1
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Sun J, Zhu W, Luan M, Xing Y, Feng Z, Zhu J, Ma X, Wang Y, Jia Y. Positive GLI1/INHBA feedback loop drives tumor progression in gastric cancer. Cancer Sci 2024; 115:2301-2317. [PMID: 38676428 PMCID: PMC11247559 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
GLI1, a key transcription factor of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, plays an important role in the development of cancer. However, the function and mechanisms by which GLI1 regulates gene transcription are not fully understood in gastric cancer (GC). Here, we found that GLI1 induced the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells, accompanied by transcriptional upregulation of INHBA. This increased INHBA expression exerted a promoting activity on Smads signaling and then transcriptionally activated GLI1 expression. Notably, our results demonstrate that disrupting the interaction between GLI1 and INHBA could inhibit GC tumorigenesis in vivo. More intriguingly, we confirmed the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) activation mechanism of the Helicobacter pylori/FTO/YTHDF2/GLI1 pathway in GC cells. In conclusion, our study confirmed that the GLI1/INHBA positive feedback loop influences GC progression and revealed the mechanism by which H. pylori upregulates GLI1 expression through m6A modification. This positive GLI1/INHBA feedback loop suggests a novel noncanonical mechanism of GLI1 activity in GC and provides potential therapeutic targets for GC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingguo Sun
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Wenshuai Zhu
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Muhua Luan
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yuanxin Xing
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhaotian Feng
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Jingyu Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoli Ma
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yunshan Wang
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yanfei Jia
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
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2
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Zhang R, Peng X, Du JX, Boohaker R, Estevao IL, Grajeda BI, Cox MB, Almeida IC, Lu W. Oncogenic KRASG12D Reprograms Lipid Metabolism by Upregulating SLC25A1 to Drive Pancreatic Tumorigenesis. Cancer Res 2023; 83:3739-3752. [PMID: 37695315 PMCID: PMC10840918 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease with obesity as one of the risk factors. Oncogenic KRAS mutations are prevalent in pancreatic cancer and can rewire lipid metabolism by altering fatty acid (FA) uptake, FA oxidation (FAO), and lipogenesis. Identification of the underlying mechanisms could lead to improved therapeutic strategies for treating KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer. Here, we observed that KRASG12D upregulated the expression of SLC25A1, a citrate transporter that is a key metabolic switch to mediate FAO, fatty acid synthesis, glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis. In genetically engineered mouse models and human pancreatic cancer cells, KRASG12D induced SLC25A1 upregulation via GLI1, which directly stimulated SLC25A1 transcription by binding its promoter. The enhanced expression of SLC25A1 increased levels of cytosolic citrate, FAs, and key enzymes in lipid metabolism. In addition, a high-fat diet (HFD) further stimulated the KRASG12D-GLI1-SLC25A1 axis and the associated increase in citrate and FAs. Pharmacologic inhibition of SLC25A1 and upstream GLI1 significantly suppressed pancreatic tumorigenesis in KrasG12D/+ mice on a HFD. These results reveal a KRASG12D-GLI1-SLC25A1 regulatory axis, with SLC25A1 as an important node that regulates lipid metabolism during pancreatic tumorigenesis, thus indicating an intervention strategy for oncogenic KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer. SIGNIFICANCE Upregulation of SLC25A1 induced by KRASG12D-GLI1 signaling rewires lipid metabolism and is exacerbated by HFD to drive the development of pancreatic cancer, representing a targetable metabolic axis to suppress pancreatic tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruowen Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Xiaogang Peng
- Depart of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - James Xianxing Du
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Depart of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Rebecca Boohaker
- Oncology Department, Southern Research Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Igor L Estevao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Brian I Grajeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Marc B Cox
- Depart of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Igor C Almeida
- Department of Biological Sciences, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
| | - Weiqin Lu
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Depart of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA
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3
