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Choudhary S, Singh MK, Kashyap S, Seth R, Singh L. Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Pediatric Tumors: Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:700. [PMID: 38929279 PMCID: PMC11201634 DOI: 10.3390/children11060700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The evolutionarily conserved Wnt signaling has a significant and diverse role in maintaining cell homeostasis and tissue maintenance. It is necessary in the regulation of crucial biological functions such as embryonal development, proliferation, differentiation, cell fate, and stem cell pluripotency. The deregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling often leads to various diseases, including cancer and non-cancer diseases. The role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in adult tumors has been extensively studied in literature. Although the Wnt signaling pathway has been well explored and recognized to play a role in the initiation and progression of cancer, there is still a lack of understanding on how it affects pediatric tumors. This review discusses the recent developments of this signaling pathway in pediatric tumors. We also focus on understanding how different types of variations in Wnt signaling pathway contribute to cancer development and provide an insight of tissue specific mutations that lead to clinical progression of these tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Choudhary
- Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (S.C.); (R.S.)
| | | | - Seema Kashyap
- Department of Ocular Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India;
| | - Rachna Seth
- Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (S.C.); (R.S.)
| | - Lata Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; (S.C.); (R.S.)
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Wang H, Lai Q, Wang D, Pei J, Tian B, Gao Y, Gao Z, Xu X. Hedgehog signaling regulates the development and treatment of glioblastoma (Review). Oncol Lett 2022; 24:294. [PMID: 35949611 PMCID: PMC9353242 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2022.13414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and fatal malignant tumor type of the central nervous system. GBM affects public health and it is important to identify biomarkers to improve diagnosis, reduce drug resistance and improve prognosis (e.g., personalized targeted therapies). Hedgehog (HH) signaling has an important role in embryonic development, tissue regeneration and stem cell renewal. A large amount of evidence indicates that both normative and non-normative HH signals have an important role in GBM. The present study reviewed the role of the HH signaling pathway in the occurrence and progression of GBM. Furthermore, the effectiveness of drugs that target different components of the HH pathway was also examined. The HH pathway has an important role in reversing drug resistance after GBM conventional treatment. The present review highlighted the relevance of HH signaling in GBM and outlined that this pathway has a key role in the occurrence, development and treatment of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongping Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangshan Gongren Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, P.R. China
| | - Qun Lai
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130041, P.R. China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangshan Gongren Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, P.R. China
| | - Jian Pei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangshan Gongren Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, P.R. China
| | - Baogang Tian
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangshan Gongren Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, P.R. China
| | - Yunhe Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangshan Gongren Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, P.R. China
| | - Zhaoguo Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangshan Gongren Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, P.R. China
| | - Xiang Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangshan Gongren Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, P.R. China
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Shaliman D, Takenobu H, Sugino RP, Ohira M, Kamijo T. The PRC2 molecule EED is a target of epigenetic therapy for neuroblastoma. Eur J Cell Biol 2022; 101:151238. [PMID: 35636260 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2022.151238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications by polycomb repressive complex (PRC) molecules appear to play a role in the tumorigenesis and aggressiveness of neuroblastoma (NB). Embryonic ectoderm development (EED) is a member of the PRC2 complex that binds to the H3K27me3 mark deposited by EZH2 via propagation on adjacent nucleosomes. We herein investigated the molecular roles of EED in MYCN-amplified NB cells using EED-knockdown (KD) shRNAs, EED-knockout sgRNAs, and the EED small molecule inhibitor EED226. The suppression of EED markedly inhibited NB cell proliferation and flat and soft agar colony formation. A transcriptome analysis using microarrays of EED-KD NB cells indicated the de-repression of cell cycle-regulated and differentiation-related genes. The results of a GSEA analysis suggested that inhibitory cell cycle-regulated gene sets were markedly up-regulated. Furthermore, an epigenetic treatment with the EED inhibitor EED226 and the HDAC inhibitors valproic acid/SAHA effectively suppressed NB cell proliferation and colony formation. This combined epigenetic treatment up-regulated cell cycle-regulated and differentiation-related genes. The ChIP sequencing analysis of histone codes and PRC molecules suggested an epigenetic background for the de-repression of down-regulated genes in MYCN-amplified/PRC2 up-regulated NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilibaerguli Shaliman
- Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan; Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, Department of Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hisanori Takenobu
- Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Ryuichi P Sugino
- Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Miki Ohira
- Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takehiko Kamijo
- Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan; Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, Department of Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan.
