1
|
Sotiropoulou G, Zingkou E, Pampalakis G. Novel specific activity-based probes validate KLK proteases as druggable targets. Cancer Biol Ther 2022; 23:401-403. [PMID: 35652924 PMCID: PMC9176256 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2022.2074775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacology-Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chatzidaki MD, Demisli S, Zingkou E, Liggri PG, Papachristos DP, Balatsos G, Karras V, Nallet F, Michaelakis A, Sotiropoulou G, Zographos SE, Papadimitriou V. Essential oil-in-water microemulsions for topical application: structural study, cytotoxic effect and insect repelling activity. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.130159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
3
|
Zingkou E, Pampalakis G, Sotiropoulou G. Keratinocyte differentiation and proteolytic pathways in skin (patho) physiology. Int J Dev Biol 2022; 66:269-275. [PMID: 34881788 DOI: 10.1387/ijdb.210161gs] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The epidermis is a stratified epithelium that forms the barrier between the organism and its environment. It is mainly composed of keratinocytes at various stages of differentiation. The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis and is formed of multiple layers of anucleated keratinocytes called corneocytes. We aim to highlight the roles of epidermal differentiation and proteolysis in skin diseases. Skin biopsies isolated from Spink5-/- mice, the established model of Netherton syndrome (NS), and from patients with NS, seborrheic dermatitis (SD) and psoriasis, as well as healthy controls, were analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that NS, SD, and psoriasis are all characterized by abnormal epidermal differentiation, manifested by hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis, and parakeratosis. At the molecular level, abnormal differentiation is accompanied by increased expression of involucrin and decreased expression of loricrin in NS and psoriasis. Increased epidermal proteolysis associated with increased kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) expression is also observed in both NS and psoriatic epidermis. Furthermore, reduced expression of desmosomal proteins is observed in NS, but increased in psoriasis. Since desmosomal proteins are proteolytic substrates and control keratinocyte differentiation, their altered expression directly links epidermal proteolysis to differentiation. In conclusion, abnormal cellular differentiation and proteolysis are interconnected and underlie the pathology of NS, SD and psoriasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacognosy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sotiropoulou G, Zingkou E, Bisyris E, Pampalakis G. Activity-Based Probes for Proteases Pave the Way to Theranostic Applications. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14050977. [PMID: 35631563 PMCID: PMC9145445 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14050977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteases are important enzymes in health and disease. Their activities are regulated at multiple levels. In fact, proteases are synthesized as inactive proenzymes (zymogens) that are activated by proteolytic removal of their pro-peptide sequence and can remain active or their activity can be attenuated by complex formation with specific endogenous inhibitors or by limited proteolysis or degradation. Consequently, quite often, only a fraction of the protease molecules is in the active/functional form, thus, the abundance of a protease is not always linearly proportional to the (patho)physiological function(s). Therefore, assays to determine the active forms of proteases are needed, not only in research but also in molecular diagnosis and therapy. Activity-based probes (ABPs) are chemical entities that bind covalently to the active enzyme/protease. ABPs carry a detection tag to enable localization and quantification of specific enzymatic/proteolytic activities with applications in molecular imaging and diagnosis. Moreover, ABPs act as suicide inhibitors of proteases, which can be exploited for delineation of the functional role(s) of a given protease in (patho) biological context and as potential therapeutics. In this sense, ABPs represent new theranostic agents. We outline recent developments pertaining to ABPs for proteases with potential therapeutic applications, with the aim to highlight their importance in theranostics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26500 Rion-Patras, Greece; (E.Z.); (E.B.)
- Correspondence: (G.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26500 Rion-Patras, Greece; (E.Z.); (E.B.)
| | - Evangelos Bisyris
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26500 Rion-Patras, Greece; (E.Z.); (E.B.)
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacognosy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Correspondence: (G.S.); (G.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sotiropoulou G, Zingkou E, Pampalakis G. Reconstructing the epidermal proteolytic cascades in health and disease. J Pathol 2022; 257:545-560. [PMID: 35218558 DOI: 10.1002/path.5888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The epidermis is the outer stratified epithelium of the skin, forming the physical barrier that is indispensable for homeostasis. Epidermal proteolysis, mainly but not exclusively executed by kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs), is tightly regulated to ensure maintenance of physiological skin renewal and an intact skin barrier. Perturbation of epidermal proteolytic networks is implicated in a wide array of rare and common skin pathologies of diverse genetic backgrounds. Recent studies of monogenic human skin diseases and newly developed animal models have revealed new mechanisms of regulation of proteolytic pathways in epidermal physiology and in disease states. These new data have challenged some accepted views, for example the role of matriptase in epidermal desquamation, which turned out to be restricted to mouse skin. The significance of PAR2 signaling in skin inflammation should also be reconsidered in the face of recent findings. Cumulatively, recent studies necessitate a sophisticated redefinition of the proteolytic and signaling pathways that operate in human skin. We elaborate how epidermal proteolysis is finely regulated at multiple levels, and in a spatial manner that was not taken into consideration so far, in which specific proteases are confined to distinct epidermal sublayers. Of interest, transglutaminases have emerged as regulators of epidermal proteolysis and desquamation by spatially fixing endogenous protease inhibitors, constituting regulatory factors that were not recognized before. Furthermore, new evidence suggests a link between proteolysis and lipid metabolism. By synthesis of established notions and recent discoveries, we provide an up-to-date critical parathesis of current knowledge and the extended complexity of proteolysis regulation and signaling pathways in skin. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 265 04, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 265 04, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacology-Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 541 24, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Pampalakis G, Angelis G, Zingkou E, Vekrellis K, Sotiropoulou G. A chemogenomic approach is required for effective treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e657. [PMID: 35064780 PMCID: PMC8783349 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.657] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
ALS is a fatal untreatable disease involving degeneration of motor neurons. Μultiple causative genes encoding proteins with versatile functions have been identified indicating that diverse biological pathways lead to ALS. Chemical entities still represent a promising choice to delay ALS progression, attenuate symptoms and/or increase life expectancy, but also gene-based and stem cell-based therapies are in the process of development, and some are tested in clinical trials. Various compounds proved effective in transgenic models overexpressing distinct ALS causative genes unfortunately though, they showed no efficacy in clinical trials. Notably, while animal models provide a uniform genetic background for preclinical testing, ALS patients are not stratified, and the distinct genetic forms of ALS are treated as one group, which could explain the observed discrepancies between treating genetically homogeneous mice and quite heterogeneous patient cohorts. We suggest that chemical entity-genotype correlation should be exploited to guide patient stratification for pharmacotherapy, that is administered drugs should be selected based on the ALS genetic background.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacology - Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgios Angelis
- Department of Pharmacology - Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Kostas Vekrellis
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pampalakis G, Zingkou E, Panagiotidis C, Sotiropoulou G. Kallikreins emerge as new regulators of viral infections. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:6735-6744. [PMID: 34459952 PMCID: PMC8404027 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03922-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) or kallikreins have been linked to diverse (patho) physiological processes, such as the epidermal desquamation and inflammation, seminal clot liquefaction, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Recent mounting evidence suggests that KLKs also represent important regulators of viral infections. It is well-established that certain enveloped viruses, including influenza and coronaviruses, require proteolytic processing of their hemagglutinin or spike proteins, respectively, to infect host cells. Similarly, the capsid protein of the non-enveloped papillomavirus L1 should be proteolytically cleaved for viral uncoating. Consequently, extracellular or membrane-bound proteases of the host cells are instrumental for viral infections and represent potential targets for drug development. Here, we summarize how extracellular proteolysis mediated by the kallikreins is implicated in the process of influenza (and potentially coronavirus and papillomavirus) entry into host cells. Besides direct proteolytic activation of viruses, KLK5 and 12 promote viral entry indirectly through proteolytic cascade events, like the activation of thrombolytic enzymes that also can process hemagglutinin, while additional functions of KLKs in infection cannot be excluded. In the light of recent evidence, KLKs represent potential host targets for the development of new antivirals. Humanized animal models to validate their key functions in viral infections will be valuable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacognosy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 265 04, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Christos Panagiotidis
- Department of Pharmacognosy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 265 04, Rion-Patras, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bisyris E, Zingkou E, Kordopati GG, Matsoukas M, Magriotis PA, Pampalakis G, Sotiropoulou G. Generation of a quenched phosphonate activity-based probe for labelling the active KLK7 protease. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 19:6834-6841. [PMID: 34308939 DOI: 10.1039/d1ob01273h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Kallikrein 7 (KLK7) is a chymotrypsin-like serine protease with established roles in skin diseases like the rare Netherton syndrome, an overdesquamating and inflammatory condition, but also common atopic dermatitis, and a potential drug target for these and possibly other diseases. Nevertheless, tools to determine the active KLK7 enzyme are not available. Here, a mixed alkyl aryl phosphonate quenched activity-based probe that detects the active KLK7 was developed and evaluated in vitro. This KLK7-qABP can potentially be used to monitor KLK7 activity in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Bisyris
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 265 04, Greece.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Nauroy P, Zingkou E, Sotiropoulou G, Kiritsi D. Forschen für die Praxis: Die Rolle epidermaler Proteasen in der Progression der rezessiven dystrophen Epidermolysis bullosa. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2021; 19:828-832. [PMID: 34139072 DOI: 10.1111/ddg.14396_g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Nauroy
- Klinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Klinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg.,Klinik für Pharmazie, Fakultät für Gesundheitswissenschaften, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Klinik für Pharmazie, Fakultät für Gesundheitswissenschaften, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
| | - Dimitra Kiritsi
- Klinik für Dermatologie und Venerologie, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bisyris E, Zingkou E, Kordopati GG, Matsoukas M, Magriotis PA, Pampalakis G, Sotiropoulou G. A novel theranostic activity-based probe targeting kallikrein 7 for the diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:6507-6510. [PMID: 34105530 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc01673c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
We applied a new in silico approach for using protease-substrate motifs to design a kallikrein 7 (KLK7)-specific phosphonate activity-based probe (ABP) to quantify the active KLK7 in situ. Epidermal application of the ABP-inhibitor on Spink5-/-Klk5-/- mice, a Netherton syndrome model, reversed disease hallmarks, providing preclinical proof-of-concept for using ABPs as theranostics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Bisyris
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 26504, Greece.
