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Guo X, Yang Y, Tang J, Xiang J. Ephs in cancer progression: complexity and context-dependent nature in signaling, angiogenesis and immunity. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:299. [PMID: 38811954 PMCID: PMC11137953 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01580-3] [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: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Eph receptors constitute the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases, comprising 14 distinct members classified into two subgroups: EphAs and EphBs.. Despite their essential functions in normal physiological processes, accumulating evidence suggests that the involvement of the Eph family in cancer is characterized by a dual and often contradictory nature. Research indicates that Eph/ephrin bidirectional signaling influences cell-cell communication, subsequently regulating cell migration, adhesion, differentiation and proliferation. The contradictory functionalities may arise from the diversity of Eph signaling pathways and the heterogeneity of different cancer microenvironment. In this review, we aim to discuss the dual role of the Eph receptors in tumor development, attempting to elucidate the paradoxical functionality through an exploration of Eph receptor signaling pathways, angiogenesis, immune responses, and more. Our objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor development. Additionally, we will explore the evolving landscape of utilizing Eph receptors as potential targets for tumor therapy and diagnostic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Guo
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Precise Treatment of Lung Cancer, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and the Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yanyi Yang
- Health Management Center, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jingqun Tang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Precise Treatment of Lung Cancer, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Juanjuan Xiang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Early Diagnosis and Precise Treatment of Lung Cancer, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
- Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and the Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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2
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Scarini JF, Gonçalves MWA, de Lima-Souza RA, Lavareze L, de Carvalho Kimura T, Yang CC, Altemani A, Mariano FV, Soares HP, Fillmore GC, Egal ESA. Potential role of the Eph/ephrin system in colorectal cancer: emerging druggable molecular targets. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1275330. [PMID: 38651144 PMCID: PMC11033724 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1275330] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The Eph/ephrin system regulates many developmental processes and adult tissue homeostasis. In colorectal cancer (CRC), it is involved in different processes including tumorigenesis, tumor angiogenesis, metastasis development, and cancer stem cell regeneration. However, conflicting data regarding Eph receptors in CRC, especially in its putative role as an oncogene or a suppressor gene, make the precise role of Eph-ephrin interaction confusing in CRC development. In this review, we provide an overview of the literature and highlight evidence that collaborates with these ambiguous roles of the Eph/ephrin system in CRC, as well as the molecular findings that represent promising therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Figueira Scarini
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Moisés Willian Aparecido Gonçalves
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Reydson Alcides de Lima-Souza
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luccas Lavareze
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Talita de Carvalho Kimura
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ching-Chu Yang
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Utah (UU), Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Albina Altemani
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Viviane Mariano
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Heloisa Prado Soares
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah (UU), Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Gary Chris Fillmore
- Biorepository and Molecular Pathology, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah (UU), Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Erika Said Abu Egal
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Biorepository and Molecular Pathology, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah (UU), Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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3
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Mitchell SM, Heise RM, Murray ME, Lambo DJ, Daso RE, Banerjee IA. An investigation of binding interactions of tumor-targeted peptide conjugated polyphenols with the kinase domain of ephrin B4 and B2 receptors. Mol Divers 2024; 28:817-849. [PMID: 36847923 PMCID: PMC9969393 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10621-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that Ephrin receptors may be upregulated in several types of cancers including breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers, making them a target for drug design. In this work, we have utilized a target-hopping approach to design new natural product-peptide conjugates and examined their interactions with the kinase-binding domain of EphB4 and EphB2 receptors. The peptide sequences were generated through point mutations of the known EphB4 antagonist peptide TNYLFSPNGPIA. Their anticancer properties and secondary structures were analyzed computationally. Conjugates of most optimum of peptides were then designed by binding the N-terminal of the peptides with the free carboxyl group of the polyphenols sinapate, gallate and coumarate, which are known for their inherent anticancer properties. To investigate if these conjugates have a potential to bind to the kinase domain, we carried out docking studies and MMGBSA free energy calculations of the trajectories based on the molecular dynamics simulations, with both the apo and the ATP bound kinase domains of both receptors. In most cases binding interactions occurred within the catalytic loop region, while in some cases the conjugates were found to spread out across the N-lobe and the DFG motif region. The conjugates were further tested for prediction of pharmacokinetic properties using ADME studies. Our results indicated that the conjugates were lipophilic and MDCK permeable with no CYP interactions. These findings provide an insight into the molecular interactions of these peptides and conjugates with the kinase domain of the EphB4 and EphB2 receptor. As a proof of concept, we synthesized and carried out SPR analysis with two of the conjugates (gallate-TNYLFSPNGPIA and sinapate-TNYLFSPNGPIA). Results indicated that the conjugates showed higher binding with the EphB4 receptor and minimal binding to EphB2 receptor. Sinapate-TNYLFSPNGPIA showed inhibitory activity against EphB4. These studies reveal that some of the conjugates may be developed for further investigation into in vitro and in vivo studies and potential development as therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saige M Mitchell
- Department of Chemistry, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Rd, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA
| | - Ryan M Heise
- Department of Chemistry, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Rd, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA
| | - Molly E Murray
- Department of Chemistry, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Rd, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA
| | - Dominic J Lambo
- Department of Chemistry, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Rd, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA
| | - Rachel E Daso
- Department of Chemistry, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Rd, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA
| | - Ipsita A Banerjee
- Department of Chemistry, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Rd, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA.
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Abstract
Evidence implicating Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands (that together make up the 'Eph system') in cancer development and progression has been accumulating since the discovery of the first Eph receptor approximately 35 years ago. Advances in the past decade and a half have considerably increased the understanding of Eph receptor-ephrin signalling mechanisms in cancer and have uncovered intriguing new roles in cancer progression and drug resistance. This Review focuses mainly on these more recent developments. I provide an update on the different mechanisms of Eph receptor-ephrin-mediated cell-cell communication and cell autonomous signalling, as well as on the interplay of the Eph system with other signalling systems. I further discuss recent advances in elucidating how the Eph system controls tumour expansion, invasiveness and metastasis, supports cancer stem cells, and drives therapy resistance. In addition to functioning within cancer cells, the Eph system also mediates the reciprocal communication between cancer cells and cells of the tumour microenvironment. The involvement of the Eph system in tumour angiogenesis is well established, but recent findings also demonstrate roles in immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix. Lastly, I discuss strategies under evaluation for therapeutic targeting of Eph receptors-ephrins in cancer and conclude with an outlook on promising future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena B Pasquale
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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Ullah A, Razzaq A, Zhou C, Ullah N, Shehzadi S, Aziz T, Alfaifi MY, Elbehairi SEI, Iqbal H. Biological Significance of EphB4 Expression in Cancer. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2024; 25:244-255. [PMID: 37909437 DOI: 10.2174/0113892037269589231017055642] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Eph receptors and their Eph receptor-interacting (ephrin) ligands comprise a vital cell communication system with several functions. In cancer cells, there was evidence of bilateral Eph receptor signaling with both tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting actions. As a member of the Eph receptor family, EphB4 has been linked to tumor angiogenesis, growth, and metastasis, which makes it a viable and desirable target for drug development in therapeutic applications. Many investigations have been conducted over the last decade to elucidate the structure and function of EphB4 in association with its ligand ephrinB2 for its involvement in tumorigenesis. Although several EphB4-targeting drugs have been investigated, and some selective inhibitors have been evaluated in clinical trials. This article addresses the structure and function of the EphB4 receptor, analyses its possibility as an anticancer therapeutic target, and summarises knowledge of EphB4 kinase inhibitors. To summarise, EphB4 is a difficult but potential treatment option for cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmat Ullah
- Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China
| | - Anam Razzaq
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chuanzan Zhou
- Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China
| | - Najeeb Ullah
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA, 818 Nelson Ave, 71272, USA
| | - Somia Shehzadi
- University Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Aziz
- Westlake University, School of Engineering, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310024, China
| | - Mohammad Y Alfaifi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 9004, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Haroon Iqbal
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
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Chen L, Zhu S, Liu T, Zhao X, Xiang T, Hu X, Wu C, Lin D. Aberrant epithelial cell interaction promotes esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma development and progression. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:453. [PMID: 38097539 PMCID: PMC10721848 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01710-2] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and proliferation play important roles in epithelial cancer formation and progression, but what molecules and how they trigger EMT is largely unknown. Here we performed spatial transcriptomic and functional analyses on samples of multistage esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) from mice and humans to decipher these critical issues. By investigating spatiotemporal gene expression patterns and cell-cell interactions, we demonstrated that the aberrant epithelial cell interaction via EFNB1-EPHB4 triggers EMT and cell cycle mediated by downstream SRC/ERK/AKT signaling. The aberrant epithelial cell interaction occurs within the basal layer at early precancerous lesions, which expands to the whole epithelial layer and strengthens along the cancer development and progression. Functional analysis revealed that the aberrant EFNB1-EPHB4 interaction is caused by overexpressed ΔNP63 due to TP53 mutation, the culprit in human ESCC tumorigenesis. Our results shed new light on the role of TP53-TP63/ΔNP63-EFNB1-EPHB4 axis in EMT and cell proliferation in epithelial cancer formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Chen
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Shihao Zhu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Tianyuan Liu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Tao Xiang
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Chen Wu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Genomic Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
- CAMS Oxford Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100006, China.
