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Veiga RN, de Azevedo ALK, de Oliveira JC, Gradia DF. Targeting EphA2: a promising strategy to overcome chemoresistance and drug resistance in cancer. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024; 102:479-493. [PMID: 38393661 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-024-02431-x] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular A2 (EphA2) is a vital member of the Eph tyrosine kinase receptor family and has been associated with developmental processes. However, it is often overexpressed in tumors and correlates with cancer progression and worse prognosis due to the activation of its noncanonical signaling pathway. Throughout cancer treatment, the emergence of drug-resistant tumor cells is relatively common. Since the early 2000s, researchers have focused on understanding the role of EphA2 in promoting drug resistance in different types of cancer, as well as finding efficient and secure EphA2 inhibitors. In this review, the current knowledge regarding induced resistance by EphA2 in cancer treatment is summarized, and the types of cancer that lead to the most cancer-related deaths are highlighted. Some EphA2 inhibitors were also investigated. Regardless of whether the cancer treatment has reached a drug-resistance stage in EphA2-overexpressing tumors, once EphA2 is involved in cancer progression and aggressiveness, targeting EphA2 is a promising therapeutic strategy, especially in combination with other target-drugs for synergistic effect. For that reason, monoclonal antibodies against EphA2 and inhibitors of this receptor should be investigated for efficacy and drug toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Nasser Veiga
- Laboratory of Human Cytogenetics and Oncogenetics, Postgraduate Program in Genetics. Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal Do Paraná, Rua Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos, 100, Jardim das AméricasCuritiba, CEP, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Luiz Korte de Azevedo
- Laboratory of Human Cytogenetics and Oncogenetics, Postgraduate Program in Genetics. Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal Do Paraná, Rua Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos, 100, Jardim das AméricasCuritiba, CEP, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline Carvalho de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Human Cytogenetics and Oncogenetics, Postgraduate Program in Genetics. Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal Do Paraná, Rua Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos, 100, Jardim das AméricasCuritiba, CEP, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Daniela Fiori Gradia
- Laboratory of Human Cytogenetics and Oncogenetics, Postgraduate Program in Genetics. Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal Do Paraná, Rua Coronel Francisco Heráclito Dos Santos, 100, Jardim das AméricasCuritiba, CEP, 81531-980, Brazil.
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2
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Kashyap D, Salman H. Targeting Interleukin-13 Receptor α2 and EphA2 in Aggressive Breast Cancer Subtypes with Special References to Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3780. [PMID: 38612592 PMCID: PMC11011362 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073780] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BCA) remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. This review delves into the therapeutic challenges of BCA, emphasizing the roles of interleukin-13 receptor α2 (IL-13Rα2) and erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor A2 (EphA2) in tumor progression and resistance. Highlighting their overexpression in BCA, particularly in aggressive subtypes, such as Her-2-enriched and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), we discuss the potential of these receptors as targets for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies. We examine the structural and functional roles of IL-13Rα2 and EphA2, their pathological significance in BCA, and the promising therapeutic avenues their targeting presents. With an in-depth analysis of current immunotherapeutic strategies, including the limitations of existing treatments and the potential of dual antigen-targeting CAR T-cell therapies, this review aims to summarize potential future novel, more effective therapeutic interventions for BCA. Through a thorough examination of preclinical and clinical studies, it underlines the urgent need for targeted therapies in combating the high mortality rates associated with Her-2-enriched and TNBC subtypes and discusses the potential role of IL-13Rα2 and EphA2 as promising candidates for the development of CAR T-cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Huda Salman
- Brown Center for Immunotherapy, Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
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Wang Z, He Z, Wan J, Chen A, Cheng P, Zhu W. EphA2-specific microvesicles derived from tumor cells facilitate the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs for osteosarcoma therapy. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:89. [PMID: 38433190 PMCID: PMC10909271 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02372-0] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in surgery and chemotherapy, the survival of patients with osteosarcoma (OS) has not been fundamentally improved over the last two decades. Microvesicles (MVs) have a high cargo-loading capacity and are emerging as a promising drug delivery nanoplatform. The aim of this study was to develop MVs as specifically designed vehicles to enable OS-specific targeting and efficient treatment of OS. Herein, we designed and constructed a nanoplatform (YSA-SPION-MV/MTX) consisting of methotrexate (MTX)-loaded MVs coated with surface-carboxyl Fe3O4 superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPIONs) conjugated with ephrin alpha 2 (EphA2)-targeted peptides (YSAYPDSVPMMS, YSA). YSA-SPION-MV/MTX showed an effective targeting effect on OS cells, which was depended on the binding of the YSA peptide to EphA2. In the orthotopic OS mouse model, YSA-SPION-MV/MTX effectively delivered drugs to tumor sites with specific targeting, resulting in superior anti-tumor activity compared to MTX or MV/MTX. And YSA-SPION-MV/MTX also reduced the side effects of high-dose MTX. Taken together, this strategy opens up a new avenue for OS therapy. And we expect this MV-based therapy to serve as a promising platform for the next generation of precision cancer nanomedicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenggang Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zhiyi He
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Junlai Wan
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Division of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Anmin Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Peng Cheng
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Wentao Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Vincenzi M, Mercurio FA, Autiero I, Leone M. Cancer-Related Mutations in the Sam Domains of EphA2 Receptor and Ship2 Lipid Phosphatase: A Computational Study. Molecules 2024; 29:1024. [PMID: 38474536 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29051024] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The lipid phosphatase Ship2 interacts with the EphA2 receptor by forming a heterotypic Sam (sterile alpha motif)-Sam complex. Ship2 works as a negative regulator of receptor endocytosis and consequent degradation, and anti-oncogenic effects in cancer cells should be induced by hindering its association with EphA2. Herein, a computational approach is presented to investigate the relationship between Ship2-Sam/EphA2-Sam interaction and cancer onset and further progression. A search was first conducted through the COSMIC (Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer) database to identify cancer-related missense mutations positioned inside or close to the EphA2-Sam and Ship2-Sam reciprocal binding interfaces. Next, potential differences in the chemical-physical properties of mutant and wild-type Sam domains were evaluated by bioinformatics tools based on analyses of primary sequences. Three-dimensional (3D) structural models of mutated EphA2-Sam and Ship2-Sam domains were built as well and deeply analysed with diverse computational instruments, including molecular dynamics, to classify potentially stabilizing and destabilizing mutations. In the end, the influence of mutations on the EphA2-Sam/Ship2-Sam interaction was studied through docking techniques. This in silico approach contributes to understanding, at the molecular level, the mutation/cancer relationship by predicting if amino acid substitutions could modulate EphA2 receptor endocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Vincenzi
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Flavia Anna Mercurio
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Ida Autiero
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Nehal M, Khatoon J, Akhtar S, Khan MKA. Exploring the potential of EphA2 receptor signaling pathway: a comprehensive review in cancer treatment. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:337. [PMID: 38393520 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09298-8] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
The protein encoded by the ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) gene is a member of the ephrin receptor subfamily of the receptor tyrosine kinase family (RTKs). Eph receptors play a significant role in various biological processes, particularly cancer progression, development, and pathogenesis. They have been observed to regulate cancer cell growth, migration, invasion, tumor development, invasiveness, angiogenesis, and metastasis. To target EphA2 activity, various molecular, genetic, biochemical, and pharmacological strategies have been extensively tested in laboratory cultures and animal models. Notably, drugs, such as dasatinib, initially designed to target the kinase family, have demonstrated an additional capability to target EphA2 activity. Additionally, a novel monoclonal antibody named EA5 has emerged as a promising option to counteract the effects of EphA2 overexpression and restore tamoxifen sensitivity in EphA2-transfected MCF-7 cells during in vitro experiments. This antibody mimicked the binding of Ephrin A to EphA2. These methods offer potential avenues for inhibiting EphA2 activity, which could significantly decelerate breast cancer progression and restore sensitivity to certain drugs. This review article comprehensively covers EphA2's involvement in multiple malignancies, including ovarian, colorectal, breast, lung, glioma, and melanoma. Furthermore, we discuss the structure of EphA2, the Eph-Ephrin signaling pathway, various EphA2 inhibitors, and the mechanisms of EphA2 degradation. This article provides an extensive overview of EphA2's vital role in different types of cancers and outlines potential therapeutic approaches to target EphA2, shedding light on the underlying molecular mechanisms that make it an attractive target for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Nehal
- Department of Biosciences, Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226026, India
| | - Jahanarah Khatoon
- Department of Biosciences, Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226026, India
| | - Salman Akhtar
- Department of Bioengineering, Integral University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226026, India
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Wang L, Zhang H, Huang W, Han Z, Xu H, Gu Y. Development of a novel EphA2-targeting radioligand for SPECT imaging in different tumor models. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 265:116105. [PMID: 38154255 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116105] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
The erythropoietin-producing hepatoma A2 receptor (EphA2) is a tyrosine kinase, which is overexpressed in tumors while having lower expression in normal tissues, making it an excellent target for tumor diagnosis and treatment. Peptide radiotracers offer unique advantages in tumor diagnosis and therapy and have been approved for clinical use. In this study, a high-affinity EPHA2-targeted radiotracer, 99mTc-HYNIC-PEG4-EPH-3, was developed and designed based on linear peptides. 99mTc-HYNIC-PEG4-EPH-3 exhibited superior water solubility and stability. And 99mTc-HYNIC-PEG4-EPH-3 could specifically target EphA2-expressing tumors, particularly with a tumor-to-non-target (T/NT) ratio >4.7 excluding kidneys. As a result of excellent biodistribution and tumor targeting capability of 99mTc-HYNIC-PEG4-EPH-3, it might be a promising candidate drug for clinical diagnosis of EphA2-overexpressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Gulou District, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Gulou District, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Wenjing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Gulou District, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Zhihao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Gulou District, Nanjing, 211198, China.
| | - Haoran Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Gulou District, Nanjing, 211198, China.
| | - Yueqing Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Gulou District, Nanjing, 211198, China.
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Ren Y, Ju Q, Zhang J, Gu W, Du J. MiR-302a-3p reduces cisplatin resistance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by targeting EphA2. J Chemother 2024; 36:72-81. [PMID: 37198946 DOI: 10.1080/1120009x.2023.2213490] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Platinum-based chemotherapy is a common clinical treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and chemoresistance is a major leading reason for cancer treatment failure. MiR-302a-3p is involved in the development of many diseases. Here, we investigated the role of miR-302a-3p in the cisplatin resistance of ESCC cells and explored its potential mechanism via molecular techniques. The expression of miR-302a-3p was significantly reduced, while the expressions of EphA2 were increased in ESCC tumor tissues and cells. EphA2 was one target gene of miR-302a-3p, and was negatively regulated by miR-302a-3p. By regulating EphA2, miR-302a-3p reduced the viability and promoted the apoptosis of ECA109 cells treated with cisplatin, suggesting that miR-302a-3p could enhance the sensitivity of ECA109 cells to cisplatin treatment by targeting EphA2. MiR-302a-3p plays an important role in reducing cisplatin resistance by inhibiting EphA2, suggesting that it may be a promising therapeutic strategy for cisplatin resistance in ESCC in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Ren
- Department of Pharmacy, Nantong Health College of Jiangsu Province, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qianqian Ju
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinlin Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Gu
- Department of Pharmacy, Nantong Health College of Jiangsu Province, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin Du
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Joseph R, Dasari SK, Umamaheswaran S, Mangala LS, Bayraktar E, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, Wu Y, Nguyen N, Powell RT, Sobieski M, Liu Y, Kim MS, Corvigno S, Foster K, Hanjra P, Vu TC, Chowdhury MA, Amero P, Stephan C, Lopez-Berestein G, Westin SN, Sood AK. EphA2- and HDAC-Targeted Combination Therapy in Endometrial Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1278. [PMID: 38279277 PMCID: PMC10816153 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021278] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer is the most frequent malignant tumor of the female reproductive tract but lacks effective therapy. EphA2, a receptor tyrosine kinase, is overexpressed by various cancers including endometrial cancer and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. In preclinical models, EphA2-targeted drugs had modest efficacy. To discover potential synergistic partners for EphA2-targeted drugs, we performed a high-throughput drug screen and identified panobinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, as a candidate. We hypothesized that combination therapy with an EphA2 inhibitor and panobinostat leads to synergistic cell death. Indeed, we found that the combination enhanced DNA damage, increased apoptosis, and decreased clonogenic survival in Ishikawa and Hec1A endometrial cancer cells and significantly reduced tumor burden in mouse models of endometrial carcinoma. Upon RNA sequencing, the combination was associated with downregulation of cell survival pathways, including senescence, cyclins, and cell cycle regulators. The Axl-PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway was also decreased by combination therapy. Together, our results highlight EphA2 and histone deacetylase as promising therapeutic targets for endometrial cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robiya Joseph
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Santosh K. Dasari
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Sujanitha Umamaheswaran
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
- UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lingegowda S. Mangala
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Emine Bayraktar
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Cristian Rodriguez-Aguayo
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (C.R.-A.); (P.A.); (G.L.-B.)
| | - Yutuan Wu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Nghi Nguyen
- High-Throughput Research and Screening Center, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (N.N.); (R.T.P.); (M.S.); (C.S.)
| | - Reid T. Powell
- High-Throughput Research and Screening Center, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (N.N.); (R.T.P.); (M.S.); (C.S.)
| | - Mary Sobieski
- High-Throughput Research and Screening Center, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (N.N.); (R.T.P.); (M.S.); (C.S.)
