Background: The small leucine-rich proteoglycan decorin (DCN) is recognized for its diverse roles in tissue homeostasis and malignant progression. Nevertheless, the regulatory effects of DCN on bladder cancer stem cells (BCSCs) and the underlying mechanisms in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) remain to be elucidated.
Methods: The study obtained data (including scRNA-seq, clinicopathological characteristics, and survival) were acquired from TCGA and GEO. The BCSCs were cultured by enriching the suspension culture in a serum-free medium, followed by flow cytometry sorting. Overexpression/knockdown was constructed by utilizing lentivirus. The surface biomarkers of cancer stem cells were identified via flow cytometry. Cell proliferation and self-renewal were evaluated by CCK8 and Sphere formation assays, and in vivo tumor growth was evaluated with subcutaneous xenografts.
Results: Total DCN expression was significantly elevated in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and was associated with poor prognosis. The ΔDCN isoform, which lacks glycosylation sites, was identified in bladder cancer stem cells (BCSCs) derived from clinical tissue samples and bladder cancer cell lines. Suppression of ΔDCN expression resulted in a reduction of BCSC stemness. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that overexpression of full-length DCN inhibited stemness within the extracellular matrix. Conversely, overexpression of ΔDCN and the introduction of exogenous recombinant decorin protein in ΔDCN-knockdown BCSC-SW780 cell lines enhanced stemness within the cytoplasm. The ΔDCN isoform exhibited resistance to gemcitabine chemotherapy in vitro.
Conclusion: Non-glycanated ΔDCN isoforms were identified in bladder cancer stem cells (BCSCs), where they exhibited differential cytoplasmic localization and promoted oncogenic effects by inducing a stemness phenotype and conferring resistance to gemcitabine chemotherapy. These oncogenic effects are in stark contrast to the anti-tumor functions of glycosylated DCN in the extracellular matrix. The ratio of ΔDCN isoforms to glycosylated DCN is pivotal in predicting tumor progression and therapeutic resistance.
{"title":"Non-glycanated ΔDCN isoform in muscle invasive bladder cancer mediates cancer stemness and gemcitabine resistance.","authors":"Nisha Wu, Jinxiang Wang, Mingming Fan, Yanling Liang, Xiao Wei Qi, Fan Deng, Fangyin Zeng","doi":"10.1007/s13402-024-00998-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13402-024-00998-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The small leucine-rich proteoglycan decorin (DCN) is recognized for its diverse roles in tissue homeostasis and malignant progression. Nevertheless, the regulatory effects of DCN on bladder cancer stem cells (BCSCs) and the underlying mechanisms in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) remain to be elucidated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study obtained data (including scRNA-seq, clinicopathological characteristics, and survival) were acquired from TCGA and GEO. The BCSCs were cultured by enriching the suspension culture in a serum-free medium, followed by flow cytometry sorting. Overexpression/knockdown was constructed by utilizing lentivirus. The surface biomarkers of cancer stem cells were identified via flow cytometry. Cell proliferation and self-renewal were evaluated by CCK8 and Sphere formation assays, and in vivo tumor growth was evaluated with subcutaneous xenografts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Total DCN expression was significantly elevated in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and was associated with poor prognosis. The ΔDCN isoform, which lacks glycosylation sites, was identified in bladder cancer stem cells (BCSCs) derived from clinical tissue samples and bladder cancer cell lines. Suppression of ΔDCN expression resulted in a reduction of BCSC stemness. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that overexpression of full-length DCN inhibited stemness within the extracellular matrix. Conversely, overexpression of ΔDCN and the introduction of exogenous recombinant decorin protein in ΔDCN-knockdown BCSC-SW780 cell lines enhanced stemness within the cytoplasm. The ΔDCN isoform exhibited resistance to gemcitabine chemotherapy in vitro.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Non-glycanated ΔDCN isoforms were identified in bladder cancer stem cells (BCSCs), where they exhibited differential cytoplasmic localization and promoted oncogenic effects by inducing a stemness phenotype and conferring resistance to gemcitabine chemotherapy. These oncogenic effects are in stark contrast to the anti-tumor functions of glycosylated DCN in the extracellular matrix. The ratio of ΔDCN isoforms to glycosylated DCN is pivotal in predicting tumor progression and therapeutic resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":49223,"journal":{"name":"Cellular Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"2163-2181"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142523456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Purpose: Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is an aggressive mesenchymal malignant tumor with poor therapeutic options, but the molecular mechanisms underlying LMS remain largely unknown. Increasing evidence indicates that transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) levels are closely related to the advancement of various malignant tumors through diverse molecular mechanisms. However, the roles and regulatory mechanisms of TRPV4 in LMS progression remain unclear.
