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Lv X, Song X, Long Y, Zeng D, Lan X, Gai Y. Preclinical evaluation of a dual-receptor targeted tracer [ 68Ga]Ga-HX01 in 10 different subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor models. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2023; 51:54-67. [PMID: 37642706 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06412-z] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The integrin αvβ3 and aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) play vital roles in the tumor angiogenesis process. They are highly expressed in a variety of tumor cells and proliferating endothelial cells during angiogenesis, which have been considered as highly promising targets for tumor imaging. Arginine-glycine-aspartic (RGD) and asparagine-glycine-arginine (NGR) are two peptides specifically binding to the integrin αvβ3 and CD13, respectively. In this study, we optimized our previously developed probe and preclinically evaluated the new integrin αvβ3 and CD13 dual-targeted probe, NOTA-RGD-NGR (denoted as HX01) radiolabeled with 68Ga, in 10 different subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor models. METHODS The specific activity and radiochemical purity of [68Ga]Ga-HX01 were identified. The dual-receptor targeting ability was confirmed by a series of blocking studies and partly muted tracers using BxPC-3 xenograft model. The dynamic imaging study and dose escalation study were explored to determine the optimal imaging time point and dosage in the BxPC-3 xenograft model. Next, we established a variety of subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor models including pancreas (BxPC-3), breast (MCF-7), gallbladder (NOZ), lung (HCC827), ovary (SK-OV-3), colorectal (HCT-8), liver (HuH-7), stomach (NUGC-4), and glioma (U87) cancers. All models underwent [68Ga]Ga-HX01 PET/CT imaging about 2 weeks post-inoculation, with a subset of them undergoing [18F]FDG PET/CT scan performed concurrently, and their results were compared. In addition, ex vivo biodistribution studies were also performed for verifying the semi-quantitative results of the non-invasive PET images. RESULTS [68Ga]Ga-HX01 significantly outperformed single target probes in the BxPC-3 xenograft model. All blocking and single target groups exhibited significantly descending tumor uptake. The high tumor uptakes were found in BxPC-3, MCF-7, and NOZ subcutaneous tumors (%ID/g > 1.1), while middle uptakes were observed in HCC827, SK-OV-3, HCT-8, and HuH-7 subcutaneous tumor (%ID/g 0.7-1.0). Due to the low background, the tumor-to-muscle and tumor-to-blood ratios of [68Ga]Ga-HX01 were higher than that of [18F]FDG. CONCLUSIONS [68Ga]Ga-HX01, as a dual target imaging agent, exhibited superior in vivo performance in different subcutaneous and orthotopic mice models of human tumors over [18F]FDG and its respectively mono-receptor targeted agents, which warrants the future clinical translation for tumor imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Lv
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Ave 1277, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei Province, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Xiangming Song
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Ave 1277, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei Province, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Yu Long
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Ave 1277, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei Province, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Dexing Zeng
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Xiaoli Lan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Ave 1277, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei Province, China.
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China.
| | - Yongkang Gai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jiefang Ave 1277, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei Province, China.
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, 430022, China.
- Key Laboratory of Biological Targeted Therapy, The Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430022, China.
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Shi Y, Guo Q, Jing F, Shang X, Zhou C, Jing F. Ubenimex suppresses glycolysis mediated by CD13/Hedgehog signaling to enhance the effect of cisplatin in liver cancer. Transl Cancer Res 2023; 12:2823-2836. [PMID: 37969369 PMCID: PMC10643970 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Background Liver cancer ranks third in fatalities among all cancer-related deaths. As a traditional chemotherapy drug, the application of cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisplatin, CDDP) for the treatment of liver cancer is greatly limited by its side effects and high drug resistance. Therefore, we are in urgent need of a more effective and less toxic CDDP therapeutic regimen. Our research aimed to clarify the possible mechanism of ubenimex in enhancing the effect of CDDP on liver cancer. Methods The underlying mechanism was determined using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), transwell assay, wound healing assay and western blot assay. Results The data indicated that ubenimex suppressed the expression levels of glycolysis-related proteins by decreasing the expression levels of cluster of differentiation 13 (CD13), while overexpression of CD13 could restore the activity of glycolysis. The glycolysis inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose enhanced the antiproliferative effect of ubenimex and CDDP. In addition, the inhibition of the activity levels of the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway members was accompanied by a decrease in CD13 expression, which was reversed following CD13 