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Yu Y, Cao WM, Cheng F, Shi Z, Han L, Yi J, da Silva EM, Dopeso H, Chen H, Yang J, Wang X, Zhang C, Zhang H. FOXK2 amplification promotes breast cancer development and chemoresistance. Cancer Lett 2024; 597:217074. [PMID: 38901667 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Oncogene activation through DNA amplification or overexpression is a crucial driver of cancer initiation and progression. The FOXK2 gene, located on chromosome 17q25, encodes a transcription factor with a forkhead DNA-binding domain. Analysis of genomic datasets reveals that FOXK2 is frequently amplified and overexpressed in breast cancer, correlating with poor patient survival. Knockdown of FOXK2 significantly inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, anchorage-independent growth, and delayed tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model. Additionally, inhibiting FOXK2 sensitized breast cancer cells to chemotherapy. Co-overexpression of FOXK2 and mutant PI3KCA transformed non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cells, suggesting a role for FOXK2 in PI3KCA-driven tumorigenesis. CCNE2, PDK1, and ESR1 were identified as transcriptional targets of FOXK2 in MCF-7 cells. Small-molecule inhibitors of CCNE2/CDK2 (dinaciclib) and PDK1 (dichloroacetate) exhibited synergistic anti-tumor effects with PI3KCA inhibitor (alpelisib) in vitro. Inhibition of FOXK2 by dinaciclib synergistically enhanced the anti-tumor effects of alpelisib in a xenograft mouse model. Collectively, these findings highlight the oncogenic function of FOXK2 and suggest that FOXK2 and its downstream genes represent potential therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yu
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Wen-Ming Cao
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Feng Cheng
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Zhongcheng Shi
- Advanced Technology Cores, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Lili Han
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jinling Yi
- Texas Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Edaise M da Silva
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Higinio Dopeso
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jianhua Yang
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Xiaosong Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Chunchao Zhang
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, 20010, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, 20010, USA.
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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2
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Xing X, Que X, Zheng S, Wang S, Song Q, Yao Y, Zhang P. Emerging roles of FOXK2 in cancers and metabolic disorders. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1376496. [PMID: 38741782 PMCID: PMC11089157 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1376496] [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: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
FOXK2, a member of the Forkhead box K (FOXK) transcription factor family, is widely expressed in various tissues and organs throughout the body. FOXK2 plays crucial roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, autophagy, de novo nucleotide biosynthesis, DNA damage response, and aerobic glycolysis. Although FOXK2 is recognized as an oncogene in colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, it acts as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer, cervical cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This review provides an overview of the recent progress in understanding the regulatory mechanisms of FOXK2 and its downstream targets, highlights the significant impact of FOXK2 dysregulation on cancer etiology, and discusses the potential of targeting FOXK2 for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Qibin Song
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Yao
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Pingfeng Zhang
- Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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3
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Liu H, Yu Y, Dong A, Elsabahy M, Yang Y, Gao H. Emerging strategies for combating Fusobacterium nucleatum in colorectal cancer treatment: Systematic review, improvements and future challenges. EXPLORATION (BEIJING, CHINA) 2024; 4:20230092. [PMID: 38854496 PMCID: PMC10867388 DOI: 10.1002/exp.20230092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is generally characterized by a high prevalence of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum), a spindle-shaped, Gram-negative anaerobe pathogen derived from the oral cavity. This tumor-resident microorganism has been closely correlated with the occurrence, progression, chemoresistance and immunosuppressive microenvironment of CRC. Furthermore, F. nucleatum can specifically colonize CRC tissues through adhesion on its surface, forming biofilms that are highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Accordingly, it is crucial to develop efficacious non-antibiotic approaches to eradicate F. nucleatum and its biofilms for CRC treatment. In recent years, various antimicrobial strategies, such as natural extracts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals, polymers, inorganic-organic hybrid materials, bacteriophages, probiotics, and vaccines, have been proposed to combat F. nucleatum and F. nucleatum biofilms. This review summarizes the latest advancements in anti-F. nucleatum research, elucidates the antimicrobial mechanisms employed by these systems, and discusses the benefits and drawbacks of each antimicrobial technology. Additionally, this review also provides an outlook on the antimicrobial specificity, potential clinical implications, challenges, and future improvements of these antimicrobial strategies in the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane ProcessesSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringTiangong UniversityTianjinP. R. China
| | - Yunjian Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane ProcessesSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringTiangong UniversityTianjinP. R. China
| | - Alideertu Dong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical EngineeringInner Mongolia UniversityHohhotP. R. China
| | - Mahmoud Elsabahy
- Department of PharmaceuticsFaculty of PharmacyAssiut UniversityAssiutEgypt
| | - Ying‐Wei Yang
- International Joint Research Laboratory of Nano‐Micro Architecture ChemistryCollege of ChemistryJilin UniversityChangchunP. R. China
| | - Hui Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane ProcessesSchool of Materials Science and EngineeringTiangong UniversityTianjinP. R. China
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4
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Saitoh M. Transcriptional regulation of EMT transcription factors in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 97:21-29. [PMID: 37802266 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the processes by which epithelial cells transdifferentiate into mesenchymal cells in the developmental stage, known as "complete EMT." In epithelial cancer, EMT, also termed "partial EMT," is associated with invasion, metastasis, and resistance to therapy, and is elicited by several transcription factors, frequently referred to as EMT transcription factors. Among these transcription factors that regulate EMT, ZEB1/2 (ZEB1 and ZEB2), SNAIL, and TWIST play a prominent role in driving the EMT process (hereafter referred to as "EMT-TFs"). Among these, ZEB1/2 show positive correlation with both expression of mesenchymal marker proteins and the aggressiveness of various carcinomas. On the other hand, TWIST and SNAIL are also correlated with the aggressiveness of carcinomas, but are not highly correlated with mesenchymal marker protein expression. Interestingly, these EMT-TFs are not detected simultaneously in any studied cases of aggressive cancers, except for sarcoma. Thus, only one or some of the EMT-TFs are expressed at high levels in cells of aggressive carcinomas. Expression of EMT-TFs is regulated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), a well-established inducer of EMT, in cooperation with other signaling molecules, such as active RAS signals. The focus of this review is the molecular mechanisms by which EMT-TFs are transcriptionally sustained at sufficiently high levels in cells of aggressive carcinomas and upregulated by TGF-β during cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masao Saitoh
- Center for Medical Education and Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo-city, Yamanashi, Japan.
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Liu X, Tang N, Liu Y, Fu J, Zhao Y, Wang H, Wang H, Hu Z. FOXK2 regulates PFKFB3 in promoting glycolysis and tumorigenesis in multiple myeloma. Leuk Res 2023; 132:107343. [PMID: 37356282 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2023.107343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Forkhead box K2 (FOXK2) is a transcription factor involved in regulating the pathophysiological processes in many types of cancers. Functioning as either an oncogene or tumor suppressor, FOXK2 is involved in cell proliferation, metastasis, DNA damage, metabolism, and autophagy. However, the functions of FOXK2 in multiple myeloma (MM) are still unexplored. Here we show that FOXK2 silencing by small interfering RNA (siRNA) prevented the expression of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) via dephosphorylation of an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Consistently, suppression of FOXK2 inhibited glycolysis and cell proliferation in MM cells. Furthermore, the correlation between FOXK2 expression and disease progression in MM was evaluated using the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database. Taken together, we identified a novel FOXK2-dependent signaling pathway involved in the regulation of PFKFB3 expression in response to glycolysis, which might serve as a potential therapeutic target in MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinling Liu
- Department of Hematology, Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261042, China
| | - Na Tang
- Department of Hematology, Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261042, China; Graduate School, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261053, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Department of Hematology, Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261042, China
| | - Jieting Fu
- Department of Hematology, Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261042, China
| | - Yao Zhao
- Department of Hematology, Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261042, China
| | - Haihua Wang
- Department of Hematology, Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261042, China
| | - Haiying Wang
- Department of Hematology, Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261042, China.
| | - Zhenbo Hu
- Department of Hematology, Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong 261042, China.
