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Liu J, Zhang F, Wang J, Wang Y. MicroRNA‑mediated regulation in lung adenocarcinoma: Signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications (Review). Oncol Rep 2023; 50:211. [PMID: 37859595 PMCID: PMC10603552 DOI: 10.3892/or.2023.8648] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) poses a significant global health burden owing to its high incidence rate and unfavorable prognosis, driven by frequent recurrence and drug resistance. Understanding the biological mechanisms underlying LUAD is imperative to developing advanced therapeutic strategies. Recent research has highlighted the role of dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in LUAD progression through diverse signaling pathways, including the Wnt and AKT pathways. Of particular interest is the novel pathological mechanism involving the interaction between competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and miRNAs. This review critically analyzed the impact of aberrant miRNA expression on LUAD development, shedding light on the associated signaling pathways. It also highlighted the emerging significance of ceRNA‑miRNA interactions in LUAD pathogenesis. Elucidating the intricate regulatory networks involving miRNAs and ceRNAs presents a promising avenue for the development of potential therapeutic interventions and diagnostic biomarkers in LUAD. Further research in this area is essential to advance precision medicine approaches and improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiye Liu
- Department of Family Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, P.R. China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huludao Central Hospital, Huludao, Liaoning 125000, P.R. China
| | - Fei Zhang
- Department of Family Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, P.R. China
| | - Jiahe Wang
- Department of Family Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, P.R. China
| | - Yibing Wang
- Department of Urology Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110000, P.R. China
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Zuo M, Yao L, Wen L, Shen J, Zhang N, Bai T, Huang Q. The expression of miRNA-216b is negatively correlated with 18F-FDG uptake in non-small cell lung cancer. World J Surg Oncol 2021; 19:262. [PMID: 34470640 PMCID: PMC8411519 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-021-02376-2] [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: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study aimed to investigate the correlation between miRNA-216b expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake by PET/CT and to explore the clinical application value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in miRNA-216b based on therapy for NSCLC. Methods Eighty patients with NSCLC and 40 healthy subjects were enrolled in our study. The SUVmax of the lesion area by PET/CT imaging was calculated. SUVmax represented the highest concentration of 18F-FDG in the lesion. The expression of miRNA-216b in the plasma and fiber bronchoscopic puncture of NSCLC patients was detected by RT qPCR. Then Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between miRNA-216b expression and 18F-FDG uptake in patients with different types of NSCLC. Results Compared with healthy subjects, SUVmax of early adenocarcinoma and advanced adenocarcinoma were increased. Compared with healthy subjects, SUVmax of early squamous and advanced squamous were increased. And the SUVmax content of advanced adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma was higher than that of early adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Compared with healthy subjects, the expression of miRNA-216b in the plasma of patients with early and advanced adenocarcinoma was reduced, and the expression of miRNA-216b in the plasma of patients with early and advanced squamous cell carcinoma was reduced. Compared with adjacent tissues, the expression of miRNA-216b in early adenocarcinoma tissues and advanced adenocarcinoma tissues was reduced, and the expression in early squamous cell carcinoma and advanced squamous cell carcinoma was reduced. Pearson correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between SUVmax and miRNA-216b (plasma and tissue) in patients with four types of NSCLC. Conclusion miRNA-216b expression was negatively correlated with 18F-FDG uptake in NSCLC. miRNA-216b could be used for the classification and staging of non-small cell lung cancer. 18F-FDG PET/CT may be used to evaluate the therapeutic response in application of miRNA-216b-based cancer treatment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-021-02376-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfei Zuo
- Imaging Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University, No. 27 Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161002, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Lan Yao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, 161002, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Lijuan Wen
- Imaging Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University, No. 27 Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161002, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jianfei Shen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, 161002, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Imaging Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University, No. 27 Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161002, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Tian Bai
- Imaging Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University, No. 27 Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161002, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Qicheng Huang
- Imaging Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University, No. 27 Taishun Street, Tiefeng District, Qiqihar, 161002, Heilongjiang, China.
