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Li JL, McClellan JC, Zhang H, Gao G, Huo D. Multi-tissue transcriptome-wide association studies identified 235 genes for intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024; 116:1105-1115. [PMID: 38400758 PMCID: PMC11223833 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djae041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of breast cancer (BC) identified common variants which differ between intrinsic subtypes, genes through which these variants act to impact BC risk have not been fully established. Transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) have identified genes associated with overall BC risk, but subtype-specific differences are largely unknown. METHODS We performed two multi-tissue TWAS for each BC intrinsic subtype, including an expression-based approach that collated TWAS signals from expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) across multiple tissues and a novel splicing-based approach that collated signals from splicing QTLs (sQTLs) across intron clusters and subsequently across tissues. We used summary statistics for five intrinsic subtypes including Luminal A-like, Luminal B-like, Luminal B/HER2-negative-like, HER2-enriched-like, and triple-negative BC, generated from 106 278 BC cases and 91 477 controls in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. RESULTS Overall, we identified 235 genes in 88 loci that were associated with at least one of the five intrinsic subtypes. Most genes were subtype-specific, and many have not been reported in previous TWAS. We discovered common variants that modulate expression of CHEK2 confer increased risk to Luminal A-like BC, in contrast to the viewpoint that CHEK2 primarily harbors rare, penetrant mutations. Additionally, our splicing-based TWAS provided population-level support for MDM4 splice variants that increased the risk of triple-negative BC. CONCLUSION Our comprehensive, multi-tissue TWAS corroborated previous GWAS loci for overall BC risk and intrinsic subtypes, while underscoring how common variation that impacts expression and splicing of genes in multiple tissue types can be used to further elucidate the etiology of BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L Li
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Julian C McClellan
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Haoyu Zhang
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Guimin Gao
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dezheng Huo
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, IL, USA
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Hallén T, Johannsson G, Thorsell A, Olsson DS, Örndal C, Engvall A, Jacobson F, Widgren A, Bergquist J, Skoglund T. Proteomic Profiles Associated With Postsurgical Progression in Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2024; 109:1485-1493. [PMID: 38157275 PMCID: PMC11099478 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgad767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT There is a lack of reliable biomarkers capable of predicting postoperative tumor progression of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs). OBJECTIVE To discover proteomic profiles associated with postoperative tumor progression in patients with NFPAs. This was a case-controlled exploratory study at a tertiary university hospital. Tissue samples were obtained from 46 patients with residual tumor following surgery for NFPAs of gonadotroph lineage. Two patient groups were compared: patients requiring reintervention due to residual tumor progression (cases; reintervention group, n = 29) and patients with a residual tumor showing no progression for a minimum of 5 years (controls; radiologically stable group, n = 17). Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between patient groups were measured. RESULTS Global quantitative proteomic analysis identified 4074 proteins, of which 550 were differentially expressed between the 2 groups (fold change >80%, false discovery rate-adjusted P ≤ .05). Principal component analysis showed good separation between the 2 groups. Functional enrichment analysis of the DEPs indicated processes involving translation, ROBO-receptor signaling, energy metabolism, mRNA metabolism, and RNA splicing. Several upregulated proteins in the reintervention group, including SNRPD1, SRSF10, SWAP-70, and PSMB1, are associated with tumor progression in other cancer types. CONCLUSION This is the first exploratory study analyzing proteomic profiles as markers of postoperative tumor progression in NFPAs. The findings clearly showed different profiles between tumors with indolent postoperative behavior and those with postoperative tumor progression. Both enriched pathways involving DEPs and specific upregulated proteins have previously been associated with tumor aggressiveness. These results suggest the value of proteomic profiling for predicting tumor progression in patients with NFPAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Hallén
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 412 65 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Gudmundur Johannsson
- Department of Endocrinology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 46 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Annika Thorsell
- Proteomics Core Facility at Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Daniel S Olsson
- Department of Endocrinology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 46 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Late-stage Clinical Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Charlotte Örndal
- Department of Pathology, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Angelica Engvall
- Department of Neuroradiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 46 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Frida Jacobson
- Proteomics Core Facility at Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anna Widgren
- Department of Chemistry–BMC, Analytical Chemistry and Neurochemistry, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jonas Bergquist
- Department of Chemistry–BMC, Analytical Chemistry and Neurochemistry, Uppsala University, 75124 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Thomas Skoglund
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 412 65 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
