1
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Samman N, Mohabatkar H, Behbahani M, Ganjlikhani Hakemi M. Bioinformatics design of a peptide vaccine containing sarcoma antigen NY-SAR-35 epitopes against breast cancer and evaluation of its immunological function in BALB/c mouse model. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306117. [PMID: 38923980 PMCID: PMC11207152 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of a cancer vaccine has become an essential focus in the field of medical biotechnology and immunology. In our study, the NY-SAR-35 cancer/testis antigen was targeted to design a novel peptide vaccine using bioinformatics tools, and BALB/c mice were used to evaluate the vaccine's immunological function. This evaluation involved assessing peptide-specific IgG levels in the serum via ELISA and measuring the levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, and granzyme B in the supernatant of cultured splenocytes. The final vaccine construct consisted of two T lymphocyte epitopes linked by the AAY linker. This construct displayed high antigenicity, non-allergenicity, non-toxicity, stability, and ability to induce IFN-γ and IL-4. It showed stable dynamics with both human MHC-I and II molecules, as well as mouse MHC-II molecules, and revealed strong Van der Waals and electrostatic energies. Emulsifying our peptide vaccine in incomplete Freund's adjuvant resulted in a remarkable increase in the levels of IgG. The splenocytes of mice that received the combination of peptide and adjuvant displayed a noteworthy increase in IFN-γ, IL-4, and granzyme B secretion. Additionally, their lymphocytes exhibited higher proliferation rates compared to the control group. Our data demonstrated that our vaccine could stimulate a robust immune response, making it a promising candidate for cancer prevention. However, clinical trials are necessary to assess its efficacy in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour Samman
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hassan Mohabatkar
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mandana Behbahani
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mazdak Ganjlikhani Hakemi
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Regenerative and Restorative Medicine Research Center (REMER), Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol University, Istanbul, Turkey
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2
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Naik A, Lattab B, Qasem H, Decock J. Cancer testis antigens: Emerging therapeutic targets leveraging genomic instability in cancer. MOLECULAR THERAPY. ONCOLOGY 2024; 32:200768. [PMID: 38596293 PMCID: PMC10876628 DOI: 10.1016/j.omton.2024.200768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Cancer care has witnessed remarkable progress in recent decades, with a wide array of targeted therapies and immune-based interventions being added to the traditional treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, despite these advancements, the challenge of achieving high tumor specificity while minimizing adverse side effects continues to dictate the benefit-risk balance of cancer therapy, guiding clinical decision making. As such, the targeting of cancer testis antigens (CTAs) offers exciting new opportunities for therapeutic intervention of cancer since they display highly tumor specific expression patterns, natural immunogenicity and play pivotal roles in various biological processes that are critical for tumor cellular fitness. In this review, we delve deeper into how CTAs contribute to the regulation and maintenance of genomic integrity in cancer, and how these mechanisms can be exploited to specifically target and eradicate tumor cells. We review the current clinical trials targeting aforementioned CTAs, highlight promising pre-clinical data and discuss current challenges and future perspectives for future development of CTA-based strategies that exploit tumor genomic instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adviti Naik
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Boucif Lattab
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hanan Qasem
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
| | - Julie Decock
- Cancer Research Center, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Doha, Qatar
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3
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Schultz IJ, Zimmerman Y, Moelans CB, Chrusciel M, Krijgh J, van Diest PJ, Huhtaniemi IT, Coelingh Bennink HJT. A tumor cell specific Zona Pellucida glycoprotein 3 RNA transcript encodes an intracellular cancer antigen. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1233039. [PMID: 38125942 PMCID: PMC10731367 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1233039] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Expression of Zona Pellucida glycoprotein 3 (ZP3) in healthy tissue is restricted to the extracellular Zona Pellucida layer surrounding oocytes of ovarian follicles and to specific cells of the spermatogenic lineage. Ectopic expression of ZP3 has been observed in various types of cancer, rendering it a possible therapeutic target. Methods To support its validity as therapeutic target, we extended the cancer related data by investigating ZP3 expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC) of tumor biopsies. We performed a ZP3 transcript specific analysis of publicly available RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data of cancer cell lines (CCLs) and tumor and normal tissues, and validated expression data by independent computational analysis and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). A correlation between the ZP3 expression level and pathological and clinical parameters was also investigated. Results IHC data for several cancer types showed abundant ZP3 protein staining, which was confined to the cytoplasm, contradicting the extracellular protein localization in oocytes. We noticed that an alternative ZP3 RNA transcript, which we term 'ZP3-Cancer', was annotated in gene databases that lacks the genetic information encoding the N-terminal signal peptide that governs entry into the secretory pathway. This explains the intracellular localization of ZP3 in tumor cells. Analysis of publicly available RNA-seq data of 1339 cancer cell lines (CCLs), 10386 tumor tissues (The Cancer Genome Atlas) and 7481 healthy tissues (Genotype-Tissue Expression) indicated that ZP3-Cancer is the dominant ZP3 RNA transcript in tumor cells and is highly enriched in many cancer types, particularly in rectal, ovarian, colorectal, prostate, lung and breast cancer. Expression of ZP3-Cancer in tumor cells was confirmed by qPCR. Higher levels of the ZP3-Cancer transcript were associated with more aggressive tumors and worse survival of patients with various types of cancer. Conclusion The cancer-restricted expression of ZP3-Cancer renders it an attractive tumor antigen for the development of a therapeutic cancer vaccine, particularly using mRNA expression technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cathy B. Moelans
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Jan Krijgh
- Pantarhei Oncology BV, Zeist, Netherlands
| | - Paul J. van Diest
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ilpo T. Huhtaniemi
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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4
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Gantchev J, Messina-Pacheco J, Martínez Villarreal A, Ramchatesingh B, Lefrançois P, Xie P, Amar L, Xu HH, Raveendra K, Sikorski D, Guerra Ordaz DJ, Gill RPK, Lambert M, Litvinov IV. Ectopically Expressed Meiosis-Specific Cancer Testis Antigen HORMAD1 Promotes Genomic Instability in Squamous Cell Carcinomas. Cells 2023; 12:1627. [PMID: 37371097 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121627] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability is a prominent hallmark of cancer, however the mechanisms that drive and sustain this process remain elusive. Research demonstrates that numerous cancers with increased levels of genomic instability ectopically express meiosis-specific genes and undergo meiomitosis, the clash of mitotic and meiotic processes. These meiotic genes may represent novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer. We studied the relationship between the expression of the meiosis protein HORMAD1 and genomic instability in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). First, we assessed markers of DNA damage and genomic instability following knockdown and overexpression of HORMAD1 in different cell lines representing SCCs and epithelial cancers. shRNA-mediated depletion of HORMAD1 expression resulted in increased genomic instability, DNA damage, increased sensitivity to etoposide, and decreased expression of DNA damage response/repair genes. Conversely, overexpression of HORMAD1 exhibited protective effects leading to decreased DNA damage, enhanced survival and decreased sensitivity to etoposide. Furthermore, we identified a meiotic molecular pathway that regulates HORMAD1 expression by targeting the upstream meiosis transcription factor STRA8. Our results highlight a specific relationship between HORMAD1 and genomic instability in SCCs, suggesting that selectively inhibiting HORMAD1, possibly, through STRA8 signaling, may provide a new paradigm of treatment options for HORMAD1-expressing SCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Gantchev
- Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Julia Messina-Pacheco
- Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
- Department of Pathology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | | | | | - Philippe Lefrançois
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Pingxing Xie