overexpression. Moreover, ubenimex inhibited the production of lactic acid and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), as well as the expression of key proteins involved in glycolysis, which was similar to the effects caused by the Hh inhibitor cyclopamine. However, the effects of ubenimex were mediated by targeting CD13, while cyclopamine exhibited no effects on CD13, suggesting that Hh signaling occurred in the downstream of CD13. The inhibition of glycolysis by cyclopamine was reduced following CD13 overexpression, which further indicated that ubenimex targeted the CD13/Hh pathway to inhibit glycolysis. Finally, wound healing and transwell assays and cell proliferation and apoptosis analysis demonstrated that ubenimex inhibited glycolysis by alleviating the CD13/Hh pathway, which in turn enhanced the effects of CDDP on inhibiting the progression of liver cancer. Conclusions Ubenimex inhibits glycolysis by targeting the CD13/Hh pathway, thus playing an anti-tumor role together with CDDP. This study demonstrated the adjuvant effect of ubenimex from the perspective of Hh signal-dependent glycolysis regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyan Shi
- Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Qie Guo
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Fanjing Jing
- Department of Lymphoma, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiuling Shang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Changkai Zhou
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Fanbo Jing
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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Teruel-Peña B, Gómez-Urquiza JL, Suleiman-Martos N, Prieto I, García-Cózar FJ, Ramírez-Sánchez M, Fernández-Martos C, Domínguez-Vías G. Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of Aminopeptidases as Prognostic Biomarkers in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087169. [PMID: 37108335 PMCID: PMC10138961 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem, and cerebral cortex. Biomarkers for ALS are essential for disease detection and to provide information on potential therapeutic targets. Aminopeptidases catalyze the cleavage of amino acids from the amino terminus of protein or substrates such as neuropeptides. Since certain aminopeptidases are known to increase the risk of neurodegeneration, such mechanisms may reveal new targets to determine their association with ALS risk and their interest as a diagnostic biomarker. The authors performed a systematic review and meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) to identify reported aminopeptidases genetic loci associated with the risk of ALS. PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, ISI Web of Science, ProQuest, LILACS, and Cochrane databases were searched to retrieve eligible studies in English or Spanish, published up to 27 January 2023. A total of 16 studies were included in this systematic review, where a series of aminopeptidases could be related to ALS and could be promising biomarkers (DPP1, DPP2, DPP4, LeuAP, pGluAP, and PSA/NPEPPS). The literature reported the association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs: rs10260404 and rs17174381) with the risk of ALS. The genetic variation rs10260404 in the DPP6 gene was identified to be highly associated with ALS susceptibility, but meta-analyses of genotypes in five studies in a matched cohort of different ancestry (1873 cases and 1861 control subjects) showed no ALS risk association. Meta-analyses of eight studies for minor allele frequency (MAF) also found no ALS association for the "C" allele. The systematic review identified aminopeptidases as possible biomarkers. However, the meta-analyses for rs1060404 of DPP6 do not show a risk associated with ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Teruel-Peña
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ceuta University of Granada, 51001 Ceuta, Spain
| | - José Luís Gómez-Urquiza
- Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ceuta University of Granada, 51001 Ceuta, Spain
| | - Nora Suleiman-Martos
- Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Isabel Prieto
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Germán Domínguez-Vías
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ceuta University of Granada, 51001 Ceuta, Spain
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bound vesicles secreted by cells into the extracellular environment. Studies have implicated EVs in cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, angiogenesis, and mediating the interaction of tumor cells and microenvironment. A systematic characterization of EVs from pancreatic cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) would be valuable for studying the roles of EV proteins in pancreatic tumorigenesis. METHODS Proteomic and functional analyses were applied to characterize the proteomes of EVs released from 5 pancreatic cancer lines, 2 CAF cell lines, and a normal pancreatic epithelial cell line (HPDE). RESULTS More than 1400 nonredundant proteins were identified in each EV derived from the cell lines. The majority of the proteins identified in the EVs from the cancer cells, CAFs, and HPDE were detected in all 3 groups, highly enriched in the biological processes of vesicle-mediated transport and exocytosis. Protein networks relevant to pancreatic tumorigenesis, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, complement, and coagulation components, were significantly enriched in the EVs from cancer cells or CAFs. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the roles of EVs as a potential mediator in transmitting epithelial-mesenchymal transition signals and complement response in the tumor microenvironment and possibly contributing to coagulation defects related to cancer development.