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Transcription Factors with Targeting Potential in Gliomas. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073720. [PMID: 35409080 PMCID: PMC8998804 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Gliomas portray a large and heterogeneous group of CNS tumors, encompassing a wide range of low- to high-grade tumors, as defined by histological and molecular characteristics. The identification of signature mutations and other molecular abnormalities has largely impacted tumor classification, diagnosis, and therapy. Transcription factors (TFs) are master regulators of gene expression programs, which ultimately shape cell fate and homeostasis. A variety of TFs have been detected to be aberrantly expressed in brain tumors, being highly implicated in critical pathological aspects and progression of gliomas. Herein, we describe a selection of oncogenic (GLI-1/2/3, E2F1–8, STAT3, and HIF-1/2) and tumor suppressor (NFI-A/B, TBXT, MYT1, and MYT1L) TFs that are deregulated in gliomas and are subsequently associated with tumor development, progression, and migratory potential. We further discuss the current targeting options against these TFs, including chemical (Bortezomib) and natural (Plumbagin) compounds, small molecules, and inhibitors, and address their potential implications in glioma therapy.
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Advances in glioma-associated oncogene (GLI) inhibitors for cancer therapy. Invest New Drugs 2021; 40:370-388. [PMID: 34837604 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-021-01187-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The Hedgehog/Glioma-associated oncogene homolog (HH/GLI) signaling pathway regulates self-renewal of rare and highly malignant cancer stem cells, which have been shown to account for the initiation and maintenance of tumor growth as well as for drug resistance, metastatic spread and relapse. As an important component of the Hh signaling pathway, glioma-associated oncogene (GLI) acts as a key signal transmission hub for various signaling pathways in many tumors. Here, we review direct and indirect inhibitors of GLI; summarize the abundant active structurally diverse natural GLI inhibitors; and discuss how to better develop and utilize GLI inhibitors to solve the problem of drug resistance in tumors of interest. In summary, GLI inhibitors will be promising candidates for various cancer treatments.
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Carballo GB, Ribeiro JH, Lopes GPDF, Ferrer VP, Dezonne RS, Pereira CM, Spohr TCLDSE. GANT-61 Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in Glioblastoma Cells despite their heterogeneity. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2021; 41:1227-1244. [PMID: 32504326 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-020-00891-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common adult primary tumor of the CNS characterized by rapid growth and diffuse invasiveness into the brain parenchyma. The GBM resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs may be due to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The CSCs activate the same molecular pathways as healthy stem cells such as WNT, Sonic hedgehog (SHH), and Notch. Mutations or deregulations of those pathways play a key role in the proliferation and differentiation of their surrounding environment, leading to tumorigenesis. Here we investigated the effect of SHH signaling pathway inhibition in human GBM cells by using GANT-61, considering stem cell phenotype, cell proliferation, and cell death. Our results demonstrated that GANT-61 induces apoptosis and autophagy in GBM cells, by increasing the expression of LC3 II and cleaved caspase 3 and 9. Moreover, we observed that SHH signaling plays a crucial role in CSC phenotype maintenance, being also involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype. We also noted that SHH pathway modulation can regulate cell proliferation as revealed through the analysis of Ki-67 and c-MYC expressions. We concluded that SHH signaling pathway inhibition may be a promising therapeutic approach to treat patients suffering from GBM refractory to traditional treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Basile Carballo
- Instituto Estadual Do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rua do Rezende 156, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20231-092, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Anatomia Patológica, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Orofacial Development and Regeneration, Institute of Oral Biology, Centre for Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jessica Honorato Ribeiro
- Instituto Estadual Do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rua do Rezende 156, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20231-092, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Anatomia Patológica, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK·CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Giselle Pinto de Faria Lopes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Anatomia Patológica, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Marinha, Instituto de Estudos do Mar Almirante Paulo Moreira (IEAPM)/Coordenação de Pesquisa, Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Valéria Pereira Ferrer
