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Vizcaino MA, Dalvin LA, Salomao DR. Correlation of PRAME immunohistochemistry with PRAME status on gene expression profiling in enucleated uveal melanoma. Can J Ophthalmol 2024; 59:e279-e282. [PMID: 38114062 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2023.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
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Kashyap S, Singh MK, Kumar N, Jha J, Lomi N, Meel R, Bakhshi S, Sen S, Singh L. Implications of LAG3 and CTLA4 immune checkpoints beyond PD-1/PD-L1 as a potential target in determining the prognosis of uveal melanoma patients. Br J Ophthalmol 2024; 108:903-912. [PMID: 36918273 DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2022-322913] [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: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
BackgroundResponse rate of PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapeutic blockade agents in uveal melanoma (UM) is poor. Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4) are the two promising immune checkpoint targets. Therefore, our aim was to explore at how these proteins were expressed in tumour tissue and serum, as well as their prognostic implications in UM. METHODS The expression of LAG3, CTLA-4, CD3, CD4, CD8 and FOXP3 was determined by immunohistochemistry in 54 enucleated UM tissue samples. mRNA expression level of LAG3 and CTLA-4 was determined by quantitative real-time PCR and corroborated by western blotting. Furthermore, soluble form of LAG3, CTLA-4 and CCR8 expression in serum was measured in 40 UM patients using ELISA. RESULT The expression of LAG3, CTLA-4, CD3, CD4, CD8 and FOXP3 was observed in 30%, 33%, 41%, 35%, 50% and 39% of the cases, respectively. Loss of nBAP1 expression was significantly correlated with CD8+expression (p=0.012) but not with tumour infiltrating lymphocytes. LAG3 and CTLA-4 mRNA levels were higher in UM compared with normal uveal tissues. Higher LAG3 expression with CD8+expression was associated with lower metastasis-free survival (MFS) (p=0.049), but not with CTLA-4 in UM patients. MFS rate was reduced in patients having lower levels of CCR8 protein (p=0.050) and increased level of LAG3 protein (p=0.001). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that higher levels of LAG3 in UM with histopathologically high-risk parameters predict high metastatic potential and that it could be used as a targeted immunotherapy alone or in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema Kashyap
- Ocular Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | | | - Nikhil Kumar
- Ocular Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Jayanti Jha
- Ocular Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Neiwete Lomi
- Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Rachna Meel
- Ophthalmology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sameer Bakhshi
- Medical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Seema Sen
- Ocular Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Lata Singh
- Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Booth L, Roberts JL, Spasojevic I, Baker KC, Poklepovic A, West C, Kirkwood JM, Dent P. GZ17-6.02 kills PDX isolates of uveal melanoma. Oncotarget 2024; 15:328-344. [PMID: 38758815 PMCID: PMC11101052 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28586] [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: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
GZ17-6.02 has undergone phase I evaluation in patients with solid tumors (NCT03775525). The RP2D is 375 mg PO BID, with an uveal melanoma patient exhibiting a 15% reduction in tumor mass for 5 months at this dose. Studies in this manuscript have defined the biology of GZ17-6.02 in PDX isolates of uveal melanoma cells. GZ17-6.02 killed uveal melanoma cells through multiple convergent signals including enhanced ATM-AMPK-mTORC1 activity, inactivation of YAP/TAZ and inactivation of eIF2α. GZ17-6.02 significantly enhanced the expression of BAP1, predictive to reduce metastasis, and reduced the levels of ERBB family RTKs, predicted to reduce growth. GZ17-6.02 interacted with doxorubicin or ERBB family inhibitors to significantly enhance tumor cell killing which was associated with greater levels of autophagosome formation and autophagic flux. Knock down of Beclin1, ATG5 or eIF2α were more protective than knock down of ATM, AMPKα, CD95 or FADD, however, over-expression of FLIP-s provided greater protection compared to knock down of CD95 or FADD. Expression of activated forms of mTOR and STAT3 significantly reduced tumor cell killing. GZ17-6.02 reduced the expression of PD-L1 in uveal melanoma cells to a similar extent as observed in cutaneous melanoma cells whereas it was less effective at enhancing the levels of MHCA. The components of GZ17-6.02 were detected in tumors using a syngeneic tumor model. Our data support future testing GZ17-6.02 in uveal melanoma as a single agent, in combination with ERBB family inhibitors, in combination with cytotoxic drugs, or with an anti-PD1 immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Booth
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Jane L. Roberts
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Ivan Spasojevic
- Department of Medicine, and PK/PD Core Laboratory, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Kaitlyn C. Baker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Andrew Poklepovic
- Department of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Cameron West
- Genzada Pharmaceuticals, Hutchinson, KS 67502, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - John M. Kirkwood
- Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program, Hillman Cancer Research Pavilion Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Paul Dent
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
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Zhan Z, Lin K, Wang T. Construction of oxidative phosphorylation-related prognostic risk score model in uveal melanoma. BMC Ophthalmol 2024; 24:204. [PMID: 38698303 PMCID: PMC11067154 DOI: 10.1186/s12886-024-03441-6] [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: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uveal melanoma (UVM) is a malignant intraocular tumor in adults. Targeting genes related to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) may play a role in anti-tumor therapy. However, the clinical significance of oxidative phosphorylation in UVM is unclear. METHOD The 134 OXPHOS-related genes were obtained from the KEGG pathway, the TCGA UVM dataset contained 80 samples, served as the training set, while GSE22138 and GSE39717 was used as the validation set. LASSO regression was carried out to identify OXPHOS-related prognostic genes. The coefficients obtained from Cox multivariate regression analysis were used to calculate a risk score, which facilitated the construction of a prognostic model. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, logrank test and ROC curve using the time "timeROC" package were conducted. The immune cell frequency in low- and high-risk group was analyzed through Cibersort tool. The specific genomic alterations were analyzed by "maftools" R package. The differential expressed genes between low- or high-risk group were analyzed and performed Gene Ontology (GO) and GSEA. Finally, we verified the function of CYC1 in UVM by gene silencing in vitro. RESULTS A total of 9 OXPHOS-related prognostic genes were identified, including NDUFB1, NDUFB8, ATP12A, NDUFA3, CYC1, COX6B1, ATP6V1G2, ATP4B and NDUFB4. The UVM prognostic risk model was constructed based on the 9 OXPHOS-related prognostic genes. The prognosis of patients in the high-risk group was poorer than low-risk group. Besides, the ROC curve demonstrated that the area under the curve of the model for predicting the 1 to 5-year survival rate of UVM patients were all more than 0.88. External validation in GSE22138 and GSE39717 dataset revealed that these 9 genes could also be utilized to evaluate and predict the overall survival of patients with UVM. The risk score levels related to immune cell frequency and specific genomic alterations. The DEGs between the low- and high- risk group were enriched in tumor OXPHOS and immune related pathway. In vitro experiments, CYC1 silencing significantly inhibited UVM cell proliferation and invasion, induced cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION In sum, a prognostic risk score model based on oxidative phosphorylation-related genes in UVM was developed to enhance understanding of the disease. This prognostic risk score model may help to find potential therapeutic targets for UVM patients. CYC1 acts as an oncogene role in UVM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyun Zhan
- Ophthalmology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No. 20, Chazhong Road, Taijiang District, 350004, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Kun Lin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, 516 Jinrong South Road, 350001, Fuzhou, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Ophthalmology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, No. 20, Chazhong Road, Taijiang District, 350004, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
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Loda A, Semeraro F, Parolini S, Ronca R, Rezzola S. Cancer stem-like cells in uveal melanoma: novel insights and therapeutic implications. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189104. [PMID: 38701937 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189104] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary ocular tumor in the adult population. Even though these primary tumors are successfully treated in 90% of cases, almost 50% of patients ultimately develop metastasis, mainly in the liver, via hematological dissemination, with a median survival spanning from 6 to 12 months after diagnosis. In this context, chemotherapy regimens and molecular targeted therapies have demonstrated poor response rates and failed to improve survival. Among the multiple reasons for therapy failure, the presence of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) represents the main cause of resistance to anticancer therapies. In the last few years, the existence of CSCs in UM has been demonstrated both in preclinical and clinical studies, and new molecular pathways and mechanisms have been described for this subpopulation of UM cells. Here, we will discuss the state of the art of CSC biology and their potential exploitation as therapeutic target in UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Loda
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesco Semeraro
- Eye Clinic, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Silvia Parolini
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; National Center for Gene Therapy and Drugs based on RNA Technology - CN3, Padova, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Biotecnologie (CIB), Italy
| | - Roberto Ronca
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Biotecnologie (CIB), Italy
| | - Sara Rezzola
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
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Zhang Y, Zheng J, Chen M, Zhao S, Ma R, Chen W, Liu J. Modulating DNA damage response in uveal melanoma through embryonic stem cell microenvironment. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:519. [PMID: 38654216 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12290-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: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uveal melanoma (UVM) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults, with a median survival of 4-5 months following metastasis. DNA damage response (DDR) upregulation in UVM, which could be linked to its frequent activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, contributes to its treatment resistance. We have reported that embryonic stem cell microenvironments (ESCMe) can revert cancer cells to less aggressive states through downregulation of the PI3K signaling, showing promise in modulating the DDR of UVM. METHODS Since nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) is the main DNA repair mechanism in UVM, this study utilized gene expression analysis and survival prognosis analysis to investigate the role of NHEJ-related genes in UVM based on public databases. Xenograft mouse models were established to assess the therapeutic potential of ESC transplantation and exposure to ESC-conditioned medium (ESC-CM) on key DNA repair pathways in UVM. Quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze NHEJ pathway-related gene expression in UVM and surrounding normal tissues. Apoptosis in UVM tissues was evaluated using the TUNEL assay. RESULTS PRKDC, KU70, XRCC5, LIG4 and PARP1 showed significant correlations with UM progression. High expression of PRKDC and XRCC5 predicted poorer overall survival, while low PARP1 and XRCC6 expression predicted better disease-free survival in UVM patients. ESCMe treatment significantly inhibited the NHEJ pathway transcriptionally and translationally and promoted apoptosis in tumor tissues in mice bearing UVM. Furthermore, ESC transplantation enhanced DDR activities in surrounding normal cells, potentially mitigating the side effects of cancer therapy. Notably, direct cell-to-cell contact with ESCs was more effective than their secreted factors in regulating the NHEJ pathway. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that NHEJ-related genes might serve as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets in UVM. These findings support the therapeutic potential of ESC-based therapy in enhancing UVM sensitivity to radiochemotherapy and improving treatment outcomes while minimizing damage to healthy cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxu Zhang
- Ophthalmology Department, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan, 523000, China
| | - Jinbiao Zheng
- Ophthalmology Department, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan, 523000, China
| | - Minyu Chen
- Ophthalmology Department, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan, 523000, China
| | - Shulun Zhao
- Ophthalmology Department, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan, 523000, China
| | - Ruiqian Ma
- Ophthalmology Department, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan, 523000, China
| | - Wenwei Chen
- Ophthalmology Department, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan, 523000, China
| | - Jiahui Liu
- Ophthalmology Department, The Tenth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), 78 Wandao Road, Dongguan, 523000, China.
