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Mahmoodi F, Bakherad H, Mogharrab N, Rabbani M. A novel approach to enhance the performance of kallikrein 6 enzyme using Pichia pastoris GS115 as a host. Res Pharm Sci 2023; 18:541-550. [PMID: 37842513 PMCID: PMC10568964 DOI: 10.4103/1735-5362.383709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and purpose Enzyme engineering is the process of raising enzyme efficiency and activity by altering amino acid sequences. Kallikrein 6 (KLK6) enzyme is a secreted serine protease involved in a variety of physiological and pathological activities. The increased expression of KLK6 plays a key role in various diseases. Instability and spontaneous activation and deactivation are major challenges in the study of this enzyme. This study aimed to create a stable pro-KLK6 enzyme by enzyme engineering, designing a specific cleavage site for enterokinase, and using Pichia pastoris GS115 as a host cell. Then, recombinant pro-KLK6 was used to introduce a novel inhibitor for it. Experimental approach An engineered pro-KLK6 gene was cloned into the pPICZα A expression vector. Then, it was expressed in P. pastoris GS115 and purified by Ni-NTA chromatography. An inactive engineered pro-KLK6 gene was cleaved by enterokinase and converted to an active KLK6. The KLK6 enzyme activity and its kinetic parameters were measured using N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE) substrates. Findings/Results The secretory form of the pro-KLK6 was expressed at about 11 mg/L in P. pastoris (GS115). Before activation with enterokinase, pro-KLK6 was inactive and did not activate spontaneously. The kinetic parameters, including Km and Vmax, were estimated at 113.59 μM and 0.432 μM/s, respectively. Conclusion and implications A stable pro-KLK6 enzyme was produced using P. pastoris (GS115) as the host cell and a specific cleavage site for enterokinase. Additionally, this study assessed the kinetic parameters of the KLK6 enzyme using the BAEE substrate for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Mahmoodi
- Biophysics and Computational Biology Laboratory (BCBL), Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hamid Bakherad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Navid Mogharrab
- Biophysics and Computational Biology Laboratory (BCBL), Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Rabbani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Dijkstra J, Neikes HK, Rezaeifard S, Ma X, Voest EE, Tauriello DVF, Vermeulen M. Multiomics of Colorectal Cancer Organoids Reveals Putative Mediators of Cancer Progression Resulting from SMAD4 Inactivation. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:138-151. [PMID: 36450103 PMCID: PMC9830641 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.2c00551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The development of metastasis severely reduces the life expectancy of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Although loss of SMAD4 is a key event in CRC progression, the resulting changes in biological processes in advanced disease and metastasis are not fully understood. Here, we applied a multiomics approach to a CRC organoid model that faithfully reflects the metastasis-supporting effects of SMAD4 inactivation. We show that loss of SMAD4 results in decreased differentiation and activation of pro-migratory and cell proliferation processes, which is accompanied by the disruption of several key oncogenic pathways, including the TGFβ, WNT, and VEGF pathways. In addition, SMAD4 inactivation leads to increased secretion of proteins that are known to be involved in a variety of pro-metastatic processes. Finally, we show that one of the factors that is specifically secreted by SMAD4-mutant organoids─DKK3─reduces the antitumor effects of natural killer cells (NK cells). Altogether, our data provide new insights into the role of SMAD4 perturbation in advanced CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelmer
J. Dijkstra
- Department
of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular
Life Sciences (RIMLS), Oncode Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Geert Grooteplein 26−28, 6525
GA Nijmegen, The
Netherlands
| | - Hannah K. Neikes
- Department
of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular
Life Sciences (RIMLS), Oncode Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Geert Grooteplein 26−28, 6525
GA Nijmegen, The
Netherlands
| | - Somayeh Rezaeifard
- Department
of Cell Biology, Radboud University Medical Center/Radboud Institute
for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud
University Nijmegen, Geert Grooteplein 26−28, 6525
GA Nijmegen, The
Netherlands
| | - Xuhui Ma
- Department
of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek
Hospital, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emile E. Voest
- Department
of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek
Hospital, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniele V. F. Tauriello
- Department
of Cell Biology, Radboud University Medical Center/Radboud Institute
for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud
University Nijmegen, Geert Grooteplein 26−28, 6525
GA Nijmegen, The
Netherlands
| | - Michiel Vermeulen
- Department
of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular
Life Sciences (RIMLS), Oncode Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Geert Grooteplein 26−28, 6525
GA Nijmegen, The
Netherlands,
