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Kraft T, Grützmann K, Meinhardt M, Meier F, Westphal D, Seifert M. Personalized identification and characterization of genome-wide gene expression differences between patient-matched intracranial and extracranial melanoma metastasis pairs. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:67. [PMID: 38671536 PMCID: PMC11055243 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01764-5] [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: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer that frequently spreads to other organs of the human body. Especially melanoma metastases to the brain (intracranial metastases) are hard to treat and a major cause of death of melanoma patients. Little is known about molecular alterations and altered mechanisms that distinguish intra- from extracranial melanoma metastases. So far, almost all existing studies compared intracranial metastases from one set of patients to extracranial metastases of an another set of melanoma patients. This neglects the important facts that each melanoma is highly individual and that intra- and extracranial melanoma metastases from the same patient are more similar to each other than to melanoma metastases from other patients in the same organ. To overcome this, we compared the gene expression profiles of 16 intracranial metastases to their corresponding 21 patient-matched extracranial metastases in a personalized way using a three-state Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to identify altered genes for each individual metastasis pair. This enabled three major findings by considering the predicted gene expression alterations across all patients: (i) most frequently altered pathways include cytokine-receptor interaction, calcium signaling, ECM-receptor interaction, cAMP signaling, Jak-STAT and PI3K/Akt signaling, (ii) immune-relevant signaling pathway genes were downregulated in intracranial metastases, and (iii) intracranial metastases were associated with a brain-like phenotype gene expression program. Further, the integration of all differentially expressed genes across the patient-matched melanoma metastasis pairs led to a set of 103 genes that were consistently down- or up-regulated in at least 11 of the 16 of the patients. This set of genes contained many genes involved in the regulation of immune responses, cell growth, cellular signaling and transport processes. An analysis of these genes in the TCGA melanoma cohort showed that the expression behavior of 11 genes was significantly associated with survival. Moreover, a comparison of the 103 genes to three closely related melanoma metastasis studies revealed a core set of eight genes that were consistently down- or upregulated in intra- compared to extracranial metastases in at least two of the three related studies (down: CILP, DPT, FGF7, LAMP3, MEOX2, TMEM119; up: GLDN, PMP2) including FGF7 that was also significantly associated with survival. Our findings contribute to a better characterization of genes and pathways that distinguish intra- from extracranial melanoma metastasis and provide important hints for future experimental studies to identify potential targets for new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Kraft
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry (IMB), Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Konrad Grützmann
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry (IMB), Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Matthias Meinhardt
- Department of Pathology, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Friedegund Meier
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- Skin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Center (UCC) Dresden and the National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT), Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dana Westphal
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT), Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Seifert
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry (IMB), Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
- National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT), Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
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Xu X, Zhou T, Wei X, Jiang X, Cao J. Application of mPEG-CS-cRGD/ Bmi-1RNAi-PTX nanoparticles in suppression of laryngeal cancer by targeting cancer stem cells. Drug Deliv 2023; 30:2180112. [PMID: 38095348 PMCID: PMC9946312 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2023.2180112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Although surgery-based comprehensive therapy is becoming the main approach to treat laryngeal cancer, recurrence, metastasis, radiotherapy resistance and chemotherapy tolerance are still the main causes of death in patients. Targeted inhibition of laryngeal cancer stem cells has been considered as the consensus to cure laryngeal cancer. Our previous study has confirmed proto-oncogene Bmi-1 as a key regulator for self-renewal of laryngeal cancer stem cells. Targeted knockdown of Bmi-1 gene effectively inhibited the self-renewal and differentiation of laryngeal cancer stem cells, leading to the promoted sensitivity to chemotherapy including paclitaxel. However, due to off-target effects and quick degradation of the naked Bmi-1-RNAi small RNA oligo by nuclease in body fluids, it is urgently needed to develop a tumor-targeted delivery system with a protective shell. In this study, we designed and synthesized cRGD peptide-modified chitosan-polyethylene glycol slow-release nanoparticles (mPEG-CS-cRGD/Bmi-1RNAi-PTX) containing Bmi-1RNAi siRNA oligo and paclitaxel, which showed spherical in shape, 200 nm diameter in size, low cytotoxicity, strong DNA wrapping, resistance to nuclease degradation and high transfection efficiency to cells. Functional analysis indicated significant suppression of cell proliferation and migration and induction of apoptosis by the nanocomplex in laryngeal cancer cells in vitro. By application to the mouse model with laryngeal cancer, the nanocomplex inhibited tumor growth significantly in vivo. In addition, cRGD peptide, paclitaxel and Bmi-1 siRNA in the nanoparticles showed synergistic effects to suppress laryngeal cancer stem cells. In conclusion, this study not only developed a laryngeal tumor-targeted chemotherapeutic system, but also demonstrated a Bmi-1 RNAi-based chemotherapeutic strategy to inhibit cancer stem cells, having strong potential to treat laryngeal cancer patients suffering therapy resistance and/or tumor recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Xu
