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Yin X, He Z, Chen K, Ouyang K, Yang C, Li J, Tang H, Cai M. Unveiling the impact of CDK8 on tumor progression: mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1386929. [PMID: 38606172 PMCID: PMC11006979 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1386929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
CDK8 is an important member of the cyclin-dependent kinase family associated with transcription and acts as a key "molecular switch" in the Mediator complex. CDK8 regulates gene expression by phosphorylating transcription factors and can control the transcription process through Mediator complex. Previous studies confirmed that CDK8 is an important oncogenic factor, making it a potential tumor biomarker and a promising target for tumor therapy. However, CDK8 has also been confirmed to be a tumor suppressor, indicating that it not only promotes the development of tumors but may also be involved in tumor suppression. Therefore, the dual role of CDK8 in the process of tumor development is worth further exploration and summary. This comprehensive review delves into the intricate involvement of CDK8 in transcription-related processes, as well as its role in signaling pathways related to tumorigenesis, with a focus on its critical part in driving cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Yin
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Zhilong He
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Kun Chen
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Kai Ouyang
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Changxuan Yang
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Jianjun Li
- Department of Urological Surgical, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Hailin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Manbo Cai
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
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2
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Horvath RM, Brumme ZL, Sadowski I. CDK8 inhibitors antagonize HIV-1 reactivation and promote provirus latency in T cells. J Virol 2023; 97:e0092323. [PMID: 37671866 PMCID: PMC10537590 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00923-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Latent HIV-1 provirus represents the barrier toward a cure for infection and is dependent upon the host RNA Polymerase (Pol) II machinery for reemergence. Here, we find that inhibitors of the RNA Pol II mediator kinases CDK8/19, Senexin A and BRD6989, inhibit induction of HIV-1 expression in response to latency-reversing agents and T cell signaling agonists. These inhibitors were found to impair recruitment of RNA Pol II to the HIV-1 LTR. Furthermore, HIV-1 expression in response to several latency reversal agents was impaired upon disruption of CDK8 by shRNA or gene knockout. However, the effects of CDK8 depletion did not entirely mimic CDK8/19 kinase inhibition suggesting that the mediator kinases are not functionally redundant. Additionally, treatment of CD4+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from people living with HIV-1 and who are receiving antiretroviral therapy with Senexin A inhibited induction of viral replication in response to T cell stimulation by PMA and ionomycin. These observations indicate that the mediator kinases, CDK8 and CDK19, play a significant role for regulation of HIV-1 transcription and that small molecule inhibitors of these enzymes may contribute to therapies designed to promote deep latency involving the durable suppression of provirus expression. IMPORTANCE A cure for HIV-1 infection will require novel therapies that can force elimination of cells that contain copies of the virus genome inserted into the cell chromosome, but which is shut off, or silenced. These are known as latently-infected cells, which represent the main reason why current treatment for HIV/AIDS cannot cure the infection because the virus in these cells is unaffected by current drugs. Our results indicate that chemical inhibitors of Cdk8 also inhibit the expression of latent HIV provirus. Cdk8 is an important enzyme that regulates the expression of genes in response to signals to which cells need to respond and which is produced by a gene that is frequently mutated in cancers. Our observations indicate that Cdk8 inhibitors may be employed in novel therapies to prevent expression from latent provirus, which might eventually enable infected individuals to cease treatment with antiretroviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley M. Horvath
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Zabrina L. Brumme
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ivan Sadowski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular Epigenetics Group, LSI, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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3
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Pluta AJ, Studniarek C, Murphy S, Norbury CJ. Cyclin-dependent kinases: Masters of the eukaryotic universe. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 15:e1816. [PMID: 37718413 PMCID: PMC10909489 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
A family of structurally related cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) drives many aspects of eukaryotic cell function. Much of the literature in this area has considered individual members of this family to act primarily either as regulators of the cell cycle, the context in which CDKs were first discovered, or as regulators of transcription. Until recently, CDK7 was the only clear example of a CDK that functions in both processes. However, new data points to several "cell-cycle" CDKs having important roles in transcription and some "transcriptional" CDKs having cell cycle-related targets. For example, novel functions in transcription have been demonstrated for the archetypal cell cycle regulator CDK1. The increasing evidence of the overlap between these two CDK types suggests that they might play a critical role in coordinating the two processes. Here we review the canonical functions of cell-cycle and transcriptional CDKs, and provide an update on how these kinases collaborate to perform important cellular functions. We also provide a brief overview of how dysregulation of CDKs contributes to carcinogenesis, and possible treatment avenues. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shona Murphy
- Sir William Dunn School of PathologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Chris J. Norbury
- Sir William Dunn School of PathologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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4
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Zabihi M, Lotfi R, Yousefi AM, Bashash D. Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases: from biology to tumorigenesis and therapeutic opportunities. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:1585-1606. [PMID: 35781526 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04135-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The discussion on cell proliferation cannot be continued without taking a look at the cell cycle regulatory machinery. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), cyclins, and CDK inhibitors (CKIs) are valuable members of this system and their equilibrium guarantees the proper progression of the cell cycle. As expected, any dysregulation in the expression or function of these components can provide a platform for excessive cell proliferation leading to tumorigenesis. The high frequency of CDK abnormalities in human cancers, together with their druggable structure has raised the possibility that perhaps designing a series of inhibitors targeting CDKs might be advantageous for restricting the survival of tumor cells; however, their application has faced a serious concern, since these groups of serine-threonine kinases possess non-canonical functions as well. In the present review, we aimed to take a look at the biology of CDKs and then magnify their contribution to tumorigenesis. Then, by arguing the bright and dark aspects of CDK inhibition in the treatment of human cancers, we intend to reach a consensus on the application of these inhibitors in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitra Zabihi
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ramin Lotfi
- Clinical Research Development Center, Tohid Hospital, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Amir-Mohammad Yousefi
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Bashash
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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5
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Gu X, Shen H, Bai W, Xiang Z, Li X, Zhang R, Shi F, Li H, Zhu G, Guo S. Endometrial cancer prognosis prediction using correlation models based on CDK family genes. Front Genet 2022; 13:1021600. [PMID: 36299580 PMCID: PMC9589062 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1021600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play an important role in cell division. Given that abnormal cell proliferation caused by dysregulation of cell division is one of the major causes of endometrial cancer (EC), it is important to elucidate the role of CDK family genes in the diagnosis and prognosis of EC. In this study, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to analyze the frequency of copy number variations and somatic mutations in 26 CDK family genes. Subsequently, the expression of these genes in EC was assessed, and their relationship with overall survival (OS) was examined via Kaplan–Meier analysis to assess their prognostic significance. A prognostic model based on seven CDK genes was constructed using Lasso and Cox regression, and the predictive performance of the model was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier analysis and column line plots. The correlation between CDK genes and immune cells was also examined. Patients with EC in the high-risk group had a poorer prognosis. The results of qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses validated that CDK16 is highly expressed in EC tissues. Patients with EC with high CDK16 expression had worse 10-year OS than patients with low CDK16 expression. These findings suggest that the prognostic model constructed based on CDK genes can help to develop individualized and targeted treatment strategies for patients with EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianhua Gu
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Honghong Shen
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Wenqi Bai
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Zheng Xiang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Xinwei Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Fan Shi
- Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Huiyuan Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Guangzheng Zhu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Suyang Guo
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
- *Correspondence: Suyang Guo,
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6
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The Regulatory Role of Lipid Metabolism in Endometrial Cancer. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:6458877. [PMID: 36072980 PMCID: PMC9444396 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6458877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Endometrial cancer is the 6th most common carcinoma as well as the 2nd most common malignancy worldwide in women. It is closely related to fat content, and dyslipidemia is among the most significant metabolic changes in this cancer. Therefore, further understanding of the regulation mechanism in lipid metabolism of endometrial cancer is conducive to the development of better therapeutic strategies and methods. Here, we systematically review the signaling pathways that regulate lipid metabolism in endometrial cancer and the research progress of drugs and targeted therapies that act on lipid metabolism by retrieving relevant articles. The underlying mechanism of occurrence and development of endometrial cancer is relatively clear and comprehensively reviewed here. But following more research studies will help to illuminate more specific regulatory roles of lipid metabolism in endometrial cancer and explore new possible mechanisms, prognostic and therapeutic targets, and subsequent drugs. Our review will provide a full view for the following investigation of lipid metabolism in endometrial cancer.