| | - Dongxin Lin
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Genomic Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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7
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Nanamiya R, Suzuki H, Kaneko MK, Kato Y. Development of an Anti-EphB4 Monoclonal Antibody for Multiple Applications Against Breast Cancers. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother 2023; 42:166-177. [PMID: 37824755 DOI: 10.1089/mab.2023.0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (Eph) receptors are the largest receptor tyrosine kinase family. EphB4 is essential for cell adhesion and motility during embryogenesis. Pathologically, EphB4 is overexpressed and contributes to poor prognosis in various tumors. Therefore, specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) should be developed to predict the prognosis for multiple tumors with high EphB4 expression, including breast and gastric cancers. This study aimed to develop specific anti-EphB4 mAbs for multiple applications using the Cell-Based Immunization and Screening method. EphB4-overexpressed Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 (CHO/EphB4) cells were immunized into mice, and we established an anti-EphB4 mAb (clone B4Mab-7), which is applicable for flow cytometry, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). B4Mab-7 reacted with endogenous EphB4-positive breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, but did not react with EphB4-knockout MCF-7 (BINDS-52) in flow cytometry. Dissociation constant (KD) values were determined to be 2.9 × 10-9 M and 1.3 × 10-9 M by flow cytometric analysis for CHO/EphB4 and MCF-7 cells, respectively. B4Mab-7 detected the EphB4 protein bands from breast cancer cells in Western blot, and stained breast cancer tissues in IHC. Altogether, B4Mab-7 is very useful for detecting EphB4 in various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren Nanamiya
- Department of Antibody Drug Development, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Department of Antibody Drug Development, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Mika K Kaneko
- Department of Antibody Drug Development, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yukinari Kato
- Department of Antibody Drug Development, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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8
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Zhu Y, Yang H, Han L, Mervin LH, Hosseini-Gerami L, Li P, Wright P, Trapotsi MA, Liu K, Fan TP, Bender A. In silico prediction and biological assessment of novel angiogenesis modulators from traditional Chinese medicine. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1116081. [PMID: 36817116 PMCID: PMC9937659 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1116081] [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: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncontrolled angiogenesis is a common denominator underlying many deadly and debilitating diseases such as myocardial infarction, chronic wounds, cancer, and age-related macular degeneration. As the current range of FDA-approved angiogenesis-based medicines are far from meeting clinical demands, the vast reserve of natural products from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers an alternative source for developing pro-angiogenic or anti-angiogenic modulators. Here, we investigated 100 traditional Chinese medicine-derived individual metabolites which had reported gene expression in MCF7 cell lines in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GSE85871). We extracted literature angiogenic activities for 51 individual metabolites, and subsequently analysed their predicted targets and differentially expressed genes to understand their mechanisms of action. The angiogenesis phenotype was used to generate decision trees for rationalising the poly-pharmacology of known angiogenesis modulators such as ferulic acid and curculigoside and validated by an in vitro endothelial tube formation assay and a zebrafish model of angiogenesis. Moreover, using an in silico model we prospectively examined the angiogenesis-modulating activities of the remaining 49 individual metabolites. In vitro, tetrahydropalmatine and 1 beta-hydroxyalantolactone stimulated, while cinobufotalin and isoalantolactone inhibited endothelial tube formation. In vivo, ginsenosides Rb3 and Rc, 1 beta-hydroxyalantolactone and surprisingly cinobufotalin, restored angiogenesis against PTK787-induced impairment in zebrafish. In the absence of PTK787, deoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid did not affect angiogenesis. Despite some limitations, these results suggest further refinements of in silico prediction combined with biological assessment will be a valuable platform for accelerating the research and development of natural products from traditional Chinese medicine and understanding their mechanisms of action, and also for other traditional medicines for the prevention and treatment of angiogenic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingli Zhu
- Department of Clinical Chinese Pharmacy, School of Chinese Material Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China,Department of Chemistry, Center for Molecular Science Informatics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom,Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Hongbin Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Molecular Science Informatics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Liwen Han
- Engineering Research Center of Zebrafish Models for Human Diseases and Drug Screening of Shandong Province, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China,School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, Shandong First Medical University, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Lewis H. Mervin
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Molecular Science Informatics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Layla Hosseini-Gerami
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Molecular Science Informatics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Peihai Li
- Engineering Research Center of Zebrafish Models for Human Diseases and Drug Screening of Shandong Province, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Peter Wright
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Molecular Science Informatics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Maria-Anna Trapotsi
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Molecular Science Informatics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kechun Liu
- Engineering Research Center of Zebrafish Models for Human Diseases and Drug Screening of Shandong Province, Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Tai-Ping Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Tai-Ping Fan, ; Andreas Bender,
| | - Andreas Bender
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Molecular Science Informatics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Tai-Ping Fan, ; Andreas Bender,
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Eph Receptors in Cancer. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11020315. [PMID: 36830852 PMCID: PMC9953285 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Eph receptor tyrosine kinases play critical functions during development, in the formation of tissue and organ borders, and the vascular and neural systems. Uniquely among tyrosine kinases, their activities are controlled by binding to membrane-bound ligands, called ephrins. Ephs and ephrins generally have a low expression in adults, functioning mainly in tissue homeostasis and plasticity, but are often overexpressed in cancers, where they are especially associated with undifferentiated or progenitor cells, and with tumour development, vasculature, and invasion. Mutations in Eph receptors also occur in various tumour types and are suspected to promote tumourigenesis. Ephs and ephrins have the capacity to operate as both tumour promoters and tumour suppressors, depending on the circumstances. They have been demonstrated to impact tumour cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, as well as tumour development, angiogenesis, and metastases in vivo, making them potential therapeutic targets. However, successful development of therapies will require detailed understanding of the opposing roles of Ephs in various cancers. In this review, we discuss the variations in Eph expression and functions in a variety of malignancies. We also describe the multiple strategies that are currently available to target them in tumours, including preclinical and clinical development.
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10
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Bhatia S, Nguyen D, Darragh LB, Van Court B, Sharma J, Knitz MW, Piper M, Bukkapatnam S, Gadwa J, Bickett TE, Bhuvane S, Corbo S, Wu B, Lee Y, Fujita M, Joshi M, Heasley LE, Ferris RL, Rodriguez O, Albanese C, Kapoor M, Pasquale EB, Karam SD. EphB4 and ephrinB2 act in opposition in the head and neck tumor microenvironment. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3535. [PMID: 35725568 PMCID: PMC9209511 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31124-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Differential outcomes of EphB4-ephrinB2 signaling offers formidable challenge for the development of cancer therapeutics. Here, we interrogate the effects of targeting EphB4 and ephrinB2 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and within its microenvironment using genetically engineered mice, recombinant constructs, pharmacologic agonists and antagonists. We observe that manipulating the EphB4 intracellular domain on cancer cells accelerates tumor growth and angiogenesis. EphB4 cancer cell loss also triggers compensatory upregulation of EphA4 and T regulatory cells (Tregs) influx and their targeting results in reversal of accelerated tumor growth mediated by EphB4 knockdown. EphrinB2 knockout on cancer cells and vasculature, on the other hand, results in maximal tumor reduction and vascular normalization. We report that EphB4 agonism provides no additional anti-tumoral benefit in the absence of ephrinB2. These results identify ephrinB2 as a tumor promoter and its receptor, EphB4, as a tumor suppressor in HNSCC, presenting opportunities for rational drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Diemmy Nguyen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Laurel B Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jaspreet Sharma
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michael W Knitz
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Miles Piper
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sanjana Bukkapatnam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jacob Gadwa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Thomas E Bickett
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Shiv Bhuvane
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sophia Corbo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Brian Wu
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yichien Lee
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mayumi Fujita
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Molishree Joshi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Lynn E Heasley
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Robert L Ferris
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Olga Rodriguez
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Christopher Albanese
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mohit Kapoor
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Elena B Pasquale
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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11
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New Diagnostic Biomarker-Soluble Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor A2 (EphA2) for colon cancer. Indian J Surg 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12262-022-03360-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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12
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Wu Y, Hu R, Zhong X, Zhang A, Pang B, Sun X, Zhu G. Electric Acupuncture Treatment Promotes Angiogenesis in Rats with Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Through EphB4/EphrinB2 Mediated Src/PI3K Signal Pathway. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2021; 30:105165. [PMID: 33360522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.105165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebral infarction is one of the most common causes of disability and death worldwide. It is reported that electric acupuncture was able to improve the prognosis of cerebral infarction by promoting angiogenesis. However, the corresponding signal pathways of angiogenesis promotes by electric acupuncture treatment needs to be further explored. METHODS MCAO rat was employed as the animal model, and clopidogrel hydrogen sulfate treatment was set as the positive control. Behaviors of rats, H&E staining, and TTC-staining was used to evaluate the recovery of infarcted brain tissue and nervous function. After that, immunocytochemical and immunofluorescence staining was used to quantify the angiogenesis and compensatory circulation, which including the analysis of microvessel density, field/ microvessel area ratio, and microvessel diameter. Western blot and RT-PCR for the detection of the related signal molecule, PI3K, Src, and EphB4/ephrinB2. RESULTS The neurologic impairment scores were decreased, and the brain tissue damage that showed with H&E and TTC-staining was relieved by the treatment of electric acupuncture in MCAO rat. The quantification of microvessel density and field/ microvessel area ratio was improved obviously, and the microvessel diameter was decreased which represent the angiogenesis of capillary in day 3 and 7 by the electric acupuncture treatment. We also found that the level of Src and PI3K was increased markedly followed by the up-regulation of EphB4 and EphrinB2 mRNA during the electric acupuncture treatment, and the pre-treatment of Src and/or PI3K inhibitor was able to disturb the angiogenesis of capillary. CONCLUSIONS We proved that electric acupuncture was able to accelerate the recovery of infarcted brain tissue and nervous function in MCAO rat by the promotion of angiogenesis, which was regulated by EphB4/EphrinB2 mediated Src/PI3K signal pathway. Our study provides a potential therapy and theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of cerebral infarction by the use of electric acupuncture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhua Wu
- Department of neurology, the first affiliated hospital of Guizhou university of traditional Chinese medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, P.R.China
| | - Rong Hu
- Department of neurology, the first affiliated hospital of Guizhou university of traditional Chinese medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, P.R.China
| | - Xiuyan Zhong
- Department of neurology, the first affiliated hospital of Guizhou university of traditional Chinese medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, P.R.China
| | - Anbang Zhang
- Department of neurology, the first affiliated hospital of Guizhou university of traditional Chinese medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, P.R.China
| | - Bo Pang
- Department of neurology, the first affiliated hospital of Guizhou university of traditional Chinese medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, P.R.China
| | - Xiuqi Sun
- Department of neurology, the first affiliated hospital of Guizhou university of traditional Chinese medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, P.R.China
| | - Guangqi Zhu
- Department of neurology, the first affiliated hospital of Guizhou university of traditional Chinese medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, P.R.China.