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Anatomia Patológica, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Romulo Sperduto Dezonne
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biomedicina Translacional, Universidade Do Grande Rio, Duque de Caxias, Brazil
| | - Cláudia Maria Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biomedicina Translacional, Universidade Do Grande Rio, Duque de Caxias, Brazil
| | - Tania Cristina Leite de Sampaio E Spohr
- Instituto Estadual Do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rua do Rezende 156, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20231-092, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Anatomia Patológica, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Koeniger A, Brichkina A, Nee I, Dempwolff L, Hupfer A, Galperin I, Finkernagel F, Nist A, Stiewe T, Adhikary T, Diederich W, Lauth M. Activation of Cilia-Independent Hedgehog/GLI1 Signaling as a Novel Concept for Neuroblastoma Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081908. [PMID: 33921042 PMCID: PMC8071409 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Elevated GLI1 expression levels are associated with improved survival in NB patients and GLI1 overexpression exerts tumor-suppressive traits in cultured NB cells. However, NB cells are protected from increased GLI1 levels as they have lost the ability to form primary cilia and transduce Hedgehog signals. This study identifies an isoxazole (ISX) molecule with primary cilia-independent GLI1-activating properties, which blocks NB cell growth. Mechanistically, ISX combines the removal of GLI3 repressor and the inhibition of class I HDACs, providing proof-of-principle evidence that small molecule-mediated activation of GLI1 could be harnessed therapeutically in the future. Abstract Although being rare in absolute numbers, neuroblastoma (NB) represents the most frequent solid tumor in infants and young children. Therapy options and prognosis are comparably good for NB patients except for the high risk stage 4 class. Particularly in adolescent patients with certain genetic alterations, 5-year survival rates can drop below 30%, necessitating the development of novel therapy approaches. The developmentally important Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is involved in neural crest differentiation, the cell type being causal in the etiology of NB. However, and in contrast to its function in some other cancer types, Hedgehog signaling and its transcription factor GLI1 exert tumor-suppressive functions in NB, rendering GLI1 an interesting new candidate for anti-NB therapy. Unfortunately, the therapeutic concept of pharmacological Hh/GLI1 pathway activation is difficult to implement as NB cells have lost primary cilia, essential organelles for Hh perception and activation. In order to bypass this bottleneck, we have identified a GLI1-activating small molecule which stimulates endogenous GLI1 production without the need for upstream Hh pathway elements such as Smoothened or primary cilia. This isoxazole compound potently abrogates NB cell proliferation and might serve as a starting point for the development of a novel class of NB-suppressive molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Koeniger
- Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Department of Gastroenterology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (A.K.); (A.B.); (A.H.); (I.G.)
| | - Anna Brichkina
- Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Department of Gastroenterology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (A.K.); (A.B.); (A.H.); (I.G.)
| | - Iris Nee
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (I.N.); (L.D.); (W.D.)
| | - Lukas Dempwolff
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (I.N.); (L.D.); (W.D.)
| | - Anna Hupfer
- Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Department of Gastroenterology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (A.K.); (A.B.); (A.H.); (I.G.)
| | - Ilya Galperin
- Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Department of Gastroenterology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (A.K.); (A.B.); (A.H.); (I.G.)
| | - Florian Finkernagel
- Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Bioinformatics Core Facility, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany;
| | - Andrea Nist
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Genomics Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Oncology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (A.N.); (T.S.)
| | - Thorsten Stiewe
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Genomics Core Facility, Institute of Molecular Oncology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (A.N.); (T.S.)
| | - Till Adhikary
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics and Biostatistics, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany;
| | - Wibke Diederich
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (I.N.); (L.D.); (W.D.)
- Core Facility Medicinal Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Lauth
- Center for Tumor- and Immune Biology, Department of Gastroenterology, Philipps University Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; (A.K.); (A.B.); (A.H.); (I.G.)
