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Mahmoudi G, Ehteshaminia Y, Kokhaei P, Jalali SF, Jadidi-Niaragh F, Pagheh AS, Enderami SE, Kenari SA, Hassannia H. Enhancement of targeted therapy in combination with metformin on human breast cancer cell lines. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:10. [PMID: 38167105 PMCID: PMC10763326 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01446-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer remains a primary global health concern due to its limited treatment options, frequent disease recurrence, and high rates of morbidity and mortality. Thereby, there is a need for more effective treatment approaches. The proposal suggests that the combination of targeted therapy with other antitumoral agents could potentially address drug resistance. In this study, we examined the antitumoral effect of combining metformin, an antidiabetic drug, with targeted therapies, including tamoxifen for estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7), trastuzumab for HER2-positive (SKBR-3), and antibody against ROR1 receptor for triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB-231). METHODS Once the expression of relevant receptors on each cell line was confirmed and appropriate drug concentrations were selected through cytotoxicity assays, the antitumor effects of both monotherapy and combination therapy on colony formation, migration, invasion were assessed in in vitro as well as tumor area and metastatic potential in ex ovo Chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) models. RESULTS The results exhibited the enhanced effects of tamoxifen when combined with targeted therapy. This combination effectively inhibited cell growth, colony formation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Additionally, it significantly reduced tumor size and metastatic potential in an ex ovo CAM model. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that a favorable strategy to enhance the efficacy of breast cancer treatment would be to combine metformin with targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghazal Mahmoudi
- Student Research Committee, Amol School of Paramedical Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Yahya Ehteshaminia
- Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parviz Kokhaei
- Department of Immunology, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Seyedeh Farzaneh Jalali
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | | | - Abdol Sattar Pagheh
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Science, Birjand, Iran
| | - Seyed Ehsan Enderami
- Immunogenetics Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Saeid Abedian Kenari
- Immunogenetics Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Hadi Hassannia
- Immunogenetics Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
- Department of Paramedicine, Amol School of Paramedical Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
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Zhao K, Zheng Y, Lu W, Chen B. Identification of ubiquitination-related gene classification and a novel ubiquitination-related gene signature for patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Front Genet 2023; 13:932027. [PMID: 36685836 PMCID: PMC9853012 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.932027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Ubiquitination-related genes (URGs) are important biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer. However, URG prognostic prediction models have not been established in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) before. Our study aimed to explore the roles of URGs in TNBC. Methods: The Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were used to identify URG expression patterns in TNBC. Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) analysis was used to cluster TNBC patients. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis was used to construct the multi-URG signature in the training set (METABRIC). Next, we evaluated and validated the signature in the test set (GSE58812). Finally, we evaluated the immune-related characteristics to explore the mechanism. Results: We identified four clusters with significantly different immune signatures in TNBC based on URGs. Then, we developed an 11-URG signature with good performance for patients with TNBC. According to the 11-URG signature, TNBC patients can be classified into a high-risk group and a low-risk group with significantly different overall survival. The predictive ability of this 11-URG signature was favorable in the test set. Moreover, we constructed a nomogram comprising the risk score and clinicopathological characteristics with favorable predictive ability. All of the immune cells and immune-related pathways were higher in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group. Conclusion: Our study indicated URGs might interact with the immune phenotype to influence the development of TNBC, which contributes to a further understanding of molecular mechanisms and the development of novel therapeutic targets for TNBC.
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Mostafavi S, Zalpoor H, Hassan ZM. The promising therapeutic effects of metformin on metabolic reprogramming of cancer-associated fibroblasts in solid tumors. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2022; 27:58. [PMID: 35869449 PMCID: PMC9308248 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-022-00356-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-infiltrated lymphocytes are exposed to many toxic metabolites and molecules in the tumor microenvironment (TME) that suppress their anti-tumor activity. Toxic metabolites, such as lactate and ketone bodies, are produced mainly by catabolic cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) to feed anabolic cancer cells. These catabolic and anabolic cells make a metabolic compartment through which high-energy metabolites like lactate can be transferred via the monocarboxylate transporter channel 4. Moreover, a decrease in molecules, including caveolin-1, has been reported to cause deep metabolic changes in normal fibroblasts toward myofibroblast differentiation. In this context, metformin is a promising drug in cancer therapy due to its effect on oncogenic signal transduction pathways, leading to the inhibition of tumor proliferation and downregulation of key oncometabolites like lactate and succinate. The cross-feeding and metabolic coupling of CAFs and tumor cells are also affected by metformin. Therefore, the importance of metabolic reprogramming of stromal cells and also the pivotal effects of metformin on TME and oncometabolites signaling pathways have been reviewed in this study.