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Laetitia Amar
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1, Canada
| | - Hong Hao Xu
- Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | | | - Daniel Sikorski
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1, Canada
| | | | | | - Marine Lambert
- Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Ivan V Litvinov
- Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
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5
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Nin DS, Deng LW. Biology of Cancer-Testis Antigens and Their Therapeutic Implications in Cancer. Cells 2023; 12:cells12060926. [PMID: 36980267 PMCID: PMC10047177 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumour-specific antigens have been an area of interest in cancer therapy since their discovery in the middle of the 20th century. In the era of immune-based cancer therapeutics, redirecting our immune cells to target these tumour-specific antigens has become even more relevant. Cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) are a class of antigens with an expression specific to the testis and cancer cells. CTAs have also been demonstrated to be expressed in a wide variety of cancers. Due to their frequency and specificity of expression in a multitude of cancers, CTAs have been particularly attractive as cancer-specific therapeutic targets. There is now a rapid expansion of CTAs being identified and many studies have been conducted to correlate CTA expression with cancer and therapy-resistant phenotypes. Furthermore, there is an increasing number of clinical trials involving using some of these CTAs as molecular targets in pharmacological and immune-targeted therapeutics for various cancers. This review will summarise the current knowledge of the biology of known CTAs in tumorigenesis and the regulation of CTA genes. CTAs as molecular targets and the therapeutic implications of these CTA-targeted anticancer strategies will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn Sijin Nin
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, MD 7, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117596, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore
| | - Lih-Wen Deng
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, MD 7, 8 Medical Drive, Singapore 117596, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore 117599, Singapore
- National University Cancer Institute, National University Health System, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074, Singapore
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6
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Bruggeman JW, Koster J, van Pelt AMM, Speijer D, Hamer G. How germline genes promote malignancy in cancer cells. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2200112. [PMID: 36300921 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Cancers often express hundreds of genes otherwise specific to germ cells, the germline/cancer (GC) genes. Here, we present and discuss the hypothesis that activation of a "germline program" promotes cancer cell malignancy. We do so by proposing four hallmark processes of the germline: meiosis, epigenetic plasticity, migration, and metabolic plasticity. Together, these hallmarks enable replicative immortality of germ cells as well as cancer cells. Especially meiotic genes are frequently expressed in cancer, implying that genes unique to meiosis may play a role in oncogenesis. Because GC genes are not expressed in healthy somatic tissues, they form an appealing source of specific treatment targets with limited side effects besides infertility. Although it is still unclear why germ cell specific genes are so abundantly expressed in cancer, from our hypothesis it follows that the germline's reproductive program is intrinsic to cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Willem Bruggeman
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Reproduction and Development research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Koster
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ans M M van Pelt
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Reproduction and Development research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dave Speijer
- Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Geert Hamer
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Reproduction and Development research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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7
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Vainshelbaum NM, Giuliani A, Salmina K, Pjanova D, Erenpreisa J. The Transcriptome and Proteome Networks of Malignant Tumours Reveal Atavistic Attractors of Polyploidy-Related Asexual Reproduction. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314930. [PMID: 36499258 PMCID: PMC9736112 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314930] [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: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The expression of gametogenesis-related (GG) genes and proteins, as well as whole genome duplications (WGD), are the hallmarks of cancer related to poor prognosis. Currently, it is not clear if these hallmarks are random processes associated only with genome instability or are programmatically linked. Our goal was to elucidate this via a thorough bioinformatics analysis of 1474 GG genes in the context of WGD. We examined their association in protein-protein interaction and coexpression networks, and their phylostratigraphic profiles from publicly available patient tumour data. The results show that GG genes are upregulated in most WGD-enriched somatic cancers at the transcriptome level and reveal robust GG gene expression at the protein level, as well as the ability to associate into correlation networks and enrich the reproductive modules. GG gene phylostratigraphy displayed in WGD+ cancers an attractor of early eukaryotic origin for DNA recombination and meiosis, and one relative to oocyte maturation and embryogenesis from early multicellular organisms. The upregulation of cancer-testis genes emerging with mammalian placentation was also associated with WGD. In general, the results suggest the role of polyploidy for soma-germ transition accessing latent cancer attractors in the human genome network, which appear as pre-formed along the whole Evolution of Life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ninel M. Vainshelbaum
- Cancer Research Division, Latvian Biomedicine Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia
- Faculty of Biology, The University of Latvia, LV-1586 Riga, Latvia
- Correspondence: (N.M.V.); (J.E.)
| | - Alessandro Giuliani
- Environmen and Health Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Kristine Salmina
- Cancer Research Division, Latvian Biomedicine Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia
| | - Dace Pjanova
- Cancer Research Division, Latvian Biomedicine Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia
| | - Jekaterina Erenpreisa
- Cancer Research Division, Latvian Biomedicine Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia
- Correspondence: (N.M.V.); (J.E.)
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8
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Ectopic expression of meiotic cohesin generates chromosome instability in cancer cell line. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2204071119. [PMID: 36179046 PMCID: PMC9549395 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2204071119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This work originated from mining of cancer genome data and proceeded to analyze the effects of ectopic expression of meiotic cohesins in mitotic cells in culture. In the process, apart from conclusively answering the question on mechanisms for RAD21L toxicity and its underrepresentation in tumor transcriptomes, we found an association of meiotic cohesin binding with BORIS/CTCFL sites in the normal testis. We also elucidated the patterns and outcomes of meiotic cohesin binding to chromosomes in model cell lines. Furthermore, we uncovered that RAD21L-based meiotic cohesin possesses a self-contained chromosome restructuring activity able to trigger sustainable but imperfect mitotic arrest leading to chromosomal instability. The discovered epigenomic and genetic mechanisms can be relevant to chromosome instability in cancer. Many tumors express meiotic genes that could potentially drive somatic chromosome instability. While germline cohesin subunits SMC1B, STAG3, and REC8 are widely expressed in many cancers, messenger RNA and protein for RAD21L subunit are expressed at very low levels. To elucidate the potential of meiotic cohesins to contribute to genome instability, their expression was investigated in human cell lines, predominately in DLD-1. While the induction of the REC8 complex resulted in a mild mitotic phenotype, the expression of the RAD21L complex produced an arrested but viable cell pool, thus providing a source of DNA damage, mitotic chromosome missegregation, sporadic polyteny, and altered gene expression. We also found that genomic binding profiles of ectopically expressed meiotic cohesin complexes were reminiscent of their corresponding specific binding patterns in testis. Furthermore, meiotic cohesins were found to localize to the same sites as BORIS/CTCFL, rather than CTCF sites normally associated with the somatic cohesin complex. These findings highlight the existence of a germline epigenomic memory that is conserved in cells that normally do not express meiotic genes. Our results reveal a mechanism of action by unduly expressed meiotic cohesins that potentially links them to aneuploidy and chromosomal mutations in affected cells.