- Correspondence:
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Liu X, Zhang Y, Li Y, Wang J, Ding H, Huang W, Ding C, Liu H, Tan W, Zhang A. Development of hedgehog pathway inhibitors by epigenetically targeting GLI through BET bromodomain for the treatment of medulloblastoma. Acta Pharm Sin B 2021; 11:488-504. [PMID: 33643826 PMCID: PMC7893122 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2020.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is a common yet highly heterogeneous childhood malignant brain tumor, however, clinically effective molecular targeted therapy is lacking. Modulation of hedgehog (HH) signaling by epigenetically targeting the transcriptional factors GLI through bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) has recently spurred new interest as potential treatment of HH-driven MB. Through screening of current clinical BRD4 inhibitors for their inhibitory potency against glioma-associated oncogene homolog (GLI) protein, the BRD4 inhibitor 2 was selected as the lead for further structural optimization, which led to the identification of compounds 25 and 35 as the high potency HH inhibitors. Mechanism profiling showed that both compounds suppressed HH signaling by interacting with the transcriptional factor GLI, and were equally potent against the clinical resistant mutants and the wild type of smoothened (SMO) receptor with IC50 values around 1 nmol/L. In the resistant MB allograft mice, compound 25 was well tolerated and markedly suppressed tumor growth at both 5 mg/kg (TGI = 83.3%) and 10 mg/kg (TGI = 87.6%) doses. Although further modification is needed to improve the pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, compound 25 represents an efficacious lead compound of GLI inhibitors, possessing optimal safety and tolerance to fight against HH-driven MB.
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Key Words
- BCC, basal cell carcinoma
- BET, bromo and extra C-terminal bromodomain proteins
- BRD4
- BRD4, bromodomain-containing protein 4
- Drug resistance
- GLI
- HH, hedgehog
- HTRF, homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence
- Hedgehog signaling pathway
- MB, medulloblastoma
- Medulloblastoma
- PK, pharmacokinetic
- PTCH, patched
- SAR, structure−activity relationship
- SHH, Sonic hedgehog
- SMO, smoothened
- TGI, tumor growth inhibition
- WNT, wingless
- hERG, human ether-a-go-go-related gene
- i.v., intravenous injection
- p.o., per os
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yalei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Juan Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Huaqian Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wenjing Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chunyong Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hongchun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 21 50806072 (Hongchun Liu); +86 21 51980039 (Wenfu Tan); +86 21 34204020 (Ao Zhang).
| | - Wenfu Tan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 21 50806072 (Hongchun Liu); +86 21 51980039 (Wenfu Tan); +86 21 34204020 (Ao Zhang).
| | - Ao Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Ministry of Education of China, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 21 50806072 (Hongchun Liu); +86 21 51980039 (Wenfu Tan); +86 21 34204020 (Ao Zhang).
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Moghadami AA, Aboutalebi Vand Beilankouhi E, Kalantary-Charvadeh A, Hamzavi M, Mosayyebi B, Sedghi H, Ghorbani Haghjo A, Nazari Soltan Ahmad S. Inhibition of USP14 induces ER stress-mediated autophagy without apoptosis in lung cancer cell line A549. Cell Stress Chaperones 2020; 25:909-917. [PMID: 32632734 PMCID: PMC7591669 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-020-01125-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for more than 80% of this tumor. Ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) 14 is one of the 100 deubiquitinating enzymes that is overexpressed in lung cancer and has been validated as a therapeutic target. The aim of this study is to determine whether the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins results in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated autophagy. To inhibit USP-14, A549 lung cancer cells were treated with USP-14 siRNA and IU1-47 (20 μM). The protein level, mRNA expression, and cell cycle analysis were evaluated using Western blot, real-time PCR, and flow cytometry, respectively. We found that treating A549 cells with USP14 inhibitors significantly reduced the proliferation rate and induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. We also found that USP14 inhibitors did not induce apoptosis but actually induced autophagy through accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins/ER stress/unfolded protein response (UPR) axis. Moreover, we have for the first time demonstrated that the USP14 inhibition induces ER stress-mediated autophagy in A549 cells by activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1). In conclusion, the current investigation represents a new mechanism by which inhibition of USP14 triggers autophagy via ER stress-mediated UPR in A549 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali-Asghar Moghadami
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Ashkan Kalantary-Charvadeh
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Masoud Hamzavi
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bashir Mosayyebi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Science, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hassan Sedghi
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Islamic Azad University, Branch, Ahar, Iran
| | - Amir Ghorbani Haghjo
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Saeed Nazari Soltan Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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10
