132 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) belongs to the most frequent cancer with a high death rate worldwide. Thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been confirmed to influence the development of human cancers, including HCC. Nevertheless, the biological role of PRR34 antisense RNA 1 (PRR34-AS1) in HCC remains obscure. Here, we observed via quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (quantitative real-time RT-PCR) that PRR34-AS1 was highly expressed in HCC cells. Functional assays revealed that PRR34-AS1 promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in vitro and facilitated tumor growth in vivo. In addition, western blot analysis and TOP Flash/FOP Flash reporter assays verified that PRR34-AS1 stimulated Wnt/β-catenin pathway in HCC cells. Furthermore, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down, and luciferase reporter assays uncovered that PRR34-AS1 sequestered microRNA-296-5p (miR-296-5p) to positively modulate E2F transcription factor 2 (E2F2) and SRY-box transcription factor 12 (SOX12) in HCC cells. Importantly, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assays uncovered that E2F2 transcriptionally activated PRR34-AS1 in turn. Further, rescue experiments reflected that PRR34-AS1 affected HCC progression through targeting miR-296-5p/E2F2/SOX12/Wnt/β-catenin axis. Our findings found that PRR34-AS1 elicited oncogenic functions in HCC, which indicated that PRR34-AS1 might be a novel therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minzhen Qin
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, People’s Hospital of Baise, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Yiliang Meng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, People’s Hospital of Baise, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Chunying Luo
- Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Shougao He
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Fengxue Qin
- Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Yixia Yin
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Junling Huang
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Hailiang Zhao
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Jing Hu
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Zhihua Deng
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Yiying Qiu
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Gaoyu Hu
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Hanhe Pan
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Zongshuai Qin
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
| | - Zansong Huang
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
- Corresponding author: Zansong Huang, Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China.
| | - Tingzhuang Yi
- Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China
- Corresponding author: Tingzhuang Yi, Gastrointestinal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of YouJiang Medical University of Nationalities, Baise, Guangxi 533000, P.R. China.
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Zhang Q, Rong Y, Yi K, Huang L, Chen M, Wang F. Circulating tumor cells in hepatocellular carcinoma: single-cell based analysis, preclinical models, and clinical applications. Theranostics 2020; 10:12060-12071. [PMID: 33204329 PMCID: PMC7667686 DOI: 10.7150/thno.48918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are shed into the bloodstream from primary tumors and metastatic lesions and provide significant information about tumor progression and metastasis. CTCs contribute to tumor metastasis through the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). CTC clusters and stem-like phenotypes lead to a more aggressive and metastatic potential. CTCs retain the heterogeneity and imitate the nature of corresponding primary tumors. Therefore, it is important to use single-cell based analysis to obtain information on tumor heterogeneity and biology. CTCs are also good candidates for building preclinical models (especially 3D organoid cultures) for drug screening, disease modeling, genome editing, tumor immunity research, and organ-like biobank establishment. In this article, we summarize the current CTC capture technology, dissect the phenotypes associated with CTC metastasis, and review the progress in single-cell based analysis and preclinical modeling of the pattern and kinetics of CTCs. In particular, we discuss the use of CTCs to assess the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Fubing Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
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Li J, Zhu Y. Recent Advances in Liver Cancer Stem Cells: Non-coding RNAs, Oncogenes and Oncoproteins. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:548335. [PMID: 33117795 PMCID: PMC7575754 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.548335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, with high morbidity, relapse, metastasis and mortality rates. Although liver surgical resection, transplantation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and some molecular targeted therapeutics may prolong the survival of HCC patients to a certain degree, the curative effect is still poor, primarily because of tumor recurrence and the drug resistance of HCC cells. Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs), also known as liver tumor-initiating cells, represent one small subset of cancer cells that are responsible for disease recurrence, drug resistance and death. Therefore, understanding the regulatory mechanism of LCSCs in HCC is of vital importance. Thus, new studies that present gene regulation strategies to control LCSC differentiation and replication are under development. In this review, we provide an update on the latest advances in experimental studies on non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), oncogenes and oncoproteins. All the articles addressed the crosstalk between different ncRNAs, oncogenes and oncoproteins, as well as their upstream and downstream products targeting LCSCs. In this review, we summarize three pathways, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, and interleukin 6/Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (IL6/JAK2/STAT3) signaling pathway, and their targeting gene, c-Myc. Furthermore, we conclude that octamer 4 (OCT4) and Nanog are two important functional genes that play a pivotal role in LCSC regulation and HCC prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Li
