The WAVE3/β-catenin oncogenic signaling regulates chemoresistance in triple negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Metastatic breast cancer is responsible for the death of the majority of breast cancer patients. In fact, metastatic BC is the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women in the USA and worldwide. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), which lacks expression of hormone receptors (ER-α and PR) and ErbB2/HER2, is especially lethal due to its highly metastatic behavior, propensity to recur rapidly, and for its resistance to standard of care therapies, through mechanisms that remain incompletely understood. WAVE3 has been established as a promoter of TNBC development and metastatic progression. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms whereby WAVE3 promotes therapy-resistance and cancer stemness in TNBC, through the regulation of β-catenin stabilization.

METHODS

The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset was used to assess the expression of WAVE3 and β-catenin in breast cancer tumors. Kaplan-Meier Plotter analysis was used to correlate expression of WAVE3 and β-catenin with breast cancer patients' survival probability. MTT assay was used to quantify cell survival. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, 2D and 3D tumorsphere growth and invasion assays, Immunofluorescence, Western blotting, Semi-quantitative and real-time quantitative PCR analyses were applied to study the WAVE3/β-catenin oncogenic signaling in TNBC. Tumor xenograft assays were used to study the role of WAVE3 in mediating chemotherapy resistance of TNBC tumors.

RESULTS

Genetic inactivation of WAVE3 in combination of chemotherapy resulted in inhibition of 2D growth and 3D tumorsphere formation and invasion of TNBC cells in vitro, as well as tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. In addition, while re-expression of phospho-active WAVE3 in the WAVE3-deficient TNBC cells restored the oncogenic activity of WAVE3, re-expression of phospho-mutant WAVE3 did not. Further studies revealed that dual blocking of WAVE3 expression or phosphorylation in combination with chemotherapy treatment inhibited the activity and expression and stabilization of β-catenin. Most importantly, the combination of WAVE3-deficiency or WAVE3-phospho-deficiency and chemotherapy suppressed the oncogenic behavior of chemoresistant TNBC cells, both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

We identified a novel WAVE3/β-catenin oncogenic signaling axis that modulates chemoresistance of TNBC. This study suggests that a targeted therapeutic strategy against WAVE3 could be effective for the treatment of chemoresistant TNBC tumors.

EZH2 activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling in human uterine fibroids, which is inhibited by the natural compound methyl jasmonate

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the link between EZH2 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling and its role in uterine fibroids (UFs) pathogenesis and explore the potential effect of natural compound methyl jasmonate (MJ) against UFs.

DESIGN

EZH2 overexpression or inhibition was achieved in human uterine leiomyoma (HuLM) cells using EZH2-expressing adenovirus or chemical EZH2 inhibitor (DZNep), respectively. The HuLM and normal uterine smooth muscle cells were treated with 0.1-3 mM of MJ, and several experiments were employed.

SETTING

Laboratory study.

PATIENTS(S)

None.

INTERVENTION(S)

Methyl jasmonate.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Protein expression of EZH2, β-catenin, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was measured by Western blot as well as gene expression alterations of Wnt ligands (Wnt5A, Wnt5b, and Wnt9A), WISP1, CTNNB1, and its responsive gene PITX2 using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The protein and ribonucleic acid (RNA) levels of several markers were measured in MJ-treated or untreated HuLM cells, including EZH2 and β-catenin, extracellular matrix markers collagen type 1 (COL1A1) and fibronectin (FN), proliferation markers cyclin D1 (CCND1) and PCNA, tumor suppressor marker p21, and apoptotic markers (BAX, cytochrome c, and cleaved caspase 3).

RESULT(S)

EZH2 overexpression significantly increased the gene expression of several Wnt ligands (PITX2, WISP1, WNT5A, WNT5B, and WNT9A), which increased nuclear translocation of β-catenin and PCNA and eventually HuLM cell proliferation. EZH2 inhibition blocked Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation where the aforementioned genes significantly decreased as well as PCNA, cyclin D1, and PITX2 protein expression compared with those in untreated HuLM. Methyl jasmonate showed a potent antiproliferative effect on HuLM cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Interestingly, the dose range (0.1-0.5 mM) showed a selective growth inhibitory effect on HuLM cells, not on normal uterine smooth muscle cells. Methyl jasmonate treatment at 0.5 mM for 24 hours significantly decreased both protein and RNA levels of EZH2, β-catenin, COL1A1, FN, CCND1, PCNA, WISP1, and PITX2 but increased the protein levels of p21, BAX, cytochrome, c and cleaved caspase 3 compared with untreated HuLM. Methyl jasmonate-treated cells exhibited down-regulation in the RNA expression of 36 genes, including CTNNB1, CCND1, Wnt5A, Wnt5B, and Wnt9A, and up-regulation in the expression of 34 genes, including Wnt antagonist genes WIF1, PRICKlE1, and DKK1 compared with control, confirming the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results.

