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Fateeva A, Eddy K, Chen S. Current State of Melanoma Therapy and Next Steps: Battling Therapeutic Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1571. [PMID: 38672652 PMCID: PMC11049326 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16081571] [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: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer due to its high propensity to metastasize to distant organs. Significant progress has been made in the last few decades in melanoma therapeutics, most notably in targeted therapy and immunotherapy. These approaches have greatly improved treatment response outcomes; however, they remain limited in their abilities to hinder disease progression due, in part, to the onset of acquired resistance. In parallel, intrinsic resistance to therapy remains an issue to be resolved. In this review, we summarize currently available therapeutic options for melanoma treatment and focus on possible mechanisms that drive therapeutic resistance. A better understanding of therapy resistance will provide improved rational strategies to overcome these obstacles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fateeva
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; (A.F.); (K.E.)
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Kevinn Eddy
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; (A.F.); (K.E.)
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Suzie Chen
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; (A.F.); (K.E.)
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ 07018, USA
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2
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Eddy K, Gupta K, Eddin MN, Marinaro C, Putta S, Sauer JM, Chaly A, Freeman KB, Pelletier JC, Fateeva A, Furmanski P, Silk AW, Reitz AB, Zloza A, Chen S. Assessing Longitudinal Treatment Efficacies and Alterations in Molecular Markers Associated with Glutamatergic Signaling and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in a Spontaneous Melanoma Mouse Model. JID INNOVATIONS 2024; 4:100262. [PMID: 38445232 PMCID: PMC10914525 DOI: 10.1016/j.xjidi.2024.100262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous work done by our laboratory described the use of an immunocompetent spontaneous melanoma-prone mouse model, TGS (TG-3/SKH-1), to evaluate treatment outcomes using inhibitors of glutamatergic signaling and immune checkpoint for 18 weeks. We showed a significant therapeutic efficacy with a notable sex-biased response in male mice. In this follow-up 18-week study, the dose of the glutamatergic signaling inhibitor was increased (from 1.7 mg/kg to 25 mg/kg), which resulted in improved responses in female mice but not male mice. The greatest reduction in tumor progression was observed in male mice treated with single-agent troriluzole and anti-PD-1. Furthermore, a randomly selected group of mice was removed from treatment after 18 weeks and maintained for up to an additional 48 weeks demonstrating the utility of the TGS mouse model to perform a ≥1-year preclinical therapeutic study in a physiologically relevant tumor-host environment. Digital spatial imaging analyses were performed in tumors and tumor microenvironments across treatment modalities using antibody panels for immune cell types and immune cell activation. The results suggest that immune cell populations and cytotoxic activities of T cells play critical roles in treatment responses in these mice. Examination of a group of molecular protein markers based on the proposed mechanisms of action of inhibitors of glutamatergic signaling and immune checkpoint showed that alterations in expression levels of xCT, γ-H2AX, EAAT2, PD-L1, and PD-1 are likely associated with the loss of treatment responses. These results suggest the importance of tracking changes in molecular markers associated with the mechanism of action of therapeutics over the course of a longitudinal preclinical therapeutic study in spatial and temporal manners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevinn Eddy
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kajal Gupta
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mohamad Naser Eddin
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Christina Marinaro
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Sanjana Putta
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - John Michael Sauer
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Anna Chaly
- Fox Chase Therapeutics Discovery, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | - Anna Fateeva
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Philip Furmanski
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ann W. Silk
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Allen B. Reitz
- Fox Chase Therapeutics Discovery, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew Zloza
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Suzie Chen
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, School of Graduate Studies, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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3