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7
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Srivastava S, Makala H, Sharma V, Suri V, Sarkar C, Kulshreshtha R. MED12 is overexpressed in glioblastoma patients and serves as an oncogene by targeting the VDR/BCL6/p53 axis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:104. [PMID: 35091793 PMCID: PMC11071957 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04056-6] [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: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most life-threatening tumor of the central nervous system. Despite recent therapeutic advancements, maximum survival of glioblastoma patients remains dismal. The mediator complex is a set of proteins, essential for eukaryotic gene expression. Abnormal expression/mutations of specific mediator genes have been associated with progression of various cancers, however, its role and status in glioblastoma remains largely unknown. Our work shows overexpression of a subunit of kinase assembly of mediator complex, MED12, in various glioblastoma patient cohorts including Indian glioblastoma patients and cell lines. Functional characterization of MED12 using both overexpression and knockdown approach revealed that it promotes glioblastoma cell proliferation, migration and inhibits apoptosis. Transcriptome analysis post MED12 knockdown revealed Vitamin D receptor (VDR) pathway to be one of the key pathways affected by MED12 in glioblastoma. We studied direct interaction of MED12 with VDR protein using docking studies and co-immunoprecipitation assay. We identify BCL6, a secondary regulator of VDR signaling, to be directly regulated by MED12 through a combination of chromatin immunoprecipitation, qRT-PCR and western analyses. We further show that MED12 brings about the inhibition of p53 levels and apoptosis partly through induction of BCL6 in glioblastoma. Overall, this stands as the first report of MED12 over-expression and involvement in glioblastoma pathogenesis and identifies MED12 as an important mediator of VDR signaling and an attractive molecule for development of new therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srishti Srivastava
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Hima Makala
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Vikas Sharma
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Vaishali Suri
- Neuropathology Neurosciences Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Chitra Sarkar
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Ritu Kulshreshtha
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India.
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8
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Lloyd R, Urban V, Muñoz-Martínez F, Ayestaran I, Thomas J, de Renty C, O’Connor M, Forment J, Galanty Y, Jackson S. Loss of Cyclin C or CDK8 provides ATR inhibitor resistance by suppressing transcription-associated replication stress. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:8665-8683. [PMID: 34329458 PMCID: PMC8421211 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The protein kinase ATR plays pivotal roles in DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint engagement and DNA replication. Consequently, ATR inhibitors (ATRi) are in clinical development for the treatment of cancers, including tumours harbouring mutations in the related kinase ATM. However, it still remains unclear which functions and pathways dominate long-term ATRi efficacy, and how these vary between clinically relevant genetic backgrounds. Elucidating common and genetic-background specific mechanisms of ATRi efficacy could therefore assist in patient stratification and pre-empting drug resistance. Here, we use CRISPR-Cas9 genome-wide screening in ATM-deficient and proficient mouse embryonic stem cells to interrogate cell fitness following treatment with the ATRi, ceralasertib. We identify factors that enhance or suppress ATRi efficacy, with a subset of these requiring intact ATM signalling. Strikingly, two of the strongest resistance-gene hits in both ATM-proficient and ATM-deficient cells encode Cyclin C and CDK8: members of the CDK8 kinase module for the RNA polymerase II mediator complex. We show that Cyclin C/CDK8 loss reduces S-phase DNA:RNA hybrid formation, transcription-replication stress, and ultimately micronuclei formation induced by ATRi. Overall, our work identifies novel biomarkers of ATRi efficacy in ATM-proficient and ATM-deficient cells, and highlights transcription-associated replication stress as a predominant driver of ATRi-induced cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Lloyd
- Wellcome/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Vaclav Urban
- Bioscience, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Francisco Muñoz-Martínez
- Wellcome/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Iñigo Ayestaran
- Wellcome/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - John C Thomas
- Wellcome/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | - Yaron Galanty
- Wellcome/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Stephen P Jackson
- Wellcome/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, UK
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9
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Youn DY, Xiaoli AM, Zong H, Okada J, Liu L, Pessin J, Pessin JE, Yang F. The Mediator complex kinase module is necessary for fructose regulation of liver glycogen levels through induction of glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit (G6pc). Mol Metab 2021; 48:101227. [PMID: 33812059 PMCID: PMC8099662 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Liver glycogen levels are dynamic and highly regulated by nutrient availability as the levels decrease during fasting and are restored during the feeding cycle. However, feeding in the presence of fructose in water suppresses glycogen accumulation in the liver by upregulating the expression of the glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit (G6pc) gene, although the exact mechanism is unknown. We generated liver-specific knockout MED13 mice that lacked the transcriptional Mediator complex kinase module to examine its effect on the transcriptional activation of inducible target gene expression, such as the ChREBP- and FOXO1-dependent control of the G6pc gene promoter. METHODS The relative changes in liver expression of lipogenic and gluconeogenic genes as well as glycogen levels were examined in response to feeding standard low-fat laboratory chow supplemented with water or water containing sucrose or fructose in control (Med13fl/fl) and liver-specific MED13 knockout (MED13-LKO) mice. RESULTS Although MED13 deficiency had no significant effect on constitutive gene expression, all the dietary inducible gene transcripts were significantly reduced despite the unchanged insulin sensitivity in the MED13-LKO mice compared to that in the control mice. G6pc gene transcription displayed the most significant difference between the Med13 fl/fl and MED13-LKO mice, particularly when fed fructose. Following fasting that depleted liver glycogen, feeding induced the restoration of glycogen levels except in the presence of fructose. MED13 deficiency rescued the glycogen accumulation defect in the presence of fructose. This resulted from the suppression of G6pc expression and thus G6PC enzymatic activity. Among two transcriptional factors that regulate G6pc gene expression, FOXO1 binding to the G6pc promoter was not affected, whereas ChREBP binding was dramatically reduced in MED13-LKO hepatocytes. In addition, there was a marked suppression of FOXO1 and ChREBP-β transcriptional activities in MED13-LKO hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our data suggest that the kinase module of the Mediator complex is necessary for the transcriptional activation of metabolic genes such as G6pc and has an important role in regulating glycogen levels in the liver through altering transcription factor binding and activity at the G6pc promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dou Yeon Youn
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Alus M Xiaoli
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Haihong Zong
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Junichi Okada
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Jacob Pessin
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Jeffrey E Pessin
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
| | - Fajun Yang
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA; Fleischer Institute for Diabetes and Metabolism, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
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10
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Enhancer rewiring in tumors: an opportunity for therapeutic intervention. Oncogene 2021; 40:3475-3491. [PMID: 33934105 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01793-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Enhancers are cis-regulatory sequences that fine-tune expression of their target genes in a spatiotemporal manner. They are recognized by sequence-specific transcription factors, which in turn recruit transcriptional coactivators that facilitate transcription by promoting assembly and activation of the basal transcriptional machinery. Their functional importance is underscored by the fact that they are often the target of genetic and nongenetic events in human disease that disrupt their sequence, interactome, activation potential, and/or chromatin environment. Dysregulation of transcription and addiction to transcriptional effectors that interact with and modulate enhancer activity are common features of cancer cells and are amenable to therapeutic intervention. Here, we discuss the current knowledge on enhancer biology, the broad spectrum of mechanisms that lead to their malfunction in tumor cells, and recent progress in developing drugs that efficaciously target their dependencies.
