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Chapdelaine AG, Sun G. Challenges and Opportunities in Developing Targeted Therapies for Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1207. [PMID: 37627272 PMCID: PMC10452226 DOI: 10.3390/biom13081207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous group of breast cancers characterized by their lack of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and the HER2 receptor. They are more aggressive than other breast cancer subtypes, with a higher mean tumor size, higher tumor grade, the worst five-year overall survival, and the highest rates of recurrence and metastasis. Developing targeted therapies for TNBC has been a major challenge due to its heterogeneity, and its treatment still largely relies on surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. In this review article, we review the efforts in developing targeted therapies for TNBC, discuss insights gained from these efforts, and highlight potential opportunities going forward. Accumulating evidence supports TNBCs as multi-driver cancers, in which multiple oncogenic drivers promote cell proliferation and survival. In such multi-driver cancers, targeted therapies would require drug combinations that simultaneously block multiple oncogenic drivers. A strategy designed to generate mechanism-based combination targeted therapies for TNBC is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gongqin Sun
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA;
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2
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de Paula B, Kieran R, Koh SSY, Crocamo S, Abdelhay E, Muñoz-Espín D. Targeting Senescence as a Therapeutic Opportunity for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2023; 22:583-598. [PMID: 36752780 PMCID: PMC10157365 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-22-0643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with an elevated risk of recurrence and poor prognosis. Historically, only chemotherapy was available as systemic treatment, but immunotherapy and targeted therapies currently offer prolonged benefits. TNBC is a group of diseases with heterogeneous treatment sensitivity, and resistance is inevitable and early for a large proportion of the intrinsic subtypes. Although senescence induction by anticancer therapy offers an immediate favorable clinical outcome once the rate of tumor progression reduces, these cells are commonly dysfunctional and metabolically active, culminating in treatment-resistant repopulation associated with worse prognosis. This heterogeneous response can also occur without therapeutic pressure in response to damage or oncogenic stress, playing a relevant role in the carcinogenesis. Remarkably, there is preclinical and exploratory clinical evidence to support a relevant role of senescence in treatment resistance. Therefore, targeting senescent cells has been a scientific effort in many malignant tumors using a variety of targets and strategies, including increasing proapoptotic and decreasing antiapoptotic stimuli. Despite promising results, there are some challenges to applying this technology, including the best schedule of combination, assessment of senescence, specific vulnerabilities, and the best clinical scenarios. This review provides an overview of senescence in TNBC with a focus on future-proofing senotherapy strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno de Paula
- Breast Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rosalind Kieran
- Early Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha Shui Yuan Koh
- Department of Medicine, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Susanne Crocamo
- Breast Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Daniel Muñoz-Espín
- Early Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Ku GC, Chapdelaine AG, Ayrapetov MK, Sun G. Identification of Lethal Inhibitors and Inhibitor Combinations for Mono-Driver versus Multi-Driver Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4027. [PMID: 36011019 PMCID: PMC9407008 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14164027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There are no signaling-based targeted therapies for triple-negative breast cancer. The development of targeted cancer therapy relies on identifying oncogenic signaling drivers, understanding their contributions to oncogenesis and developing inhibitors to block such drivers. In this study, we determine that DU-4475 is a mono-driver cancer cell line relying on BRAF and the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway for viability and proliferation. It is fully and lethally inhibited by BRAF or Mek inhibitors at low nM concentrations, but it is resistant to inhibitors targeting other signaling pathways. The inhibitory lethality caused by blocking Mek or BRAF is through apoptosis. In contrast, MDA-MB-231 is a multi-driver triple-negative breast cancer cell line dependent on both Src and the KRAS-activated mitogen-activated kinase pathway for proliferation and viability. Blocking each pathway alone only partially inhibits cell proliferation without killing them, but the combination of dasatinib, an Src inhibitor, and trametinib, a Mek inhibitor, achieves synthetic lethality. The combination is highly potent, with an IC50 of 8.2 nM each, and strikingly synergistic, with a combination index of less than 0.003 for 70% inhibition. The synthetic lethality of the drug combination is achieved by apoptosis. These results reveal a crucial difference between mono-driver and multi-driver cancer cells and suggest that pharmacological synthetic lethality may provide a basis for effectively inhibiting multi-driver cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gongqin Sun
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, 120 Flagg Rd, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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STAT signaling as a target for intervention: from cancer inflammation and angiogenesis to non-coding RNAs modulation. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:8987-8999. [PMID: 35474053 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07399-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
As a landmark, scientific investigation in cytokine signaling and interferon-related anti-viral activity, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) family of proteins was first discovered in the 1990s. Today, we know that the STAT family consists of several transcription factors which regulate various molecular and cellular processes, including proliferation, angiogenesis, and differentiation in human carcinoma. STAT family members play an active role in transducing signals from cell membrane to nucleus through intracellular signaling and thus activating gene transcription. Additionally, they are also associated with the development and progression of human cancer by facilitating inflammation, cell survival, and resistance to therapeutic responses. Accumulating evidence suggests that not all STAT proteins are associated with the progression of human malignancy; however, STAT3/5 are constitutively activated in various cancers, including multiple myeloma, lymphoma, breast cancer, prostate hepatocellular carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. The present review highlights how STAT-associated events are implicated in cancer inflammation, angiogenesis and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) modulation to highlight potential intervention into carcinogenesis-related cellular processes.