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13
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Neuber C, Tröster A, Löser R, Belter B, Schwalbe H, Pietzsch J. The Pyrazolo[3,4- d]pyrimidine-Based Kinase Inhibitor NVP-BHG712: Effects of Regioisomers on Tumor Growth, Perfusion, and Hypoxia in EphB4-Positive A375 Melanoma Xenografts. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25215115. [PMID: 33153234 PMCID: PMC7662635 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25215115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In a previous study, EphB4 was demonstrated to be a positive regulator of A375-melanoma growth but a negative regulator of tumor vascularization and perfusion. To distinguish between EphB4 forward and ephrinB2 reverse signaling, we used the commercially available EphB4 kinase inhibitor NVP-BHG712 (NVP), which was later identified as its regioisomer NVPiso. Since there have been reported significant differences between the inhibition profiles of NVP and NVPiso, we compared the influence of NVP and NVPiso on tumor characteristics under the same experimental conditions. Despite the different inhibitory profiles of NVP and NVPiso, the comparative study conducted here showed the same EphB4-induced effects in vivo as in the previous investigation. This confirmed the conclusion that EphB4-ephrinB2 reverse signaling is responsible for increased tumor growth as well as decreased tumor vascularization and perfusion. These results are further substantiated by microarrays showing differences between mock-transfected and EphB4-transfected (A375-EphB4) cells with respect to at least 9 angiogenesis-related proteins. Decreased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiotensin 1 (Ang-1), and protein kinase B (Akt/PKB), together with the increased expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and transforming growth factor beta-2 (TGF-β2), is consistent with the impaired vascularization of A375-EphB4 xenografts. Functional overexpression of EphB4 in A375-EphB4 cells was confirmed by activation of a variety of signaling pathways, including the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT), rat sarcoma virus/rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma/mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (Ras/Raf/MEK), and nuclear factor kappa-B (NFkB) pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Neuber
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Department Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany; (C.N.); (R.L.); (B.B.)
| | - Alix Tröster
- Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Institute of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt a. M., Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; (A.T.); (H.S.)
| | - Reik Löser
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Department Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany; (C.N.); (R.L.); (B.B.)
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, School of Science, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Birgit Belter
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Department Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany; (C.N.); (R.L.); (B.B.)
| | - Harald Schwalbe
- Centre for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Institute of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt a. M., Max-von-Laue-Strasse 7, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; (A.T.); (H.S.)
| | - Jens Pietzsch
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Department Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany; (C.N.); (R.L.); (B.B.)
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, School of Science, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-351-260-2622
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14
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Wan X, Saban DV, Kim SN, Weng Y, Dammann P, Keyvani K, Sure U, Zhu Y. PDCD10-Deficiency Promotes Malignant Behaviors and Tumor Growth via Triggering EphB4 Kinase Activity in Glioblastoma. Front Oncol 2020; 10:1377. [PMID: 32850441 PMCID: PMC7427606 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously reported an angiogenic and tumor-suppressor-like function of programmed cell death 10 (PDCD10) in glioblastoma (GBM). However, the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. We hypothesized that loss of PDCD10 activates GBM cells and tumor progression via EphB4. To this end, PDCD10 was knocked down in U87 and T98g by lentiviral mediated shRNA transduction (shPDCD10). GBM cell phenotype in vitro and tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model were investigated in presence or absence of the treatment with a specific EphB4 kinase inhibitor NVP-BHG712 (NVP). We demonstrated that knockdown of PDCD10 in GBM cells significantly upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of EphB4 accompanied by the activation of Erk1/2. EphB4 kinase activity, reflected by phospho-EphB4, significantly increased in shPDCD10 GBM cells, and in tumors derived from shPDCD10 GBM xenografts, which was abolished by the treatment with NVP. Furthermore, NVP treatment significantly suppressed PDCD10-knockdown mediated aggressive GBM cell phenotype in vitro and extensive tumor cell proliferation, the tumor neo-angiogenesis, and a quick progression of tumor formation in vivo. In summary, loss of PDCD10 activates GBM cells and promotes tumor growth via triggering EphB4. Targeting EphB4 might be an effective strategy particularly for the personalized therapy in GBM patients with PDCD10-deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyan Wan
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Dino Vitali Saban
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Su Na Kim
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Yinlun Weng
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Philipp Dammann
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Kathy Keyvani
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sure
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Yuan Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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15
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Du E, Li X, He S, Li X, He S. The critical role of the interplays of EphrinB2/EphB4 and VEGF in the induction of angiogenesis. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:4681-4690. [PMID: 32488576 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05470-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The significant role of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) as an angiogenesis inducer is well recognized. Besides VEGF, EphrinB2/EphB4 also plays essential roles in vascular development and postnatal angiogenesis. Compared with classical proangiogenic factors, not only does EphrinB2/EphB4 promote sprouting of new vessels, it is also involved in the vessel maturation. Given their involvement in many physiologic and pathological conditions, EphB4 and EphrinB2 are increasingly recognized as attractive therapeutic targets for angiogenesis-related diseases through modulating their expression and function. Previous works mainly focused on the individual role of VEGF and EphrinB2/EphB4 in angiogenesis, respectively, but the correlation between EphrinB2/EphB4 and VEGF in angiogenesis has not been fully disclosed. Here, we summarize the structure and bidirectional signaling of EphrinB2/EphB4, provide an overview on the relationship between EphrinB2/EphB4 signaling and VEGF pathway in angiogenesis and highlight the associated potential usefulness in anti-angiogenetic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enming Du
- Henan Eye Institute, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,Henan Eye Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,Henan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China
| | - Xue Li
- Henan Eye Institute, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,Henan Eye Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,Henan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China
| | - Siyu He
- Henan Eye Institute, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,Henan Eye Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,Henan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.,Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China
| | - Xiaohua Li
- Henan Eye Institute, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China. .,Henan Eye Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China. .,People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China. .,People's Hospital of Henan University, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China. .,Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China.
| | - Shikun He
- Henan Eye Institute, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China. .,Henan Eye Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China. .,Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003, Henan, China. .,Departments of Pathology and Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, USC Roski Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
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16
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Janes PW, Vail ME, Gan HK, Scott AM. Antibody Targeting of Eph Receptors in Cancer. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13050088. [PMID: 32397088 PMCID: PMC7281212 DOI: 10.3390/ph13050088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Eph subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases mediate cell-cell communication controlling cell and tissue patterning during development. While generally less active in adult tissues, they often re-emerge in cancers, particularly on undifferentiated or progenitor cells in tumors and the tumor microenvironment, associated with tumor initiation, angiogenesis and metastasis. Eph receptors are thus attractive therapeutic targets, and monoclonal antibodies have been commonly developed and tested for anti-cancer activity in preclinical models, and in some cases in the clinic. This review summarizes 20 years of research on various antibody-based approaches to target Eph receptors in tumors and the tumor microenvironment, including their mode of action, tumor specificity, and efficacy in pre-clinical and clinical testing.
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17
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Activated FGF2 signaling pathway in tumor vasculature is essential for acquired resistance to anti-VEGF therapy. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2939. [PMID: 32076044 PMCID: PMC7031295 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59853-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy shows antitumor activity against various types of solid cancers. Several resistance mechanisms against anti-VEGF therapy have been elucidated; however, little is known about the mechanisms by which the acquired resistance arises. Here, we developed new anti-VEGF therapy-resistant models driven by chronic expression of the mouse VEGFR2 extracellular domain fused with the human IgG4 fragment crystallizable (Fc) region (VEGFR2-Fc). In the VEGFR2-Fc-expressing resistant tumors, we demonstrated that the FGFR2 signaling pathway was activated, and pericytes expressing high levels of FGF2 were co-localized with endothelial cells. Lenvatinib, a multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor including VEGFR and FGFR inhibition, showed marked antitumor activity against VEGFR2-Fc-expressing resistant tumors accompanied with a decrease in the area of tumor vessels and suppression of phospho-FGFR2 in tumors. Our findings reveal the key role that intercellular FGF2 signaling between pericytes and endothelial cells plays in maintaining the tumor vasculature in anti-VEGF therapy-resistant tumors.