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Kumaravel S, Luo GR, Huang ST, Lin HY, Lin CM, Lee YC. Development of a novel latent electrochemical molecular substrate for the real-time monitoring of the tumor marker aminopeptidase N in live cells, whole blood and urine. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 203:114049. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Luu TT. Review of Immunohistochemistry Biomarkers in Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis. Front Oncol 2022; 11:799025. [PMID: 34988027 PMCID: PMC8720928 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.799025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancer types with poor prognosis and high rate of mortality. Diagnostic modalities for early detection of pancreatic cancer have been among the academic concerns. On account of the potential role of immunohistochemistry (IHC) biomarkers in overcoming certain limitations of imaging diagnostic tools in discriminating pancreatic cancer tissues from benign ones, a growing scholarly attention has been given to the diagnostic efficacy of IHC biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. This review will analyze and synthesize published articles to provide an insight into potential IHC biomarkers for pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan Trong Luu
- Management & Marketing Department, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Is tumour-expressed aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) structurally and functionally unique? Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1876:188641. [PMID: 34695533 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) is a multifunctional glycoprotein that acts as a peptidase, receptor, and signalling molecule in a tissue-dependent manner. The activities of APN have been implicated in the progression of many cancers, pointing toward significant therapeutic potential for cancer treatment. However, despite the tumour-specific functions of this protein that have been uncovered, the ubiquitous nature of its expression in normal tissues as generally reported remains a limitation to the potential utility of APN as a target for cancer therapeutics and drug discovery. With this in mind, we have extensively explored the literature, and present a comprehensive review that for the first-time provides evidence to support the suggestion that tumour-expressed APN may in fact be unique in structure, function, substrate specificity and activity, contrary to its nature in normal tissues. The review also focuses on the biology of APN, and its "moonlighting" functional roles in both normal physiology and cancer development. Several APN-targeting approaches that have been explored over recent decades as therapeutic strategies in cancer treatment, including APN-targeting agents reported both in preclinical and clinical studies, are also extensively discussed. This review concludes by posing critical questions about APN that remain unanswered and unexplored, hence providing opportunities for further research.
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O'Neill RS, Stoita A. Biomarkers in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer: Are we closer to finding the golden ticket? World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:4045-4087. [PMID: 34326612 PMCID: PMC8311531 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i26.4045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a leading cause of cancer related mortality on a global scale. The disease itself is associated with a dismal prognosis, partly due to its silent nature resulting in patients presenting with advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. To combat this, there has been an explosion in the last decade of potential candidate biomarkers in the research setting in the hope that a diagnostic biomarker may provide a glimmer of hope in what is otherwise quite a substantial clinical dilemma. Currently, serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 is utilized in the diagnostic work-up of patients diagnosed with PC however this biomarker lacks the sensitivity and specificity associated with a gold-standard marker. In the search for a biomarker that is both sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of PC, there has been a paradigm shift towards a focus on liquid biopsy and the use of diagnostic panels which has subsequently proved to have efficacy in the diagnosis of PC. Currently, promising developments in the field of early detection on PC using diagnostic biomarkers include the detection of microRNA (miRNA) in serum and circulating tumour cells. Both these modalities, although in their infancy and yet to be widely accepted into routine clinical practice, possess merit in the early detection of PC. We reviewed over 300 biomarkers with the aim to provide an in-depth summary of the current state-of-play regarding diagnostic biomarkers in PC (serum, urinary, salivary, faecal, pancreatic juice and biliary fluid).
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S O'Neill
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney 2010, Australia
- St George and Sutherland Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2010, Australia
| | - Alina Stoita
- Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney 2010, Australia
- St Vincent’s Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2010, Australia
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Liu X, Guo Q, Jing F, Zhou C, Xiu T, Shi Y, Jing F. Ubenimex Suppresses the Ability of Migration and Invasion in Gastric Cancer Cells by Alleviating the Activity of the CD13/NAB1/MAPK Pathway. Cancer Manag Res 2021; 13:4483-4495. [PMID: 34113174 PMCID: PMC8187004 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s300515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in China. Most GC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, for that the prognosis is dismal and metastasis is common. Although there have been increasing numbers of studies indicating that Ubenimex can suppress metastasis in GC, the underlying mechanism is still unknown. Methods Herein, the inhibitory effect of Ubenimex on GC metastasis, in which the underlining mechanism was determined using Gene chip analysis, high content screening (HCS), transwell assays, wound healing assays and Western blot assays. Results The results obtained from wound healing assays and transwell assays indicated that Ubenimex, an inhibitor of CD13, suppressed the migration and invasion of MKN-28, MGC-803, BGC-823 and SGC-790 cells, by downregulating CD13 expression. In addition, the findings acquired from Gene chip analysis and HCS demonstrated that NGFI-A-binding protein 1 (NAB1) was a putative target downstream of CD13. Furthermore, the results obtained from Western blot assays showed that Ubenimex not only inhibits NAB1 expression by targeting CD13, but also inhibits GC metastasis by mitigating the activity of the MAPK signaling pathway. These findings indicated a possible mechanism via the CD13/NAB1/MAPK pathway of which activity was restrained. Conclusion Ubenimex exert the inhibitory effect on GC metastasis by targeting CD13, in which NAB1 expression and the activation of MAPK signaling pathway were both suppressed. This study identified a promising target for the inhibition of GC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehui Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Qie Guo
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - FanJing Jing
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - ChangKai Zhou
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Xiu
- Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - YunYan Shi
- Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - FanBo Jing
- Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China.,Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
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Florea A, Mottaghy FM, Bauwens M. Molecular Imaging of Angiogenesis in Oncology: Current Preclinical and Clinical Status. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5544. [PMID: 34073992 PMCID: PMC8197399 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiogenesis is an active process, regulating new vessel growth, and is crucial for the survival and growth of tumours next to other complex factors in the tumour microenvironment. We present possible molecular imaging approaches for tumour vascularisation and vitality, focusing on radiopharmaceuticals (tracers). Molecular imaging in general has become an integrated part of cancer therapy, by bringing relevant insights on tumour angiogenic status. After a structured PubMed search, the resulting publication list was screened for oncology related publications in animals and humans, disregarding any cardiovascular findings. The tracers identified can be subdivided into direct targeting of angiogenesis (i.e., vascular endothelial growth factor, laminin, and fibronectin) and indirect targeting (i.e., glucose metabolism, hypoxia, and matrix metallo-proteases, PSMA). Presenting pre-clinical and clinical data of most tracers proposed in the literature, the indirect targeting agents are not 1:1 correlated with angiogenesis factors but do have a strong prognostic power in a clinical setting, while direct targeting agents show most potential and specificity for assessing tumour vascularisation and vitality. Within the direct agents, the combination of multiple targeting tracers into one agent (multimers) seems most promising. This review demonstrates the present clinical applicability of indirect agents, but also the need for more extensive research in the field of direct targeting of angiogenesis in oncology. Although there is currently no direct tracer that can be singled out, the RGD tracer family seems to show the highest potential therefore we expect one of them to enter the clinical routine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru Florea
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.F.); (M.B.)
