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Burstyn-Cohen T, Fresia R. TAM receptors in phagocytosis: Beyond the mere internalization of particles. Immunol Rev 2023; 319:7-26. [PMID: 37596991 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK constitute the TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases, activated by their ligands GAS6 and PROS1. TAMs are necessary for adult homeostasis in the immune, nervous, reproductive, skeletal, and vascular systems. Among additional cellular functions employed by TAMs, phagocytosis is central for tissue health. TAM receptors are dominant in providing phagocytes with the molecular machinery necessary to engulf diverse targets, including apoptotic cells, myelin debris, and portions of live cells in a phosphatidylserine-dependent manner. Simultaneously, TAMs drive the release of anti-inflammatory and tissue repair molecules. Disruption of the TAM-driven phagocytic pathway has detrimental consequences, resulting in autoimmunity, male infertility, blindness, and disrupted vascular integrity, and which is thought to contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Although structurally and functionally redundant, the TAM receptors and ligands underlie complex signaling cascades, of which several key aspects are yet to be elucidated. We discuss similarities and differences between TAMs and other phagocytic pathways, highlight future directions and how TAMs can be harnessed therapeutically to modulate phagocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Burstyn-Cohen
- The Institute for Biomedical and Oral Research, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Roberta Fresia
- The Institute for Biomedical and Oral Research, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
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2
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Forlani L, De Cecco L, Simeon V, Paolini B, Bagnoli M, Cecere SC, Spina A, Citeroni E, Bignotti E, Lorusso D, Arenare L, Russo D, De Angelis C, Ardighieri L, Scognamiglio G, Del Sesto M, Tognon G, Califano D, Schettino C, Chiodini P, Perrone F, Mezzanzanica D, Pignata S, Tomassetti A. Biological and clinical impact of membrane EGFR expression in a subgroup of OC patients from the phase IV ovarian cancer MITO-16A/MANGO-OV2A trial. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:83. [PMID: 37041632 PMCID: PMC10088260 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02651-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Validated prognostic biomarkers for anti-angiogenic therapy using the anti-VEGF antibody Bevacizumab in ovarian cancer (OC) patients are still an unmet clinical need. The EGFR can contribute to cancer-associated biological mechanisms in OC cells including angiogenesis, but its targeting gave disappointing results with less than 10% of OC patients treated with anti-EGFR compounds showing a positive response, likely due to a non adequate selection and stratification of EGFR-expressing OC patients. METHODS EGFR membrane expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 310 OC patients from the MITO-16A/MANGO-OV2A trial, designed to identify prognostic biomarkers of survival in patients treated with first line standard chemotherapy plus bevacizumab. Statistical analyses assessed the association between EGFR and clinical prognostic factors and survival outcomes. A single sample Gene Set Enrichment-like and Ingenuity Pathway Analyses were applied to the gene expression profile of 195 OC samples from the same cohort. In an OC in vitro model, biological experiments were performed to assess specific EGFR activation. RESULTS Based on EGFR-membrane expression, three OC subgroups of patients were identified being the subgroup with strong and homogeneous EGFR membrane localization, indicative of possible EGFR out/in signalling activation, an independent negative prognostic factor for overall survival of patients treated with an anti-angiogenic agent. This OC subgroup resulted statistically enriched of tumors of histotypes different than high grade serous lacking angiogenic molecular characteristics. At molecular level, among the EGFR-related molecular traits identified to be activated only in this patients' subgroup the crosstalk between EGFR with other RTKs also emerged. In vitro, we also showed a functional cross-talk between EGFR and AXL RTK; upon AXL silencing, the cells resulted more sensitive to EGFR targeting with erlotinib. CONCLUSIONS Strong and homogeneous cell membrane localization of EGFR, associated with specific transcriptional traits, can be considered a prognostic biomarker in OC patients and could be useful for a better OC patients' stratification and the identification of alternative therapeutic target/s in a personalized therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Forlani
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Vittorio Simeon
- Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Section of Statistics, Università Degli Studi Della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Biagio Paolini
- Department of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Marina Bagnoli
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Sabrina Chiara Cecere
- Urogynaecological Medical Oncology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Spina
- Microenvironment Molecular Targets Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Eleonora Citeroni
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Eliana Bignotti
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ASST Spedali Civili Di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- Angelo Nocivelli Institute of Molecular Medicine, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia- University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Domenica Lorusso
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Catholic University of Sacred Heart Largo Agostino Gemelli, and Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Arenare
- Clinical Trials Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Russo
- Microenvironment Molecular Targets Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmine De Angelis
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Ardighieri
- Department of Pathology, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Spedali Civili Di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giosuè Scognamiglio
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Michele Del Sesto
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Germana Tognon
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ASST Spedali Civili Di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Daniela Califano
- Microenvironment Molecular Targets Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Clorinda Schettino
- Clinical Trials Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Chiodini
- Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Section of Statistics, Università Degli Studi Della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Perrone
- Clinical Trials Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Delia Mezzanzanica
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
| | - Sandro Pignata
- Microenvironment Molecular Targets Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Tomassetti
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors, Department of Experimental Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
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3
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Fang Y, Imoukhuede PI. Axl and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptors Exhibit Variations in Membrane Localization and Heterogeneity Across Monolayer and Spheroid High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Models. GEN BIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 2:43-56. [PMID: 36873811 PMCID: PMC9976349 DOI: 10.1089/genbio.2022.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) and Axl are receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) that are targeted in ovarian cancer therapy. Two-dimensional monolayer culture and three-dimensional spheroids are common models for RTK-targeted drug screening: monolayers are simple and economical while spheroids include several genetic and histological tumor features. RTK membrane localization dictates RTK signaling and drug response, however, it is not characterized in these models. We quantify plasma membrane RTK concentrations and show differential RTK abundance and heterogeneity in monolayers versus spheroids. We show VEGFR1 concentrations on the plasma membrane to be 10 times higher in OVCAR8 spheroids than in monolayers; OVCAR8 spheroids are more heterogeneous than monolayers, exhibiting a bimodal distribution of a low-Axl (6200/cell) and a high-Axl subpopulation (25,000/cell). In addition, plasma membrane Axl concentrations differ by 100 times between chemosensitive (OVCAR3) and chemoresistant (OVCAR8) cells and by 10 times between chemoresistant cell lines (OVCAR5 vs. OVCAR8). These systematic findings can guide ovarian cancer model selection for drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingye Fang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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4
