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Zhang Q, Tsui YM, Zhang VX, Lu AJ, Lee JMF, Lee E, Cheung GCH, Li PM, Cheung ETY, Chia NH, Lo ILO, Chan ACY, Cheung TT, Ng IOL, Ho DWH. Reciprocal interactions between malignant cells and macrophages enhance cancer stemness and M2 polarization in HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. Theranostics 2024; 14:892-910. [PMID: 38169544 PMCID: PMC10758064 DOI: 10.7150/thno.87962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The tumor microenvironment of cancers has emerged as a crucial component in regulating cancer stemness and plays a pivotal role in cell-cell communication. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these phenomena remain poorly understood. Methods: We performed the single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on nine HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The heterogeneity of the malignant cells in pathway functions, transcription factors (TFs) regulation, overall survival, stemness, as well as ligand-receptor-based intercellular communication with macrophages were characterized. The aggressive and stemness feature for the target tumor subclone was validated by the conduction of in vitro assays including sphere formation, proliferation, Annexin V apoptosis, flow cytometry, siRNA library screening assays, and multiple in vivo preclinical mouse models including mouse hepatoma cell and human HCC cell xenograft models with subcutaneous or orthotopic injection. Results: Our analysis yielded a comprehensive atlas of 31,664 cells, revealing a diverse array of malignant cell subpopulations. Notably, we identified a stemness-related subclone of HCC cells with concurrent upregulation of CD24, CD47, and ICAM1 expression that correlated with poorer overall survival. Functional characterization both in vitro and in vivo validated S100A11 as one of the top downstream mediators for tumor initiation and stemness maintenance of this subclone. Further investigation of cell-cell communication within the tumor microenvironment revealed a propensity for bi-directional crosstalk between this stemness-related subclone and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Co-culture study showed that this interaction resulted in the maintenance of the expression of cancer stem cell markers and driving M2-like TAM polarization towards a pro-tumorigenic niche. We also consolidated an inverse relationship between the proportions of TAMs and tumor-infiltrating T cells. Conclusions: Our study highlighted the critical role of stemness-related cancer cell populations in driving an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and identified the S100A11 gene as a key mediator for stemness maintenance in HCC. Moreover, our study provides support that the maintenance of cancer stemness is more attributed to M2 polarization than the recruitment of the TAMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyang Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yu-Man Tsui
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Vanilla Xin Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Anna Jingyi Lu
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Joyce Man-Fong Lee
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Eva Lee
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Gary Cheuk-Hang Cheung
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Po-Man Li
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | | | - Nam-Hung Chia
- Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong
| | | | - Albert Chi-Yan Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Tan-To Cheung
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Daniel Wai-Hung Ho
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Alshahrani SH, Rakhimov N, Rana A, Alsaab HO, Hjazi A, Adile M, Abosaooda M, Abdulhussien Alazbjee AA, Alsalamy A, Mahmoudi R. Dishevelled: An emerging therapeutic oncogene in human cancers. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 250:154793. [PMID: 37683388 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a multifaceted and complex disorder characterized by uncontrolled rates of cell proliferation and its ability to spread and attack other organs. Emerging data indicated several pathways and molecular targets are engaged in cancer progression. Among them, the Wnt signaling pathway was shown to have a crucial role in cancer onset and progression. Dishevelled (DVL) acts in a branch point of canonical and non-canonical Wnt pathway. DVL not only acts in the cytoplasm to inactivate the destruction complex of β-catenin but is also transported into the nucleus to affect the transcription of target genes. Available data revealed that the expression levels of DVL increased in cell and clinical specimens of various cancers, proposing that it may have an oncogenic role. DVL promoted cell invasion, migration, cell cycle, survival, proliferation, 3D-spheroid formation, stemness, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and it suppressed cell apoptosis. The higher levels of DVL is associated with the clinicopathological characteristic of cancer-affected patients, including lymph node metastasis, tumor grade, histological type, and age. In addition, the higher levels of DVL could be a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in cancer as well as it could be a mediator in cancer chemoresistance to Methotrexate, paclitaxel, and 5-fluorouracil. This study aimed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of DVL in cancer pathogenesis as well as to explore its importance in cancer diagnosis and prognosis as well as its role as a mediator in cancer chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nodir Rakhimov
- Department of Oncology, Samarkand State Medical University, Amir Temur Street 18, Samarkand, Uzbekistan; Department of Scientific Affairs,Tashkent State Dental Institute, Makhtumkuli 103, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Arti Rana
