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Jafari A, Farahani M, Abdollahpour-Alitappeh M, Manzari-Tavakoli A, Yazdani M, Rezaei-Tavirani M. Unveiling diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for cervical cancer: biomarker discovery through proteomics approaches and exploring the role of cervical cancer stem cells. Front Oncol 2024; 13:1277772. [PMID: 38328436 PMCID: PMC10847843 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1277772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) is a major global health problem and leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide. Early detection through screening programs has reduced mortality; however, screening compliance remains low. Identifying non-invasive biomarkers through proteomics for diagnosis and monitoring response to treatment could improve patient outcomes. Here we review recent proteomics studies which have uncovered biomarkers and potential drug targets for CC. Additionally, we explore into the role of cervical cancer stem cells and their potential implications in driving CC progression and therapy resistance. Although challenges remain, proteomics has the potential to revolutionize the field of cervical cancer research and improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameneh Jafari
- Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Farahani
- Skin Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Asma Manzari-Tavakoli
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Rayan Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohsen Yazdani
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Drug Design, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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2
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Yi Y, Liu X, Gao H, Qin S, Xu J, Ma F, Guan M. The Tumor Stemness Indice mRNAsi can Act as Molecular Typing Tool for Lung Adenocarcinoma. Biochem Genet 2023; 61:2401-2424. [PMID: 37100923 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-023-10388-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Due to the high heterogeneity, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cannot be distinguished into precise molecular subtypes, thereby resulting in poor therapeutic effect and low 5-year survival rate clinically. Although the tumor stemness score (mRNAsi) has been shown to accurately characterize the similarity index of cancer stem cells (CSCs), whether mRNAsi can serve as an effective molecular typing tool for LUAD isn't reported to date. In this study, we first demonstrate that mRNAsi is significantly correlated with the prognosis and disease degree of LUAD patients, i.e., the higher the mRNAsi, the worse the prognosis and the higher the disease degree. Second, we identify 449 mRNAsi-related genes based on both weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and univariate regression analysis. Third, our results display that 449 mRNAsi-related genes can accurately distinguish the LUAD patients into two molecular subtypes: ms-H subtype (with high mRNAsi) and ms-L subtype (with low mRNAsi), particularly the ms-H subtype has a worse prognosis. Remarkably, significant differences in clinical characteristics, immune microenvironment, and somatic mutation exist between the two molecular subtypes, which might lead to the poorer prognosis of the ms-H subtype patients than that of the ms-L subtype ones. Finally, we establish a prognostic model containing 8 mRNAsi-related genes, which can effectively predict the survival rate of LUAD patients. Taken together, our work provides the first molecular subtype related to mRNAsi in LUAD, and reveals that these two molecular subtypes, the prognostic model and marker genes may have important clinical value for effectively monitoring and treating LUAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunmeng Yi
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Wenyuan Road 1, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoqi Liu
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Wenyuan Road 1, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hanyu Gao
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Wenyuan Road 1, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shijie Qin
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Wenyuan Road 1, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jieyun Xu
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Wenyuan Road 1, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fei Ma
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Wenyuan Road 1, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Miao Guan
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Wenyuan Road 1, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China.
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Ibarra AMC, Aguiar EMG, Ferreira CBR, Siqueira JM, Corrêa L, Nunes FD, Franco ALDS, Cecatto RB, Hamblin MR, Rodrigues MFSD. Photodynamic therapy in cancer stem cells - state of the art. Lasers Med Sci 2023; 38:251. [PMID: 37919479 DOI: 10.1007/s10103-023-03911-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Despite significant efforts to control cancer progression and to improve oncology treatment outcomes, recurrence and tumor resistance are frequently observed in cancer patients. These problems are partly related to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been developed as a therapeutic approach for solid tumors; however, it remains unclear how this therapy can affect CSCs. In this review, we focus on the effects of PDT on CSCs and the possible changes in the CSC population after PDT exposure. Tumor response to PDT varies according to the photosensitizer and light parameters employed, but most studies have reported the successful elimination of CSCs after PDT. However, some studies have reported that CSCs were more resistant to PDT than non-CSCs due to the increased efflux of photosensitizer molecules and the action of autophagy. Additionally, using different PDT approaches to target the CSCs resulted in increased sensitivity, reduction of sphere formation, invasiveness, stem cell phenotype, and improved response to chemotherapy. Lastly, although mainly limited to in vitro studies, PDT, combined with targeted therapies and/or chemotherapy, could successfully target CSCs in different solid tumors and promote the reduction of stemness, suggesting a promising therapeutic approach requiring evaluation in robust pre-clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Melissa C Ibarra
- Postgraduate Program in Biophotonics Applied to Health Sciences, Nove de Julho University - UNINOVE, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Cássia B R Ferreira
- Postgraduate Program in Biophotonics Applied to Health Sciences, Nove de Julho University - UNINOVE, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Luciana Corrêa
- School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo - FOUSP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio D Nunes
- School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo - FOUSP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Rebeca B Cecatto
- Postgraduate Program in Biophotonics Applied to Health Sciences, Nove de Julho University - UNINOVE, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Maria Fernanda S D Rodrigues
- Postgraduate Program in Biophotonics Applied to Health Sciences, Nove de Julho University - UNINOVE, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Zaarour RF, Ribeiro M, Azzarone B, Kapoor S, Chouaib S. Tumor microenvironment-induced tumor cell plasticity: relationship with hypoxic stress and impact on tumor resistance. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1222575. [PMID: 37886168 PMCID: PMC10598765 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1222575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of tumor interaction with stromal components during carcinogenesis is crucial for the design of efficient cancer treatment approaches. It is widely admitted that tumor hypoxic stress is associated with tumor aggressiveness and thus impacts susceptibility and resistance to different types of treatments. Notable biological processes that hypoxia functions in include its regulation of tumor heterogeneity and plasticity. While hypoxia has been reported as a major player in tumor survival and dissemination regulation, the significance of hypoxia inducible factors in cancer stem cell development remains poorly understood. Several reports indicate that the emergence of cancer stem cells in addition to their phenotype and function within a hypoxic tumor microenvironment impacts cancer progression. In this respect, evidence showed that cancer stem cells are key elements of intratumoral heterogeneity and more importantly are responsible for tumor relapse and escape to treatments. This paper briefly reviews our current knowledge of the interaction between tumor hypoxic stress and its role in stemness acquisition and maintenance. Our review extensively covers the influence of hypoxia on the formation and maintenance of cancer stem cells and discusses the potential of targeting hypoxia-induced alterations in the expression and function of the so far known stem cell markers in cancer therapy approaches. We believe that a better and integrated understanding of the effect of hypoxia on stemness during carcinogenesis might lead to new strategies for exploiting hypoxia-associated pathways and their targeting in the clinical setting in order to overcome resistance mechanisms. More importantly, at the present time, efforts are oriented towards the design of innovative therapeutical approaches that specifically target cancer stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- RF. Zaarour
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - M. Ribeiro
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - B. Azzarone
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - S. Kapoor
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - S. Chouaib
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
- INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Gustave Roussy, Faculty of Medicine, University Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
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Mouti MA, Deng S, Pook M, Malzahn J, Rendek A, Militi S, Nibhani R, Soonawalla Z, Oppermann U, Hwang CI, Pauklin S. KMT2A associates with PHF5A-PHF14-HMG20A-RAI1 subcomplex in pancreatic cancer stem cells and epigenetically regulates their characteristics. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5685. [PMID: 37709746 PMCID: PMC10502114 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41297-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC), one of the most aggressive and life-threatening human malignancies, is known for its resistance to cytotoxic therapies. This is increasingly ascribed to the subpopulation of undifferentiated cells, known as pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs), which display greater evolutionary fitness than other tumor cells to evade the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. PCSCs are crucial for tumor relapse as they possess 'stem cell-like' features that are characterized by self-renewal and differentiation. However, the molecular mechanisms that maintain the unique characteristics of PCSCs are poorly understood. Here, we identify the histone methyltransferase KMT2A as a physical binding partner of an RNA polymerase-associated PHF5A-PHF14-HMG20A-RAI1 protein subcomplex and an epigenetic regulator of PCSC properties and functions. Targeting the protein subcomplex in PCSCs with a KMT2A-WDR5 inhibitor attenuates their self-renewal capacity, cell viability, and in vivo tumorigenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai Abdel Mouti
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Siwei Deng
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Martin Pook
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jessica Malzahn
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Aniko Rendek
- Department of Histopathology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Stefania Militi
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Reshma Nibhani
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Zahir Soonawalla
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS, Oxford, UK
| | - Udo Oppermann
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Chang-Il Hwang
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California Davis, Davis, USA
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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Avendaño-Felix M, Aguilar-Medina M, Romero-Quintana JG, Ayala-Ham A, Beltran AS, Olivares-Quintero JF, López-Camarillo C, Pérez-Plasencia C, Bermúdez M, Lizárraga-Verdugo E, López-Gutierrez J, Sanchez-Schmitz G, Ramos-Payán R. SOX9 knockout decreases stemness properties in colorectal cancer cells. J Gastrointest Oncol 2023; 14:1735-1745. [PMID: 37720443 PMCID: PMC10502562 DOI: 10.21037/jgo-22-1163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death worldwide. SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9) participates in organogenesis and cell differentiation in normal tissues but has been involved in carcinogenesis development. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small population of cells present in solid tumors that contribute to increased tumor heterogeneity, metastasis, chemoresistance, and relapse. CSCs have properties such as self-renewal and differentiation, which can be modulated by many factors. Currently, the role of SOX9 in the maintenance of the stem phenotype has not been well elucidated, thus, in this work we evaluated the effect of the absence of SOX9 in the stem phenotype of CRC cells. Methods We knockout (KO) SOX9 in the undifferentiated CRC cell line HCT116 and evaluated their stemness properties using sphere formation assay, differentiation assay, and immunophenotyping. Results SOX9-KO affected the epithelial morphology of HCT116 cells and stemness characteristics such as its pluripotency signature with the increase of SOX2 as a compensatory mechanism to induce SOX9 expression, the increase of KLF4 as a differentiation feature, as well as the inhibition of the stem cell markers CD44 and CD73. In addition, SOX9-KO cells gain the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype with a significant upregulation of CDH2. Furthermore, our results showed a remarkable effect on first- and second-sphere formation, being SOX9-KO cells less capable of forming high-size-resistant spheres. Nevertheless, CSCs surface markers were not affected during the differentiation assay. Conclusions Collectively, our findings supply evidence that SOX9 promotes the maintenance of stemness properties in CRC-CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Avendaño-Felix
- Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Maribel Aguilar-Medina
- Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | | | - Alfredo Ayala-Ham
- Faculty of Odontology, Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Adriana S. Beltran
- Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Core, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Mercedes Bermúdez
- Faculty of Dentistry, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
| | - Erik Lizárraga-Verdugo
- Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Jorge López-Gutierrez
- Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Guzman Sanchez-Schmitz
- Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rosalío Ramos-Payán
- Faculty of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Sinaloa, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
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Yang Y, Zuo S, Li W, Di M, Liu J, Chai J, Wang J, Yuan Y, Li M, Jia Q. TRIM21 promotes tumor progression and cancer stemness in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 248:154710. [PMID: 37494805 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ubiquitin ligase family member triplex motif protein 21 (TRIM21), which is involved in the proliferation, metastasis, and selective death of tumor cells, is crucial in the ubiquitination of a number of tumor marker proteins. As research progresses, more studies demonstrate that TRIM21 expression levels can be used to predict cancer prognosis. However, it is unclear how exactly TRIM21 contributes to cervical squamous carcinoma. METHODS Immunohistochemistry, Western Blot, and q-PCR were utilized to determine the expression level of TRIM21 in 113 patients with CESC removed by stage I surgery at Xijing Hospital from 2018 to 2023 using paraffin-embedded tumor tissues and 12 pairs of fresh tumor tissues and their paracancerous tissues. Log-rank analysis using SPSS 23.0 was performed for prognosis and survival analysis using univariate/multifactorial analysis. CCK-8, wound-healing and Scratch assay verified that TRIM21 promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The effect of overexpression and knockdown of TRIM21 on tumor stemness was examined using sphere-forming assay and Western Blot. Finally, we constructed a xenograft model to observe the effect of TRIM21 on tumorigenesis in Si Ha cell lines in vivo. RESULTS TRIM21 expression is greater in CESC tissues than in paracancerous tissues, according to immunohistochemical data. Similarly, at the protein and mRNA levels, we verified this conclusion using Western-Blotting and q-PCR. Prognostic and OS analysis showed that TRIM21 expression levels are associated with individual prognostic factors. CCK-8, Wound healing, Transwell, and Sphere-forming tests all demonstrated that TRIM21 overexpression enhances Ca Ski cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and stemness. TRIM21 knockdown in Si Ha inhibited tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and stemness. The experimental results of xenograft models demonstrated that TRIM21 knockdown in Si Ha cells inhibited tumor development. CONCLUSION TRIM21 is a poor predictor of prognosis for cervical squamous cell carcinoma and might open up new avenues for investigation into therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanru Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Saijie Zuo
- School of Pharmacy, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Wenqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Man Di
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jia Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Yuan Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Mingyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Qingge Jia
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.