- Department of Radiotherapy Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.,Liver Disease Center of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Institute of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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Sang X, Wu F, Wu D, Lin S, Li J, Zhao N, Chen X, Xu A. Human Hepatic Cancer Stem Cells (HCSCs) Markers Correlated With Immune Infiltrates Reveal Prognostic Significance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Genet 2020; 11:112. [PMID: 32184801 PMCID: PMC7058667 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Several markers have been reported to be specific for hepatic cancer stem cells (HCSCs), which is usually thought to be highly associated with poor clinical outcomes. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells act as an important factor for oncogenesis. Little is known about the correlation of HCSC markers to prognosis and immune infiltrates. Methods Expression of HCSC markers was analyzed through Oncomine database, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Integrative Molecular Database of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCCDB), respectively. The prognostic effect of HCSC markers was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier plotter in association with different tumor stages, risk factors, and gender. The correlation of HCSC markers to tumor-infiltrating immune cells was tested by Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). HCSC markers related gene sets were investigated by GEPIA, with their biological functions being analyzed by Cytoscape software. Results The expression level of 10 HCSC markers in HCC was higher than that in normal tissues in at least one database. Among them, high expression of CD24, SOX9, and SOX12 was positively correlated with poor prognosis (CD24: OS P = 0.0012, PFS P = 7.9E–05. SOX9: OS P = 0.012. SOX12: OS P = 0.0004, PFS P = 0.0013, respectively). However, the expression of CD13, CD34 and ALDH1A1 was associated with prolonged OS and PFS. SOX12 was significantly upregulated in poor prognosis of HCC patients with different conditions. Besides, total nine HCSC markers were identified to be positively associated with immune infiltration, including SOX12. Furthermore, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway was found to be one major pathway of these HCSC markers related gene networks. Conclusion Our results suggest that seven upregulated HCSC markers (CD90, EpCAM, CD133, CD24, SOX9, CK19, and SOX12) are related with poor prognosis and immune infiltration in HCC. In addition, we find that high SOX12 expression remarkably affect prognosis in male HCC patients but not in female. HCC patients under viral infection or alcohol intake with increased SOX12 expression had poorer prognosis. Therefore, HCSCs markers likely play an important role in tumor related immune infiltration and SOX12 might be a potential therapeutic target in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopu Sang
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Fenfang Wu
- Department of Central Laboratory, Shenzhen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Central Laboratory, Shenzhen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shan Lin
- Department of Central Laboratory, Shenzhen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jingyi Li
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoni Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Anlong Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.,Department of Central Laboratory, Shenzhen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
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12
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Cui F, Tang H, Tan J, Hu J. Spindle pole body component 25 regulates stemness of prostate cancer cells. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 10:3273-3282. [PMID: 30408771 PMCID: PMC6286856 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Spindle pole body component 25 (SPC25) is a component of NDC80 complex that controls spindle assembly checkpoint in the microtubule-binding domain of kinetochores. We recently showed that SPC25 is required for prostate cancer (PrC) cell proliferation and cell cycle progression, and here we investigated whether SPC25 may be a Cancer stem cell (CSC) marker in PrC. We found that the levels of SPC25 were higher in PrC samples than paired normal prostate tissue. The overall survival of PrC patients with high SPC25 was poorer than those with low SPC25. PrC cell lines were transduced with two vectors carrying a luciferase reporter and a mCherry fluorescent reporter under a cytomegalovirus promoter and a nuclear green fluorescent protein reporter under the control of a SPC25 promoter, respectively, to allow differentiating SPC25+ from SPC25- PrC cells by flow cytometry. Compared to SPC25- cells, SPC25+ cells formed significantly more tumor spheres in culture, appeared to be more resistant towards docetaxel-induced cell apoptosis, and generated larger tumors with higher frequency after serial adoptive transplantation. Thus, our data suggest that SPC25 may be highly expressed in the CSC-like cells in PrC and could be a promising target for effective treatment of PrC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feilun Cui
- Department of Urology, Zhenjiang First People's Hospital, Zhenjiang 212002, China
| | - Huaming Tang
- Department of Urology, Zhenjiang First People's Hospital, Zhenjiang 212002, China
| | - Jian Tan
- Department of Urology, Zhenjiang First People's Hospital, Zhenjiang 212002, China
| | - Jianpeng Hu
- Department of Urology, Zhenjiang First People's Hospital, Zhenjiang 212002, China
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13
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MicroRNA-28-5p Regulates Liver Cancer Stem Cell Expansion via IGF-1 Pathway. Stem Cells Int 2019; 2019:8734362. [PMID: 31885628 PMCID: PMC6915025 DOI: 10.1155/2019/8734362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in the regulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, the role of miRNAs in liver CSCs has not been fully elucidated. Methods Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-miR-28-5p in liver cancer stem cells (CSCs). The impact of miR-28-5p on liver CSC expansion was investigated both in vivo and in vitro. The correlation between miR-28-5p expression and sorafenib benefits in HCC was further evaluated in patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). Results Our data showed that miR-28-5p was downregulated in sorted EpCAM- and CD24-positive liver CSCs. Biofunctional investigations revealed that knockdown miR-28-5p promoted liver CSC self-renewal and tumorigenesis. Consistently, miR-28-5p overexpression inhibited liver CSC's self-renewal and tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, we found that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was a direct target of miR-28-5p in liver CSCs, and the effects of miR-28-5p on liver CSC's self-renewal and tumorigenesis were dependent on IGF-1. The correlation between miR-28-5p and IGF-1 was confirmed in human HCC tissues. Furthermore, the miR-28-5p knockdown HCC cells were more sensitive to sorafenib treatment. Analysis of patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) further demonstrated that the miR-28-5p may predict sorafenib benefits in HCC patients. Conclusion Our findings revealed the crucial role of the miR-28-5p in liver CSC expansion and sorafenib response, rendering miR-28-5p an optimal therapeutic target for HCC.