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Sun Q, Lu Z, Zhang Y, Xue D, Xia H, She J, Li F. Integrin β3 Promotes Resistance to EGFR-TKI in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer by Upregulating AXL through the YAP Pathway. Cells 2022; 11:cells11132078. [PMID: 35805163 PMCID: PMC9265629 DOI: 10.3390/cells11132078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrin β3 plays a key role in the resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI), but the development of integrin β3 inhibitors has been stalled due to the failure of phase III clinical trials for cancer treatment. Therefore, it is imperative to find a potentially effective solution to the problem of acquired resistance to EGFR-TKI for patients with integrin-β3 positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by exploring novel downstream targets and action mechanisms of integrin β3. In the present study, we observed that the expression of integrin β3 and AXL was significantly upregulated in erlotinib-resistant NSCLC cell lines, which was further confirmed clinically in tumor specimens from patients with NSCLC who developed acquired resistance to erlotinib. Through ectopic expression or knockdown, we found that AXL expression was positively regulated by integrin β3. In addition, integrin β3 promoted erlotinib resistance in NSCLC cells by upregulating AXL expression. Furthermore, the YAP pathway, rather than pathways associated with ERK or AKT, was involved in the regulation of AXL by integrin β3. To investigate the clinical significance of this finding, the current well-known AXL inhibitor R428 was tested, demonstrating that R428 significantly inhibited resistance to erlotinib, colony formation, epithelial–mesenchymal transformation and cell migration induced by integrin β3. In conclusion, integrin β3 could promote resistance to EGFR-TKI in NSCLC by upregulating the expression of AXL through the YAP pathway. Patients with advanced NSCLC, who are positive for integrin β3, might benefit from a combination of AXL inhibitors and EGFR-TKI therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China; (Q.S.); (D.X.); (J.S.)
| | - Zhihua Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao 266000, China;
| | - Yanpeng Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China;
| | - Dong Xue
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China; (Q.S.); (D.X.); (J.S.)
| | - Huayu Xia
- Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China;
| | - Junjun She
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China; (Q.S.); (D.X.); (J.S.)
| | - Fanni Li
- Department of Talent Highland, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
- Correspondence:
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5
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Engelsen AST, Lotsberg ML, Abou Khouzam R, Thiery JP, Lorens JB, Chouaib S, Terry S. Dissecting the Role of AXL in Cancer Immune Escape and Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibition. Front Immunol 2022; 13:869676. [PMID: 35572601 PMCID: PMC9092944 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.869676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The development and implementation of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICI) in clinical oncology have significantly improved the survival of a subset of cancer patients with metastatic disease previously considered uniformly lethal. However, the low response rates and the low number of patients with durable clinical responses remain major concerns and underscore the limited understanding of mechanisms regulating anti-tumor immunity and tumor immune resistance. There is an urgent unmet need for novel approaches to enhance the efficacy of ICI in the clinic, and for predictive tools that can accurately predict ICI responders based on the composition of their tumor microenvironment. The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) AXL has been associated with poor prognosis in numerous malignancies and the emergence of therapy resistance. AXL is a member of the TYRO3-AXL-MERTK (TAM) kinase family. Upon binding to its ligand GAS6, AXL regulates cell signaling cascades and cellular communication between various components of the tumor microenvironment, including cancer cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells. Converging evidence points to AXL as an attractive molecular target to overcome therapy resistance and immunosuppression, supported by the potential of AXL inhibitors to improve ICI efficacy. Here, we review the current literature on the prominent role of AXL in regulating cancer progression, with particular attention to its effects on anti-tumor immune response and resistance to ICI. We discuss future directions with the aim to understand better the complex role of AXL and TAM receptors in cancer and the potential value of this knowledge and targeted inhibition for the benefit of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnete S. T. Engelsen
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria L. Lotsberg
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Raefa Abou Khouzam
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jean-Paul Thiery
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
| | - James B. Lorens
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers and Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Salem Chouaib
- Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Stéphane Terry
- Inserm, UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Villejuif, France
- Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University Paris Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
- Research Department, Inovarion, Paris, France
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6
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AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase as a Promising Therapeutic Target Directing Multiple Aspects of Cancer Progression and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030466. [PMID: 35158733 PMCID: PMC8833413 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Metastasis is a complex process that requires the acquisition of certain traits by cancer cells as well as the cooperation of several non-neoplastic cells that populate the stroma. Cancer-related deaths are predominantly associated with complications arising from metastases. Limiting metastasis therefore represents an important clinical challenge. The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is required at many steps of the metastatic cascade and contributes to tumor microenvironment deregulation. In this review, we describe how AXL contributes to metastatic progression by governing various biological processes in cancer cells and in stromal cells, highlighting the potential of its inhibition. Abstract The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is emerging as a key player in tumor progression and metastasis and its expression correlates with poor survival in a plethora of cancers. While studies have shown the benefits of AXL inhibition for the treatment of metastatic cancers, additional roles for AXL in cancer progression are still being explored. This review discusses recent advances in understanding AXL’s functions in different tumor compartments including cancer, vascular, and immune cells. AXL is required at multiple steps of the metastatic cascade where its activation in cancer cells leads to EMT, invasion, survival, proliferation and therapy resistance. AXL activation in cancer cells and various stromal cells also results in tumor microenvironment deregulation, leading to modulation of angiogenesis, fibrosis, immune response and hypoxia. A better understanding of AXL’s role in these processes could lead to new therapeutic approaches that would benefit patients suffering from metastatic diseases.
