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Sweed D, Elhamed SMA, Aiad HAS, Ehsan NA, Hemida AS, Dawoud MM. STIM1/SOX2 proteins are co-expressed in the tumor and microenvironmental stromal cells of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and ampullary carcinoma. World J Surg Oncol 2024; 22:84. [PMID: 38532463 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-024-03356-y] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and ampullary carcinoma (AAC) are lethal malignancies with modest benefits from surgery. SOX2 and STIM1 have been linked to anticancer activity in several human malignancies. This study included 94 tumor cases: 48 primary PDAC, 25 metastatic PDAC, and 21 primary AAC with corresponding non-tumor tissue. All cases were immunohistochemically stained for STIM1 and SOX2 and results were correlated with clinicopathologic data, patient survival, and BCL2 immunostaining results. Results revealed that STIM1 and SOX2 epithelial/stromal expressions were significantly higher in PDAC and AAC in comparison to the control groups. STIM1 and SOX2 expressions were positively correlated in the primary and metastatic PDAC (P = 0.016 and, P = 0.001, respectively). However, their expressions were not significantly associated with BCL2 expression. SOX2 epithelial/stromal expressions were positively correlated with the large tumor size in the primary AAC group (P = 0.052, P = 0.044, respectively). STIM1 stromal and SOX2 epithelial over-expressions had a bad prognostic impact on the overall survival of AAC (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001, respectively). Therefore, STIM1 and SOX2 co-expression in tumor cells and intra-tumoral stroma could contribute to the development of PDAC and AAC. STIM1/SOX2 expression is linked to a bad prognosis in AAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Sweed
- Pathology Department, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shibin Al Koom, Egypt
| | | | - Hayam Abdel Samie Aiad
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shibin Al Koom, 32511, Egypt
| | - Nermine Ahmed Ehsan
- Pathology Department, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shibin Al Koom, Egypt
| | - Aiat Shaban Hemida
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shibin Al Koom, 32511, Egypt
| | - Marwa Mohammed Dawoud
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shibin Al Koom, 32511, Egypt.
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2
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Yang K, Yi T. Tumor cell stemness in gastrointestinal cancer: regulation and targeted therapy. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 10:1297611. [PMID: 38455361 PMCID: PMC10918437 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1297611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The cancer stem cells are a rare group of self-renewable cancer cells capable of the initiation, progression, metastasis and recurrence of tumors, and also a key contributor to the therapeutic resistance. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanism of tumor stemness regulation, especially in the gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, is of great importance for targeting CSC and designing novel therapeutic strategies. This review aims to elucidate current advancements in the understanding of CSC regulation, including CSC biomarkers, signaling pathways, and non-coding RNAs. We will also provide a comprehensive view on how the tumor microenvironment (TME) display an overall tumor-promoting effect, including the recruitment and impact of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the establishment of an immunosuppressive milieu, and the induction of angiogenesis and hypoxia. Lastly, this review consolidates mainstream novel therapeutic interventions targeting CSC stemness regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangqi Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tuo Yi
- Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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3
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Philipp LM, Yesilyurt UU, Surrow A, Künstner A, Mehdorn AS, Hauser C, Gundlach JP, Will O, Hoffmann P, Stahmer L, Franzenburg S, Knaack H, Schumacher U, Busch H, Sebens S. Epithelial and Mesenchymal-like Pancreatic Cancer Cells Exhibit Different Stem Cell Phenotypes Associated with Different Metastatic Propensities. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:686. [PMID: 38398077 PMCID: PMC10886860 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040686] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is mostly diagnosed at advanced or even metastasized stages, limiting the prognoses of patients. Metastasis requires high tumor cell plasticity, implying phenotypic switching in response to changing environments. Here, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), being associated with an increase in cancer stem cell (CSC) properties, and its reversion are important. Since it is poorly understood whether different CSC phenotypes exist along the EMT axis and how these impact malignancy-associated properties, we aimed to characterize CSC populations of epithelial and mesenchymal-like PDAC cells. Single-cell cloning revealed CSC (Holoclone) and non-CSC (Paraclone) clones from the PDAC cell lines Panc1 and Panc89. The Panc1 Holoclone cells showed a mesenchymal-like phenotype, dominated by a high expression of the stemness marker Nestin, while the Panc89 Holoclone cells exhibited a SOX2-dominated epithelial phenotype. The Panc89 Holoclone cells showed enhanced cell growth and a self-renewal capacity but slow cluster-like invasion. Contrarily, the Panc1 Holoclone cells showed slower cell growth and self-renewal ability but were highly invasive. Moreover, cell variants differentially responded to chemotherapy. In vivo, the Panc1 and Panc89 cell variants significantly differed regarding the number and size of metastases, as well as organ manifestation, leading to different survival outcomes. Overall, these data support the existence of different CSC phenotypes along the EMT axis in PDAC, manifesting different metastatic propensities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Marie Philipp