- Department of E.N.T, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, P.R. China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, P.R. China
| | - Tianhao Zhou
- Department of E.N.T, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, P.R. China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xudong Wei
- Department of E.N.T, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, P.R. China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, P.R. China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xuelian Jiang
- Department of E.N.T, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, P.R. China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jiyan Cao
- Department of E.N.T, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, P.R. China
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Wang H, Tang Y, Wang M, Zhao J, Ding C, Yang X, Han P, Liu P. Low expression of MEOX2 is associated with poor survival in patients with breast cancer. Biomark Med 2022; 16:1161-1170. [PMID: 36625258 DOI: 10.2217/bmm-2022-0468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: To investigate associations of MEOX2 expression with clinicopathological features and survival of breast cancer patients. Materials & methods: We used a breast cancer tissue microarray for immunohistochemistry. Associations between MEOX2 expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed using the χ-square test. Survival analysis was determined using a Kaplan-Meier curve. Multivariate Cox regression was used to determine associations of MEOX2 expression with overall survival. Results: We found that 74.1% of patients (100/135) had expression of MEOX2 at varying levels. MEOX2 was associated with histological grade and negatively correlated with Ki67 expression. Lower MEOX2 expression was significantly associated with decreased overall survival (p = 0.0011). Conclusion: MEOX2 expression could be a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huxia Wang
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China.,Department of Mammary, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yanan Tang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Meixia Wang
- Department of Health Examination, Shenmu Hospital, Yulin, 719300, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Mammary, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Caixia Ding
- Department of Pathology, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Xiaomin Yang
- Department of Mammary, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Pihua Han
- Department of Mammary, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Peijun Liu
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
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Chen J, Li H, Zhang B, Xiong Z, Jin Z, Chen J, Zheng Y, Zhu X, Zhang S. ABI2-mediated MEOX2/KLF4-NANOG axis promotes liver cancer stem cell and drives tumour recurrence. Liver Int 2022; 42:2562-2576. [PMID: 36017822 PMCID: PMC9825985 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Tumour recurrence and drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma remain challenging. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumour initiation because of their stemness characteristics. CSCs accounting for drug resistance and tumour relapse are promising therapeutic targets. We report that Abelson interactor 2 (ABI2) is a novel therapeutic target of HCC CSCs. First, ABI2 was upregulated in HCC tissues compared with liver tissues and was associated with tumour size, pathological grade, liver cirrhosis, worse prognosis and a high recurrence rate. Functional studies illustrate that ABI2 knockdown suppresses cell growth, migration, invasion and sorafenib resistance in vitro. Furthermore, ABI2 knockdown inhibited HCC sphere formation and decreased the CD24+ , CD133+ and CD326+ CSCs populations, suggesting the suppression of HCC stemness characteristics. A tumour xenograft model and limiting dilution assay demonstrated the inhibition of tumorigenicity and tumour initiation. Moreover, molecular mechanism studies showed that ABI2 recruits and directly interacts with the transcription factor MEOX2, which binds to the KLF4 and NANOG promoter regions to activate their transcription. Furthermore, overexpression of MEOX2 restored HCC malignant behaviour and the CSC population. The ABI2-mediated transcriptional axis MEOX2/KLF4-NANOG promotes HCC growth, metastasis and sorafenib resistance by maintaining the CSC population, suggesting that ABI2 is a promising CSC target in HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiandi Chen
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Huizi Li
- Department of General SurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhiyuan Xiong
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhe Jin
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jiaxi Chen
- Department of General SurgeryThe Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Yang Zheng
- Department of General SurgeryThe Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Xiangnan Zhu
- Department of General SurgeryThe Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang UniversityNanchangChina
| | - Shuixing Zhang
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan UniversityGuangzhouChina
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Ghafouri-Fard S, Noie Alamdari A, Noee Alamdari Y, Abak A, Hussen BM, Taheri M, Jamali E. Role of PI3K/AKT pathway in squamous cell carcinoma with an especial focus on head and neck cancers. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:254. [PMID: 35964082 PMCID: PMC9375325 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02676-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