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Dash RC, Wen J, Zaino AM, Morel SR, Chau LQ, Wechsler-Reya RJ, Hadden MK. Structure-based virtual screening identifies an 8-hydroxyquinoline as a small molecule GLI1 inhibitor. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2021; 20:265-276. [PMID: 33614910 PMCID: PMC7873571 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The glioma-associated family of transcription factors (GLI) have emerged as a promising therapeutic target for a variety of human cancers. In particular, GLI1 plays a central role as a transcriptional regulator for multiple oncogenic signaling pathways, including the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. We undertook a computational screening approach to identify small molecules that directly bind GLI1 for potential development as inhibitors of GLI-mediated transcription. Through these studies, we identified compound 1, which is an 8-hydroxyquinoline, as a high-affinity binder of GLI1. Compound 1 inhibits GLI1-mediated transcriptional activity in several Hh-dependent cellular models, including a primary model of murine medulloblastoma. We also performed a series of computational analyses to define more clearly the mechanism(s) through which 1 inhibits GLI1 function after binding. Our results strongly suggest that binding of 1 to GLI1 does not prevent GLI1/DNA binding nor disrupt the GLI1/DNA complex, but rather, it induces specific conformational changes in the overall complex that prevent proper GLI function. These results highlight the potential of this compound for further development as an anti-cancer agent that targets GLI1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radha Charan Dash
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, 69 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3092, Storrs, CT 06269-3092, USA
| | - Jiachen Wen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, 69 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3092, Storrs, CT 06269-3092, USA
| | - Angela M. Zaino
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, 69 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3092, Storrs, CT 06269-3092, USA
| | - Shana R. Morel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, 69 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3092, Storrs, CT 06269-3092, USA
| | - Lianne Q. Chau
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Robert J. Wechsler-Reya
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - M. Kyle Hadden
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, 69 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3092, Storrs, CT 06269-3092, USA
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4
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Rao SR, Howarth A, Kratschmer P, Snaith AE, Yapp C, Ebner D, Hamdy FC, Edwards CM. Transcriptomic and Functional Screens Reveal MicroRNAs That Modulate Prostate Cancer Metastasis. Front Oncol 2020; 10:292. [PMID: 32231998 PMCID: PMC7082744 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying new mechanisms that underlie the complex process of metastasis is vital to combat this fatal step in prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Small non-coding RNAs are emerging as important regulators of tumor cell biology. Here we take an integrative approach to elucidate the contribution of microRNAs to metastatic progression, combining transcriptomic analysis with functional screens for migration and morphology. We developed high-content microscopy, high-throughput functional screens for migration and morphology in PCa cells using a microRNA library. RNA-Seq analysis of paired epithelial and mesenchymal PCa cells identified differential expression of 200 microRNAs. Data integration identified two microRNAs that inhibited migration, induced an epithelial-like morphology and were increased in epithelial PCa cells. An overrepresentation of the AAGUGC seed sequence was detected in all three datasets. Analysis of published datasets of patients with PCa identified microRNAs of clinical relevance. The integration of high-throughput functional and expression analyses identifies microRNAs with clinical significance that modulate metastatic behavior in PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasa R Rao
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alison Howarth
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Kratschmer
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ann E Snaith
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Clarence Yapp
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Ebner
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Freddie C Hamdy
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Claire M Edwards
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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5
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Pietrobono S, Gagliardi S, Stecca B. Non-canonical Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Cancer: Activation of GLI Transcription Factors Beyond Smoothened. Front Genet 2019; 10:556. [PMID: 31244888 PMCID: PMC6581679 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hedgehog-GLI (HH-GLI) pathway is a highly conserved signaling that plays a critical role in controlling cell specification, cell–cell interaction and tissue patterning during embryonic development. Canonical activation of HH-GLI signaling occurs through binding of HH ligands to the twelve-pass transmembrane receptor Patched 1 (PTCH1), which derepresses the seven-pass transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor Smoothened (SMO). Thus, active SMO initiates a complex intracellular cascade that leads to the activation of the three GLI transcription factors, the final effectors of the HH-GLI pathway. Aberrant activation of this signaling has been implicated in a wide variety of tumors, such as those of the brain, skin, breast, gastrointestinal, lung, pancreas, prostate and ovary. In several of these cases, activation of HH-GLI signaling is mediated by overproduction of HH ligands (e.g., prostate cancer), loss-of-function mutations in PTCH1 or gain-of-function mutations in SMO, which occur in the majority of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), SHH-subtype medulloblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. Besides the classical canonical ligand-PTCH1-SMO route, mounting evidence points toward additional, non-canonical ways of GLI activation in cancer. By non-canonical we refer to all those mechanisms of activation of the GLI transcription factors occurring independently of SMO. Often, in a given cancer type canonical and non-canonical activation of HH-GLI signaling co-exist, and in some cancer types, more than one mechanism of non-canonical activation may occur. Tumors harboring non-canonical HH-GLI signaling are less sensitive to SMO inhibition, posing a threat for therapeutic efficacy of these antagonists. Here we will review the most recent findings on the involvement of alternative signaling pathways in inducing GLI activity in cancer and stem cells. We will also discuss the rationale of targeting these oncogenic pathways in combination with HH-GLI inhibitors as a promising anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pietrobono