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11
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Fukasawa K, Kadota T, Horie T, Tokumura K, Terada R, Kitaguchi Y, Park G, Ochiai S, Iwahashi S, Okayama Y, Hiraiwa M, Yamada T, Iezaki T, Kaneda K, Yamamoto M, Kitao T, Shirahase H, Hazawa M, Wong RW, Todo T, Hirao A, Hinoi E. CDK8 maintains stemness and tumorigenicity of glioma stem cells by regulating the c-MYC pathway. Oncogene 2021; 40:2803-2815. [PMID: 33727660 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01745-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant form of glioma. Glioma stem cells (GSCs) contribute to the initiation, progression, and recurrence of GBM as a result of their self-renewal potential and tumorigenicity. Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) belongs to the transcription-related CDK family. Although CDK8 has been shown to be implicated in the malignancy of several types of cancer, its functional role and mechanism in gliomagenesis remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate how CDK8 plays an essential role in maintaining stemness and tumorigenicity in GSCs. The genetic inhibition of CDK8 by shRNA or CRISPR interference resulted in an abrogation of the self-renewal potential and tumorigenicity of patient-derived GSCs, which could be significantly rescued by the ectopic expression of c-MYC, a stem cell transcription factor. Moreover, we demonstrated that the pharmacological inhibition of CDK8 significantly attenuated the self-renewal potential and tumorigenicity of GSCs. CDK8 expression was significantly higher in human GBM tissues than in normal brain tissues, and its expression was positively correlated with stem cell markers including c-MYC and SOX2 in human GBM specimens. Additionally, CDK8 expression is associated with poor survival in GBM patients. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of the CDK8-c-MYC axis in maintaining stemness and tumorigenicity in GSCs; these findings also identify the CDK8-c-MYC axis as a potential target for GSC-directed therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Fukasawa
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Takuya Kadota
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan.,Drug Discovery Research Department, Kyoto Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tetsuhiro Horie
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Kazuya Tokumura
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Terada
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Yuka Kitaguchi
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan.,Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University Graduate School, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Gyujin Park
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Ochiai
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Sayuki Iwahashi
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Yasuka Okayama
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Manami Hiraiwa
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Takanori Yamada
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Takashi Iezaki
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Kaneda
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University Graduate School, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Megumi Yamamoto
- Drug Discovery Research Department, Kyoto Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Kitao
- Drug Discovery Research Department, Kyoto Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Shirahase
- Drug Discovery Research Department, Kyoto Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masaharu Hazawa
- Cell-Bionomics Research Unit, Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Richard W Wong
- Cell-Bionomics Research Unit, Institute for Frontier Science Initiative, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan.,WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-Nano LSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Tomoki Todo
- Division of Innovative Cancer Therapy, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Hirao
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-Nano LSI), Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan.,Cancer and Stem Cell Research Program, Division of Molecular Genetics, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Eiichi Hinoi
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Bioactive Molecules, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan. .,United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
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12
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Li N, Zheng S, Xue Z, Xiong Z, Zou Y, Tang Y, Wei WD, Yang L. Expression and prognostic value of transcription-associated cyclin-dependent kinases in human breast cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:8095-8114. [PMID: 33686962 PMCID: PMC8034920 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202595] [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: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The expression and prognostic significance of transcription-associated cyclin-dependent kinases (TA-CDKs) in breast cancer have not been systematically investigated. Using Oncomine, GEPIA2, the Human Protein Atlas, the Kaplan-Meier Plotter, cBioPortal, Metascape, and DAVID 6.8, we profiled the expression of TA-CDKs in breast cancer, inferred their biological functions, and assessed their effect on prognosis. The expression of CDK7/10/13/19 mRNAs in breast cancer tissues was significantly higher than in normal breast tissues. Survival analysis of breast cancer patients revealed that increased CDK8 expression was associated with inferior overall survival (OS), higher expression of CDK7 or CDK8 was associated with inferior relapse-free survival (RFS), but higher expression of CDK13 was associated with favorable RFS and OS. In addition, a high genetic alteration rate (56%) in TA-CDKs was associated with shorter OS. On functional enrichment analysis, top GO enrichment items for TA-CDKs and their neighboring genes included cyclin-dependent protein serine/threonine kinase activity and transferase complex. The top KEGG pathways included cell cycle and mismatch repair. These results suggest that CDK7/8/13 are potential prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer patients and provide novel insight for future studies examining their usefulness as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Li
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoquan Zheng
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhicheng Xue
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenchong Xiong
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yutian Zou
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhui Tang
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Dong Wei
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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13
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Straub J, Venigalla S, Newman JJ. Mediator's Kinase Module: A Modular Regulator of Cell Fate. Stem Cells Dev 2020; 29:1535-1551. [PMID: 33161841 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2020.0164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Selective gene expression is crucial in maintaining the self-renewing and multipotent properties of stem cells. Mediator is a large, evolutionarily conserved, multi-subunit protein complex that modulates gene expression by relaying signals from cell type-specific transcription factors to RNA polymerase II. In humans, this complex consists of 30 subunits arranged in four modules. One critical module of the Mediator complex is the kinase module consisting of four subunits: MED12, MED13, CDK8, and CCNC. The kinase module exists in variable association with the 26-subunit Mediator core and affects transcription through phosphorylation of transcription factors and by controlling Mediator structure and function. Many studies have shown the kinase module to be a key player in the maintenance of stem cells that is distinct from a general role in transcription. Genetic studies have revealed that dysregulation of this kinase subunit contributes to the development of many human diseases. In this review, we discuss the importance of the Mediator kinase module by examining how this module functions with the more recently identified transcriptional super-enhancers, how changes in the kinase module and its activity can lead to the development of human disease, and the role of this unique module in directing and maintaining cell state. As we look to use stem cells to understand human development and treat human disease through both cell-based therapies and tissue engineering, we need to remain aware of the on-going research and address critical gaps in knowledge related to the molecular mechanisms that control cell fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Straub
- School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana, USA
| | - Sree Venigalla
- School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana, USA
| | - Jamie J Newman
- School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana, USA
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14
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Wu D, Zhang Z, Chen X, Yan Y, Liu X. Angel or Devil ? - CDK8 as the new drug target. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 213:113043. [PMID: 33257171 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.113043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) plays an momentous role in transcription regulation by forming kinase module or transcription factor phosphorylation. A large number of evidences have identified CDK8 as an important factor in cancer occurrence and development. In addition, CDK8 also participates in the regulation of cancer cell stress response to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, assists tumor cell invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Therefore, CDK8 is regarded as a promising target for cancer therapy. Most studies in recent years supported the role of CDK8 as a carcinogen, however, under certain conditions, CDK8 exists as a tumor suppressor. The functional diversity of CDK8 and its exceptional role in different types of cancer have aroused great interest from scientists but even more controversy during the discovery of CDK8 inhibitors. In addition, CDK8 appears to be an effective target for inflammation diseases and immune system disorders. Therefore, we summarized the research results of CDK8, involving physiological/pathogenic mechanisms and the development status of compounds targeting CDK8, provide a reference for the feasibility evaluation of CDK8 as a therapeutic target, and guidance for researchers who are involved in this field for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wu
- School of Biological Engineering, Hefei Technology College, Hefei, 238000, PR China
| | - Zhaoyan Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, PR China
| | - Xing Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, PR China
| | - Yaoyao Yan
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, PR China
| | - Xinhua Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, PR China.