PI3K/AKT pathway is an important pathway in the carcinogenesis since it has central impacts in the regulation of metabolic pathways, cell proliferation and survival, gene expression and protein synthesis. This pathway has been reported to be dysregulated in several types of cancers. In the current review, we summarize the role of this signaling pathway in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) originated from different parts of body cervix, oral cavity, head and neck and skin. The data presented in the current review shows the impact of dysregulation of PI3K/AKT pathway in survival of patients with SCC. Moreover, targeted therapies against this pathway have been found to be effective in reduction of tumor burden both in animal models and clinical settings. Finally, a number of molecules that regulate PI3K/AKT pathway can be used as diagnostic markers for different types of SCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Noie Alamdari
- Faculty of Dentistry, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Atefe Abak
- Men's Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bashdar Mahmud Hussen
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq.,Center of Research and Strategic Studies, Lebanese French University, Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Iraq
| | - Mohammad Taheri
- Institute of Human Genetics, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany. .,Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Elena Jamali
- Department of Pathology, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Wang H, Tang Y, Yang X, Wang W, Han P, Zhao J, He S, Liu P. A Crucial Angiogenesis-Associated Gene MEOX2 Could Be a Promising Biomarker Candidate for Breast Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:759300. [PMID: 35615155 PMCID: PMC9124839 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.759300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAngiogenesis plays a critical role in the growth and metastasis of breast cancer and angiogenesis inhibition has become an effective strategy for cancer therapy. Our study aimed to clarify the key candidate genes and pathways related to breast cancer angiogenesis.MethodsDifferentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the raw breast cancer (BRCA) gene dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were identified and gene ontology analysis of the DEGs was performed. Hub genes were subsequently determined using the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The expression of the mesenchyme homeobox 2 (MEOX2) in breast cancer cells and tissues was assessed by quantification real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. The prognostic value of the MEOX2 gene in breast cancer tissue was evaluated with the Kaplan-Meier plotter.ResultsA total of 61 angiogenesis-related DEGs were identified in the TCGA dataset, among which the gene MEOX2 was significantly down-regulated. GO functional annotation and pathway enrichment analyses showed that MEOX2 was significantly enriched in the regulation of vasculature development. The IHC results confirmed that MEOX2 expression was repressed in breast cancer tissues and the relatively low level indicated the tissue was densely vascularized. Moreover, MEOX2 expression was significantly elevated in breast cancer cells after treatment with cisplatin (DDP) and epirubicin (EPI). Finally, the Kaplan-Meier plotter confirmed that higher expression levels of MEOX2 were related to better overall survival.ConclusionOur study revealed that the angiogenesis-associated gene MEOX2 can be used as a novel biomarker for breast cancer diagnosis and clinical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huxia Wang
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- Mammary Department, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Yanan Tang
- Vascular Surgery Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiaomin Yang
- Mammary Department, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Weiyi Wang
- Vascular Surgery Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Pihua Han
- Mammary Department, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Mammary Department, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Sai He
- Mammary Department, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Peijun Liu
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Peijun Liu,
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Wang J, Chen Y, Wang Q, Xu H, Wu C, Jiang Q, Wu G, Zhou H, Xiao Z, Chen Y, Zhang T, Lan Q. MEOX2-mediated regulation of Cathepsin S promotes cell proliferation and motility in glioma. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:360. [PMID: 35436995 PMCID: PMC9016080 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04845-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear transcription factor Mesenchyme Homeobox 2 (MEOX2) is a homeobox gene that is originally discovered to suppress the growth of vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells. However, whether or not it is connected to cancer is yet unknown. Here, we report that MEOX2 functions as a tumor-initiating element in glioma. Bioinformatic analyses of public databases and investigation of MEOX2 expression in patients with glioma demonstrated that MEOX2 was abundant at both mRNA and protein levels in glioma. MEOX2 expression was shown to be inversely linked with the prognosis of glioma patients. MEOX2 inhibition changed the morphology of glioma cells, inhibited cell proliferation and motility, whereas had no effect on cell apoptosis. Besides, silencing MEOX2 also hampered the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), focal adhesion formation, and F-actin assembly. Overexpression of MEOX2 exhibited opposite effects. Importantly, RNA-sequencing, ChIP-qPCR assay, and luciferase reporter assay revealed Cathepsin S (CTSS) as a novel transcriptional target of MEOX2 in glioma cells. Consistently, MEOX2 causes glioma tumor development in mice and greatly lowers the survival period of tumor-bearing mice. Our findings indicate that MEOX2 promotes tumorigenesis and progression of glioma partially through the regulation of CTSS. Targeting MEOX2-CTSS axis might be a promising alternative for the treatment of glioma.