Methods: Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and immunofluorescence were used to investigate the relationship between TRPV4 expression and LMS. Survival analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between TRPV4 levels and prognosis in LMS patients. Intracellular Ca2+ measurement, colony formation, CCK-8, wound healing and Transwell assays and peritoneal metastasis mouse model were used to verify the effect of TRPV4 activity and expression on LMS proliferation and metastasis. RNA-seq and proteomics were performed to explore the underlying mechanism.
Results: TRPV4 was upregulated in LMS tissues and cells and served as a novel prognostic factor. Moreover, TRPV4 overexpression enhanced cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion of LMS cells in vitro, as well as promoted tumor metastasis in vivo, which could be blocked by HC067047 intervention or TRPV4 knockdown. Combined RNA-seq and proteomics analysis of KEGG pathway indicated that ECM receptor interaction was obviously activated. Extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) was identified as downstream gene of TRPV4. Mechanistically, TRPV4 overexpression increased ECM1 level and activated the FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway, which could be reversed by TRPV4 knockdown or LY294002 treatment. Moreover, ECM1 overexpression enhanced the activation of FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway. And simultaneous overexpression of TRPV4 and ECM1 synergistically activated this pathway.
Conclusion: Our findings provide a novel mechanism by which TRPV4 directly activates Ca2+/FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway and further indirectly enhances the FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway through the promotion and secretion of ECM1 to promote LMS malignant progression. Targeting the TRPV4/FAK axis might be a promising potential strategy for prognosis and treatment of LMS.
{"title":"TRPV4 drives the progression of leiomyosarcoma by promoting ECM1 generation and co-activating the FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway.","authors":"Qiwen Zhou, Yang You, Yingying Zhao, Shuxiu Xiao, Zhengqing Song, Chuxin Huang, Jiali Qian, Weiqi Lu, Hanxing Tong, Yong Zhang, Zhiming Wang, Wei Li, Chenlu Zhang, Xi Guo, Rongkui Luo, Yingyong Hou, Jiefeng Cui, Lili Lu, Yuhong Zhou","doi":"10.1007/s13402-024-01008-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13402-024-01008-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is an aggressive mesenchymal malignant tumor with poor therapeutic options, but the molecular mechanisms underlying LMS remain largely unknown. Increasing evidence indicates that transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) levels are closely related to the advancement of various malignant tumors through diverse molecular mechanisms. However, the roles and regulatory mechanisms of TRPV4 in LMS progression remain unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and immunofluorescence were used to investigate the relationship between TRPV4 expression and LMS. Survival analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between TRPV4 levels and prognosis in LMS patients. Intracellular Ca<sup>2+</sup> measurement, colony formation, CCK-8, wound healing and Transwell assays and peritoneal metastasis mouse model were used to verify the effect of TRPV4 activity and expression on LMS proliferation and metastasis. RNA-seq and proteomics were performed to explore the underlying mechanism.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TRPV4 was upregulated in LMS tissues and cells and served as a novel prognostic factor. Moreover, TRPV4 overexpression enhanced cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion of LMS cells in vitro, as well as promoted tumor metastasis in vivo, which could be blocked by HC067047 intervention or TRPV4 knockdown. Combined RNA-seq and proteomics analysis of KEGG pathway indicated that ECM receptor interaction was obviously activated. Extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) was identified as downstream gene of TRPV4. Mechanistically, TRPV4 overexpression increased ECM1 level and activated the FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway, which could be reversed by TRPV4 knockdown or LY294002 treatment. Moreover, ECM1 overexpression enhanced the activation of FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway. And simultaneous overexpression of TRPV4 and ECM1 synergistically activated this pathway.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings provide a novel mechanism by which TRPV4 directly activates Ca<sup>2+</sup>/FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway and further indirectly enhances the FAK/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway through the promotion and secretion of ECM1 to promote LMS malignant progression. Targeting the TRPV4/FAK axis might be a promising potential strategy for prognosis and treatment of LMS.</p>","PeriodicalId":49223,"journal":{"name":"Cellular Oncology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142752115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-25DOI: 10.1007/s13402-024-01013-w
Nan Yi, Lingyun Zhang, Xiangbo Huang, Jilei Ma, Jian Gao
Background: Lenvatinib is a potent first-line therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but it also increased the number of neutrophils in HCC tumor microenvironment.
Methods: CitH3, MPO-DNA, elastase and MPO activity were measured for assessing neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in vivo and in vitro. Cell cuproptosis was assessed by measurement of copper content, FDX1, and pyruvate. The functions of lenvatinib, DNase I, interleukin 33 (IL33) neutralizing antibody and GPX4 in tumor growth were explored in mice.
