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Wang Y, Cheng C, Lu Y, Lian Z, Liu Q, Xu Y, Li Y, Li H, Zhang L, Jiang X, Li B, Yu D. β-Catenin Activation Reprograms Ammonia Metabolism to Promote Senescence Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Res 2024; 84:1643-1658. [PMID: 38417136 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-0673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a typical tumor that undergoes metabolic reprogramming, differing from normal liver tissue in glucose, lipid, nucleic acid, and amino acid metabolism. Although ammonia is a toxic metabolic by-product, it has also been recently recognized as a signaling molecule to activate lipid metabolism, and it can be a nitrogen source for biosynthesis to support tumorigenesis. In this study, we revealed that β-catenin activation increases ammonia production in HCC mainly by stimulating glutaminolysis. β-Catenin/LEF1 activated the transcription of the glutamate dehydrogenase GLUD1, which then promoted ammonia utilization to enhance the production of glutamate, aspartate, and proline as evidenced by 15NH4Cl metabolic flux. β-Catenin/TCF4 induced the transcription of SLC4A11, an ammonia transporter, to excrete excess ammonia. SLC4A11 was upregulated in HCC tumor tissues, and high SLC4A11 expression was associated with poor prognosis and advanced disease stages. Loss of SLC4A11 induced HCC cell senescence in vitro by blocking ammonia excretion and reduced β-catenin-driven tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, elevated levels of plasma ammonia promoted the progression of β-catenin mutant HCC, which was impeded by SLC4A11 deficiency. Downregulation of SLC4A11 led to ammonia accumulation in tumor interstitial fluid and decreased plasma ammonia levels in HCC with activated β-catenin. Altogether, this study indicates that β-catenin activation reprograms ammonia metabolism and that blocking ammonia excretion by targeting SLC4A11 could be a promising approach to induce senescence in β-catenin mutant HCC. SIGNIFICANCE Ammonia metabolism reprogramming mediated by aberrant activation of β-catenin induces resistance to senescence in HCC and can be targeted by inhibiting SLC4A11 as a potential therapy for β-catenin mutant liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chunxiao Cheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanjun Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhaowu Lian
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Qi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanchao Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunzheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Huan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Laizhu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiang Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Binghua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Decai Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Nanjing, China
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Zhang Z, Wu Y, Fu J, Yu X, Su Y, Jia S, Cheng H, Shen Y, He X, Ren K, Zheng X, Guan H, Rao F, Zhao L. Proteostatic reactivation of the developmental transcription factor TBX3 drives BRAF/MAPK-mediated tumorigenesis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4108. [PMID: 38750011 PMCID: PMC11096176 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48173-9] [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: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
MAPK pathway-driven tumorigenesis, often induced by BRAFV600E, relies on epithelial dedifferentiation. However, how lineage differentiation events are reprogrammed remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that proteostatic reactivation of developmental factor, TBX3, accounts for BRAF/MAPK-mediated dedifferentiation and tumorigenesis. During embryonic development, BRAF/MAPK upregulates USP15 to stabilize TBX3, which orchestrates organogenesis by restraining differentiation. The USP15-TBX3 axis is reactivated during tumorigenesis, and Usp15 knockout prohibits BRAFV600E-driven tumor development in a Tbx3-dependent manner. Deleting Tbx3 or Usp15 leads to tumor redifferentiation, which parallels their overdifferentiation tendency during development, exemplified by disrupted thyroid folliculogenesis and elevated differentiation factors such as Tpo, Nis, Tg. The clinical relevance is highlighted in that both USP15 and TBX3 highly correlates with BRAFV600E signature and poor tumor prognosis. Thus, USP15 stabilized TBX3 represents a critical proteostatic mechanism downstream of BRAF/MAPK-directed developmental homeostasis and pathological transformation, supporting that tumorigenesis largely relies on epithelial dedifferentiation achieved via embryonic regulatory program reinitiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenlei Zhang
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yufan Wu
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jinrong Fu
- Department of Endocrinology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiujie Yu
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Central Hospital of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin, China
| | - Yang Su
- School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Shikai Jia
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Huili Cheng
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yan Shen
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Central Hospital of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin, China
| | - Xianghui He
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Kai Ren
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiangqian Zheng
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Haixia Guan
- Department of Endocrinology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Feng Rao
- School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of Thyroid and Neck Tumor, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
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Leandro-García LJ, Landa I. Mechanistic Insights of Thyroid Cancer Progression. Endocrinology 2023; 164:bqad118. [PMID: 37503738 PMCID: PMC10403681 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs) are primarily initiated by mutations that activate the MAPK signaling cascade, typically at BRAF or RAS oncoproteins. DTCs can evolve to more aggressive forms, specifically, poorly differentiated (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATC), by acquiring additional genetic alterations which deregulate key pathways. In this review, we focused on bona fide mutations involved in thyroid cancer progression for which consistent mechanistic data exist. Here we summarized the relevant literature, spanning approximately 2 decades, highlighting genetic alterations that are unquestionably enriched in PDTC/ATC. We describe the relevant functional data obtained in multiple in vitro and in vivo thyroid cancer models employed to study genetic alterations in the following genes and functional groups: TP53, effectors of the PI3K/AKT pathway, TERT promoter, members of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, NF2, and EIF1AX. In addition, we briefly discuss other genetic alterations that are selected in aggressive thyroid tumors but for which mechanistic data is still either limited or nonexistent. Overall, we argue for the importance conveyed by preclinical studies for the clinical translation of genomic knowledge of thyroid cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Javier Leandro-García
- Hereditary Endocrine Cancer Group, Human Cancer Genetics Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Iñigo Landa
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Zou M, Al-Yahya S, Al-Alwan M, BinEssa HA, Khabar KSA, Almohanna F, Assiri AM, Altaweel A, Qattan A, Meyer BF, Alzahrani AS, Shi Y. β-catenin attenuation leads to up-regulation of activating NKG2D ligands and tumor regression in BrafV600E-driven thyroid cancer cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1171816. [PMID: 37483610 PMCID: PMC10358762 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1171816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction BRAFV600E mutations frequently occur in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). β-catenin, encoded by CTNNB1, is a key downstream component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway and is often overexpressed in PTC. BRAFV600E-driven PTC tumors rely on Wnt/β-catenin signaling to sustain growth and progression. Methods In the present study, we investigated the tumorigenicity of thyroid cancer cells derived from BRAFV600E PTC mice following Ctnnb1 ablation (BVE-Ctnnb1null). Results Remarkably, the tumorigenic potential of BVE-Ctnnb1null tumor cells was lost in nude mice. Global gene expression analysis of BVE-Ctnnb1null tumor cells showed up-regulation of NKG2D receptor activating ligands (H60a, H60b, H60c, Raet1a, Raet1b, Raet1c, Raet1d, Raet1e, and Ulbp1) and down-regulation of inhibitory MHC class I molecules H-2L and H-2K2 in BVE-Ctnnb1null tumor cells. In vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that BVE-Ctnnb1wt tumor cells were resistant to NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity, whereas BVE-Ctnnb1null tumor cells were sensitive to NK cell-mediated killing. Furthermore, the overexpression of any one of these NKG2D ligands in the BVE-Ctnnb1wt cell line resulted in a significant reduction of tumor growth in nude mice. Conclusions Our results indicate that active β-catenin signaling inhibits NK cell-mediated immune responses against thyroid cancer cells. Targeting the β-catenin signaling pathway may have significant therapeutic benefits for BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer by not only inhibiting tumor growth but also enhancing host immune surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjing Zou
- Department of Molecular Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suhad Al-Yahya
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Monther Al-Alwan
- Department of Stem Cell & Tissue Re-engineering, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and College of Medicine, Al-Faisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Huda A. BinEssa
- Department of Molecular Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid S. A. Khabar
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Falah Almohanna
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah M. Assiri
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulmohsen Altaweel
- Mawhiba, King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amal Qattan
- Department of Molecular Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Brian F. Meyer
- Centre for Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali S. Alzahrani
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yufei Shi
- Department of Molecular Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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5
