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Ko H, Ahn HJ, Kim YI. Methylation and mutation of the inhibin‑α gene in human melanoma cells and regulation of PTEN expression and AKT/PI3K signaling by a demethylating agent. Oncol Rep 2021; 47:37. [PMID: 34958114 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.8248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibin suppresses the pituitary secretion of follicle‑stimulating hormone and has been reported to act as a tumor suppressor gene in the gonad in mice. Epigenetic modifications, mutations, changes in the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of the inhibin‑α gene and regulation of gene expression in response to a demethylating agent [5‑aza‑2'‑deoxycytidine (5‑Aza‑dC)] in human melanoma cells were assessed. In addition, the association between a mutation in the 5'‑untranslated region (5'‑UTR) of the inhibin‑α subunit and the expression of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5‑trisphosphate‑dependent Rac exchanger 2 (PREX2) and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) as well as AKT/PI3K signaling was determined. The methylation status of the CpG sites of the inhibin‑α promoter was analyzed by methylation‑specific PCR in bisulfite‑treated DNA. Cell viability was counted using the trypan blue assay, mRNA expression was examined via reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, and protein expression was examined via western blot analysis. The inhibin‑α promoter was hypermethylated in G361, SK‑MEL‑3, SK‑MEL‑24 and SK‑MEL‑28 cells and moderately methylated in SK‑MEL‑5 cells. Inhibin‑α gene mutations were observed in the 5'‑UTR exon 1 of G361, SK‑MEL‑5, SK‑MEL‑24 and SK‑MEL‑28 cells as well as in exon 2 of SK‑MEL‑3 cells. Allelic imbalance, including LOH, in the inhibin‑α gene was detected in human melanoma cells. Treatment with 5‑Aza‑dC increased inhibin‑α mRNA and protein levels, inhibited cell proliferation, and delayed the doubling times of surviving melanoma cells. In 5‑Aza‑dC‑treated cells, PREX2 protein expression was slightly increased in G361 and SK‑MEL‑24 cells and decreased in SK‑MEL3, SK‑MEL‑5 and SK‑MEL‑28 cells. However, the protein expression of PTEN was decreased in melanoma cells. In addition, AKT and PI3K protein phosphorylation levels increased in all melanoma cells, except of G361 cells, demonstrating decreased PI3K protein phosphorylation. These data provided evidence that methylation, mutation and LOH are observed in the inhibin α‑subunit gene and gene locus in human melanoma cells. Furthermore, the demethylating agent reactivated inhibin‑α gene expression and regulated PREX2 expression. AKT/PI3K signaling increased as PTEN expression decreased. In addition, mutations in the tumor suppressor inhibin‑α, PTEN and p53 genes were not associated with transcriptional silencing, gene expression and cell growth as analyzed through experiments and literature reviews. These data demonstrated that methylation and mutations were associated with the inhibin‑α gene in human melanoma cells and indicated the regulation of PTEN expression and AKT/PI3K signaling by a demethylating agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunmin Ko
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Joon Ahn
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Il Kim
- Medical Science Research Institute, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Dongdaemun, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
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Mai Z, Liu Q, Wang X, Xie J, Yuan J, Zhong J, Fang S, Xie X, Yang H, Wen J, Fu J. Integration of Tumor Heterogeneity for Recurrence Prediction in Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13236084. [PMID: 34885197 PMCID: PMC8656931 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13236084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This manuscript reports a deep sequencing study comprehensively analyzing the clinical impact of mutations considering the abundance of mutations. We built an eight-gene mutation predictor considering intratumoral heterogeneity to predict post-surgery recurrence in ESCC patients. Unlike previous studies that simply treated mutations as binary variables (mutant and wild type), we quantified mutations by the fraction of cancer cells carrying the mutations, and our results showed that the cancer cell fraction of mutations was more informative than the mutation status of genes in recurrence prediction. The predictor was further validated as a powerful recurrence indicator in our validation set and the TCGA-ESCC cohort. With the popularization of targeted deep sequencing in clinical work, our study will help clinicians make accurate predictions of recurrence for patients and will provide a new perspective in the clinical transformation of genomic findings. Abstract Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the deadliest malignancies in China. The prognostic value of mutations, especially those in minor tumor clones, has not been systematically investigated. We conducted targeted deep sequencing to analyze the mutation status and the cancer cell fraction (CCF) of mutations in 201 ESCC patients. Our analysis showed that the prognostic effect of mutations was relevant to the CCF, and it should be considered in prognosis prediction. EP300 was a promising biomarker for overall survival, impairing prognosis in a CCF dose-dependent manner. We constructed a CCF-based predictor using a smooth clipped absolute deviation Cox model in the training set of 143 patients. The 3-year disease-free survival rates were 6.3% (95% CI: 1.6–23.9%), 29.8% (20.9–42.6%) and 70.5% (56.6–87.7%) in high-, intermediate- and low-risk patients, respectively, in the training set. The prognostic accuracy was verified in a validation set of 58 patients and the TCGA-ESCC cohort. The eight-gene model predicted prognosis independent of clinicopathological factors and the combination of our model and pathological staging markedly improved the prognostic accuracy of pathological staging alone. Our study describes a novel recurrence predictor for ESCC patients and provides a new perspective for the clinical translation of genomic findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihang Mai