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7
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Mullen MM, Lomonosova E, Toboni MD, Oplt A, Cybulla E, Blachut B, Zhao P, Noia H, Wilke D, Rankin EB, Kuroki LM, Hagemann AR, Hagemann IS, McCourt CK, Thaker PH, Mutch DG, Powell MA, Mosammaparast N, Vindigni A, Fuh KC. GAS6/AXL Inhibition Enhances Ovarian Cancer Sensitivity to Chemotherapy and PARP Inhibition through Increased DNA Damage and Enhanced Replication Stress. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 20:265-279. [PMID: 34670865 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-21-0302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Over 80% of women with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) develop tumor resistance to chemotherapy and die of their disease. There are currently no FDA-approved agents to improve sensitivity to first-line platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy or to PARP inhibitors. Here, we tested the hypothesis that expression of growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6), the ligand of receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, is associated with chemotherapy response and that sequestration of GAS6 with AVB-S6-500 (AVB-500) could improve tumor response to chemotherapy and PARP inhibitors. We found that GAS6 levels in patient tumor and serum samples collected before chemotherapy correlated with ovarian cancer chemoresponse and patient survival. Compared with chemotherapy alone, AVB-500 plus carboplatin and/or paclitaxel led to decreased ovarian cancer-cell survival in vitro and tumor burden in vivo. Cells treated with AVB-500 plus carboplatin had more DNA damage, slower DNA replication fork progression, and fewer RAD51 foci than cells treated with carboplatin alone, indicating AVB-500 impaired homologous recombination (HR). Finally, treatment with the PARP inhibitor olaparib plus AVB-500 led to decreased ovarian cancer-cell survival in vitro and less tumor burden in vivo. Importantly, this effect was seen in HR-proficient and HR-deficient ovarian cancer cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that GAS6 levels could be used to predict response to carboplatin and AVB-500 could be used to treat platinum-resistant, HR-proficient HGSOC. IMPLICATIONS: GAS6/AXL is a novel target to sensitize ovarian cancers to carboplatin and olaparib. Additionally, GAS6 levels can be associated with response to carboplatin treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary M Mullen
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Elena Lomonosova
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Michael D Toboni
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Alyssa Oplt
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Emily Cybulla
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.,Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Barbara Blachut
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Peinan Zhao
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Hollie Noia
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Daniel Wilke
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Erinn B Rankin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California. Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Lindsay M Kuroki
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Andrea R Hagemann
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Ian S Hagemann
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.,Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Carolyn K McCourt
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Premal H Thaker
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - David G Mutch
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Matthew A Powell
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Nima Mosammaparast
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Alessandro Vindigni
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Katherine C Fuh
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.
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8
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Novoyatleva T, Rai N, Kojonazarov B, Veeroju S, Ben-Batalla I, Caruso P, Shihan M, Presser N, Götz E, Lepper C, Herpel S, Manaud G, Perros F, Gall H, Ghofrani HA, Weissmann N, Grimminger F, Wharton J, Wilkins M, Upton PD, Loges S, Morrell NW, Seeger W, Schermuly RT. Deficiency of Axl aggravates pulmonary arterial hypertension via BMPR2. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1002. [PMID: 34429509 PMCID: PMC8385080 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02531-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is a fatal disease characterized by a pseudo-malignant phenotype. We investigated the expression and the role of the receptor tyrosine kinase Axl in experimental (i.e., monocrotaline and Su5416/hypoxia treated rats) and clinical PAH. In vitro Axl inhibition by R428 and Axl knock-down inhibited growth factor-driven proliferation and migration of non-PAH and PAH PASMCs. Conversely, Axl overexpression conferred a growth advantage. Axl declined in PAECs of PAH patients. Axl blockage inhibited BMP9 signaling and increased PAEC apoptosis, while BMP9 induced Axl phosphorylation. Gas6 induced SMAD1/5/8 phosphorylation and ID1/ID2 increase were blunted by BMP signaling obstruction. Axl association with BMPR2 was facilitated by Gas6/BMP9 stimulation and diminished by R428. In vivo R428 aggravated right ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction, abrogated BMPR2 signaling, elevated pulmonary endothelial cell apoptosis and loss. Together, Axl is a key regulator of endothelial BMPR2 signaling and potential determinant of PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana Novoyatleva
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Nabham Rai
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Baktybek Kojonazarov
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Lung Health, Giessen, Germany
| | - Swathi Veeroju
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Isabel Ben-Batalla
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paola Caruso
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mazen Shihan
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Nadine Presser
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Elsa Götz
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Carina Lepper
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Herpel
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Grégoire Manaud
- Université Paris-Saclay, AP-HP, INSERM UMR_S 999, Service de Pneumologie et Soins Intensifs Respiratoires, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Frédéric Perros
- Université Paris-Saclay, AP-HP, INSERM UMR_S 999, Service de Pneumologie et Soins Intensifs Respiratoires, Hôpital de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Henning Gall
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Hossein Ardeschir Ghofrani
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Norbert Weissmann
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Friedrich Grimminger
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - John Wharton
- Centre for Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Martin Wilkins
- Centre for Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paul D Upton
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sonja Loges
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation with section Pneumology, Hubertus Wald University Comprehensive Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Tumor Biology, Center of Experimental Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Werner Seeger
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Ralph T Schermuly
- Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC), Excellence Cluster Cardio-Pulmonary System (ECCPS), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
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9
