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Guo M, Liu M, Li W, Wang C, Zhang L, Zhang H. Osteopontin promotes tumor growth and metastasis and GPX4-mediated anti-lipid peroxidation in triple-negative breast cancer by activating the PI3k/Akt/mTOR pathway. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:155. [PMID: 38526702 PMCID: PMC10963528 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05658-w] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) features high aggressiveness, metastasis rate, drug resistance as well as poor prognosis. Osteopontin (OPN) is a key protein in the process of osteogenesis and has emerged as a new tumor marker in recent years. METHODS Cell viability was tested with the CCK-8 kit. Transwell and wound healing were adopted to test cell invasive and migratory abilities. Tumor sphere formation was detected by tumor sphere formation assay. Human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) tube formation assay was used to measure the angiogenesis of tumor cells. Western blot was applied for the estimation of the expression of cancer stem cell markers, angiogenesis-, signaling pathway-related proteins as well as OPN. Bioinformatics tools predicted OPN expression in breast cancer tissues. The levels of oxidative stress-related markers were assessed with ELISA. Following the overexpression of OPN in MD-MB-436 cells and the addition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitor LY294002, the aforementioned functional experiments were implemented again to investigate the mechanism. Finally, in vivo experiments of tumor-bearing mice were performed for further verification. RESULTS The proliferative, invasive, migratory and tumor sphere formation capabilities as well as angiogenesis of TNBC cells were conspicuously increased in contrast to non-TNBC cell lines. OPN expression in TNBC tissues and cells was dramatically enhanced. OPN upregulation significantly elevated cell proliferative, invasive and migratory capabilities as well as tumor sphere formation and angiogenesis. The mechanism might be achieved by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling to regulate glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4)-mediated anti-lipid peroxidation. CONCLUSION OPN promoted tumor sphere formation and angiogenesis in TNBC by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway to regulate GPX4-mediated anti-lipid peroxidation levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Guo
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Nanyang Central Hospital, No. 312 Gongnong Road, Wancheng District, Nanyang City, 473005, Henan Province, China
| | - Mengyue Liu
- Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang City, 453003, Henan Province, China
| | - Weihan Li
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Nanyang Central Hospital, No. 312 Gongnong Road, Wancheng District, Nanyang City, 473005, Henan Province, China
| | - Cao Wang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Nanyang Central Hospital, No. 312 Gongnong Road, Wancheng District, Nanyang City, 473005, Henan Province, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Nanyang Central Hospital, No. 312 Gongnong Road, Wancheng District, Nanyang City, 473005, Henan Province, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Nanyang Central Hospital, No. 312 Gongnong Road, Wancheng District, Nanyang City, 473005, Henan Province, China.
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Lu C, Liu Z, Klement JD, Yang D, Merting AD, Poschel D, Albers T, Waller JL, Shi H, Liu K. WDR5-H3K4me3 epigenetic axis regulates OPN expression to compensate PD-L1 function to promote pancreatic cancer immune escape. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e002624. [PMID: 34326167 PMCID: PMC8323468 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite PD-L1 (Programmed death receptor ligand-1) expression on tumor cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes tumor infiltration in the tumor microenvironment, human pancreatic cancer stands out as one of the human cancers that does not respond to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) immunotherapy. Epigenome dysregulation has emerged as a major mechanism in T cell exhaustion and non-response to ICI immunotherapy, we, therefore, aimed at testing the hypothesis that an epigenetic mechanism compensates PD-L1 function to render pancreatic cancer non-response to ICI immunotherapy. METHODS Two orthotopic pancreatic tumor mouse models were used for chromatin immunoprecipitation-Seq and RNA-Seq to identify genome-wide dysregulation of H3K4me3 and gene expression. Human pancreatic tumor and serum were analyzed for osteopontin (OPN) protein level and for correlation with patient prognosis. OPN and PD-L1 cellular location were determined in the tumors using flow cytometry. The function of WDR5-H3K4me3 axis in OPN expression were determined by Western blotting. The function of H3K4me3-OPN axis in pancreatic cancer immune escape and response to