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Song C, Zhang J, Xu C, Gao M, Li N, Geng Q. The critical role of γ-secretase and its inhibitors in cancer and cancer therapeutics. Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19:5089-5103. [PMID: 37928268 PMCID: PMC10620818 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.87334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As a multi-substrate transmembrane protease, γ-secretase exists widely in various cells. It controls multiple important cellular activities through substrate cleavage. γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) play a role in cancer inhibition by blocking Notch cleavage, and are considered as potential therapeutic strategies for cancer. Currently, GSIs have encouraging performance in preclinical models, yet this success does not translate well in clinical trials. In recent years, a number of breakthrough discoveries have shown us the promise of targeting γ-secretase for the treatment of cancer. Here, we integrate a large amount of data from γ-secretase and its inhibitors and cancer in nearly 30 years, comb and discuss the close connection between γ-secretase and cancer, as well as the potential and problems of current GSIs in cancer treatment. We analyze the possible reasons for the failure performance of current GSIs in clinical trials, and make recommendations for future research areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congkuan Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinjin Zhang
- Department of Emergency, Taihe Hospital, Shiyan, China
| | - Chenzhen Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Minglang Gao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing Geng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Yousefi H, Bahramy A, Zafari N, Delavar MR, Nguyen K, Haghi A, Kandelouei T, Vittori C, Jazireian P, Maleki S, Imani D, Moshksar A, Bitaraf A, Babashah S. Notch signaling pathway: a comprehensive prognostic and gene expression profile analysis in breast cancer. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1282. [PMID: 36476410 PMCID: PMC9730604 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10383-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a complex disease exhibiting a great degree of heterogeneity due to different molecular subtypes. Notch signaling regulates the differentiation of breast epithelial cells during normal development and plays a crucial role in breast cancer progression through the abnormal expression of the Notch up-and down-stream effectors. To date, there are only a few patient-centered clinical studies using datasets characterizing the role of Notch signaling pathway regulators in breast cancer; thus, we investigate the role and functionality of these factors in different subtypes using publicly available databases containing records from large studies. High-throughput genomic data and clinical information extracted from TCGA were analyzed. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival and differential gene expression analyses using the HALLMARK_NOTCH_SIGNALING gene set. To determine if epigenetic regulation of the Notch regulators contributes to their expression, we analyzed methylation levels of these factors using the TCGA HumanMethylation450 Array data. Notch receptors and ligands expression is generally associated with the tumor subtype, grade, and stage. Furthermore, we showed gene expression levels of most Notch factors were associated with DNA methylation rate. Modulating the expression levels of Notch receptors and effectors can be a potential therapeutic approach for breast cancer. As we outline herein, elucidating the novel prognostic and regulatory roles of Notch implicate this pathway as an essential mediator controlling breast cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Yousefi
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center (LSUHSC), New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Afshin Bahramy
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Narges Zafari
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Rostamian Delavar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Science and Technology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Khoa Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Atousa Haghi
- Hematology Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tahmineh Kandelouei
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Cecilia Vittori
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC), and Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Parham Jazireian
- Department of Biology, University Campus 2, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
| | - Sajad Maleki
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Danyal Imani
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Amin Moshksar
- Interventional Radiology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Amirreza Bitaraf
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box, Tehran, 14115-154, Iran
| | - Sadegh Babashah
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box, Tehran, 14115-154, Iran.
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The Role of ANGPTL Gene Family Members in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. DISEASE MARKERS 2022; 2022:1844352. [PMID: 35692877 PMCID: PMC9177307 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1844352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly aggressive with a poor prognosis and survival rate. Certain ANGPTL members have been implicated in tumor progression. However, the relevance of the ANGPTL gene family to HCC remains poorly understood. In this study, we explored the role of ANGPTLs in the prognosis of HCC. Methods From the CCLE database, we studied the expression of ANGPTLs in a range of cancer cell lines. The UCSC, HCCDB, and Human Protein Atlas databases were used to analyze the differences in mRNA and protein expression of ANGPTLs in HCC tissues. Additionally, the correlation between ANGPTL mRNA and methylation levels and clinicopathological features were assessed in the TCGA database. The correlation between ANGPTL mRNA and overall survival was determined by the Kaplan-Meier plotter. cBioPortal database was used to analyze ANGPTL genomic alterations. Genes associated with ANGPTLs were determined by enrichment with KEGG. Moreover, the differentially expressed genes of ANGPTLs were analyzed by the LinkedOmics database, and the KEGG pathway and miRNA targets of ANGPTLs were also enriched. Results There was a significant correlation between the ANGPTL members (excluding ANGPTL2) and the prognosis of HCC patients according to the Kaplan-Meier plotter analysis (p < 0.05). ANGPTL1 was the gene with the highest mutation frequency. ANGPTLs are involved in certain pathways that may influence the development of HCC. Conclusion In summary, the expression of some members of ANGPTLs was significantly correlated with HCC prognosis, suggesting that the ANGPTL gene family members may be promising molecular markers for HCC treatment and prognosis.