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Berns HM, Watkins-Chow DE, Lu S, Louphrasitthiphol P, Zhang T, Brown KM, Moura-Alves P, Goding CR, Pavan WJ. Single-cell profiling of MC1R-inhibited melanocytes. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2024; 37:291-308. [PMID: 37972124 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13141] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The human red hair color (RHC) trait is caused by increased pheomelanin (red-yellow) and reduced eumelanin (black-brown) pigment in skin and hair due to diminished melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) function. In addition, individuals harboring the RHC trait are predisposed to melanoma development. While MC1R variants have been established as causative of RHC and are a well-defined risk factor for melanoma, it remains unclear mechanistically why decreased MC1R signaling alters pigmentation and increases melanoma susceptibility. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of melanocytes isolated from RHC mouse models to define a MC1R-inhibited Gene Signature (MiGS) comprising a large set of previously unidentified genes which may be implicated in melanogenesis and oncogenic transformation. We show that one of the candidate MiGS genes, TBX3, a well-known anti-senescence transcription factor implicated in melanoma progression, binds both E-box and T-box elements to regulate genes associated with melanogenesis and senescence bypass. Our results provide key insights into further mechanisms by which melanocytes with reduced MC1R signaling may regulate pigmentation and offer new candidates of study toward understanding how individuals with the RHC phenotype are predisposed to melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Matthew Berns
- Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dawn E Watkins-Chow
- Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sizhu Lu
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Pakavarin Louphrasitthiphol
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tongwu Zhang
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kevin M Brown
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Pedro Moura-Alves
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, PT, Portugal
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, PT, Portugal
| | - Colin R Goding
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - William J Pavan
- Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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4
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You H, Song G, Xu Z, Chen S, Shen W, Liu H, Deng B, Li J, Huang G. HuR promotes castration-resistant prostate cancer progression by altering ERK5 activation via posttranscriptional regulation of BCAT1. J Transl Med 2024; 22:178. [PMID: 38369471 PMCID: PMC10874581 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04970-w] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is refractory to hormone treatment, and the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to clarify the role and mechanism of Human antigen R (HuR) as a therapeutic target for CRPC progression. METHODS HuR was knocked out by Cas9 or inhibited by the HuR-specific inhibitor KH-3 in CRPC cell lines and in a mouse xenograft model. The effects of HuR inhibition on tumour cell behaviors and signal transduction were examined by proliferation, transwell, and tumour xenograft assays. Posttranscriptional regulation of BCAT1 by HuR was determined by half-life and RIP assays. RESULTS HuR knockout attenuated the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PC3 and DU145 cells in vitro and inhibited tumour progression in vivo. Moreover, BCAT1 was a direct target gene of HuR and mediated the oncogenic effect of HuR on CRPC. Mechanistically, HuR directly interacted with BCAT1 mRNA and upregulated BCAT1 expression by increasing the stability and translation of BCAT1, which activated ERK5 signalling. Additionally, the HuR-specific inhibitor KH-3 attenuated CRPC progression by disrupting the HuR-BCAT1 interaction. CONCLUSIONS We confirmed that the HuR/BCAT1 axis plays a crucial role in CRPC progression and suggest that inhibiting the HuR/BCAT1 axis is a promising therapeutic approach for suppressing CRPC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang You
- Department of Urologic Oncology Surgery, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, HanYu Road 181, Chongqing, 400030, China
- School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University, GaoTanYan Main Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Guojing Song
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University, GaoTanYan Main Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Urology, Southwest Hospital, Amy Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Zhizhen Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University, GaoTanYan Main Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Saipeng Chen
- Department of Urology, Southwest Hospital, Amy Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Wenhao Shen
- Department of Urology, Southwest Hospital, Amy Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Heting Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University, GaoTanYan Main Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Bingqian Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University, GaoTanYan Main Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Urologic Oncology Surgery, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, HanYu Road 181, Chongqing, 400030, China.