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Jia Q, Wang H, Xiao X, Sun Y, Tan X, Chai J, Yang Y, Yin Z, Li M, Wang K, Liu J. UCHL1 acts as a prognostic factor and promotes cancer stemness in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 247:154574. [PMID: 37257242 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The incidence and death rate of cervical cancer rank fourth among female malignant tumors worldwide. A growing number of researches are devoted to exploring more effective treatment methods and cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to be a potential therapeutic target in cervical cancer. In our study, we focused on the expression and function of UCHL1 in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC). METHODS We detected and the expression of UCHL1 in 134 CESC patients through immunohistochemistry and further confirm UCHL1 was a prognostic factor by univariate and multivariate analysis. Then, according to TCGA database for CESC, we found that UCHL1 expression correlated with the markers associated with CSCs (CD133, ABCG2 and SOX2). Therefore, we used western blot and spheroid formation assays to future evaluate the function of UCHL1 on cancer stemness in C-33A and SiHa cell lines. At the same time, we detected the cell proliferation, migration and invasion change by CCK-8 assay, scratch assay and transwell assay, when UCHL1 was knockdown or overexpressed. Finally, xenograft models were used to examine the effect of UCHL1 in vivo. RESULTS We found the expression of UCHL1 in mRNA and protein was higher in tumor than in paired normal tissue and was a prognostic factor in CESC. The UCHL1 high expression group showed a shorter survival in the overall survival. According to TCGA database, the expression of UCHL1 was correlated with CD133, ABCG2 and SOX2. The results of sphere-forming ability and CSCs related markers expression were showed UCHL1 promoted cancer stemness in CESC. Similarly, CCK-8 assay, scratch assay and transwell assay were applied to demonstrate that overexpression of UCHL1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion in SiHa, but when UCHL1 was knockdown in C-33A, the function of UCHL1 displayed the opposite result. Finally, knockdown UCHL1 inhibited CESC tumor propagation in xenograft models. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that UCHL1 is a prognostic factor and correlated with cancer stemness, proliferation, migration and invasion of CESC, which may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for CESC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingge Jia
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hongjie Wang
- Department of Military and Special medicine, No. 971 Hospital of the PLA Navy, Qingdao, China
| | - Xin Xiao
- Department of Military and Special medicine, No. 971 Hospital of the PLA Navy, Qingdao, China
| | - Yameng Sun
- Department of Military and Special medicine, No. 971 Hospital of the PLA Navy, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao Tan
- Center of Medical Security, No. 971 Hospital of the PLA Navy, Qingdao, China
| | - Jia Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yanru Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhiyong Yin
- Department of Cardiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Mingyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Xi'an Gaoxin Hospital, Xi'an, China.
| | - Jin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital and School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
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Nailul Fahmi M, Kusuma F, Hellyanti T, Kekalih A, Sekarutami SM, Nuranna L, Purwoto G, Dewi Anggraeni T. High ALDH-1 Expression Predicts Non-Complete Response of Radiotherapy in Stage III Squamous Cell Cervical Carcinoma Patients. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2023; 24:1863-1868. [PMID: 37378913 PMCID: PMC10505876 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2023.24.6.1863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND ALDH1 is a cervical cancer stem cell marker that has radioresistance profile. Recurrence and metastasis following radiotherapy are still being problems of most patients. This study aimed to determine the correlation between ALDH1 and radiotherapy response in stage III squamous cell cervical carcinoma (SCCC) of the cervix. METHODS A total 58 of 360 patients of stage III SCCC who received external beem radiation and brachytherapy (2016-2021) at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital met the eligibility criteria of this study. Pre- and post-irradiation MRI examinations and ALDH expression with immunohistochemistry (Santa Cruz®) were performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded of pre-treatment cervical tissue biopsy taken from RSCM pathological anatomy laboratory. Patients were divided into two groups, complete responders vs non-complete responders. ALDH-1 scores were compared between two groups to assess ALDH-1 expression. The statistical analyses were carried out by SPSS 24. RESULTS The optimal ALDH-1 score cut-off point on the radiation response was 166.05 pg/mL which was obtained from the analysis of the ROC curve. The AUC value was 0.682 with sensitivity and specificity, 63,6% and 64%, respectively. ALDH score ≥166.05 increased the risk by 3.127 times for not achieving complete response (adj OR 3.127, 95% CI 1.034 - 9.456, p = 0.043). Pre-radiation tumor size (p = 0.593), degree of differentiation (p = 0.161), renal abnormalities (p = 0.114), and keratinization (p = 0.477) were not associated with radiation response. CONCLUSIONS High ALDH expression was associated with non-complete radiation response in stage III squamous cell cervical carcinoma. .
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Affiliation(s)
- Moh Nailul Fahmi
- Fellowship Gynecology Oncology Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Fitriyadi Kusuma
- Gynecology Oncology Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Jakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Tantri Hellyanti
- Department of Anatomic Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Aria Kekalih
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia.
| | - Sri Mutya Sekarutami
- Department of Radiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia–Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Laila Nuranna
- Gynecology Oncology Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Jakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Gatot Purwoto
- Gynecology Oncology Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Jakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Tricia Dewi Anggraeni
- Gynecology Oncology Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Jakarta, Indonesia.
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10
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Das B, Sethy C, Chatterjee S, Dash SR, Sinha S, Paul S, Goutam K, Kundu CN. Quinacrine inhibits cMET-mediated metastasis and angiogenesis in breast cancer stem cells. J Cell Commun Signal 2023:10.1007/s12079-023-00756-9. [PMID: 37162635 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-023-00756-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
A trans-membrane receptor tyrosine kinase, cMET, belonging to the MET proto-oncogene family, is responsible for cancer metastasis and angiogenesis. But not much is known about the role of cMET in growth and progression of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Earlier studies have shown that Quinacrine (QC), a bioactive agent, has anti-CSCs activity. Here, the role of QC in deregulation of cMET-mediated metastasis and angiogenesis has been systematically evaluated in vitro in highly metastatic breast CSCs (mBCSCs), ex vivo in patient-derived breast cancer stem cells (PDBCSCs) and in vivo in xenograft mice model systems. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion and representative metastasis markers were upregulated in cMET-overexpressed cells and QC exposure inhibited these processes in both mBCSCs and PDBCSCs. Interestingly, metastasis was significantly inhibited by QC in cMET-overexpressed cells but comparatively lesser significant alteration of the process was noted in cMET-silenced cells. Increase in vascularization (in in ovo CAM assay), and cell-cell tube formation (in HUVECs), and enhanced MMP9 and MMP2 enzymatic activities (in gelatin zymography) were noted after cMET overexpression but these processes got reversed after cMET knockdown or QC treatment in cMET-overexpressed cells. QC inhibited angiogenesis significantly in cMET-overexpressed cells, but lesser significant change was observed in cMET-silenced cells. Reduction in tumor volume and decreased expression of metastatic and angiogenic markers were also noted in xenograft mice after QC treatment. Furthermore, QC inhibited cMET activity by dephosphorylation of its tyrosine residues (Y1234 and Y1356) and downregulation of its downstream cascade. Thus, QC inhibited the cMET-mediated metastasis and angiogenesis in in vitro, in ovo, in vivo and ex vivo model systems. Ligand (HGF) binding leads to receptor dimerization and phosphorylation of tyrosine kinase domain of cMET. This activates the cMET signaling cascade. The representative downstream metastasis and angiogenesis-related proteins get upregulated and induce the metastasis and angiogenesis process. But after the QC treatment, cMET get dephosphorylated and inactivated. As a result, the downstream signaling proteins of cMET along with the other representative metastatic and angiogenic factors get downregulated. These lead to inhibition of cMET-mediated metastasis and angiogenesis. (Created with BioRender.com).
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswajit Das
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Campus-11, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Chinmayee Sethy
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Campus-11, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Subhajit Chatterjee
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Campus-11, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Somya Ranjan Dash
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Campus-11, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Saptarshi Sinha
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Campus-11, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Subarno Paul
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Campus-11, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Kunal Goutam
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre, Cuttack, Odisha, 753007, India
| | - Chanakya Nath Kundu
- Cancer Biology Division, School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Deemed to be University, Campus-11, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India.