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9
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Sou IF, Hamer G, Tee WW, Vader G, McClurg UL. Cancer and meiotic gene expression: Two sides of the same coin? Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 151:43-68. [PMID: 36681477 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis increases genetic diversity in offspring by generating genetically unique haploid gametes with reshuffled chromosomes. This process requires a specialized set of meiotic proteins, which facilitate chromosome recombination and segregation. However, re-expression of meiotic proteins in mitosis can have catastrophic oncogenic consequences and aberrant expression of meiotic proteins is a common occurrence in human tumors. Mechanistically, re-activation of meiotic genes in cancer promotes oncogenesis likely because cancers-conversely to healthy mitosis-are fueled by genetic instability which promotes tumor evolution, and evasion of immune response and treatment pressure. In this review, we explore similarities between meiotic and cancer cells with a particular focus on the oncogenic activation of meiotic genes in cancer. We emphasize the role of histones and their modifications, DNA methylation, genome organization, R-loops and the availability of distal enhancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ieng Fong Sou
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Chromatin Dynamics and Disease Epigenetics Group, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Geert Hamer
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wee-Wei Tee
- Chromatin Dynamics and Disease Epigenetics Group, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore; Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gerben Vader
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Section of Oncogenetics, Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Cancer Center Amsterdam, Cancer Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Urszula Lucja McClurg
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
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10
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Bonefas KM, Iwase S. Soma-to-germline transformation in chromatin-linked neurodevelopmental disorders? FEBS J 2022; 289:2301-2317. [PMID: 34514717 PMCID: PMC8918023 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in numerous chromatin regulators cause neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) with unknown mechanisms. Understandably, most research has focused on how chromatin regulators control gene expression that is directly relevant to brain development and function, such as synaptic genes. However, some NDD models surprisingly show ectopic expression of germline genes in the brain. These germline genes are usually expressed only in the primordial germ cells, testis, and ovaries for germ cell development and sexual reproduction. Such ectopic germline gene expression has been reported in several NDDs, including immunodeficiency, centromeric instability, facial anomalies syndrome 1; Kleefstra syndrome 1; MeCP2 duplication syndrome; and mental retardation, X-linked syndromic, Claes-Jensen type. The responsible genes, DNMT3B, G9A/GLP, MECP2, and KDM5C, all encode chromatin regulators for gene silencing. These mutations may therefore lead to germline gene derepression and, in turn, a severe identity crisis of brain cells-potentially interfering with normal brain development. Thus, the ectopic expression of germline genes is a unique hallmark defining this NDD subset and further implicates the importance of germline gene silencing during brain development. The functional impact of germline gene expression on brain development, however, remains undetermined. This perspective article explores how this apparent soma-to-germline transformation arises and how it may interfere with neurodevelopment through genomic instability and impaired sensory cilium formation. Furthermore, we also discuss how to test these hypotheses experimentally to ultimately determine the contribution of ectopic germline transcripts to chromatin-linked NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M. Bonefas
- Department of Human Genetics, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109,The University of Michigan Neuroscience Graduate Program,Corresponding authors: Please address correspondence to: , and
| | - Shigeki Iwase
- Department of Human Genetics, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109,The University of Michigan Neuroscience Graduate Program,Corresponding authors: Please address correspondence to: , and
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11
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Lingg L, Rottenberg S, Francica P. Meiotic Genes and DNA Double Strand Break Repair in Cancer. Front Genet 2022; 13:831620. [PMID: 35251135 PMCID: PMC8895043 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.831620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells show widespread genetic alterations that change the expression of genes driving tumor progression, including genes that maintain genomic integrity. In recent years, it has become clear that tumors frequently reactivate genes whose expression is typically restricted to germ cells. As germ cells have specialized pathways to facilitate the exchange of genetic information between homologous chromosomes, their aberrant regulation influences how cancer cells repair DNA double strand breaks (DSB). This drives genomic instability and affects the response of tumor cells to anticancer therapies. Since meiotic genes are usually transcriptionally repressed in somatic cells of healthy tissues, targeting aberrantly expressed meiotic genes may provide a unique opportunity to specifically kill cancer cells whilst sparing the non-transformed somatic cells. In this review, we highlight meiotic genes that have been reported to affect DSB repair in cancers derived from somatic cells. A better understanding of their mechanistic role in the context of homology-directed DNA repair in somatic cancers may provide useful insights to find novel vulnerabilities that can be targeted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Lingg
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Cancer Therapy Resistance Cluster, Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sven Rottenberg
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Cancer Therapy Resistance Cluster, Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Sven Rottenberg, ; Paola Francica,
| | - Paola Francica
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Cancer Therapy Resistance Cluster, Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Sven Rottenberg, ; Paola Francica,
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12
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Sandhu S, Sou IF, Hunter JE, Salmon L, Wilson CL, Perkins ND, Hunter N, Davies OR, McClurg UL. Centrosome dysfunction associated with somatic expression of the synaptonemal complex protein TEX12. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1371. [PMID: 34880391 PMCID: PMC8654964 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02887-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a supramolecular protein scaffold that mediates chromosome synapsis and facilitates crossing over during meiosis. In mammals, SC proteins are generally assumed to have no other function. Here, we show that SC protein TEX12 also localises to centrosomes during meiosis independently of chromosome synapsis. In somatic cells, ectopically expressed TEX12 similarly localises to centrosomes, where it is associated with centrosome amplification, a pathology correlated with cancer development. Indeed, TEX12 is identified as a cancer-testis antigen and proliferation of some cancer cells is TEX12-dependent. Moreover, somatic expression of TEX12 is aberrantly activated via retinoic acid signalling, which is commonly disregulated in cancer. Structure-function analysis reveals that phosphorylation of TEX12 on tyrosine 48 is important for centrosome amplification but not for recruitment of TEX12 to centrosomes. We conclude that TEX12 normally localises to meiotic centrosomes, but its misexpression in somatic cells can contribute to pathological amplification and dysfunction of centrosomes in cancers. Sandhu et al. report that the synaptonemal complex (SC) protein, TEX12, localises to centrosomes independently of the SC during meiosis. They also show that it provokes centrosome amplification in somatic cells, a pathology associated with cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Sandhu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Ieng F Sou
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Jill E Hunter
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Lucy Salmon
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Caroline L Wilson
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Neil D Perkins
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Neil Hunter
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Owen R Davies
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK. .,Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Max Born Crescent, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK.
| | - Urszula L McClurg
- Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK.
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13
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Meiosis initiation: a story of two sexes in all creatures great and small. Biochem J 2021; 478:3791-3805. [PMID: 34709374 PMCID: PMC8589329 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Meiosis facilitates diversity across individuals and serves as a major driver of evolution. However, understanding how meiosis begins is complicated by fundamental differences that exist between sexes and species. Fundamental meiotic research is further hampered by a current lack of human meiotic cells lines. Consequently, much of what we know relies on data from model organisms. However, contextualising findings from yeast, worms, flies and mice can be challenging, due to marked differences in both nomenclature and the relative timing of meiosis. In this review, we set out to combine current knowledge of signalling and transcriptional pathways that control meiosis initiation across the sexes in a variety of organisms. Furthermore, we highlight the emerging links between meiosis initiation and oncogenesis, which might explain the frequent re-expression of normally silent meiotic genes in a variety of human cancers.