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Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers and Emerging Therapies for Chemotherapy Resistant TNBC. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031665. [PMID: 35163586 PMCID: PMC8836182 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with high recurrence rates, high incidence of distant metastases, and poor overall survival (OS). Taxane and anthracycline-containing chemotherapy (CT) is currently the main systemic treatment option for TNBC, while platinum-based chemotherapy showed promising results in the neoadjuvant and metastatic settings. An early arising of intrinsic or acquired CT resistance is common and represents the main hurdle for successful TNBC treatment. Numerous mechanisms were uncovered that can lead to the development of chemoresistance. These include cancer stem cells (CSCs) induction after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, hypoxia and avoidance of apoptosis, single factors such as tyrosine kinase receptors (EGFR, IGFR1), a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10), and a few pathological molecular pathways. Some biomarkers capable of predicting resistance to specific chemotherapeutic agents were identified and are expected to be validated in future studies for a more accurate selection of drugs to be employed and for a more tailored approach, both in neoadjuvant and advanced settings. Recently, based on specific biomarkers, some therapies were tailored to TNBC subsets and became available in clinical practice: olaparib and talazoparib for BRCA1/2 germline mutation carriers larotrectinib and entrectinib for neurotrophic tropomyosin receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusion carriers, and anti-trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) antibody drug conjugate therapy for heavily pretreated metastatic TNBC (mTNBC). Further therapies targeting some pathologic molecular pathways, apoptosis, miRNAS, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), insulin growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R), and androgen receptor (AR) are under investigation. Among them, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and EGFR inhibitors as well as antiandrogens showed promising results and are under evaluation in Phase II/III clinical trials. Emerging therapies allow to select specific antiblastics that alone or by integrating the conventional therapeutic approach may overcome/hinder chemoresistance.
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Kinome-Wide siRNA Screening Identifies DYRK1B as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225779. [PMID: 34830933 PMCID: PMC8616396 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Therapeutic target is limited for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Through kinome-wide siRNA (709 genes) screening, DYRK1B was identified as a potential gene essential for cell proliferation and mobility of TNBC cells, particularly in DYRK1B highly expressed TNBC cells. TNBC patients with high expression of DYRK1B had poor overall survival and disease-free survival. CCDC97 and ZNF581 were positively correlated with DYRK1B expression and might be involved in DYRK1B-mediated tumor malignancy in TNBC patients, providing DYRK1B as a potential theranostic target for TNBC. Abstract Aims: The selective molecules for targeted therapy of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are limited. Several kinases play pivotal roles in cancer development and malignancy. The study aims to determine if any kinases confer to malignancy of TNBC cells, which could serve as a theranostic target for TNBC. Methods: Kinome siRNA library was used to screen selective genes required for the proliferation of TNBC cells. The involvement of DYRK1B in cancer malignancy was evaluated with migration, invasion assays, and spheroid culture. The expression of DYRK1B was confirmed with quantitative PCR and immunoblotting. The clinical correlation of DYRK1B in TNBC patients was examined with tissue microarray and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Results: Our results showed that silencing DYRK1B significantly suppressed cell viability in DYRK1B-high expressed TNBC cells, likely by arresting the cell cycle at the G1 phase. Nevertheless, silencing DYRK1B had marginal effects on DYRK1B-low expressed TNBC cells. Similarly, the knockdown of DYRK1B decreased tumorsphere formation and increased cell death of the tumorsphere. Moreover, inactivation of DYRK1B by either specific inhibitor or ectopic expressing catalytic mutant of DYRK1B inhibited cell viability and metastatic characteristics, including migration and invasion. In addition, DYRK1B protein expression was elevated in tumor tissues compared to that in adjacent normal tissues of TNBC patients. Further, DYRK1B gene expression was highly correlated with CCDC97 or ZNF581 genes in TNBC cells and patients. High co-expression of DYRK1B with CCDC97 or ZNF581 was significantly associated with unfavorable overall survival and disease-free survival of TNBC patients. Conclusions: our results suggest DYRK1B might be essential for promoting tumor progression and could be a theranostic target for TNBC. Silencing or inactivation of DYRK1B might be a potential targeted therapy for TNBC.
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Effect of EGFR on SQSTM1 Expression in Malignancy and Tumor Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212226. [PMID: 34830108 PMCID: PMC8625971 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common types of malignant tumor. Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) serves as an adaptor of autophagy for degrading protein aggregates. The regulation of autophagy by EGFR and its clinical impacts are indicated in various types of cancer. However, the association of EGFR and SQSTM1 in OSCC is still unknown. Our results show that the expression levels of SQSTM1 and EGFR proteins are higher in tumor tissues than in the corresponding tumor-adjacent (CTAN) tissues of OSCC patients. The expression levels of SQSTM1 were positively associated with the EGFR expression level. High co-expression of SQSTM1 and EGFR is associated with poor prognosis in OSCC patients. Moreover, SQSTM1 expression is decreased in EGFR-knockdown cells. Cell growth and invasion/migration are also decreased in cells with single/combined knockdowns of EGFR and SQSTM1 or in SQSTM1-knockdown cells without EGFR kinase inhibitor Lapatinib treatment compared to that in scrambled cells. However, cell growth and invasion/metastasis were not significantly different between the scrambled cells and SQSTM1-knockdown cells in the presence of Lapatinib. This study is the first to indicate the biological roles and clinical significance of SQSTM1 regulation by EGFR in OSCC.