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18
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Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor (VEGFR-2)/KDR Inhibitors: Medicinal Chemistry Perspective. MEDICINE IN DRUG DISCOVERY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.medidd.2019.100009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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19
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Lennon S, Oweida A, Milner D, Phan AV, Bhatia S, Van Court B, Darragh L, Mueller AC, Raben D, Martínez-Torrecuadrada JL, Pitts TM, Somerset H, Jordan KR, Hansen KC, Williams J, Messersmith WA, Schulick RD, Owens P, Goodman KA, Karam SD. Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment Modulation by EphB4-ephrinB2 Inhibition and Radiation Combination. Clin Cancer Res 2019; 25:3352-3365. [PMID: 30944125 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-2811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE A driving factor in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) treatment resistance is the tumor microenvironment, which is highly immunosuppressive. One potent immunologic adjuvant is radiotherapy. Radiation, however, has also been shown to induce immunosuppressive factors, which can contribute to tumor progression and formation of fibrotic tumor stroma. To capitalize on the immunogenic effects of radiation and obtain a durable tumor response, radiation must be rationally combined with targeted therapies to mitigate the influx of immunosuppressive cells and fibrosis. One such target is ephrinB2, which is overexpressed in PDAC and correlates negatively with prognosis.Experimental Design: On the basis of previous studies of ephrinB2 ligand-EphB4 receptor signaling, we hypothesized that inhibition of ephrinB2-EphB4 combined with radiation can regulate the microenvironment response postradiation, leading to increased tumor control in PDAC. This hypothesis was explored using both cell lines and in vivo human and mouse tumor models. RESULTS Our data show this treatment regimen significantly reduces regulatory T-cell, macrophage, and neutrophil infiltration and stromal fibrosis, enhances effector T-cell activation, and decreases tumor growth. Furthermore, our data show that depletion of regulatory T cells in combination with radiation reduces tumor growth and fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS These are the first findings to suggest that in PDAC, ephrinB2-EphB4 interaction has a profibrotic, protumorigenic role, presenting a novel and promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby Lennon
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Ayman Oweida
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Dallin Milner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Andy V Phan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Shilpa Bhatia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Benjamin Van Court
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Laurel Darragh
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Adam C Mueller
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - David Raben
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jorge L Martínez-Torrecuadrada
- Crystallography and Protein Engineering Unit, Structural Biology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Todd M Pitts
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Hilary Somerset
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kimberly R Jordan
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kirk C Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jason Williams
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Wells A Messersmith
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Richard D Schulick
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Philip Owens
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.,Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver, Colorado
| | - Karyn A Goodman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Sana D Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
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20
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Su SA, Xie Y, Zhang Y, Xi Y, Cheng J, Xiang M. Essential roles of EphrinB2 in mammalian heart: from development to diseases. Cell Commun Signal 2019; 17:29. [PMID: 30909943 PMCID: PMC6434800 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-019-0337-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
EphrinB2, a membrane-tethered ligand preferentially binding to its receptor EphB4, is ubiquitously expressed in all mammals. Through the particular bidirectional signaling, EphrinB2 plays a critical role during the development of cardiovascular system, postnatal angiogenesis physiologically and pathologically, and cardiac remodeling after injuries as an emerging role. This review highlights the pivotal involvement of EphrinB2 in heart, from developmental cardiogenesis to pathological cardiac remodeling process. Further potential translational therapies will be discussed in targeting EphrinB2 signaling, to better understand the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-An Su
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yao Xie
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yuhao Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yutao Xi
- Texas Heart Institute, Houston, 77030, USA.
| | - Jie Cheng
- Texas Heart Institute, Houston, 77030, USA
| | - Meixiang Xiang
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
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21
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Saha N, Robev D, Mason EO, Himanen JP, Nikolov DB. Therapeutic potential of targeting the Eph/ephrin signaling complex. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 105:123-133. [PMID: 30343150 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The Eph-ephrin signaling pathway mediates developmental processes and the proper functioning of the adult human body. This distinctive bidirectional signaling pathway includes a canonical downstream signal cascade inside the Eph-bearing cells, as well as a reverse signaling in the ephrin-bearing cells. The signaling is terminated by ADAM metalloproteinase cleavage, internalization, and degradation of the Eph/ephrin complexes. Consequently, the Eph-ephrin-ADAM signaling cascade has emerged as a key target with immense therapeutic potential particularly in the context of cancer. An interesting twist was brought forth by the emergence of ephrins as the entry receptors for the pathological Henipaviruses, which has spurred new studies to target the viral entry. The availability of high-resolution structures of the multi-modular Eph receptors in complexes with ephrins and other binding partners, such as peptides, small molecule inhibitors and antibodies, offers a wealth of information for the structure-guided development of therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, genomic data mining of Eph mutants involved in cancer provides information for targeted drug development. In this review we summarize the distinct avenues for targeting the Eph-ephrin signaling pathway, including its termination by ADAM proteinases. We highlight the latest developments in Eph-related pharmacology in the context of Eph-ephrin-ADAM-based antibodies and small molecules. Finally, the future prospects of genomics- and proteomics-based medicine are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayanendu Saha
- Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Structural Biology Program, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Dorothea Robev
- Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Structural Biology Program, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Emilia O Mason
- Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Structural Biology Program, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Juha P Himanen
- Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Structural Biology Program, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States.
| | - Dimitar B Nikolov
- Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Structural Biology Program, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States
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22
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Kadife E, Ware TMB, Luwor RB, Chan STF, Nurgali K, Senior PV. Effects of EphB4 receptor expression on colorectal cancer cells, tumor growth, vascularization and composition. Acta Oncol 2018; 57:1043-1056. [PMID: 29368976 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2018.1429650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Increased expression of the molecular target, EphB4 receptor, has been observed in several cancer types. However, studies on the role of EphB4 receptor in CRC have yielded contradictory results. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of EphB4 expression levels on CRC cell behavior and its contribution to tumor growth and vascularization. METHODS SW480, LIM2405 and CT26 CRC cell lines were transfected with EphB4 expression vector. High EphB4 expressing cells were compared to low EphB4 expressing empty vector controls. Proliferation and migration assays as well as EphrinB2-Fc cell stimulations were conducted in vitro and subcutaneous xenografts of CRC were analyzed in vivo. RESULTS High EphB4 expression enhanced migratory ability of these CRC cell lines in vitro and contributed to a significant increase in tumor growth and vascularization in vivo. Tumours induced with high EphB4 expressing SW480 and LIM2405 cells yielded homogenous masses densely packed with cancer cells. EphrinB2-Fc cell stimulations induced cell clustering of high EphB4 expressing SW480 and LIM2405 in vitro. CONCLUSION These results suggest that with enhanced vascularization and an increase in migratory abilities, the high EphB4 expressing cells may be able to metastasize more readily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Kadife
- Centre for Chronic Diseases, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Western Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells Program, Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Sciences (AIMSS), Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Rodney Brian Luwor
- Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Australia
| | - Steven Tuck Foo Chan
- Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Australia
| | - Kulmira Nurgali
- Centre for Chronic Diseases, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Western Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells Program, Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Sciences (AIMSS), Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul Vincent Senior
- Department of Medicine, Western Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells Program, Australian Institute of Musculoskeletal Sciences (AIMSS), Melbourne, Australia
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23
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Salgia R, Kulkarni P, Gill PS. EphB4: A promising target for upper aerodigestive malignancies. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2018; 1869:128-137. [PMID: 29369779 PMCID: PMC5955724 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (Eph) receptors are the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) that include two major subclasses, EphA and EphB. They form an important cell communication system with critical and diverse roles in a variety of biological processes during embryonic development. However, dysregulation of the Eph/ephrin interactions is implicated in cancer contributing to tumour growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Here, we focus on EphB4 and review recent developments in elucidating its role in upper aerodigestive malignancies to include lung cancer, head and neck cancer, and mesothelioma. In particular, we summarize information regarding EphB4 structure/function and role in disease pathobiology. We also review the data supporting EphB4 as a potential pharmacological and immunotherapy target and finally, progress in the development of new therapeutic strategies including small molecule inhibitors of its activity is discussed. The emerging picture suggests that EphB4 is a valuable and attractive therapeutic target for upper aerodigestive malignancies.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
- Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics
- Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Head and Neck Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Head and Neck Neoplasms/genetics
- Head and Neck Neoplasms/metabolism
- Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology
- Humans
- Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Lung Neoplasms/genetics
- Lung Neoplasms/metabolism
- Lung Neoplasms/pathology
- Mesothelioma/drug therapy
- Mesothelioma/genetics
- Mesothelioma/metabolism
- Mesothelioma/pathology
- Mesothelioma, Malignant
- Molecular Targeted Therapy
- Receptor, EphB4/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, EphB4/genetics
- Receptor, EphB4/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Salgia
- Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, United States.
| | - Prakash Kulkarni
- Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA, United States
| | - Prakash S Gill
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Neuber C, Belter B, Meister S, Hofheinz F, Bergmann R, Pietzsch HJ, Pietzsch J. Overexpression of Receptor Tyrosine Kinase EphB4 Triggers Tumor Growth and Hypoxia in A375 Melanoma Xenografts: Insights from Multitracer Small Animal Imaging Experiments. Molecules 2018; 23:E444. [PMID: 29462967 PMCID: PMC6017846 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23020444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental evidence has associated receptor tyrosine kinase EphB4 with tumor angiogenesis also in malignant melanoma. Considering the limited in vivo data available, we have conducted a systematic multitracer and multimodal imaging investigation in EphB4-overexpressing and mock-transfected A375 melanoma xenografts. Tumor growth, perfusion, and hypoxia were investigated by positron emission tomography. Vascularization was investigated by fluorescence imaging in vivo and ex vivo. The approach was completed by magnetic resonance imaging, radioluminography ex vivo, and immunohistochemical staining for blood and lymph vessel markers. Results revealed EphB4 to be a positive regulator of A375 melanoma growth, but a negative regulator of tumor vascularization. Resulting in increased hypoxia, this physiological characteristic is considered as highly unfavorable for melanoma prognosis and therapy outcome. Lymphangiogenesis, by contrast, was not influenced by EphB4 overexpression. In order to distinguish between EphB4 forward and EphrinB2, the natural EphB4 ligand, reverse signaling a specific EphB4 kinase inhibitor was applied. Blocking experiments show EphrinB2 reverse signaling rather than EphB4 forward signaling to be responsible for the observed effects. In conclusion, functional expression of EphB4 is considered a promising differentiating characteristic, preferentially determined by non-invasive in vivo imaging, which may improve personalized theranostics of malignant melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Neuber
- Department Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01314 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Birgit Belter
- Department Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01314 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Meister
- Department Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01314 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Frank Hofheinz
- Department Positron Emission Tomography, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01314 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Ralf Bergmann
- Department Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01314 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Hans-Jürgen Pietzsch
- Department Radionuclide Theragnostics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01314 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Jens Pietzsch
- Department Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstrasse 400, 01314 Dresden, Germany.
