Deubiquitinylase USP47 Promotes RelA Phosphorylation and Survival in Gastric Cancer Cells

Ubiquitin-specific proteases: From biological functions to potential therapeutic applications in gastric cancer

Deubiquitination, a post-translational modification regulated by deubiquitinases, is essential for cancer initiation and progression. Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) are essential elements of the deubiquitinase family, and are overexpressed in gastric cancer (GC). Through the regulation of several signaling pathways, such as Wnt/β-Catenin and nuclear factor-κB signaling, and the promotion of the expression of deubiquitination- and stabilization-associated proteins, USPs promote the proliferation, metastasis, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of GC. In addition, the expression of USPs is closely related to clinicopathological features, patient prognosis, and chemotherapy resistance. USPs therefore could be used as prognostic biomarkers. USP targeting small molecule inhibitors have demonstrated strong anticancer activity. However, they have not yet been tested in the clinic. This article provides an overview of the latest fundamental research on USPs in GC, aiming to enhance the understanding of how USPs contribute to GC progression, and identifying possible targets for GC treatment to improve patient survival.

The relationship between loneliness, psychological resilience, quality of life and taste change in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy

PURPOSE

This study aimed to determine the correlation between taste change, nutritional intake and quality of life in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. A total of 610 (F = 314, M = 296) volunteers aged 19 and 65 who received outpatient chemotherapy treatment participated in the study.

METHODS

Individuals' general information was obtained, anthropometric measurements were carried out, malnutrition status (Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment PG-SGA), loneliness (Cancer Loneliness Scale), psychological resilience (Psychological Resilience Scale), quality of life (Quality of Life Scale (EORT QLQ-C30) and taste changes were scrutinized [Chemotherapy-Induced Taste Alteration Scale (CiTAS)].

RESULTS

There was a negative correlation between the Cancer Loneliness Scale and PG-SGA and General Health Status (r = -0.494, p = 0.000; r = -0.406, p = 0.000) and a positive correlation with Symptom Scales (r = 0.484, p = 0.000; r = 0.506, p = 0.000) (p < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between the Psychological Resilience Scale and General Health Status (r = 0.393, P = 0.000), Functional Scales (r = 0.349, P = 0.000), and a negative correlation between Symptom Scales (r = -0.302, p = 0.000) (p < 0.05). 70.9% of men and 70.7% of women had severe malnutrition. General Taste Changes, General Health and Symptom Scale values were significant predictors of severe malnutrition status (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The symptoms that develop during the treatment process cause many psychological problems. Before starting treatment, patients should be evaluated comprehensively, depression anxiety levels and quality of life levels should be determined, and precautions should be taken accordingly.

Upregulation of ubiquitin carboxy‑terminal hydrolase 47 (USP47) in papillary thyroid carcinoma ex vivo and reduction of tumor cell malignant behaviors after USP47 knockdown by stabilizing SATB1 expression in vitro

Aberrant ubiquitination contributes to cancer development, including thyroid carcinoma. The present study assessed the expression of ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase 47 (USP47) and underlying molecular events in the development of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The effects of USP47 on PTC cell invasion and migration were analyzed by Transwell assays, while. the effects of USP47 and SATB1on PTC cell gene expression and changes in tumor cell metabolism were assayed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western bolt, or ELISA, respectively. The expression of USP47 mRNA and protein was upregulated in PTC tissue and associated with the PTC tumor size. Knockdown of USP47 expression in PTC cell lines (TPC-1 and K1), decreased the cell proliferation mobility and invasion capacities, whereas USP47 overexpression in these cell lines showed an inverse effect and promoted cell glycolysis and glutamine metabolism. Moreover, expression of special AT-rich sequence-binding protein-1 (SATB1) was high in PTC tissue and was associated with USP47 expression. SATB1 expression promoted tumor cell glycolysis and glutamine metabolism, while USP47 protein bound to and deubiquitinated SATB1 to increase its intracellular levels, thus promoting glycolysis and glutamine metabolism. USP47 promotion of PTC development may be due to its stabilization of SATB1 protein, suggesting that targeting the USP47/SATB1 signaling axis may serve as a therapeutic intervention for PTC.