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (Z.M.); (Q.L.); (X.W.); (J.Y.); (J.Z.); (S.F.); (H.Y.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Qianwen Liu
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (Z.M.); (Q.L.); (X.W.); (J.Y.); (J.Z.); (S.F.); (H.Y.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xinye Wang
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (Z.M.); (Q.L.); (X.W.); (J.Y.); (J.Z.); (S.F.); (H.Y.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jiaxin Xie
- School of Statistics, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China;
| | - Jianye Yuan
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (Z.M.); (Q.L.); (X.W.); (J.Y.); (J.Z.); (S.F.); (H.Y.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jian Zhong
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (Z.M.); (Q.L.); (X.W.); (J.Y.); (J.Z.); (S.F.); (H.Y.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Shuogui Fang
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (Z.M.); (Q.L.); (X.W.); (J.Y.); (J.Z.); (S.F.); (H.Y.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xiuying Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (Z.M.); (Q.L.); (X.W.); (J.Y.); (J.Z.); (S.F.); (H.Y.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jing Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Jianhua Fu
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (Z.M.); (Q.L.); (X.W.); (J.Y.); (J.Z.); (S.F.); (H.Y.)
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510060, China;
- Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangzhou 510060, China
- Correspondence: (J.W.); (J.F.)
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Hedayati MA, Ahmadi S, Servatyari K, Sheikhesmaeili F. PREX2 gene's expression in gastric antral epithelial cells of patients with H. pylori infection. ARQUIVOS DE GASTROENTEROLOGIA 2021; 58:353-358. [PMID: 34705970 DOI: 10.1590/s0004-2803.202100000-59] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Prex2 protein is a member of the Rac family proteins that belongs to small G proteins with a critical role in cell migration, cell proliferation, and apoptosis through its effects on PI3K cell signaling pathway and phosphatase activity of PTEN protein. The effect of PREX2 gene expression has been shown in some cancer cells. A survey of PREX2 gene expression in gastric antral epithelial cells of gastric cancer patients with Helicobacter pylori various genotypes infection can conduct to better understanding H. pylori infection's carcinogenesis. METHODS In a case-control study, PREX2 gene expression was evaluated in gastric antral biopsy samples on four groups of patients referred to Sanandaj hospitals, including gastritis with (n=23) and without (n=27) H. pylori infection and gastric cancer with (n=21) and without (n=32) H. pylori infection. Each gastric biopsy sample's total RNA was extracted and cDNA synthesized by using Kits (Takara Company). The PREX2 gene expression was measured using the relative quantitative real-time RT-PCR method and ΔΔCt formula. RESULTS The PREX2 gene expression increased in gastric antral biopsy samples of gastritis and gastric cancer patients with H. pylori infection (case groups) than patients without H. pylori infection (control groups) 2.38 and 2.27 times, respectively. The patients with H. pylori vacA s1m1 and sabB genotypes infection showed a significant increase of PREX2 gene expression in gastric cancer antral epithelial cells. CONCLUSION H. pylori vacA s1m1 and sabB genotypes have the positive correlations with PREX2 gene expression in gastric antral epithelial cells of gastritis and gastric cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manouchehr Ahmadi Hedayati
- Liver and Digestive Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.,Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Sanaz Ahmadi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Karo Servatyari
- Student Research Committee, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Farshad Sheikhesmaeili
- Liver and Digestive Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
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Nuclear localization dictates hepatocarcinogenesis suppression by glycine N-methyltransferase. Transl Oncol 2021; 15:101239. [PMID: 34649149 PMCID: PMC8517931 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101239] [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: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
GNMT gene expression contributes to determine hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis. GNMT expression is genetically determined. Nuclear GNMT binds to CYP1A1, PREX2, PARP1, and NFKB gene promoters and strongly inhibits their expression.