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Hwang YS, Cho HJ, Park ES, Lim J, Yoon HR, Kim JT, Yoon SR, Jung H, Choe YK, Kim YH, Lee CH, Kwon YT, Kim BY, Lee HG. KLK6/PAR1 Axis Promotes Tumor Growth and Metastasis by Regulating Cross-Talk between Tumor Cells and Macrophages. Cells 2022; 11:cells11244101. [PMID: 36552865 PMCID: PMC9777288 DOI: 10.3390/cells11244101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK)6 is associated with inflammatory diseases and neoplastic progression. KLK6 is aberrantly expressed in several solid tumors and regulates cancer development, metastatic progression, and drug resistance. However, the function of KLK6 in the tumor microenvironment remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the role of KLK6 in the tumor microenvironment. Here, we uncovered the mechanism underlying KLK6-mediated cross-talk between cancer cells and macrophages. Compared with wild-type mice, KLK6-/- mice showed less tumor growth and metastasis in the B16F10 melanoma and Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) xenograft model. Mechanistically, KLK6 promoted the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) from macrophages via the activation of protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR1) in an autocrine manner. TNF-α secreted from macrophages induced the release of the C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) from melanoma and lung carcinoma cells in a paracrine manner. The introduction of recombinant KLK6 protein in KLK6-/- mice rescued the production of TNF-α and CXCL1, tumor growth, and metastasis. Inhibition of PAR1 activity suppressed these malignant phenotypes rescued by rKLK6 in vitro and in vivo. Our findings suggest that KLK6 functions as an important molecular link between macrophages and cancer cells during malignant progression, thereby providing opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yo Sep Hwang
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Jun Cho
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Sun Park
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeewon Lim
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyang Ran Yoon
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Tae Kim
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Suk Ran Yoon
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Haiyoung Jung
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Kyung Choe
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Hoon Kim
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul-Ho Lee
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Tae Kwon
- Protein Metabolism Medical Research Center, Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 110-799, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (Y.T.K.); (B.Y.K.); (H.G.L.)
| | - Bo Yeon Kim
- Anticancer Agent Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Ochang, Cheong won, Cheongju 28116, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (Y.T.K.); (B.Y.K.); (H.G.L.)
| | - Hee Gu Lee
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (Y.T.K.); (B.Y.K.); (H.G.L.)
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Yang BY, Sakharkar MK. Alterations in Gene Pair Correlations as Potential Diagnostic Markers for Colon Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012463. [PMID: 36293321 PMCID: PMC9604343 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death from cancer in Canada. Early detection of CRC remains crucial in managing disease prognosis and improving patient survival. It can also facilitate prevention, screening, and treatment before the disease progresses to a chronic stage. In this study, we developed a strategy for identifying colon cancer biomarkers from both gene expression and gene pair correlation. Using the RNA-Seq dataset TCGA-COAD, a panel of 71 genes, including the 20 most upregulated genes, 20 most downregulated genes and 31 genes involved in the most significantly altered gene pairs, were selected as potential biomarkers for colon cancer. This signature set of genes could be used for early diagnosis. Furthermore, this strategy could be applied to other types of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie Yang Yang
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Meena Kishore Sakharkar
- Drug Discovery and Development Research Group, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
- Correspondence:
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Kallikrein-Related Peptidase 6 (KLK6) as a Contributor toward an Aggressive Cancer Cell Phenotype: A Potential Role in Colon Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12071003. [PMID: 35883559 PMCID: PMC9312869 DOI: 10.3390/biom12071003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) are implicated in many cancer-related processes. KLK6, one of the 15 KLK family members, is a promising biomarker for diagnosis of many cancers and has been associated with poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Herein, we evaluated the expression and cellular functions of KLK6 in colon cancer-derived cell lines and in clinical samples from CRC patients. We showed that, although many KLKs transcripts are upregulated in colon cancer-derived cell lines, KLK6, KLK10, and KLK11 are the most highly secreted proteins. KLK6 induced calcium flux in HT29 cells by activation and internalization of protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2). Furthermore, KLK6 induced extracellular signal–regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. KLK6 suppression in HCT-116 colon cancer cells decreased the colony formation, increased cell adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins, and reduced spheroid formation and compaction. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis demonstrated ectopic expression of KLK6 in human colon adenocarcinomas but not in normal epithelia. Importantly, high levels of KLK6 protein were detected in the ascites of CRC patients with peritoneal metastasis, but not in benign ascites. These data indicate that KLK6 overexpression is associated with aggressive CRC, and may be applied to differentiate between benign and malignant ascites.