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Du F, Zhang Y, Ji X, Zhang N, Xu J, Ning T, Xie SA, Liu S, Li P, Zhu S. IL-8-mediated overexpression of ZNF274 promotes the proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells through the transactivation of MRPL40. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19046. [PMID: 37636370 PMCID: PMC10450991 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19046] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. ZNF274, a member of the zinc-finger-protein family of transcription factors, is critical in chromosomal remodelling and tumorigenesis. However, the role of ZNF274 in CRC and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Methods Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to quantify the expression of ZNF274 in human CRC tissues. The Kaplan‒Meier method was used to analyse the relationship between ZNF274 expression and CRC prognosis. The correlation between ZNF274 expression and clinical features was analyzed using Cox regression analysis. Cell proliferation and migration were evaluated by CCK-8, colony formation, and Transwell assays. The limma R package was used to analyse IL-8-related differentially expressed genes in the GSE30364 dataset. The DAVID method was used to screen significantly enriched pathways. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR and luciferase reporter assays were performed to determine the transcriptional regulation of MRPL40 by ZNF274. Results ZNF274 was overexpressed in CRC tissues and indicated poor prognosis. High ZNF274 expression was linked to larger tumor size, invasion, lymph node metastasis, and AJCC stage. Ectopic expression promoted CRC cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, MRPL40 was identified as the direct target gene that transactivates the expression of ZNF274. Moreover, IL-8 upregulated ZNF274 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Downregulation of either ZNF274 or MRPL40 expression abrogated the effect of IL-8 on promoting the proliferation and migration of CRC. Conclusion This study revealed an oncogenic role of ZNF274 and the mechanism by which ZNF274 participated in IL-8-induced promotion of CRC progression. These findings demonstrate that ZNF274 could be used as a prognostic factor and potential therapeutic target for CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Du
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical, University, National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Disease, Beijing, Digestive Disease Centre, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, 100050 Beijing, PR China
| | - Yijun Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Xu Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical, University, National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Disease, Beijing, Digestive Disease Centre, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, 100050 Beijing, PR China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical, University, National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Disease, Beijing, Digestive Disease Centre, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, 100050 Beijing, PR China
| | - Junxuan Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical, University, National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Disease, Beijing, Digestive Disease Centre, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, 100050 Beijing, PR China
| | - Tingting Ning
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical, University, National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Disease, Beijing, Digestive Disease Centre, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, 100050 Beijing, PR China
| | - Si-an Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical, University, National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Disease, Beijing, Digestive Disease Centre, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, 100050 Beijing, PR China
| | - Si Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical, University, National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Disease, Beijing, Digestive Disease Centre, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, 100050 Beijing, PR China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical, University, National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Disease, Beijing, Digestive Disease Centre, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, 100050 Beijing, PR China
| | - Shengtao Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical, University, National Clinical Research Centre for Digestive Disease, Beijing, Digestive Disease Centre, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, 100050 Beijing, PR China
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Yu Y, Cao WM, Cheng F, Shi Z, Han L, Yi JL, da Silva EM, Dopeso H, Chen H, Yang J, Wang X, Zhang C, Zhang H. FOXK2 amplification and overexpression promotes breast cancer development and chemoresistance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.28.542643. [PMID: 37398114 PMCID: PMC10312425 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.28.542643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Activation of oncogenes through DNA amplification/overexpression plays an important role in cancer initiation and progression. Chromosome 17 has many cancer-associated genetic anomalies. This cytogenetic anomaly is strongly associated with poor prognosis of breast cancer. FOXK2 gene is located on 17q25 and encodes a transcriptional factor with a forkhead DNA binding domain. By integrative analysis of public genomic datasets of breast cancers, we found that FOXK2 is frequently amplified and overexpressed in breast cancers. FOXK2 overexpression in breast cancer patients is associated with poor overall survival. FOXK2 knockdown significantly inhibits cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, and anchorage-independent growth, as well as causes G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in breast cancer cells. Moreover, inhibition of FOXK2 expression sensitizes breast cancer cells to frontline anti-tumor chemotherapies. More importantly, co-overexpression of FOXK2 and PI3KCA with oncogenic mutations (E545K or H1047R) induces cellular transformation in non-tumorigenic MCF10A cells, suggesting that FOXK2 is an oncogene in breast cancer and is involved in PI3KCA-driven tumorigenesis. Our study identified CCNE2, PDK1, and Estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) as direct transcriptional targets of FOXK2 in MCF-7 cells. Blocking CCNE2- and PDK1-mediated signaling by using small molecule inhibitors has synergistic anti-tumor effects in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, FOXK2 inhibition by gene knockdown or inhibitors for its transcriptional targets (CCNE2 and PDK1) in combination with PI3KCA inhibitor, Alpelisib, showed synergistic anti-tumor effects on breast cancer cells with PI3KCA oncogenic mutations. In summary, we provide compelling evidence that FOXK2 plays an oncogenic role in breast tumorigenesis and targeting FOXK2-mediated pathways may be a potential therapeutic strategy in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yu
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children’s National Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Wen-Ming Cao
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Feng Cheng
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children’s National Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Zhongcheng Shi
- Advanced Technology Cores, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Lili Han
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jin-Ling Yi
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Edaise M da Silva
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Higinio Dopeso
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jianhua Yang
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children’s National Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Xiaosong Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Chunchao Zhang
- Texas Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
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Zheng J, Yan X, Lu T, Song W, Li Y, Liang J, Zhang J, Cai J, Sui X, Xiao J, Chen H, Chen G, Zhang Q, Liu Y, Yang Y, Zheng K, Pan Z. CircFOXK2 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and leads to a poor clinical prognosis via regulating the Warburg effect. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:63. [PMID: 36922872 PMCID: PMC10018916 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02624-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Warburg effect is well-established to be essential for tumor progression and accounts for the poor clinical outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. An increasing body of literature suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are important regulators for HCC. However, few circRNAs involved in the Warburg effect of HCC have hitherto been investigated. Herein, we aimed to explore the contribution of circFOXK2 to glucose metabolism reprogramming in HCC. METHODS In the present study, different primers were designed to identify 14 circRNAs originating from the FOXK2 gene, and their differential expression between HCC and adjacent liver tissues was screened. Ultimately, circFOXK2 (hsa_circ_0000817) was selected for further research. Next, the clinical significance of circFOXK2 was evaluated. We then assessed the pro-oncogenic activity of circFOXK2 and its impact on the Warburg effect in both HCC cell lines and animal xenografts. Finally, the molecular mechanisms of how circFOXK2 regulates the Warburg effect of HCC were explored. RESULTS CircFOXK2 was aberrantly upregulated in HCC tissues and positively correlated with poor clinical outcomes in patients that underwent radical hepatectomy. Silencing of circFOXK2 significantly suppressed HCC progression both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circFOXK2 upregulated the expression of protein FOXK2-142aa to promote LDHA phosphorylation and led to mitochondrial fission by regulating the miR-484/Fis1 pathway, ultimately activating the Warburg effect in HCC. CONCLUSIONS CircFOXK2 is a prognostic biomarker of HCC that promotes the Warburg effect by promoting the expression of proteins and miRNA sponges that lead to tumor progression. Overall, circFOXK2 has huge prospects as a potential therapeutic target for patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zheng
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xijing Yan
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Tongyu Lu
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Wen Song
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jinliang Liang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jiebin Zhang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jianye Cai
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xin Sui
- Surgical ICU of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jiaqi Xiao
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Haitian Chen
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Guihua Chen
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Yubin Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Biotherapy and Translational Medicine of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Kanghong Zheng
- Department of General Surgery of Guangdong Tongjiang Hospital, Foshan, 528300, China.