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, School of Science, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany.
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25
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Chen Y, Zhang H, Zhang Y. Targeting receptor tyrosine kinase EphB4 in cancer therapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2017; 56:37-46. [PMID: 28993206 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Eph receptors and their Eph receptor-interacting (ephrin) ligands together form an important cell communication system with diverse roles. Experimental evidence demonstrated Eph receptor bidirectional signaling with both tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting activities in cancer cells. The tyrosine kinase EphB4, a member of the Eph receptor family, has been associated with tumor angiogenesis, growth and metastasis, thus making it a valuable and attractive target for drug design for therapeutic applications. In the past decade, many studies have focused on elucidating the structure and function of EphB4 in complex with its ligand ephrinB2 for their role in carcinogenesis. Meanwhile, an array of compounds targeting EphB4 have been studied and several selective inhibitors have been tested in clinical studies. This review discusses the structure and function of the EphB4 receptor, analyzes its potential as a target for anticancer therapy, and summarizes the information about inhibitors of EphB4 kinase activity. Conclusively, EphB4 is a challenging but promising therapeutic target in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinnan Chen
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
| | - Yanmin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta West Street, #54, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710061, PR China.
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26
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EPHB4 is a therapeutic target in AML and promotes leukemia cell survival via AKT. Blood Adv 2017; 1:1635-1644. [PMID: 29296810 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2017005694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
EPHB4, an ephrin type B receptor, is implicated in the growth of several epithelial tumors and is a promising target in cancer therapy; however, little is known about its role in hematologic malignancies. In this article, we show that EPHB4 is highly expressed in ∼30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples. In an unbiased RNA interference screen of primary leukemia samples, we found that EPHB4 drives survival in a subset of AML cases. Knockdown of EPHB4 inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT signaling, and this is accompanied by a reduction in cell viability, which can be rescued by a constitutively active form of AKT. Finally, targeting EPHB4 with a highly specific monoclonal antibody (MAb131) is effective against AML in vitro and in vivo. EPHB4 is therefore a potential target in AML with high EPHB4 expression.
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27
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Randolph ME, Cleary MM, Bajwa Z, Svalina MN, Young MC, Mansoor A, Kaur P, Bult CJ, Goros MW, Michalek JE, Xiang S, Keck J, Krasnoperov V, Gill P, Keller C. EphB4/EphrinB2 therapeutics in Rhabdomyosarcoma. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0183161. [PMID: 28817624 PMCID: PMC5560593 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma affecting children and is often diagnosed with concurrent metastases. Unfortunately, few effective therapies have been discovered that improve the long-term survival rate for children with metastatic disease. Here we determined effectiveness of targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase, EphB4, in both alveolar and embryonal RMS either directly through the inhibitory antibody, VasG3, or indirectly by blocking both forward and reverse signaling of EphB4 binding to EphrinB2, cognate ligand of EphB4. Clinically, EphB4 expression in eRMS was correlated with longer survival. Experimentally, inhibition of EphB4 with VasG3 in both aRMS and eRMS orthotopic xenograft and allograft models failed to alter tumor progression. Inhibition of EphB4 forward signaling using soluble EphB4 protein fused with murine serum albumin failed to affect eRMS model tumor progression, but did moderately slow progression in murine aRMS. We conclude that inhibition of EphB4 signaling with these agents is not a viable monotherapy for rhabdomyosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E. Randolph
- Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Megan M. Cleary
- Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Zia Bajwa
- Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Matthew N. Svalina
- Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Michael C. Young
- Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Atiya Mansoor
- Department of Pathology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Pali Kaur
- The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, United States of America
| | - Carol J. Bult
- The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, United States of America
| | - Martin W. Goros
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Joel E. Michalek
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sunny Xiang
- The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, United States of America
| | - James Keck
- The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, United States of America
| | | | - Parkash Gill
- Vasgene Therapeutics, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Charles Keller
- Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Institute, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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28
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Targeted therapies in hematological malignancies using therapeutic monoclonal antibodies against Eph family receptors. Exp Hematol 2017; 54:31-39. [PMID: 28751189 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and molecules derived from them has achieved considerable attention and success in recent years, establishing this mode of therapy as an important therapeutic strategy in many cancers, in particular hematological tumors. mAbs recognize cell surface antigens expressed on target cells and mediate their function through various mechanisms such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, complement-dependent cytotoxicity, or immune system modulation. The efficacy of mAb therapy can be improved when they are conjugated to a highly potent payloads, including cytotoxic drugs and radiolabeled isotopes. The Eph family of proteins has received considerable attention in recent years as therapeutic targets for treatment of both solid and hematological cancers. High expression of Eph receptors on cancer cells compared with low expression levels in normal adult tissues makes them an attractive candidate for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we detail the modes of action of antibody-based therapies with a focus on the Eph family of proteins as potential targets for therapy in hematological malignancies.
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29
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Wang J, Zhang L, Pan X, Dai B, Sun Y, Li C, Zhang J. Discovery of multi-target receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors as novel anti-angiogenesis agents. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45145. [PMID: 28332573 PMCID: PMC5362808 DOI: 10.1038/srep45145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, we have identified a biphenyl-aryl urea incorporated with salicylaldoxime (BPS-7) as an anti-angiogenesis agent. Herein, we disclosed a series of novel anti-angiogenesis agents with BPS-7 as lead compound through combining diarylureas with N-pyridin-2-ylcyclopropane carboxamide. Several title compounds exhibited simultaneous inhibition effects against three pro-angiogenic RTKs (VEGFR-2, TIE-2 and EphB4). Some of them displayed potent anti-proliferative activity against human vascular endothelial cell (EA.hy926). In particular, two potent compounds (CDAU-1 and CDAU-2) could be considered as promising anti-angiogenesis agents with triplet inhibition profile. The biological evaluation and molecular docking results indicate that N-pyridin-2-ylcyclopropane carboxamide could serve as a hinge-binding group (HBG) for the discovery of multi-target anti-angiogenesis agents. CDAU-2 also exhibited promising anti-angiogenic potency in a tissue model for angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Lin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Pan
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Bingling Dai
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Ying Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Chuansheng Li
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, P.R. China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76, Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, P.R. China
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30
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Stephenson SA, Douglas EL, Mertens-Walker I, Lisle JE, Maharaj MSN, Herington AC. Anti-tumour effects of antibodies targeting the extracellular cysteine-rich region of the receptor tyrosine kinase EphB4. Oncotarget 2016; 6:7554-69. [PMID: 25831049 PMCID: PMC4480699 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
EphB4 is a membrane-bound receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) commonly over-produced by many epithelial cancers but with low to no expression in most normal adult tissues. EphB4 over-production promotes ligand-independent signaling pathways that increase cancer cell viability and stimulate migration and invasion. Several studies have shown that normal ligand-dependent signaling is tumour suppressive and therefore novel therapeutics which block the tumour promoting ligand-independent signaling and/or stimulate tumour suppressive ligand-dependent signaling will find application in the treatment of cancer. An EphB4-specific polyclonal antibody, targeting a region of 200 amino acids in the extracellular portion of EphB4, showed potent in vitro anti-cancer effects measured by an increase in apoptosis and a decrease in anchorage independent growth. Peptide exclusion was used to identify the epitope targeted by this antibody within the cysteine-rich region of the EphB4 protein, a sequence defined as a potential ligand interacting interface. Addition of antibody to cancer cells resulted in phosphorylation and subsequent degradation of the EphB4 protein, suggesting a mechanism that is ligand mimetic and tumour suppressive. A monoclonal antibody which specifically targets this identified extracellular epitope of EphB4 significantly reduced breast cancer xenograft growth in vivo confirming that EphB4 is a useful target for ligand-mimicking antibody-based anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally-Anne Stephenson
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Evelyn L Douglas
- The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Inga Mertens-Walker
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jessica E Lisle
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mohanan S N Maharaj
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Adrian C Herington
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland, Australia.,Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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31
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Dong H, Yu C, Mu J, Zhang J, Lin W. Role of EFNB2/EPHB4 signaling in spiral artery development during pregnancy: An appraisal. Mol Reprod Dev 2015; 83:12-8. [PMID: 26501487 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2014] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