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Martinelli S, Amore F, Mello T, Mannelli M, Maggi M, Rapizzi E. Metformin Treatment Induces Different Response in Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma Tumour Cells and in Primary Fibroblasts. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143471. [PMID: 35884532 PMCID: PMC9320533 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Pheochromocytoma/paragangliomas (PPGLs) are neuroendocrine tumours and are often non-metastatic. However, no effective treatment is available for their metastatic form. Recent studies have shown that metformin exhibits antiproliferative activity in many human cancers, including PPGLs. Nevertheless, no data are available concerning whether metformin is also able to inhibit PPGL metastatic spread. A tumour is a very complex system, comprising not only cancer cells, but also other cells that all together form the so-called tumour microenvironment. Cancer-associated fibroblasts are residential or recruited fibroblasts, transformed by cancer cells, to promote tumour growth and spread. Therefore, the interplay between tumour cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts has become an interesting target for cancer therapy. Here, we demonstrate that metformin has different effects on cancer cells and fibroblasts, providing evidence that metformin may hold promise for altering tumour microenvironment homeostasis. Improving our knowledge on malignant tumour microenvironment properties could lead to develop complementary strategies to target tumour spread and progression. Abstract Pheochromocytoma/paragangliomas (PPGLs) are neuroendocrine tumours, often non-metastatic, but without available effective treatment for their metastatic form. Recent studies have shown that metformin exhibits antiproliferative activity in many human cancers, including PPGLs. Nevertheless, no data are available on the role of metformin on PPGL cells (two-dimension, 2D) and spheroids (three-dimension, 3D) migration/invasion. In this study, we observed that metformin exerts an antiproliferative effect on 2D and 3D cultures of pheochromocytoma mouse tumour tissue (MTT), either silenced or not for the SDHB subunit. However, metformin did not affect MTT migration. On the other hand, metformin did not have a short-term effect on the proliferation of mouse primary fibroblasts, but significantly decreased their ability to migrate. Although the metabolic changes induced by metformin were similar between MTT and fibroblasts (i.e., an overall decrease of ATP production and an increase in intracellular lactate concentration) the activated signalling pathways were different. Indeed, after metformin administration, MTT showed a reduced phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2, while fibroblasts exhibited a downregulation of N-Cadherin and an upregulation of E-Cadherin. Herein, we demonstrated that metformin has different effects on cell growth and spread depending on the cell type nature, underlining the importance of the tumour microenvironment in dictating the drug response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Martinelli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.M.); (F.A.); (T.M.); (M.M.); (M.M.)
- Centro di Ricerca e Innovazione Sulle Patologie Surrenaliche, AOU Careggi, 50134 Florence, Italy
- ENS@T Center of Excellence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Francesca Amore
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.M.); (F.A.); (T.M.); (M.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Tommaso Mello
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.M.); (F.A.); (T.M.); (M.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Massimo Mannelli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.M.); (F.A.); (T.M.); (M.M.); (M.M.)
- Centro di Ricerca e Innovazione Sulle Patologie Surrenaliche, AOU Careggi, 50134 Florence, Italy
- ENS@T Center of Excellence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Mario Maggi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (S.M.); (F.A.); (T.M.); (M.M.); (M.M.)
- Centro di Ricerca e Innovazione Sulle Patologie Surrenaliche, AOU Careggi, 50134 Florence, Italy
- ENS@T Center of Excellence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Elena Rapizzi
- Centro di Ricerca e Innovazione Sulle Patologie Surrenaliche, AOU Careggi, 50134 Florence, Italy
- ENS@T Center of Excellence, 50134 Florence, Italy
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-055-2758245
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Zuo Q, Park NH, Lee JK, Madak Erdogan Z. Liver Metastatic Breast Cancer: Epidemiology, Dietary Interventions, and Related Metabolism. Nutrients 2022; 14:2376. [PMID: 35745105 PMCID: PMC9228756 DOI: 10.3390/nu14122376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The median overall survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer is only 2-3 years, and for patients with untreated liver metastasis, it is as short as 4-8 months. Improving the survival of women with breast cancer requires more effective anti-cancer strategies, especially for metastatic disease. Nutrients can influence tumor microenvironments, and cancer metabolism can be manipulated via a dietary modification to enhance anti-cancer strategies. Yet, there are no standard evidence-based recommendations for diet therapies before or during cancer treatment, and few studies provide definitive data that certain diets can mediate tumor progression or therapeutic effectiveness in human cancer. This review focuses on metastatic breast cancer, in particular liver metastatic forms, and recent studies on the impact of diets on disease progression and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianying Zuo
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (Q.Z.); (N.H.P.)
| | - Nicole Hwajin Park
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (Q.Z.); (N.H.P.)
| | - Jenna Kathryn Lee
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA;
| | - Zeynep Madak Erdogan
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; (Q.Z.); (N.H.P.)