Research Progress for Targeting Deubiquitinases in Gastric Cancers

Gastric cancers (GCs) are malignant tumors with a high incidence that threaten global public health. Despite advances in GC diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis remains poor. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying GC progression need to be identified to develop prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Ubiquitination, a post-translational modification that regulates the stability, activity, localization, and interactions of target proteins, can be reversed by deubiquitinases (DUBs), which can remove ubiquitin monomers or polymers from modified proteins. The dysfunction of DUBs has been closely linked to tumorigenesis in various cancer types, and targeting certain DUBs may provide a potential option for cancer therapy. Multiple DUBs have been demonstrated to function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in GC. In this review, we summarize the DUBs involved in GC and their associated upstream regulation and downstream mechanisms and present the benefits of targeting DUBs for GC treatment, which could provide new insights for GC diagnosis and therapy.

Alterations in the p53 isoform ratio govern breast cancer cell fate in response to DNA damage

Our previous studies have shown that p53 isoform expression is altered in breast cancer and related to prognosis. In particular, a high ∆40p53:p53α ratio is associated with worse disease-free survival. In this manuscript, the influence of altered Δ40p53 and p53α levels on the response to standard of care DNA-damaging agents used in breast cancer treatment was investigated in vitro. Our results revealed that a high Δ40p53:p53α ratio causes cells to respond differently to doxorubicin and cisplatin treatments. Δ40p53 overexpression significantly impairs the cells' sensitivity to doxorubicin through reducing apoptosis and DNA damage, whereas Δ40p53 knockdown has the opposite effect. Further, a high Δ40p53:p53α ratio inhibited the differential expression of several genes following doxorubicin and promoted DNA repair, impairing the cells' canonical response. Overall, our results suggest that the response of breast cancer cells to standard of care DNA-damaging therapies is dependent on the expression of p53 isoforms, which may contribute to outcomes in breast cancer.

Ubiquitin specific peptidase 47 promotes proliferation of lung squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Ubiquitin specific peptidase 47 (USP47) is a kind of deubiquitinase, which has been reported to play oncogenic roles in several malignancies including colorectal cancer and breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE

Here we aimed to investigate the clinical significance of USP47 in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC).

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled a cohort of LUSC patients who underwent surgical resection in our hospital (n = 280) and conducted immunohistochemistry staining for their tumor tissues targeting USP47. The correlations between USP47 expression and clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated by Chi-square test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the prognostic predictive role of USP47 in LUSC. Cell lines and mice models were utilized to explore the tumor-related functions of USP47 in vitro and in vivo, respectively.

RESULTS

Among the 280 cases, there were 127 cases classified as high-USP47 expression and 153 cases with low-USP47 expression. Statistical analyses revealed that higher USP47 expression was independently correlated with larger tumor size, advanced T stage, and unfavorable prognosis. Knockdown of USP47 by shRNA resulted in impaired proliferation of LUSC cell lines and reduced nucleus beta-catenin level. Furthermore, xenograft assays demonstrated that silencing USP47 can inhibit LUSC tumor growth in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Our research established a novel tumor-promoting effect and prognostic predictive role of USP47 in LUSC, thereby providing evidence for further therapeutic development.