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Umut-Ulas Yesilyurt
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Arne Surrow
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Axel Künstner
- Medical Systems Biology Group, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Anne-Sophie Mehdorn
- Department of General, Visceral-, Thoracic-, Transplantation- and Pediatric Surgery, UKSH, Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Charlotte Hauser
- Department of General, Visceral-, Thoracic-, Transplantation- and Pediatric Surgery, UKSH, Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Jan-Paul Gundlach
- Department of General, Visceral-, Thoracic-, Transplantation- and Pediatric Surgery, UKSH, Campus Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Olga Will
- Molecular Imaging North Competence Center, Clinic of Radiology and Neuroradiology, Kiel University, UKSH, Campus Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Patrick Hoffmann
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Lea Stahmer
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
| | - Sören Franzenburg
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Hendrike Knaack
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
- Academic Affairs Office, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Udo Schumacher
- Department of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hauke Busch
- Medical Systems Biology Group, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Institute for Cardiogenetics, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Susanne Sebens
- Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Kiel University, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), Campus Kiel, 23562 Kiel, Germany
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4
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Fleifel D, Cook JG. G1 Dynamics at the Crossroads of Pluripotency and Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4559. [PMID: 37760529 PMCID: PMC10526231 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184559] [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: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
G1 cell cycle phase dynamics are regulated by intricate networks involving cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and CDK inhibitors, which control G1 progression and ensure proper cell cycle transitions. Moreover, adequate origin licensing in G1 phase, the first committed step of DNA replication in the subsequent S phase, is essential to maintain genome integrity. In this review, we highlight the intriguing parallels and disparities in G1 dynamics between stem cells and cancer cells, focusing on their regulatory mechanisms and functional outcomes. Notably, SOX2, OCT4, KLF4, and the pluripotency reprogramming facilitator c-MYC, known for their role in establishing and maintaining stem cell pluripotency, are also aberrantly expressed in certain cancer cells. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the regulatory role of these pluripotency factors in G1 dynamics in the context of stem cells and cancer cells, which may offer new insights into the interconnections between pluripotency and tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeanette Gowen Cook
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA;
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5
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Giriyappagoudar M, Vastrad B, Horakeri R, Vastrad C. Identification and Interaction Analysis of Molecular Markers in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Bioinformatics and Next-Generation Sequencing Data Analysis. Bioinform Biol Insights 2023; 17:11779322231186719. [PMID: 37529485 PMCID: PMC10387711 DOI: 10.1177/11779322231186719] [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: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Intense efforts have been made to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis, but the molecular mechanisms of PDAC are still not well understood. The purpose of this study is to further explore the molecular mechanism of PDAC through integrated bioinformatics analysis. Methods To identify the candidate genes in the carcinogenesis and progression of PDAC, next-generation sequencing (NGS) data set GSE133684 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were performed. The protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed and the module analysis was performed using Integrated Interactions Database (IID) interactome database and Cytoscape. Subsequently, miRNA-DEG regulatory network and TF-DEG regulatory network were constructed using miRNet database, NetworkAnalyst database, and Cytoscape software. The expression levels of hub genes were validated based on Kaplan-Meier analysis, expression analysis, stage analysis, mutation analysis, protein expression analysis, immune infiltration analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results A total of 463 DEGs were identified, consisting of 232 upregulated genes and 233 downregulated genes. The enriched GO terms and pathways of the DEGs include vesicle organization, secretory vesicle, protein dimerization activity, lymphocyte activation, cell surface, transferase activity, transferring phosphorus-containing groups, hemostasis, and adaptive immune system. Four hub genes (namely, cathepsin B [CCNB1], four-and-a-half LIM domains 2 (FHL2), major histocompatibility complex, class II, DP alpha 1 (HLA-DPA1) and tubulin beta 1 class VI (TUBB1)) were obtained via taking interaction of different analysis results. Conclusions On the whole, the findings of this investigation enhance our understanding of the potential molecular mechanisms of PDAC and provide potential targets for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Basavaraj Vastrad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, K.L.E. Society’s College of Pharmacy, Gadag, India