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Cardinale A, Cantalupo S, Lasorsa VA, Montella A, Cimmino F, Succoio M, Vermeulen M, Baltissen MP, Esposito M, Avitabile M, Formicola D, Testori A, Bonfiglio F, Ghiorzo P, Scalvenzi M, Ayala F, Zambrano N, Iles MM, Xu M, Law MH, Brown KM, Iolascon A, Capasso M. Functional annotation and investigation of the 10q24.33 melanoma risk locus identifies a common variant that influences transcriptional regulation of OBFC1. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:863-874. [PMID: 34605909 PMCID: PMC9077268 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The 10q24.33 locus is known to be associated with susceptibility to cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), but the mechanisms underlying this association have been not extensively investigated. We carried out an integrative genomic analysis of 10q24.33 using epigenomic annotations and in vitro reporter gene assays to identify regulatory variants. We found two putative functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in an enhancer and in the promoter of OBFC1, respectively, in neural crest and CMM cells, one, rs2995264, altering enhancer activity. The minor allele G of rs2995264 correlated with lower OBFC1 expression in 470 CMM tumors and was confirmed to increase the CMM risk in a cohort of 484 CMM cases and 1801 controls of Italian origin. Hi-C and chromosome conformation capture (3C) experiments showed the interaction between the enhancer-SNP region and the promoter of OBFC1 and an isogenic model characterized by CRISPR-Cas9 deletion of the enhancer-SNP region confirmed the potential regulatory effect of rs2995264 on OBFC1 transcription. Moreover, the presence of G-rs2995264 risk allele reduced the binding affinity of the transcription factor MEOX2. Biologic investigations showed significant cell viability upon depletion of OBFC1, specifically in CMM cells that were homozygous for the protective allele. Clinically, high levels of OBFC1 expression associated with histologically favorable CMM tumors. Finally, preliminary results suggested the potential effect of decreased OBFC1 expression on telomerase activity in tumorigenic conditions. Our results support the hypothesis that reduced expression of OBFC1 gene through functional heritable DNA variation can contribute to malignant transformation of normal melanocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Cardinale
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sueva Cantalupo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
| | - Vito Alessandro Lasorsa
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
| | - Annalaura Montella
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
| | | | | | - Michiel Vermeulen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Oncode Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Marijke P Baltissen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Oncode Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Matteo Esposito
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
| | - Marianna Avitabile
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
| | - Daniela Formicola
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
- SOC Genetica Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Meyer, Firenze 50139, Italy
| | - Alessandro Testori
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Bonfiglio
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Paola Ghiorzo
- Genetica dei Rumori Rari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Scalvenzi
- Dipartimento di Medicina clinica e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ayala
- Department of Melanoma and Cancer Immunotherapy, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Nicola Zambrano
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
| | - Mark M Iles
- Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Mai Xu
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthew H Law
- Statistical Genetics, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kevin M Brown
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Achille Iolascon
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
| | - Mario Capasso
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples 80136, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples 80145, Italy
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Cai Y, Liu Y, Sun Y, Ren Y. Mesenchyme homeobox 2 has a cancer-inhibiting function in breast carcinoma via affection of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and ERK1/2 pathways. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 593:20-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Schönrock A, Heinzelmann E, Steffl B, Demirdizen E, Narayanan A, Krunic D, Bähr M, Park JW, Schmidt C, Özduman K, Pamir MN, Wick W, Bestvater F, Weichenhan D, Plass C, Taranda J, Mall M, Turcan Ş. OUP accepted manuscript. Neuro Oncol 2022; 24:1911-1924. [PMID: 35468210 PMCID: PMC9629421 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noac110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive tumor that frequently exhibits gain of chromosome 7, loss of chromosome 10, and aberrantly activated receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways. Previously, we identified Mesenchyme Homeobox 2 (MEOX2), a gene located on chromosome 7, as an upregulated transcription factor in GBM. Overexpressed transcription factors can be involved in driving GBM. Here, we aimed to address the role of MEOX2 in GBM. METHODS Patient-derived GBM tumorspheres were used to constitutively knockdown or overexpress MEOX2 and subjected to in vitro assays including western blot to assess ERK phosphorylation. Cerebral organoid models were used to investigate the role of MEOX2 in growth initiation. Intracranial mouse implantation models were used to assess the tumorigenic potential of MEOX2. RNA-sequencing, ACT-seq, and CUT&Tag were used to identify MEOX2 target genes. RESULTS MEOX2 enhanced ERK signaling through a feed-forward mechanism. We identified Ser155 as a putative ERK-dependent phosphorylation site upstream of the homeobox-domain of MEOX2. S155A substitution had a major effect on MEOX2 protein levels and altered its subnuclear localization. MEOX2 overexpression cooperated with p53 and PTEN loss in cerebral organoid models of human malignant gliomas to induce cell proliferation. Using high-throughput genomics, we identified putative transcriptional target genes of MEOX2 in patient-derived GBM tumorsphere models and a fresh frozen GBM tumor. CONCLUSIONS We identified MEOX2 as an oncogenic transcription regulator in GBM. MEOX2 increases proliferation in cerebral organoid models of GBM and feeds into ERK signaling that represents a core signaling pathway in GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ashwin Narayanan
- Neurology Clinic and National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Damir Krunic
- Core Facility Unit Light Microscopy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marion Bähr
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Claudia Schmidt
- Core Facility Unit Light Microscopy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Koray Özduman
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - M Necmettin Pamir
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Wolfgang Wick
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Neurooncology, German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Neurology Clinic and National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Bestvater
- Core Facility Unit Light Microscopy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dieter Weichenhan
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Plass
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julian Taranda
- Neurology Clinic and National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Moritz Mall
- Cell Fate Engineering and Disease Modeling Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany
- HITBR Hector Institute for Translational Brain Research gGmbH, Heidelberg, Germany
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Şevin Turcan
- Corresponding Author: Şevin Turcan, PhD, Neurology Clinic and National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF 460, Heidelberg, Germany ()
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11