CONCLUSION(S)

Our studies provide a novel link between EZH2 and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in UFs. Targeting EZH2 with MJ interferes with the activation of wnt/β-catenin signaling in our model. Methyl jasmonate may offer a promising therapeutic option as a nonhormonal and cost-effective treatment against UFs with favorable clinical utility, pending proven safe and efficient in human clinical trials.

Modulating Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway on U251 and T98G Glioblastoma Cell Lines Using a Combination of Paclitaxel and Temozolomide, A Molecular Docking Simulations and Gene Expression Study

One of the most lethal cancers, glioblastoma (GBM), affects 14.5% of all central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Patients diagnosed with GBM have a meager median overall survival (OS) of 15 months. Extensive genetic analysis has shown that many dysregulated pathways, including the Wnt/β-catenin signaling system, contribute to the pathogenicity of GBM. Paclitaxel (PTX) and temozolomide (TMZ) are recognized to have therapeutic potential in several types of cancer, including GBM. This work aimed to examine the impact of PTX and TMZ on the human glioma cell lines U251 and T98G using molecular docking simulations and gene expression profiles in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Standard procedure for Molecular Docking simulation, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity assay, and Flow Cytometry assay was used. Genes implicated in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, including Dvl, Axin, APC, β-catenin, and glycogen synthase kinase3-β (GSK3β), were subjected to real-time PCR. The estimated parameters for targets revealed that the average binding energy and inhibition constant (Ki) for the DVL, β-Catenin, and GSK3β, when targeted by PTX, were - 5.01 kcal/mol, - 5.4 kcal/mol, and - 9.06 kcal/mol, respectively. This energy range was - 6.34 kcal/mol for DVL, - 5.52 kcal/mol for β-Catenin, and - 5.66 kcal/mol for GSK3β as a result of TMZ's inhibitory actions. Gene expression analyses indicated that PTX and PTX/TMZ suppressed GSK3β (p < 0.05). GSK3β from the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was significantly targeted by PTX alone, and adding TMZ to PTX may improve the efficacy of glioblastoma treatment. In addition, the GSK3β gene may help GBM therapy strategies as a potential PTX target.

E2F8 knockdown suppresses cell proliferation and induces cell cycle arrest via Wnt/β-Catenin pathway in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of death in female reproductive system cancers. However, the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer remains elusive. Our aim is to investigate the potential targets for ovarian cancer. Two microarray datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus public database. Using R package limma, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the datasets. There were 95 overlapping DEGs in two microarray datasets. GO, KEGG pathway analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were carried out based on the DEGs. Wnt signaling pathway and cell cycle were enriched in the KEGG pathway analysis. Moreover, the top 10 hub genes with the most nodes were determined by PPI network analysis. E2F8, one of hub genes was positively linked to a bad outcome in ovarian cancer patients. Furthermore, E2F8 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest in ovarian cancer. In addition, we found that silencing E2F8 inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In ovarian cancer cells with E2F8 knockdown, overexpressing β-catenin restored both the suppressed capacity of cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. Therefore, our results revealed that E2F8 had an involvement in the development of ovarian cancer which might act as a therapeutic target.

5-lipoxygenase as a target to sensitize glioblastoma to temozolomide treatment via β-catenin-dependent pathway

Sensitizing strategy is required to improve the clinical management of glioblastoma (GBM). 5-Lipoxygenase (Alox5) has been recently garnered attention due to its pro-carcinogenic roles in various cancers. This study demonstrates that Alox5 is overexpressed in GBM but not normal neuronal tissues. Alox5 depletion inhibits the growth of GBM cells, both in bulky and stem-like populations, and enhances the anti-cancer effects of temozolomide. The mechanism behind this involves a decrease in β-catenin level and activity upon Alox5 depletion. The inhibitory effects of Alox5 can be reversed by the addition of a Wnt agonist. Additionally, the study reveals that zileuton, an Alox5 inhibitor approved for asthma treatment, significantly improves the efficacy of temozolomide in mice without causing toxicity. Combination index analysis clearly demonstrates that zileuton and temozolomide act synergistically. These findings highlight the importance of Alox5 as a critical regulator of glioblastoma sensitivity and suggest the potential repurposing of zileuton for GBM treatment.