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Chen Y, Jia L, Zhao K, Chen Z, Han Y, He X. CTHRC1 promotes anaplastic thyroid cancer progression by upregulating the proliferation, migration, and invasion of tumor cells. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15458. [PMID: 37273536 PMCID: PMC10234271 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15458] [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: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is an extremely aggressive tumor with a high mortality rate and poor prognosis. However, the pathogenesis of ATC is complex and poorly understood, and the effective treatment options are limited. Analysis of data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases showed that collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) was specifically upregulated in ATC tissues and was negatively correlated with overall survival (OS) in thyroid carcinoma patients. In vitro knockdown of CTHRC1 dramatically decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of ATC cells, and in vivo studies in BALB/c nude mice confirmed that CTHRC1 knockdown significantly inhibited tumor growth. Mechanistically, CTHRC1 knockdown was found to suppress the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) at the protein level. These findings suggest that CTHRC1 promotes the progression of ATC via upregulating tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, which may be achieved by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Department of General Surgery, Huai’an Second People’s Hospital, Huai’an, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lanning Jia
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ke Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zuoyu Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yue Han
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xianghui He
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
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6
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Behrouj H, Mokarram P. BAMLET (Bovine α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells) inhibits autophagy flux and induces apoptosis via down-regulation of protein kinase CK1α and attenuation of the AKT/p-ß-catenin (S552) pathway in RAS-mutated human colorectal HCT 116 cells. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES 2023; 26:1212-1219. [PMID: 37736507 PMCID: PMC10510486 DOI: 10.22038/ijbms.2023.69343.15114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Oncogenic RAS mutations occur in nearly 50% of colorectal cancer cases and are usually dependent on the autophagy mechanism to maintain tumorigenesis. We have recently demonstrated that CK1α controls autophagy machinery possibly through the AKT/p-ß-catenin (S552) signaling in colorectal cancer cells harboring RAS mutation. It has been found that a lipid-protein complex comprising oleic acid binds to human α-lactalbumin, known as HAMLET (human α -lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells), targets a broad range of kinases including CK1α. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effects of BAMLET (bovine α -lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells, the bovine counterpart of HAMLET) on CK1α expression, AKT/Phospho-ß-catenin (S552) pathway, and autophagy flux in RAS-mutated human colorectal HCT 116 cells. Materials and Methods For this purpose, HCT116 cells were treated with BAMLET and casein kinase 1 inhibitor (D4476), and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot analysis were used to measure the proteins and genes of the AKT/Phospho-ß-catenin (S552) pathway and autophagy. Apoptosis was measured by flow-cytometry. Results We found that BAMLET significantly reduced cell viability and decreased the expression of CK1α. Additionally, BAMLET inhibited autophagy flux and enhanced the ability of CK1α inhibitor D4476 to impair autophagy flux, which was accompanied by an increase in the apoptosis percentage. We also observed that BAMLET empowered D4476 to down-regulate the AKT/Phospho-ß-catenin (S552) axis. Conclusion BAMLET hampers autophagy flux and leads to apoptosis induction, possibly, by reducing the expression of CK1α and attenuation of the AKT/Phospho-ß-catenin (S552) axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Behrouj
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Pooneh Mokarram
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Molecular Landscape of Pediatric Thyroid Cancer: A Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12123136. [PMID: 36553142 PMCID: PMC9776958 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12123136] [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] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid carcinomas (TC) are rare in the pediatric population; however, they constitute the most common endocrine malignancy. Despite some similarities with adult carcinomas, they have distinct clinical behavior and responses to therapy due to their unique pathology and molecular characteristics. The age cut-off used for defining the pediatric age group has been variable across different studies, and the universally accepted recommendations influence accurate interpretation of the available data. Moreover, factors such as radiation exposure and germline mutations have greater impact in children than in adults. Papillary TC is the most common and the most evaluated pediatric TC. Others, including follicular, poorly differentiated and medullary carcinomas, are rarer and have limited available literature. Most studies are from the West. Asian studies are primarily from Japan, with few from China, India, Saudi Arabia and Republic of Korea. This review provides a comprehensive account of the well-established and novel biomarkers in the field, including point mutations, fusions, miRNA, and thyroid differentiation genes. Familial and syndromic associations are also discussed. Current management guidelines for pediatric patients are largely derived from those for adults. An awareness of the molecular landscape is essential to acknowledge the uniqueness of these tumors and establish specific diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines.
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Zaballos MA, Acuña-Ruiz A, Morante M, Riesco-Eizaguirre G, Crespo P, Santisteban P. Inhibiting ERK dimerization ameliorates BRAF-driven anaplastic thyroid cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:504. [PMID: 36056964 PMCID: PMC9440884 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04530-9] [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: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Background RAS-to-ERK signaling is crucial for the onset and progression of advanced thyroid carcinoma, and blocking ERK dimerization provides a therapeutic benefit in several human carcinomas. Here we analyzed the effects of DEL-22379, a relatively specific ERK dimerization inhibitor, on the activation of the RAS-to-ERK signaling cascade and on tumor-related processes in vitro and in vivo. Methods We used a panel of four human anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) cell lines harboring BRAF or RAS mutations to analyze ERK dynamics and tumor-specific characteristics. We also assessed the impact of DEL-22379 on the transcriptional landscape of ATC cell lines using RNA-sequencing and evaluated its therapeutic efficacy in an orthotopic mouse model of ATC. Results DEL-22379 impaired upstream ERK activation in BRAF- but not RAS-mutant cells. Cell viability and metastasis-related processes were attenuated by DEL-22379 treatment, but mostly in BRAF-mutant cells, whereas in vivo tumor growth and dissemination were strongly reduced for BRAF-mutant cells and mildly reduced for RAS-mutant cells. Transcriptomics analyses indicated that DEL-22379 modulated the transcriptional landscape of BRAF- and RAS-mutant cells in opposite directions. Conclusions Our findings establish that BRAF- and RAS-mutant thyroid cells respond differentially to DEL-22379, which cannot be explained by the previously described mechanism of action of the inhibitor. Nonetheless, DEL-22379 demonstrated significant anti-tumor effects against BRAF-mutant cells in vivo with an apparent lack of toxicity, making it an interesting candidate for the development of combinatorial treatments. Our data underscore the differences elicited by the specific driver mutation for thyroid cancer onset and progression, which should be considered for experimental and clinical approaches. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00018-022-04530-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Zaballos
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), 28029, Madrid, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Adrián Acuña-Ruiz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Universitario de Móstoles, 28935, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Morante
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Universidad de Cantabria. Santander, 39011, Cantabria, Spain
| | - Garcilaso Riesco-Eizaguirre
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Universitario de Móstoles, 28935, Madrid, Spain.,Grupo de Endocrinología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223, Madrid, Spain
| | - Piero Crespo
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Universidad de Cantabria. Santander, 39011, Cantabria, Spain
| | - Pilar Santisteban
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CSIC-UAM), 28029, Madrid, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029, Madrid, Spain.
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β-Arrestin2 Is Critically Involved in the Differential Regulation of Phosphosignaling Pathways by Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone and Taltirelin. Cells 2022; 11:cells11091473. [PMID: 35563779 PMCID: PMC9103620 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and its analogs, including taltirelin (TAL), have demonstrated a range of effects on the central nervous system that represent potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of various neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms of their actions remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated phosphosignaling dynamics in pituitary GH1 cells affected by TRH and TAL and the putative role of β-arrestin2 in mediating these effects. Our results revealed widespread alterations in many phosphosignaling pathways involving signal transduction via small GTPases, MAP kinases, Ser/Thr- and Tyr-protein kinases, Wnt/β-catenin, and members of the Hippo pathway. The differential TRH- or TAL-induced phosphorylation of numerous proteins suggests that these ligands exhibit some degree of biased agonism at the TRH receptor. The different phosphorylation patterns induced by TRH or TAL in β-arrestin2-deficient cells suggest that the β-arrestin2 scaffold is a key factor determining phosphorylation events after TRH receptor activation. Our results suggest that compounds that modulate kinase and phosphatase activity can be considered as additional adjuvants to enhance the potential therapeutic value of TRH or TAL.