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Peralta-Arrieta I, Trejo-Villegas OA, Armas-López L, Ceja-Rangel HA, Ordóñez-Luna MDC, Pineda-Villegas P, González-López MA, Ortiz-Quintero B, Mendoza-Milla C, Zatarain-Barrón ZL, Arrieta O, Zúñiga J, Ávila-Moreno F. Failure to EGFR-TKI-based therapy and tumoural progression are promoted by MEOX2/GLI1-mediated epigenetic regulation of EGFR in the human lung cancer. Eur J Cancer 2021; 160:189-205. [PMID: 34844838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2021.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mesenchyme homeobox-2 (MEOX2)-mediated regulation of glioma-associated oncogene-1 (GLI1) has been associated with poor overall survival, conferring chemoresistance in lung cancer. However, the role of MEOX2/GLI1 in resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs)-based therapy remains unexplored in human lung cancer. METHODS Functional assays using genetic silencing strategy by short hairpin RNAs, as well as cytotoxic (tetrazolium dye MTT) and clonogenic assays, were performed to evaluate MEOX2/GLI1-induced malignancy capacity in lung cancer cells. Further analysis performed includes western blot, qPCR and ChIP-qPCR assays to identify whether MEOX2/GLI1 promote EGFR/AKT/ERK activation, as well as EGFR overexpression through epigenetic mechanisms. Finally, preclinical tumour progression in vivo and progression-free disease interval analyses in patients treated with EGFR-TKI were included. RESULTS Overexpressed MEOX2/GLI1 in both EGFR wild-type and EGFR/KRAS-mutated lung cancer cells were detected and involved in the activation/expression of EGFR/AKT/ERK biomarkers. In addition, MEOX2/GLI1 was shown to be involved in the increased proliferation of tumour cells and resistance capacity to cisplatin, EGFR-TKIs (erlotinib and AZD9291 'osimertinib'), AZD8542-SMO, and AZD6244-MEKK1/2. In addition, we identified that MEOX2/GLI1 promote lung tumour cells progression in vivo and are clinically associated with poorer progression-free disease intervals. Finally, both MEOX2 and GLI1 were detected to be epigenetically involved in EGFR expression by reducing both repressive markers polycomb-EZH2 and histone H3K27me3, but, particularly, increasing an activated histone profile H3K27Ac/H3K4me3 at EGFR-gene enhancer-promoter sequences that probably representing a novel EGFR-TKI-based therapy resistance mechanism. CONCLUSION MEOX2/GLI1 promote resistance to cisplatin and EGFR-TKI-based therapy in lung cancer cells, modulating EGFR/AKT/ERK signalling pathway activation, as well as inducing an aberrant epigenetic modulation of the EGFR-gene expression in human lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irlanda Peralta-Arrieta
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de Investigación en Biomedicina (UBIMED), Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Iztacala, Tlalnepantla de Baz, 54090, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Octavio A Trejo-Villegas
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de Investigación en Biomedicina (UBIMED), Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Iztacala, Tlalnepantla de Baz, 54090, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Leonel Armas-López
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de Investigación en Biomedicina (UBIMED), Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Iztacala, Tlalnepantla de Baz, 54090, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Hugo A Ceja-Rangel
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de Investigación en Biomedicina (UBIMED), Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Iztacala, Tlalnepantla de Baz, 54090, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - María Del Carmen Ordóñez-Luna
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de Investigación en Biomedicina (UBIMED), Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Iztacala, Tlalnepantla de Baz, 54090, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Priscila Pineda-Villegas
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de Investigación en Biomedicina (UBIMED), Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Iztacala, Tlalnepantla de Baz, 54090, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Marco A González-López
- Unidad Funcional de Oncología Torácica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Av. San Fernando 22, Belisario Domínguez Secc 16, Tlalpan, 14080, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Blanca Ortiz-Quintero
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, Calz de Tlalpan, 14080, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Criselda Mendoza-Milla
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, Calz de Tlalpan, 14080, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Zyanya L Zatarain-Barrón
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Campus Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Oscar Arrieta
- Unidad Funcional de Oncología Torácica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Av. San Fernando 22, Belisario Domínguez Secc 16, Tlalpan, 14080, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Joaquín Zúñiga
- Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, Calz de Tlalpan, 14080, Ciudad de México, Mexico; Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Campus Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Federico Ávila-Moreno
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad de Investigación en Biomedicina (UBIMED), Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Iztacala, Tlalnepantla de Baz, 54090, Estado de México, Mexico; Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Ismael Cosío Villegas, Calz de Tlalpan, 14080, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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12
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Tachon G, Masliantsev K, Rivet P, Desette A, Milin S, Gueret E, Wager M, Karayan-Tapon L, Guichet PO. MEOX2 Transcription Factor Is Involved in Survival and Adhesion of Glioma Stem-like Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13235943. [PMID: 34885053 PMCID: PMC8672280 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13235943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Glioblastoma is the most common and lethal primary brain tumor for which no curative treatment currently exists. In our previous work, we showed that MEOX2 was associated with a poor patient prognosis but its biological involvement in tumor development remains ill defined. To this purpose, the aim of our study was to investigate the role of MEOX2 in patient-derived glioblastoma cell cultures. We unraveled the MEOX2 contribution to cell viability and growth and its potential involvement in phenotype and adhesion properties of glioblastoma cells. This work paves the way toward a better understanding of the role of MEOX2 in the pathophysiology of primary brain tumors. Abstract The high expression of MEOX2 transcription factor is closely associated with poor overall survival in glioma. MEOX2 has recently been described as an interesting prognostic biomarker, especially for lower grade glioma. MEOX2 has never been studied in glioma stem-like cells (GSC), responsible for glioma recurrence. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of MEOX2 in GSC. Loss of function approach using siRNA was used to assess the impact of MEOX2 on GSC viability and stemness phenotype. MEOX2 was localized in the nucleus and its expression was heterogeneous between GSCs. MEOX2 expression depends on the methylation state of its promoter and is strongly associated with IDH mutations. MEOX2 is involved in cell proliferation and viability regulation through ERK/MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. MEOX2 loss of function correlated with GSC differentiation and acquisition of neuronal lineage characteristics. Besides, inhibition of MEOX2 is correlated with increased expression of CDH10 and decreased pFAK. In this study, we unraveled, for the first time, MEOX2 contribution to cell viability and proliferation through AKT/ERK pathway and its potential involvement in phenotype and adhesion properties of GSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Tachon
- Université de Poitiers, CHU Poitiers, ProDiCeT, 86000 Poitiers, France; (G.T.); (K.M.); (A.D.); (M.W.)
- Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, CHU Poitiers, 86000 Poitiers, France;
| | - Konstantin Masliantsev
- Université de Poitiers, CHU Poitiers, ProDiCeT, 86000 Poitiers, France; (G.T.); (K.M.); (A.D.); (M.W.)
- Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, CHU Poitiers, 86000 Poitiers, France;
| | - Pierre Rivet
- Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, CHU Poitiers, 86000 Poitiers, France;
| | - Amandine Desette
- Université de Poitiers, CHU Poitiers, ProDiCeT, 86000 Poitiers, France; (G.T.); (K.M.); (A.D.); (M.W.)
- Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, CHU Poitiers, 86000 Poitiers, France;
| | - Serge Milin
- Service d’Anatomo-Cytopathologie, CHU Poitiers, 86000 Poitiers, France;
| | - Elise Gueret
- Université Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34094 Montpellier, France;
- Montpellier GenomiX, France Génomique, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Michel Wager
- Université de Poitiers, CHU Poitiers, ProDiCeT, 86000 Poitiers, France; (G.T.); (K.M.); (A.D.); (M.W.)
- Service de Neurochirurgie, CHU Poitiers, 86000 Poitiers, France
| | - Lucie Karayan-Tapon
- Université de Poitiers, CHU Poitiers, ProDiCeT, 86000 Poitiers, France; (G.T.); (K.M.); (A.D.); (M.W.)
- Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, CHU Poitiers, 86000 Poitiers, France;
- Correspondence: (L.K.-T.); (P.-O.G.)
| | - Pierre-Olivier Guichet
- Université de Poitiers, CHU Poitiers, ProDiCeT, 86000 Poitiers, France; (G.T.); (K.M.); (A.D.); (M.W.)
- Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, CHU Poitiers, 86000 Poitiers, France;
- Correspondence: (L.K.-T.); (P.-O.G.)
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13
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Liu H, Wang G. MicroRNA-301a-3p promotes triple-negative breast cancer progression through downregulating MEOX2. Exp Ther Med 2021; 22:945. [PMID: 34306209 PMCID: PMC8281382 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10377] [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: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies among women. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents a significant challenge for breast oncologists, as the availability of effective therapies for this aggressive disease is limited. The molecular mechanisms underlying TNBC development are not fully understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) play important roles in the development of various types of cancer, including breast cancer; however, the role of miRNAs in TNBC remains undetermined. The results of the present study revealed that miR-301a-3p may function as an oncogenic miRNA in TNBC. Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas data, miR-301a-3p expression levels were found to be upregulated in breast cancer tissues. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression levels of miR-301a-3p were upregulated in TNBC tissues compared with non-TNBC tissues, and in MDA-MB-231 cells compared with normal MCF-10A breast cells. miR-301a-3p mimics and inhibitors were subsequently used to overexpress and knock down miR-301a-3p expression, respectively, in MDA-MB-231 cells. Biological functional experiments demonstrated that miR-301a-3p overexpression increased the viability, and the migratory and invasive abilities of MDA-MB-231 cells. By contrast, miR-301a-3p knockdown exerted the opposite effects on MDA-MB-231 cells. Cell apoptosis was negatively regulated by miR-301a-3p. Moreover, overexpression of miR-301a-3p was found to downregulate the expression levels of mesenchyme homeobox 2 (MEOX2). The expression levels of miR-301a-3p were negatively correlated with the expression levels of MEOX2 in clinical tissue specimens from patients with TNBC. Subsequently, the knockdown of MEOX2 expression promoted the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that miR-301a-3p may serve as an oncogenic miRNA in TNBC by regulating MEOX2 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100006, P.R. China
| | - Gangyue Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100006, P.R. China
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14
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Juarez-Flores A, Zamudio GS, José MV. Novel gene signatures for stage classification of the squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4835. [PMID: 33649335 PMCID: PMC7921642 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83668-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC) is one of the most common types of lung cancer. As GLOBOCAN reported in 2018, lung cancer was the first cause of death and new cases by cancer worldwide. Typically, diagnosis is made in the later stages of the disease with few treatment options available. The goal of this work was to find some key components underlying each stage of the disease, to help in the classification of tumor samples, and to increase the available options for experimental assays and molecular targets that could be used in treatment development. We employed two approaches. The first was based in the classic method of differential gene expression analysis, network analysis, and a novel concept known as network gatekeepers. The second approach was using machine learning algorithms. From our combined approach, we identified two sets of genes that could function as a signature to identify each stage of the cancer pathology. We also arrived at a network of 55 nodes, which according to their biological functions, they can be regarded as drivers in this cancer. Although biological experiments are necessary for their validation, we proposed that all these genes could be used for cancer development treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Juarez-Flores
- Theoretical Biology Group, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico
| | - Gabriel S Zamudio
- Theoretical Biology Group, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico
| | - Marco V José
- Theoretical Biology Group, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico.