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Felix M. Mottaghy
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.F.); (M.B.)
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Bauwens
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.F.); (M.B.)
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
- School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 6229HX Maastricht, The Netherlands
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In Vivo Molecular Imaging of the Efficacy of Aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) Receptor Inhibitor Treatment on Experimental Tumors Using 68Ga-NODAGA-c(NGR) Peptide. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:6642973. [PMID: 33778075 PMCID: PMC7972841 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6642973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Introduction The aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) receptor plays an important role in the neoangiogenic process and metastatic tumor cell invasion. Clinical and preclinical studies reported that bestatin and actinonin are cytotoxic to APN/CD13-positive tumors and metastases due to their APN/CD13-specific inhibitor properties. Our previous studies have already shown that 68Ga-labeled NGR peptides bind specifically to APN/CD13 expressing tumor cells. The APN/CD13 specificity of 68Ga-NGR radiopharmaceuticals enables the following of the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy with APN/CD13-specific inhibitors using positron emission tomography (PET). The aim of this in vivo study was to assess the antitumor effect of bestatin and actinonin treatment in subcutaneous transplanted HT1080 and B16-F10 tumor-bearing animal models using 68Ga-NODAGA-c(NGR). Materials and Methods Three days after the inoculation of HT1080 and B16-F10 cells, mice were treated with intraperitoneal injection of bestatin (15 mg/kg) or actinonin (5 mg/kg) for 7 days. On the 5th and 10th day, in vivo PET scans and ex vivo biodistribution studies were performed 90 min after intravenous injection of 5.5 ± 0.2 MBq68Ga-NODAGA-c(NGR). Results Control-untreated HT1080 and B16-F10 tumors were clearly visualized by the APN/CD13-specific 68Ga-NODAGA-c(NGR) radiopharmaceutical. The western blot analysis also confirmed the strong APN/CD13 positivity in the investigated tumors. We found significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower radiopharmaceutical uptake after bestatin treatment and higher radiotracer accumulation in the actinonin-treated HT1080 tumors. In contrast, significantly lower (p ≤ 0.01) 68Ga-NODAGA-c(NGR) accumulation was observed in both bestatin- and actinonin-treated B16-F10 melanoma tumors compared to the untreated-control tumors. Bestatin inhibited tumor growth and 68Ga-NODAGA-c(NGR) uptake in both tumor models. Conclusion The bestatin treatment is suitable for suppressing the neoangiogenic process and APN/CD13 expression of experimental HT1080 and B16-F10 tumors; furthermore, 68Ga-NODAGA-c(NGR) is an applicable radiotracer for the in vivo monitoring of the efficacy of the APN/CD13 inhibition-based anticancer therapies.