Results: Lenvatinib induced NETs in the HCC tumor microenvironment via HCC cells, but not through the direct stimulation of neutrophils. In addition, NET clearance by DNase I improves the efficacy of lenvatinib therapy in HCC mouse models. Mechanistically, lenvatinib promoted the expression and secretion of IL33 by HCC cells that triggered NET formation. Moreover, IL33 knockdown in Hepa1-6 cells improved lenvatinib efficacy in Hepa1-6-bearing HCC model mice and reduced NET formation in the tumor microenvironment. Subsequently, lenvatinib increased IL33 production by increasing the NDUFA4L2 expression in HCC cells. Furthermore, we found that IL33 triggered NET formation in neutrophils by increasing the protein expression of PADI4 via the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Rapamycin inhibition of mTOR reduced PADI4 expression and NET formation. Consistently, PADI4 inhibition by the selective PAD4 inhibitor GSK484 hydrochloride (GSK484) improved lenvatinib response to HCC therapy. Importantly, NETs contribute to lenvatinib resistance by inhibiting cuproptosis, but not apoptosis, pyroptosis, or ferroptosis in HCC cells. Treatment with GSK484 reversed the inhibitory effects of NETs on cuproptosis and sensitized the HCC cells to lenvatinib.
Conclusions: Our study revealed that lenvatinib-induced NETs inhibited the cuproptosis of HCC cells, suggesting that targeting the IL33/PADI4/NET axis represents a promising therapeutic strategy for ameliorating lenvatinib resistance in HCC.
背景伦伐替尼是肝细胞癌(HCC)患者的有效一线疗法,但它也会增加HCC肿瘤微环境中的中性粒细胞数量:方法:测量CitH3、MPO-DNA、弹性蛋白酶和MPO活性,以评估体内和体外的中性粒细胞胞外陷阱(NET)。通过测量铜含量、FDX1和丙酮酸来评估细胞杯突。在小鼠体内探讨了来伐替尼、DNase I、白细胞介素33(IL33)中和抗体和GPX4在肿瘤生长中的功能:结果:来伐替尼通过HCC细胞诱导HCC肿瘤微环境中的NET,而不是通过直接刺激中性粒细胞。此外,通过DNase I清除NET可提高来伐替尼治疗HCC小鼠模型的疗效。从机制上讲,来伐替尼促进了HCC细胞表达和分泌IL33,从而引发NET的形成。此外,敲除Hepa1-6细胞中的IL33可提高来伐替尼在Hepa1-6携带的HCC模型小鼠中的疗效,并减少肿瘤微环境中NET的形成。随后,来伐替尼通过增加HCC细胞中NDUFA4L2的表达来增加IL33的产生。此外,我们还发现IL33通过Akt/mTOR信号通路增加了PADI4的蛋白表达,从而引发了中性粒细胞中NET的形成。雷帕霉素抑制 mTOR 可减少 PADI4 的表达和 NET 的形成。同样,通过选择性PAD4抑制剂盐酸GSK484(GSK484)抑制PADI4可改善来伐替尼对HCC治疗的反应。重要的是,NETs通过抑制HCC细胞的杯突变而非凋亡、热突变或铁突变,从而导致来伐替尼耐药。用GSK484治疗可逆转NETs对杯突症的抑制作用,并使HCC细胞对来伐替尼敏感:我们的研究发现,来伐替尼诱导的NET抑制了HCC细胞的杯突症,这表明靶向IL33/PADI4/NET轴是改善HCC对来伐替尼耐药的一种很有前景的治疗策略。
{"title":"Lenvatinib-activated NDUFA4L2/IL33/PADI4 pathway induces neutrophil extracellular traps that inhibit cuproptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.","authors":"Nan Yi, Lingyun Zhang, Xiangbo Huang, Jilei Ma, Jian Gao","doi":"10.1007/s13402-024-01013-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13402-024-01013-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Lenvatinib is a potent first-line therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but it also increased the number of neutrophils in HCC tumor microenvironment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>CitH3, MPO-DNA, elastase and MPO activity were measured for assessing neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in vivo and in vitro. Cell cuproptosis was assessed by measurement of copper content, FDX1, and pyruvate. The functions of lenvatinib, DNase I, interleukin 33 (IL33) neutralizing antibody and GPX4 in tumor growth were explored in mice.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Lenvatinib induced NETs in the HCC tumor microenvironment via HCC cells, but not through the direct stimulation of neutrophils. In addition, NET clearance by DNase I improves the efficacy of lenvatinib therapy in HCC mouse models. Mechanistically, lenvatinib promoted the expression and secretion of IL33 by HCC cells that triggered NET formation. Moreover, IL33 knockdown in Hepa1-6 cells improved lenvatinib efficacy in Hepa1-6-bearing HCC model mice and reduced NET formation in the tumor microenvironment. Subsequently, lenvatinib increased IL33 production by increasing the NDUFA4L2 expression in HCC cells. Furthermore, we found that IL33 triggered NET formation in neutrophils by increasing the protein expression of PADI4 via the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Rapamycin inhibition of mTOR reduced PADI4 expression and NET formation. Consistently, PADI4 inhibition by the selective PAD4 inhibitor GSK484 hydrochloride (GSK484) improved lenvatinib response to HCC therapy. Importantly, NETs contribute to lenvatinib resistance by inhibiting cuproptosis, but not apoptosis, pyroptosis, or ferroptosis in HCC cells. Treatment with GSK484 reversed the inhibitory effects of NETs on cuproptosis and sensitized the HCC cells to lenvatinib.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study revealed that lenvatinib-induced NETs inhibited the cuproptosis of HCC cells, suggesting that targeting the IL33/PADI4/NET axis represents a promising therapeutic strategy for ameliorating lenvatinib resistance in HCC.</p>","PeriodicalId":49223,"journal":{"name":"Cellular Oncology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142711554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Purpose: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the primary risk factor for the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has been reported that HBV X protein (HBx) possesses oncogenic properties, promoting hepatocarcinogenesis and chemoresistance. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we aim to investigate the effects of miR-128-3p/SPG21 axis on HBx-induced hepatocarcinogenesis and chemoresistance.
