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Wu LX, Zhao MY, Yan N, Zhou YL, Cao LM, Qin YZ, Jiang Q, Xu LP, Zhang XH, Huang XJ, Jiang H, Ruan GR. Extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) is a potential biomarker in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Clin Exp Med 2024; 24:56. [PMID: 38546916 PMCID: PMC10978711 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01255-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is characterized by the highly heterogeneity of pathogenic genetic background, and there are still approximately 30-40% of patients without clear molecular markers. To identify the dysregulated genes in B cell ALL, we screened 30 newly diagnosed B cell ALL patients and 10 donors by gene expression profiling chip. We found that ECM1 transcription level was abnormally elevated in newly diagnosed B cell ALL and further verified in another 267 cases compared with donors (median, 124.57% vs. 7.14%, P < 0.001). ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve of ECM1 transcription level at diagnosis was 0.89 (P < 0.001). Patients with BCR::ABL1 and IKZF1 deletion show highest transcription level (210.78%) compared with KMT2A rearrangement (39.48%) and TCF3::PBX1 rearrangement ones (30.02%) (all P < 0.05). Also, the transcription level of ECM1 was highly correlated with the clinical course, as 20 consecutive follow-up cases indicated. The 5-year OS of patients (non-KMT2A and non-TCF3::PBX1 rearrangement) with high ECM1 transcription level was significantly worse than the lower ones (18.7% vs. 72.9%, P < 0.001) and high ECM1 transcription level was an independent risk factor for OS (HR = 5.77 [1.75-19.06], P = 0.004). After considering transplantation, high ECM1 transcription level was not an independent risk factor, although OS was still poor (low vs. high, 71.1% vs. 56.8%, P = 0.038). Our findings suggested that ECM1 may be a potential molecular marker for diagnosis, minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring, and prognosis prediction of B cell ALL.Trial registration Trial Registration Registered in the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau Registration N 2007-1007 and in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry [ChiCTR-OCH-10000940 and ChiCTR-OPC-14005546]; http://www.chictr.org.cn .
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Xin Wu
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Hematology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China
| | - Ming-Yue Zhao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Yan
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Lan Zhou
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei-Ming Cao
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Zhen Qin
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Jiang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lan-Ping Xu
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Zhang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Huang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Jiang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Guo-Rui Ruan
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Institute of Hematology, National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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Fahmy SA, Mahdy NK, Mohamed AH, Mokhtar FA, Youness RA. Hijacking 5-Fluorouracil Chemoresistance in Triple Negative Breast Cancer via microRNAs-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2070. [PMID: 38396746 PMCID: PMC10889139 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy is still the mainstay of treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. Yet only 20% of TNBC patients show a pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a stable cornerstone in all recommended chemotherapeutic protocols for TNBC patients. However, TNBC patients' innate or acquired chemoresistance rate for 5-FU is steeply escalating. This study aims to unravel the mechanism behind the chemoresistance of 5-FU in the aggressive TNBC cell line, MDA-MB-231 cells, to explore further the role of the tumor suppressor microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-1275, miR-615-5p, and Let-7i, in relieving the 5-FU chemoresistance in TNBC, and to finally provide a translational therapeutic approach to co-deliver 5-FU and the respective miRNA oligonucleotides using chitosan-based nanoparticles (CsNPs). In this regard, cellular viability and proliferation were investigated using MTT and BrdU assays, respectively. 5-FU was found to induce JAK/STAT and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways in MDA-MB-231 cells with contaminant repression of their upstream regulators miR-1275, miR-615-5p, and Let-7i. Moreover, CsNPs prepared using the ionic gelation method were chosen and studied as nanovectors of 5-FU and a combination of miRNA oligonucleotides targeting TNBC. The average particle sizes, surface charges, and morphologies of the different CsNPs were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. In addition, the encapsulation efficiency (EE%), drug loading capacity (DLC%), and release manner at two different pH values were assessed. In conclusion, the novel CsNPs co-loaded with 5-FU and the combination of the three miRNA oligonucleotides demonstrated synergistic activity and remarkable repression in cellular viability and proliferation of TNBC cells through alleviating the chemoresistance to 5-FU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherif Ashraf Fahmy
- Chemistry Department, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire Hosted by Global Academic Foundation, New Administrative Capital, Cairo 11835, Egypt
| | - Noha Khalil Mahdy
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr El-Aini Street, Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Adham H Mohamed
- Biology and Biochemistry Department, Molecular Genetics Research Team (MGRT), Faculty of Biotechnology, German International University (GIU), New Administrative Capital, Cairo 11835, Egypt
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Fatma A Mokhtar
- Fujairah Research Centre, Sakamkam Road, Fujairah 1626, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, El Saleheya El Gadida University, El Saleheya El Gadida 44813, Sharkia, Egypt
| | - Rana A Youness
- Biology and Biochemistry Department, Molecular Genetics Research Team (MGRT), Faculty of Biotechnology, German International University (GIU), New Administrative Capital, Cairo 11835, Egypt