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Jankovic Miljus J, Guillén-Sacoto MA, Makiadi-Alvarado J, Wert-Lamas L, Ramirez-Moya J, Robledo M, Santisteban P, Riesco-Eizaguirre G. Circulating MicroRNA Profiles as Potential Biomarkers for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Recurrence. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:1280-1293. [PMID: 35022762 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac009] [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: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging biomarkers of thyroid cancer. OBJECTIVE This study sought to identify the profile of circulating miRNAs and its response to human recombinant TSH (rhTSH) in thyroid cancer patients with recurrent/persistent disease. METHODS We obtained serum samples from 30 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, 14 with recurrent/persistent disease and 16 with complete remission. We used next-generation sequencing to define the miRnomes along with a comprehensive quantitative PCR (qPCR) validation using 2 different platforms. We made a transversal study by comparing serum miRNA profiles of patients with or without recurrent/persistent disease and a longitudinal study looking at differences before and after rhTSH stimulation. Selected miRNAs were then studied in human thyroid cancer cell lines TPC-1, FTC-133, and OCUT-2 in response to TSH stimulation. RESULTS We could not demonstrate any consistent differences in serum profiles of known miRNAs between patients with and without recurrent/persistent disease or before and after rhTSH stimulation. However, our sequencing data revealed 2 putative novel miRNAs that rise with rhTSH stimulation in the serums of patients with recurrent/persistent disease. We further confirmed by qPCR the upregulation of these putative miRNAs both in serums and in TSH-stimulated cells. We also show miRNAs that are good candidates for housekeeping genes in the serum of patients independently of the levels of TSH. CONCLUSIONS The present study does not provide evidence that known miRNAs can be used as circulating markers for recurrence of thyroid cancer. However, we suggest that novel miRNA molecules may be related to thyroid cancer pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Jankovic Miljus
- Institute for the Application of Nuclear Energy - INEP, University of Belgrade, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas -Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28029Spain
| | | | - Jennifer Makiadi-Alvarado
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas -Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28029Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - León Wert-Lamas
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas -Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28029Spain
- Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Julia Ramirez-Moya
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas -Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28029Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Robledo
- Hereditary Endocrine Cancer Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (Ciberer), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Pilar Santisteban
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas -Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid E-28029Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Garcilaso Riesco-Eizaguirre
- Hospital Universitario de Móstoles, Madrid E-28935, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Molecular Endocrinology Group, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid E-28223, Spain
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11
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Long noncoding RNA landscapes specific to benign and malignant thyroid neoplasms of distinct histological subtypes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16728. [PMID: 34408227 PMCID: PMC8373968 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96149-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The main types of thyroid neoplasms, follicular adenoma (FA), follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), classical and follicular variants of papillary carcinoma (clPTC and fvPTC), and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), differ in prognosis, progression rate and metastatic behaviour. Specific patterns of lncRNAs involved in the development of clinical and morphological features can be presumed. LncRNA landscapes within distinct benign and malignant histological variants of thyroid neoplasms were not investigated. The aim of the study was to discover long noncoding RNA landscapes common and specific to major benign and malignant histological subtypes of thyroid neoplasms. LncRNA expression in FA, FTC, fvPTC, clPTC and ATC was analysed with comprehensive microarray and RNA-Seq datasets. Putative biological functions were evaluated via enrichment analysis of coexpressed coding genes. In the results, lncRNAs common and specific to FTC, clPTC, fvPTC, and ATC were identified. The discovered lncRNAs are putatively involved in L1CAM interactions, namely, pre-mRNA processing (lncRNAs specific to FTC); PCP/CE and WNT pathways (lncRNAs specific to fvPTC); extracellular matrix organization (lncRNAs specific to clPTC); and the cell cycle (lncRNAs specific to ATC). Known oncogenic and suppressor lncRNAs (RMST, CRNDE, SLC26A4-AS1, NR2F1-AS1, and LINC00511) were aberrantly expressed in thyroid carcinomas. These findings enhance the understanding of lncRNAs in the development of subtype-specific features in thyroid cancer.
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12
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Cuesta C, Arévalo-Alameda C, Castellano E. The Importance of Being PI3K in the RAS Signaling Network. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1094. [PMID: 34356110 PMCID: PMC8303222 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ras proteins are essential mediators of a multitude of cellular processes, and its deregulation is frequently associated with cancer appearance, progression, and metastasis. Ras-driven cancers are usually aggressive and difficult to treat. Although the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the first Ras G12C inhibitor is an important milestone, only a small percentage of patients will benefit from it. A better understanding of the context in which Ras operates in different tumor types and the outcomes mediated by each effector pathway may help to identify additional strategies and targets to treat Ras-driven tumors. Evidence emerging in recent years suggests that both oncogenic Ras signaling in tumor cells and non-oncogenic Ras signaling in stromal cells play an essential role in cancer. PI3K is one of the main Ras effectors, regulating important cellular processes such as cell viability or resistance to therapy or angiogenesis upon oncogenic Ras activation. In this review, we will summarize recent advances in the understanding of Ras-dependent activation of PI3K both in physiological conditions and cancer, with a focus on how this signaling pathway contributes to the formation of a tumor stroma that promotes tumor cell proliferation, migration, and spread.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Esther Castellano
- Tumour-Stroma Signalling Laboratory, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (C.C.); (C.A.-A.)
