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Borlongan MC, Wang H. Profiling and targeting cancer stem cell signaling pathways for cancer therapeutics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1125174. [PMID: 37305676 PMCID: PMC10247984 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1125174] [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: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumorigenic cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a subpopulation of cells within the tumor that express genetic and phenotypic profiles and signaling pathways distinct from the other tumor cells. CSCs have eluded many conventional anti-oncogenic treatments, resulting in metastases and relapses of cancers. Effectively targeting CSCs' unique self-renewal and differentiation properties would be a breakthrough in cancer therapy. A better characterization of the CSCs' unique signaling mechanisms will improve our understanding of the pathology and treatment of cancer. In this paper, we will discuss CSC origin, followed by an in-depth review of CSC-associated signaling pathways. Particular emphasis is given on CSC signaling pathways' ligand-receptor engagement, upstream and downstream mechanisms, and associated genes, and molecules. Signaling pathways associated with regulation of CSC development stand as potential targets of CSC therapy, which include Wnt, TGFβ (transforming growth factor-β)/SMAD, Notch, JAK-STAT (Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription), Hedgehog (Hh), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Lastly, we will also discuss milestone discoveries in CSC-based therapies, including pre-clinical and clinical studies featuring novel CSC signaling pathway cancer therapeutics. This review aims at generating innovative views on CSCs toward a better understanding of cancer pathology and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia C. Borlongan
- Master Program of Pharmaceutical Science College of Graduate Studies, Elk Grove, CA, United States
| | - Hongbin Wang
- Master Program of Pharmaceutical Science College of Graduate Studies, Elk Grove, CA, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences College of Pharmacy, Elk Grove, CA, United States
- Department of Basic Science College of Medicine, California Northstate University, Elk Grove, CA, United States
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Danesh Pazhooh R, Rahnamay Farnood P, Asemi Z, Mirsafaei L, Yousefi B, Mirzaei H. mTOR pathway and DNA damage response: A therapeutic strategy in cancer therapy. DNA Repair (Amst) 2021; 104:103142. [PMID: 34102579 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2021.103142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a conserved serine/threonine-protein kinase, comprising two subunit protein complexes: mTORC1 and mTORC2. In response to insult and cancer, the mTOR pathway plays a crucial role in regulating growth, metabolism, cell survival, and protein synthesis. Key subunits of mTORC1/2 catalyze the phosphorylation of various molecules, including eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), ribosomal protein S6 kinase β-1 (S6K1). The DNA damage response (DDR) maintains genomic stability and provides an opportunity for treating tumors with defects caused by DNA damaging agents. Many mTOR inhibitors are utilized for the treatment of cancers. However, several clinical trials are still assessing the efficacy of mTOR inhibitors. This paper discusses the role of the mTOR signaling pathway and its regulators in developing cancer. In the following, we will review the interaction between DDR and mTOR signaling and the innovative therapies applied in preclinical and clinical trials for treating cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zatollah Asemi
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
| | - Liaosadat Mirsafaei
- Department of Cardiology, Ramsar Campus, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
| | - Bahman Yousefi
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
| | - Hamed Mirzaei
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
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Polymorphisms in Pepsinogen C and miRNA Genes Associate with High Serum Pepsinogen II in Gastric Cancer Patients. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010126. [PMID: 33430456 PMCID: PMC7827830 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Pepsinogen (PG) II (PGII) is a serological marker used to estimate the risk of gastric cancer but how PGII expression is regulated is largely unknown. It has been suggested that PGII expression, from the PGC (Progastricsin) gene, is regulated by microRNAs (miRNA), but how PGII levels vary with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and miRNAs genotype remains unclear. Methods: Serum levels of PGI and PGII were determined in 80 patients with gastric cancer and persons at risk for gastric cancer (74 first-degree relatives of patients, 62 patients with autoimmune chronic atrophic gastritis, and 2 patients with dysplasia), with and without H. pylori infection. As control from the general population, 52 blood donors were added to the analyses. Associations between PGII levels and genetic variants in PGC and miRNA genes in these groups were explored based on H. pylori seropositivity and the risk for gastric cancer. The two-dimensional difference in gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and the NanoString analysis of messenger RNA (mRNAs) from gastric cancer tissue were used to determine the pathways associated with increased PGII levels. Results: PGII levels were significantly higher in patients with gastric cancer, and in those with H. pylori infection, than in other patients or controls. A PGI/PGII ratio ≤ 3 was found better than PGI < 25 ng/mL to identify patients with gastric cancer (15.0% vs. 8.8%). For two genetic variants, namely rs8111742 in miR-Let-7e and rs121224 in miR-365b, there were significant differences in PGII levels between genotype groups among patients with gastric cancer (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively), but not among other study subjects. Moreover, a strict relation between rs9471643 C-allele with H. pylori infection and gastric cancer was underlined. Fold change in gene expression of mRNA isolated from gastric cancer tissue correlated well with polymorphism, H. pylori infection, increased PGII level, and pathway for bacteria cell entry into the host. Conclusions: Serum PGII levels depend in part on an interaction between H. pylori and host miRNA genotypes, which may interfere with the cut-off of PGI/PGII ratio used to identify persons at risk of gastric cancer. Results reported new findings regarding the relation among H. pylori, PGII-related host polymorphism, and genes involved in this interaction in the gastric cancer setting.