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Wu Y, Cai J, Pang B, Cao L, He Q, He Q, Zhang A. Bioinformatic Identification of Signaling Pathways and Hub Genes in Vascular Dementia. ACTAS ESPANOLAS DE PSIQUIATRIA 2024; 52:83-98. [PMID: 38622006 PMCID: PMC11015743 DOI: 10.62641/aep.v52i2.1601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vascular dementia (VaD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive impairment due to cerebrovascular factors, affecting a significant portion of the aging population and highlighting the critical need to understand specific targets and mechanisms for effective prevention and treatment strategies. We aimed to identify pathways and crucial genes involved in the progression of VaD through bioinformatics analysis and subsequently validate these findings. METHODS We conducted differential expression analysis, Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) analysis. We utilized pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cells to create an in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) model. We investigated the impact of overexpression and interference of adrenoceptor alpha 1D (ADRA1D) on OGD PC12 cells using TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL), reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blot (WB), and Fluo-3-pentaacetoxymethyl ester (Fluo-3 AM) analysis. RESULTS We found 187 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the red module that were strongly associated with VaD and were primarily enriched in vasoconstriction, G protein-coupled amine receptor activity, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and cell adhesion. Among these pathways, we identified ADRA1D as a gene shared by vasoconstriction, G protein-coupled amine receptor activity, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. The TUNEL assay revealed a significant decrease in PC12 cell apoptosis with ADRA1D overexpression (p < 0.01) and a significant increase in apoptosis upon silencing ADRA1D (p < 0.01). RT-qPCR and WB analysis revealed elevated ADRA1D expression (p < 0.001) and decreased phospholipase C beta (PLCβ) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) expression (p < 0.05) with ADRA1D overexpression. Moreover, the Fluo-3 AM assessment indicated significantly lower intracellular Ca2+ levels with ADRA1D overexpression (p < 0.001). Conversely, interference with ADRA1D yielded opposite results. CONCLUSION Our study provides a new perspective on the pathogenic mechanisms of VaD and potential avenues for therapeutic intervention. The results highlight the role of ADRA1D in modulating cellular responses to OGD and VaD, suggesting its potential as a target for VaD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanhua Wu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 550002 Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jing Cai
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 550002 Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Bo Pang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 550002 Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Liping Cao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 550002 Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Qiankun He
- The First School of Clinical Medicine of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 550001 Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Qiansong He
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 550002 Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Anbang Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 550002 Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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McClellan JC, Li JL, Gao G, Huo D. Expression- and splicing-based multi-tissue transcriptome-wide association studies identified multiple genes for breast cancer by estrogen-receptor status. Breast Cancer Res 2024; 26:51. [PMID: 38515142 PMCID: PMC10958972 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-024-01809-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although several transcriptome-wide association studies (TWASs) have been performed to identify genes associated with overall breast cancer (BC) risk, only a few TWAS have explored the differences in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer. Additionally, these studies were based on gene expression prediction models trained primarily in breast tissue, and they did not account for alternative splicing of genes. METHODS In this study, we utilized two approaches to perform multi-tissue TWASs of breast cancer by ER subtype: (1) an expression-based TWAS that combined TWAS signals for each gene across multiple tissues and (2) a splicing-based TWAS that combined TWAS signals of all excised introns for each gene across tissues. To perform this TWAS, we utilized summary statistics for ER + BC from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) and for ER- BC from a meta-analysis of BCAC and the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 (CIMBA). RESULTS In total, we identified 230 genes in 86 loci that were associated with ER + BC and 66 genes in 29 loci that were associated with ER- BC at a Bonferroni threshold of significance. Of these genes, 2 genes associated with ER + BC at the 1q21.1 locus were located at least 1 Mb from published GWAS hits. For several well-studied tumor suppressor genes such as TP53 and CHEK2 which have historically been thought to impact BC risk through rare, penetrant mutations, we discovered that common variants, which modulate gene expression, may additionally contribute to ER + or ER- etiology. CONCLUSIONS Our study comprehensively examined how differences in common variation contribute to molecular differences between ER + and ER- BC and introduces a novel, splicing-based framework that can be used in future TWAS studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian C McClellan
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - James L Li
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Guimin Gao
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
| | - Dezheng Huo