- Tumor Cell Biology Unit - Core Research Laboratory, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
| | - Sinforosa Gagliardi
- Tumor Cell Biology Unit - Core Research Laboratory, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
| | - Barbara Stecca
- Tumor Cell Biology Unit - Core Research Laboratory, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Florence, Italy
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6
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Prostate Cancer Stem Cells: Viewing Signaling Cascades at a Finer Resolution. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2016; 64:217-23. [DOI: 10.1007/s00005-016-0383-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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7
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Gu D, Xie J. Non-Canonical Hh Signaling in Cancer-Current Understanding and Future Directions. Cancers (Basel) 2015; 7:1684-98. [PMID: 26343727 PMCID: PMC4586790 DOI: 10.3390/cancers7030857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As a major regulatory pathway for embryonic development and tissue patterning, hedgehog signaling is not active in most adult tissues, but is reactivated in a number of human cancer types. A major milestone in hedgehog signaling in cancer is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a smoothened inhibitor Vismodegib for treatment of basal cell carcinomas. Vismodegib can block ligand-mediated hedgehog signaling, but numerous additional clinical trials have failed to show significant improvements in cancer patients. Amounting evidence indicate that ligand-independent hedgehog signaling plays an essential role in cancer. Ligand-independent hedgehog signaling, also named non-canonical hedgehog signaling, generally is not sensitive to smoothened inhibitors. What we know about non-canonical hedgehog signaling in cancer, and how should we prevent its activation? In this review, we will summarize recent development of non-canonical hedgehog signaling in cancer, and will discuss potential ways to prevent this type of hedgehog signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongsheng Gu
- Departments of Pediatrics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Wells Center for Pediatrics Research, 1044 W, Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
| | - Jingwu Xie
- Departments of Pediatrics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Wells Center for Pediatrics Research, 1044 W, Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
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8
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Rovida E, Stecca B. Mitogen-activated protein kinases and Hedgehog-GLI signaling in cancer: A crosstalk providing therapeutic opportunities? Semin Cancer Biol 2015; 35:154-67. [PMID: 26292171 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2015.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The Hedgehog-GLI (HH-GLI) signaling is of critical importance during embryonic development, where it regulates a number of cellular processes, including patterning, proliferation and differentiation. Its aberrant activation has been linked to several types of cancer. HH-GLI signaling is triggered by binding of ligands to the transmembrane receptor patched and is subsequently mediated by transcriptional effectors belonging to the GLI family, whose function is fine tuned by a series of molecular interactions and modifications. Several HH-GLI inhibitors have been developed and are in clinical trials. Similarly, the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) are involved in a number of biological processes and play an important role in many diseases including cancer. Inhibiting molecules targeting MAPK signaling, especially those elicited by the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway, have been developed and are moving into clinical trials. ERK1/2 may be activated as a consequence of aberrant activation of upstream signaling molecules or during development of drug resistance following treatment with kinase inhibitors such as those for PI3K or BRAF. Evidence of a crosstalk between HH-GLI and other oncogenic signaling pathways has been reported in many tumor types, as shown by recent reviews. Here we will focus on the interaction between HH-GLI and the final MAPK effectors ERK1/2, p38 and JNK in cancer in view of its possible implications for cancer therapy. Several reports highlight the existence of a consistent crosstalk between HH signaling and MAPK, especially with the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway, and this fact should be taken into consideration for designing optimal treatment and prevent tumor relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Rovida
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali e Cliniche "Mario Serio", Sezione di Patologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, Italy
| | - Barbara Stecca
- Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, Core Research Laboratory-Istituto Toscano Tumori (CRL-ITT), Florence, Italy; Department of Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy.