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Huang C, Wu YJ, He WF, Zhao SL, Ouyang YY, Ai XH, Liu ZQ, Tang SY. MiR-185-3p regulates epithelial mesenchymal transition via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by targeting cathepsin D in gastric cancer cells. Transl Cancer Res 2020; 9:6988-7000. [PMID: 35117305 PMCID: PMC8799188 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-19-2133] [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: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently research reported that miR-185-3p could serve as an independent prognosis factor in gastric cancer (GC). However, the functional role and underlying mechanism of miR-185-3p in GC and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression remains largely elusive. METHODS Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was carried out to analyze the expression of miR-185-3p and cathepsin D in patient-derived GC samples and various GC cell lines. Scratch assay and Transwell assay were used to evaluate the migration ability. The influence of miR-185-3p on the cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry. Western blotting assay was performed to detect the expression of EMT associated proteins and the activity of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, the interaction between miR-185-3p and cathepsin D was explored by dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS Our data revealed that miR-185-3p was down-regulated, while cathepsin D was up-regulated in both patient-derived GC samples and GC cells. Apart from inducing apoptosis, overexpression of miR-185-3p also inhibited EMT process and migration of GC cells. Mechanically, we firstly verified that miR-185-3p directly targeted the cathepsin D. Furthermore, miR-185-3p exerted its function on EMT process and migration via inhibiting cathepsin D to mediated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggested that miR-185-3p targeted cathepsin D inhibiting EMT process via PI3K/Akt signaling, which may serve as a potential prognosis factor and therapeutic target to reduce the malignancy of GCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Huang
- Oncology Department, Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Yang-Jie Wu
- Oncology Department of Medical, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Wei-Feng He
- Oncology Department, Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - Shun-Li Zhao
- Oncology Department, Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | | | - Xiao-Hong Ai
- Oncology Department of Medical, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Zhi-Qi Liu
- Oncology Department, Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
| | - San-Yuan Tang
- Oncology Department, Brain Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China
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Mir-20a-5p induced WTX deficiency promotes gastric cancer progressions through regulating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2020; 39:212. [PMID: 33032635 PMCID: PMC7545863 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01718-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The X-linked gene WTX (also called AMER1) has been reported to function as a tumour suppressor gene in Wilms' tumour. In our previous study, WTX expression was shown to be significantly reduced in gastric cancer (GC), but the function and mechanism associated with WTX loss had yet to be fully elucidated. METHODS WTX expression and clinical significance were father analyzed in GC and control normal gastric tissues, and validated in public databases. The candidate pathway which was regulated by WTX during GC progression was searched by KEGG pathway analysis. The miRNA which monitored WTX expression was screened by miRNA microarray. After verified the pathway and miRNA both in vitro and in vivo, the relationship of miRNA, WTX and the downstream pathway were analyzed by Western blot, immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR, Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and luciferase analyses. RESULTS The results showed that WTX serves as a tumour suppressor gene in GC. The loss of WTX which is associated with the aggressiveness of GC by promoting GC cell proliferation in vitro and high metastasis in vivo. Furthermore, WTX expression was positively correlated with the overall survival of GC patients. Microarray assays, bioinformatics analysis, and verification experiments showed that WTX loss activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and promotes GC cell proliferation and invasion. And the aberrant miR-20a-5p upregulation contributes to WTX loss in GC, which stimulates PI3K phosphorylation to activate PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and promoted GC progression. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study elucidated the mechanism of GC progression, which is at least partially caused by aberrant miR-20a-5p upregulation leading to the inhibition of WTX expression and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway activation. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the action of the miR-20a-5p/WTX/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in the progression and metastasis of GC.