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Miao H, Chen X, Luan Y. Small Molecular Gemcitabine Prodrugs for Cancer Therapy. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:5562-5582. [PMID: 31419928 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190816230650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Gemcitabine as a pyrimidine nucleoside analog anticancer drug has high efficacy for a broad spectrum of solid tumors. Gemcitabine is activated within tumor cells by sequential phosphorylation carried out by deoxycytidine kinase to mono-, di-, and triphosphate nucleotides with the last one as the active form. But the instability, drug resistance and toxicity severely limited its utilization in clinics. In the field of medicinal chemistry, prodrugs have proven to be a very effective means for elevating drug stability and decrease undesirable side effects including the nucleoside anticancer drug such as gemcitabine. Many works have been accomplished in design and synthesis of gemcitabine prodrugs, majority of which were summarized in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Miao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Shandong Province, Qingdao, China
| | - Xuehong Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Shandong Province, Qingdao, China
| | - Yepeng Luan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Shandong Province, Qingdao, China
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NGRKC16-lipopeptide assisted liposomal-withaferin delivery for efficient killing of CD13 receptor-expressing pancreatic cancer and angiogenic endothelial cells. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2020.101798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Preparation and cellular-interaction investigation of 177Lu/FITC labeled NGR peptides. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-020-07223-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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15
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Grierson P, Teague A, Suresh R, Lim KH, Amin M, Pedersen K, Tan B, Huffman J, Boice N, Du L, Liu J, Lockhart AC, Wang-Gillam A. Phase Ib/II study combining tosedostat with capecitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. J Gastrointest Oncol 2020; 11:61-67. [PMID: 32175106 DOI: 10.21037/jgo.2019.11.06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy with limited therapeutic options. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the aminopeptidase inhibitor tosedostat with capecitabine in advanced PDAC. Methods We conducted a phase Ib/II trial of tosedostat with capecitabine as second-line therapy for advanced PDAC. Planned enrollment was 36 patients. Eligible patients were treated with capecitabine 1,000 mg/m2 oral twice-daily days 1-14 and oral tosedostat in a dose de-escalation design on days 1-21 of each 21-day cycle. Primary endpoints were the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results Sixteen patients were enrolled. Tosedostat 120 mg oral twice daily with capecitabine 1,000 mg/m2 oral twice daily was the RP2D. There was one dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) (grade 3 acute coronary syndrome) during phase Ib. The most common treatment-related adverse events were gastrointestinal (nausea, diarrhea), cardiac [QTc prolongation, decreased ejection fraction (EF)], and fatigue. The median PFS was 7.1 months, and the median treatment failure free survival was 3 months. Eight patients experienced stable disease for greater than 3 months. The study was closed early due to lack of drug availability. Conclusions Tosedostat with capecitabine displayed tolerable toxicity, and prolonged disease control in a subset of patients. These data encourage further exploration of aminopeptidase inhibitors in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Grierson
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Andrea Teague
- New Mexico Cancer Care Associates, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Rama Suresh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kian-Huat Lim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Manik Amin
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Katrina Pedersen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Benjamin Tan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jesse Huffman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Nick Boice
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Jingxia Liu
- Department of Surgery, Division of Public Health Sciences, Section of Oncologic Biostatistics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - A Craig Lockhart
- University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Andrea Wang-Gillam
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
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16
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Gai Y, Jiang Y, Long Y, Sun L, Liu Q, Qin C, Zhang Y, Zeng D, Lan X. Evaluation of an Integrin α vβ 3 and Aminopeptidase N Dual-Receptor Targeting Tracer for Breast Cancer Imaging. Mol Pharm 2020; 17:349-358. [PMID: 31829615 PMCID: PMC7486978 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b01134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Integrin αvβ3 and aminopeptidase N (APN, also known as CD13) are two important targets involved in the regulation of angiogenesis, tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. In this study, we developed a heterodimeric tracer consisting of arginine-glycine-aspartic (RGD) and asparagine-glycine-arginine (NGR) peptides targeting αvβ3 and CD13, respectively, for PET imaging of breast cancer. The NGR peptide was first modified with N3-NOtB2 and then conjugated to BCN-PEG4-c(RGDyK) via copper-free click chemistry. The resulting precursor was purified and radiolabeled with gallium-68. Small-animal PET/CT imaging and post-imaging biodistribution studies were performed in mice bearing human breast cancer MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, and MX-1 xenografts and pulmonary metastases models. The expression levels of αvβ3 and CD13 in tumors were checked via immunochemical staining. The heterodimeric tracer was successfully synthesized and radiolabeled with gallium-68 at a molar activity of 45-100 MBq/nmol at the end of synthesis. It demonstrated high in vitro and in vivo stability. In static PET/CT imaging studies, the MCF-7 tumor could be clearly visualized and exhibited higher uptake at 30 min post injection of 68Ga-NGR-RGD than that of either 68Ga-RGD or 68Ga-NGR alone. High specificity was shown in blocking studies using Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and Asp-Gly-Arg (NGR) peptides. The MCF-7 tumor exhibited the highest uptake of 68Ga-NGR-RGD followed by MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, and MX-1 tumors. This was consistent with their expression levels of CD13 and αvβ3 as confirmed by western blot and immunohistochemical staining. Metastatic lesions in the lungs were clearly detectable on 68Ga-NGR-RGD PET/CT imaging in mouse models of pulmonary metastases. 68Ga-NGR-RGD, a CD13 and αvβ3 dual-receptor targeting tracer, showed higher binding avidities, targeting efficiency, and longer tumor retention time compared with monomeric 68Ga-NGR and 68Ga-RGD. Its promising in vivo performance makes it an ideal candidate for future clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongkang Gai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yaqun Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yu Long