Background GNMT (glycine N-methyltransferase) is a tumor suppressor gene, but the mechanisms mediating its suppressive activity are not entirely known. Methods We investigated the oncosuppressive mechanisms of GNMT in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). GNMT mRNA and protein levels were evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting. GNMT effect in HCC cell lines was modulated through GNMT cDNA induced overexpression or anti-GNMT siRNA transfection. Results GNMT was expressed at low level in human HCCs with a better prognosis (HCCB) while it was almost absent in fast-growing tumors (HCCP). In HCCB, the nuclear localization of the GNMT protein was much more pronounced than in HCCP. In Huh7 and HepG2 cell lines, GNMT forced expression inhibited the proliferation and promoted apoptosis. At the molecular level, GNMT overexpression inhibited the expression of CYP1A (Cytochrome p450, aromatic compound-inducible), PREX2 (Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent Rac exchange factor 2), PARP1 [Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1], and NFKB (nuclear factor-kB) genes. By chromatin immunoprecipitation, we found GNMT binding to the promoters of CYP1A1, PREX2, PARP1, and NFKB genes resulting in their strong inhibition. These genes are implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis, and are involved in the GNMT oncosuppressive action. Conclusion Overall, the present data indicate that GNMT exerts a multifaceted suppressive action by interacting with various cancer-related genes and inhibiting their expression.
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Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-Trisphosphate-Dependent Rac Exchanger 2 Protein Facilitates Glioma Progression via Akt and Stat3 Signaling. J Mol Neurosci 2021; 71:1674-1682. [PMID: 34322848 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-021-01883-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the recognized as the most aggressive brain tumor with poor prognosis and low 1-year and 5-year survival rate. The treatment methods for GBM are limited and inefficient, and novel strategies for GBM treatment are urgently warranted. MiR-338-3p is described as a tumor suppressor in a variety of malignancies, including GBM. However, its role in GBM is not fully understood. The mRNA or protein levels of targets in cells or tissues were determined by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) or Western blot, respectively. The GBM cell growth rate in vitro or in vivo was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 or bioluminescence imaging, respectively. Upregulation of hsa-miR-338-3p and downregulation of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent Rac exchanger 2 protein (Prex2) were observed in GBM tissues compared to normal brain tissues. We further confirmed that murine Prex2 was a target of mmu-miR-338-3p in GBM. Mmu-miR-338-3p exerted profound inhibition effects on GBM cell growth in vitro or in vivo through targeting Prex2, leading to attenuation of (Protein kinase B) AKT/Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling activation. Restoration of mmu-miR-338-3p or inhibition of Prex2 may facilitate the development of innovative therapies for GBM treatment.