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Liu PF, Shu CW, Yang HC, Lee CH, Liou HH, Ger LP, Tzeng YDT, Wang WC. Combined Evaluation of MAP1LC3B and SQSTM1 for Biological and Clinical Significance in Ductal Carcinoma of Breast Cancer. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9111514. [PMID: 34829743 PMCID: PMC8615094 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. The microtubule-associated protein light chain 3B (MAP1LC3B) and adaptor sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) are two major markers for autophagy. Increased protein levels of MAP1LC3B and SQSTM1 are considered to be causes of autophagy inhibition or activation in various types of cancers. However, the roles of MAP1LC3B and SQSTM1 in breast cancer are still not clear. Using a tissue microarray from 274 breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) patients, we found that tumor tissues showed higher protein levels of MAP1LC3B and cytoplasmic SQSTM1 in comparison to those in adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, high levels of MAP1LC3B were associated with better survival, including disease-specific survival and disease-free survival (DFS) in IDC patients. Furthermore, high co-expression of MAP1LC3B and SQSTM1 was significantly associated with better DFS in IDC patients. Astonishingly, the autophagy inhibitor accumulated the protein levels of MAP1LC3B/SQSTM1 and enhanced the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin and paclitaxel in MCF7 and BT474 breast cancer cell lines, implying that autophagy inhibition might result in poor prognosis and chemosensitivity in IDC. Taken together, high co-expression of MAP1LC3B and SQSTM1 might serve as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for IDC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Feng Liu
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (P.-F.L.); (C.-H.L.)
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wen Shu
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan;
| | - Hsiu-Chen Yang
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan; (H.-C.Y.); (H.-H.L.); (L.-P.G.)
| | - Cheng-Hsin Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (P.-F.L.); (C.-H.L.)
| | - Huei-Han Liou
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan; (H.-C.Y.); (H.-H.L.); (L.-P.G.)
| | - Luo-Ping Ger
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan; (H.-C.Y.); (H.-H.L.); (L.-P.G.)
| | - Yen-Dun Tony Tzeng
- Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (Y.-D.T.T.); (W.-C.W.); Tel.: +886-07-3422121-73008 (Y.-D.T.T.); +886-06-2812811-57112 (W.-C.W.)
| | - Wen-Ching Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 71004, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (Y.-D.T.T.); (W.-C.W.); Tel.: +886-07-3422121-73008 (Y.-D.T.T.); +886-06-2812811-57112 (W.-C.W.)
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Saranyutanon S, Acharya S, Deshmukh SK, Khan MA, Singh S, Singh AP. Nicotine causes alternative polarization of macrophages via Src-mediated STAT3 activation: Potential pathobiological implications. J Cell Physiol 2021; 237:1486-1497. [PMID: 34647621 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine is an addictive ingredient of tobacco products and other noncigarette substitutes, including those being used for smoking cessation to relieve withdrawal symptoms. Earlier research, however, has associated nicotine with the risk and poorer outcome of several diseases, including cancer. Macrophages are an important component of the innate immune system and can have both pro-and anti-inflammatory functions depending upon their polarization state. Here, we investigated the effect of nicotine on macrophage polarization, growth, and invasion to understand its role in human physiology. We observed that nicotine induced M2 polarization of RAW264.7 and THP-1-derived macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. Cytokine profiling suggested a mixed M2a/d phenotype of nicotine-polarized macrophages associated with tissue repair and pro-angiogenic functions. Moreover, nicotine treatment also enhanced the growth, motility, and invasion of macrophages. Mechanistic studies revealed increased phosphorylation of STAT3 in nicotine-treated macrophages that was mediated through Src activation. Importantly, pretreatment of macrophages with either Src or STAT3 inhibitor abrogated nicotine-induced macrophage polarization, growth, and motility, suggesting a functional role of the Src-STAT3 signaling axis. Together, our findings reveal a novel role of nicotine in immunosuppression via causing M2 polarization of macrophages that could be implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirin Saranyutanon
- Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Srijan Acharya
- Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Sachin Kumar Deshmukh
- Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Mohammad Aslam Khan
- Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Seema Singh
- Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Ajay Pratap Singh
- Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
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Nademi Y, Tang T, Uludağ H. Modeling Uptake of Polyethylenimine/Short Interfering RNA Nanoparticles in Breast Cancer Cells Using Machine Learning. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202000106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yousef Nademi
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 1H9 Canada
| | - Tian Tang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 1H9 Canada
| | - Hasan Uludağ
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 1H9 Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 1H9 Canada
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Donadeo Innovation Centre for Engineering University of Alberta Edmonton AB T6G 1H9 Canada
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Kohandel Z, Farkhondeh T, Aschner M, Pourbagher-Shahri AM, Samarghandian S. STAT3 pathway as a molecular target for resveratrol in breast cancer treatment. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:468. [PMID: 34488773 PMCID: PMC8422731 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02179-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) induces breast cancer malignancy. Recent clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated an association between overexpressed and activated STAT3 and breast cancer progression, proliferation, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Resveratrol (RES), a naturally occurring phytoalexin, has demonstrated anti-cancer activity in several disease models. Furthermore, RES has also been shown to regulate the STAT3 signaling cascade via its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In the present review, we describe the STAT3 cascade signaling pathway and address the therapeutic targeting of STAT3 by RES as a tool to mitigate breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynab Kohandel
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tahereh Farkhondeh
- Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | | | - Saeed Samarghandian
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran.