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13
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Zou M, BinEssa HA, Al-Malki YH, Al-Yahya S, Al-Alwan M, Al-Jammaz I, Khabar KSA, Almohanna F, Assiri AM, Meyer BF, Alzahrani AS, Al-Mohanna FA, Shi Y. β-Catenin Attenuation Inhibits Tumor Growth and Promotes Differentiation in a BRAF V600E-Driven Thyroid Cancer Animal Model. Mol Cancer Ther 2021; 20:1603-1613. [PMID: 34224366 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BRAFV600E mutation is the most frequent genetic alteration in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). β-Catenin (Ctnnb1) is a key downstream component of canonical Wnt signaling pathway and is frequently overexpressed in PTC. BRAF V600E-driven tumors have been speculated to rely on Wnt/β-catenin signaling to sustain its growth, although many details remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of β-catenin in BrafV600E -driven thyroid cancer in a transgenic mouse model. In Braf V600E mice with wild-type (WT) Ctnnb1 (BVE-Ctnnb1WT or BVE), overexpression of β-catenin was observed in thyroid tumors. In Braf V600E mice with Ctnnb1 knockout (BVE-Ctnnb1null), thyroid tumor growth was slowed with significant reduction in papillary architecture. This was associated with increased expression of genes involved in thyroid hormone synthesis, elevated 124iodine uptake, and serum T4. The survival of BVE-Ctnnb1null mice was increased by more than 50% during 14-month observation. Mechanistically, downregulation of MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and TGFβ pathways and loss of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were demonstrated in the BVE-Ctnnb1null tumors. Treatment with dual β-catenin/KDM4A inhibitor PKF118-310 dramatically improved the sensitivity of BVE-Ctnnb1WT tumor cells to BRAFV600E inhibitor PLX4720, resulting in significant growth arrest and apoptosis in vitro, and tumor regression and differentiation in vivo These findings indicate that β-catenin signaling plays an important role in thyroid cancer growth and resistance to BRAFV600E inhibitors. Simultaneously targeting both Wnt/β-catenin and MAPK signaling pathways may achieve better therapeutic outcome in BRAFV600E inhibitor-resistant and/or radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjing Zou
- Department of Genetics and Centre for Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Huda A BinEssa
- Department of Genetics and Centre for Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yousif H Al-Malki
- Department of Cyclotron and Radiopharmaceuticals, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suhad Al-Yahya
- Department of BioMolecular Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Monther Al-Alwan
- Department of Stem Cell & Tissue Re-engineering, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim Al-Jammaz
- Department of Cyclotron and Radiopharmaceuticals, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid S A Khabar
- Department of BioMolecular Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Falah Almohanna
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah M Assiri
- Department of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Brian F Meyer
- Department of Genetics and Centre for Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali S Alzahrani
- Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Futwan A Al-Mohanna
- Department of Cell Biology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yufei Shi
- Department of Genetics and Centre for Genomic Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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14
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Dong Z, Dai H, Gao Y, Feng Z, Liu W, Liu F, Zhang Z, Ma F, Xie X, Zhu Z, Liu W, Liu B. Inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway reduces autophagy levels in complement treated podocytes. Exp Ther Med 2021; 22:737. [PMID: 34055054 PMCID: PMC8138266 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In idiopathic membranous nephropathy, the complement membrane attack complex, more commonly referred to as complement 5b-9 (C5b-9), induces glomerular epithelial cell injury and proteinuria. C5b-9 can also activate numerous mechanisms that restrict or facilitate injury. Recent studies suggest that autophagy and the canonical Wnt signaling pathway serve an important role in repairing podocyte injury. However, the effect of C5b-9 on these pathways and the relationship between them remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to show the effect of C5b-9 on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and autophagy in podocytes in vitro. Levels of relevant indicators were detected by immunofluorescence staining and capillary western immunoassay. C5b-9 serum significantly activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and promoted autophagy. Treatment with Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1), a Wnt/β-catenin pathway blocker, protected podocytes from injury and significantly inhibited autophagy. The results indicated that inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway physiologically activated autophagy. The results indicated that C5b-9 resulted in a decrease in Akt in podocytes. However, the podocytes preincubated with DKK1 and then attacked by C5b-9 showed an increase in Akt levels. This may explain the observation that blocking the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway attenuated C5b-9 podocyte damage, while inhibiting autophagy. The results of the present study also suggest that regulation of these two pathways may serve as a novel method for the treatment of idiopathic membranous nephropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaocheng Dong
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, P.R. China.,Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Dongcheng, Beijing 100010, P.R. China
| | - Haoran Dai
- Shunyi Branch, Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shunyi, Beijing 101300, P.R. China
| | - Yu Gao
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Dongcheng, Beijing 100010, P.R. China.,Capital Medical University, Fengtai, Beijing 100069, P.R. China
| | - Zhendong Feng
- Beijing Chinese Medicine Hospital, Pinggu Hospital, Pinggu, Beijing 101200, P.R. China
| | - Wenbin Liu
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Dongcheng, Beijing 100010, P.R. China.,Capital Medical University, Fengtai, Beijing 100069, P.R. China
| | - Fei Liu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, P.R. China.,Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Dongcheng, Beijing 100010, P.R. China
| | - Zihan Zhang
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, P.R. China.,Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Dongcheng, Beijing 100010, P.R. China
| | - Fang Ma
- China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guanganmen Hospital, Xicheng, Beijing 100053, P.R. China
| | - Xinran Xie
- Beijing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Dongcheng, Beijing 100010, P.R. China
| | - Zebing Zhu
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Dongzhimen Hospital, Dongchen, Beijing 100700, P.R. China
| | - Weijing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Dongzhimen Hospital, Dongchen, Beijing 100700, P.R. China
| | - Baoli Liu
- Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Dongcheng, Beijing 100010, P.R. China
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15
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Behrooz AB, Syahir A. Could We Address the Interplay Between CD133, Wnt/β-Catenin, and TERT Signaling Pathways as a Potential Target for Glioblastoma Therapy? Front Oncol 2021; 11:642719. [PMID: 33869033 PMCID: PMC8047678 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.642719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most lethal forms of primary brain tumors. Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) play an undeniable role in tumor development by activating multiple signaling pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT/mTOR that facilitate brain tumor formation. CD133, a transmembrane glycoprotein, has been used to classify cancer stem cells (CSCs) in GBM. The therapeutic value of CD133 is a biomarker of the CSC in multiple cancers. It also leads to growth and recurrence of the tumor. More recent findings have confirmed the association of telomerase/TERT with Wnt/β-catenin and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. Advance studies have shown that crosstalk between CD133, Wnt/β-catenin, and telomerase/TERT can facilitate GBM stemness and lead to therapeutic resistance. Mechanistic insight into signaling mechanisms downstream of surface biomarkers has been revolutionized by facilitating targeting of tumor-specific molecular deregulation. This review also addresses the importance of interplay between CD133, Wnt/β-catenin and TERT signaling pathways in GSCs and outlines the future therapeutic goals for glioblastoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Barzegar Behrooz
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Amir Syahir
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia.,MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
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16
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Behrouj H, Seghatoleslam A, Mokarram P, Ghavami S. Effect of casein kinase 1α inhibition on autophagy flux and the AKT/phospho-β-catenin (S552) axis in HCT116, a RAS-mutated colorectal cancer cell line. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2021; 99:284-293. [PMID: 33635146 DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2020-0449] [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] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which interferes with cell proliferation, differentiation, and autophagy, is commonly dysregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). Mutation of the RAS oncogene is the most prevalent genetic alteration in CRC and has been linked to activation of protein kinase B (AKT) signaling. Phosphorylation of β-catenin at Ser 552 by AKT contributes to β-catenin stability, transcriptional activity, and increase of cell proliferation. Casein kinase 1 alpha (CK1α) is an enzyme that simultaneously regulates Wnt/β-catenin and AKT. The link of the AKT and Wnt pathway to autophagy in RAS-mutated CRC cells has not well identified. Therefore, we investigated how pharmacological CK1α inhibition (D4476) is involved in regulation of autophagy, Wnt/β-catenin, and AKT pathways in RAS-mutated CRC cell lines. qRT-PCR and immunoblotting experiments revealed that phospho-AKT (S473) and phospho-β-catenin (S552) are constitutively increased in RAS-mutated CRC cell lines, in parallel with augmented CK1α expression. The results also showed that D4476 significantly reduced the AKT/phospho-β-catenin (S552) axis concomitantly with autophagy flux inhibition in RAS-mutated CRC cells. Furthermore, D4476 significantly induced apoptosis in RAS-mutated CRC cells. In conclusion, our results indicate that CK1α inhibition reduces autophagy flux and promotes apoptosis by interfering with the AKT/phospho-β-catenin (S552) axis in RAS-mutated CRC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Behrouj
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Atefeh Seghatoleslam
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Pooneh Mokarram
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Autophagy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.,Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,Research Institute in Oncology and Hematology, Cancer Care Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Katowice School of Technology, Katowice, Poland
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17