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15
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Mo BY, Li GS, Huang SN, He WY, Xie LY, Wei ZX, Su YS, Liang Y, Yang L, Ye C, Dai WB, Ruan L. The underlying molecular mechanism and identification of transcription factor markers for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Bioengineered 2021; 12:208-224. [PMID: 33315534 PMCID: PMC8291796 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2020.1862527] [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] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The screening and treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) still perplexes clinicians, making it necessary to explore new markers. To this end, this research examined the underlying molecular mechanism of LSCC based on high-throughput datasets (n = 249) from multiple databases. It also identified transcription factors (TFs) independently associated with LSCC prognosis. Through Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses, differential expression genes of LSCC were deemed relevant to the extracellular matrix and its related structures or pathways, suggesting that the extracellular matrix plays an important role in LSCC. At the same time, several hub genes that may also have important roles in LSCC were identified via protein–protein interaction analysis, including CDC45, TPX2, AURKA, KIF2C, NUF, MUC1, MUC7, MUC4, MUC15, and MUC21. Eight unreported LSCC prognostic TFs – BCAT1, CHD4, FOXA2, GATA6, HNF1A, HOXB13, MAFF, and TCF4 – were screened via Kaplan–Meier curves. Cox analysis determined for the first time that HOXB13 expression and gender were independently associated with LSCC prognosis. Compared to control tissues, elevated expression of HOXB13 was found in LSCC tissues (standardized mean difference = 0.44, 95% confidence interval [0.13–0.76]). HOXB13 expression also makes it feasible to screen LSCC from non-LSCC (area under the curve = 0.77), and HOXB13 may play an essential role in LSCC by regulating HOXB7. In conclusion, HOXB13 may be a novel marker for LSCC clinical screening and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin-Yu Mo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Liuzhou People's Hospital of Guangxi , Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Guo-Sheng Li
- Department of Radiotherapy, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University , Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Su-Ning Huang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital , Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Wei-Ying He
- Department of Radiotherapy, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University , Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Li-Yuan Xie
- Department of Radiotherapy, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University , Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Zhu-Xin Wei
- Department of Radiotherapy, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University , Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Ya-Si Su
- Department of Pathology, Liuzhou People's Hospital , Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Yue Liang
- Department of Pathology, Liuzhou People's Hospital , Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Pathology, Liuzhou People's Hospital , Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Cheng Ye
- Department of Pathology, Liuzhou People's Hospital , Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Dai
- Department of Pathology, Liuzhou People's Hospital , Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
| | - Lin Ruan
- Department of Radiotherapy, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University , Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, P.R. China
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Yin H, He H, Cao X, Shen X, Han S, Cui C, Zhao J, Wei Y, Chen Y, Xia L, Wang Y, Li D, Zhu Q. MiR-148a-3p Regulates Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway by Targeting Meox2. Front Genet 2020; 11:512. [PMID: 32582277 PMCID: PMC7287179 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
As bioinformatic approaches have been developed, it has been demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the formation of muscles and play important roles in regulation of muscle cell proliferation and differentiation. Previously, it has been demonstrated that miR-148a-3p is one of the most abundant miRNAs in chicken skeletal muscle. Here, we build on that work and demonstrate that miR-148a-3p is important in the control of differentiation of chicken skeletal muscle satellite cells (SMSCs). Elevated expression of miR-148a-3p significantly promoted differentiation and inhibited apoptosis of SMSCs but did not affect proliferation. Furthermore, it was observed that the mesenchyme homeobox 2 (Meox2) is a target gene of miR-148a-3p and that miR-148a-3p can down-regulate expression of Meox2, which promote differentiation of SMSCs and suppress apoptosis. Furthermore, miR-148a-3p overexpression encouraged activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which could be recovered by overexpression of Meox2. Overall, these findings suggest that microRNA-148a-3p is a potent promoter of myogenesis via direct targeting of Meox2 and increase of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in chicken SMSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huadong Yin
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Haorong He
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinao Cao
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoxu Shen
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shunshun Han
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Can Cui
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuanhang Wei
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuqi Chen
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lu Xia
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Diyan Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qing Zhu