| | - Rajeshwari Horakeri
- Department of Computer Science, Government First Grade College, Hubballi, India
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6
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Roberts M, Ogden J, Hossain ASM, Chaturvedi A, Kerr ARW, Dive C, Beane JE, Lopez-Garcia C. Interrogating the precancerous evolution of pathway dysfunction in lung squamous cell carcinoma using XTABLE. eLife 2023; 12:e77507. [PMID: 36892933 PMCID: PMC10038660 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77507] [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: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is a type of lung cancer with a dismal prognosis that lacks adequate therapies and actionable targets. This disease is characterized by a sequence of low- and high-grade preinvasive stages with increasing probability of malignant progression. Increasing our knowledge about the biology of these premalignant lesions (PMLs) is necessary to design new methods of early detection and prevention, and to identify the molecular processes that are key for malignant progression. To facilitate this research, we have designed XTABLE (Exploring Transcriptomes of Bronchial Lesions), an open-source application that integrates the most extensive transcriptomic databases of PMLs published so far. With this tool, users can stratify samples using multiple parameters and interrogate PML biology in multiple manners, such as two- and multiple-group comparisons, interrogation of genes of interests, and transcriptional signatures. Using XTABLE, we have carried out a comparative study of the potential role of chromosomal instability scores as biomarkers of PML progression and mapped the onset of the most relevant LUSC pathways to the sequence of LUSC developmental stages. XTABLE will critically facilitate new research for the identification of early detection biomarkers and acquire a better understanding of the LUSC precancerous stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Roberts
- Cancer Biomarker Centre, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, The University of ManchesterMacclesfieldUnited Kingdom
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of ExcellenceAlderley ParkUnited Kingdom
| | - Julia Ogden
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of ExcellenceAlderley ParkUnited Kingdom
- Translational Lung Cancer Biology Laboratory, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, University of ManchesterMacclesfieldUnited Kingdom
| | - AS Mukarram Hossain
- Cancer Biomarker Centre, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, The University of ManchesterMacclesfieldUnited Kingdom
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of ExcellenceAlderley ParkUnited Kingdom
| | - Anshuman Chaturvedi
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of ExcellenceAlderley ParkUnited Kingdom
- Department of Histopathology, The Christie HospitalManchesterUnited Kingdom
| | - Alastair RW Kerr
- Cancer Biomarker Centre, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, The University of ManchesterMacclesfieldUnited Kingdom
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of ExcellenceAlderley ParkUnited Kingdom
| | - Caroline Dive
- Cancer Biomarker Centre, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, The University of ManchesterMacclesfieldUnited Kingdom
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of ExcellenceAlderley ParkUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Carlos Lopez-Garcia
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of ExcellenceAlderley ParkUnited Kingdom
- Translational Lung Cancer Biology Laboratory, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, University of ManchesterMacclesfieldUnited Kingdom
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7
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Nishimura T, Takadate T, Maeda S, Suzuki T, Minowa T, Fukuda T, Bando Y, Unno M. Disease-related protein co-expression networks are associated with the prognosis of resectable node-positive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14709. [PMID: 36038612 PMCID: PMC9424258 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19182-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a multifactorial disease, the molecular profile of which remains unclear. This study aimed at unveiling the disease-related protein networks associated with different outcomes of resectable, node-positive PDAC cases. We assessed laser-microdissected cancerous cells from PDAC tissues of a poor outcome group (POG; n = 4) and a better outcome group (BOG; n = 4). Noncancerous pancreatic duct tissues (n = 5) were used as the reference. We identified four representative network modules by applying a weighted network correlation analysis to the obtained quantitative PDAC proteome datasets. Two network modules that were significant for POG were associated with the heat shock response to hypoxia-related stress; in the latter, a large involvement of the non-canonical Hedgehog pathway (regulated by GLI1), the internal ribosome entry site-mediated cap-independent translation, the inositol requiring enzyme 1-alpha (IRE1α)/X-box binding protein 1 pathway of the unfolding protein response (UPR), and the aerobic glycolysis was observed. By contrast, the BOG characteristic module was involved in the inactivation of the UPR pathway via the synoviolin 1-dependent proteasomal degradation of IRE1α, the activation of SOX2, and the loss of PALB2 (partner and localizer of BRCA2) function, all potentially suppressing malignant tumor development. Our findings might facilitate future therapeutic strategies for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihide Nishimura
- Department of Translational Medicine Informatics, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 216-8511, Japan. .,Biosys Technologies, Inc., Tokyo, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan.
