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Lammert FC, Pannhausen J, Noetzel E, Friedland F, Wirtz J, Herfs Y, Leypold S, Gan L, Weiskirchen R, Schnitzler T, Knüchel R, Maurer J, Jonigk DD, Rose M, Gaisa NT. Dual role of GRHL3 in bladder carcinogenesis depending on histological subtypes. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:1397-1416. [PMID: 38429970 PMCID: PMC11164254 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13623] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The effect of grainyhead-like transcription factor 3 (GRHL3) on cancer development depends on the cancer subtypes as shown in tumor entities such as colorectal or oral squamous cell carcinomas. Here, we analyzed the subtype-specific role of GRHL3 in bladder carcinogenesis, comparing common urothelial carcinoma (UC) with squamous bladder cancer (sq-BLCA). We examined GRHL3 mRNA and protein expression in cohorts of patient samples, its prognostic role and its functional impact on tumorigeneses in different molecular and histopathological subtypes of bladder cancer. We showed for GRHL3 a reverse expression in squamous and urothelial bladder cancer subtypes. Stably GRHL3-overexpressing EJ28, J82, and SCaBER in vitro models revealed a tumor-suppressive function in squamous and an oncogenic role in the urothelial cancer cells affecting cell and colony growth, and migratory and invasive capacities. Transcriptomic profiling demonstrated highly subtype-specific GRHL3-regulated expression networks coined by the enrichment of genes involved in integrin-mediated pathways. In SCaBER, loss of ras homolog family member A (RHOA) GTPase activity was demonstrated to be associated with co-regulation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E family member 3 (EIF4E3), a potential tumor suppressor gene. Thus, our data provide for the first time a detailed insight into the role of the transcription factor GRHL3 in different histopathological subtypes of bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska C. Lammert
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD)Germany
| | - Julia Pannhausen
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD)Germany
| | - Erik Noetzel
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 2 (IBI‐2), Mechanobiology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHGermany
| | - Florian Friedland
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 2 (IBI‐2), Mechanobiology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHGermany
| | - Julia Wirtz
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD)Germany
| | - Yannick Herfs
- Institute of Biological Information Processing 2 (IBI‐2), Mechanobiology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbHGermany
| | - Sophie Leypold
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD)Germany
| | - Lin Gan
- IZKF AachenMedical Faculty of the RWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
| | - Ralf Weiskirchen
- Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
| | - Tician Schnitzler
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
| | - Ruth Knüchel
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
| | - Jochen Maurer
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyUniversity Hospital AachenGermany
| | - Danny D. Jonigk
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD)Germany
- German Center for Lung Research, DZL, BREATHHanoverGermany
| | - Michael Rose
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD)Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalUniversity of UlmGermany
| | - Nadine T. Gaisa
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalRWTH Aachen UniversityGermany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD)Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University HospitalUniversity of UlmGermany
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2
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Haerinck J, Goossens S, Berx G. The epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity landscape: principles of design and mechanisms of regulation. Nat Rev Genet 2023; 24:590-609. [PMID: 37169858 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00601-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) enables cells to interconvert between several states across the epithelial-mesenchymal landscape, thereby acquiring hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotypic features. This plasticity is crucial for embryonic development and wound healing, but also underlies the acquisition of several malignant traits during cancer progression. Recent research using systems biology and single-cell profiling methods has provided novel insights into the main forces that shape EMP, which include the microenvironment, lineage specification and cell identity, and the genome. Additionally, key roles have emerged for hysteresis (cell memory) and cellular noise, which can drive stochastic transitions between cell states. Here, we review these forces and the distinct but interwoven layers of regulatory control that stabilize EMP states or facilitate epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) and discuss the therapeutic potential of manipulating the EMP landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jef Haerinck
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Steven Goossens
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
- Unit for Translational Research in Oncology, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Berx
- Molecular and Cellular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium.