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Lee JJ, Hsu YC, Li YS, Cheng SP. Galectin-3 Inhibitors Suppress Anoikis Resistance and Invasive Capacity in Thyroid Cancer Cells. Int J Endocrinol 2021; 2021:5583491. [PMID: 34035807 PMCID: PMC8124007 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5583491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that galectin-3 is a histologic marker of thyroid cancer. However, the pharmacological lectin-based approach has not been well studied. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of novel galectin-3 inhibitors by treating thyroid cancer cells with different concentrations of GB1107 or TD139. At high doses, TD139, but not GB1107, reduced cell viability and clonogenicity of thyroid cancer cells. TD139 induced apoptosis of thyroid cancer cells, as evident by an increase in the percentage of sub-G1 cells on cell cycle analysis, caspase-3 activation, and PARP1 cleavage. Either GB1107 or TD139 significantly inhibited cell coherence and counteracted anoikis resistance. Both inhibitors decreased migratory and invasive abilities in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, GB1107 and TD139 treatment attenuated AKT phosphorylation and decreased the expression of β-catenin and MMP2. In conclusion, these novel galectin-3 inhibitors suppressed the anoikis resistance, motility, and invasive capacity of thyroid cancer cells at least partly through the AKT/β-catenin pathway. Galectin-3 inhibitors are potentially suitable for preclinical evaluation of treatment and/or prevention of metastatic spread in thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie-Jen Lee
- Department of Surgery, MacKay Memorial Hospital and Mackay Medical College, Taipei 104215, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chiung Hsu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan City 320317, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Syuan Li
- Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 104215, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Ping Cheng
- Department of Surgery, MacKay Memorial Hospital and Mackay Medical College, Taipei 104215, Taiwan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
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18
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ADAR1-mediated RNA editing is a novel oncogenic process in thyroid cancer and regulates miR-200 activity. Oncogene 2020; 39:3738-3753. [PMID: 32157211 PMCID: PMC7190574 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1248-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) convert adenosine to inosine in double-stranded RNA. A-to-I editing of RNA is a widespread posttranscriptional process that has recently emerged as an important mechanism in cancer biology. A-to-I editing levels are high in several human cancers, including thyroid cancer, but ADAR1 editase-dependent mechanisms governing thyroid cancer progression are unexplored. To address the importance of RNA A-to-I editing in thyroid cancer, we examined the role of ADAR1. Loss-of-function analysis showed that ADAR1 suppression profoundly repressed proliferation, invasion, and migration in thyroid tumor cell models. These observations were validated in an in vivo xenograft model, which showed that ADAR1-silenced cells had a diminished ability to form tumors. RNA editing of miRNAs has the potential to markedly alter target recognition. According to TCGA data, the tumor suppressor miR-200b is overedited in thyroid tumors, and its levels of editing correlate with a worse progression-free survival and disease stage. We confirmed miR-200b overediting in thyroid tumors and we showed that edited miR-200b has weakened activity against its target gene ZEB1 in thyroid cancer cells, likely explaining the reduced aggressiveness of ADAR1-silenced cells. We also found that RAS, but not BRAF, modulates ADAR1 levels, an effect mediated predominantly by PI3K and in part by MAPK. Lastly, pharmacological inhibition of ADAR1 activity with the editing inhibitor 8-azaadenosine reduced cancer cell aggressiveness. Overall, our data implicate ADAR1-mediated A-to-I editing as an important pathway in thyroid cancer progression, and highlight RNA editing as a potential therapeutic target in thyroid cancer.
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19
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Fuziwara CS, Kimura ET. How does microRNA modulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling in thyroid oncogenesis? ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:266. [PMID: 32355710 PMCID: PMC7186644 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2020.02.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cesar Seigi Fuziwara
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Edna Teruko Kimura
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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20
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Lee MA, Bergdorf KN, Phifer CJ, Jones CY, Byon SY, Sawyer LM, Bauer JA, Weiss VL. Novel three-dimensional cultures provide insights into thyroid cancer behavior. Endocr Relat Cancer 2020; 27:111-121. [PMID: 31804972 PMCID: PMC7295136 DOI: 10.1530/erc-19-0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid cancer has the fastest growing incidence of any cancer in the United States, as measured by the number of new cases per year. Despite advances in tissue culture techniques, a robust model for thyroid cancer spheroid culture is yet to be developed. Using eight established thyroid cancer cell lines, we created an efficient and cost-effective 3D culture system that can enhance our understanding of in vivo treatment response. We found that all eight cell lines readily form spheroids in culture with unique morphology, size, and cytoskeletal organization. In addition, we developed a high-throughput workflow that allows for drug screening of spheroids. Using this approach, we found that spheroids from K1 and TPC1 cells demonstrate significant differences in their sensitivities to dabrafenib treatment that closely model expected patient drug response. In addition, K1 spheroids have increased sensitivity to dabrafenib when compared to monolayer K1 cultures. Utilizing traditional 2D cultures of these cell lines, we evaluated the mechanisms of this drug response, showing dramatic and acute changes in their actin cytoskeleton as well as inhibition of migratory behavior in response to dabrafenib treatment. Our study is the first to describe the development of a robust spheroid system from established cultured thyroid cancer cell lines and adaptation to a high-throughput format. We show that combining 3D culture with traditional 2D methods provides a complementary and powerful approach to uncover drug sensitivity and mechanisms of inhibition in thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason A Lee
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- University School of Nashville, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Kensey N Bergdorf
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Courtney J Phifer
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Caroline Y Jones
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sonia Y Byon
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Leah M Sawyer
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Joshua A Bauer
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Vivian L Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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21
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Shakib H, Rajabi S, Dehghan MH, Mashayekhi FJ, Safari-Alighiarloo N, Hedayati M. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in thyroid cancer: a comprehensive review. Endocrine 2019; 66:435-455. [PMID: 31378850 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-019-02030-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Metastatic progression of solid tumors, such as thyroid cancer is a complex process which involves various factors. Current understanding on the role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in thyroid carcinomas suggests that EMT is implicated in the progression from follicular thyroid cancer (FTC) and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) to poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). According to the literature, the initiation of the EMT program in thyroid epithelial cells elevates the number of stem cells, which contribute to recurrent and metastatic diseases. The EMT process is orchestrated by a complex network of transcription factors, growth factors, signaling cascades, epigenetic modulations, and the tumor milieu. These factors have been shown to be dysregulated in thyroid carcinomas. Therefore, molecular interferences restoring the expression of tumor suppressors, or thwarting overexpressed oncogenes is a hopeful therapeutic method to improve the treatment of progressive diseases. In this review, we summarize the recent findings on EMT in thyroid cancer focusing on the main role-players and regulators of this process in thyroid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heewa Shakib
- Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sadegh Rajabi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Nahid Safari-Alighiarloo
- Endocrine Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Hedayati
- Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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22
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Manoranjan B, Chokshi C, Venugopal C, Subapanditha M, Savage N, Tatari N, Provias JP, Murty NK, Moffat J, Doble BW, Singh SK. A CD133-AKT-Wnt signaling axis drives glioblastoma brain tumor-initiating cells. Oncogene 2019; 39:1590-1599. [PMID: 31695152 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-1086-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mechanistic insight into signaling pathways downstream of surface receptors has been revolutionized with integrated cancer genomics. This has fostered current treatment modalities, namely immunotherapy, to capitalize on targeting key oncogenic signaling nodes downstream of a limited number of surface markers. Unfortunately, rudimentary mechanistic understanding of most other cell surface proteins has reduced the clinical utility of these markers. CD133 has reproducibly been shown to correlate with disease progression, recurrence, and poor overall survivorship in the malignant adult brain tumor, glioblastoma (GBM). Using several patient-derived CD133high and CD133low GBMs we describe intrinsic differences in determinants of stemness, which we owe to a CD133-AKT-Wnt signaling axis in which CD133 functions as a putative cell surface receptor for AKT-dependent Wnt activation. These findings may have implications for personalized oncology trials targeting PI3K/AKT or Wnt as both pathways may be activated independent of their canonical drivers, leading to treatment resistance and disease relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branavan Manoranjan
- Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.,McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.,Departments of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Chirayu Chokshi
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.,Departments of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Chitra Venugopal
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Minomi Subapanditha
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Neil Savage
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Nazanin Tatari
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.,Departments of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - John P Provias
- Departments of Pathology, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Naresh K Murty
- Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Jason Moffat
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Bradley W Doble
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada.,Departments of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada
| | - Sheila K Singh
- McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada. .,Departments of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada. .,Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada.