EFNB2 and EPHB4, which belong to a large tyrosine kinase receptor superfamily, are molecular markers of arterial and venous blood vessels, respectively. EFNB2/EPHB4 signaling plays an important role in physiological and pathological angiogenesis, and its role in tumor vessel development has been extensively studied. Pregnancy and tumors share similar features, including continuous cell proliferation and increased demand for a blood supply. Our previous studies showed that Efnb2 and Ephb4 were expressed dynamically in the spiral arteries, uterine natural killer cells, and trophoblasts during mouse gestation Days 6.5-12.5. Moreover, uterine natural killer cells and trophoblasts are required for the modification of spiral arteries. Oxygen tension within the pregnant uterus, which contributes to the vascular development, also affects EFNB2 and EPHB4 expression. Considering the role of EFNB2/EPHB4 signaling in embryonic and tumor vascular development, and its dynamic expression in the decidua and placenta, we hypothesize that EFNB2 and EPHB4 are involved in the regulation of spiral artery remodeling. Investigating this hypothesis will help clarify the mechanisms of pathological pregnancy that may underlie abnormal spiral artery development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmei Dong
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaoran Yu
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiao Mu
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji Zhang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Lin
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People's Republic of China
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32
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Liersch-Löhn B, Slavova N, Buhr HJ, Bennani-Baiti IM. Differential protein expression and oncogenic gene network link tyrosine kinase ephrin B4 receptor to aggressive gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers. Int J Cancer 2015; 138:1220-31. [PMID: 26414866 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Revised: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Transmembrane tyrosine-kinase Ephrin receptors promote tumor progression and/or metastasis of several malignancies including leukemia, follicular lymphoma, glioma, malignant pleural mesothelioma, papillary thyroid carcinoma, sarcomas and ovarian, breast, bladder and non-small cell lung cancers. They also drive intestinal stem cell proliferation and positioning, control intestinal tissue boundaries and are involved in liver, pancreatic and colorectal cancers, indicating involvement in additional digestive system malignancies. We investigated the role of Ephrin-B4 receptor (EPHB4), and its ligand EFNB2, in gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers in patient cohorts through computational, mathematical, molecular and immunohistochemical analyses. We show that EPHB4 is upregulated in preneoplastic gastroesophageal lesions and its expression further increased in gastroesophageal cancers in several independent cohorts. The closely related EPHB6 receptor, which also binds EFNB2, was downregulated in all tested cohorts, consistent with its tumor-suppressive properties in other cancers. EFNB2 expression is induced in esophageal cells by acidity, suggesting that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may constitute an early triggering event in activating EFNB2-EPHB4 signaling. Association of EPHB4 to both Barrett's esophagus and to advanced tumor stages, and its overexpression at the tumor invasion front and vascular endothelial cells intimate the notion that EPHB4 may be associated with multiple steps of gastroesophageal tumorigenesis. Analysis of oncogenomic signatures uncovered the first EPHB4-associated gene network (false discovery rate: 7 × 10(-90) ) composed of a five-transcription factor interconnected gene network that drives proliferation, angiogenesis and invasiveness. The EPHB4 oncogenomic network provides a molecular basis for its role in tumor progression and points to EPHB4 as a potential tumor aggressiveness biomarker and drug target in gastroesophageal cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta Liersch-Löhn
- Department of Surgery, Sana Klinikum Lichtenberg Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of General, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nadia Slavova
- Department of General, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heinz J Buhr
- Department of General, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.,German Society for General and Visceral Surgery, Haus Der Bundespressekonferenz, Berlin, Germany
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33
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Huang G, Li M. The role of EphB4 and IGF-IR expression in breast cancer cells. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2015; 8:5997-6004. [PMID: 26191333 PMCID: PMC4503204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE to investigate the role of EphB4 and IGF-1R in the proliferation and migration of breast cancer. METHODS The relative mRNA levels of EphB4 were measured by RT-PCR. The proliferation of the cells was determined by MTT assay, and cells migration and invasive ability was analyzed using the scratch migration assay. RESULTS The expression of EphB4 in control group was significantly decreased when compared with IGF-I group (P<0.001). The expression of EphB4 in IGF-I+LY and LY group were lower than that of the control group (P<0.001).The cell proliferation and migration ability of the cells in IGF-I group increased significantly compared to the cells in the control group (P<0.001), while the cells in IGF-1+LY group and LY group showed a decreased proliferation and migration ability compared to the control group (P<0.001). CONCLUSION IGF-IR might be a upstream gene of EphB4. Besides, higher expression of EphB4 shows increased tumor proliferation and migration in breast cells. The study of EphB4 upstream gene and signaling pathway can provide more targeted anti-tumor point selection for targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gena Huang
- Department of Seven-year Clinical Medicine, Research Institute of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine of Dalian Medical UniversityDalian 116044, China
| | - Man Li
- Department of Oncology, Second Hospital of Dalian Medical UniversityDalian 116023, China
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34
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Herington AC, Mertens-Walker I, Lisle JE, Maharaj M, Stephenson SA. Inhibiting Eph kinase activity may not be "Eph"ective for cancer treatment. Growth Factors 2014; 32:207-13. [PMID: 25413947 DOI: 10.3109/08977194.2014.985293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Several Eph receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are commonly over-expressed in epithelial and mesenchymal cancers and are recognized as promising therapeutic targets. Although normal interaction between Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands stimulates kinase activity and is generally tumor suppressive, significant Eph over-expression allows activation of ligand- and/or kinase-independent signaling pathways that promote oncogenesis. Single-agent kinase inhibitors are widely used to target RTK-driven tumors but acquired and de novo resistance to such agents is a major limitation to effective clinical use. Accumulating evidence suggests that Ephs can be inhibited by "leaky" or low-specificity kinase inhibitors targeted at other RTKs. Such off-target effects may therefore inadvertently promote ligand- and/or kinase-independent oncogenic Eph signaling, thereby providing a new mechanism by which resistance to the RTK inhibitors can emerge. We propose that combining specific, non-leaky kinase inhibitors with tumor-suppressive stimulators of Eph signaling may provide more effective treatment options for overcoming treatment-induced resistance and clinical failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Herington
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology , Queensland , Australia and
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Xue C, Chen Y, Huang Z, Ge Y, Wang H, Wang J. EphB4 expression in pterygium is associated with microvessel density. Int J Clin Exp Med 2014; 7:4008-4015. [PMID: 25550909 PMCID: PMC4276167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 11/08/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Angiogenesis is a key component of the pathogenesis process of pterygium, which is the growth of fibrovascular tissue on the cornea. It has been reported that EphB4, a receptor tyrosine kinase of the ephrin-Eph system, plays important role in vascular development during embryogenesis and tumor angiogenesis and is potentially involved in ocular angiogenesis. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of EphB4 in pterygia. METHODS Fifteen pterygium samples and their paired upper bulbar conjunctiva were evaluated for expression of EphB4 and CD31 by using immunohistochemical staining. The expression level of the mRNA of EphB4 gene in 7 pterygia and matched upper bulbar conjunctiva was evaluated by using a quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis. Microvessel density (MVD) was assessed with antibody that targets CD31. RESULTS EphB4 protein was high expressed in the epithelium and stroma of pterygia compared to those in upper bulbar conjunctiva. Immunohistochemical staining showed that pterygia presented with statistically significant higher average count of microvessel compared to normal conjunctivae (28.24 ± 6.79 vs 11.09 ± 2.96 per high power field, P < 0.001). MVD values in stroma of the pterygium and normal conjunctiva presented a significant correlation with EphB4 staining (P < 0.001). Compared with autologous upper bulbar conjunctiva grafts, the expression of the EphB4 mRNA was increased in pterygia in 4 paired samples, including those 3 recurrent ones. CONCLUSION The expression of EphB4 in pterygium was significantly related with the increased MVD and may be involved in angiogenesis. EphB4 protein is a potential target for treatment of pterygium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Xue
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of MedicineNanjing 210002, P. R. China
| | - Yueqin Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of MedicineNanjing 210002, P. R. China
| | - Zhenping Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of MedicineNanjing 210002, P. R. China
| | - Yirui Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of MedicineNanjing 210002, P. R. China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of MedicineNanjing 210002, P. R. China
| | - Jiandong Wang
- Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of MedicineNanjing 210002, P. R. China
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Abstract
The erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (Eph) receptor tyrosine kinase family plays important roles in developmental processes, adult tissue homeostasis, and various diseases. Interaction with Eph receptor-interacting protein (ephrin) ligands on the surface of neighboring cells triggers Eph receptor kinase-dependent signaling. The ephrins can also transmit signals, leading to bidirectional cell contact-dependent communication. Moreover, Eph receptors and ephrins can function independently of each other through interplay with other signaling systems. Given their involvement in many pathological conditions ranging from neurological disorders to cancer and viral infections, Eph receptors and ephrins are increasingly recognized as attractive therapeutic targets, and various strategies are being explored to modulate their expression and function. Eph receptor/ephrin upregulation in cancer cells, the angiogenic vasculature, and injured or diseased tissues also offer opportunities for Eph/ephrin-based targeted drug delivery and imaging. Thus, despite the challenges presented by the complex biology of the Eph receptor/ephrin system, exciting possibilities exist for therapies exploiting these molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Barquilla
- Cancer Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037; ,