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Rao M, Zhu Y, Qi L, Hu F, Gao P. Circular RNA profiling in plasma exosomes from patients with gastric cancer. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:2199-2208. [PMID: 32765789 PMCID: PMC7403632 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is among the most common cancer types worldwide with high mortality. Recent studies have shown that exosomes play a crucial role in the tumorigenesis of GC. The present study aimed to investigate the circular RNA (circRNA) profile in plasma exosomes from patients with gastric cancer (GC). Peripheral blood samples were collected from 5 patients with GC and 5 healthy donors, and exosomes were isolated from plasma. The high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) method was applied to detect the differently expressed circRNAs (DE circRNAs). Subsequently, sequencing results were confirmed by reverse transcription quantitative (RT-q) PCR. The potential roles of DE circRNAs in GC were identified using Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) analysis. Furthermore, MiRanda software was used to predict circRNA-micro-RNA (miRNA) interactions. A total of 67,880 circRNAs were identified in all samples and 1,060 significantly DE circRNAs were screened, including 620 upregulated and 440 downregulated ones. These results were further confirmed by RT-qPCR. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that these circRNAs were significantly associated with ‘cell cycle’, ‘cytoskeleton organization’, ‘cellular response to DNA damage’, ‘regulation of GTPase activity’, ‘phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway’, ‘MAPK signaling pathway’, ‘thyroid hormone signaling pathway’, ‘chemokine signaling pathway’ and ‘Wnt signaling pathway’. In addition, a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network was established. Taken together, these findings may help better understanding the underlying mechanisms of GC and identifying new molecular alterations in GC, and allow the enrichment of the circRNA profiling in human GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Rao
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, The Second Part of First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Yonggang Zhu
- Department of Radiotherapy, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130033, P.R. China
| | - Lingzhi Qi
- Department of Gastroenterology, The People's Hospital of Jilin Province, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Feng Hu
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, The Second Part of First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
| | - Pujun Gao
- Department of Hepatology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
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PI3K/AKT/β-Catenin Signaling Regulates Vestigial-Like 1 Which Predicts Poor Prognosis and Enhances Malignant Phenotype in Gastric Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11121923. [PMID: 31816819 PMCID: PMC6966677 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11121923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Although gastric cancer is a common cause of cancer mortality worldwide, its biological heterogeneity limits the available therapeutic options. Therefore, identifying novel therapeutic targets for developing effective targeted therapy of gastric cancer is a pressing need. Here, we investigate molecular function and regulatory mechanisms of Vestigial-like 1 (VGLL1) in gastric cancer. Microarray analysis of 556 gastric cancer tissues revealed that VGLL1 was a prognostic biomarker that correlated with PI3KCA and PI3KCB. VGLL1 regulates the proliferation of gastric cancer cells, as shown in live cell imaging, sphere formation, and in vivo xenograft model. Tail vein injection of NUGC3 cells expressing shVGLL1 resulted in less lung metastasis occurring when compared to the control. In contrast, larger metastatic lesions in lung and liver were detected in the VGLL1-overexpressing NUGC3 cell xenograft excision mouse model. Importantly, VGLL1 expression is transcriptionally regulated by the PI3K-AKT-β-catenin pathway. Subsequently, MMP9, a key molecule in gastric cancer, was explored as one of target genes that were transcribed by VGLL1-TEAD4 complex, a component of the transcription factor. Taken together, PI3K/AKT/β-catenin signaling regulates the transcription of VGLL1, which promotes the proliferation and metastasis in gastric cancer. This finding suggests VGLL1 as a novel prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target.