| | - Tatsuyuki Takadate
- Department of Surgery, National Hospital Organization Sendai Medical Center, Sendai, Miyagi, 983-8520, Japan
| | - Shimpei Maeda
- Department of Surgery, Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan
| | - Takashi Suzuki
- Department of Pathology and Histotechnology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Takashi Minowa
- Nanotechnology Innovation Station, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Fukuda
- Biosys Technologies, Inc., Tokyo, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Bando
- Biosys Technologies, Inc., Tokyo, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan
| | - Michiaki Unno
- Department of Surgery, National Hospital Organization Sendai Medical Center, Sendai, Miyagi, 983-8520, Japan.,Department of Surgery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8574, Japan
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8
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Metz EP, Wilder PJ, Popay TM, Wang J, Liu Q, Kalluchi A, Rowley MJ, Tansey WP, Rizzino A. Elevating SOX2 Downregulates MYC through a SOX2:MYC Signaling Axis and Induces a Slowly Cycling Proliferative State in Human Tumor Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:1946. [PMID: 35454854 PMCID: PMC9025961 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Slowly cycling/infrequently proliferating tumor cells present a clinical challenge due to their ability to evade treatment. Previous studies established that high levels of SOX2 in both fetal and tumor cells restrict cell proliferation and induce a slowly cycling state. However, the mechanisms through which elevated SOX2 levels inhibit tumor cell proliferation have not been identified. To identify common mechanisms through which SOX2 elevation restricts tumor cell proliferation, we initially performed RNA-seq using two diverse tumor cell types. SOX2 elevation in both cell types downregulated MYC target genes. Consistent with these findings, elevating SOX2 in five cell lines representing three different human cancer types decreased MYC expression. Importantly, the expression of a dominant-negative MYC variant, omomyc, recapitulated many of the effects of SOX2 on proliferation, cell cycle, gene expression, and biosynthetic activity. We also demonstrated that rescuing MYC activity in the context of elevated SOX2 induces cell death, indicating that the downregulation of MYC is a critical mechanistic step necessary to maintain survival in the slowly cycling state induced by elevated SOX2. Altogether, our findings uncover a novel SOX2:MYC signaling axis and provide important insights into the molecular mechanisms through which SOX2 elevation induces a slowly cycling proliferative state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan P. Metz
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (E.P.M.); (P.J.W.)
| | - Phillip J. Wilder
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (E.P.M.); (P.J.W.)
| | - Tessa M. Popay
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (T.M.P.); (W.P.T.)
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (J.W.); (Q.L.)
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (J.W.); (Q.L.)
- Center for Quantitative Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Achyuth Kalluchi
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (A.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - M. Jordan Rowley
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (A.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - William P. Tansey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; (T.M.P.); (W.P.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Angie Rizzino
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (E.P.M.); (P.J.W.)
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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Ray S, Chaturvedi NK, Bhakat KK, Rizzino A, Mahapatra S. Subgroup-Specific Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Predictive Markers Influencing Pediatric Medulloblastoma Treatment. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 12:diagnostics12010061. [PMID: 35054230 PMCID: PMC8774967 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant central nervous system tumor in pediatric patients. Mainstay of therapy remains surgical resection followed by craniospinal radiation and chemotherapy, although limitations to this therapy are applied in the youngest patients. Clinically, tumors are divided into average and high-risk status on the basis of age, metastasis at diagnosis, and extent of surgical resection. However, technological advances in high-throughput screening have facilitated the analysis of large transcriptomic datasets that have been used to generate the current classification system, dividing patients into four primary subgroups, i.e., WNT (wingless), SHH (sonic hedgehog), and the non-SHH/WNT subgroups 3 and 4. Each subgroup can further be subdivided on the basis of a combination of cytogenetic and epigenetic events, some in distinct signaling pathways, that activate specific phenotypes impacting patient prognosis. Here, we delve deeper into the genetic basis for each subgroup by reviewing the extent of cytogenetic events in key genes that trigger neoplastic transformation or that exhibit oncogenic properties. Each of these discussions is further centered on how these genetic aberrations can be exploited to generate novel targeted therapeutics for each subgroup along with a discussion on challenges that are currently faced in generating said therapies. Our future hope is that through better understanding of subgroup-specific cytogenetic events, the field may improve diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment to improve overall quality of life for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sutapa Ray
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 601 S Saddle Creek Road, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (S.R.); (N.K.C.)
- Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (K.K.B.); (A.R.)
| | - Nagendra K. Chaturvedi
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 601 S Saddle Creek Road, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (S.R.); (N.K.C.)
- Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (K.K.B.); (A.R.)
| | - Kishor K. Bhakat
- Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (K.K.B.); (A.R.)
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Angie Rizzino
- Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (K.K.B.); (A.R.)
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Disease, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Sidharth Mahapatra
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 601 S Saddle Creek Road, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (S.R.); (N.K.C.)
- Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105, USA; (K.K.B.); (A.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(402)-599-7754
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10
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Mamun MA, Mannoor K, Cao J, Qadri F, Song X. SOX2 in cancer stemness: tumor malignancy and therapeutic potentials. J Mol Cell Biol 2021; 12:85-98. [PMID: 30517668 PMCID: PMC7109607 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjy080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a minor subpopulation of tumor bulks with self-renewal and seeding capacity to generate new tumors, posit a significant challenge to develop effective and long-lasting anti-cancer therapies. The emergence of drug resistance appears upon failure of chemo-/radiation therapy to eradicate the CSCs, thereby leading to CSC-mediated clinical relapse. Accumulating evidence suggests that transcription factor SOX2, a master regulator of embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, drives cancer stemness, fuels tumor initiation, and contributes to tumor aggressiveness through major drug resistance mechanisms like epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, ATP-binding cassette drug transporters, anti-apoptotic and/or pro-survival signaling, lineage plasticity, and evasion of immune surveillance. Gaining a better insight and comprehensive interrogation into the mechanistic basis of SOX2-mediated generation of CSCs and treatment failure might therefore lead to new therapeutic targets involving CSC-specific anti-cancer strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahfuz Al Mamun
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Kaiissar Mannoor
- Oncology Laboratory, Institute for Developing Science & Health Initiatives (ideSHi), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Jun Cao
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Firdausi Qadri
- Oncology Laboratory, Institute for Developing Science & Health Initiatives (ideSHi), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Xiaoyuan Song
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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11
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Metz EP, Wuebben EL, Wilder PJ, Cox JL, Datta K, Coulter D, Rizzino A. Tumor quiescence: elevating SOX2 in diverse tumor cell types downregulates a broad spectrum of the cell cycle machinery and inhibits tumor growth. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:941. [PMID: 32998722 PMCID: PMC7528478 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07370-7] [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: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Quiescent tumor cells pose a major clinical challenge due to their ability to resist conventional chemotherapies and to drive tumor recurrence. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that promote quiescence of tumor cells could help identify therapies to eliminate these cells. Significantly, recent studies have determined that the function of SOX2 in cancer cells is highly dose dependent. Specifically, SOX2 levels in tumor cells are optimized to promote tumor growth: knocking down or elevating SOX2 inhibits proliferation. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that quiescent tumor cells express higher levels of SOX2 compared to adjacent proliferating cells. Currently, the mechanisms through which elevated levels of SOX2 restrict tumor cell proliferation have not been characterized. Methods To understand how elevated levels of SOX2 restrict the proliferation of tumor cells, we engineered diverse types of tumor cells for inducible overexpression of SOX2. Using these cells, we examined the effects of elevating SOX2 on their proliferation, both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we examined how elevating SOX2 influences their expression of cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and p27Kip1. Results Elevating SOX2 in diverse tumor cell types led to growth inhibition in vitro. Significantly, elevating SOX2 in vivo in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, medulloblastoma, and prostate cancer cells induced a reversible state of tumor growth arrest. In all three tumor types, elevation of SOX2 in vivo quickly halted tumor growth. Remarkably, tumor growth resumed rapidly when SOX2 returned to endogenous levels. We also determined that elevation of SOX2 in six tumor cell lines decreased the levels of cyclins and CDKs that control each phase of the cell cycle, while upregulating p27Kip1. Conclusions Our findings indicate that elevating SOX2 above endogenous levels in a diverse set of tumor cell types leads to growth inhibition both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, our findings indicate that SOX2 can function as a master regulator by controlling the expression of a broad spectrum of cell cycle machinery. Importantly, our SOX2-inducible tumor studies provide a novel model system for investigating the molecular mechanisms by which elevated levels of SOX2 restrict cell proliferation and tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan P Metz
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6805, USA
| | - Erin L Wuebben
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6805, USA
| | - Phillip J Wilder
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6805, USA
| | - Jesse L Cox
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6805, USA
| | - Kaustubh Datta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6805, USA
| | - Donald Coulter
- Department of Pediatrics, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6805, USA
| | - Angie Rizzino
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6805, USA. .,Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6805, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6805, USA.
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12
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SOX2 and squamous cancers. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 67:154-167. [PMID: 32905832 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
SOX2 is a pleiotropic nuclear transcription factor with major roles in stem cell biology and in development. Over the last 10 years SOX2 has also been implicated as a lineage-specific oncogene, notably in squamous carcinomas but also neurological tumours, particularly glioblastoma. Squamous carcinomas (SQCs) comprise a common group of malignancies for which there are no targeted therapeutic interventions. In this article we review the molecular epidemiological and laboratory evidence linking SOX2 with squamous carcinogenesis, explore in detail the multifaceted impact of SOX2 in SQC, describe areas of uncertainty and highlight areas for potential future research.