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15
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Menzl I, Zhang T, Berger-Becvar A, Grausenburger R, Heller G, Prchal-Murphy M, Edlinger L, Knab VM, Uras IZ, Grundschober E, Bauer K, Roth M, Skucha A, Liu Y, Hatcher JM, Liang Y, Kwiatkowski NP, Fux D, Hoelbl-Kovacic A, Kubicek S, Melo JV, Valent P, Weichhart T, Grebien F, Zuber J, Gray NS, Sexl V. A kinase-independent role for CDK8 in BCR-ABL1 + leukemia. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4741. [PMID: 31628323 PMCID: PMC6802219 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12656-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are frequently deregulated in cancer and represent promising drug targets. We provide evidence that CDK8 has a key role in B-ALL. Loss of CDK8 in leukemia mouse models significantly enhances disease latency and prevents disease maintenance. Loss of CDK8 is associated with pronounced transcriptional changes, whereas inhibiting CDK8 kinase activity has minimal effects. Gene set enrichment analysis suggests that the mTOR signaling pathway is deregulated in CDK8-deficient cells and, accordingly, these cells are highly sensitive to mTOR inhibitors. Analysis of large cohorts of human ALL and AML patients reveals a significant correlation between the level of CDK8 and of mTOR pathway members. We have synthesized a small molecule YKL-06-101 that combines mTOR inhibition and degradation of CDK8, and induces cell death in human leukemic cells. We propose that simultaneous CDK8 degradation and mTOR inhibition might represent a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ALL patients. Cyclin-dependent kinases are deregulated in blood cancers. Here, the authors show that CDK8, independent of its kinase activity, regulates mTOR signalling for the maintenance of BCR-ABL1+ leukemia, and that the dual inhibition of CDK8 and mTOR signalling induces apoptosis in these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingeborg Menzl
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Angelika Berger-Becvar
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Reinhard Grausenburger
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerwin Heller
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michaela Prchal-Murphy
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leo Edlinger
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Vanessa M Knab
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Iris Z Uras
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Grundschober
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Bauer
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Internal Medicine I, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mareike Roth
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Skucha
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Cancer Research, Vienna, Austria.,Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yao Liu
- Department of Cancer Biology, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John M Hatcher
- Department of Cancer Biology, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yanke Liang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nicholas P Kwiatkowski
- Department of Cancer Biology, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniela Fux
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Hoelbl-Kovacic
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Kubicek
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Junia V Melo
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.,Department of Hematology, Imperial College London, Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Peter Valent
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Internal Medicine I, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Weichhart
- Center of Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Grebien
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Cancer Research, Vienna, Austria.,Institute for Medical Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Zuber
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Veronika Sexl
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
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16
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Amirhosseini M, Bernhardsson M, Lång P, Andersson G, Flygare J, Fahlgren A. Cyclin-dependent kinase 8/19 inhibition suppresses osteoclastogenesis by downregulating RANK and promotes osteoblast mineralization and cancellous bone healing. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:16503-16516. [PMID: 30793301 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) is a mediator complex-associated transcriptional regulator that acts depending on context and cell type. While primarily under investigation as potential cancer therapeutics, some inhibitors of CDK8-and its paralog CDK19-have been reported to affect the osteoblast lineage and bone formation. This study investigated the effects of two selective CDK8/19 inhibitors on osteoclastogenesis and osteoblasts in vitro, and further evaluated how local treatment with a CDK8/19 inhibitor affects cancellous bone healing in rats. CDK8/19 inhibitors did not alter the proliferation of neither mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) nor primary mouse osteoblasts. Receptor activator of nuclear factor κΒ (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis from mouse BMMs was suppressed markedly by inhibition of CDK8/19, concomitant with reduced tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen levels. This was accompanied by downregulation of PU.1, RANK, NF-κB, nuclear factor of activated T-cells 1 (NFATc1), dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP), TRAP, and cathepsin K in RANKL-stimulated BMMs. Downregulating RANK and its downstream signaling in osteoclast precursors enforce CDK8/19 inhibitors as anticatabolic agents to impede excessive osteoclastogenesis. In mouse primary osteoblasts, CDK8/19 inhibition did not affect differentiation but enhanced osteoblast mineralization by promoting alkaline phosphatase activity and downregulating osteopontin, a negative regulator of mineralization. In rat tibiae, a CDK8/19 inhibitor administered locally promoted cancellous bone regeneration. Our data indicate that inhibitors of CDK8/19 have the potential to develop into therapeutics to restrict osteolysis and enhance bone regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Amirhosseini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Magnus Bernhardsson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Lång
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Göran Andersson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Johan Flygare
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anna Fahlgren
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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17
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Li X, Liu M, Ji JY. Understanding Obesity as a Risk Factor for Uterine Tumors Using Drosophila. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1167:129-155. [PMID: 31520353 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23629-8_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Multiple large-scale epidemiological studies have identified obesity as an important risk factor for a variety of human cancers, particularly cancers of the uterus, gallbladder, kidney, liver, colon, and ovary, but there is much uncertainty regarding how obesity increases the cancer risks. Given that obesity has been consistently identified as a major risk factor for uterine tumors, the most common malignancies of the female reproductive system, we use uterine tumors as a pathological context to survey the relevant literature and propose a novel hypothesis: chronic downregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) module, composed of CDK8 (or its paralog CDK19), Cyclin C, MED12 (or MED12L), and MED13 (or MED13L), by elevated insulin or insulin-like growth factor signaling in obese women may increase the chances to dysregulate the activities of transcription factors regulated by the CDK8 module, thereby increasing the risk of uterine tumors. Although we focus on endometrial cancer and uterine leiomyomas (or fibroids), two major forms of uterine tumors, our model may offer additional insights into how obesity increases the risk of other types of cancers and diseases. To illustrate the power of model organisms for studying human diseases, here we place more emphasis on the findings obtained from Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Mengmeng Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Jun-Yuan Ji
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA.
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18
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Zhang JF, Zhang JS, Zhao ZH, Yang PB, Ji SF, Li N, Shi QD, Tan J, Xu X, Xu CB, Zhao LY. MicroRNA-770 affects proliferation and cell cycle transition by directly targeting CDK8 in glioma. Cancer Cell Int 2018; 18:195. [PMID: 30524203 PMCID: PMC6276177 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-018-0694-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background MicroRNAs play crucial roles in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. miR-770 has been reported to be downregulated in several cancers and affects cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis and drug resistance. However, the role and underlying molecular mechanism of miR-770 in human glioma remain unknown and need to be further elucidated. Methods The expression of miR-770 in glioma tissues and cell lines was measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to explore the association of miR-770 expression with clinicopathological characteristics. The expression of CDK8 was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting in glioma tissues. A target prediction program and a dual-luciferase reporter assay were used to confirm that CDK8 is a target gene of miR-770. MTT and cell counting assays were used to assess the effect of miR-770 on glioma cell proliferation. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were examined by flow cytometry. CDK8 siRNA and overexpression were used to further confirm the function of the target gene. Results We demonstrated that miR-770 expression was downregulated in human glioma tissues and cell lines. The overexpression of miR-770 inhibited glioma cell proliferation and cell cycle G1-S transition and induced apoptosis. The inhibition of miR-770 facilitated cell proliferation and G1-S transition and suppressed apoptosis. miR-770 expression was inversely correlated with CDK8 expression in glioma tissues. CDK8 was confirmed to be a direct target of miR-770 by using a luciferase reporter assay. The overexpression of miR-770 decreased CDK8 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels, and the suppression of miR-770 increased CDK8 expression. Importantly, CDK8 silencing recapitulated the cellular and molecular effects observed upon miR-770 overexpression, and CDK8 overexpression eliminated the effects of miR-770 overexpression on glioma cells. Moreover, both exogenous expression of miR-770 and silencing of CDK8 resulted in suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that miR-770 inhibits glioma cell proliferation and G1-S transition and induces apoptosis through suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by targeting CDK8. These findings suggest that miR-770 plays a significant role in glioma progression and serves as a potential therapeutic target for glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Feng Zhang