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6
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Candido JB, Maiques O, Boxberg M, Kast V, Peerani E, Tomás-Bort E, Weichert W, Sananes A, Papo N, Magdolen V, Sanz-Moreno V, Loessner D. Kallikrein-Related Peptidase 6 Is Associated with the Tumour Microenvironment of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13163969. [PMID: 34439122 PMCID: PMC8392253 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13163969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Kallikrein-related peptidases have tumour-biological roles and are dysregulated in many cancers. Only a few studies have reported their upregulation in pancreatic cancer and linked them to poor prognosis. By interrogating publicly available and our own datasets, we studied their expression in patient-derived tissues and pancreatic cancer cells. We found several kallikrein-related peptidases that were upregulated, in particular kallikrein-related peptidase 6 at the forefront of the tumour area. We then tested the effect of a kallikrein-related peptidase 6 inhibitor on cancer cell functions. Because the majority of patients present with inoperable disease, a targeted therapeutic intervention may have a positive impact on the survival of this patient population. Abstract As cancer-associated factors, kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) are components of the tumour microenvironment, which represents a rich substrate repertoire, and considered attractive targets for the development of novel treatments. Standard-of-care therapy of pancreatic cancer shows unsatisfactory results, indicating the need for alternative therapeutic approaches. We aimed to investigate the expression of KLKs in pancreatic cancer and to inhibit the function of KLK6 in pancreatic cancer cells. KLK6, KLK7, KLK8, KLK10 and KLK11 were coexpressed and upregulated in tissues from pancreatic cancer patients compared to normal pancreas. Their high expression levels correlated with each other and were linked to shorter survival compared to low KLK levels. We then validated KLK6 mRNA and protein expression in patient-derived tissues and pancreatic cancer cells. Coexpression of KLK6 with KRT19, αSMA or CD68 was independent of tumour stage, while KLK6 was coexpressed with KRT19 and CD68 in the invasive tumour area. High KLK6 levels in tumour and CD68+ cells were linked to shorter survival. KLK6 inhibition reduced KLK6 mRNA expression, cell metabolic activity and KLK6 secretion and increased the secretion of other serine and aspartic lysosomal proteases. The association of high KLK levels and poor prognosis suggests that inhibiting KLKs may be a therapeutic strategy for precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana B. Candido
- Centre for Tumour Microenvironment, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (J.B.C.); (O.M.); (E.P.); (E.T.-B.); (V.S.-M.)
| | - Oscar Maiques
- Centre for Tumour Microenvironment, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (J.B.C.); (O.M.); (E.P.); (E.T.-B.); (V.S.-M.)
| | - Melanie Boxberg
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, 81657 Munich, Germany; (M.B.); (W.W.)
| | - Verena Kast
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials Dresden, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden e.V., Hohe Straβe 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany;
| | - Eleonora Peerani
- Centre for Tumour Microenvironment, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (J.B.C.); (O.M.); (E.P.); (E.T.-B.); (V.S.-M.)
| | - Elena Tomás-Bort
- Centre for Tumour Microenvironment, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (J.B.C.); (O.M.); (E.P.); (E.T.-B.); (V.S.-M.)
| | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, 81657 Munich, Germany; (M.B.); (W.W.)
| | - Amiram Sananes
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering and The National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; (A.S.); (N.P.)
| | - Niv Papo
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering and The National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel; (A.S.); (N.P.)
| | - Viktor Magdolen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany;
| | - Victoria Sanz-Moreno
- Centre for Tumour Microenvironment, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (J.B.C.); (O.M.); (E.P.); (E.T.-B.); (V.S.-M.)
| | - Daniela Loessner
- Centre for Tumour Microenvironment, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK; (J.B.C.); (O.M.); (E.P.); (E.T.-B.); (V.S.-M.)
- Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials Dresden, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden e.V., Hohe Straβe 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany;
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Pandey R, Zhou M, Chen Y, Darmoul D, Kisiel CC, Nfonsam VN, Ignatenko NA. Molecular Pathways Associated with Kallikrein 6 Overexpression in Colorectal Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:749. [PMID: 34065672 PMCID: PMC8157155 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The high mortality of CRC is related to its ability to metastasize to distant organs. The kallikrein-related peptidase Kallikrein 6 (KLK6) is overexpressed in CRC and contributes to cancer cell invasion and metastasis. The goal of this study was to identify KLK6-associated markers for the CRC prognosis and treatment. Tumor Samples from the CRC patients with significantly elevated KLK6 transcript levels were identified in the RNA-Seq data from Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and their expression profiles were evaluated using Gene Ontology (GO), Phenotype and Reactome enrichment, and protein interaction methods. KLK6-high cases had a distinct spectrum of mutations in titin (TTN), APC, K-RAS, and MUC16 genes. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) found in the KLK6-overexpressing CRCs were associated with cell signaling, extracellular matrix organization, and cell communication regulatory pathways. The top KLK6-interaction partners were found to be the members of kallikrein family (KLK7, KLK8, KLK10), extracellular matrix associated proteins (keratins, integrins, small proline rich repeat, S100A families) and TGF-β, FOS, and Ser/Thr protein kinase signaling pathways. Expression of selected KLK6-associated genes was validated in a subset of paired normal and tumor CRC patient-derived organoid cultures. The performed analyses identified KLK6 itself and a set of genes, which are co-expressed with KLK6, as potential clinical biomarkers for the management of the CRC disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Pandey
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA;
| | - Muhan Zhou
- Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA; (M.Z.); (Y.C.)
