1
|
Garcia-Borja E, Siegl F, Mateu R, Slaby O, Sedo A, Busek P, Sana J. Critical appraisal of the piRNA-PIWI axis in cancer and cancer stem cells. Biomark Res 2024; 12:15. [PMID: 38303021 PMCID: PMC10836005 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00563-3] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Small noncoding RNAs play an important role in various disease states, including cancer. PIWI proteins, a subfamily of Argonaute proteins, and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) were originally described as germline-specific molecules that inhibit the deleterious activity of transposable elements. However, several studies have suggested a role for the piRNA-PIWI axis in somatic cells, including somatic stem cells. Dysregulated expression of piRNAs and PIWI proteins in human tumors implies that, analogously to their roles in undifferentiated cells under physiological conditions, these molecules may be important for cancer stem cells and thus contribute to cancer progression. We provide an overview of piRNA biogenesis and critically review the evidence for the role of piRNA-PIWI axis in cancer stem cells. In addition, we examine the potential of piRNAs and PIWI proteins to become biomarkers in cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Garcia-Borja
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, U Nemocnice 478/5, Prague 2, 128 53, Czech Republic
| | - Frantisek Siegl
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Rosana Mateu
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, U Nemocnice 478/5, Prague 2, 128 53, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Slaby
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Aleksi Sedo
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, U Nemocnice 478/5, Prague 2, 128 53, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Busek
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, U Nemocnice 478/5, Prague 2, 128 53, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiri Sana
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, 625 00, Czech Republic.
- Department of Comprehensive Cancer Care, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wu Z, Yu X, Zhang S, He Y, Guo W. Novel roles of PIWI proteins and PIWI-interacting RNAs in human health and diseases. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:343. [PMID: 38031146 PMCID: PMC10685540 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01368-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-coding RNA has aroused great research interest recently, they play a wide range of biological functions, such as regulating cell cycle, cell proliferation, and intracellular substance metabolism. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are emerging small non-coding RNAs that are 24-31 nucleotides in length. Previous studies on piRNAs were mainly limited to evaluating the binding to the PIWI protein family to play the biological role. However, recent studies have shed more lights on piRNA functions; aberrant piRNAs play unique roles in many human diseases, including diverse lethal cancers. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of piRNAs expression and the specific functional roles of piRNAs in human diseases is crucial for developing its clinical applications. Presently, research on piRNAs mainly focuses on their cancer-specific functions but lacks investigation of their expressions and epigenetic modifications. This review discusses piRNA's biogenesis and functional roles and the recent progress of functions of piRNA/PIWI protein complexes in human diseases. Video Abstract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Shuijun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Yuting He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Taverna S, Masucci A, Cammarata G. PIWI-RNAs Small Noncoding RNAs with Smart Functions: Potential Theranostic Applications in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3912. [PMID: 37568728 PMCID: PMC10417041 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153912] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
P-element-induced wimpy testis (PIWI)-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a new class of small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that bind components of the PIWI protein family. piRNAs are specifically expressed in different human tissues and regulate important signaling pathways. Aberrant expressions of piRNAs and PIWI proteins have been associated with tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Recent studies reported that piRNAs are contained in extracellular vesicles (EVs), nanosized lipid particles, with key roles in cell-cell communication. EVs contain several bioactive molecules, such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, including emerging ncRNAs. EVs are one of the components of liquid biopsy (LB) a non-invasive method for detecting specific molecular biomarkers in liquid samples. LB could become a crucial tool for cancer diagnosis with piRNAs as biomarkers in a precision oncology approach. This review summarizes the current findings on the roles of piRNAs in different cancer types, focusing on potential theranostic applications of piRNAs contained in EVs (EV-piRNAs). Their roles as non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and as new therapeutic options have been also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simona Taverna
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Anna Masucci
- Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Clinical Molecular Medicine, Laboratory Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Cammarata
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
A Novel PiRNA Enhances CA19-9 Sensitivity for Pancreatic Cancer Identification by Liquid Biopsy. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11247310. [PMID: 36555927 PMCID: PMC9784851 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11247310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest tumours worldwide, and its poor prognosis is due to an inability to detect the disease at the early stages, thereby creating an urgent need to develop non-invasive biomarkers. P-element-induced wimpy testis (PIWI) proteins work together with piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) to perform epigenetic regulation and as such hold great potential as biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. PIWIL2 and PIWIL4 are associated with better prognosis, while PIWIL1 and PIWIL3 involvement appears to be associated with carcinogenesis. We aimed to discover PIWIL3- and PIWIL4-modulated piRNAs and determine their potential mechanisms in pancreatic cancer and the clinical implications. PIWIL3 or PIWIL4 was downregulated in pancreatic cancer-derived cell lines or in a non-tumour cell line. Differentially expressed piRNAs were analysed by next generation sequencing of small RNA. Nine fresh-frozen samples from solid human pancreases (three healthy pancreases, three intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, and three early-stage pancreatic cancers) were included in the sequencing analysis. Two piRNAs associated with PIWIL3 (piR-168112 and piR-162725) were identified in the neoplastic cells; in untransformed samples, we identified one piRNA associated with PIWIL4 (pir-366845). After validation in pancreatic cancer-derived cell lines and one untransformed pancreatic cell line, these piRNAs were evaluated in plasma samples from healthy donors (n = 27) or patients with pancreatic cancer (n = 45). Interestingly, piR-162725 expression identified pancreatic cancer patients versus healthy donors in liquid biopsies. Moreover, the potential of the serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) biomarker to identify pancreatic cancer patients was greatly enhanced when combined with piR-162725 detection. The enhanced diagnostic potential for the early detection of pancreatic cancer in liquid biopsies of these new small non-coding RNAs will likely improve the prognosis and management of this deadly cancer.