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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Jiang N, Dai Q, Su X, Fu J, Feng X, Peng J. Role of PI3K/AKT pathway in cancer: the framework of malignant behavior. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:4587-4629. [PMID: 32333246 PMCID: PMC7295848 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05435-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 308] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Given that the PI3K/AKT pathway has manifested its compelling influence on multiple cellular process, we further review the roles of hyperactivation of PI3K/AKT pathway in various human cancers. We state the abnormalities of PI3K/AKT pathway in different cancers, which are closely related with tumorigenesis, proliferation, growth, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stem-like phenotype, immune microenvironment and drug resistance of cancer cells. In addition, we investigated the current clinical trials of inhibitors against PI3K/AKT pathway in cancers and found that the clinical efficacy of these inhibitors as monotherapy has so far been limited despite of the promising preclinical activity, which means combinations of targeted therapy may achieve better efficacies in cancers. In short, we hope to feature PI3K/AKT pathway in cancers to the clinic and bring the new promising to patients for targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningni Jiang
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Qijie Dai
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Xiaorui Su
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Jianjiang Fu
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Xuancheng Feng
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Juan Peng
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 USA
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18
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Tachon G, Masliantsev K, Rivet P, Petropoulos C, Godet J, Milin S, Wager M, Guichet PO, Karayan-Tapon L. Prognostic significance of MEOX2 in gliomas. Mod Pathol 2019; 32:774-786. [PMID: 30659268 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-018-0192-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Gliomas are the most common malignant primary tumors in the central nervous system and have variable predictive clinical courses. Glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of glioma, is a complex disease with unsatisfactory therapeutic solutions and a very poor prognosis. Some processes at stake in gliomagenesis have been discovered but little is known about the role of homeobox genes, even though they are highly expressed in gliomas, particularly in glioblastoma. Among them, the transcription factor Mesenchyme Homeobox 2 (MEOX2) had previously been associated with malignant progression and clinical prognosis in lung cancer and hepatocarcinoma but never studied in glioma. The aim of our study was to investigate the clinical significance of MEOX2 in gliomas. We assessed the expression of MEOX2 according to IDH1/2 molecular profile and patient survival among three different public datasets: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), The Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) and the US National Cancer Institute Repository for Molecular Brain Neoplasia Data (Rembrandt). We then evaluated the prognostic significance of MEOX2 protein expression on 112 glioma clinical samples including; 56 IDH1 wildtype glioblastomas, 7 IDH1 wild-type lower grade gliomas, 49 IDH1 mutated lower grade gliomas. Survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method followed by uni/multivariate analyses. We demonstrated that MEOX2 was one of the transcription factors most closely associated with overall survival in glioma. Moreover, MEOX2 expression was associated with IDH1/2 wildtype molecular subtype and was significantly correlated with overall survival of all gliomas and, more interestingly, in lower grade glioma. To conclude, our results may be the first to provide insight into the clinical significance of MEOX2 in gliomas, which is a factor closely related to patient outcome. MEOX2 could constitute an interesting prognostic biomarker, especially for lower grade glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaelle Tachon
- Inserm U1084, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Poitiers, F-86073, France.,Université de Poitiers, F-86073, Poitiers, France.,CHU de Poitiers, Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, Poitiers, F-86022, France
| | - Konstantin Masliantsev
- Inserm U1084, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Poitiers, F-86073, France.,Université de Poitiers, F-86073, Poitiers, France.,CHU de Poitiers, Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, Poitiers, F-86022, France
| | - Pierre Rivet
- CHU de Poitiers, Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, Poitiers, F-86022, France
| | - Christos Petropoulos
- Inserm U1084, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Poitiers, F-86073, France.,Université de Poitiers, F-86073, Poitiers, France.,CHU de Poitiers, Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, Poitiers, F-86022, France
| | - Julie Godet
- CHU de Poitiers, Service d'Anatomo-Cytopathologie, Poitiers, F-86021, France
| | - Serge Milin
- CHU de Poitiers, Service d'Anatomo-Cytopathologie, Poitiers, F-86021, France
| | - Michel Wager
- Inserm U1084, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Poitiers, F-86073, France.,Université de Poitiers, F-86073, Poitiers, France.,CHU de Poitiers, Service de Neurochirurgie, Poitiers, F-86021, France
| | - Pierre-Olivier Guichet
- Inserm U1084, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Poitiers, F-86073, France. .,Université de Poitiers, F-86073, Poitiers, France. .,CHU de Poitiers, Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, Poitiers, F-86022, France.
| | - Lucie Karayan-Tapon
- Inserm U1084, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Poitiers, F-86073, France. .,Université de Poitiers, F-86073, Poitiers, France. .,CHU de Poitiers, Laboratoire de Cancérologie Biologique, Poitiers, F-86022, France.
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