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Huang H, Lee MH, Liu K, Dong Z, Ryoo Z, Kim MO. PBK/TOPK: An Effective Drug Target with Diverse Therapeutic Potential. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13092232. [PMID: 34066486 PMCID: PMC8124186 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide, and addressing its morbidity, mortality, and prevalence is the first step towards appropriate control measures. Over the past several decades, many pharmacologists have worked to identify anti-cancer targets and drug development strategies. Within this timeframe, many natural compounds have been developed to inhibit cancer growth by targeting kinases, such as AKT, AURKA, and TOPK. Kinase assays and computer modeling are considered to be effective and powerful tools for target screening, as they can predict physical interactions between small molecules and their bio-molecular targets. In the present review, we summarize the inhibitors and compounds that target TOPK and describe its role in cancer progression. The extensive body of research that has investigated the contribution of TOPK to cancer suggests that it may be a promising target for cancer therapy. Abstract T-lymphokine-activated killer cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK, also known as PDZ-binding kinase or PBK) plays a crucial role in cell cycle regulation and mitotic progression. Abnormal overexpression or activation of TOPK has been observed in many cancers, including colorectal cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, and melanoma, and it is associated with increased development, dissemination, and poor clinical outcomes and prognosis in cancer. Moreover, TOPK phosphorylates p38, JNK, ERK, and AKT, which are involved in many cellular functions, and participates in the activation of multiple signaling pathways related to MAPK, PI3K/PTEN/AKT, and NOTCH1; thus, the direct or indirect interactions of TOPK make it a highly attractive yet elusive target for cancer therapy. Small molecule inhibitors targeting TOPK have shown great therapeutic potential in the treatment of cancer both in vitro and in vivo, even in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Therefore, targeting TOPK could be an important approach for cancer prevention and therapy. Thus, the purpose of the present review was to consider and analyze the role of TOPK as a drug target in cancer therapy and describe the recent findings related to its role in tumor development. Moreover, this review provides an overview of the current progress in the discovery and development of TOPK inhibitors, considering future clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Huang
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, ITRD, Kyungpook National University, Sangju 37224, Korea;
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou 450008, China; (K.L.); (Z.D.)
| | - Mee-Hyun Lee
- College of Korean Medicine, Dongshin University, Naju, Jeollanamdo 58245, Korea;
| | - Kangdong Liu
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou 450008, China; (K.L.); (Z.D.)
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Academy of Medical Science, College of Medical, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zigang Dong
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou 450008, China; (K.L.); (Z.D.)
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, The Academy of Medical Science, College of Medical, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zeayoung Ryoo
- School of Life Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
- Correspondence: (Z.R.); (M.O.K.); Tel.: +82-54-530-1234 (M.O.K.)
| | - Myoung Ok Kim
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, ITRD, Kyungpook National University, Sangju 37224, Korea;
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou 450008, China; (K.L.); (Z.D.)
- Correspondence: (Z.R.); (M.O.K.); Tel.: +82-54-530-1234 (M.O.K.)
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PBK/TOPK: A Therapeutic Target Worthy of Attention. Cells 2021; 10:cells10020371. [PMID: 33670114 PMCID: PMC7916869 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence supports the role of PDZ-binding kinase (PBK)/T-lymphokine-activated killer-cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK) in mitosis and cell-cycle progression of mitotically active cells, especially proliferative malignant cells. PBK/TOPK was confirmed to be associated with the development, progression, and metastasis of malignancies. Therefore, it is a potential therapeutic target in cancer therapy. Many studies have been conducted to explore the clinical applicability of potent PBK/TOPK inhibitors. However, PBK/TOPK has also been shown to be overexpressed in normal proliferative cells, including sperm and neural precursor cells in the subventricular zone of the adult brain, as well as under pathological conditions, such as ischemic tissues, including the heart, brain, and kidney, and plays important roles in their physiological functions, including proliferation and self-renewal. Thus, more research is warranted to further our understanding of PBK/TOPK inhibitors before we can consider their applicability in clinical practice. In this study, we first review the findings, general features, and signaling mechanisms involved in the regulation of mitosis and cell cycle. We then review the functions of PBK/TOPK in pathological conditions, including tumors and ischemic conditions in the heart, brain, and kidney. Finally, we summarize the advances in potent and selective inhibitors and describe the potential use of PBK/TOPK inhibitors in clinical settings.