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Xiao MZX, Hennessey D, Iyer A, O'Keefe S, Zhang F, Sivanand A, Gniadecki R. Transcriptomic Changes During Stage Progression of Mycosis Fungoides. Br J Dermatol 2021; 186:520-531. [PMID: 34528236 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.20760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common cutaneous T cell lymphoma, which in the early patch/plaque stages runs an indolent course. However, ~25% of MF patients develop skin tumors, a hallmark of progression to the advanced stage and is associated with high mortality. The mechanisms involved in stage progression are poorly elucidated. METHODS We performed whole-transcriptome and whole-exome sequencing of malignant MF cells from skin biopsies obtained by laser-capture microdissection. We compared three types of MF lesions: early-stage plaques (ESP, n=12) as well as plaques and tumors from patients in late-stage disease (late-stage plaques [LSP], n=10, and tumors [TMR], n=15). Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG analysis were used to determine pathway changes specific for different lesions which were linked to the recurrent somatic mutations overrepresented in MF tumors. RESULTS The key upregulated pathways during stage progression were those related to cell proliferation and survival (MEK/ERK, Akt-mTOR), Th2/Th9 signaling (IL4, STAT3, STAT5, STAT6), meiomitosis (CT45A1, CT45A3, STAG3, GTSF1, REC8) and DNA repair (PARP1, MYCN, OGG1). Principal coordinate clustering of the transcriptome revealed extensive gene expression differences between early (ESP) and advanced-stage lesions (LSP and TMR). LSP and TMR showed remarkable similarities at the level of the transcriptome, which we interpreted as evidence of cell percolation between lesions via hematogenous self-seeding. CONCLUSION Stage progression in MF is associated with Th2/Th9 polarization of malignant cells, activation of proliferation, survival, as well as increased genomic instability. Global transcriptomic changes in multiple lesions may be caused by hematogenous cell percolation between discrete skin lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Z X Xiao
- Division of Dermatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - D Hennessey
- Division of Dermatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - A Iyer
- Division of Dermatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - S O'Keefe
- Division of Dermatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - F Zhang
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - A Sivanand
- Division of Dermatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - R Gniadecki
- Division of Dermatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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15
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Zong B, Sun L, Peng Y, Wang Y, Yu Y, Lei J, Zhang Y, Guo S, Li K, Liu S. HORMAD1 promotes docetaxel resistance in triple negative breast cancer by enhancing DNA damage tolerance. Oncol Rep 2021; 46:138. [PMID: 34036395 PMCID: PMC8165579 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.8089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HORMA domain‑containing protein 1 (HORMAD1), is normally expressed only in the germline, but is frequently re‑activated in human triple‑negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, its function in TNBC is largely unknown. In the present study, the expression and biological significance of HORMAD1 in human TNBC was evaluated. Bioinformatics analysis and reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR were used to evaluate HORMAD1 expression in datasets and cell lines. HORMAD1 protein expression was detected in TNBC samples using immunohistochemical assays, and the effect of HORMAD1 on cell proliferation was determined using Cell Counting Kit‑8, plate colony formation and standard growth curve assays. Cell cycle, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis analyses were conducted using flow cytometry. The activity of caspases was measured using caspase activity assay kit. The levels of key apoptosis regulators and autophagy markers were detected by western blot analysis. TNBC cell survival and apoptosis were not influenced by small interfering RNA targeting HORMAD1 alone; however, HORMAD1 knockdown enhanced autophagy and docetaxel (Doc)‑induced apoptosis, compared with the control group. Furthermore, higher ROS levels and caspase‑3, ‑8 and ‑9 activity were detected in MDA‑MB‑436 TNBC cells with HORMAD1 knockdown upon exposure to Doc. The levels of the induced DNA damage marker γH2AX were also higher, while those of the DNA repair protein RAD51 were lower in TNBC cells with HORMAD1 knockdown compared with the controls. Furthermore, the expression of the autophagy marker P62 was enhanced in MDA‑MB‑231 cells in response to HORMAD1 overexpression. Notably, Doc‑induced apoptosis was similarly increased by both HORMAD1 overexpression and treatment with the autophagy inhibitor, 3‑methyladenine (3MA); however, the Doc‑induced increase in autophagy was not inhibited by 3MA. The present data indicated that HORMAD1 was involved in autophagy and that the inhibition of autophagy can partially enhance the induction of apoptosis by Doc. The role of HORMAD1 in the DNA damage tolerance of tumor cells may be the main reason for Doc resistance; hence, HORMAD1 could be an important therapeutic target in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beige Zong
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400042, P.R. China
- Chongqing City Key Lab of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Lu Sun
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400042, P.R. China
| | - Yang Peng
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400042, P.R. China
- Chongqing City Key Lab of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Yihua Wang
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400042, P.R. China
| | - Yu Yu
- Department of Pathology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400015, P.R. China
| | - Jinwei Lei
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400042, P.R. China
- Chongqing City Key Lab of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Yingzi Zhang
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400042, P.R. China
- Chongqing City Key Lab of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Shipeng Guo
- Chongqing City Key Lab of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Kang Li
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400042, P.R. China
- Chongqing City Key Lab of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China
| | - Shengchun Liu
- Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400042, P.R. China
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16
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Bruggeman JW, Irie N, Lodder P, van Pelt AMM, Koster J, Hamer G. Tumors Widely Express Hundreds of Embryonic Germline Genes. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3812. [PMID: 33348709 PMCID: PMC7766889 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We have recently described a class of 756 genes that are widely expressed in cancers, but are normally restricted to adult germ cells, referred to as germ cell cancer genes (GC genes). We hypothesized that carcinogenesis involves the reactivation of biomolecular processes and regulatory mechanisms that, under normal circumstances, are restricted to germline development. This would imply that cancer cells share gene expression profiles with primordial germ cells (PGCs). We therefore compared the transcriptomes of human PGCs (hPGCs) and PGC-like cells (PGCLCs) with 17,382 samples from 54 healthy somatic tissues (GTEx) and 11,003 samples from 33 tumor types (TCGA), and identified 672 GC genes, expanding the known GC gene pool by 387 genes (51%). We found that GC genes are expressed in clusters that are often expressed in multiple tumor types. Moreover, the amount of GC gene expression correlates with poor survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. As GC genes specific to the embryonic germline are not expressed in any adult tissue, targeting these in cancer treatment may result in fewer side effects than targeting conventional cancer/testis (CT) or GC genes and may preserve fertility. We anticipate that our extended GC dataset enables improved understanding of tumor development and may provide multiple novel targets for cancer treatment development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Willem Bruggeman
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Research Institute Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (J.W.B.); (P.L.); (A.M.M.v.P.)
| | - Naoko Irie
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK;
| | - Paul Lodder
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Research Institute Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (J.W.B.); (P.L.); (A.M.M.v.P.)
| | - Ans M. M. van Pelt
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Research Institute Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (J.W.B.); (P.L.); (A.M.M.v.P.)
| | - Jan Koster
- Department of Oncogenomics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Geert Hamer
- Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Research Institute Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (J.W.B.); (P.L.); (A.M.M.v.P.)
