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Zhang J, Wen J, Dai Z, Zhang H, Zhang N, Lei R, Liu Z, Peng L, Cheng Q. Causal association and shared genetics between telomere length and COVID-19 outcomes: New evidence from the latest large-scale summary statistics. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:2429-2441. [PMID: 38882679 PMCID: PMC11176559 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.05.012] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Observational studies suggested that leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is shortened in COVID-19 patients. However, the genetic association and causality remained unknown. Methods Based on the genome-wide association of LTL (N = 472,174) and COVID-19 phenotypes (N = 1086,211-2597,856), LDSC and SUPERGNOVA were used to estimate the genetic correlation. Cross-trait GWAS meta-analysis, colocalization, fine-mapping analysis, and transcriptome-wide association study were conducted to explore the shared genetic etiology. Mendelian randomization (MR) was utilized to infer the causality. Upstream and downstream two-step MR was performed to investigate the potential mediating effects. Results LDSC identified a significant genetic association between LTL and all COVID-19 phenotypes (rG < 0, p < 0.05). Six significant regions were observed for LTL and COVID-19 susceptibility and hospitalization, respectively. Colocalization analysis found rs144204502, rs34517439, and rs56255908 were shared causal variants between LTL and COVID-19 phenotypes. Numerous biological pathways associated with LTL and COVID-19 outcomes were identified, mainly involved in -immune-related pathways. MR showed that longer LTL was significantly associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 severity (OR [95% CI] = 0.81 [0.71-0.92], p = 1.24 ×10-3) and suggestively associated with lower risks of COVID-19 susceptibility (OR [95% CI] = 0.96 [0.92-1.00], p = 3.44 ×10-2) and COVID-19 hospitalization (OR [95% CI] = 0.89 [0.80-0.98], p = 1.89 ×10-2). LTL partially mediated the effects of BMI, smoking, and education on COVID-19 outcomes. Furthermore, six proteins partially mediated the causality of LTL on COVID-19 outcomes, including BNDF, QPCT, FAS, MPO, SFTPB, and APOF. Conclusions Our findings suggested that shorter LTL was genetically associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 phenotypes, with shared genetic etiology and potential causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jie Wen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ziyu Dai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ruoyan Lei
- Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhixiong Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Luo Peng
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hypothalamic Pituitary Research Centre, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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2
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Kieronska-Rudek A, Kij A, Bar A, Kurpinska A, Mohaissen T, Grosicki M, Stojak M, Sternak M, Buczek E, Proniewski B, Kuś K, Suraj-Prazmowska J, Panek A, Pietrowska M, Zapotoczny S, Shanahan CM, Szabo C, Chlopicki S. Phylloquinone improves endothelial function, inhibits cellular senescence, and vascular inflammation. GeroScience 2024; 46:4909-4935. [PMID: 38980631 PMCID: PMC11336140 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01225-w] [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: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Phylloquinon (PK) and menaquinones (MK) are both naturally occurring compounds belonging to vitamin K group. Present study aimed to comprehensively analyze the influence of PK in several models of vascular dysfunction to determine whether PK has vasoprotective properties, similar to those previously described for MK. Effects of PK and MK on endothelial dysfunction were studied in ApoE/LDLR-/- mice in vivo, in the isolated aorta incubated with TNF, and in vascular cells as regard inflammation and cell senescence (including replicative and stress-induced models of senescence). Moreover, the vascular conversion of exogenous vitamins to endogenous MK-4 was analyzed. PK, as well as MK, given for 8 weeks in diet (10 mg/kg) resulted in comparable improvement in endothelial function in the ApoE/LDLR-/- mice. Similarly, PK and MK prevented TNF-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in the isolated aorta. In in vitro studies in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells, we identified that both PK and MK displayed anti-senescence effects via decreasing DNA damage while in endothelial cells anti-inflammatory activity was ascribed to the modulation of NFκB activation. The activity of PK and MK was comparable in terms of their effect on senescence and inflammation. Presence of endogenous synthesis of MK-4 from PK in aorta and endothelial and smooth muscle cells suggests a possible involvement of MK in vascular effects of PK. In conclusion, PK and MK display comparable vasoprotective effects, which may be ascribed, at least in part, to the inhibition of cell senescence and inflammation. The vasoprotective effect of PK in the vessel wall can be related to the direct effects of PK, as well as to the action of MK formed from PK in the vascular wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kieronska-Rudek
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
- Chair of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
- Chair of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Agnieszka Kij
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Bar
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Kurpinska
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Tasnim Mohaissen
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marek Grosicki