| | - Yuliang Chen
- Bioinformatics Shared Resource, University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA; (M.Z.); (Y.C.)
| | - Dalila Darmoul
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université de Paris, Lariboisière Hospital, 75010 Paris, France;
| | - Conner C. Kisiel
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA;
| | - Valentine N. Nfonsam
- Department of Surgery, Section of Surgical Oncology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA;
| | - Natalia A. Ignatenko
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA;
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Tieng FYF, Abu N, Sukor S, Mohd Azman ZA, Mahamad Nadzir N, Lee LH, Ab Mutalib NS. L1CAM, CA9, KLK6, HPN, and ALDH1A1 as Potential Serum Markers in Primary and Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Screening. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:E444. [PMID: 32630086 PMCID: PMC7400057 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10070444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening at the earlier stages could effectively decrease CRC-related mortality and incidence; however, accurate screening strategies are still lacking. Considerable interest has been generated in the detection of less invasive tests requiring a small sample volume with the potential to detect several cancer biomarkers simultaneously. Due to this, the ELISA-based method was undertaken in this study. METHODS Concentrations of neural cell adhesion molecule L1 (L1CAM), carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9), mesothelin (MSLN), midkine (MDK), hepsin (HPN), kallikrein 6 (KLK6), transglutaminase 2 (TGM2) aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member A1 (ALDH1A1), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), and cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) from blood serum of 36 primary CRC and 24 metastatic CRC (mCRC) were calculated via MAGPIX® System (Luminex Corporation, USA). RESULTS Significantly increased concentration (p < 0.05) of three serum biomarkers (L1CAM, CA9, and HPN) were shown in mCRC when compared with primary CRC. HPN and KLK6 showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in concentration among different stages of CRC. In contrast, levels of HPN and ALDH1A1 were significantly elevated (p < 0.05) in chemotherapy-treated CRC patients as compared with nontreated ones. Conclusion: Serum biomarkers could act as a potential early CRC diagnostics test, but further additional testings are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Yew Fu Tieng
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (F.Y.F.T.); (N.A.); (N.M.N.)
| | - Nadiah Abu
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (F.Y.F.T.); (N.A.); (N.M.N.)
| | - Surani Sukor
- Prima Nexus Sdn. Bhd., Kuala Lumpur 50470, Malaysia;
| | - Zairul Azwan Mohd Azman
- Colorectal Unit, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia;
| | - Norshahidah Mahamad Nadzir
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (F.Y.F.T.); (N.A.); (N.M.N.)
| | - Learn-Han Lee
- Novel Bacteria and Drug Discovery Research Group, Microbiome and Bioresource Research Strength, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Syakima Ab Mutalib
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (F.Y.F.T.); (N.A.); (N.M.N.)