Methods: The expression of SPG21 in HCC was determined using bioinformatics analysis, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blotting, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The roles of SPG21 in HCC were elucidated through a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments, including real-time cellular analysis (RTCA), matrigel invasion assay, and xenograft mouse model. Pharmacologic treatment and flow cytometry were performed to demonstrate the potential mechanism of SPG21 in HCC.
Results: SPG21 expression was elevated in HCC tissues compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues (NTs). Moreover, higher SPG21 expression correlated with poor overall survival. Functional assays revealed that SPG21 fostered HCC tumorigenesis and invasion. MiR-128-3p, which targeted SPG21, was downregulated in HCC tissues. Subsequent analyses showed that HBx amplified TRPM7-mediated calcium influx via miR-128-3p/SPG21, thereby activating the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. Furthermore, HBx inhibited doxorubicin-induced apoptosis by engaging the JNK pathway through miR-128-3p/SPG21.
Conclusion: The study suggested that SPG21, targeted by miR-128-3p, might be involved in enhancing HBx-induced carcinogenesis and doxorubicin resistance in HCC via the TRPM7/Ca2+/JNK signaling pathway. This insight suggested that SPG21 could be recognized as a potential oncogene, offering a novel perspective on its role as a prognostic factor and a therapeutic target in the context of HCC.
{"title":"SPG21, a potential oncogene targeted by miR-128-3p, amplifies HBx-induced carcinogenesis and chemoresistance via activation of TRPM7-mediated JNK pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.","authors":"Ping Zhou, Wei Yao, Lijuan Liu, Qiujin Yan, Xiaobei Chen, Xiaocui Wei, Shuang Ding, Zhao Lv, Fan Zhu","doi":"10.1007/s13402-024-00955-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13402-024-00955-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the primary risk factor for the malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has been reported that HBV X protein (HBx) possesses oncogenic properties, promoting hepatocarcinogenesis and chemoresistance. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we aim to investigate the effects of miR-128-3p/SPG21 axis on HBx-induced hepatocarcinogenesis and chemoresistance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The expression of SPG21 in HCC was determined using bioinformatics analysis, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blotting, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The roles of SPG21 in HCC were elucidated through a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments, including real-time cellular analysis (RTCA), matrigel invasion assay, and xenograft mouse model. Pharmacologic treatment and flow cytometry were performed to demonstrate the potential mechanism of SPG21 in HCC.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>SPG21 expression was elevated in HCC tissues compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues (NTs). Moreover, higher SPG21 expression correlated with poor overall survival. Functional assays revealed that SPG21 fostered HCC tumorigenesis and invasion. MiR-128-3p, which targeted SPG21, was downregulated in HCC tissues. Subsequent analyses showed that HBx amplified TRPM7-mediated calcium influx via miR-128-3p/SPG21, thereby activating the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. Furthermore, HBx inhibited doxorubicin-induced apoptosis by engaging the JNK pathway through miR-128-3p/SPG21.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study suggested that SPG21, targeted by miR-128-3p, might be involved in enhancing HBx-induced carcinogenesis and doxorubicin resistance in HCC via the TRPM7/Ca<sup>2+</sup>/JNK signaling pathway. This insight suggested that SPG21 could be recognized as a potential oncogene, offering a novel perspective on its role as a prognostic factor and a therapeutic target in the context of HCC.</p>","PeriodicalId":49223,"journal":{"name":"Cellular Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"1757-1778"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140944885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-01Epub Date: 2024-07-31DOI: 10.1007/s13402-024-00968-0
Yan-Yu Kou, Jie Liu, Yung-Ting Chang, Li-Yun Liu, Fan Sun, Yi-Lin Li, Jia-Rong Leng, Hou-Wen Lin, Fan Yang
Purpose: Acute erythroleukemia (AEL) is a rare and highly aggressive subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with an extremely poor prognosis when treated with available drugs. Therefore, new investigational agents capable of inducing remission are urgently required.