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3
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Li D, Xia L, Huang P, Wang Z, Guo Q, Huang C, Leng W, Qin S. Heterogeneity and plasticity of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer metastasis: Focusing on partial EMT and regulatory mechanisms. Cell Prolif 2023:e13423. [PMID: 36808651 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) or mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) plays critical roles in cancer metastasis. Recent studies, especially those based on single-cell sequencing, have revealed that EMT is not a binary process, but a heterogeneous and dynamic disposition with intermediary or partial EMT states. Multiple double-negative feedback loops involved by EMT-related transcription factors (EMT-TFs) have been identified. These feedback loops between EMT drivers and MET drivers finely regulate the EMT transition state of the cell. In this review, the general characteristics, biomarkers and molecular mechanisms of different EMT transition states were summarized. We additionally discussed the direct and indirect roles of EMT transition state in tumour metastasis. More importantly, this article provides direct evidence that the heterogeneity of EMT is closely related to the poor prognosis in gastric cancer. Notably, a seesaw model was proposed to explain how tumour cells regulate themselves to remain in specific EMT transition states, including epithelial state, hybrid/intermediate state and mesenchymal state. Additionally, this article also provides a review of the current status, limitations and future perspectives of EMT signalling in clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Academy of Bio-medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Lingyun Xia
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Pan Huang
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Academy of Bio-medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Zidi Wang
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Academy of Bio-medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Qiwei Guo
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Academy of Bio-medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Congcong Huang
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Academy of Bio-medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Weidong Leng
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Shanshan Qin
- Department of Stomatology, Taihe Hospital and Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China.,Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Academy of Bio-medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
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4
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Epigenetic factor competition reshapes the EMT landscape. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2210844119. [PMID: 36215492 PMCID: PMC9586264 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2210844119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of and transitions between distinct phenotypes in isogenic cells can be attributed to the intricate interplay of epigenetic marks, external signals, and gene-regulatory elements. These elements include chromatin remodelers, histone modifiers, transcription factors, and regulatory RNAs. Mathematical models known as gene-regulatory networks (GRNs) are an increasingly important tool to unravel the workings of such complex networks. In such models, epigenetic factors are usually proposed to act on the chromatin regions directly involved in the expression of relevant genes. However, it has been well-established that these factors operate globally and compete with each other for targets genome-wide. Therefore, a perturbation of the activity of a regulator can redistribute epigenetic marks across the genome and modulate the levels of competing regulators. In this paper, we propose a conceptual and mathematical modeling framework that incorporates both local and global competition effects between antagonistic epigenetic regulators, in addition to local transcription factors, and show the counterintuitive consequences of such interactions. We apply our approach to recent experimental findings on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We show that it can explain the puzzling experimental data, as well as provide verifiable predictions.
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5
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Aggarwal V, Sahoo S, Donnenberg VS, Chakraborty P, Jolly MK, Sant S. P4HA2: A link between tumor-intrinsic hypoxia, partial EMT and collective migration. ADVANCES IN CANCER BIOLOGY - METASTASIS 2022; 5:100057. [PMID: 36187341 PMCID: PMC9517480 DOI: 10.1016/j.adcanc.2022.100057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a well-established phenomenon studied across pan-cancer types, has long been known to be a major player in driving tumor invasion and metastasis. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of partial EMT phenotypes in metastasis. Initially thought as a transitional state between epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypic states, partial EMT state is now widely recognized as a key driver of intra-tumoral heterogeneity and phenotypic plasticity, further accelerating tumor metastasis and therapeutic resistance. However, how tumor microenvironment regulates partial EMT phenotypes remains unclear. We have developed unique size-controlled three-dimensional microtumor models that recapitulate tumor-intrinsic hypoxia and the emergence of collectively migrating cells. In this study, we further interrogate these microtumor models to understand how tumor-intrinsic hypoxia regulates partial EMT and collective migration in hypoxic large microtumors fabricated from T47D breast cancer cells. We compared global gene expression profiles of hypoxic, migratory microtumors to that of non-hypoxic, non-migratory microtumors at early and late time-points. Using our microtumor models, we identified unique gene signatures for tumor-intrinsic hypoxia (early versus late), partial EMT and migration (pre-migratory versus migratory phenotype). Through differential gene expression analysis between the microtumor models with an overlap of hypoxia, partial EMT and migration signatures, we identified prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit 2 (P4HA2), a hypoxia responsive gene, as a central regulator common to hypoxia, partial EMT and collective migration. Further, the inhibition of P4HA2 significantly blocked collective migration in hypoxic microtumors. Thus, using the integrated computational-experimental analysis, we identify the key role of P4HA2 in tumor-intrinsic hypoxia-driven partial EMT and collective migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Aggarwal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sarthak Sahoo
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Vera S. Donnenberg
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Priyanka Chakraborty
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Shilpa Sant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Corresponding author. University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Department of Bioengineering UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, 7408 Salk Hall, 3501 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA. (S. Sant)
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6
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Mitochondrial dysfunction and epithelial to mesenchymal transition in head neck cancer cell lines. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13255. [PMID: 35918485 PMCID: PMC9345891 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16829-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction promotes cancer aggressiveness, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. Similar traits are associated with epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). We questioned whether mitochondrial dysfunction induces EMT in head and neck cancer (HNC) cell lines. We induced mitochondrial dysfunction in four HNC cell lines with carbonyl cyanide-4(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone (FCCP), a mitochondrial electron transport chain uncoupling agent, and oligomycin, a mitochondrial ATP synthase inhibitor. Extracellular flux analyses and expression of the cystine/glutamate antiporter system xc (xCT) served to confirm mitochondrial dysfunction. Expression of the EMT-related transcription factor SNAI2, the mesenchymal marker vimentin and vimentin/cytokeratin double positivity served to detect EMT. In addition, holotomographic microscopy was used to search for morphological features of EMT. Extracellular flux analysis and xCT expression confirmed that FCCP/oligomycin induced mitochondrial dysfunction in all cell lines. Across the four cell lines, mitochondrial dysfunction resulted in an increase in relative SNAI2 expression from 8.5 ± 0.8 to 12.0 ± 1.1 (mean ± SEM; p = 0.007). This effect was predominantly caused by the CAL 27 cell line (increase from 2.2 ± 0.4 to 5.5 ± 1.0; p < 0.001). Similarly, only in CAL 27 cells vimentin expression increased from 2.2 ± 0.5 × 10-3 to 33.2 ± 10.2 × 10-3 (p = 0.002) and vimentin/cytokeratin double positive cells increased from 34.7 ± 5.1 to 67.5 ± 9.8% (p = 0.003), while the other 3 cell lines did not respond with EMT (all p > 0.1). Across all cell lines, FCCP/oligomycin had no effect on EMT characteristics in holotomographic microscopy. Mitochondrial dysfunction induced EMT in 1 of 4 HNC cell lines. Given the heterogeneity of HNC, mitochondrial dysfunction may be sporadically induced by EMT, but EMT does not explain the tumor promoting effects of mitochondrial dysfunction in general.