| | - Zihao Pan
- Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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Identification of Hub Genes for Colorectal Cancer with Liver Metastasis Using miRNA-mRNA Network. DISEASE MARKERS 2023; 2023:2295788. [PMID: 36798788 PMCID: PMC9928517 DOI: 10.1155/2023/2295788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Background Liver metastasis is an important cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Increasing evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM). This study is aimed at exploring the potential miRNA-mRNA regulatory network. Methods From the GEO database, we downloaded the microarray datasets GSE56350 and GSE73178. GEO2R was used to conduct differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) between CRC and CRLM using the GEO2R tool. Then, GO and KEGG pathway analysis for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) performed via DAVID. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by the STRING and identified by Cytoscape. Hub genes were identified by miRNA-mRNA network. Finally, the expression of the hub gene expression was assessed in the GSE81558. Results The four DEMs (hsa-miR-204-5p, hsa-miR-122-5p, hsa-miR-95-3p, and hsa-miR-552-3p) were identified as common DEMs in GSE56350 and GSE73178 datasets. The SP1 was likely to adjust the upregulated DEMs; however, the YY1 could regulate both the upregulated and downregulated DEMs. A total of 3925 genes (3447 upregulated DEM genes and 478 downregulated DEM genes) were screened. These predicted genes were mainly linked to Platinum drug resistance, Cellular senescence, and ErbB signaling pathway. Through the gene network construction, most of the hub genes were found to be modulated by hsa-miR-204-5p, hsa-miR-122-5p, hsa-miR-95-3p, and hsa-miR-552-3p. Among the top 20 hub genes, the expression of CREB1, RHOA, and EGFR was significantly different in the GSE81558 dataset. Conclusion In this study, miRNA-mRNA networks in CRLM were screened between CRC patients and CRLM patients to provide a new method to predict for the pathogenesis and development of CRC.
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10
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Chen X, Yang C, Wang W, He X, Sun H, Lyu W, Zou K, Fang S, Dai Z, Dong H. Exploration of prognostic genes and risk signature in breast cancer patients based on RNA binding proteins associated with ferroptosis. Front Genet 2023; 14:1025163. [PMID: 36911389 PMCID: PMC9998954 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1025163] [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: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer (BRCA) is a life-threatening malignancy in women with an unsatisfactory prognosis. The purpose of this study was to explore the prognostic biomarkers and a risk signature based on ferroptosis-related RNA-binding proteins (FR-RBPs). Methods: FR-RBPs were identified using Spearman correlation analysis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by the "limma" R package. The univariate Cox and multivariate Cox analyses were executed to determine the prognostic genes. The risk signature was constructed and verified with the training set, testing set, and validation set. Mutation analysis, immune checkpoint expression analysis in high- and low-risk groups, and correlation between risk signature and chemotherapeutic agents were conducted using the "maftools" package, "ggplot2" package, and the CellMiner database respectively. The Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database was employed to confirm protein expression trends of prognostic genes in BRCA and normal tissues. The expression of prognostic genes in cell lines was verified by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Kaplan-meier (KM) plotter database analysis was applied to predict the correlation between the expression levels of signature genes and survival statuses. Results: Five prognostic genes (GSPT2, RNASE1, TIPARP, TSEN54, and SAMD4A) to construct an FR-RBPs-related risk signature were identified and the risk signature was validated by the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated the risk score was a robust independent prognostic factor in overall survival prediction. The Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB) analysis implied that the high- and low-risk groups responded differently to immunotherapy. Drug sensitivity analysis suggested that the risk signature may serve as a chemosensitivity predictor. The results of GSEA suggested that five prognostic genes might be related to DNA replication and the immune-related pathways. RT-qPCR results demonstrated that the expression trends of prognostic genes in cell lines were consistent with the results from public databases. KM plotter database analysis suggested that high expression levels of GSPT2, RNASE1, and SAMD4A contributed to poor prognoses. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study identified the FR-RBPs-related prognostic genes and developed an FR-RBPs-related risk signature for the prognosis of BRCA, which will be of great significance in developing new therapeutic targets and prognostic molecular biomarkers for BRCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Changcheng Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Xionghui He
- Department of General Surgery, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Hening Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Wenzhi Lyu
- Department of General Surgery, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Kejian Zou
- Department of General Surgery, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Shuo Fang
- Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Department of Oncology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhijun Dai
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huaying Dong
- Department of General Surgery, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
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11
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Kang Y, Zhang K, Sun L, Zhang Y. Regulation and roles of FOXK2 in cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:967625. [PMID: 36172141 PMCID: PMC9510715 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.967625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box K2 (FOXK2) is a member of the forkhead box transcription factor family that contains an evolutionarily conserved winged-helix DNA-binding domain. Recently, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that FOXK2 plays an important role in the transcriptional regulation of cancer. Here, we provide an overview of the mechanisms underlying the regulation of FOXK2 expression and function and discuss the roles of FOXK2 in tumor pathogenesis. Additionally, we evaluated the prognostic value of FOXK2 expression in patients with various cancers. This review presents an overview of the different roles of FOXK2 in tumorigenesis and will help inform the design of experimental studies involving FOXK2. Ultimately, the information presented here will help enhance the therapeutic potential of FOXK2 as a cancer target.
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12
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Saitoh M. Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition by Synergy between Transforming Growth Factor-β and Growth Factors in Cancer Progression. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12092127. [PMID: 36140527 PMCID: PMC9497767 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12092127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in appropriate embryonic development, as well as wound healing, organ fibrosis, and cancer progression. During cancer progression, EMT is associated with the invasion, metastasis, and generation of circulating tumor cells and cancer stem cells, as well as resistance to chemo- and radiation therapy. EMT is induced by several transcription factors, known as EMT transcription factors (EMT-TFs). In nearly all cases, EMT-TFs appear to be regulated by growth factors or cytokines and extracellular matrix components. Among these factors, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β acts as the key mediator for EMT during physiological and pathological processes. TGF-β can initiate and maintain EMT by activating intracellular/intercellular signaling pathways and transcriptional factors. Recent studies have provided new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying sustained EMT in aggressive cancer cells, EMT induced by TGF-β, and crosstalk between TGF-β and growth factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masao Saitoh
- Center for Medical Education and Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo-City, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
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13
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Fadaee M, Abbasi H, Maralbashi S, Baradaran B, Shanehbandi D, Dinevari MF, Kazemi T. Docosahexaenoic acid may inhibit immune evasion of colorectal cancer cells through targeting immune checkpoint and immunomodulator genes and their controlling microRNAs. Biofactors 2022; 48:1137-1144. [PMID: 35533068 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the major concerns in both developed and developing societies. Because of the serious side effects of the current treatments, novel therapy agents have been developed that target immune checkpoint and immunomodulatory molecules in the tumor environment. Therefore, this study investigates the effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) fatty acid on the expression of immune checkpoint molecule, PD-L1, and immunomodulatory molecules, CD47 and CD39, and their controlling miRNAs in the colorectal cancer cell lines. Human colorectal cell lines HT-29 and Caco-2 were treated with 100 μM DHA and 50 μM LA for 24 h under the normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Total RNA was extracted and the qRT-PCR was performed to analyze the expression of the studied genes and miRNAs. The western blotting technique was also used for validation. The qRT-PCR results showed that DHA treatment decreased the expression of the PD-L1, CD47, and CD39 genes, but decreases these genes controlling miRNAs, mir-424, mir-133a, and mir-142, respectively. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that PD-L1 protein expression decreased after DHA treatment. LA administration had no inhibitory effect on the studied genes. This study showed that DHA may have anti-cancer properties by downregulation of proteins involved in the immune evasion of colorectal tumors. DHA could be used as a potential immune checkpoint inhibitor for the treatment of colorectal cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manouchehr Fadaee
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hajar Abbasi
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sepideh Maralbashi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Dariush Shanehbandi
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Masood Faghih Dinevari
- Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Tohid Kazemi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
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14
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Nagel S, Pommerenke C, Quentmeier H, Meyer C, Kaufmann M, MacLeod RAF. Genomic Aberrations Generate Fusion Gene FOXK2::TP63 and Activate NFKB1 in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10082038. [PMID: 36009586 PMCID: PMC9406051 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10082038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a severe lymphoid malignancy with a worse prognosis lacking curative treatment regimens. Several gene mutations and deregulated pathways, including NFkB signaling, have been implicated in its pathogenesis. Accordingly, CTCL cell line HUT-78 reportedly contains mutated NFKB2, which is constitutively activated via partial gene deletion, also demonstrating that genomic rearrangements cause driving mutations in this malignancy. Here, along with HUT-78, we analyzed CTCL cell line HH to identify additional aberrations underlying gene deregulation. Karyotyping and genomic profiling of HH showed several rearrangements worthy of detailed investigation. Corresponding to the established karyotype, RNA-seq data and PCR analysis confirmed the presence of t(3;17)(q28;q25), generating a novel fusion gene, FOXK2::TP63. Furthermore, chromosomal rearrangement t(1;4)(p32;q25) was connected to amplification at 4q24–26, affecting aberrant NFKB1 overexpression thereat. Transcription factor binding-site analysis and knockdown experiments demonstrated that IRF4 contributed to NFKB1 expression. Within the same amplicon, we identified amplification and overexpression of NFkB signaling activator CAMK2D (4q26) and p53-inhibitor UBE2D3 (4q24). Genomic profiling data for HUT-78 detailed a deletion at 10q25 underlying reported NFKB2 activation. Moreover, amplifications of ID1 (20q11) and IKZF2 (2q34) in this cell line drove overexpression of these NK cell differentiation factors and possibly thus formed corresponding lineage characteristics. Target gene analysis for NFKB1 via siRNA-mediated knockdown in HH revealed activation of TP63, MIR155, and NOTCH pathway component RBPJ. Finally, treatment of HH with NFkB inhibitor demonstrated a role for NFkB in supporting proliferation, while usage of inhibitor DAPT showed significant survival effects via the NOTCH pathway. Collectively, our data suggest that NFkB and/or NOTCH inhibitors may represent reasonable treatment options for subsets of CTCL patients.