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17
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Cancer cells employ an evolutionarily conserved polyploidization program to resist therapy. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 81:145-159. [PMID: 33276091 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Unusually large cancer cells with abnormal nuclei have been documented in the cancer literature since 1858. For more than 100 years, they have been generally disregarded as irreversibly senescent or dying cells, too morphologically misshapen and chromatin too disorganized to be functional. Cell enlargement, accompanied by whole genome doubling or more, is observed across organisms, often associated with mitigation strategies against environmental change, severe stress, or the lack of nutrients. Our comparison of the mechanisms for polyploidization in other organisms and non-transformed tissues suggest that cancer cells draw from a conserved program for their survival, utilizing whole genome doubling and pausing proliferation to survive stress. These polyaneuploid cancer cells (PACCs) are the source of therapeutic resistance, responsible for cancer recurrence and, ultimately, cancer lethality.
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18
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Sato K, Brandsma I, van Rossum-Fikkert SE, Verkaik N, Oostra AB, Dorsman JC, van Gent DC, Knipscheer P, Kanaar R, Zelensky AN. HSF2BP negatively regulates homologous recombination in DNA interstrand crosslink repair. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:2442-2456. [PMID: 31960047 PMCID: PMC7049687 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz1219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor suppressor BRCA2 is essential for homologous recombination (HR), replication fork stability and DNA interstrand crosslink (ICL) repair in vertebrates. We show that ectopic production of HSF2BP, a BRCA2-interacting protein required for meiotic HR during mouse spermatogenesis, in non-germline human cells acutely sensitize them to ICL-inducing agents (mitomycin C and cisplatin) and PARP inhibitors, resulting in a phenotype characteristic of cells from Fanconi anemia (FA) patients. We biochemically recapitulate the suppression of ICL repair and establish that excess HSF2BP compromises HR by triggering the removal of BRCA2 from the ICL site and thereby preventing the loading of RAD51. This establishes ectopic expression of a wild-type meiotic protein in the absence of any other protein-coding mutations as a new mechanism that can lead to an FA-like cellular phenotype. Naturally occurring elevated production of HSF2BP in tumors may be a source of cancer-promoting genomic instability and also a targetable vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Sato
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Inger Brandsma
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Oncode Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sari E van Rossum-Fikkert
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Oncode Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole Verkaik
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Oncode Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anneke B Oostra
- Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Josephine C Dorsman
- Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dik C van Gent
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Oncode Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Puck Knipscheer
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roland Kanaar
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Oncode Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alex N Zelensky
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Oncode Institute, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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19
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Gantchev J, Martínez Villarreal A, Gunn S, Zetka M, Ødum N, Litvinov IV. The ectopic expression of meiCT genes promotes meiomitosis and may facilitate carcinogenesis. Cell Cycle 2020; 19:837-854. [PMID: 32223693 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2020.1743902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer meiomitosis is defined as the concurrent activation of both mitotic and meiotic machineries in neoplastic cells that confer a selective advantage together with increased genomic instability. MeiCT (meiosis-specific cancer/testis) genes that perform specialized functions in the germline events required for the first meiotic division are ectopically expressed in several cancers. Here we describe the expression profiles of meiCT genes and proteins across a number of cancers and review the proposed mechanisms that increase aneuploidy and elicit reduction division in polyploid cells. These mechanisms are centered on the overexpression and function of meiCT proteins in cancers under various conditions that includes a response to genotoxic stress. Since meiCT genes are transcriptionally repressed in somatic cells, their target offers a promising therapeutic approach with limited toxicity to healthy tissues. Throughout the review, we provide a detailed description of the roles for each gene in the context of meiosis and we discuss proposed functions and outcomes resulting from their ectopic reactivation in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Gantchev
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Scott Gunn
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Monique Zetka
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Neils Ødum
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ivan V Litvinov
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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20
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A 'parameiosis' drives depolyploidization and homologous recombination in Candida albicans. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4388. [PMID: 31558727 PMCID: PMC6763455 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12376-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a conserved tenet of sexual reproduction in eukaryotes, yet this program is seemingly absent from many extant species. In the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans, mating of diploid cells generates tetraploid products that return to the diploid state via a non-meiotic process of depolyploidization known as concerted chromosome loss (CCL). Here, we report that recombination rates are more than three orders of magnitude higher during CCL than during normal mitotic growth. Furthermore, two conserved ‘meiosis-specific’ factors play central roles in CCL as SPO11 mediates DNA double-strand break formation while both SPO11 and REC8 regulate chromosome stability and promote inter-homolog recombination. Unexpectedly, SPO11 also promotes DNA repair and recombination during normal mitotic divisions. These results indicate that C. albicans CCL represents a ‘parameiosis’ that blurs the conventional boundaries between mitosis and meiosis. They also reveal parallels with depolyploidization in mammalian cells and provide potential insights into the evolution of meiosis. Mating of Candida albicans produces tetraploid products that return to the diploid state via a non-meiotic process known as concerted chromosome loss (CCL). Here, Anderson et al. show high recombination rates during CCL and identify factors that are essential for chromosome stability and recombination during CCL.
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21
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Gantchev J, Martínez Villarreal A, Xie P, Lefrançois P, Gunn S, Netchiporouk E, Sasseville D, Litvinov IV. The Ectopic Expression of Meiosis Regulatory Genes in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas (CTCL). Front Oncol 2019; 9:429. [PMID: 31214493 PMCID: PMC6554469 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer testis (CT) antigens, under normal circumstances are uniquely expressed in testicular germ cells. Recent research has shown that meiosis-specific CT (meiCT) antigens are ectopically expressed in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and may contribute to increased genomic instability. The aberrant activation of meiosis genes in a mitotic cell is now recognized as a distinctive process, “meiomitosis.” We have previously demonstrated the ectopic expression of several meiCT antigens in nine patient-derived CTCL cell lines and in expanded peripheral T lymphocytes isolated from Sézary Syndrome patients. In this study we analyzed the transcriptional expression of meiCT genes in Sézary Syndrome patients and healthy controls using publicly-available RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data. We corroborated our in silico analysis by examining the expression of 5 meiCT proteins in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) lesional samples from CTCL patients. Our results show significant differential gene expression of STAG3, SGO2, SYCP3, and DMC1 in a cohort of Sézary Syndrome patients when compared to healthy controls. Additionally, our study demonstrates a heterogenous expression of meiCT genes involved in initiation (STRA8), sister chromatin cohesion (STAG3, SGO2), homologous chromosome synapsis (SYCP3) and homologous recombination (DMC1) in atypical lymphocytes in FFPE samples. Our results further confirm the ectopic expression of meiCT genes in CTCL which indicates that CTCL malignant cells likely undergo the process of cancer meiomitosis, as opposed to a typical mitotic division. The ectopic expression of meiCT genes together with investigations into the functional mechanisms of cancer meiomitosis will help provide a foundation to develop novel diagnostic tests to distinguish CTCL from benign inflammatory dermatoses and may enable us to develop additional targeted therapies for patients with this malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pingxing Xie
- Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Scott Gunn
- Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Denis Sasseville
- Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Ivan V Litvinov
- Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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22