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Merid SK, Goranskaya D, Alexeyenko A. Distinguishing between driver and passenger mutations in individual cancer genomes by network enrichment analysis. BMC Bioinformatics 2014; 15:308. [PMID: 25236784 PMCID: PMC4262241 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2105-15-308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In somatic cancer genomes, delineating genuine driver mutations against a background of multiple passenger events is a challenging task. The difficulty of determining function from sequence data and the low frequency of mutations are increasingly hindering the search for novel, less common cancer drivers. The accumulation of extensive amounts of data on somatic point and copy number alterations necessitates the development of systematic methods for driver mutation analysis. Results We introduce a framework for detecting driver mutations via functional network analysis, which is applied to individual genomes and does not require pooling multiple samples. It probabilistically evaluates 1) functional network links between different mutations in the same genome and 2) links between individual mutations and known cancer pathways. In addition, it can employ correlations of mutation patterns in pairs of genes. The method was used to analyze genomic alterations in two TCGA datasets, one for glioblastoma multiforme and another for ovarian carcinoma, which were generated using different approaches to mutation profiling. The proportions of drivers among the reported de novo point mutations in these cancers were estimated to be 57.8% and 16.8%, respectively. The both sets also included extended chromosomal regions with synchronous duplications or losses of multiple genes. We identified putative copy number driver events within many such segments. Finally, we summarized seemingly disparate mutations and discovered a functional network of collagen modifications in the glioblastoma. In order to select the most efficient network for use with this method, we used a novel, ROC curve-based procedure for benchmarking different network versions by their ability to recover pathway membership. Conclusions The results of our network-based procedure were in good agreement with published gold standard sets of cancer genes and were shown to complement and expand frequency-based driver analyses. On the other hand, three sequence-based methods applied to the same data yielded poor agreement with each other and with our results. We review the difference in driver proportions discovered by different sequencing approaches and discuss the functional roles of novel driver mutations. The software used in this work and the global network of functional couplings are publicly available at http://research.scilifelab.se/andrej_alexeyenko/downloads.html. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2105-15-308) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrey Alexeyenko
- Department of Microbiology, Tumour and Cell biology, Bioinformatics Infrastructure for Life Sciences, Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Liu S, Li D, Guo J, Canale N, Li X, Liu R, Krasnoperov V, Gill PS, Conti PS, Shan H, Li Z. Design, synthesis, and validation of Axl-targeted monoclonal antibody probe for microPET imaging in human lung cancer xenograft. Mol Pharm 2014; 11:3974-9. [PMID: 24978094 PMCID: PMC4224514 DOI: 10.1021/mp500307t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating experimental evidence indicates that overexpression of the oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinase, Axl, plays a key role in the tumorigenesis and metastasis of various types of cancer. The objective of this study is to design a novel imaging probe based on the monoclonal antibody, h173, for microPET imaging of Axl expression in human lung cancer. A bifunctional chelator, DOTA, was conjugated to h173, followed by radiolabeling with (64)Cu. The binding of DOTA-h173 to the Axl receptor was first evaluated by a cell uptake assay and flow cytometry analysis using human lung cancer cell lines. The probe (64)Cu-DOTA-h173 was further evaluated by microPET imaging, and ex vivo histology studies in the Axl-positive A549 tumors. In vitro cellular study showed that Axl probe, (64)Cu-DOTA-h173, was highly immuno-reactive with A549 cells. Western blot analysis confirmed that Axl is highly expressed in the A549 cell line. For microPET imaging, the A549 xenografts demonstrated a significantly higher (64)Cu-DOTA-h173 uptake compared to the NCI-H249 xenograft (a negative control model). Furthermore, (64)Cu-DOTA-h173 uptake in A549 is significantly higher than that of (64)Cu-DOTA-hIgG. Immuno-fluorescence staining was consistent with the in vivo micro-PET imaging results. In conclusion, (64)Cu-DOTA-h173 could be potentially used as a probe for noninvasive imaging of Axl expression, which could collect important information regarding tumor response to Axl-targeted therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuanglong Liu
- Molecular Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California 90089, United States
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Therapeutic perspectives of Eph-ephrin system modulation. Drug Discov Today 2013; 19:661-9. [PMID: 24291785 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2013.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Revised: 10/23/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Eph receptors are the largest class of kinase receptors and, together with their ligands ephrins, they have a primary role in embryogenesis. Their expression has been found deregulated in several cancer tissues and, in many cases, abnormal levels of these proteins have been correlated to a poor prognosis. Recently, the Eph-ephrin system was found to be deregulated in other pathological processes, involving the nervous and cardiovascular systems. The increasing body of evidence supports the Eph-ephrin system as a target not only for the treatment of solid tumors, but also to face other critical diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and diabetes driving current efforts toward the development of pharmacological tools potentially able to treat these pathologies.
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Li D, Liu S, Liu R, Zhou Y, Park R, Naga K, Krasnoperov V, Gill PS, Li Z, Shan H, Conti PS. EphB4-targeted imaging with antibody h131, h131-F(ab')2 and h131-Fab. Mol Pharm 2013; 10:4527-33. [PMID: 24147882 DOI: 10.1021/mp400354y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that overexpression of the tyrosine kinase receptor EphB4, a mediator of vascular development, is a novel target for tumor diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. Noninvasive imaging of EphB4 expression could therefore be valuable for evaluating disease course and therapeutic efficacy at the earliest stages of anti-EphB4 treatment. In this study, we systematically investigated the use of anti-EphB4 antibody h131 (150 kDa) and its fragments (h131-F(ab')2, 110 kDa; h131-Fab, 50 kDa) for near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging of EphB4 expression in vivo. h131-F(ab')2 and h131-Fab were produced through pepsin and papain digestion of h131 respectively, whose purity was confirmed by FPLC and SDS-PAGE. After conjugation with Cy5.5, in vivo characteristics of h131, h131-F(ab')2 and h131-Fab were evaluated in EphB4-positive HT29 tumor model. Although h131-Cy5.5 demonstrated highest tumor uptake among these probes, its optimal tumor uptake level was obtained at 2 days post injection (p.i.). For h131-Fab-Cy5.5, maximum tumor uptake was achieved at 4 h p.i. However, no significant difference was observed between h131-Fab-Cy5.5 and hIgG-Fab-Cy5.5, indicating the tumor accumulation was mainly caused by passive targeting. In contrast, h131-F(ab')2-Cy5.5 demonstrated prominent tumor uptake at 6 h p.i. The target specificity was confirmed by hIgG-F(ab')2-Cy5.5 control and immunofluorescent staining. Collectively, h131-F(ab')2 exhibited prominent and specific tumor uptake at early time points, which suggests it is a promising agent for EphB4-targeted imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University , Guangzhou, 510630, China
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Liu R, Li X, Gao W, Zhou Y, Wey S, Mitra SK, Krasnoperov V, Dong D, Liu S, Li D, Zhu G, Louie S, Conti PS, Li Z, Lee AS, Gill PS. Monoclonal antibody against cell surface GRP78 as a novel agent in suppressing PI3K/AKT signaling, tumor growth, and metastasis. Clin Cancer Res 2013; 19:6802-11. [PMID: 24048331 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-13-1106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The ER chaperone GRP78 translocates to the surface of tumor cells and promotes survival, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. An oncogenic function of cell surface GRP78 has been attributed to the activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. We intend to use a novel anti-GRP78 monoclonal antibody (MAb159) to attenuate PI3K signaling and inhibit tumor growth and metastasis. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN MAb159 was characterized biochemically. Antitumor activity was tested in cancer cell culture, tumor xenograft models, tumor metastasis models, and spontaneous tumor models. Cancer cells and tumor tissues were analyzed for PI3K activity. MAb159 was humanized and validated for diagnostic and therapeutic application. RESULTS MAb159 specifically recognized surface GRP78, triggered GRP78 endocytosis, and localized to tumors but not to normal organs in vivo. MAb159 inhibited tumor cell proliferation and enhanced tumor cell death both in vitro and in vivo. In MAb159-treated tumors, PI3K signaling was inhibited without compensatory MAPK pathway activation. Furthermore, MAb159 halted or reversed tumor progression in the spontaneous PTEN-loss-driven prostate and leukemia tumor models, and inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in xenograft models. Humanized MAb159, which retains high affinity, tumor specific localization, and the antitumor activity, was nontoxic in mice, and had desirable pharmacokinetics. CONCLUSIONS GRP78-specific antibody MAb159 modulates the PI3K pathway and inhibits tumor growth and metastasis. Humanized MAb159 will enter human trials shortly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren Liu
- Authors' Affiliations: Departments of Pathology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Radiology; School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center; and VasGene Therapeutics Inc., Los Angeles, California
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Industry progress report on neuro-oncology: Biotech update 2013. J Neurooncol 2013; 115:311-6. [DOI: 10.1007/s11060-013-1222-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 08/04/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Liu R, Ferguson BD, Zhou Y, Naga K, Salgia R, Gill PS, Krasnoperov V. EphB4 as a therapeutic target in mesothelioma. BMC Cancer 2013; 13:269. [PMID: 23721559 PMCID: PMC3671960 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-13-269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) often develops decades following exposure to asbestos. Current best therapy produces a response in only half of patients, and the median survival with this therapy remains under a year. A search for novel targets and therapeutics is underway, and recently identified targets include VEGF, Notch, and EphB4-Ephrin-B2. Each of these targets has dual activity, promoting tumor cell growth as well as tumor angiogenesis. Methods We investigated EphB4 expression in 39 human mesothelioma tissues by immunohistochemistry. Xenograft tumors established with human mesothelioma cells were treated with an EphB4 inhibitor (monomeric soluble EphB4 fused to human serum albumin, or sEphB4-HSA). The combinatorial effect of sEphB4-HSA and biologic agent was also studied. Results EphB4 was overexpressed in 72% of mesothelioma tissues evaluated, with 85% of epithelioid and 38% of sarcomatoid subtypes demonstrating overexpression. The EphB4 inhibitor sEphB4-HSA was highly active as a single agent to inhibit tumor growth, accompanied by tumor cell apoptosis and inhibition of PI3K and Src signaling. Combination of sEphB4-HSA and the anti-VEGF antibody (Bevacizumab) was superior to each agent alone and led to complete tumor regression. Conclusion EphB4 is a potential therapeutic target in mesothelioma. Clinical investigation of sEphB4-HSA as a single agent and in combination with VEGF inhibitors is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren Liu
- School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
