|
1
|
Facey COB, Hunsu VO, Zhang C, Osmond B, Opdenaker LM, Boman BM. CYP26A1 Links WNT and Retinoic Acid Signaling: A Target to Differentiate ALDH+ Stem Cells in APC-Mutant CRC. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:264. [PMID: 38254755 PMCID: PMC10813786 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16020264] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
APC mutation is the main driving mechanism of CRC development and leads to constitutively activated WNT signaling, overpopulation of ALDH+ stem cells (SCs), and incomplete differentiation. We previously reported that retinoic acid (RA) receptors are selectively expressed in ALDH+ SCs, which provides a way to target cancer SCs with retinoids to induce differentiation. Hypotheses: A functional link exists between the WNT and RA pathways, and APC mutation generates a WNT:RA imbalance that decreases retinoid-induced differentiation and increases ALDH+ SCs. Accordingly, to restore parity in WNT:RA signaling, we induce wt-APC expression in APC-mutant CRC cells, and we assess the ability of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) to induce differentiation. We found that ATRA increased expression of the WNT target gene, CYP26A1, and inducing wt-APC reduced this expression by 50%. Thus, the RA and WNT pathways crosstalk to modulate CYP26A1, which metabolizes retinoids. Moreover, inducing wt-APC augments ATRA-induced cell differentiation by: (i) decreasing cell proliferation; (ii) suppressing ALDH1A1 expression; (iii) decreasing ALDH+ SCs; and (iv) increasing neuroendocrine cell differentiation. A novel CYP26A1-based network that links WNT and RA signaling was also identified by NanoString profiling/bioinformatics analysis. Furthermore, CYP26A1 inhibitors sensitized CRC cells to the anti-proliferative effect of drugs that downregulate WNT signaling. Notably, in wt-APC-CRCs, decreased CYP26A1 improved patient survival. These findings have strong potential for clinical translation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline O. B. Facey
- Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (C.O.B.F.); (V.O.H.); (C.Z.); (B.O.); (L.M.O.)
| | - Victoria O. Hunsu
- Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (C.O.B.F.); (V.O.H.); (C.Z.); (B.O.); (L.M.O.)
- Department Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (C.O.B.F.); (V.O.H.); (C.Z.); (B.O.); (L.M.O.)
- Department Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Brian Osmond
- Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (C.O.B.F.); (V.O.H.); (C.Z.); (B.O.); (L.M.O.)
- Department Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Lynn M. Opdenaker
- Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (C.O.B.F.); (V.O.H.); (C.Z.); (B.O.); (L.M.O.)
| | - Bruce M. Boman
- Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Newark, DE 19713, USA; (C.O.B.F.); (V.O.H.); (C.Z.); (B.O.); (L.M.O.)
- Department Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
- Department Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| |
Collapse
|