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Lin A, Giuliano CJ, Palladino A, John KM, Abramowicz C, Yuan ML, Sausville EL, Lukow DA, Liu L, Chait AR, Galluzzo ZC, Tucker C, Sheltzer JM. Off-target toxicity is a common mechanism of action of cancer drugs undergoing clinical trials. Sci Transl Med 2020; 11:11/509/eaaw8412. [PMID: 31511426 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaw8412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 355] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ninety-seven percent of drug-indication pairs that are tested in clinical trials in oncology never advance to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. While lack of efficacy and dose-limiting toxicities are the most common causes of trial failure, the reason(s) why so many new drugs encounter these problems is not well understood. Using CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis, we investigated a set of cancer drugs and drug targets in various stages of clinical testing. We show that-contrary to previous reports obtained predominantly with RNA interference and small-molecule inhibitors-the proteins ostensibly targeted by these drugs are nonessential for cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, the efficacy of each drug that we tested was unaffected by the loss of its putative target, indicating that these compounds kill cells via off-target effects. By applying a genetic target-deconvolution strategy, we found that the mischaracterized anticancer agent OTS964 is actually a potent inhibitor of the cyclin-dependent kinase CDK11 and that multiple cancer types are addicted to CDK11 expression. We suggest that stringent genetic validation of the mechanism of action of cancer drugs in the preclinical setting may decrease the number of therapies tested in human patients that fail to provide any clinical benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Lin
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.,Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Christopher J Giuliano
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.,Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Ann Palladino
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Kristen M John
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.,Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Connor Abramowicz
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.,New York Institute of Technology, Glen Head, NY 11545, USA
| | - Monet Lou Yuan
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.,Syosset High School, Syosset, NY 11791, USA
| | - Erin L Sausville
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Devon A Lukow
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.,Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Luwei Liu
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.,Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | | | | | - Clara Tucker
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.,Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Jason M Sheltzer
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
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Wang X, Shi J, Niu Z, Wang J, Zhang W. MiR-216a-3p regulates the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells via targeting COPB2. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2020; 84:2014-2027. [PMID: 32619135 DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2020.1783197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Effect of miR-216a-3p on lung cancer hasn't been investigated. Here, we explored its effects on lung cancer. MiR-216a-3p expression in lung cancer tissues and cells was detected by RT-qPCR. The target gene of miR-216a-3p was predicted by bioinformatics and confirmed by luciferase-reporter assay. After transfection, cell viability, migration, invasion, proliferation, and apoptosis were detected by MTT, scratch, transwell, colony formation, and flow cytometry. The expressions of COPB2 and apoptosis-related factors were detected by RT-qPCR or western blot. MiR-216a-3p was low-expressed and COPB2 was high-expressed in lung cancer tissues and cells. MiR-216a-3p targeted COPB2 and regulated its expression. MiR-216a-3p inhibited lung cancer cell viability, migration, invasion, and proliferation, while promoted apoptosis. Effect of miR-216a-3p on lung cancer was reversed by COPB2. MiR-216a-3p regulated proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells via targeting COPB2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Wang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College , Changzhi, Shanxi, China
| | - Jialun Shi
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College , Changzhi, Shanxi, China
| | - Zhigao Niu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College , Changzhi, Shanxi, China
| | - Jianwu Wang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College , Changzhi, Shanxi, China
| | - Wenping Zhang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heping Hospital Affiliated to Changzhi Medical College , Changzhi, Shanxi, China