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 26504, Greece.
| | - Golfo G Kordopati
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 26504, Greece.
| | - Minos Matsoukas
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 26504, Greece.
| | - Plato A Magriotis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 26504, Greece.
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 26504, Greece.
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 26504, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Nauroy P, Zingkou E, Sotiropoulou G, Kiritsi D. Research in practice: Towards deciphering the role of epidermal proteases in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa progression. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2021; 19:828-832. [PMID: 33768660 DOI: 10.1111/ddg.14396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is an incurable severe skin disease caused by loss of collagen VII, an extracellular protein that ensures skin cohesion. It manifests in skin blistering and unresolved cycles of wounding and healing that progressively lead to dermal stiffening and early development of aggressive cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas. Inflammation and subsequent tissue fibrosis highly contribute to RDEB pathogenicity and targeting them could provide new therapeutic options. Kallikreins (KLKs) are epidermal secreted proteases, which contribute to skin desquamation and inflammation. Kallikreins are involved in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory skin disorders, but interestingly also in the initiation and progression of different cancers. Our project aims at deciphering the role of KLKs in inflammation, fibrosis, and tumor development in RDEB.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Nauroy
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Dimitra Kiritsi
- Department of Dermatology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sotiropoulou G, Zingkou E, Pampalakis G. Redirecting drug repositioning to discover innovative cosmeceuticals. Exp Dermatol 2021; 30:628-644. [PMID: 33544970 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Skin appearance is essential for self-esteem and quality of life; consequently, skin care products represent a huge market. In particular, cosmeceuticals constitute a hybrid category of skin care formulations, at the interphase of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, rationally designed to target (patho) physiological mechanisms aiming to enhance skin health and appearance. Cosmeceuticals are marketed as anti-ageing, anti-wrinkle, hair regrowth, skin whitening and wound healing agents with special emphasis on scar-free healing. An overview on recent cutting-edge advances concerning the discovery and development of enhanced performance cosmeceuticals by drug repositioning approaches is presented here. In this context, we propose "target repositioning," a new term, to highlight that druggable protein targets implicated in multiple diseases (hubs in the diseasome) can be exploited to accelerate the discovery of molecularly targeted cosmeceuticals that can promote skin health as an added benefit, which is a novel concept not described before. In this direction, emphasis is placed on the role of mouse models, for often untreatable skin diseases, as well as recent breakthroughs on monogenic rare skin syndromes, in promoting compound repositioning to innovative cosmeceuticals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacognosy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Angelis G, Kordopati GG, Zingkou E, Karioti A, Sotiropoulou G, Pampalakis G. Plausible Emergence of Biochemistry in Enceladus Based on Chemobrionics. Chemistry 2021; 27:600-604. [PMID: 33108005 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202004018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Saturn's satellite Enceladus is proposed to have a soda-type subsurface ocean with temperature able to support life and an iron ore-based core. Here, it was demonstrated that ocean chemistry related to Enceladus can support the development of Fe-based hydrothermal vents, one of the places suggested to be the cradle of life. The Fe-based chemical gardens were characterized with Fourier-transform (FT)IR spectroscopy and XRD. The developed chemobrionic structures catalyzed the condensation polymerization of simple organic prebiotic molecules to kerogens. Further, they could passively catalyze the condensation of the prebiotic molecule formamide to larger polymers, suggesting that elementary biochemical precursors could have emerged in Enceladus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Angelis
- Department of Pharmacognosy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Golfo G Kordopati
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26504, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26504, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Anastasia Karioti
- Department of Pharmacognosy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26504, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacognosy-Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Pampalakis G, Zingkou E, Zoumpourlis V, Sotiropoulou G. Ectopic expression of KLK6 in MDA-MB-435 melanoma cells reduces tumorigenicity in vivo. Pathol Res Pract 2021; 217:153276. [PMID: 33249398 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2020.153276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is an aggressive form of cancer with poor prognosis therefore, identification of associated pathophysiological mechanisms is imperative towards the development of new therapeutic strategies. The KLK6 is a serine protease normally expressed in the epidermis. Recently, we found that elimination of Klk6 in mice results in enhanced resistance to chemically induced non-melanoma skin cancer. To delineate putative roles of KLK6 in melanoma, the invasive KLK6-non-expressing MDA-MB-435 melanoma cell line was stably transfected with the full-length KLK6 cDNA and expression of the corresponding RNA and protein were confirmed. Interestingly, restoration of KLK6 expression resulted in markedly suppressed growth of primary tumors when orthotopically implanted in SCID mice. Analysis of data retrieved from the human protein atlas revealed that melanomas with high KLK6 expression have a trend for longer survival. Collectively, we suggest that KLK6 inhibits growth of melanomas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 265 04, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 265 04, Greece
| | | | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 265 04, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Samantha Sykioti V, Karampetsou M, Chalatsa I, Polissidis A, Michael IP, Pagaki-Skaliora M, Nagy A, Emmanouilidou E, Sotiropoulou G, Vekrelli S K. Deficiency of the serine peptidase Kallikrein 6 does not affect the levels and the pathological accumulation of a-synuclein in mouse brain. J Neurochem 2020; 157:2024-2038. [PMID: 32974895 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Several lines of evidence indicate that the propagation of misfolded α-synuclein (α-syn) plays a central role in the progression and manifestation of Parkinson's disease. Pathogenic α-syn species can be present in the extracellular space. Thus, the identification and modulation of the key enzymes implicated in extracellular α-syn turnover becomes vital. Kallikrein peptidase 6 has been identified as one of the major α-syn degrading enzymes and has been implicated in the clearance of extracellular α-syn. However, the physiological role of this enzyme in regulating α-syn, in vivo, still remains elusive. Here, by utilizing Klk6 knock-out (Klk6-/- ) mice as our experimental model, we provide insight into the physiologic relevance of endogenous KLK6 expression on α-syn processing. Behavioral phenotyping showed that Klk6-/- mice display no gross behavioral abnormalities. Further in vivo characterization of this mouse model, in the context of α-syn accumulation, showed that KLK6 deletion had no impact on the protein levels of intracellular or extracellular α-syn. Upon in vivo administration of α-syn pre-formed fibrils (PFF), α-syn pathologic accumulations were evident both in the brains of Klk6-/- mice and wt mice without significant differences. Intrastriatal delivery of active KLK6, did not affect secreted α-syn levels observed in the A53T α-syn over-expressing mice. These findings suggest that in the in vivo setting of PFF pathology induction, KLK6 alone is not able to modulate pathology transmission. Our study raises implications for the use of recombinant α-syn fibrils in α-syn turnover studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vasia Samantha Sykioti
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Mantia Karampetsou
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioanna Chalatsa
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis, Athens, Greece
| | - Alexia Polissidis
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Iacovos P Michael
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Marina Pagaki-Skaliora
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Andras Nagy
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Evangelia Emmanouilidou
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Kostas Vekrelli S