USP47 stabilizes BACH1 to promote the Warburg effect and non-small cell lung cancer development via stimulating Hk2 and Gapdh transcription

Increasing studies demonstrated that ubiquitination plays a crucial part in the pathogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and targeted adjustment of the deubiquitination enzymes is a potential means for cancer treatment. However, the role of ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 47 (USP47) in NSCLC is still unclear. Here, we show that USP47 was upregulated in NSCLC clinical tissues and greatly related to advanced tumor stages and survival rate. Functional experimental results showed that USP47 promoted the cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. And the overexpression of USP47 promoted the glycolysis capacity of lung cancer cells. Mechanistic investigations showed that USP47 promoted NSCLC development, which depends a lot on directly binding to and deubiquitination of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor 1 (BACH1, BTB and CNC homology 1). BACH1 was also significantly overexpressed in primary NSCLC tissues and positively correlated with the expression of USP47. The promotion of USP47 on the Warburg effect and NSCLC progression was mediated by the deubiquitination of BACH1 and the downstream transcriptional regulation of hexokinase 2 (Hk2) and glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase (Gapdh). Therefore, targeting USP47/BACH1 axis might offer a new way to inhibit the progression of NSCLC.

Role of Ubiquitin-Specific Peptidase 47 in Cancers and Other Diseases

Deubiquitination is the reverse process of ubiquitination, which is catalyzed by deubiquitinase enzymes. More than 100 deubiquitinases have been identified. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 47 (USP47), a member of the ubiquitin-specific protease family with high homology to USP7, is an active molecule with a wide range of functions and is closely associated with cancer and other diseases. However, no systematic summary exists regarding the functions of USP47. Here, we summarize the functions and expression regulation of USP47. USP47 is highly expressed in many tumors and is widely involved in tumor development, metastasis, drug resistance, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and other processes. Targeted inhibition of USP47 can reverse malignant tumor behavior. USP47 also plays a role in inflammatory responses, myocardial infarction, and neuronal development. USP47 is involved in multiple levels of expression-regulating mechanisms, including transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational modifications. Development of targeted inhibitors against USP47 will provide a basis for studying the mechanisms of USP47 and developing therapeutic strategies for cancers and other diseases.

MiR-519d-5p modulates the sensitivity of breast cancer to chemotherapy by forming a negative feedback loop with RELA

Background

The chemoresistance of breast cancer (BC) has become the main cause of treatment failure. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in tumorigenesis, development, and chemoresistance, but the underlying mechanism of miR-519d in BC development and chemotherapy sensitivity remains to be elucidated.

Methods

The levels of miR-519d-5p in BC samples and cell lines were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell viability was monitored by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The in vivo effect of miR-519d-5p on tumor formation and doxorubicin response were investigated in a xenograft study. Bioinformatic analysis, luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR, and western blotting were conducted to validate RELA as a target gene of miR-519d-5p. We performed RT-qPCR, western blotting, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and DNA pull down to verify miR-519d-5p as a transcriptional target of RELA.

Results

This study found that miR-519d-5p was expressed at lower levels in BC cells and tissues, and overexpression of miR-519d-5p sensitized BC to chemotherapy both in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, the expression of RELA was negatively correlated with miR-519d-5p. We then showed that RELA is one of the targets of miR-519d-5p: miR-519d-5p inhibited RELA expression by directly binding to its 3'-unstranslated region (3'-UTR). Conversely, it was verified that miR-519d-5p is one of the targets of transcription factor RELA, and RELA repressed miR-519d-5p by binding to the promoter region of miR-519d-5p, which forms a feedback loop.

Conclusions

Overall, the results provide a novel therapeutic strategy for the combinational use of miR-519d-5p and chemotherapeutic agents to overcome chemo-resistance by forming a negative feedback loop with RELA.

USP47 maintains the stemness of colorectal cancer cells and is inhibited by parthenolide