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ZHAO ANDI, WANG YUE, WANG ZIJIN, SHAO QING, GONG QI, ZHU HUI, SHEN SHIYA, LIU HU, CHEN XUEJUAN. Circ_0053943 complexed with IGF2BP3 drives uveal melanoma progression via regulating N6-methyladenosine modification of Epidermal growth factor receptor. Oncol Res 2024; 32:983-998. [PMID: 38686044 PMCID: PMC11055987 DOI: 10.32604/or.2024.045972] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have characterized the critical role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) as regulatory factors in the progression of multiple cancers. However, the biological functions of circRNAs and their underlying molecular mechanisms in the progression of uveal melanoma (UM) remain enigmatic. In this study, we identified a novel circRNA, circ_0053943, through re-analysis of UM microarray data and quantitative RT-PCR. Circ_0053943 was found to be upregulated in UM and to promote the proliferation and metastatic ability of UM cells in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Mechanistically, circ_0053943 was observed to bind to the KH1 and KH2 domains of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3), thereby enhancing the function of IGF2BP3 by stabilizing its target mRNA. RNA sequencing assays identified epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a target gene of circ_0053943 and IGF2BP3 at the transcriptional level. Rescue assays demonstrated that circ_0053943 exerts its biological function by stabilizing EGFR mRNA and regulating the downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signaling pathway. Collectively, circ_0053943 may promote UM progression by stabilizing EGFR mRNA and activating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway through the formation of a circ_0053943/IGF2BP3/EGFR RNA-protein ternary complex, thus providing a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- ANDI ZHAO
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - YUE WANG
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210006, China
| | - ZIJIN WANG
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - QING SHAO
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - QI GONG
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - HUI ZHU
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - SHIYA SHEN
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - HU LIU
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - XUEJUAN CHEN
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
- The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
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Tura A, Herfs V, Maaßen T, Zuo H, Vardanyan S, Prasuhn M, Ranjbar M, Kakkassery V, Grisanti S. Quercetin Impairs the Growth of Uveal Melanoma Cells by Interfering with Glucose Uptake and Metabolism. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4292. [PMID: 38673877 PMCID: PMC11049862 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084292] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Monosomy 3 in uveal melanoma (UM) increases the risk of lethal metastases, mainly in the liver, which serves as the major site for the storage of excessive glucose and the metabolization of the dietary flavonoid quercetin. Although primary UMs with monosomy 3 exhibit a higher potential for basal glucose uptake, it remains unknown as to whether glycolytic capacity is altered in such tumors. Herein, we initially analyzed the expression of n = 151 genes involved in glycolysis and its interconnected branch, the "pentose phosphate pathway (PPP)", in the UM cohort of The Cancer Genome Atlas Study and validated the differentially expressed genes in two independent cohorts. We also evaluated the effects of quercetin on the growth, survival, and glucose metabolism of the UM cell line 92.1. The rate-limiting glycolytic enzyme PFKP was overexpressed whereas the ZBTB20 gene (locus: 3q13.31) was downregulated in the patients with metastases in all cohorts. Quercetin was able to impair proliferation, viability, glucose uptake, glycolysis, ATP synthesis, and PPP rate-limiting enzyme activity while increasing oxidative stress. UMs with monosomy 3 display a stronger potential to utilize glucose for the generation of energy and biomass. Quercetin can prevent the growth of UM cells by interfering with glucose metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysegül Tura
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Luebeck, Germany; (V.H.); (T.M.); (H.Z.); (S.V.); (M.P.); (V.K.); (S.G.)
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Gong C, Yang M, Long H, Liu X, Xu Q, Qiao L, Dong H, Liu Y, Li S. IL-6-Driven Autocrine Lactate Promotes Immune Escape of Uveal Melanoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:37. [PMID: 38551584 PMCID: PMC10981435 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.3.37] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Early metastasis, in which immune escape plays a crucial role, is the leading cause of death in patients with uveal melanoma (UM); however, the molecular mechanism underlying UM immune escape remains unclear, which greatly limits the clinical application of immunotherapy for metastatic UM. Methods Transcriptome profiles were revealed by RNA-seq analysis. TALL-104 and NK-92MI-mediated cell killing assays were used to examine the immune resistance of UM cells. The glycolysis rate was measured by extracellular acidification analysis. Protein stability was evaluated by CHX-chase assay. Immunofluorescence histochemistry was performed to detect protein levels in clinical UM specimens. Results Continuous exposure to IL-6 induced the expression of both PD-L1 and HLA-E in UM cells, which promoted UM immune escape. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the expression of most metabolic enzymes in the glycolysis pathway, especially the rate-limiting enzymes, PFKP and PKM, was upregulated, whereas enzymes involved in the acetyl-CoA synthesis pathway were downregulated after exposure to IL-6. Blocking the glycolytic pathway and lactate production by knocking down PKM and LDHA decreased PD-L1 and HLA-E protein, but not mRNA, levels in UM cells treated with IL-6. Notably, lactate secreted by IL-6-treated UM cells was crucial in influencing PD-L1 and HLA-E stability via the GPR81-cAMP-PKA signaling pathway. Conclusions Our data reveal a novel mechanism by which UM cells acquire an immune-escape phenotype by metabolic reprogramming and reinforce the importance of the link between inflammation and immune escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoju Gong
- Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Eye Institute of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, China
| | - Meiling Yang
- Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Eye Institute of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, China
| | - Huirong Long
- Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Eye Institute of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Eye Institute of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, China
| | - Xia Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Qing Xu
- Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Eye Institute of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, China
| | - Lei Qiao
- Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Eye Institute of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, China
| | - Haibei Dong
- Cancer Center, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yalu Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Eye Institute of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, China
| | - Suyan Li
- Xuzhou Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Eye Institute of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou First People's Hospital, Eye Institute of Xuzhou, Xuzhou, China
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Wang Q, He J, Qi Y, Ye Y, Ye J, Zhou M. Ultrasound-enhanced nano catalyst with ferroptosis-apoptosis combined anticancer strategy for metastatic uveal melanoma. Biomaterials 2024; 305:122458. [PMID: 38211370 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122458] [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: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma is the most common primary ocular tumor owing to its highly invasive and metastatic characteristics. Currently, standard clinical treatment has an unsatisfied curative effect due to the lack of an effective approach to inhibit the tumor metastasis. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new strategy that can both restraint local tumors and suppress the ocular tumor metastasis. Herein, we developed ultrasound-responsive nanoparticles (FeP NPs) that can both hinder the growth of in situ ocular tumor and prevent the tumor metastasis through the ferroptosis-apoptosis combined-anticancer strategy. The FeP NPs were assembling by stimulating gallic acid-Fe (III) and paclitaxel, then could be internalized into tumor cells under the cooperative effect of ultrasound, which further activates the intracellular Fenton reaction and generates high reactive oxygen species levels, ultimately leading to mitochondrial damage, lipid per-oxidation, and apoptosis. The FeP NPs can efficiently inhibit the tumor growth in an orthotopic uveal melanoma model. More importantly, the level of the promoting-metastatic factor nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) secreted by cancer cells is significantly reduced, further limits cancer metastasis to the cervical lymph node and finally inhibits lung metastasis of uveal melanoma. We believe that these designed ultrasound-enhanced nanoparticles possess potential clinical application for preventing the regeneration and metastasis of uveal melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingya Wang
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China; University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, 314400, China
| | - Jian He
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China; University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, 314400, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yuchen Qi
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China; University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, 314400, China
| | - Yang Ye
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Juan Ye
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
| | - Min Zhou
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, China; University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, 314400, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Hangzhou, 310009, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China; Research Center for Life Science and Human Health Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
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11
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Zhou X, Meng F, Xu B, Ma R, Cheng Y, Wu J, Qian J. STING promotes invasion and migration of uveal melanoma through p38‑MAPK signaling. Oncol Rep 2024; 51:23. [PMID: 38099424 DOI: 10.3892/or.2023.8682] [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: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common intraocular malignant tumor in adults, with a lack of effective treatment for metastasis and a poor prognosis. Stimulator of interferon genes (STING, also known as TMEM173) plays an important role in tumor development by regulating cell proliferation, metastasis and other cellular processes. However, the function of STING in UM remains unclear and requires further investigation. The present study analyzed the expression status of STING to elucidate the mechanisms underlying UM. The correlation between STING and the prognosis of UM was evaluated based on UM RNA‑seq data and clinical information extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Quantification of STING in UM cell lines and tissues was performed using the Wes Separation protein immunoassay. The effects of STING on the proliferation, migration and invasion of UM cells were investigated using Cell Counting Kit‑8, Transwell and wound healing experiments. Survival analysis demonstrated that high levels of STING in UM tissues indicated a poor prognosis. The expression of STING in UM tissues was higher than that in the choroid membranes. Furthermore, it was found that downregulation of STING expression in UM cells suppressed migration and invasion, whereas overexpression of STING significantly promoted migration and invasion. Notably, STING had no significant effect on UM cell proliferation. It was also identified that STING positively upregulated the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen‑activated protein kinase (p38‑MAPK) in UM cells, enhancing cell migration and invasion, which the p38‑MAPK inhibitor SB203580 reversed. Finally, the results of the present study demonstrated that high STING expression in UM indicates a poor prognosis. STING was revealed to promote the migration and invasion of UM cells through p38‑MAPK signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China
| | - Fengxi Meng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China
| | - Binbin Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China
| | - Ruiqi Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China
| | - Yun Cheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China
| | - Jihong Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China
| | - Jiang Qian
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, P.R. China
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12
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Fan G, Liu L, Ye J, Xiao W, Xiong XF. Design, synthesis and evaluation of quinazoline derivatives as Gαq/11 proteins inhibitors against uveal melanoma. Bioorg Chem 2024; 143:107005. [PMID: 38043397 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.107005] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) represents the predominant ocular malignancy among adults, exhibiting high malignancy and proclivity for liver metastasis. GNAQ and GNA11 encoding Gαq and Gα11 proteins are key genes to drive UM, making the selective inhibition of Gαq/11 proteins to be a potential therapeutic approach for combating UM. In this study, forty-six quinazoline derivatives were designed, synthesized, and assessed for their ability to inhibit Gαq/11 proteins and UM cells. Compound F33 emerged as the most favorable candidate, and displayed moderate inhibitory activity against Gαq/11 proteins (IC50 = 9.4 μM) and two UM cell lines MP41 (IC50 = 6.7 μM) and 92.1 (IC50 = 3.7 μM). Being a small molecule inhibitor of Gαq/11 proteins, F33 could effectively suppress the activation of downstream signaling pathways in a dose-dependent manner, and significantly inhibits UM in vitro.F33 represents a promising lead compound for developing therapeutics for UM by targeting Gαq/11 proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangjin Fan
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510006 Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Lu Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510006 Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Jia Ye
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510006 Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China
| | - Wei Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060 Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xiao-Feng Xiong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 510006 Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China.