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9
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Peng Q, Shen Y, Zhao P, Cheng M, Wu Y, Zhu Y. Biomarker implication of kallikrein-related peptidases as prognostic tissue substrates of poor survival in colorectal cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2020; 20:260. [PMID: 32581650 PMCID: PMC7310231 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-020-01350-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recent studies have demonstrated that the kallikrein and kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) exhibit aberrant expression in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and might be considered as potential prognostic biomarkers of CRC. However, inconsistent findings have been reported, which promote us to summarize the global prognostic roles of KLKs for survival in CRC patients. Methods Eligible published studies were identified by searching electronic databases with several search strategies. The patients’ baseline characteristics and survival results were extracted from enrolled studies and pooled as combined hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) to estimate the effect size. Results A total of 25 and 22 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic roles of KLKs on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), respectively. KLKs overexpression was significantly associated with worse OS (pooled HR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.27–1.60, P < 0.001) and short DFS (pooled HR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.21–1.51, P < 0.001). Importantly, subgroup and meta-regression analyses revealed the survival differences among different races and detection methods of KLKs. Furthermore, several specific members of KLKs were identified to be more significantly related to worse OS and DFS compared with other members. Conclusion The present study demonstrated that KLKs may have the potential to serve as promising biomarkers to monitor CRC prognosis and progression. The promising results concerning the utility of KLKs in clinical practice encourage the further investigation of their clinical utility applicability as tumor markers of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiliang Peng
- Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, San Xiang Road No. 1055, Suzhou, 215004 Jiangsu China.,Institute of Radiotherapy & Oncology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yi Shen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Suzhou Science & Technology Town Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, China
| | - Peifeng Zhao
- Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, San Xiang Road No. 1055, Suzhou, 215004 Jiangsu China.,Institute of Radiotherapy & Oncology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ming Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yongyou Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yaqun Zhu
- Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, San Xiang Road No. 1055, Suzhou, 215004 Jiangsu China.,Institute of Radiotherapy & Oncology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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10
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Dong S, Ding Z, Zhang H, Chen Q. Identification of Prognostic Biomarkers and Drugs Targeting Them in Colon Adenocarcinoma: A Bioinformatic Analysis. Integr Cancer Ther 2020; 18:1534735419864434. [PMID: 31370719 PMCID: PMC6681251 DOI: 10.1177/1534735419864434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To identify prognostic biomarkers and drugs that target them in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Methods: The TCGA dataset was used to identify the top 50 upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and Gene Expression Omnibus profiles were used for validation. Survival analyses were conducted with the TCGA dataset using the RTCGAToolbox package in the R software environment. Drugs targeting the candidate prognostic biomarkers were searched in the DrugBank and herbal databases. Results: Among the top 50 upregulated DEGs in patients with COAD in the TCGA dataset, the Wnt signaling pathway and cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions and pathways in cancer Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis were enriched in DEGs. Tissue development and regulation of cell proliferation were the main Gene Ontology biological processes associated with upregulated DEGs. MYC and KLK6 were overexpressed in tumors validated in the TCGA, GSE41328, and GSE113513 databases (all P < .001) and were significantly associated with overall survival in patients with COAD (P = .021 and P = .047). Nadroparin and benzamidine were identified as inhibitors of MYC and KLK6 in DrugBank, and 8 herbs targeting MYC, including Da Huang (Radix Rhei Et Rhizome), Hu Zhang (Polygoni Cuspidati Rhizoma Et Radix), Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), Ban Xia (Arum Ternatum Thunb), Tu Fu Ling (Smilacis Glabrae Rhixoma), Lei Gong Teng (Tripterygii Radix), Er Cha (Catechu), and Guang Zao (Choerospondiatis Fructus), were identified. Conclusion: MYC and KLK6 may serve as candidate prognostic predictors and therapeutic targets in patients with COAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Dong
- 1 Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,2 Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhimin Ding
- 3 Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- 1 Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,2 Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiwen Chen
- 1 Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,2 Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,4 Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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11
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Chen H, Sells E, Pandey R, Abril ER, Hsu CH, Krouse RS, Nagle RB, Pampalakis G, Sotiropoulou G, Ignatenko NA. Kallikrein 6 protease advances colon tumorigenesis via induction of the high mobility group A2 protein. Oncotarget 2019; 10:6062-6078. [PMID: 31692974 PMCID: PMC6817440 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) overexpression is commonly observed in primary tumors of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and has been associated with tumor aggressiveness, metastasis, and poor prognosis. We previously established a unique contribution of KLK6 in colon cancer metastasis via a specific network of microRNAs and mRNAs. Here we evaluated the cellular functions of KLK6 protease in Caco-2 colon adenocarcinoma cell line after introduction of the enzymatically active or inactive form of the enzyme. We found that proteolytically active KLK6 increased Caco-2 cells invasiveness in vitro and decreased the animal survival in the orthotopic colon cancer model. The active KLK6 induced phosphorylation of SMAD 2/3 proteins leading to the altered expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. KLK6 overexpression also induced the RNA-binding protein LIN28B and high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) transcription factor, two essential regulators of cell invasion and metastasis. In the CRC patients, KLK6 protein levels were elevated in the non-cancerous distant and adjacent tissues, compared to their paired tumor tissues (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0157, respectively). Patients with mutant K-RAS tumors had significantly higher level of KLK6 protein in the luminal surface of non-cancerous distant tissue, compared to the corresponding tissues of the patients with K-RAS wild type tumors (p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, KLK6 and HMGA2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) scores in patients' tumors and paired adjacent tissues positively correlated (Spearman correlation P < 0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). These findings demonstrate the critical function of the KLK6 enzyme in colon cancer progression and its contribution to the signaling network in colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwudaurw Chen
