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Therachiyil L, Hussein OJ, Uddin S, Korashy HM. Regulation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in cancer and cancer stem cells of gynecological malignancies: An update on signaling pathways. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:1186-1202. [PMID: 36252938 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Gynecological malignancies are a female type of cancers that affects the reproductive system. Cancer metastasis or recurrence mediated by cellular invasiveness occurs at advanced stages of cancer progression. Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) enrichment in tumors leads to chemoresistance, which results in cancer mortality. Exposure to environmental pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is associated with an increased the risk of CSC enrichment in gynecological cancers. One of the important pathways that mediates the metabolism and bioactivation of these environmental chemicals is the transcription factor, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). The present review explores the molecular mechanisms regulating the crosstalk and interaction of the AhR with cancer-related signaling pathways, such as apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, immune checkpoints, and G-protein-coupled receptors in several gynecological malignancies such as ovarian, uterine, endometrial, and cervical cancers. The review also discusses the potential of targeting the AhR pathway as a novel chemotherapy for gynecological cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lubna Therachiyil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Ola J Hussein
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Hesham M Korashy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
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Li Y, Fan Y, Xu J, Huo L, Scott AW, Jin J, Yang B, Shao S, Ma L, Wang Y, Yao X, Pool Pizzi M, Sewastjanow Da Silva M, Zhang G, Zhuo L, Cho EJ, Dalby KN, Shanbhag ND, Wang Z, Li W, Song S, Ajani JA. GRK3 is a poor prognosticator and serves as a therapeutic target in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:257. [PMID: 35996148 PMCID: PMC9396876 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02463-6] [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: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) is the most targeted protein family by the FDA-approved drugs. GPCR-kinase 3 (GRK3) is critical for GPCR signaling. Our genomic analysis showed that GRK3 expression correlated with poor prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) patients. However, GRK3’s functions and clinical utility in GAC progression and metastases are unknown.
Methods
We studied GRK3 expression in normal, primary, and metastatic GAC tissues. We identified a novel GRK3 inhibitor, LD2, through a chemical-library screen. Through genetic and pharmacologic modulations of GRK3, a series of functional and molecular studies were performed in vitro and in vivo. Impact of GRK3 on YAP1 and its targets was determined.
Results
GRK3 was overexpressed in GAC tissues compared to normal and was even higher in peritoneal metastases. Overexpression (OE) of GRK3 was significantly associated with shorter survival. Upregulation of GRK3 in GAC cells increased cell invasion, colony formation, and proportion of ALDH1+ cells, while its downregulation reduced these attributes. Further, LD2 potently and specifically inhibited GRK3, but not GRK2, a very similar kinase to GRK3. LD2 highly suppressed GAC cells’ malignant phenotypes in vitro. Mechanistically, GRK3 upregulated YAP1 in GAC tissues and its transcriptional downstream targets: SOX9, Birc5, Cyr61 and CTGF. Knockdown (KD) YAP1 rescued the phenotypes of GRK3 OE in GAC cells. GRK3 OE significantly increased tumor growth but LD2 inhibited tumor growth in the PDX model and dramatically suppressed peritoneal metastases induced by GRK3 OE.
Conclusions
GRK3, a poor prognosticator for survival, conferred aggressive phenotype. Genetic silencing of GRK3 or its inhibitor LD2 blunted GRK3-conferred malignant attributes, suggesting GRK3 as a novel therapeutic target in advanced GAC.
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An Insight into GPCR and G-Proteins as Cancer Drivers. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123288. [PMID: 34943797 PMCID: PMC8699078 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of cell surface signaling receptors known to play a crucial role in various physiological functions, including tumor growth and metastasis. Various molecules such as hormones, lipids, peptides, and neurotransmitters activate GPCRs that enable the coupling of these receptors to highly specialized transducer proteins, called G-proteins, and initiate multiple signaling pathways. Integration of these intricate networks of signaling cascades leads to numerous biochemical responses involved in diverse pathophysiological activities, including cancer development. While several studies indicate the role of GPCRs in controlling various aspects of cancer progression such as tumor growth, invasion, migration, survival, and metastasis through its aberrant overexpression, mutations, or increased release of agonists, the explicit mechanisms of the involvement of GPCRs in cancer progression is still puzzling. This review provides an insight into the various responses mediated by GPCRs in the development of cancers, the molecular mechanisms involved and the novel pharmacological approaches currently preferred for the treatment of cancer. Thus, these findings extend the knowledge of GPCRs in cancer cells and help in the identification of therapeutics for cancer patients.
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Niklinska-Schirtz BJ, Venkateswaran S, Anbazhagan M, Kolachala VL, Prince J, Dodd A, Chinnadurai R, Gibson G, Denson LA, Cutler DJ, Jegga AG, Matthews JD, Kugathasan S. Ileal Derived Organoids From Crohn's Disease Patients Show Unique Transcriptomic and Secretomic Signatures. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 12:1267-1280. [PMID: 34271224 PMCID: PMC8455365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2021.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS We used patient-derived organoids (PDOs) to study the epithelial-specific transcriptional and secretome signatures of the ileum during Crohn's disease (CD) with varying phenotypes to screen for disease profiles and potential druggable targets. METHODS RNA sequencing was performed on isolated intestinal crypts and 3-week-old PDOs derived from ileal biopsies of CD patients (n = 8 B1, inflammatory; n = 8 B2, stricturing disease) and non-inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) controls (n = 13). Differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified by comparing CD vs control, B1 vs B2, and inflamed vs non-inflamed. DE genes were used for computational screening to find candidate small molecules that could potentially reverse B1and B2 gene signatures. The secretome of a second cohort (n = 6 non-IBD controls, n = 7 CD, 5 non-inflamed, 2 inflamed) was tested by Luminex using cultured organoid conditioned medium. RESULTS We found 90% similarity in both the identity and abundance of protein coding genes between PDOs and intestinal crypts (15,554 transcripts of 19,900 genes). DE analysis identified 814 genes among disease group (CD vs non-IBD control), 470 genes different between the CD phenotypes, and 5 false discovery rate correction significant genes between inflamed and non-inflamed CD. The PDOs showed both similarity and diversity in the levels and types of soluble cytokines and growth factors they released. Perturbagen analysis revealed potential candidate compounds to reverse B2 disease phenotype to B1 in PDOs. CONCLUSIONS PDOs are similar at the transcriptome level with the in vivo epithelium and retain disease-specific gene expression for which we have identified secretome products, druggable targets, and corresponding pharmacologic agents. Targeting the epithelium could reverse a stricturing phenotype and improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Joanna Niklinska-Schirtz
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Suresh Venkateswaran
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Murugadas Anbazhagan
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Vasantha L. Kolachala
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jarod Prince
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anne Dodd
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Raghavan Chinnadurai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, Georgia
| | - Gregory Gibson
- Department of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lee A. Denson
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - David J. Cutler
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anil G. Jegga
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Jason D. Matthews
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Subra Kugathasan
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Subra Kugathasan, MD, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Emory University School of Medicine & Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, 1760 Haygood Drive, W-427, Atlanta, Georgia 30322. fax: (404) 727-4069.
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Shi S, Li W. Cancer Stem Cell Based Targeted Therapy. Curr Pharm Des 2020; 26:1951. [PMID: 32524917 DOI: 10.2174/138161282617200519100353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sanjun Shi
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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