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7
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Bhavani GS, Palanisamy A. SNAIL driven by a feed forward loop motif promotes TGF βinduced epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2022; 8. [PMID: 35700712 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/ac7896] [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: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) plays an important role in tissue regeneration, embryonic development, and cancer metastasis. Several signaling pathways are known to regulate EMT, among which the modulation of TGFβ(Transforming Growth Factor-β) induced EMT is crucial in several cancer types. Several mathematical models were built to explore the role of core regulatory circuit of ZEB/miR-200, SNAIL/miR-34 double negative feedback loops in modulating TGFβinduced EMT. Different emergent behavior including tristability, irreversible switching, existence of hybrid EMT states were inferred though these models. Some studies have explored the role of TGFβreceptor activation, SMADs nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and complex formation. Recent experiments have revealed that MDM2 along with SMAD complex regulates SNAIL expression driven EMT. Encouraged by this, in the present study we developed a mathematical model for p53/MDM2 dependent TGFβinduced EMT regulation. Inclusion of p53 brings in an additional mechanistic perspective in exploring the EM transition. The network formulated comprises a C1FFL moderating SNAIL expression involving MDM2 and SMAD complex, which functions as a noise filter and persistent detector. The C1FFL was also observed to operate as a coincidence detector driving the SNAIL dependent downstream signaling into phenotypic switching decision. Systems modelling and analysis of the devised network, displayed interesting dynamic behavior, systems response to various inputs stimulus, providing a better understanding of p53/MDM2 dependent TGF-βinduced Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition.
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Sundararajan V, Burk UC, Bajdak-Rusinek K. Revisiting the miR-200 Family: A Clan of Five Siblings with Essential Roles in Development and Disease. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12060781. [PMID: 35740906 PMCID: PMC9221129 DOI: 10.3390/biom12060781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Over two decades of studies on small noncoding RNA molecules illustrate the significance of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) in controlling multiple physiological and pathological functions through post-transcriptional and spatiotemporal gene expression. Among the plethora of miRs that are essential during animal embryonic development, in this review, we elaborate the indispensable role of the miR-200 family (comprising miR-200a, -200b, 200c, -141, and -429) in governing the cellular functions associated with epithelial homeostasis, such as epithelial differentiation and neurogenesis. Additionally, in pathological contexts, miR-200 family members are primarily involved in tumor-suppressive roles, including the reversal of the cancer-associated epithelial–mesenchymal transition dedifferentiation process, and are dysregulated during organ fibrosis. Moreover, recent eminent studies have elucidated the crucial roles of miR-200s in the pathophysiology of multiple neurodegenerative diseases and tissue fibrosis. Lastly, we summarize the key studies that have recognized the potential use of miR-200 members as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancers, elaborating the application of these small biomolecules in aiding early cancer detection and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vignesh Sundararajan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Center for Translational Medicine, Singapore 117599, Singapore;
| | - Ulrike C. Burk
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany;
| | - Karolina Bajdak-Rusinek
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-32-208-8382
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Duddu AS, Majumdar SS, Sahoo S, Jhunjhunwala S, Jolly MK. Emergent dynamics of a three-node regulatory network explain phenotypic switching and heterogeneity: a case study of Th1/Th2/Th17 cell differentiation. Mol Biol Cell 2022; 33:ar46. [PMID: 35353012 PMCID: PMC9265159 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e21-10-0521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Naïve helper (CD4+) T-cells can differentiate into distinct functional subsets including Th1, Th2, and Th17 phenotypes. Each of these phenotypes has a 'master regulator' - T-bet (Th1), GATA3 (Th2) and RORγT (Th17) - that inhibits the other two master regulators. Such mutual repression among them at a transcriptional level can enable multistability, giving rise to six experimentally observed phenotypes - Th1, Th2, Th17, hybrid Th/Th2, hybrid Th2/Th17 and hybrid Th1/Th17. However, the dynamics of switching among these phenotypes, particularly in the case of epigenetic influence, remains unclear. Here, through mathematical modeling, we investigated the coupled transcription-epigenetic dynamics in a three-node mutually repressing network to elucidate how epigenetic changes mediated by any 'master regulator' can influence the transition rates among different cellular phenotypes. We show that the degree of plasticity exhibited by one phenotype depends on relative strength and duration of mutual epigenetic repression mediated among the master regulators in a three-node network. Further, our model predictions can offer putative mechanisms underlying relatively higher plasticity of Th17 phenotype as observed in vitro and in vivo. Together, our modeling framework characterizes phenotypic plasticity and heterogeneity as an outcome of emergent dynamics of a three-node regulatory network, such as the one mediated by T-bet/GATA3/RORγT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atchuta Srinivas Duddu
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Sauma Suvra Majumdar
- epartment of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur 713216, India
| | - Sarthak Sahoo
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Siddharth Jhunjhunwala
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
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10