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zingkou E, Pampalakis G, Sotiropoulou G. Cathelicidin represents a new target for manipulation of skin inflammation in Netherton syndrome. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165831. [PMID: 32442469 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Netherton syndrome (NS) is a severe ichthyosis caused by inactivating mutations in the SPINK5 gene encoding the serine protease inhibitor LEKTI. Spink5-/- mice recapitulate NS and die perinatally from extensive dehydration as a result of a severe defect of the epidermal barrier. We showed that deletion of Klk5 in Spink5-/- rescues neonatal lethality (Furio et al., 2015). However, Spink5-/-Klk5-/- mice developed skin shedding and inflammation during the first week from birth and the majority (70%) succumbed on P7. The remaining mice lived short (i.e. mean survival was 5 months) indicating alternative inflammatory pathways. Since cathelicidin is increased in Spink5-/- epidermis, we investigated whether it could be implicated in NS pathology. Ablation of Camp in Spink5-/- suppressed epidermal inflammation and restored abnormal epidermal differentiation, nevertheless, it failed to inhibit overdesquamation and Spink5-/-Camp-/- succumbed perinatally due to skin barrier defect, similarly to Spink5-/-. Joint invalidation of Klk5 and Camp significantly extended survival of Spink5-/-Klk5-/-Camp-/- mice. We provide evidence that cathelicidin is implicated in NS-associated skin inflammation in vivo. Therefore, marketed products that are known to reduce cathelicidin expression could be repurposed for the management of NS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion, Patras 26504, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion, Patras 26504, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion, Patras 26504, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Zingkou E, Pampalakis G, Sotiropoulou G. Exacerbated dandruff in the absence of kallikrein-related peptidase 5 protease. J Dermatol 2020; 47:311-313. [PMID: 31912553 DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.15174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Chen H, Sells E, Pandey R, Abril ER, Hsu CH, Krouse RS, Nagle RB, Pampalakis G, Sotiropoulou G, Ignatenko NA. Kallikrein 6 protease advances colon tumorigenesis via induction of the high mobility group A2 protein. Oncotarget 2019; 10:6062-6078. [PMID: 31692974 PMCID: PMC6817440 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) overexpression is commonly observed in primary tumors of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and has been associated with tumor aggressiveness, metastasis, and poor prognosis. We previously established a unique contribution of KLK6 in colon cancer metastasis via a specific network of microRNAs and mRNAs. Here we evaluated the cellular functions of KLK6 protease in Caco-2 colon adenocarcinoma cell line after introduction of the enzymatically active or inactive form of the enzyme. We found that proteolytically active KLK6 increased Caco-2 cells invasiveness in vitro and decreased the animal survival in the orthotopic colon cancer model. The active KLK6 induced phosphorylation of SMAD 2/3 proteins leading to the altered expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. KLK6 overexpression also induced the RNA-binding protein LIN28B and high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) transcription factor, two essential regulators of cell invasion and metastasis. In the CRC patients, KLK6 protein levels were elevated in the non-cancerous distant and adjacent tissues, compared to their paired tumor tissues (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0157, respectively). Patients with mutant K-RAS tumors had significantly higher level of KLK6 protein in the luminal surface of non-cancerous distant tissue, compared to the corresponding tissues of the patients with K-RAS wild type tumors (p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, KLK6 and HMGA2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) scores in patients' tumors and paired adjacent tissues positively correlated (Spearman correlation P < 0.01 and p = 0.03, respectively). These findings demonstrate the critical function of the KLK6 enzyme in colon cancer progression and its contribution to the signaling network in colon cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hwudaurw Chen
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Earlphia Sells
- Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Ritu Pandey
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Chiu-Hsieh Hsu
- Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Robert S. Krouse
- University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Raymond B. Nagle
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | | | - Natalia A. Ignatenko
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Pampalakis G, Zingkou E, Sidiropoulos KG, Diamandis EP, Zoumpourlis V, Yousef GM, Sotiropoulou G. Biochemical pathways mediated by KLK6 protease in breast cancer. Mol Oncol 2019; 13:2329-2343. [PMID: 30980596 PMCID: PMC6822253 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) is a serine protease normally expressed in mammary tissue and aberrantly regulated in breast cancer. At physiological levels, KLK6 functions as a suppressor of breast cancer, while its aberrant overexpression (> 50-fold higher than normal) is characteristic of a subset of breast cancers and has been linked to accelerated growth of primary breast tumors in severe combined immunodeficiency mice (Pampalakis et al. Cancer Res 2009, 69, 3779). Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the concentration-dependent functions of KLK6 by comparing MDA-MB-231 stable transfectants expressing increasing levels of KLK6 in in vitro and in vivo tumorigenicity assays (soft agar, xenograft growth, tail vein metastasis). Quantitative proteomics was applied to identify proteins that are altered upon re-expression of KLK6 in MDA-MB-231 at normal or constitutive levels. Overexpression of KLK6 is associated with increased metastatic ability of breast cancer cells into lungs, increased expression of certain S100 proteins (S100A4, S100A11) and keratins (KRT), and downregulation of the apoptosis-related proteases CASP7 and CASP8, and RABs. On the other hand, KLK6 re-expression at physiological levels leads to inhibition of lung metastases associated with suppression of S100 proteins (S100A4, S100A10, S100A13, S100A16) and induced CASP7 and CASP8 expression. As this is the first report that KLK6 expression is associated with S100 proteins, caspases, RABs, and KRTs, we validated this finding in clinical datasets. By integrating proteomics and microarray data from breast cancer patients, we generated two composite scores, KLK6 + S100B-S100A7 and KLK6 + S100B-S100A14-S100A16, to predict long-term survival of breast cancer patients. We present previously unknown pathways implicating KLK6 in breast cancer. The findings promise to aid our understanding of the functional roles of KLK6 in breast cancer and may yield new biomarkers for the cancer types in which KLK6 is known to be aberrantly upregulated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Gus Sidiropoulos
- The Keenan Research Center in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | | | | | - George M Yousef
- The Keenan Research Center in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Zingkou E, Pampalakis G, Charla E, Nauroy P, Kiritsi D, Sotiropoulou G. A proinflammatory role of KLK6 protease in Netherton syndrome. J Dermatol Sci 2019; 95:28-35. [PMID: 31255470 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2019.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Netherton syndrome (NS) is a rare but severe type of ichthyosis characterized by atopy, allergies, and potentially lethal skin overdesquamation associated with highly elevated proteolytic activities in LEKTI-deficient epidermis. NS symptoms are recapitulated in Spink5-/- mouse where the gene encoding Lekti has been invalidated. Spink5-/- mice die within 5h from birth due to their severe skin barrier defect leading to dehydration. Spink5-/- mice also serve as a model for atopic dermatitis. The KLK6 protease is expressed by epidermal keratinocytes and shown in vitro to cleave desmosomal components. OBJECTIVE To investigate in vivo whether KLK6 is implicated in epidermal overdesquamation and/or inflammation associated with NS. METHODS The role of KLK6 was evaluated by generating Spink5-/-Klk6-/- double knockout mice. The phenotype was assessed by macroscopic observation, immunohistochemistry for differentiation markers, in situ zymography for proteolysis, and quantification of proinflammatory cytokines. RESULTS Elimination of Klk6 in Spink5-/- remarkably suppresses the expression of Tslp, a major itching-inducing factor and driver of allergic reactions. Tnfα and the Th17 promoting cytokine Il-23 were also suppressed. Spink5-/-Klk6-/- mice display normalized keratinocyte differentiation, nevertheless, epidermal proteolytic activities and the associated overdesquamation were not ameliorated, and Spink5-/-Klk6-/- still died from a severe epidermal barrier defect as the Spink5-/-. CONCLUSIONS Ablation of Klk6 largely suppresses epidermal inflammation but cannot rescue overdesquamation leading to the lethal NS phenotype. Nonetheless, our findings demonstrate for the first time that KLK6 is implicated in skin inflammation and may represent a novel druggable target for NS and other inflammatory conditions e.g. atopic dermatitis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Charla
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Pauline Nauroy
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dimitra Kiritsi
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Gavresea F, Vagianos C, Korontzi M, Sotiropoulou G, Dadioti P, Triantafillidis JK, Papalois AE. Beneficial effect of synbiotics on experimental colon cancer in rats. Turk J Gastroenterol 2019; 29:494-501. [PMID: 30249566 DOI: 10.5152/tjg.2018.17469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a synbiotic preparation (a mixture of six probiotics and a prebiotic) on aberrant crypt foci (ACF) formation, dysplasia, inflammation, and colitis-like lesions in experimental colon cancer in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty male rats were categorized into three groups of 20 animals each. Group A was administered 1,2-dimethylydrazine, 15 mg/kg body weight (BW), once a week for 2 weeks. Group B was administered 1,2-dimethylydrazine at the same dose plus synbiotic, started after the second dose of carcinogen and lasted for 5 weeks. Group C was administered synbiotic plus carcinogen from the beginning of the experiment and lasted for 7 weeks. Animals were killed at the end of week 7. RESULTS At the end of the experiment, the animals that received carcinogen plus the synbiotic had 100%, whereas the animals that received only carcinogen has 70% survival. Animals of groups B and C had significantly lower percentage of inflammation, colitis-like lesions, and ACF dysplasia than animals of group A, whereas those of group C had the least pathological lesions. CONCLUSION Synbiotics seem to protect against the appearance of preneoplastic colon lesions in rats. The results of this experimental study suggest that treatment with a synbiotic preparation exerts significant antimutagenic properties against the development of preneoplastic lesions in rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fani Gavresea