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University, GaoTanYan Main Street 30, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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Fateeva A, Eddy K, Chen S. Overview of current melanoma therapies. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2023:10.1111/pcmr.13154. [PMID: 38063139 PMCID: PMC11161550 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13154] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer and is responsible for the majority of deaths from skin cancer. Therapeutic advances in the last few decades, notably the development of novel targeted therapies and immunotherapies have significantly improved patient outcomes; nonetheless, these options remain limited due to the onset of resistance to treatment modalities and relapse. In this review, we focus on the available therapeutic options, their benefits, and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fateeva
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kevinn Eddy
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Suzie Chen
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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6
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Eddy K, Gupta K, Pelletier JC, Isola AL, Marinaro C, Rasheed MA, Campagnolo J, Eddin MN, Rossi M, Fateeva A, Reuhl K, Shah R, Robinson AK, Chaly A, Freeman KB, Chen W, Diaz J, Furmanski P, Silk AW, Reitz AB, Zloza A, Chen S. A Spontaneous Melanoma Mouse Model Applicable for a Longitudinal Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Study. J Invest Dermatol 2023; 143:2007-2018.e6. [PMID: 36997110 PMCID: PMC10524215 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.03.1664] [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: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Mouse models that reflect human disorders provide invaluable tools for the translation of basic science discoveries to clinical therapies. However, many of these in vivo therapeutic studies are short term and do not accurately mimic patient conditions. In this study, we used a fully immunocompetent, transgenic mouse model, TGS, in which the spontaneous development of metastatic melanoma is driven by the ectopic expression of a normal neuronal receptor, mGluR1, as a model to assess longitudinal treatment response (up to 8 months) with an inhibitor of glutamatergic signaling, troriluzole, which is a prodrug of riluzole, plus an antibody against PD-1, an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Our results reveal a sex-biased treatment response that led to improved survival in troriluzole and/or anti-PD-1-treated male mice that correlated with differential CD8+ T cells and CD11b+ myeloid cell populations in the tumor-stromal interface, supporting the notion that this model is a responsive and tractable system for evaluating therapeutic regimens for melanoma in an immunocompetent setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevinn Eddy
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kajal Gupta
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Allison L Isola
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Annandale, New Jersey, USA
| | - Christina Marinaro
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Maryam Abdur Rasheed
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joseph Campagnolo
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Mohamad Naser Eddin
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Marco Rossi
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplant Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Anna Fateeva
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kenneth Reuhl
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Raj Shah
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ann K Robinson
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Anna Chaly
- Fox Chase Therapeutics Discovery, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Katie B Freeman
- Fox Chase Therapeutics Discovery, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Wenjin Chen
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jesus Diaz
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplant Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Philip Furmanski
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ann W Silk
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Allen B Reitz
- Fox Chase Therapeutics Discovery, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrew Zloza
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplant Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Suzie Chen
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.
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7
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Berns HM, Watkins-Chow DE, Lu S, Louphrasitthiphol P, Zhang T, Brown KM, Moura-Alves P, Goding CR, Pavan WJ. Loss of MC1R signaling implicates TBX3 in pheomelanogenesis and melanoma predisposition. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.10.532018. [PMID: 37090624 PMCID: PMC10120706 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.10.532018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
The human Red Hair Color (RHC) trait is caused by increased pheomelanin (red-yellow) and reduced eumelanin (black-brown) pigment in skin and hair due to diminished melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) function. In addition, individuals harboring the RHC trait are predisposed to melanoma development. While MC1R variants have been established as causative of RHC and are a well-defined risk factor for melanoma, it remains unclear mechanistically why decreased MC1R signaling alters pigmentation and increases melanoma susceptibility. Here, we use single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of melanocytes isolated from RHC mouse models to reveal a Pheomelanin Gene Signature (PGS) comprising genes implicated in melanogenesis and oncogenic transformation. We show that TBX3, a well-known anti-senescence transcription factor implicated in melanoma progression, is part of the PGS and binds both E-box and T-box elements to regulate genes associated with melanogenesis and senescence bypass. Our results provide key insights into mechanisms by which MC1R signaling regulates pigmentation and how individuals with the RHC phenotype are predisposed to melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Matthew Berns
- Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Dawn E. Watkins-Chow
- Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Sizhu Lu
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Pakavarin Louphrasitthiphol
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tongwu Zhang
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, 13 USA
| | - Kevin M. Brown
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, 13 USA
| | - Pedro Moura-Alves
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, PT
- IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, PT
| | - Colin R. Goding
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - William J. Pavan
- Genetic Disease Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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8
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Hodgkin Lymphoma Cell Lines and Tissues Express mGluR5: A Potential Link to Ophelia Syndrome and Paraneoplastic Neurological Disease. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040606. [PMID: 36831273 PMCID: PMC9953995 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040606] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Ophelia syndrome is characterized by the coincidence of severe neuropsychiatric symptoms, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, and the presence of antibodies to the metabotropic glutamate 5 receptor (mGluR5). Little is known about the pathogenetic link between these symptoms and the role that anti-mGluR5-antibodies play. We investigated lymphoma tissue from patients with Ophelia syndrome and with isolated classical Hodgkin lymphoma by quantitative immunocytochemistry for mGluR5-expression. Further, we studied the L-1236, L-428, L-540, SUP-HD1, KM-H2, and HDLM-2 classical Hodgkin lymphoma cell lines by FACS and Western blot for mGluR5-expression, and by transcriptome analysis. mGluR5 surface expression differed significantly in terms of receptor density, distribution pattern, and percentage of positive cells. The highest expression levels were found in the L-1236 line. RNA-sequencing revealed more than 800 genes that were higher expressed in the L-1236 line in comparison to the other classical Hodgkin lymphoma cell lines. High mGluR5-expression was associated with upregulation of PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways and of downstream targets (e.g., EGR1) known to be involved in classical Hodgkin lymphoma progression. Finally, mGluR5 expression was increased in the classical Hodgkin lymphoma-tissue of our Ophelia syndrome patient in contrast to five classical Hodgkin lymphoma-patients without autoimmune encephalitis. Given the association of encephalitis and classical Hodgkin lymphoma in Ophelia syndrome, it is possible that mGluR5-expression in classical Hodgkin lymphoma cells not only drives tumor progression but also triggers anti-mGluR5 encephalitis even before classical Hodgkin lymphoma becomes manifest.
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9
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Implications of a Neuronal Receptor Family, Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors, in Cancer Development and Progression. Cells 2022; 11:cells11182857. [PMID: 36139432 PMCID: PMC9496915 DOI: 10.3390/cells11182857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death, and incidences are increasing globally. Simply defined, cancer is the uncontrolled proliferation of a cell, and depending on the tissue of origin, the cancer etiology, biology, progression, prognosis, and treatment will differ. Carcinogenesis and its progression are associated with genetic factors that can either be inherited and/or acquired and are classified as an oncogene or tumor suppressor. Many of these genetic factors converge on common signaling pathway(s), such as the MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. In this review, we will focus on the metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) family, an upstream protein that transmits extracellular signals into the cell and has been shown to regulate many aspects of tumor development and progression. We explore the involvement of members of this receptor family in various cancers that include breast cancer, colorectal cancer, glioma, kidney cancer, melanoma, oral cancer, osteosarcoma, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and T-cell cancers. Intriguingly, depending on the member, mGluRs can either be classified as oncogenes or tumor suppressors, although in general most act as an oncogene. The extensive work done to elucidate the role of mGluRs in various cancers suggests that it might be a viable strategy to therapeutically target glutamatergic signaling.
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10
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Targeting GPCRs and Their Signaling as a Therapeutic Option in Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030706. [PMID: 35158973 PMCID: PMC8833576 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Sixteen G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been involved in melanogenesis or melanomagenesis. Here, we review these GPCRs, their associated signaling, and therapies. Abstract G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) serve prominent roles in melanocyte lineage physiology, with an impact at all stages of development, as well as on mature melanocyte functions. GPCR ligands are present in the skin and regulate melanocyte homeostasis, including pigmentation. The role of GPCRs in the regulation of pigmentation and, consequently, protection against external aggression, such as ultraviolet radiation, has long been established. However, evidence of new functions of GPCRs directly in melanomagenesis has been highlighted in recent years. GPCRs are coupled, through their intracellular domains, to heterotrimeric G-proteins, which induce cellular signaling through various pathways. Such signaling modulates numerous essential cellular processes that occur during melanomagenesis, including proliferation and migration. GPCR-associated signaling in melanoma can be activated by the binding of paracrine factors to their receptors or directly by activating mutations. In this review, we present melanoma-associated alterations of GPCRs and their downstream signaling and discuss the various preclinical models used to evaluate new therapeutic approaches against GPCR activity in melanoma. Recent striking advances in our understanding of the structure, function, and regulation of GPCRs will undoubtedly broaden melanoma treatment options in the future.
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