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Liu S, Li D, Park R, Liu R, Xia Z, Guo J, Krasnoperov V, Gill PS, Li Z, Shan H, Conti PS. PET imaging of colorectal and breast cancer by targeting EphB4 receptor with 64Cu-labeled hAb47 and hAb131 antibodies. J Nucl Med 2013; 54:1094-100. [PMID: 23667241 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.112.116822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Accumulating evidence suggests that ephrin type B receptor 4 (EphB4) plays a key role in the progression of numerous cancer types. In this study, we developed a series of (64)Cu-labeled antibodies for PET imaging of tumor EphB4 expression. METHODS Anti-EphB4 antibodies (hAb47 and hAb131) were conjugated with the (64)Cu-chelator DOTA through lysine, cysteine, or oligosaccharide on the antibody. DOTA-human IgG (hIgG) was also prepared as a control, which did not bind to EphB4. The EphB4 binding activity of these probes was evaluated through the bead-based binding assay with EphB4-alkaline phosphatase. The resulting PET probes were further evaluated in both HT29 (colorectal cancer) and MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer) xenografts. RESULTS All 3 conjugation methods retained most of the EphB4 binding activity of the antibodies (83.85% ± 3.82%, 76.25% ± 5.90%, 98.93% ± 3.75%, and 82.09% ± 4.14% for DOTA-Lys-hAb47, DOTA-Cys-hAb47, DOTA-Sug-hAb47, and DOTA-Lys-hAb131, respectively). Although DOTA-Sug-hAb47 demonstrated the highest receptor binding activity based on a EphB4 binding assay, the corresponding PET probe was trapped in the liver quickly in vivo. In HT29 xenografts, both (64)Cu-DOTA-Lys-hAb47 and (64)Cu-DOTA-Cys-hAb47 demonstrated prominent tumor accumulation, which reached a maximum at 48 h after injection (18.13 ± 1.73 percentage injected dose [%ID]/g and 11.81 ± 2.05 %ID/g, respectively). In contrast, (64)Cu-DOTA-Lys-hIgG had a low tumor accumulation, thus demonstrating the target specificity of EphB4-antibody-based probes. Moreover, (64)Cu-DOTA-Lys-hAb131 (29.48 ± 2.60 %ID/g) demonstrated significantly higher HT29 tumor accumulation than (64)Cu-DOTA-Lys-hAb47. (64)Cu-DOTA-Lys-hAb131 was also found to specifically accumulate in the MDA-MB-231 tumor model (12.96 ± 2.31 %ID/g). CONCLUSION We have demonstrated that EphB4 can serve as a valid target for colorectal and breast cancer imaging. This approach would be valuable for evaluating disease course and therapeutic efficacy at the earliest stages of anti-EphB4 treatment. Moreover, these newly developed probes may have important applications in other cancer types overexpressing EphB4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuanglong Liu
- Molecular Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA
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Guijarro-Muñoz I, Sánchez A, Martínez-Martínez E, García JM, Salas C, Provencio M, Alvarez-Vallina L, Sanz L. Gene expression profiling identifies EPHB4 as a potential predictive biomarker in colorectal cancer patients treated with bevacizumab. Med Oncol 2013; 30:572. [PMID: 23579861 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-013-0572-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2013] [Accepted: 04/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody bevacizumab was approved in 2004 as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) in combination with chemotherapy and provided proof of principle for antiangiogenic therapy. However, there is no biomarker that can help to select patients who may benefit from bevacizumab in order to improve cost-effectiveness and therapeutic outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare gene expression profiles in CRC patients treated with bevacizumab who responded to the treatment with those that did not respond, in an effort to identify potential predictive biomarkers. RNA isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor specimens of patients treated with bevacizumab was subjected to gene expression analysis with quantitative RT-PCR arrays profiling 84 genes implicated in the angiogenic process. Data were validated at the protein level using immunohistochemistry. We identified a gene, EPHB4, whose expression was significantly increased in nonresponders (p = 0.048, Mann-Whitney test). Furthermore, high EPHB4 tumor levels were associated with decreased median overall survival (16 months vs 48, Log-rank p = 0.012). This was not observed in a control group of CRC patients treated only with chemotherapy, suggesting that EPHB4 constitutes a potential predictive biomarker and not a mere prognostic one. These data support the notion of a potential synergy between EPHB4-EFNB2 and VEGF-VEGFR pathways, making patients with high EPHB4 expression more resistant to VEGF blocking. Therefore, determination of EPHB4 levels in CRC samples could be useful for the prediction of response to bevacizumab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Guijarro-Muñoz
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Joaquin Rodrigo 2, 28222 Madrid, Spain
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Wehrman T, Nguyen M, Feng W, Bader B. EphB4 cellular kinase activity assayed using an enzymatic protein interaction system. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2013; 11:237-43. [PMID: 23557019 DOI: 10.1089/adt.2012.490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are important players in various cellular processes, including proliferation, migration, metabolism, and neuronal development. EphB4 RTK is essential for the development of a functional arterial-venous network in embryonic and adult neoangiogenesis. To develop novel inhibitors of EphB4 that might have applications in severe diseases like cancer and retinopathies, assays need to be in place that resemble, in a most physiological fashion, the activation and downstream function of the kinase. In addition, such assays need to be amenable to high-throughput screening to serve efficiently the modern drug discovery processes in the pharmaceutical industry. The authors have developed an enzyme fragment complementation assay that measures the interaction of a downstream docking protein to the activated and phosphorylated full-length EphB4 kinase in cells. The assay is specific, robust, and amenable to miniaturization and high-throughput screening. It covers most steps in the activation process of EphB4, including ligand binding, autophosphorylation, and docking of a downstream interactor. This assay format can be transferred to other RTKs and adds an important cell-based kinase assay option to researchers in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Wehrman
- DiscoveRx Corporation, Fremont, California 94538, USA.
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Eph receptors and their ligands: promising molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets in prostate cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2013; 1835:243-57. [PMID: 23396052 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2013.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Revised: 01/21/2013] [Accepted: 01/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Although at present, there is a high incidence of prostate cancer, particularly in the Western world, mortality from this disease is declining and occurs primarily only from clinically significant late stage tumors with a poor prognosis. A major current focus of this field is the identification of new biomarkers which can detect earlier, and more effectively, clinically significant tumors from those deemed "low risk", as well as predict the prognostic course of a particular cancer. This strategy can in turn offer novel avenues for targeted therapies. The large family of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases, the Ephs, and their binding partners, the ephrins, has been implicated in many cancers of epithelial origin through stimulation of oncogenic transformation, tumor angiogenesis, and promotion of increased cell survival, invasion and migration. They also show promise as both biomarkers of diagnostic and prognostic value and as targeted therapies in cancer. This review will briefly discuss the complex roles and biological mechanisms of action of these receptors and ligands and, with regard to prostate cancer, highlight their potential as biomarkers for both diagnosis and prognosis, their application as imaging agents, and current approaches to assessing them as therapeutic targets. This review demonstrates the need for future studies into those particular family members that will prove helpful in understanding the biology and potential as targets for treatment of prostate cancer.
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Li D, Liu S, Liu R, Park R, Hughes L, Krasnoperov V, Gill PS, Li Z, Shan H, Conti PS. Targeting the EphB4 receptor for cancer diagnosis and therapy monitoring. Mol Pharm 2012; 10:329-36. [PMID: 23211050 DOI: 10.1021/mp300461b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that EphB4 plays key roles in cancer progression in numerous cancer types. In fact, therapies focusing on EphB4 have become potentially important components of various cancer treatment strategies. However, tumor sensitivity to EphB4 suppression may not be uniform for different cancers. In this study, we developed near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) probes for EphB4 targeted imaging, based on EphB4-specific humanized monoclonal antibody hAb47. NIRF dye Cy5.5 was introduced to hAb47 either through the reaction with amino groups (named hAb47-Cy5.5) or sulfhydryl groups (named hAb47-Cy5.5-Mal). The resulting probes were evaluated in both HT-29 xenograft and the mAb131 (anti-EphB4) treated models. Although these methods lead to modifications of both the heavy chain and light chain of the antibody, the majority of the EphB4 binding affinity was maintained (81.62 ± 2.08% for hAb47-Cy5.5 and 77.14 ± 2.46% for hAb47-Cy5.5-Mal, respectively). hAb47-Cy5.5 was then chosen for in vivo NIRF imaging of EphB4 expression. In HT29 colorectal tumor xenografts, hAb47-Cy5.5 demonstrated significantly higher tumor uptake compared with that of the hIgG-Cy5.5 control, which was further confirmed by immunofluorescent staining. Moreover, hAb47-Cy5.5 successfully imaged the decreased EphB4 expression (confirmed by Western blot) in EphB4-targeted immunotherapy using another EphB4-specific antibody, mAb131. Collectively, hAb47-Cy5.5 could be used as a specific NIRF contrast agent for noninvasive imaging of EphB4 expression, which may predict whether an individual tumor would likely respond to EphB4 targeted interventions, as well as monitor the therapeutic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Department of Radiology, Molecular Imaging Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, United States
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Duggineni S, Mitra S, Noberini R, Han X, Lin N, Xu Y, Tian W, An J, Pasquale EB, Huang Z. Design, synthesis and characterization of novel small molecular inhibitors of ephrin-B2 binding to EphB4. Biochem Pharmacol 2012; 85:507-13. [PMID: 23253822 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2012.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2012] [Revised: 12/06/2012] [Accepted: 12/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
EphB4 is a member of the large Eph receptor tyrosine kinase family. By interacting with its preferred ligand ephrin-B2, which is also a transmembrane protein, EphB4 plays a role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes ranging from bone remodeling to cancer malignancy. EphB4-ephrin-B2 binding occurs at sites of contact between cells. Ephrin-B2 causes EphB4 clustering and increased kinase activity to generate downstream signals that affect cell behavior. Previous work identified a high-affinity antagonistic peptide that targets EphB4, named TNYL-RAW. This peptide is 15 amino acid long, has a molecular weight of ~1700 Da and binds to the ephrin-binding pocket of EphB4. Here we report the structure-based design and chemical synthesis of two novel small molecules of ~600-700 Da, which were designed starting from the small and functionally critical C-terminal portion of the TNYL-RAW peptide. These compounds inhibit ephrin-B2 binding to EphB4 at low micromolar concentrations. Additionally, although the ephrin-B2 ligand can interacts with multiple other Eph receptors besides EphB4, the two compounds retain the high selectivity of the TNYL-RAW peptide in targeting EphB4. TNYL-RAW peptide displacement experiments using the more potent of the two compounds, compound 5, suggest a competitive mode of inhibition. These EphB4 antagonistic compounds can serve as promising templates for the further development of small molecule drugs targeting EphB4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivas Duggineni
- SUNY Upstate Cancer Research Institute, Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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