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9
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Xu C, Li X, Topham MK, Kuwada SK. Regulation of sonic hedgehog expression by integrin β1 and epidermal growth factor receptor in intestinal epithelium. IUBMB Life 2014; 66:694-703. [PMID: 25355554 DOI: 10.1002/iub.1319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
We previously found that conditional deletion of integrin β1 in intestinal epithelium of mice caused early postnatal lethality and intestinal phenotypic changes including excessive proliferation and defective differentiation of intestinal epithelium due to loss of Hedgehog expression. Here, we link these defects to the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway and show that loss of integrin β1 leads to excessive phosphorylation of MEK-1 and increased expression of ErbB receptors, including the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We show that increased EGFR signaling attenuates Hh abundance and that an EGFR inhibitor rescues conditional β1 integrin null pups from postnatal lethality. These studies link the loss of Hh expression in the intestinal epithelium of integrin β1-deficient mice to excessive EGFR/MAPK signaling, and identify a unique mechanism for crosstalk between stromal and epithelial signaling pathways that is critical for intestinal epithelial differentiation and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changxin Xu
- Department of Oncological Sciences and Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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10
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Tripathi K, Mani C, Barnett R, Nalluri S, Bachaboina L, Rocconi RP, Athar M, Owen LB, Palle K. Gli1 protein regulates the S-phase checkpoint in tumor cells via Bid protein, and its inhibition sensitizes to DNA topoisomerase 1 inhibitors. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:31513-25. [PMID: 25253693 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.606483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant expression of hedgehog molecules, particularly Gli1, is common in cancers of many tissues and is responsible for their aggressive behavior and chemoresistance. Here we demonstrate a novel and tumor-specific role for aberrant Gli1 in the regulation of the S-phase checkpoint that suppresses replication stress and resistance to chemotherapy. Inhibition of Gli1 in tumor cells induced replication stress-mediated DNA damage response, attenuated their clonogenic potential, abrogated camptothecin (CPT)-induced Chk1 phosphorylation, and potentiated its cytotoxicity. However, in normal fibroblasts, Gli1 siRNAs showed no significant changes in CPT-induced Chk1 phosphorylation. Further analysis of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR)/Chk1 signaling cascade genes in tumor cells revealed an unexpected mechanism whereby Gli1 regulates ATR-mediated Chk1 phosphorylation by transcriptional regulation of the BH3-only protein Bid. Consistent with its role in DNA damage response, Bid down-regulation in tumor cells abolished CPT-induced Chk1 phosphorylation and sensitized them to CPT. Correspondingly, Gli1 inhibition affected the expression of Bid and the association of replication protein A (RPA) with the ATR- interacting protein (ATRIP)-ATR complex, and this compromised the S-phase checkpoint. Conversely, complementation of Bid in Gli1-deficient cells restored CPT-induced Chk1 phosphorylation. An in silico analysis of the Bid promoter identified a putative Gli1 binding site, and further studies using luciferase reporter assays confirmed Gli1-dependent promoter activity. Collectively, our studies established a novel connection between aberrant Gli1 and Bid in the survival of tumor cells and their response to chemotherapy, at least in part, by regulating the S-phase checkpoint. Importantly, our data suggest a novel drug combination of Gli1 and Top1 inhibitors as an effective therapeutic strategy in treating tumors that expresses Gli1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaushlendra Tripathi
- From the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604 and
| | - Chinnadurai Mani
- From the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604 and
| | - Reagan Barnett
- From the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604 and
| | - Sriram Nalluri
- From the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604 and
| | - Lavanya Bachaboina
- From the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604 and
| | - Rodney P Rocconi
- From the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604 and
| | - Mohammed Athar
- the Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Laurie B Owen
- From the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604 and
| | - Komaraiah Palle
- From the Department of Oncologic Sciences, Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36604 and
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11
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Zhu F, Liu P, Li J, Zhang Y. Eotaxin-1 promotes prostate cancer cell invasion via activation of the CCR3-ERK pathway and upregulation of MMP-3 expression. Oncol Rep 2014; 31:2049-54. [PMID: 24604010 DOI: 10.3892/or.2014.3060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2013] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemokines have been reported to play crucial roles in tumor progression. Eotaxin-1 (CCL11), a member of the CC chemokine family, is elevated in many types of human cancer. Here, to reveal the molecular mechanisms of eotaxin-1 in prostate cancer cell invasion, the expression of eotaxin-1 receptors [CC chemokine receptor (CCR)2, CCR3 and CCR5] were silenced by small interfering RNA (siRNA). The ERK pathway was inhibited by the specific MEK inhibitor U0126. The role of eotaxin-1 and the CCR3-ERK pathway in prostate cancer cell invasion was assessed by invasion and migration assays. MMP-3 expression was detected by real-time PCR and ELISA assay. The results demonstrated that eotaxin-1 promoted the invasion and migration of DU-145 cells, and increased ERK1/2 activation and MMP-3 expression. Knockdown of CCR3 inhibited the invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells, and attenuated the eotaxin-1-induced ERK1/2 activation and MMP-3 expression. Furthermore, inactivation of the ERK pathway suppressed the eotaxin‑1-promoted invasion and migration, and decreased MMP-3 expression in the prostate cancer cells. Together, the present study suggests that eotaxin-1 increases MMP-3 expression via the CCR3-ERK pathway, thereby promoting prostate cancer cell invasion and migration. Thus, therapies that block eotaxin-1 and CCR3 may be effective interventions for prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Weihui 453100, P.R. China
| | - Pei Liu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Weihui 453100, P.R. China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453003, P.R. China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, P.R. China
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