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Wang KH, Ding DC. Dual targeting of TAM receptors Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK: Role in tumors and the tumor immune microenvironment. Tzu Chi Med J 2020; 33:250-256. [PMID: 34386362 PMCID: PMC8323642 DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_129_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In both normal and tumor tissues, receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) may be pleiotropically expressed. The RTKs not only regulate ordinary cellular processes, including proliferation, survival, adhesion, and migration, but also have a critical role in the development of many types of cancer. The Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK (TAM) family of RTKs (Tyro3, Axl, and MerTK) plays a pleiotropic role in phagocytosis, inflammation, and normal cellular processes. In this article, we highlight the cellular activities of TAM receptors and discuss their roles in cancer and immune cells. We also discuss cancer therapies that target TAM receptors. Further research is needed to elucidate the function of TAM receptors in immune cells toward the development of new targeted immunotherapies for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Hung Wang
- Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Dah-Ching Ding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation and Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
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10
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Sarukhanyan E, Shityakov S, Dandekar T. Rational Drug Design of Axl Tyrosine Kinase Type I Inhibitors as Promising Candidates Against Cancer. Front Chem 2020; 7:920. [PMID: 32117858 PMCID: PMC7010640 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The high level of Axl tyrosine kinase expression in various cancer cell lines makes it an attractive target for the development of anti-cancer drugs. In this study, we carried out several sets of in silico screening for the ATP-competitive Axl kinase inhibitors based on different molecular docking protocols. The best drug-like candidates were identified, after parental structure modifications, by their highest affinity to the target protein. We found that our newly designed compound R5, a derivative of the R428 patented analog, is the most promising inhibitor of the Axl kinase according to the three molecular docking algorithms applied in the study. The molecular docking results are in agreement with the molecular dynamics simulations using the MM-PBSA/GBSA implicit solvation models, which confirm the high affinity of R5 toward the protein receptor. Additionally, the selectivity test against other kinases also reveals a high affinity of R5 toward ABL1 and Tyro3 kinases, emphasizing its promising potential for the treatment of malignant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edita Sarukhanyan
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sergey Shityakov
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Mind-Body Interface Laboratory (MBI-Lab), China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Thomas Dandekar
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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11
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Burstyn-Cohen T, Maimon A. TAM receptors, Phosphatidylserine, inflammation, and Cancer. Cell Commun Signal 2019; 17:156. [PMID: 31775787 PMCID: PMC6881992 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-019-0461-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract The numerous and diverse biological roles of Phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) are featured in this special issue. This review will focus on PtdSer as a cofactor required for stimulating TYRO3, AXL and MERTK – comprising the TAM family of receptor tyrosine kinases by their ligands Protein S (PROS1) and growth-arrest-specific 6 (GAS6) in inflammation and cancer. As PtdSer binding to TAMs is a requirement for their activation, the biological repertoire of PtdSer is now recognized to be broadened to include functions performed by TAMs. These include key homeostatic roles necessary for preserving a healthy steady state in different tissues, controlling inflammation and further additional roles in diseased states and cancer. The impact of PtdSer on inflammation and cancer through TAM signaling is a highly dynamic field of research. This review will focus on PtdSer as a necessary component of the TAM receptor-ligand complex, and for maximal TAM signaling. In particular, interactions between tumor cells and their immediate environment - the tumor microenvironment (TME) are highlighted, as both cancer cells and TME express TAMs and secrete their ligands, providing a nexus for a multifold of cross-signaling pathways which affects both immune cells and inflammation as well as tumor cell biology and growth. Here, we will highlight the current and emerging knowledge on the implications of PtdSer on TAM signaling, inflammation and cancer. Graphical Abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Burstyn-Cohen
- Institute for Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Avi Maimon
- Institute for Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel
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12
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Tu Y, Zuo R, Ni N, Eilers G, Wu D, Pei Y, Nie Z, Wu Y, Wu Y, Ou WB. Activated tyrosine kinases in gastrointestinal stromal tumor with loss of KIT oncoprotein expression. Cell Cycle 2018; 17:2577-2592. [PMID: 30488756 PMCID: PMC6300111 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2018.1553335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic KIT or PDGFRA receptor tyrosine kinase (TK) mutations are compelling therapeutic targets in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), and the KIT/PDGFRA kinase inhibitor, imatinib, is the standard of care for patients with metastatic GIST. However, approximately 10% of KIT-positive GIST metastases lose KIT expression at the time of clinical progression during imatinib therapy. In the present report, we performed TK-activation screens, using phosphotyrosine-TK double immunoaffinity purification and mass spectrometry, in GIST in vitro models lacking KIT expression. These studies demonstrated tyrosine-phosphorylated EGFR, AXL, and EPHA2 in four of six KIT-negative GIST lines (GIST62, GIST522, GIST54, GIST226, GIST48B, and GIST430B), and tyrosine-phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in each of the six KIT-negative lines. AXL expression was strong in KIT-negative or -weak clinical GIST samples that were obtained from progressing metastases during imatinib therapy. AXL knockdown inhibited viability in three KIT-negative GIST cell lines (GIST62, GIST54, and GIST522), but not in an AXL-negative, KIT-positive GIST control cell line (GIST430). AXL inhibition by R428, a specific AXL kinase inhibitor, reduced viability in AXL-activated GIST54. AXL knockdown in GIST62, GIST522, and GIST54 was accompanied by an increase in p21, p27, and p53 expression. By contrast, gefitinib-mediated EGFR inhibition, PF562271-mediated FAK inactivation, and shRNA-mediated knockdowns of EPHA2 and FAK had no effect on viability or colony formation of the KIT-negative GISTs. These findings highlight the potential relevance of AXL/p53 signaling as a therapeutic target in a subset of GISTs that have lost KIT oncoprotein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Tu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rui Zuo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nan Ni
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Grant Eilers
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Duolin Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuting Pei
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zuoming Nie
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yeqing Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuehong Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China,Yuehong Wu
| | - Wen-Bin Ou
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Silkworm Bioreactor and Biomedicine, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Enzymology, Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Tsinghua University, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China,CONTACT Wen-Bin Ou