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12
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Tian X, Zuo X, Hou M, Li C, Teng Y. LncRNA-H19 regulates chemoresistance to carboplatin in epithelial ovarian cancer through microRNA-29b-3p and STAT3. J Cancer 2021; 12:5712-5722. [PMID: 34475985 PMCID: PMC8408112 DOI: 10.7150/jca.58979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Platinum-based chemotherapy is part of current standard treatment for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). However, chemoresistance often rapidly developed, leading to chemotherapy failure and unfavored prognosis. Increasing evidence has demonstrated the important role of oncogenic long noncoding RNA H19 in various cancers, including EOC. No current study is available in exploring the role of lncRNA-H19 in carboplatin resistance of EOC and its underlying mechanism. Methods: Levels of lncRNA-H19, miR-29b-3p, and STAT3 mRNA were measured by qRT-PCR. The 50% inhibitory concentration value was detected with Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8). Colony-formation and CCK8 assays were employed to measure cell viability. Cell migration and invasion ability was evaluated with transwells. Western blot assay was utilized to measure P-gp, MRP1, LRP, and STAT3 protein levels. The targeting between lncRNA-H19 and miR-29b-3p, as well as miR-29b-3p and STAT3, was verified by dual-luciferase, RNA immunoprecipitation, and RNA pull-down experiments. Results: lncRNA-H19 and STAT3 were sharply increased, while miR-29b-3p was decreased in carboplatin-resistant EOC. Carboplatin efficacy was enhanced by lncRNA-H19 silencing in chemo-resistant EOC cells. lncRNA-H19 served as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-29b-3p, causing the derepression of miR-29b-3p downstream target STAT3, leading to chemoresistance in carboplatin-tolerated EOC. Conclusions: The lncRNA-H19/miR-29b-3p axis improved carboplatin resistance of EOC by targeting STAT3, indicating a possible approach to improving chemotherapy for EOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueye Tian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xiaohang Zuo
- Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Meng Hou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Chen Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Yue Teng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
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Liu PF, Shu CW, Lee CH, Sie HC, Liou HH, Cheng JT, Ger LP, Chen CL, Chen CC, Chen CF. Clinical Significance and the Role of Guanylate-Binding Protein 5 in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13164043. [PMID: 34439200 PMCID: PMC8394330 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Guanylate binding protein 5 (GBP5) is the interferon (IFN)-inducible subfamily of guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) and is involved in pathogen defense. However, the role played by GBP5 in cancer development, especially in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), is still unknown. Herein, next-generation sequencing analysis showed that the gene expression levels of GBP5 were significantly higher in OSCC tissues compared with those found in corresponding tumor adjacent normal tissues (CTAN) from two pairs of OSCC patients. Higher gene expression levels of GBP5 were also found in tumor tissues of 23 buccal mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (BMSCC)/14 tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) patients and 30 oral cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database compared with those in CTAN tissues. Immunohistochemical results showed that protein expression levels of GBP5 were also higher in the tumor tissues of 353 OSCC patients including 117 BMSCC, 187 TSCC, and 49 lip squamous cell carcinoma patients. Moreover, TCGA database analysis indicated that high gene expression levels of GBP5 were associated with poor overall survival in oral cancer patients with moderate/poor cell differentiation, and associated with poor disease-free survival in oral cancer patients with moderate/poor cell differentiation and lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, GBP5-knockdowned cells exhibited decreased cell growth, arrest at G1 phase, and decreased invasion/migration. The gene expression of markers for epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stemness was also reduced in GBP5-silenced oral cancer cells. Taken together, GBP5 might be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for OSCC patients, especially for those with poor cell differentiation and lymph node metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Feng Liu
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (P.-F.L.); or (C.-H.L.)
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wen Shu
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan;
| | - Cheng-Hsin Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (P.-F.L.); or (C.-H.L.)
| | - Huei-Cin Sie
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan;
| | - Huei-Han Liou
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan or (H.-H.L.); (L.-P.G.)
| | - Jiin-Tsuey Cheng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan; (J.-T.C.); (C.-L.C.)
| | - Luo-Ping Ger
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan or (H.-H.L.); (L.-P.G.)
| | - Chun-Lin Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan; (J.-T.C.); (C.-L.C.)
| | - Chien-Chou Chen
- Family Medicine Division, Zuoying Branch of Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81342, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-C.C.); or (C.-F.C.); Tel.: +886-07-581-7121 (C.-C.C.); +886-07-346-8080 (C.-F.C.)
| | - Chun-Feng Chen
- Department of Stomatology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan
- Department of Dental Technology, Shu-Zen Junior College of Medicine and Management, Kaohsiung 82144, Taiwan
- School of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (C.-C.C.); or (C.-F.C.); Tel.: +886-07-581-7121 (C.-C.C.); +886-07-346-8080 (C.-F.C.)
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Farghadani R, Naidu R. Curcumin: Modulator of Key Molecular Signaling Pathways in Hormone-Independent Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13143427. [PMID: 34298639 PMCID: PMC8307022 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among females worldwide. It is a highly heterogeneous disease, classified according to hormone and growth factor receptor expression. Patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) (estrogen receptor-negative/progesterone receptor-negative/human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2)-negative) and hormone-independent HER2 overexpressing subtypes still represent highly aggressive behavior, metastasis, poor prognosis, and drug resistance. Thus, new alternative anticancer agents based on the use of natural products have been receiving enormous attention. In this regard, curcumin is a promising lead in cancer drug discovery due its ability to modulate a diverse range of molecular targets and signaling pathways. The current review has emphasized the underlying mechanism of curcumin anticancer action mediated through the modulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR, JAK/STAT, MAPK, NF-ĸB, p53, Wnt/β-catenin, apoptosis, and cell cycle pathways in hormone-independent breast cancer, providing frameworks for future studies and insights to improve its efficiency in clinical practice. Abstract Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. Despite the overall successes in breast cancer therapy, hormone-independent HER2 negative breast cancer, also known as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), lacking estrogens and progesterone receptors and with an excessive expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), along with the hormone-independent HER2 positive subtype, still remain major challenges in breast cancer treatment. Due to their poor prognoses, aggressive phenotype, and highly metastasis features, new alternative therapies have become an urgent clinical need. One of the most noteworthy phytochemicals, curcumin, has attracted enormous attention as a promising drug candidate in breast cancer prevention and treatment due to its multi-targeting effect. Curcumin interrupts major stages of tumorigenesis including cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis in hormone-independent breast cancer through the modulation of multiple signaling pathways. The current review has highlighted the anticancer activity of curcumin in hormone-independent breast cancer via focusing on its impact on key signaling pathways including the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, JAK/STAT pathway, MAPK pathway, NF-ĸB pathway, p53 pathway, and Wnt/β-catenin, as well as apoptotic and cell cycle pathways. Besides, its therapeutic implications in clinical trials are here presented.