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Earlphia Sells
- Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Ritu Pandey
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Chiu-Hsieh Hsu
- Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Robert S. Krouse
- University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Raymond B. Nagle
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | | | - Natalia A. Ignatenko
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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12
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Papachristopoulou G, Malachias A, Devetzi M, Kamouza E, Scorilas A, Xynopoulos D, Talieri M. Uncovering the clinical impact of kallikrein-related peptidase 5 (KLK5) mRNA expression in the colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Clin Chem Lab Med 2019; 57:1251-1260. [PMID: 30759066 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2018-1010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) are a subgroup of serine proteases located on chromosome 19q13.3. Most KLKs have been extensively studied as potential biomarkers for several carcinomas and other diseases. KLK5 was originally identified from a keratinocyte library, and its enzyme was purified from the stratum corneum of human skin. KLK5 was shown to be differentially expressed in a variety of endocrine tumors, although it is not as yet examined widely in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods In this study, we quantitatively assessed the mRNA expression status of KLK5 in 197 colorectal tissues from 133 patients (70 cancerous and their paired normal colonic mucosa for 64 of them, as well as 63 colorectal adenomas) by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) using TaqMan probes. Statistical analysis evaluated the results. Results It was shown that KLK5 expression is reduced following the histologically non-cancerous-adenoma sequence (p<0.001), whereas it is increased during the sequence adenoma-carcinoma (p<0.001). Furthermore, KLK5 positive expression is associated with positive nodal status (p=0.022), advanced tumor stage (p=0.038) and high histological grade (p=0.033). Cox univariate analysis revealed that KLK5 positive expression is associated with disease-free survival (DFS) (p=0.028) and overall survival (OS) of patients (p=0.048). Kaplan-Meyer survival models showed that patients with positive KLK5 expression have lower DFS (p=0.009) and OS (p=0.019). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated for first time that KLK5 expression had significant discriminatory values between cancer and adenoma tissues (area under the curve [AUC] 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.69-0.85, p=0.03). Conclusions KLK5 mRNA expression may be useful for the differentiation of CRC from colorectal adenoma and represents a potential unfavorable prognostic biomarker for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Papachristopoulou
- Department of Pathology, "Saint Savvas" Cancer Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Apostolos Malachias
- Department of Gastroenterology, "Saint Savvas" Cancer Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Marina Devetzi
- Department of Cellular Physiology, G. Papanicolaou Research Center of Oncology, "Saint Savvas" Cancer Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evdoxia Kamouza
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitris Xynopoulos
- Department of Gastroenterology, "Saint Savvas" Cancer Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Maroulio Talieri
- Department of Cellular Physiology, G. Papanicolaou Research Center of Oncology, "Saint Savvas" Cancer Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
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13
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Berral-Gonzalez A, Riffo-Campos AL, Ayala G. OMICfpp: a fuzzy approach for paired RNA-Seq counts. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:259. [PMID: 30940089 PMCID: PMC6444640 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5496-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background RNA sequencing is a widely used technology for differential expression analysis. However, the RNA-Seq do not provide accurate absolute measurements and the results can be different for each pipeline used. The major problem in statistical analysis of RNA-Seq and in the omics data in general, is the small sample size with respect to the large number of variables. In addition, experimental design must be taken into account and few tools consider it. Results We propose OMICfpp, a method for the statistical analysis of RNA-Seq paired design data. First, we obtain a p-value for each case-control pair using a binomial test. These p-values are aggregated using an ordered weighted average (OWA) with a given orness previously chosen. The aggregated p-value from the original data is compared with the aggregated p-value obtained using the same method applied to random pairs. These new pairs are generated using between-pairs and complete randomization distributions. This randomization p-value is used as a raw p-value to test the differential expression of each gene. The OMICfpp method is evaluated using public data sets of 68 sample pairs from patients with colorectal cancer. We validate our results through bibliographic search of the reported genes and using simulated data set. Furthermore, we compared our results with those obtained by the methods edgeR and DESeq2 for paired samples. Finally, we propose new target genes to validate these as gene expression signatures in colorectal cancer. OMICfpp is available at http://www.uv.es/ayala/software/OMICfpp_0.2.tar.gz. Conclusions Our study shows that OMICfpp is an accurate method for differential expression analysis in RNA-Seq data with paired design. In addition, we propose the use of randomized p-values pattern graphic as a powerful and robust method to select the target genes for experimental validation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5496-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Berral-Gonzalez
- Grupo de Investigación Bioinformática y Genómica Funcional. Laboratorio 19. Centro de Investigación del Cáncer (CiC-IBMCC, Universidad de Salamanca-CSIC, Campus Universitario Miguel de Unamuno s/n, Salamanca, 37007, Spain
| | - Angela L Riffo-Campos
- Universidad de La Frontera. Centro De Excelencia de Modelación y Computación Científica, C/ Montevideo 740, Temuco, Chile.