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13
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Visser M, Papillon JPN, Luzzio M, LaMarche MJ, Fan J, Michael W, Wang D, Zhang A, Straub C, Mathieu S, Kato M, Palermo M, Chen C, Ramsey T, Joud C, Barrett R, Vattay A, Guo R, Bric A, Chung F, Liang G, Romanowski MJ, Lam J, Thohan S, Atassi F, Wylie A, Cooke VG. Discovery of Darovasertib (NVP-LXS196), a Pan-PKC Inhibitor for the Treatment of Metastatic Uveal Melanoma. J Med Chem 2024; 67:1447-1459. [PMID: 38198520 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in the adult eye. Despite the aggressive local management of primary UM, the development of metastases is common with no effective treatment options for metastatic disease. Genetic analysis of UM samples reveals the presence of mutually exclusive activating mutations in the Gq alpha subunits GNAQ and GNA11. One of the key downstream targets of the constitutively active Gq alpha subunits is the protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway. Herein, we describe the discovery of darovasertib (NVP-LXS196), a potent pan-PKC inhibitor with high whole kinome selectivity. The lead series was optimized for kinase and off target selectivity to afford a compound that is rapidly absorbed and well tolerated in preclinical species. LXS196 is being investigated in the clinic as a monotherapy and in combination with other agents for the treatment of uveal melanoma (UM), including primary UM and metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Visser
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Julien P N Papillon
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Michael Luzzio
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Matthew J LaMarche
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jianmei Fan
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Walter Michael
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - David Wang
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Alan Zhang
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Christopher Straub
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Simon Mathieu
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Mitsunori Kato
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Mark Palermo
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Christine Chen
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Timothy Ramsey
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Carol Joud
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Rosemary Barrett
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Anthony Vattay
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Ribo Guo
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Anka Bric
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Franklin Chung
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Guiqing Liang
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Michael J Romanowski
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Joni Lam
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Sanjeev Thohan
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Faraj Atassi
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Andrew Wylie
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Vesselina G Cooke
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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14
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Taskaeva I, Shatruk A, Bgatova N, Yeremina A, Trunov A, Kononova N, Chernykh V. Autophagy and vesicular trafficking in human uveal melanoma: A histopathological study. Microsc Res Tech 2024; 87:122-132. [PMID: 37698482 DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24417] [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: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma is an ocular tumor with a high risk of developing metastases. The endo-lysosomal system can affect the melanoma progression by accelerating and facilitating invasion or metastasis. This study aims to conduct comparative analysis of normal choroidal melanocytes and uveal melanoma cells ultrastructure with a focus on intracellular transport system, and to examine the patterns of autophagy- and vesicular trafficking-related proteins expression in a case series of uveal melanomas. Transmission electron microscopy was used to assess the ultrastructure of normal choroidal melanocytes and uveal melanoma cells. The expression levels of autophagy- and vesicular trafficking-related proteins in three histological types of uveal melanoma were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. Electron microscopy results showed that the autophagic vacuoles were more abundant in normal choroidal melanocytes, than in uveal melanoma cells. The normal choroidal melanocytes were characterized by active intracellular vesicular trafficking; however, the proportion of caveolae was higher in uveal melanoma cells. The spindle type of tumor was characterized by a high expression levels of LC3 beta, while Rab7 and Rab11 proteins expression was significantly up-regulated in the mixed-type tumor cells. The results indicate that uveal melanoma cells probably have lower basal levels of autophagy and higher receptor-mediated endocytic trafficking-associated with caveolae than normal choroidal melanocytes. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The autophagic vacuoles are abundant in normal choroidal melanocytes. Uveal melanoma cells are characterized by a high proportion of caveolae. The high expression levels of LC3 beta were revealed in a spindle type of tumor, while Rab7 and Rab11 proteins expression was up-regulated in the mixed-type tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iuliia Taskaeva
- Laboratory of Ultrastructural Research, Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology - Branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Anastasia Shatruk
- Laboratory of Ultrastructural Research, Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology - Branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Nataliya Bgatova
- Laboratory of Ultrastructural Research, Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology - Branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Alena Yeremina
- S. N. Fyodorov Federal State Institution National Medical Research Center Intersectoral Research and Technology Complex "Eye Microsurgery" Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Aleksander Trunov
- S. N. Fyodorov Federal State Institution National Medical Research Center Intersectoral Research and Technology Complex "Eye Microsurgery" Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Natalya Kononova
- S. N. Fyodorov Federal State Institution National Medical Research Center Intersectoral Research and Technology Complex "Eye Microsurgery" Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Valeriy Chernykh
- S. N. Fyodorov Federal State Institution National Medical Research Center Intersectoral Research and Technology Complex "Eye Microsurgery" Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Novosibirsk, Russia
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15
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Bas Z, Grant-Kels JM, Shields CL. The Cancer Genome Atlas for uveal melanoma is predictive of patient outcomes. Clin Dermatol 2024; 42:56-61. [PMID: 37890680 DOI: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary eye malignancy. Despite excellent local tumor rates, UM is a life-threatening disease with moderate systemic metastatic rates. In the past, certain clinical features were shown to be predictive of patient prognosis, including tumor thickness, tumor diameter, ciliary body involvement, and histopathologic factors. Genetic markers have lately been used to predict patient outcomes. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) is a worldwide effort developed by the National Cancer Institute and the National Human Genome Research Institute to study numerous mutations in various cancer types. TCGA has explored chromosome copy number alterations in UM, messenger RNA, micro-RNA, and long noncoding RNA expression levels and established four prognostic classes: group A (chromosome 3 and 8 disomy), group B (chromosome 3 disomy and 8q gain), group C (chromosome 3 monosomy and/or 8q gain), and group D (chromosome 3 monosomy and multiple 8q gains). Multiple studies have validated TCGA classification and have reported that it has been highly predictive of UM metastasis and patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep Bas
- Ocular Oncology Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jane M Grant-Kels
- Department of Dermatology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA; Department of Dermatology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Carol L Shields
- Ocular Oncology Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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16
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van den Bosch QCC, de Klein A, Verdijk RM, Kiliç E, Brosens E. Uveal melanoma modeling in mice and zebrafish. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189055. [PMID: 38104908 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189055] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Despite extensive research and refined therapeutic options, the survival for metastasized uveal melanoma (UM) patients has not improved significantly. UM, a malignant tumor originating from melanocytes in the uveal tract, can be asymptomatic and small tumors may be detected only during routine ophthalmic exams; making early detection and treatment difficult. UM is the result of a number of characteristic somatic alterations which are associated with prognosis. Although UM morphology and biology have been extensively studied, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the early stages of UM tumor evolution and effective treatment to prevent metastatic disease remain elusive. A better understanding of the mechanisms that enable UM cells to thrive and successfully metastasize is crucial to improve treatment efficacy and survival rates. For more than forty years, animal models have been used to investigate the biology of UM. This has led to a number of essential mechanisms and pathways involved in UM aetiology. These models have also been used to evaluate the effectiveness of various drugs and treatment protocols. Here, we provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms and pharmacological studies using mouse and zebrafish UM models. Finally, we highlight promising therapeutics and discuss future considerations using UM models such as optimal inoculation sites, use of BAP1mut-cell lines and the rise of zebrafish models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quincy C C van den Bosch
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annelies de Klein
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert M Verdijk
- Department of Pathology, Section of Ophthalmic Pathology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Emine Kiliç
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erwin Brosens
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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17
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Arang N, Lubrano S, Ceribelli M, Rigiracciolo DC, Saddawi-Konefka R, Faraji F, Ramirez SI, Kim D, Tosto FA, Stevenson E, Zhou Y, Wang Z, Bogomolovas J, Molinolo AA, Swaney DL, Krogan NJ, Yang J, Coma S, Pachter JA, Aplin AE, Alessi DR, Thomas CJ, Gutkind JS. High-throughput chemogenetic drug screening reveals PKC-RhoA/PKN as a targetable signaling vulnerability in GNAQ-driven uveal melanoma. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101244. [PMID: 37858338 PMCID: PMC10694608 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101244] [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: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most prevalent cancer of the eye in adults, driven by activating mutation of GNAQ/GNA11; however, there are limited therapies against UM and metastatic UM (mUM). Here, we perform a high-throughput chemogenetic drug screen in GNAQ-mutant UM contrasted with BRAF-mutant cutaneous melanoma, defining the druggable landscape of these distinct melanoma subtypes. Across all compounds, darovasertib demonstrates the highest preferential activity against UM. Our investigation reveals that darovasertib potently inhibits PKC as well as PKN/PRK, an AGC kinase family that is part of the "dark kinome." We find that downstream of the Gαq-RhoA signaling axis, PKN converges with ROCK to control FAK, a mediator of non-canonical Gαq-driven signaling. Strikingly, darovasertib synergizes with FAK inhibitors to halt UM growth and promote cytotoxic cell death in vitro and in preclinical metastatic mouse models, thus exposing a signaling vulnerability that can be exploited as a multimodal precision therapy against mUM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Arang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Simone Lubrano
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Michele Ceribelli
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | | | | | - Farhoud Faraji
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sydney I Ramirez
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Daehwan Kim
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Frances A Tosto
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Erica Stevenson
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Zhiyong Wang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Julius Bogomolovas
- School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Alfredo A Molinolo
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Danielle L Swaney
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nevan J Krogan
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | | | - Andrew E Aplin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Dario R Alessi
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Craig J Thomas
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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18
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Onken MD, Erdmann-Gilmore P, Zhang Q, Thapa K, King E, Kaltenbronn KM, Noda SE, Makepeace CM, Goldfarb D, Babur Ö, Townsend RR, Blumer KJ. Protein Kinase Signaling Networks Driven by Oncogenic Gq/11 in Uveal Melanoma Identified by Phosphoproteomic and Bioinformatic Analyses. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100649. [PMID: 37730182 PMCID: PMC10616553 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100649] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic uveal melanoma (UM) patients typically survive only 2 to 3 years because effective therapy does not yet exist. Here, to facilitate the discovery of therapeutic targets in UM, we have identified protein kinase signaling mechanisms elicited by the drivers in 90% of UM tumors: mutant constitutively active G protein α-subunits encoded by GNAQ (Gq) or GNA11 (G11). We used the highly specific Gq/11 inhibitor FR900359 (FR) to elucidate signaling networks that drive proliferation, metabolic reprogramming, and dedifferentiation of UM cells. We determined the effects of FR on the proteome and phosphoproteome of UM cells as indicated by bioinformatic analyses with CausalPath and site-specific gene set enrichment analysis. We found that inhibition of oncogenic Gq/11 caused deactivation of PKC, Erk, and the cyclin-dependent kinases CDK1 and CDK2 that drive proliferation. Inhibition of oncogenic Gq/11 in UM cells with low metastatic risk relieved inhibitory phosphorylation of polycomb-repressive complex subunits that regulate melanocytic redifferentiation. Site-specific gene set enrichment analysis, unsupervised analysis, and functional studies indicated that mTORC1 and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 2 drive metabolic reprogramming in UM cells. Together, these results identified protein kinase signaling networks driven by oncogenic Gq/11 that regulate critical aspects of UM cell biology and provide targets for therapeutic investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Onken
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
| | | | - Qiang Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kisan Thapa
- Department of Computer Science, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emily King
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kevin M Kaltenbronn
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Sarah E Noda
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Carol M Makepeace
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Dennis Goldfarb
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Özgün Babur
- Department of Computer Science, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - R Reid Townsend
- Department of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kendall J Blumer
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
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19
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Li K, Sun L, Wang Y, Cen Y, Zhao J, Liao Q, Wu W, Sun J, Zhou M. Single-cell characterization of macrophages in uveal melanoma uncovers transcriptionally heterogeneous subsets conferring poor prognosis and aggressive behavior. Exp Mol Med 2023; 55:2433-2444. [PMID: 37907747 PMCID: PMC10689813 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-023-01115-9] [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: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most frequent primary intraocular malignancy with high metastatic potential and poor prognosis. Macrophages represent one of the most abundant infiltrating immune cells with diverse functions in cancers. However, the cellular heterogeneity and functional diversity of macrophages in UM remain largely unexplored. In this study, we analyzed 63,264 single-cell transcriptomes from 11 UM patients and identified four transcriptionally distinct macrophage subsets (termed MΦ-C1 to MΦ-C4). Among them, we found that MΦ-C4 exhibited relatively low expression of both M1 and M2 signature genes, loss of inflammatory pathways and antigen presentation, instead demonstrating enhanced signaling for proliferation, mitochondrial functions and metabolism. We quantified the infiltration abundance of MΦ-C4 from single-cell and bulk transcriptomes across five cohorts and found that increased MΦ-C4 infiltration was relevant to aggressive behaviors and may serve as an independent prognostic indicator for poor outcomes. We propose a novel subtyping scheme based on macrophages by integrating the transcriptional signatures of MΦ-C4 and machine learning to stratify patients into MΦ-C4-enriched or MΦ-C4-depleted subtypes. These two subtypes showed significantly different clinical outcomes and were validated through bulk RNA sequencing and immunofluorescence assays in both public multicenter cohorts and our in-house cohort. Following further translational investigation, our findings highlight a potential therapeutic strategy of targeting macrophage subsets to control metastatic disease and consistently improve the outcome of patients with UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lanfang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yixin Cen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jingting Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qianling Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wencan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China.
| | - Jie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China.
| | - Meng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325027, Wenzhou, China.