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15
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Yu M, Yu H, Mu N, Wang Y, Ma H, Yu L. The Function of FoxK Transcription Factors in Diseases. Front Physiol 2022; 13:928625. [PMID: 35903069 PMCID: PMC9314541 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.928625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Forkhead box (FOX) transcription factors play a crucial role in the regulation of many diseases, being an evolutionarily conserved superfamily of transcription factors. In recent years, FoxK1/2, members of its family, has been the subject of research. Even though FoxK1 and FoxK2 have some functional overlap, increasing evidence indicates that the regulatory functions of FoxK1 and FoxK2 are not the same in various physiological and disease states. It is important to understand the biological function and mechanism of FoxK1/2 for better understanding pathogenesis of diseases, predicting prognosis, and finding new therapeutic targets. There is, however, a lack of comprehensive and systematic analysis of the similarities and differences of FoxK1/2 roles in disease, prompting us to perform a literature review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mujun Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Yan'an University, Yan'an, China
| | - Haozhen Yu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China
| | - Nan Mu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yishi Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Heng Ma
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lu Yu
- Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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16
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Zhang Y, Wang X, Li A, Guan Y, Shen P, Ni Y, Han X. PP2A regulates metastasis and vasculogenic mimicry formation via PI3K/AKT/ZEB1 axis in non-small cell lung cancers. J Pharmacol Sci 2022; 150:56-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2022.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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17
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Liao D, Liu X, Yuan X, Feng P, Ouyang Z, Liu Y, Li C. Long non-coding RNA tumor protein 53 target gene 1 promotes cervical cancer development via regulating microRNA-33a-5p to target forkhead box K2. Cell Cycle 2022; 21:572-584. [PMID: 35090377 PMCID: PMC8942495 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2022.2026705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNA tumor protein 53 target gene 1 (TP53TG1) has been unraveled to exert regulatory effects on cancer progression, while the regulatory function of TP53TG1 on cervical cancer (CC) via regulating microRNA (miR)-33a-5p/Forkhead box K2 (FOXK2) axis remains rarely explored. This study aims to unearth the regulatory mechanism of TP53TG1/miR-33a-5p/FOXK2 axis in CC. The CC clinical samples were collected, and CC cells were cultured. TP53TG1, miR-33a-5p and FOXK2 levels were examined in CC tissues and cells. The CC cells were transfected with high- or low-expressed TP53TG1, FOXK2 or miR-33a-5p to determine the changes of CC cell biological activities and the status of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) pathway. The tumorigenesis in nude mice was conducted. The relationship among TP53TG1, miR-33a-5p and FOXK2 was validated. TP53TG1 and FOXK2 expression levels were increased and miR-33a-5p expression level was reduced in CC cells and tissues. The silenced TP53TG1 or FOXK2, or elevated miR-33a-5p decelerated the CC cell development and restrained the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. The depleted FOXK2 or elevated miR-33a-5p reversed the effects of decreased TP53TG1 on CC cell progression. TP53TG1 sponged miR-33a-5p, which targeted FOXK2. The experiment in vivo validated the outcomes of the experiment in vitro. TP53TG1 accelerates the CC development via regulating miR-33a-5p to target FOXK2 with the involvement of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. This study provides novel theory basis and distinct therapeutic targets for CC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liao
- Department of Gynaecology, SSL Central Hospital of Dongguan, Affiliated Dongguan Shilong People’s Hospital of Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaomei Liu
- Department of Gynaecology, SSL Central Hospital of Dongguan, Affiliated Dongguan Shilong People’s Hospital of Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiuying Yuan
- Department of Gynaecology, SSL Central Hospital of Dongguan, Affiliated Dongguan Shilong People’s Hospital of Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Poling Feng
- Department of Gynaecology, SSL Central Hospital of Dongguan, Affiliated Dongguan Shilong People’s Hospital of Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhiwei Ouyang
- Department of Gynaecology, SSL Central Hospital of Dongguan, Affiliated Dongguan Shilong People’s Hospital of Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- Department of Gynaecology, SSL Central Hospital of Dongguan, Affiliated Dongguan Shilong People’s Hospital of Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China,CONTACT Yanyan Liu Department of Gynaecology, SSL Central Hospital of Dongguan, Affiliated Dongguan Shilong People’s Hospital of Southern Medical University, No. 1, Xianglong Road, Huangzhou, Shilong Town, Dongguan, Guangdong523326, China
| | - Cuifen Li
- Department of Gynaecology, SSL Central Hospital of Dongguan, Affiliated Dongguan Shilong People’s Hospital of Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
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18
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Li S, Wang P, Ju H, Zhu T, Shi J, Huang Y. FOXK2 promotes the proliferation of papillary thyroid cancer cell by down-regulating autophagy. J Cancer 2022; 13:858-868. [PMID: 35154454 PMCID: PMC8824878 DOI: 10.7150/jca.60730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common endocrine system tumor. FOXK2 is involved in the development of different types of cancers, however, its function has not been investigated in papillary thyroid cancer. In the present study, we demonstrated that FOXK2 expression was up-regulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissues compared with matched normal tissues. Importantly, we found that FOXK2 expression was significantly associated with the tumor size, T stage, and TNM stage. Furthermore, stable knockdown of FOXK2 markedly inhibited PTC cell proliferation, significantly increased the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I, and reduced p62 expression, whereas overexpression of FOXK2 showed opposite effects. In FOXK2 knockdown cell lines, mCherry-GFP-LC3 immunofluorescence demonstrated increased punctate aggregates of mCherry-GFP-LC3, and transmission electron microscopy revealed increased numbers of autophagosomes. Autophagy-related protein ULK1, VPS34, and FOXO3 were markedly up-regulated by FOXK2 knockdown and down-regulated by FOXK2 overexpression. Finally, autophagy inhibitor 3-MA attenuated autophagy activation and rescued the inhibition of cell proliferation caused by FOXK2 knockdown, suggesting that FOXK2 silencing inhibits cell proliferation through up-regulating autophagy. These findings revealed an important role of FOXK2 in PTC progression and suggested that FOXK2 might be a potential new target for the diagnosis and treatment of PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songze Li
- Department of Ultrasound, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital &Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110122, China
| | - Pengliang Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital, City Key Laboratory of Tianjin Cancer Center and National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Ju
- Department of Ultrasound, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China
| | - Tiantong Zhu
