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BV H, Jolly MK. Proneural-mesenchymal antagonism dominates the patterns of phenotypic heterogeneity in glioblastoma. iScience 2024; 27:109184. [PMID: 38433919 PMCID: PMC10905000 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109184] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The aggressive nature of glioblastoma (GBM) - one of the deadliest forms of brain tumors - is majorly attributed to underlying phenotypic heterogeneity. Early attempts to classify this heterogeneity at a transcriptomic level in TCGA GBM cohort proposed the existence of four distinct molecular subtypes: Proneural, Neural, Classical, and Mesenchymal. Further, a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of primary tumors also reported similar four subtypes mimicking neurodevelopmental lineages. However, it remains unclear whether these four subtypes identified via bulk and single-cell transcriptomics are mutually exclusive or not. Here, we perform pairwise correlations among individual genes and gene signatures corresponding to these proposed subtypes and show that the subtypes are not distinctly mutually antagonistic in either TCGA or scRNA-seq data. We observed that the proneural (or neural progenitor-like)-mesenchymal axis is the most prominent antagonistic pair, with the other two subtypes lying on this spectrum. These results are reinforced through a meta-analysis of over 100 single-cell and bulk transcriptomic datasets as well as in terms of functional association with metabolic switching, cell cycle, and immune evasion pathways. Finally, this proneural-mesenchymal antagonistic trend percolates to the association of relevant transcription factors with patient survival. These results suggest rethinking GBM phenotypic characterization for more effective therapeutic targeting efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshavardhan BV
- IISc Mathematics Initiative, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India
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Chen X, Xu Y, Zhou Z, Zhao P, Zhou Z, Wang F, Zhong F, Du H. CircUSP10 promotes liver cancer progression by regulating miR-211-5p/TCF12/EMT signaling pathway. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20649. [PMID: 37829805 PMCID: PMC10565698 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20649] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
There is no precise diagnosis or prognosis for liver cancer (LC) using a single biomarker. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) contribute to the pathogenesis of different cancers, but their role in LC is not entirely understood. In this study, circUSP10, an aberrantly expressed circRNA in LC, was screened using the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and its tissue-specific expression was verified using qRT-PCR. In vitro, functional assays and nude mouse tumorigenesis models were used to investigate circUSP10 role in LC. RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to study the mechanistic relationship between circUSP10, miR-211-5p, and transcription factor 12 (TCF12). We found that circUSP10 expression was upregulated in LC tissues and cells. CircUSP10 expression was linked to tumor size and tumor node metastasis stage and negatively correlated with LC prognosis. In vitro assays confirmed circUSP10-mediated proliferation, migration, and invasion of LC cells and their association with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Mechanistically, circUSP10 adsorbed miR-211-5p, which regulated TCF12 and promoted tumorigenesis via the EMT signaling pathway. Therefore, our results suggest that circUSP10 may promote LC progression by modulating the miR-211-5p/TCF12/EMT signaling cascade and may serve as a potential biomarker for LC diagnosis and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215004, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nantong First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Yao Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nantong First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Zhengyang Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215004, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nantong First People's Hospital and The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Zhou Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Fengyun Zhong
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215004, China
| | - Hong Du
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215004, China
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Mandl GA, Vettier F, Tessitore G, Maurizio SL, Bietar K, Stochaj U, Capobianco JA. Combining Pr 3+-Doped Nanoradiosensitizers and Endogenous Protoporphyrin IX for X-ray-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy of Glioblastoma Cells. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023. [PMID: 37267436 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme is an aggressive type of brain cancer with high recurrence rates due to the presence of radioresistant cells remaining after tumor resection. Here, we report the development of an X-ray-mediated photodynamic therapy (X-PDT) system using NaLuF4:25% Pr3+ radioluminescent nanoparticles in conjunction with protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), an endogenous photosensitizer that accumulates selectively in cancer cells. Conveniently, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), the prodrug that is administered for PDT, is the only drug approved for fluorescence-guided resection of glioblastoma, enabling dual detection and treatment of malignant cells. NaLuF4:Pr3+ nanoparticles were synthesized and spectroscopically evaluated at a range of Pr3+ concentrations. This generated radioluminescent nanoparticles with strong emissions from the 1S0 excited state of Pr3+, which overlaps with the Soret band of PPIX to perform photodynamic therapy. The spectral overlap between the nanoparticles and PPIX improved treatment outcomes for U251 cells, which were used as a model for the thin tumor margin. In addition to sensitizing PPIX to induce X-PDT, our nanoparticles exhibit strong radiosensitizing properties through a radiation dose-enhancement effect. We evaluate the effects of the nanoparticles alone and in combination with PPIX on viability, death, stress, senescence, and proliferation. Collectively, our results demonstrate this as a strong proof of concept for nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A Mandl