- 1Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710021 Shaanxi People's Republic of China.,2Department of Human Anatomy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710021 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-Shui Zhang
- 3Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao-Hua Zhao
- 2Department of Human Anatomy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710021 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Peng-Bo Yang
- 3Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng-Feng Ji
- 3Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Nan Li
- 4Department of Neuropathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Qin-Dong Shi
- 5The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Tan
- 5The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Xu
- 1Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710021 Shaanxi People's Republic of China.,2Department of Human Anatomy, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710021 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Cang-Bao Xu
- 1Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, 710021 Shaanxi People's Republic of China
| | - Ling-Yu Zhao
- 6Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061 People's Republic of China
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19
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Galbraith MD, Andrysik Z, Pandey A, Hoh M, Bonner EA, Hill AA, Sullivan KD, Espinosa JM. CDK8 Kinase Activity Promotes Glycolysis. Cell Rep 2018; 21:1495-1506. [PMID: 29117556 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.10.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Aerobic glycolysis, also known as the Warburg effect, is a hallmark of cancerous tissues. Despite its importance in cancer development, our understanding of mechanisms driving this form of metabolic reprogramming is incomplete. We report here an analysis of colorectal cancer cells engineered to carry a single point mutation in the active site of the Mediator-associated kinase CDK8, creating hypomorphic alleles sensitive to bulky ATP analogs. Transcriptome analysis revealed that CDK8 kinase activity is required for the expression of many components of the glycolytic cascade. CDK8 inhibition impairs glucose transporter expression, glucose uptake, glycolytic capacity and reserve, as well as cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth, both in normoxia and hypoxia. Importantly, CDK8 impairment sensitizes cells to pharmacological glycolysis inhibition, a result reproduced with Senexin A, a dual inhibitor of CDK8/CDK19. Altogether, these results contribute to our understanding of CDK8 as an oncogene, and they justify investigations to target CDK8 in highly glycolytic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D Galbraith
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| | - Zdenek Andrysik
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Ahwan Pandey
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Maria Hoh
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Bonner
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Amanda A Hill
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Kelly D Sullivan
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Joaquín M Espinosa
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
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20
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Hall DD, Ponce JM, Chen B, Spitler KM, Alexia A, Oudit GY, Song LS, Grueter CE. Ectopic expression of Cdk8 induces eccentric hypertrophy and heart failure. JCI Insight 2017; 2:92476. [PMID: 28768905 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.92476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread changes in cardiac gene expression occur during heart failure, yet the mechanisms responsible for coordinating these changes remain poorly understood. The Mediator complex represents a nodal point for modulating transcription by bridging chromatin-bound transcription factors with RNA polymerase II activity; it is reversibly regulated by its cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (Cdk8) kinase submodule. Here, we identified increased Cdk8 protein expression in human failing heart explants and determined the consequence of this increase in cardiac-specific Cdk8-expressing mice. Transgenic Cdk8 overexpression resulted in progressive dilated cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and premature lethality. Prior to functional decline, left ventricular cardiomyocytes were dramatically elongated, with disorganized transverse tubules and dysfunctional calcium handling. RNA sequencing results showed that myofilament gene isoforms not typically expressed in adult cardiomyocytes were enriched, while oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid biosynthesis genes were downregulated. Interestingly, candidate upstream transcription factor expression levels and MAPK signaling pathways thought to determine cardiomyocyte size remained relatively unaffected, suggesting that Cdk8 functions within a novel growth regulatory pathway. Our findings show that manipulating cardiac gene expression through increased Cdk8 levels is detrimental to the heart by establishing a transcriptional program that induces pathological remodeling and eccentric hypertrophy culminating in heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duane D Hall
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Francois M. Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Jessica M Ponce
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Francois M. Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Biyi Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Francois M. Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Kathryn M Spitler
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Francois M. Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Adrianne Alexia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Francois M. Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Gavin Y Oudit
- Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Long-Sheng Song
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Francois M. Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Chad E Grueter
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Francois M. Abboud Cardiovascular Research Center, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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21
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Abstract
Over the past two decades there has been a great deal of interest in the development of inhibitors of the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). This attention initially stemmed from observations that different CDK isoforms have key roles in cancer cell proliferation through loss of regulation of the cell cycle, a hallmark feature of cancer. CDKs have now been shown to regulate other processes, particularly various aspects of transcription. The early non-selective CDK inhibitors exhibited considerable toxicity and proved to be insufficiently active in most cancers. The lack of patient selection biomarkers and an absence of understanding of the inhibitory profile required for efficacy hampered the development of these inhibitors. However, the advent of potent isoform-selective inhibitors with accompanying biomarkers has re-ignited interest. Palbociclib, a selective CDK4/6 inhibitor, is now approved for the treatment of ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer. Current developments in the field include the identification of potent and selective inhibitors of the transcriptional CDKs; these include tool compounds that have allowed exploration of individual CDKs as cancer targets and the determination of their potential therapeutic windows. Biomarkers that allow the selection of patients likely to respond are now being discovered. Drug resistance has emerged as a major hurdle in the clinic for most protein kinase inhibitors and resistance mechanism are beginning to be identified for CDK inhibitors. This suggests that the selective inhibitors may be best used combined with standard of care or other molecularly targeted agents now in development rather than in isolation as monotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven R Whittaker
- Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, United Kingdom
| | - Aurélie Mallinger
- Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, United Kingdom; Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Workman
- Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, United Kingdom; Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, United Kingdom
| | - Paul A Clarke
- Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, United Kingdom; Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, United Kingdom.
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22
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Aberrant expression of CDK8 regulates the malignant phenotype and associated with poor prognosis in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2017; 274:2205-2213. [DOI: 10.1007/s00405-017-4484-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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23
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Clarke PA, Ortiz-Ruiz MJ, TePoele R, Adeniji-Popoola O, Box G, Court W, Czasch S, El Bawab S, Esdar C, Ewan K, Gowan S, De Haven Brandon A, Hewitt P, Hobbs SM, Kaufmann W, Mallinger A, Raynaud F, Roe T, Rohdich F, Schiemann K, Simon S, Schneider R, Valenti M, Weigt S, Blagg J, Blaukat A, Dale TC, Eccles SA, Hecht S, Urbahns K, Workman P, Wienke D. Assessing the mechanism and therapeutic potential of modulators of the human Mediator complex-associated protein kinases. eLife 2016; 5:e20722. [PMID: 27935476 PMCID: PMC5224920 DOI: 10.7554/elife.20722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mediator-associated kinases CDK8/19 are context-dependent drivers or suppressors of tumorigenesis. Their inhibition is predicted to have pleiotropic effects, but it is unclear whether this will impact on the clinical utility of CDK8/19 inhibitors. We discovered two series of potent chemical probes with high selectivity for CDK8/19. Despite pharmacodynamic evidence for robust on-target activity, the compounds exhibited modest, though significant, efficacy against human tumor lines and patient-derived xenografts. Altered gene expression was consistent with CDK8/19 inhibition, including profiles associated with super-enhancers, immune and inflammatory responses and stem cell function. In a mouse model expressing oncogenic beta-catenin, treatment shifted cells within hyperplastic intestinal crypts from a stem cell to a transit amplifying phenotype. In two species, neither probe was tolerated at therapeutically-relevant exposures. The complex nature of the toxicity observed with two structurally-differentiated chemical series is consistent with on-target effects posing significant challenges to the clinical development of CDK8/19 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Clarke
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria-Jesus Ortiz-Ruiz
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert TePoele
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Olajumoke Adeniji-Popoola
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gary Box
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Will Court
