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Zhao K, Zhao Q, Dai X, Wen X, Luo X, Duan Y, Yang Z, Dai Q. Alantolactone enhances the sensitivity of melanoma to MAPK pathway inhibitors by targeting inhibition of STAT3 activation and down-regulating stem cell markers. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:191. [PMID: 38822350 PMCID: PMC11143683 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03371-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors (MAPKi) were the first line drugs for advanced melanoma patients with BRAF mutation. Targeted therapies have significant therapeutic effects; however, drug resistance hinders their long-term efficacy. Therefore, the development of new therapeutic strategies against MAPKi resistance is critical. Our previous results showed that MAPKi promote feedback activation of STAT3 signaling in BRAF-mutated cancer cells. Studies have shown that alantolactone inhibited the activation of STAT3 in a variety of tumor cells. Our results confirmed that alantolactone suppressed cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis by inhibiting STAT3 feedback activation induced by MAPKi and downregulating the expression of downstream Oct4 and Sox2. The inhibitory effect of alantolactone combined with a MAPKi on melanoma cells was significantly stronger than that on normal cells. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that combination treatment was effective against drug-resistant melanomas. Our research indicates a potential novel combination therapy (alantolactone and MAPKi) for patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Xinqiao Hospital, The Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Xinzhi Dai
- The First Clinical Institute, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, 563003, China
| | - Xue Wen
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Xing Luo
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Yi Duan
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Zhihui Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China.
| | - Qiong Dai
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, No. 1, Section 1, Xianglin Road, Matan Long District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China.
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Ducharme M, Mansur A, Sligh L, Ulaner GA, Lapi SE, Sorace AG. Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 3 PET Imaging: Challenges and Opportunities. PET Clin 2023; 18:543-555. [PMID: 37339919 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpet.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and HER3 provide actionable targets for both therapy and imaging in breast cancer. Further, clinical trials have shown the prognostic impact of receptor status discordance in breast cancer. Intra- and intertumoral heterogeneity of both HER and hormone receptor expression contributes to inherent errors in tissue sampling, and single biopsies are incapable of identifying discordance in biomarker expression. Numerous PET radiopharmaceuticals have been developed to evaluate (or target for therapy) HER2 and HER3 expression. This review seeks to inform on challenges and opportunities in HER2 and HER3 PET imaging in both clinical and preclinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Ducharme
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Ameer Mansur
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Luke Sligh
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Gary A Ulaner
- Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Hoag Family Cancer Institute, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Radiology and Translational Genomics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Suzanne E Lapi
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Anna G Sorace
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Shteinman ER, Vergara IA, Rawson RV, Lo SN, Maeda N, Koyama K, da Silva IP, Long GV, Scolyer RA, Wilmott JS, Menzies AM. Molecular and clinical correlates of HER3 expression highlights its potential role as a therapeutic target in melanoma. Pathology 2023:S0031-3025(23)00121-6. [PMID: 37286471 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor family member HER3 (erbB3) has been implicated in several types of cancer and recently drugs targeting HER3 have shown promising clinical activity. In melanoma, HER3 overexpression has been linked to both metastasis formation and resistance to drug therapy in cell culture models. Here, we sought to characterise the expression of HER3 in 187 melanoma biopsies (149 cutaneous, 38 mucosal) using immunohistochemistry, as well as to analyse the association between HER3 expression and molecular, clinical and pathological variables. A subset of the cutaneous melanoma specimens was taken prior to treatment with immune checkpoint blockade therapy (pre-ICB) (n=79). HER3 expression (≥1+) was observed in 136 of 187 samples (∼73%). HER3 expression was found to be markedly lower in the mucosal melanomas, with 17 of the 38 tumours (∼45%) demonstrating no HER3 expression. In cutaneous melanomas, there was a negative association between HER3 expression and mutational load, a positive association with NRAS mutational status, and a trend of negative association with PD-L1 expression. In the pre-ICB cohort, an association was found between high HER3 expression (≥2+) and overall survival after anti-PD-1-based immunotherapy. Overall, our results indicate that HER3 is a promising therapeutic avenue in cutaneous melanoma worthy of further clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva R Shteinman
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ismael A Vergara
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert V Rawson
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Serigne N Lo
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | | | - Inês Pires da Silva
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Blacktown Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Georgina V Long
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Royal North Shore and Mater Hospitals, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard A Scolyer
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James S Wilmott
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alexander M Menzies
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Royal North Shore and Mater Hospitals, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Overcoming Acquired Drug Resistance to Cancer Therapies through Targeted STAT3 Inhibition. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054722. [PMID: 36902166 PMCID: PMC10002572 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-neoplastic agents for cancer treatment utilize many different mechanisms of action and, when combined, can result in potent inhibition of cancer growth. Combination therapies can result in long-term, durable remission or even cure; however, too many times, these anti-neoplastic agents lose their efficacy due to the development of acquired drug resistance (ADR). In this review, we evaluate the scientific and medical literature that elucidate STAT3-mediated mechanisms of resistance to cancer therapeutics. Herein, we have found that at least 24 different anti-neoplastic agents-standard toxic chemotherapeutic agents, targeted kinase inhibitors, anti-hormonal agents, and monoclonal antibodies-that utilize the STAT3 signaling pathway as one mechanism of developing therapeutic resistance. Targeting STAT3, in combination with existing anti-neoplastic agents, may prove to be a successful therapeutic strategy to either prevent or even overcome ADR to standard and novel cancer therapies.