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Centre for Nanoscience Research, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Freesia Vettier
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Centre for Nanoscience Research, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Gabriella Tessitore
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Centre for Nanoscience Research, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Steven L Maurizio
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Centre for Nanoscience Research, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Kais Bietar
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Ursula Stochaj
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - John A Capobianco
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Centre for Nanoscience Research, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6, Canada
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Ren W, Jin W, Liang Z. Construction and Validation of an Immune-Related Risk Score Model for Survival Prediction in Glioblastoma. Front Neurol 2022; 13:832944. [PMID: 35370869 PMCID: PMC8965766 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.832944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAs one of the most important brain tumors, glioblastoma (GBM) has a poor prognosis, especially in adults. Immune-related genes (IRGs) and immune cell infiltration are responsible for the pathogenesis of GBM. This study aimed to identify new tumor markers to predict the prognosis of patients with GBM.MethodsThe Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and ImmPort database were used for model construction. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was applied to identify the differentially expressed IRGs (DEIRGs) between the GBM and normal samples. Univariate Cox regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between each DEIRG and overall survival. Next, multivariate Cox regression analysis was exploited to further explore the prognostic potential of DEIRGs. A risk-score model was constructed based on the above results. The area under the curve (AUC) values were calculated to assess the effect of the model prediction. Furthermore, the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) dataset was used for model validation. STRING database and functional enrichment analysis were used for exploring the gene interactions and the underlying functions and pathways. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used for correlation analysis of the marker genes and the tumor-infiltrating immune cells.ResultsThere were 198 DEIRGs in GBM, including 153 upregulated genes and 45 downregulated genes. Seven marker genes (LYNX1, PRELID1P4, MMP9, TCF12, RGS14, RUNX1, and CCR2) were filtered out by sequential screening for DEIRGs. The regression coefficients (0.0410, 1.335, 0.005, −0.021, 0.123, 0.142, and −0.329) and expression data of the marker genes were used to construct the model. The AUC values for 1, 2, and 3 years were 0.744, 0.737, and 0.749 in the TCGA–GBM cohort and 0.612, 0.602, and 0.594 in the CGGA-GBM cohort, respectively, which indicated a high predictive power. The results of enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were enriched in the activation of T cell and cytokine receptor interaction pathways. The interaction network map demonstrated a close relationship between the marker genes MMP9 and CCR2. Infiltration analysis of the immune cells showed that dendritic cells (DCs) could identify GBM, while LYNX1, RUNX1, and CCR2 were significantly positively correlated with DCs expression.ConclusionThis study analyzed the expression of IRGs in GBM and identified seven marker genes for the construction of an immune-related risk score model. These marker genes were found to be associated with DCs and were enriched in similar immune response pathways. These findings are likely to provide new insights for the immunotherapy of patients with GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Ren
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weifeng Jin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zehua Liang
- School of Humanities and Management, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zehua Liang
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Crosslink between p53 and metastasis: focus on epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cell, angiogenesis, autophagy, and anoikis. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:7545-7557. [PMID: 34519942 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06706-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION P53, as a tumor suppressor gene, is believed to be one of the most mutated genes in cancer cells. The mutant forms of this protein often play a tumorigenic role in cancer cells. Recent evidence shows that p53 plays a critical role in the migration, metastasis, and invasion of cancer cells. The present article aims to investigate the molecular mechanism that induces metastasis in cancer cells generated by the mutant P53, and to highlight the compounds targeting mutant-p53 together with their clinical applications. METHODS A detailed literature search was conducted to find information about the role of the mutant-p53 in the processes involved in metastasis in various databases. RESULTS A growing body of evidence suggests that Mutant-p53 enhances tumor metastasis affecting the Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, cancer stem cells, angiogenesis, autophagy, anoikis, and any other mechanisms regarding metastasis. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, targeting mutant-p53 by altering the processes involved in metastasis could be a potential therapeutic strategy in the treatment of metastatic cancer.
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