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Mark Seungwook Kim
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Sara Corvigno
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Katherine Foster
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Pahul Hanjra
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
- UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Thanh Chung Vu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Mamur A. Chowdhury
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Paola Amero
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (C.R.-A.); (P.A.); (G.L.-B.)
| | - Clifford Stephan
- High-Throughput Research and Screening Center, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (N.N.); (R.T.P.); (M.S.); (C.S.)
| | - Gabriel Lopez-Berestein
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (C.R.-A.); (P.A.); (G.L.-B.)
| | - Shannon N. Westin
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Anil K. Sood
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (R.J.); (S.K.D.); (S.U.); (L.S.M.); (E.B.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.); (M.S.K.); (S.C.); (K.F.); (P.H.); (T.C.V.); (M.A.C.); (S.N.W.)
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9
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Chang FL, Lee CC, Tsai KC, Lin TY, Chiang CW, Pan SL, Lee YC. An auristatin-based antibody-drug conjugate targeting EphA2 in pancreatic cancer treatment. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 688:149214. [PMID: 37951154 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149214] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma, a highly aggressive form of cancer with a poor prognosis, necessitates the development of innovative treatment strategies. Our prior research showcased the growth-inhibiting effects of the anti-EphA2 antibody drug hSD5 on pancreatic cancer tumors. This antibody targets and induces the degradation of the EphA2 receptor while also prompting the antibody's internalization. A deeper dive into the hSD5 Fab crystallographic structure and docking studies revealed that hSD5's CDRH3 drives the primary interaction between hSD5 and the EphA2 active site. In this study, we developed a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)-the auristatin-based hSD5-vedotin specifically targeting EphA2 in pancreatic cancer cells. This ADC aims at the tumor-specific antigen EphA2, triggering endocytosis and releasing the conjugated payload molecule Monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), amplifying the tumor-killing effect. Upon cellular entry, hSD5-vedotin demonstrated an impressive tumor-killing response, inhibiting tumor cell growth and promoting apoptosis even at lower antibody concentrations. In a pancreatic cancer xenograft animal model, hSD5-vedotin showcased the potential to suppress tumor growth entirely. Notably, potential immune resistance responses were also observed in recurrent pancreatic cancer tumors. Our empirical results underscore the possibility of developing hSD5-vedotin further, which we anticipate will have a broader and more potent therapeutic impact on pancreatic cancer and other EphA2-related cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Ling Chang
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chung Lee
- The Ph.D. Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Keng-Chang Tsai
- National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program in Medical Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsai-Yu Lin
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Wei Chiang
- Ph.D. Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shiow-Lin Pan
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan.
| | - Yu-Ching Lee
- Ph.D. Program in Medical Biotechnology, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program for Cancer Molecular Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Ph.D. Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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10
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Lanser DM, Bennett AB, Vu K, Gelli A. Macropinocytosis as a potential mechanism driving neurotropism of Cryptococcus neoformans. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1331429. [PMID: 38149006 PMCID: PMC10750359 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1331429] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcus neoformans can invade the central nervous system by crossing the blood-brain barrier via a transcellular mechanism that relies on multiple host factors. In this narrative, we review the evidence that a direct interplay between C. neoformans and brain endothelial cells forms the basis for invasion and transmigration across the brain endothelium. Adherence and internalization of C. neoformans is dependent on transmembrane proteins, including a hyaluronic acid receptor and an ephrin receptor tyrosine kinase. We consider the role of EphA2 in facilitating the invasion of the central nervous system by C. neoformans and highlight experimental evidence supporting macropinocytosis as a potential mechanism of internalization and transcytosis. How macropinocytosis might be conclusively demonstrated in the context of C. neoformans is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Angie Gelli
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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11
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Murakoshi M, Kamei N, Suzuki Y, Kubota M, Sanuki M, Tashiro H, Iwasawa T, Kato K, Tanaka M, Furuhashi M, Gohda T. Circulating tumor necrosis factor-related biomarkers predict kidney function decline in Japanese patients with diabetes: An observational cohort study. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2023; 206:111017. [PMID: 37972856 DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2023.111017] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors (TNFRs: TNFR1 and, TNFR2) are reportedly associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression chiefly in Caucasian patients with diabetes. We assessed the prognostic value of TNF-related biomarkers for CKD progression in Japanese patients with diabetes. METHODS We estimated TNF-related biomarkers using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 640 patients with diabetes. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) per one standard deviation (SD) increase in a log-transformed biomarker. The kidney and the composite outcome were defined as a 30% reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from baseline, and kidney outcome plus death before kidney outcome, respectively. RESULTS During the median follow-up of 5.4 years, 75 (11.7%) patients reached the kidney outcome and 37 (5.8%) died before reaching the kidney outcome. Each SD increase in baseline circulating TNFR1, TNFR2, and ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) was associated with a higher risk of the kidney outcome independently from baseline eGFR and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. However, circulating osteoprotegerin was associated with the composite outcome only. CONCLUSIONS Elevated TNFR1, TNFR2, and EphA2 were associated with both kidney and composite outcomes in Japanese patients with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maki Murakoshi
- Department of Nephrology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nozomu Kamei
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital & Atomic-bomb Survivors Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan; Institute for Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization, Kure Medical Center and Chugoku Cancer Center, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yusuke Suzuki
- Department of Nephrology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsunobu Kubota
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, National Hospital Organization, Kure Medical Center and Chugoku Cancer Center, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Michiyoshi Sanuki
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization, Kure Medical Center and Chugoku Cancer Center, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Tashiro
- Department of Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Kure Medical Center and Chugoku Cancer Center, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takumi Iwasawa
- Institute of Life Innovation Studies, Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazunori Kato
- Institute of Life Innovation Studies, Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Marenao Tanaka
- Department of Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masato Furuhashi
- Department of Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tomohito Gohda
- Department of Nephrology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
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12
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Li Y, Peng Q, Wang L. EphA2 as a phase separation protein associated with ferroptosis and immune cell infiltration in colorectal cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:12952-12965. [PMID: 37980165 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205212] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the digestive system, and its high incidence and metastasis rate make it a terrible killer that threatens human health. In-depth exploration of the targets affecting the progression of colorectal cancer cells and the development of specific targeted drugs for them are of great significance for the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients. Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular A2 (EphA2) is a member of the Eph subfamily with tyrosine kinase activity, plays a key role in the regulation of signaling pathways related to the malignant phenotype of various tumor cells, but its specific regulatory mechanism in colorectal cancer needs to be further clarified. Here, we found that EphA2 was abnormally highly expressed in colorectal cancer and that patients with colorectal cancer with high EphA2 expression had a worse prognosis. We also found that EphA2 can form liquid-liquid phase separation condensates on cell membrane, which can be disrupted by ALW-II-41-27, an inhibitor of EphA2. In addition, we found that EphA2 expression in colorectal cancer was positively correlated with the expression of ferroptosis-related genes and the infiltration of multiple immune cells. These findings suggest that EphA2 is a novel membrane protein with phase separation ability and is associated with ferroptosis and immune cell infiltration, which further suggests that malignant progression of colorectal cancer may be inhibited by suppressing the phase separation ability of EphA2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanling Li
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Qiu Peng
- Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Lujuan Wang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Tumor Models and Individualized Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
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13
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Hasegawa N, Hongo M, Okada M, Kuga T, Abe Y, Adachi J, Tomonaga T, Yamaguchi N, Nakayama Y. Phosphotyrosine proteomics in cells synchronized at monopolar cytokinesis reveals EphA2 as functioning in cytokinesis. Exp Cell Res 2023; 432:113783. [PMID: 37726045 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2023.113783] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Cytokinesis is the final step of the cell division in which cellular components are separated into two daughter cells. This process is regulated through the phosphorylation of different classes of proteins by serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) kinases such as Aurora B and Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1). Conversely, the role of phosphorylation at tyrosine residues during cytokinesis has not been studied in detail yet. In this study, we performed a phosphotyrosine proteomic analysis of cells undergoing monopolar cytokinesis synchronized by using the Eg5 inhibitor (+)-S-trityl-l-cysteine (STLC) and the CDK1 inhibitor RO-3306. Phosphotyrosine proteomics gave 362 tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides. Western blot analysis of proteins revealed tyrosine phosphorylation in mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 (MAPK14), vimentin, ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2), and myelin protein zero-like protein 1 (MPZL1) during monopolar cytokinesis. Additionally, we demonstrated that EphA2, a protein with unknown function during cytokinesis, is involved in cytokinesis. EphA2 knockdown accelerated epithelial cell transforming 2 (Ect2) knockdown-induced multinucleation, suggesting that EphA2 plays a role in cytokinesis in a particular situation. The list also included many proteins previously reported to play roles during cytokinesis. These results evidence that the identified phosphopeptides facilitate the identification of novel tyrosine phosphorylation signaling involved in regulating cytokinesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanami Hasegawa
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Mayue Hongo
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Misaki Okada
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan
| | - Takahisa Kuga
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan; Laboratory of Analytics for Biomolecules, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Setsunan University, Osaka 573-0101, Japan
| | - Yuichi Abe
- Laboratory of Proteomics for Drug Discovery, Center for Drug Design Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka 567-0085, Japan; Division of Molecular Diagnostics, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya 464-8681, Japan
| | - Jun Adachi
- Laboratory of Proteomics for Drug Discovery, Center for Drug Design Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Takeshi Tomonaga
- Laboratory of Proteomics for Drug Discovery, Center for Drug Design Research, National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka 567-0085, Japan; Proteobiologics Co., Ltd., Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Naoto Yamaguchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8675, Japan
| | - Yuji Nakayama
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto 607-8414, Japan.