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marta Stojak
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Sternak
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Buczek
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Bartosz Proniewski
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Kamil Kuś
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Joanna Suraj-Prazmowska
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Panek
- Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Monika Pietrowska
- Centre for Translational Research and Molecular Biology of Cancer, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Gliwice, Poland
| | - Szczepan Zapotoczny
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Catherine M Shanahan
- School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine and Sciences, James Black Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Csaba Szabo
- Chair of Pharmacology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Chlopicki
- Jagiellonian Centre for Experimental Therapeutics (JCET), Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
- Chair of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
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3
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Larsson P, De Rosa MC, Righino B, Olsson M, Florea BI, Forssell-Aronsson E, Kovács A, Karlsson P, Helou K, Parris TZ. Integrated transcriptomics- and structure-based drug repositioning identifies drugs with proteasome inhibitor properties. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18772. [PMID: 39138277 PMCID: PMC11322189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69465-6] [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: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Computational pharmacogenomics can potentially identify new indications for already approved drugs and pinpoint compounds with similar mechanism-of-action. Here, we used an integrated drug repositioning approach based on transcriptomics data and structure-based virtual screening to identify compounds with gene signatures similar to three known proteasome inhibitors (PIs; bortezomib, MG-132, and MLN-2238). In vitro validation of candidate compounds was then performed to assess proteasomal proteolytic activity, accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, cell viability, and drug-induced expression in A375 melanoma and MCF7 breast cancer cells. Using this approach, we identified six compounds with PI properties ((-)-kinetin-riboside, manumycin-A, puromycin dihydrochloride, resistomycin, tegaserod maleate, and thapsigargin). Although the docking scores pinpointed their ability to bind to the β5 subunit, our in vitro study revealed that these compounds inhibited the β1, β2, and β5 catalytic sites to some extent. As shown with bortezomib, only manumycin-A, puromycin dihydrochloride, and tegaserod maleate resulted in excessive accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and elevated HMOX1 expression. Taken together, our integrated drug repositioning approach and subsequent in vitro validation studies identified six compounds demonstrating properties similar to proteasome inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Larsson
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Maria Cristina De Rosa
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies "Giulio Natta" (SCITEC)-CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Benedetta Righino
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies "Giulio Natta" (SCITEC)-CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Maxim Olsson
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bogdan Iulius Florea
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry and Netherlands Proteomics Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eva Forssell-Aronsson
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Medical Radiation Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anikó Kovács
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Per Karlsson
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Khalil Helou
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Toshima Z Parris
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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4
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Dutta D, Guo X, Winter TD, Jahagirdar O, Ha E, Susztak K, Machiela MJ, Chanock SJ, Purdue MP. Transcriptome- and proteome-wide association studies identify genes associated with renal cell carcinoma. Am J Hum Genet 2024:S0002-9297(24)00256-8. [PMID: 39137781 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
We performed a series of integrative analyses including transcriptome-wide association studies (TWASs) and proteome-wide association studies (PWASs) of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to nominate and prioritize molecular targets for laboratory investigation. On the basis of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 29,020 affected individuals and 835,670 control individuals and prediction models trained in transcriptomic reference models, our TWAS across four kidney transcriptomes (GTEx kidney cortex, kidney tubules, TCGA-KIRC [The Cancer Genome Atlas kidney renal clear-cell carcinoma], and TCGA-KIRP [TCGA kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma]) identified 38 gene associations (false-discovery rate <5%) in at least two of four transcriptomic panels and identified 12 genes that were independent of GWAS susceptibility regions. Analyses combining TWAS associations across 48 tissues from GTEx identified associations that were replicable in tumor transcriptomes for 23 additional genes. Analyses by the two major histologic types (clear-cell RCC and papillary RCC) revealed subtype-specific associations, although at least three gene associations were common to both subtypes. PWAS identified 13 associated proteins, all mapping to GWAS-significant loci. TWAS-identified genes were enriched for active enhancer or promoter regions in RCC tumors and hypoxia-inducible factor binding sites in relevant cell lines. Using gene expression correlation, common cancers (breast and prostate) and RCC risk factors (e.g., hypertension and BMI) display genetic contributions shared with RCC. Our work identifies potential molecular targets for RCC susceptibility for downstream functional investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diptavo Dutta
- Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Xinyu Guo
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Timothy D Winter
- Laboratory of Genetic Susceptibility, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Om Jahagirdar
- Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Eunji Ha
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katalin Susztak
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mitchell J Machiela
- Integrative Tumor Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Stephen J Chanock
- Laboratory of Genetic Susceptibility, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Mark P Purdue
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
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5
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Liu L, Sun P, Zhang W. A pan-cancer interrogation of intronic polyadenylation and its association with cancer characteristics. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae376. [PMID: 39082645 PMCID: PMC11289681 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024] Open
Abstract
3'UTR-APAs have been extensively studied, but intronic polyadenylations (IPAs) remain largely unexplored. We characterized the profiles of 22 260 IPAs in 9679 patient samples across 32 cancer types from the Cancer Genome Atlas cohort. By comparing tumor and paired normal tissues, we identified 180 ~ 4645 dysregulated IPAs in 132 ~ 2249 genes in each of 690 patient tumors from 22 cancer types that showed consistent patterns within individual cancer types. We selected 2741 genes that showed consistently patterns across cancer types, including 1834 pan-cancer tumor-enriched and 907 tumor-depleted IPA genes; the former were amply represented in the functional pathways such as deoxyribonucleic acid damage repair. Expression of IPA isoforms was associated with tumor mutation burden and patient characteristics (e.g. sex, race, cancer stages, and subtypes) in cancer-specific and feature-specific manners, and could be a more accurate prognostic marker than gene expression (summary of all isoforms). In summary, our study reveals the roles and the clinical relevance of tumor-associated IPAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Liu
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States
- Center for Cancer Genomics and Precision Oncology, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States
| | - Peiqing Sun
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States
- Center for Cancer Genomics and Precision Oncology, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States
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Zoltsman G, Dang TL, Kuchersky M, Faust O, Silva MS, Ilani T, Wentink AS, Bukau B, Rosenzweig R. A unique chaperoning mechanism in class A JDPs recognizes and stabilizes mutant p53. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1512-1526.e9. [PMID: 38508184 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.02.018] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
J-domain proteins (JDPs) constitute a large family of molecular chaperones that bind a broad spectrum of substrates, targeting them to Hsp70, thus determining the specificity of and activating the entire chaperone functional cycle. The malfunction of JDPs is therefore inextricably linked to myriad human disorders. Here, we uncover a unique mechanism by which chaperones recognize misfolded clients, present in human class A JDPs. Through a newly identified β-hairpin site, these chaperones detect changes in protein dynamics at the initial stages of misfolding, prior to exposure of hydrophobic regions or large structural rearrangements. The JDPs then sequester misfolding-prone proteins into large oligomeric assemblies, protecting them from aggregation. Through this mechanism, class A JDPs bind destabilized p53 mutants, preventing clearance of these oncoproteins by Hsp70-mediated degradation, thus promoting cancer progression. Removal of the β-hairpin abrogates this protective activity while minimally affecting other chaperoning functions. This suggests the class A JDP β-hairpin as a highly specific target for cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Zoltsman
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 761000, Israel
| | - Thi Lieu Dang
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), DKFZ-ZMBH-Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
| | - Miriam Kuchersky
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 761000, Israel
| | - Ofrah Faust
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 761000, Israel
| | - Micael S Silva
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 761000, Israel
| | - Tal Ilani
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 761000, Israel
| | - Anne S Wentink
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), DKFZ-ZMBH-Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, Heidelberg 69120, Germany; Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333CC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Bernd Bukau
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), DKFZ-ZMBH-Alliance, Im Neuenheimer Feld 282, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
| | - Rina Rosenzweig
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 761000, Israel.