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[Mechanisms of recombinant adenovirus-mediated SD-HA fusion protein proliferation inhibition and induced apoptosis of K562 cells]. ZHONGHUA XUE YE XUE ZA ZHI = ZHONGHUA XUEYEXUE ZAZHI 2019; 39:314-319. [PMID: 29779329 PMCID: PMC7342126 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-2727.2018.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To investigate whether fusion protein SD-HA could regulate its downstream signaling molecule activity by competing with the phospho-BCR-ABL Y177 site, and its mechanisms to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of K562 cells. Methods: Co-immunoprecipitation interaction technology analysis of fusion protein SD-HA functioned by potently binding to the phospho-BCR-ABL Y177 site, Ras, MAPK and Akt activities were observed in the Ad5F35-SD-HA-treated cells. Western blot analyses of SD-HA fusion protein on cell membrane receptor pathway to death cascade caspase-8, caspase-3 and PRAP were performed. Results: Exploration into the underlying mechanisms revealed that Ad5F35-SD-HA infection functioned by binding to the phospho-BCR-ABL Y177 site, which lead to a complex with Grb2. competitively disrupted the Grb2 SH2-phospho-BCR-ABL Y177 formation. The fusion protein SD-HA could reduce the activation of Ras and phosphorylation of MAPK (p-MAPK) and the expression level of p-ELK, inhibition of Ras-MAPK signaling pathway; SD-HA fusion protein could reduce p-Akt and Akt substrate p-GSK with inhibition of PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of K562 cells. Caspases-8-induced apoptosis signal could be activated by DED protein binding to DED domain of precursor caspases-8. Conclusions: The strategy of fusion protein SD-HA inhibiting-Y177 BCR-ABL and Grb2 binding could be used as a novel entry point for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia.
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Tian T, Li X, Zhang J. mTOR Signaling in Cancer and mTOR Inhibitors in Solid Tumor Targeting Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20030755. [PMID: 30754640 PMCID: PMC6387042 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20030755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 367] [Impact Index Per Article: 73.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian or mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway plays a crucial role in regulation of cell survival, metabolism, growth and protein synthesis in response to upstream signals in both normal physiological and pathological conditions, especially in cancer. Aberrant mTOR signaling resulting from genetic alterations from different levels of the signal cascade is commonly observed in various types of cancers. Upon hyperactivation, mTOR signaling promotes cell proliferation and metabolism that contribute to tumor initiation and progression. In addition, mTOR also negatively regulates autophagy via different ways. We discuss mTOR signaling and its key upstream and downstream factors, the specific genetic changes in the mTOR pathway and the inhibitors of mTOR applied as therapeutic strategies in eight solid tumors. Although monotherapy and combination therapy with mTOR inhibitors have been extensively applied in preclinical and clinical trials in various cancer types, innovative therapies with better efficacy and less drug resistance are still in great need, and new biomarkers and deep sequencing technologies will facilitate these mTOR targeting drugs benefit the cancer patients in personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Tian
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Xiaoyi Li
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Jinhua Zhang
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China.