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Ken Ewan
- School of Bioscience, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon Gowan
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexis De Haven Brandon
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Stephen M Hobbs
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Aurélie Mallinger
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Florence Raynaud
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Toby Roe
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Melanie Valenti
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Julian Blagg
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Trevor C Dale
- School of Bioscience, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Suzanne A Eccles
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Paul Workman
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
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24
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Seelan RS, Mukhopadhyay P, Warner DR, Smolenkova IA, Pisano MM, Greene RM. Determinants of orofacial clefting II: Effects of 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine on gene methylation during development of the first branchial arch. Reprod Toxicol 2016; 67:100-110. [PMID: 27923600 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2016.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 11/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Defects in development of the secondary palate, which arise from the embryonic first branchial arch (1-BA), can cause cleft palate (CP). Administration of 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AzaD), a demethylating agent, to pregnant mice on gestational day 9.5 resulted in complete penetrance of CP in fetuses. Several genes critical for normal palatogenesis were found to be upregulated in 1-BA, 12h after AzaD exposure. MethylCap-Seq (MCS) analysis identified several differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in DNA extracted from AzaD-exposed 1-BAs. Hypomethylated DMRs did not correlate with the upregulation of genes in AzaD-exposed 1-BAs. However, most DMRs were associated with endogenous retroviral elements. Expression analyses suggested that interferon signaling was activated in AzaD-exposed 1-BAs. Our data, thus, suggest that a 12-h in utero AzaD exposure demethylates and activates endogenous retroviral elements in the 1-BA, thereby triggering an interferon-mediated response. This may result in the dysregulation of key signaling pathways during palatogenesis, causing CP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratnam S Seelan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Craniofacial Biology, ULSD, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
| | - Partha Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Craniofacial Biology, ULSD, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
| | - Dennis R Warner
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Craniofacial Biology, ULSD, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
| | - Irina A Smolenkova
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Craniofacial Biology, ULSD, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
| | - M Michele Pisano
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Craniofacial Biology, ULSD, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
| | - Robert M Greene
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Craniofacial Biology, ULSD, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
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25
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CDK8 Expression in Extrauterine Leiomyosarcoma Correlates With Tumor Stage and Progression. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol 2016; 26:161-164. [PMID: 27389556 DOI: 10.1097/pai.0000000000000409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Mediator is a multiprotein complex that acts as a versatile transcription coactivator in eukaryotes. CDK8 kinase complex is a 4-protein subunit of the mediator complex that can act as a transcriptional repressor or coactivator, depending on the specific pathways involved. Although the role of MED12 exon 2 mutations is documented in the pathogenesis of uterine leiomyomas, its role in extrauterine smooth muscle tumorigenesis is less clear. Similarly, there is a paucity of data on the role of CDK8 in extrauterine smooth muscle tumorigenesis and progression. Our study correlates immunohistochemical expression of CDK8 and MED12 with clinical and pathologic parameters in extrauterine leiomyosarcomas. Immunohistochemical expression of CDK8 and MED12 in leiomyosarcomas was correlated with the tumor grade, stage, and the presence of local recurrence or metastasis. MED12 was expressed in the majority of leiomyosarcomas regardless of their stage or grade. CDK8 expression was lost in 1 of 6 pT1 tumors, compared with 9 of 10 pT2 tumors (P=0.0076). When the second group was expanded to include those tumors that did not have a recorded pathologic stage but had local recurrence and distant metastases, the difference in CDK8 expression was also statistically significant. Loss of CDK8 expression by immunohistochemistry is more prevalent in somatic leiomyosarcomas presenting at a higher histopathologic stage, as well as with local and distant recurrence, and can be used to enhance the current predictive parameters.
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26
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McCleland ML, Soukup TM, Liu SD, Esensten JH, de Sousa e Melo F, Yaylaoglu M, Warming S, Roose-Girma M, Firestein R. Cdk8 deletion in the Apc(Min) murine tumour model represses EZH2 activity and accelerates tumourigenesis. J Pathol 2015; 237:508-19. [PMID: 26235356 DOI: 10.1002/path.4596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
CDK8 is a dissociable kinase module of the Mediator complex and has been shown to play an important role in transcriptional regulation in organisms as diverse as yeast and humans. Recent studies suggest that CDK8 functions as an oncoprotein in melanoma and colon cancer. Importantly, these studies were conducted using in vitro cell line models and the role of CDK8 in tumourigenesis in vivo has not been explored. We have generated a mouse with a Cdk8 conditional knockout allele and examined the consequences of Cdk8 loss on normal tissue homeostasis and tumour development in vivo. Cdk8 deletion in the young adult mouse did not induce any gross or histopathological abnormalities, implying that Cdk8 is largely dispensable for somatic cellular homeostasis. In contrast, Cdk8 deletion in the Apc(Min) intestinal tumour model shortened the animals' survival and increased tumour burden. Although Cdk8 deletion did not affect tumour initiation, intestinal tumour size and growth rate were significantly increased in Cdk8-null animals. Transcriptome analysis performed on Cdk8-null intestinal cells revealed up-regulation of genes that are governed by the Polycomb group (PcG) complex. In support of these findings, Cdk8-null intestinal cells and tumours displayed a reduction in histone H3K27 trimethylation, both globally and at the promoters of a number of PcG-regulated genes involved in oncogenic signalling. Together, our findings uncover a tumour suppressor function for CDK8 in vivo and suggest that the role of CDK8 activity in driving oncogenesis is context-specific. Sequencing data were deposited at GEO (Accession No. GSE71385).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark L McCleland
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tim M Soukup
- Department of Molecular Biology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Scot D Liu
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Murat Yaylaoglu
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Soren Warming
- Department of Molecular Biology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Merone Roose-Girma
- Department of Molecular Biology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ron Firestein
- Department of Pathology, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
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27
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Clark AD, Oldenbroek M, Boyer TG. Mediator kinase module and human tumorigenesis. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2015; 50:393-426. [PMID: 26182352 DOI: 10.3109/10409238.2015.1064854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Mediator is a conserved multi-subunit signal processor through which regulatory informatiosn conveyed by gene-specific transcription factors is transduced to RNA Polymerase II (Pol II). In humans, MED13, MED12, CDK8 and Cyclin C (CycC) comprise a four-subunit "kinase" module that exists in variable association with a 26-subunit Mediator core. Genetic and biochemical studies have established the Mediator kinase module as a major ingress of developmental and oncogenic signaling through Mediator, and much of its function in signal-dependent gene regulation derives from its resident CDK8 kinase activity. For example, CDK8-targeted substrate phosphorylation impacts transcription factor half-life, Pol II activity and chromatin chemistry and functional status. Recent structural and biochemical studies have revealed a precise network of physical and functional subunit interactions required for proper kinase module activity. Accordingly, pathologic change in this activity through altered expression or mutation of constituent kinase module subunits can have profound consequences for altered signaling and tumor formation. Herein, we review the structural organization, biological function and oncogenic potential of the Mediator kinase module. We focus principally on tumor-associated alterations in kinase module subunits for which mechanistic relationships as opposed to strictly correlative associations are established. These considerations point to an emerging picture of the Mediator kinase module as an oncogenic unit, one in which pathogenic activation/deactivation through component change drives tumor formation through perturbation of signal-dependent gene regulation. It follows that therapeutic strategies to combat CDK8-driven tumors will involve targeted modulation of CDK8 activity or pharmacologic manipulation of dysregulated CDK8-dependent signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison D Clark
- a Department of Molecular Medicine , Institute of Biotechnology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio , San Antonio , TX , USA
| | - Marieke Oldenbroek
- a Department of Molecular Medicine , Institute of Biotechnology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio , San Antonio , TX , USA
| | - Thomas G Boyer
- a Department of Molecular Medicine , Institute of Biotechnology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio , San Antonio , TX , USA
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28