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23
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Paragliola RM, Corsello A, Del Gatto V, Papi G, Pontecorvi A, Corsello SM. Lenvatinib for thyroid cancer treatment: discovery, pre-clinical development and clinical application. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 15:11-26. [PMID: 31608696 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1674280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: About one third of patients affected with thyroid cancer present with recurrent disease. Unresectability, advanced disease and radioiodine refractoriness are considered poor prognostic factors. Treatment with small molecules inhibiting molecular signaling can be considered for patients with progressive disease, when other therapeutic strategies cannot be applied. Lenvatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting multiple molecular factors involved in angiogenesis and tumor progression. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the utility of lenvatinib as a targeted therapy for different tumors, including both differentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancer.Areas covered: The authors provide an overview of the preclinical development of lenvatinib in the treatment of thyroid cancer and review its clinical application. They also provide their expert opinion on its development.Expert opinion: Preclinical studies have helped in the understanding of the mechanisms of thyroid carcinogenesis and in the development of a targeted therapy. These findings have represented the rationale for the use of lenvatinib in clinical trials, which have confirmed its utility but yet failed to prove a clear benefit in overall survival. The decision to start a systemic treatment with lenvatinib must be personalized for each patient evaluating the risk/benefits ratio. Treatment emergent adverse events must be considered and reasonably managed by a multidisciplinary approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Maria Paragliola
- Endocrinology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Corsello
- Endocrinology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Del Gatto
- Endocrinology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Papi
- Endocrinology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Alfredo Pontecorvi
- Endocrinology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Maria Corsello
- Endocrinology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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24
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Lindsey RC, Godwin C, Mohan S. Skeletal effects of nongenomic thyroid hormone receptor beta signaling. J Endocrinol 2019; 242:173-183. [PMID: 31252404 PMCID: PMC6685746 DOI: 10.1530/joe-19-0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormone (TH) levels increase rapidly during the prepubertal growth period in mice, and this change is necessary for endochondral ossification of the epiphyses. This effect of TH on epiphyseal chondrocyte hypertrophy is mediated via TRβ1. In addition to its traditional genomic signaling role as a transcription factor, TRβ1 can also exert nongenomic effects by interacting with other signaling molecules such as PI3K. To investigate the role of nongenomic TRβ1 signaling in endochondral ossification, we evaluated the skeletal phenotype of TRβ147F mutant mice which exhibit a normal genomic response of TRβ1 to TH, but the nongenomic response through the PI3K pathway is impaired. Using microCT, we found that 13-week-old TRβ147F mice had significantly less trabecular bone mass at three sites. Histomorphometric analyses revealed that mineralizing surface to bone surface and BFR/BS were reduced in the mutant mice. Mechanistically, we found that activation of TRβ increased Alp and Osx expression in control but not TRβ147F osteoblasts. Since canonical β-catenin signaling has been implicated in mediating nongenomic TRβ-PI3K signaling, we evaluated the effect of TRβ1 activation on β-catenin target gene expression in MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. We found that β-catenin target genes were increased, suggesting that nongenomic TRβ1-PI3K pathway modulation of β-catenin signaling may mediate TRβ1 effects on osteoblast differentiation. Together, these results suggest that TH acting through TRβ1 regulates endochondral ossification in part via nongenomic signaling in mice. Further investigation of this nongenomic mechanism of TRβ1 signaling could lead to novel therapeutic targets for treatment and prevention of osteoporosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard C. Lindsey
- Musculoskeletal Disease Center, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, USA
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Catrina Godwin
- Musculoskeletal Disease Center, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Subburaman Mohan
- Musculoskeletal Disease Center, VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, USA
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
- Department of Orthopedics, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA
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25
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Zaballos MA, Acuña-Ruiz A, Morante M, Crespo P, Santisteban P. Regulators of the RAS-ERK pathway as therapeutic targets in thyroid cancer. Endocr Relat Cancer 2019; 26:R319-R344. [PMID: 30978703 DOI: 10.1530/erc-19-0098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is mostly an ERK-driven carcinoma, as up to 70% of thyroid carcinomas are caused by mutations that activate the RAS/ERK mitogenic signaling pathway. The incidence of thyroid cancer has been steadily increasing for the last four decades; yet, there is still no effective treatment for advanced thyroid carcinomas. Current research efforts are focused on impairing ERK signaling with small-molecule inhibitors, mainly at the level of BRAF and MEK. However, despite initial promising results in animal models, the clinical success of these inhibitors has been limited by the emergence of tumor resistance and relapse. The RAS/ERK pathway is an extremely complex signaling cascade with multiple points of control, offering many potential therapeutic targets: from the modulatory proteins regulating the activation state of RAS proteins to the scaffolding proteins of the pathway that provide spatial specificity to the signals, and finally, the negative feedbacks and phosphatases responsible for inactivating the pathway. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the biology of RAS/ERK regulators in human cancer highlighting relevant information on thyroid cancer and future areas of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Zaballos
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas 'Alberto Sols', Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adrián Acuña-Ruiz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas 'Alberto Sols', Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Morante
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Piero Crespo
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Pilar Santisteban
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas 'Alberto Sols', Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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26
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Impaired microRNA processing by DICER1 downregulation endows thyroid cancer with increased aggressiveness. Oncogene 2019; 38:5486-5499. [PMID: 30967628 PMCID: PMC6755984 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-0804-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The global downregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is emerging as a common hallmark of cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well known. We identified that the oncogenic miR-146b-5p attenuates miRNA biosynthesis by targeting DICER1 and reducing its expression. DICER1 overexpression inhibited all the miR-146b-induced aggressive phenotypes in thyroid cells. Systemic injection of an anti-miR-146b in mice with orthotopic thyroid tumors suppressed tumor growth and recovered DICER1 levels. Notably, DICER1 downregulation promoted proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition through miRNA downregulation. Our analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed a general decrease in DICER1 expression in thyroid cancer that was associated with a worse clinical outcome. Administration of the small-molecule enoxacin to promote DICER1 complex activity reduced tumor aggressiveness both in vitro and in vivo. Overall, our data confirm DICER1 as a tumor suppressor and show that oncogenic miR-146b contributes to its downregulation. Moreover, our results highlight a potential therapeutic application of RNA-based therapies including miRNA inhibitors and restoration of the biogenesis machinery, which may provide treatments for thyroid and other cancers.
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27
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Valvo V, Nucera C. Coding Molecular Determinants of Thyroid Cancer Development and Progression. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 2019; 48:37-59. [PMID: 30717910 PMCID: PMC6366338 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecl.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Its incidence and mortality rates have increased for patients with advanced-stage papillary thyroid cancer. The characterization of the molecular pathways essential in thyroid cancer initiation and progression has made huge progress, underlining the role of intracellular signaling to promote clonal evolution, dedifferentiation, metastasis, and drug resistance. The discovery of genetic alterations that include mutations (BRAF, hTERT), translocations, deletions (eg, 9p), and copy-number gain (eg, 1q) has provided new biological insights with clinical applications. Understanding how molecular pathways interplay is one of the key strategies to develop new therapeutic treatments and improve prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Valvo
- Laboratory of Human Thyroid Cancers Preclinical and Translational Research, Division of Experimental Pathology, Department of Pathology, Cancer Research Institute (CRI), Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 99 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pathology, Center for Vascular Biology Research (CVBR), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 99 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Carmelo Nucera
- Laboratory of Human Thyroid Cancers Preclinical and Translational Research, Division of Experimental Pathology, Department of Pathology, Cancer Research Institute (CRI), Cancer Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 99 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pathology, Center for Vascular Biology Research (CVBR), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 99 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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28
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Loss of MADD expression inhibits cellular growth and metastasis in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:145. [PMID: 30760700 PMCID: PMC6374448 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1351-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC) is an aggressive malignancy with limited therapeutic options and dismal patient survival. We have previously shown MADD to be differentially overexpressed in multiple cancer histologies and to contribute to tumor cell growth and survival. Therefore, we targeted MADD by gene silencing, explored its effect on cellular proliferation and metastases and examined its therapeutic potential in an orthotopic ATC model in athymic nude mice. When compared to untreated control and scramble siRNA, MADD siRNA treatment inhibited the proliferative capacity of 8505C, C643 and HTH7 cells in vitro and 8505C-derived-orthotopic tumor growth in vivo. MADD ablation caused a significant reduction in cellular migration and invasion potential; clonogenic capacity; as well as, mitochondrial length and potential in vitro. This MADD siRNA-induced anti-migratory/invasive effect corresponded with inhibition of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Wnt signaling. Mechanistically, MADD siRNA inhibited TNFα induced activation of pERK, pGSK3β and β-catenin, suggesting that MADD knockdown might exert its anti-migratory/invasive effects, by blocking TNFα/ERK/GSK3β axis. MADD siRNA can inhibit β-catenin nuclear translocation and consequently, the expression of its target genes in ATC cells. In in vivo experiments, along with tumor regression, MADD siRNA treatment also decreased evidence of lung metastases. Immunohistochemically, MADD siRNA-treated tumor tissues exhibited a reduction in Ki67 and N-Cadherin expression, and an increase in E-Cadherin expression. In conclusion, we show the crucial role of MADD in ATC tumorigenesis and metastasis and its potential implications as a molecular target for ATC therapy.