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PI3K-Akt-Wnt Pathway Is Implicated in Exercise-Induced Improvement of Short-term Memory in Cerebral Palsy Rats. Int Neurourol J 2018; 22:S156-164. [PMID: 30396265 PMCID: PMC6234731 DOI: 10.5213/inj.1836224.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Maternal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection induces neurodevelopmental disorders, such as cerebral palsy. Exercise activates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway that enhances neurogenesis. Wnt ligands are also implicated in the hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is a downstream molecule of Akt, and GSK-3β is known to modulate hippocampal neurogenesis negatively. METHODS Cerebral palsy was made by maternal LPS-injection. On the 5 weeks after birth, treadmill running was applied to the rat pups of the exercise groups, for 30 minutes, 5 times a week during 6 weeks. RESULTS Treadmill running alleviated short-term memory impairments of the cerebral palsy rat pups. Hippocampal cell proliferation was increased and hippocampal apoptosis was suppressed by treadmill running in the cerebral palsy rat pups. Hippocampal phosphorylated-PI3K/PI3K ratio, phosphorylated-Akt/Akt ratio, and Wnt expression were enhanced by treadmill running in the cerebral palsy rat pups. In contrast, hippocampal phosphorylated-GSK-3β/GSK-3β ratio and β-catenin expression were suppressed by treadmill running in the cerebral palsy rat pups. CONCLUSION The results of this study showed that short-term memory improvement due to treadmill running in cerebral palsy occurs via activation of the PI3K-Akt-Wnt pathway.
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Teng F, Xu Z, Chen J, Zheng G, Zheng G, Lv H, Wang Y, Wang L, Cheng X. DUSP1 induces apatinib resistance by activating the MAPK pathway in gastric cancer. Oncol Rep 2018; 40:1203-1222. [PMID: 29956792 PMCID: PMC6072387 DOI: 10.3892/or.2018.6520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dual-specificity phosphatase-1 (DUSP1) is an oncogene that is associated with cancer progression following drug resistance. In order to investigate the potential relationship between DUSP1 and apatinib resistance in gastric cancer cells, we preformed many assays to study this problem. DUSP1 gene was detected by RT-qPCR assay, proteins in MAPK pathway were quantified by western blot assay, and CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry and Hoechest 33342 stain were performed to detect the resistance of cells, cell cycles and apoptosis, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining was used to discover the expression of DUSP1 protein in patients' tumor or paratumor tissues. It was found that apatinib (Apa)-resistant gastric cancer (GC) cells showed increased expression of DUSP1, whereas the knockdown of DUSP1 in resistant cells resensitized these cells to Apa. The restored sensitivity to Apa was the result of inactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and the induction of apoptosis. The in vitro use of Apa in combination with a DUSP1 inhibitor, triptolide, exerted significant effects on inhibiting the expression of DUSP1, growth inhibition, and apoptosis via the inactivation of MAPK signaling. In patients who did not undergo chemotherapy or targeted therapy, the expression of DUSP1 in adjacent tissues was higher when compared with that observed in tumor tissues. In addition, the expression of DUSP1 was higher in the early stages of GC than in the advanced stages. The expression of DUSP1 in tumor tissues was not associated with the survival rate of the patients. Therefore, increased expression of DUSP1 may be responsible for Apa resistance, and DUSP1 may serve as a biomarker for Apa efficacy. In conclusion, inducing the downregulation of DUSP1 may be a promising strategy to overcome Apa resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Teng
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Zhiyuan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumor, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Jiahui Chen
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Guowei Zheng
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Guodian Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumor, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Hang Lv
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumor, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Yiping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumor, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
| | - Lijing Wang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Zhejiang Provincial Tumor Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, P.R. China
| | - Xiangdong Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumor, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, P.R. China