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20
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Ruf T, Leonhardt A, Anz D, Kunz WG, Röhrle N, Foerster P, Tomsitz D, French LE, Seegräber M, Heinzerling L. Tumor lysis syndrome induced by tebentafusp. Immunotherapy 2023; 15:1363-1368. [PMID: 37661909 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2023-0093] [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] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tebentafusp, a bispecific T-cell receptor fusion protein directed against gp100 and CD3, can improve survival in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma and was recently approved for the treatment of HLA-A*02:01-positive uveal melanoma patients. Since tebentafusp often induces cytokine-release syndrome, doses must be escalated and patients monitored as inpatients after the first infusions. The occurrence of tumor lysis syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, after administration of a single dose of tebentafusp, is reported here. With adequate therapy, including the application of rasburicase, the patient made a full recovery. It is important to raise awareness of the adverse event profile of this new therapeutic approach among healthcare professionals to promptly recognize and treat side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Ruf
- Department of Dermatology & Allergy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80337, Germany
| | - Anna Leonhardt
- Department of Dermatology & Allergy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80337, Germany
| | - David Anz
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80336, Germany
| | - Wolfgang G Kunz
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80336, Germany
| | - Natascha Röhrle
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80336, Germany
| | - Paul Foerster
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80336, Germany
| | - Dirk Tomsitz
- Department of Dermatology & Allergy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80337, Germany
| | - Lars Einar French
- Department of Dermatology & Allergy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80337, Germany
- Dr. Philip Frost Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33125, USA
| | - Marlene Seegräber
- Department of Dermatology & Allergy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80337, Germany
| | - Lucie Heinzerling
- Department of Dermatology & Allergy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, 80337, Germany
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21
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García-Mulero S, Fornelino R, Punta M, Lise S, Varela M, del Carpio LP, Moreno R, Costa-García M, Rieder D, Trajanoski Z, Gros A, Alemany R, Piulats JM, Sanz-Pamplona R. Driver mutations in GNAQ and GNA11 genes as potential targets for precision immunotherapy in uveal melanoma patients. Oncoimmunology 2023; 12:2261278. [PMID: 38126027 PMCID: PMC10732647 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2023.2261278] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common ocular malignancy in adults. Nearly 95% of UM patients carry the mutually exclusive mutations in the homologous genes GNAQ (amino acid change Q209L/Q209P) and GNA11 (aminoacid change Q209L). UM is located in an immunosuppressed organ and does not suffer immunoediting. Therefore, we hypothesize that driver mutations in GNAQ/11 genes could be recognized by the immune system. Genomic and transcriptomic data from primary uveal tumors were collected from the TCGA-UM dataset (n = 80) and used to assess the immunogenic potential for GNAQ/GNA11 Q209L/Q209P mutations using a variety of tools and HLA type information. All prediction tools showed stronger GNAQ/11 Q209L binding to HLA than GNAQ/11 Q209P. The immunogenicity analysis revealed that Q209L is likely to be presented by more than 73% of individuals in 1000 G databases whereas Q209P is only predicted to be presented in 24% of individuals. GNAQ/11 Q209L showed a higher likelihood to be presented by HLA-I molecules than almost all driver mutations analyzed. Finally, samples carrying Q209L had a higher immune-reactive phenotype. Regarding cancer risk, seven HLA genotypes with low Q209L affinity show higher frequency in uveal melanoma patients than in the general population. However, no clear association was found between any HLA genotype and survival. Results suggest a high potential immunogenicity of the GNAQ/11 Q209L variant that could allow the generation of novel therapeutic tools to treat UM like neoantigen vaccinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra García-Mulero
- Unit of Biomarkers and Susceptibility, Oncology Data Analytics Program (ODAP), Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and CIBERESP, Barcelona, Spain
- Anatomy Unit, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapy, and Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roberto Fornelino
- Unit of Biomarkers and Susceptibility, Oncology Data Analytics Program (ODAP), Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and CIBERESP, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Punta
- Bioinformatics Core, Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Stefano Lise
- Bioinformatics Core, Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Mar Varela
- Department of Pathology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis P. del Carpio
- Procure Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Moreno
- Procure Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marcel Costa-García
- Procure Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dietmar Rieder
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Zlatko Trajanoski
- Institute of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alena Gros
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramón Alemany
- Procure Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Rebeca Sanz-Pamplona
- Unit of Biomarkers and Susceptibility, Oncology Data Analytics Program (ODAP), Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Oncobell Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and CIBERESP, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Health Research Aragon (IISA), ARAID Foundation, Aragon Government, University Hospital Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, Spain
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22
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Zhang Z, Li C, Li Q, Su X, Li J, Zhu L, Lin XJ, Shen J. Structure prediction of novel isoforms from uveal melanoma by AlphaFold. Sci Data 2023; 10:513. [PMID: 37542084 PMCID: PMC10403560 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02429-z] [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: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is an important mechanism that enhances protein functional diversity. To date, our understanding of alternative splicing variants has been based on mRNA transcript data, but due to the difficulty in predicting protein structures, protein tertiary structures have been largely unexplored. However, with the release of AlphaFold, which predicts three-dimensional models of proteins, this challenge is rapidly being overcome. Here, we present a dataset of 315 predicted structures of abnormal isoforms in 18 uveal melanoma patients based on second- and third-generation transcriptome-sequencing data. This information comprises a high-quality set of structural data on recurrent aberrant isoforms that can be used in multiple types of studies, from those aimed at revealing potential therapeutic targets to those aimed at recognizing of cancer neoantigens at the atomic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Institute of Translational Medicine, National Facility for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Chen Li
- High Performance Computing Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, National Facility for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Xiaoming Su
- High Performance Computing Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Jiayi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Lili Zhu
- Songjiang Research Institute and Songjiang Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201600, China
| | - Xinhua James Lin
- High Performance Computing Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Jianfeng Shen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Institute of Translational Medicine, National Facility for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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23
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Richards JR, Shin D, Pryor R, Sorensen LK, Sun Z, So WM, Park G, Wolff R, Truong A, McMahon M, Grossmann AH, Harbour JW, Zhu W, Odelberg SJ, Yoo JH. Activation of NFAT by HGF and IGF-1 via ARF6 and its effector ASAP1 promotes uveal melanoma metastasis. Oncogene 2023; 42:2629-2640. [PMID: 37500798 PMCID: PMC11008337 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02792-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Preventing or effectively treating metastatic uveal melanoma (UM) is critical because it occurs in about half of patients and confers a very poor prognosis. There is emerging evidence that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) promote metastasis and contribute to the striking metastatic hepatotropism observed in UM metastasis. However, the molecular mechanisms by which HGF and IGF-1 promote UM liver metastasis have not been elucidated. ASAP1, which acts as an effector for the small GTPase ARF6, is highly expressed in the subset of uveal melanomas most likely to metastasize. Here, we found that HGF and IGF-1 hyperactivate ARF6, leading to its interaction with ASAP1, which then acts as an effector to induce nuclear localization and transcriptional activity of NFAT1. Inhibition of any component of this pathway impairs cellular invasiveness. Additionally, knocking down ASAP1 or inhibiting NFAT signaling reduces metastasis in a xenograft mouse model of UM. The discovery of this signaling pathway represents not only an advancement in our understanding of the biology of uveal melanoma metastasis but also identifies a novel pathway that could be targeted to treat or prevent metastatic uveal melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson R Richards
- Department of Oncological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Donghan Shin
- Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Rob Pryor
- Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Lise K Sorensen
- Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Zhonglou Sun
- Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Won Mi So
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Garam Park
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Roger Wolff
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, 15 North Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Amanda Truong
- Department of Oncological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Martin McMahon
- Department of Oncological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Utah, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University of Utah, 30 N 1900 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Allie H Grossmann
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, 15 North Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, 2000 Circle of Hope Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- ARUP Laboratories, University of Utah, 500 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - J William Harbour
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Weiquan Zhu
- Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Utah, 30 North 1900 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Shannon J Odelberg
- Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Utah, 30 North 1900 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, 20 South 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
| | - Jae Hyuk Yoo
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Truhlsen Eye Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
- Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
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24
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Han LM, Lee KW, Uludag G, Seider MI, Afshar AR, Bloomer MM, Pekmezci M. Prognostic Value of BAP1 and Preferentially Expressed Antigen in Melanoma (PRAME) Immunohistochemistry in Uveal Melanomas. Mod Pathol 2023; 36:100081. [PMID: 36788079 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2022.100081] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults, and despite excellent local control, more than 50% of patients develop and die from metastatic disease. Loss of BAP1 nuclear staining, a surrogate marker of BAP1 mutation, and preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) messenger RNA overexpression, as assessed using qPCR, have previously been shown to correlate with increased metastasis rate in UM. In this study, we demonstrated that UM could be successfully risk-stratified using a combination of BAP1 and PRAME immunohistochemical (IHC) stains. We retrospectively reviewed 318 UM cases with sufficient tissue and performed BAP1 and PRAME IHC to stratify them as BAP1+/PRAME- (group 1, n = 135), BAP1+/PRAME+ (group 2, n = 43), BAP1-/PRAME- (group 3, n = 94), and BAP1-/PRAME+ (group 4, n = 46). Increasing the study risk group on the basis of loss of BAP1 expression and positive PRAME staining was associated with a higher rate of metastasis and disease-specific death and lower metastasis-free survival (MFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Among tumors with loss of BAP1 staining, PRAME positivity was associated with shorter MFS (P = .018) and showed a trend toward shorter DSS (P = .061). Among tumors with retained BAP1 staining, PRAME positivity was associated with shorter MFS and DSS (P = .001 and P = .021, respectively). In summary, a combination of BAP1 and PRAME IHC can be used for risk stratification of UMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy M Han
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Kar Wan Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Gunay Uludag
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Michael I Seider
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Armin R Afshar
- Ocular Oncology Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Wayne & Gladys Valley Center for Vision, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Michele M Bloomer
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Melike Pekmezci
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California.
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25
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Yan C, Hu X, Liu X, Zhao J, Le Z, Feng J, Zhou M, Ma X, Zheng Q, Sun J. Upregulation of SLC12A3 and SLC12A9 Mediated by the HCP5/miR-140-5p Axis Confers Aggressiveness and Unfavorable Prognosis in Uveal Melanoma. J Transl Med 2023; 103:100022. [PMID: 36925204 DOI: 10.1016/j.labinv.2022.100022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Perturbation of solute carriers (SLCs) has been implicated in metabolic disorders and cancer, highlighting the potential for drug discovery and therapeutic opportunities. However, there is relatively little exploration of the clinical relevance and potential molecular mechanisms underlying the role of the SLC12 family in uveal melanoma (UVM). Here, we performed an integrative multiomics analysis of the SLC12 family in multicenter UVM datasets and found that high expression of SLC12A3 and SLC12A9 was associated with unfavorable prognosis. Moreover, SLC12A3 and SLC12A9 were highly expressed in UVM in vivo. We experimentally characterized the roles of these proteins in tumorigenesis in vitro and explored their association with the prognosis of UVM. Lastly, we identified the HCP5-miR-140-5p axis as a potential noncoding RNA pathway upstream of SLC12A3 and SLC12A9, which was associated with immunomodulation and may represent a novel predictor for clinical prognosis and responsiveness to checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. These findings may facilitate a better understanding of the SLCome and guide future rationalized development of SLC-targeted therapy and drug discovery for UVM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Yan
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaojuan Hu
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jingting Zhao
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhenmin Le
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jiayao Feng
- The Affiliated Ningbo Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, China
| | - Meng Zhou
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; Institute of PSI Genomics, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyin Ma
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
| | - Qingxiang Zheng
- The Affiliated Ningbo Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, China.