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Kunachowicz D, Król-Kulikowska M, Raczycka W, Sleziak J, Błażejewska M, Kulbacka J. Heat Shock Proteins, a Double-Edged Sword: Significance in Cancer Progression, Chemotherapy Resistance and Novel Therapeutic Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1500. [PMID: 38672583 PMCID: PMC11048091 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16081500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are involved in one of the adaptive mechanisms protecting cells against environmental and metabolic stress. Moreover, the large role of these proteins in the carcinogenesis process, as well as in chemoresistance, was noticed. This review aims to draw attention to the possibilities of using Hsps in developing new cancer therapy methods, as well as to indicate directions for future research on this topic. In order to discuss this matter, a thorough review of the latest scientific literature was carried out, taking into account the importance of selected proteins from the Hsp family, including Hsp27, Hsp40, Hsp60, Hsp70, Hsp90 and Hsp110. One of the more characteristic features of all Hsps is that they play a multifaceted role in cancer progression, which makes them an obvious target for modern anticancer therapy. Some researchers emphasize the importance of directly inhibiting the action of these proteins. In turn, others point to their possible use in the design of cancer vaccines, which would work by inducing an immune response in various types of cancer. Due to these possibilities, it is believed that the use of Hsps may contribute to the progress of oncoimmunology, and thus help in the development of modern anticancer therapies, which would be characterized by higher effectiveness and lower toxicity to the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Kunachowicz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211A, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland; (D.K.); (M.K.-K.)
| | - Magdalena Król-Kulikowska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211A, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland; (D.K.); (M.K.-K.)
| | - Wiktoria Raczycka
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (W.R.); (J.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Jakub Sleziak
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (W.R.); (J.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Marta Błażejewska
- Faculty of Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, Pasteura 1, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland; (W.R.); (J.S.); (M.B.)
| | - Julita Kulbacka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211A, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland
- Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine Santariškių g. 5, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania
- DIVE IN AI, 53-307 Wroclaw, Poland
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8
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Fayazzadeh S, Ghorbaninejad M, Rabbani A, Zahiri J, Meyfour A. Predictive three-biomarker panel in peripheral blood mononuclear cells for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7527. [PMID: 38553531 PMCID: PMC10980807 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58158-9] [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: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks among the most prevalent cancers and accounts for a significant proportion of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. This disease, marked by multifaceted etiology, often poses diagnostic challenges. Finding a reliable and non-invasive diagnostic method seems to be necessary. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression profiles of 20 HCC patients, 12 individuals with chronic hepatitis, and 15 healthy controls. Enrichment analysis revealed that platelet aggregation, secretory granule lumen, and G-protein-coupled purinergic nucleotide receptor activity were common biological processes, cellular components, and molecular function in HCC and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) compared to healthy controls, respectively. Furthermore, pathway analysis demonstrated that "estrogen response" was involved in the pathogenesis of HCC and CHB conditions, while, "apoptosis" and "coagulation" pathways were specific for HCC. Employing computational feature selection and logistic regression classification, we identified candidate genes pivotal for diagnostic panel development and evaluated the performance of these panels. Subsequent machine learning evaluations assessed these panels' performance in an independent cohort. Remarkably, a 3-marker panel, comprising RANSE2, TNF-α, and MAP3K7, demonstrated the best performance in qRT-PCR-validated experimental data, achieving 98.4% accuracy and an area under the curve of 1. Our findings highlight this panel's promising potential as a non-invasive approach not only for detecting HCC but also for distinguishing HCC from CHB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Fayazzadeh
- Bioinformatics and Computational Omics Lab (BioCOOL), Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Ghorbaninejad
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirhassan Rabbani
- Department of Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Zahiri
- Bioinformatics and Computational Omics Lab (BioCOOL), Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Anna Meyfour
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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9
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Yeyeodu S, Hanafi D, Webb K, Laurie NA, Kimbro KS. Population-enriched innate immune variants may identify candidate gene targets at the intersection of cancer and cardio-metabolic disease. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 14:1286979. [PMID: 38577257 PMCID: PMC10991756 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1286979] [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: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Both cancer and cardio-metabolic disease disparities exist among specific populations in the US. For example, African Americans experience the highest rates of breast and prostate cancer mortality and the highest incidence of obesity. Native and Hispanic Americans experience the highest rates of liver cancer mortality. At the same time, Pacific Islanders have the highest death rate attributed to type 2 diabetes (T2D), and Asian Americans experience the highest incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cancers induced by infectious agents. Notably, the pathologic progression of both cancer and cardio-metabolic diseases involves innate immunity and mechanisms of inflammation. Innate immunity in individuals is established through genetic inheritance and external stimuli to respond to environmental threats and stresses such as pathogen exposure. Further, individual genomes contain characteristic genetic markers associated with one or more geographic ancestries (ethnic groups), including protective innate immune genetic programming optimized for survival in their corresponding ancestral environment(s). This perspective explores evidence related to our working hypothesis that genetic variations in innate immune genes, particularly those that are commonly found but unevenly distributed between populations, are associated with disparities between populations in both cancer and cardio-metabolic diseases. Identifying conventional and unconventional innate immune genes that fit this profile may provide critical insights into the underlying mechanisms that connect these two families of complex diseases and offer novel targets for precision-based treatment of cancer and/or cardio-metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Yeyeodu
- Julius L Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Institute (JLC-BBRI), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
- Charles River Discovery Services, Morrisville, NC, United States
| | - Donia Hanafi
- Julius L Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Institute (JLC-BBRI), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Kenisha Webb
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Nikia A. Laurie
- Julius L Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Institute (JLC-BBRI), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - K. Sean Kimbro
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Zhang Z, Ju M, Tang Z, He Z, Hua S. DNAJC8: a prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1289548. [PMID: 38274804 PMCID: PMC10808467 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1289548] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer, accounting for ~90% of the total cases. DnaJ heat shock protein family member C8 (DNAJC8), belonging to the heat shock protein 40 (HSP40) family, is known to regulate cancer biology function. However, the role of DNAJC8 on HCC development remains unknown. Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas, GTEx, cBioPortal, and Human Protein Atlas were used to analyze the expression and clinical significance of DNAJC8 in HCC. Two HCC cell lines, MHCC-97H and Huh-7, were utilized to determine the biological function of DNAJC8. Results DNAJC8 expression was upregulated in HCC tissues and correlated with poor clinical prognosis. It was closely related to spliceosome, nucleocytoplasmic transport, and cell cycle and might be involved in the formation of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. Knockdown of DNAJC8 severely inhibited HCC cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. Conclusion Our study demonstrate that DNAJC8 functions as an oncogene in HCC and hence may be used as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Shengni Hua
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhuhai People’s Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
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Li K, Ye X, Xu M, Xu C, Lu P, Li J, Yuan G, Zhang C. MiR-23a-3p alleviates cigarette smoke extract-induced pulmonary vascular endothelial cell apoptosis by targeting DNAJB1 in emphysema. THE CLINICAL RESPIRATORY JOURNAL 2023; 17:1223-1232. [PMID: 37828807 PMCID: PMC10730501 DOI: 10.1111/crj.13707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cigarette smoke (CS) is an important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including emphysema. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of emphysema progression. However, miR-23a-3p role in emphysema is unclear. METHODS CS exposure was used to construct emphysema mice models, and cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced pulmonary vascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were used to mimic emphysema cell models. Mouse lung tissue was stained by immunohistochemical staining, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and TUNEL staining. MiR-23a-3p and DnaJ homolog subfamily B member 1 (DNAJB1) levels were tested using quantitative real-time PCR. DNAJB1 and apoptosis-related markers' protein levels were examined via western blot analysis. Cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed by MTT assay and flow cytometry. The interaction between miR-23a-3p and DNAJB1 was evaluated by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay. RESULTS MiR-23a-3p was downregulated, and DNAJB1 was upregulated in CS-induced emphysema mice models and CSE-induced PMVECs. MiR-23a-3p overexpression promoted viability and repressed apoptosis in CSE-induced PMVECs. MiR-23a-3p targeted DNAJB1 and negatively regulated DNAJB1 expression. Moreover, DNAJB1 knockdown repressed CSE-induced PMVECs apoptosis, and miR-23a-3p inhibitor reversed this effect. Additionally, miR-23a-3p alleviated lung tissue injury and improved emphysema in mice by reducing DNAJB1 expression. CONCLUSION MiR-23a-3p alleviated emphysema progression, which could inhibit CSE-induced PMVECs apoptosis by targeting DNAJB1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicineGuizhou Provincial People's HospitalGuiyang CityPeople's Republic of China
| | - Xianwei Ye
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicineGuizhou Provincial People's HospitalGuiyang CityPeople's Republic of China
| | - Mei Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicineGuizhou Provincial People's HospitalGuiyang CityPeople's Republic of China
| | - Chuan Xu
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryGuizhou Provincial People's HospitalGuiyang CityPeople's Republic of China
| | - Ping Lu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicineGuizhou Provincial People's HospitalGuiyang CityPeople's Republic of China
| | - Jiayi Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicineGuizhou Provincial People's HospitalGuiyang CityPeople's Republic of China
| | - Guohang Yuan
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicineGuizhou Provincial People's HospitalGuiyang CityPeople's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care MedicineGuizhou Provincial People's HospitalGuiyang CityPeople's Republic of China
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