- Department of Pathology, Metaxas Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece
| | - Costas Vagianos
- Department of Surgery, University of Athens Laiko Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Korontzi
- Experimental-Research Laboratory, ELPEN Pharma, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Petroula Dadioti
- Department of Pathology, Metaxas Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Zingkou E, Pampalakis G, Kiritsi D, Valari M, Jonca N, Sotiropoulou G. Activography reveals aberrant proteolysis in desquamating diseases of differing backgrounds. Exp Dermatol 2018; 28:86-89. [PMID: 30390391 DOI: 10.1111/exd.13832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The role of epidermal proteolysis in overdesquamation was revealed in Netherton syndrome, a rare ichthyosis due to genetic deficiency of the LEKTI inhibitor of serine proteases. Recently, we developed activography, a new histochemical method, to spatially localize and semiquantitatively assess proteolytic activities using activity-based probes. Activography provides specificity and versatility compared to in situ zymography, the only available method to determine enzymatic activities in tissue biopsies. Here, activography was validated in skin biopsies obtained from an array of distinct disorders and compared with in situ zymography. Activography provides a methodological advancement due to its simplicity and specificity and can be readily adapted as a routine diagnostic assay. Interestingly, the levels of epidermal proteolysis correlated with the degree of desquamation independent of skin pathology. Thus, deregulated epidermal proteolysis likely represents a universal mechanism underlying aberrant desquamation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Dimitra Kiritsi
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Nathalie Jonca
- Epithelial Differentiation and Rheumatoid Autoimmunity Unit (UDEAR), Hôpital Purpan, UMR 1056 Inserm - Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, Cedex 9, France
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Pampalakis G, Zingkou E, Sotiropoulou G. KLK5, a novel potential suppressor of vaginal carcinogenesis. Biol Chem 2018; 399:1107-1111. [PMID: 29561728 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2017-0302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Vaginal cancer is rare and largely unexplored. We found here that kallikrein-related peptidase 5 (KLK5) is coordinately expressed along with other KLKs in all stratified epithelia, including vagina, pointing to potential role(s) in differentiation. Further, we propose that KLK5 could be implicated in vaginal cancer development based on the fact that Klk5-/- mice are prone to develop vaginal tumors when exposed to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene. Nf-κb activation is markedly enhanced in Klk5-/-, leading to increased resistance to apoptosis of mutated vaginal cells. This explains the higher tumor numbers observed in Klk5-/- compared to wildtype. Thus, KLK5 may represent a putative suppressor of vaginal cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, GR-265 04 Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, GR-265 04 Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, GR-265 04 Rion-Patras, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Khoury N, Zingkou E, Pampalakis G, Sofopoulos M, Zoumpourlis V, Sotiropoulou G. KLK6 protease accelerates skin tumor formation and progression. Carcinogenesis 2018; 39:1529-1536. [DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgy110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolas Khoury
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
| | | | - Vassilis Zoumpourlis
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Devetzi M, Goulielmaki M, Khoury N, Spandidos DA, Sotiropoulou G, Christodoulou I, Zoumpourlis V. Genetically‑modified stem cells in treatment of human diseases: Tissue kallikrein (KLK1)‑based targeted therapy (Review). Int J Mol Med 2018; 41:1177-1186. [PMID: 29328364 PMCID: PMC5819898 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2018.3361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The tissue kallikrein-kinin system (KKS) is an endogenous multiprotein metabolic cascade which is implicated in the homeostasis of the cardiovascular, renal and central nervous system. Human tissue kallikrein (KLK1) is a serine protease, component of the KKS that has been demonstrated to exert pleiotropic beneficial effects in protection from tissue injury through its anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-fibrotic and anti-oxidative actions. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) constitute populations of well-characterized, readily obtainable multipotent cells with special immunomodulatory, migratory and paracrine properties rendering them appealing potential therapeutics in experimental animal models of various diseases. Genetic modification enhances their inherent properties. MSCs or EPCs are competent cellular vehicles for drug and/or gene delivery in the targeted treatment of diseases. KLK1 gene delivery using adenoviral vectors or KLK1 protein infusion into injured tissues of animal models has provided particularly encouraging results in attenuating or reversing myocardial, renal and cerebrovascular ischemic phenotype and tissue damage, thus paving the way for the administration of genetically modified MSCs or EPCs with the human tissue KLK1 gene. Engraftment of KLK1-modified MSCs and/or KLK1-modified EPCs resulted in advanced beneficial outcome regarding heart and kidney protection and recovery from ischemic insults. Collectively, findings from pre-clinical studies raise the possibility that tissue KLK1 may be a novel future therapeutic target in the treatment of a wide range of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Devetzi
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Goulielmaki
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Nicolas Khoury
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Demetrios A Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | | | - Ioannis Christodoulou
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Vassilis Zoumpourlis
- Biomedical Applications Unit, Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Pampalakis G, Sykioti VS, Ximerakis M, Stefanakou-Kalakou I, Melki R, Vekrellis K, Sotiropoulou G. KLK6 proteolysis is implicated in the turnover and uptake of extracellular alpha-synuclein species. Oncotarget 2017; 8:14502-14515. [PMID: 27845893 PMCID: PMC5362421 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
KLK6 is a serine protease highly expressed in the nervous system. In synucleinopathies, including Parkinson disease, the levels of KLK6 inversely correlate with α-synuclein in CSF. Recently, we suggested that recombinant KLK6 mediates the degradation of extracellular α-synuclein directly and via a proteolytic cascade that involves unidentified metalloproteinase(s). Here, we show that recombinant and naturally secreted KLK6 can readily cleave α-synuclein fibrils that have the potential for cell-to-cell propagation in “a prion-like mechanism”. Importantly, KLK6-deficient primary cortical neurons have increased ability for α-synuclein fibril uptake. We also demonstrate that KLK6 activates proMMP2, which in turn can cleave α-synuclein. The repertoire of proteases activated by KLK6 in a neuronal environment was analyzed by degradomic profiling, which also identified ADAMTS19 and showed that KLK6 has a limited number of substrates indicating specific biological functions such as the regulation of α-synuclein turnover. We generated adenoviral vectors for KLK6 delivery and demonstrated that the levels of extracellular α-synuclein can be reduced by neuronally secreted KLK6. Our findings open the possibility to exploit KLK6 as a novel therapeutic target for Parkinson disease and other synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Athens, Greece
| | - Vasia-Samantha Sykioti
- Center for Neurosciences, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Methodios Ximerakis
- Center for Neurosciences, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioanna Stefanakou-Kalakou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Athens, Greece
| | - Ronald Melki
- Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Kostas Vekrellis
- Center for Neurosciences, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Athens, Greece.,Center for Neurosciences, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Chen H, Sells E, Cui H, Pandey R, Pampalakis G, Sotiropoulou G, Doetschman T, Ignatenko NA. Abstract 854: Human tissue Kallikrein 6 enzyme activity regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer. Cancer Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2017-854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) belongs to the family of human tissue kallikrein genes, majority of which are shown to be differentially expressed in cancers. Clinical studies have demonstrated that upregulation of KLK6 in primary colorectal tumors and lymph nodes correlates with serosal invasion, liver metastasis and indicative of poor prognosis in patients. It has been reported that KLK6 protein is involved in regulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program in an organ-specific context. The aim in this study was to investigate contribution of KLK6 enzyme in the EMT during neoplastic transformation in the colon.