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11
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Zaid A, Hassan NH, Marriott PJ, Wong YF. Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography as a Bioanalytical Platform for Drug Discovery and Analysis. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15041121. [PMID: 37111606 PMCID: PMC10140985 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15041121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) has emerged as a significant separation tool for high-resolution analysis of disease-associated metabolites and pharmaceutically relevant molecules. This review highlights recent advances of GC×GC with different detection modalities for drug discovery and analysis, which ideally improve the screening and identification of disease biomarkers, as well as monitoring of therapeutic responses to treatment in complex biological matrixes. Selected recent GC×GC applications that focus on such biomarkers and metabolite profiling of the effects of drug administration are covered. In particular, the technical overview of recent GC×GC implementation with hyphenation to the key mass spectrometry (MS) technologies that provide the benefit of enhanced separation dimension analysis with MS domain differentiation is discussed. We conclude by highlighting the challenges in GC×GC for drug discovery and development with perspectives on future trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atiqah Zaid
- Centre for Research on Multidimensional Separation Science, School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia
| | - Norfarizah Hanim Hassan
- Centre for Research on Multidimensional Separation Science, School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia
| | - Philip J. Marriott
- Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science, School of Chemistry, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Yong Foo Wong
- Centre for Research on Multidimensional Separation Science, School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia
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12
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AT7867 Inhibits the Growth of Colorectal Cancer Stem-Like Cells and Stemness by Regulating the Stem Cell Maintenance Factor Ascl2 and Akt Signaling. Stem Cells Int 2023; 2023:4199052. [PMID: 36824410 PMCID: PMC9943616 DOI: 10.1155/2023/4199052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are the core factors leading to recurrence, insensitivity to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and immunotherapy resistance in patients with colorectal cancer. AT7867, a potent oral AKT inhibitor, was found to have antitumor activity in colorectal cancer; however, the effect on colorectal cancer stem cells is still unclear. This study was conducted to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying the CSC growth inhibitory effects of AT7867. We cultured colorectal cancer cells (CRCs) in a serum-free medium and enriched colorectal cancer stem cells. Subsequently, the effects of AT7867 on CSCs were analyzed by CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence assays. The results indicated that AT7867 induces G2/M phase arrest and cell apoptosis in cancer stem cells. Subsequently, we identified Ascl2 as the main gene affecting the stemness of colorectal cancer in AT7867 by RNA sequencing. The current study showed that Ascl2 is involved in the metastasis, invasion, and proliferation of CRCs. The next experiments demonstrated that overexpression of Ascl2 did affect the therapeutic effect of AT7867 on CRC stemness. Furthermore, compared with other Akt inhibitors, AT7867 could promote the differentiation of colorectal cancer stem cells. Thus, AT7867 might be a potential antitumor drug candidate to treat CRC by targeting CSCs.
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13
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Effects of Fractionated Radiation Exposure on Vimentin Expression in Cervical Cancers: Analysis of Association with Cancer Stem Cell Response and Short-Term Prognosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043271. [PMID: 36834676 PMCID: PMC9960894 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Elucidation of the mechanisms for the response of cancer stem cells (CSCs) to radiation exposure is of considerable interest for further improvement of radio- and chemoradiotherapy of cervical cancer (CC). The aim of this work is to evaluate the effects of fractionated radiation exposure on the expression of vimentin, which is one of the end-stage markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and analyze its association with CSC radiation response and short-term prognosis of CC patients. The level of vimentin expression was determined in HeLa, SiHa cell lines, and scrapings from the cervix of 46 CC patients before treatment and after irradiation at a total dose of 10 Gy using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy. The number of CSCs was assessed using flow cytometry. Significant correlations were shown between vimentin expression and postradiation changes in CSC numbers in both cell lines (R = 0.88, p = 0.04 for HeLa and R = 0.91, p = 0.01 for SiHa) and cervical scrapings (R = 0.45, p = 0.008). Associations were found at the level of tendency between postradiation increase in vimentin expression and unfavorable clinical outcome 3-6 months after treatment. The results clarify some of the relationships between EMT, CSCs, and therapeutic resistance that are needed to develop new strategies for cancer treatment.
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14
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Estradiol and Estrone Have Different Biological Functions to Induce NF-κB-Driven Inflammation, EMT and Stemness in ER+ Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021221. [PMID: 36674737 PMCID: PMC9865376 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In general, the risk of being diagnosed with cancer increases with age; however, the development of estrogen-receptor-positive (ER+) cancer types in women are more closely related to menopausal status than age. In fact, the general risk factors for cancer development, such as obesity-induced inflammation, show differences in their association with ER+ cancer risk in pre- and postmenopausal women. Here, we tested the role of the principal estrogens in the bloodstream before and after menopause, estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1), respectively, on inflammation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cell enrichment in the human ER+ cervical cancer cell line HeLa. Our results demonstrate that E1, contrary to E2, is pro-inflammatory, increases embryonic stem-transcription factors (ES-TFs) expression and induces EMT in ER+ HeLa cells. Moreover, we observed that high intratumoural expression levels of 17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD17B) isoforms involved in E1 synthesis is a poor prognosis factor, while overexpression of E2-synthetizing HSD17B isoforms is associated with a better outcome, for patients diagnosed with ER+ ovarian and uterine corpus carcinomas. This work demonstrates that E1 and E2 have different biological functions in ER+ gynaecologic cancers. These results open a new line of research in the study of ER+ cancer subtypes, highlighting the potential key oncogenic role of E1 and HSD17B E1-synthesizing enzymes in the development and progression of these diseases.
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15
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Kamalzade Z, Hoveizi E, Fereidoonnezhad M. Toxicity and autophagy effects of fluorinated cycloplatinated(II) complex bearing dppm ligand on cancer cells in in-vitro culture and in-silico prediction. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 12:37-49. [PMID: 37201030 PMCID: PMC10186856 DOI: 10.22099/mbrc.2023.44705.1781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Toxicity and autophagy effects of a new complex of platinum II (CPC) were evaluated on HeLa cells cultured on a PCL/gelatin electrospinning scaffold. HeLa cells were treated with CPC on the first, third, and fifth days and the concentration of IC50 was determined. The autophagic and apoptotic effects of CPC were examined by MTT assay, Acridine Orange, Giemsa, DAPI, MDC, real-time PCR, Western blot testing, and molecular docking. The cell viability was obtained on days 1, 3, and 5 as much as 50, 7.28, and 19%, respectively with a concentration of IC50 (100μM) of CPC. The staining results indicated that the treatment of HeLa cells with CPC had antitumor and autophagic effects. Results of RT-PCR showed that the expression of BAX, BAD, P53, and LC3 genes was significantly increased in the sample treated with IC50 concentration compared to the control sample whereas the expression of BCL2, mTOR, and ACT genes in cells was significantly decreased compared to the control group. Also, these results were confirmed by Western blotting. The data indicated the induction of apoptotic death and autophagy in the studied cells. The new compound of CPC has antitumor effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Kamalzade
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Elham Hoveizi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
- Corresponding Author: Department of biology, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran. Tel: +98 61 33331045; Fax:+98 61 33226449; E.mail:
| | - Masood Fereidoonnezhad
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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16
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Xu X, Li Y, Liu G, Li K, Chen P, Gao Y, Liang W, Xi H, Wang X, Wei B, Li H, Chen L. MiR-378a-3p acts as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer via directly targeting RAB31 and inhibiting the Hedgehog pathway proteins GLI1/2. Cancer Biol Med 2022; 19:j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0337. [PMID: 36245214 PMCID: PMC9755959 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To improve the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer (GC), more effective therapeutic targets are urgently needed. Increasing evidence indicates that miRNAs are involved in the progression of various tumors, and RAS-associated protein in the brain 31 (RAB31) is upregulated and promotes the progression of multiple malignant tumors. Here, we focused on identifying RAB31-targeted miRNAs and elucidating their potential mechanism in the progression of GC. METHODS RAB31 and miR-378a-3p expression levels were detected in paired fresh GC tissues and GC cell lines. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the miRNAs targeting RAB31 and the relationships between RAB31 and other genes. Dual-luciferase reporter assays were applied to verify the targeted interaction relationship. CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, wound healing, and Transwell assays were performed to assess the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Tumorsphere formation assays were performed to assess the stemness of gastric cancer stem cells. Related proteins were detected by Western blot. Xenograft assays in nude mice were performed to explore the effect of miR-378a-3p in vivo. RESULTS We report the first evidence that miR-378a-3p is downregulated in GC, whereas its overexpression inhibits proliferation, invasion, and migration as well as promotes apoptosis in GC cells. Mechanistically, miR-378a-3p inhibits the progression of GC by directly targeting RAB31. Restoring RAB31 expression partially offsets the inhibitory effect of miR-378a-3p. Further research revealed that miR-378a-3p inhibits GLI1/2 in the Hedgehog signaling pathway and attenuates the stemness of gastric cancer stem cells. Finally, xenograft assays showed that miR-378a-3p inhibits GC tumorigenesis in vivo. CONCLUSIONS MiR-378a-3p inhibits GC progression by directly targeting RAB31 and inhibiting the Hedgehog signaling pathway proteins GLI1/2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Xu
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China,Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Yang Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China,Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Guoxiao Liu
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China,Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Kai Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China,Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of General Surgery, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of People’s Liberation Army, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Yunhe Gao
- Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Wenquan Liang
- Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Hongqing Xi
- Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Xinxin Wang
- Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Bo Wei
- Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Hongtao Li
- Department of General Surgery, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of People’s Liberation Army, Lanzhou 730050, China,Correspondence to: Hongtao Li and Lin Chen, E-mail: and
| | - Lin Chen
- Senior Department of General Surgery, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China,Correspondence to: Hongtao Li and Lin Chen, E-mail: and
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17
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Kawasaki Y, Suzuki H, Suzuki S, Yamada T, Suzuki M, Ito A, Hatakeyama H, Miura M, Omori Y. GPNMB-Positive Cells in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma—Their Roles in Cancer Stemness, Therapy Resistance, and Metastasis. Pathol Oncol Res 2022; 28:1610450. [PMID: 36061142 PMCID: PMC9437205 DOI: 10.3389/pore.2022.1610450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Despite the use of surgical and chemoradiation therapies, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) still has a poor prognosis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been shown to prolong life expectancy but have limited efficacy. Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) has received significant attention in breast cancer treatment, in which it has been associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT); however, the function of GPNMB in HNSCC is completely unknown. This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of GPNMB-positive cells in vitro and their association with the prognosis by immunostaining clinical specimens. Methods: We examined the sphere formation, invasion, and migration ability of GPNMB-positive cells in four HNSCC cell lines in vitro. We also immunostained biopsy specimens with GPNMB from 174 patients with HNSCC diagnosed, treated, and followed-up in our institution to evaluate overall survival and progression-free survival. Results: GPNMB-positive cells showed enhanced sphere formation, invasion, and migration, suggesting that they could have CSC characteristics and the ability to induce EMT, as reported for breast cancer. Clinical specimens showed that overall survival was 39.4% and 57.8% (p = 0.045) and that progression-free survival was 27.6% and 51.6% (p = 0.013) for the high-expression and the low-expression groups, respectively, indicating poor prognosis for the high GPNMB group. The high GPNMB group was also more resistant to chemoradiation and bioradiotherapy. GPNMB was more highly expressed in metastatic lymph nodes than in the primary tumor. Conclusion: GPNMB-positive cells might have CSC characteristics and induce EMT. Detailed functional analyses of GPNMB in HNSCC and the establishment of therapies targeting GPNMB will lead to improved prognoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Kawasaki
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-and-Neck Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Hitomi Suzuki
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-and-Neck Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
- Department of Molecular and Tumour Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Suzuki
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-and-Neck Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Takechiyo Yamada
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-and-Neck Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Maya Suzuki
- Department of Molecular and Tumour Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Ayumi Ito
- Department of Molecular and Tumour Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Haruka Hatakeyama
- Department of Molecular and Tumour Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Masahito Miura
- Department of Molecular and Tumour Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Yasufumi Omori
- Department of Molecular and Tumour Pathology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
- *Correspondence: Yasufumi Omori,
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18
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Prostate cancer as a dedifferentiated organ: androgen receptor, cancer stem cells, and cancer stemness. Essays Biochem 2022; 66:291-303. [PMID: 35866337 PMCID: PMC9484140 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cancer progression is characterized and driven by gradual loss of a differentiated phenotype and gain of stem cell-like features. In prostate cancer (PCa), androgen receptor (AR) signaling is important for cancer growth, progression, and emergence of therapy resistance. Targeting the AR signaling axis has been, over the decades, the mainstay of PCa therapy. However, AR signaling at the transcription level is reduced in high-grade cancer relative to low-grade PCa and loss of AR expression promotes a stem cell-like phenotype, suggesting that emergence of resistance to AR-targeted therapy may be associated with loss of AR signaling and gain of stemness. In the present mini-review, we first discuss PCa from the perspective of an abnormal organ with increasingly deregulated differentiation, and discuss the role of AR signaling during PCa progression. We then focus on the relationship between prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) and AR signaling. We further elaborate on the current methods of using transcriptome-based stemness-enriched signature to evaluate the degree of oncogenic dedifferentiation (cancer stemness) in pan-cancer datasets, and present the clinical significance of scoring transcriptome-based stemness across the spectrum of PCa development. Our discussions highlight the importance to evaluate the dynamic changes in both stem cell-like features (stemness score) and AR signaling activity across the PCa spectrum.