Colorectal cancer stem cells (CCSCs) are implicated in colorectal tumor initiation, invasion, recurrence and treatment resistance, so elucidation of the mechanism underlying the cancer stem cells induction and development of drugs targeting CCSCs are vital for cancer treatment. Growing evidence shows that dysregulated deubiquitinase (DUBs) expression is frequently associated with stemness and maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs). In the current study, we found that upregulation of USP47 is associated with tumorigenesis and poor prognosis in clinical patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Besides, USP47 was highly expressed in CCSCs enriched by serum-free culture. Further investigation showed that USP47 is closely involved in the maintenance of the stemness of CCSCs. USP47 silencing reduces proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells and suppresses the self-renewal of CCSCs by downregulating the expression of cancer stem cell markers, including CD44, CD133, CD166, OCT4 and NANOG. Furthermore, we identified Parthenolide (PTL), a natural sesquiterpene lactone, as a novel USP47 inhibitor. PTL diminishes CCSCs self-renewal and induces apoptosis of CCSCs. Taken together, our findings highlighted a novel DUB involved in the modulation of CCSCs stemness and the potential of PTL in the CRC treatment by targeting CCSCs as the USP47 inhibitor.

TRIM47 accelerates aerobic glycolysis and tumor progression through regulating ubiquitination of FBP1 in pancreatic cancer

Increasing studies demonstrated that ubiquitination plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer, and targeting regulation of the ubiquitination process is a potential means for cancer treatment. However, the role of tripartite motif 47 (TRIM47) in pancreatic cancer is still unclear. Here, significantly upregulated TRIM47 and decreased FBP1 expressions were found in pancreatic cancer patient tissues and pointed to a lower survival rate. In addition, we show that TRIM47 was upregulated in pancreatic cancer cells and promoted cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations showed that TRIM47 promoted the aerobic glycolysis of pancreatic cancer cells, which was largely dependent on the direct binding to and ubiquitination of fructose-1, 6-biphosphatase (FBP1). Furthermore, the promotion of TRIM47 on the Warburg effect and pancreatic cancer progression was abolished by the overexpression of FBP1. Therefore, targeting TRIM47/FBP1 axis might provide a novel strategy to suppress the development of pancreatic cancer.

Long non‑coding RNA KCNQ1OT1 promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell cisplatin resistance via the miR‑454/USP47 axis

Long non‑coding RNAs serve an essential role in drug resistance in various types of cancer, including lung, breast and bladder cancer. The present study aimed to investigate whether KCNQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) was associated with cisplatin (DDP) resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). KCNQ1OT1, microRNA (miR)‑454 and ubiquitin specific peptidase 47 (USP47) expression levels were measured via reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. 5‑8F/DDP and SUNE‑1/DDP cell viability and chemosensitivity were assessed by performing Cell Counting Kit‑8 assays. Colony forming and Transwell assays were conducted to assess the effect of the KCNQ1OT1/miR‑454/USP47 axis on DDP resistance in NPC cells. The association between miR‑454 and KCNQ1OT1 or USP47 was verified via bioinformatics analysis, dual‑luciferase reporter assays and RIP assays. KCNQ1OT1 and USP47 expression levels were significantly upregulated, whereas miR‑454 expression levels were significantly downregulated in DDP‑resistant NPC cells compared with parental NPC cells. KCNQ1OT1 knockdown promoted chemosensitivity in DDP‑resistant NPC cells (5‑8F/DDP and SUNE‑1/DDP), as indicated by significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration and invasion in the short hairpin RNA (sh)KCNQ1OT1 group compared with the sh‑negative control (NC) group. Moreover, miR‑454 was identified as a target of KCNQ1OT1. KCNQ1OT1 overexpression significantly reversed miR‑454 overexpression‑mediated effects on NPC cell viability and DDP resistance. Furthermore, the results indicated that miR‑454 directly targeted USP47. Compared with the shNC group, USP47 knockdown significantly suppressed NPC cell viability and DDP resistance, which was significantly reversed by co‑transfection with miR‑454 inhibitor. Furthermore, compared with the shNC group, KCNQ1OT1 knockdown significantly downregulated USP47 expression, which was significantly counteracted by miR‑454 knockdown. Collectively, the results of the present study indicated that KCNQ1OT1 enhanced DDP resistance in NPC cells via the miR‑454/USP47 axis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for patients with DDP‑resistant NPC.