| | - Guillermo Ayala
- Universidad de Valencia. Departamento de Estadística e Investigación Operativa, Avda. Vicent Andrés Estellés, 1, Burjasot, 46100, Spain
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14
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Zhu S, Shi J, Zhang S, Li Z. KLK6 Promotes Growth, Migration, and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells. J Gastric Cancer 2018; 18:356-367. [PMID: 30607299 PMCID: PMC6310766 DOI: 10.5230/jgc.2018.18.e35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Kallikrein (KLK) proteases are hormone-like signaling molecules with critical functions in different cancers. This study investigated the expression of KLK6 in gastric cancer and its potential role in the growth, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Materials and Methods In this study, we compared protein levels of KLK6, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 9 in normal gastric epithelial and gastric cancer cell lines by western blot. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting was employed to sort 2 clones of SGC-7901 cells with distinct KLK6 expression, namely, KLK6-high (KLK6high) and KLK6-low (KLK6low), which were then expanded. Lastly, immunohistochemical analysis was performed to investigate KLK6 expression in gastric cancer patients. Results The expression levels of KLK6, VEGF, and MMP 9, were significantly higher in the gastric cancer cell lines SGC-7901, BGC-823, MKN-28, and MGC-803 than in the normal gastric epithelial cell line GES-1. Compared to KLK6low cells, KLK6high cells showed enhanced viability, colony-forming ability, migration, and invasion potential in vitro. Importantly, immunohistochemical analysis of a human gastric cancer tissue cohort revealed that the staining for KLK6, VEGF, and MMP9 was markedly stronger in the cancerous tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues. KLK6 expression also correlated with that of VEGF and MMP9 expression, as well as several key clinicopathological parameters. Conclusions Together, these results suggest an important role for KLK6 in human gastric cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengxing Zhu
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Department of The Second General Surgery, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jihua Shi
- Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shanfeng Zhang
- School of Basic Medicine, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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15
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Khoury N, Zingkou E, Pampalakis G, Sofopoulos M, Zoumpourlis V, Sotiropoulou G. KLK6 protease accelerates skin tumor formation and progression. Carcinogenesis 2018; 39:1529-1536. [DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgy110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolas Khoury
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
| | | | - Vassilis Zoumpourlis
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
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16
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Sananes A, Cohen I, Shahar A, Hockla A, De Vita E, Miller AK, Radisky ES, Papo N. A potent, proteolysis-resistant inhibitor of kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) for cancer therapy, developed by combinatorial engineering. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:12663-12680. [PMID: 29934309 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.000871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Human tissue kallikrein (KLK) proteases are hormone-like signaling molecules with important functions in cancer pathophysiology. KLK-related peptidase 6 (KLK6), specifically, is highly up-regulated in several types of cancer, where its increased activity promotes cancer invasion and metastasis. This characteristic suggests KLK6 as an attractive target for therapeutic interventions. However, inhibitors that specifically target KLK6 have not yet been reported, possibly because KLK6 shares a high sequence homology and structural similarity with other serine proteases and resists inhibition by many polypeptide inhibitors. Here, we present an innovative combinatorial approach to engineering KLK6 inhibitors via flow cytometry-based screening of a yeast-displayed mutant library of the human amyloid precursor protein Kunitz protease inhibitor domain (APPI), an inhibitor of other serine proteases, such as anionic and cationic trypsins. On the basis of this screening, we generated APPIM17L,I18F,S19F,F34V (APPI-4M), an APPI variant with a KLK6 inhibition constant (Ki ) of 160 pm and a turnover time of 10 days. To the best of our knowledge, APPI-4M is the most potent KLK6 inhibitor reported to date, displaying 146-fold improved affinity and 13-fold improved proteolytic stability compared with WT APPI (APPIWT). We further demonstrate that APPI-4M acts as a functional inhibitor in a cell-based model of KLK6-dependent breast cancer invasion. Finally, the crystal structures of the APPIWT/KLK6 and APPI-4M/KLK6 complexes revealed the structural and mechanistic bases for the improved KLK6 binding and proteolytic resistance of APPI-4M. We anticipate that APPI-4M will have substantial translational potential as both imaging agent and therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amiram Sananes
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105 Israel
| | - Itay Cohen
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105 Israel
| | - Anat Shahar
- The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN), Beer-Sheva, 84105 Israel
| | - Alexandra Hockla
- Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Jacksonville, Florida 32224
| | - Elena De Vita
- Cancer Drug Development Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aubry K Miller
- Cancer Drug Development Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Evette S Radisky
- Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Jacksonville, Florida 32224
| | - Niv Papo
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105 Israel.