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Lingi Sun
- Center for Radiochemistry Research, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
| | - Qingyao Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Chunxia Qin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Yongxue Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Dexing Zeng
- Center for Radiochemistry Research, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon 97239, United States
| | - Xiaoli Lan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
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17
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Kuwatani M, Kawakami H, Kubota Y, Kawakubo K, Ito YM, Togo S, Ikeda T, Kusama K, Kobayashi Y, Murata T, Sakamoto N. Verification of the effectiveness of fucosylated haptoglobin as a pancreatic cancer marker in clinical diagnosis. Pancreatology 2019; 19:569-577. [PMID: 31031206 DOI: 10.1016/j.pan.2019.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fucosylated haptoglobin detected by Pholiota squarrosa lectin (PhoSL) that had specificity for fucose α1-6 was reported as an effective biomarker for several gastrointestinal diseases. The aim of this study was to verify Fucosylated haptoglobin detected by Pholiota squarrosa lectin (PhoSL-HP) as a pancreatic cancer (PC) marker using a new method of PhoSL-ELISA. METHODS PhoSL-HP in sera from 98 PC patients and 158 non-PC samples including 32 intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) patients, 21 chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients and 105 non-pancreatic disease controls (NPDC) were measured. We compared sensitivities, specificities and areas under the curves (AUC) of PhoSL-HP, CA19-9 and CEA as single markers. We also evaluated PhoSL-HP as combination marker by comparing AUC of CA19-9 combined with PhoSL-HP or CEA. RESULTS The sensitivities of PhoSL-HP, CA19-9 and CEA for PC were 58%, 76% and 42%, respectively. Although the specificity of PhoSL-HP for NPDC was inferior to both of CA19-9 and CEA, that for pancreatic diseases was higher than both of CA19-9 and CEA. Combined CA19-9 with PhoSL-HP, the AUC was significantly higher at 0.880 than single use of CA19-9 at 0.825 in case of distinguishing PC from other pancreatic diseases. In contrast, the AUC of CA19-9 was not elevated significantly when combined with CEA. CONCLUSION PhoSL-HP would be a useful marker for PC and have sufficient complementarity for CA19-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Kuwatani
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kawakami
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Kubota
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Kazumichi Kawakubo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yoichi M Ito
- Department of Biostatistics, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Shinji Togo
- Ishikawacho Medical Clinic, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takaaki Ikeda
- Yokosuka Mutual Aid Hospital, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Ken Kusama
- J-Oil Mills, Inc., Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | | | - Naoya Sakamoto
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
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18
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Liu X, Su C, Xu J, Zhou D, Yan H, Li W, Chen G, Zhang N, Xu D, Hu H. Immunohistochemical analysis of matrix metalloproteinase-9 predicts papillary thyroid carcinoma prognosis. Oncol Lett 2019; 17:2308-2316. [PMID: 30675296 PMCID: PMC6341782 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.9850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to explore the association between immunohistochemical matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression and the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), and to determine whether it may be used as a diagnostic or prognostic tool for PTC. Immunohistochemical staining of MMP-9 was performed in thyroid tissues obtained from 112 patients with PTC and 42 subjects with benign thyroid nodules (BTNs). The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the legitimacy of MMP-9 as a diagnostic tool for PTC, and a predictor for structurally persistent/recurrent disease (SPRD) and disease status. Cox regression was applied to identify the risk factors of disease status and SPRD. The present study revealed that MMP-9 was overexpressed in PTC tissues, compared with in BTN tissues. Furthermore, MMP-9 scores yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.842 (95% CI, 0.776-0.908) for differentially diagnosing PTC from BTN. In addition, the MMP-9 score was greater if patients previously had central lymph node metastasis, lateral lymph node metastasis or an advanced tumor-node-metastasis stage (III+IV). When MMP-9 was employed to predict disease status and SPRD, an AUC of 0.811 (95% CI, 0.706-0.917) and 0.806 (95% CI, 0.620-0.992) was obtained, respectively. A tumor size of >2 cm and an MMP-9 staining score of ≥6 were independent risk factors for predicting disease status, whereas vascular invasion and an MMP-9 staining score of ≥8 were risk factors for predicting SPRD. Furthermore, an MMP-9 staining score of ≥6 and ≥8 indicated shortened disease-free survival and survival without SPRD, respectively. In conclusion, the assessment of MMP-9 expression in thyroid carcinoma samples may represent a potential and supplementary tool for the diagnosis and prognostic prediction of PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingkai Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Chang Su
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Jing Xu
- Cardiovascular Disease Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Dan Zhou
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130041, P.R. China
| | - He Yan
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Guihui Chen
- Department of Pathology, Jilin City People's Hospital, Jilin, Jilin 132000, P.R. China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Dahai Xu
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Haixia Hu
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