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19
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Parashar D, Singh A, Gupta S, Sharma A, Sharma MK, Roy KK, Chauhan SC, Kashyap VK. Emerging Roles and Potential Applications of Non-Coding RNAs in Cervical Cancer. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13071254. [PMID: 35886037 PMCID: PMC9317009 DOI: 10.3390/genes13071254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) is a preventable disease using proven interventions, specifically prophylactic vaccination, pervasive disease screening, and treatment, but it is still the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Patients with advanced or metastatic CC have a very dismal prognosis and current therapeutic options are very limited. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of metastasis and discovering new therapeutic targets are crucial. New sequencing tools have given a full visualization of the human transcriptome's composition. Non-coding RNAs (NcRNAs) perform various functions in transcriptional, translational, and post-translational processes through their interactions with proteins, RNA, and even DNA. It has been suggested that ncRNAs act as key regulators of a variety of biological processes, with their expression being tightly controlled under physiological settings. In recent years, and notably in the past decade, significant effort has been made to examine the role of ncRNAs in a variety of human diseases, including cancer. Therefore, shedding light on the functions of ncRNA will aid in our better understanding of CC. In this review, we summarize the emerging roles of ncRNAs in progression, metastasis, therapeutics, chemo-resistance, human papillomavirus (HPV) regulation, metabolic reprogramming, diagnosis, and as a prognostic biomarker of CC. We also discussed the role of ncRNA in the tumor microenvironment and tumor immunology, including cancer stem cells (CSCs) in CC. We also address contemporary technologies such as antisense oligonucleotides, CRISPR-Cas9, and exosomes, as well as their potential applications in targeting ncRNAs to manage CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Parashar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, MI 53226, USA
- Correspondence: (D.P.); (V.K.K.); Tel.: +1-414-439-8089 (D.P.); +1-956-296-1738 (V.K.K.)
| | - Anupam Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, GLA University, Mathura 281406, Uttar Pradesh, India; (A.S.); (S.G.)
| | - Saurabh Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology, GLA University, Mathura 281406, Uttar Pradesh, India; (A.S.); (S.G.)
| | - Aishwarya Sharma
- Sri Siddhartha Medical College and Research Center, Tumkur 572107, Karnataka, India;
| | - Manish K. Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, IP College, Bulandshahr 203001, Uttar Pradesh, India;
| | - Kuldeep K. Roy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences and Technology, UPES, Dehradun 248007, Uttarakhand, India;
| | - Subhash C. Chauhan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA;
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Vivek K. Kashyap
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA;
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
- Correspondence: (D.P.); (V.K.K.); Tel.: +1-414-439-8089 (D.P.); +1-956-296-1738 (V.K.K.)
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20
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Di Fiore R, Suleiman S, Drago-Ferrante R, Subbannayya Y, Pentimalli F, Giordano A, Calleja-Agius J. Cancer Stem Cells and Their Possible Implications in Cervical Cancer: A Short Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095167. [PMID: 35563557 PMCID: PMC9106065 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth most common type of gynecological malignancy affecting females worldwide. Most CC cases are linked to infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV). There has been a significant decrease in the incidence and death rate of CC due to effective cervical Pap smear screening and administration of vaccines. However, this is not equally available throughout different societies. The prognosis of patients with advanced or recurrent CC is particularly poor, with a one-year relative survival rate of a maximum of 20%. Increasing evidence suggests that cancer stem cells (CSCs) may play an important role in CC tumorigenesis, metastasis, relapse, and chemo/radio-resistance, thus representing potential targets for a better therapeutic outcome. CSCs are a small subpopulation of tumor cells with self-renewing ability, which can differentiate into heterogeneous tumor cell types, thus creating a progeny of cells constituting the bulk of tumors. Since cervical CSCs (CCSC) are difficult to identify, this has led to the search for different markers (e.g., ABCG2, ITGA6 (CD49f), PROM1 (CD133), KRT17 (CK17), MSI1, POU5F1 (OCT4), and SOX2). Promising therapeutic strategies targeting CSC-signaling pathways and the CSC niche are currently under development. Here, we provide an overview of CC and CCSCs, describing the phenotypes of CCSCs and the potential of targeting CCSCs in the management of CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Di Fiore
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, MSD 2080 Msida, Malta;
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA;
- Correspondence: (R.D.F.); (J.C.-A.)
| | - Sherif Suleiman
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, MSD 2080 Msida, Malta;
| | | | - Yashwanth Subbannayya
- Centre of Molecular Inflammation Research (CEMIR), Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine (IKOM), Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway;
| | - Francesca Pentimalli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, LUM University “Giuseppe DeGennaro”, 70010 Casamassima, Italy;
| | - Antonio Giordano
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA;
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Jean Calleja-Agius
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, MSD 2080 Msida, Malta;
- Correspondence: (R.D.F.); (J.C.-A.)
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21
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Guo B, Zhao D, Feng J, Liu Y. LncRNA HEIH/miR-4500/IGF2BP1/c-Myc Feedback Loop Accelerates Bladder Cancer Cell Growth and Stemness. Bladder Cancer 2022. [DOI: 10.3233/blc-211544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BCa) is one of the most prevalent malignancies and more common in men. An aberrantly expressed long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) hepatocellular carcinoma up-regulated EZH2-associated lncRNA (HEIH) has been reported to be implicated in the progression of many cancers, but its role in BCa remains little known. Our study intended to uncover whether and how HEIH regulates BCa progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was adopted to determine HEIH expression in BCa cell lines. Functional experiments were performed to examine the effects of HEIH on BCa cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and stemness. Bioinformatics analysis and mechanism experiments were conducted to investigate the regulatory relationship between HEIH and related molecules in BCa. RESULTS: HEIH expression was observed to be significantly increased in BCa cell lines. HEIH depletion significantly hindered BCa cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Besides, HEIH up-regulated MYC proto-oncogene, and bHLH transcription factor (c-Myc) expression to promote BCa cell stemness. Moreover, HEIH served as a sponge for miR-4500 to modulate insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) expression, thereby stabilizing c-Myc mRNA level. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated a positive feedback loop of HEIH/miR-4500/IGF2BP1/c-Myc in BCa progression, offering a novel insight into a possible BCa therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baowei Guo
- Department of Urology, Yidu Central Hospital of Weifang, Qingzhou City, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Dan Zhao
- Department of Urology, Yidu Central Hospital of Weifang, Qingzhou City, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Jiao Feng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Yidu Central Hospital of Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Yanmei Liu
- Clinical Laboratory, Yidu Central Hospital of Weifang, Weifang, Shandong, China
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22
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Yuan N, Wang L, Xi Q, Zou N, Zhang X, Lu X, Zhang Z. ITGA7, CD133, ALDH1 are inter-correlated, and linked with poor differentiation, lymph node metastasis as well as worse survival in surgical cervical cancer. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2022; 48:1011-1018. [PMID: 35194895 PMCID: PMC9305462 DOI: 10.1111/jog.15163] [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: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM Integrin alpha 7 (ITGA7) regulates cancer stemness and metastasis in several malignancies, while its role in cervical cancer is obscure. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the correlation among ITGA7, cluster of differentiation 133 (CD133), and aldehyde dehydrogenase isoform 1 (ALDH1), as well as their relation to tumor features and survival in cervical cancer patients. METHODS A total of 133 surgical cervical cancer patients were enrolled. Tumor ITGA7, CD133, and ALDH1 expressions were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Furthermore, the clinicopathological features, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were collected. RESULTS ITGA7 expression positively related to CD133 expression (p = 0.040) and ALDH1 expression (p < 0.001). Besides, ITGA7 (p = 0.001), CD133 (p = 0.016), and ALDH1 (p = 0.009) high expressions linked with poor tumor differentiation; meanwhile, ITGA7 (p = 0.010) and ALDH1 (p = 0.004) high expressions correlated with more prevalence of lymph node metastasis. However, ITGA7, CD133, or ALDH1 expression was not associated with other clinicopathological features. Inspiringly, it was worth noting that ITGA7 (p = 0.009), CD133 (p = 0.041), and ALDH1 (p = 0.035) high expressions predicted unfavorable DFS; meanwhile, both ITGA7 (p = 0.021) and ALDH1 (p = 0.023) high expressions but not CD133 expression (p = 0.169) forecasted exasperated OS. CONCLUSION ITGA7, CD133, ALDH1 are inter-correlated, and linked with poor differentiation, lymph node metastasis as well as worse survival in surgical cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Yuan
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Severe Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Qiang Xi
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Niandong Zou
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Xianyu Zhang
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Xiurong Lu
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Zhilin Zhang
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
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23
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Park J, Kim SK, Hallis SP, Choi BH, Kwak MK. Role of CD133/NRF2 Axis in the Development of Colon Cancer Stem Cell-Like Properties. Front Oncol 2022; 11:808300. [PMID: 35155201 PMCID: PMC8825377 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.808300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) exhibit intrinsic therapy/stress resistance, which often cause cancer recurrence after therapy. In this study, we investigated the potential relationship between the cluster of differentiation (CD)-133, a CSC marker of colon cancer, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2; NRF2), a master transcription factor for the regulation of multiple antioxidant genes. In the first model of CSC, a sphere culture of the colorectal cell line HCT116, showed increased levels of CD133 and NRF2. Silencing of CD133 reduced the levels of CSC markers, such as Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2), and further suppressed the expression levels of NRF2 and its target genes. As a potential molecular link, CD133-mediated activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/serine-threonine kinase (PI3K/AKT) signaling appears to increase the NRF2 protein levels via phosphorylation and the consequent inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β. Additionally, NRF2-silenced HCT116 cells showed attenuated sphere formation capacity and reduced CSC markers expression, indicating the critical role of the NRF2 pathway in the development of CSC-like properties. As a second model of CSC, the CD133high cell population was isolated from HCT116 cells. CSC-like properties, including sphere formation, motility, migration, colony formation, and anticancer resistance, were enhanced in the CD133high population compared to CD133low HCT116 cells. Levels of NRF2, which were elevated in CD133high HCT116, were suppressed by CD133-silencing. In line with these, the analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database showed that high levels of CD133 expression are correlated with increased NRF2 signaling, and alterations in CD133 gene or expression are associated with unfavorable clinical outcome in colorectal carcinoma patients. These results indicate that the CD133/NRF2 axis contributes to the development of CSC-like properties in colon cancer cells, and that PI3K/AKT signaling activation is involved in CD133-mediated NRF2 activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimin Park
- Department of Pharmacy and BK21FOUR Advanced Program for SmartPharma Leaders, Graduate School of The Catholic University of Korea, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Seung Ki Kim
- Department of Pharmacy and BK21FOUR Advanced Program for SmartPharma Leaders, Graduate School of The Catholic University of Korea, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Steffanus Pranoto Hallis
- Department of Pharmacy and BK21FOUR Advanced Program for SmartPharma Leaders, Graduate School of The Catholic University of Korea, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Bo-Hyun Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Mi-Kyoung Kwak
- Department of Pharmacy and BK21FOUR Advanced Program for SmartPharma Leaders, Graduate School of The Catholic University of Korea, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.,Integrated Research Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.,College of Pharmacy, The Catholic University of Korea, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
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24