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13
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Rea K, Roggiani F, De Cecco L, Raspagliesi F, Carcangiu ML, Nair-Menon J, Bagnoli M, Bortolomai I, Mezzanzanica D, Canevari S, Kourtidis A, Anastasiadis PZ, Tomassetti A. Simultaneous E-cadherin and PLEKHA7 expression negatively affects E-cadherin/EGFR mediated ovarian cancer cell growth. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2018; 37:146. [PMID: 29996940 PMCID: PMC6042237 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-018-0796-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background The disruption of E-cadherin-mediated adhesion is considered an important driver of tumor progression. Nevertheless, numerous studies have demonstrated that E-cadherin promotes growth- or invasion-related signaling, contrary to the prevailing notion. During tumor progression, epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) maintains E-cadherin expression and can positively affect EOC cell growth by contributing to PI3K/AKT activation. In polarized epithelia PLEKHA7, a regulator of the zonula adherens integrity, impinges E-cadherin functionality, but its role in EOCs has been never studied. Methods Ex-vivo EOC cells and cell lines were used to study E-cadherin contribution to growth and EGFR activation. The expression of the proteins involved was assessed by real time RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Cells growth and drug susceptibility was monitored in different 3-dimensional (3D) systems. Recombinant lentivirus-mediated gene expression, western blotting, immunoprecipitation and confocal microscopy were applied to investigate the biological impact of PLEKHA7 on E-cadherin behaviour. The clinical impact of PLEKHA7 was determined in publicly available datasets. Results We show that E-cadherin expression contributes to growth of EOC cells and forms a complex with EGFR thus positively affecting ligand-dependent EGFR/CDK5 signaling. Accordingly, 3D cultures of E-cadherin-expressing EOC cells are sensitive to the CDK5 inhibitor roscovitine combined with cisplatin. We determined that PLEKHA7 overexpression reduces the formation of E-cadherin-EGFR complex, EGFR activation and cell tumorigenicity. Clinically, PLEKHA7 mRNA is statistically decreased in high grade EOCs respect to low malignant potential and low grade EOCs and correlates with better EOC patient outcome. Conclusions These data represent a significant step towards untangling the role of E-cadherin in EOCs by assessing its positive effects on EGFR/CDK5 signaling and its contribution to cell growth. Hence, the inhibition of this signaling using a CDK5 inhibitor exerts a synergistic effect with cisplatin prompting on the design of new therapeutic strategies to inhibit growth of EOC cells. We assessed for the first time in EOC cells that PLEKHA7 induces changes in the asset of E-cadherin-containing cell-cell contacts thus inhibiting E-cadherin/EGFR crosstalk and leading to a less aggressive tumor phenotype. Accordingly, PLEKHA7 levels are lower in high grade EOC patient tumors and EOC patients with better outcomes display higher PLEKHA7 levels. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-018-0796-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia Rea
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Research, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Roggiani
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Research, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Loris De Cecco
- Genomics, Department of Applied Research and Technology Development, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Maria Luisa Carcangiu
- Unit of Anatomic Pathology I, Deparment of Anatomic Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Joyce Nair-Menon
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Marina Bagnoli
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Research, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Ileana Bortolomai
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Research, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy.,Present address: Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-TIGET), Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy.,Department of Cancer Biology, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Delia Mezzanzanica
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Research, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvana Canevari
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Research, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonis Kourtidis
- Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Panos Z Anastasiadis
- Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Antonella Tomassetti
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Research, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy.
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14
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Antony J, Zanini E, Kelly Z, Tan TZ, Karali E, Alomary M, Jung Y, Nixon K, Cunnea P, Fotopoulou C, Paterson A, Roy-Nawathe S, Mills GB, Huang RYJ, Thiery JP, Gabra H, Recchi C. The tumour suppressor OPCML promotes AXL inactivation by the phosphatase PTPRG in ovarian cancer. EMBO Rep 2018; 19:embr.201745670. [PMID: 29907679 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201745670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In ovarian cancer, the prometastatic RTK AXL promotes motility, invasion and poor prognosis. Here, we show that reduced survival caused by AXL overexpression can be mitigated by the expression of the GPI-anchored tumour suppressor OPCML Further, we demonstrate that AXL directly interacts with OPCML, preferentially so when AXL is activated by its ligand Gas6. As a consequence, AXL accumulates in cholesterol-rich lipid domains, where OPCML resides. Here, phospho-AXL is brought in proximity to the lipid domain-restricted phosphatase PTPRG, which de-phosphorylates the RTK/ligand complex. This prevents AXL-mediated transactivation of other RTKs (cMET and EGFR), thereby inhibiting sustained phospho-ERK signalling, induction of the EMT transcription factor Slug, cell migration and invasion. From a translational perspective, we show that OPCML enhances the effect of the phase II AXL inhibitor R428 in vitro and in vivo We therefore identify a novel mechanism by which two spatially restricted tumour suppressors, OPCML and PTPRG, coordinate to repress AXL-dependent oncogenic signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Antony
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Elisa Zanini
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Zoe Kelly
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Tuan Zea Tan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Evdoxia Karali
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mohammad Alomary
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Youngrock Jung
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Katherine Nixon
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paula Cunnea
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Christina Fotopoulou
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Paterson
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sushmita Roy-Nawathe
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Gordon B Mills
- Division of Basic Science Research, Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ruby Yun-Ju Huang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jean Paul Thiery
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hani Gabra
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK .,Early Clinical Development, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Chiara Recchi
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
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15