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Qiu W, Chang Y, Liu J, Yang X, Yu Y, Li J, Liang Q, Sun G. Identification of P-Rex1 in the Regulation of Liver Cancer Cell Proliferation and Migration via HGF/c-Met/Akt Pathway. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:9481-9495. [PMID: 33061433 PMCID: PMC7522411 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s265592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rho-GTPases and their activators, guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), are increasingly being recognized as essential mediators of oncogenic signaling. Although it is known that P-Rex1, a member of the Dbl family of GEFs for the Rac small GTPase, contributes to the migration of cancer cells, its exact role in liver cancer and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Materials and Methods Public datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO) and clinical liver cancer samples were analyzed to explore the expression of P-Rex1. P-Rex1 knockdown and overexpression cell lines were established using a recombinant lentiviral transfection system. BrdU and colony formation assays were performed to determine cell viability. Migratory capacity was analyzed using a transwell migration assay and an in vitro wound-healing assay. Nude mice bearing subcutaneous xenograft tumors were established to determine the effects of P-Rex1 on tumorigenesis in vivo. The role of P-Rex1 in hepatocarcinogenesis was determined through Western blot and co-immunoprecipitation. Results Induced expression of endogenous P-Rex1 was identified in liver cancer tumors when compared with adjacent nonmalignant tissues from clinical data. In response to HGF treatment, P-Rex1-knockdown cells displayed reduced proliferation and migration in vitro as well as reduced xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Overexpression of P-Rex1 promoted liver cancer cell proliferation and migration. P-Rex1 primarily acts as a downstream effector of GPCR signaling. This study demonstrated that downregulation of P-Rex1 led to a significant decrease in the phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2 by reducing the phosphorylation of the tyrosine kinase receptor c-Met. Furthermore, a physical association between P-Rex1 and c-Met was observed after HGF treatment, suggesting that P-Rex1 may be involved in the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway. Conclusion These results support the role of P-Rex1 as a novel player in liver cancer, which suggest that targeting P-Rex1 may provide a potential strategy for liver cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wancheng Qiu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanhua Chang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiajia Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangchun Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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Kong F, Kong D, Yang X, Yuan D, Zhang N, Hua X, You H, Zheng K, Tang R. Integrative analysis of highly mutated genes in hepatitis B virus-related hepatic carcinoma. Cancer Med 2020; 9:2462-2479. [PMID: 32017470 PMCID: PMC7131865 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.2903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene mutation is responsible for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection; however, the characteristics and associated biological functions of highly mutated genes, in which the mutation frequencies are at least 5% in HCC patients with HBV infection, are not clearly evaluated. In the study, we analyzed the information regarding somatic mutation obtained by whole‐exome sequencing in 280 HBV‐related HCC tissues from public databases and published studies. Via integrative analysis, 78 genes, including TP53, TTN, MUC16, CTNNB1, and PCLO were summarized as highly mutated genes, and some of these mutated genes were further identified as cancer driver genes. Besides, we discovered that the highly mutated genes were enriched with various biological functions and pathways. The expression of many of highly mutated genes was found to be significantly altered in HBV‐related HCC, and several highly mutated genes were related to a variety of clinical factors and associated with the poor survival of the disease. Taken together, these results could enrich our understanding of highly mutated genes and their relationships with HBV‐related HCC. Some of the identified highly mutated genes might be used as novel biomarkers of disease prognosis, or as molecular targets for the treatment of HCC with HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanyun Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Delong Kong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoying Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Dongchen Yuan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Ning Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Xuan Hua
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Hongjuan You
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Kuiyang Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China.,National Demonstration Center for Experimental Basic Medical Sciences Education, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
| | - Renxian Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China.,National Demonstration Center for Experimental Basic Medical Sciences Education, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China