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Huang S, Gu S. Targeting autophagy in neuroblastoma. WORLD JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC SURGERY 2020; 3:e000121. [DOI: 10.1136/wjps-2020-000121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundNeuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracellular solid tumor among children accounting for serious mortality. Macroautophagy, a common housekeeping mechanism to maintain cellular homeostasis in eukaryotic cells, is involved in tumorigenesis and chemoresistance in a spectrum of cancers.Data resourcesBased on the terms of ‘autophagy’ and ‘neuroblastoma’, all the recent literature was searched and reviewed through PubMed.ResultsAutophagy is associated with apoptosis, histone modifications, angiogenesis, metabolism in NB. With those facts we assume that NB is an autophagy-dependent tumor, which means that autophagy inhibition therapy is desirable.ConclusionAutophagy in NB is pro-oncogenic, so inhibiting autophagy in high-risk NB may benefit treatment outcomes.
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11
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Zhang T, Li N, Sun C, Jin Y, Sheng X. MYC and the unfolded protein response in cancer: synthetic lethal partners in crime? EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e11845. [PMID: 32310340 PMCID: PMC7207169 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201911845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factors of the MYC family play pivotal roles in the initiation and progression of human cancers. High oncogenic level of MYC invades low‐affinity sites and enhancer sequences, which subsequently alters the transcriptome, causes metabolic imbalance, and induces stress response. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) not only plays a central role in maintaining proteostasis, but also contributes to other key biological processes, including Ca2+ metabolism and the synthesis of lipids and glucose. Stress conditions, such as shortage in glucose or oxygen and disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis, may perturb proteostasis and induce the unfolded protein response (UPR), which either restores homeostasis or triggers cell death. Crucial roles of ER stress and UPR signaling have been implicated in various cancers, from oncogenesis to treatment response. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the interaction between MYC and UPR signaling, and its contribution to cancer development. We also discuss the potential of targeting key UPR signaling nodes as novel synthetic lethal strategies in MYC‐driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ningning Li
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chaoyang Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yang Jin
- Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Xia Sheng
- Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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12
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Liu X, Ding C, Tan W, Zhang A. Medulloblastoma: Molecular understanding, treatment evolution, and new developments. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 210:107516. [PMID: 32105673 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common childhood malignant brain tumor, accounting for approximately 20% of all pediatric central nervous system tumors. Current standard treatments involving surgical interventions followed by craniospinal irradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy have severe motor and cognitive defects. Therefore, individualized treatment regimens with reduced toxicity designed according to the presence of specific oncogenic 'driver' genes are urgently demanded. To this end, recent genetic and epigenetic findings have advanced the classification of MB into the international consensus of four distinct MB molecular subgroups (WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4) based on their respective molecular and histopathological characteristics. More recent studies have indicated that up to seven molecular subgroups exist in childhood MB. Moreover, studies on the inter- and intra-tumoral features of the four subgroups revealed that each subgroup contains variant subtypes. These results have greatly helped risk stratification of MB patients at diagnosis and significantly improved clinical treatment options. Herein, we highlight the recent advances and challenges associated with MB classification, and the development of therapeutic treatments targeting novel subgroup-specific molecular and epigenetic factors, especially those in the SHH-driven MB tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua Liu
- Research Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers on Drug Discovery (RLMCBFDD), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chunyong Ding
- Research Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers on Drug Discovery (RLMCBFDD), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Wenfu Tan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Ao Zhang
- Research Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers on Drug Discovery (RLMCBFDD), School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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13