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Barbosa-Silva A, Magalhães M, da Silva GF, da Silva FAB, Carneiro FRG, Carels N. A Data Science Approach for the Identification of Molecular Signatures of Aggressive Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2325. [PMID: 35565454 PMCID: PMC9103663 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The main hallmarks of cancer include sustaining proliferative signaling and resisting cell death. We analyzed the genes of the WNT pathway and seven cross-linked pathways that may explain the differences in aggressiveness among cancer types. We divided six cancer types (liver, lung, stomach, kidney, prostate, and thyroid) into classes of high (H) and low (L) aggressiveness considering the TCGA data, and their correlations between Shannon entropy and 5-year overall survival (OS). Then, we used principal component analysis (PCA), a random forest classifier (RFC), and protein-protein interactions (PPI) to find the genes that correlated with aggressiveness. Using PCA, we found GRB2, CTNNB1, SKP1, CSNK2A1, PRKDC, HDAC1, YWHAZ, YWHAB, and PSMD2. Except for PSMD2, the RFC analysis showed a different list, which was CAD, PSMD14, APH1A, PSMD2, SHC1, TMEFF2, PSMD11, H2AFZ, PSMB5, and NOTCH1. Both methods use different algorithmic approaches and have different purposes, which explains the discrepancy between the two gene lists. The key genes of aggressiveness found by PCA were those that maximized the separation of H and L classes according to its third component, which represented 19% of the total variance. By contrast, RFC classified whether the RNA-seq of a tumor sample was of the H or L type. Interestingly, PPIs showed that the genes of PCA and RFC lists were connected neighbors in the PPI signaling network of WNT and cross-linked pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Barbosa-Silva
- Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems, Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
- Centre for Translational Bioinformatics, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London E14NS, UK
- ITTM S.A.—Information Technology for Translational Medicine, Esch-sur-Alzette, 4354 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Milena Magalhães
- Plataforma de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, Center for Technology Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040900, Brazil; (M.M.); (G.F.d.S.)
| | - Gilberto Ferreira da Silva
- Plataforma de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, Center for Technology Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040900, Brazil; (M.M.); (G.F.d.S.)
| | - Fabricio Alves Barbosa da Silva
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional de Sistemas Biológicos, Scientific Computing Program, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040900, Brazil;
| | - Flávia Raquel Gonçalves Carneiro
- Center for Technology Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040900, Brazil
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040900, Brazil
- Program of Immunology and Tumor Biology, Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro 20231050, Brazil
| | - Nicolas Carels
- Plataforma de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, Center for Technology Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040900, Brazil; (M.M.); (G.F.d.S.)