- Uttaranchal Institute of Technology, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun 248007, India
| | - Hashem O Alsaab
- Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohaned Adile
- Medical Technical College, Al-Farahidi University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | | | | | - Ali Alsalamy
- College of Technical Engineering, Imam Ja'afar Al-Sadiq University, Al-Muthanna 66002, Iraq
| | - Reza Mahmoudi
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Conte A, Valente V, Paladino S, Pierantoni GM. HIPK2 in cancer biology and therapy: Recent findings and future perspectives. Cell Signal 2023; 101:110491. [PMID: 36241057 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2022.110491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) is a serine-threonine kinase that phosphorylates and regulates a plethora of transcriptional regulators and chromatin modifiers. The heterogeneity of its interactome allows HIPK2 to modulate several cellular processes and signaling pathways, ultimately regulating cell fate and proliferation. Because of its p53-dependent pro-apoptotic activity and its downregulation in many tumor types, HIPK2 is traditionally considered a bone fide tumor suppressor gene. However, recent findings revealed that the role of HIPK2 in the pathogenesis of cancer is much more complex, ranging from tumor suppressive to oncogenic, strongly depending on the cellular context. Here, we review the very recent data emerged in the last years about the involvement of HIPK2 in cancer biology and therapy, highlighting the various alterations of this kinase (downregulation, upregulation, mutations and/or delocalization) in dependence on the cancer types. In addition, we discuss the recent advancement in the understanding the tumor suppressive and oncogenic functions of HIPK2, its role in establishing the response to cancer therapies, and its regulation by cancer-associated microRNAs. All these data strengthen the idea that HIPK2 is a key player in many types of cancer; therefore, it could represent an important prognostic marker, a factor to predict therapy response, and even a therapeutic target itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Conte
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
| | - Valeria Valente
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Paladino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanna Maria Pierantoni
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
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Yu Z, Li H, Zhu J, Wang H, Jin X. The roles of E3 ligases in Hepatocellular carcinoma. Am J Cancer Res 2022; 12:1179-1214. [PMID: 35411231 PMCID: PMC8984888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocarcinogenesis is a complex multistep biological process involving genetic and epigenetic alterations that are accompanied by activation of oncoproteins and inactivation of tumor suppressors, which in turn results in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the common tumors with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is the key to protein degradation and regulation of physiological and pathological processes, and E3 ligases are key enzymes in the UPS that contain a variety of subfamily proteins involved in the regulation of some common signal pathways in HCC. There is growing evidence that many structural or functional dysfunctions of E3 are engaged in the development and progression of HCC. Herein, we review recent research advances in HCC-associated E3 ligases, describe their structure, classification, functional roles, and discuss some mechanisms of the abnormal activation or inactivation of the HCC-associated signal pathway due to the binding of E3 to known substrates. In addition, given the success of proteasome inhibitors in the treatment of malignant cancers, we characterize the current knowledge and future prospects for targeted therapies against aberrant E3 in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongdong Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Medical School of Ningbo UniversityNingbo 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center of Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo UniversityNingbo 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hong Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Medical School of Ningbo UniversityNingbo 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center of Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo UniversityNingbo 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Medical School of Ningbo UniversityNingbo 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center of Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo UniversityNingbo 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haibiao Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center of Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo UniversityNingbo 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaofeng Jin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Medical School of Ningbo UniversityNingbo 315211, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center of Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo UniversityNingbo 315040, Zhejiang, China