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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Barakat HE, Hussein RRS, Elberry AA, Zaki MA, Ramadan ME. The impact of metformin use on the outcomes of locally advanced breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy: an open-labelled randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7656. [PMID: 35538143 PMCID: PMC9091204 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11138-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, several clinical trials have attempted to find evidence that supports the anticancer use of metformin in breast cancer (BC) patients. The current study evaluates the anticancer activity of metformin in addition to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in locally advanced BC patients. Additionally, we assess the safety and tolerability of this combination and its effect on the quality of life (QoL) of BC patients. Eighty non-diabetic female patients with proven locally advanced BC were randomized into two arms. The first arm received anthracycline/taxane-based NACT plus metformin. The second arm received anthracycline/taxane-based NACT only. Overall response rate (ORR), clinical complete response (cCr), pathological complete response (pCR), and breast conservative rate (BCR) were evaluated between both groups, and correlated with serum metformin concentration. ORR, cCr, pCR, and BCR increased non-significantly in the metformin group compared to the control group; 80.6% vs 68.4%, 27.8% vs 10.5%, 22.2% vs 10.5%, and 19.4% vs 13.2%, respectively. A trend towards cCR and pCR was associated with higher serum metformin concentrations. Metformin decreased the incidence of peripheral neuropathy, bone pain, and arthralgia, although worsened the gastrointestinal adverse events. Metformin combination with NACT has no effect on the QoL of BC patients. Metformin combination with NACT is safe, tolerable, and improves non-significantly the clinical and pathological tumor response of BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadeer Ehab Barakat
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahram Canadian University, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Raghda R S Hussein
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt.,Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Modern University for Technology and Information, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Abdullah Elberry
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Batterjee Medical College, Pharmacy Program, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
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Barakat HE, Hussein RRS, Elberry AA, Zaki MA, Elsherbiny Ramadan M. Factors influencing the anticancer effects of metformin on breast cancer outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2022; 22:415-436. [PMID: 35259320 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2022.2051482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several clinical trials have attempted to find evidence that supports the use of metformin as an anticancer treatment. However, the observed effects on various breast cancer (BC) outcomes have been heterogeneous. AREAS COVERED Based on the outcomes of previous clinical trials, this review discusses the patients' characteristics, cancer intrinsic subtypes, cancer stage, and anticancer treatments that may influence the anticancer effect of metformin on BC outcomes. Additionally, the safety and tolerability of metformin addition to various anticancer regimens are reviewed. EXPERT OPINION Metformin is a challenging anticancer agent in BC cohorts, besides being safe and well-tolerated at antidiabetic doses. Survival benefits of metformin have been observed in BC patients with: hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 overexpression, and high insulin like growth factor-1 receptor expression on the tumor surface. Moreover, patients with diabetes receiving metformin experienced better survival outcomes compared to diabetic patients not receiving metformin. Additionally, metformin has anti-proliferative activity in patients with BC who have high insulin resistance and high body mass index. Besides, metformin has been shown to decrease metastatic events, and enhance the level of metabolic- and insulin-related biomarkers associated with carcinogenesis. Finally, most adverse events following metformin treatment were low-grade GIT toxicities.
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Metformin and Breast Cancer: Where Are We Now? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052705. [PMID: 35269852 PMCID: PMC8910543 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide. Type 2 diabetes–associated metabolic traits such as hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, inflammation, oxidative stress, and obesity are well-known risk factors for breast cancer. The insulin sensitizer metformin, one of the most prescribed oral antidiabetic drugs, has been suggested to function as an antitumoral agent, based on epidemiological and retrospective clinical data as well as preclinical studies showing an antiproliferative effect in cultured breast cancer cells and animal models. These benefits provided a strong rationale to study the effects of metformin in routine clinical care of breast cancer patients. However, the initial enthusiasm was tempered after disappointing results in randomized controlled trials, particularly in the metastatic setting. Here, we revisit the current state of the art of metformin mechanisms of action, critically review past and current metformin-based clinical trials, and briefly discuss future perspectives on how to incorporate metformin into the oncologist’s armamentarium for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.
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Liu S, Washio J, Sato S, Abiko Y, Shinohara Y, Kobayashi Y, Otani H, Sasaki S, Wang X, Takahashi N. Rewired Cellular Metabolic Profiles in Response to Metformin under Different Oxygen and Nutrient Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020989. [PMID: 35055173 PMCID: PMC8781974 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Metformin is a metabolic disruptor, and its efficacy and effects on metabolic profiles under different oxygen and nutrient conditions remain unclear. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of metformin on cell growth, the metabolic activities and consumption of glucose, glutamine, and pyruvate, and the intracellular ratio of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) under normoxic (21% O2) and hypoxic (1% O2) conditions. The efficacy of metformin with nutrient removal from culture media was also investigated. The results obtained show that the efficacy of metformin was closely associated with cell types and environmental factors. Acute exposure to metformin had no effect on lactate production from glucose, glutamine, or pyruvate, whereas long-term exposure to metformin increased the consumption of glucose and pyruvate and the production of lactate in the culture media of HeLa and HaCaT cells as well as the metabolic activity of glucose. The NAD+/NADH ratio decreased during growth with metformin regardless of its efficacy. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of metformin were enhanced in all cell lines following the removal of glucose or pyruvate from culture media. Collectively, the present results reveal that metformin efficacy may be regulated by oxygen conditions and nutrient availability, and indicate the potential of the metabolic switch induced by metformin as combinational therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Liu
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 9808575, Japan; (S.L.); (S.S.); (Y.A.); (Y.S.); (Y.K.); (H.O.); (S.S.); (N.T.)
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Sichuan University West China School of Stomatology, Chengdu 610041, China;
| | - Jumpei Washio
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 9808575, Japan; (S.L.); (S.S.); (Y.A.); (Y.S.); (Y.K.); (H.O.); (S.S.); (N.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-22-717-8295
| | - Satoko Sato
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 9808575, Japan; (S.L.); (S.S.); (Y.A.); (Y.S.); (Y.K.); (H.O.); (S.S.); (N.T.)
| | - Yuki Abiko
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 9808575, Japan; (S.L.); (S.S.); (Y.A.); (Y.S.); (Y.K.); (H.O.); (S.S.); (N.T.)
| | - Yuta Shinohara
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 9808575, Japan; (S.L.); (S.S.); (Y.A.); (Y.S.); (Y.K.); (H.O.); (S.S.); (N.T.)
| | - Yuri Kobayashi
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 9808575, Japan; (S.L.); (S.S.); (Y.A.); (Y.S.); (Y.K.); (H.O.); (S.S.); (N.T.)
| | - Haruki Otani
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 9808575, Japan; (S.L.); (S.S.); (Y.A.); (Y.S.); (Y.K.); (H.O.); (S.S.); (N.T.)
| | - Shiori Sasaki
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 9808575, Japan; (S.L.); (S.S.); (Y.A.); (Y.S.); (Y.K.); (H.O.); (S.S.); (N.T.)