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Guo Z, Li Y, Zhang D, Ma J. Axl inhibition induces the antitumor immune response which can be further potentiated by PD-1 blockade in the mouse cancer models. Oncotarget 2017; 8:89761-89774. [PMID: 29163786 PMCID: PMC5685707 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.21125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockers (ICB) have emerged as a promising new class of antitumor agents which significantly change the treatment landscape in a range of tumors; however, cancer patients benefited from ICB-based immunotherapy remains limited, scoring the need to explore the combination treatments with synergistic mechanisms of action. Axl receptor tyrosine kinase critically involves in the carcinogenesis of multiple cancers due to its dual roles in both promoting cancer invasion and metastasis and suppressing myeloid cell activation and function. Here, we found that Axl inhibition by tyrosine kinase inhibitors induces antitumor efficacy critically depending on immune effector mechanisms in two highly clinical relevant murine tumor models. Mechanistic investigation defined that Axl inhibition reprograms the immunological microenvironment leading to the increased proliferation, activation and effector function of tumor-infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells possibly through preferential accumulation and activation of CD103+ cross-presenting dendritic cells. More importantly, we show that Axl inhibition induces an adaptive immune resistance evidenced by unregulated PD-L1 expression on tumor cells and combined Axl inhibition with PD-1 blockade mounts a potent synergistic antitumor efficacy leading to tumor eradication. Thus, Axl-directed therapy in Axl expressing tumors could hold a great potential to subvert the innate and/or adaptive resistance to and broaden the coverage of population benefited from ICB-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Guo
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, ShenYang, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, ShenYang, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, ShenYang, China
| | - Jiaying Ma
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, ShenYang, China
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16
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Protein S drives oral squamous cell carcinoma tumorigenicity through regulation of AXL. Oncotarget 2017; 8:13986-14002. [PMID: 28118606 PMCID: PMC5355156 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.14753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The TAM family of proto-oncogenic receptor protein tyrosine kinases, comprising of TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK, is implicated in many human cancers. Their activation leads to cancer cell proliferation, enhanced migration, invasion, and drug resistance; however how TAMs are activated in cancers is less understood. We previously showed that Protein S (PROS1) is a ligand of the TAM receptors. Here we identify PROS1 as a mediator of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) in proliferation, cell survival and migration. We demonstrate that excess PROS1 induces OSCC proliferation and migration. Conversely, blocking endogenous PROS1 expression using shRNA significantly inhibits cell proliferation and migration in culture. This inhibition was rescued by the addition of purified PROS1. Moreover, PROS1 knockdown reduced anchorage-independent growth in-vitro, reduced tumor xenograft growth in nude mice and altered their differentiation profile. Mechanistically, we identify the downregulation of AXL transcripts and protein following PROS1 knockdown. Re-introducing PROS1 rescues AXL expression both at the protein and transcriptional levels. The anti-proliferative effect of the AXL inhibitor R428 was significantly reduced following PROS1 inhibition, indicating the functional significance of PROS1-mediated regulation of AXL in OSCC. Taken together, we identify PROS1 as a driver of OSCC tumor growth and a modulator of AXL expression. Our results point to PROS1 as a potential novel anti-cancer therapeutic target.
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17
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Antony J, Huang RYJ. AXL-Driven EMT State as a Targetable Conduit in Cancer. Cancer Res 2017; 77:3725-3732. [PMID: 28667075 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-0392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) AXL has been intrinsically linked to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promoting cell survival, anoikis resistance, invasion, and metastasis in several cancers. AXL signaling has been shown to directly affect the mesenchymal state and confer it with aggressive phenotype and drug resistance. Recently, the EMT gradient has also been shown to rewire the kinase signaling nodes that facilitate AXL-RTK cross-talk, protracted signaling, converging on ERK, and PI3K axes. The molecular mechanisms underplaying the regulation between the kinome and EMT require further elucidation to define targetable conduits. Therapeutically, as AXL inhibition has shown EMT reversal and resensitization to other tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mitotic inhibitors, and platinum-based therapy, there is a need to stratify patients based on AXL dependence. This review elucidates the role of AXL in EMT-mediated oncogenesis and highlights the reciprocal control between AXL signaling and the EMT state. In addition, we review the potential in inhibiting AXL for the development of different therapeutic strategies and inhibitors. Cancer Res; 77(14); 3725-32. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Antony
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ruby Yun-Ju Huang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore. .,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National University Health System, Singapore.,Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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18
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Volk DE, Lokesh GLR. Development of Phosphorothioate DNA and DNA Thioaptamers. Biomedicines 2017; 5:E41. [PMID: 28703779 PMCID: PMC5618299 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines5030041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers are short RNA- or DNA-based affinity reagents typically selected from combinatorial libraries to bind to a specific target such as a protein, a small molecule, whole cells or even animals. Aptamers have utility in the development of diagnostic, imaging and therapeutic applications due to their size, physico-chemical nature and ease of synthesis and modification to suit the application. A variety of oligonucleotide modifications have been used to enhance the stability of aptamers from nuclease degradation in vivo. The non-bridging oxygen atoms of the phosphodiester backbones of RNA and DNA aptamers can be substituted with one or two sulfur atoms, resulting in thioaptamers with phosphorothioate or phosphorodithioate linkages, respectively. Such thioaptamers are known to have increased binding affinity towards their target, as well as enhanced resistance to nuclease degradation. In this review, we discuss the development of phosphorothioate chemistry and thioaptamers, with a brief review of selection methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Volk
- McGovern Medical School, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Ganesh L R Lokesh
- McGovern Medical School, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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19
