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Azam H, Maher S, Clarke S, Gallagher WM, Prencipe M. SRF inhibitors reduce prostate cancer cell proliferation through cell cycle arrest in an isogenic model of castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Cell Cycle 2023; 22:1759-1776. [PMID: 37377210 PMCID: PMC10446773 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2023.2229713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is challenging to treat, despite improvements with next-generation anti-androgens such as enzalutamide, due to acquired resistance. One of the mechanisms of such resistance includes aberrant activation of co-factors of the androgen receptor (AR), such as the serum response factor (SRF), which was associated with prostate cancer progression and resistance to enzalutamide. Here, we show that inhibition of SRF with three small molecules (CCG-1423, CCG-257081 and lestaurtinib), singly and in combination with enzalutamide, reduces cell viability in an isogenic model of CRPC. The effects of these inhibitors on the cell cycle, singly and in combination with enzalutamide, were assessed with western blotting, flow cytometry and β-galactosidase staining. In the androgen deprivation-sensitive LNCaP parental cell line, a synergistic effect between enzalutamide and all three inhibitors was demonstrated, while the androgen deprivation-resistant LNCaP Abl cells showed synergy only with the lestaurtinib and enzalutamide combination, suggesting a different mechanism of action of the CCG series of compounds in the absence and presence of androgens. Through analysis of cell cycle checkpoint proteins, flow cytometry and β-galactosidase staining, we showed that all three SRF inhibitors, singly and in combination with enzalutamide, induced cell cycle arrest and decreased S phase. While CCG-1423 had a more pronounced effect on the expression of cell cycle checkpoint proteins, CCG-257081 and lestaurtinib decreased proliferation also through induction of cellular senescence. In conclusion, we show that inhibition of an AR co-factors, namely SRF, provides a promising approach to overcoming resistance to AR inhibitors currently used in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haleema Azam
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin
| | - Shane Maher
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin
| | - Shane Clarke
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin
| | - William M. Gallagher
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin
| | - Maria Prencipe
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin
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Xu M, Zhu F, Yin Q, Yin H, Fang S, Luo G, Huang J, Huang W, Liu F, Zhong M, Deng X. Serum Response Factor-Regulated IDO1/Kyn-Ahr Pathway Promotes Tumorigenesis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041319. [PMID: 36831659 PMCID: PMC9954402 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Serum response factor (SRF) regulates pro-carcinogenic genes in various cancers, but its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. SRF expression in 70 OSCC samples was detected via immunohistochemistry. Abundant SRF expressed in OSCC tissues was closely associated with tumor metastasis. SRF-overexpressing OSCC cells were constructed to evaluate how SRF affects OSCC cell tumorigenesis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and in vivo. Overexpressed SRF increased OSCC cell migration and invasion in vitro and tumor growth and invasion in vivo. This promoted EMT, characterized by decreased and increased expression of E- and N-cadherin, respectively. Furthermore, an analysis of RNA sequences of transcriptional targets of SRF showed that SRF transactivated the indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1)/kynurenine-aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Kyn-AhR) signaling pathway in OSCC cell lines. Direct SRF binding to the IDO1 gene promoter upregulated transcription, which was detected through chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter assays. Inhibiting IDO1 or AhR impaired SRF-induced migration and invasion and prevented EMT in OSCC cells. Our results demonstrated that SRF is a critical regulator of the IDO1/Kyn-AhR signaling pathway. This in turn increases OSCC cell migration and invasion by modulating EMT, which, consequently, favors OSCC cell growth and metastasis. We revealed a novel molecular mechanism through which SRF modulates OSCC metastasis. This should provide potential targets or biomarkers for OSCC diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyan Xu
- Department of Implantology, Stomatological Hospital of Xiamen Medical College & Xiamen Key Laboratory of Stomatological Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Xiamen 361008, China
| | - Feixiang Zhu
- Department of Basic Medical Science, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361104, China
| | - Qi Yin
- Department of Stomatology of Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Hao Yin
- Department of Stomatology of Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Shaobin Fang
- Department of Stomatology of Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Gongwei Luo
- Department of Basic Medical Science, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361104, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Basic Medical Science, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361104, China
| | - Wenxia Huang
- Department of Implantology, Stomatological Hospital of Xiamen Medical College & Xiamen Key Laboratory of Stomatological Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Xiamen 361008, China
| | - Fan Liu
- Department of Basic Medical Science, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361104, China
| | - Ming Zhong
- Department of Implantology, Stomatological Hospital of Xiamen Medical College & Xiamen Key Laboratory of Stomatological Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Xiamen 361008, China
- Department of Stomatology, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361104, China
| | - Xiaoling Deng
- Department of Basic Medical Science, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361104, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-0592-2185363
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Jafari H, Hussain S, Campbell MJ. Nuclear Receptor Coregulators in Hormone-Dependent Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2402. [PMID: 35626007 PMCID: PMC9139824 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) function collectively as a transcriptional signaling network that mediates gene regulatory actions to either maintain cellular homeostasis in response to hormonal, dietary and other environmental factors, or act as orphan receptors with no known ligand. NR complexes are large and interact with multiple protein partners, collectively termed coregulators. Coregulators are essential for regulating NR activity and can dictate whether a target gene is activated or repressed by a variety of mechanisms including the regulation of chromatin accessibility. Altered expression of coregulators contributes to a variety of hormone-dependent cancers including breast and prostate cancers. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which coregulators interact with and modulate the activity of NRs provides opportunities to develop better prognostic and diagnostic approaches, as well as novel therapeutic targets. This review aims to gather and summarize recent studies, techniques and bioinformatics methods used to identify distorted NR coregulator interactions that contribute as cancer drivers in hormone-dependent cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedieh Jafari
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Shahid Hussain
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Moray J. Campbell
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
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Azam H, Pierro L, Reina M, Gallagher WM, Prencipe M. Emerging role for the Serum Response Factor (SRF) as a potential therapeutic target in cancer. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2022; 26:155-169. [PMID: 35114091 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2022.2032652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Serum Response Factor (SRF) is a transcription factor involved in three hallmarks of cancer: the promotion of cell proliferation, cell death resistance and invasion and metastasis induction. Many studies have demonstrated a leading role in the development and progression of multiple cancer types, thus highlighting the potential of SRF as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target, especially for cancers with poor prognosis. AREAS COVERED This review examines the role of SRF in several cancers in promoting cellular processes associated with cancer development and progression. SRF co-factors and signalling pathways are discussed as possible targets to inhibit SRF in a tissue and cancer-specific way. Small-molecule inhibitors of SRF, such as the CCGs series of compounds and lestaurtinib, which could be used as cancer therapeutics, are also discussed. EXPERT OPINION Targeting of SRF and its co-factors represents a promising therapeutic approach. Further understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind the action of SRF could provide a pipeline of novel molecular targets and therapeutic combinations for cancer. Basket clinical trials and the use of SRF immunohistochemistry as companion diagnostics will help testing of these new targets in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haleema Azam
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland.,UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lisa Pierro
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland.,UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Martina Reina
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland.,UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland
| | - William M Gallagher
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland.,UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Maria Prencipe
- Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland.,UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, D4, Dublin, Ireland
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