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, Sichuan University West China School of Stomatology, Chengdu 610041, China;
| | - Nobuhiro Takahashi
- Division of Oral Ecology and Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 9808575, Japan; (S.L.); (S.S.); (Y.A.); (Y.S.); (Y.K.); (H.O.); (S.S.); (N.T.)
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Wang T, Shao W, Huang Z, Tang H, Zhang J, Ding Z, Huang K. MOGONET integrates multi-omics data using graph convolutional networks allowing patient classification and biomarker identification. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3445. [PMID: 34103512 PMCID: PMC8187432 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23774-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
To fully utilize the advances in omics technologies and achieve a more comprehensive understanding of human diseases, novel computational methods are required for integrative analysis of multiple types of omics data. Here, we present a novel multi-omics integrative method named Multi-Omics Graph cOnvolutional NETworks (MOGONET) for biomedical classification. MOGONET jointly explores omics-specific learning and cross-omics correlation learning for effective multi-omics data classification. We demonstrate that MOGONET outperforms other state-of-the-art supervised multi-omics integrative analysis approaches from different biomedical classification applications using mRNA expression data, DNA methylation data, and microRNA expression data. Furthermore, MOGONET can identify important biomarkers from different omics data types related to the investigated biomedical problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongxin Wang
- Department of Computer Science, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Wei Shao
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Zhi Huang
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Haixu Tang
- Department of Computer Science, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Zhengming Ding
- Department of Computer Science, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Kun Huang
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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Arundhathi JRD, Mathur SR, Gogia A, Deo SVS, Mohapatra P, Prasad CP. Metabolic changes in triple negative breast cancer-focus on aerobic glycolysis. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 48:4733-4745. [PMID: 34047880 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-06414-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Among breast cancer subtypes, the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has the worst prognosis. In absence of any permitted targeted therapy, standard chemotherapy is the mainstay for TNBC treatment. Hence, there is a crucial need to identify potential druggable targets in TNBCs for its effective treatment. In recent times, metabolic reprogramming has emerged as cancer cells hallmark, wherein cancer cells display discrete metabolic phenotypes to fuel cell progression and metastasis. Altered glycolysis is one such phenotype, in which even in oxygen abundance majority of cancer cells harvest considerable amount of energy through elevated glycolytic-flux. In the present review, we attempt to summarize the role of key glycolytic enzymes i.e. HK, Hexokinase; PFK, Phosphofructokinase; PKM2, Pyruvate kinase isozyme type 2; and LDH, Lactate dehydrogenase in TNBCs, and possible therapeutic options presently available.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Dev Arundhathi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr BRA IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Sandeep R Mathur
- Department of Pathology, Dr BRA IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Ajay Gogia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr BRA IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - S V S Deo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Dr BRA IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, 110029, India
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Phase II study of propranolol feasibility with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2021; 188:427-432. [PMID: 33837871 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-021-06210-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Propranolol regulates angiogenesis in pre-clinical models and reduces distant breast cancer (BC) metastases in observational studies. We assessed the feasibility of combining propranolol with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with BC. METHODS Women with clinical stage II-III BC undergoing NAC [weekly paclitaxel × 12, followed by dose-dense adriamycin/cyclophosphamide (AC) × 4] started propranolol 20 mg PO BID with paclitaxel #1, and increased to 80 mg extended release (ER) PO daily, as tolerated. The primary endpoint was to assess feasibility, defined as at least 75% of patients having at least 80% adherence to propranolol as prescribed. Secondary endpoints included identifying safety, rate of dose holds and modification, and rate of reaching 80 mg ER daily. The proposed sample size was 20 patients. RESULTS From November 2012 to September 2015, ten patients were enrolled. Median age was 50.5 years (range, 44-67). All patients had hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer. Three women had grade I bradycardia that resulted in a 1-week delay in increasing the propranolol dose. Ninety percent of women reached the target propranolol dosing of 80 mg ER daily, and 70% took the target propranolol dose until the night before surgery. Of the 4 women who dose-reduced propranolol, 1 increased to the target propranolol dose. Mean adherence to propranolol dosing was 96% (range: 91-100%). All patients went to surgery. CONCLUSION Our results support the feasibility of combining propranolol (up to 80 mg ER) with neoadjuvant taxane/anthracycline-based chemotherapy.
