1
|
Shi TH, Sugishita H, Gotoh Y. Crosstalk within and beyond the Polycomb repressive system. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202311021. [PMID: 38506728 PMCID: PMC10955045 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202311021] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of multicellular organisms depends on spatiotemporally controlled differentiation of numerous cell types and their maintenance. To generate such diversity based on the invariant genetic information stored in DNA, epigenetic mechanisms, which are heritable changes in gene function that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence, are required to establish and maintain unique gene expression programs. Polycomb repressive complexes represent a paradigm of epigenetic regulation of developmentally regulated genes, and the roles of these complexes as well as the epigenetic marks they deposit, namely H3K27me3 and H2AK119ub, have been extensively studied. However, an emerging theme from recent studies is that not only the autonomous functions of the Polycomb repressive system, but also crosstalks of Polycomb with other epigenetic modifications, are important for gene regulation. In this review, we summarize how these crosstalk mechanisms have improved our understanding of Polycomb biology and how such knowledge could help with the design of cancer treatments that target the dysregulated epigenome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Hideyuki Shi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Sugishita
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukiko Gotoh
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu H, Zhou D, Liu D, Xu X, Zhang K, Hu R, Xiong P, Wang C, Zeng X, Wang L, Zhang S. Synergistic antitumor activity between HER2 antibody-drug conjugate and chemotherapy for treating advanced colorectal cancer. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:187. [PMID: 38443386 PMCID: PMC10914798 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06572-2] [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: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer associated with a poor prognosis. Effective targeted therapy alone or in combination for treating advanced CRC remains to be a major clinical challenge. Here, we propose the therapeutic efficacy and molecular mechanism underlying RC48, a FDA-approved anti-HER2 antibody conjugate via a cleavable linker to the microtubule inhibitor monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), either alone or in combination with gemcitabine (GEM) in various models of HER2-positive advanced CRC. Our findings demonstrated that HER2 was widely expressed and located on the plasma membrane of CRC patient specimens, PDX xenograft tumors and cell lines. It confirmed that RC48 alone significantly targeted and eradicated HER2 positive CRC tumor in these models. Moreover, we screened a panel of FDA-approved first-line chemotherapy drugs in vitro. We found that GEM exhibited stronger antiproliferative activity compared to the other first-line anti-cancer agents. Furthermore, combination therapy of RC48 and GEM significantly showed synergetic antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. To gain further mechanistic insights into the combination therapy, we performed RNA-seq analysis. The results revealed that combination treatment of RC48 and GEM regulated multiple signaling pathways, such as PI3K-AKT, MAPK, p53, Foxo, apoptosis, cell cycle and cell senescence, etc., to exert its antitumor activity in CRC cells. Collectively, these preclinical findings demonstrated that RC48 alone or combinational therapy exerted promising antitumor activity, and meriting the preclinical framework for combinational therapy of anti-HER2 drug conjugate drug and chemotherapy drugs for HER2-positive patients with advanced CRC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongfu Liu
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Dongdong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Dongqin Liu
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Xi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Ruxia Hu
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Peng Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Changxin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Xiangfu Zeng
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
| | - Liefeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
| | - Shuyong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases (Ministry of Education), Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bharti H, Han S, Chang HW, Reinberg D. Polycomb repressive complex 2 accessory factors: rheostats for cell fate decision? Curr Opin Genet Dev 2024; 84:102137. [PMID: 38091876 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102137] [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: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic reprogramming during development is key to cell identity and the activities of the Polycomb repressive complexes are vital for this process. We focus on polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), which catalyzes H3K27me1/2/3 and safeguards cellular integrity by ensuring proper gene repression. Notably, various accessory factors associate with PRC2, strongly influencing cell fate decisions, and their deregulation contributes to various illnesses. Yet, the exact role of these factors during development and carcinogenesis is not fully understood. Here, we present recent progress toward addressing these points and an analysis of the expression levels of PRC2 accessory factors in various tissues and developmental stages to highlight their abundance and roles. Last, we evaluate their contribution to cancer-specific phenotypes, providing insight into novel anticancer therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hina Bharti
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Sungwook Han
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Han-Wen Chang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Danny Reinberg
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ngubo M, Moradi F, Ito CY, Stanford WL. Tissue-Specific Tumour Suppressor and Oncogenic Activities of the Polycomb-like Protein MTF2. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1879. [PMID: 37895228 PMCID: PMC10606531 DOI: 10.3390/genes14101879] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a conserved chromatin-remodelling complex that catalyses the trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3), a mark associated with gene silencing. PRC2 regulates chromatin structure and gene expression during organismal and tissue development and tissue homeostasis in the adult. PRC2 core subunits are associated with various accessory proteins that modulate its function and recruitment to target genes. The multimeric composition of accessory proteins results in two distinct variant complexes of PRC2, PRC2.1 and PRC2.2. Metal response element-binding transcription factor 2 (MTF2) is one of the Polycomb-like proteins (PCLs) that forms the PRC2.1 complex. MTF2 is highly conserved, and as an accessory subunit of PRC2, it has important roles in embryonic stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, development, and cancer progression. Here, we review the impact of MTF2 in PRC2 complex assembly, catalytic activity, and spatiotemporal function. The emerging paradoxical evidence suggesting that MTF2 has divergent roles as either a tumour suppressor or an oncogene in different tissues merits further investigations. Altogether, our review illuminates the context-dependent roles of MTF2 in Polycomb group (PcG) protein-mediated epigenetic regulation. Its impact on disease paves the way for a deeper understanding of epigenetic regulation and novel therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mzwanele Ngubo
- The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Fereshteh Moradi
- The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Caryn Y. Ito
- The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - William L. Stanford
- The Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|