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Section of Hematology & Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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Lauer SM, Omar MH, Golkowski MG, Kenerson HL, Lee KS, Pascual BC, Lim HC, Forbush K, Smith FD, Gordan JD, Ong SE, Yeung RS, Scott JD. Recruitment of BAG2 to DNAJ-PKAc scaffolds promotes cell survival and resistance to drug-induced apoptosis in fibrolamellar carcinoma. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113678. [PMID: 38236773 PMCID: PMC10964278 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The DNAJ-PKAc fusion kinase is a defining feature of fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC). FLC tumors are notoriously resistant to standard chemotherapies, with aberrant kinase activity assumed to be a contributing factor. By combining proximity proteomics, biochemical analyses, and live-cell photoactivation microscopy, we demonstrate that DNAJ-PKAc is not constrained by A-kinase anchoring proteins. Consequently, the fusion kinase phosphorylates a unique array of substrates, including proteins involved in translation and the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2-associated athanogene 2 (BAG2), a co-chaperone recruited to the fusion kinase through association with Hsp70. Tissue samples from patients with FLC exhibit increased levels of BAG2 in primary and metastatic tumors. Furthermore, drug studies implicate the DNAJ-PKAc/Hsp70/BAG2 axis in potentiating chemotherapeutic resistance. We find that the Bcl-2 inhibitor navitoclax enhances sensitivity to etoposide-induced apoptosis in cells expressing DNAJ-PKAc. Thus, our work indicates BAG2 as a marker for advanced FLC and a chemotherapeutic resistance factor in DNAJ-PKAc signaling scaffolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia M Lauer
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Mitchell H Omar
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Martin G Golkowski
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Heidi L Kenerson
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Kyung-Soon Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Bryan C Pascual
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Huat C Lim
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Katherine Forbush
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - F Donelson Smith
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - John D Gordan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Shao-En Ong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Raymond S Yeung
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - John D Scott
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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Nian Q, Li Y, Li J, Zhao L, Rodrigues Lima F, Zeng J, Liu R, Ye Z. U2AF1 in various neoplastic diseases and relevant targeted therapies for malignant cancers with complex mutations (Review). Oncol Rep 2024; 51:5. [PMID: 37975232 PMCID: PMC10688450 DOI: 10.3892/or.2023.8664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
U2 small nuclear RNA auxiliary factor 1 (U2AF1) is a multifunctional protein that plays a crucial role in the regulation of RNA splicing during eukaryotic gene expression. U2AF1 belongs to the SR family of splicing factors and is involved in the removal of introns from mRNAs and exon-exon binding. Mutations in U2AF1 are frequently observed in myelodysplastic syndrome, primary myelofibrosis, chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia, hairy cell leukaemia and other solid tumours, particularly in lung, pancreatic, and ovarian carcinomas. Therefore, targeting U2AF1 for therapeutic interventions may be a viable strategy for treating malignant diseases. In the present review, the pathogenic mechanisms associated with U2AF1 in different malignant diseases were summarized, and the potential of related targeting agents was discussed. Additionally, the feasibility of natural product-based therapies directed against U2AF1 was explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Nian
- Department of Transfusion, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, P.R. China
| | - Yihui Li
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Jingwei Li
- Department of Transfusion, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, P.R. China
| | - Liyun Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, P.R. China
| | - Fernando Rodrigues Lima
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Jinhao Zeng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P.R. China
| | - Rongxing Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400000, P.R. China
| | - Zhijun Ye
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, P.R. China
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Choudhry M, Gamallat Y, Ghosh S, Bismar TA. Cleavage and Polyadenylation-Specific Factor 4 (CPSF4) Expression Is Associated with Enhanced Prostate Cancer Cell Migration and Cell Cycle Dysregulation, In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12961. [PMID: 37629142 PMCID: PMC10455462 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Potential oncogene cleavage and polyadenylation specific factor 4 (CPSF4) has been linked to several cancer types. However, little research has been conducted on its function in prostate cancer (PCa). In benign, incidental, advanced, and castrate resistant PCa (CRPCa) patient samples, protein expression of CPSF4 was examined on tissue microarray (TMAs) of 353 PCa patients using immunohistochemistry. Using the 'The Cancer Genome Atlas' Prostate Adenocarcinoma (TCGA PRAD) database, significant correlations were found between high CPSF4 expression and high-risk genomic abnormalities such as ERG-fusion, ETV1-fusion, and SPOP mutations. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) of CPSF4 revealed evidence for the increase in biological processes such as cellular proliferation and metastasis. We further examined the function of CPSF4 in vitro and confirmed CPSF4 clinical outcomes and its underlying mechanism. Our findings showed a substantial correlation between Gleason groups and CPSF4 protein expression. In vitro, CPSF4 knockdown reduced cell invasion and migration while also causing G1 and G2 arrest in PC3 cell lines. Our findings demonstrate that CPSF4 may be used as a possible biomarker in PCa and support its oncogenic function in cellular proliferation and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Choudhry
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; (M.C.); (Y.G.)
- Department of Oncology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Yaser Gamallat
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; (M.C.); (Y.G.)
