1
|
Park JH, Hothi P, de Lomana ALG, Pan M, Calder R, Turkarslan S, Wu WJ, Lee H, Patel AP, Cobbs C, Huang S, Baliga NS. Gene regulatory network topology governs resistance and treatment escape in glioma stem-like cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj7706. [PMID: 38848360 PMCID: PMC11160475 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj7706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Poor prognosis and drug resistance in glioblastoma (GBM) can result from cellular heterogeneity and treatment-induced shifts in phenotypic states of tumor cells, including dedifferentiation into glioma stem-like cells (GSCs). This rare tumorigenic cell subpopulation resists temozolomide, undergoes proneural-to-mesenchymal transition (PMT) to evade therapy, and drives recurrence. Through inference of transcriptional regulatory networks (TRNs) of patient-derived GSCs (PD-GSCs) at single-cell resolution, we demonstrate how the topology of transcription factor interaction networks drives distinct trajectories of cell-state transitions in PD-GSCs resistant or susceptible to cytotoxic drug treatment. By experimentally testing predictions based on TRN simulations, we show that drug treatment drives surviving PD-GSCs along a trajectory of intermediate states, exposing vulnerability to potentiated killing by siRNA or a second drug targeting treatment-induced transcriptional programs governing nongenetic cell plasticity. Our findings demonstrate an approach to uncover TRN topology and use it to rationally predict combinatorial treatments that disrupt acquired resistance in GBM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Parvinder Hothi
- Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment, Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Min Pan
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Wei-Ju Wu
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hwahyung Lee
- Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment, Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Anoop P. Patel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Charles Cobbs
- Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment, Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sui Huang
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nitin S. Baliga
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
- Departments of Microbiology, Biology, and Molecular Engineering Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhao L, Gao N, Peng X, Chen L, Meng T, Jiang C, Jin J, Zhang J, Duan Q, Tian H, Weng L, Wang X, Tan X, Li Y, Qin H, Yuan J, Ge X, Deng L, Wang P. TRAF4-Mediated LAMTOR1 Ubiquitination Promotes mTORC1 Activation and Inhibits the Inflammation-Induced Colorectal Cancer Progression. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2301164. [PMID: 38229144 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a conserved serine/threonine kinase that integrates various environmental signals to regulate cell growth and metabolism. mTORC1 activation requires tethering to lysosomes by the Ragulator-Rag complex. However, the dynamic regulation of the interaction between Ragulator and Rag guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) remains unclear. In this study, that LAMTOR1, an essential component of Ragulator, is dynamically ubiquitinated depending on amino acid abundance is reported. It is found that the E3 ligase TRAF4 directly interacts with LAMTOR1 and catalyzes the K63-linked polyubiquitination of LAMTOR1 at K151. Ubiquitination of LAMTOR1 by TRAF4 promoted its binding to Rag GTPases and enhanced mTORC1 activation, K151R knock-in or TRAF4 knock-out blocks amino acid-induced mTORC1 activation and accelerates the development of inflammation-induced colon cancer. This study revealed that TRAF4-mediated LAMTOR1 ubiquitination is a regulatory mechanism for mTORC1 activation and provides a therapeutic target for diseases involving mTORC1 dysregulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Zhao
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Ni Gao
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoping Peng
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Lei Chen
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Tong Meng
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200940, P. R. China
| | - Cong Jiang
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Jiali Jin
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Jiawen Zhang
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Qiuhui Duan
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Hongling Tian
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Linjun Weng
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Xinbo Wang
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Xiao Tan
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Yaxu Li
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Huanlong Qin
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
- Research Institute of Intestinal Diseases, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Jian Yuan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, P. R. China
| | - Xin Ge
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Lu Deng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P. R. China
| | - Ping Wang
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Nanocatalytic Medicine, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Scroggs SLP, Bird EJ, Molik DC, Nayduch D. Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Elicits Early Transcriptome Response in Culicoides sonorensis Cells. Viruses 2023; 15:2108. [PMID: 37896885 PMCID: PMC10612082 DOI: 10.3390/v15102108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses that are transmitted by arthropods, or arboviruses, have evolved to successfully navigate both the invertebrate and vertebrate hosts, including their immune systems. Biting midges transmit several arboviruses including vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). To study the interaction between VSV and midges, we characterized the transcriptomic responses of VSV-infected and mock-infected Culicoides sonorensis cells at 1, 8, 24, and 96 h post inoculation (HPI). The transcriptomic response of VSV-infected cells at 1 HPI was significant, but by 8 HPI there were no detectable differences between the transcriptome profiles of VSV-infected and mock-infected cells. Several genes involved in immunity were upregulated (ATG2B and TRAF4) or downregulated (SMAD6 and TOLL7) in VSV-treated cells at 1 HPI. These results indicate that VSV infection in midge cells produces an early immune response that quickly wanes, giving insight into in vivo C. sonorensis VSV tolerance that may underlie their permissiveness as vectors for this virus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stacey L. P. Scroggs
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA; (D.C.M.); (D.N.)
