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Rasha F, Boligala GP, Yang MV, Martinez-Marin D, Castro-Piedras I, Furr K, Snitman A, Khan SY, Brandi L, Castro M, Khan H, Jahan N, Almodovar S, Melkus MW, Pruitt K, Layeequr Rahman R. Dishevelled 2 regulates cancer cell proliferation and T cell mediated immunity in HER2-positive breast cancer. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:172. [PMID: 36809986 PMCID: PMC9942370 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-10647-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dishevelled paralogs (DVL1, 2, 3) are key mediators of Wnt pathway playing a role in constitutive oncogenic signaling influencing the tumor microenvironment. While previous studies showed correlation of β-catenin with T cell gene expression, little is known about the role of DVL2 in modulating tumor immunity. This study aimed to uncover the novel interaction between DVL2 and HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer (BC) in regulating tumor immunity and disease progression. METHODS DVL2 loss of function studies were performed with or without a clinically approved HER2 inhibitor, Neratinib in two different HER2+ BC cell lines. We analyzed RNA (RT-qPCR) and protein (western blot) expression of classic Wnt markers and performed cell proliferation and cell cycle analyses by live cell imaging and flow cytometry, respectively. A pilot study in 24 HER2+ BC patients was performed to dissect the role of DVL2 in tumor immunity. Retrospective chart review on patient records and banked tissue histology were performed. Data were analyzed in SPSS (version 25) and GraphPad Prism (version 7) at a significance p < 0.05. RESULTS DVL2 regulates the transcription of immune modulatory genes involved in antigen presentation and T cell maintenance. DVL2 loss of function down regulated mRNA expression of Wnt target genes involved in cell proliferation, migration, invasion in HER2+ BC cell lines (±Neratinib). Similarly, live cell proliferation and cell cycle analyses reveal that DVL2 knockdown (±Neratinib) resulted in reduced proliferation, higher growth arrest (G1), limited mitosis (G2/M) compared to non-targeted control in one of the two cell lines used. Analyses on patient tissues who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n = 14) further demonstrate that higher DVL2 expression at baseline biopsy pose a significant negative correlation with % CD8α levels (r = - 0.67, p < 0.05) while have a positive correlation with NLR (r = 0.58, p < 0.05), where high NLR denotes worse cancer prognosis. These results from our pilot study reveal interesting roles of DVL2 proteins in regulating tumor immune microenvironment and clinical predictors of survival in HER2+ BC. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates potential immune regulatory role of DVL2 proteins in HER2+ BC. More in-depth mechanistic studies of DVL paralogs and their influence on anti-tumor immunity may provide insight into DVLs as potential therapeutic targets benefiting BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahmida Rasha
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA
| | - Geetha Priya Boligala
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA ,grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Depart of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX USA
| | - Mingxiao V. Yang
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA
| | - Dalia Martinez-Marin
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA ,grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Depart of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX USA
| | - Isabel Castro-Piedras
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA
| | - Kathryn Furr
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA
| | - Annie Snitman
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA
| | - Sonia Y. Khan
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA ,grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Breast Center of Excellence, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX USA
| | - Luis Brandi
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Pathology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX USA
| | - Maribel Castro
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA
| | - Hafiz Khan
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Public Health, Julia Jones Matthews, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX USA
| | - Nusrat Jahan
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX USA
| | - Sharilyn Almodovar
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA
| | - Michael W. Melkus
- grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430 USA ,grid.416992.10000 0001 2179 3554Breast Center of Excellence, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX USA
| | - Kevin Pruitt
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA. .,Depart of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
| | - Rakhshanda Layeequr Rahman
- Depart of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA. .,Department of Surgery, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA. .,Breast Center of Excellence, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
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Boligala GP, Yang MV, van Wunnik JC, Pruitt K. Nuclear Dishevelled: An enigmatic role in governing cell fate and Wnt signaling. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res 2022; 1869:119305. [PMID: 35688346 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Dishevelled gene was first identified in Drosophila mutants with disoriented hair and bristle polarity and subsequent work has now demonstrated its importance in critical and diverse aspects of biology. Since those early discoveries, Dishevelled has been shown to coordinate a plethora of developmental and cellular processes that range from controlling cell polarity during gastrulation to partnering with chromatin modifying enzymes to regulate histone methylation at genomic loci. While the role of DVL in development is well-respected and the cytosolic function of DVL has been studied more extensively, its nuclear role continues to remain murky. In this review we highlight some of the seminal discoveries that have contributed to the field, but the primary focus is to discuss recent advances with respect to the nuclear role of Dishevelled. This nuclear function of Dishevelled is a dimension which is proving to be increasingly important yet remains enigmatic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetha Priya Boligala
- Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Mingxiao V Yang
- Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Jenna C van Wunnik
- Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Kevin Pruitt
- Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
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