Targeting USP47 overcomes tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance and eradicates leukemia stem/progenitor cells in chronic myelogenous leukemia

Identifying novel drug targets to overcome resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and eradicating leukemia stem/progenitor cells are required for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Here, we show that ubiquitin-specific peptidase 47 (USP47) is a potential target to overcome TKI resistance. Functional analysis shows that USP47 knockdown represses proliferation of CML cells sensitive or resistant to imatinib in vitro and in vivo. The knockout of Usp47 significantly inhibits BCR-ABL and BCR-ABLT315I-induced CML in mice with the reduction of Lin-Sca1+c-Kit+ CML stem/progenitor cells. Mechanistic studies show that stabilizing Y-box binding protein 1 contributes to USP47-mediated DNA damage repair in CML cells. Inhibiting USP47 by P22077 exerts cytotoxicity to CML cells with or without TKI resistance in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, P22077 eliminates leukemia stem/progenitor cells in CML mice. Together, targeting USP47 is a promising strategy to overcome TKI resistance and eradicate leukemia stem/progenitor cells in CML.

The role of deubiquitinating enzymes in gastric cancer

The epigenetic regulation of gene expression (via DNA methylation, histone modification and microRNA interference) contributes to a variety of diseases, particularly cancer. Protein deubiquitination serves a key role in the mechanism underlying histone modification, and consequently influences tumor development and progression. Improved characterization of the role of ubiquitinating enzymes has led to the identification of numerous deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) with various functions. Gastric cancer (GC) is a highly prevalent cancer type that exhibits a high mortality rate. Latest analysis about cancer patient revealed that GC is sixth deadliest cancer type, which frequently occur in male (7.2%) than female (4.1%). Complex associations between DUBs and GC progression have been revealed in multiple studies; however, the molecular mechanism underpinning the metastasis and recurrence of GC is yet to be elucidated. Generally, DUBs were upregulated in gastric cancer. The relation of DUBs and tumor size, classification and staging was observed in GC. Besides, 5-yar survival rate of patients with GC is effeccted by expression level of DUBs. Among the highly expressed DUBs, specifically six DUBs namely UCHs, USPs, OTUs, MJDs, JAMMs and MCPIPs effect on this survival rate. Consequently, the association between GC and DUBs has received increasing attention in recent years. Therefore, in the present review, literature investigating the association between DUBs and GC pathophysiology was analyzed and critically appraised.

DUBs, Hypoxia, and Cancer

Alterations in protein ubiquitylation and hypoxia are commonly associated with cancer. Ubiquitylation is carried out by three sequentially acting ubiquitylating enzymes and can be opposed by deubiquitinases (DUBs), which have emerged as promising drug targets. Apart from protein localization and activity, ubiquitylation regulates degradation of proteins, among them hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs). Thereby, various E3 ubiquitin ligases and DUBs regulate HIF abundance. Conversely, several E3s and DUBs are regulated by hypoxia. While hypoxia is a powerful HIF regulator, less is known about hypoxia-regulated DUBs and their impact on HIFs. Here, we review current knowledge about the relationship of E3s, DUBs, and hypoxia signaling. We also discuss the reciprocal regulation of DUBs by hypoxia and use of DUB-specific drugs in cancer.

MicroRNA-204-5p Inhibits Ovarian Cancer Cell Proliferation by Down-Regulating USP47

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecologic cancer, and the incidence of OC has risen steadily worldwide. Numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to be involved in the progression of OC. miR-204-5p is down-regulated and functions as a tumor suppressor in various types of human malignant tumors. However, the biological roles and molecular mechanisms of miR-204-5p in OC still remain unclear. In this study, the aberrant down-regulation of miR-204-5p was detected in OC tissues. We also observed that miR-204-5p overexpression represses OC cell proliferation. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 47 (USP47) is verified as the functional target of miR-204-5p, through which it plays an important biological role in OC. Our results uncover new functions and mechanisms for miR-204-5p in the progression of OC, and provide a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of OC.