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14
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Vincenzi M, Mercurio FA, Leone M. EPHA2 Receptor as a Possible Therapeutic Target in Viral Infections. Curr Med Chem 2023; 31:CMC-EPUB-135127. [PMID: 37828671 DOI: 10.2174/0109298673256638231003111234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 plays a role in many diseases, like cancer, cataracts, and osteoporosis. Interestingly, it has also been linked to viral infections. OBJECTIVE Herein, current literature has been reviewed to clarify EphA2 functions in viral infections and explore its potential role as a target in antiviral drug discovery strategies. METHODS Research and review articles and preprints connecting EphA2 to different viruses have been searched through PubMed and the web. Structures of complexes between EphA2 domains and viral proteins have been retrieved from the PDB database. RESULTS EphA2 assumes a key role in Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) and Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infections by directly binding, through its ligand binding domain, viral glycoproteins. For human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), the role of EphA2 in maintaining virus latency state, through cooperation with specific viral proteins, has also been speculated. In certain cells, with high EphA2 expression levels, following ligand stimulation, receptor activation might contribute to severe symptoms accompanying a few viral infections, including lung injuries often related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). CONCLUSION Since EphA2 works as a host receptor for certain viruses, it might be worth more deeply investigating known compounds targeting its extracellular ligand binding domain as antiviral therapeutics. Due to EphA2's function in inflammation, its possible correlation with SARS-CoV-2 cannot be excluded, but more experimental studies are needed in this case to undoubtedly attribute the role of this receptor in viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Vincenzi
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IBB), Naples, Italy
| | - Flavia Anna Mercurio
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IBB), Naples, Italy
| | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IBB), Naples, Italy
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15
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Zhao W, Chen S, Lu B, Wu D, Gu Y, Hao S, Sheng F, Xu Y, Han Y, Chen R, Zhou L, Fu Q, Yao K. Upregulation of EphA2 is associated with apoptosis in response to H 2O 2 and UV radiation-induced cataracts. Arch Biochem Biophys 2023; 747:109756. [PMID: 37714253 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2023.109756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we examine the role of erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor A2 (EphA2) in the apoptosis of lens epithelial cells (LECs) in H2O2 and UV radiation-induced cataracts. We treated SRA01/04 cells with H2O2 or ultraviolet (UV) radiation to create a cataract cell model. We constructed a cataract lens model by exposing mice to UV radiation. We used CCK8 assays, Annexin V-FITC analysis, and immunohistochemical staining to explore proliferation and apoptosis of the cataract model. Thereafter, we used quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis, Western blot assays, and immunofluorescence to determine gene and protein expression levels. We also employed Crispr/Cas9 gene editing to create an EphA2 knockout in SRA01/04 cells. Results: H2O2 or UV radiation induced SRA01/04 cells showed EphA2 gene upregulation. CCK8 and apoptosis assays showed that EphA2 over-expression (OE) reduced epithelial cell apoptosis, but knockout of EphA2 induced it in response to H2O2 and UV radiation, respectively. Mutation of the EphA2 protein kinase domain (c.2003G > A, p. G668D) had a limited effect on cell apoptosis. In vivo, the EphA2 protein level increased in the lenses of UV-treated mice. Our results showed that EphA2 was upregulated in SRA01/04 cells in response to H2O2 and UV radiation. Mutation of the EphA2 protein kinase domain (c.2003G > A, p. G668D) had a limited effect on H2O2 and UV radiation-induced cell apoptosis. We confirmed this change with an experiment on UV-treated mice. The present study established a novel association between EphA2 and LEC apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhao
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shuying Chen
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Bing Lu
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Di Wu
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuzhou Gu
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shengjie Hao
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Feiyin Sheng
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yili Xu
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yu Han
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Rongrong Chen
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- School of Optometry, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, Research Centre for SHARP Vision (RCSV), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China; Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR), 17W Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Qiuli Fu
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Ke Yao
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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16
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Shi D, Liu W, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Luo B. MiR-BART1-3p and BART18-5p inhibit cell migration, proliferation and activate autophagy in Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric cancer by targeting erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular 2. Virus Genes 2023; 59:703-715. [PMID: 37535140 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-023-02023-w] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human tumor-associated virus that encodes various microRNAs. EBV infection causes a variety of malignant tumors, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma and gastric cancer, etc. EBV-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC) has unique molecular characteristics from other gastric cancers, but its pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. In recent years, erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular 2 (EphA2) has been reported to be highly expressed in various cancers and promote tumor growth and metastasis. As an important cancer oncogene, EphA2 is a potential therapeutic target. However, whether EBV is involved in the regulation of EphA2 and thus affects the progression of EBVaGC remains unclear. In this study, we found that the expression of EphA2 in EBVaGC cells was significantly lower than that in EBV-negative gastric cancer (EBVnGC) cells. Additionally, overexpression of EphA2 in EBVaGC cells promoted migration and proliferation, and inhibited autophagy. EBV-miR-BART1-3p and BART18-5p were found to target the 3'-UTR of EphA2 and down-regulate its expression. Our results suggest that EBV may be involved in gastric cancer progression by targeting EphA2 through BART1-3p and BART18-5p.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo Shi
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266021, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Liu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266021, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266021, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266021, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zibo Central Hospital, ZiBo, 255036, China.
| | - Bing Luo
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Road, Qingdao, 266021, People's Republic of China.
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Nwazojie CC, Obayemi JD, Salifu AA, Borbor-Sawyer SM, Uzonwanne VO, Onyekanne CE, Akpan UM, Onwudiwe KC, Oparah JC, Odusanya OS, Soboyejo WO. Targeted drug-loaded PLGA-PCL microspheres for specific and localized treatment of triple negative breast cancer. J Mater Sci Mater Med 2023; 34:41. [PMID: 37530973 PMCID: PMC10397127 DOI: 10.1007/s10856-023-06738-y] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
The paper presents the results of the experimental and analytical study of targeted drug-loaded polymer-based microspheres made from blend polymer of polylactic-co-glycolic acid and polycaprolactone (PLGA-PCL) for targeted and localized cancer drug delivery. In vitro sustained release with detailed thermodynamically driven drug release kinetics, over a period of three months using encapsulated targeted drugs (prodigiosin-EphA2 or paclitaxel-EphA2) and control drugs [Prodigiosin (PGS), and paclitaxel (PTX)] were studied. Results from in vitro study showed a sustained and localized drug release that is well-characterized by non-Fickian Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetics model over the range of temperatures of 37 °C (body temperature), 41 °C, and 44 °C (hyperthermic temperatures). The in vitro alamar blue, and flow cytometry assays in the presence of the different drug-loaded polymer formulations resulted to cell death and cytotoxicity that was evidence through cell inhibition and late apoptosis on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells (MDA-MB 231). In vivo studies carried out on groups of 4-week-old athymic nude mice that were induced with subcutaneous TNBC, showed that the localized release of the EphA2-conjugated drugs was effective in complete elimination of residual tumor after local surgical resection. Finally, ex vivo histopathological analysis carried out on the euthanized mice revealed no cytotoxicity and absence of breast cancer metastases in the liver, kidney, and lungs 12 weeks after treatment. The implications of the results are then discussed for the development of encapsulated EphA2-conjugated drugs formulation in the specific targeting, localized, and sustain drug release for the elimination of local recurred TNBC tumors after surgical resection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chukwudalu C Nwazojie
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Km 10 Airport Road, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - John D Obayemi
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Ali A Salifu
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Department of Engineering, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, USA
| | - Sandra M Borbor-Sawyer
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Km 10 Airport Road, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
- Department of Biology, State University of New York, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, USA
| | - Vanessa O Uzonwanne
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
- Department of Engineering, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, USA
| | - Chinyerem E Onyekanne
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Km 10 Airport Road, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Udom M Akpan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Km 10 Airport Road, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Killian C Onwudiwe
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Km 10 Airport Road, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Josephine C Oparah
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Km 10 Airport Road, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Olushola S Odusanya
- Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Winston O Soboyejo
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology, Km 10 Airport Road, Abuja, Nigeria.
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
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18
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Xia L, Liu X, Mao W, Guo Y, Huang J, Hu Y, Jin L, Liu X, Fu H, Du Y, Shou Q. Panax notoginseng saponins normalises tumour blood vessels by inhibiting EphA2 gene expression to modulate the tumour microenvironment of breast cancer. Phytomedicine 2023; 114:154787. [PMID: 37060724 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154787] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS), the main active component of Panax notoginseng, can promote vascular microcirculation. PNS exhibits antitumor effects in various cancers. However, the molecular basis of the relationship between PNS and tumor blood vessels remains unclear. PURPOSE To study the relationship between PNS inhibiting the growth and metastasis of breast cancer and promoting the normalization of blood vessels. METHODS We performed laser speckle imaging of tumor microvessels and observed the effects of PNS on tumor growth and metastasis of MMTV-PyMT (FVB) spontaneous breast cancer in a transgenic mouse model. Immunohistochemical staining of Ki67 and CD31 was performed for tumors, scanning electron microscopy was used to observe tumor vascular morphology, and flow cytometry was used to detect tumor tissue immune microenvironment (TME). RNA-seq analysis was performed using the main vessels of the tumor tissues of the mice. HUVECs were cultured in tumor supernatant in vitro to simulate tumor microenvironment and verify the sequencing differential key genes. RESULTS After treatment with PNS, we observed that tumor growth was suppressed, the blood perfusion of the systemic tumor microvessels in the mice increased, and the number of lung metastases decreased. Moreover, the vascular density of the primary tumor increased, and the vascular epidermis was smoother and flatter. Moreover, the number of tumor-associated macrophages in the tumor microenvironment was reduced, and the expression levels of IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α were reduced in the tumor tissues. PNS downregulated the expression of multiple genes associated with tumor angiogenesis, migration, and adhesion. In vitro tubule formation experiments revealed that PNS promoted the formation and connection of tumor blood vessels and normalized the vessel morphology primarily by inhibiting EphA2 expression. In addition, PNS inhibited the expression of tumor vascular marker proteins and vascular migration adhesion-related proteins in vivo. CONCLUSION In this study, we found that PNS promoted the generation and connection of tumor vascular endothelial cells, revealing the key role of EphA2 in endothelial cell adhesion and tumor blood vessel morphology. PNS can inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer by inhibiting EphA2, improving the immune microenvironment of breast cancer and promoting the normalization of tumor blood vessels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linying Xia
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; Jinghua Academy of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Jinghua 321015, PR China
| | - XianLi Liu
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; Jinghua Academy of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Jinghua 321015, PR China
| | - Weiye Mao
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; Jinghua Academy of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Jinghua 321015, PR China
| | - Yingxue Guo
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China
| | - Jie Huang
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China
| | - Yingnan Hu
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China
| | - Lu Jin
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Sexual function of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Hangzhou 310053, PR China
| | - Xia Liu
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Sexual function of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Hangzhou 310053, PR China
| | - Huiying Fu
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Sexual function of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; Jinghua Academy of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Jinghua 321015, PR China.
| | - Yueguang Du
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China.
| | - Qiyang Shou
- The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Sexual function of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, PR China; Jinghua Academy of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Jinghua 321015, PR China.