- Department of Oncology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Sunita Ghosh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R7, Canada;
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R7, Canada
| | - Tarek A. Bismar
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; (M.C.); (Y.G.)
- Department of Oncology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Tom Baker Cancer Center, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
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Lauer SM, Omar MH, Golkowski MG, Kenerson HL, Pascual BC, Forbush K, Smith FD, Gordan J, Ong SE, Yeung RS, Scott JD. Recruitment of BAG2 to DNAJ-PKAc scaffolds promotes cell survival and resistance to drug-induced apoptosis in fibrolamellar carcinoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.28.546958. [PMID: 37425703 PMCID: PMC10327129 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.28.546958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The DNAJ-PKAc fusion kinase is a defining feature of the adolescent liver cancer fibrolamellar carcinoma (FLC). A single lesion on chromosome 19 generates this mutant kinase by creating a fused gene encoding the chaperonin binding domain of Hsp40 (DNAJ) in frame with the catalytic core of protein kinase A (PKAc). FLC tumors are notoriously resistant to standard chemotherapies. Aberrant kinase activity is assumed to be a contributing factor. Yet recruitment of binding partners, such as the chaperone Hsp70, implies that the scaffolding function of DNAJ- PKAc may also underlie pathogenesis. By combining proximity proteomics with biochemical analyses and photoactivation live-cell imaging we demonstrate that DNAJ-PKAc is not constrained by A-kinase anchoring proteins. Consequently, the fusion kinase phosphorylates a unique array of substrates. One validated DNAJ-PKAc target is the Bcl-2 associated athanogene 2 (BAG2), a co-chaperone recruited to the fusion kinase through association with Hsp70. Immunoblot and immunohistochemical analyses of FLC patient samples correlate increased levels of BAG2 with advanced disease and metastatic recurrences. BAG2 is linked to Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic factor that delays cell death. Pharmacological approaches tested if the DNAJ- PKAc/Hsp70/BAG2 axis contributes to chemotherapeutic resistance in AML12 DNAJ-PKAc hepatocyte cell lines using the DNA damaging agent etoposide and the Bcl-2 inhibitor navitoclax. Wildtype AML12 cells were susceptible to each drug alone and in combination. In contrast, AML12 DNAJ-PKAc cells were moderately affected by etoposide, resistant to navitoclax, but markedly susceptible to the drug combination. These studies implicate BAG2 as a biomarker for advanced FLC and a chemotherapeutic resistance factor in DNAJ-PKAc signaling scaffolds.
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Ogasawara S, Ebashi S. RNA Overwriting of Cellular mRNA by Cas13b-Directed RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase of Influenza A Virus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10000. [PMID: 37373148 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210000] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of mRNA processing results in diseases such as cancer. Although RNA editing technologies attract attention as gene therapy for repairing aberrant mRNA, substantial sequence defects arising from mis-splicing cannot be corrected by existing techniques using adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) due to the limitation of adenosine-to-inosine point conversion. Here, we report an RNA editing technology called "RNA overwriting" that overwrites the sequence downstream of a designated site on the target RNA by utilizing the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the influenza A virus. To enable RNA overwriting within living cells, we developed a modified RdRp by introducing H357A and E361A mutations in the polymerase basic 2 of RdRp and fusing the C-terminus with catalytically inactive Cas13b (dCas13b). The modified RdRp knocked down 46% of the target mRNA and further overwrote 21% of the mRNA. RNA overwriting is a versatile editing technique that can perform various modifications, including addition, deletion, and mutation introduction, and thus allow for repair of the aberrant mRNA produced by dysregulation of mRNA processing, such as mis-splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinzi Ogasawara
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Nagano, Japan
| | - Sae Ebashi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Nagano, Japan
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Pradeep SP, Malik S, Slack FJ, Bahal R. Unlocking the potential of chemically modified peptide nucleic acids for RNA-based therapeutics. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 29:434-445. [PMID: 36653113 PMCID: PMC10019372 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079498.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
RNA therapeutics have emerged as next-generation therapy for the treatment of many diseases. Unlike small molecules, RNA targeted drugs are not limited by the availability of binding pockets on the protein, but rather utilize Watson-Crick (WC) base-pairing rules to recognize the target RNA and modulate gene expression. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) present a powerful therapeutic approach to treat disorders triggered by genetic alterations. ASOs recognize the cognate site on the target RNA to alter gene expression. Nine single-stranded ASOs have been approved for clinical use and several candidates are in late-stage clinical trials for both rare and common diseases. Several chemical modifications, including phosphorothioates, locked nucleic acid, phosphorodiamidate, morpholino, and peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), have been investigated for efficient RNA targeting. PNAs are synthetic DNA mimics where the deoxyribose phosphate backbone is replaced by N-(2-aminoethyl)-glycine units. The neutral pseudopeptide backbone of PNAs contributes to enhanced binding affinity and high biological stability. PNAs hybridize with the complementary site in the target RNA and act by a steric hindrance--based mechanism. In the last three decades, various PNA designs, chemical modifications, and delivery strategies have been explored to demonstrate their potential as an effective and safe RNA-targeting platform. This review covers the advances in PNA-mediated targeting of coding and noncoding RNAs for a myriad of therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Pallavi Pradeep