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Saini S, Maker AV, Burman KD, Prabhakar BS. Molecular aberrations and signaling cascades implicated in the pathogenesis of anaplastic thyroid cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2018; 1872:188262. [PMID: 30605717 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC) accounts for >40% thyroid cancer-related deaths and has a dismal prognosis. In the past decade, significant efforts have been made towards understanding the pathogenesis of this disease and developing novel therapeutics. Unfortunately, effective treatment is still lacking and a more thorough understanding of ATC pathogenesis may provide new opportunities to improve ATC therapeutics. This review provides insights into ATC clinical presentation and pathology, and the putative role of genetic aberrations and alterations in molecular signaling pathways in ATC pathogenesis. We reviewed prevalent mutations, chromosomal abnormalities and fusions, epigenetic alterations and dysregulations in ATC, and highlighted several signaling cascades which appeared to be integral to ATC pathogenesis. Moreover, these features offer insights into de-differentiated, aggressive and drug-resistant phenotype of ATC, and thus may help in exploring potential new molecular targets for developing novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Saini
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois-College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ajay V Maker
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois-College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Kenneth D Burman
- Medstar Washington Hospital Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Bellur S Prabhakar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois-College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States.
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30
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TTF-1/Nkx2.1 functional connection with mutated EGFR relies on LRIG1 and β-catenin pathways in lung cancer cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 505:1027-1031. [PMID: 30314701 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In non-small lung cancer, the expression of the transcription factor TTF-1/Nkx2.1 correlates with the presence of EGFR mutations, therefore TTF-1/Nkx2.1 expression is used to optimize an EGFR testing strategy and to guide clinical treatment. We investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the functional connection between EGFR and TTF-1/Nkx2.1 gene expression in lung adenocarcinoma. Using the H1975 cell line as a non-small cell lung cancer model system and short hairpin RNA, we have selected clones with TTF-1/Nkx2.1 silenced expression. We have found that Leucine-rich immunoglobulin repeats-1 (LRIG1) gene is a direct target of TTF-1/Nkx2.1 and the transcription factor binding to the LRIG1 genomic sequence inhibits its gene expression. In TTF-1/Nkx2.1 depleted clones, we have found high levels of LRIG1 and decreased presence of EGFR protein. Furthermore, in TTF-1/Nkx2.1 depleted clones we detected a reduced β-catenin level and we provide experimental evidence indicating that TTF-1/Nkx2.1 gene expression is regulated by β-catenin. Published studies indicate that LRIG1 triggers EGFR degradation and that mutated EGFR induces β-catenin activity. Hence, with the present study we show that mutated EGFR, enhancing β-catenin, stimulates TTF-1/Nkx2.1 gene expression and, at the same time, TTF-1/Nkx2.1, down-regulating LRIG1, sustains EGFR pathway. Therefore, LRIG1 and β-catenin mediate the functional connection between TTF-1/Nkx2.1 and mutated EGFR.
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31
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Išić Denčić T, Bartolome A, Šelemetjev S, Đorić I, Tatić S, Živaljević V, Cvejić D. High expression and localization of β-catenin and epidermal growth factor receptor identify high risk papillary thyroid carcinoma patients. Exp Mol Pathol 2018; 105:181-189. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Chen F, Feng Z, Zhu J, Liu P, Yang C, Huang R, Deng Z. Emerging roles of circRNA_NEK6 targeting miR-370-3p in the proliferation and invasion of thyroid cancer via Wnt signaling pathway. Cancer Biol Ther 2018; 19:1139-1152. [PMID: 30207869 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2018.1480888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify the significantly altered circRNAs and mRNAs in thyroid cancer, investigate their target miRNAs and determine their biological functions. METHODS The differentially expressed circRNAs, mRNAs and pathways in thyroid cancer were identified by microarray analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The correlative circRNAs and mRNAs were found out through Pearson correlative analysis. The common target miRNAs of circNEK6 and FZD8 related to thyroid cancer was screened out through Targetscan, miRanda and HMDD analysis. The mRNA and protein expressions in thyroid cancer tissues and cells were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. CircRNA was confirmed by the RNase R digestion and nucleic acid electrophoresis. The target relationships were verified by the dual luciferase reporter assay. Cell viability, invasion and apoptosis were determined by MTT assay, Transwell assay and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS CircNEK6 and FZD8 were significantly up-regulated in thyroid cancer, with strong correlations. The Wnt signaling pathway was activated in thyroid cancer. MiR-370-3p was the common target miRNA of circNEK6 and FZD8, and it was down-regulated in thyroid cancer. Overexpression of circNEK6 and FZD8 could promote the growth and invasion of thyroid cancer cells, while up-regulation of miR-370-3p could suppress thyroid cancer progression and inhibit the Wnt signaling pathway. MiR-370-3p's effect on thyroid cancer cells could be rescued by circNEK6 or FZD8. CONCLUSION CircNEK6 promoted the progression of thyroid cancer through up-regulating FZD8 and activating Wnt signaling pathway by targeting miR-370-3p.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fukun Chen
- a Department of Nuclear Medicine , Yunnan Tumor Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University , Kunming Yunnan , China
| | - Zhiping Feng
- a Department of Nuclear Medicine , Yunnan Tumor Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University , Kunming Yunnan , China
| | - Jialun Zhu
- a Department of Nuclear Medicine , Yunnan Tumor Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University , Kunming Yunnan , China
| | - Pengjie Liu
- a Department of Nuclear Medicine , Yunnan Tumor Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University , Kunming Yunnan , China
| | - Chuanzhou Yang
- a Department of Nuclear Medicine , Yunnan Tumor Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University , Kunming Yunnan , China
| | - Rongkai Huang
- a Department of Nuclear Medicine , Yunnan Tumor Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University , Kunming Yunnan , China
| | - Zhiyong Deng
- a Department of Nuclear Medicine , Yunnan Tumor Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University , Kunming Yunnan , China
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33
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Hu N, Zhang H. CYP24A1 depletion facilitates the antitumor effect of vitamin D3 on thyroid cancer cells. Exp Ther Med 2018; 16:2821-2830. [PMID: 30233662 PMCID: PMC6143870 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2018.6536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been demonstrated that 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3-24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1) is a key enzyme that neutralizes vitamin D activity, which may have an anti-tumor effect. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to explore the effect of the active metabolite of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-D3) on thyroid cancer cells following the downregulation of CYP24A1. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay identified that CYP24A1 knockdown enhanced the anti-proliferative effects of 1,25-D3 on thyroid cancer cells. Furthermore, the results of the scratch wound and Transwell assays indicated that CYP24A1 knockdown enhanced the inhibitory effect of 1,25-D3 on cell migration. The results from reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis indicated that treatment with 1,25-D3 and CYP24A1 knockdown synergistically enhanced the expression of the epithelial-related gene E-cadherin and decreased the expression of the mesenchymal-related genes N-cadherin and vimentin. Following CYP24A1 knockdown and treatment with 1,25-D3, the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and metalloproteinase inhibitor 1 were significantly decreased and increased, respectively, compared with the group that underwent treatment with 25-D3 alone. Furthermore, protein kinase B (Akt) and β-catenin activity was significantly decreased by this synergetic effect compared with the group that underwent treatment with 1,25-D3 alone. The results of the current study suggest that CYP24A1 knockdown contributes to the anti-tumor effect of 1,25-D3 and that this effect may be due to deactivation of the Akt and β-catenin signaling pathways. Therefore, CYP24A1 knockdown and 1,25-D3 treatment may be used synergistically as a novel therapeutic strategy to treat patients with thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Hu
- The Second Sector of Department of Thyroid Breast Surgery, Southern Branch of Jingmen No. 1 People's Hospital, Jingmen, Hubei 448000, P.R. China
| | - Hao Zhang
- The First Sector of Department of Thyroid Breast Surgery, Northern Branch of Jingmen No. 1 People's Hospital, Jingmen, Hubei 448000, P.R. China
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Wnt Signaling in Thyroid Homeostasis and Carcinogenesis. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9040204. [PMID: 29642644 PMCID: PMC5924546 DOI: 10.3390/genes9040204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt pathway is essential for stem cell maintenance, but little is known about its role in thyroid hormone signaling and thyroid stem cell survival and maintenance. In addition, the role of Wnt signaling in thyroid cancer progenitor cells is also unclear. Here, we present emerging evidence for the role of Wnt signaling in somatic thyroid stem cell and thyroid cancer stem cell function. An improved understanding of the role of Wnt signaling in thyroid physiology and carcinogenesis is essential for improving both thyroid disease diagnostics and therapeutics.