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Cai C, Gu C, He S, Meng C, Lai D, Zhang J, Qiu Q. TET2-mediated ECM1 hypomethylation promotes the neovascularization in active proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Clin Epigenetics 2024; 16:6. [PMID: 38172938 PMCID: PMC10765922 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01619-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have shown that tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2) is highly expressed in diabetic retinopathy (DR), which reduces the DNA methylation of downstream gene promoters and activates the transcription. Abnormally expressed TET2 and downstream genes in a high-glucose environment are associated with retinal capillary leakage and neovascularization. Here, we investigated the downstream genes of TET2 and its potential association with neovascularization in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS GSE60436, GSE57362, and GSE158333 datasets were analyzed to identify TET2-related hypomethylated and upregulated genes in PDR. Gene expression and promoter methylation of these genes under high glucose treatment were verified. Moreover, TET2 knockdown was used to assess its impact on tube formation and migration in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs), as well as its influence on downstream genes. RESULTS Our analysis identified three key genes (PARVB, PTPRE, ECM1) that were closely associated with TET2 regulation. High glucose-treated HRMECs exhibited increased expression of TET2 and ECM1 while decreasing the promoter methylation level of ECM1. Subsequently, TET2 knockdown led to decreased migration ability and tube formation function of HRMECs. We further found a decreased expression of PARVB, PTPRE, and ECM1, accompanied by an increase in the promoter methylation of ECM1. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate the involvement of dysregulated TET2 expression in neovascularization by regulating the promoter methylation and transcription of downstream genes (notably ECM1), eventually leading to PDR. The TET2-induced hypomethylation of downstream gene promoters represents a potential therapeutic target and offers a novel perspective on the mechanism underlying neovascularization in PDR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyang Cai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 100 Haining Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Chufeng Gu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 100 Haining Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai He
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 100 Haining Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunren Meng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 100 Haining Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongwei Lai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 100 Haining Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingfa Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 100 Haining Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, 200080, People's Republic of China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qinghua Qiu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tong Ren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 1111 Xianxia Road, Changning District, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shigatse People's Hospital, Shigatse, Tibet, People's Republic of China.
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Wang J, Chen Y, Luo Z, Huang Q, Zhang Y, Ning H, Liu S, Wang J, Han X. Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium-Reynoutria japonica Houtt. herb pair suppresses breast cancer liver metastasis by targeting ECM1-mediated cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 116:154896. [PMID: 37247588 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver metastasis is a frequent event in breast cancer that causes low survival rate and poor prognosis. Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium-Reynoutria japonica Houtt. (CR), a traditional Chinese herb pair, is used for the treatment of breast cancer liver metastasis or cholesterol gallstone disease in clinics. PURPOSE This study attempted to investigate the potential therapeutic target and mechanism of CR herb pair on breast cancer liver metastasis. METHODS The anti-metastatic and cholesterol-lowering activities of CR extract were evaluated in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines and an experimental liver metastasis model. The role of extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway was determined by the knockdown and overexpression of ECM1 gene of TNBC cells. Changes in the gene and protein expression levels of ECM1 and the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway after CR treatment were detected in vitro and in vivo by real-time PCR and Western blot. RESULTS The invasive and metastatic potentials and hypercholesterol levels of TNBC cells were positively associated with ECM1 expression. ECM1 knockdown reduced tumor cholesterol levels via downregulating cholesterol biosynthesis genes, including ACAT2, HMGCS1, HMGCR, MVK, and MVD, whereas ECM1 overexpression elicited the opposite effects. CR herb pair exerts the potential therapeutic effects on TNBC liver metastasis, which is partially mediated by disrupting ECM1-activated cholesterol biosynthesis process in TNBC cells. CONCLUSION This study reveals that ECM1 is a novel target for the activation of cholesterol biosynthesis to promote TNBC liver metastasis occurrence. CR herb pair, an ECM1 inhibitor, maybe be considered to serve as an adjuvant therapeutic drug for liver metastasis in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jue Wang
- Institute of Chinese Traditional Surgery, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueqiang Chen
- Institute of Chinese Traditional Surgery, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhanyang Luo
- Institute of Chinese Traditional Surgery, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qionglian Huang
- Institute of Chinese Traditional Surgery, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Liver Disease, Shanghai Yueyang Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanjuan Ning
- Institute of Chinese Traditional Surgery, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng Liu
- Institute of Chinese Traditional Surgery, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jianyi Wang
- Department of Liver Disease, Shanghai Yueyang Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xianghui Han
- Institute of Chinese Traditional Surgery, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Unraveling the function of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in colorectal cancer: Metastasis, therapy response, and revisiting molecular pathways. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 160:114395. [PMID: 36804124 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a dangerous form of cancer that affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is a major global health concern, and the aggressive behavior of tumor cells makes it difficult to treat, leading to poor survival rates for patients. One major challenge in treating CRC is the metastasis, or spread, of the cancer, which is a major cause of death. In order to improve the prognosis for patients with CRC, it is necessary to focus on ways to inhibit the cancer's ability to invade and spread. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process that is linked to the spread of cancer cells, also known as metastasis. The process transforms epithelial cells into mesenchymal ones, increasing their mobility and ability to invade other tissues. This has been shown to be a key mechanism in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), a particularly aggressive form of gastrointestinal cancer. The activation of EMT leads to increases in the spread of CRC cells, and during this process, levels of the protein E-cadherin decrease while levels of N-cadherin and vimentin increase. EMT also contributes to the development of resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy in CRC. Non-coding RNAs, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play a role in regulating EMT in CRC, often through their ability to "sponge" microRNAs. Anti-cancer agents have been shown to suppress EMT and reduce the progression and spread of CRC cells. These findings suggest that targeting EMT or related mechanisms may be a promising approach for treating CRC patients in the clinic.
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