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
| | - Shipra Malik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
| | - Frank J Slack
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Raman Bahal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
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Jamaluddin MFB, Day T, Tanwar PS, Marzol A, Scurry J. Mass Spectrometry Proteomic Analysis of Four p53 Patterns in Differentiated Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia. J Low Genit Tract Dis 2023; 27:146-151. [PMID: 36622249 DOI: 10.1097/lgt.0000000000000720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The histopathologic diagnostic criteria of differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (dVIN), the precursor of human papillomavirus-independent squamous cell carcinoma, are basal atypia, a negative or non-block-positive p16, and a supportive p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC). Several different patterns of supportive p53 IHC have been described. This study aims to determine the relationship between p53 IHC patterns and mass spectrometry analysis of cellular proteins in dVIN. METHODS Four patterns of p53 IHC were studied: overexpression, cytoplasmic, wild type, and intermediate expression between wild type and overexpression. For each pattern, tissue samples of 4 examples were subjected to mass spectrometry. RESULTS The protein profile within each p53 IHC pattern shared common features. Each of the 4 p53 patterns had a distinguishable protein profile when compared with the other 3 patterns. CONCLUSIONS The distinguishable protein profiles in different p53 IHC patterns suggest diverse mechanisms of TP53 dysfunction. Subtyping dVIN by p53 IHC is worthy of further study because varied protein expression profiles may translate into different clinical behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Fairuz B Jamaluddin
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Pradeep S Tanwar
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alexandra Marzol
- New South Wales Health, Pathology North, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia
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12
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The Pattern of RNA Editing Changes in Pleural Mesothelioma upon Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032874. [PMID: 36769192 PMCID: PMC9917482 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032874] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is a cancer where epithelioid, biphasic and sarcomatoid histotypes are observed. Sarcomatoid PM is characterized by mesenchymal features. Multi-omics have been used to characterize the epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) phenotype at the molecular level. We contribute to this effort by including the analysis of RNA editing. We extracted samples with the highest vs. lowest Epithelial score from two PM cohorts and observed increased RNA editing in introns and decreased RNA editing in 3'UTR upon EMT. The same was observed in primary PM primary cultures stratified by transcriptomics analysis into two groups, one of them enriched with mesenchymal features. Our data demonstrate that, as has been observed in other cancer types, RNA editing associates to EMT phenotype in PM.
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Zhang J, Wang Z, Wang K, Xin D, Wang L, Fan Y, Xu Y. Increased Expression of SRSF1 Predicts Poor Prognosis in Multiple Myeloma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2023; 2023:9998927. [PMID: 37206090 PMCID: PMC10191755 DOI: 10.1155/2023/9998927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal plasma cell disorder which still lacks sufficient prognostic factors. The serine/arginine-rich splicing factor (SRSF) family serves as an important splicing regulator in organ development. Among all members, SRSF1 plays an important role in cell proliferation and renewal. However, the role of SRSF1 in MM is still unknown. Methods SRSF1 was selected from the primary bioinformatics analysis of SRSF family members, and then we integrated 11 independent datasets and analyzed the relationship between SRSF1 expression and MM clinical characteristics. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to explore the potential mechanism of SRSF1 in MM progression. ImmuCellAI was used to estimate the abundance of immune infiltrating cells between the SRSF1high and SRSF1low groups. The ESTIMATE algorithm was used to evaluate the tumor microenvironment in MM. The expression of immune-related genes was compared between the groups. Additionally, SRSF1 expression was validated in clinical samples. SRSF1 knockdown was conducted to explore the role of SRSF1 in MM development. Results SRSF1 expression showed an increasing trend with the progression of myeloma. Besides, SRSF1 expression increased as the age, ISS stage, 1q21 amplification level, and relapse times increased. MM patients with higher SRSF1 expression had worse clinical features and poorer outcomes. Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that upregulated SRSF1 expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for MM. Enrichment pathway analysis confirmed that SRSF1 takes part in the myeloma progression via tumor-associated and immune-related pathways. Several checkpoints and immune-activating genes were significantly downregulated in the SRSF1high groups. Furthermore, we detected that SRSF1 expression was significantly higher in MM patients than that in control donors. SRSF1 knockdown resulted in proliferation arrest in MM cell lines. Conclusion The expression value of SRSF1 is positively associated with myeloma progression, and high SRSF1 expression might be a poor prognostic biomarker in MM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