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Varghese E, Samuel SM, Líšková A, Samec M, Kubatka P, Büsselberg D. Targeting Glucose Metabolism to Overcome Resistance to Anticancer Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2252. [PMID: 32806533 PMCID: PMC7464784 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer in women. BC is heterogeneous, with distinct phenotypical and morphological characteristics. These are based on their gene expression profiles, which divide BC into different subtypes, among which the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype is the most aggressive one. The growing interest in tumor metabolism emphasizes the role of altered glucose metabolism in driving cancer progression, response to cancer treatment, and its distinct role in therapy resistance. Alterations in glucose metabolism are characterized by increased uptake of glucose, hyperactivated glycolysis, decreased oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) component, and the accumulation of lactate. These deviations are attributed to the upregulation of key glycolytic enzymes and transporters of the glucose metabolic pathway. Key glycolytic enzymes such as hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and enolase are upregulated, thereby conferring resistance towards drugs such as cisplatin, paclitaxel, tamoxifen, and doxorubicin. Besides, drug efflux and detoxification are two energy-dependent mechanisms contributing to resistance. The emergence of resistance to chemotherapy can occur at an early or later stage of the treatment, thus limiting the success and outcome of the therapy. Therefore, understanding the aberrant glucose metabolism in tumors and its link in conferring therapy resistance is essential. Using combinatory treatment with metabolic inhibitors, for example, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) and metformin, showed promising results in countering therapy resistance. Newer drug designs such as drugs conjugated to sugars or peptides that utilize the enhanced expression of tumor cell glucose transporters offer selective and efficient drug delivery to cancer cells with less toxicity to healthy cells. Last but not least, naturally occurring compounds of plants defined as phytochemicals manifest a promising approach for the eradication of cancer cells via suppression of essential enzymes or other compartments associated with glycolysis. Their benefits for human health open new opportunities in therapeutic intervention, either alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs. Importantly, phytochemicals as efficacious instruments of anticancer therapy can suppress events leading to chemoresistance of cancer cells. Here, we review the current knowledge of altered glucose metabolism in contributing to resistance to classical anticancer drugs in BC treatment and various ways to target the aberrant metabolism that will serve as a promising strategy for chemosensitizing tumors and overcoming resistance in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Varghese
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar; (E.V.); (S.M.S.)
| | - Samson Mathews Samuel
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar; (E.V.); (S.M.S.)
| | - Alena Líšková
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Slovakia; (A.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Marek Samec
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Slovakia; (A.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Peter Kubatka
- Department of Medical Biology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Slovakia;
| | - Dietrich Büsselberg
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar; (E.V.); (S.M.S.)
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Ma M, Ma C, Li P, Ma C, Ping F, Li W, Xu L, Zhang H, Sun Q, Li Y. Low glucose enhanced metformin's inhibitory effect on pancreatic cancer cells by suppressing glycolysis and inducing energy stress via up-regulation of miR-210-5p. Cell Cycle 2020; 19:2168-2181. [PMID: 32718270 PMCID: PMC7513847 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2020.1796036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
To explore mechanisms underlying the discrepancy in anti-tumor effects of metformin on pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1 under different glucose conditions. We cultured PANC-1 cells in 25 mM and 5 mM glucose media, then treated with or without metformin. It showed that metformin significantly inhibited proliferation and viability, induced apoptosis of PANC-1 cells, which was more pronounced in low-glucose than in high-glucose group. Metformin up-regulated the expression of miR-210-5p in low glucose, but not in high glucose. miR-210-5p mimic inhibited the viability of PANC-1 cells and further enhanced the inhibitory effect of metformin. miR-210-5p down-regulated the expression of PFKFB2, a predicted target gene of miR-210-5p, reduced the activity of PFK1 and LDH. Metformin significantly inhibited the expression of phosphorylation-PFKFB2(p-PFKFB2) in the low-glucose group and inhibited the LDH activity both in the low and high glucose groups, thus inhibiting anaerobic glycolysis and inducing energy stress. Cells in the high glucose group could make a compensatory adaptation to the energy stress induced by metformin through increasing glucose consumption. However, due to the limited glucose supply and high dependence on anaerobic glycolysis of cells in the low glucose group, they couldn’t make effective adaptive compensation. Therefore, cells in the low-glucose group were more vulnerable to the toxicity of metformin. In conclusion, the enhanced inhibitory effect of metformin on PANC-1 cells cultured in low glucose may be due to the up-regulation of the expression of miR-210-5p, then inhibiting anaerobic glycolytic flux and inducing energy stress via repressing the expression of p-PFKFB2 and activity of LDH. Abbreviations PC: pancreatic cancer; DM: diabetes mellitus; PFKFB2: 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase2; PFK1: phosphofructokinases; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; F-2,6-BP: fructose 2,6-bisphosphate
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Affiliation(s)
- Minglei Ma
- Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100730,China
| | - Chifa Ma
- Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100730,China
| | - Pingping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical, Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing, China.,Diabetes Research Center of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences , Beijing 100050, China
| | - Chunxiao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical, Sciences and Peking Union Medical College , Beijing, China.,Diabetes Research Center of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences , Beijing 100050, China
| | - Fan Ping
- Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100730,China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100730,China
| | - Lingling Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100730,China
| | - Huabing Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100730,China
| | - Qi Sun
- Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100730,China
| | - Yuxiu Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, Ministry of Health, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100730,China
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15
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Evaluation of MDA-MB-468 Cell Culture Media Analysis in Predicting Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Patient Sera Metabolic Profiles. Metabolites 2020; 10:metabo10050173. [PMID: 32349447 PMCID: PMC7281562 DOI: 10.3390/metabo10050173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by limited survival, poor prognosis, and high recurrence. Understanding the metabolic adaptations of TNBC could help reveal improved treatment regiments. Here we performed a comprehensive 1H NMR metabolic characterization of the MDA-MB-468 cell line, a commonly used model of TNBC, followed by an analysis of serum samples obtained from TNBC patients and healthy controls. MDA-MB-468 cells were cultured, and changes in the metabolic composition of the medium were monitored for 72 h. Based on time courses, metabolites were categorized as being consumed, being produced, or showing a mixed behavior. When comparing TNBC and control samples (HC), and by using multivariate and univariate analyses, we identified nine metabolites with differing profiles). The serum of TNBC patients was characterized by higher levels of glucose, glutamine, citrate, and acetoacetate and by lower levels of lactate, alanine, tyrosine, glutamate, and acetone. A comparative analysis between MDA-MB-468 cell culture media and TNBC patients' serum identified a potential systemic response to the carcinogenesis-associated processes, highlighting that MDA-MB-468 cells footprint does not reflect metabolic changes observed in studied TNBC serum fingerprint.