Results: We expressed enzymatically active or inactive KLK6, using pcDNA3.1(+)preproKLK6 and pcDNA3.1(+)preproKLK6 Ser197Ala mutant plasmids, in Caco-2 colon cancer cell line, which has been characterized before as a very low KLK6 expresser with an undetectable secreted KLK6. Stable isogenic clones were selected and further evaluated for their ability to migrate and invade using in vitro assays and to metastasize in vivo using SCID orthotopic mouse model. We found no effect of KLK6 enzyme activity on migration of Caco-2 cells, expressing the empty vector (Caco-2 mock), and Caco-2 cells, expressing an enzymatically active KLK6 (Caco-2 KLK6 wt) or inactive KLK6 (Caco-2 KLK6 mut). But Caco-2 KLK6 wt cells demonstrated the invasive phenotype in Matrigel invasion assays (p<0.001, compared to Caco-2 mock and Caco2 KLK6 mut cells). The Caco-2 mock and Caco-2 KLK6 mut cells, injected in SCID mice orthotopically, developed primary colon tumors but no metastatic lesions were identified. In contrast, Caco-2 KLK6 wt cells formed primary colon tumors and metastasized locally, although they failed to form the distant metastasis (lung and mesentery). Animals, growing the Caco-2 KLK6 wt tumors, displayed a significant decrease in their survival rates, compared to other groups (p=0.02). In Caco-2 KLK6 wt cells TGF-β protein expression and secretion was induced, which resulted in activation of TGF-β-SMAD2/3 signaling pathway. This phenotype was associated with the elevated expression of known regulator of the EMT, zinc-finger protein Snail. In addition, the expression of a high-mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) protein was induced in Caco-2 KLK6 wt cells. The HMGA2 expression is implicated in the EMT program, acting through the TGF-β signaling pathway and is associated with a poor survival in colorectal cancer.
Conclusion. These findings demonstrate that KLK6 enzyme activity is required for colon cancer progression via induction of the EMT program. We identified the TGF-β- signaling pathway as a mechanism driving the EMT in colon cancer cells expressing KLK6 enzyme.
Citation Format: Hwudaurw Chen, Earlphia Sells, Haiyan Cui, Ritu Pandey, George Pampalakis, Georgia Sotiropoulou, Thomas Doetschman, Natalia A. Ignatenko. Human tissue Kallikrein 6 enzyme activity regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 854. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-854
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Haiyan Cui
- 1Univ. of Arizona Cancer Ctr., Tucson, AZ
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Affiliation(s)
- G Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Science, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 26500, Greece
| | - G Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Science, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, 26500, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Pampalakis G, Zingkou E, Vekrellis K, Sotiropoulou G. “Activography”: a novel, versatile and easily adaptable method for monitoring enzymatic activities in situ. Chem Commun (Camb) 2017; 53:3246-3248. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cc01081h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We developed activography to map enzymatic activities on tissue sections using activity-based probes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G. Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy
- School of Health Sciences
- University of Patras
- Rion-Patras
- Greece
| | - E. Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy
- School of Health Sciences
- University of Patras
- Rion-Patras
- Greece
| | - K. Vekrellis
- Center for Neurosciences
- Biomedical Research Foundation
- Academy of Athens
- Athens
- Greece
| | - G. Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy
- School of Health Sciences
- University of Patras
- Rion-Patras
- Greece
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Khoury N, Pampalakis G, Zingkou E, Zoumpourlis V, Sotiropoulou G. 478 KLK6 protease promotes tumor incidence and growth in skin. J Invest Dermatol 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.06.500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
31
|
Zingkou E, Pampalakis G, Charla H, Sotiropoulou G. 140 Combined targeting of skin proteolysis and inflammation as a therapeutic approach for Netherton syndrome. J Invest Dermatol 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.06.158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
32
|
Sidiropoulos KG, Ding Q, Pampalakis G, White NMA, Boulos P, Sotiropoulou G, Yousef GM. KLK6-regulated miRNA networks activate oncogenic pathways in breast cancer subtypes. Mol Oncol 2016; 10:993-1007. [PMID: 27093921 DOI: 10.1016/j.molonc.2016.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2015] [Revised: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
KLK6 is expressed in normal mammary tissues and is aberrantly regulated in breast cancer. At physiological levels of expression, i.e. those found in normal mammary tissues, KLK6 acts as a tumor suppressor in human breast cancer. However, aberrant overexpression of KLK6 (i.e. 50-100-fold higher than normal), a characteristic of a subset of human breast cancers is associated with increased tumorigenicity (Pampalakis et al. Cancer Res 69:3779-3787, 2009). Here, we stably transfected KLK6-non-expressing MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells with the full-length KLK6 cDNA to overexpress KLK6 at levels comparable to those observed in patients, and investigated potential oncogenic miRNA networks regulated by these abnormally high KLK6 expression levels and increased activity of this serine protease. A number of miRNAs that are upregulated (e.g. miR-146a) or downregulated (e.g. miR-34a) via KLK6-induced alterations in the miRNA biogenesis machinery were identified. Integrated experimental and bioinformatics analyses identified convergent miRNA networks targeting the cell cycle, MYC, MAPK, and other signaling pathways. In large clinical datasets, significant correlations between KLK6 and downstream MAPK and MYC targets at both the RNA and protein levels was confirmed, as well as negative correlation with GATA3. It was also demonstrated that KLK6 overexpression and likely its proteolytic activity is associated with alterations in downstream miRNAs and their targets, and these differ with the molecular subtypes of breast cancer. The data partly explains the different characteristics of breast cancer subtypes. Importantly, we introduce a combined KLK6-CDKN1B+MYC+CDKN1C score for prediction of long-term patient survival outcomes, with higher scores indicating poor survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos G Sidiropoulos
- The Keenan Research Center in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Qiang Ding
- The Keenan Research Center in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada
| | | | - Nicole M A White
- The Keenan Research Center in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Peter Boulos
- The Keenan Research Center in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada
| | | | - George M Yousef
- The Keenan Research Center in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, M5B 1W8, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Affiliation(s)
- Maria D Pasic
- a Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology ; University of Toronto ; Toronto , Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Sinanoglou VJ, Koutsouli P, Fotakis C, Sotiropoulou G, Cavouras D, Bizelis I. Assessment of lactation stage and breed effect on sheep milk fatty acid profile and lipid quality indices. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s13594-015-0234-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
35
|
Sidiropoulos KG, White NMA, Bui A, Ding Q, Boulos P, Pampalakis G, Khella H, Samuel JN, Sotiropoulou G, Yousef GM. Kallikrein-related peptidase 5 induces miRNA-mediated anti-oncogenic pathways in breast cancer. Oncoscience 2014; 1:709-24. [PMID: 25593998 PMCID: PMC4278268 DOI: 10.18632/oncoscience.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidase 5 (KLK5) displays aberrant expression in cancer. Recently, we showed KLK5 reconstitution in breast cancer cell lines suppresses malignancy. Present study aims to investigate the functional KLK5 mediated miRNA network on breast cancer progression, molecular subtype and survival. 28 miRNAs were up-regulated and 62 miRNAs were down-regulated upon KLK5 expression. Extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules and cell-adhesion pathways were the most significant KLK5-induced miRNA-mediated regulatory targets. Validation from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database indicated KLK5 was specifically down-regulated in luminal B and basal-like breast cancer subtypes. There was a correlation between KLK5, miRNAs and their downstream ECM gene targets. Long-term patient survival correlated with dysregulation of KLK5 and interacting ECM target genes. It suggests biological differences between breast cancer molecular subtypes, patient survival, and their propensity for invasion and metastasis can be explained in part by altered miRNA networks induced by KLK5 dysregulation. We provide the first evidence that KLK5 can affect miRNA networks, which regulate MMPs and other novel ECM targets and a new compelling hypothesis of interplay between serine proteases and miRNAs. We developed a combined KLK5-(ITGB1+COL12A1) predictive score for recurrence-free survival that could be exploited in clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos G Sidiropoulos