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Law ME, Corsino PE, Narayan S, Law BK. Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors as Anticancer Therapeutics. Mol Pharmacol 2015; 88:846-52. [PMID: 26018905 DOI: 10.1124/mol.115.099325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) have been considered promising drug targets for a number of years, but most CDK inhibitors have failed rigorous clinical testing. Recent studies demonstrating clear anticancer efficacy and reduced toxicity of CDK4/6 inhibitors such as palbociclib and multi-CDK inhibitors such as dinaciclib have rejuvenated the field. Favorable results with palbociclib and its recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval demonstrate that CDK inhibitors with narrow selectivity profiles can have clinical utility for therapy based on individual tumor genetics. A brief overview of results obtained with ATP-competitive inhibitors such as palbociclib and dinaciclib is presented, followed by a compilation of new avenues that have been pursued toward the development of novel, non-ATP-competitive CDK inhibitors. These creative ways to develop CDK inhibitors are presented along with crystal structures of these agents complexed with CDK2 to highlight differences in their binding sites and mechanisms of action. The recent successes of CDK inhibitors in the clinic, combined with the potential for structure-based routes to the development of non-ATP-competitive CDK inhibitors, and evidence that CDK inhibitors may have use in suppressing chromosomal instability and in synthetic lethal drug combinations inspire optimism that CDK inhibitors will become important weapons in the fight against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Law
- Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (M.E.L., P.E.C., B.K.L.), Anatomy and Cell Biology (S.N.), and the University of Florida Health Cancer Center (M.E.L., P.E.C., S.N., B.K.L.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Patrick E Corsino
- Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (M.E.L., P.E.C., B.K.L.), Anatomy and Cell Biology (S.N.), and the University of Florida Health Cancer Center (M.E.L., P.E.C., S.N., B.K.L.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Satya Narayan
- Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (M.E.L., P.E.C., B.K.L.), Anatomy and Cell Biology (S.N.), and the University of Florida Health Cancer Center (M.E.L., P.E.C., S.N., B.K.L.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Brian K Law
- Departments of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (M.E.L., P.E.C., B.K.L.), Anatomy and Cell Biology (S.N.), and the University of Florida Health Cancer Center (M.E.L., P.E.C., S.N., B.K.L.), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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29
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Peyressatre M, Prével C, Pellerano M, Morris MC. Targeting cyclin-dependent kinases in human cancers: from small molecules to Peptide inhibitors. Cancers (Basel) 2015; 7:179-237. [PMID: 25625291 PMCID: PMC4381256 DOI: 10.3390/cancers7010179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 219] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK/Cyclins) form a family of heterodimeric kinases that play central roles in regulation of cell cycle progression, transcription and other major biological processes including neuronal differentiation and metabolism. Constitutive or deregulated hyperactivity of these kinases due to amplification, overexpression or mutation of cyclins or CDK, contributes to proliferation of cancer cells, and aberrant activity of these kinases has been reported in a wide variety of human cancers. These kinases therefore constitute biomarkers of proliferation and attractive pharmacological targets for development of anticancer therapeutics. The structural features of several of these kinases have been elucidated and their molecular mechanisms of regulation characterized in depth, providing clues for development of drugs and inhibitors to disrupt their function. However, like most other kinases, they constitute a challenging class of therapeutic targets due to their highly conserved structural features and ATP-binding pocket. Notwithstanding, several classes of inhibitors have been discovered from natural sources, and small molecule derivatives have been synthesized through rational, structure-guided approaches or identified in high throughput screens. The larger part of these inhibitors target ATP pockets, but a growing number of peptides targeting protein/protein interfaces are being proposed, and a small number of compounds targeting allosteric sites have been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Peyressatre
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, IBMM-CNRS-UMR5247, 15 Av. Charles Flahault, 34093 Montpellier, France.
| | - Camille Prével
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, IBMM-CNRS-UMR5247, 15 Av. Charles Flahault, 34093 Montpellier, France.
| | - Morgan Pellerano
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, IBMM-CNRS-UMR5247, 15 Av. Charles Flahault, 34093 Montpellier, France.
| | - May C Morris
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, IBMM-CNRS-UMR5247, 15 Av. Charles Flahault, 34093 Montpellier, France.
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30
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Eifler TT, Shao W, Bartholomeeusen K, Fujinaga K, Jäger S, Johnson JR, Luo Z, Krogan NJ, Peterlin BM. Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 increases 3' end processing of growth factor-induced c-FOS transcripts. Mol Cell Biol 2015; 35:468-78. [PMID: 25384976 PMCID: PMC4272423 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.01157-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2014] [Revised: 10/07/2014] [Accepted: 11/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate RNA polymerase II initiation and elongation as well as cotranscriptional mRNA processing. In this report, we describe an important role for CDK12 in the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced c-FOS proto-oncogene expression in mammalian cells. This kinase was found in the exon junction complexes (EJC) together with SR proteins and was thus recruited to RNA polymerase II. In cells depleted of CDK12 or eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A3 (eIF4A3) from the EJC, EGF induced fewer c-FOS transcripts. In these cells, phosphorylation of serines at position 2 in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II, as well as levels of cleavage-stimulating factor 64 (Cstf64) and 73-kDa subunit of cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF73), was reduced at the c-FOS gene. These effects impaired 3' end processing of c-FOS transcripts. Mutant CDK12 proteins lacking their Arg-Ser-rich (RS) domain or just the RS domain alone acted as dominant negative proteins. Thus, CDK12 plays an important role in cotranscriptional processing of c-FOS transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan T Eifler
- Department of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Wei Shao
- Department of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Koen Bartholomeeusen
- Department of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Koh Fujinaga
- Department of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Stefanie Jäger
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, QB3, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jeff R Johnson
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, QB3, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Zeping Luo
- Department of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nevan J Krogan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, QB3, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - B Matija Peterlin
- Department of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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31
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Mutated K-ras activates CDK8 to stimulate the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer in part via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Cancer Lett 2014; 356:613-27. [PMID: 25305448 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Revised: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8), a gene encoding the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) component of the Mediator complex, is known as a colon cancer oncogene. Our recent study showed that CDK8 plays an important role in the formation of pancreatic cancer, but the CDK8 expression levels were not completely identical in different pancreatic cancer samples. The level of CDK8 expression depended on whether the K-ras gene was mutated; its expression was much higher in samples carrying a K-ras mutation than in wild-type K-ras samples. Moreover, CDK8 expression was reduced following mutated K-ras knockdown in K-ras-mutated pancreatic cancer cells, whereas CDK8 expression was increased following expression of mutated K-ras in wild-type K-ras cells. Our study demonstrates that mutated K-ras stimulates CDK8 expression, possibly by regulating HIF-1α, and both CDK8 and mutated K-ras were confirmed to promote cell proliferation and prevent apoptosis in vitro. Additionally, we found that both CDK8 and mutated K-ras promote the invasion and migration of pancreatic cancer cells via the positive regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby increasing the expression of Snail1 and ZEB1, which act as important stimulating factors of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Finally, knockdown of either CDK8 or mutated K-ras contributed to attenuated pancreatic cancer growth in BALB/c nude mice. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that mutated K-ras promotes CDK8 expression and that the regulatory effects of CDK8 on the EMT are partially attributed to the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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32
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Ye L, Yao XD, Wan FN, Qu YY, Liu ZY, Shen XX, Li S, Liu XJ, Yue F, Wang N, Dai B, Ye DW. MS4A8B promotes cell proliferation in prostate cancer. Prostate 2014; 74:911-22. [PMID: 24789009 DOI: 10.1002/pros.22802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostate cancer cells must maintain or achieve the further ability of proliferation during the progression. The molecular mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood. We identified a novel oncogene, termed membrane-spanning 4-domains, subfamily A, member 8B (MS4A8B), over-expressed in prostate cancer. METHODS We firstly detected MS4A8B mRNA in 13 types of paired human normal and cancer tissues by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In 140 clinically localized prostate cancer samples from radical prostatectomy, immunohistochemical staining was performed to study MS4A8B and PCNA protein level as an index of proliferative activity, TUNEL staining as an index of apoptosis. As MS4A8B RNAi and cDNA transfection technologies were used, the effect of MS4A8B on cellular vitality was determined in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS MS4A8B mRNA was over-expressed specifically in prostate cancer. Positive ratios of MS4A8B protein expression were 1.94%, 5.92%, and 62.8% in benign, HPIN and prostate cancer, respectively. Moreover, MS4A8B was positively associated with Gleason score, the proliferation index. In vitro, MS4A8B knockdown resulted in G1 -S cell cycle arrest and descended vitality, MS4A8B over-expression with accelerated S phase entry, elevated vitality in prostate cancer cells. Moreover, it was also found that expression of MS4A8B led to changes of Cyclin D1 , Cyclin E1 and PCNA. LNCaP cells transfected with sh-MS4A8B lentivirus particles grew more slowly when subcutaneously injected into the flanks of nude mice. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the expression of MS4A8B expression promotes cell proliferation and plays an important role in carcinogenesis and progression of prostate cancer.