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15
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Zhao Q, Bi Y, Zhong J, Li X, Guo J, Liu YX, Pan LR, Tan Y, Deng ZS, Yu XJ. 10,11-dehydrocurvularin exerts antitumor effect against human breast cancer by suppressing STAT3 activation. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2021; 42:791-800. [PMID: 32868906 PMCID: PMC8115668 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-020-0499-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays a critical role in many types of cancers. As a result, STAT3 has been identified as a potential target for cancer therapy. In this study we identified 10,11-dehydrocurvularin (DCV), a natural-product macrolide derived from marine fungus, as a selective STAT3 inhibitor. We showed that DCV (2-8 μM) dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468, and induced cell apoptosis. In the two breast cancer cell lines, DCV selectively inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3 Tyr-705, but did not affect the upstream components JAK1 and JAK2, as well as dephosphorylation of STAT3. Furthermore, DCV treatment strongly inhibited IFN-γ-induced STAT3 phosphorylation but had no significant effect on IFN-γ-induced STAT1 and STAT5 phosphorylation in the two breast cancer cell lines. We demonstrated that the α, β-unsaturated carbonyl moiety of DCV was essential for STAT3 inactivation. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) further revealed the direct engagement of DCV with STAT3. In nude mice bearing breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 xenografts, treatment with DCV (30 mg·kg-1·d-1, ip, for 14 days) markedly suppressed the tumor growth via inhibition of STAT3 activation without observed toxicity. Our results demonstrate that DCV acts as a selective STAT3 inhibitor for breast cancer intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Zhao
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Yun Bi
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Jing Zhong
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Products Research and Development, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Jian Guo
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Ying-Xiang Liu
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Long-Rui Pan
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Yan Tan
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China
| | - Zhang-Shuang Deng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Products Research and Development, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, China.
| | - Xian-Jun Yu
- Laboratory of Inflammation and Molecular Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei Key Laboratory of Wudang Local Chinese Medicine Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, 442000, China.
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16
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Bioengineered siRNA-Based Nanoplatforms Targeting Molecular Signaling Pathways for the Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Preclinical and Clinical Advancements. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12100929. [PMID: 33003468 PMCID: PMC7599839 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12100929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer. Owing to the absenteeism of hormonal receptors expressed at the cancerous breast cells, hormonal therapies and other medications targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are ineffective in TNBC patients, making traditional chemotherapeutic agents the only current appropriate regimen. Patients' predisposition to relapse and metastasis, chemotherapeutics' cytotoxicity and resistance and poor prognosis of TNBC necessitates researchers to investigate different novel-targeted therapeutics. The role of small interfering RNA (siRNA) in silencing the genes/proteins that are aberrantly overexpressed in carcinoma cells showed great potential as part of TNBC therapeutic regimen. However, targeting specificity, siRNA stability, and delivery efficiency cause challenges in the progression of this application clinically. Nanotechnology was highlighted as a promising approach for encapsulating and transporting siRNA with high efficiency-low toxicity profile. Advances in preclinical and clinical studies utilizing engineered siRNA-loaded nanotherapeutics for treatment of TNBC were discussed. Specific and selective targeting of diverse signaling molecules/pathways at the level of tumor proliferation and cell cycle, tumor invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis and tumor microenvironment, and chemotherapeutics' resistance demonstrated greater activity via integration of siRNA-complexed nanoparticles.
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17
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Vishnoi K, Viswakarma N, Rana A, Rana B. Transcription Factors in Cancer Development and Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020. [PMID: 32824207 DOI: 10.339/cancers12082296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a multi-step process and requires constitutive expression/activation of transcription factors (TFs) for growth and survival. Many of the TFs reported so far are critical for carcinogenesis. These include pro-inflammatory TFs, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-controlling TFs, pluripotency TFs upregulated in cancer stem-like cells, and the nuclear receptors (NRs). Some of those, including HIFs, Myc, ETS-1, and β-catenin, are multifunctional and may regulate multiple other TFs involved in various pro-oncogenic events, including proliferation, survival, metabolism, invasion, and metastasis. High expression of some TFs is also correlated with poor prognosis and chemoresistance, constituting a significant challenge in cancer treatment. Considering the pivotal role of TFs in cancer, there is an urgent need to develop strategies targeting them. Targeting TFs, in combination with other chemotherapeutics, could emerge as a better strategy to target cancer. So far, targeting NRs have shown promising results in improving survival. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the TFs that play a central role in cancer progression, which could be potential therapeutic candidates for developing specific inhibitors. Here, we also discuss the efforts made to target some of those TFs, including NRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanchan Vishnoi
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Navin Viswakarma
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Ajay Rana
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.,University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.,Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Basabi Rana
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.,University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.,Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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18
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Vishnoi K, Viswakarma N, Rana A, Rana B. Transcription Factors in Cancer Development and Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12082296. [PMID: 32824207 PMCID: PMC7464564 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a multi-step process and requires constitutive expression/activation of transcription factors (TFs) for growth and survival. Many of the TFs reported so far are critical for carcinogenesis. These include pro-inflammatory TFs, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-controlling TFs, pluripotency TFs upregulated in cancer stem-like cells, and the nuclear receptors (NRs). Some of those, including HIFs, Myc, ETS-1, and β-catenin, are multifunctional and may regulate multiple other TFs involved in various pro-oncogenic events, including proliferation, survival, metabolism, invasion, and metastasis. High expression of some TFs is also correlated with poor prognosis and chemoresistance, constituting a significant challenge in cancer treatment. Considering the pivotal role of TFs in cancer, there is an urgent need to develop strategies targeting them. Targeting TFs, in combination with other chemotherapeutics, could emerge as a better strategy to target cancer. So far, targeting NRs have shown promising results in improving survival. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the TFs that play a central role in cancer progression, which could be potential therapeutic candidates for developing specific inhibitors. Here, we also discuss the efforts made to target some of those TFs, including NRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanchan Vishnoi
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (K.V.); (N.V.); (A.R.)
| | - Navin Viswakarma
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (K.V.); (N.V.); (A.R.)
| | - Ajay Rana
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (K.V.); (N.V.); (A.R.)