- Department of Ultrasound, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China
| | - Jingwen Shi
- Department of Ultrasound, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Ultrasound, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.,✉ Corresponding author: E-mail:
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19
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Luo H, Zhang Y, Hu N, He Y, He C. Systematic Construction and Validation of an RNA-Binding Protein-Associated Prognostic Model for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Front Genet 2021; 12:715840. [PMID: 34630514 PMCID: PMC8498117 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.715840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The abnormal expression of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in various malignant tumors is closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors. However, the role of RBPs in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is unclear. Methods: We downloaded harmonized RNA-seq count data and clinical data for AML from UCSC Xena, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) cohorts. R package edgeR was used for differential expression analysis of 337 whole-blood data and 173 AML data. The prognostic value of these RBPs was systematically investigated by using univariate Cox regression analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox regression analysis, and multivariate Cox regression analysis. C-index and calibration diagram were used to judge the accuracy of the model, and decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to judge the net benefit. The biological pathways involved were revealed by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network performed lateral verification on the selected gene set and LASSO results. Results: A prognostic model of 12-RBP signature was established. In addition, the net benefit and prediction accuracy of the prognostic model and the mixed model based on it were significantly higher than that of cytogenetics. It is verified in the TARGET cohort and shows good prediction effect. Both the selection of our gene set and the LASSO results have high credibility. Most of these pathways are involved in the development of the disease, and they also accumulate in leukemia and RNA-related pathways. Conclusion: The prognosis model of the 12-RBP signature found in this study is an optimized biomarker that can effectively stratify the risk of AML patients. Nomogram based on this prognostic model is a reliable method to predict the median survival time of patients. This study expands our current understanding of the role of RBPs in the occurrence of AML and may lay the foundation for future treatment of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nan Hu
- Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yancheng He
- Jiangyang City Construction College, Luzhou, China
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20
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Feng H, Jin Z, Liang J, Zhao Q, Zhan L, Yang Z, Yan J, Kuang J, Cheng X, Qiu W. FOXK2 transcriptionally activating VEGFA induces apatinib resistance in anaplastic thyroid cancer through VEGFA/VEGFR1 pathway. Oncogene 2021; 40:6115-6129. [PMID: 34489549 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01830-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare and extremely aggressive type of thyroid cancer, and the potential mechanisms involved in ATC progression remains unclarified. In this study, we found that forkhead box K2 (FOXK2) was upregulated in ATC tissues, and the expression of FOXK2 was associated with tumor size. Evidenced by RNA-seq and Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq assays, FOXK2 positively regulated VEGF and VEGFR signaling network, among which only VEGFA could be noticed in both RNA-seq and ChIP-seq results. ChIP, dual-luciferase reporter system and functional experiments further confirmed that FOXK2 promoted angiogenesis by inducing the transcription of VEGFA. On VEGFR2 blockage by specific targeting agent, such as Apatinib, FOXK2 could rapidly trigger therapeutic resistance. Mechanical analyses revealed that VEGFA transcriptionally induced by FOXK2 could bind to VEGFR1 as a compensation for VEGFR2 blockage, which promoted angiogenesis by activating ERK, PI3K/AKT and P38/MAPK signaling in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Synergic effect on anti-angiogenesis could be observed when VEGFR1 suppressor AF321 was included in VEGFR2 inhibition system, which clarified the pivot role of FOXK2 in VEGFR2 targeting therapy resistance. More importantly, the binding of VEGFA to VEGFR1 could further promoter FOXK2-mediated VEGFA transcription, which consequently constituted a positive feedback loop. Therefore, the novel loop VEGFA/VEGFR1/FOXK2 functioned importantly in resistance to VEGFR2 targeting therapy in FOXK2+ ATCs. Altogether, FOXK2 plays critical roles in ATC angiogenesis and VEGFR2 blockage resistance by inducing VEGFA transcription. FOXK2 represents a potentially new therapeutic strategy and biomarker for anti-angiogenic therapy against ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Feng
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhijian Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Juyong Liang
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiwu Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Zhan
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheyu Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiqi Yan
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Kuang
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xi Cheng
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Weihua Qiu
- Department of General Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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21
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Martin M, Sun M, Motolani A, Lu T. The Pivotal Player: Components of NF-κB Pathway as Promising Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7429. [PMID: 34299049 PMCID: PMC8303169 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last several decades, colorectal cancer (CRC) has been one of the most prevalent cancers. While significant progress has been made in both diagnostic screening and therapeutic approaches, a large knowledge gap still remains regarding the early identification and treatment of CRC. Specifically, identification of CRC biomarkers that can help with the creation of targeted therapies as well as increasing the ability for clinicians to predict the biological response of a patient to therapeutics, is of particular importance. This review provides an overview of CRC and its progression stages, as well as the basic types of CRC biomarkers. We then lay out the synopsis of signaling pathways related to CRC, and further highlight the pivotal and multifaceted role of nuclear factor (NF) κB signaling in CRC. Particularly, we bring forth knowledge regarding the tumor microenvironment (TME) in CRC, and its complex interaction with cancer cells. We also provide examples of NF-κB signaling-related CRC biomarkers, and ongoing efforts made at targeting NF-κB signaling in CRC treatment. We conclude and anticipate that with more emerging novel regulators of the NF-κB pathway being discovered, together with their in-depth characterization and the integration of large groups of genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic data, the day of successful development of more ideal NF-κB inhibitors is fast approaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Martin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (M.M.); (M.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Mengyao Sun
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (M.M.); (M.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Aishat Motolani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (M.M.); (M.S.); (A.M.)