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Zhong Y, Lan J. Overexpression of Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3D induces stem cell-like properties and metastasis in cervix cancer by activating FAK through inhibiting degradation of GRP78. Bioengineered 2022; 13:1952-1961. [PMID: 35104170 PMCID: PMC8806159 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2024336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervix cancer (CC) is the most common gynecological malignancy and the leading cause of morbidity among women worldwide. Previous study indicated that cancer stem cells (CSCs) existed in cervix cancer, and suppressing CSC characteristics of cervix cancer is needed to combat this disease. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (EIF3) is one of the most complex eukaryotic translation initiation factors containing 13 subunits (EIF3A-EIF3M) and it regulates eukaryotic translation. One member of EIF3, EIF3D, plays a role in the progression and development of multiple tumors. However, its possible role in cervix cancer progression is still unclear. In this study, we found the high EIF3D expression in human cervix cancer tissues. We further found that downregulation of EIF3D suppressed the proliferation and motility of cervix cancer cells. Furthermore, its downregulation restrained the stem cell-like properties of cervix cancer cells. Mechanically, we found that EIF3D promoted FAK activation through GRP78 in cervix cancer cells, thus contributing to the progression of cervix cancer. Therefore our results suggested that EIF3D could serve as a promising target of cervix cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhong
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Linyi Cancer Hospital, Linyi, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jian Lan
- Department of Gynecology, The First People’s Hospital of Zunyi (The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University), Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
- CONTACT Jian Lan Department of Gynecology, The First People’s Hospital of Zunyi (The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University), No. 98 Fenghuang Road, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, China
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25
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Mei J, Zhu C, Pan L, Li M. MACC1 regulates the AKT/STAT3 signaling pathway to induce migration, invasion, cancer stemness, and suppress apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. Bioengineered 2021; 13:61-70. [PMID: 34939526 PMCID: PMC8805864 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2006567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) ranks as the second most frequent tumor in women, and CC stem cells have been vital in the tumorigenesis of CC. Recently, the metastasis- associated in colon cancer 1 (MACC1) gene was proven to be a promising biomarker of CC. However, the role and mechanism of MACC1 in CC remain undetermined. Expressions of MACC1 were estimated by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot assays in cervical cancer tissues and cells. Three siRNAs were generated to knockdown expressions of MACC1 in CC cells. After knockdown of MACC1 or/and Colivelin treatment, cell migration, invasion, apoptosis, and stemness were evaluated through a series of functional experiments including Transwell, flow cytometry, Hoechst staining, and sphere-formation assays. MACC1 was found to express more highly in CC tissues in comparison with corresponding non-tumor tissues at both mRNA and protein levels. Functionally, the knocking- down of MACC1 significantly repressed migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis of CC cells. Also, knockdown of MACC1 was discovered to suppress sphere-formation of CC cells and downregulate OCT4 and Nanog. It was proved that knockdown of MACC1 had a significant blocking effect on the AKT/STAT3 pathway. In addition, we verified that treatment with the STAT3 activator (Colivelin) had significant reversal effects on the malignant behaviors of CC cells and CC stemness. Our study concluded that MACC1 might be a novel regulator of CC by regulating the AKT/STAT3 pathway to change the migration, invasion, apoptosis, and cancer stemness of CC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Mei
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - ChengYa Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - LiuLiu Pan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mian Li
- Department of gynecology, Wenzhou Women and Children Health Guidance Center, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
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26
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Cervical Carcinoma: Oncobiology and Biomarkers. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212571. [PMID: 34830452 PMCID: PMC8624663 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is one of the most common types of carcinomas causing morbidity and mortality in women in all countries of the world. At the moment, the oncology, oncobiology, and oncomorphology of cervical cancer are characterized by the accumulation of new information; various molecular biological, genetic, and immunohistochemical methods of investigation of the mechanisms of cervical carcinogenesis are tested and applied; targeted antitumour drugs and diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers are being searched for. Many issues of the etiopathogenesis of cervical cancer have not been sufficiently studied, and the role of many biomarkers characterizing various stages of cervical carcinogenesis remains unclear. Therefore, the target of this review is to systematize and understand several problems in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer and to evaluate the significance and role of biomarkers in cervical carcinogenesis.
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27
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Altundag Ö, Canpinar H, Çelebi-Saltik B. Methionine affects the expression of pluripotency genes and protein levels associated with methionine metabolism in adult, fetal, and cancer stem cells. J Cell Biochem 2021; 123:406-416. [PMID: 34783058 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular and extracellular regulatory factors promote the potency and self-renewal property of stem cells. Methionine is fundamental for protein synthesis and regulation of methylation reactions. Specifically, methionine metabolism in embryonic and fetal development processes regulates gene expression profile/epigenetic identity of stem cells to achieve pluripotency and cellular functions. We aimed to reveal the differences in methionine metabolism of bone marrow (BM)-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), umbilical cord blood (UCB)-MSCs, and cancer stem cells (CSCs), which reflect different metabolic profiles and developmental stages of stem cells. UCB-MSC, BM-MSCs, and breast CSCs were treated with different doses (0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 µM) of l-methionine. Cell surface marker and cell cycle assessment were performed by flow cytometry. Changes in gene expressions (OCT3/4, NANOG, DMNT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B, MAT2A, and MAT2B) with methionine supplementation were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and the changes in histone methylation (H3K4me3, H3K27me3) levels were demonstrated by western blot analysis. S-adenosylmethionine//S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAM/SAH) levels were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cells that were exposed to different concentrations of l-methionine, were mostly arrested in the G0/G1 phase for each stem cell group. It was evaluated that BM-MSCs increased all gene expressions in the culture medium-containing 100 µM methionine, in addition to SAM/SAH levels. On the other hand, UCB-MSCs were found to increase OCT3/4, NANOG, and DNMT1 gene expressions and decrease MAT2A and MAT2B expressions in the culture medium containing 10 µM methionine. Moreover, an increase was observed in the He3K4me3 methylation profile. In addition, OCT3/4, NANOG, DNMT1, and MAT2B gene expressions in CSCs increased starting from the addition of 25 µM methionine. An increase was determined in H3K4me3 protein expression at 50 and 100 µM methionine-supplemented culture condition. This study demonstrates that methionine plays a critical role in metabolism and epigenetic regulation in different stem cell groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özlem Altundag
- Department of Stem Cell Sciences, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Ankara, Sihhiye, Turkey.,Center for Stem Cell Research and Development, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Sihhiye, Turkey
| | - Hande Canpinar
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Sihhiye, Turkey
| | - Betül Çelebi-Saltik
- Department of Stem Cell Sciences, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Ankara, Sihhiye, Turkey.,Center for Stem Cell Research and Development, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Sihhiye, Turkey
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28
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Regauer S, Reich O. The origin of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - induced cervical squamous cancer. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 51:111-118. [PMID: 34655910 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Most research models of HPV-associated squamous cervical carcinogenesis focus on stratified glycogenated squamous epithelium, a permissive environment for HPV-life-cycle completion, while immature squamous metaplastic epithelium and reserve cells as targets of HPV-infection have received less attention. Subcolumnar reserve cells of urogenital sinus origin with a CK17/p63-phenotype serve as the primary stem cell for squamous metaplasia. The area of manifest or potential squamous metaplasia, referred to as transformation zone, is the site where most squamous cancers occur after a transforming HPV infection of proliferating reserve cells and/or metaplastic epithelium. Improper use of terminology, in particular confusion of transformation zone with transition zone (synonymous: squamous-columnar junction or SCJ), as well as poorly substantiated postulates of a stem cell niche at the squamous-columnar junction with 'embryonic stem cell markers' have complicated understanding of HPV-related squamous carcinogenesis. Reserve cells as target cells and reservoirs of HPV should move into future research focus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid Regauer
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria.
| | - Olaf Reich
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 14, 8036 Graz, Austria
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29
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Yin X, Lu Y, Zou M, Wang L, Zhou X, Zhang Y, Su M. Synthesis and Characterization of Salinomycin-Loaded High-Density Lipoprotein and Its Effects on Cervical Cancer Cells and Cervical Cancer Stem Cells. Int J Nanomedicine 2021; 16:6367-6382. [PMID: 34584409 PMCID: PMC8459968 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s326089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cervical cancer stem cells (CCSCs), a small part of tumor population, are one of the important reasons for metastasis and recurrence of cervical cancer. Targeting CCSCs may be an effective way to eliminate tumors. Salinomycin (Sal) has been proved to be an effective anticancer drug in many studies, especially for cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, the cytotoxicity of salinomycin limits its further research as an anticancer drug. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) nanoparticles are an excellent drug carrier, which can reduce the toxicity of Sal, have a certain targeting effect and improve the clinical benefit of Sal. Methods Salinomycin-loaded high-density lipoprotein (S-HDL) was synthesized and characterized by various analytical techniques. CD44highCD24low CCSCs were isolated from HeLa cells by magnetic separation. The uptake of HDL nanoparticles was observed by laser confocal microscopy, and the effect of S-HDL on the proliferation of CCCs and CCSCs was detected by cell viability analysis. Genome-wide analysis was used to analyze the effects of S-HDL on the biological processes of CCCs and then cell apoptosis, cell cycle and cell migration were selected for verification. Results S-HDL had a particle size of 38.98 ± 1.78 nm and an encapsulation efficiency of 50.73 ± 4.29%. Cell uptake analysis showed that HDL nanoparticles could enhance the drug uptake of CCCs and CCSCs and may target CCCs and CCSCs. In cell viability analysis, CCCs and CCSCs showed high sensitivity to S-HDL. S-HDL can more efficiently prevent CCSCs from developing tumorspheres than Sal in tumorsphere formation study. S-HDL had stronger ability to induce cell cycle arrest, promote cell apoptosis and inhibit cell migration compared with free Sal, which was consistent with the results of Genome Wide analysis. Conclusion S-HDL can effectively target and eliminate CCCs and CCSCs, which is a potential drug for the treatment of cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xirui Yin
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhui Lu
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Miao Zou
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Liuli Wang
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuan Zhou
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingyu Zhang
- Department of Medical Science, Chang Chun Medical College, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | - Manman Su
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China
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30
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HOTAIR Contributes to Stemness Acquisition of Cervical Cancer through Regulating miR-203 Interaction with ZEB1 on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2021; 2021:4190764. [PMID: 34539782 PMCID: PMC8448614 DOI: 10.1155/2021/4190764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Cervical cancer stem cells contribute respond to considerable recurrence and metastasis of patients with cervical cancer. The stemness properties were partly regulated by the interaction of lncRNAs and miRNAs. HOTAIR functions as an oncogenic lncRNA. Previous research studies revealed its role in regulating stemness properties in various cancers. However, the role of HOTAIR in cervical cancer stem cells is still unknown. Here, cisplatin-resistant and serum-free cultured cells exhibited stem cells properties. Cervical cancer stem cells exhibited greater invasion and migration compared with their parental cells, which was similar to cells overexpressing HOTAIR. HOTAIR was significantly overexpressed in cervical cancer stem cells, and knockdown of HOTAIR generated statistical downregulation of stemness markers. Additionally, HOTAIR expression was negatively correlated with the level of miR-203, which was found to be an inhibitory miRNA in regulating the expressions of stemness markers. Also, miR-203 expression was negatively correlated with ZEB1. These findings suggested that HOTAIR should be a positive contributor in stemness acquisition of cervical cancer cells, and this effect should correlate with the interaction with miR-203, which can be suppressed by ZEB1.