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Jain P, Bhatia S, Thompson EW, Jolly MK. Population Dynamics of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Heterogeneity in Cancer Cells. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030348. [PMID: 35327538 PMCID: PMC8945776 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic heterogeneity is a hallmark of aggressive cancer behaviour and a clinical challenge. Despite much characterisation of this heterogeneity at a multi-omics level in many cancers, we have a limited understanding of how this heterogeneity emerges spontaneously in an isogenic cell population. Some longitudinal observations of dynamics in epithelial-mesenchymal heterogeneity, a canonical example of phenotypic heterogeneity, have offered us opportunities to quantify the rates of phenotypic switching that may drive such heterogeneity. Here, we offer a mathematical modeling framework that explains the salient features of population dynamics noted in PMC42-LA cells: (a) predominance of EpCAMhigh subpopulation, (b) re-establishment of parental distributions from the EpCAMhigh and EpCAMlow subpopulations, and (c) enhanced heterogeneity in clonal populations established from individual cells. Our framework proposes that fluctuations or noise in content duplication and partitioning of SNAIL—an EMT-inducing transcription factor—during cell division can explain spontaneous phenotypic switching and consequent dynamic heterogeneity in PMC42-LA cells observed experimentally at both single-cell and bulk level analysis. Together, we propose that asymmetric cell division can be a potential mechanism for phenotypic heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paras Jain
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India;
| | - Sugandha Bhatia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000, Australia;
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba 4102, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, Australia
| | - Erik W. Thompson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000, Australia;
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, Australia
- Correspondence: (E.W.T.); (M.K.J.)
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India;
- Correspondence: (E.W.T.); (M.K.J.)
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11
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Jia W, Jolly MK, Levine H. NRF2-dependent Epigenetic Regulation can Promote the Hybrid Epithelial/Mesenchymal Phenotype. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:828250. [PMID: 35118079 PMCID: PMC8803900 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.828250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular process critical for wound healing, cancer metastasis and embryonic development. Recent efforts have identified the role of hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal states, having both epithelial and mesehncymal traits, in enabling cancer metastasis and resistance to various therapies. Also, previous work has suggested that NRF2 can act as phenotypic stability factor to help stablize such hybrid states. Here, we incorporate a phenomenological epigenetic feedback effect into our previous computational model for EMT signaling. We show that this type of feedback can stabilize the hybrid state as compared to the fully mesenchymal phenotype if NRF2 can influence SNAIL at an epigenetic level, as this link makes transitions out of hybrid state more difficult. However, epigenetic regulation on other NRF2-related links do not significantly change the EMT dynamics. Finally, we considered possible cell division effects in our epigenetic regulation model, and our results indicate that the degree of epigenetic inheritance does not appear to be a critical factor for the hybrid E/M state stabilizing behavior of NRF2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jia
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
- *Correspondence: Mohit Kumar Jolly, ; Herbert Levine,
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Mohit Kumar Jolly, ; Herbert Levine,
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12
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Sahoo S, Ashraf B, Duddu AS, Biddle A, Jolly MK. Interconnected high-dimensional landscapes of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and stemness in cancer. Clin Exp Metastasis 2022; 39:279-290. [PMID: 34993766 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-021-10139-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Establishing macrometastases at distant organs is a highly challenging process for cancer cells, with extremely high attrition rates. A very small percentage of disseminated cells have the ability to dynamically adapt to their changing micro-environments through reversibly switching to another phenotype, aiding metastasis. Such plasticity can be exhibited along one or more axes-epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) being the two most studied, and often tacitly assumed to be synonymous. Here, we review the emerging concepts related to EMP and CSCs across multiple cancers. Both processes are multi-dimensional in nature; for instance, EMP can be defined on morphological, molecular and functional changes, which may or may not be synchronized. Similarly, self-renewal, multi-lineage potential, and resistance to anoikis and/or therapy may not all occur simultaneously in CSCs. Thus, understanding the complexity in defining EMP and CSCs is essential if we are to understand their contribution to cancer metastasis. This will require a more comprehensive understanding of the non-linearity of these processes. These processes are dynamic, reversible, and semi-independent in nature; cells traverse the inter-connected high-dimensional EMP and CSC landscapes in diverse paths, each of which may exhibit a distinct EMP-CSC coupling. Our proposed model offers a potential unifying framework for elucidating the coupled decision-making along these dimensions and highlights a key set of open questions to be answered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarthak Sahoo
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India.,UG Programme, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Bazella Ashraf
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Kashmir, Ganderbal, India
| | - Atchuta Srinivas Duddu
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Adrian Biddle
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering (BSSE), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India.