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Huo X, Sun H, Liu Q, Ma X, Peng P, Yu M, Zhang Y, Cao D, Shen K. Clinical and Expression Significance of AKT1 by Co-expression Network Analysis in Endometrial Cancer. Front Oncol 2019; 9:1147. [PMID: 31781484 PMCID: PMC6852383 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Endometrial cancer is one of the most common uterine cancers worldwide. AKT is reported to regulate progesterone receptor B dependent transcription and angiogenesis in endometrial cancer. However, the potential mechanisms of AKT in the tumor progression of endometrial cancer remain unclear. Methods: We used GSE72708 with gene expression profiles of AKT regulation from the GEO database. We performed GSEA analysis to explore pathway enrichments. We found that most upregulated enriched pathways in siAKT group were associated with acid metabolism and immune network. Endometrial cancer and various signaling pathways were downregulated enriched. Moreover, different molecular mechanism of regulation between progestin (R5020) and AKT was identified, which were related to VEGF signaling pathway. The hub genes were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of endometrial cancer tissues. Results: We screened out a total of 623 differentially expressed genes among different groups. According to weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) method, four distinct modules were identified. We found brown module showed a very high positive correlation with siAKT group and a very high negative correlation with R5020 group. A total of six hub genes including PBK, BIRC5, AURKA, GTSE1, KNSTRN, and PSMB10 were finally identified associated with AKT1. In addition, the data also shows that the higher expression of AKT1, GTSE1, BIRC5, AURKA, and KNSTRN is significantly associate with poor prognosis of endometrial cancer. Conclusion: Our study identified six hub genes related to the prognosis of endometrial cancer, which may provide new insights into the underlying biological mechanisms driving the tumorigenesis of endometrial cancer, especially in AKT1 regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Huo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hengzi Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangwen Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Peng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Dongyan Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Keng Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Baicalin suppresses lung cancer growth by targeting PDZ-binding kinase/T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase. Biosci Rep 2019; 39:BSR20181692. [PMID: 30898980 PMCID: PMC6454021 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20181692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Baicalin is the main bioactive component extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Baical Skullcap Root, and its anti-tumor activity has been studied in previous studies. PDZ-binding kinase/T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (PBK/TOPK), a serine/threonine protein kinase, is highly expressed in many cancer cells and stimulates the tumorigenic properties, and so, it is a pivotal target for agent to cure cancers. We reported for the first time that baicalin suppressed PBK/TOPK activities by directly binding with PBK/TOPK in vitro and in vivo. Ex vivo studies showed that baicalin suppressed PBK/TOPK activity in JB6 Cl41 cells and H441 lung cancer cells. Moreover, knockdown of PBK/TOPK in H441 cells decreased their sensitivity to baicalin. In vivo study indicated that injection of baicalin in H441 tumor-bearing mice effectively suppressed cancer growth. The PBK/TOPK downstream signaling molecules Histone H3 and ERK2 in tumor tissues were also decreased after baicalin treatment. Taken together, baicalin can inhibit proliferation of lung cancer cells as a PBK/TOPK inhibitor both in vitro and in vivo.
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Herbert KJ, Ashton TM, Prevo R, Pirovano G, Higgins GS. T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK): an emerging target for cancer-specific therapeutics. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:1089. [PMID: 30356039 PMCID: PMC6200809 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-1131-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
'Targeted' or 'biological' cancer treatments rely on differential gene expression between normal tissue and cancer, and genetic changes that render tumour cells especially sensitive to the agent being applied. Problems exist with the application of many agents as a result of damage to local tissues, tumour evolution and treatment resistance, or through systemic toxicity. Hence, there is a therapeutic need to uncover specific clinical targets which enhance the efficacy of cancer treatment whilst minimising the risk to healthy tissues. T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK) is a MAPKK-like kinase which plays a role in cell cycle regulation and mitotic progression. As a consequence, TOPK expression is minimal in differentiated cells, although its overexpression is a pathophysiological feature of many tumours. Hence, TOPK has garnered interest as a cancer-specific biomarker and biochemical target with the potential to enhance cancer therapy whilst causing minimal harm to normal tissues. Small molecule inhibitors of TOPK have produced encouraging results as a stand-alone treatment in vitro and in vivo, and are expected to advance into clinical trials in the near future. In this review, we present the current literature pertaining to TOPK as a potential clinical target and describe the progress made in uncovering its role in tumour development. Firstly, we describe the functional role of TOPK as a pro-oncogenic kinase, followed by a discussion of its potential as a target for the treatment of cancers with high-TOPK expression. Next, we provide an overview of the current preclinical progress in TOPK inhibitor discovery and development, with respect to future adaptation for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine J Herbert
- CRUK/MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
| | - Thomas M Ashton
- CRUK/MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Remko Prevo
- CRUK/MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Giacomo Pirovano
- Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Geoff S Higgins
- CRUK/MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
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