ICI immunotherapy was determined in an orthotopic pancreatic tumor mouse model. RESULTS Mouse pancreatic tumors have a genome-wide increase in H3K4me3 deposition as compared with normal pancreas. OPN and its receptor CD44 were identified being upregulated in pancreatic tumors by their promoter H3K4me3 deposition. OPN protein is increased in both tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells in human pancreatic carcinoma and is inversely correlated with pancreatic cancer patient survival. OPN is primarily expressed in tumor cells and monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs), whereas PD-L1 is expressed in tumor cells, M-MDSCs, polymorphonuclear MDSCs and tumor-associated macrophages. WDR5 is essential for H3K4me3-specific histone methyltransferase activity that regulates OPN expression in tumor cells and MDSCs. Inhibition of WDR5 significantly decreased OPN protein level. Inhibition of WDR5 or knocking out of OPN suppressed orthotopic mouse pancreatic tumor growth. Inhibition of WDR5 also significantly increased efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in suppression of mouse pancreatic tumor growth in vivo. CONCLUSIONS OPN compensates PD-L1 function to promote pancreatic cancer immune escape. Pharmacological inhibition of the WDR5-H3K4me3 epigenetic axis is effective in suppressing pancreatic tumor immune escape and in improving efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunwan Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhuoqi Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - John D Klement
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Dafeng Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alyssa D Merting
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Dakota Poschel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Thomas Albers
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jennifer L Waller
- Department of Population Health Science, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Huidong Shi
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kebin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, Georgia, USA
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Klement JD, Poschel DB, Lu C, Merting AD, Yang D, Redd PS, Liu K. Osteopontin Blockade Immunotherapy Increases Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Lytic Activity and Suppresses Colon Tumor Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13051006. [PMID: 33670921 PMCID: PMC7957528 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Despite the breakthrough in human cancer immunotherapy, colorectal cancer, except for the small subset of microsatellite instable colorectal cancer (MSI, ~4% total cases), is one of the few human cancers that does not respond to current immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) immunotherapy. CTLs are present in both MSI and microsatellite stable (MSS) human colon carcinoma, suggesting that PD-L1-independent mechanisms may exist and suppress CTL activation in the colon tumor microenvironment. We determined that osteopontin (OPN) inhibits tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) lytic activity to promote colon tumor growth in vivo. Accordingly, OPN blockade immunotherapy using OPN neutralization monoclonal antibodies 100D3 and 103D6 suppressed colon tumor growth in vivo. Our findings indicate that 100D3 and 103D6 has the potential to be further developed for colorectal cancer immunotherapy. Abstract Human colorectal cancers are mostly microsatellite-stable with no response to anti-PD-1 blockade immunotherapy, necessitating the development of a new immunotherapy. Osteopontin (OPN) is elevated in human colorectal cancer and may function as an immune checkpoint. We aimed at elucidating the mechanism of action of OPN and determining the efficacy of OPN blockade immunotherapy in suppression of colon cancer. We report here that OPN is primarily expressed in tumor cells, myeloid cells, and innate lymphoid cells in human colorectal carcinoma. Spp1 knock out mice exhibit a high incidence and fast growth rate of carcinogen-induced tumors. Knocking out Spp1 in colon tumor cells increased tumor-specific CTL cytotoxicity in vitro and resulted in decreased tumor growth in vivo. The OPN protein level is elevated in the peripheral blood of tumor-bearing mice. We developed four OPN neutralization monoclonal antibodies based on their efficacy in blocking OPN inhibition of T cell activation. OPN clones 100D3 and 103D6 increased the efficacy of tumor-specific CTLs in killing colon tumor cells in vitro and suppressed colon tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice in vivo. Our data indicate that OPN blockade immunotherapy with 100D3 and 103D6 has great potential to be further developed for colorectal cancer immunotherapy and for rendering a colorectal cancer response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D. Klement
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; (J.D.K.); (D.B.P.); (A.D.M.); (D.Y.); (P.S.R.)