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Kanlikilicer P, Ozpolat B, Aslan B, Bayraktar R, Gurbuz N, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, Bayraktar E, Denizli M, Gonzalez-Villasana V, Ivan C, Lokesh GLR, Amero P, Catuogno S, Haemmerle M, Wu SYY, Mitra R, Gorenstein DG, Volk DE, de Franciscis V, Sood AK, Lopez-Berestein G. Therapeutic Targeting of AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibits Tumor Growth and Intraperitoneal Metastasis in Ovarian Cancer Models. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2017; 9:251-262. [PMID: 29246304 PMCID: PMC5675720 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2017.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite substantial improvements in the treatment strategies, ovarian cancer is still the most lethal gynecological malignancy. Identification of drug treatable therapeutic targets and their safe and effective targeting is critical to improve patient survival in ovarian cancer. AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) has been proposed to be an important therapeutic target for metastatic and advanced-stage human ovarian cancer. We found that AXL-RTK expression is associated with significantly shorter patient survival based on the The Cancer Genome Atlas patient database. To target AXL-RTK, we developed a chemically modified serum nuclease-stable AXL aptamer (AXL-APTAMER), and we evaluated its in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity using in vitro assays as well as two intraperitoneal animal models. AXL-aptamer treatment inhibited the phosphorylation and the activity of AXL, impaired the migration and invasion ability of ovarian cancer cells, and led to the inhibition of tumor growth and number of intraperitoneal metastatic nodules, which was associated with the inhibition of AXL activity and angiogenesis in tumors. When combined with paclitaxel, in vivo systemic (intravenous [i.v.]) administration of AXL-aptamer treatment markedly enhanced the antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel in mice. Taken together, our data indicate that AXL-aptamers successfully target in vivo AXL-RTK and inhibit its AXL activity and tumor growth and progression, representing a promising strategy for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinar Kanlikilicer
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bulent Ozpolat
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Burcu Aslan
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Recep Bayraktar
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nilgun Gurbuz
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cristian Rodriguez-Aguayo
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Emine Bayraktar
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Merve Denizli
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Vianey Gonzalez-Villasana
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cristina Ivan
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ganesh L R Lokesh
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Paola Amero
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Silvia Catuogno
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale, CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Monika Haemmerle
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sherry Yen-Yao Wu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rahul Mitra
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - David G Gorenstein
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - David E Volk
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Anil K Sood
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gabriel Lopez-Berestein
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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20
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Elevation of YAP promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor aggressiveness in colorectal cancer. Exp Cell Res 2017; 350:218-225. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2016.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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21
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Sensi M, Canevari S, Tomassetti A. Axl in ovarian cancer: a step forward for clinical breakthrough? Oncotarget 2016; 7:80105-80106. [PMID: 27876698 PMCID: PMC5348305 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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22
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The Receptor Tyrosine Kinase AXL in Cancer Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2016; 8:cancers8110103. [PMID: 27834845 PMCID: PMC5126763 DOI: 10.3390/cancers8110103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (AXL) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for cancer therapy. Recent studies have revealed a central role of AXL signaling in tumor proliferation, survival, stem cell phenotype, metastasis, and resistance to cancer therapy. Moreover, AXL is expressed within cellular components of the tumor microenvironment where AXL signaling contributes to the immunosuppressive and protumorigenic phenotypes. A variety of AXL inhibitors have been developed and are efficacious in preclinical studies. These agents offer new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in the prevention and treatment of advanced disease. Here we review the literature that has illuminated the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which AXL signaling promotes tumor progression and we will discuss the therapeutic potential of AXL inhibition for cancer therapy.
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23
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Antony J, Tan TZ, Kelly Z, Low J, Choolani M, Recchi C, Gabra H, Thiery JP, Huang RYJ. The GAS6-AXL signaling network is a mesenchymal (Mes) molecular subtype-specific therapeutic target for ovarian cancer. Sci Signal 2016; 9:ra97. [PMID: 27703030 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aaf8175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a complex disease with heterogeneity among the gene expression molecular subtypes (GEMS) between patients. Patients with tumors of a mesenchymal ("Mes") subtype have a poorer prognosis than patients with tumors of an epithelial ("Epi") subtype. We evaluated GEMS of ovarian cancer patients for molecular signaling profiles and assessed how the differences in these profiles could be leveraged to improve patient clinical outcome. Kinome enrichment analysis identified AXL as a particularly abundant kinase in Mes-subtype tumor tissue and cell lines. In Mes cells, upon activation by its ligand GAS6, AXL coclustered with and transactivated the receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) cMET, EGFR, and HER2, producing sustained extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation. In Epi-A cells, AXL was less abundant and induced a transient activation of ERK without evidence of RTK transactivation. AXL-RTK crosstalk also stimulated sustained activation of the transcription factor FRA1, which correlated with the induction of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated transcription factor SLUG and stimulation of motility exclusively in Mes-subtype cells. The AXL inhibitor R428 attenuated RTK and ERK activation and reduced cell motility in Mes cells in culture and reduced tumor growth in a chick chorioallantoic membrane model. A higher concentration of R428 was needed to inhibit ERK activation and cell motility in Epi-A cells. Silencing AXL in Mes-subtype cells reversed the mesenchymal phenotype in culture and abolished tumor formation in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Thus, AXL-targeted therapy may improve clinical outcome for patients with Mes-subtype ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Antony
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore. NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, Singapore. Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London W120NN, U.K
| | - Tuan Zea Tan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
| | - Zoe Kelly
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London W120NN, U.K
| | - Jeffrey Low
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National University Health System, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Mahesh Choolani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National University Health System, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Chiara Recchi
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London W120NN, U.K
| | - Hani Gabra
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London W120NN, U.K
| | - Jean Paul Thiery
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore. Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117596, Singapore. Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Ruby Yun-Ju Huang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National University Health System, Singapore 119228, Singapore. Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.