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13
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Subbalakshmi AR, Ashraf B, Jolly MK. Biophysical and biochemical attributes of hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotypes. Phys Biol 2022; 19. [PMID: 34986465 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ac482c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a biological phenomenon associated with explicit phenotypic and molecular changes in cellular traits. Unlike the earlier-held popular belief of it being a binary process, EMT is now thought of as a landscape including diverse hybrid E/M phenotypes manifested by varying degrees of the transition. These hybrid cells can co-express both epithelial and mesenchymal markers and/or functional traits, and can possess the property of collective cell migration, enhanced tumor-initiating ability, and immune/targeted therapy-evasive features, all of which are often associated with worse patient outcomes. These characteristics of the hybrid E/M cells have led to a surge in studies that map their biophysical and biochemical hallmarks that can be helpful in exploiting their therapeutic vulnerabilities. This review discusses recent advances made in investigating hybrid E/M phenotype(s) from diverse biophysical and biochemical aspects by integrating live cell-imaging, cellular morphology quantification and mathematical modelling, and highlights a set of questions that remain unanswered about the dynamics of hybrid E/M states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayalur Raghu Subbalakshmi
- Indian Institute of Science, Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Bangalore, 560012, INDIA
| | - Bazella Ashraf
- Central University of Kashmir, Department of Biotechnology, Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir, 191201, INDIA
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Indian Institute of Science, Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Bangalore, 560012, INDIA
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14
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Zhao X, Hu J, Li Y, Guo M. Volumetric compression develops noise-driven single-cell heterogeneity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2110550118. [PMID: 34916290 PMCID: PMC8713786 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110550118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that extensive heterogeneity of biological systems arises through various routes ranging from intracellular chromosome segregation to spatiotemporally varying biochemical stimulations. However, the contribution of physical microenvironments to single-cell heterogeneity remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that a homogeneous population of non-small-cell lung carcinoma develops into heterogeneous subpopulations upon application of a homogeneous physical compression, as shown by single-cell transcriptome profiling. The generated subpopulations stochastically gain the signature genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT; VIM, CDH1, EPCAM, ZEB1, and ZEB2) and cancer stem cells (MKI67, BIRC5, and KLF4), respectively. Trajectory analysis revealed two bifurcated paths as cells evolving upon the physical compression, along each path the corresponding signature genes (epithelial or mesenchymal) gradually increase. Furthermore, we show that compression increases gene expression noise, which interplays with regulatory network architecture and thus generates differential cell-fate outcomes. The experimental observations of both single-cell sequencing and single-molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization agrees well with our computational modeling of regulatory network in the EMT process. These results demonstrate a paradigm of how mechanical stimulations impact cell-fate determination by altering transcription dynamics; moreover, we show a distinct path that the ecology and evolution of cancer interplay with their physical microenvironments from the view of mechanobiology and systems biology, with insight into the origin of single-cell heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Jiliang Hu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Yiwei Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China;
| | - Ming Guo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
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15
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Pillai M, Jolly MK. Systems-level network modeling deciphers the master regulators of phenotypic plasticity and heterogeneity in melanoma. iScience 2021; 24:103111. [PMID: 34622164 PMCID: PMC8479788 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic (i.e. non-genetic) heterogeneity in melanoma drives dedifferentiation, recalcitrance to targeted therapy and immunotherapy, and consequent tumor relapse and metastasis. Various markers or regulators associated with distinct phenotypes in melanoma have been identified, but, how does a network of interactions among these regulators give rise to multiple "attractor" states and phenotypic switching remains elusive. Here, we inferred a network of transcription factors (TFs) that act as master regulators for gene signatures of diverse cell-states in melanoma. Dynamical simulations of this network predicted how this network can settle into different "attractors" (TF expression patterns), suggesting that TF network dynamics drives the emergence of phenotypic heterogeneity. These simulations can recapitulate major phenotypes observed in melanoma and explain de-differentiation trajectory observed upon BRAF inhibition. Our systems-level modeling framework offers a platform to understand trajectories of phenotypic transitions in the landscape of a regulatory TF network and identify novel therapeutic strategies targeting melanoma plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maalavika Pillai
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
- Undergraduate Programme, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
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16