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Zhu W, Li J, Zhang Y, Zhu Z, Liu H, Lin Y, Hu A, Zhou J, Ren H, Shi X. Inhibition of HMGB1 Suppresses Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via HIPK2-Mediated Autophagic Degradation of ZEB1. Front Oncol 2021; 11:599124. [PMID: 33747917 PMCID: PMC7969871 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.599124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process maintaining cellular homeostasis and reportedly plays a critical role in tumor progression. Accumulating data show that autophagic activity is inhibited in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the underlying molecular basis of impaired autophagy in HCC remains unclear. In this study, we revealed that autophagic activity was suppressed by HMGB1 in a HIPK2-dependent way. Targeting HMGB1 could inhibit the degradation of HIPK2, as a result of which, autophagic degradation of ZEB1 was enhanced by reprogramming glucose metabolism/AMPK/mTOR axis. Moreover, we demonstrated that selectively degradation of ZEB1 was responsible for HCC growth inhibition in HMGB1 deficient cells. Lastly, we found the combination therapy of HMGB1 inhibitor and rapamycin achieved a better anti-HCC effect. These results demonstrate that impaired autophagy is controlled by HMGB1 and targeting HMGB1 could suppress HCC progression via HIPK2-mediated autophagic degradation of ZEB1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuheng Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhengyi Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Hanyi Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Yunzhen Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Anyin Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingchao Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Haozhen Ren
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaolei Shi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
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Tsui YM, Chan LK, Ng IOL. Cancer stemness in hepatocellular carcinoma: mechanisms and translational potential. Br J Cancer 2020; 122:1428-1440. [PMID: 32231294 PMCID: PMC7217836 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-020-0823-9] [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: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stemness, referring to the stem-cell-like phenotype of cancer cells, has been recognised to play important roles in different aspects of hepatocarcinogenesis. A number of well-established cell-surface markers already exist for liver cancer stem cells, with potential new markers of liver cancer stem cells being identified. Both genetic and epigenetic factors that affect various signalling pathways are known to contribute to cancer stemness. In addition, the tumour microenvironment—both physical and cellular—is known to play an important role in regulating cancer stemness, and the potential interaction between cancer stem cells and their microenvironment has provided insight into the regulation of the tumour-initiating ability as well as the cellular plasticity of liver CSCs. Potential specific therapeutic targeting of liver cancer stemness is also discussed. With increased knowledge, effective druggable targets might be identified, with the aim of improving treatment outcome by reducing chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Man Tsui
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lo-Kong Chan
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- Department of Pathology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong. .,State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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Wu Z, Song W, Cheng Z, Yang D, Yu L. Expression of LGR5 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its correlation to vasculogenic mimicry. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2017; 10:11267-11275. [PMID: 31966480 PMCID: PMC6965846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND LGR5, also named as GPR49, is considered as a biomarker of cancer stem cells which have been responsible for the initiation, progression, metastasis, and recurrence of cancers. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) which defines the formation of fluid-conducting tubes by highly progressive and genetically dysregulated cancer cells has been considered as useful biomarker for metastasis and prognosis in various cancers. In this study, we analyzed associations between LGR5 and VM in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and their association with clinicopathological characters in OSCC. METHODS Positive rates of LGR5 and VM in 190 OSCC tissue samples and correspondence normal tissues were detected by immunohistochemical and histochemical staining. Patients' clinical data were also collected. RESULTS Positive rates of LGR5 and VM were significantly higher in OSCC tissues than those in normal tissues. Positive rates of LGR5 and VM were positively related to tumor size, grades, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stages, and inversely with patients overall survival time. And there was a positive association between the expression of LGR5 and positive rate of VM. In multivariate analysis, high expression of LGR5 and positive VM and lymph node metastasis, as well as TNM stages were to be considered as independent prognosis factors for overall survival time in patients with OSCC. CONCLUSIONS The expression of LGR5 and VM represent potential biomarkers for metastasis and prognosis, as well as therapeutic targets for OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Wu
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical CollegeAnhui Province, China
| | - Wenqing Song
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical CollegeAnhui Province, China
- Department of Pathology, Bengbu Medical CollegeAnhui Province, China
| | - Zenong Cheng
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical CollegeAnhui Province, China
- Department of Pathology, Bengbu Medical CollegeAnhui Province, China
| | - Dongkun Yang
- Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical CollegeAnhui Province, China
| | - Lan Yu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical CollegeAnhui Province, China
- Department of Pathology, Bengbu Medical CollegeAnhui Province, China
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