Clinicopathological significance of SOX9 and β-catenin expression in pre-neoadjuvant chemotherapy cases of osteosarcoma: molecular and immunohistochemical study

The molecular pathogenesis of osteosarcoma (OS), the most frequent primary malignant bone tumor of all age groups, is still obscure. Since multidrug chemotherapeutic regimens were introduced in the 1970s, survival rates have been stationary. The Wnt-β-catenin signaling cascade and SOX9 have a significant contribution to skeletal growth, development, and tumorigenesis. In the present work, an attempt was made to examine the role and clinicopathological significance of β-catenin and SOX9 in 46 cases of pre-neoadjuvant chemotherapy OS tissues compared to 10 cases of non-neoplastic bone. The mRNA levels of both markers were assessed by qRT-PCR, and protein levels of β-catenin were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The results were correlated with different clinicopathological parameters. SOX9 mRNA levels were significantly elevated in OS compared to non-neoplastic bone, and higher levels were significantly associated with the occurrence of fluid-fluid levels (indicating blood-containing cystic spaces) and osteolytic radiological pattern. Although β-catenin mRNA and protein levels were higher in OS compared to non-neoplastic bone, only the protein levels reached statistical significance. Higher β-catenin mRNA levels were significantly associated with tumor size, while higher protein levels were significantly associated with the histologic subtype, mitotic count, and radiological pattern. No significant association was noted with any of the other evaluated parameters. OS showing higher SOX9 mRNA expression and lower β-catenin mRNA and protein expression exhibited longer estimated overall survival times approaching statistical significance. To conclude, while high expression of β-catenin and SOX9 suggests their possible involvement in OS development, their prognostic role may need further research.

Pharmacologic inhibition of PARP5, but not that of PARP1 or 2, promotes cytokine production and osteoclastogenesis through different pathways

OBJECTIVES

PARPs, which are members of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase superfamily, promote tumorigenesis and tumour-associated inflammation and are thus therapeutic targets for several cancers. The aim of the present study is to investigate the mechanistic insight into the roles PARPs for inflammation.

METHODS

Primary murine macrophages were cultured in the presence or absence of the PARP5 inhibitor NVP-TNKS656 to examine the role of PARP5 for cytokine production.

RESULTS

In contrast to the roles of other PARPs for induction of inflammation, we found in the present study that pharmacologic inhibition of PARP5 induces production of inflammatory cytokines in primary murine macrophages. We found that treatment with the PARP5 inhibitor NVP-TNKS656 in macrophages enhanced steady-state and LPS-mediated cytokine production through degradation of IκBα and subsequent nuclear translocation of NF-κB. We also found that pharmacologic inhibition of PARP5 stabilises the adaptor protein 3BP2, a substrate of PARP5, and that accelerated cytokine production induced by PARP5 inhibition was rescued in 3BP2-deleted macrophages. Additionally, we found that LPS increases the expression of 3BP2 and AXIN1, a negative regulator of β-catenin, through suppression of PARP5 transcripts in macrophages, leading to further activation of cytokine production and inhibition of β-catenin-mediated cell proliferation, respectively. Lastly, we found that PARP5 inhibition in macrophages promotes osteoclastogenesis through stabilisation of 3BP2 and AXIN1, leading to activation of SRC and suppression of β-catenin, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that pharmacologic inhibition of PARP5 against cancers unexpectedly induces adverse autoinflammatory side effects through activation of innate immunity, unlike inhibition of other PARPs.

Osteocyte-derived sclerostin impairs cognitive function during ageing and Alzheimer's disease progression

Ageing increases susceptibility to neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Serum levels of sclerostin, an osteocyte-derived Wnt-β-catenin signalling antagonist, increase with age and inhibit osteoblastogenesis. As Wnt-β-catenin signalling acts as a protective mechanism for memory, we hypothesize that osteocyte-derived sclerostin can impact cognitive function under pathological conditions. Here we show that osteocyte-derived sclerostin can cross the blood-brain barrier of old mice, where it can dysregulate Wnt-β-catenin signalling. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments show that abnormally elevated osteocyte-derived sclerostin impairs synaptic plasticity and memory in old mice of both sexes. Mechanistically, sclerostin increases amyloid β (Aβ) production through β-catenin-β-secretase 1 (BACE1) signalling, indicating a functional role for sclerostin in AD. Accordingly, high sclerostin levels in patients with AD of both sexes are associated with severe cognitive impairment, which is in line with the acceleration of Αβ production in an AD mouse model with bone-specific overexpression of sclerostin. Thus, we demonstrate osteocyte-derived sclerostin-mediated bone-brain crosstalk, which could serve as a target for developing therapeutic interventions against AD.