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14
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Umeh-Garcia M, Simion C, Ho PY, Batra N, Berg AL, Carraway KL, Yu A, Sweeney C. A Novel Bioengineered miR-127 Prodrug Suppresses the Growth and Metastatic Potential of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Cancer Res 2019; 80:418-429. [PMID: 31694904 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-0656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
miR-127 is downregulated in breast cancer, where it has been shown to suppress the proliferation, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells. In triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), miR-127 downregulation correlates with decreased disease-free and overall patient survival. Tumor suppressor miRNAs may hold therapeutic promise but progress has been limited by several factors, including the lability and high cost of miRNA mimics. Here, we take a novel approach to produce a miR-127 prodrug (miR-127PD), which we demonstrate is processed to mature, functional miR-127-3p in TNBC tumor cells. miR-127PD decreased the viability and motility of TNBC cells, sensitized TNBC cells to chemotherapy, and restricted the TNBC stem cell population. Furthermore, systemic delivery of miR-127PD suppressed tumor growth of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 TNBC cells and spontaneous metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, CERK, NANOS1, FOXO6, SOX11, SOX12, FASN, and SUSD2 were identified as novel, functionally important targets of miR-127. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that miR-127 functions as a tumor and metastasis suppressor in TNBC and that delivery of miR-127 may hold promise as a novel therapy. SIGNIFICANCE: Exogenous administration of miR-127, which is functionally activated in target cells, inhibits growth and spontaneous metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxine Umeh-Garcia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Catalina Simion
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Pui-Yan Ho
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Neelu Batra
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Anastasia L Berg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Kermit L Carraway
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Aiming Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Colleen Sweeney
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California.
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15
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Du F, Chen J, Liu H, Cai Y, Cao T, Han W, Yi X, Qian M, Tian D, Nie Y, Wu K, Fan D, Xia L. SOX12 promotes colorectal cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by regulating asparagine synthesis. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:239. [PMID: 30858360 PMCID: PMC6412063 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1481-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box (SOX) family has a crucial role in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. However, the role of SOX12 and the mechanism by which it is dysregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. Here we analyzed SOX12 expression patterns in two independent CRC cohorts (cohort I, n = 390; cohort II, n = 363) and found that SOX12 was significantly upregulated in CRC, indicating a poor prognosis in CRC patients. Overexpression of SOX12 promoted CRC cell proliferation and metastasis, whereas downregulation of SOX12 hampered CRC aggressiveness. Mechanistically, SOX12 facilitated asparagine synthesis by transactivating glutaminase (GLS), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase 2 (GOT2), and asparagine synthetase (ASNS). Downregulation of GLS, GOT2, and ASNS blocked SOX12-mediated CRC cell proliferation and metastasis, whereas ectopic expression of GLS, GOT2, and ASNS attenuated the SOX12 knockdown-induced suppression of CRC progression. In addition, serial deletion, site-directed mutagenesis, luciferase reporter, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays indicated that hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) directly binds to the SOX12 promoter and induces SOX12 expression. Administration of l-asparaginase decreased SOX12-mediated tumor growth and metastasis. In human CRC samples, SOX12 expression positively correlated with GLS, GOT2, ASNS, and HIF-1α expression. Based on these results, SOX12 may serve as a prognostic biomarker and l-asparaginase represents a potential novel therapeutic agent for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Du
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Hao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yanhui Cai
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Tianyu Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Weili Han
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xiaofang Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Meirui Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Dean Tian
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Yongzhan Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Kaichun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Daiming Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China.
| | - Limin Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China. .,Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
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