| | - Jie Sun
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
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26
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Chen Y, Zheng A, Zhang Y, Xiao M, Zhao Y, Wu X, Li M, Du F, Chen Y, Chen M, Li W, Li X, Sun Y, Gu L, Xiao Z, Shen J. Dysregulation of B7 family and its association with tumor microenvironment in uveal melanoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1026076. [PMID: 36311731 PMCID: PMC9615147 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1026076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Uveal melanoma (UVM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults with a poor prognosis. B7 family is an important modulator of the immune response. However, its dysregulation and underlying molecular mechanism in UVM still remains unclear. Methods Data were derived from TCGA and GEO databases. The prognosis was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curve. The ESTIMATE algorithm, CIBERSORT algorithm, and TIMER database were used to demonstrate the correlation between B7 family and tumor immune microenvironment in UVM. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to detect the expression levels of the B7 family in different cell types of UVM. UVM was classified into different types by consistent clustering. Enrichment analysis revealed downstream signaling pathways of the B7 family. The interaction between different cell types was visualized by cell chat. Results The expression level of B7 family in UVM was significantly dysregulated and negatively correlated with methylation level. The expression of B7 family was associated with prognosis and immune infiltration, and B7 family plays an important role in the tumor microenvironment (TME). B7 family members were highly expressed in monocytes/macrophages of UVM compared with other cell types. Immune response and visual perception were the main functions affected by B7 family. The result of cell chat showed that the interaction between photoreceptor cells and immune-related cells was mainly generated by HLA-C-CD8A. CABP4, KCNJ10 and RORB had the strongest correlation with HLA-C-CD8A, and their high expression was significantly correlated with poor prognosis. CABP4 and RORB were specifically expressed in photoreceptor cells. Conclusions Dysregulation of the B7 family in UVM is associated with poor prognosis and affects the tumor immune microenvironment. CABP4 and RORB can serve as potential therapeutic targets for UVM, which can be regulated by the B7 family to affect the visual perception and immune response function of the eye, thus influencing the prognosis of UVM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Pidu District People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Anfu Zheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Mintao Xiao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yueshui Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Xu Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingxing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Fukuan Du
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Meijuan Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Wanping Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaobing Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuhong Sun
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Li Gu
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhangang Xiao
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Shen, ; Zhangang Xiao,
| | - Jing Shen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Cell Therapy & Cell Drugs of Luzhou Key Laboratory, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- South Sichuan Institute of Translational Medicine, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Shen, ; Zhangang Xiao,
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Gao G, Deng A, Liang S, Liu S, Fu X, Zhao X, Yu Z. Integration of Bulk RNA Sequencing and Single-Cell RNA Sequencing to Reveal Uveal Melanoma Tumor Heterogeneity and Cells Related to Survival. Front Immunol 2022; 13:898925. [PMID: 35865532 PMCID: PMC9294459 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.898925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular classification based on transcriptional characteristics is often used to study tumor heterogeneity. Human cancer has different cell populations with distinct transcription in tumors, and their heterogeneity is the focus of tumor therapy. Our purpose was to explore the tumor heterogeneity of uveal melanoma (UM) through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Based on the consensus clustering assays of the prognosis-related immune gene set, the immune subtype (IS) of UM and its corresponding immune characteristics were comprehensively analyzed. The heterogeneous cell groups and corresponding marker genes of UM were identified from GSE138433 using scRNA-seq analysis. Pseudotime trajectory analysis and SCENIC analysis were conducted to explore the trajectory of cell differentiation and the regulatory network of single-cell transcription factors (TFs). Based on 37 immune gene sets, UM was divided into two different immune subtypes (IS1 and IS2). The two kinds of ISs have different characteristics in prognosis, immune-related molecules, immune score, and immune cell infiltration. According to 11,988 cells of scRNA-seq data from six UM samples, 11 cell clusters and 10 cell types were identified. The subsets of C1, C4, C5, C8, and C9 were related to the prognosis of UM, and different TF–target gene regulatory networks were involved. These five cell subsets differentiated into 3 different states. Our results provided valuable information about the heterogeneity of UM tumors and the expression patterns of TFs in different cell types.
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Li Y, Yang J, Zhang Q, Xu S, Sun W, Ge S, Xu X, Jager MJ, Jia R, Zhang J, Fan X. Copper ionophore elesclomol selectively targets GNAQ/11-mutant uveal melanoma. Oncogene 2022; 41:3539-3553. [PMID: 35697803 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02364-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Unlike cutaneous melanoma, uveal melanoma (UM) is characterized by mutations in GNAQ and GNA11 and remains a fatal disease because there is essentially no effective targeted therapy or immunotherapy available. We report the discovery of the copper ionophore elesclomol as a GNAQ/11-specific UM inhibitor. Elesclomol was identified in a differential cytotoxicity screen of an in-house tool compound library, and its in vivo pharmacological efficacy was further confirmed in zebrafish and mouse UM models. Mechanistically, elesclomol transports copper to mitochondria and produces a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as Cu(II) is reduced to Cu(I) in GNAQ/11-mutant UM cells, which selectively activates LATS1 kinase in the Hippo signaling pathway and consequently promotes YAP phosphorylation and inhibits its nuclear accumulation. The inactivation of YAP downregulates the expression of SNAI2, which in turn suppresses the migration of UM cells. These findings were cross validated by our clinical observation that YAP activation was found specifically in UM samples with a GNAQ/11 mutation. Furthermore, addition of binimetinib, a MEK inhibitor, to elesclomol increased its synthetic lethality to GNAQ/11-mutant UM cells, thereby overriding drug resistance. This effect was confirmed in an orthotopic xenograft model and in a patient-derived xenograft model of UM. These studies reveal a novel mechanistic basis for repurposing elesclomol by showing that copper homeostasis is a GNAQ/11-specific vulnerability in UM. Elesclomol may provide a new therapeutic path for selectively targeting malignant GNAQ/11-mutant UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyun Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- National Research Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai), State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiqiong Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Sun
- National Research Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai), State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengfang Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowei Xu
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Martine J Jager
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Renbing Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jianming Zhang
- National Research Center for Translational Medicine (Shanghai), State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xianqun Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China.
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Abstract
PURPOSE The mechanism underlying cancer heterogeneity and plasticity remains elusive, in spite of the fact that multiple hypotheses have been put forward. We intended to clarify this heterogeneity in uveal melanoma (UM) by looking for evidence of cancer stem cell involvement and a potential role of ZEB1 in cancer cell plasticity. METHODS Spheroids derived from human UM cells as well as xenograft tumors in nude mice were dissected for signs of heterogeneity and plasticity. Two human UM cell lines were studied: the epithelioid type C918 cell line and the spindle type OCM1 cell line. We knocked down ZEB1 in both cell lines to investigate its involvement in the regulation of stem-like cell formation and vascularization by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. RESULTS We found that a small side population (SP) in OCM1 showed stem cell-like properties such as heterogeneity, remote dissemination and nuclear dye exclusion after spheroid formation in vitro. ZEB1 regulated UM stem cell generation indirectly by promoting cell proliferation to form large size tumors in vivo and spheroid in vitro, and directly by binding to stemness genes such as TERT and ABCB1. In addition, we found that ZEB1 participates in vasculogenic mimicry system formation through the regulation of CD34 and VE-cadherin expression. CONCLUSIONS From our data we conclude that cancer stem cells may contribute to UM heterogeneity and plasticity and that ZEB1 may play a regulatory role in it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, National Clinical Medical Center for Geriatric Diseases of Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoqin Lu
- Department of Medicine, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Birth Defects Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY USA
| | - Ling Gao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Douglas C. Dean
- Department of Medicine, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Birth Defects Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY USA
| | - Yongqing Liu
- Department of Medicine, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, Birth Defects Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY USA
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Meng Z, Chen Y, Wu W, Yan B, Zhang L, Chen H, Meng Y, Liang Y, Yao X, Luo J. PRRX1 Is a Novel Prognostic Biomarker and Facilitates Tumor Progression Through Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Uveal Melanoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:754645. [PMID: 35281030 PMCID: PMC8914230 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.754645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults. UM develops and is sustained by inflammation and immunosuppression from the tumor microenvironment (TME). This study sought to identify a reliable TME-related biomarker that could provide survival prediction and new insight into therapy for UM patients. Based on clinical characteristics and the RNA-seq transcriptome data of 80 samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, PRRX1 as a TME- and prognosis-related gene was identified using the ESTIMATE algorithm and the LASSO–Cox regression model. A prognostic model based on PRRX1 was constructed and validated with a Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset of 63 samples. High PRRX1 expression was associated with poorer overall survival (OS) and metastasis-free survival (MFS) in UM patients. Comprehensive results of the prognostic analysis showed that PRRX1 was an independent and reliable predictor of UM. Then the results of immunological characteristics demonstrated that higher expression of PRRX1 was accompanied by higher expression of immune checkpoint genes, lower tumor mutation burden (TMB), and greater tumor cell infiltration into the TME. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that high PRRX1 expression correlated with angiogenesis, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and inflammation. Furthermore, downregulation of PRRX1 weakened the process of EMT, reduced cell invasion and migration of human UM cell line MuM-2B in vitro. Taken together, these findings indicated that increased PRRX1 expression is independently a prognostic factor of poorer OS and MFS in patients with UM, and that PRRX1 promotes malignant progression of UM by facilitating EMT, suggesting that PRRX1 may be a potential target for UM therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhishang Meng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yanzhu Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hunan Cancer Hospital and The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wenyi Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bin Yan
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lusi Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Huihui Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yongan Meng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Youling Liang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaoxi Yao
- Shenzhen College of International Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Luo,
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Zhang H, Jin C, Zhang L, Peng B, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Li L, Ye M, Xiong W, Tan W. CD71-Specific Aptamer Conjugated with Monomethyl Auristatin E for the Treatment of Uveal Melanoma. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2022; 14:32-40. [PMID: 34928139 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c13980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy among adults. Despite significant advances in diagnosis and treatment, the general mortality of UM remains alarmingly high. This calls for the development of new approaches for the treatment of UM, such as targeted cancer therapy. CD71, also known as transferrin receptor 1, is overexpressed in UM cell lines and tissues. Herein, we report the development of a CD71-specific aptamer targeting the XQ-2d-MMAE conjugate that can distinguish UM cells from normal human uveal melanocytes. The cytotoxic drug monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) could be easily coupled onto XQ-2d, a DNA aptamer that specifically targets CD71, to achieve efficiently targeted cancer growth inhibition in a mouse xenograft model, thus implying that XQ-2d-MMAE might be developed into a promising novel anti-tumor agent for the treatment of UM. Collectively, our results demonstrated that CD71 is a reliable target for drug delivery in UM and could be utilized as a model to explore aptamer-mediated targeted UM treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Cheng Jin
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Bo Peng
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Yibin Zhang
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Ling Li
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Mao Ye
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
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Onken MD, Noda SE, Kaltenbronn KM, Frankfater C, Makepeace CM, Fettig N, Piggott KD, Custer PL, Ippolito JE, Blumer KJ. Oncogenic Gq/11 signaling acutely drives and chronically sustains metabolic reprogramming in uveal melanoma. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101495. [PMID: 34919964 PMCID: PMC8761705 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic reprogramming has been shown to occur in uveal melanoma (UM), the most common intraocular tumor in adults. Mechanisms driving metabolic reprogramming in UM are poorly understood. Elucidation of these mechanisms could inform development of new therapeutic strategies for metastatic UM, which has poor prognosis because existing therapies are ineffective. Here, we determined whether metabolic reprogramming is driven by constitutively active mutant α-subunits of the heterotrimeric G proteins Gq or G11 (Gq/11), the oncogenic drivers in ∼90% of UM patients. Using PET-computed tomography imaging, microphysiometry, and GC/MS, we found that inhibition of oncogenic Gq/11 with the small molecule FR900359 (FR) attenuated glucose uptake by UM cells in vivo and in vitro, blunted glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration in UM cell lines and tumor cells isolated from patients, and reduced levels of several glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates. FR acutely inhibited glycolysis and respiration and chronically attenuated expression of genes in both metabolic processes. UM therefore differs from other melanomas that exhibit a classic Warburg effect. Metabolic reprogramming in UM cell lines and patient samples involved protein kinase C and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 signaling downstream of oncogenic Gq/11. Chronic administration of FR upregulated expression of genes involved in metabolite scavenging and redox homeostasis, potentially as an adaptive mechanism explaining why FR does not efficiently kill UM tumor cells or regress UM tumor xenografts. These results establish that oncogenic Gq/11 signaling is a crucial driver of metabolic reprogramming in UM and lay a foundation for studies aimed at targeting metabolic reprogramming for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Onken
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Sarah E Noda