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24
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Roggiani F, Mezzanzanica D, Rea K, Tomassetti A. Guidance of Signaling Activations by Cadherins and Integrins in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17091387. [PMID: 27563880 PMCID: PMC5037667 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17091387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Revised: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the deadliest tumor among gynecological cancer in the industrialized countries. The EOC incidence and mortality have remained unchanged over the last 30 years, despite the progress in diagnosis and treatment. In order to develop novel and more effective therapeutic approaches, the molecular mechanisms involved in EOC progression have been thoroughly investigated in the last few decades. At the late stage, peritoneal metastases originate from the attachment of small clusters of cancer cells that shed from the primary site and carried by the ascites adhere to the abdominal peritoneum or omentum. This behavior suggests that cell–cell or cell–matrix adhesion mechanisms regulate EOC growth and dissemination. Complex downstream signalings, which might be influenced by functional cross-talk between adhesion molecules and co-expressed and activated signaling proteins, can affect the proliferation/survival and the migration/invasion of EOC cells. This review aimed to define the impact of the mechanisms of cell–cell, through cadherins, and cell–extracellular matrix adhesion, through integrins, on the signaling cascades induced by membrane receptors and cytoplasmic proteins known to have a role in the proliferation, migration and invasion of EOC cells. Finally, some novel approaches using peptidomimetic ligands to cadherin and integrins are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Roggiani
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Delia Mezzanzanica
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Katia Rea
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, Milan 20133, Italy.
| | - Antonella Tomassetti
- Unit of Molecular Therapies, Department of Experimental Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, Milan 20133, Italy.
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25
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Abstract
The interaction between Axl receptor tyrosine kinase and its main ligand Gas6 has been implicated in the progression of a wide number of malignancies. More recently, overexpression of Axl has emerged as a key molecular determinant underlying the development of acquired resistance to targeted anticancer agents. The activation of Axl is overexpression-dependent and controls a number of hallmarks of cancer progression including proliferation, migration, resistance to apoptosis and survival through a complex network of intracellular second messengers. Axl has been noted to influence clinically meaningful end points including metastatic recurrence and survival in the vast majority of tumour types. With Axl inhibitors having gained momentum as novel anticancer therapies, we provide an overview of the biological and clinical relevance of this molecular pathway, outlining the main directions of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Brown
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - James R M Black
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Rohini Sharma
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Justin Stebbing
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - David J Pinato
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
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26
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Scaltriti M, Elkabets M, Baselga J. Molecular Pathways: AXL, a Membrane Receptor Mediator of Resistance to Therapy. Clin Cancer Res 2016; 22:1313-7. [PMID: 26763248 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-15-1458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
AXL is a tyrosine kinase membrane receptor that signals via PI3K, MAPK, and protein kinase C (PKC), among other pathways. AXL has oncogenic potential and interacts with other membrane receptors, depending on their relative abundance and availability. The increased expression of AXL in cancer is often the result of pharmacologic selective pressure to a number of chemotherapies and targeted therapies and acts as a mechanism of acquired drug resistance. This resistance phenotype, frequently accompanied by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, can be reversed by AXL inhibition. In tumors with high levels of EGFR, including lung, head and neck, and triple-negative breast cancer, AXL dimerizes with this receptor and initiates signaling that circumvents the antitumor effects of anti-EGFR therapies. Likewise, AXL overexpression and dimerization with EGFR can overcome PI3K inhibition by activating the phospholipase C-γ-PKC cascade that, in turn, sustains mTORC1 activity. The causative role of AXL in inducing drug resistance is underscored by the fact that the suppression of AXL restores sensitivity to these agents. Hence, these observations indicate that AXL is selectively expressed in tumor cells refractory to therapy and that cotargeting AXL in this setting would potentially overcome drug resistance. The use of AXL inhibitors should be considered in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Scaltriti
- Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (HOPP), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
| | - Moshe Elkabets
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - José Baselga
- Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (HOPP), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
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27
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Yeung TL, Leung CS, Li F, Wong SST, Mok SC. Targeting Stromal-Cancer Cell Crosstalk Networks in Ovarian Cancer Treatment. Biomolecules 2016; 6:3. [PMID: 26751490 PMCID: PMC4808797 DOI: 10.3390/biom6010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Revised: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a histologically, clinically, and molecularly diverse disease with a five-year survival rate of less than 30%. It has been estimated that approximately 21,980 new cases of epithelial ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and 14,270 deaths will occur in the United States in 2015, making it the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Ovarian tumor tissue is composed of cancer cells and a collection of different stromal cells. There is increasing evidence that demonstrates that stromal involvement is important in ovarian cancer pathogenesis. Therefore, stroma-specific signaling pathways, stroma-derived factors, and genetic changes in the tumor stroma present unique opportunities for improving the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the major components of the tumor stroma that have demonstrated supportive roles in tumor progression. In this review, we highlight various types of signaling crosstalk between ovarian cancer cells and stromal cells, particularly with CAFs. In addition to evaluating the importance of signaling crosstalk in ovarian cancer progression, we discuss approaches that can be used to target tumor-promoting signaling crosstalk and how these approaches can be translated into potential ovarian cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsz-Lun Yeung
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Cecilia S Leung
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Fuhai Li
- Department of Systems Medicine and Bioengineering, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Stephen S T Wong
- Department of Systems Medicine and Bioengineering, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- National Cancer Institute Center for Modeling Cancer Development, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Samuel C Mok
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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