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16
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Using Phosphatidylinositol Phosphorylation as Markers for Hyperglycemic Related Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21072320. [PMID: 32230859 PMCID: PMC7177416 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21072320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies have suggested that type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with a higher incidence of breast cancer and related mortality rates. T2D postmenopausal women have an ~20% increased chance of developing breast cancer, and women with T2D and breast cancer have a 50% increase in mortality compared to breast cancer patients without diabetes. This correlation has been attributed to the general activation of insulin receptor signaling, glucose metabolism, phosphatidylinositol (PI) kinases, and growth pathways. Furthermore, the presence of breast cancer specific PI kinase and/or phosphatase mutations enhance metastatic breast cancer phenotypes. We hypothesized that each of the breast cancer subtypes may have characteristic PI phosphorylation profiles that are changed in T2D conditions. Therefore, we sought to characterize the PI phosphorylation when equilibrated in normal glycemic versus hyperglycemic serum conditions. Our results suggest that hyperglycemia leads to: 1) A reduction in PI3P and PIP3, with increased PI4P that is later converted to PI(3,4)P2 at the cell surface in hormone receptor positive breast cancer; 2) a reduction in PI3P and PI4P with increased PIP3 surface expression in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer; and 3) an increase in di- and tri-phosphorylated PIs due to turnover of PI3P in triple negative breast cancer. This study begins to describe some of the crucial changes in PIs that play a role in T2D related breast cancer incidence and metastasis.
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17
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Wahdan-Alaswad R, Liu B, Thor AD. Targeted lapatinib anti-HER2/ErbB2 therapy resistance in breast cancer: opportunities to overcome a difficult problem. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2020; 3:179-198. [PMID: 35582612 PMCID: PMC9090587 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2019.92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Approximately 20% of invasive breast cancers have upregulation/gene amplification of the oncogene human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2/ErbB2). Of these, some also express steroid receptors (the so-called Luminal B subtype), whereas others do not (the HER2 subtype). HER2 abnormal breast cancers are associated with a worse prognosis, chemotherapy resistance, and sensitivity to selected anti-HER2 targeted therapeutics. Transcriptional data from over 3000 invasive breast cancers suggest that this approach is overly simplistic; rather, the upregulation of HER2 expression resulting from gene amplification is a driver event that causes major transcriptional changes involving numerous genes and pathways in breast cancer cells. Most notably, this includes a shift from estrogenic dependence to regulatory controls driven by other nuclear receptors, particularly the androgen receptor. We discuss members of the HER receptor tyrosine kinase family, heterodimer formation, and downstream signaling, with a focus on HER2 associated pathology in breast carcinogenesis. The development and application of anti-HER2 drugs, including selected clinical trials, are discussed. In light of the many excellent reviews in the clinical literature, our emphasis is on recently developed and successful strategies to overcome targeted therapy resistance. These include combining anti-HER2 agents with programmed cell death-1 ligand or cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors, targeting crosstalk between HER2 and other nuclear receptors, lipid/cholesterol synthesis to inhibit receptor tyrosine kinase activation, and metformin, a broadly inhibitory drug. We seek to facilitate a better understanding of new approaches to overcome anti-HER2 drug resistance and encourage exploration of two other therapeutic interventions that may be clinically useful for HER+ invasive breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reema Wahdan-Alaswad
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO 80014, USA
| | - Bolin Liu
- Department of Genetics, Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Ann D Thor
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO 80014, USA
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18
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Samuel SM, Varghese E, Kubatka P, Triggle CR, Büsselberg D. Metformin: The Answer to Cancer in a Flower? Current Knowledge and Future Prospects of Metformin as an Anti-Cancer Agent in Breast Cancer. Biomolecules 2019; 9:E846. [PMID: 31835318 PMCID: PMC6995629 DOI: 10.3390/biom9120846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest has grown in studying the possible use of well-known anti-diabetic drugs as anti-cancer agents individually or in combination with, frequently used, chemotherapeutic agents and/or radiation, owing to the fact that diabetes heightens the risk, incidence, and rapid progression of cancers, including breast cancer, in an individual. In this regard, metformin (1, 1-dimethylbiguanide), well known as 'Glucophage' among diabetics, was reported to be cancer preventive while also being a potent anti-proliferative and anti-cancer agent. While meta-analysis studies reported a lower risk and incidence of breast cancer among diabetic individuals on a metformin treatment regimen, several in vitro, pre-clinical, and clinical studies reported the efficacy of using metformin individually as an anti-cancer/anti-tumor agent or in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs or radiation in the treatment of different forms of breast cancer. However, unanswered questions remain with regards to areas such as cancer treatment specific therapeutic dosing of metformin, specificity to cancer cells at high concentrations, resistance to metformin therapy, efficacy of combinatory therapeutic approaches, post-therapeutic relapse of the disease, and efficacy in cancer prevention in non-diabetic individuals. In the current article, we discuss the biology of metformin and its molecular mechanism of action, the existing cellular, pre-clinical, and clinical studies that have tested the anti-tumor potential of metformin as a potential anti-cancer/anti-tumor agent in breast cancer therapy, and outline the future prospects and directions for a better understanding and re-purposing of metformin as an anti-cancer drug in the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samson Mathews Samuel
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar;
| | - Elizabeth Varghese
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar;
| | - Peter Kubatka
- Department of Medical Biology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Slovakia;
| | - Chris R. Triggle
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar;
| | - Dietrich Büsselberg
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar;