Methods: Bioinformatics analysis, western blot and qRT-PCR were used to reveal the potential biological mechanism of bryostatin 4 (B4), an antineoplastic macrolide derived from the marine bryozoan Bugula neritina. Then, in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling in the progression of AEL.
Results: Our results revealed that the proliferation of K562 cells and TF-1 cells was significantly inhibited by B4 at IC50 values of 37 nM and 52 nM, respectively. B4 inhibited TGF-β signaling and its downstream pathway targets, particularly the phosphorylation of Smad2, Smad3, Ras, C-RAF, ERK1/2, and MEK. B4 also played an important role in cell invasion and migration in K562 cells and TF-1 cells by reducing the protein levels of the mesenchymal cell marker vimentin. Moreover, Flow cytometry and western blot analyses demonstrated that B4 induced apoptosis and initiated G0/G1 phase arrest by modulating mitochondrial dysfunction and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) expression.
Conclusion: These findings indicated that B4 could inhibit the proliferation, migration, invasion, and TGF-β signaling pathways of AEL cells, thus suggesting that B4 possesses therapeutic potential as a treatment for AEL.
{"title":"Marine derived macrolide bryostatin 4 inhibits the TGF-β signaling pathway against acute erythroleukemia.","authors":"Yan-Yu Kou, Jie Liu, Yung-Ting Chang, Li-Yun Liu, Fan Sun, Yi-Lin Li, Jia-Rong Leng, Hou-Wen Lin, Fan Yang","doi":"10.1007/s13402-024-00968-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13402-024-00968-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Acute erythroleukemia (AEL) is a rare and highly aggressive subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with an extremely poor prognosis when treated with available drugs. Therefore, new investigational agents capable of inducing remission are urgently required.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Bioinformatics analysis, western blot and qRT-PCR were used to reveal the potential biological mechanism of bryostatin 4 (B4), an antineoplastic macrolide derived from the marine bryozoan Bugula neritina. Then, in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling in the progression of AEL.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results revealed that the proliferation of K562 cells and TF-1 cells was significantly inhibited by B4 at IC<sub>50</sub> values of 37 nM and 52 nM, respectively. B4 inhibited TGF-β signaling and its downstream pathway targets, particularly the phosphorylation of Smad2, Smad3, Ras, C-RAF, ERK1/2, and MEK. B4 also played an important role in cell invasion and migration in K562 cells and TF-1 cells by reducing the protein levels of the mesenchymal cell marker vimentin. Moreover, Flow cytometry and western blot analyses demonstrated that B4 induced apoptosis and initiated G0/G1 phase arrest by modulating mitochondrial dysfunction and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) expression.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings indicated that B4 could inhibit the proliferation, migration, invasion, and TGF-β signaling pathways of AEL cells, thus suggesting that B4 possesses therapeutic potential as a treatment for AEL.</p>","PeriodicalId":49223,"journal":{"name":"Cellular Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"1863-1878"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141856931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Purpose: Leukaemia remains a major contributor to global mortality, representing a significant health risk for a substantial number of cancer patients. Despite notable advancements in the field, existing treatments frequently exhibit limited efficacy or recurrence. Here, we explored the potential of abolishing HVEM (herpes virus entry mediator, TNFRSF14) expression in tumours as an effective approach to treat acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and prevent its recurrence.
Methods: The clinical correlations between HVEM and leukaemia were revealed by public data analysis. HVEM knockout (KO) murine T cell lymphoblastic leukaemia cell line EL4 were generated using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, and syngeneic subcutaneous tumour models were established to investigate the in vivo function of HVEM. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), RNA-seq and flow cytometry were used to analyse the tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) and tumour draining lymph nodes (dLNs). Immune functions were investigated by depletion of immune subsets in vivo and T cell functional assays in vitro. The HVEM mutant EL4 cell lines were constructed to investigate the functional domain responsible for immune escape.
Results: According to public databases, HVEM is highly expressed in patients with ALL and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is negatively correlated with patient prognosis. Genetic deletion of HVEM in EL4 cells markedly inhibited tumour progression and prolonged the survival of tumour-bearing mice. Our experiments proved that HVEM exerted its immunosuppressive effect by inhibiting antitumour function of CD8+ T cell through CRD1 domain both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, we identified a combination therapy capable of completely eradicating ALL tumours, which induces immune memory toward tumour protection.
Conclusions: Our study reveals the potential mechanisms by which HVEM facilitates ALL progression, and highlights HVEM as a promising target for clinical applications in relapsed ALL therapy.