| | - Tao Lu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; (M.M.); (M.S.); (A.M.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 975 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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22
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Li H, Wu N, Liu ZY, Chen YC, Cheng Q, Wang J. Development of a novel transcription factors-related prognostic signature for serous ovarian cancer. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7207. [PMID: 33785763 PMCID: PMC8010122 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86294-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence suggest that transcription factors (TFs) play vital roles in serous ovarian cancer (SOC). In the present study, TFs mRNA expression profiles of 564 SOC subjects in the TCGA database, and 70 SOC subjects in the GEO database were screened. A 17-TFs related prognostic signature was constructed using lasso cox regression and validated in the TCGA and GEO cohorts. Consensus clustering analysis was applied to establish a cluster model. The 17-TFs related prognostic signature, risk score and cluster models were effective at accurately distinguishing the overall survival of SOC. Analysis of genomic alterations were used to elaborate on the association between the 17-TFs related prognostic signature and genomic aberrations. The GSEA assay results suggested that there was a significant difference in the inflammatory and immune response pathways between the high-risk and low-risk score groups. The potential immune infiltration, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy responses were analyzed due to the significant difference in the regulation of lymphocyte migration and T cell-mediated cytotoxicity between the two groups. The results indicated that patients with low-risk score were more likely to respond anti-PD-1, etoposide, paclitaxel, and veliparib but not to gemcitabine, doxorubicin, docetaxel, and cisplatin. Also, the prognostic nomogram model revealed that the risk score was a good prognostic indicator for SOC patients. In conclusion, we explored the prognostic values of TFs in SOC and developed a 17-TFs related prognostic signature to predict the survival of SOC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Li
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Nayiyuan Wu
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao-Yi Liu
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Chang Chen
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jing Wang
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
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23
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Li J, Zhou W, Wei J, Xiao X, An T, Wu W, He Y. Prognostic Value and Biological Functions of RNA Binding Proteins in Stomach Adenocarcinoma. Onco Targets Ther 2021; 14:1689-1705. [PMID: 33707953 PMCID: PMC7942957 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s297973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate the prognostic value and biological function of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD). Materials and Methods Datasets of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were downloaded from the TCGA-based (The Cancer Genome Atlas) GEPIA database, from which the differentially expressed RBPs were determined. Functions and prognostic values of these determined RBPs were systematically investigated by a series of methods in bioinformatics analysis. In addition, transwell assays were performed to explore the effect of PTBP1 in STAD cells. Results Three hundred and sixty-two differentially expressed RBPs were determined, with 331 up-regulated and 31 down-regulated. Seven RBPs (PTBP1, PPIH, SMAD5, MSI2, RBM15, MRPS17, and ADAT3) were identified to be prognosis-related and adopted to construct a prognostic model. Compared with low-risk patients in TCGA training cohort, TCGA testing cohort and GEO cohort, high-risk patients had poorer overall survival (OS). The area under the ROC curves of this prognostic model were 0.804, 0.644 and 0.581 for TCGA training cohort, TCGA testing cohort and GEO cohort, respectively, justifying itself as a good prognostic model with reliable predictive ability. Using the seven identified RBPs, we then constructed a nomogram to generate a clinical utility model. The regulatory networks and functions of the seven RBPs were then investigated, the results of which demonstrated that MRPS17 and PTBP1 reduced the number of infiltrated immune cells. In-vitro experiments showed that the downregulation of PTBP1 weakened the migration and invasion capability of AGS and HGC27 cells. Conclusion The seven-gene signature can be used as a reliable STAD prognostic biomarker, and these findings help us better understand the prognostic roles and functions of RBPs in STAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqing Li
- Digestive Disease Center, Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, People's Republic of China.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjie Zhou
- Digestive Disease Center, Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, People's Republic of China.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Jitao Wei
- Scientific Research Center, Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing Xiao
- Scientific Research Center, Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Tailai An
- Digestive Disease Center, Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenhui Wu
- Digestive Disease Center, Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yulong He
- Digestive Disease Center, Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, People's Republic of China.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China
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24
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Diao C, Guo P, Yang W, Sun Y, Liao Y, Yan Y, Zhao A, Cai X, Hao J, Hu S, Yu W, Chen M, Wang R, Li W, Zuo Y, Pan J, Hua C, Lu X, Fan W, Zheng Z, Deng W, Luo G, Guo W. SPT6 recruits SND1 to co-activate human telomerase reverse transcriptase to promote colon cancer progression. Mol Oncol 2021; 15:1180-1202. [PMID: 33305480 PMCID: PMC8024721 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) plays an extremely important role in cancer initiation and development, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the precise upstream regulatory mechanisms of hTERT in different cancer types remain poorly understood. Here, we uncovered the candidate transcriptional factor of hTERT in CRC and explored its role and the corresponding molecular mechanisms in regulating hTERT expression and CRC survival with an aim of developing mechanism-based combinational targeting therapy. The possible binding proteins at the hTERT promoter were uncovered using pull-down/mass spectrometry analysis. The regulation of SPT6 on hTERT expression and CRC survival was evaluated in human CRC cell lines and mouse models. Mechanistic studies focusing on the synergy between SPT6 and staphylococcal nuclease and Tudor domain containing 1 (SND1) in controlling hTERT expression and CRC progression were conducted also in the above two levels. The expression correlation and clinical significance of SPT6, SND1, and hTERT were investigated in tumor tissues from murine models and patients with CRC in situ. SPT6 was identified as a possible transcriptional factor to bind to the hTERT promoter. SPT6 knockdown decreased the activity of hTERT promoter, downregulated the protein expression level of hTERT, suppressed proliferation, invasion, and stem-like properties, promoted apoptosis induction, and enhanced chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity in vitro. SPT6 silencing also led to the delay of tumor growth and metastasis in mice carrying xenografts of human-derived colon cancer cells. Mechanistically, SND1 interacted with SPT6 to co-control hTERT expression and CRC cell proliferation, stemness, and growth in vitro and in vivo. SPT6, SND1, and hTERT were highly expressed simultaneously in CRC tissues, both from the murine model and patients with CRC in situ, and pairwise expression among these three factors showed a significant positive correlation. In brief, our research demonstrated that SPT6 synergized with SND1 to promote CRC development by targeting hTERT and put forward that inhibiting the SPT6-SND1-hTERT axis may create a therapeutic vulnerability in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoliang Diao
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Ping Guo
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Wenjing Yang
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Yao Sun
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Yina Liao
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Yue Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Cancer MedicineSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Anshi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Cancer MedicineSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Xin Cai
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Jiaojiao Hao
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Sheng Hu
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Wendan Yu
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Manyu Chen
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Ruozhu Wang
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Wenyang Li
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Yan Zuo
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Jinjin Pan
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Chunyu Hua
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Xiaona Lu
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
| | - Wenhua Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Cancer MedicineSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Zongheng Zheng
- The Third Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Wuguo Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Cancer MedicineSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Guangyu Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Cancer MedicineSun Yat‐sen University Cancer CenterGuangzhouChina
| | - Wei Guo
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cells and the First Affiliated HospitalDalian Medical UniversityChina
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25
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Li T, Hui W, Halike H, Gao F. RNA Binding Protein-Based Model for Prognostic Prediction of Colorectal Cancer. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2021; 20:15330338211019504. [PMID: 34080453 PMCID: PMC8182183 DOI: 10.1177/15330338211019504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a kind of gastrointestinal tumor with serious high morbidity and mortality. Several reports have implicated the disorder of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in plenty of tumors, associating it to tumorigenesis and disease progression. The study is intended to construct novel prognostic biomarkers associated with CRC patients. METHODS Data of gene expression was acquired from the TCGA database, prognosis-related genes were selected. Besides, we analyzed GO and KEGG pathways. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were performed to generate a prognostic-related gene signature, which was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. The independent prognostic factor was established by survival analysis. GSE38832 dataset was used to validate the signature. Finally, expression of 8 genes was further confirmed by qRT-PCR in SW480 and SW620 cell lines. RESULTS We obtained 224 differentially expressed RBPS in total, of which 78 were downregulated and 146 were upregulated. Univariate COX analysis was conducted in the TCGA cohort to select 13 RBPs with P < 0.005, stepwise multivariate COX regression analysis was used to construct an 8-RBP signature (TERT, PPARGC1A, BRCA1, CELF4, TDRD7, LUZP4, PNLDC1, ZC3H12C). Based on the model, systematic analysis illustrated that a high risk score was obviously connected to a poor prognosis. The prognostic value of the risk score was validated in GSE38832 dataset, indicating that the risk model was accurate and effective. The prognostic signature-based risk score was identified as an independent prognostic indicator for CRC. The expression results of qRT-PCR were consistent with the results of differential expression analysis. CONCLUSIONS The eight-RBP signature can predict the survival of CRC patients and potentially act as CRC prognostic biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China
| | - Wenjia Hui
- Department of Gastroenterology, People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China
| | - Halina Halike
- Department of Gastroenterology, People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Gastroenterology, People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region, Urumqi, Xinjiang Province, China
- Feng Gao, PhD, Department of
Gastroenterology, People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi
830000, Xinjiang Province, China.
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26
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Hu HF, Xu WW, Li YJ, He Y, Zhang WX, Liao L, Zhang QH, Han L, Yin XF, Zhao XX, Pan YL, Li B, He QY. Anti-allergic drug azelastine suppresses colon tumorigenesis by directly targeting ARF1 to inhibit IQGAP1-ERK-Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:1828-1844. [PMID: 33408784 PMCID: PMC7778598 DOI: 10.7150/thno.48698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to screen novel anticancer strategies from FDA-approved non-cancer drugs and identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: A library consisting of 1056 FDA-approved drugs was screened for anticancer agents. WST-1, colony-formation, flow cytometry, and tumor xenograft assays were used to determine the anticancer effect of azelastine. Quantitative proteomics, confocal imaging, Western blotting and JC-1 assays were performed to examine the effects on mitochondrial pathways. The target protein of azelastine was analyzed and confirmed by DARTS, WST-1, Biacore and tumor xenograft assays. Immunohistochemistry, gain- and loss-of-function experiments, WST-1, colony-formation, immunoprecipitation, and tumor xenograft assays were used to examine the functional and clinical significance of ARF1 in colon tumorigenesis. Results: Azelastine, a current anti-allergic drug, was found to exert a significant inhibitory effect on CRC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, but not on ARF1-deficient or ARF1-T48S mutant cells. ARF1 was identified as a direct target of azelastine. High ARF1 expression was associated with advanced stages and poor survival of CRC. ARF1 promoted colon tumorigenesis through its interaction with IQGAP1 and subsequent activation of ERK signaling and mitochondrial fission by enhancing the interaction of IQGAP1 with MEK and ERK. Mechanistically, azelastine bound to Thr-48 in ARF1 and repressed its activity, decreasing Drp1 phosphorylation. This, in turn, inhibited mitochondrial fission and suppressed colon tumorigenesis by blocking IQGAP1-ERK signaling. Conclusions: This study provides the first evidence that azelastine may be novel therapeutics for CRC treatment. ARF1 promotes colon tumorigenesis, representing a promising biomarker and therapeutic target in CRC.