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA 30904, USA
| | - Dakota B. Poschel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; (J.D.K.); (D.B.P.); (A.D.M.); (D.Y.); (P.S.R.)
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA 30904, USA
| | - Chunwan Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China;
| | - Alyssa D. Merting
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; (J.D.K.); (D.B.P.); (A.D.M.); (D.Y.); (P.S.R.)
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA 30904, USA
| | - Dafeng Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; (J.D.K.); (D.B.P.); (A.D.M.); (D.Y.); (P.S.R.)
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA 30904, USA
| | - Priscilla S. Redd
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; (J.D.K.); (D.B.P.); (A.D.M.); (D.Y.); (P.S.R.)
- Chemedimmune Inc., Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Kebin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; (J.D.K.); (D.B.P.); (A.D.M.); (D.Y.); (P.S.R.)
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
- Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA 30904, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-706-721-9483
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Potikha T, Pappo O, Mizrahi L, Olam D, Maller SM, Rabinovich GA, Galun E, Goldenberg DS. Lack of galectin-1 exacerbates chronic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, and carcinogenesis in murine hepatocellular carcinoma model. FASEB J 2019; 33:7995-8007. [PMID: 30897344 PMCID: PMC9292271 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900017r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Chronic liver inflammation (CLI) is a risk factor for development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Galectin-1 (Gal1) is involved in the regulation of inflammation, angiogenesis, and tumorigenesis, exhibiting multiple anti-inflammatory and protumorigenic activities. We aimed to explore its regulatory role in CLI and HCC progression using an established model of CLI-mediated HCC development, Abcb4 [multidrug-resistance 2 (Mdr2)]-knockout (KO) mice, which express high levels of Gal1 in the liver. We generated double-KO (dKO) Gal1-KO/Mdr2-KO mice on C57BL/6 and FVB/N genetic backgrounds and compared HCC development in the generated strains with their parental Mdr2-KO strains. Loss of Gal1 increased liver injury, inflammation, fibrosis, and ductular reaction in dKO mice of both strains starting from an early age. Aged dKO mutants displayed earlier hepatocarcinogenesis and increased tumor size compared with control Mdr2-KO mice. We found that osteopontin, a well-known modulator of HCC development, and oncogenic proteins Ntrk2 (TrkB) and S100A4 were overexpressed in dKO compared with Mdr2-KO livers. Our results demonstrate that in Mdr2-KO mice, a model of CLI-mediated HCC, Gal1-mediated protection from hepatitis, liver fibrosis, and HCC initiation dominates over its known procarcinogenic activities at later stages of HCC development. These findings suggest that anti-Gal1 treatments may not be applicable at all stages of CLI-mediated HCC.-Potikha, T., Pappo, O., Mizrahi, L., Olam, D., Maller, S. M., Rabinovich, G. A., Galun, E., Goldenberg, D. S. Lack of galectin-1 exacerbates chronic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, and carcinogenesis in murine hepatocellular carcinoma model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Potikha
- The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene TherapyHadassah-Hebrew University Medical CenterJerusalemIsrael
| | - Orit Pappo
- Department of PathologyHadassah-Hebrew University Medical CenterJerusalemIsrael
| | - Lina Mizrahi
- The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene TherapyHadassah-Hebrew University Medical CenterJerusalemIsrael
| | - Devorah Olam
- The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene TherapyHadassah-Hebrew University Medical CenterJerusalemIsrael
| | - Sebastián M. Maller
- Laboratory of ImmunopathologyInstitute of Biology and Experimental Medicine (IBYME)Argentinean National Research Council (CONICET)Buenos AiresArgentina
| | - Gabriel A. Rabinovich
- Laboratory of ImmunopathologyInstitute of Biology and Experimental Medicine (IBYME)Argentinean National Research Council (CONICET)Buenos AiresArgentina
- Faculty of Exact and Natural SciencesUniversity of Buenos AiresBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Eithan Galun
- The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene TherapyHadassah-Hebrew University Medical CenterJerusalemIsrael
| | - Daniel S. Goldenberg
- The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene TherapyHadassah-Hebrew University Medical CenterJerusalemIsrael
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