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Feichtinger J, McFarlane RJ. Meiotic gene activation in somatic and germ cell tumours. Andrology 2019; 7:415-427. [PMID: 31102330 PMCID: PMC6766858 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Background Germ cell tumours are uniquely associated with the gametogenic tissues of males and females. A feature of these cancers is that they can express genes that are normally tightly restricted to meiotic cells. This aberrant gene expression has been used as an indicator that these cancer cells are attempting a programmed germ line event, meiotic entry. However, work in non‐germ cell cancers has also indicated that meiotic genes can become aberrantly activated in a wide range of cancer types and indeed provide functions that serve as oncogenic drivers. Here, we review the activation of meiotic factors in cancers and explore commonalities between meiotic gene activation in germ cell and non‐germ cell cancers. Objectives The objectives of this review are to highlight key questions relating to meiotic gene activation in germ cell tumours and to offer possible interpretations as to the biological relevance in this unique cancer type. Materials and Methods PubMed and the GEPIA database were searched for papers in English and for cancer gene expression data, respectively. Results We provide a brief overview of meiotic progression, with a focus on the unique mechanisms of reductional chromosome segregation in meiosis I. We then offer detailed insight into the role of meiotic chromosome regulators in non‐germ cell cancers and extend this to provide an overview of how this might relate to germ cell tumours. Conclusions We propose that meiotic gene activation in germ cell tumours might not indicate an unscheduled attempt to enter a full meiotic programme. Rather, it might simply reflect either aberrant activation of a subset of meiotic genes, with little or no biological relevance, or aberrant activation of a subset of meiotic genes as positive tumour evolutionary/oncogenic drivers. These postulates provide the provocation for further studies in this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Feichtinger
- Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Gottfried Schatz Research Center for Cell Signaling, Metabolism and Aging, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,OMICS Center Graz, BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - R J McFarlane
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
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23
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Tsang M, Gantchev J, Netchiporouk E, Moreau L, Ghazawi FM, Glassman S, Sasseville D, Litvinov IV. A study of meiomitosis and novel pathways of genomic instability in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL). Oncotarget 2018; 9:37647-37661. [PMID: 30701021 PMCID: PMC6340880 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer and an enabling factor for genetic alterations that drive cancer development and progression. The clashing of mitosis and aberrantly expressed meiosis machineries, which may contribute to genomic instability, has been coined cancer “meiomitosis”. LINE-1 retrotransposition, a process active in germ cells, acts outside of the meiotic machinery to create DNA double strand breaks (DNA DSBs) and has played an important role in the evolution of the human genome. We have previously demonstrated that in CTCL several cancer testis/meiotic genes are expressed. Furthermore, this cancer exhibits extensive and ongoing chromosomal/microsatellite instability. In this study we analyzed immortalized patient-derived cells and primary CTCL patient samples using RT-PCR, western blotting and confocal microscopy and found that proteins critically involved in meiosis and LINE-1 retrotransposition are expressed and are associated with chromosomal instability and DNA DSB formation. Using cell cycle synchronization, we show G1/S phase-transition-specific expression of meiosis proteins. Using the Alu retrotransposition assay, we demonstrate the functional activity of LINE-1 retrotransposon in CTCL. Histone acetyltransferase inhibition results in downregulation of the ectopic germ cell programs and concomitant decrease in DNA DSBs foci formation. Notably, LINE-1 and meiosis genes were expressed across a panel of other solid tumor cell lines. Taken together, our results indicate that malignant cells in culture undergo “cancer meiomitosis” rather than the classic mitosis division. The ectopic expression of meiosis genes and reactivation of LINE-1 may be contributing to genomic instability and represent novel targets for immunotherapy in this and other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Tsang
- Division of Dermatology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Jennifer Gantchev
- Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Elena Netchiporouk
- Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Linda Moreau
- Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Feras M Ghazawi
- Division of Dermatology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Steven Glassman
- Division of Dermatology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Denis Sasseville
- Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Ivan V Litvinov
- Division of Dermatology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8L6, Canada.,Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H4A 3J1, Canada
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24
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In Silico Analysis of Synaptonemal Complex Protein 1 (SYCP1) and Acrosin Binding Protein (ACRBP) Antigens to Design Novel Multiepitope Peptide Cancer Vaccine Against Breast Cancer. Int J Pept Res Ther 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-018-9780-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Gao Y, Kardos J, Yang Y, Tamir TY, Mutter-Rottmayer E, Weissman B, Major MB, Kim WY, Vaziri C. The Cancer/Testes (CT) Antigen HORMAD1 promotes Homologous Recombinational DNA Repair and Radioresistance in Lung adenocarcinoma cells. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15304. [PMID: 30333500 PMCID: PMC6192992 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33601-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Cancer/Testes (CT) Antigen HORMAD1 is germ cell-restricted and plays developmental roles in generation and processing of meiotic DNA Double Strand Breaks (DSB). Many tumors aberrantly overexpress HORMAD1 yet the potential impact of this CT antigen on cancer biology is unclear. We tested a potential role of HORMAD1 in genome maintenance in lung adenocarcinoma cells. We show that HORMAD1 re-distributes to nuclear foci and co-localizes with the DSB marker γH2AX in response to ionizing radiation (IR) and chemotherapeutic agents. The HORMA domain and C-term disordered oligomerization motif are necessary for localization of HORMAD1 to IR-induced foci (IRIF). HORMAD1-depleted cells are sensitive to IR and camptothecin. In reporter assays, Homologous Recombination (HR)-mediated repair of targeted ISce1-induced DSBs is attenuated in HORMAD1-depleted cells. In Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ) reporter assays, HORMAD1-depletion does not affect repair of ISce1-induced DSB. Early DSB signaling events (including ATM phosphorylation and formation of γH2AX, 53BP1 and NBS1 foci) are intact in HORMAD1-depleted cells. However, generation of RPA-ssDNA foci and redistribution of RAD51 to DSB are compromised in HORMAD1-depleted cells, suggesting that HORMAD1 promotes DSB resection. HORMAD1-mediated HR is a neomorphic activity that is independent of its meiotic partners (including HORMAD2 and CCDC36. Bioinformatic analysis of TCGA data show that similar to known HR pathway genes HORMAD1 is overexpressed in lung adenocarcinomas. Overexpression of HR genes is associated with specific mutational profiles (including copy number variation). Taken together, we identify HORMAD1-dependent DSB repair as a new mechanism of radioresistance and a probable determinant of mutability in lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanzhe Gao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 614 Brinkhous-Bullitt Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jordan Kardos
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 614 Brinkhous-Bullitt Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Tigist Y Tamir
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Elizabeth Mutter-Rottmayer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 614 Brinkhous-Bullitt Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Bernard Weissman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 614 Brinkhous-Bullitt Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Michael B Major
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - William Y Kim
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Cyrus Vaziri
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 614 Brinkhous-Bullitt Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. .,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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Y-box proteins combine versatile cold shock domains and arginine-rich motifs (ARMs) for pleiotropic functions in RNA biology. Biochem J 2018; 475:2769-2784. [PMID: 30206185 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20170956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Y-box proteins are single-strand DNA- and RNA-binding proteins distinguished by a conserved cold shock domain (CSD) and a variable C-terminal domain organized into alternating short modules rich in basic or acidic amino acids. A huge literature depicts Y-box proteins as highly abundant, staggeringly versatile proteins that interact with all mRNAs and function in most forms of mRNA-specific regulation. The mechanisms by which Y-box proteins recognize mRNAs are unclear, because their CSDs bind a jumble of diverse elements, and the basic modules in the C-terminal domain are considered to bind nonspecifically to phosphates in the RNA backbone. A survey of vertebrate Y-box proteins clarifies the confusing names for Y-box proteins, their domains, and RNA-binding motifs, and identifies several novel conserved sequences: first, the CSD is flanked by linkers that extend its binding surface or regulate co-operative binding of the CSD and N-terminal and C-terminal domains to proteins and RNA. Second, the basic modules in the C-terminal domain are bona fide arginine-rich motifs (ARMs), because arginine is the predominant amino acid and comprises 99% of basic residues. Third, conserved differences in AA (amino acid) sequences between isoforms probably affect RNA-binding specificity. C-terminal ARMs connect with many studies, demonstrating that ARMs avidly bind sites containing specific RNA structures. ARMs crystallize insights into the under-appreciated contributions of the C-terminal domain to site-specific binding by Y-box proteins and difficulties in identifying site-specific binding by the C-terminal domain. Validated structural biology techniques are available to elucidate the mechanisms by which YBXprot (Y-box element-binding protein) CSDs and ARMs identify targets.