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Węglarz-Tomczak E, Talma M, Giurg M, Westerhoff HV, Janowski R, Mucha A. Neutral metalloaminopeptidases APN and MetAP2 as newly discovered anticancer molecular targets of actinomycin D and its simple analogs. Oncotarget 2018; 9:29365-29378. [PMID: 30034623 PMCID: PMC6047675 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25532] [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: 11/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The potent transcription inhibitor Actinomycin D is used with several cancers. Here, we report the discovery that this naturally occurring antibiotic inhibits two human neutral aminopeptidases, the cell-surface alanine aminopeptidase and intracellular methionine aminopeptidase type 2. These metallo-containing exopeptidases participate in tumor cell expansion and motility and are targets for anticancer therapies. We show that the peptide portions of Actinomycin D and Actinomycin X2 are not required for effective inhibition, but the loss of these regions changes the mechanism of interaction. Two structurally less complex Actinomycin D analogs containing the phenoxazone chromophores, Questiomycin A and Actinocin, appear to be competitive inhibitors of both aminopeptidases, with potencies similar to the non-competitive macrocyclic parent compound (Ki in the micromolar range). The mode of action for all four compounds and both enzymes was demonstrated by molecular modeling and docking in the corresponding active sites. This knowledge gives new perspectives to Actinomycin D's action on tumors and suggests new avenues and molecules for medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Węglarz-Tomczak
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland.,Synthetic Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michał Talma
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Mirosław Giurg
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Hans V Westerhoff
- Synthetic Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Janowski
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Artur Mucha
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
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20
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Shi Y, Su C, Hu H, Yan H, Li W, Chen G, Xu D, Du X, Zhang P. Serum MMP-2 as a potential predictive marker for papillary thyroid carcinoma. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198896. [PMID: 29949618 PMCID: PMC6021053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The prevalence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is rising rapidly. However, there are no reliable serum biomarkers for PTC. This study aimed to investigate the validity of preoperative serum matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) as a biomarker for predicting prognosis of PTC after total or partial thyroidectomy. METHODS Male patients with PTC or a benign thyroid nodule (BTN) and healthy controls (HCs) were retrospectively included. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate the performance of preoperative serum MMP-2 in diagnosing PTC, predicting lymph node metastasis (LNM), and predicting structurally persistent/recurrent disease (SPRD). Multivariate logistic regression and Cox regression were applied to identify independent risk factors for SPRD. RESULTS The preoperative serum MMP-2 concentration in the PTC group was higher than those in BTN and HC groups. The concentration of postoperative serum MMP-2 decreased in comparison with pre-operation. ROC curves showed that serum MMP-2 could differentially diagnose PTC from BTN at the cutoff value of 86.30 ng/ml with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.905 and could predict central LNM (CLNM) at the cutoff value of 101.55 ng/ml with an AUC of 0.711. Serum MMP-2 ≥101.55 ng/ml, age ≥45 years, and advanced TNM stage were independent risk factors for CLNM. Patients with SPRD had a higher median MMP-2 level (149.22 ng/ml) than patients without SPRD (104.55 ng/ml). Serum MMP-2 at the cutoff value of 144.04 ng/ml could predict SPRD in PTC patients with an AUC of 0.803. Advanced TNM stage and serum MMP-2 ≥144.04 ng/ml were independent risk factors for SPRD. Patients with serum MMP-2 ≥144.04 ng/ml had a worse clinical outcome than those with MMP-2 <144.04 ng/ml. CONCLUSION Preoperative serum MMP-2 may serve as a biomarker for diagnosing PTC and a predictive indicator for LNM and SPRD in male patients with PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Shi
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Chang Su
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Haixia Hu
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - He Yan
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Guohui Chen
- Department of Pathology, Jilin City People’s Hospital, Jilin, Jilin, China
| | - Dahai Xu
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- * E-mail: (DX); (XD); (PZ)
| | - Xiaohong Du
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- * E-mail: (DX); (XD); (PZ)
| | - Ping Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
- * E-mail: (DX); (XD); (PZ)
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21
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Molecular Imaging of Aminopeptidase N in Cancer and Angiogenesis. CONTRAST MEDIA & MOLECULAR IMAGING 2018; 2018:5315172. [PMID: 30046296 PMCID: PMC6036854 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5315172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on recent advances in the molecular imaging of aminopeptidase N (APN, also known as CD13), a zinc metalloenzyme that cleaves N-terminal neutral amino acids. It is overexpressed in multiple cancer types and also on the surface of vasculature undergoing angiogenesis, making it a promising target for molecular imaging and targeted therapy. Molecular imaging probes for APN are divided into two large subgroups: reactive and nonreactive. The structures of the reactive probes (substrates) contain a reporter group that is cleaved and released by the APN enzyme. The nonreactive probes are not cleaved by the enzyme and contain an antibody, peptide, or nonpeptide for targeting the enzyme exterior or active site. Multivalent homotopic probes utilize multiple copies of the same targeting unit, whereas multivalent heterotopic molecular probes are equipped with different targeting units for different receptors. Several recent preclinical cancer imaging studies have shown that multivalent APN probes exhibit enhanced tumor specificity and accumulation compared to monovalent analogues. The few studies that have evaluated APN-specific probes for imaging angiogenesis have focused on cardiac regeneration. These promising results suggest that APN imaging can be expanded to detect and monitor other diseases that are associated with angiogenesis.