| | - Edward J. Bird
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA;
| | - David C. Molik
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA; (D.C.M.); (D.N.)
| | - Dana Nayduch
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA; (D.C.M.); (D.N.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li J, Wang C, Xiao W, Chen Y, Tu J, Wan F, Deng K, Li H. TRAF Family Member 4 Promotes Cardiac Hypertrophy Through the Activation of the AKT Pathway. J Am Heart Assoc 2023; 12:e028185. [PMID: 37642020 PMCID: PMC10547335 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.122.028185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Background Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a major cause of heart failure morbidity. The complex mechanism of intermolecular interactions underlying the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy has led to a lack of development and application of therapeutic methods. Methods and Results Our study provides the first evidence that TRAF4, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) family, acts as a promoter of cardiac hypertrophy. Here, Western blotting assays demonstrated that TRAF4 is upregulated in cardiac hypertrophy. Additionally, TRAF4 deletion inhibits the development of cardiac hypertrophy in a mouse model after transverse aortic constriction surgery, whereas its overexpression promotes phenylephrine stimulation-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Mechanistically, RNA-seq analysis revealed that TRAF4 promoted the activation of the protein kinase B pathway during cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, we found that inhibition of protein kinase B phosphorylation rescued the aggravated cardiomyocyte hypertrophic phenotypes caused by TRAF4 overexpression in phenylephrine-treated neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, suggesting that TRAF4 may regulate cardiac hypertrophy in a protein kinase B-dependent manner. Conclusions Our results revealed the regulatory function of TRAF4 in cardiac hypertrophy, which may provide new insights into developing therapeutic and preventive targets for this disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Li
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular SurgeryHuanggang Central Hospital of Yangtze UniversityHuanggangChina
| | - Chang‐Quan Wang
- Department of NeurologyHuanggang Central Hospital of Yangtze UniversityHuanggangChina
| | - Wen‐Chang Xiao
- Department of Cardiovascular SurgeryHuanggang Central Hospital of Yangtze UniversityHuanggangChina
- Huanggang Institute of Translational MedicineHuanggangChina
| | - Yun Chen
- Clinical Trial CentersHuanggang Central Hospital of Yangtze UniversityHuanggangChina
| | - Jun Tu
- Huanggang Institute of Translational MedicineHuanggangChina
| | - Feng Wan
- Department of NeurologyHuanggang Central Hospital of Yangtze UniversityHuanggangChina
- Huanggang Institute of Translational MedicineHuanggangChina
| | - Ke‐Qiong Deng
- Huanggang Institute of Translational MedicineHuanggangChina
- Department of CardiologyZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Huo‐Ping Li
- Department of CardiologyHuanggang Central Hospital of Yangtze UniversityHuanggangChina
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhong K, Liu X, Ding W, Peng L, Zeng X, Gu Y. TRAF inhibition drives cancer cell apoptosis and improves retinoic acid sensitivity in multiple cancers models. Discov Oncol 2023; 14:117. [PMID: 37389738 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-023-00703-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
TNF receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) are signaling adaptor proteins that play a crucial role in regulating cellular receptors' signaling transduction to downstream pathways and exert multifaceted roles in regulating signaling pathways, cell survival, and carcinogenesis. The 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA), an active metabolite of vitamin A, exhibits anti-cancer properties, but the development of retinoic acid resistance poses a challenge in clinical application. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between TRAFs and retinoic acid sensitivity in various cancers. Here, we revealed that TRAFs' expression varied significantly across The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cancer cohorts and human cancer cell lines. Additionally, inhibiting TRAF4, TRAF5, or TRAF6 improved retinoic acid sensitivity and reduced colony formation in ovarian cancer and melanoma cells. Mechanistically, knocking down TRAF4, TRAF5, or TRAF6 in retinoic acid-treated cancer cell lines increased the levels of procaspase 9 and induced cell apoptosis. Further in vivo studies using the SK-OV-3 and MeWo xenograft models confirmed the anti-tumor effects of TRAF knockdown combined with retinoic acid treatment. These findings support that combination therapy with retinoic acid and TRAF silencing may offer significant therapeutic advantages in treating melanoma and ovarian cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhong
- Medical School, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojun Liu
- Medical School, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Weihua Ding
- Medical School, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Lizhong Peng
- Medical School, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuhui Zeng
- Medical School, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yayun Gu
- Medical School, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ji C, Tao Y, Li X, Wang J, Chen J, Aniagu S, Jiang Y, Chen T. AHR-mediated m 6A RNA methylation contributes to PM 2.5-induced cardiac malformations in zebrafish larvae. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 457:131749. [PMID: 37270964 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence indicates that ambient fine particle matter (PM2.5) exposure inhibits heart development, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We hypothesized that m6A RNA methylation plays an important role in the cardiac developmental toxicity of PM2.5. In this study, we demonstrated that extractable organic matter (EOM) from PM2.5 significantly decreased global m6A RNA methylation levels in the heart of zebrafish larvae, which were restored by the methyl donor, betaine. Betaine also attenuated EOM-induced ROS overgeneration, mitochondrial damage, apoptosis and heart defects. Furthermore, we found that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), which was activated by EOM, directly repressed the transcription of methyltransferases mettl14 and mettl3. EOM also induced genome-wide m6A RNA methylation changes, which led us to focus more on the aberrant m6A methylation changes that were subsequently alleviated by the AHR inhibitor, CH223191. In addition, we found that the expression levels of traf4a and bbc3, two apoptosis related genes, were upregulated by EOM but restored to control levels by the forced expression of mettl14. Moreover, knockdown of either traf4a or bbc3 attenuated EOM-induced ROS overproduction and apoptosis. In conclusion, our results indicate that PM2.5 induces m6A RNA methylation changes via AHR-mediated mettl14 downregulation, which upregulates traf4a and bbc3, leading to apoptosis and cardiac malformations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Ji
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yizhou Tao
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Li
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jin Chen
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Stanley Aniagu
- Toxicology, Risk Assessment, and Research Division, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, 12015 Park 35 Cir, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Yan Jiang
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
| | - Tao Chen
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Singh R, Meng H, Shen T, Lumahan LEV, Nguyen S, Shen H, Dasgupta S, Qin L, Karri D, Zhu B, Yang F, Coarfa C, O’Malley BW, Yi P. TRAF4-mediated nonproteolytic ubiquitination of androgen receptor promotes castration-resistant prostate cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218229120. [PMID: 37155905 PMCID: PMC10193960 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218229120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) poses a major clinical challenge with the androgen receptor (AR) remaining to be a critical oncogenic player. Several lines of evidence indicate that AR induces a distinct transcriptional program after androgen deprivation in CRPCs. However, the mechanism triggering AR binding to a distinct set of genomic loci in CRPC and how it promotes CRPC development remain unclear. We demonstrate here that atypical ubiquitination of AR mediated by an E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF4 plays an important role in this process. TRAF4 is highly expressed in CRPCs and promotes CRPC development. It mediates K27-linked ubiquitination at the C-terminal tail of AR and increases its association with the pioneer factor FOXA1. Consequently, AR binds to a distinct set of genomic loci enriched with FOXA1- and HOXB13-binding motifs to drive different transcriptional programs including an olfactory transduction pathway. Through the surprising upregulation of olfactory receptor gene transcription, TRAF4 increases intracellular cAMP levels and boosts E2F transcription factor activity to promote cell proliferation under androgen deprivation conditions. Altogether, these findings reveal a posttranslational mechanism driving AR-regulated transcriptional reprogramming to provide survival advantages for prostate cancer cells under castration conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Singh
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Huan Meng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Tao Shen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | | | - Steven Nguyen
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, TX77204