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31
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Inhibition of BMI-1 Induces Apoptosis through Downregulation of DUB3-Mediated Mcl-1 Stabilization. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221810107. [PMID: 34576269 PMCID: PMC8472307 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BMI-1, a polycomb ring finger oncogene, is highly expressed in multiple cancer cells and is involved in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis. BMI-1 represents a cancer stemness marker that is associated with the regulation of stem cell self-renewal. In this study, pharmacological inhibition (PTC596) or knockdown (siRNA) of BMI-1 reduced cancer stem-like cells and enhanced cancer cell death. Mechanistically, the inhibition of BMI-1 induced the downregulation of Mcl-1 protein, but not Mcl-1 mRNA. PTC596 downregulated Mcl-1 protein expression at the post-translational level through the proteasome-ubiquitin system. PTC596 and BMI-1 siRNA induced downregulation of DUB3 deubiquitinase, which was strongly linked to Mcl-1 destabilization. Furthermore, overexpression of Mcl-1 or DUB3 inhibited apoptosis by PTC596. Taken together, our findings reveal that the inhibition of BMI-1 induces Mcl-1 destabilization through downregulation of DUB3, resulting in the induction of cancer cell death.
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32
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Wang J, Liu Y, Cai H, Jiang H, Li W, Shi Y. Long coding RNA CCAT2 enhances the proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cervical carcinoma cells via the microRNA-493-5p/CREB1 axis. Bioengineered 2021; 12:6264-6274. [PMID: 34499007 PMCID: PMC8806934 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1969834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common malignancies among women. It has been demonstrated that long coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in CC. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the colon cancer associated transcript 2 (CCAT2) lncRNA in CC and elucidate its possible mechanisms of action. The expression of CCAT2, the miR-493-5p microRNA (miRNA), and mRNA was detected using qRT-PCR. Cell viability, proliferation, and migration and invasion were determined using the MTT, colony formation, and transwell assays, respectively. The interactions between miR-493-5p and CCAT2 or cAMP response element-binding protein 1 (CREB1) were verified using the luciferase and RNA pull-down assays. The effects of CCAT2 knockdown on in vivo tumor growth were determined using tumor xenografts and immunohistochemistry assays. The expression of CCAT2 was upregulated in CC cells and tissues. However, the knockdown of CCAT2 inhibited the proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of CC cells in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, CCAT2 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to upregulate the expression of CREB1 by binding to miR-493-5p. The overexpression of CREB1 or downregulation of miR-493-5p antagonized the effect of CCAT2 knockdown on the proliferation and EMT of CC cells. The knockdown of CCAT2 suppressed the aggressiveness of CC via the miR-493-5p/CREB1 axis. Therefore, CCAT2 is likely to be a promising therapeutic target for CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, P.R. China.,Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, P.R. China.,Hubei Key Laberatory of Tumor Biological Behavirs, P.R. China.,Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, P.R. China
| | - Yan Liu
- Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, P.R. China
| | - Hongbing Cai
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, P.R. China.,Hubei Key Laberatory of Tumor Biological Behavirs, P.R. China.,Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, P.R. China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, P.R. China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang No.1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, P.R. China
| | - Yuying Shi
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, P.R. China.,Hubei Key Laberatory of Tumor Biological Behavirs, P.R. China.,Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, P.R. China
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The Involvement of Natural Polyphenols in the Chemoprevention of Cervical Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168812. [PMID: 34445518 PMCID: PMC8396230 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
From all types of cancer, cervical cancer manages to be in top four most frequent types, with a 6.5% rate of occurrence. The infectious vector that induces the disease, the high-risk Human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a sexually transmitted virus, is capable of transforming the host cell by modulating some of the principal signaling pathways responsible for cell cycle arrest, proliferation, and survival. Fortunately, like other cancer types, cervical cancer can be treated by chirurgical interventions or chemoradiotherapy, but these methods are not exactly the lucky clover of modern medicine because of the adverse effects they have. That is the reason why in the last years the emphasis has been on alternative medicine, more specifically on phytochemicals, as a substantial number of studies showed that diet contributes to cancer prevention and treatment. All these studies are trying to find new chemopreventive agents with less toxicity but high effectiveness both in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this review is to evaluate the literature in order to underline the advantages and disadvantages of polyphenols, a class of dietary compounds, as chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. This review also aims to present polyphenols from different perspectives, starting with mechanisms of action and ending with their toxicity. The bigger picture illustrates that polyphenols have great potential in cervical cancer prevention, with strong effects on gene modulation.
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Kaushik V, Kulkarni Y, Felix K, Azad N, Iyer AKV, Yakisich JS. Alternative models of cancer stem cells: The stemness phenotype model, 10 years later. World J Stem Cells 2021; 13:934-943. [PMID: 34367485 PMCID: PMC8316871 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v13.i7.934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The classical cancer stem cell (CSCs) theory proposed the existence of a rare but constant subpopulation of CSCs. In this model cancer cells are organized hierarchically and are responsible for tumor resistance and tumor relapse. Thus, eliminating CSCs will eventually lead to cure of cancer. This simplistic model has been challenged by experimental data. In 2010 we proposed a novel and controversial alternative model of CSC biology (the Stemness Phenotype Model, SPM). The SPM proposed a non-hierarchical model of cancer biology in which there is no specific subpopulation of CSCs in tumors. Instead, cancer cells are highly plastic in term of stemness and CSCs and non-CSCs can interconvert into each other depending on the microenvironment. This model predicts the existence of cancer cells ranging from a pure CSC phenotype to pure non-CSC phenotype and that survival of a single cell can originate a new tumor. During the past 10 years, a plethora of experimental evidence in a variety of cancer types has shown that cancer cells are indeed extremely plastic and able to interconvert into cells with different stemness phenotype. In this review we will (1) briefly describe the cumulative evidence from our laboratory and others supporting the SPM; (2) the implications of the SPM in translational oncology; and (3) discuss potential strategies to develop more effective therapeutic regimens for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Kaushik
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668, United States
| | - Yogesh Kulkarni
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668, United States
| | - Kumar Felix
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668, United States
| | - Neelam Azad
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668, United States
| | - Anand Krishnan V Iyer
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668, United States
| | - Juan Sebastian Yakisich
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668, United States
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Mokhtari RB, Sambi M, Qorri B, Baluch N, Ashayeri N, Kumar S, Cheng HLM, Yeger H, Das B, Szewczuk MR. The Next-Generation of Combination Cancer Immunotherapy: Epigenetic Immunomodulators Transmogrify Immune Training to Enhance Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3596. [PMID: 34298809 PMCID: PMC8305317 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy harnesses the immune system by targeting tumor cells that express antigens recognized by immune system cells, thus leading to tumor rejection. These tumor-associated antigens include tumor-specific shared antigens, differentiation antigens, protein products of mutated genes and rearrangements unique to tumor cells, overexpressed tissue-specific antigens, and exogenous viral proteins. However, the development of effective therapeutic approaches has proven difficult, mainly because these tumor antigens are shielded, and cells primarily express self-derived antigens. Despite innovative and notable advances in immunotherapy, challenges associated with variable patient response rates and efficacy on select tumors minimize the overall effectiveness of immunotherapy. Variations observed in response rates to immunotherapy are due to multiple factors, including adaptative resistance, competency, and a diversity of individual immune systems, including cancer stem cells in the tumor microenvironment, composition of the gut microbiota, and broad limitations of current immunotherapeutic approaches. New approaches are positioned to improve the immune response and increase the efficacy of immunotherapies, highlighting the challenges that the current global COVID-19 pandemic places on the present state of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Bayat Mokhtari
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (M.S.); (B.Q.)
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Thoreau Laboratory for Global Health, M2D2, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01852, USA;
| | - Manpreet Sambi
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (M.S.); (B.Q.)
| | - Bessi Qorri
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (M.S.); (B.Q.)
| | - Narges Baluch
- Department of Immunology and Allergy, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada;
| | - Neda Ashayeri
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Ali-Asghar Children Hospital, Iran University of Medical Science, Tehran 1449614535, Iran;
| | - Sushil Kumar
- QPS, Holdings LLC, Pencader Corporate Center, 110 Executive Drive, Newark, DE 19702, USA;
| | - Hai-Ling Margaret Cheng
- The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada;
- Translational Biology & Engineering Program, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Herman Yeger
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada;
| | - Bikul Das
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Thoreau Laboratory for Global Health, M2D2, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA 01852, USA;
- KaviKrishna Laboratory, Department of Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, GBP, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati 781039, India
| | - Myron R. Szewczuk
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada; (M.S.); (B.Q.)