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Lee JO, Kang MJ, Byun WS, Kim SA, Seo IH, Han JA, Moon JW, Kim JH, Kim SJ, Lee EJ, In Park S, Park SH, Kim HS. Metformin overcomes resistance to cisplatin in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells by targeting RAD51. Breast Cancer Res 2019; 21:115. [PMID: 31640742 PMCID: PMC6805313 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-019-1204-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemotherapy is a standard therapeutic regimen to treat triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, chemotherapy alone does not result in significant improvement and often leads to drug resistance in patients. In contrast, combination therapy has proven to be an effective strategy for TNBC treatment. Whether metformin enhances the anticancer effects of cisplatin and prevents cisplatin resistance in TNBC cells has not been reported. METHODS Cell viability, wounding healing, and invasion assays were performed on Hs 578T and MDA-MB-231 human TNBC cell lines to demonstrate the anticancer effects of combined cisplatin and metformin treatment compared to treatment with cisplatin alone. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to determine the expression of RAD51 and gamma-H2AX. In an in vivo 4T1 murine breast cancer model, a synergistic anticancer effect of metformin and cisplatin was observed. RESULTS Cisplatin combined with metformin decreased cell viability and metastatic effect more than cisplatin alone. Metformin suppressed cisplatin-mediated RAD51 upregulation by decreasing RAD51 protein stability and increasing its ubiquitination. In contrast, cisplatin increased RAD51 expression in an ERK-dependent manner. In addition, metformin also increased cisplatin-induced phosphorylation of γ-H2AX. Overexpression of RAD51 blocked the metformin-induced inhibition of cell migration and invasion, while RAD51 knockdown enhanced cisplatin activity. Moreover, the combination of metformin and cisplatin exhibited a synergistic anticancer effect in an orthotopic murine model of 4T1 breast cancer in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Metformin enhances anticancer effect of cisplatin by downregulating RAD51 expression, which represents a novel therapeutic target in TNBC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Ok Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Ju Kang
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Seok Byun
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin Ae Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Il Hyeok Seo
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Ah Han
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Wook Moon
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hae Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Su Jin Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Jung Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Serk In Park
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sun Hwa Park
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Soo Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Li Z, Gong X, Zhang W, Zhang J, Ding L, Li H, Tu D, Tang J. Inhibition of miRNA-34a promotes triple negative cancer cell proliferation by promoting glucose uptake. Exp Ther Med 2019; 18:3936-3942. [PMID: 31616515 PMCID: PMC6781812 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2019.8017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
miRNA-34a is a tumor suppressor that is expressed in a variety of different types of cancer. The current study aimed to determine the involvement of miRNA-34a in triple negative breast cancer. miRNA-34a expression was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR in the breast tissue and serum of patients with triple negative breast cancer and of healthy controls. The diagnostic value of miRNA-34a in triple negative breast cancer was analyzed using receiver operating curve analysis. A miRNA-34a inhibitor was transfected into triple negative breast cancer cells and the effects on cell proliferation, glucose uptake and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression were detected using a cell counting kit-8 assay, glucose uptake assay and western blot analysis, respectively. The results demonstrated that miRNA-34a was downregulated in patients with triple negative breast cancer compared with healthy controls and the downregulation of miRNA-34a effectively distinguished patients with triple negative breast cancer from healthy controls. miRNA-34a inhibition promoted cancer cell proliferation, accelerated glucose uptake and upregulated GLUT1. The current study concluded that the inhibition of miR-34a may promote triple negative cancer cell proliferation by promoting glucose uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoxuan Gong
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Li Ding
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Daoyuan Tu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Jinhai Tang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
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Varghese S, Samuel SM, Varghese E, Kubatka P, Büsselberg D. High Glucose Represses the Anti-Proliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Effect of Metformin in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Biomolecules 2019; 9:E16. [PMID: 30626087 PMCID: PMC6359242 DOI: 10.3390/biom9010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Metformin, the most widely prescribed anti-diabetic drug, is shown to possess anti-cancer potential in treatment of cancers, including breast cancer; decreases breast cancer risk; and improves overall survival. However, reports suggest that higher glucose concentrations may negatively impact the anti-cancer efficacy of metformin. Therefore, we examined the anti-cancer potential of metformin in triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBCs) exposed to different glucose (25 mM, 5.5 mM and zero glucose/glucose-starved) conditions. Our data indicates that a high glucose (25 mM) concentration (mimicking diabetes) significantly abrogated the effect of metformin on cell proliferation, cell death and cell cycle arrest in addition to loss of efficacy in inhibition of the mTOR pathway, a key metabolic pathway in TNBC cells. The mTOR pathway is activated in TNBCs compared to other subtypes of breast cancer, regulates the synthesis of proteins that are critical for the growth and survival of cancer cells and its activation is correlated to poor outcomes among TNBC patients, while also contributing to metastatic progression and development of resistance to chemotherapy/radiotherapy. Our studies were performed in two different types of TNBCs, MDA-MB-231 cells (mesenchymal stem cell-like (MSL)) and MDA-MB-468 (basal like-1 (BL-1)). Interestingly, lower concentrations of metformin (50, 100, 250, and 500 μM) significantly increased cell proliferation in 25 mM glucose exposed MDA-MB-231 cells, an effect which was not observed in MDA-MB-468 cells, indicating that the effective concentration of metformin when used as anti-cancer drug in TNBCs may have to be determined based on cell type and blood glucose concentration. Our data indicates that metformin treatment was most effective under zero glucose/glucose-starved conditions in MDA-MB-468 with a significant increase in the apoptotic population (62.3 ± 1.5%; p-value < 0.01). Under 5.5 mM glucose conditions in both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells our data showed reduced viability of 73.56 ± 2.53%; p-value < 0.05 and 70.49 ± 1.68%; p-value < 0.001, respectively, along with a significant increase in apoptotic populations of both cell types. Furthermore, metformin (2 mM) inhibited the mTOR pathway and its downstream components under zero glucose/glucose-starved conditions indicating that using metformin in combination with agents that inhibit the glycolytic pathway should be more beneficial for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancers in diabetic individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Varghese
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar.