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27
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Wang X, Tan Y, Cao X, Kim JA, Chen T, Hu Y, Wexler M, Wang X. Epigenetic activation of HORMAD1 in basal-like breast cancer: role in Rucaparib sensitivity. Oncotarget 2018; 9:30115-30127. [PMID: 30046392 PMCID: PMC6059019 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype with features similar to the basal cells surrounding the mammary ducts. Treatment of patients with BLBC has been challenging due to the lack of well-defined molecular targets. Due to the clinical and pathological similarities of BLBC with BRCA-deficient breast cancers, the effectiveness of Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) has been tested in early phase clinical trials for patients with advanced BLBC, with limited clinical responses. Recently, it was reported that HORMAD1 overexpression sensitizes BLBC to HR-targeting agents by suppressing homologous recombination. Our independent analysis suggests that HORMAD1 is aberrantly overexpressed in about 80% of BLBC, and its expression in normal tissues is restricted to testis. Our experimental data suggests that HORMAD1 overexpression correlates with focal hypomethylation in BLBC. On the other hand, investigation of the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer dataset revealed significantly reduced sensitivity of HORMAD1-overexpressing BLBC cell lines to Rucaparib, a commonly used PARPi. To further assess the role of HORMAD1 in PARPi sensitivity, we generated three HORMAD1-overexpressing xenograft models using the HORMAD1-low BLBC cell lines HCC1954, HCC1806, and BT20; we then subjected these xenograft models to Rucaparib treatment. Ectopic expression of HORMAD1 enhances tumor formations in two of these models, and significantly reduces sensitivity to Rucaparib in the HCC1954 model. Taken together, our data suggest that epigenetic activation of HORMAD1 by hypomethylation in BLBC may endow reduced sensitivity to Rucaparib treatment in some tumor models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Wang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ying Tan
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xixi Cao
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jin Ah Kim
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Tianmeng Chen
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Yiheng Hu
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Matthew Wexler
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Xiaosong Wang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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28
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Bruggeman JW, Koster J, Lodder P, Repping S, Hamer G. Massive expression of germ cell-specific genes is a hallmark of cancer and a potential target for novel treatment development. Oncogene 2018; 37:5694-5700. [PMID: 29907769 PMCID: PMC6193945 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0357-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells have been found to frequently express genes that are normally restricted to the testis, often referred to as cancer/testis (CT) antigens or genes. Because germ cell-specific antigens are not recognized as “self” by the innate immune system, CT-genes have previously been suggested as ideal candidate targets for cancer therapy. The use of CT-genes in cancer therapy has thus far been unsuccessful, most likely because their identification has relied on gene expression in whole testis, including the testicular somatic cells, precluding the detection of true germ cell-specific genes. By comparing the transcriptomes of micro-dissected germ cell subtypes, representing the main developmental stages of human spermatogenesis, with the publicly accessible transcriptomes of 2617 samples from 49 different healthy somatic tissues and 9232 samples from 33 tumor types, we here discover hundreds of true germ cell-specific cancer expressed genes. Strikingly, we found these germ cell cancer genes (GC-genes) to be widely expressed in all analyzed tumors. Many GC-genes appeared to be involved in processes that are likely to actively promote tumor viability, proliferation and metastasis. Targeting these true GC-genes thus has the potential to inhibit tumor growth with infertility being the only possible side effect. Moreover, we identified a subset of GC-genes that are not expressed in spermatogonial stem cells. Targeting of this GC-gene subset is predicted to only lead to temporary infertility, as untargeted spermatogonial stem cells can recover spermatogenesis after treatment. Our GC-gene dataset enables improved understanding of tumor biology and provides multiple novel targets for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Willem Bruggeman
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Research Institute Reproduction and Development, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Koster
- Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Lodder
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Research Institute Reproduction and Development, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd Repping
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Research Institute Reproduction and Development, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Geert Hamer
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam Research Institute Reproduction and Development, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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29
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Zhu Q, Yan L, Liu Q, Zhang C, Wei L, Hu Q, Preus L, Clay-Gilmour AI, Onel K, Stram DO, Pooler L, Sheng X, Haiman CA, Zhu X, Spellman SR, Pasquini M, McCarthy PL, Liu S, Hahn T, Sucheston-Campbell LE. Exome chip analyses identify genes affecting mortality after HLA-matched unrelated-donor blood and marrow transplantation. Blood 2018; 131:2490-2499. [PMID: 29610366 PMCID: PMC5981168 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2017-11-817973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although survival outcomes have significantly improved, up to 40% of patients die within 1 year of HLA-matched unrelated-donor blood and marrow transplantation (BMT). To identify non-HLA genetic contributors to mortality after BMT, we performed the first exome-wide association study in the DISCOVeRY-BMT cohorts using the Illumina HumanExome BeadChip. This study includes 2473 patients with acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or myelodysplastic syndrome and 2221 10/10 HLA-matched donors treated from 2000 to 2011. Single-variant and gene-level analyses were performed on overall survival (OS), transplantation-related mortality (TRM), and disease-related mortality (DRM). Genotype mismatches between recipients and donors in a rare nonsynonymous variant of testis-expressed gene TEX38 significantly increased risk of TRM, which was more dramatic when either the recipient or donor was female. Using the SKAT-O test to evaluate gene-level effects, variant genotypes of OR51D1 in recipients were significantly associated with OS and TRM. In donors, 4 (ALPP, EMID1, SLC44A5, LRP1), 1 (HHAT), and 2 genes (LYZL4, NT5E) were significantly associated with OS, TRM, and DRM, respectively. Inspection of NT5E crystal structures showed 4 of the associated variants affected the enzyme structure and likely decreased the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. Further confirmation of these findings and additional functional studies may provide individualized risk prediction and prognosis, as well as alternative donor selection strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Zhu
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
| | - Li Yan
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
| | - Qian Liu
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
| | - Chi Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
| | - Lei Wei
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
| | - Qiang Hu
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
| | - Leah Preus
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | | | - Kenan Onel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY
| | - Daniel O Stram
- Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Loreall Pooler
- Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Xin Sheng
- Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | - Xiaochun Zhu
- Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Stephen R Spellman
- Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Marcelo Pasquini
- Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Philip L McCarthy
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY; and
| | - Song Liu
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
| | - Theresa Hahn
- Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY; and
| | - Lara E Sucheston-Campbell
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
- College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
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30