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Yang MH, Yen CH, Chen YF, Fang CC, Li CH, Lee KJ, Lin YH, Weng CH, Liu TT, Huang SF, Teh BT, Chen YMA. Somatic mutations of PREX2 gene in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2552. [PMID: 30796242 PMCID: PMC6385191 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36810-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Characterized with a high recurrence rate and low detection rate, prevention is the best approach to reduce mortality in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The overexpression of Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-Trisphosphate Dependent Rac Exchange Factor 2 (PREX2) is observed in various tumors, including HCC; and the frequent PREX2 mutations in melanoma are associated with invasiveness. We sought to identify somatic mutations and the functional changes in mutational signatures of PREX2. Genomic DNA sequencing was performed in 68 HCC samples with three types of hepatitis viral infection status: HBs Ag-positive, anti-HCV Ab-positive, and negative for any hepatitis B or C markers. Stabilities and interactions of proteins as well as cell proliferation and migration were evaluated. Fourteen non-silent point mutations in PREX2 were detected, with 16 of 68 HCC patients harboring at least one non-silent mutation. All mutant forms of PREX2, except for K400f, had an extended half-life compared with wild-type PREX2. Moreover, only the half-life of S1113R was twice that of the wild-type. PREX2 mutant-S1113R also promoted migration and activated the AKT pathway as well as impaired HectH9-mediated ubiquitination. Our study identified a gain-of-function mutation of PREX2 – S1113R in HCC. Such mutation enhanced PREX2 protein stability, promoted cell proliferation, and was associated with aggressiveness of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Hui Yang
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan.,Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan.,Master Program in Clinical Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoproteomics, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hung Yen
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Fu Chen
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Fang
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Hsien Li
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Jui Lee
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsiung Lin
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hui Weng
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Tze-Tze Liu
- VYM Genome Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Shiu-Feng Huang
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, 35053, Taiwan
| | - Bin Tean Teh
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenome, Division of Medical Sciences, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, 169610, Singapore
| | - Yi-Ming Arthur Chen
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan. .,Master Program in Clinical Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacoproteomics, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 110, Taiwan.
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Wang Y, Pan T, Li L, Wang H, Zhang D, Yang H. Benzo(a)pyrene promotes Hep-G2 cell migration and invasion by upregulating phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase expression. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:8325-8332. [PMID: 29805565 PMCID: PMC5950133 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a carcinogenic component of cigarette smoke, has been reported to activate extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in cancer cells. Furthermore, activated ERK is associated with liver cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the potential role of phosphorylated (p)-ERK in BaP-induced Hep-G2 cell migration and invasion. An MTT assay was used to determine the effects of BaP treatment on Hep-G2 cell proliferation. Wound-healing and Transwell invasion assays were employed to assess the migration and invasion abilities of Hep-G2 cells. Western blot analysis was applied to detect the expression of proteins. The results of the present study demonstrated that BaP treatment was able to increase the level of p-ERK protein expression in Hep-G2 cells. BaP treatment promoted Hep-G2 cell migration and invasion. The ERK inhibitor, U0126, was able to block the migration and invasion abilities of Hep-G2 cells induced by BaP. The results of the present study demonstrated that BaP treatment promoted the migration and invasion of Hep-G2 cells by upregulating p-ERK expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadong Wang
- Department of Toxicology, Henan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou, Henan 450016, P.R. China.,Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Molecular Diagnosis and Laboratory Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, P.R. China
| | - Teng Pan
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, P.R. China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Toxicology, Henan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou, Henan 450016, P.R. China
| | - Haiyu Wang
- Department of Toxicology, Henan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou, Henan 450016, P.R. China
| | - Ding Zhang
- Department of Toxicology, Henan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou, Henan 450016, P.R. China
| | - Haiyan Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, P.R. China
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10
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Khalid A, Hussain T, Manzoor S, Saalim M, Khaliq S. PTEN: A potential prognostic marker in virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma. Tumour Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1177/1010428317705754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Khalid
- Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied BioSciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Tabinda Hussain
- Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied BioSciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sobia Manzoor
- Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied BioSciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Saalim
- Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied BioSciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Saba Khaliq
- University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
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11