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Ouyang Y, Yuan W, Qiu S. MicroRNA-153 functions as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer via targeting Kruppel-like factor 5. Exp Ther Med 2018; 16:473-482. [PMID: 30112020 PMCID: PMC6090467 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2018.6226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Various microRNAs (miRs) have been demonstrated to serve important roles in gastric cancer (GC). miR-153 in particular has been reported to serve a suppressive role in GC; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were used to examine the mRNA and protein expression of Kruppel-like factor 5. An MTT, wound healing and transwell assay were used to study cell proliferation, migration and invasion, respectively. In the present study, quantitative polymerase chain reaction data indicated that miR-153 was significantly downregulated in GC tissues compared with the adjacent non-tumor tissues. In addition, the reduced expression of miR-153 was significantly associated with GC aggressiveness and poor prognosis of patients. The expression of miR-153 was also reduced in GC cell lines, including KATO III, NCI-N87, SNU-16 and SNU-5, when compared with normal gastric epithelial GES-1 cells. Overexpression of miR-153 in the GC SNU-5 cells by miR-153 mimic transfection significantly inhibited the cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, KLF5 was identified as a target gene of miR-153 in SNU-5 cells by bioinformatics prediction. It was observed that KLF5 was significantly upregulated in GC tissues and cell lines, and its expression was negatively regulated by miR-153 in SNU-5 cells. Overexpression of KLF5 impaired the suppressive effects of miR-153 on the proliferation, migration and invasion of SNU-5 cells. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that miR-153 serves a tumor suppressive role in GC, at least partly, through directly targeting KLF5, thus highlighting the clinical significance of miR-153 in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlan Ouyang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Weijie Yuan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
| | - Sainan Qiu
- Department of Colorectal Anal Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China
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Zhang YZ, Wang CF, Zhang LF. Cucurbitacin D impedes gastric cancer cell survival via activation of the iNOS/NO and inhibition of the Akt signalling pathway. Oncol Rep 2018; 39:2595-2603. [PMID: 29658590 PMCID: PMC5983931 DOI: 10.3892/or.2018.6361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cucurbitacin D (CuD), isolated from plants from the Cucurbitaceae family, is a potential antitumour agent since it inhibits proliferation, migration and metastasis of cancer cells. Despite CuD antitumour activity in cancer cells, the effects of CuD on gastric cancer cell lines remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of CuD on gastric cancer cell growth and death. Human gastric cancer cell lines (AGS, SNU1 and Hs746T) were cultured and treated with different concentrations of CuD (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 µM). Cell proliferation was assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Oxidative stress was evaluated by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cell apoptosis was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2′-deoxyuridine-5′-triphosphate nick-end labelling (TUNEL) staining. Levels of intracellular Ca2+ and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were also assessed. In the present study, CuD effectively inhibited cell proliferation, triggered ROS generation and induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells (AGS, SNU1 and Hs746T). Treatment with CuD increased intracellular Ca2+ and ATP levels. CuD also stimulated the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which augmented nitric oxide production. In addition, CuD activated the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, which increased the expression of Bax and the release of cleaved caspace-9 (C-caspase-9) and cytochrome c, decreased the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). The mechanism of action of CuD involved the regulation of the protein kinase B/mechanistic target of rapamycin (Akt/mTOR) pathway. We confirmed the effects of CuD on gastric tumours via an in vivo xenograft gastric tumour model. In conclusion, CuD inhibited Akt and activated the iNOS pathway, leading to higher ROS and nitric oxide production, which accelerated gastric cancer cell apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhen Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
| | - Chun Feng Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
| | - Lian Feng Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, P.R. China
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Lee D, Yu EJ, Ham IH, Hur H, Kim YS. AKT inhibition is an effective treatment strategy in ARID1A-deficient gastric cancer cells. Onco Targets Ther 2017; 10:4153-4159. [PMID: 28860825 PMCID: PMC5574587 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s139664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The At-rich interactive domain 1A (ARID1A) is frequently mutated in gastric cancers (GCs) with a poor prognosis. Growing evidence indicates that loss of ARID1A expression leads to activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway by AKT phosphorylation. We aim to investigate the different sensitivity for the AKT inhibitor in ARID1A-deficient GC cells. Methods After transfection using siRNA or shRNA, the effect of ARID1A knockdown on the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was evaluated by Western blot analysis. ARID1A-knockdown cells were treated with AKT inhibitor (GSK690693), 5-fluorouracil, or cisplatin, alone or in combination. Viability and apoptosis were analyzed using EZ-CYTOX cell viability assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Results ARID1A depletion accelerated the phosphorylation of AKT and S6 in a dose-dependent manner and led to an increased proliferation of MKN-1, MKN-28, and KATO-III GC cells (P<0.001). ARID1A-deficient cells were more vulnerable to GSK690693 in comparison to the controls (P<0.001), even at very low doses. Flow cytometry confirmed the increased apoptosis in ARID1A-deficient cells treated with GSK690693 (0.01 μmol/L; P<0.001). In contrast to our expectations, ARID1A depletion did not cause resistance to 5-fluorouracil or cisplatin. Addition of GSK690693 to the conventional chemotherapy induced more decreased cell viability in ARID1A-knockdown cells (P<0.01). Conclusion Loss of ARID1A expression is a surrogate marker for the activation of the AKT signaling pathway and is also a reliable biomarker to predict the response for the AKT inhibitor. We anticipate that appropriate patient selection based on ARID1A expression in the tumor tissue will increase the drug sensitivity for the AKT inhibition and improve the clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakeun Lee
- Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Ji Yu
- Department of Pathology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Hye Ham
- Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Brain Korea 21 Plus Research Center for Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hoon Hur
- Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Brain Korea 21 Plus Research Center for Biomedical Sciences, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - You-Sun Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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15
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Zhang L, Xing Y, Gao Q, Sun X, Zhang D, Cao G. Combination of NRP1-mediated iRGD with 5-fluorouracil suppresses proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2017; 93:1136-1143. [PMID: 28738522 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.06.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer is one of the most of common cancers in the world. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) has been identified as one of the standard first-line chemotherapy drugs for locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer. However, poor tumor penetration, bad selectivity and toxic side effects are the major limitations for the application of chemotherapy drugs in anticancer therapy. Recently, plenty of studies demonstrate that the novel tumor-homing peptide iRGD could promote the tumor-penetrating capability of chemotherapy drugs in multiple cancers, and neuropilin-1 (NRP1) protein is the critical mediator for iRGD. Here,we found that NRP1 protein expression was significantly up-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines by Immunohistochemistry and Western blot. And elevated NRP1 was notably associated with tumor differentiation (P=0.021), tumor size (P=0.004), tumor stage(P=0.028), lymph node metastasis(P=0.032), TNM tumor stage (P=0.006) and poorer prognosis. Functionally, the data of Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, Colony formation assay and Transwell assay revealed that NRP1 could facilitate gastric cancer cells proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, iRGD could strengthen the chemotherapy effect of 5-FU on gastric cancer cells through NRP1. Taken together, NPR1 might be a promising tumor target for gastric cancer, and combination of iRGD with 5-FU may be a novel and valuable approach to improving the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, PR China
| | - Yanfeng Xing
- Department of General Surgery, The Central Hospital of Tongchuan Mining Bureau, Tongchuan, Shaanxi 727000, PR China
| | - Qi Gao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, PR China
| | - Xuejun Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, PR China.
| | - Di Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, PR China
| | - Gang Cao
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, PR China.
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Deoxyelephantopin and Isodeoxyelephantopin as Potential Anticancer Agents with Effects on Multiple Signaling Pathways. Molecules 2017. [PMID: 28635648 PMCID: PMC6152668 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22061013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death worldwide. The development of drugs to target only one specific signaling pathway has limited therapeutic success. Developing chemotherapeutics to target multiple signaling pathways has emerged as a new prototype for cancer treatment. Deoxyelephantopin (DET) and isodeoxyelephantopin (IDET) are sesquiterpene lactone components of “Elephantopus scaber and Elephantopus carolinianus”, traditional Chinese medicinal herbs that have long been used as folk medicines to treat liver diseases, diabetes, diuresis, bronchitis, fever, diarrhea, dysentery, cancer, and inflammation. Recently, the anticancer activity of DET and IDET has been widely investigated. Here, our aim is to review the current status of DET and IDET, and discuss their anticancer activity with specific emphasis on molecular targets and mechanisms used by these compounds to trigger apoptosis pathways which may help to further design and conduct research to develop them as lead therapeutic drugs for cancer treatments. The literature has shown that DET and IDET induce apoptosis through multiple signaling pathways which are deregulated in cancer cells and suggested that by targeting multiple pathways simultaneously, these compounds could selectively kill cancer cells. This review suggests that DET and IDET hold promising anticancer activity but additional studies and clinical trials are needed to validate and understand their therapeutic effect to develop them into potent therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.
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Are We Ready to Use the Omics Strategies for Precision Medicine? Int Neurourol J 2016; 20:S65-67. [PMID: 27915470 PMCID: PMC5169089 DOI: 10.5213/inj.1620edi007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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