Collapse
|
5
|
Zou W, Wang Z, Zhang X, Xu S, Wang F, Li L, Deng Z, Wang J, Pan K, Ge X, Li C, Liu R, Hu M. PIWIL4 and SUPT5H combine to predict prognosis and immune landscape in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:657. [PMID: 34876138 PMCID: PMC8649993 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02310-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a fatal primary liver cancer, and its long-term survival rate remains poor. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play an important role in critical cellular processes, failure of any one or more processes can lead to the development of multiple cancers. This study aimed to explore pivotal biomarkers and corresponding mechanisms to predict the prognosis of patients with ICC. Methods The transcriptomic and clinical information of patients were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Bioinformatic methods were used to identify survival-related and differentially-expressed biomarkers. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression levels of key biomarkers in independent real-world cohorts. Subsequently, a prognostic signature was constructed that effectively distinguished patients in the high- and low-risk groups. Independent prognosis analysis was used to verify the signature’s independent predictive capabilities, and two nomograms were developed to predict survival. Results PIWIL4 and SUPT5H were identified and considered as pivotal biomarkers, and the same expression trends of upregulation in ICC were also validated via qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in the separate real-world sample cohorts. The prognostic signature showed good predictive capabilities according to the area under the curve. The correlation of the biomarkers with the tumour microenvironment suggested that the high riskScore was positively related to the enrichment of resting natural killer cells and activated memory CD4 + T cells. Conclusion In the present study, we demonstrated that PIWIL4 and SUPT5H could be used as novel prognostic biomarkers to develop a prognostic signature. This study provides potential biomarkers of prognostic value for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02310-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Zou
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China.,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Zizheng Wang
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Xiuping Zhang
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Shuai Xu
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China.,School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Lincheng Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China.,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Zhaoda Deng
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China.,Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA, Key Laboratory of Digital Hepetobiliary Surgery, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Pan
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA, Key Laboratory of Digital Hepetobiliary Surgery, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Xinlan Ge
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA, Key Laboratory of Digital Hepetobiliary Surgery, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Chonghui Li
- Institute of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Chinese PLA, Key Laboratory of Digital Hepetobiliary Surgery, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Rong Liu
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China.
| | - Minggen Hu
- Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Medical Center of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No.28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100853, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Recent Advances in Pancreatic Neoplasms. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10204724. [PMID: 34682848 PMCID: PMC8540107 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10204724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
|
7
|
Xu JL, Guo Y. A comprehensive analysis of different gene classes in pancreatic cancer: SIGLEC15 may be a promising immunotherapeutic target. Invest New Drugs 2021; 40:58-67. [PMID: 34515878 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-021-01176-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal cancer types with an extremely poor diagnosis and prognosis. This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the relationships between PC and different gene classes. METHODS Numerous genes from different categories were selected from the UALCAN database. Expression and survival analysis of these genes were performed via GEPIA, starBase and Kaplan-Meier Plotter tools. The correlations between PC-related genes and frequently mutated genes in PC as well as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) infiltration levels were explored by TIMER tool. The associations between PC-related genes, immune checkpoints and 182 core cancer-intrinsic CTLs-evasion genes were analyzed by R software. Besides, KEGG analysis were performed for the PC-related genes. RESULTS 14 genes were identified to be highly expressed in pancreatic cancer and significantly associated with poor prognosis. Besides, high expression of these genes were observed in patients with KRAS or TP53 mutations. Most genes were significantly positively associated with immune checkpoint SIGLEC15, however, showed negative relations to PDCD1, CTLA4, LAG3, TIGIT, PDCD1LG2. In addition, all 14 genes exhibited close relationships with MDSC infiltration levels and various core cancer-intrinsic CTLs-evasion genes, especially DNTTIP1, FADD, ARF6, BCL2L1, CEP55, GALE, PDCD6IP, and RCE1. We also explored the most related pathways with these genes to further reveal the pathogenesis and metastatic mechanisms of PC. CONCLUSION Our study analyzed the relationships between 14 PC-related genes and pancreatic cancer from different angles, which may contribute to a better understanding of unsolved mystery in PC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Li Xu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Yong Guo