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Subbalakshmi AR, Sahoo S, McMullen I, Saxena AN, Venugopal SK, Somarelli JA, Jolly MK. KLF4 Induces Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition (MET) by Suppressing Multiple EMT-Inducing Transcription Factors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5135. [PMID: 34680284 PMCID: PMC8533753 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity (EMP) refers to reversible dynamic processes where cells can transition from epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) or from mesenchymal to epithelial (MET) phenotypes. Both these processes are modulated by multiple transcription factors acting in concert. While EMT-inducing transcription factors (TFs)-TWIST1/2, ZEB1/2, SNAIL1/2/3, GSC, and FOXC2-are well-characterized, the MET-inducing TFs are relatively poorly understood (OVOL1/2 and GRHL1/2). Here, using mechanism-based mathematical modeling, we show that transcription factor KLF4 can delay the onset of EMT by suppressing multiple EMT-TFs. Our simulations suggest that KLF4 overexpression can promote a phenotypic shift toward a more epithelial state, an observation suggested by the negative correlation of KLF4 with EMT-TFs and with transcriptomic-based EMT scoring metrics in cancer cell lines. We also show that the influence of KLF4 in modulating the EMT dynamics can be strengthened by its ability to inhibit cell-state transitions at the epigenetic level. Thus, KLF4 can inhibit EMT through multiple parallel paths and can act as a putative MET-TF. KLF4 associates with the patient survival metrics across multiple cancers in a context-specific manner, highlighting the complex association of EMP with patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayalur Raghu Subbalakshmi
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (A.R.S.); (S.S.); (S.K.V.)
| | - Sarthak Sahoo
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (A.R.S.); (S.S.); (S.K.V.)
| | | | | | - Sudhanva Kalasapura Venugopal
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (A.R.S.); (S.S.); (S.K.V.)
| | - Jason A. Somarelli
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA;
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (A.R.S.); (S.S.); (S.K.V.)
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17
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Liu QL, Luo M, Huang C, Chen HN, Zhou ZG. Epigenetic Regulation of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in the Cancer Metastatic Cascade: Implications for Cancer Therapy. Front Oncol 2021; 11:657546. [PMID: 33996581 PMCID: PMC8117142 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.657546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the end stage of cancer progression and the direct cause of most cancer-related deaths. The spreading of cancer cells from the primary site to distant organs is a multistep process known as the metastatic cascade, including local invasion, intravasation, survival in the circulation, extravasation, and colonization. Each of these steps is driven by the acquisition of genetic and/or epigenetic alterations within cancer cells, leading to subsequent transformation of metastatic cells. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), a cellular process mediating the conversion of cell from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype, and its reverse transformation, termed mesenchymal–epithelial transition (MET), together endow metastatic cells with traits needed to generate overt metastases in different scenarios. The dynamic shift between these two phenotypes and their transitional state, termed partial EMT, emphasizes the plasticity of EMT. Recent advances attributed this plasticity to epigenetic regulation, which has implications for the therapeutic targeting of cancer metastasis. In this review, we will discuss the association between epigenetic events and the multifaceted nature of EMT, which may provide insights into the steps of the cancer metastatic cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Luo Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Maochao Luo
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Canhua Huang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Hai-Ning Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Zong-Guang Zhou
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
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18
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Singh D, Bocci F, Kulkarni P, Jolly MK. Coupled Feedback Loops Involving PAGE4, EMT and Notch Signaling Can Give Rise to Non-genetic Heterogeneity in Prostate Cancer Cells. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 23:288. [PMID: 33652914 PMCID: PMC7996788 DOI: 10.3390/e23030288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Non-genetic heterogeneity is emerging as a crucial factor underlying therapy resistance in multiple cancers. However, the design principles of regulatory networks underlying non-genetic heterogeneity in cancer remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the coupled dynamics of feedback loops involving (a) oscillations in androgen receptor (AR) signaling mediated through an intrinsically disordered protein PAGE4, (b) multistability in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and c) Notch-Delta-Jagged signaling mediated cell-cell communication, each of which can generate non-genetic heterogeneity through multistability and/or oscillations. Our results show how different coupling strengths between AR and EMT signaling can lead to monostability, bistability, or oscillations in the levels of AR, as well as propagation of oscillations to EMT dynamics. These results reveal the emergent dynamics of coupled oscillatory and multi-stable systems and unravel mechanisms by which non-genetic heterogeneity in AR levels can be generated, which can act as a barrier to most existing therapies for prostate cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyoj Singh
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India;
- Undergraduate Programme, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Federico Bocci
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA;
- NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Prakash Kulkarni
- Department of Medical Oncology and Experimental Therapeutics, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA;
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India;
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19