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Wei M, Chen Y, Du W. LncRNA LINC00858 enhances cervical cancer cell growth through miR-3064-5p/ VMA21 axis. Cancer Biomark 2021; 32:479-489. [PMID: 34275889 DOI: 10.3233/cbm-200033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common form of gynecological malignancy. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 858 (LINC00858) has been identified to participate in multiple cancers. However, the role and mechanism of LINC00858 in CC cells are still elusive. AIM The aim of this study is to explore the biological functions and mechanisms of LINC00858 in CC cells. METHODS RT-qPCR analysis was used to examine the expression of LINC00858 in CC cells. EdU and colony formation assay were utilized to assess cell proliferation. TUNEL assay and flow cytometry assay were conducted to assess cell apoptosis. The mechanism regarding LINC00858 was certified through RNA pull down, RIP and luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS The up-regulated LINC00858 was detected in CC cells. Reduction of LINC00858 effectively subdued CC cells proliferation and stimulated cell apoptosis. LINC00858 was determined to bind with miR-3064-5p and up-regulate VMA21 in CC cells. In rescue assays, miR-3064-5p down-regulation and VMA21 up-regulation were able to counteract the effect caused by LINC00858 decrease on CC cell proliferation and apoptosis. CONCLUSION LINC00858 enhances cell proliferation, while restraining cell apoptosis in CC through targeting miR-3064-5p/VMA21 axis, implying that LINC00858 may serve as a promising therapeutic target for CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Wei
- Department of Gynecology, 1st Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Quanshan District, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Youguo Chen
- Department of Gynecology, 1st Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wensheng Du
- Department of Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Quanshan District, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Lv J, Liu C, Chen FK, Feng ZP, Jia L, Liu PJ, Yang ZX, Hou F, Deng ZY. M2‑like tumour‑associated macrophage‑secreted IGF promotes thyroid cancer stemness and metastasis by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Mol Med Rep 2021; 24:604. [PMID: 34184083 PMCID: PMC8258465 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.12249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
M2‑like tumour‑associated macrophages (TAMs) have been demonstrated to promote the growth of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). However, the underlying mechanism of M2‑like TAMs in ATC remains unclear. Thus, in the present study, the role and mechanism of M2‑like TAMs in ATC were investigated. M2‑like TAMs were induced by treatment with PMA, plus IL‑4 and IL‑13, and identified by flow cytometry. Transwell and sphere formation assays were applied to assess the invasion and stemness of ATC cells. The expression levels of insulin‑like growth factor (IGF)‑1 and IGF‑2 were examined by ELISA and reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. Proteins related to the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT), stemness and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway were examined via western blotting. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression of the M2‑like TAM markers CD68 and CD206 in ATC tissues and thyroid adenoma tissues. It was found that treatment with PMA plus IL‑4 and IL‑13 successfully induced M2‑like TAMs. Following co‑culture with M2‑like TAMs, the invasive ability and stemness of ATC cells were significantly increased. The expression levels of the EMT‑related markers N‑cadherin and Vimentin, the stemness‑related markers Oct4, Sox2 and CD133, and the insulin receptor (IR)‑A/IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) were markedly upregulated, whereas E‑cadherin expression was significantly decreased. In addition, the production of IGF‑1 and IGF‑2 was significantly increased. Of note, exogenous IGF‑1/IGF‑2 promoted the invasion and stemness of C643 cells, whereas blocking IGF‑1 and IGF‑2 inhibited metastasis and stemness by repressing IR‑A/IGF‑1R‑mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling in the co‑culture system. IHC results showed that the expression of CD68 and CD206 was obviously increased in ATC tissues. To conclude, M2‑like TAMs accelerated the metastasis and increased the stemness of ATC cells, and the underlying mechanism may be related to the section of IGF by M2‑like TAMs, which activates the IR‑A/IGF1R‑mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Lv
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Fu-Kun Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Ping Feng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Li Jia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Peng-Jie Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Xian Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Fei Hou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
| | - Zhi-Yong Deng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650118, P.R. China
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Lee NK, Kothandan VK, Kothandan S, Byun Y, Hwang SR. Exosomes and Cancer Stem Cells in Cancer Immunity: Current Reports and Future Directions. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9050441. [PMID: 34062950 PMCID: PMC8147426 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9050441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs), which have the capacity to self-renew and differentiate into various types of cells, are notorious for their roles in tumor initiation, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Thus, underlying mechanisms for their survival provide key insights into developing effective therapeutic strategies. A more recent focus has been on exosomes that play a role in transmitting information between CSCs and non-CSCs, resulting in activating CSCs for cancer progression and modulating their surrounding microenvironment. The field of CSC-derived exosomes (CSCEXs) for different types of cancer is still under exploration. A deeper understanding and further investigation into CSCEXs’ roles in tumorigenicity and the identification of novel exosomal components are necessary for engineering exosomes for the treatment of cancer. Here, we review the features of CSCEXs, including surface markers, cargo, and biological or physiological functions. Further, reports on the immunomodulatory effects of CSCEXs are summarized, and exosome engineering for CSC-targeting is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Kyeong Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Korea; (N.-K.L.); (Y.B.)
| | - Vinoth Kumar Kothandan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Chosun University, 309 Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Korea;
| | - Sangeetha Kothandan
- Department of Biotechnology, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai 600073, India;
| | - Youngro Byun
- College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Korea; (N.-K.L.); (Y.B.)
| | - Seung-Rim Hwang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Chosun University, 309 Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Korea;
- College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, 309 Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Korea
- Correspondence:
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Zivarpour P, Nikkhah E, Maleki Dana P, Asemi Z, Hallajzadeh J. Molecular and biological functions of gingerol as a natural effective therapeutic drug for cervical cancer. J Ovarian Res 2021; 14:43. [PMID: 33706784 PMCID: PMC7953815 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-021-00789-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is one of the most common and important gynecological cancers, which has a global concern with an increasing number of patients and mortality rates. Today, most women in the world who suffer from cervical cancer are developing advanced stages of the disease. Smoking and even exposure to secondhand smoke, infections caused by the human papillomavirus, immune system dysfunction and high-risk individual-social behaviors are among the most important predisposing factors for this type of cancer. In addition, papilloma virus infection plays a more prominent role in cervical cancer. Surgery, chemotherapy or radical hysterectomy, and radiotherapy are effective treatments for this condition, the side effects of these methods endanger a person's quality of life and cause other problems in other parts of the body. Studies show that herbal medicines, including taxol, camptothecin and combretastatins, have been shown to be effective in treating cervical cancer. Ginger (Zingiber officinale, Zingiberaceae) is one of the plants with valuable compounds such as gingerols, paradols and shogoals, which is a rich source of antioxidants, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents. Numerous studies have reported the therapeutic effects of this plant through various pathways in cervical cancer. In this article, we look at the signaling mechanisms and pathways in which ginger is used to treat cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parinaz Zivarpour
- Department of Biological sciences, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Higher Education Institute of Rab-Rashid, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Elhameh Nikkhah
- Medicinal Plants Research Cent Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
| | - Parisa Maleki Dana
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Zatollah Asemi
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Jamal Hallajzadeh
- Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Research Center for Evidence-Based Health Management, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
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HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate induces host immunity against cancer stem cells. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:610-624.e5. [PMID: 33711257 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We previously tested HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in immunocompromised (SCID) mice, precluding evaluation of host immunity, impact on cancer stem cells (CSCs), and potential benefit when combined with PD-L1 blockade. In this study, we tested HER2-targeted ADC in two immunocompetent mouse tumor models. HER2-targeted ADC specifically inhibited the growth of HER2-expressing tumors, prolonged animal survival, and reduced HER2+ and PD-L1+ cells. ADC + anti-PD-L1 antibody augmented therapeutic efficacy, modulated immune gene signatures, increased the number and function of CD3+ and CD19+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), induced tumor antigen-specific immunological memory, stimulated B cell activation, differentiation, and IgG1 production both systemically and in the tumor microenvironment. In addition, ADC therapy modulated T cell subsets and their activation in TILs. Furthermore, HER2-targeted ADC reduced the number and tumorigenicity of ALDHhi CSCs. This study demonstrates that HER2-targeted ADC effectively targets ALDHhi CSCs and this effect is augmented by co-administration of anti-PD-L1 antibody.
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Sharma A, Kaur H, De R, Srinivasan R, Pal A, Bhattacharyya S. Knockdown of E-cadherin induces cancer stem-cell-like phenotype and drug resistance in cervical cancer cells. Biochem Cell Biol 2021; 99:587-595. [PMID: 33677985 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2020-0592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality amongst women in developing countries, and resistance to therapy is the main reason for treatment failure. Recent advances suggest that cancer stem cells (CSCs) are critically involved in regulating the chemo-resistant behavior of cervical cancer cells. In our study, cells with the CSC phenotype were isolated, and we examined the expression levels of stem cell markers and genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) using different assays. However, the cells with the CSC phenotype could not be cultured for further cytotoxicity studies, so we established a model of CSC in cervical cancer cells. We performed siRNA-mediated knockdown of E-cadherin in these cells, and studied them for EMT-associated stem-cell-like properties. We also performed dose-dependent cell viability assays using clinically relevant drugs such as cisplatin, cyclopamine, and GANT58 to analyze the drug resistant behavior of these cancer cells. We found that knockdown of E-cadherin induces EMT in cervical cancer cells, imparting stem-cell like characteristics along with enhanced tumorsphere formation, cell migration, invasiveness, and drug resistance. This is the first study to establish a CSC model in cervical cancer cells by knockdown of E-cadherin, which can be used to develop anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuka Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | | | - Renaissa De
- Department of Biophysics, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Radhika Srinivasan
- Department of Cytology and Gynecologic Pathology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
| | - Arnab Pal
- Department of Biochemistry, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
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Zheng Q, Zhang Q, Yu X, He Y, Guo W. FENDRR: A pivotal, cancer-related, long non-coding RNA. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 137:111390. [PMID: 33761608 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have more than 200 nucleotides and do not encode proteins. Based on numerous studies, lncRNAs have emerged as new and crucial regulators of biological function and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases, especially cancers. Specific lncRNAs have been identified as novel molecular biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment efficacy. Fetal-lethal non-coding developmental regulatory RNA (FENDRR, also known as FOXF1-AS1) is a novel lncRNA that is located at chr3q13.31 and has four exons and 3099 nucleotides, and its genomic site is located at chr3q13.31. FENDRR is abnormally expressed in a variety of cancers and is significantly associated with different clinical characteristics. In addition, FENDRR has shown potential as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of FENDRR and its mechanistic role in cancer progression. We also discuss recent insights into the clinical significance of FENDRR for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyuan Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Qiyao Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yuting He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
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Chandimali N, Sun HN, Park YH, Kwon T. BRM270 Suppresses Cervical Cancer Stem Cell Characteristics and Progression by Inhibiting SOX2. In Vivo 2021; 34:1085-1094. [PMID: 32354896 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.11879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women worldwide. BRM270 (BRMLife) has therapeutic potential for cancer treatment owing to its ability to inhibit cell proliferation, and expression of cluster of differentiation (CD) 133 in CD133+ cancer cells. This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of plant extract formulation BRM270 against cervical cancer progression. MATERIALS AND METHODS The expression of sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) was tested in four different cervical cancer cell lines, HeLA, SiHa, Caski and C33A. SOX2-expressing SiHa and C33A cell lines were selected for further experiments on the in vitro and in vivo effects of BRM270 on cervical cancer progression using western blotting, flow cytometry, sphere-formation assay, magnetic-activated cell sorting of CD133+ cervical cancer cells, and xenografts in female athymic BALB/c nude mice. RESULTS In the present study, in cervical cancer stem cells (CSCs), we found that BRM270 inhibited expression of SOX2, which is associated with cervical cancer initiation and metastasis. BRM270 also inhibited CD133 expression and induced apoptosis of CSCs and suppressed CD133+ CSC proliferation and sphere formation in vitro as well as SiHa and C33A cell xenograft tumor growth in vivo. This was accompanied by down-regulation of markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. CONCLUSION BRM270 might be an effective agent for cervical cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisansala Chandimali
