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Poli E, Barbon V, Lucchetta S, Cattelan M, Santoro L, Zin A, Milano GM, Zanetti I, Bisogno G, Bonvini P. Immunoreactivity against fibroblast growth factor 8 in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma patients and its involvement in tumor aggressiveness. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2096349. [PMID: 35813575 PMCID: PMC9262361 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2096349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is an aggressive pediatric soft tissue sarcoma characterized by a very poor prognosis when relapses occur after front-line therapy. Therefore, a major challenge for patients’ management remains the identification of markers associated with refractory and progressive disease. In this context, cancer autoantibodies are natural markers of disease onset and progression, useful to unveil novel therapeutic targets. Herein, we matched autoantibody profiling of alveolar RMS (ARMS) patients with genes under regulatory control of PAX3-FOXO1 transcription factor and revealed fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) as a novel ARMS tumor antigen of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic potential. We demonstrated that high levels of FGF8 autoantibodies distinguished ARMS patients from healthy subjects and represented an independent prognostic factor of better event-free survival. FGF8 was overexpressed in ARMS tumors compared to other types of pediatric soft tissue sarcomas, acting as a positive regulator of cell signaling. Indeed, FGF8 was capable of stimulating ARMS cells migration and expression of pro-angiogenic and metastasis-related factors, throughout MAPK signaling activation. Of note, FGF8 was found to increase in recurrent tumors, independently of PAX3-FOXO1 expression dynamics. Risk of recurrence correlated positively with FGF8 expression levels at diagnosis and reduced FGF8 autoantibodies titer, almost as if to suggest a failure of the immune response to control tumor growth in recurring patients. This study provides evidence about the crucial role of FGF8 in ARMS and the protective function of natural autoantibodies, giving new insights into ARMS biology and laying the foundations for the development of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Poli
- Department of Woman’s and Children’s Health Hematology and Oncology Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Vanessa Barbon
- Department of Woman’s and Children’s Health Hematology and Oncology Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Silvia Lucchetta
- Department of Woman’s and Children’s Health Hematology and Oncology Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Manuela Cattelan
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Luisa Santoro
- Department of Medicine, Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Angelica Zin
- Fondazione Città Della Speranza, Institute of Pediatric Research (IRP), Padua, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Maria Milano
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology and of Cell and Gene Therapy, Scientific Institute for Research and Healthcare (IRCCS), Bambino Gesù Childrens’ Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Zanetti
- Department of Woman’s and Children’s Health Hematology and Oncology Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Gianni Bisogno
- Department of Woman’s and Children’s Health Hematology and Oncology Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonvini
- Fondazione Città Della Speranza, Institute of Pediatric Research (IRP), Padua, Italy
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Ornitz DM, Itoh N. New developments in the biology of fibroblast growth factors. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1549. [PMID: 35142107 PMCID: PMC10115509 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family is composed of 18 secreted signaling proteins consisting of canonical FGFs and endocrine FGFs that activate four receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFRs 1-4) and four intracellular proteins (intracellular FGFs or iFGFs) that primarily function to regulate the activity of voltage-gated sodium channels and other molecules. The canonical FGFs, endocrine FGFs, and iFGFs have been reviewed extensively by us and others. In this review, we briefly summarize past reviews and then focus on new developments in the FGF field since our last review in 2015. Some of the highlights in the past 6 years include the use of optogenetic tools, viral vectors, and inducible transgenes to experimentally modulate FGF signaling, the clinical use of small molecule FGFR inhibitors, an expanded understanding of endocrine FGF signaling, functions for FGF signaling in stem cell pluripotency and differentiation, roles for FGF signaling in tissue homeostasis and regeneration, a continuing elaboration of mechanisms of FGF signaling in development, and an expanding appreciation of roles for FGF signaling in neuropsychiatric diseases. This article is categorized under: Cardiovascular Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Cancer > Stem Cells and Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Ornitz
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Nobuyuki Itoh
- Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sakyo, Kyoto, Japan
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Di Matteo A, Belloni E, Pradella D, Cappelletto A, Volf N, Zacchigna S, Ghigna C. Alternative splicing in endothelial cells: novel therapeutic opportunities in cancer angiogenesis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2020; 39:275. [PMID: 33287867 PMCID: PMC7720527 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01753-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is a pervasive molecular process generating multiple protein isoforms, from a single gene. It plays fundamental roles during development, differentiation and maintenance of tissue homeostasis, while aberrant AS is considered a hallmark of multiple diseases, including cancer. Cancer-restricted AS isoforms represent either predictive biomarkers for diagnosis/prognosis or targets for anti-cancer therapies. Here, we discuss the contribution of AS regulation in cancer angiogenesis, a complex process supporting disease development and progression. We consider AS programs acting in a specific and non-redundant manner to influence morphological and functional changes involved in cancer angiogenesis. In particular, we describe relevant AS variants or splicing regulators controlling either secreted or membrane-bound angiogenic factors, which may represent attractive targets for therapeutic interventions in human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Di Matteo
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elisa Belloni
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Davide Pradella
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Ambra Cappelletto
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Nina Volf
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Serena Zacchigna
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), 34149, Trieste, Italy. .,Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Claudia Ghigna
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, "Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100, Pavia, Italy.
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Liu H, Lin X, Huang T, Song L, Zhu C, Ma H, Long T, Zeng H, Li R, Wang H, Huang Y, Chen L, Wu X. A short peptide reverses the aggressive phenotype of prostate cancer cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2018; 838:129-137. [PMID: 30196111 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.09.013] [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: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have demonstrated that fibroblast growth factor 8b (FGF8b) is up-regulated in a large proportion of prostate cancer patients, and plays a key role in the aggressive progress of prostate cancer. Herein, we investigated the effects of a short peptide derived from the gN helix domain of FGF8b on the metastatic behaviors of prostate cancer cells. The results demonstrated that the synthetic peptide might reverse the effects of FGF8b on cell proliferation, migration and invasion by suppressing the activation of MAPK and Akt signaling cascades, and reducing the expressions of the metastasis-related proteins, resulting in suppression of the aggressive phenotype of the prostate cancer cells. Collectively, these results underline the therapeutic potential of the FGF8b mimic peptide in advanced prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjiao Liu
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Xiaomian Lin
- Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Tao Huang
- Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Li Song
- Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Cairong Zhu
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, China.
| | - Hongmin Ma
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Tianzhu Long
- Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Huixuan Zeng
- Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Rongzhen Li
- Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Heng Wang
- Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yishan Huang
- Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Liankuai Chen
- Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaoping Wu
- Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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