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13
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Quan MY, Guo Q, Liu J, Yang R, Bai J, Wang W, Cai Y, Han R, Lv YQ, Ding L, Billadeau DD, Lou Z, Bellusci S, Li X, Zhang JS. An FGFR/AKT/SOX2 Signaling Axis Controls Pancreatic Cancer Stemness. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:287. [PMID: 32457900 PMCID: PMC7221133 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stemness is associated with high malignancy and low differentiation, as well as therapeutic resistance of tumors including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) exert pleiotropic effects on a variety of cellular processes and functions including embryonic stem cell pluripotency and cancer cell stemness via the activation of four tyrosine kinase FGF receptors (FGFRs). FGF ligands have been a major component of the cocktail of growth factors contained in the cancer stemness-inducing (CSI) and organoid culture medium. Although FGF/FGFR signaling has been hypothesized to maintain cancer stemness, its function in this process is still unclear. We report that inhibition of FGF/FGFR signaling impairs sphere-forming ability of PDAC in vitro, and knocking down FGFR1 and FGFR2 decreased their tumorigenesis abilities in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that SOX2 is down-regulated upon loss of FGFR signaling. The overexpression of SOX2 in SOX2-negative cells, which normally do not display stemness capabilities, is sufficient to induce spheroid formation. Additionally, we found that AKT phosphorylation was reduced upon FGFR signaling inhibition. The inhibition of AKT using specific pharmacological inhibitors in the context of CSI medium leads to the loss of spheroid formation associated with loss of SOX2 nuclear expression and increased degradation. We demonstrate that an FGFR/AKT/SOX2 axis controls cancer stemness in PDAC and therefore may represent an important therapeutic target in the fight against this very aggressive form of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Yu Quan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qiang Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jiayu Liu
- Institute of Life Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ruo Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jing Bai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yaxin Cai
- Institute of Life Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Rui Han
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yu-Qing Lv
- Center for Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Li Ding
- Division of Oncology Research and Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Daniel D Billadeau
- Division of Oncology Research and Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Zhenkun Lou
- Division of Oncology Research and Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Saverio Bellusci
- Institute of Life Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China.,Cardio-Pulmonary Institute, Member of the German Lung Center, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Xiaokun Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jin-San Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International Collaborative Center on Growth Factor Research, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Division of Oncology Research and Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
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14
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Metz EP, Wilder PJ, Dong J, Datta K, Rizzino A. Elevating SOX2 in prostate tumor cells upregulates expression of neuroendocrine genes, but does not reduce the inhibitory effects of enzalutamide. J Cell Physiol 2019; 235:3731-3740. [PMID: 31587305 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in men. In this cancer, the stem cell transcription factor SOX2 increases during tumor progression, especially as the cancer progresses to the highly aggressive neuroendocrine-like phenotype. Other studies have shown that knockdown of RB1 and TP53 increases the expression of neuroendocrine markers, decreases the sensitivity to enzalutamide, and increases the expression of SOX2. Importantly, knockdown of SOX2 in the context of RB1 and TP53 depletion restored sensitivity to enzalutamide and reduced the expression of neuroendocrine markers. In this study, we examined whether elevating SOX2 is not only necessary, but also sufficient on its own to promote the expression of neuroendocrine markers and confer enzalutamide resistance. For this purpose, we engineered LNCaP cells for inducible overexpression of SOX2 (i-SOX2-LNCaP). As shown previously for other tumor cell types, inducible elevation of SOX2 in i-SOX2-LNCaP inhibited cell proliferation. SOX2 elevation also increased the expression of several neuroendocrine markers, including several neuropeptides and synaptophysin. However, SOX2 elevation did not decrease the sensitivity of i-SOX2-LNCaP cells to enzalutamide, which indicates that elevating SOX2 on its own is not sufficient to confer enzalutamide resistance. Furthermore, knocking down SOX2 in C4-2B cells, a derivative of LNCaP cells which is far less sensitive to enzalutamide and which expresses much higher levels of SOX2 than LNCaP cells, did not alter the growth response to this antiandrogen. Thus, our studies indicate that NE marker expression can increase independently of the sensitivity to enzalutamide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan P Metz
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Phillip J Wilder
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Jixin Dong
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Kaustubh Datta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Angie Rizzino
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
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15
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Sato F, Bhawal UK, Tojyo I, Fujita S, Murata SI, Muragaki Y. Differential expression of claudin‑4, occludin, SOX2 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen between basaloid squamous cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Med Rep 2019; 20:1977-1985. [PMID: 31257482 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2019.10417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Basaloid squamous cell carcinomas (BSCCs) in oral lesions are extremely rare, and the histology is not well understood. Histologically, they are often similar to conventional squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The present study was designed with an aim to distinguish BSCC from SCC using claudin‑4, occludin, SRY‑box 2 (SOX2) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunoreactivities and staining patterns. Three BSCCs (with abundant, with moderate, and without squamous components) specimens and 20 SCC specimens were selected for comparison of their immunoreactivity. These specimens were stained with claudin‑4, occludin, SOX2 and PCNA. In addition to histological analysis, the expression of claudin‑4, occludin and PCNA was determined in oral cancer HSC2 and HSC3 cells with or without SOX2 overexpression, and cell proliferation was determined by XTT assay. Claudin‑4 had strong and occludin had weak immunoreactivity as detected in the membrane of squamous components of BSCC but not in cancer cells. No obvious detection of squamous components and cancer cells were observed in SCC. SOX2 and PCNA immunoreactivities in SCC had dot‑like staining patterns in the nuclei of partial and marginal cancer cells. In contrast, in BSCCs, SOX2 and PCNA had diffuse staining patterns in almost all cancer cells. SOX2 overexpression had little effect on the expression levels of claudin‑4, occludin and PCNA. It also had little effect on the cell proliferation of HSC2 and HSC3 cells. Differences in immunoreactivity and staining pattern may be valuable to distinguish between BSCC and SCC in diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuyuki Sato