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Lechuga GC, Napoleão-Pêgo P, Gomes LR, da Matta Durans A, Provance DW, De-Simone SG. Nicastrin-Like, a Novel Transmembrane Protein from Trypanosoma cruzi Associated to the Flagellar Pocket. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9081750. [PMID: 34442829 PMCID: PMC8400621 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicastrin (NICT) is a transmembrane protein physically associated with the polytypical aspartyl protease presenilin that plays a vital role in the correct localization and stabilization of presenilin to the membrane-bound γ-secretase complex. This complex is involved in the regulation of a wide range of cellular events, including cell signaling and the regulation of endocytosed membrane proteins for their trafficking and protein processing. Methods: In Trypanosoma cruzi, the causal agent of the Chagas disease, a NICT-like protein (Tc/NICT) was identified with a short C-terminus orthologous to the human protein, a large ectodomain (ECD) with numerous glycosylation sites and a single-core transmembrane domain containing a putative TM-domain (457GSVGA461) important for the γ-secretase complex activity. Results: Using the Spot-synthesis strategy with Chagasic patient sera, five extracellular epitopes were identified and synthetic forms were used to generate rabbit anti-Tc/NICT polyclonal serum that recognized a ~72-kDa molecule in immunoblots of T. cruzi epimastigote extracts. Confocal microscopy suggests that Tc/NICT is localized in the flagellar pocket, which is consistent with data from our previous studies with a T. cruzi presenilin-like protein. Phylogenetically, Tc/NICT was localized within a subgroup with the T. rangeli protein that is clearly detached from the other Trypanosomatidae, such as T. brucei. These results, together with a comparative analysis of the selected peptide sequence regions between the T. cruzi and mammalian proteins, suggest a divergence from the human NICT that might be relevant to Chagas disease pathology. As a whole, our data show that a NICT-like protein is expressed in the infective and replicative stages of T. cruzi and may be considered further evidence for a γ-secretase complex in trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Curty Lechuga
- FIOCRUZ, Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases Populations (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (L.R.G.); (A.d.M.D.); (D.W.P.J.)
| | - Paloma Napoleão-Pêgo
- FIOCRUZ, Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases Populations (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (L.R.G.); (A.d.M.D.); (D.W.P.J.)
| | - Larissa Rodrigues Gomes
- FIOCRUZ, Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases Populations (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (L.R.G.); (A.d.M.D.); (D.W.P.J.)
| | - Andressa da Matta Durans
- FIOCRUZ, Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases Populations (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (L.R.G.); (A.d.M.D.); (D.W.P.J.)
| | - David William Provance
- FIOCRUZ, Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases Populations (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (L.R.G.); (A.d.M.D.); (D.W.P.J.)
- FIOCRUZ, Interdisciplinary Medical Research Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Salvatore Giovanni De-Simone
- FIOCRUZ, Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases Populations (INCT-IDPN), Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (L.R.G.); (A.d.M.D.); (D.W.P.J.)
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói 24020-141, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Fax: +55-21-2590-3495
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McCaw TR, Inga E, Chen H, Jaskula‐Sztul R, Dudeja V, Bibb JA, Ren B, Rose JB. Gamma Secretase Inhibitors in Cancer: A Current Perspective on Clinical Performance. Oncologist 2021; 26:e608-e621. [PMID: 33284507 PMCID: PMC8018325 DOI: 10.1002/onco.13627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Gamma secretase inhibitors (GSIs), initially developed as Alzheimer's therapies, have been repurposed as anticancer agents given their inhibition of Notch receptor cleavage. The success of GSIs in preclinical models has been ascribed to induction of cancer stem-like cell differentiation and apoptosis, while also impairing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and sensitizing cells to traditional chemoradiotherapies. The promise of these agents has yet to be realized in the clinic, however, as GSIs have failed to demonstrate clinical benefit in most solid tumors with the notable exceptions of CNS malignancies and desmoid tumors. Disappointing clinical performance to date reflects important questions that remain to be answered. For example, what is the net impact of these agents on antitumor immune responses, and will they require concurrent targeting of tumor-intrinsic compensatory pathways? Addressing these limitations in our current understanding of GSI mechanisms will undoubtedly facilitate their rational incorporation into combinatorial strategies and provide a valuable tool with which to combat Notch-dependent cancers. In the present review, we provide a current understanding of GSI mechanisms, discuss clinical performance to date, and suggest areas for future investigation that might maximize the utility of these agents. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The performance of gamma secretase inhibitors (GSIs) in clinical trials generally has not reflected their encouraging performance in preclinical studies. This review provides a current perspective on the clinical performance of GSIs across various solid tumor types alongside putative mechanisms of antitumor activity. Through exploration of outstanding gaps in knowledge as well as reasons for success in certain cancer types, the authors identify areas for future investigation that will likely enable incorporation of GSIs into rational combinatorial strategies for superior tumor control and patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler R. McCaw
- Divisions of Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Evelyn Inga
- Divisions of Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Herbert Chen
- Breast & Endocrine Surgery, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Renata Jaskula‐Sztul
- Breast & Endocrine Surgery, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Vikas Dudeja
- Divisions of Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - James A. Bibb
- Gastrointestinal Surgery, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Bin Ren
- Vascular Surgery & Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - J. Bart Rose
- Divisions of Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
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