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19
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Zhou Y, Oki R, Tanaka A, Song L, Takashima A, Hamada N, Yokoyama S, Yano S, Sakurai H. Cellular stress induces non-canonical activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 through the p38-MK2-RSK signaling pathway. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104699. [PMID: 37059179 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 is overexpressed in malignant tumors. We previously reported that non-canonical EphA2 phosphorylation at Ser-897 was catalyzed by p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) via the MEK-ERK pathway in ligand- and tyrosine kinase-independent manners. Non-canonical EphA2 activation plays a key role in tumor progression; however, its activation mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we focused on cellular stress signaling as a novel inducer of non-canonical EphA2 activation. p38, instead of ERK in the case of epidermal growth factor signaling, activated RSK-EphA2 under cellular stress conditions, including anisomycin, cisplatin and high osmotic stress. Notably, p38 activated the RSK-EphA2 axis via downstream MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2). Furthermore, MK2 directly phosphorylated both RSK1 Ser-380 and RSK2 Ser-386, critical residues for the activation of their N-terminal kinases, which is consistent with the result showing that the C-terminal kinase domain of RSK1 was dispensable for MK2-mediated EphA2 phosphorylation. Moreover, the p38-MK2-RSK-EphA2 axis promoted glioblastoma cell migration induced by temozolomide, a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of glioblastoma patients. Collectively, the present results reveal a novel molecular mechanism for non-canonical EphA2 activation under stress conditions in the tumor microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhou
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Ryota Oki
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Akihiro Tanaka
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Leixin Song
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Atsushi Takashima
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Naru Hamada
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Satoru Yokoyama
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Seiji Yano
- Division of Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Takara-Machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0934, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Sakurai
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama; Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
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20
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Liang S, Wang Q, Wen Y, Wang Y, Li M, Wang Q, Peng J, Guo L. Ligand-independent EphA2 contributes to chemoresistance in small-cell lung cancer by enhancing PRMT1-mediated SOX2 methylation. Cancer Sci 2023; 114:921-936. [PMID: 36377249 PMCID: PMC9986087 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemoresistance is the crux of clinical treatment failure of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Cancer stem cells play a critical role in therapeutic resistance of malignant tumors. Studies have shown that the role of erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular A2 (EphA2) in tumors is complex. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that ligand-independent activation of EphA2 modulates chemoresistance by enhancing stemness in SCLC. We verified that EphA2 was activated in chemoresistance sublines in a ligand-independent manner rather than a ligand-dependent manner. Ligand-independent EphA2 enhanced the expression of stemness-associated biomarkers (CD44, Myc, and SOX2), accelerated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and reinforced self-renewal to drive the chemoresistance of SCLC, while the P817H mutant EphA2 neutralized intrinsic function. Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and GST-pull down experiments were conducted to verify that EphA2 directly interacted with PRMT1. Moreover, EphA2 increased the expression and activity of PRMT1. Whereafter, PRMT1 interacted with and methylated SOX2 to induce stemness and chemoresistance in SCLC. Pharmacological inhibition of EphA2 showed a synergistic anti-tumor effect with chemotherapy in preclinical models, including patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. These findings highlight, for the first time, that the EphA2/PRMT1/SOX2 pathway induces chemoresistance in SCLC by promoting stemness. EphA2 is a potential therapeutic target in SCLC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumei Liang
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuping Wang
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Wen
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Man Li
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiongyao Wang
- Department of Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Peng
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Linlang Guo
- Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
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21
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Dasari SK, Joseph R, Umamaheswaran S, Mangala LS, Bayraktar E, Rodriguez-Aguayo C, Wu Y, Nguyen N, Powell RT, Sobieski M, Liu Y, Chowdhury MA, Amero P, Stephan C, Lopez-Berestein G, Westin SN, Sood AK. Combination of EphA2- and Wee1-Targeted Therapies in Endometrial Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:3915. [PMID: 36835335 PMCID: PMC9962847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
EphA2 tyrosine kinase is upregulated in many cancers and correlated with poor survival of patients, including those with endometrial cancer. EphA2-targeted drugs have shown modest clinical benefit. To improve the therapeutic response to such drugs, we performed a high-throughput chemical screen to discover novel synergistic partners for EphA2-targeted therapeutics. Our screen identified the Wee1 kinase inhibitor, MK1775, as a synergistic partner to EphA2, and this finding was confirmed using both in vitro and in vivo experiments. We hypothesized that Wee1 inhibition would sensitize cells to EphA2-targeted therapy. Combination treatment decreased cell viability, induced apoptosis, and reduced clonogenic potential in endometrial cancer cell lines. In vivo Hec1A and Ishikawa-Luc orthotopic mouse models of endometrial cancer showed greater anti-tumor responses to combination treatment than to either monotherapy. RNASeq analysis highlighted reduced cell proliferation and defective DNA damage response pathways as potential mediators of the combination's effects. In conclusion, our preclinical findings indicate that Wee1 inhibition can enhance the response to EphA2-targeted therapeutics in endometrial cancer; this strategy thus warrants further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh K. Dasari
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad 500029, India
| | - Robiya Joseph
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sujanitha Umamaheswaran
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lingegowda S. Mangala
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Emine Bayraktar
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cristian Rodriguez-Aguayo
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yutuan Wu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nghi Nguyen
- High-Throughput Research and Screening Center, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Reid T. Powell
- High-Throughput Research and Screening Center, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mary Sobieski
- High-Throughput Research and Screening Center, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mamur A. Chowdhury
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Paola Amero
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Clifford Stephan
- High-Throughput Research and Screening Center, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gabriel Lopez-Berestein
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shannon N. Westin
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anil K. Sood
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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22
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Liu X, Li Y, Chen C, Dong J, Zhou J, Tong D, Wang L, Gao X, Kang X. Exosomal EphA2 promotes tumor metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer by damaging endothelial barrier. Clin Exp Metastasis 2023; 40:105-116. [PMID: 36380015 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-022-10194-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Many evidences show that exosomes play an important role in cancer development, invasion and metastasis. This study is based on the need to explore exosomal protein that promote breast cancer metastasis. We found that tyrosine kinase EphA2 was enriched in Triple-negative breast cancer -derived exosomes and it could disrupt the endothelial monolayer barrier through downregulating tight junction proteins of endothelial cells. These mechanisms were confirmed by in vivo experiments. After periodical injection of exosomal EphA2 into mice caudal vein, we found increased vascular permeability and breast cancer metastases in distant organs, and this phenomenon decreased dramatically after exosomal EphA2 knockdown. This study provides a new mechanism of exosome promoting breast cancer metastasis and suggests a new therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liu
- Department of Oncology, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Oncology, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Chunjing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Jiyang Dong
- Department of Electronic Science, National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Dandan Tong
- School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 362021, Fujian, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Oncology, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China.
| | - Xinmei Kang
- Department of Oncology, Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China.
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23
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Hu R, Li Y, Guo Y, Li X, Du S, Liao M, Hou H, Sun H, Zhao S, Su J, Chen X, Yin M. BRD4 inhibitor suppresses melanoma metastasis via the SPINK6/EGFR- EphA2 pathway. Pharmacol Res 2023; 187:106609. [PMID: 36516883 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BET inhibition or BRD4 depletion is a promising and attractive therapy for metastatic melanoma; however, the mechanism is still unclear. Here, we indicated that BET inhibition suppressed melanoma metastasis both in vitro and in vivo and identified a new mechanism by which BET inhibitors suppress melanoma metastasis by blocking the direct interaction of BRD4 and the SPINK6 enhancer. Moreover, we demonstrated that SPINK6 activated the EGFR/EphA2 complex in melanoma and the downstream ERK1/2 and AKT pathways. Thus, these results identified the SPINK6/EGFR-EphA2 axis as a new oncogenic pathway in melanoma metastasis and support the further development of BRD4 inhibitors for the treatment of metastatic melanoma in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Hu
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Yao Li
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Ying Guo
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Songtao Du
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Mengting Liao
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; Health Management of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Huihui Hou
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Hongyin Sun
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Shuang Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Juan Su
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Xiang Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
| | - Mingzhu Yin
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China; National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China.
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24
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Zhao P, Sun J, Huang X, Zhang X, Liu X, Liu R, Du G, Gan W, Yang C, Tang Y, Chen C, Jiang D. Targeting the KLF5- EphA2 axis can restrain cancer stemness and overcome chemoresistance in basal-like breast cancer. Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19:1861-1874. [PMID: 37063424 PMCID: PMC10092769 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.82567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) is a member of the tyrosine receptor kinases, a family of membrane proteins recognized as potential anticancer targets. EphA2 highly expressed in a variety of human cancers, playing roles in proliferation, migration, and invasion. However, whether and how EphA2 regulates basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) cell stemness and chemoresistance has not been revealed. Here, KLF5 was proven to be a direct transcription factor for EphA2 in BLBC cells, and its expression was positively correlated in clinical samples from breast cancer patients. The inflammatory factor TNF-α could promote BLBC cell stemness partially by activating the KLF5-EphA2 axis. Moreover, phosphorylation of EphA2 at S897 (EphA2 pS897) induced by TNF-α and PTX/DDP contributes to chemoresistance of BLBC. Furthermore, the EphA2 inhibitor ALW-II-41-27 could effectively reduce EphA2 pS897 and tumor cell stemness in vitro and significantly enhance the sensitivity of xenografts to the chemotherapeutic drugs PTX and DDP in vivo. Clinically, tumor samples from breast patients with less response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed a high level of EphA2 pS897 expression. In conclusion, KLF5-EphA2 promotes stemness and drug resistance in BLBC and could be a potential target for the treatment of BLBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhao
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650118 China
| | - Jian Sun
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650118 China
| | - Xinwei Huang
- Key Laboratory of The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kuming Medical College, Kunming, 650101, China
| | - Xiangwu Zhang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650118 China
| | - Xin Liu
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650118 China
| | - Rong Liu
- Translational Cancer Research Center, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034 China
| | - Guangshi Du
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025 China
| | - Wenqiang Gan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201 China
- Kunming College of Life Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650204 China
| | - Chuanyu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201 China
| | - Yiyin Tang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650118 China
- ✉ Corresponding authors: Dewei Jiang, , orcid.org/0000-0002-7773-5449; Ceshi Chen, , orcid.org/0000-0001-6398-3516; Yiying Tang,
| | - Ceshi Chen
- The Third Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650118 China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201 China
- Academy of Biomedical Engineering, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500 China
- ✉ Corresponding authors: Dewei Jiang, , orcid.org/0000-0002-7773-5449; Ceshi Chen, , orcid.org/0000-0001-6398-3516; Yiying Tang,
| | - Dewei Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201 China
- Kunming College of Life Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650204 China
- ✉ Corresponding authors: Dewei Jiang, , orcid.org/0000-0002-7773-5449; Ceshi Chen, , orcid.org/0000-0001-6398-3516; Yiying Tang,
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Wang Y, Zhang Z, Zhu Z, Wang P, Zhang J, Liu H, Li J. The significance of EphA2-regulated Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway in promoting the metastasis of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:565-575. [PMID: 36350420 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-08045-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is closely associated with the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism involved in the HBV-related HCC development remains poorly understood. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate the regulatory mechanism of EphA2-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the metastasis of HBV-related HCC cells. METHODS AND RESULTS The expression level of EphA2 was determined in HBV-related human HCC cells. Then, the effects of EphA2 silencing on the EMT-associated proteins, the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway and the metastatic potential of HBV-related HCC cells were evaluated. Finally, the inhibitory role of Entecavir (a potent antiviral drug for HBV) on EphA2-induced EMT was explored. The present study revealed that the EphA2 expression level was increased in HBV-related HCC cells compared with non-related HCC cells. Following EphA2 knockdown, the downregulation of Vimentin, β-catenin and p-GSK-3βSer9 expressions, the upregulation of E-cadherin expression, and the suppressed migration and invasion ability of HBV-related HCC cells were found. Additionally, Entecavir was proved to have a significant inhibitory effect on EphA2-induced EMT via attenuating the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we found that EphA2-induced EMT was involved in the enhanced metastatic potential of HBV-related HCC cells through the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidan Wang
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Zhenting Zhang
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Zhengyan Zhu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin Third Central Hospital, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300170, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin Third Central Hospital, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300170, China
| | - Jinjuan Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin Third Central Hospital, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300170, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Institute of Hepatobiliary Disease, Tianjin Third Central Hospital, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300170, China.
| | - Jianyu Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Logistics University of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Tianjin, 300309, China.