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Rossi F, Molnar C, Hashiyama K, Heinen JP, Pampalona J, Llamazares S, Reina J, Hashiyama T, Rai M, Pollarolo G, Fernández-Hernández I, Gonzalez C. An in vivo genetic screen in Drosophila identifies the orthologue of human cancer/testis gene SPO11 among a network of targets to inhibit lethal(3)malignant brain tumour growth. Open Biol 2018; 7:rsob.170156. [PMID: 28855394 PMCID: PMC5577452 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.170156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Using transgenic RNAi technology, we have screened over 4000 genes to identify targets to inhibit malignant growth caused by the loss of function of lethal(3)malignant brain tumour in Drosophila in vivo. We have identified 131 targets, which belong to a wide range of gene ontologies. Most of these target genes are not significantly overexpressed in mbt tumours hence showing that, rather counterintuitively, tumour-linked overexpression is not a good predictor of functional requirement. Moreover, we have found that most of the genes upregulated in mbt tumours remain overexpressed in tumour-suppressed double-mutant conditions, hence revealing that most of the tumour transcriptome signature is not necessarily correlated with malignant growth. One of the identified target genes is meiotic W68 (mei-W68), the Drosophila orthologue of the human cancer/testis gene Sporulation-specific protein 11 (SPO11), the enzyme that catalyses the formation of meiotic double-strand breaks. We show that Drosophila mei-W68/SPO11 drives oncogenesis by causing DNA damage in a somatic tissue, hence providing the first instance in which a SPO11 orthologue is unequivocally shown to have a pro-tumoural role. Altogether, the results from this screen point to the possibility of investigating the function of human cancer relevant genes in a tractable experimental model organism like Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Rossi
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Molnar
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kazuya Hashiyama
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jan P Heinen
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Judit Pampalona
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salud Llamazares
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Reina
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tomomi Hashiyama
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Madhulika Rai
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Giulia Pollarolo
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ismael Fernández-Hernández
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cayetano Gonzalez
- Cell Division Group, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain .,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig Lluís Companys, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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31
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McFarlane RJ, Wakeman JA. Meiosis-like Functions in Oncogenesis: A New View of Cancer. Cancer Res 2017; 77:5712-5716. [PMID: 29061671 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-1535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cancer cells have many abnormal characteristics enabling tumors to grow, spread, and avoid immunologic and therapeutic destruction. Central to this is the innate ability of populations of cancer cells to rapidly evolve. One feature of many cancers is that they activate genes that are normally associated with distinct developmental states, including germ cell-specific genes. This has historically led to the proposal that tumors take on embryonal characteristics, the so called embryonal theory of cancer. However, one group of germline genes, not directly associated with embryonic somatic tissue genesis, is the one that encodes the specific factors to drive the unique reductional chromosome segregation of meiosis I, which also results in chromosomal exchanges. Here, we propose that meiosis I-specific modulators of reductional segregation can contribute to oncogenic chromosome dynamics and that the embryonal theory for cancer cell growth/proliferation is overly simplistic, as meiotic factors are not a feature of most embryonic tissue development. We postulate that some meiotic chromosome-regulatory functions contribute to a soma-to-germline model for cancer, in which activation of germline (including meiosis) functions drive oncogenesis, and we extend this to propose that meiotic factors could be powerful sources of targets for therapeutics and biomonitoring in oncology. Cancer Res; 77(21); 5712-6. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramsay J McFarlane
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, United Kingdom.
| | - Jane A Wakeman
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, United Kingdom
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32
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Planells-Palop V, Hazazi A, Feichtinger J, Jezkova J, Thallinger G, Alsiwiehri NO, Almutairi M, Parry L, Wakeman JA, McFarlane RJ. Human germ/stem cell-specific gene TEX19 influences cancer cell proliferation and cancer prognosis. Mol Cancer 2017; 16:84. [PMID: 28446200 PMCID: PMC5406905 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-017-0653-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer/testis (CT) genes have expression normally restricted to the testis, but become activated during oncogenesis, so they have excellent potential as cancer-specific biomarkers. Evidence is starting to emerge to indicate that they also provide function(s) in the oncogenic programme. Human TEX19 is a recently identified CT gene, but a functional role for TEX19 in cancer has not yet been defined. Methods siRNA was used to deplete TEX19 levels in various cancer cell lines. This was extended using shRNA to deplete TEX19 in vivo. Western blotting, fluorescence activated cell sorting and immunofluorescence were used to study the effect of TEX19 depletion in cancer cells and to localize TEX19 in normal testis and cancer cells/tissues. RT-qPCR and RNA sequencing were employed to determine the changes to the transcriptome of cancer cells depleted for TEX19 and Kaplan-Meier plots were generated to explore the relationship between TEX19 expression and prognosis for a range of cancer types. Results Depletion of TEX19 levels in a range of cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo restricts cellular proliferation/self-renewal/reduces tumour volume, indicating TEX19 is required for cancer cell proliferative/self-renewal potential. Analysis of cells depleted for TEX19 indicates they enter a quiescent-like state and have subtle defects in S-phase progression. TEX19 is present in both the nucleus and cytoplasm in both cancerous cells and normal testis. In cancer cells, localization switches in a context-dependent fashion. Transcriptome analysis of TEX19 depleted cells reveals altered transcript levels of a number of cancer-/proliferation-associated genes, suggesting that TEX19 could control oncogenic proliferation via a transcript/transcription regulation pathway. Finally, overall survival analysis of high verses low TEX19 expressing tumours indicates that TEX19 expression is linked to prognostic outcomes in different tumour types. Conclusions TEX19 is required to drive cell proliferation in a range of cancer cell types, possibly mediated via an oncogenic transcript regulation mechanism. TEX19 expression is linked to a poor prognosis for some cancers and collectively these findings indicate that not only can TEX19 expression serve as a novel cancer biomarker, but may also offer a cancer-specific therapeutic target with broad spectrum potential. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12943-017-0653-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Planells-Palop
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Brambell Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Ali Hazazi
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Brambell Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Julia Feichtinger
- Computational Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria.,Omics Center Graz, BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Jana Jezkova
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Brambell Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Gerhard Thallinger
- Computational Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria.,Omics Center Graz, BioTechMed Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Naif O Alsiwiehri
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Brambell Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Mikhlid Almutairi
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Brambell Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.,Present address: Department of Zoology, King Saud University, Al-Ryiadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lee Parry
- European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Jane A Wakeman
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Brambell Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Ramsay J McFarlane
- North West Cancer Research Institute, School of Medical Sciences, Bangor University, Brambell Building, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.
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33
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Sáez GT. DNA Damage and Repair in Degenerative Diseases 2016. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E166. [PMID: 28275213 PMCID: PMC5297799 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18010166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo T Sáez
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Clínico de Valencia (INCLIVA), Service of Clinical Analysis, University Hospital Dr. Peset. University of Valencia, Avda, Blasco Ibañez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
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