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kevin M Kaltenbronn
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Cheryl Frankfater
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA; Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Carol M Makepeace
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Nikki Fettig
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kisha D Piggott
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Philip L Custer
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Joseph E Ippolito
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA; Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kendall J Blumer
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
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Lin V, Chung IY, Toumi E, McKay D, McKenzie J, McKelvie P, Zabih F, Hoffmeister A, Wright D, Ntzaferi A, Wu IJ, Hesson L, Fung A, Lim LA, Wong S, Field A, Earls P, Giblin M, Conway RM, Cherepanoff S. Biopsy for molecular risk stratification in uveal melanoma: Yields and molecular characteristics in 119 patients. Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2022; 50:50-61. [PMID: 34714583 DOI: 10.1111/ceo.14022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prognostic cytological and molecular features of uveal melanoma have been well researched and are essential in management. Samples can be obtained in vivo through fine needle aspirate biopsy, vitrector cutter, forceps or post-enucleation for off-site testing. This study aims to examine cytological and chromosome microarray yields of these samples. METHODS A retrospective cohort analysis of 119 uveal melanoma biopsies submitted to our laboratory. Samples included those taken in vivo (n = 57) and post-enucleation (n = 62). Patient and tumour features were collected including age, sex, primary tumour location, basal diameter and tumour height. Prognostic outcomes measured include cell morphology, chromosomal status and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Post-enucleation biopsies accounted for just over half of our samples (52%). Post-enucleation samples had a more successful genetic yield than in vivo biopsies (77% vs. 50%, p = 0.04) though there was no difference for cytological yields. There was no difference in cytological or microarray yields between instruments. The vitrector biopsy group had the smallest tumour thickness (5 mm vs. 10 mm [fine-needle aspirate biopsy], p = 0.003). There was a strong correlation between monosomy 3, BAP1 aberrancy and epithelioid cell type in post-enucleation samples (Tb = 0.742, p = 0.005). However, epithelioid morphology was not associated with either monosomy 3 (p = 0.07) or BAP1 aberrancy (p = 0.24) for in vivo biopsies. CONCLUSIONS All three biopsy instruments provide similar cytological yields as post-enucleation sampling, although post-enucleation samples had a more successful chromosome microarray yield. Epithelioid cytomorphology alone is insufficient for prognostication in in vivo biopsies, immunohistochemistry would be a useful surrogate test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Lin
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - In Young Chung
- Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elsa Toumi
- Department of Anatomical Pathology and Molecular Oncology, SydPath, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Daniel McKay
- Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - John McKenzie
- Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Penny McKelvie
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Farida Zabih
- Department of Cancer Genetics, SydPath, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Dale Wright
- Department of Cytogenetics, Children's Hospital Westmead, Westmead, Australia
- Discipline of Paediatrics & Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Aphrodite Ntzaferi
- Department of Cancer Genetics, SydPath, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Iris Junhong Wu
- Department of Cancer Genetics, SydPath, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Luke Hesson
- Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Australia
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, Macquarie Park, Australia
| | - Adrian Fung
- Westmead and Central Clinical Schools, Specialty of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Li-Anne Lim
- Chatswood Private Hospital, Chatswood, Australia
- Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Stephen Wong
- Department of Anatomical Pathology and Molecular Oncology, SydPath, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andrew Field
- Department of Anatomical Pathology and Molecular Oncology, SydPath, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Peter Earls
- Department of Anatomical Pathology and Molecular Oncology, SydPath, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michael Giblin
- Chatswood Private Hospital, Chatswood, Australia
- Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Robert Max Conway
- Westmead and Central Clinical Schools, Specialty of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Sydney Eye Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Svetlana Cherepanoff
- Department of Anatomical Pathology and Molecular Oncology, SydPath, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, Sydney, Australia
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34
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Farhan M, Silva M, Xingan X, Zhou Z, Zheng W. Artemisinin Inhibits the Migration and Invasion in Uveal Melanoma via Inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2021; 2021:9911537. [PMID: 34931134 PMCID: PMC8684509 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9911537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma is the most common primary ocular neoplasm in adults, with many patients ending up developing liver metastasis and facing a significant reduction of their life expectancy due to the lack of efficient treatments. Artemisinin is an antimalarial drug that has been widely used in the clinic and whose anticancer properties have also been described. Its reported safety, affordability, and ability to reach the ocular tissues point that it has a potential therapeutic agent against uveal melanoma. In the present study, we found that a subantimalaria dosage of artemisinin significantly attenuated the migration and invasion potential of uveal melanoma cells, in a concentration-dependent manner. Assessment of the mechanisms underlying artemisinin anticancer action revealed that its use dramatically reduced the phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR in UM cells. Further inhibition of PI3K signaling, using LY294002, or of mTOR, by rapamycin, blocked the migration and invasion of UM cells similarly to artemisinin. In contrast, AKT or mTOR activator (Sc79 and MHY1485, respectively) attenuated the inhibitory effect of artemisinin on the migration and invasion abilities of UM cells, further validating that artemisinin's anticancer effect is likely to be mediated via inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Artemisinin also induced mitochondrial membrane potential loss and apoptosis of UM cells, having no significant toxic effect on normal retinal neuronal cells RGC-5 and epithelial cells D407. These findings and the reported safety of artemisinin's clinical dosage strongly suggest the therapeutic potential of artemisinin in the prevention and treatment of uveal melanomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Farhan
- Cancer Center and Center of Reproduction, Development & Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Marta Silva
- Cancer Center and Center of Reproduction, Development & Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Xing Xingan
- Cancer Center and Center of Reproduction, Development & Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhou
- Cancer Center and Center of Reproduction, Development & Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Wenhua Zheng
- Cancer Center and Center of Reproduction, Development & Aging, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- Institute of Translation Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
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Abstract
Melanocytes are located in various parts of the human body, such as the skin and the eye. Their transformation leads to melanoma, an aggressive and deadly neoplasm. Cutaneous and uveal melanomas show different characteristics, including significant differences in genetic alterations, metastatic sites and therapeutic response. In recent decades, great efforts have been made to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of genetics, genomics and molecular changes, enabling the identification of key cellular processes and signaling pathways in melanomas. Major breakthroughs were realized in the treatment of metastatic cutaneous melanoma, but most patients relapse. Currently, there is no approved systemic treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma. Thus, these two different cancers are in therapeutic need to overcome treatment failure and improve patient prognosis. In this review we discuss on one hand the mutation of MITF, the master gene of melanocyte homeostasis, which we identified as a new melanoma predisposition gene in cutaneous melanoma, and on the other hand the recent findings of intratumor heterogeneity and characterization of cell sub-populations in primary uveal melanomas. These studies offer new tools for early detection and therapeutic targets.
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Hu DN, Zhang R, Yao S, Iacob CE, Yang WE, Rosen R, Yang SF. Cultured Human Uveal Melanocytes Express/secrete CXCL1 and CXCL2 Constitutively and Increased by Lipopolysaccharide via Activation of Toll-like Receptor 4. Curr Eye Res 2021; 46:1681-1694. [PMID: 33979551 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2021.1929326] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can activate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and increase the expression of CXCL1 and CXCL2, the potent neutrophils chemoattractants, in various cell types. These effects have not been previously reported in the uveal melanocytes. This study was designed to investigate the effects of LPS on the activation of TLR4 and expression of CXCL1/CXCL2 in cultured human uveal melanocytes and the relevant signal pathways.Methods: Effects of LPS on the expression of TLR4 were tested using real-time PCR, flow cytometry and fluorescence immunostaining. Effects of LPS-induced expression/secretion of CXCL1/CXCL2 were studied using real-time PCR in cell lysates and ELISA in conditioned media of cultured uveal melanocytes. Activated NF-κB and phosphorylated MAPK signals were tested in cells with and without LPS treatment using flow cytometry. Effects of various signal inhibitors on p38, ERK1/2, JNK1/2 and NF-κB on the secretion of CXCL1/CXCL2 were tested by ELISA. The effects of neutralized antibodies of CXCL1/CXCL2 on the severity of LPS-induced uveitis were tested in a mouse model.Results: LPS stimulation increased the expression of TLR4 mRNA and protein in culture uveal melanocytes. Constitutive secretion of CXCL1/CXCL2 was detected in uveal melanocytes and was significantly increased dose- and time-dependently by LPS stimulation. LPS mainly increased the activated NF-κB and phosphorylated JNK1/2. LPS-induced expression of CXCL1/CXCL2 was blocked by NF-κB and JNK1/2 inhibitors. The severity of LPS-induced uveitis was significantly inhibited by neutralizing antibody to CXCL1/CXCL2Conclusions: This is the first report on the LPS-induced expression of CXCL1 and CXCL2 by uveal melanocytes via the activation of TLR4. These results suggest that uveal melanocytes may play a role in the immune reaction that eliminates the invading pathogens. Conversely, an excessive LPS-induced inflammatory reaction may also lead to the development of inflammatory ocular disorders, such as non-infectious uveitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Ning Hu
- Tissue Culture Center, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Ruihua Zhang
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Shen Yao
- Departments of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Codrin E Iacob
- Departments of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Department of Pathology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Wei-En Yang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Richard Rosen
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmay of Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Shun-Fa Yang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
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Yu L, Zhou D, Zhang G, Ren Z, Luo X, Liu P, Plouffe SW, Meng Z, Moroishi T, Li Y, Zhang Y, Brown JH, Liu S, Guan K. Co-occurrence of BAP1 and SF3B1 mutations in uveal melanoma induces cellular senescence. Mol Oncol 2021; 16:607-629. [PMID: 34706158 PMCID: PMC8807356 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13128] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common intraocular tumor in adults. Recurrent mutations in BRCA1‐associated protein 1 (BAP1) and splicing factor 3B subunit 1 (SF3B1) display a mutually exclusive pattern in UM, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. We show that combined BAP1 deficiency and SF3B1 hotspot mutation lead to senescence and growth arrest in human UM cells. Although p53 protein expression is induced, deletion of TP53 (encoding p53) only modestly rescues the observed senescent phenotype. UM cells with BAP1 loss or SF3B1 mutation are more sensitive to chemotherapeutic drugs compared with their isogenic parental cells. Transcriptome analysis shows that DNA‐repair genes are downregulated upon co‐occurrence of BAP1 deletion and SF3B1 mutation, thus leading to impaired DNA damage response and the induction of senescence. The co‐occurrence of these two mutations reduces invasion of UM cells in zebrafish xenograft models and suppresses growth of melanoma xenografts in nude mice. Our findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the mutual exclusivity of BAP1 and SF3B1 mutations in human UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Dan Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Guiming Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhonglu Ren
- College of Medical Information EngineeringGuangdong Pharmaceutical UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Medicinal Information and Real World Engineering Technology Center of UniversitiesGuangzhouChina
| | - Xin Luo
- School of Pharmaceutical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Peng Liu
- Institutes of Biomedical SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Steven W. Plouffe
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer CenterUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCAUSA
| | - Zhipeng Meng
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer CenterUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCAUSA
| | - Toshiro Moroishi
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer CenterUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCAUSA
- Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy AgingFaculty of Life SciencesKumamoto UniversityJapan
- Department of Cell Signaling and Metabolic MedicineFaculty of Life SciencesKumamoto UniversityJapan
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and TechnologyJapan Science and Technology AgencySaitamaJapan
| | - Yilei Li
- Department of PharmacyNanfang HospitalSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yiyue Zhang
- Division of CellDevelopment and Integrative BiologySchool of MedicineSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
| | - Joan Heller Brown
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer CenterUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCAUSA
| | - Shuwen Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical SciencesSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Kun‐Liang Guan
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer CenterUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCAUSA
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Kang H, Ling F, Xin X, Ping L. (-)-4- O-(4- O- β- D-glucopyranosylcaffeoyl) quinic acid exerts anti-tumour effects against uveal melanoma through PI3K/AKT pathway. Cutan Ocul Toxicol 2021; 40:119-124. [PMID: 33877004 DOI: 10.1080/15569527.2021.1914074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Uveal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular tumour in adults. There is no standard adjuvant treatment to prevent metastasis and no effective therapy in the metastatic setting. (-)-4-O-(4-O-β-D-glucopyranosylcaffeoyl) quinic acid (QA) is a new compound isolated from the endophytic fungus Penicillium sp.FJ-1 of Avicennia marina, with potent activities to inhibit the PI3K. Our work further investigated effects of QA against uveal melanoma and explored its underlying mechanisms. METHODS MP65 cells were treated with QA at different concentrations. CCK-8 assay was used to detect effects of QA on cell viability. PI staining was used to detect cell cycle arrest. Tumour model was established by injecting MP65 cells into nude mice subcutaneously. Tumour-bearing mice were divided into three groups (5 mice per group). Mice were treated with QA (5 or 10 mg/kg) or saline by intraperitoneal injection five times per week. RT-qPCR and western blot were used to detect the expression of genes and proteins, respectively. RESULTS QA significantly inhibited the proliferation of uveal melanoma cells and induced the cell cycle arrest as well as autophagy. Moreover, QA treatment significantly slowed tumour growth of uveal melanoma, shown by decreased tumour volume and weight. Furthermore, QA treatment markedly decreased the protein expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT in tumour tissues. CONCLUSIONS Our data provided scientific rationale to develop QA as a promising anti-tumour agent against uveal melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Kang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Ling