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Li CH, Yen CH, Chen YF, Lee KJ, Fang CC, Zhang X, Lai CC, Huang SF, Lin HK, Arthur Chen YM. Characterization of the GNMT-HectH9-PREX2 tripartite relationship in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Cancer 2017; 140:2284-2297. [PMID: 28205209 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.30652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involves many molecular pathways. Glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) is downregulated in almost all HCC and its gene knockout mice developed HCC with high penetrance. We identified PREX2, a novel PTEN inhibitor, as a GNMT-interacting protein. Such interaction enhanced degradation of PREX2 through an E3 ligase HectH9-mediated proteasomal ubiquitination pathway. Depletion of GNMT or HectH9 resulted in AKT activation in a PREX2 dependent manner and enhanced cell proliferation. An elevated PREX2 protein expression accompanied by activation of AKT was observed in the liver of Gnmt knockout mice. PREX2 protein expression was upregulated in 54.9% of human HCC samples, while its mRNA level was comparable in tumor and tumor-adjacent tissue, suggesting a post-translational alteration of PREX2 expression. Higher level of PREX2 in the tumor tissues was associated with poorer survival. These results reveal a novel mechanism in which GNMT participates in AKT signaling and HCC tumorigenesis by promoting HectH9-mediated PREX2 degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung-Hsien Li
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hung Yen
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Fu Chen
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Jui Lee
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chieh Fang
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Xian Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest Cancer Center, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Chih-Chung Lai
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Shiu-Feng Huang
- Division of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, 35053, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Kuan Lin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest Cancer Center, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Yi-Ming Arthur Chen
- Center for Infectious Disease and Cancer Research (CICAR), Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan
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12
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Liu L, Liao JZ, He XX, Li PY. The role of autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma: friend or foe. Oncotarget 2017; 8:57707-57722. [PMID: 28915706 PMCID: PMC5593678 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.17202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved lysosome-dependent catabolic process which degrades cell’s components in order to recycle substrates to exert optimally and adapt to tough circumstances. It is a critical cellular homeostatic mechanism with stress resistance, immunity, antiaging, and pro-tumor or anti-tumor effects. Among these, the role of autophagy in cancer is the most eye-catching that is not immutable but dynamic and highly complex. Basal autophagy acts as a tumor suppressor by maintaining genomic stability in normal cells. However, once a tumor is established, unbalanced autophagy will contribute to carcinoma cell survival under tumor microenvironment and in turn promote tumor growth and development. The dynamic role of autophagy can also apply on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is a highly malignant cancer with high morbidity and poor survival rate. Decline or overexpression of autophagic essential genes such as ATG7, ATG5 or Beclin 1 plays a key role in the occurrence and development of HCC but the exact mechanisms are still highly controversial. Signaling pathways or molecules involving in autophagy, for example PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, ERK/MAPK pathway, PERK pathway, p53, LncRNA PTENP1 (Long non-coding RNA PTENP1), microRNA-375 and so on, occupy an important position in the complex role of autophagy in HCC. Here, we discuss the dynamic role, the signaling pathways and the potential prognostic and therapy value of autophagy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lian Liu
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia-Zhi Liao
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xing-Xing He
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Pei-Yuan Li
- Institute of Liver Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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13
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Identification of DEP domain-containing proteins by a machine learning method and experimental analysis of their expression in human HCC tissues. Sci Rep 2016; 6:39655. [PMID: 28000796 PMCID: PMC5175133 DOI: 10.1038/srep39655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Dishevelled/EGL-10/Pleckstrin (DEP) domain-containing (DEPDC) proteins have seven members. However, whether this superfamily can be distinguished from other proteins based only on the amino acid sequences, remains unknown. Here, we describe a computational method to segregate DEPDCs and non-DEPDCs. First, we examined the Pfam numbers of the known DEPDCs and used the longest sequences for each Pfam to construct a phylogenetic tree. Subsequently, we extracted 188-dimensional (188D) and 20D features of DEPDCs and non-DEPDCs and classified them with random forest classifier. We also mined the motifs of human DEPDCs to find the related domains. Finally, we designed experimental verification methods of human DEPDC expression at the mRNA level in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and adjacent normal tissues. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the DEPDCs superfamily can be divided into three clusters. Moreover, the 188D and 20D features can both be used to effectively distinguish the two protein types. Motif analysis revealed that the DEP and RhoGAP domain was common in human DEPDCs, human HCC and the adjacent tissues that widely expressed DEPDCs. However, their regulation was not identical. In conclusion, we successfully constructed a binary classifier for DEPDCs and experimentally verified their expression in human HCC tissues.
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