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Wei CG, Zhang R, Wei LY, Pan P, Zu H, Liu YZ, Wang Y, Shen JK. Calcium phosphate-based nanomedicine mediated CRISPR/Cas9 delivery for prostate cancer therapy. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1078342. [PMID: 36588949 PMCID: PMC9794984 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1078342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Erythropoietin producing hepatocyte receptor A2 (EphA2) is widely presented in the tumor cells, closely related to tumor cell migration, not cell apoptosis and proliferation. Based on its high expression in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), we herein develop a CRISPR-Cas9-based genome-editing nanomedicine to target erythropoietin producing hepatocyte receptor A2 for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Methods: To this end, TAT was designed to stabilize the distribution of calcium, and then bound to ribonucleoprotein (RNP) to form nanoparticles RNP@CaP-TAT. Results: This nanoparticle has a simple synthesis process with good biocompatible, to achieve the knockout of tumor cells (PC-3) targeting erythropoietin producing hepatocyte receptor A2 gene and to effectively suppress the migration of tumor cells. Discussion: This delivery genome editing system provides a promising gene therapy strategy for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer, showing good potential against castration-resistant prostate cancer tumor metastasis. In addition, it can be extended to other types of cancer with highly heterogeneous gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Gang Wei
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Lan-Yi Wei
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Peng Pan
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - He Zu
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ya-Zhen Liu
- Department of Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China,*Correspondence: Jun-Kang Shen, ; Yong Wang,
| | - Jun-Kang Shen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China,*Correspondence: Jun-Kang Shen, ; Yong Wang,
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Huang Z, Liu J, Zhang C, Yang X. Lipofectamine 2000™ at transfection dose promotes EphA2 transcription in an HDAC4-dependent manner to reduce its cytotoxicity. Heliyon 2022; 8:e12118. [PMID: 36544821 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The cationic liposome is well-known as an efficient nucleic acid delivery tool; however, the stress responses induced by liposome per se have been rarely revealed. In this study, we found that Lipofectamine™ 2000 (lipo2000), a commonly used commercial cationic liposome transfection, could upregulate EphA2 mRNA expression in multiple cells at transfection dose. Furthermore, lipo2000 treatment could increase the level of EphA2 hnRNA (heterogeneous nuclear RNA). Lipo2000-induced EphA2 upregulation could be depleted upon global transcription inhibition, proving that lipo2000 upregulates EphA2 expression via activating its transcription. Moreover, HDAC4 depletion, a known EphA2 trans-acting regulatory factor, could eliminate the lipo2000-induced EphA2 upregulation, demonstrating that lipo2000 promotes EphA2 transcription in an HDAC4 dependent manner. Functionally, EphA2 knockdown did not affect GFP expression level and the interfering efficacy of siGAPDH, suggesting that EphA2 is unrelated to the nucleic acid delivery capacity of lipo2000. Nevertheless, EphA2 depletion significantly activated autophagy and apoptosis, increasing the cytotoxic effects of lipo2000, which could be rescued by EphA2 restoration, indicating that EphA2 is essential to overcome liposome-related cytotoxicity. Finally, we found that lipo2000 could activate EphA2 transcription in an HDAC4-dependent manner. EphA2 is not associated with the transfection efficiency of lipo2000, but it is vital to reduce lipo2000 cytotoxicity, suggesting that when conducting liposome-mediated gene function studies, especially for EphA2, the stress response of liposomes should be considered to obtain objective results.
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Ventura E, Xie C, Buraschi S, Belfiore A, Iozzo RV, Giordano A, Morrione A. Complexity of progranulin mechanisms of action in mesothelioma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:333. [PMID: 36471440 PMCID: PMC9720952 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02546-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mesothelioma is an aggressive disease with limited therapeutic options. The growth factor progranulin plays a critical role in several cancer models, where it regulates tumor initiation and progression. Recent data from our laboratories have demonstrated that progranulin and its receptor, EphA2, constitute an oncogenic pathway in bladder cancer by promoting motility, invasion and in vivo tumor formation. Progranulin and EphA2 are expressed in mesothelioma cells but their mechanisms of action are not well defined. In addition, there are no data establishing whether the progranulin/EphA2 axis is tumorigenic for mesothelioma cells. METHODS The expression of progranulin in various mesothelioma cell lines derived from all major mesothelioma subtypes was examined by western blots on cell lysates, conditioned media and ELISA assays. The biological roles of progranulin, EphA2, EGFR, RYK and FAK were assessed in vitro by immunoblots, human phospho-RTK antibody arrays, pharmacological (specific inhibitors) and genetic (siRNAs, shRNAs, CRISPR/Cas9) approaches, motility, invasion and adhesion assays. In vivo tumorigenesis was determined by xenograft models. Focal adhesion turnover was evaluated biochemically using focal adhesion assembly/disassembly assays and immunofluorescence analysis with focal adhesion-specific markers. RESULTS In the present study we show that progranulin is upregulated in various mesothelioma cell lines covering all mesothelioma subtypes and is an important regulator of motility, invasion, adhesion and in vivo tumor formation. However, our results indicate that EphA2 is not the major functional receptor for progranulin in mesothelioma cells, where progranulin activates a complex signaling network including EGFR and RYK. We further characterized progranulin mechanisms of action and demonstrated that progranulin, by modulating FAK activity, regulates the kinetic of focal adhesion disassembly, a critical step for cell motility. CONCLUSION Collectively, our results highlight the complexity of progranulin oncogenic signaling in mesothelioma, where progranulin modulate functional cross-talks between multiple RTKs, thereby suggesting the need for combinatorial therapeutic approaches to improve treatments of this aggressive disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Ventura
- grid.264727.20000 0001 2248 3398Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122 USA
| | - Christopher Xie
- grid.412726.40000 0004 0442 8581Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Translational Cellular Oncology Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107 USA
| | - Simone Buraschi
- grid.412726.40000 0004 0442 8581Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Translational Cellular Oncology Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107 USA
| | - Antonino Belfiore
- grid.8158.40000 0004 1757 1969Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy
| | - Renato V. Iozzo
- grid.412726.40000 0004 0442 8581Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Translational Cellular Oncology Program, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107 USA
| | - Antonio Giordano
- grid.264727.20000 0001 2248 3398Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122 USA ,grid.9024.f0000 0004 1757 4641Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Andrea Morrione
- grid.264727.20000 0001 2248 3398Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122 USA
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Murakoshi M, Iwasawa T, Koshida T, Suzuki Y, Gohda T, Kato K. Development of an In-House EphA2 ELISA for Human Serum and Measurement of Circulating Levels of EphA2 in Hypertensive Patients with Renal Dysfunction. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12123023. [PMID: 36553030 PMCID: PMC9776842 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12123023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying novel biomarkers of kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has strong clinical value as current measures have limitations. This study aims to develop and validate a sensitive and specific ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for human serum, and determine whether its results correlate with traditional renal measures in patients with hypertension. The novel ELISA of the current study was validated and used to measure circulating EphA2 levels in 80 hypertensive patients with and without kidney function decline (eGFR less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Validation of the EphA2 ELISA showed good recovery (87%) and linearity (103%) and no cross-reactivity with other Eph receptors. Patients with kidney function decline had lower diastolic blood pressure, and higher UPCR and EphA2 than those without kidney function decline. The association of age and eGFR with EphA2 was maintained in the stepwise multiple regression analysis. In a multivariate logistic model, EphA2 was associated with a lower eGFR (<60 mL/min/1.73 m2) after adjustment for age, sex, and UPCR. High circulating EphA2 levels have potential application as a clinical biomarker for the presence of CKD in patients with hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maki Murakoshi
- Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Takumi Iwasawa
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Toyo University, Saitama 350-8585, Japan
| | - Takeo Koshida
- Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Yusuke Suzuki
- Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Tomohito Gohda
- Department of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Correspondence: (T.G.); (K.K.)
| | - Kazunori Kato
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Toyo University, Saitama 350-8585, Japan
- Atopy Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
- Correspondence: (T.G.); (K.K.)
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Ikeda K, Kaneko R, Tsukamoto E, Funahashi N, Koshikawa N. Proteolytic cleavage of membrane proteins by membrane type-1 MMP regulates cancer malignant progression. Cancer Sci 2022; 114:348-356. [PMID: 36336966 PMCID: PMC9899627 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Strategies to develop cancer therapies using inhibitors that target matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), particularly membrane type-1 MMP (MT1-MMP), have failed. This is predominantly attributed to the specificity of MMP inhibitors and numerous functions of MMPs; therefore, targeting substrates with such broad specificity can lead to off-target effects. Thus, new drug development for cancer therapeutics should focus on the ability of MT1-MMP to break down substrates, such as functional cell membrane proteins, to regulate the functions of these proteins that promote tumor malignancy. In this review, we discuss the mechanism by which proteolysis of cell surface proteins by MT1-MMP promotes progression of malignant tumor cells. In addition, we discuss the two protein fragments generated by limited cleavage of erythropoietin-producing hepatoma receptor tyrosine kinase A2 (EphA2-NF, -CF), which represent a promising basis for developing new cancer therapies and diagnostic techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Ikeda
- Department of Life Science and TechnologyTokyo Institute of TechnologyYokohamaJapan
| | - Ryo Kaneko
- Department of Life Science and TechnologyTokyo Institute of TechnologyYokohamaJapan
| | - Eiki Tsukamoto
- Department of Life Science and TechnologyTokyo Institute of TechnologyYokohamaJapan
| | - Nobuaki Funahashi
- Department of Life Science and TechnologyTokyo Institute of TechnologyYokohamaJapan
| | - Naohiko Koshikawa
- Department of Life Science and TechnologyTokyo Institute of TechnologyYokohamaJapan,Clinical Proteomics LaboratoryKanagawa Cancer Center Research InstituteYokohamaJapan
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Mercurio FA, Vincenzi M, Leone M. Hunting for Novel Routes in Anticancer Drug Discovery: Peptides against Sam-Sam Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23. [PMID: 36142306 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the diverse protein binding modules, Sam (Sterile alpha motif) domains attract attention due to their versatility. They are present in different organisms and play many functions in physiological and pathological processes by binding multiple partners. The EphA2 receptor contains a Sam domain at the C-terminus (EphA2-Sam) that is able to engage protein regulators of receptor stability (including the lipid phosphatase Ship2 and the adaptor Odin). Ship2 and Odin are recruited by EphA2-Sam through heterotypic Sam-Sam interactions. Ship2 decreases EphA2 endocytosis and consequent degradation, producing chiefly pro-oncogenic outcomes in a cellular milieu. Odin, through its Sam domains, contributes to receptor stability by possibly interfering with ubiquitination. As EphA2 is upregulated in many types of tumors, peptide inhibitors of Sam-Sam interactions by hindering receptor stability could function as anticancer therapeutics. This review describes EphA2-Sam and its interactome from a structural and functional perspective. The diverse design strategies that have thus far been employed to obtain peptides targeting EphA2-mediated Sam-Sam interactions are summarized as well. The generated peptides represent good initial lead compounds, but surely many efforts need to be devoted in the close future to improve interaction affinities towards Sam domains and consequently validate their anticancer properties.
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Wu T, Jiang J, Wang H, He Y, Zhao X, Xue Y, Xu H. Design, synthesis, and in vivo evaluation of GO-SWL-Ahx-K-SWL. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 70:128802. [PMID: 35598792 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In order to acquire both expanded binding ability with the EphA2 receptor and superior drug delivery capacity, we designed and synthesized the modified GO-SWL-Ahx-K-SWL conjugate as a potential targeted therapeutic drug for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Various characterization methods have confirmed that the conjugate is consistent with the theoretical peptide. The cytotoxicity test results showed that the conjugate was slightly more toxic to A549 cells than in 3 T3 cells, and the toxicity increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) fusion imaging was performed to evaluate the conjugate binding to EphA2 receptor in vivo. The images showed obvious radioactive concentration in tumor tissues and significantly higher ratios of the tumor and muscle in the 125I-GO-SWL-Ahx-K-SWL group (10.78) than in the 125I-SWL-Ahx-K-SWL group (5.21) at all three time points (P < 0.01).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Jinhui Jiang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Yanhui He
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Xuefeng Zhao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Yangyang Xue
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Huiqin Xu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.