- Department of Ophthalmology, Inner Mongolia Baogang Hospital, Baotou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiangyang Xin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Inner Mongolia Baogang Hospital, Baotou, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Ping
- Department of Ophthalmology, Inner Mongolia Baogang Hospital, Baotou, People's Republic of China
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Lin Z, Süsskind D. Exploring the role of BAFF as biomarker in the detection of uveal melanoma metastases. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2021; 147:1389-1405. [PMID: 33665679 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-021-03555-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE While B-cell activating factor (BAFF) was identified to promote the invasion in other malignancies, its role in the progression of uveal melanoma (UM) still remains unexplored. Here, we analysed the serum level of BAFF in UM patients with regard to its significance as biomarker for the metastases. METHODS In this retrospective study, serum BAFF levels in 173 UM patients (36 with metastases and 137 without), and 23 healthy controls were measured with a multiplexed sandwich ELISA system and then correlated with clinicopathological characteristics such as primary tumor size, tumor location, histological cell type, sex, cancer stage, cytogenetic alterations of chromosome 3, and the metastatic burden. Immunohistochemical staining of 50 UM tissue specimens was also performed to evaluate the expression of BAFF and its receptors BAFF-R and TACI. RESULTS The metastatic patients were identified to have significantly higher serum BAFF levels (mean ± SD, 1520.8 ± 1182.1 pg/ml) than those without metastases (950.4 ± 494.6 pg/ml) and controls (810.3 ± 140.5 pg/ml). While no distinctions were detected with regard to tumor location, histological cell type, gender, and monosomy 3, the patients in cancer stages II, III, and IV displayed higher serum BAFF levels than those in stage I. The serum BAFF level was significantly correlated with the metastatic burden. The serum BAFF level of 1120 pg/ml was identified to have the best performance for distinguishing the metastatic patients from non-metastatic patients. In the kinetic study, we noticed that 20.8% of the analysed patients already demonstrated elevated serum BAFF concentrations before the clinical diagnosis of metastases. Positive BAFF staining was detected in the cytoplasm of single tumor cells (in 13 specimens), macrophages (in 12 specimens), and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) (in 13 specimens). The expressions of BAFF-R and TACI were also observed in 17 and 36 of the 50 tested UM specimens, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our study first suggests that BAFF might be a promising serum marker for the detection of UM metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zenan Lin
- Center for Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Daniela Süsskind
- Center for Ophthalmology, University Eye Hospital, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
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Krossa I, Ballotti R, Bertolotto C. The ERK signaling pathway returns to the limelight in uveal melanomas. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2021; 34:832-833. [PMID: 33548110 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Hao L, Yin J, Yang H, Li C, Zhu L, Liu L, Zhong J. ALKBH5-mediated m 6A demethylation of FOXM1 mRNA promotes progression of uveal melanoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:4045-4062. [PMID: 33428593 PMCID: PMC7906204 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [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: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we found that ALKBH5, a key component of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase complex, was significantly elevated in uveal melanoma (UM) cell lines and that ALKBH5 downregulation inhibited tumor growth in vivo. High ALKBH5 expression predicted worse outcome in patients with UM. EP300-induced H3K27 acetylation activation increased ALKBH5 expression. Downregulation of ALKBH5 inhibited UM cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and increased apoptosis in vitro. Besides, ALKBH5 may promote UM metastasis by inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via demethylation of FOXM1 mRNA, which increases its expression and stability. In sum, our study indicates that AKLBH5-induced m6A demethylation of FOXM1 mRNA promotes UM progression. Therefore, AKLBH5 is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Hao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jiayang Yin
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Chaoxuan Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Linxin Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Lian Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jingxiang Zhong
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong Province, China
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Liu S, Zhang J, Fang S, Zhang Q, Zhu G, Tian Y, Zhao M, Liu F. Macrophage polarization contributes to the efficacy of an oncolytic HSV-1 targeting human uveal melanoma in a murine xenograft model. Exp Eye Res 2021; 202:108285. [PMID: 33039456 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108285] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM), the most common primary malignant tumor of the eye in adults, is difficult-to-treat. UM has a relatively high mortality secondary to distant metastasis and poor overall survival with existing therapies. The oncolytic virus herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) has been approved for clinical use in melanoma. This double-stranded DNA virus was suspected to directly activate lysis specifically in neoplastic cells. We tested the antitumor efficacy of recombinant oncolytic HSV-1-EGFP (oHSV-EGFP) in UM and characterized the local and systemic antitumor innate immune response in a murine xenograft model. We first determined the efficacy of the oncolytic virus in 92.1, MUM2B and MP41 cell lines. In murine xenograft models, oHSV-EGFP reduced intraocular tumors as well as systemic subcutaneous tumors. A significant change in cytokines was observed in viral infected cells, especially a rise in IFNγ. In vivo analyses showed increased anti-tumorigenic M1 macrophages and decreased pro-tumorigenic M2 macrophages in peripheral blood, and intraocular and distant tumors after intravitreal viral treatment. Increased infiltration of natural killer cells and mature dendritic cells was also detected after viral treatment. In addition, no virus was detected in major organs after the treatment. Our data support that oHSV-EGFP is effective, neoplasm specific, immune active and safe, providing possible clinical translatable options to treat ocular and metastatic UM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital, Eye Diseases and Optometry Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Junwen Zhang
- Brain Tumor Research Center, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng Fang
- Brain Tumor Research Center, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Brain Tumor Research Center, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing, China
| | - Guidong Zhu
- Brain Tumor Research Center, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing, China
| | - Yifu Tian
- Brain Tumor Research Center, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing, China
| | - Mingwei Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital, Eye Diseases and Optometry Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
| | - Fusheng Liu
- Brain Tumor Research Center, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing, China.
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Zhang J, Liu G, Jin H, Li X, Li N, Yin Q, Hu R. MicroRNA-137 targets EZH2 to exert suppressive functions in uveal melanoma via regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. J BUON 2021; 26:173-181. [PMID: 33721449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Uveal melanoma (UM) is one of the primary intraocular malignancies. Emerging studies have confirmed dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA/miR) in UM. The present study focused on the biofunctions of miR-137 in UM. METHODS MiR-137 expressions in tissue samples were analyzed by qRT-PCR. MTT and transwell assays were applied to investigate the impacts of miR-137 on UM cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Luciferase assay was carried out to explore the downstream target of miR-137. Western blot was used to analyze the roles of miR-137 in UM cells, Wnt/β-catenin pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). RESULTS qRT-PCR showed that miR-137 expressions were lower in UM tissue samples than para-carcinoma tissues, whereas EZH2 was simultaneously upregulated. MiR-137 overexpression evidently suppressed UM cell proliferation, invasion and migration. The findings also indicated that miR-137 restoration could block Wnt/β-catenin pathway and EMT in UM cells thus resulting in downregulation of malignant behaviors. EZH2 was a downstream target of miR-137 as demonstrated by luciferase assay. CONCLUSION The present study indicated that EZH2 participated in the anti-UM functions of miR-137. Taken together, the data in our study established miR-137/EZH2 axis in regulating UM progression, suggesting that miR-137 may function as a novel therapeutic biomarker for UM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfu Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang 261041,China
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Liu J, Lu J, Li W. A Comprehensive Prognostic and Immunological Analysis of a Six-Gene Signature Associated With Glycolysis and Immune Response in Uveal Melanoma. Front Immunol 2021; 12:738068. [PMID: 34630418 PMCID: PMC8494389 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.738068] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is a subtype of melanoma with poor prognosis. This study aimed to construct a new prognostic gene signature that can be used for survival prediction and risk stratification of UM patients. In this work, transcriptome data from the Molecular Signatures Database were used to identify the cancer hallmarks most relevant to the prognosis of UM patients. Weighted gene co-expression network, univariate least absolute contraction and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to construct the prognostic gene characteristics. Kaplan-Meier and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the survival predictive ability of the gene signature. The results showed that glycolysis and immune response were the main risk factors for overall survival (OS) in UM patients. Using univariate Cox regression analysis, 238 candidates related to the prognosis of UM patients were identified (p < 0.05). Using LASSO and multivariate Cox regression analyses, a six-gene signature including ARPC1B, BTBD6, GUSB, KRTCAP2, RHBDD3, and SLC39A4 was constructed. Kaplan-Meier analysis of the UM cohort in the training set showed that patients with higher risk scores had worse OS (HR = 2.61, p < 0.001). The time-dependent ROC (t-ROC) curve showed that the risk score had good predictive efficiency for UM patients in the training set (AUC > 0.9). Besides, t-ROC analysis showed that the predictive ability of risk scores was significantly higher than that of other clinicopathological characteristics. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that risk score was an independent risk factor for OS in UM patients. The prognostic value of risk scores was further verified in two external UM cohorts (GSE22138 and GSE84976). Two-factor survival analysis showed that UM patients with high hypoxia or immune response scores and high risk scores had the worst prognosis. Moreover, a nomogram based on the six-gene signature was established for clinical practice. In addition, risk scores were related to the immune infiltration profiles. Taken together, this study identified a new prognostic six-gene signature related to glycolysis and immune response. This six-gene signature can not only be used for survival prediction and risk stratification but also may be a potential therapeutic target for UM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Yue Bei People’s Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
- Medical Research Center, Yue Bei People’s Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
| | - Jianjun Lu
- Department of Medical Affairs, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenli Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Yue Bei People’s Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shaoguan, China
- *Correspondence: Wenli Li,
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Han A, Purwin TJ, Bechtel N, Liao C, Chua V, Seifert E, Sato T, Schug ZT, Speicher DW, Harbour JW, Aplin AE. BAP1 mutant uveal melanoma is stratified by metabolic phenotypes with distinct vulnerability to metabolic inhibitors. Oncogene 2021; 40:618-632. [PMID: 33208912 PMCID: PMC7856044 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01554-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cell metabolism is a targetable vulnerability; however, a precise understanding of metabolic heterogeneity is required. Inactivating mutations in BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) are associated with metastasis in uveal melanoma (UM), the deadliest adult eye cancer. BAP1 functions in UM remain unclear. UM patient sample analysis divided BAP1 mutant UM tumors into two subgroups based on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) gene expression suggesting metabolic heterogeneity. Consistent with patient data, transcriptomic analysis of BAP1 mutant UM cell lines also showed OXPHOShigh or OXPHOSlow subgroups. Integrated RNA sequencing, metabolomics, and molecular analyses showed that OXPHOShigh BAP1 mutant UM cells utilize glycolytic and nucleotide biosynthesis pathways, whereas OXPHOSlow BAP1 mutant UM cells employ fatty acid oxidation. Furthermore, the two subgroups responded to different classes of metabolic suppressors. Our findings indicate that targeting cancer metabolism is a promising therapeutic option for BAP1 mutant UM; however, tailored approaches may be required due to metabolic heterogeneities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Han
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Timothy J Purwin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Nelisa Bechtel
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Connie Liao
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Vivian Chua
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Erin Seifert
- Department of Pathology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Takami Sato
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Zachary T Schug
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - David W Speicher
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - J William Harbour
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33101, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33101, USA
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33101, USA
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
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Dörschmann P, Schmitt C, Bittkau KS, Neupane S, Synowitz M, Roider J, Alban S, Held-Feindt J, Klettner A. Evaluation of a Brown Seaweed Extract from Dictyosiphon foeniculaceus as a Potential Therapeutic Agent for the Treatment of Glioblastoma and Uveal Melanoma. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:E625. [PMID: 33302412 PMCID: PMC7762554 DOI: 10.3390/md18120625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ingredients of brown seaweed like fucoidans are often described for their beneficial biological effects, that might be interesting for a medical application. In this study, we tested an extract from Dictyosiphon foeniculaceus (DF) to evaluate the effects in glioblastoma and uveal melanoma, looking for a possible anti-cancer treatment. We investigated toxicity, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) secretion and gene expression of tumor and non-tumor cells. SVGA (human fetal astrocytes), the human RPE (retinal pigment epithelium) cell line ARPE-19, the tumor cell line OMM-1 (human uveal melanoma), and two different human primary glioblastoma cultures (116-14 and 118-14) were used. Tests for cell viability were conducted with MTS-Assay (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium), and the proliferation rate was determined with cell counting. VEGF secretion was assessed with ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The gene expression of VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1), VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and VEGF-A was determined with real-time qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction). DF lowered the cell viability of OMM-1. Proliferation rates of ARPE-19 and OMM-1 were decreased. The VEGF secretion was inhibited in ARPE-19 and OMM-1, whereas it was increased in SVGA and 116-14. The expression of VEGFR1 was absent and not influenced in OMM-1 and ARPE-19. VEGFR2 expression was lowered in 116-14 after 24 h, whereas VEGF-A was increased in 118-14 after 72 h. The extract lowered cell viability slightly and was anti-proliferative depending on the cell type investigated. VEGF was heterogeneously affected. The results in glioblastoma were not promising, but the anti-tumor properties in OMM-1 could make them interesting for further research concerning cancer diseases in the human eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Dörschmann
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein UKSH, Campus Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; (J.R.); (A.K.)