目的:白血病仍然是造成全球死亡的一个主要因素,对大量癌症患者的健康构成重大威胁。尽管该领域取得了显著进展,但现有治疗方法经常显示出有限的疗效或复发。在此,我们探讨了取消肿瘤中HVEM(疱疹病毒进入介质,TNFRSF14)表达作为治疗急性淋巴细胞白血病(ALL)和防止其复发的有效方法的潜力:方法:通过公开数据分析揭示了HVEM与白血病之间的临床相关性。利用CRISPR-Cas9技术产生HVEM基因敲除(KO)小鼠T细胞淋巴母细胞白血病细胞株EL4,并建立合成皮下肿瘤模型以研究HVEM的体内功能。免疫组织化学(IHC)、RNA-seq和流式细胞术用于分析肿瘤免疫微环境(TIME)和肿瘤引流淋巴结(dLNs)。通过体内免疫亚群耗竭和体外T细胞功能测试研究了免疫功能。构建了HVEM突变体EL4细胞系,以研究导致免疫逃逸的功能域:公共数据库显示,HVEM在ALL和急性髓性白血病(AML)患者中高表达,并与患者预后呈负相关。在EL4细胞中遗传性删除HVEM可明显抑制肿瘤的发展,并延长肿瘤小鼠的生存期。我们的实验证明,HVEM通过CRD1结构域在体内和体外抑制CD8+ T细胞的抗肿瘤功能,从而发挥免疫抑制作用。此外,我们还发现了一种能够彻底根除 ALL 肿瘤的联合疗法,它能诱导肿瘤保护免疫记忆:我们的研究揭示了HVEM促进ALL进展的潜在机制,并强调了HVEM是复发ALL治疗临床应用的一个有希望的靶点。
{"title":"HVEM in acute lymphocytic leukemia facilitates tumour immune escape by inhibiting CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell function.","authors":"Yujia Liu, Lixiang Wang, Yiyi Li, Cheng Zhong, Xiumei Wang, Xinyu Wang, Zijin Xia, Jing Liao, Chunliu Huang, Chengzhou Mao, Yongyi Feng, Congzhou Luo, Wenhao Mai, Hongrui Song, Hongyu Li, Lin Bao, Danchun Chen, Yue Sheng, Hui Zhang, Xiaolei Wei, Jun Chen, Wei Yi","doi":"10.1007/s13402-024-00959-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13402-024-00959-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Leukaemia remains a major contributor to global mortality, representing a significant health risk for a substantial number of cancer patients. Despite notable advancements in the field, existing treatments frequently exhibit limited efficacy or recurrence. Here, we explored the potential of abolishing HVEM (herpes virus entry mediator, TNFRSF14) expression in tumours as an effective approach to treat acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and prevent its recurrence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The clinical correlations between HVEM and leukaemia were revealed by public data analysis. HVEM knockout (KO) murine T cell lymphoblastic leukaemia cell line EL4 were generated using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, and syngeneic subcutaneous tumour models were established to investigate the in vivo function of HVEM. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), RNA-seq and flow cytometry were used to analyse the tumour immune microenvironment (TIME) and tumour draining lymph nodes (dLNs). Immune functions were investigated by depletion of immune subsets in vivo and T cell functional assays in vitro. The HVEM mutant EL4 cell lines were constructed to investigate the functional domain responsible for immune escape.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>According to public databases, HVEM is highly expressed in patients with ALL and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is negatively correlated with patient prognosis. Genetic deletion of HVEM in EL4 cells markedly inhibited tumour progression and prolonged the survival of tumour-bearing mice. Our experiments proved that HVEM exerted its immunosuppressive effect by inhibiting antitumour function of CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell through CRD1 domain both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, we identified a combination therapy capable of completely eradicating ALL tumours, which induces immune memory toward tumour protection.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study reveals the potential mechanisms by which HVEM facilitates ALL progression, and highlights HVEM as a promising target for clinical applications in relapsed ALL therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":49223,"journal":{"name":"Cellular Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"1779-1796"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141161475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: Liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) contribute to tumor initiation, progression, and recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a crucial role in liver cancer stemness, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance, but no clinically approved drugs have targeted this pathway efficiently so far. We aimed to elucidate the role of COLEC10 in HCC stemness.
Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) databases were employed to search for the association between COLEC10 expression and HCC stemness. Colony formation, sphere formation, side population, and limiting dilution tumor initiation assays were used to identify the regulatory role of COLEC10 overexpression in the stemness of HCC cell lines. Wnt/β-catenin reporter assay and immunoprecipitation were performed to explore the underlying mechanism.
Results: COLEC10 level was negatively correlated with HCC stemness. Elevated COLEC10 led to decreased expressions of EpCAM and AFP (alpha-fetoprotein), two common markers of liver CSCs. Overexpression of COLEC10 inhibited HCC cells from forming colonies and spheres, and reduced the side population numbers in vitro, as well as the tumorigenic capacity in vivo. Mechanically, we demonstrated that overexpression of COLEC10 suppressed the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by upregulating Wnt inhibitory factor WIF1 and reducing the level of cytoplasmic β-catenin. COLEC10 overexpression promoted the interaction of β-catenin with the component of destruction complex CK1α. In addition, KLHL22 (Kelch Like Family Member 22), a reported E3 ligase adaptor predicted to interact with CK1α, could facilitate COLEC10 monoubiquitination and degradation.