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17
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Ahmed N, Dorn J, Napieralski R, Drecoll E, Kotzsch M, Goettig P, Zein E, Avril S, Kiechle M, Diamandis EP, Schmitt M, Magdolen V. Clinical relevance of kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) and 8 (KLK8) mRNA expression in advanced serous ovarian cancer. Biol Chem 2017; 397:1265-1276. [PMID: 27483364 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2016-0177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Most members of the kallikrein-related peptidase family have been demonstrated to be dysregulated in ovarian cancer and modulate tumor growth, migration, invasion, and resistance to chemotherapy. In the present study, we assessed the mRNA expression levels of KLK6 and KLK8 by quantitative PCR in 100 patients with advanced serous ovarian cancer FIGO stage III/IV. A pronounced correlation between KLK6 and KLK8 mRNA expression (rs = 0.636, p < 0.001) was observed, indicating coordinate expression of both peptidases. No significant associations of clinical parameters with KLK6, KLK8, and a combined score KLK6+KLK8 were found. In univariate Cox regression analysis, elevated mRNA levels of KLK6 were significantly linked with shortened overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.07, p = 0.007). While KLK8 values were not associated with patients' outcome, high KLK6+KLK8 values were significantly associated with shorter progression-free survival (HR = 1.82, p = 0.047) and showed a trend towards significance in the case of OS (HR = 1.82, p = 0.053). Strikingly, in multivariable analysis, elevated KLK6 mRNA values, apart from residual tumor mass, remained an independent predictive marker for poor OS (HR = 2.33, p = 0.005). As KLK6 mRNA and protein levels correlate, KLK6 may represent an attractive therapeutic target for potent and specific inhibitors of its enzymatic activity.
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18
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The kallikrein-related peptidase family: Dysregulation and functions during cancer progression. Biochimie 2015; 122:283-99. [PMID: 26343558 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2015.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death with 14 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2012. Despite the progress made in cancer therapies, neoplastic diseases are still a major therapeutic challenge notably because of intra- and inter-malignant tumour heterogeneity and adaptation/escape of malignant cells to/from treatment. New targeted therapies need to be developed to improve our medical arsenal and counter-act cancer progression. Human kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) are secreted serine peptidases which are aberrantly expressed in many cancers and have great potential in developing targeted therapies. The potential of KLKs as cancer biomarkers is well established since the demonstration of the association between KLK3/PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels and prostate cancer progression. In addition, a constantly increasing number of in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate the functional involvement of KLKs in cancer-related processes. These peptidases are now considered key players in the regulation of cancer cell growth, migration, invasion, chemo-resistance, and importantly, in mediating interactions between cancer cells and other cell populations found in the tumour microenvironment to facilitate cancer progression. These functional roles of KLKs in a cancer context further highlight their potential in designing new anti-cancer approaches. In this review, we comprehensively review the biochemical features of KLKs, their functional roles in carcinogenesis, followed by the latest developments and the successful utility of KLK-based therapeutics in counteracting cancer progression.
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19
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Grin A, Samaan S, Tripathi M, Rotondo F, Kovacs K, Bassily MN, Yousef GM. Evaluation of human tissue kallikrein-related peptidases 6 and 10 expression in early gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. Hum Pathol 2014; 46:541-8. [PMID: 25649006 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Revised: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Kallikreins are a family of serine proteases that are linked to malignancy of different body organs with potential clinical utility as tumor markers. In this study, we investigated kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) and KLK10 expression in early gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma and Barrett esophagus (BE) with and without dysplasia. Immunohistochemistry revealed significantly increased KLK6 expression in early invasive cancer compared with dysplastic (P = .009) and nondysplastic BE (P = .0002). There was a stepwise expression increase from metaplasia to dysplasia and invasive tumors. Significantly higher KLK10 was seen in dysplastic lesions compared with metaplasia but not between dysplastic lesions and invasive cancers. KLK6 staining intensity was increased at the invasive front (P = .006), suggesting its role in tumor invasiveness. Neither KLK6 nor KLK10 was significantly associated with other prognostic markers, including depth of invasion, indicating their potential as independent biomarkers. Our results should be interpreted with caution due to limited sample size. There was a significant correlation between KLK6 and KLK10 expression both at the invasive front and within the main tumor, indicating a collaborative effect. We then compared KLK6 and KLK10 messenger RNA expression between metaplastic and cancerous tissues in an independent data set of esophageal carcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas. KLK6 and KLK10 may be useful markers and potential therapeutic targets in gastroesophageal junction tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Grin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Sara Samaan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Monika Tripathi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Fabio Rotondo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Kalman Kovacs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Mena N Bassily
- Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Menoufiya University, Menufia 32511, Egypt
| | - George M Yousef
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A1, Canada.
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