- University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Basabi Rana
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (K.V.); (N.V.); (A.R.)
- University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
- Correspondence:
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19
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Jiang L, Ren L, Chen H, Pan J, Zhang Z, Kuang X, Chen X, Bao W, Lin C, Zhou Z, Huang D, Yang J, Huang H, Wang L, Hou N, Song L. NCAPG confers trastuzumab resistance via activating SRC/STAT3 signaling pathway in HER2-positive breast cancer. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:547. [PMID: 32683421 PMCID: PMC7368860 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02753-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
HER2+ breast cancer (BC) is characterized by rapid growth, early recurrence, early metastasis, and chemoresistance. Trastuzumab is the most effective treatment for HER2+ BC and effectively reduces the risk of recurrence and death of patients. Resistance to trastuzumab results in cancer recurrence and metastasis, leading to poor prognosis of HER2+ BC. In the present study, we found that non-structural maintenance of chromosome condensin 1 complex subunit G (NCAPG) expression was highly upregulated in trastuzumab-resistant HER2+ BC. Ectopic NCAPG was positively correlated with tumor relapse and shorter survival in HER2+ BC patients. Moreover, overexpression of NCAPG promoted, while silencing of NCAPG reduced, the proliferative and anti-apoptotic capacity of HER2+ BC cells both in vitro and in vivo, indicating NCAPG reduces the sensitivity of HER2+ BC cells to trastuzumab and may confer trastuzumab resistance. Furthermore, our results suggest that NCAPG triggers a series of biological cascades by phosphorylating SRC and enhancing nuclear localization and activation of STAT3. To summarize, our study explores a crucial role for NCAPG in trastuzumab resistance and its underlying mechanisms in HER2+ BC, and suggests that NCAPG could be both a potential prognostic marker as well as a therapeutic target to effectively overcome trastuzumab resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Jiang
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China. .,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Liangliang Ren
- Department of Biochemistry, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, 510080, Guangzhou, China
| | - Han Chen
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinyuan Pan
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuojun Zhang
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangqin Kuang
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuhong Chen
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenhao Bao
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chun Lin
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongqiu Zhou
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Danping Huang
- Department of Ultrasonography, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 510623, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianan Yang
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Urologic Oncosurgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongbiao Huang
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, 510095, Guangzhou, China.,Guangzhou Municipal and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lan Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, School of Basic Courses, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, 510006, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ning Hou
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, 511436, Guangzhou, China
| | - Libing Song
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 510060, Guangzhou, China.
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20
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Bellat V, Verchère A, Ashe SA, Law B. Transcriptomic insight into salinomycin mechanisms in breast cancer cell lines: synergistic effects with dasatinib and induction of estrogen receptor β. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:661. [PMID: 32678032 PMCID: PMC7364656 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07134-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumors are heterogeneous in nature, composed of different cell populations with various mutations and/or phenotypes. Using a single drug to encounter cancer progression is generally ineffective. To improve the treatment outcome, multiple drugs of distinctive mechanisms but complementary anticancer activities (combination therapy) are often used to enhance antitumor efficacy and minimize the risk of acquiring drug resistance. We report here the synergistic effects of salinomycin (a polyether antibiotic) and dasatinib (a Src kinase inhibitor). METHODS Functionally, both drugs induce cell cycle arrest, intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS) production, and apoptosis. We rationalized that an overlapping of the drug activities should offer an enhanced anticancer effect, either through vertical inhibition of the Src-STAT3 axis or horizontal suppression of multiple pathways. We determined the toxicity induced by the drug combination and studied the kinetics of iROS production by fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry. Using genomic and proteomic techniques, including RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and Western Blot, we subsequently identified the responsible pathways that contributed to the synergistic effects of the drug combination. RESULTS Compared to either drug alone, the drug combination showed enhanced potency against MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7 human breast cancer (BC) cell lines and tumor spheroids. The drug combination induces both iROS generation and apoptosis in a time-dependent manner, following a 2-step kinetic profile. RNA-seq data revealed that the drug combination exhibited synergism through horizontal suppression of multiple pathways, possibly through a promotion of cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase via the estrogen-mediated S-phase entry pathway, and partially via the BRCA1 and DNA damage response pathway. CONCLUSION Transcriptomic analyses revealed for the first time, that the estrogen-mediated S-phase entry pathway partially contributed to the synergistic effect of the drug combination. More importantly, our studies led to the discoveries of new potential therapeutic targets, such as E2F2, as well as a novel drug-induced targeting of estrogen receptor β (ESR2) approach for triple-negative breast cancer treatment, currently lacking of targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Bellat
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alice Verchère
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sally A Ashe
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benedict Law
- Molecular Imaging Innovations Institute, Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA. .,Lead contact, New York, USA.