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Dey P, Joshi M, Mujawar A, Malhotra R, De A. Direct knockdown of phospho-PTM targets mediated by TRIM21 can improve personalized treatment in breast cancer. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:873-891. [PMID: 35834098 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00693-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE In this work for the first time, we showed specific and direct knockdown of important oncogenic proteins of interest and their phospho-PTM targets in tripartite motif containing-21 (TRIM21) overexpressing breast cancer (BC) cells. We revealed the functional and therapeutic consequences of this protein knockdown approach called 'TRIM-ing'. METHODS To target HER2, HER3, STAT3 or their activated forms, electroporation and puls-in transfection were standardized for mAb delivery in AU565 and MCF7 BC cell lines. Cancer cells were treated with HER2-targeted medicines (Trastuzumab and Neratinib) or STAT3 targeted inhibitors (Stattic and Niclosamide) with or without respective target TRIM-ing. Real-time PCR, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, cytotoxicity, short- and long-term cell survival assessments were done following standard methodologies. 3-D structure modelling was used to verify the binding of mAb onto the STAT3 target. RESULTS TRIM-ing of HER2 or HER3 receptors or their activated phospho-forms in BC cells showed rapid degradation of respective protein forms, shattering down the downstream signaling (p-ERK, p-AKT) that lasts for up to 7-8 days. This significantly inhibited BC survival (p < 0.001), showing a synergistic therapeutic effect with HER2 medicine trastuzumab or neratinib. Additionally, specific TRIM-ing ability of canonical pY705 or non-canonical pS727 PTMs of STAT3 protein was demonstrated in MCF7 cells, causing significant cytotoxicity (p < 0.05). TRIM-ing of STAT3 PTM, when combined with the same PTM-specific inhibitors, a synergistic treatment effect was observed. CONCLUSION The work demonstrated that TRIM-ing could directly reduce various oncogenic targets or their specific activated form inside the cancer cells without compensatory pathway activation, a conundrum limiting the therapeutic benefit of current personalized medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranay Dey
- Molecular Functional Imaging Laboratory, KS232c, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Sector 22, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, 410210, India.,Faculty of Life Sciences, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Mansi Joshi
- Molecular Functional Imaging Laboratory, KS232c, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Sector 22, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, 410210, India.,Faculty of Life Sciences, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Aaiyas Mujawar
- Molecular Functional Imaging Laboratory, KS232c, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Sector 22, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, 410210, India.,Faculty of Life Sciences, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Renu Malhotra
- Molecular Functional Imaging Laboratory, KS232c, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Sector 22, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, 410210, India
| | - Abhijit De
- Molecular Functional Imaging Laboratory, KS232c, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Sector 22, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, 410210, India. .,Faculty of Life Sciences, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India.
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Silva RCMC, Panis C, Pires BRB. Lessons from transmissible cancers for immunotherapy and transplant. Immunol Med 2021; 45:146-161. [PMID: 34962854 DOI: 10.1080/25785826.2021.2018783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of horizontal transmission of cancer between vertebrates is an issue that interests scientists and medical society. Transmission requires: (i) a mechanism by which cancer cells can transfer to another organism and (ii) a repressed immune response on the part of the recipient. Transmissible tumors are unique models to comprehend the responses and mechanisms mediated by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), which can be transposed for transplant biology. Here, we discuss the mechanisms involved in immune-mediated tissue rejection, making a parallel with transmissible cancers. We also discuss cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in cancer immunotherapy and anti-rejection therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Cardoso Maciel Costa Silva
- Laboratory of Immunoreceptors and Signaling, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carolina Panis
- Laboratory of Tumor Biology, State University of West Paraná, UNIOESTE, Francisco Beltrão, Brazil
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