Conclusion: COLEC10 inhibits HCC stemness by downregulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which is a promising target for liver CSC therapy.
背景:肝癌干细胞(CSCs)在肝细胞癌(HCC)的肿瘤发生、进展和复发中起着重要作用。Wnt/β-catenin通路在肝癌干细胞的形成、进展、转移和耐药性中起着至关重要的作用,但迄今为止还没有临床批准的药物能有效地靶向这一通路。我们旨在阐明COLEC10在HCC干性中的作用:方法:利用癌症基因组图谱(TCGA)和临床肿瘤蛋白质组学分析联盟(CPTAC)数据库搜索 COLEC10 表达与 HCC 干性之间的关联。研究人员利用集落形成、球形形成、侧群和极限稀释肿瘤启动试验来确定 COLEC10 过表达在 HCC 细胞系干性中的调控作用。研究人员还进行了Wnt/β-catenin报告实验和免疫沉淀以探索其潜在机制:结果:COLEC10水平与HCC干性呈负相关。COLEC10的升高导致EpCAM和AFP(甲胎蛋白)这两种肝脏造血干细胞常见标志物的表达降低。COLEC10的过表达抑制了HCC细胞形成集落和球体,减少了体外的侧群数量和体内的致瘤能力。从机理上讲,我们发现过表达COLEC10可通过上调Wnt抑制因子WIF1和降低胞质β-catenin水平来抑制Wnt/β-catenin信号转导的活性。COLEC10 的过表达促进了β-catenin 与破坏复合体 CK1α 的相互作用。此外,KLHL22(Kelch Like Family Member 22)是一种已报道的E3连接酶适配体,据预测可与CK1α相互作用,可促进COLEC10的单泛素化和降解:结论:COLEC10通过下调Wnt/β-catenin通路抑制HCC干细胞,是肝脏CSC治疗的一个有前景的靶点。
{"title":"COLEC10 inhibits the stemness of hepatocellular carcinoma by suppressing the activity of β-catenin signaling.","authors":"Mei-Na Cai, Dong-Mei Chen, Xin-Ru Chen, Yu-Rong Gu, Chun-Hong Liao, Le-Xin Xiao, Jia-Liang Wang, Bing-Liang Lin, Yue-Hua Huang, Yi-Fan Lian","doi":"10.1007/s13402-024-00972-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13402-024-00972-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) contribute to tumor initiation, progression, and recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a crucial role in liver cancer stemness, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance, but no clinically approved drugs have targeted this pathway efficiently so far. We aimed to elucidate the role of COLEC10 in HCC stemness.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) databases were employed to search for the association between COLEC10 expression and HCC stemness. Colony formation, sphere formation, side population, and limiting dilution tumor initiation assays were used to identify the regulatory role of COLEC10 overexpression in the stemness of HCC cell lines. Wnt/β-catenin reporter assay and immunoprecipitation were performed to explore the underlying mechanism.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>COLEC10 level was negatively correlated with HCC stemness. Elevated COLEC10 led to decreased expressions of EpCAM and AFP (alpha-fetoprotein), two common markers of liver CSCs. Overexpression of COLEC10 inhibited HCC cells from forming colonies and spheres, and reduced the side population numbers in vitro, as well as the tumorigenic capacity in vivo. Mechanically, we demonstrated that overexpression of COLEC10 suppressed the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by upregulating Wnt inhibitory factor WIF1 and reducing the level of cytoplasmic β-catenin. COLEC10 overexpression promoted the interaction of β-catenin with the component of destruction complex CK1α. In addition, KLHL22 (Kelch Like Family Member 22), a reported E3 ligase adaptor predicted to interact with CK1α, could facilitate COLEC10 monoubiquitination and degradation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>COLEC10 inhibits HCC stemness by downregulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which is a promising target for liver CSC therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":49223,"journal":{"name":"Cellular Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"1897-1910"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141856901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Osteosarcoma, a highly malignant primary bone tumor primarily affecting adolescents, frequently develops resistance to initial chemotherapy, leading to metastasis and limited treatment options. Our study aims to uncover novel therapeutic targets for metastatic and recurrent osteosarcoma.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, we proved the potential of modulating the YAP1-regulated glutamine metabolic pathway to augment the response of OS to DFMO. We initially employed single-cell transcriptomic data to gauge the activation level of polyamine metabolism in MTAP-deleted OS patients. This was further substantiated by transcriptome sequencing data from recurrent and non-recurrent patient tissues, confirming the activation of polyamine metabolism in progressive OS. Through high-throughput drug screening, we pinpointed CIL56, a YAP1 inhibitor, as a promising candidate for a combined therapeutic strategy with DFMO. In vivo, we utilized PDX and CDX models to validate the therapeutic efficacy of this drug combination. In vitro, we conducted western blot analysis, qPCR analysis, immunofluorescence staining, and PuMA experiments to monitor alterations in molecular expression, distribution, and tumor metastasis capability. We employed CCK-8 and colony formation assays to assess the proliferative capacity of cells in the experimental group. We used flow cytometry and reactive oxygen probes to observe changes in ROS and glutamine metabolism within the cells. Finally, we applied RNA-seq in tandem with metabolomics to identify metabolic alterations in OS cells treated with a DFMO and CIL56 combination. This enabled