- Immunotherapy Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hu-Nan Sun
- College of Life Science & Technology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, P.R. China
| | - Yang Ho Park
- Park Yang Ho BRM Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Taeho Kwon
- Primate Resources Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Jeonbuk, Republic of Korea
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Altundag Ö, Çelebi-Saltik B. From Embryo to Adult: One Carbon Metabolism in Stem Cells. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 16:175-188. [PMID: 32652922 DOI: 10.2174/1574888x15666200712191308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with self-renewal property and varying differentiation potential that allow the regeneration of tissue cells of an organism throughout adult life beginning from embryonic development. Through the asymmetric cell divisions, each stem cell replicates itself and produces an offspring identical with the mother cell, and a daughter cell that possesses the characteristics of a progenitor cell and commits to a specific lineage to differentiate into tissue cells to maintain homeostasis. To maintain a pool of stem cells to ensure tissue regeneration and homeostasis, it is important to regulate the metabolic functioning of stem cells, progenitor cells and adult tissue stem cells that will meet their internal and external needs. Upon fertilization, the zygote transforms metabolic reprogramming while implantation, embryonic development, organogenesis processes and after birth through adult life. Metabolism in stem cells is a concept that is relatively new to be enlightened. There are no adequate and comprehensive in vitro studies on the comparative analysis of the effects of one-carbon (1-C) metabolism on fetal and adult stem cells compared to embryonic and cancer stem cells' studies that have been reported recently. Since 1-C metabolism is linking parental environmental/ dietary factors and fetal development, investigating the epigenetic, genetic, metabolic and developmental effects on adult period is necessary. Several mutations and abnormalities in 1-C metabolism have been noted in disease changing from diabetes, cancer, pregnancy-related outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, spontaneous abortion, placental abruption, premature delivery, and cardiovascular diseases. In this review, the effects of 1-C metabolism, mainly the methionine and folate metabolism, in stem cells that exist in different developmental stages will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özlem Altundag
- Department of Stem Cell Sciences, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 06100, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Betül Çelebi-Saltik
- Department of Stem Cell Sciences, Hacettepe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 06100, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey
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Radiation Response of Cervical Cancer Stem Cells Is Associated with Pretreatment Proportion of These Cells and Physical Status of HPV DNA. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22031445. [PMID: 33535561 PMCID: PMC7867083 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Radio- and chemoresistance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is considered as one of the possible causes of adverse results of chemoradiotherapy for various malignancies, including cervical cancer. However, little is known about quantitative changes in the CSC subpopulation in the course of treatment and mechanisms for individual response of CSCs to therapy. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association of radiation response of cervical CSCs with clinical and morphological parameters of disease and features of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The proportion of CD44+CD24low CSCs was determined by flow cytometry in cervical scrapings from 55 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix before treatment and after fractionated irradiation at a total dose of 10 Gy. Real-time PCR assay was used to evaluate molecular parameters of HPV DNA. Post-radiation increase in the CSC proportion was found in 47.3% of patients. Clinical and morphological parameters (stage, status of lymph node involvement, and histological type) were not significantly correlated with radiation changes in the CSC proportion. Single- and multifactor analyses revealed two independent indicators affecting the radiation response of CSCs: initial proportion of CSCs and physical status of HPV DNA (R = 0.86, p = 0.001 for the multiple regression model in the whole).
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Zhang J, He H, Wang K, Xie Y, Yang Z, Qie M, Liao Z, Zheng Z. miR-326 inhibits the cell proliferation and cancer stem cell-like property of cervical cancer in vitro and oncogenesis in vivo via targeting TCF4. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 8:1638. [PMID: 33490150 PMCID: PMC7812208 DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-6830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Background Cervical cancer ranks as one of the most prevalent female malignancies globally, and its treatment with new targets has been the focus of current research. The present study set out to investigate the function of microRNA-326 (miR-326) in vitro and in vivo and to verify the direct targeting of transcription factor 4 (TCF4) by miR-326. Methods The detection of messenger RNA (mRNA) expressing miR-326 and TCF4 in cervical cancer cell lines and tumor samples was conducted using quantitative real-time polymerase chain (qRT-PCR). A dual-luciferase reporter assay was carried out to detect the target relationship of miR-326 with TCF4. A Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was employed to detect the effect of miR-326 on CasKi cell viability. Flow cytometry and western blotting were employed to examine the effects of miR-326 on cancer stem cell (CSC)-like property. Tumor weight was measured in orthotopic xenograft mouse models. Immunohistochemistry was employed to analyze the protein expression levels of Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), CD44, and SRY-box 4 (SOX4). Result Downregulation of the mRNA expression levels of miR-326 was observed in cervical cancer cell lines and tumor tissue, while the levels of TCF4 were upregulated. The dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed binding of miR-326 to the three prime untranslated region (3'-UTR) of TCF4. In vitro assays demonstrated that miR-326 inhibited CasKi cell proliferation through regulating TCF4. miR-326 also suppressed the CSC-like property of CasKi cells by targeting TCF4. Furthermore, the protein expression levels of cyclin D1, β-catenin, and c-Myc were decreased when miR-326 was added to TCF4-transfected cells. In vivo assays demonstrated that miR-326 inhibited tumor weight, growth, and the protein expression levels of Ki-67, PCNA, CD44, SOX4, and β-catenin. Conclusions miR-326 acted in a tumor-suppressive manner through its regulation of TCF4, and has potential as a biomarker or therapeutic target for cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Haining He
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Kana Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yao Xie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhongmei Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingrong Qie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhi Liao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhenrong Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China
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Chowdhury S, Ghosh S. Cancer Stem Cells. Stem Cells 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-1638-9_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Deng L, Huang S, Chen B, Tang Y, Huang F, Li D, Tang D. Tumor-Linked Macrophages Promote HCC Development by Mediating the CCAT1/Let-7b/HMGA2 Signaling Pathway. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:12829-12843. [PMID: 33363387 PMCID: PMC7751845 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s283786] [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] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The role of high mobility group A2 (HMGA2) in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is yet to be investigated, though tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are known to mediate the process. Methods Immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blot, and real-time PCR assays were performed to identify HMGA2 and TAMs markers. The TAMs-like macrophages (TAMs-Mφs) were triggered with the help of 25 ng/mL hM-CSF and 50% NBCM. EdU assay wound healing assay, transwell assay, and TUNEL assay, as well as flow cytometry, were carried out to study the effect of HMGA2 or TAMs on the functioning of HCC cells. Results HCC tumor tissues were detected with upregulated HMGA2 and TAMs markers (CD68, CD163, and CD204); in addition, HMGA2 was positively correlated with TAMs markers. The proliferation, migration, and invasion of HepG2 cells were also observed to be stimulated by HMGA2. Remarkably, cell apoptosis was not affected by upregulated HMGA2, but HMAG2 inhibition was observed to intensify it. Also, the release of CSF1 was observed to be amplified by HMGA2. HMGA2-overexpressed-HepG2 cells promoted the migrating abilities of both M0-Mφs and TAMs-Mφs but were suppressed by HMGA2 down-regulated HepG2 cells. In addition, TAMs-Mφs supernatant regulated the CCAT1/let-7b/HMGA2 signaling pathway by intensifying the malignant biological behaviors. Conclusion HMGA2 stimulated TAMs-induced HCC progression, mediated by the CCAT1/let-7b/HMGA2 signaling pathway, TAMs aggravated HCC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Deng
- Department of General Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan Huang
- Department of Oncology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Chen
- Department of Hepatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510800, People's Republic of China
| | - Yajun Tang
- Department of General Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Fei Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, People's Republic of China
| | - Di Tang
- Department of General Surgery, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, People's Republic of China
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Zheng G, Zhang C, Zhong C. Identification of potential prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer using WGCNA and PPI integrated techniques. Ann Diagn Pathol 2020; 50:151675. [PMID: 33291061 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2020.151675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to detect promising prognostic factors of breast cancer and interpreted the relevant mechanisms using an integrated bioinformatics analysis. RNA sequencing profile of breast cancer was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases, which were combined as a group (TCGA_GTEx). GSE70947 dataset was from Gene Expression Omnibus. Blue and turquoise modules, respectively identified in TCGA_GTEx database and GSE70947 dataset using weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), were both notably associated with breast cancer. By comparing genes in the two significant modules with differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we obtained a set of 40 shared genes, which were mainly enriched in chromosome segregation and mismatch repair pathway. After protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and overall survival analysis, two hub genes EXO1 and KIF4A were extracted from the set of 40 shared genes, which were up-regulated and associated with the dismal outcome of breast cancer patients. There was a notable negative correlation between EXO1 and KIF4A expression and age of breast cancer patients, whereas a positive relationship with two another clinical traits stage and tumor category was detected. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the two hub genes could be independent prognostic factors of breast cancer. Mechanistically, gene correlation analysis suggested that EXO1 and KIF4A exerted their oncogenic role via promoting breast cancer cell proliferation. Overall, our findings identify two promising individual prognostic predictors of breast cancer and pave the new way for diagnosis and therapy strategy of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guili Zheng
- Department of Oncology, No. 960 Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China
| | - Cong Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, No. 960 Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China
| | - Chen Zhong
- Department of Oncology, No. 960 Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China.
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Choi YS, Han JM, Kang YJ, Jung HJ. Chloroform extract of Citrus unshiu Markovich peel induces apoptosis and inhibits stemness in HeLa human cervical cancer cells. Mol Med Rep 2020; 23:86. [PMID: 33236129 PMCID: PMC7716394 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2020.11727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. However, chemotherapies for this cancer often cause many side effects and chemoresistance. Citrus unshiu Markovich peel (CECU) has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases in East Asia. Recently, the anticancer activities and mechanisms of action of CECU extract have been reported in a number of different cancer cell types, but no study has evaluated the therapeutic effect of this natural product on cervical cancer cells. In the current study, the anticancer activity and the underlying molecular mechanism of the chloroform extract of CECU was investigated on HeLa human cervical cancer cells. The results showed that CECU effectively inhibited the proliferation and migration of HeLa cells. Treatment of cells with CECU led to cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and activation of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. Furthermore, the proliferation inhibitory effect of CECU was due to the inactivation of AKT and ERK signaling, upregulation of p53 and p21, and downregulation of cyclin B1 and cyclin D1, but not reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Furthermore, CECU inhibited the stem‑like features of HeLa cells by downregulating key cancer stemness biomarkers. Therefore, CECU may be an effective complementary and alternative medicine for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Seul Choi
- Department of Life Science and Biochemical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan, South Chungcheong 31460, Republic of Korea
| | - Jang Mi Han
- Department of Life Science and Biochemical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan, South Chungcheong 31460, Republic of Korea
| | - Yue Jai Kang
- Department of Aquatic Life and Medical Sciences, Sun Moon University, Asan, South Chungcheong 31460, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Jin Jung
- Department of Life Science and Biochemical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan, South Chungcheong 31460, Republic of Korea
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