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Fasano M, Pirozzi M, Miceli CC, Cocule M, Caraglia M, Boccellino M, Vitale P, De Falco V, Farese S, Zotta A, Ciardiello F, Addeo R. TGF-β Modulated Pathways in Colorectal Cancer: New Potential Therapeutic Opportunities. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7400. [PMID: 39000507 PMCID: PMC11242595 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with 20% of patients presenting with metastatic disease at diagnosis. TGF-β signaling plays a crucial role in various cellular processes, including growth, differentiation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), regulation of the extracellular matrix, angiogenesis, and immune responses. TGF-β signals through SMAD proteins, which are intracellular molecules that transmit TGF-β signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus. Alterations in the TGF-β pathway and mutations in SMAD proteins are common in metastatic CRC (mCRC), making them critical factors in CRC tumorigenesis. This review first analyzes normal TGF-β signaling and then investigates its role in CRC pathogenesis, highlighting the mechanisms through which TGF-β influences metastasis development. TGF-β promotes neoangiogenesis via VEGF overexpression, pericyte differentiation, and other mechanisms. Additionally, TGF-β affects various elements of the tumor microenvironment, including T cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages, promoting immunosuppression and metastasis. Given its strategic role in multiple processes, we explored different strategies to target TGF-β in mCRC patients, aiming to identify new therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morena Fasano
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.F.); (M.P.); (C.C.M.); (M.C.); (S.F.); (A.Z.); (F.C.)
| | - Mario Pirozzi
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.F.); (M.P.); (C.C.M.); (M.C.); (S.F.); (A.Z.); (F.C.)
| | - Chiara Carmen Miceli
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.F.); (M.P.); (C.C.M.); (M.C.); (S.F.); (A.Z.); (F.C.)
| | - Mariateresa Cocule
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.F.); (M.P.); (C.C.M.); (M.C.); (S.F.); (A.Z.); (F.C.)
| | - Michele Caraglia
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy;
- Laboratory of Precision and Molecular Oncology, Biogem Scarl, Institute of Genetic Research, Contrada Camporeale, 83031 Ariano Irpino, Italy
| | - Mariarosaria Boccellino
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “L. Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy;
| | - Pasquale Vitale
- Oncology Operative Unit, Hospital of Frattamaggiore, ASLNA2NORD, Frattamaggiore, 80027 Naples, Italy; (P.V.); (V.D.F.); (R.A.)
| | - Vincenzo De Falco
- Oncology Operative Unit, Hospital of Frattamaggiore, ASLNA2NORD, Frattamaggiore, 80027 Naples, Italy; (P.V.); (V.D.F.); (R.A.)
| | - Stefano Farese
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.F.); (M.P.); (C.C.M.); (M.C.); (S.F.); (A.Z.); (F.C.)
| | - Alessia Zotta
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.F.); (M.P.); (C.C.M.); (M.C.); (S.F.); (A.Z.); (F.C.)
| | - Fortunato Ciardiello
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.F.); (M.P.); (C.C.M.); (M.C.); (S.F.); (A.Z.); (F.C.)
| | - Raffaele Addeo
- Oncology Operative Unit, Hospital of Frattamaggiore, ASLNA2NORD, Frattamaggiore, 80027 Naples, Italy; (P.V.); (V.D.F.); (R.A.)
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TGF-β Signaling in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC): From Underlying Mechanism to Potential Applications in Clinical Development. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214436. [PMID: 36430910 PMCID: PMC9698504 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious public health issue, and it has the leading incidence and mortality among malignant tumors worldwide. CRC patients with metastasis in the liver, lung or other distant sites always have poor prognosis. Thus, there is an urgent need to discover the underlying mechanisms of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and to develop optimal therapy for mCRC. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling plays a significant role in various physiologic and pathologic processes, and aberrant TGF-β signal transduction contributes to mCRC progression. In this review, we summarize the alterations of the TGF-β signaling pathway in mCRC patients, the functional mechanisms of TGF-β signaling, its promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, its facilitation of angiogenesis, its suppression of anti-tumor activity of immune cells in the microenvironment and its contribution to stemness of CRC cells. We also discuss the possible applications of TGF-β signaling in mCRC diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapies in clinical trials. Hopefully, these research advances in TGF-β signaling in mCRC will improve the development of new strategies that can be combined with molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy and traditional therapies to achieve better efficacy and benefit mCRC patients in the near future.
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Fu T, Chan TW, Bahn JH, Kim TH, Rowat AC, Xiao X. Multifaceted role of RNA editing in promoting loss-of-function of PODXL in cancer. iScience 2022; 25:104836. [PMID: 35992085 PMCID: PMC9382340 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104836] [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: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
PODXL, a protein that is dysregulated in multiple cancers, plays an important role in promoting cancer metastasis. In this study, we report that RNA editing promotes the inclusion of a PODXL alternative exon. The resulting edited PODXL long isoform is more prone to protease digestion and has the strongest effects on reducing cell migration and cisplatin chemoresistance among the three PODXL isoforms (short, unedited long, and edited long isoforms). Importantly, the editing level of the PODXL recoding site and the inclusion level of the PODXL alternative exon are strongly associated with overall patient survival in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC). Supported by significant enrichment of exonic RNA editing sites in alternatively spliced exons, we hypothesize that exonic RNA editing sites may enhance proteomic diversity through alternative splicing, in addition to amino acid changes, a previously under-appreciated aspect of RNA editing function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Fu
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Tracey W. Chan
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jae Hoon Bahn
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Tae-Hyung Kim
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Amy C. Rowat
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xinshu Xiao
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Bioinformatics Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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