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Berenguer J, Celià-Terrassa T. Cell memory of epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in cancer. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2021; 69:103-110. [PMID: 33578288 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Fundamental biological processes of cell identity and cell fate determination are controlled by complex regulatory networks. These processes require molecular mechanisms that confer cellular phenotypic memory and state persistence. In this minireview, we will summarize mechanisms of cell memory based on regulatory hysteretic feedback loops and explore epigenetic mechanisms widely represented in nature, with special focus on epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity. We will also discuss the functional consequences of cell memory and epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity dynamics during development and cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Berenguer
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Celià-Terrassa
- Cancer Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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20
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Pasani S, Sahoo S, Jolly MK. Hybrid E/M Phenotype(s) and Stemness: A Mechanistic Connection Embedded in Network Topology. J Clin Med 2020; 10:E60. [PMID: 33375334 PMCID: PMC7794989 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis remains an unsolved clinical challenge. Two crucial features of metastasizing cancer cells are (a) their ability to dynamically move along the epithelial-hybrid-mesenchymal spectrum and (b) their tumor initiation potential or stemness. With increasing functional characterization of hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) phenotypes along the spectrum, recent in vitro and in vivo studies have suggested an increasing association of hybrid E/M phenotypes with stemness. However, the mechanistic underpinnings enabling this association remain unclear. Here, we develop a mechanism-based mathematical modeling framework that interrogates the emergent nonlinear dynamics of the coupled network modules regulating E/M plasticity (miR-200/ZEB) and stemness (LIN28/let-7). Simulating the dynamics of this coupled network across a large ensemble of parameter sets, we observe that hybrid E/M phenotype(s) are more likely to acquire stemness relative to "pure" epithelial or mesenchymal states. We also integrate multiple "phenotypic stability factors" (PSFs) that have been shown to stabilize hybrid E/M phenotypes both in silico and in vitro-such as OVOL1/2, GRHL2, and NRF2-with this network, and demonstrate that the enrichment of hybrid E/M phenotype(s) with stemness is largely conserved in the presence of these PSFs. Thus, our results offer mechanistic insights into recent experimental observations of hybrid E/M phenotype(s) that are essential for tumor initiation and highlight how this feature is embedded in the underlying topology of interconnected EMT (Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition) and stemness networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satwik Pasani
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (S.P.); (S.S.)
| | - Sarthak Sahoo
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (S.P.); (S.S.)
- Undergraduate Programme, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; (S.P.); (S.S.)
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21
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Sha Y, Wang S, Zhou P, Nie Q. Inference and multiscale model of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via single-cell transcriptomic data. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:9505-9520. [PMID: 32870263 PMCID: PMC7515733 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid growth of single-cell transcriptomic data provides unprecedented opportunities for close scrutinizing of dynamical cellular processes. Through investigating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), we develop an integrative tool that combines unsupervised learning of single-cell transcriptomic data and multiscale mathematical modeling to analyze transitions during cell fate decision. Our approach allows identification of individual cells making transition between all cell states, and inference of genes that drive transitions. Multiscale extractions of single-cell scale outputs naturally reveal intermediate cell states (ICS) and ICS-regulated transition trajectories, producing emergent population-scale models to be explored for design principles. Testing on the newly designed single-cell gene regulatory network model and applying to twelve published single-cell EMT datasets in cancer and embryogenesis, we uncover the roles of ICS on adaptation, noise attenuation, and transition efficiency in EMT, and reveal their trade-off relations. Overall, our unsupervised learning method is applicable to general single-cell transcriptomic datasets, and our integrative approach at single-cell resolution may be adopted for other cell fate transition systems beyond EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Sha
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.,The NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Shuxiong Wang
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Peijie Zhou
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Qing Nie
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.,The NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.,Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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22
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Saxena K, Jolly MK, Balamurugan K. Hypoxia, partial EMT and collective migration: Emerging culprits in metastasis. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100845. [PMID: 32781367 PMCID: PMC7419667 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular biological process involved in migration of primary cancer cells to secondary sites facilitating metastasis. Besides, EMT also confers properties such as stemness, drug resistance and immune evasion which can aid a successful colonization at the distant site. EMT is not a binary process; recent evidence suggests that cells in partial EMT or hybrid E/M phenotype(s) can have enhanced stemness and drug resistance as compared to those undergoing a complete EMT. Moreover, partial EMT enables collective migration of cells as clusters of circulating tumor cells or emboli, further endorsing that cells in hybrid E/M phenotypes may be the 'fittest' for metastasis. Here, we review mechanisms and implications of hybrid E/M phenotypes, including their reported association with hypoxia. Hypoxia-driven activation of HIF-1α can drive EMT. In addition, cyclic hypoxia, as compared to acute or chronic hypoxia, shows the highest levels of active HIF-1α and can augment cancer aggressiveness to a greater extent, including enriching for a partial EMT phenotype. We also discuss how metastasis is influenced by hypoxia, partial EMT and collective cell migration, and call for a better understanding of interconnections among these mechanisms. We discuss the known regulators of hypoxia, hybrid EMT and collective cell migration and highlight the gaps which needs to be filled for connecting these three axes which will increase our understanding of dynamics of metastasis and help control it more effectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kritika Saxena