| | - Samson Mathews Samuel
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar.
| | - Elizabeth Varghese
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar.
| | - Peter Kubatka
- Department of Medical Biology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Dietrich Büsselberg
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Qatar Foundation, Doha 24144, Qatar.
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Yin X, Wei Z, Song C, Tang C, Xu W, Wang Y, Xie J, Lin Z, Han W. Metformin sensitizes hypoxia-induced gefitinib treatment resistance of HNSCC via cell cycle regulation and EMT reversal. Cancer Manag Res 2018; 10:5785-5798. [PMID: 30510448 PMCID: PMC6250113 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s177473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives The objectives of this study were to explore the mechanisms of metformin sensitization to hypoxia-induced gefitinib treatment in resistant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and evaluate the effects of this combined treatment strategy. Methods The effects of gefitinib treatment on HNSCC were measured under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The relationship between hypoxia and cell cycle and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor cells were analyzed. Palbociclib and LY294002 were used in combination with gefitinib to evaluate the effects on HNSCC cell cytotoxicity during hypoxia. Finally, metformin was used to evaluate the sensitizing effects of gefitinib treatment on HNSCC in vivo and in vitro. Results Cell viability and apoptosis assays demonstrated a significant difference in HNSCC cells treated with gefitinib between the normoxia and hypoxia groups. Hypoxia induced the expression of cyclin D1, decreased the percentage of cells in G1, and promoted the EMT of tumor cells. Both palbociclib and LY294002 enhanced gefitinib-induced cytotoxicity of HNSCC cells under hypoxic conditions. Encouragingly, metformin sensitized HNSCC to gefitinib treatment in vivo and in vitro. Conclusion Hypoxia promotes G1-S cell cycle progression and EMT in HNSCC, resulting in gefitinib treatment resistance. Metformin sensitizes HNSCC to gefitinib treatment, which might serve as a novel combined treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiteng Yin
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, .,Central Laboratory of Stomatology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, ,
| | - Zheng Wei
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, .,Central Laboratory of Stomatology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, ,
| | - Chuanhui Song
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, .,Central Laboratory of Stomatology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, ,
| | - Chuanchao Tang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, .,Central Laboratory of Stomatology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, ,
| | - Wenguang Xu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, .,Central Laboratory of Stomatology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, ,
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, .,Central Laboratory of Stomatology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, ,
| | - Junqi Xie
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, .,Central Laboratory of Stomatology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, ,
| | - Zitong Lin
- Central Laboratory of Stomatology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, , .,Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China,
| | - Wei Han
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, .,Central Laboratory of Stomatology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, ,
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Sun X, Wang M, Wang M, Yu X, Guo J, Sun T, Li X, Yao L, Dong H, Xu Y. Birth order and multiple sclerosis. Acta Neurol Scand 1982; 10:428. [PMID: 32296646 PMCID: PMC7136496 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming is an emerging hallmark of cancer cells, in which cancer cells exhibit distinct metabolic phenotypes to fuel their proliferation and progression. The significant advancements made in the area of metabolic reprogramming make possible new strategies for overcoming malignant cancer, including triple-negative breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with high histologic grade, aggressive phenotype, and poor prognosis. Even though triple-negative breast cancer patients benefit from standard chemotherapy, they still face high recurrence rates and are more likely to develop resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore vulnerabilities of triple-negative breast cancer and develop novel therapeutic drugs to improve clinical outcomes for triple-negative breast cancer patients. Metabolic reprogramming may provide promising therapeutic targets for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. In this paper, we primarily discuss how triple-negative breast cancer cells reprogram their metabolic phenotype and that of stromal cells in the microenvironment to survive under nutrient-poor conditions. Considering that metastasis and chemoresistance are the main contributors to mortality in triple-negative breast cancer patients, we also focus on the role of metabolic adaption in mediating metastasis and chemoresistance of triple-negative breast cancer tumors.
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