- Zhejiang University Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Zanzan Wang
- Department of Hematology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo 315010, China
| | - Kailai Wang
- Zhejiang University Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Dijia Xin
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Luyao Wang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Yili Fan
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
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14
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Bryant C, Webb A, Banks AS, Chandler D, Govindarajan R, Agrawal S. Alternatively Spliced Landscape of PPARγ mRNA in Podocytes Is Distinct from Adipose Tissue. Cells 2022; 11:cells11213455. [PMID: 36359851 PMCID: PMC9653906 DOI: 10.3390/cells11213455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Podocytes are highly differentiated epithelial cells, and their structural and functional integrity is compromised in a majority of glomerular and renal diseases, leading to proteinuria, chronic kidney disease, and kidney failure. Traditional agonists (e.g., pioglitazone) and selective modulators (e.g., GQ-16) of peroxisome-proliferator-activated-receptor-γ (PPARγ) reduce proteinuria in animal models of glomerular disease and protect podocytes from injury via PPARγ activation. This indicates a pivotal role for PPARγ in maintaining glomerular function through preservation of podocytes distinct from its well-understood role in driving insulin sensitivity and adipogenesis. While its transcriptional role in activating adipokines and adipogenic genes is well-established in adipose tissue, liver and muscle, understanding of podocyte PPARγ signaling remains limited. We performed a comprehensive analysis of PPARγ mRNA variants due to alternative splicing, in human podocytes and compared with adipose tissue. We found that podocytes express the ubiquitous PPARγ Var 1 (encoding γ1) and not Var2 (encoding γ2), which is mostly restricted to adipose tissue and liver. Additionally, we detected expression at very low level of Var4, and barely detectable levels of other variants, Var3, Var11, VartORF4 and Var9, in podocytes. Furthermore, a distinct podocyte vs. adipocyte PPAR-promoter-response-element containing gene expression, enrichment and pathway signature was observed, suggesting differential regulation by podocyte specific PPARγ1 variant, distinct from the adipocyte-specific γ2 variant. In summary, podocytes and glomeruli express several PPARγ variants, including Var1 (γ1) and excluding adipocyte-specific Var2 (γ2), which may have implications in podocyte specific signaling and pathophysiology. This suggests that that new selective PPARγ modulators can be potentially developed that will be able to distinguish between the two forms, γ1 and γ2, thus forming a basis of novel targeted therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Bryant
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Amy Webb
- Department of Bioinformatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Alexander S. Banks
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Dawn Chandler
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disease, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Rajgopal Govindarajan
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Translational Therapeutics, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Shipra Agrawal
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Correspondence:
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15
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Tram J, Mesnard JM, Peloponese JM. Alternative RNA splicing in cancer: what about adult T-cell leukemia? Front Immunol 2022; 13:959382. [PMID: 35979354 PMCID: PMC9376482 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.959382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells employ a broad range of mechanisms to regulate gene expression. Among others, mRNA alternative splicing is a key process. It consists of introns removal from an immature mRNA (pre-mRNA) via a transesterification reaction to create a mature mRNA molecule. Large-scale genomic studies have shown that in the human genome, almost 95% of protein-encoding genes go through alternative splicing and produce transcripts with different exons combinations (and sometimes retained introns), thus increasing the proteome diversity. Considering the importance of RNA regulation in cellular proliferation, survival, and differentiation, alterations in the alternative splicing pathway have been linked to several human cancers, including adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). ATL is an aggressive and fatal malignancy caused by the Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). HTLV-1 genome encodes for two oncoproteins: Tax and HBZ, both playing significant roles in the transformation of infected cells and ATL onset. Here, we review current knowledge on alternative splicing and its link to cancers and reflect on how dysregulation of this pathway could participate in HTLV-1-induced cellular transformation and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma development.