- Department of Pathology, Wakayama Medical University School of Medicine, Wakayama 641‑8509, Japan
| | - Ujjal K Bhawal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Chiba 271‑8587, Japan
| | - Itaru Tojyo
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 641‑8509, Japan
| | - Shigeyuki Fujita
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 641‑8509, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Murata
- Department of Human Pathology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 641‑8509, Japan
| | - Yasuteru Muragaki
- Department of Pathology, Wakayama Medical University School of Medicine, Wakayama 641‑8509, Japan
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16
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Metz EP, Rizzino A. Sox2 dosage: A critical determinant in the functions of Sox2 in both normal and tumor cells. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:19298-19306. [PMID: 31344986 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The stem cell transcription factor Sox2 is widely recognized for its many roles during normal development and cancer. Over the last several years, it has become increasingly evident that Sox2 dosage plays critical roles in both normal and malignant cells. The work described in this review indicates that the dosage of Sox2 influences cell fate decisions made during normal mammalian development, as well as cell fate decisions in cancer, including those that influence the tumor cell of origin and progression of the cancer. Equally important, Sox2 dosage is a key determinant in the proliferation of both normal cells and tumor cells, where proliferation is restricted in Sox2high cells. Collectively, the studies reviewed here indicate that tumor cells utilize the fundamental effects of Sox2 dosage to suit their own needs. Finally, we speculate that elevated expression of Sox2 helps establish and maintain tumor dormancy in Sox2-positive cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan P Metz
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
| | - Angie Rizzino
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
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17
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Histone methyltransferase NSD2 regulates apoptosis and chemosensitivity in osteosarcoma. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:65. [PMID: 30683853 PMCID: PMC6347630 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1347-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant bone tumour. However, the genetic basis for the pathogenesis of OS remains elusive. In this study, we uncovered the role of the histone methyltransferase NSD2 in regulating tumourigenesis and chemosensitivity in OS. We show that NSD2 knockdown leads to increased apoptosis in OS cells in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, NSD2 knockdown significantly enhances the efficacy of cisplatin against OS cells and accordingly inhibits properties associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs). Furthermore, RNA sequencing (RNAseq) and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that NSD2 promotes transcription of genes associated with negative regulation of apoptotic signalling pathways and CSC properties. The results of chromatin immunoprecipitation quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ChIP-qPCR) assays indicated that NSD2 knockdown leads to decreased H3K36me2 modification at BCL2 and SOX2 loci, thus inhibiting the transcription of these two genes that are closely correlated with apoptosis, CSC properties and chemosensitivity in OS cells. Pathway analysis demonstrated that the ERK and AKT pathways mediate the regulation of OS progression and chemosensitivity by NSD2. Overall, our study is the first to uncover the function of NSD2 in OS chemosensitivity. NSD2 regulates the expression of the apoptosis regulatory proteins BCL2 and SOX2 through the ERK and AKT pathways. Our results suggest that NSD2 is a new target for combined chemotherapy and is a prognostic factor for OS.
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18
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Wuebben EL, Rizzino A. The dark side of SOX2: cancer - a comprehensive overview. Oncotarget 2018; 8:44917-44943. [PMID: 28388544 PMCID: PMC5546531 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The pluripotency-associated transcription factor SOX2 is essential during mammalian embryogenesis and later in life, but SOX2 expression can also be highly detrimental. Over the past 10 years, SOX2 has been shown to be expressed in at least 25 different cancers. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the roles of SOX2 in cancer and focuses on two broad topics. The first delves into the expression and function of SOX2 in cancer focusing on the connection between SOX2 levels and tumor grade as well as patient survival. As part of this discussion, we address the developing connection between SOX2 expression and tumor drug resistance. We also call attention to an under-appreciated property of SOX2, its levels in actively proliferating tumor cells appear to be optimized to maximize tumor growth - too little or too much SOX2 dramatically alters tumor growth. The second topic of this review focuses on the exquisite array of molecular mechanisms that control the expression and transcriptional activity of SOX2. In addition to its complex regulation at the transcriptional level, SOX2 expression and activity are controlled carefully by microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and post-translational modifications. In the Conclusion and Future Perspectives section, we point out that there are still important unanswered questions. Addressing these questions is expected to lead to new insights into the functions of SOX2 in cancer, which will help design novels strategies for more effectively treating some of the most deadly cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Wuebben
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Angie Rizzino
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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19
