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Oncosuppressive and oncogenic activity of the sphingolipid-metabolizing enzyme β-galactosylceramidase. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1877:188675. [PMID: 34974112 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
β-galactosylceramidase (GALC) is a lysosomal enzyme that removes β-galactose from β-galactosylceramide, leading to the formation of the oncosuppressor metabolite ceramide. Recent observations have shown that GALC may exert opposite effects on tumor growth by acting as an oncosuppressive or oncogenic enzyme depending on the different experimental approaches, in vitro versus in vivo observations, preclinical versus clinical findings, and tumor type investigated. This review will recapitulate and discuss the contrasting experimental evidence related to the impact of GALC on the biological behavior of cancer and stromal cells and its contribution to tumor progression.
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Nasir G, Chopra R, Elwood F, Ahmed SS. Krabbe Disease: Prospects of Finding a Cure Using AAV Gene Therapy. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:760236. [PMID: 34869463 PMCID: PMC8633897 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.760236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Krabbe Disease (KD) is an autosomal metabolic disorder that affects both the central and peripheral nervous systems. It is caused by a functional deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme, galactocerebrosidase (GALC), resulting in an accumulation of the toxic metabolite, psychosine. Psychosine accumulation affects many different cellular pathways, leading to severe demyelination. Although there is currently no effective therapy for Krabbe disease, recent gene therapy-based approaches in animal models have indicated a promising outlook for clinical treatment. This review highlights recent findings in the pathogenesis of Krabbe disease, and evaluates AAV-based gene therapy as a promising strategy for treating this devastating pediatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gibran Nasir
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Rajiv Chopra
- AllianThera Biopharma, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Fiona Elwood
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Seemin S Ahmed
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, MA, United States
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Ronca R, Taranto S, Corsini M, Tobia C, Ravelli C, Rezzola S, Belleri M, De Cillis F, Cattaneo A, Presta M, Giacomini A. Pentraxin 3 Inhibits the Angiogenic Potential of Multiple Myeloma Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13092255. [PMID: 34066669 PMCID: PMC8125855 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Bone marrow (BM) angiogenesis represents a key aspect in the progression of multiple myeloma (MM) and is strictly linked to the balance between pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic players produced by both neoplastic and stromal components. It has been shown that Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) play a pivotal role in the angiogenic switch occurring during MM progression. Accordingly, the natural FGF antagonist Long Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is able to reduce the activation of BM stromal components induced by FGFs. This work explores, for the first time, the anti-angiogenic role of PTX3 produced by MM cells demonstrating that the inducible expression of PTX3 is able to impair MM neovascularization, the onset of a proficient BM vascular niche and, ultimately, to impair tumor growth and dissemination. Abstract During multiple myeloma (MM) progression the activation of the angiogenic process represents a key step for the formation of the vascular niche, where different stromal components and neoplastic cells collaborate and foster tumor growth. Among the different pro-angiogenic players, Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2) plays a pivotal role in BM vascularization occurring during MM progression. Long Pentraxin 3 (PTX3), a natural FGF antagonist, is able to reduce the activation of stromal components promoted by FGF2 in various in vitro models. An increased FGF/PTX3 ratio has also been found to occur during MM evolution, suggesting that restoring the “physiological” FGF/PTX3 ratio in plasma cells and BM stromal cells (BMSCs) might impact MM. In this work, taking advantage of PTX3-inducible human MM models, we show that PTX3 produced by tumor cells is able to restore a balanced FGF/PTX3 ratio sufficient to prevent the activation of the FGF/FGFR system in endothelial cells and to reduce the angiogenic capacity of MM cells in different in vivo models. As a result of this anti-angiogenic activity, PTX3 overexpression causes a significant reduction of the tumor burden in both subcutaneously grafted and systemic MM models. These data pave the way for the exploitation of PTX3-derived anti-angiogenic approaches in MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Ronca
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (S.T.); (M.C.); (C.T.); (C.R.); (S.R.); (M.B.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence: (R.R.); (A.G.)
| | - Sara Taranto
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (S.T.); (M.C.); (C.T.); (C.R.); (S.R.); (M.B.); (M.P.)
| | - Michela Corsini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (S.T.); (M.C.); (C.T.); (C.R.); (S.R.); (M.B.); (M.P.)
| | - Chiara Tobia
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (S.T.); (M.C.); (C.T.); (C.R.); (S.R.); (M.B.); (M.P.)
| | - Cosetta Ravelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (S.T.); (M.C.); (C.T.); (C.R.); (S.R.); (M.B.); (M.P.)
| | - Sara Rezzola
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (S.T.); (M.C.); (C.T.); (C.R.); (S.R.); (M.B.); (M.P.)
| | - Mirella Belleri
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (S.T.); (M.C.); (C.T.); (C.R.); (S.R.); (M.B.); (M.P.)
| | - Floriana De Cillis
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (F.D.C.); (A.C.)
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy; (F.D.C.); (A.C.)
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Presta
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (S.T.); (M.C.); (C.T.); (C.R.); (S.R.); (M.B.); (M.P.)
| | - Arianna Giacomini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (S.T.); (M.C.); (C.T.); (C.R.); (S.R.); (M.B.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence: (R.R.); (A.G.)
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