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27
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WFDC2 suppresses prostate cancer metastasis by modulating EGFR signaling inactivation. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:537. [PMID: 32678075 PMCID: PMC7366654 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02752-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
WAP four-disulfide core domain 2 (WFDC2) is a small secretory protein that has been widely studied in ovarian cancer. It has been proven that WFDC2 promotes proliferation and metastasis in ovarian cancer, and serves as a diagnostic biomarker. However, the specific function of WFDC2 in prostate cancer has not been reported. Here, we first screened the diagnostic marker and favorable prognostic factor WFDC2 in prostate cancer by bioinformatics. WFDC2 expression was negatively correlated with Gleason score and metastasis in prostate cancer. Then, we revealed that overexpression of WFDC2, and addition of recombinant protein HE4 can significantly inhibit prostate cancer metastasis in vivo and in vitro. By co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization assays, we proved that WFDC2 binds to the extracellular domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Immunoblot showed that WFDC2 overexpression and recombinant protein HE4 addition inactivated the EGFR/AKT/GSK3B/Snail signaling pathway, and then restrained the progression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In conclusion, our study identified that the tumor suppressor WFDC2 can suppress prostate cancer metastasis by inactivating EGFR signaling.
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28
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Jin K, Liu Y, Shi Y, Zhang H, Sun Y, Zhangyuan G, Wang F, Yu W, Wang J, Tao X, Chen X, Zhang W, Sun B. PTPROt aggravates inflammation by enhancing NF-κB activation in liver macrophages during nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:5290-5304. [PMID: 32373213 PMCID: PMC7196286 DOI: 10.7150/thno.42658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Inflammation plays a crucial role in the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O truncated isoform (PTPROt) is an integral membrane protein that has been identified in osteoclasts, macrophages, and B lymphocytes. However, its relationship between inflammation and NASH is largely unknown. Herein, we aimed to study the function of PTPROt in NASH progression. Methods: We established a NASH mouse model in wild-type (WT), PTPRO knockout mice by western diet (WD) and methionine-choline-deficient diet (MCD). In addition, MCD-induced NASH model was established in BMT mice. Moreover, we determined the expression of PTPROt in liver macrophages in human subjects without steatosis, with simple steatosis, and with NASH to confirm the relationship between PTPROt and NASH. In vitro assays were also performed to study the molecular role of PTPROt in NASH progression. Results: Human samples and animal model results illustrated that PTPROt is increased in liver macrophages during NASH progression and is positively correlated with the degree of NASH. Our animal model also showed that PTPROt in liver macrophages can enhance the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, which induces the transcription of genes involved in the inflammatory response. Moreover, PTPROt promotes the transcription of pro-oxidant genes and inhibits antioxidant and protective genes via increased activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby causing an increased level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damaged mitochondria. This triggers the NLRP3-IL1β axis and causes a heightened inflammatory response. Notably, PTPROt partially limits inflammation and ROS production by promoting mitophagy, which participates in a negative feedback loop in this model. Conclusions: Our data strongly indicate that PTPROt plays a dual role in inflammation via the NF-κB signaling pathway in liver macrophages during NASH. Further studies are required to explore therapeutic strategies and prevention of this common liver disease through PTPROt.
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Xia W, Jie W. ZEB1-AS1/miR-133a-3p/LPAR3/EGFR axis promotes the progression of thyroid cancer by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Cancer Cell Int 2020; 20:94. [PMID: 32231464 PMCID: PMC7103072 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-020-1098-1] [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] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Thyroid cancer (TC) is a member of common malignant tumors in endocrine system. To develop effective treatment, further comprehension of understanding molecular mechanism in TC is necessary. In this research, we attempted to search the underlying molecular mechanism in TC. Methods ZEB1-AS1 expression was analyzed via qRT-PCR analysis. CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry and TUNEL assays were used to evaluate TC cell growth. The interaction between miR-133a-3p and LPAR3, EGFR and ZEB1-AS1 was testified through using RNA pull down and luciferase reporter assays. Results LPAR3 and EGFR were expressed at high levels in TC tissues and cell lines. Besides, both LPAR3 and EGFR could promote TC cell growth. Later, miR-133a-3p was searched as an upstream gene of LPAR3 and EGFR, and LPAR3 could partially rescue the suppressive effect of miR-133a-3p overexpression on TC progression, whereas the co-transfection of LPAR3 and EGFR completely restored the inhibition. Next, ZEB1-AS1 was confirmed as a sponge of miR-133a-3p. ZEB1-AS1 has a negative correlation with miR-133a-3p and a positive association with LPAR3 and EGFR through ceRNA analysis. Importantly, ZEB1-AS1 boosted the proliferation and suppressed the apoptosis in TC cells. Through restoration assays, we discovered that ZEB1-AS1 regulated LPAR3 and EGFR expression to mediate TC cell proliferation and apoptosis by sponging miR-133a-3p. Further investigation also indicated the oncogenic role of ZEB1-AS1 by mediating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Conclusions ZEB1-AS1 could be an underlying biomarker in TC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Xia
- 1The Department of Endocrinology, Jing'an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai (Huashan Hospital Fudan University Jing'An Branch), 259 Xikang Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai, 200040 China
| | - Wen Jie
- 2Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040 China
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30
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Li W, Li X, Gao LN, You CG. Integrated Analysis of the Functions and Prognostic Values of RNA Binding Proteins in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Genet 2020; 11:185. [PMID: 32194639 PMCID: PMC7066120 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Dysregulation of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) has been found in a variety of cancers and is related to oncogenesis and progression. However, the functions of RBPs in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) remain unclear. In this study, we obtained gene expression data and corresponding clinical information for LUSC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, identified aberrantly expressed RBPs between tumors and normal tissue, and conducted a series of bioinformatics analyses to explore the expression and prognostic value of these RBPs. A total of 300 aberrantly expressed RBPs were obtained, comprising 59 downregulated and 241 upregulated RBPs. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the differentially expressed RBPs were mainly associated with mRNA metabolic processes, RNA processing, RNA modification, regulation of translation, the TGF-beta signaling pathway, and the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Nine RBP genes (A1CF, EIF2B5, LSM1, LSM7, MBNL2, RSRC1, TRMU, TTF2, and ZCCHC5) were identified as prognosis-associated hub genes by univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), Kaplan–Meier survival, and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and were used to construct the prognostic model. Further analysis demonstrated that high risk scores for patients were significantly related to poor overall survival according to the model. The area under the time-dependent receiver operator characteristic curve of the prognostic model was 0.712 at 3 years and 0.696 at 5 years. We also developed a nomogram based on nine RBP genes, with internal validation in the TCGA cohort, which showed a favorable predictive efficacy for prognosis in LUSC. Our results provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of LUSC. The nine-RBP gene signature showed predictive value for LUSC prognosis, with potential applications in clinical decision-making and individualized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xue Li
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Li-Na Gao
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chong-Ge You
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
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Hu T, Liu H, Liang Z, Wang F, Zhou C, Zheng X, Zhang Y, Song Y, Hu J, He X, Xiao J, King RJ, Wu X, Lan P. Tumor-intrinsic CD47 signal regulates glycolysis and promotes colorectal cancer cell growth and metastasis. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:4056-4072. [PMID: 32226539 PMCID: PMC7086360 DOI: 10.7150/thno.40860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: CD47 plays a vital role in the immune escape of tumor cells, but its role in regulating immune-unrelated biological processes such as proliferation and metastasis remains unclear. We seek to explore the immune-independent functions of CD47 in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: The expression of CD47 in CRC was determined by immunohistochemistry. The biological effect of CD47 signaling on tumor cell proliferation and metastasis was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing analysis was performed to identify pivotal signaling pathways modulated by CD47. The interaction between CD47 and ENO1 was verified by co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP). The effect of CD47 on glycolytic metabolites was analyzed by seahorse XF and targeted metabolomics. Results: The expression of CD47 was upregulated and correlated to poor prognosis in CRC patients. Functional assays revealed that CD47 promoted CRC cell growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Our mechanistic investigations demonstrated that CD47 interacted with ENO1 and protected it from ubiquitin-mediated degradation, subsequently promoting glycolytic activity and phosphorylation of ERK in CRC cells. Inhibition of ENO1 diminished CD47-mediated cell growth and migration. Clinically, the combined expression of CD47 and ENO1 provided reliable predictive biomarkers for the prognosis of CRC patients. Conclusions: CD47 is overexpressed in CRC, and its expression is associated with poor prognosis. Through stabilizing ENO1, CD47 enhances the aerobic glycolysis and ERK activity in CRC cells, thereby promoting the progression of CRC. Our studies reveal an unconventional role of CD47, suggesting that targeting the CD47-ENO1 axis may provide a novel therapeutic avenue for CRC.