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16
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A Regulatory Axis between Epithelial Splicing Regulatory Proteins and Estrogen Receptor α Modulates the Alternative Transcriptome of Luminal Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147835. [PMID: 35887187 PMCID: PMC9319905 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial splicing regulatory proteins 1 and 2 (ESRP1/2) control the splicing pattern during epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a physiological context and in cancer, including breast cancer (BC). Here, we report that ESRP1, but not ESRP2, is overexpressed in luminal BCs of patients with poor prognosis and correlates with estrogen receptor α (ERα) levels. Analysis of ERα genome-binding profiles in cell lines and primary breast tumors showed its binding in the proximity of ESRP1 and ESRP2 genes, whose expression is strongly decreased by ERα silencing in hormone-deprived conditions. The combined knock-down of ESRP1/2 in MCF-7 cells followed by RNA-Seq, revealed the dysregulation of 754 genes, with a widespread alteration of alternative splicing events (ASEs) of genes involved in cell signaling, metabolism, cell growth, and EMT. Functional network analysis of ASEs correlated with ESRP1/2 expression in ERα+ BCs showed RAC1 as the hub node in the protein-protein interactions altered by ESRP1/2 silencing. The comparison of ERα- and ESRP-modulated ASEs revealed 63 commonly regulated events, including 27 detected in primary BCs and endocrine-resistant cell lines. Our data support a functional implication of the ERα-ESRP1/2 axis in the onset and progression of BC by controlling the splicing patterns of related genes.
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Malhan D, Basti A, Relógio A. Transcriptome analysis of clock disrupted cancer cells reveals differential alternative splicing of cancer hallmarks genes. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2022; 8:17. [PMID: 35552415 PMCID: PMC9098426 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-022-00225-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence points towards a regulatory role of the circadian clock in alternative splicing (AS). Whether alterations in core-clock components may contribute to differential AS events is largely unknown. To address this, we carried out a computational analysis on recently generated time-series RNA-seq datasets from three core-clock knockout (KO) genes (ARNTL, NR1D1, PER2) and WT of a colorectal cancer (CRC) cell line, and time-series RNA-seq datasets for additional CRC and Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) cells, murine WT, Arntl KO, and Nr1d1/2 KO, and murine SCN WT tissue. The deletion of individual core-clock genes resulted in the loss of circadian expression in crucial spliceosome components such as SF3A1 (in ARNTLKO), SNW1 (in NR1D1KO), and HNRNPC (in PER2KO), which led to a differential pattern of KO-specific AS events. All HCT116KO cells showed a rhythmicity loss of a crucial spliceosome gene U2AF1, which was also not rhythmic in higher progression stage CRC and HL cancer cells. AS analysis revealed an increase in alternative first exon events specific to PER2 and NR1D1 KO in HCT116 cells, and a KO-specific change in expression and rhythmicity pattern of AS transcripts related to cancer hallmarks genes including FGFR2 in HCT116_ARNTLKO, CD44 in HCT116_NR1D1KO, and MET in HCT116_PER2KO. KO-specific changes in rhythmic properties of known spliced variants of these genes (e.g. FGFR2 IIIb/FGFR2 IIIc) correlated with epithelial-mesenchymal-transition signalling. Altogether, our bioinformatic analysis highlights a role for the circadian clock in the regulation of AS, and reveals a potential impact of clock disruption in aberrant splicing in cancer hallmark genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deeksha Malhan
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, 10117, Germany.,Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, 10117, Germany.,Institute for Systems Medicine, Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, 20457, Germany
| | - Alireza Basti
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, 10117, Germany.,Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, 10117, Germany.,Institute for Systems Medicine, Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, 20457, Germany
| | - Angela Relógio
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, 10117, Germany. .,Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumor Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, 10117, Germany. .,Institute for Systems Medicine, Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, 20457, Germany.