Aortic valve and arterial calcification in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia

Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (heFH) is an autosomal dominant lipid metabolism disorder. Its prevalence is 1:250-1:300 people in the population. Patients with heFH have an up to 13-fold increased risk of premature coronary artery disease (CAD). If left untreated, men and women with heFH typically develop early CAD before the ages of 55 and 60, respectively. There is evidence that coronary artery calcification (CAC) and aortic valve calcification (AoVC) are more prevalent in FH patients than in the general population. It is documented that CAC and AoVC are predictors of increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in heFH patients, like in the general population. However, the etiology and pathogenesis of vascular calcification in FH patients is not well understood. Risk factors for vascular calcification include age, increased levels of atherogenic lipoproteins, Lp(a), increased blood pressure, and inflammation. There are convincing data from clinical studies and animal atherosclerotic mouse models using low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R) knockout mice that the vascular calcification processes in FH are associated with LDL-R mutations, probably partly due to a higher total cholesterol burden of FH subjects. Data from animal models as well as clinical studies indicate that the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway components and LDL receptor-related proteins 5 and 6 (LRP-5/6) might be involved in calcification processes in FH patients. The purpose of the review is to describe the prevalence of coronary and aortic calcification and its risk factors in FH patients. The review covers data about the role of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway and factors modulating calcification processes.

Therapeutic Effects of Curcumin on Osteoarthritis and Its Protection of Chondrocytes Through the Wnt/Β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

CONTEXT

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a high-incidence, chronic condition, with an extremely high prevalence among older adults. OA seriously compromises the normal living of OA patients, and it's imperative to find a novel therapy as soon as possible to improve their prognosis and life quality.

OBJECTIVE

The study intended to investigate the therapeutic effects of Curcumin (Cur) on OA and to explore its preliminary mechanism of action, with the aim of offering more accurate guidance for use of OA therapy.

DESIGN

The research team designed a prospective non-randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

The study took place in the Department of Orthopedics at Sir Run Run Hospital at Nanjing Medical University in Nanjing, China.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were 107 OA patients treated at the hospital between March 2019 and January 2020.

INTERVENTION

Participants were divided into two groups, 51 in the Cur group and 56 in the ibuprofen group.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The clinical efficacy and safety of the two groups were observed. In addition, the research team performed in-vitro studies. Chondrocytes HC-a and C28/I2 were purchased to evaluate the intracellular inflammatory response and apoptosis rate under the intervention of Cur and Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitors.

RESULTS

No significant differences existed in the clinical-efficacy rate between the two groups (P > .05), but the Cur group show higher improvements in safety, joint mobility, and inhibition of inflammation (P < .05). In-vitro experiments showed that Cur inhibited the apoptosis rate of chondrocytes and the levels of inflammatory factors, while the Wnt/β-catenin inhibitor did the opposite (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Cur can effectively decrease the pathological results of OA, with a remarkable safety profile; its mechanism may be the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to inhibit the inflammatory reaction and apoptosis in chondrocytes.

Effects of Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract Plus Rosiglitazone on Serum Leptin and Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Objective

To investigate the effects of Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract (MOLE) plus rosiglitazone (RSG) on glucose and lipid metabolism, serum leptin, and the Akt/GSK3β/β-Catenin signaling pathway in type 2 diabetic (T2D) rats.

Methods

Sixty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into six groups: the normal group, the model group, the RSG group, the low- and high-dose MOLE group, and the MOLE+RSG group. The normal group was fed a standard rat diet, while the other groups were given a single intraperitoneal injection of low-dose streptozomycin (STZ) (35 mg/kg) and fed a high-sugar and high-fat diet. After 8 weeks, the treatment outcomes were evaluated by measuring key parameters of blood glucose and lipid metabolism and the protein kinase B (AKT) / Glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3β) /β-Catenin signaling pathway in the T2D rats.

Results

Compared with the normal group, the model group showed significantly increased levels of blood glucose, blood lipids, serum leptin, free fatty acid (FFA), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Compared with the model group, the RSG, low-dose MOLE, and high-dose MOLE groups displayed effective control of blood glucose, blood lipids, serum leptin, FFA, and TNF-α. The MOLE+RSG group surpassed the RSG group in regulating glucose, lipid metabolism, and serum leptin levels in T2D rats. In addition, the MOLE+RSG group also had superiority over the RSG group in activating the AKT/GSK3β/β-Catenin pathway.

Conclusion

MOLE plus RSG can effectively reduce blood glucose and blood lipids in T2DM rats.