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Abstract
Breast cancer has grown to be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Only a few treatment options are available for breast cancer due to the widespread occurrence of chemoresistance, which emphasizes the need to discover and develop new methods to treat this disease. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is an early tumor diagnostic marker and is known to promote breast cancer malignancy. Recent clinical and preclinical data indicate the involvement of overexpressed and constitutively activated STAT3 in the progression, proliferation, metastasis and chemoresistance of breast cancer. Moreover, new pathways comprised of upstream regulators and downstream targets of STAT3 have been discovered. In addition, small molecule inhibitors targeting STAT3 activation have been found to be efficient for therapeutic treatment of breast cancer. This systematic review discusses the advances in the discovery of the STAT3 pathways and drugs targeting STAT3 in breast cancer. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-hui Ma
- Marine College, Shandong University, Wenhua West Rd. 180, Weihai, Shandong 264209 P.R. China
| | - Li Qin
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Sino-US Diagnostics Co., Ltd., Tianjin, PR China
| | - Xia Li
- Marine College, Shandong University, Wenhua West Rd. 180, Weihai, Shandong 264209 P.R. China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012 China
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22
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Aliabadi HM, Bahadur K.C. R, Bousoik E, Hall R, Barbarino A, Thapa B, Coyle M, Mahdipoor P, Uludağ H. A systematic comparison of lipopolymers for siRNA delivery to multiple breast cancer cell lines: In vitro studies. Acta Biomater 2020; 102:351-366. [PMID: 31760224 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy is a promising approach for treatment of a wide range of cancers, including breast cancers that display variable phenotypic features. To explore the general utility of siRNA therapy to control aberrant expression of genes in breast cancer, we conducted a detailed analysis of siRNA delivery and silencing response in vitro in 6 separate breast cancer cell models (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-231-KRas-CRM, MCF-7, AU565, MDA-MB-435 and MDA-MB-468 cells). Using lipopolymers for siRNA complexation and delivery, we found a large variation in siRNA delivery efficiency depending on the specific lipopolymer used for siRNA complexation and delivery. Some lipopolymers were effective in all cell types used in this study, indicating the possibility of universal carriers for siRNA therapy. The delivery efficiency for effective lipopolymers was not correlated with dextran uptake in the cells tested, which indicated a receptor-mediated internalization for siRNA complexes with lipopolymers, unlike fluid-phase transfer associated with dextran uptake. Consistent with this, specific inhibitors involved in clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytosis significantly (>50%) reduced the internalization of siRNA complexes in all cell types. Using JAK2 and STAT3 silencing in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells, a general correlation between the uptake and silencing efficiency at the mRNA level was evident, but it appeared that the choice of the target rather than the cell type was more critical for consistent silencing. We conclude that siRNA therapy with lipopolymers can be undertaken in multiple breast cancer cell phenotypes with similar efficiency, indicating the general applicability of non-viral RNAi in clinical management of molecularly heterogeneous breast cancers. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The manuscript investigated the efficacy of siRNA carriers across multiple breast cancer cell lines. The lipopolymeric carriers were capable of delivering effective dose of siRNA to a range of breast cancer cells. Despite some differences in uptake efficiency among cell types, the mechanism of delivery was similar, with CME and CvME significantly involved in the internalization of polyplexes, while fluid-phase endocytosis was not significant. Specific target silencing was correlated to delivery efficiency, but we did notice the presence of lipopolymers that achieved high silencing with minimal siRNA delivery. Silencing specific targets in different cell types were more uniformly achieved as compared to targeting different targets in the same cells. Our studies enhance the feasibility of delivering siRNA to different types of breast cancer cells.
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Activation of Src mediates acquired cisplatin resistance in human lung carcinoma cells. Anticancer Drugs 2019; 31:123-130. [PMID: 31815763 DOI: 10.1097/cad.0000000000000829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cisplatin (CDDP) is the most effective chemotherapeutic drug against lung carcinoma. However, the emergence of resistant clones has severely limited its clinical application. We found that the cisplatin-resistant lung carcinoma cell line A549/CDDP had increased levels of the phosphorylated gap junction protein Cx43 and SRC tyrosine kinase, and low levels of total Cx43 protein and reduced gap junction formation. The SRC kinase inhibitor PP2 increased the expression of total Cx43 protein and enhanced cisplatin sensitivity, indicating that activated SRC kinase induces chemoresistance by decrease total Cx43 level. Furthermore, Cx43 gene silencing in the drug-resistant cell lines abrogated the sensitizing effect of PP2. Taken together, targeting SRC kinase by PP2 reverses cisplatin resistance by upregulating Cx43 protein levels, indicating a novel pathway of cisplatin resistance that may be amenable to therapeutic intervention.