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Xu Z, Ye Y, Huang G, Li Y, Guo X, Li L, Wu Y, Xu W, Nian S, Yuan Q. EphA2 recognizes Dermatophagoidespteronyssinus to mediate airway inflammation in asthma. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 111:109106. [PMID: 35969898 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Most of the asthma with low Th2 is severe steroid-resistant asthma, the exact pathogenesis of which has not yet been fully elucidated. We found that IL-6 and IL-8 were highly expressed in the sputum supernatant of severe asthma and ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) was highly expressed on bronchial epithelial cells. So, is there a connection between these two phenomena? To clarify this issue, we stimulated bronchial epithelial cells 16HBE with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and its compontents LPS, respectively, and detected the activation of EphA2, activation of downstream pathways and secretion of inflammatory cytokines. A mouse asthma model was established, and the therapeutic effects of inhibiting or blocking EphA2 on mouse asthma were investigated. The results showed that D. pteronyssinus and its component LPS phosphorylated EphA2 on 16HBE, activated downstream signaling pathways STAT3 and p38 MAPK, and promoted the secretion of IL-6 and IL-8. After knockout of EphA2 on 16HBE, the activation of inflammatory pathways was attenuated and the secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 was significantly reduced. Inhibition or blockade of EphA2 on mouse airways resulted in a significant reduction in airway hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation, and a significant decrease in the expression levels of IL-6, IL-17F, IL-1α, IL-1β and TNF in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue. Our study uncovers a novel role for EphA2 expressed on airway epithelial cells in the pathogenesis of asthma; EphA2 recognizes D. pteronyssinus or its component LPS and promotes the secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 by airway epithelial cell, thereby mediating airway inflammation. Thus, it is possible to provide a new molecular therapy for severe asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixi Xu
- Immune Mechanism and Therapy of Major Diseases of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Public Center of Experimental Technology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China; Medical Laboratory, Sichuan Science City Hospital, Mianyang, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yingchun Ye
- Immune Mechanism and Therapy of Major Diseases of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Public Center of Experimental Technology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
| | - Guoping Huang
- Zigong Hospital of Woman and Children Healthcare, Sichuan, China.
| | - Yi Li
- Immune Mechanism and Therapy of Major Diseases of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Public Center of Experimental Technology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
| | - Xiyuan Guo
- Immune Mechanism and Therapy of Major Diseases of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Public Center of Experimental Technology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
| | - Lin Li
- Immune Mechanism and Therapy of Major Diseases of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Public Center of Experimental Technology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
| | - Yuchuan Wu
- Immune Mechanism and Therapy of Major Diseases of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Public Center of Experimental Technology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
| | - Wenfeng Xu
- Immune Mechanism and Therapy of Major Diseases of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Public Center of Experimental Technology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
| | - Siji Nian
- Immune Mechanism and Therapy of Major Diseases of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Public Center of Experimental Technology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
| | - Qing Yuan
- Immune Mechanism and Therapy of Major Diseases of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Public Center of Experimental Technology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
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Dai T, Liu Y, Cao R, Cao J. CBX7 regulates metastasis of basal-like breast cancer through Twist1/ EphA2 pathway. Transl Oncol 2022; 24:101468. [PMID: 35843065 PMCID: PMC9294549 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2022.101468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
CBX7 was down-regulated, while twist and EphA2 were up-regulated in BLBC. EphA2 or twist silencing inhibited BLBC cell proliferation and metastasis. Twist bond to EphA2 and increased the expression of EphA2. CBX7 blocked the binding of twist to EphA2 and inhibited EphA2 expression. CBX7 regulated BLBC growth and metastasis via Twist/EphA2 axis.
Background Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) is an important subtype of breast cancer. Twist1 is a key transcription factor in BLBC metastasis, which serves a key role in tumorigenesis. The potential mechanism of Twist1 in BLBC remains to be elucidated. Here, we explored the role and molecular mechanism of Twist1 in BLBC. Methods The levels of CBX7, Twist1 and EphA2 in BLBC tissues and cells were determined by Western blot. ChIP and dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed the interaction between CBX7, Twist1 and EphA2 promoter. The cellular functions were analyzed by CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing and Transwell assays. Expression of EMT related proteins was analyzed by Western blot. IHC measured the expression of CBX7, Twist1 and EphA2 in tumor tissues. Results CBX7 was down-regulated in BLBC tissues and cells, whereas Twist1 and EphA2 were up-regulated. Twist1 silencing inhibited the cell migration, invasion and cancer metastasis of BLBC through targeting EphA2 and regulating EphA2 expression. Additionally, CBX7 blocked the binding of Twist1 to EphA2 promoter and inhibited EphA2 expression and suppressed BLBC growth and metastasis via Twist1/EphA2 axis. Conclusion CBX7 suppresses BLBC growth and metastasis through Twist1/EphA2 pathway. Our study may provide evidence and new therapeutic targets for the comprehensive treatment of BLBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Dai
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Hunan Cancer Hospital, Changsha 410013 Hunan Province, PR China
| | - Yiqi Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, PR China
| | - Renxian Cao
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, PR China
| | - Jingying Cao
- Department of Medicine Clinical Laboratory, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013 Hunan Province, PR China.
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Li W, Wu CC, Wang S, Zhou L, Qiao L, Ba W, Liu F, Zhan L, Chen H, Yu JS, Fang J. Identification of the target protein of the metastatic colorectal cancer-specific aptamer W3 as a biomarker by aptamer-based target cells sorting and functional characterization. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 213:114451. [PMID: 35700603 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Hence, the discovery of more reliable metastasis-related biomarkers is crucial to improve the survival rate of cancer patients. W3 is an aptamer previously produced by the subtractive cell-SELEX using metastatic colorectal cancer cells as target cells and non-metastatic cells as negative cells. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether the target molecule of W3 can potentially act as a metastatic biomarker. First, we obtained two cell subpopulations with different expression levels of the target molecule by W3-based cell sorting. Subsequently, we demonstrated that W3high cells have a higher metastatic potential than W3low cells both in vitro and in vivo. Further, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that W3 target expression is positively associated with metastasis and poor prognosis of CRC patients. Using mass spectrometry (MS) combined with pull-down, we identified that Ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) is the target of W3. EphA2's potential as a metastatic predictor was demonstrated by capturing W3-positive circulating tumor cells from CRC patients using a W3 probe. Based on these results, we put forward a stratagem for cell-SELEX-based biomarker discovery: selecting an aptamer through subtractive cell-SELEX towards the phenotype of interest; evaluating the functional phenotype of the target molecule by aptamer-based target cell sorting and analysis of clinical samples; and identifying the aptamer's target molecule using MS and aptamer-based target enrichment. This stratagem not only shortens the time for the clinical application of aptamers but also enables a more targeted and efficient discovery of biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanming Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China
| | - Chia-Chun Wu
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou 33305, Taiwan; Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China; Analytical Instrumentation Center, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, PR China
| | - Linlin Zhou
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China
| | - Lei Qiao
- Colorectal & Henia Minimally Invasive Surgery Unit, Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, PR China
| | - Wei Ba
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China
| | - Furong Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China
| | - Linan Zhan
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China
| | - Hang Chen
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China
| | - Jau-Song Yu
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan; Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou 33305, Taiwan; Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan.
| | - Jin Fang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China.
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Chen Y, Cao A, Li Q, Quan J. Identification of DNA aptamers that specifically targets EBV + nasopharyngeal carcinoma via binding with EphA2/CD98hc complex. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 608:135-141. [PMID: 35397426 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.03.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated malignancies and has a distinct geographical distribution. The high mortality rates of NPC patients with advanced and recurrent disease highlight the urgent need for biomarkers for early diagnosis and effective treatments. In this study, we developed DNA aptamers that specifically bind to EBV positive NPC cells by the Cell-SELEX procedure. We further identified the EphA2 (ephrin type-A receptor 2)/CD98hc (CD98 heavy chain) complex as the potential target of the aptamer EA-3 by combining aptamer-based separation and mass spectrometry analysis. Our results revealed for the first time that EphA2 colocalized with CD98hc at the plasma membrane and EphA2 coimmunoprecipitated with CD98hc, which may serve as a starting point for exploring the potential functions of the complex of EphA2 and CD98hc in NPCs. Here, we demonstrated that aptamers can be useful for the identification of protein complexes on the surface of cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Anqi Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qinkai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - JunMin Quan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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Lee SH, Shin MH, Leem AY, Lee SH, Chung KS, Kim YS, Park MS. NADPH oxidase 4 signaling in a ventilator-induced lung injury mouse model. Respir Res 2022; 23:73. [PMID: 35346198 PMCID: PMC8962540 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-022-01992-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background For patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, a ventilator is essential to supply oxygen to tissues, but it may also cause lung damage. In this study, we investigated the role of NOX4 using NOX4 knockout (KO) mice and NOX4 inhibitors in a ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) model. Methods Wild-type (WT) male C57BL/6J mice and NOX4 knockout (KO) male mice were divided into five groups: (1) control group; (2) high tidal ventilation (HTV) group: WT mice + HTV ± DMSO; (3) NOX4 KO group; (4) NOX4 KO with HTV group; (5) NOX4 inhibitor group: WT mice + HTV + NOX4 inhibitor. In the VILI model, the supine position was maintained at 24 mL/kg volume, 0 cm H2O PEEP, 100/min respiratory rate, and 0.21 inspired oxygen fraction. In the NOX4 inhibitor group, 50 μL anti-GKT 137831 inhibitor was injected intraperitoneally, 2 h after ventilator use. After 5 h of HTV, mice in the ventilator group were euthanized, and their lung tissues were obtained for further analysis. In addition, the relationship between EphA2 (which is related to lung injury) and NOX4 was investigated using EphA2 KO mice, and NOX4 and EphA2 levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of 38 patients with pneumonia were examined. Results Cell counts from BALFs were significantly lower in the NOX4 KO with HTV group (p < 0.01) and EphA2 KO with HTV group (p < 0.001) compared to that in the HTV group. In the NOX4 inhibitor group, cell counts and protein concentrations from BALF were significantly lower than those in the HTV group (both, p < 0.001). In the NOX4 KO group and the NOX4 inhibitor group, EphA2 levels were significantly lower than those in the HTV group (p < 0.001). In patients with respiratory disease, NOX4 and EphA2 levels were significantly higher in patients with pneumonia and patients who received ventilator treatment in the intensive care unit. Conclusion In the VILI model with high tidal volume, NOX4 KO, EphA2 KO or monoclonal antibodies attenuated the VILI. NOX4 and EphA2 levels were significantly higher in patients with pneumonia and especially in mechanical ventilated in the ICU. Inhibition of Nox4 is a potential therapeutic target for the prevention and reduction of VILI. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-022-01992-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hoon Lee
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Chest Diseases, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea
| | - Mi Hwa Shin
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Chest Diseases, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea
| | - Ah Young Leem
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Chest Diseases, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea
| | - Su Hwan Lee
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Chest Diseases, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea
| | - Kyung Soo Chung
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Chest Diseases, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea
| | - Young Sam Kim
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Chest Diseases, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea
| | - Moo Suk Park
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Chest Diseases, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea.
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Muhammad N, Wang R, Li W, Zhang Z, Chang Y, Hu Y, Zhao J, Zheng X, Mao Q, Xia H. A novel TanCAR targeting IL13Rα2 and EphA2 for enhanced glioblastoma therapy. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2022; 24:729-41. [PMID: 35317513 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2022.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has been shown to be an effective strategy for combatting non-solid tumors; however, CAR-T therapy is still a challenge for solid tumors, such as glioblastoma. To improve CAR-T therapy for glioblastoma, a new TanCAR, comprising the tandem arrangement of IL13 (4MS) and EphA2 scFv, was generated and validated in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the novel TanCAR-redirected T cells killed glioblastoma tumor cells by recognizing either IL-13 receptor α2 (IL13Rα2) or EphA2 alone or together upon simultaneous encounter of both targets, but did not kill normal cells bearing only the IL13Rα1/IL4Rα receptor. As further proof of principle, the novel TanCAR was tested in a subcutaneous glioma xenograft mouse model. The results indicated that the novel TanCAR-redirected T cells produced greater glioma tumor regression than single CAR-T cells. Thus, the novel TanCAR-redirected T cells kill gliomas more efficiently and selectively than a single IL13 CAR or EphA2 scFv CAR, with the potential for preventing antigen escape and reduced off-target cytotoxicity.