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Honorato JR, Hauser-Davis RA, Saggioro EM, Correia FV, Sales-Junior SF, Soares LOS, Lima LDR, Moura-Neto V, Lopes GPDF, Spohr TCLDS. Role of Sonic hedgehog signaling in cell cycle, oxidative stress, and autophagy of temozolomide resistant glioblastoma. J Cell Physiol 2019; 235:3798-3814. [PMID: 31613002 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The first-line chemotherapy treatment for Glioblastoma (GBM) - the most aggressive and frequent brain tumor - is temozolomide (TMZ). The Sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway is involved with GBM tumorigenesis and TMZ chemoresistance. The role of SHH pathway inhibition in the potentiation of TMZ's effects using T98G, U251, and GBM11 cell lines is investigated herein. The combination of GANT-61 and TMZ over 72 hr suggested a synergistic effect. All TMZ-resistant cell lines displayed a significant decrease in cell viability, increased DNA fragmentation and loss of membrane integrity. For T98G cells, G2 /M arrest was observed, while U251 cells presented a significant increase in reactive oxygen species production and catalase activity. All the cell lines presented acidic vesicles formation correlated to Beclin-1 overexpression. The combined treatment also enhanced GLI1 expression, indicating the presence of select resistant cells. The selective inhibition of the SHH pathway potentiated the cytotoxic effect of TMZ, thus becoming a promising in vitro strategy for GBM treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R Honorato
- Laboratório de Biomedicina do Cérebro, Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer (IECPN), Secretaria de Estado de Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Anatomia Patológica, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rachel A Hauser-Davis
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Enrico M Saggioro
- Departamento de Saneamento e Saúde Ambiental, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública (ENSP), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fábio V Correia
- Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Sidney F Sales-Junior
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Pública e Meio Ambiente, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública (ENSP), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lorena O S Soares
- Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leandro da R Lima
- Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vivaldo Moura-Neto
- Laboratório de Biomedicina do Cérebro, Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer (IECPN), Secretaria de Estado de Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Anatomia Patológica, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Giselle P de F Lopes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Anatomia Patológica, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Departamento de Biotecnologia Marinha, Instituto de Estudos do Mar Almirante Paulo Moreira (IEAPM)/Coordenação de Pesquisa, Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tania C L de S Spohr
- Laboratório de Biomedicina do Cérebro, Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer (IECPN), Secretaria de Estado de Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Anatomia Patológica, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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14
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Mele L, la Noce M, Paino F, Regad T, Wagner S, Liccardo D, Papaccio G, Lombardi A, Caraglia M, Tirino V, Desiderio V, Papaccio F. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase blockade potentiates tyrosine kinase inhibitor effect on breast cancer cells through autophagy perturbation. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:160. [PMID: 30987650 PMCID: PMC6466760 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
Background Glucose-6-phospate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is the limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) correlated to cancer progression and drug resistance. We previously showed that G6PD inhibition leads to Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stress often associated to autophagy deregulation. The latter can be induced by target-based agents such as Lapatinib, an anti-HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) largely used in breast cancer treatment. Methods Here we investigate whether G6PD inhibition causes autophagy alteration, which can potentiate Lapatinib effect on cancer cells. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry for LC3B and lysosomes tracker were used to study autophagy in cells treated with lapatinib and/or G6PD inhibitors (polydatin). Immunoblots for LC3B and p62 were performed to confirm autophagy flux analyses together with puncta and colocalization studies. We generated a cell line overexpressing G6PD and performed synergism studies on cell growth inhibition induced by Lapatinib and Polydatin using the median effect by Chou-Talay. Synergism studies were additionally validated with apoptosis analysis by annexin V/PI staining in the presence or absence of autophagy blockers. Results We found that the inhibition of G6PD induced endoplasmic reticulum stress, which was responsible for the deregulation of autophagy flux. Indeed, G6PD blockade caused a consistent increase of autophagosomes formation independently from mTOR status. Cells engineered to overexpress G6PD became resilient to autophagy and resistant to lapatinib. On the other hand, G6PD inhibition synergistically increased lapatinib-induced cytotoxic effect on cancer cells, while autophagy blockade abolished this effect. Finally, in silico studies showed a significant correlation between G6PD expression and tumour relapse/resistance in patients. Conclusions These results point out that autophagy and PPP are crucial players in TKI resistance, and highlight a peculiar vulnerability of breast cancer cells, where impairment of metabolic pathways and autophagy could be used to reinforce TKI efficacy in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Mele
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Marcella la Noce
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Paino
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Tarik Regad
- Department Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138, Naples, Italy.,The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Sarah Wagner
- The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Davide Liccardo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianpaolo Papaccio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Napoli, Naples, Italy.