us to intervene and validate the role of the YAP1-mediated glutamine metabolic pathway in DFMO resistance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Through single-cell RNA-seq data analysis, we pinpointed a subset of late-stage OS cells with significantly upregulated polyamine metabolism. This upregulation was further substantiated by transcriptomic profiling of recurrent and non-recurrent OS tissues. High-throughput drug screening revealed a promising combination strategy involving DFMO and CIL56. DFMO treatment curbs the phosphorylation of YAP1 protein in OS cells, promoting nuclear entry and initiating the YAP1-mediated glutamine metabolic pathway. This reduces intracellular ROS levels, countering DFMO's anticancer effect. The therapeutic efficacy of DFMO can be amplified both in vivo and in vitro by combining it with the YAP1 inhibitor CIL56 or the glutaminase inhibitor CB-839. This underscores the significant potential of targeting the YAP1-mediated glutamine metabolic pathway to enhance efficacy of DFMO.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings elucidate YAP1-mediated glutamine metabolism as a crucial bypass mechanism against DFMO, following the inhibition of polyamine metabolism. Our study provides valuable insights into the potential role of DFMO in an "One-two Punch" therapy of metastatic and recurrent oste
{"title":"Disrupting YAP1-mediated glutamine metabolism induces synthetic lethality alongside ODC1 inhibition in osteosarcoma.","authors":"Hongsheng Wang, Yining Tao, Jing Han, Jiakang Shen, Haoran Mu, Zhuoying Wang, Jinzeng Wang, Xinmeng Jin, Qi Zhang, Yuqin Yang, Jun Lin, Mengxiong Sun, Xiaojun Ma, Ling Ren, Amy K LeBlanc, Jing Xu, Yingqi Hua, Wei Sun","doi":"10.1007/s13402-024-00967-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13402-024-00967-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Osteosarcoma, a highly malignant primary bone tumor primarily affecting adolescents, frequently develops resistance to initial chemotherapy, leading to metastasis and limited treatment options. Our study aims to uncover novel therapeutic targets for metastatic and recurrent osteosarcoma.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, we proved the potential of modulating the YAP1-regulated glutamine metabolic pathway to augment the response of OS to DFMO. We initially employed single-cell transcriptomic data to gauge the activation level of polyamine metabolism in MTAP-deleted OS patients. This was further substantiated by transcriptome sequencing data from recurrent and non-recurrent patient tissues, confirming the activation of polyamine metabolism in progressive OS. Through high-throughput drug screening, we pinpointed CIL56, a YAP1 inhibitor, as a promising candidate for a combined therapeutic strategy with DFMO. In vivo, we utilized PDX and CDX models to validate the therapeutic efficacy of this drug combination. In vitro, we conducted western blot analysis, qPCR analysis, immunofluorescence staining, and PuMA experiments to monitor alterations in molecular expression, distribution, and tumor metastasis capability. We employed CCK-8 and colony formation assays to assess the proliferative capacity of cells in the experimental group. We used flow cytometry and reactive oxygen probes to observe changes in ROS and glutamine metabolism within the cells. Finally, we applied RNA-seq in tandem with metabolomics to identify metabolic alterations in OS cells treated with a DFMO and CIL56 combination. This enabled us to intervene and validate the role of the YAP1-mediated glutamine metabolic pathway in DFMO resistance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Through single-cell RNA-seq data analysis, we pinpointed a subset of late-stage OS cells with significantly upregulated polyamine metabolism. This upregulation was further substantiated by transcriptomic profiling of recurrent and non-recurrent OS tissues. High-throughput drug screening revealed a promising combination strategy involving DFMO and CIL56. DFMO treatment curbs the phosphorylation of YAP1 protein in OS cells, promoting nuclear entry and initiating the YAP1-mediated glutamine metabolic pathway. This reduces intracellular ROS levels, countering DFMO's anticancer effect. The therapeutic efficacy of DFMO can be amplified both in vivo and in vitro by combining it with the YAP1 inhibitor CIL56 or the glutaminase inhibitor CB-839. This underscores the significant potential of targeting the YAP1-mediated glutamine metabolic pathway to enhance efficacy of DFMO.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings elucidate YAP1-mediated glutamine metabolism as a crucial bypass mechanism against DFMO, following the inhibition of polyamine metabolism. Our study provides valuable insights into the potential role of DFMO in an \"One-two Punch\" therapy of metastatic and recurrent oste","PeriodicalId":49223,"journal":{"name":"Cellular Oncology","volume":" ","pages":"1845-1861"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141903355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}