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18
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Identification of uPAR Variants Acting as ceRNAs in Leukaemia Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14081980. [PMID: 35454884 PMCID: PMC9025028 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14081980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The urokinase (uPA) receptor (uPAR) concentrates proteolytic activities on the cell surface and is an adhesion receptor for vitronectin. Urokinase/Vitronectin binding to uPAR activates intracellular signals promoting cell adhesion, migration, proliferation and survival. Thus, uPAR can sustain most activities of malignant cells and, accordingly, increased uPAR expression is associated with poor prognosis in several malignancies. We previously demonstrated that, in leukaemia cells, the uPAR 3′untranslated region (3′UTR) up-regulates the expression of pro-tumoral factors by recruiting microRNAs targeting their mRNAs, thus acting as competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA). Here, we identify 3′UTR-containing variants of uPAR mRNA in leukaemia cells and demonstrate that the over-expression of uPAR Δ5-variant mRNA promotes expression of pro-tumoral factors and increase in biological activities, probably by its ceRNA activity. On this basis, we propose that uPAR may play a crucial role in cancer biology also at mRNA level, through the ceRNA activity of its variants. Abstract The 3′untranslated region (3′UTR) of the urokinase (uPA) receptor (uPAR) mRNA can act as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cells, promoting the expression of pro-tumoral targets, including uPAR. Here, we identified three variants of uPAR mRNA containing the 3′UTR, in KG1 and U937 leukaemia cells expressing low and high uPAR levels, respectively. Identified variants lack exon 5 (uPAR Δ5) or exon 6 (uPAR Δ6) or part of exon 6, exon 7 and part of 3′UTR (uPAR Δ6/7). uPAR Δ5 and uPAR Δ6 transcript levels were higher in U937 cells compared to KG1 cells. Both uPAR variants were expressed also in AML blasts, at higher levels as compared to CD34 hematopoietic cells from healthy donors. The presence of the 3′UTR conferred high instability to the uPAR Δ5 variant transcript, preventing its translation in protein. Overexpression of the uPAR Δ5-3′UTR variant regulated the expression of some pro-tumoral factors previously reported to be regulated by the 3′UTR of uPAR and increased KG1 cell adhesion, migration and proliferation. These results demonstrate the expression of uPAR mRNA variants containing the 3′UTR in AML cells and the ceRNA activity and the biological effects of the uPAR Δ5-3′UTR variant.
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19
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Impact of alternative splicing on mechanisms of resistance to anticancer drugs. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 193:114810. [PMID: 34673012 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A shared characteristic of many tumors is the lack of response to anticancer drugs. Multiple mechanisms of pharmacoresistance (MPRs) are involved in permitting cancer cells to overcome the effect of these agents. Pharmacoresistance can be primary (intrinsic) or secondary (acquired), i.e., triggered or enhanced in response to the treatment. Moreover, MPRs usually result in the lack of sensitivity to several agents, which accounts for diverse multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes. MPRs are based on the dynamic expression of more than one hundred genes, constituting the so-called resistome. Alternative splicing (AS) during pre-mRNA maturation results in changes affecting proteins involved in the resistome. The resulting splicing variants (SVs) reduce the efficacy of anticancer drugs by lowering the intracellular levels of active agents, altering molecular targets, enhancing both DNA repair ability and defensive mechanism of tumors, inducing changes in the balance between pro-survival and pro-apoptosis signals, modifying interactions with the tumor microenvironment, and favoring malignant phenotypic transitions. Reasons accounting for cancer-associated aberrant splicing include mutations that create or disrupt splicing sites or splicing enhancers or silencers, abnormal expression of splicing factors, and impaired signaling pathways affecting the activity of the splicing machinery. Here we have reviewed the impact of AS on MPR in cancer cells.
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20
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Zeng Z, Jiang X, Pan Z, Zhou R, Lin Z, Tang Y, Cui Y, Zhang E, Cao Z. Highly expressed centromere protein L indicates adverse survival and associates with immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:22802-22829. [PMID: 34607313 PMCID: PMC8544325 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by rapid progression, high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. Early prediction for the prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy is of great significance to improve the survival of HCC patients. However, there is still no reliable predictor at present. This study is aimed to explore the role of centromere protein L (CENPL) in predicting prognosis and its association with immune infiltration in HCC. METHODS The expression of CENPL was identified through analyzing the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data. The association between CENPL expression and clinicopathological features was investigated by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test or Kruskal Wallis test and logistic regression. The role of CENPL in prognosis was examined via Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test as well as univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Besides, in TIMER and GEPIA database, we investigated the correlation between CENPL level and immunocyte and immunocyte markers, and the prognostic-related methylation sites in CENPL were identified by MethSurv. RESULTS CENPL had a high expression in HCC samples. Increased CENPL was prominently associated with unfavorable survival, and maybe an independent prognostic factor of worse overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free interval (DFI), progression-free interval (PFI). Additionally, CENPL expression was significantly correlated with immune cell infiltration and some markers. CENPL also contained a methylation site that was notably related to poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS Elevated CENPL may be a promising prognostic marker and associate with immune infiltration in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Zeng
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Xiao Jiang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Zhibin Pan
- Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan 528000, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Ruisheng Zhou
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Zhuangteng Lin
- Department of Medical Technologic, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 518000, PR China
| | - Ying Tang
- Department of Oncology, Lingnan Medical Research Center of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China.,Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 518000, PR China
| | - Ying Cui
- Department of Psychiatry, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong 510150, PR China
| | - Enxin Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 518000, PR China.,Department of Oncology, Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Zebiao Cao
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
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