| | - Angela Lombardi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Michele Caraglia
- Department Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138, Naples, Italy.,Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Biogem Scarl, Ariano Irpino, Avellino, Italy
| | - Virginia Tirino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Napoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Desiderio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Napoli, Naples, Italy.
| | - Federica Papaccio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luciano Armanni, 5, 80138 Napoli, Naples, Italy
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15
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Li L, Liu X, Zhou L, Wang W, Liu Z, Cheng Y, Li J, Wei H. Autophagy Plays a Critical Role in Insulin Resistance- Mediated Chemoresistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating the ER Stress. J Cancer 2018; 9:4314-4324. [PMID: 30519335 PMCID: PMC6277662 DOI: 10.7150/jca.27943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The high mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is associated with several independent risk factors including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and insulin resistance (IR), which could be caused by various pathological processes such as tumorigenesis and inflammation in the liver. In previous report, we declared that IR contributes to multidrug resistance in HCC by activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Here, our study revealed that the enhanced autophagy induced by IR significantly prompts the chemotherapeutic drug resistance in hepatoma cells, which was validated by stimulation and inhibition of the autophagy respectively. A potential reason is that autophagy acts as a regulator of ER stress in the IR-mediated chemoresistance in HCC. In conclusion, autophagy facilitates the HCC survival in chemotherapeutic drug treatment by maintaining the homeostasis in the ER indicating the regulatory role of autophagy in ER stress contributes to IR-mediated chemoresistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Collectively, these data implied inhibition of autophagy is a potential treatment of inherent IR-mediated chemoresistance in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linjing Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P.R. China.,Dana-Farber cancer institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215-5450, USA
| | - Xinyue Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P.R. China
| | - Liye Zhou
- Dana-Farber cancer institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215-5450, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Marlene and Stewart Greenbaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Zhuan Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P.R. China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Northwest University for Nationalities, Lanzhou 730000, P.R. China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Center, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P.R. China
| | - Hulai Wei
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P.R. China
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16
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Zeng X, Ju D. Hedgehog Signaling Pathway and Autophagy in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E2279. [PMID: 30081498 PMCID: PMC6121518 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19082279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Revised: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hedgehog (Hh) pathway controls complex developmental processes in vertebrates. Abnormal activation of Hh pathway is responsible for tumorigenesis and maintenance of multiple cancers, and thus addressing this represents promising therapeutic opportunities. In recent years, two Hh inhibitors have been approved for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) treatment and show extraordinary clinical outcomes. Meanwhile, a series of novel agents are being developed for the treatment of several cancers, including lung cancer, leukemia, and pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, Hh inhibition fails to show satisfactory benefits in these cancer types compared with the success stories in BCC, highlighting the need for better understanding of Hh signaling in cancer. Autophagy, a conserved biological process for cellular component elimination, plays critical roles in the initiation, progression, and drug resistance of cancer, and therefore, implied potential to be targeted. Recent evidence demonstrated that Hh signaling interplays with autophagy in multiple cancers. Importantly, modulating this crosstalk exhibited noteworthy capability to sensitize primary and drug-resistant cancer cells to Hh inhibitors, representing an emerging opportunity to reboot the efficacy of Hh inhibition in those insensitive tumors, and to tackle drug resistance challenges. This review will highlight recent advances of Hh pathway and autophagy in cancers, and focus on their crosstalk and the implied therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Zeng
- Department of Microbiological and Biochemical Pharmacy & The Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery MOE, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117543, Singapore.
| | - Dianwen Ju
- Department of Microbiological and Biochemical Pharmacy & The Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery MOE, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
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