| | - Hong Shen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Subhamoy Dasgupta
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Li Qin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Dileep Karri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Bokai Zhu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Feng Yang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Cristian Coarfa
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Bert W. O’Malley
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX77030
| | - Ping Yi
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, TX77204
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
TRAF4 Silencing Induces Cell Apoptosis and Improves Retinoic Acid Sensitivity in Human Neuroblastoma. Neurochem Res 2023; 48:2116-2128. [PMID: 36795185 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-023-03882-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a pediatric malignancy that arises in the peripheral nervous system, and the prognosis in the high-risk group remains dismal, despite the breakthroughs in multidisciplinary treatments. The oral treatment with 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA) after high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant has been proven to reduce the incidence of tumor relapse in children with high-risk neuroblastoma. However, many patients still have tumors relapsed following retinoid therapy, highlighting the need for the identification of resistant factors and the development of more effective treatments. Herein, we sought to investigate the potential oncogenic roles of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor (TRAF) family in neuroblastoma and explore the correlation between TRAFs and retinoic acid sensitivity. We discovered that all TRAFs were efficiently expressed in neuroblastoma, but TRAF4, in particular, was found to be strongly expressed. The high expression of TRAF4 was associated with a poor prognosis in human neuroblastoma. The inhibition of TRAF4, rather than other TRAFs, improved retinoic acid sensitivity in two human neuroblastoma cell lines, SH-SY5Y and SK-N-AS cells. Further in vitro studies indicated that TRAF4 suppression induced retinoic acid-induced cell apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells, probably by upregulating the expression of Caspase 9 and AP1 while downregulating Bcl-2, Survivin, and IRF-1. Notably, the improved anti-tumor effects from the combination of TRAF4 knockdown and retinoic acid were confirmed in vivo using the SK-N-AS human neuroblastoma xenograft model. In conclusion, the highly expressed TRAF4 might be implicated in developing resistance to retinoic acid treatment in neuroblastoma, and the combination therapy with retinoic acid and TRAF4 inhibition may offer significant therapeutic advantages in the treatment of relapsed neuroblastoma.
Collapse
|
9
|
Dong X, Li X, Gan Y, Ding J, Wei B, Zhou L, Cui W, Li W. TRAF4-mediated ubiquitination-dependent activation of JNK/Bcl-xL drives radioresistance. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:102. [PMID: 36765039 PMCID: PMC9918491 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05637-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
The E3 ligase TNF receptor-associated factor 4 (TRAF4) is upregulated and closely associated with tumorigenesis and the progression of multiple human malignancies. However, its effect on radiosensitivity in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been elucidated. The present study found that TRAF4 was significantly increased in CRC clinical tumor samples. Depletion of TRAF4 impaired the malignant phenotype of CRC cells and sensitized irradiation-induced cell death. Irradiation activated the c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs)/c-Jun signaling via increasing JNKs K63-linked ubiquitination and phosphorylation. Furthermore, c-Jun activation triggered the transcription of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-xL, thus contributing to the radioresistance of CRC cells. TRAF4 was positively correlated with c-Jun and Bcl-xL, and blocking TRAF4 or inhibiting Bcl-xL with inhibitor markedly promoted ionizing radiation (IR)-induced intrinsic apoptosis and sensitized CRC cells to radiotherapy in vitro and in vivo. Our findings illustrate a potential mechanism of radioresistance, emphasizing the clinical value of targeting the TRAF4/Bcl-xL axis in CRC therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Dong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xiaoying Li
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Yu Gan
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Jie Ding
- Department of Anesthesia, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100000, China
| | - Baojun Wei
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Li Zhou
- Department of Pathology, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Radiology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China.
| |
Collapse
|