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
| | - Kuppusamy Balamurugan
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Signaling, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
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23
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Shomar A, Barak O, Brenner N. Local and global features of genetic networks supporting a phenotypic switch. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238433. [PMID: 32881964 PMCID: PMC7470255 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic switches are associated with alterations in the cell's gene expression profile and are vital to many aspects of biology. Previous studies have identified local motifs of the genetic regulatory network that could underlie such switches. Recent advancements allowed the study of networks at the global, many-gene, level; however, the relationship between the local and global scales in giving rise to phenotypic switches remains elusive. In this work, we studied the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) using a gene regulatory network model. This model supports two clusters of stable steady-states identified with the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes, and a range of intermediate less stable hybrid states, whose importance in cancer has been recently highlighted. Using an array of network perturbations and quantifying the resulting landscape, we investigated how features of the network at different levels give rise to these landscape properties. We found that local connectivity patterns affect the landscape in a mostly incremental manner; in particular, a specific previously identified double-negative feedback motif is not required when embedded in the full network, because the landscape is maintained at a global level. Nevertheless, despite the distributed nature of the switch, it is possible to find combinations of a few local changes that disrupt it. At the level of network architecture, we identified a crucial role for peripheral genes that act as incoming signals to the network in creating clusters of states. Such incoming signals are a signature of modularity and are expected to appear also in other biological networks. Hybrid states between epithelial and mesenchymal arise in the model due to barriers in the interaction between genes, causing hysteresis at all connections. Our results suggest emergent switches can neither be pinpointed to local motifs, nor do they arise as typical properties of random network ensembles. Rather, they arise through an interplay between the nature of local interactions, and the core-periphery structure induced by the modularity of the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aseel Shomar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel
- Network Biology Research Laboratories, Lorry Lokey Center for Life Sciences and Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Omri Barak
- Network Biology Research Laboratories, Lorry Lokey Center for Life Sciences and Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Naama Brenner
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel
- Network Biology Research Laboratories, Lorry Lokey Center for Life Sciences and Engineering, Technion, Haifa, Israel
- * E-mail:
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24
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Sundararajan V, Pang QY, Choolani M, Huang RYJ. Spotlight on the Granules (Grainyhead-Like Proteins) - From an Evolutionary Conserved Controller of Epithelial Trait to Pioneering the Chromatin Landscape. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:213. [PMID: 32974388 PMCID: PMC7471608 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the transcription factors that are conserved across phylogeny, the grainyhead family holds vital roles in driving the epithelial cell fate. In Drosophila, the function of grainyhead (grh) gene is essential during developmental processes such as epithelial differentiation, tracheal tube formation, maintenance of wing and hair polarity, and epidermal barrier wound repair. Three main mammalian orthologs of grh: Grainyhead-like 1-3 (GRHL1, GRHL2, and GRHL3) are highly conserved in terms of their gene structures and functions. GRHL proteins are essentially associated with the development and maintenance of the epithelial phenotype across diverse physiological conditions such as epidermal differentiation and craniofacial development as well as pathological functions including hearing impairment and neural tube defects. More importantly, through direct chromatin binding and induction of epigenetic alterations, GRHL factors function as potent suppressors of oncogenic cellular dedifferentiation program – epithelial-mesenchymal transition and its associated tumor-promoting phenotypes such as tumor cell migration and invasion. On the contrary, GRHL factors also induce pro-tumorigenic effects such as increased migration and anchorage-independent growth in certain tumor types. Furthermore, investigations focusing on the epithelial-specific activation of grh and GRHL factors have revealed that these factors potentially act as a pioneer factor in establishing a cell-type/cell-state specific accessible chromatin landscape that is exclusive for epithelial gene transcription. In this review, we highlight the essential roles of grh and GRHL factors during embryogenesis and pathogenesis, with a special focus on its emerging pioneering function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vignesh Sundararajan
- Center for Translational Medicine, Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Qing You Pang
- Center for Translational Medicine, Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mahesh Choolani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ruby Yun-Ju Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Oncology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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