- The Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Sciences at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada ; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Nicole M A White
- The Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Sciences at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada ; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Anna Bui
- The Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Sciences at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Qiang Ding
- The Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Sciences at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Peter Boulos
- The Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Sciences at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Heba Khella
- The Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Sciences at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Joseph N Samuel
- The Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Sciences at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - George M Yousef
- The Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Sciences at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada ; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Pampalakis G, Obasuyi O, Papadodima O, Chatziioannou A, Zoumpourlis V, Sotiropoulou G. The KLK5 protease suppresses breast cancer by repressing the mevalonate pathway. Oncotarget 2014; 5:2390-403. [PMID: 24158494 PMCID: PMC4058013 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 09/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidase 5 (KLK5) displays aberrant expression in cancer. However, any functional association is missing. Here, we show that reconstitution of KLK5 expression in non-expressing MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells suppresses malignancy in vitro and in vivo dose-dependently. Reactivation of KLK5 suppressed key EMT genes. Unexpectedly, we identified altered expression of genes encoding enzymes of the mevalonate pathway typical of those observed upon cholesterol starvation. Consistently, we found that SREBF1, the master regulator of the mevalonate pathway was induced. KLK5 re-expression leads to reduced cellular cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis and enhanced uptake of LDL-cholesterol. Suppression of the mevalonate pathway in KLK5 transfectants was further shown by reduced synthesis of isoprenoids. Indeed, we found diminished levels of active RhoA, a signaling oncoprotein that requires prenylation for activation. We propose that reduced RhoA activation plays a dominant role in suppression of malignancy by KLK5, since geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate restored active RhoA in KLK5-reverted cells resulting in increased malignancy. For the first time, we suggest that a protease may suppress breast cancer by modulating the mevalonate pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Osahon Obasuyi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, Rion-Patras 26500
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Ximerakis M, Pampalakis G, Roumeliotis TI, Sykioti V, Garbis SD, Stefanis L, Sotiropoulou G, Vekrellis K. Resistance of naturally secreted α‐synuclein to proteolysis. FASEB J 2014; 28:3146-58. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.13-245852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Methodios Ximerakis
- Center for Neurosciences, Biomedical Research FoundationAcademy of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of PharmacySchool of Health SciencesUniversity of PatrasRion‐PatrasGreece
| | | | | | - Spiros D. Garbis
- Cancer Sciences UnitFaculty of MedicineUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Leonidas Stefanis
- Center for Neurosciences, Biomedical Research FoundationAcademy of AthensAthensGreece
- Second Department of NeurologyUniversity of Athens Medical SchoolAthensGreece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of PharmacySchool of Health SciencesUniversity of PatrasRion‐PatrasGreece
| | - Kostas Vekrellis
- Center for Neurosciences, Biomedical Research FoundationAcademy of AthensAthensGreece
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Machairiotis N, Zarogoulidis P, Stylianaki A, Karatrasoglou E, Sotiropoulou G, Floreskou A, Chatzi E, Karamani A, Liapi G, Papakonstantinou E, Katsikogiannis N, Courcoutsakis N, Machairiotis C. Pelvic schwannoma in the right parametrium. Int J Gen Med 2013; 6:123-6. [PMID: 23515244 PMCID: PMC3598498 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s41224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurilemomas are benign usually encapsulated nerve sheath tumors derived from the Schwann cells. These tumors commonly arise from the cranial nerves as acoustic neurinomas but they are extremely rare in the pelvis and the retroperitoneal area (less than 0.5% of reported cases), unless they are combined with von Recklinghausen disease (type 1 neurofibromatosis). We report the case of a 58-year-old female with pelvic schwannoma, 6.5 × 5.5 cm in size, in the right parametrium. This is the first case reported in the literature. Based on the rarity of this tumor and in order to ensure optimum treatment and survival for our patient, we performed laparotomy with total abdominal hysterectomy and en-block tumor excision. A frozen section was taken during the surgery before complete resection of the mass, which was ambiguous. Because of the possibility of malignancy, complete excision of the mass was performed, with pelvic blunt dissection. Histological examination showed a benign neoplasm, originating from the cells of peripheral nerve sheaths; diagnosis was a schwannoma. There were degenerative areas, including cystic degeneration, hemorrhagic infiltrations, ischemic foci with pycnotic cells, and collagen replacement. Pelvic schwannomas are rare neoplasms that can be misdiagnosed. Laparoscopy is a safe and efficient option for approaching benign pelvic tumors and might offer the advantage of better visualization of structures due to the magnification in laparoscopic view, especially in narrow anatomic spaces.
Collapse
|
39
|
Chimonidou M, Tzitzira A, Strati A, Sotiropoulou G, Sfikas C, Malamos N, Georgoulias V, Lianidou E. CST6 promoter methylation in circulating cell-free DNA of breast cancer patients. Clin Biochem 2013; 46:235-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2012.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2012] [Revised: 09/12/2012] [Accepted: 09/13/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
40
|
Sotiropoulou G, Pampalakis G, Prosnikli E, Evangelatos GP, Livaniou E. Development and immunochemical evaluation of a novel chicken IgY antibody specific for KLK6. Chem Cent J 2012; 6:148. [PMID: 23216878 PMCID: PMC3554440 DOI: 10.1186/1752-153x-6-148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2012] [Accepted: 11/19/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) has been implicated in various types of cancer and in neurodegenerative and demyelinating diseases including multiple sclerosis. Further, anti-KLK6 antibodies attenuated disease manifestations in the mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Availability of specific antibodies against KLK6 is fundamental to the development of improved diagnostic and/or immunotherapeutic applications. Here, we exploited the enhanced immunogenicity of mammalian proteins in avian species to generate a polyclonal antibody against KLK6. Results Chicken were immunized with recombinant KLK6 and antibodies Y (IgYs) were purified from egg yolk with a simple procedure and evaluated for KLK6 detection by ELISA and Western blot using recombinant proteins and human cell lysates and supernatants. The anti-KLK6 Y polyclonal exhibited high affinity for KLK6 with a detection limit of 30 fmol. On the other hand, the widely used rabbit polyclonal antibody that was raised against the same recombinant KLK6 had a detection limit of 300 fmol. Moreover, the IgYs did not display any crossreactivity with recombinant KLKs or endogenous KLKs and other cellular proteins. Conclusions Based on its high specificity and sensitivity the developed anti-KLK6 IgY is expected to aid the development of improved diagnostic tools for the detection of KLK6 in biological and clinical samples.