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MESH Headings
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Animals
- Apoptosis/physiology
- Cell Cycle Checkpoints/physiology
- Cell Growth Processes/physiology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Flow Cytometry
- Humans
- Immunohistochemistry
- In Situ Nick-End Labeling
- Kallikreins/metabolism
- Male
- Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Membrane Proteins/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Nude
- Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent/genetics
- Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent/pathology
- Prostate-Specific Antigen/metabolism
- Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics
- Prostatic Neoplasms/metabolism
- Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology
- RNA, Neoplasm/chemistry
- RNA, Neoplasm/genetics
- RNA, Neoplasm/metabolism
- Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Statistics, Nonparametric
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Ye
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China; Department of Urology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Lou X, Zhang J, Liu S, Xu N, Liao DJ. The other side of the coin: the tumor-suppressive aspect of oncogenes and the oncogenic aspect of tumor-suppressive genes, such as those along the CCND-CDK4/6-RB axis. Cell Cycle 2014; 13:1677-93. [PMID: 24799665 DOI: 10.4161/cc.29082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although cancer-regulatory genes are dichotomized to oncogenes and tumor-suppressor gene s, in reality they can be oncogenic in one situation but tumor-suppressive in another. This dual-function nature, which sometimes hampers our understanding of tumor biology, has several manifestations: (1) Most canonically defined genes have multiple mRNAs, regulatory RNAs, protein isoforms, and posttranslational modifications; (2) Genes may interact at different levels, such as by forming chimeric RNAs or by forming different protein complexes; (3) Increased levels of tumor-suppressive genes in normal cells drive proliferation of cancer progenitor cells in the same organ or tissue by imposing compensatory proliferation pressure, which presents the dual-function nature as a cell-cell interaction. All these manifestations of dual functions can find examples in the genes along the CCND-CDK4/6-RB axis. The dual-function nature also underlies the heterogeneity of cancer cells. Gene-targeting chemotherapies, including that targets CDK4, are effective to some cancer cells but in the meantime may promote growth or progression of some others in the same patient. Redefining "gene" by considering each mRNA, regulatory RNA, protein isoform, and posttranslational modification from the same genomic locus as a "gene" may help in better understanding tumor biology and better selecting targets for different sub-populations of cancer cells in individual patients for personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Lou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information; Beijing Institute of Genomics; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing, PR China
| | - Ju Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information; Beijing Institute of Genomics; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing, PR China
| | - Siqi Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information; Beijing Institute of Genomics; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing, PR China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology; Cancer Institute; Chinese Academy of Medical Science; Beijing, PR China
| | - D Joshua Liao
- Hormel Institute; University of Minnesota; Austin, MN USA
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Mäkinen N, Heinonen HR, Sjöberg J, Taipale J, Vahteristo P, Aaltonen LA. Mutation analysis of components of the Mediator kinase module in MED12 mutation-negative uterine leiomyomas. Br J Cancer 2014; 110:2246-9. [PMID: 24642626 PMCID: PMC4007231 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2014.138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Revised: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Kinase module of Mediator complex (‘CDK8 submodule') consists of four subunits: CDK8, Cyclin C, MED12, and MED13. Recently, we reported recurrent MED12 mutations in 70% of uterine leiomyomas. The aim of this study was to analyse whether mutations in other components of the module contribute to the development of these lesions. Methods: Mutation screening of altogether 70 MED12 mutation-negative uterine leiomyomas was carried out by direct sequencing. Results: None of the tumours displayed somatic mutations in the coding regions of CDK8/CDK19, CCNC, or MED13. Conclusions: Mutations in CDK8/CDK19, CCNC, and MED13 do not frequently contribute to genesis of uterine leiomyomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Mäkinen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, PO Box 63, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - H-R Heinonen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, PO Box 63, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - J Sjöberg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, PO Box 140, 00029 Helsinki, Finland
| | - J Taipale
- 1] Genome-Scale Biology Research Program and Department of Pathology, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, PO Box 63, 00014 Helsinki, Finland [2] Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - P Vahteristo
- Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, PO Box 63, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - L A Aaltonen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, PO Box 63, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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Li XY, Luo QF, Wei CK, Li DF, Fang L. siRNA-mediated silencing of CDK8 inhibits proliferation and growth in breast cancer cells. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY 2013; 7:92-100. [PMID: 24427329 PMCID: PMC3885463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED CDK8 is a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) member of the mediator complex that couples transcriptional regulators to the basal transcriptional machinery, and it has been investigated for possible tumor promoting functions. However, it is unclear whether CDK8 is involved in breast tumor cells growth. The aim of this study was to determine whether the suppression of CDK8 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibits the growth of human breast cancer cell. METHODS CDK8-siRNA transfection was used to silencing the CDK8 gene in established breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, successful transfection being confirmed by Real-time PCR and could be shown by Western Blotting. CDK8 deletion caused significant decline in cell proliferation was observed in breast cancer cell lines as investigated by MTS assay, the number and size of the colonies formed were also significantly reduced in the absence of CDK8. Furthermore, transwell test were conducted to explore the migration of breast cancer cells. Moreover CDK8 gene knockdown arrested cell cycle. RESULTS CDK8 mRNA expression was reduced after transfection with CDK8-siRNA, and protein expression had a similar trend. Transfection of CDK8-siRNA suppressed breast cancer cells proliferation and migration; meanwhile the cells were arrested at G0/G1 phase. CONCLUSIONS CDK8 plays an essential role in breast cancer progression, which might inhibit the proliferation and migration in breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yu Li
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Qi-Feng Luo
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Chuan-Kui Wei
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Deng-Feng Li
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Lin Fang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University Shanghai, 200072, China
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Sun Y, Lou X, Yang M, Yuan C, Ma L, Xie BK, Wu JM, Yang W, Shen SX, Xu N, Liao DJ. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 may be expressed as multiple proteins and have functions that are independent of binding to CCND and RB and occur at the S and G 2/M phases of the cell cycle. Cell Cycle 2013; 12:3512-25. [PMID: 24091631 DOI: 10.4161/cc.26510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) is known to be a 33 kD protein that drives G 1 phase progression of the cell cycle by binding to a CCND protein to phosphorylate RB proteins. Using different CDK4 antibodies in western blot, we detected 2 groups of proteins around 40 and 33 kD, respectively, in human and mouse cells; each group often appeared as a duplet or triplet of bands. Some CDK4 shRNAs could decrease the 33 kD wild-type (wt) CDK4 but increase some 40 kD proteins, whereas some other shRNAs had the opposite effects. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the existence of CDK4 isoforms smaller than 33 kD but failed to identify CDK4 at 40 kD. We cloned one CDK4 mRNA variant that lacks exon 2 and encodes a 26 kD protein without the first 74 amino acids of the wt CDK4, thus lacking the ATP binding sequence and the PISTVRE domain required for binding to CCND. Co-IP assay confirmed that this ΔE2 protein lost CCND1- and RB1-binding ability. Moreover, we found, surprisingly, that the wt CDK4 and the ΔE2 could inhibit G 1-S progression, accelerate S-G 2/M progression, and enhance or delay apoptosis in a cell line-specific manner in a situation where the cells were treated with a CDK4 inhibitor or the cells were serum-starved and then replenished. Hence, CDK4 seems to be expressed as multiple proteins that react differently to different CDK4 antibodies, respond differently to different shRNAs, and, in some situations, have previously unrecognized functions at the S-G 2/M phases of the cell cycle via mechanisms independent of binding to CCND and RB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Sun
- Hormel Institute; The University of Minnesota; Austin, MN USA
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