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Nouri K, Azad T, Lightbody E, Khanal P, Nicol CJ, Yang X. A kinome-wide screen using a NanoLuc LATS luminescent biosensor identifies ALK as a novel regulator of the Hippo pathway in tumorigenesis and immune evasion. FASEB J 2019; 33:12487-12499. [PMID: 31431076 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901343r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The Hippo pathway is an emerging signaling pathway that plays important roles in organ size control, tissue homeostasis, tumorigenesis, metastasis, drug resistance, and immune response. Although many regulators of the Hippo pathway have been reported, the extracellular stimuli and kinase regulators of the Hippo pathway remain largely unknown. To identify novel regulars of the Hippo pathway, in this study we created the first ultra-bright NanoLuc biosensor (BS) to monitor the activity of large tumor suppressor (LATS) kinase 1, a central player of the Hippo pathway. We show that this NanoLuc BS achieves significantly advanced sensitivity and stability both in vitro using purified proteins and in vivo in living cells and mice. Using this BS, we perform the first kinome-wide screen and identify many kinases regulating LATS and its effectors yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ- binding motif (TAZ). We also show for the first time that activation of receptor tyrosine kinase anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) by its extracellular ligand family with sequence similarity (FAM)150 activates Hippo effector YAP/TAZ by increasing their nuclear translocation. Significantly, we show that constitutively active ALK induces tumorigenic phenotypes, such as increased cancer cell proliferation/colony formation via YAP/TAZ and elevated immune evasion via YAP/TAZ-programmed death-ligand 1 in breast and lung cancer cells. In summary, we have developed a new LATS BS for cancer biology and therapeutics research and uncovered a novel ALK-LATS-YAP/TAZ signaling axis that may play important roles in cancer and possibly other biologic processes.-Nouri, K., Azad, T., Lightbody, E., Khanal, P., Nicol, C. J., Yang, X. A kinome-wide screen using a NanoLuc LATS luminescent biosensor identifies ALK as a novel regulator of the Hippo pathway in tumorigenesis and immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazem Nouri
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Taha Azad
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Lightbody
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Prem Khanal
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher J Nicol
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xiaolong Yang
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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25
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Goan YG, Liu PF, Chang HW, Chen HC, Chen WC, Kuo SM, Lee CH, Shu CW. Kinome-Wide Screening with Small Interfering RNA Identified Polo-like Kinase 1 as a Key Regulator of Proliferation in Oral Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11081117. [PMID: 31387297 PMCID: PMC6721596 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11081117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the major leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide, with limited effective markers for diagnosis and therapy, which has caused a low overall survival rate in the past decades. Kinases play important roles in tumor development and malignancy in various types of cancer. However, little is known about the role of kinases in OSCC cells. In this study, an arrayed kinome small interfering RNA (siRNA) library was used to screen oral cancer cell lines and counter assayed with normal fibroblast cells to identify the genes required for cancer cell proliferation. We found that polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) was one of the most potent genes required for OSCC cell proliferation. The knockdown of PLK1 with a siRNA or antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) consistently diminished cyclin-B1 (CCNB1) expression/phosphorylation and the G2-M phase transition. Similar effects were observed in cells treated with the PLK1 kinase inhibitor BI6727. Besides, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis revealed that PLK1 was elevated in tumor tissues and associated with short survival in patients with OSCC. We also found that PLK1 expression was highly correlated with the expression of its downstream effector, CCNB1, in patients with OSCC. Coexpression of the two genes resulted in a poor prognosis of OSCC patients, particularly those in the advanced stages of OSCC. Taken together, our results suggest that PLK1 might be a diagnostic or therapeutic marker for OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yih-Gang Goan
- Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital Pingtung Branch, Pingtung 91245, Taiwan
- Department of Nursing, Meiho University, Pingtung 91202, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Feng Liu
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - Hsueh-Wei Chang
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Cancer Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Chih Chen
- Division of Oral & Maxillary Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chi Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Shyh-Ming Kuo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsin Lee
- Division of Oral & Maxillary Surgery, Department of Stomatology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 81362, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wen Shu
- School of Medicine for International Students, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445, Taiwan.
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26
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Cheng JS, Tsai WL, Liu PF, Goan YG, Lin CW, Tseng HH, Lee CH, Shu CW. The MAP3K7-mTOR Axis Promotes the Proliferation and Malignancy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Front Oncol 2019; 9:474. [PMID: 31214512 PMCID: PMC6558008 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapy is currently limited for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to the lack of suitable targets. Kinases play pivotal roles in many cellular biological processes, whereas dysregulation of kinases may lead to various diseases, particularly cancer. However, the role of kinases in HCC malignancy remains unclear. In this study, we employed a kinome small interfering RNA (siRNA) library, comprising 710 kinase-related genes, to screen whether any kinases were essential for cell proliferation in various HCC cell lines. Through a kinome siRNA library screening, we found that MAP3K7 was a crucial gene for HCC cell proliferation. Pharmacological or genetic ablation of MAP3K7 diminished the growth, migration, and invasion of HCC cells, including primary HCC cells. Stable knockdown of MAP3K7 attenuated tumor formation in a spheroid cell culture model and tumor xenograft mouse model. In addition, silencing MAP3K7 reduced the phosphorylation and expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in HCC cells. MAP3K7 expression was positively correlated with mTOR expression in tumors of patients with HCC. Higher co-expression of MAP3K7 and mTOR was significantly associated with poor prognosis of HCC. Taken together, our results revealed that the MAP3K7-mTOR axis might promote tumorigenesis and malignancy, which provides a potential marker or therapeutic target for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Shiung Cheng
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Lun Tsai
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Feng Liu
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yih-Gang Goan
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wen Lin
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, E-Da Dachang Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,School of Medicine for International Students, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Hsing Tseng
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsin Lee
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Wen Shu
- School of Medicine for International Students, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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27
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Qin JJ, Yan L, Zhang J, Zhang WD. STAT3 as a potential therapeutic target in triple negative breast cancer: a systematic review. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:195. [PMID: 31088482 PMCID: PMC6518732 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1206-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is typically lack of expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), represents the most aggressive and mortal subtype of breast cancer. Currently, only a few treatment options are available for TNBC due to the absence of molecular targets, which underscores the need for developing novel therapeutic and preventive approaches for this disease. Recent evidence from clinical trials and preclinical studies has demonstrated a pivotal role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in the initiation, progression, metastasis, and immune evasion of TNBC. STAT3 is overexpressed and constitutively activated in TNBC cells and contributes to cell survival, proliferation, cell cycle progression, anti-apoptosis, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, chemoresistance, immunosuppression, and stem cells self-renewal and differentiation by regulating the expression of its downstream target genes. STAT3 small molecule inhibitors have been developed and shown excellent anticancer activities in in vitro and in vivo models of TNBC. This review discusses the recent advances in the understanding of STAT3, with a focus on STAT3’s oncogenic role in TNBC. The current targeting strategies and representative small molecule inhibitors of STAT3 are highlighted. We also propose potential strategies that can be further examined for developing more specific and effective inhibitors for TNBC prevention and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Jiang Qin
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Li Yan
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, 325 Guohe Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jia Zhang
- Shanxi Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030012, China
| | - Wei-Dong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, 325 Guohe Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200433, China. .,Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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