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22
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Amin SA, Adhikari N, Jha T. Design of Aminopeptidase N Inhibitors as Anti-cancer Agents. J Med Chem 2018; 61:6468-6490. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sk. Abdul Amin
- Natural Science Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, P.O. Box 17020, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Nilanjan Adhikari
- Natural Science Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, P.O. Box 17020, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Tarun Jha
- Natural Science Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, P.O. Box 17020, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India
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23
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Wang X, Liu Y, Liu W, Zhang Y, Guo F, Zhang L, Cui M, Liu S, Wu R. Ubenimex, an APN inhibitor, could serve as an anti‑tumor drug in RT112 and 5637 cells by operating in an Akt‑associated manner. Mol Med Rep 2018; 17:4531-4539. [PMID: 29328441 PMCID: PMC5802231 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2018.8402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer, a common urinary tract tumor, has high mortality and recurrence rates associated with metastasis. Aminopeptidase N (APN) expression and metastasis have been indicated to be associated with one another. Ubenimex may function as an APN inhibitor to inhibit the degradation of the extracellular matrix during tumorigenesis. Furthermore, APN has been widely used as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of tumors; however, little information is available regarding the impact of ubenimex on patients. Autophagy is suggested to be important in the transformation and progression of cancer. Additionally, apoptosis, which leads to the rapid demolition of cellular organelles and structures, has also been suggested as an important factor. Thus, the present study investigated the role of ubenimex in inhibiting migration and invasion by downregulating APN expression levels to induce autophagic cell death and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells. RT112 and 5637 cell lines were treated with varying doses of ubenimex. Cell viability was measured by CCK8 colorimetry and flow cytometry. Using fluorescence microscopy, autophagic cell death was assessed using acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. Furthermore, apoptotic cell death was assessed using flow cytometry and Trypan blue staining was used to evaluate the cell death rate. Protein expression was determined by western blot analysis. Matrigel invasion assays were exploited to assess the invasion capabilities of 5637 cells. Wound-healing migration assays and Matrigel migration assays were exploited to assess the migratory abilities of 5637 cells. Treatment with ubenimex was accompanied by decreased Akt expression, indicating that ubenimex may have similar functions to Akt inhibitors. Results also indicated that ubenimex inhibited cell migration and invasion in bladder cancer cells. Furthermore, ubenimex also induced autophagic cell death and apoptosis, which suggested that mixed programmed cell death occurred in ubenimex-treated bladder cancer cells. The results from the present study suggest that ubenimex may be a potential adjuvant therapy for the treatment of bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
| | - Yongfei Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, P.R. China
| | - Feng Guo
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
| | - Mingyu Cui
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
| | - Shuai Liu
- Department of Urology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
| | - Rongde Wu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, P.R. China
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Expression and activity of angiotensin-regulating enzymes is associated with prognostic outcome in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181711. [PMID: 28809959 PMCID: PMC5557356 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (iRAS), which regulates angiogenesis, cell differentiation and proliferation, has opened new perspectives in the knowledge of kidney carcinogenesis. In this study we analyzed the immunohistochemical expression and fluorimetric activity of four key peptidases of iRAS in tumor tissue (n = 144) and serum samples (n = 128) from patients with renal neoplasms. Neutral endopeptidase (NEP/CD10), Angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), and aminopeptidase A (APA) were expressed in tumor cells whilst Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was expressed in the endothelial cells of intratumor blood vessels. The expression of ACE, ACE2 and NEP/CD10 was highest in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) and papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC). The expression of these enzymes correlated with CCRCC aggressiveness. In addition, NEP/CD10 correlated with 15-year overall survival. On the other hand, APA expression was decreased in CCRCC with higher grade and stage. The loss of expression of APA independently correlated with a worse 15-year overall survival. Serum activity of ACE2, NEP/CD10 and APA was significantly higher in renal tumor patients than in healthy subjects. Serum ACE activity was lower in high grade and metastatic CCRCC patients, and NEP/CD10 activity was negatively correlated with UISS (UCLA Integrated Staging System) and SSIGN (Mayo Clinic stage, size, grade and necrosis model) scores and with overall survival of CCRCC patients. These results suggest a metabolic imbalance of iRAS in renal tumors. This finding should be taken into account in the search of new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic tools for this disease.
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