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MicroRNA-146b promotes PI3K/AKT pathway hyperactivation and thyroid cancer progression by targeting PTEN. Oncogene 2018; 37:3369-3383. [PMID: 29353884 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-017-0088-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that miR-146b is the most upregulated microRNA in thyroid cancer and has a central role in cancer progression through mechanisms that remain largely unidentified. As phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase-B (PI3K/AKT) signaling is a fundamental oncogenic driver in many thyroid cancers, we explored a potential role for miR-146b and its target genes in PI3K/AKT activation. Among the predicted target genes of miR-146b, we found the tumor-suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). Constitutive overexpression of miR-146b in thyroid epithelial cell lines significantly decreased PTEN mRNA and protein levels by direct binding to its 3'-UTR. This was accompanied by PI3K/AKT hyperactivation, leading to the exclusion of FOXO1 and p27 from the nucleus and a corresponding increase in cellular proliferation. Moreover, miR-146b overexpression led to protection from apoptosis and an increased migration and invasion potential, regulating genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Notably, with the single exception of E-cadherin expression, all of these outcomes could be reversed by PTEN coexpression. Further analysis showed that miR-146b directly inhibits E-cadherin expression through binding to its 3'-UTR. Interestingly, miR-146b inhibition in human thyroid tumor xenografts, using a synthetic and clinically amenable molecule, blocked tumor growth when delivered intratumorally. Importantly, this inhibition increased PTEN protein levels. In conclusion, our data define a novel mechanism of PI3K/AKT hyperactivation and outline a regulatory role for miR-146b in suppressing PTEN expression, a frequent observation in thyroid cancer. Both events are related to a more aggressive tumoral phenotype. Targeting miR-146b therefore represents a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of this disease.
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Knockdown of TRIM44 inhibits the proliferation and invasion in papillary thyroid cancer cells through suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Biomed Pharmacother 2017; 96:98-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.09.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
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37
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Kang YE, Kim JM, Kim KS, Chang JY, Jung M, Lee J, Yi S, Kim HW, Kim JT, Lee K, Choi MJ, Kang SK, Lee SE, Yi HS, Koo BS, Shong M. Upregulation of RSPO2-GPR48/LGR4 signaling in papillary thyroid carcinoma contributes to tumor progression. Oncotarget 2017; 8:114980-114994. [PMID: 29383135 PMCID: PMC5777747 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.22692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The signaling pathway involving the R-spondins and its cognate receptor, GPR48/LGR4, is crucial in development and carcinogenesis. However, the functional implications of the R-spondin-GPR48/LGR4 pathway in thyroid remain to be identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of R-spondin-GPR48/LGR4 signaling in papillary thyroid carcinomas. We retrospectively reviewed a total of 214 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and cervical lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma. The role of GPR48/LGR4 in proliferation and migration was examined in thyroid cancer cell lines. R-spondin 2, and GPR48/LGR4 were expressed at significantly higher levels in thyroid cancer than in normal controls. Elevated GPR48/LGR4 expression was significantly associated with tumor size (P=0.049), lymph node metastasis (P=0.004), recurrence (P=0.037), and the BRAFV600E mutation (P=0.003). Moreover, high GPR48/LGR4 expression was an independent risk factor for lymph node metastasis (P=0.027) and the BRAFV600E mutation (P=0.009). in vitro assays demonstrated that elevated expression of GPR48/LGR4 promoted proliferation and migration of thyroid cancer cells, whereas downregulation of GPR48/LGR4 decreased proliferation and migration by inhibition of the β-catenin pathway. Moreover, treatment of thyroid cancer cells with exogenous R-spondin 2 induced activation of the β-catenin pathway through GPR48/LGR4. The R-spondin 2-GPR48/LGR4 signaling axis also induced the phosphorylation of ERK, as well as phosphorylation of LRP6 and serine 9 of GSK3β. Our findings demonstrate that upregulation of the R-spondin 2-GPR48/LGR4 pathway contributes to tumor aggressiveness in papillary thyroid carcinoma by promoting ERK phosphorylation, suggesting that this pathway represents a novel therapeutic target for treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yea Eun Kang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, South Korea
| | - Jin-Man Kim
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea.,Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Koon Soon Kim
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, South Korea.,Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Young Chang
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Mingyu Jung
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Junguee Lee
- Department of Pathology, Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Daejeon 34943, Republic of Korea
| | - Shinae Yi
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Woo Kim
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Tae Kim
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungmin Lee
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Jeong Choi
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Seul Ki Kang
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Eun Lee
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyon-Seung Yi
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, South Korea
| | - Bon Seok Koo
- Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
| | - Minho Shong
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, South Korea.,Department of Medical Science, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
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Alsina J, Alsina R, Gulec S. A Concise Atlas of Thyroid Cancer Next-Generation Sequencing Panel ThyroSeq v.2. Mol Imaging Radionucl Ther 2017; 26:102-117. [PMID: 28117295 PMCID: PMC5283709 DOI: 10.4274/2017.26.suppl.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The next-generation sequencing technology allows high out-put genomic analysis. An innovative assay in thyroid cancer, ThyroSeq® was developed for targeted mutation detection by next generation sequencing technology in fine needle aspiration and tissue samples. ThyroSeq v.2 next generation sequencing panel offers simultaneous sequencing and detection in >1000 hotspots of 14 thyroid cancer-related genes and for 42 types of gene fusions known to occur in thyroid cancer. ThyroSeq is being increasingly used to further narrow the indeterminate category defined by cytology for thyroid nodules. From a surgical perspective, genomic profiling also provides prognostic and predictive information and closely relates to determination of surgical strategy. Both the genomic analysis technology and the informatics for the cancer genome data base are rapidly developing. In this paper, we have gathered existing information on the thyroid cancer-related genes involved in the initiation and progression of thyroid cancer. Our goal is to assemble a glossary for the current ThyroSeq genomic panel that can help elucidate the role genomics play in thyroid cancer oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Seza Gulec
- Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Departments of Surgery and Nuclear Medicine, Miami, USA, E-mail:
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