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Chen Y, Chen Y, Zhang J, Cao P, Su W, Deng Y, Zhan N, Fu X, Huang Y, Dong W. Fusobacterium nucleatum Promotes Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer by Activating Autophagy Signaling via the Upregulation of CARD3 Expression. Theranostics 2020; 10:323-339. [PMID: 31903123 PMCID: PMC6929621 DOI: 10.7150/thno.38870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: We aimed to measure the abundance of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues from patients and to uncover the function of this bacterium in colorectal tumor metastasis. Methods: We collected metastatic and non-metastatic CRC tissues to analyze F. nucleatum abundance. Cells were incubated with F. nucleatum or chloroquine (CQ) or were transfected with CARD3-targeting siRNA; the expression of mRNAs and proteins was then measured. CRC cells stably transfected with shRNA-luc were mixed with F. nucleatum and intravenously injected into BALB/cJ mice. APCMin/+, CARD3-/-and CARD3wt C57BL mice were given F. nucleatum; some mice were given azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Results: F. nucleatum was abundant in CRC tissues from patients with metastasis. F. nucleatum infection increased CRC cell motility and upregulated the expression of CARD3, LC3-II, Beclin1 and Vimentin, and downregulated the expression of E-cadherin and P62 in CRC cells. These effects were attenuated by treatment with CQ, siCARD3 or both. APCMin/+ mice gavaged with F. nucleatum developed more aggressive tumors than control mice. After AOM/DSS administration, the colorectums of CARD3-/- mice had fewer tumors than those of control mice. Tumors from CARD3-/- mice had lower levels of LC3-II and Beclin1 and higher levels of P62 than those from control mice. BALB/cJ mice injected with both CT26-luc cells and F. nucleatum formed more metastases than control mice. CQ treatment, CARD3 knockdown or both reduced the ability of CT26-luc cells to form metastases in vivo. Conclusions: F. nucleatum is enriched in CRC tissues from patients with metastasis. F. nucleatum orchestrates CARD3 and autophagy to control CRC metastasis. Measuring and targeting F. nucleatum and its associated pathways will yield approaches for the prevention and treatment of CRC metastasis.
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Su T, Wang YP, Wang XN, Li CY, Zhu PL, Huang YM, Yang ZY, Chen SB, Yu ZL. The JAK2/STAT3 pathway is involved in the anti-melanoma effects of brevilin A. Life Sci 2019; 241:117169. [PMID: 31843524 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.117169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Melanoma is lethal. Constitutively active signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been proposed as a pathogenic factor and a therapeutic target of melanoma. Brevilin A, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Centipeda minima (L.) A. Br. et Aschers., has been shown to exert antineoplastic effects and inhibit the STAT3 pathway in nasopharyngeal, lung, prostate and breast cancer cells. This study aimed to determine whether brevilin A has anti-melanoma effects, and whether STAT3 signaling is involved in the effects. MAIN METHODS A mouse A375 xenograft model, as well as A375 and A2058 cell models were employed to assess the in vivo and in vitro anti-melanoma effects of brevilin A. A375 cells stably expressing STAT3C, a constitutively active STAT3 mutant, were used to determine the role of STAT3 signaling in brevilin A's anti-melanoma effects. KEY FINDINGS Intraperitoneal injection of brevilin A dose-dependently inhibited melanoma growth in mice and suppressed STAT3 phosphorylation in the tumors. In cultured cells, brevilin A reduced cell viability, induced apoptosis, suppressed migration and invasion, decreased protein levels of phospho-JAK2 (Y1007/1008) and phospho-STAT3 (Tyr705), and restrained STAT3 nuclear localization. STAT3 over-activation diminished brevilin A's effects on cell viability and migration. Collectively, brevilin A exerts anti-melanoma effects and these effects are at least in part attributed to the inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. SIGNIFICANCE Our findings provide a pharmacological basis for developing brevilin A as a new phytotherapeutic agent against melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Su
- Consun Chinese Medicines Research Centre for Renal Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China; Research and Development Centre for Natural Health Products, HKBU Shenzhen Research Institute and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ya-Ping Wang
- Consun Chinese Medicines Research Centre for Renal Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin-Ning Wang
- Consun Chinese Medicines Research Centre for Renal Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chun-Yu Li
- Consun Chinese Medicines Research Centre for Renal Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Pei-Li Zhu
- Consun Chinese Medicines Research Centre for Renal Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China; Research and Development Centre for Natural Health Products, HKBU Shenzhen Research Institute and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yu-Mei Huang
- Guangzhou Caizhilin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhi-Ye Yang
- Guangdong Institute For Drug Control, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Si-Bao Chen
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhi-Ling Yu
- Consun Chinese Medicines Research Centre for Renal Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China; Research and Development Centre for Natural Health Products, HKBU Shenzhen Research Institute and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China.
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Tang R, Chen J, Tang M, Liao Z, Zhou L, Jiang J, Hu Y, Liao Q, Xiong W, Tang Y, Nie S. LncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1 predicts poor prognosis and promotes proliferation and metastasis via the EGFR/MAPK pathway in colorectal cancer. Int J Biol Sci 2019; 15:2885-2896. [PMID: 31853225 PMCID: PMC6909968 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.38041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
It is universally acknowledged that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) involved in tumorigenesis in human cancers. However, the function and mechanism of many lncRNAs in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. By analyzing the two sets of CRC-related gene microarrays data, downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the lncRNA expression in a set of RNA sequencing data, we found that lncRNA SLCO4A1-AS1 was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues. We then collected CRC tissue samples and verified that SLCO4A1-AS1 is highly expressed in CRC tissues. Furthermore, SLCO4A1-AS1 was also upregulated in the CRC cell line. In situ hybridization results showed that high expression of SLCO4A1-AS1 was associated with poor prognosis in patients with CRC. Next, we found that SLCO4A1-AS1 promoted CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Results of western blotting assays show that its mechanism may relate to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Therefore, SLCO4A1-AS1 may be a potential biomarker for CRC prognosis and a new target for colorectal cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Tang
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,The University of South China, Hengyang, China.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Junhong Chen
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,The University of South China, Hengyang, China.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mengtian Tang
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,The University of South China, Hengyang, China.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liao
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,The University of South China, Hengyang, China.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lianqing Zhou
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiarui Jiang
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yingbin Hu
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - QianJin Liao
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya Medical School, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yanyan Tang
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya Medical School, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shaolin Nie
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
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