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Fan J, Khanin R, Sakamoto H, Zhong Y, Michael C, Pena D, Javier B, Wood LD, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA. Quantification of nucleic acid quality in postmortem tissues from a cancer research autopsy program. Oncotarget 2018; 7:66906-66921. [PMID: 27602498 PMCID: PMC5341846 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The last decade has seen a marked rise in the use of cancer tissues obtained from research autopsies. Such resources have been invaluable for studying cancer evolution or the mechanisms of therapeutic resistance to targeted therapies. Degradation of biomolecules is a potential challenge to usage of cancer tissues obtained in the post-mortem setting and remains incompletely studied. We analysed the nucleic acid quality in 371 different frozen tissue samples collected from 80 patients who underwent a research autopsy, including eight normal tissue types, primary and metastatic tumors. Our results indicate that RNA integrity number (RIN) of normal tissues decline with the elongation of post-mortem interval (PMI) in a tissue-type specific manner. Unlike normal tissues, the RNA quality of cancer tissues is highly variable with respect to post-mortem interval. The kinetics of DNA damage also has tissue type-specific features. Moreover, while DNA degradation is an indicator of low RNA quality, the converse is not true. Finally, we show that despite RIN values as low as 5.0, robust data can be obtained by RNA sequencing that reliably discriminates expression signatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Fan
- Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Raya Khanin
- Bioinformatics Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Hitomi Sakamoto
- Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Yi Zhong
- Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Chelsea Michael
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Derwin Pena
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Breanna Javier
- Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Laura D Wood
- Department of Pathology, Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA
| | - Christine A Iacobuzio-Donahue
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.,David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
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20
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Zhang JJ, Zhu Y, Zhang XF, Liu DF, Wang Y, Yang C, Shi GD, Peng YP, Zhang K, Tian L, Miao Y, Jiang KR. Yin Yang-1 suppresses pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell proliferation and tumor growth by regulating SOX2OT-SOX2 axis. Cancer Lett 2017; 408:144-154. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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21
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Duan Q, Zhao H, Zhang Z, Li H, Wu H, Shen Q, Wang C, Yin T. Mechanistic Evaluation and Translational Signature of Gemcitabine-induced Chemoresistance by Quantitative Phosphoproteomics Analysis with iTRAQ Labeling Mass Spectrometry. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12891. [PMID: 29018223 PMCID: PMC5634998 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13330-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the main causations of the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer is the lack of effective chemotherapies. Gemcitabine is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug, but limited therapeutic efficacy is achieved due to chemoresistance. Recent studies demonstrated that the presence of cancer stem cells may lead to the failure of chemotherapy. Moreover, gemcitabine can promote the stemness of pancreatic cancer cells. We detected the alterations in protein phosphorylation and signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer cells after gemcitabine treatment using iTRAQ labeling LC-MS/MS, because it was featured with the advantages of strong separation ability and analysis range. A total of 232 differentially expressed phosphorylated proteins were identified in this study. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that nuclear lumen, nuclear part and organelle lumen were enriched for cell components and protein binding, poly (A) RNA binding and RNA binding were enriched for molecular function. A variety of signaling pathways were enriched based on KEGG analysis. AMPK, mTOR and PI3K/Akt pathways were verified after gemcitabine exposure. Moreover, we found there were complex interactions of phosphorylated proteins in modulating cancer stemness induced by gemcitabine exposure based on PPIs map. Our experiments may identify potential targets and strategies for sensitizing pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingke Duan
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Hengqiang Zhao
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Zhengle Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Hehe Li
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Heshui Wu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Qiang Shen
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chunyou Wang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Tao Yin
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
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22
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Zhang Y, Zhang D, Jiang J, Dong L. Loss of miR-638 promotes invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting SOX2 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Rep 2016; 37:323-332. [PMID: 27878280 DOI: 10.3892/or.2016.5273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant expression of microRNAs has been identified as regulators of biological processes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by negatively regulating protein-coding mRNAs. Several studies have demonstrated that miR-638 expression was dysregulated in various human cancers. However, the clinical significance and underlying mechanisms of miR-638 involved in HCC remain to be elucidated. Herein, we confirmed that a reduced miR-638 expression was present in HCC tissues and cell lines. Our clinical analysis revealed that the downregulated miR-638 expression was significantly correlated with poor prognostic features including high Edmondson-Steiner grade, venous infiltration and advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. Moreover, we demonstrated that miR-638 was a novel independent prognostic marker for predicting 5-year survival of HCC patients. Functionally, overexpressed miR-638 expression inhibited cell migration and invasion, while downregulated miR-638 reversed the effect. In addition, miR-638 could regulate SOX2 by directly binding to its 3'-UTR. Alternation of SOX2 expression at least partially abolished the migration and invasion effects of miR-638 on HCC cells. Aberrant miR-638 expression could regulate the expression level of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers in vitro and in vivo by modulating SOX2 expression. In conclusion, our data indicated that miR-638 functioned as a tumor suppressor gene and play a critical role in the development of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
| | - Di Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
| | - Jiong Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
| | - Lei Dong
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
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