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Yonehara K, Zhou Y, Takahashi JI, Yokoyama S, Tomihara K, Noguchi M, Sakurai H. RSK-Mediated Non-canonical Activation of EphA2 by Tamoxifen. Biol Pharm Bull 2022; 45:162-168. [PMID: 35110502 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b21-00567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The long-term administration of tamoxifen to estrogen receptor α (ERα)-positive breast cancer patients is an established treatment that reduces mortality and recurrence. However, resistance to tamoxifen and an increased risk of endometrial cancer may occur; therefore, the mechanisms by which tamoxifen causes these adverse effects warrant further study. Tamoxifen has been shown to activate mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in an ERα-independent manner; therefore, we investigated its effects on the MAPK-mediated non-canonical activation of EphA2, a critical event regulating cell migration. Tamoxifen at slightly higher concentrations induced the rapid phosphorylation of EphA2 at Ser-897 via the MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK)-ERK-ribosomal S6 kinases (RSK) pathway in HeLa cells. In addition, tamoxifen significantly enhanced the migration ability of ERα-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in RSK- and EphA2-dependent manners. Phosphorylated EphA2 was internalized and re-localized to the plasma membrane, including lamellipodia, in an RSK-dependent manner. Collectively, the present results provide novel insights into the tumor-promoting activity of tamoxifen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Yonehara
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama.,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences for Research, University of Toyama
| | - Yue Zhou
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama
| | - Jun-Ichiro Takahashi
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama
| | - Satoru Yokoyama
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama
| | - Kei Tomihara
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences for Research, University of Toyama
| | - Makoto Noguchi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences for Research, University of Toyama
| | - Hiroaki Sakurai
- Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama
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Chu Z, Shi X, Chen G, He X, Qian Y, Wang H, Tao L, Liu Y, Jiang W, Chen J. Corrigendum: COE Inhibits Vasculogenic Mimicry by Targeting EphA2 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, a Research Based on Proteomics Analysis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:831941. [PMID: 35069227 PMCID: PMC8766711 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.831941] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zewen Chu
- Institution of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xin Shi
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Taizhou Affiliated to Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Gaoyang Chen
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Taizhou Affiliated to Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xuejun He
- Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Taizhou Affiliated to Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yayun Qian
- Institution of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Haibo Wang
- Institution of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Li Tao
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Marine Science and Technology Institute, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yanqing Liu
- Institution of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Marine Science and Technology Institute, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jue Chen
- Institution of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Department of Oncology, The Second People's Hospital of Taizhou Affiliated to Medical College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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Chi B, Deng L, Zhi Z, Wei Y, Lv L, Yang W, Wei C, Yu H, Song L, Pang L. Upregulation of miRNA-26a Enhances the Apoptosis of Cerebral Neurons by Targeting EphA2 and Inhibiting the MAPK Pathway. Dev Neurosci 2022; 44:615-628. [PMID: 36049464 DOI: 10.1159/000526666] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) constitute the second most common congenital malformation of the central nervous system. The pathogenesis of NTDs is not entirely clear. In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs) have become a hot spot in genetic and developmental biology research. The present study aimed to explore the potential role of miRNA-26a in NTDs and the underlying pathogenesis thereof. First, we found significantly increased miRNA-26a expression in fetuses with NTDs (p < 0.0001), which significantly downregulated EphA2 and ERK1 mRNA and protein expression levels in fetuses with NTDs compared to normal controls (p < 0.01). In addition, a dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-26a negatively regulated EphA2 by directly binding with the 3'-untranslated region of EphA2. Second, the upregulation of miRNA-26a expression increased caspase 3 and 9 protein expression levels (p < 0.01) and decreased EphA2 mRNA and protein expression levels (p < 0.01), as well as ERK1 and SRF protein expression levels (p < 0.01) in mouse neural stem cells (NE-4C) and human astroblastoma cells (U87MG). Furthermore, the upregulation of miRNA-26a inhibited cell proliferation and enhanced apoptosis of NE-4C and U87MG cells (p < 0.05). Similar results were observed with the MAPK inhibitor PD98059 (p < 0.01). These results suggest that miR-26a targets EphA2, modulates phosphorylation of the MAPK/ERK (MEK) pathway, regulates SRF, and participates in regulating nervous cell proliferation and apoptosis. Dysregulation of the aforementioned mechanism may be involved in the pathogenesis of NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Chi
- Second Ward of Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China,
| | - Lingjie Deng
- Department of Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetic Diseases of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhifu Zhi
- Second Ward of Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yiyun Wei
- Department of Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetic Diseases of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Liqin Lv
- Graduate School of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Wenmei Yang
- Second Ward of Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Changqiang Wei
- Graduate School of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hua Yu
- Obstetrics of Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, China
| | - Liang Song
- Obstetrics of Maternity and Child Health Care of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Lihong Pang
- Department of Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetic Diseases of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor, Gaungxi Medical University, Ministry of Education, Nanning, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Thalassemia of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
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Cheng C, Gao J, Sun X, Mathias RT. Eph-ephrin Signaling Affects Eye Lens Fiber Cell Intracellular Voltage and Membrane Conductance. Front Physiol 2021; 12:772276. [PMID: 34899394 PMCID: PMC8656704 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.772276] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The avascular eye lens generates its own microcirculation that is required for maintaining lifelong lens transparency. The microcirculation relies on sodium ion flux, an extensive network of gap junction (GJ) plaques between lens fiber cells and transmembrane water channels. Disruption of connexin proteins, the building blocks of GJs, or aquaporins, which make up water and adhesion channels, lead to lens opacification or cataracts. Recent studies have revealed that disruption of Eph-ephrin signaling, in particular the receptor EphA2 and the ligand ephrin-A5, in humans and mice lead to congenital and age-related cataracts. We investigated whether changes in lens transparency in EphA2 or ephrin-A5 knockout (–/–) mice is related to changes in GJ coupling and lens fluid and ion homeostasis. Immunostaining revealed changes in connexin 50 (Cx50) subcellular localization in EphA2–/– peripheral lens fibers and alteration in aquaporin 0 (Aqp0) staining patterns in ephrin-A5–/– and EphA2–/– inner mature fiber cells. Surprisingly, there was no obvious change in GJ coupling in knockout lenses. However, there were changes in fiber cell membrane conductance and intracellular voltage in knockout lenses from 3-month-old mice. These knockout lenses displayed decreased conductance of mature fiber membranes and were hyperpolarized compared to control lenses. This is the first demonstration that the membrane conductance of lens fibers can be regulated. Together these data suggest that EphA2 may be needed for normal Cx50 localization to the cell membrane and that conductance of lens fiber cells requires normal Eph-ephrin signaling and water channel localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Cheng
- School of Optometry and Vision Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Junyuan Gao
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Xiurong Sun
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Richard T Mathias
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, United States
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Han J, Wang L, Lv H, Liu J, Dong Y, Shi L, Ji Q. EphA2 inhibits SRA01/04 cells apoptosis by suppressing autophagy via activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Arch Biochem Biophys 2021; 711:109024. [PMID: 34487720 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.109024] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
This study attempted to determine the effect of EphA2 on H2O2-treated lens epithelial cells (SRA01/04) and the underlying mechanisms. MTT assay and flow cytometry were performed to assess cell viability and cell apoptosis. Western blot was carried out to examine the levels of proteins associated with apoptosis and autophagy. Our results revealed that EphA2 significantly elevated the reduced cell viability, and inhibited the increased cell apoptosis in H2O2-treated SRA01/04 cells, along with the significant up-regulated Bcl-2 and down-regulated Cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax protein levels, but which were all abolished by Rapa (autophagy activator). We also found that EphA2 significantly suppressed cell autophagy in H2O2-treated SRA01/04 cells. Additionally, EphA2 significantly up-regulated the protein levels of p-Akt and p-mTOR in H2O2-treated SRA01/04 cells, and the inhibition of Akt by MK-2206 and inhibition of mTOR by Rapa both obviously reversed EphA2-mediated the inhibition of autophagy in H2O2-treated SRA01/04 cells. In summary, these data demonstrated that EphA2 inhibited the apoptosis of SRA01/04 cells by inhibiting autophagy via activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Han
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated First Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Lisong Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated First Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Huayi Lv
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated First Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Jiajia Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated First Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Yiran Dong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated First Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated First Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China.
| | - Qingshan Ji
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated First Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China.
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Yang Y, Nian S, Li L, Wen X, Liu Q, Zhang B, Lan Y, Yuan Q, Ye Y. Fully human recombinant antibodies against EphA2 from a multi-tumor patient immune library suitable for tumor-targeted therapy. Bioengineered 2021; 12:10379-10400. [PMID: 34709992 PMCID: PMC8810047 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1996807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhanced EphA2 expression is observed in a variety of epithelial-derived malignancies and is an important target for anti-tumor therapy. Currently, Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies against immune checkpoints have shown good efficacy for tumor treatment. In this study, we constructed an immune single-chain fragment variable (scFv) library using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 200 patients with a variety of malignant tumors. High affinity scFvs against EphA2 can be easily screened from the immune library using phage display technology. Anti-EphA2 scFvs can be modified into any form of recombinant antibody, including scFv-Fc and full-length IgG1 antibodies, and the recombinant antibody affinity was improved following modification. Among the modified anti-EphA2 antibodies the affinity of 77-IgG1 was significantly increased, reaching a pmol affinity level (10−12). We further demonstrated the binding activity of recombinant antibodies to the EphA2 protein, tumor cells, and tumor tissues using macromolecular interaction techniques, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Most importantly, both the constructed scFvs-Fc, as well as the IgG1 antibodies against EphA2 were able to inhibit the growth of tumor cells to some extent. These results suggest that the immune libraries from patients with malignant tumors are more likely to screen for antibodies with high affinity and therapeutic effect. The constructed fully human scFv immune library has broad application prospects for specific antibody screening. The screened scFv-Fc and IgG1 antibodies against EphA2 can be used for the further study of tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Yang
- Public Center of Experimental Technology, The school of Basic medical science, Southwest medical university, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Siji Nian
- Public Center of Experimental Technology, The school of Basic medical science, Southwest medical university, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Lin Li
- Public Center of Experimental Technology, The school of Basic medical science, Southwest medical university, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Xue Wen
- Public Center of Experimental Technology, The school of Basic medical science, Southwest medical university, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China
| | - Qin Liu
- Public Center of Experimental Technology, The school of Basic medical science, Southwest medical university, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Public Center of Experimental Technology, The school of Basic medical science, Southwest medical university, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Yu Lan
- Public Center of Experimental Technology, The school of Basic medical science, Southwest medical university, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Qing Yuan
- Public Center of Experimental Technology, The school of Basic medical science, Southwest medical university, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Yingchun Ye
- Public Center of Experimental Technology, The school of Basic medical science, Southwest medical university, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
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Giordano G, Merlini A, Ferrero G, Mesiano G, Fiorino E, Brusco S, Centomo ML, Leuci V, D’Ambrosio L, Aglietta M, Sangiolo D, Grignani G, Pignochino Y. EphA2 Expression in Bone Sarcomas: Bioinformatic Analyses and Preclinical Characterization in Patient-Derived Models of Osteosarcoma, Ewing's Sarcoma and Chondrosarcoma. Cells 2021; 10:cells10112893. [PMID: 34831119 PMCID: PMC8616526 DOI: 10.3390/cells10112893] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone sarcomas are a group of heterogeneous malignant mesenchymal tumors. Complete surgical resection is still the cornerstone of treatment, but, in the advanced/unresectable setting, their management remains challenging and not significantly improved by target- and immuno-therapies. We focused on the tyrosine kinase Eph type-A receptor-2 (EphA2), a key oncoprotein implicated in self-renewal, angiogenesis, and metastasis, in several solid tumors and thus representing a novel potential therapeutic target. Aiming at better characterizing its expression throughout the main bone sarcoma histotypes, we investigated EPHA2 expression in the Cancer Cell Lines Encyclopedia and in public datasets with clinical annotations. looking for correlations with molecular, histopathological and patients’ features and clinical outcomes in a total of 232 osteosarcomas, 197 Ewing’s sarcomas, and 102 chondrosarcomas. We observed EPHA2 expression in bone sarcoma cell lines. We demonstrated higher EPHA2 expression in tumor tissues when compared to normal counterparts. A significant correlation was found between EPHA2 expression and Huvos grade (osteosarcoma) and with worse overall survival (dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma). Next, we characterized EPHA2 expression and activation in bone sarcoma primary tissues and in patient-derived xenografts generated in our laboratory to verify their reliability as in vivo models of osteosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma and chondrosarcoma. Furthermore, for the first time, we demonstrated EPHA2 expression in chondrosarcoma, suggesting its potential key role in this histotype. Indeed, we observed a significant dose-dependent antitumor effect of the EphA2-inhibitor ALW-II-41-27 in patient-derived in vitro models. In conclusion, EphA2 targeting represents a promising novel therapeutic strategy against bone sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Giordano
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy
| | - Alessandra Merlini
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0119933503
| | - Giulio Ferrero
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy;
- Department of Computer Science, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy
| | - Giulia Mesiano
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
| | - Erika Fiorino
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
| | - Silvia Brusco
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
| | - Maria Laura Centomo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy
| | - Valeria Leuci
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
| | - Lorenzo D’Ambrosio
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
- Cardinal Massaia Hospital, 14100 Asti, Italy
| | - Massimo Aglietta
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy
| | - Dario Sangiolo
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy
| | - Giovanni Grignani
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
| | - Ymera Pignochino
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO–IRCCS Str. Prov.le 142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy; (G.G.); (G.M.); (E.F.); (S.B.); (M.L.C.); (V.L.); (L.D.); (M.A.); (D.S.); (G.G.); (Y.P.)