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 youdian road, shangcheng district, hangzhou city, zhejiang province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Martinez-Useros J, Martin-Galan M, Florez-Cespedes M, Garcia-Foncillas J. Epigenetics of Most Aggressive Solid Tumors: Pathways, Targets and Treatments. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3209. [PMID: 34198989 PMCID: PMC8267921 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Highly aggressive tumors are characterized by a highly invasive phenotype, and they display chemoresistance. Furthermore, some of the tumors lack expression of biomarkers for target therapies. This is the case of small-cell lung cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, glioblastoma, metastatic melanoma, and advanced ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, these patients show a low survival rate and most of the available drugs are ineffective. In this context, epigenetic modifications have emerged to provide the causes and potential treatments for such types of tumors. Methylation and hydroxymethylation of DNA, and histone modifications, are the most common targets of epigenetic therapy, to influence gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. These modifications could impact both oncogenes and tumor suppressor factors, which influence several molecular pathways such as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, WNT/β-catenin, PI3K-mTOR, MAPK, or mismatch repair machinery. However, epigenetic changes are inducible and reversible events that could be influenced by some environmental conditions, such as UV exposure, smoking habit, or diet. Changes in DNA methylation status and/or histone modification, such as acetylation, methylation or phosphorylation, among others, are the most important targets for epigenetic cancer therapy. Therefore, the present review aims to compile the basic information of epigenetic modifications, pathways and factors, and provide a rationale for the research and treatment of highly aggressive tumors with epigenetic drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Martinez-Useros
- Translational Oncology Division, OncoHealth Institute, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, Avenida Reyes Catolicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Mario Martin-Galan
- Translational Oncology Division, OncoHealth Institute, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, Avenida Reyes Catolicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | | | - Jesus Garcia-Foncillas
- Translational Oncology Division, OncoHealth Institute, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, Avenida Reyes Catolicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lee E, Lokman NA, Oehler MK, Ricciardelli C, Grutzner F. A Comprehensive Molecular and Clinical Analysis of the piRNA Pathway Genes in Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 13:cancers13010004. [PMID: 33374923 PMCID: PMC7792616 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Although ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most lethal gynecological cancers, its development and progression remain poorly understood. The piRNA pathway is important for transposon defense and genome stability. piRNA maturation and function involve a number of genes known as the piRNA pathway genes. These genes have recently been implicated in cancer development and progression but information about their role in OC is limited. Our work aimed to provide a better understanding of the roles of piRNA pathway genes in OC. Through analyzing changes in the abundance of 10 piRNA pathway genes, we discovered gene expression differences in benign vs. cancer, chemosensitive vs. chemoresistant and post hormone treatment in OC samples and cells. Furthermore, we observed the differential effects of these genes on patient survival and OC cell invasion. Overall, this work supports a role of the piRNA pathway genes in OC progression and encourages further study of their clinical relevance. Abstract Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most lethal gynecological malignancies, yet molecular mechanisms underlying its origin and progression remain poorly understood. With increasing reports of piRNA pathway deregulation in various cancers, we aimed to better understand its role in OC through a comprehensive analysis of key genes: PIWIL1-4, DDX4, HENMT1, MAEL, PLD6, TDRD1,9 and mutants of PIWIL1 (P1∆17) and PIWIL2 (PL2L60). High-throughput qRT-PCR (n = 45) and CSIOVDB (n = 3431) showed differential gene expression when comparing benign ovarian tumors, low grade OC and high grade serous OC (HGSOC). Significant correlation of disparate piRNA pathway gene expression levels with better progression free, post-progression free and overall survival suggests a complex role of this pathway in OC. We discovered PIWIL3 expression in chemosensitive but not chemoresistant primary HGSOC cells, providing a potential target against chemoresistant disease. As a first, we revealed that follicle stimulating hormone increased PIWIL2 expression in OV-90 cells. PIWIL1, P1∆17, PIWIL2, PL2L60 and MAEL overexpression in vitro and in vivo decreased motility and invasion of OVCAR-3 and OV-90 cells. Interestingly, P1∆17 and PL2L60, induced increased motility and invasion compared to PIWIL1 and PIWIL2. Our results in HGSOC highlight the intricate role piRNA pathway genes play in the development of malignant neoplasms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eunice Lee
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia;
| | - Noor A. Lokman
- Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (N.A.L.); (M.K.O.)
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
| | - Martin K. Oehler
- Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (N.A.L.); (M.K.O.)
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
- Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Carmela Ricciardelli
- Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (N.A.L.); (M.K.O.)
- Correspondence: (C.R.); (F.G.); Tel.: +61-8-8313-8255 (C.R.); +61-8-8313-4812 (F.G.)
| | - Frank Grutzner
- Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia;
- Correspondence: (C.R.); (F.G.); Tel.: +61-8-8313-8255 (C.R.); +61-8-8313-4812 (F.G.)
| |
Collapse
|