Collapse
|
41
|
Sotiropoulou G, Pampalakis G. Targeting the kallikrein-related peptidases for drug development. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2012; 33:623-34. [PMID: 23089221 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2012.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2012] [Revised: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) constitute a family of 15 serine proteases. Recent studies have shed light on key physiological functions of KLK enzymes and implicate their deregulation in major human pathologies such as neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases, skin conditions, asthma, and cancer. Consequently, KLKs have emerged as novel targets for pharmacological intervention. Given the pleiotropic roles of KLKs, both activators and inhibitors of KLK activities are of therapeutic interest. For example, inhibitors of hyperactive KLKs in the epidermis would be effective against excess skin desquamation and inflammation, whereas KLK activators could benefit hyperkeratosis caused by diminished KLK proteolysis. Expression of active KLKs by cancer cells and tissues can be exploited to target prodrugs that are proteolytically cleaved to release a cytotoxic compound or a cytolytic toxin at the site of KLK protease activity. Here, we review current approaches for the design and testing of KLK-based therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Greece.
| | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Kapasa M, Vlachakis D, Kostadima M, Sotiropoulou G, Kossida S. Towards the elucidation of the regulatory network guiding the insulin producing cells’ differentiation. Genomics 2012; 100:212-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2012.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2012] [Revised: 06/21/2012] [Accepted: 07/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
43
|
Arnold S, Pampalakis G, Kantiotou K, Silva D, Cortez C, Missailidis S, Sotiropoulou G. One round of SELEX for the generation of DNA aptamers directed against KLK6. Biol Chem 2012; 393:343-53. [PMID: 22505517 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2011-0253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2011] [Accepted: 01/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) is an active serine protease that has been implicated in common pathologies, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson and Alzheimer disease and certain types of cancer. Antibodies, either polyclonal or monoclonal, that exhibit specificity for distinct members of the extended kallikrein family, including KLK6, were developed. With the exception of KLK3/PSA, the identification and generation of aptamers, as potential new tools with improved characteristics demanded for therapeutic and diagnostic applications, has not been explored for KLKs. Here, we report for the first time the identification of novel DNA aptamers against KLK6 that were isolated using a modified systemic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment technique. The identified aptamers were characterized using fluorescence spectroscopy, competition ELISA, and quartz crystal microbalance, and two aptamers (008 and 022) were found to exhibit high affinity (K(d) in the low nanomolar range) for KLK6. Aptamers were tested for their ability to bind to serum albumin, to demonstrate their specificity for their target, and the possible involvement of such proteins in the transport of aptamers into the bloodstream. The developed aptamers are expected to assist the development of novel diagnostic, biosensing, and therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steve Arnold
- Department of Chemistry, The Open University, Milton, Keynes, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Sotiropoulou G, Pampalakis G, Smith C, Zoumpourlis V, Diamandis EP. Abstract 4916: Molecular basis for the concentration-dependent tumor suppressing effects of KLK6 in breast cancer. Cancer Res 2012. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2012-4916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Human kallikrein-related peptidase 6 (KLK6) is a serine protease exerting versatile (patho)physiological functions (J Biol Chem 284:32989-32994, 2009). Recently, we showed that KLK6 acts as a tumor suppressor in human breast cancer. Interestingly, the tumor suppressing effects of KLK6 depend on its expression levels (Cancer Res 69:3779-3797, 2009). Namely, KLK6 re-expression at physiological levels (i.e. levels found in normal mammary cells and tissues) in KLK6-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells resulted in strong inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, anchorage-independent growth and cell motility, while it remarkably abolished their ability to form tumors in SCID mice. Contrary, when KLK6 was highly overexpressed (>50-fold compared to normal cells) in MDA-MB-231 cells, its tumor suppressor activity in vivo was lost. Importantly, overexpression of KLK6 is a characteristic of a small subgroup of breast tumors. Here, we investigated molecular pathways underlying these concentration-dependent effects of KLK6 in breast cancer. In addition, we tested whether the enzymatic activity of KLK6 is required for the observed phenotypes or they may result from non-proteolysis-related protein-protein interactions. To address these questions we carried out genome-wide differential transcriptomic profiling using the Illumina bead microarrays. The profiles of KLK6-negative MDA-MB-231 parental cells was compared in parallel with three different MDA-MB-231 clones stably transfected with wt or mutant KLK6 cDNA, namely C28WT (expresses KLK6 at normal levels), C5WT (highly overexpresses KLK6) and C22MS (expresses a mutant form of KLK6 with a point substitution at the active site serine residue, i.e. S192A, that completely inhibits its protease activity). Detailed proteomic profiles were determined for all the aforementioned MDA-MB-231 clones using one-dimensional (1D) SDS-PAGE analysis of cell lysates, combined with in gel trypsin digestion and LC-ESI-MS/MS (liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry). In all cases, we were able to identify in total 3779 cellular proteins with 2487 having ≥2 peptides distributed as: 1776 in parental, 2020 in C28WT, 1228 in C5WT and 1593 in C22MS. Hierarchical clustering proteome analysis clustered C22MS together with parental. Sorting the proteins relative to ≥4 fold-expression over parental resulted in identification of 377 proteins differentially expressed in C28WT, 449 in C5WT and 169 C22MS. The derived datasets were used to infer potential networks using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Important pathways (including NF-kB, TP53 and apoptosis-related) were found differentially deregulated upon KLK6 expression. For the first time, we describe KLK6-associated gene expression signatures and proteomes that were integrated in an effort to derive putative pathways underlying the emerging role(s) of KLK6 in breast cancer.
Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4916. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4916
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chris Smith
- 2Mount Sinai Hospital, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Pampalakis G, Obasuyi O, Papadodima O, Chatziioannou A, Zoumpourlis V, Sotiropoulou G. Abstract 4125: Suppression of the mevalonate pathway and oncogenic signaling may underlie the tumor-suppressing effects of KLK5 in breast cancer. Cancer Res 2012. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2012-4125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Kallikrein-related peptidase 5 (KLK5) has been implicated in different types of cancer based on its aberrant expression in tumor cell lines and tissue specimens and in vitro data, however, functional association is missing. Here, we confirmed that KLK5 is very frequently down-regulated or inactivated in breast cancers of different subtypes. Reconstitution of KLK5 expression by stable transfection in KLK5-negative MDA-MB-231 cells remarkably reversed their malignant phenotype both in vitro (wound scratch and soft agar assay) and in vivo (orthotopic xenograft growth in SCID mice). We found that in KLK5 transfectants Snail1 and the mesenchymal marker vimentin were highly downregulated, pointing to a potential involvement of KLK5 in mesenchymal-to-epithelial transdifferentiation, however, re-expression of E-cadherin could not be demonstrated. Importantly, it appears that KLK5 may severely affect the overall output of the proteolytic web as it minimized the proteolytic activities of MMP9 and MMP3. Unexpectedly, transcriptomic profiling revealed that reconstitution of KLK5 expression suppresses the mevalonate pathway of cholesterol biosynthesis by highly up-regulating INSIG1 (insulin induced gene 1), a major negative regulator of HMGCR (3-hydroxy-3-methylgluratyl-CoA reductase), while KLK5 may also affect cholesterol uptake, as the LDLR (LDL receptor) and PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin-like/kexin type 9), the main regulator of LDLR, were both found significantly upregulated in KLK5 transfectants. A functional role of KLK5 in the regulation of the mevalonate pathway and protein-prenylation circuitries was demonstrated by reduced cellular cholesterol and prenylation levels, end products of this pathway. Reduced prenylation was shown by the remarkable reduction in the levels of activated RhoA, which must be subjected to isoprenylation (mainly geranyl-geranylation) for activation. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a protease involved in the crosstalk between metabolic pathways and oncogenic signaling. Moreover, among the genes found up or down-regulated upon KLK5 re-expression (i.e. the “KLK5 signature”) were several genes known to be involved in atherosclerosis and other lipid-related metabolic disorders. Overall, KLK5 may represent a nodal interconnection of proteolytic and signaling pathways in cancer but may also participate in pathways associated with metabolic diseases, in support of the emerging concept of common genetic networks governing both cancer and lipid-associated disorders.
Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4125. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4125
Collapse
|
46
|
Chimonidou M, Strati A, Tzitzira A, Sotiropoulou G, Malamos N, Georgoulias V, Lianidou ES. DNA methylation of tumor suppressor and metastasis suppressor genes in circulating tumor cells. Clin Chem 2011; 57:1169-77. [PMID: 21700955 DOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2011.165902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are associated with prognosis in a variety of human cancers and have been proposed as a liquid biopsy for follow-up examinations. We show that tumor suppressor and metastasis suppressor genes are epigenetically silenced in CTCs isolated from peripheral blood of breast cancer patients. METHODS We obtained peripheral blood from 56 patients with operable breast cancer, 27 patients with verified metastasis, and 23 healthy individuals. We tested DNA extracted from the EpCAM-positive immunomagnetically selected CTC fraction for the presence of methylated and unmethylated CST6, BRMS1, and SOX17 promoter sequences by methylation-specific PCR (MSP). All samples were checked for KRT19 (keratin 19, formerly CK-19) expression by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR. RESULTS In CTCs of patients with operable breast cancer, promoter methylation of CST6 was observed in 17.9%, BRMS1 in 32.1%, and SOX17 in 53.6% of patients. In CTCs of patients with verified metastasis, promoter methylation of CST6 was observed in 37.0%, BRMS1 in 44.4%, and SOX17 in 74.1%. In healthy individuals, promoter methylation of CST6 was observed in 4.3%, BRMS1 in 8.7%, and SOX17 in 4.3%. DNA methylation of these genes for both operable and metastatic breast cancer was significantly different from that of the control population. CONCLUSIONS DNA methylation of tumor suppressor and metastasis suppressor genes is a hallmark of CTCs and confirms their heterogeneity. Our findings add a new dimension to the molecular characterization of CTCs and may underlie the acquisition of malignant properties, including their stem-like phenotype.
Collapse
|
47
|
Dimitrakopoulos L, Vorkas P, Sotiropoulou G, Georgoulias V, Lianidou ES. Abstract 81: Development of a methylation-sensitive high resolution melting assay (MS-HRMA) for Cystatin M ( CST6). Cancer Res 2011. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2011-81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: Cystatin M or E/M (encoded by the CST6 gene) is an endogenous inhibitor of lysosomal cysteine proteases that functions to protect cells against uncontrolled proteolysis. CST6 gene is featuring a CpG island within the promoter and first exon, and is frequently methylated in cancer. We have recently shown that detection of CST6 methylation is of prognostic significance in operable breast cancer patients (Kioulafa et al, Int J Cancer, 2009). Methylation-Sensitive High Resolution Melting Analysis (MS-HRMA) enables highly sensitive, labor- and cost-efficient single locus methylation studies on the basis of DNA high-resolution melting technology. The aim of our study was to develop a novel closed-tube MS-HRMA methodology for the investigation of CST6 methylation status that is based on the combination of PCR and high-resolution melting analysis.
Materials and methods: The study material consisted of a total of 117 breast formalin fixed paraffin-embedded tissues (FFPEs): 90 paraffin-embedded breast carcinomas from patients with operable breast cancer, 18 non cancerous breast tissues and 9 fibroadenomas, all obtained from the Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Heraklion Crete. 1μg of extracted DNA was modified with sodium bisulfite, in order to convert all unmethylated, but not methylated-cytosines to uracil. In each sodium bisulfite conversion reaction, dH2O and MCF-7 were included as a negative and positive control, respectively. Our methodology was first optimized and evaluated by using certain mixtures of fully methylated to unmethylated bisulfite converted genomic DNA, as controls. We compared our results with Methylation-Specific PCR (MSP) for the same samples.
Results: The developed methodology can detect the presence of methylation within the studied region, and additionally provides a semi-quantitative estimation of CST6 methylation level in terms of percentage. By using MS-HRMA for CST6 methylation we observed 42/90 (47.7%) of breast cancer FFPEs samples analyzed to be methylated at various methylation levels. In non cancerous tissues CST6 methylation was detected at very low levels in 2/18 (11.1%), while in benign breast tumors (fibroadenomas) CST6 methylation was observed in 1/9 (11.1%). Our results for MS-HRMA when compared to MSP for the same samples show a strong correlation (P<0.001).
Conclusions: The developed MS-HRMA assay for CST6 promoter methylation is highly sensitive, cost-effective, easy-to-perform, and can be used as a screening test prior to DNA sequencing for the exclusion of clearly unmethylated samples. MS-HRMA gives comparable results to MSP in less time, while its main advavantage is the ability to additionally provide an estimation of the level of methylation.
Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 81. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-81
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Vasilis Georgoulias
- 3Dept of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, Univ. of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Chimonidou M, Strati AD, Tzitzira A, Sotiropoulou G, Malamos N, Georgoulias V, Lianidou E. Abstract 86: DNA methylation of tumor suppressor and metastasis suppressor genes in circulating tumor cells. Cancer Res 2011. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2011-86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are associated with prognosis in a variety of human cancers and have been proposed as a liquid biopsy for follow up examinations. We show, that established tumor suppressor and metastasis suppressor genes (CST6, BRMS1, and SOX17) are epigenetically silenced in CTCs isolated from peripheral blood of breast cancer patients.
Methods: Peripheral blood was obtained from 56 patients with operable breast cancer, 27 patients with verified metastasis and 23 healthy individuals. Extraction of genomic DNA was performed in the EpCAM positive immunomagnetically selected CTC fraction of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). DNA samples were subjected to sodium bisulphite conversion and tested for the presence of methylated and unmethylated gene promoter sequences by methylation specific PCR (MSP). All samples were also checked for CK-19 expression by RT-qPCR.
Results: In CTCs of patients with operable breast cancer, CST6 promoter methylation was observed in 17.9%, BRMS1 promoter methylation in 30.4%, and SOX17 promoter methylation in 53.6%. In CTCs of patients with verified metastasis, CST6 promoter methylation was observed in 37.0%, BRMS1 promoter methylation in 44.4%, and SOX17 promoter methylation in 74.1%.
Conclusions: Our results provide the first evidence that DNA methylation of tumor suppressor and metastasis suppressor genes is a hallmark feature of CTCs and confirm their heterogeneity. Our findings add a new dimension on the malignant nature of CTCs and may underlie the acquisition of malignant properties, including their stemlike phenotype. Moreover, these epigenetic markers open new possibilities for the exploitation of CTCs in monitoring cancer metastasis.
Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 86. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-86
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- 2Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Nikos Malamos
- 3Medical Oncology Unit, Elena Venizelou Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Vassilis Georgoulias
- 4Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, Medical School, University of Crete, Crete, Greece
| | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Abstract
The gene family of human kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) encodes proteins with diverse and pleiotropic functions in normal physiology as well as in disease states. Currently, the most widely known KLK is KLK3 or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) that has applications in clinical diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer. The KLK gene family encompasses the largest contiguous cluster of serine proteases in humans which is not interrupted by non-KLK genes. This exceptional and unique characteristic of KLKs makes them ideal for evolutionary studies aiming to infer the direction and timing of gene duplication events. Previous studies on the evolution of KLKs were restricted to mammals and the emergence of KLKs was suggested about 150 million years ago (mya). In order to elucidate the evolutionary history of KLKs, we performed comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of KLK homologous proteins in multiple genomes including those that have been completed recently. Interestingly, we were able to identify novel reptilian, avian and amphibian KLK members which allowed us to trace the emergence of KLKs 330 mya. We suggest that a series of duplication and mutation events gave rise to the KLK gene family. The prominent feature of the KLK family is that it consists of tandemly and uninterruptedly arrayed genes in all species under investigation. The chromosomal co-localization in a single cluster distinguishes KLKs from trypsin and other trypsin-like proteases which are spread in different genetic loci. All the defining features of the KLKs were further found to be conserved in the novel KLK protein sequences. The study of this unique family will further assist in selecting new model organisms for functional studies of proteolytic pathways involving KLKs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Athanasia Pavlopoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | | | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Abstract
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) provide unique information for the management of cancer patients. The 7th International Symposium on Minimal Residual Cancer has focused on state of the art research, including exciting advances in understanding the biology of metastasis, CTCs and tumor dormancy. Particular emphasis was placed on the relationship of CTCs to cancer stem cells (CSCs) and the relevance of most recent findings for the development of new targeted therapies. CTCs were evaluated as promising tumor biomarkers and the design and results of the first clinical trials to determine their clinical utility were discussed together with state of the art technology platforms for CTC imaging, detection, quantification and molecular characterization. A liquid biopsy approach that can be used for prognostic and predictive purposes was proposed for the analysis of CTCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evi S Lianidou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, 15771 Athens, Greece.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|