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy;
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Chen Z, Oh D, Biswas KH, Zaidel-Bar R, Groves JT. Probing the effect of clustering on EphA2 receptor signaling efficiency by subcellular control of ligand-receptor mobility. eLife 2021; 10:67379. [PMID: 34414885 PMCID: PMC8397371 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Clustering of ligand:receptor complexes on the cell membrane is widely presumed to have functional consequences for subsequent signal transduction. However, it is experimentally challenging to selectively manipulate receptor clustering without altering other biochemical aspects of the cellular system. Here, we develop a microfabrication strategy to produce substrates displaying mobile and immobile ligands that are separated by roughly 1 µm, and thus experience an identical cytoplasmic signaling state, enabling precision comparison of downstream signaling reactions. Applying this approach to characterize the ephrinA1:EphA2 signaling system reveals that EphA2 clustering enhances both receptor phosphorylation and downstream signaling activity. Single-molecule imaging clearly resolves increased molecular binding dwell times at EphA2 clusters for both Grb2:SOS and NCK:N-WASP signaling modules. This type of intracellular comparison enables a substantially higher degree of quantitative analysis than is possible when comparisons must be made between different cells and essentially eliminates the effects of cellular response to ligand manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongwen Chen
- Multiscale Research Institute of Complex Systems, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Dongmyung Oh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, United States.,Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kabir Hassan Biswas
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ronen Zaidel-Bar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Jay T Groves
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
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An Z, Hu Y, Bai Y, Zhang C, Xu C, Kang X, Yang S, Li W, Zhong X. Antitumor activity of the third generation EphA2 CAR-T cells against glioblastoma is associated with interferon gamma induced PD-L1. Oncoimmunology 2021; 10:1960728. [PMID: 34408922 PMCID: PMC8366541 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2021.1960728] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive brain malignancy in adults and is currently incurable with conventional therapies. The use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) modified T cells has been successful in clinical treatment of blood cancers, except solid tumors such as GBM. This study generated two third-generation CARs targeting different epitopes of ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) and examined their anti-GBM efficacy in vitro and in tumor-bearing mice. We observed that these two types of T cells expressing CAR (CAR-T) targeting EphA2 could be activated and expanded by EphA2 positive tumor cells in vitro. The survival of tumor-bearing mice after EphA2 CAR-T cell treatment was significantly improved. T cells transduced with one of the two EphA2 CARs exhibited better anti-tumor activity, which is related to the upregulation of CXCR-1/2 and appropriate interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. CAR-T cells expressed excessively high level of IFN-γ exhibited poor anti-tumor activity resulting from inducing the upregulation of PD-L1 in GBM cells. The combination of CAR-T cells with poor anti-tumor activity and PD1 blockade improved the efficacy in tumor-bearing mice. In conclusion, both types of EphA2 CAR-T cells eliminated 20%-50% of GBM in xenograft mouse models. The appropriate combination of IFN-γ and CXCR-1/2 levels is a key factor for evaluating the antitumor efficiency of CAR-T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijing An
- The Clinical Center of Gene and Cell Engineering, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Hu
- The Clinical Center of Gene and Cell Engineering, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Bai
- The Clinical Center of Gene and Cell Engineering, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Can Zhang
- The Clinical Center of Gene and Cell Engineering, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chang Xu
- The Clinical Center of Gene and Cell Engineering, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xun Kang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shoubo Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenbin Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaosong Zhong
- The Clinical Center of Gene and Cell Engineering, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Wu Y, Huang J, Ivan C, Sun Y, Ma S, Mangala LS, Fellman BM, Urbauer DL, Jennings NB, Ram P, Coleman RL, Hu W, Sood AK. MEK inhibition overcomes resistance to EphA2-targeted therapy in uterine cancer. Gynecol Oncol 2021; 163:181-190. [PMID: 34391578 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our pilot clinical study of EphA2 inhibitor (dasatinib) plus paclitaxel and carboplatin showed interesting clinical activity in endometrial cancer with manageable toxicity. However, the underlying mechanisms of dasatinib resistance in uterine cancer are unknown. Here, we investigated potential mechanisms underlying resistance to EphA2 inhibitors in uterine cancer and examined the anti-tumor activity of EphA2 inhibitors alone and in combination with a MEK inhibitor. METHODS We evaluated the antitumor activity of EphA2 inhibitors plus a MEK inhibitor using in vitro and in vivo orthotopic models of uterine cancer. RESULTS EphA2 inhibitor induced MAPK in dasatinib-resistant uterine cancer cells (HEC-1A and Ishikawa) and BRAF/CRAF heterodimerization in HEC-1A cells. EphA2 inhibitor and trametinib significantly increased apoptosis in cancer cells resistant to EphA2 inhibitors compared with controls (p < 0.01). An in vivo study with the orthotopic HEC-1A model showed significantly greater antitumor response to combination treatment compared with dasatinib alone (p < 0.01). Combination treatment increased EphrinA1 and BIM along with decreased pMAPK, Jagged 1, and c-MYC expression in dasatinib-resistant cells. In addition, Spearman analysis using the TCGA data revealed that upregulation of EphA2 was significantly correlated with JAG1, MYC, NOTCH1, NOTCH3 and HES1 expression (p < 0.001, r = 0.25-0.43). Specifically, MAP3K15 and the NOTCH family genes were significantly related to poor clinical outcome in patients with uterine cancer. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that the MAPK pathway is activated in dasatinib-resistant uterine cancer cells and that EphrinA1-mediated MEK inhibition overcomes dasatinib resistance. Dual targeting of both EphA2 and MEK, combined with chemotherapy, should be considered for future clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutuan Wu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Cristina Ivan
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America; Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Yunjie Sun
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Shaolin Ma
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Lingegowda S Mangala
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Bryan M Fellman
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Diana L Urbauer
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Nicholas B Jennings
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Prahlad Ram
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Robert L Coleman
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Wei Hu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America.
| | - Anil K Sood
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America; Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America; Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America.
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Asakura N, Nakamura N, Muroi A, Nojima Y, Yamashita T, Kaneko S, Ikeda K, Koshikawa N, Suzuki T. Expression of Cancer Stem Cell Markers EpCAM and CD90 Is Correlated with Anti- and Pro-Oncogenic EphA2 Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168652. [PMID: 34445353 PMCID: PMC8395527 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Additionally, the efficacy of targeted molecular therapies with multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitors is limited. In this study, we focused on the cellular signaling pathways common to diverse HCC cells and used quantitative reverse phase protein array (RPPA) and statistical analyses to elucidate the molecular mechanisms determining its malignancy. We examined the heterogeneity of 17 liver cancer cell lines by performing cluster analysis of their expression of CD90 and EpCAM cancer stem cell markers. Gaussian mixture model clustering identified three dominant clusters: CD90-positive and EpCAM-negative (CD90+), EpCAM-positive and CD90-negative (EpCAM+) and EpCAM-negative and CD90-negative (Neutral). A multivariate analysis by partial least squares revealed that the former two cell populations showed distinct patterns of protein expression and phosphorylation in the EGFR and EphA2 signaling pathways. The CD90+ cells exhibited higher abundance of AKT, EphA2 and its phosphorylated form at Ser897, whereas the EpCAM+ cells exhibited higher abundance of ERK, RSK and its phosphorylated form. This demonstrates that pro-oncogenic, ligand-independent EphA2 signaling plays a dominant role in CD90+ cells with higher motility and metastatic activity than EpCAM+ cells. We also showed that an AKT inhibitor reduced the proliferation and survival of CD90+ cells but did not affect those of EpCAM+ cells. Taken together, our results suggest that AKT activation may be a key pro-oncogenic regulator in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuhiko Asakura
- Center for Mathematical Modeling and Data Science, Osaka University, Osaka 580-8531, Japan; (N.A.); (N.N.); (Y.N.)
| | - Naotoshi Nakamura
- Center for Mathematical Modeling and Data Science, Osaka University, Osaka 580-8531, Japan; (N.A.); (N.N.); (Y.N.)
| | - Atsushi Muroi
- Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute, Yokohama 241-8515, Japan;
| | - Yosui Nojima
- Center for Mathematical Modeling and Data Science, Osaka University, Osaka 580-8531, Japan; (N.A.); (N.N.); (Y.N.)
| | - Taro Yamashita
- Department of General Medicine, Kanazawa University Hospital, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan;
| | - Shuichi Kaneko
- Department of Gastroenterology, Kanazawa University Hospital, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan;
| | - Kazuki Ikeda
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan;
| | - Naohiko Koshikawa
- Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute, Yokohama 241-8515, Japan;
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan;
- Correspondence: (N.K.); (T.S.)
| | - Takashi Suzuki
- Center for Mathematical Modeling and Data Science, Osaka University, Osaka 580-8531, Japan; (N.A.); (N.N.); (Y.N.)
- Correspondence: (N.K.); (T.S.)
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Liu X, Li J, Liao X, Luo Z, Xu Q, Pan H, Zhou Q, Tao Y, Shi F, Lu G, Zhang Z. Radiomics-based MRI for predicting Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor A2 expression and tumor grade in brain diffuse gliomas. Neuroradiology 2021. [PMID: 34368897 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-021-02780-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE EphA2 is a key factor underlying invasive propensity of gliomas, and is associated with poor prognosis of tumors. We aimed to develop a radiomics-based imaging index for predicting EphA2 expression in diffuse gliomas, and further estimating its value for grading of tumors. METHODS A total of 182 patients with diffuse gliomas were included. All subjects underwent pre-operative MRI and post-operative pathological diagnosis. EphA2 expression of tumors was scored on pathological sections with immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal EphA2 antibody. MRI radiomics features were extracted from three-dimensional contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging and diffusion kurtosis imaging. Predictive models were constructed using machine learning-based radiomics features selection and three classifiers for predicting EphA2 expression and tumor grade. Features of best EphA2 expression model were subsequently used to construct another model of tumor grading. For each model, 146 cases (80%) were randomly picked as training and the rest 36 (20%) were testing cohorts. EphA2 expression was further correlated to the radiomics features in both grade models using Spearman's correlation. RESULTS Logistic regression model presented highest performance for predicting EphA2 expression (AUC: 0.836/0.724 in training/validation set). Tumor gradings model guided by features from EphA2 expression model demonstrated comparable performance (AUC: 0.930/0.983) to that constructed directly using imaging radiomics features (AUC: 0.960/0.977). Two radiomics features which included in both LR-grade models showed strong correlation (P < 0.05) with EphA2 expression. CONCLUSION The expression of EphA2 in gliomas could be predicted by radiomics features extracted from diffusion kurtosis MRI, which could also be used to assist tumor grading.
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