| | | | - Kaya Saskia Bittkau
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Kiel University, D-24118 Kiel, Germany; (K.S.B.); (S.N.); (S.A.)
| | - Sandesh Neupane
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Kiel University, D-24118 Kiel, Germany; (K.S.B.); (S.N.); (S.A.)
| | - Michael Synowitz
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein UKSH, Campus Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; (M.S.); (J.H.-F.)
| | - Johann Roider
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein UKSH, Campus Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; (J.R.); (A.K.)
| | - Susanne Alban
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Kiel University, D-24118 Kiel, Germany; (K.S.B.); (S.N.); (S.A.)
| | - Janka Held-Feindt
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein UKSH, Campus Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; (M.S.); (J.H.-F.)
| | - Alexa Klettner
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein UKSH, Campus Kiel, D-24105 Kiel, Germany; (J.R.); (A.K.)
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Maaßen T, Vardanyan S, Brosig A, Merz H, Ranjbar M, Kakkassery V, Grisanti S, Tura A. Monosomy-3 Alters the Expression Profile of the Glucose Transporters GLUT1-3 in Uveal Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249345. [PMID: 33302435 PMCID: PMC7762573 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Monosomy-3 in uveal melanoma (UM) cells increases the risk of fatal metastases. The gene encoding the low-affinity glucose transporter GLUT2 resides on chromosome 3q26.2. Here, we analyzed the expression of the glucose transporters GLUT1, GLUT2, and GLUT3 with regard to the histological and clinical factors by performing immunohistochemistry on the primary tumors of n = 33 UM patients. UMs with monosomy-3 exhibited a 57% lower immunoreactivity for GLUT2 and a 1.8×-fold higher ratio of GLUT1 to total GLUT1-3. The combined levels of GLUT1-3 proteins were reduced in the irradiated but not the non-irradiated tumors with monosomy-3. GLUT3 expression was stronger in the irradiated samples with disomy-3 versus monosomy-3, but the ratio of the GLUT3 isoform to total GLUT1-3 did not differ with regard to the monosomy-3 status in the irradiated or non-irradiated subgroups. Systemic metastases were associated with the presence of monosomy-3 in the primary and circulating tumor cells as well as a higher GLUT1 ratio. Upregulation of the high-affinity glucose transporter GLUT1 possibly as a compensation for the low-affinity isoform GLUT2 may be enhancing the basal glucose uptake in the UM cells with monosomy-3. Prevention of hyperglycemia might, therefore, be a valuable approach to delay the lethal UM metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjorge Maaßen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (T.M.); (S.V.); (A.B.); (M.R.); (V.K.); (S.G.)
| | - Siranush Vardanyan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (T.M.); (S.V.); (A.B.); (M.R.); (V.K.); (S.G.)
| | - Anton Brosig
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (T.M.); (S.V.); (A.B.); (M.R.); (V.K.); (S.G.)
| | - Hartmut Merz
- Reference Center for Lymph Node Pathology and Haematopathology, 23562 Lübeck, Germany;
| | - Mahdy Ranjbar
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (T.M.); (S.V.); (A.B.); (M.R.); (V.K.); (S.G.)
| | - Vinodh Kakkassery
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (T.M.); (S.V.); (A.B.); (M.R.); (V.K.); (S.G.)
| | - Salvatore Grisanti
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (T.M.); (S.V.); (A.B.); (M.R.); (V.K.); (S.G.)
| | - Aysegül Tura
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; (T.M.); (S.V.); (A.B.); (M.R.); (V.K.); (S.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-451-500-43912
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Krebs FS, Gérard C, Wicky A, Aedo-Lopez V, Missiaglia E, Bisig B, Trimech M, Michielin O, Homicsko K, Zoete V. Trametinib Induces the Stabilization of a Dual GNAQ p.Gly48Leu- and FGFR4 p.Cys172Gly-Mutated Uveal Melanoma. The Role of Molecular Modelling in Personalized Oncology. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8021. [PMID: 33126538 PMCID: PMC7662249 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We report a case of an uveal melanoma patient with GNAQ p.Gly48Leu who responded to MEK inhibition. At the time of the molecular analysis, the pathogenicity of the mutation was unknown. A tridimensional structural analysis showed that Gαq can adopt active and inactive conformations that lead to substantial changes, involving three important switch regions. Our molecular modelling study predicted that GNAQ p.Gly48Leu introduces new favorable interactions in its active conformation, whereas little or no impact is expected in its inactive form. This strongly suggests that GNAQ p.Gly48Leu is a possible tumor-activating driver mutation, consequently triggering the MEK pathway. In addition, we also found an FGFR4 p.Cys172Gly mutation, which was predicted by molecular modelling analysis to lead to a gain of function by impacting the Ig-like domain 2 folding, which is involved in FGF binding and increases the stability of the homodimer. Based on these analyses, the patient received the MEK inhibitor trametinib with a lasting clinical benefit. This work highlights the importance of molecular modelling for personalized oncology.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
- Female
- GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11/chemistry
- GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11/genetics
- GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11/metabolism
- Humans
- Melanoma/drug therapy
- Melanoma/genetics
- Melanoma/metabolism
- Melanoma/pathology
- Middle Aged
- Models, Molecular
- Mutant Proteins/chemistry
- Mutant Proteins/genetics
- Mutant Proteins/metabolism
- Mutation
- Protein Conformation
- Protein Stability
- Pyridones/therapeutic use
- Pyrimidinones/therapeutic use
- Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 4/chemistry
- Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 4/genetics
- Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 4/metabolism
- Sequence Homology
- Signal Transduction
- Uveal Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Uveal Neoplasms/genetics
- Uveal Neoplasms/metabolism
- Uveal Neoplasms/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny S. Krebs
- Computer-aided molecular engineering group, Department of Fundamental Oncology, Lausanne University, Ludwig Lausanne Branch, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland;
| | - Camille Gérard
- Precision Oncology Center, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (C.G.); (A.W.); (O.M.); (K.H.)
| | - Alexandre Wicky
- Precision Oncology Center, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (C.G.); (A.W.); (O.M.); (K.H.)
| | - Veronica Aedo-Lopez
- Service of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Edoardo Missiaglia
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
- University Institute of Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (B.B.); (M.T.)
| | - Bettina Bisig
- University Institute of Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (B.B.); (M.T.)
| | - Mounir Trimech
- University Institute of Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (B.B.); (M.T.)
| | - Olivier Michielin
- Precision Oncology Center, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (C.G.); (A.W.); (O.M.); (K.H.)
- Service of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland;
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
| | - Krisztian Homicsko
- Precision Oncology Center, Department of Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; (C.G.); (A.W.); (O.M.); (K.H.)
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Zoete
- Computer-aided molecular engineering group, Department of Fundamental Oncology, Lausanne University, Ludwig Lausanne Branch, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland;
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
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49
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Midena E, Parrozzani R, Midena G, Trainiti S, Marchione G, Cosmo E, Londei D, Frizziero L. In vivo intraocular biomarkers: Changes of aqueous humor cytokines and chemokines in patients affected by uveal melanoma. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020; 99:e22091. [PMID: 32957329 PMCID: PMC7505308 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000022091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory, angiogenic, and immune processes have been associated with uveal melanoma (UM). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of some specific aqueous humor (AH) soluble biomarkers in eyes affected by UM. Thirty-five eyes affected by primary UM and 35 control eyes, scheduled for cataract surgery, underwent full ophthalmic examination and AH sampling at time of surgery (brachytherapy or cataract surgery, respectively). AH samples were analyzed by means of ELISA, to detect the concentration of selected cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Compared with the control group, higher levels of IL-6 (P = .049), IL-8 (P = .006), RANTES (P = .008), EGF (P = .032), bFGF (P = .016), MIF (P = .007), and MCP (P = .020) were detected in eyes with UM. VEGF concentration between the two groups was statistically borderline (P = .058). Comparison between clinical characteristics and cytokine concentrations showed a positive correlation between tumor thickness and IL-8 (P = .032), and degree of serous retinal detachment and IL-6 (P = .021). UM is characterized by the presence of retinal neuroinflammatory, angiogenic, and immune biomarkers in AH. The proteomic analysis of AH could characterize UM microenvironment, allowing to better understand its pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Midena
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova
- IRCCS – Fondazione Bietti, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giulia Midena
- UOC Oftalmologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - Sara Trainiti
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova
| | | | - Eleonora Cosmo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova
| | - Davide Londei
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova
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50
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Singh MK, Singh L, Pushker N, Chosdol K, Bakhshi S, Meel R, Sen S, Kashyap S. Constitutive expression of c-REL in uveal melanoma patients: correlation with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome. Clin Transl Oncol 2020; 22:1193-1204. [PMID: 31768922 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-019-02247-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common intraocular cancer with a high mortality rate that requires new research in the field of prevention and treatment. c-REL is a member of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) transcription factor family and an emerging regulator of tumorigenesis. Therefore, the objective of the study is to evaluate the constitutive expression of c-REL in uveal melanoma patients and its prognostic significance. METHODS Detection of c-REL expression was carried out by immunohistochemistry in all 75 patients, and qRT-PCR performed on 58 fresh cases of uveal melanoma along with IL-6 status. Immunoblot was performed to validate immunohistochemistry results. Expression of c-REL protein correlated with clinicopathological parameters and overall survival of patients. RESULTS Immunohistochemistry results revealed nuclear expression of the c-REL protein (56%) in our cases. Out of 75 cases, 31 cases showed nuclear expression, and 11 cases had cytoplasmic expression. qRT-PCR showed upregulation of the REL gene in 56.89% cases at the transcriptional level. There was a statistically significant difference in the overall survival of patients with c-REL nuclear immunopositivity (p = 0.0048). On multivariate analysis, scleral invasion and c-REL nuclear expression found to be an independent prognostic factor (p < 0.05) CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study reporting the expression of the c-REL protein in uveal melanoma. Strong nuclear immunoexpression of c-Rel suggests NFκB pathway activation which might be involved in the progression of the disease. Differential expression of c-REL protein may be used as an attractive target for the development of anticancer strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M K Singh
- Department of Ocular Pathology, Dr. R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - L Singh
- Departrment of Biosciences, JMI, New Delhi, India
| | - N Pushker
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - K Chosdol
- Department of Biochemistry, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - S Bakhshi
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - R Meel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - S Sen
- Department of Ocular Pathology, Dr. R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - S Kashyap
- Department of Ocular Pathology, Dr. R. P. Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
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