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Igarashi K, Nishizawa H, Saiki Y, Matsumoto M. The transcription factor BACH1 at the crossroads of cancer biology: From epithelial-mesenchymal transition to ferroptosis. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101032. [PMID: 34339740 PMCID: PMC8387770 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The progression of cancer involves not only the gradual evolution of cells by mutations in DNA but also alterations in the gene expression induced by those mutations and input from the surrounding microenvironment. Such alterations contribute to cancer cells' abilities to reprogram metabolic pathways and undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which facilitate the survival of cancer cells and their metastasis to other organs. Recently, BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1), a heme-regulated transcription factor that represses genes involved in iron and heme metabolism in normal cells, was shown to shape the metabolism and metastatic potential of cancer cells. The growing list of BACH1 target genes in cancer cells reveals that BACH1 promotes metastasis by regulating various sets of genes beyond iron metabolism. BACH1 represses the expression of genes that mediate cell–cell adhesion and oxidative phosphorylation but activates the expression of genes required for glycolysis, cell motility, and matrix protein degradation. Furthermore, BACH1 represses FOXA1 gene encoding an activator of epithelial genes and activates SNAI2 encoding a repressor of epithelial genes, forming a feedforward loop of EMT. By synthesizing these observations, we propose a “two-faced BACH1 model”, which accounts for the dynamic switching between metastasis and stress resistance along with cancer progression. We discuss here the possibility that BACH1-mediated promotion of cancer also brings increased sensitivity to iron-dependent cell death (ferroptosis) through crosstalk of BACH1 target genes, imposing programmed vulnerability upon cancer cells. We also discuss the future directions of this field, including the dynamics and plasticity of EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiko Igarashi
- Department of Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Center for Regulatory Epigenome and Diseases, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Hironari Nishizawa
- Department of Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yuriko Saiki
- Department of Investigative Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Mitsuyo Matsumoto
- Department of Biochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Center for Regulatory Epigenome and Diseases, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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The HIF target MAFF promotes tumor invasion and metastasis through IL11 and STAT3 signaling. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4308. [PMID: 34262028 PMCID: PMC8280233 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24631-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia plays a critical role in tumor progression including invasion and metastasis. To determine critical genes regulated by hypoxia that promote invasion and metastasis, we screen fifty hypoxia inducible genes for their effects on invasion. In this study, we identify v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog F (MAFF) as a potent regulator of tumor invasion without affecting cell viability. MAFF expression is elevated in metastatic breast cancer patients and is specifically correlated with hypoxic tumors. Combined ChIP- and RNA-sequencing identifies IL11 as a direct transcriptional target of the heterodimer between MAFF and BACH1, which leads to activation of STAT3 signaling. Inhibition of IL11 results in similar levels of metastatic suppression as inhibition of MAFF. This study demonstrates the oncogenic role of MAFF as an activator of the IL11/STAT3 pathways in breast cancer. Hypoxia plays a critical role in tumor progression including invasion and metastasis. Here, the authors screened several hypoxia inducible genes and identified the oncogenic role of MAFF in breast cancer metastasis and that it activates IL11/STAT3 pathway.
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Wang S, Zheng Y, Yang F, Zhu L, Zhu XQ, Wang ZF, Wu XL, Zhou CH, Yan JY, Hu BY, Kong B, Fu DL, Bruns C, Zhao Y, Qin LX, Dong QZ. The molecular biology of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: translational challenges and clinical perspectives. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:249. [PMID: 34219130 PMCID: PMC8255319 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00659-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is an increasingly common cause of cancer mortality with a tight correspondence between disease mortality and incidence. Furthermore, it is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage with a very dismal prognosis. Due to the high heterogeneity, metabolic reprogramming, and dense stromal environment associated with pancreatic cancer, patients benefit little from current conventional therapy. Recent insight into the biology and genetics of pancreatic cancer has supported its molecular classification, thus expanding clinical therapeutic options. In this review, we summarize how the biological features of pancreatic cancer and its metabolic reprogramming as well as the tumor microenvironment regulate its development and progression. We further discuss potential biomarkers for pancreatic cancer diagnosis, prediction, and surveillance based on novel liquid biopsies. We also outline recent advances in defining pancreatic cancer subtypes and subtype-specific therapeutic responses and current preclinical therapeutic models. Finally, we discuss prospects and challenges in the clinical development of pancreatic cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Feng Yang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Institute, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Le Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Qiang Zhu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Zhe-Fang Wang
- General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Xiao-Lin Wu
- General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Cheng-Hui Zhou
- General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jia-Yan Yan
- General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bei-Yuan Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Kong
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - De-Liang Fu
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Institute, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Christiane Bruns
- General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Yue Zhao
- General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Lun-Xiu Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qiong-Zhu Dong
- Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Key laboratory of whole-period monitoring and precise intervention of digestive cancer, Shanghai Municipal Health Commission (SMHC), Shanghai, China.
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Gao Z, Shi Y, Wang J, Li W, Bao Y, Wu D, Gu Y. Long non-coding RNA NEAT1 absorbs let-7 g-5p to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition of colon cancer cells through upregulating BACH1. Dig Liver Dis 2021:S1590-8658(21)00216-4. [PMID: 34238666 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2021.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are critical regulators in diverse human cancers. However, the role of lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) in colon cancer remains to be further investigated. We aimed to verify the role of NEAT1/let-7 g-5p/BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) axis in colon cancer development. METHODS Expression of NEAT1, let-7 g-5p and BACH1 in colon cancer tissues and cells was determined. The interactions between NEAT1 and let-7 g-5p, and between let-7 g-5p and BACH1 were assessed. The colon cancer cell lines were treated with plasmids or oligonucleotides to alter NEAT1, BACH1 and let-7 g-5p expression. Then, viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of colon cells were evaluated, and the cell growth in vivo was observed as well. RESULTS NEAT1 and BACH1 were upregulated while let-7 g-5p was downregulated in colon cancer tissues and cells. NEAT1/BACH1 silencing or let-7 g-5p elevation suppressed colon cancer cell growth in vivo and in vitro. The effects of silenced NEAT1 on colon cancer cells and xenografts were reversed by downregulating let-7 g-5p. Down-regulation of BACH1 reversed the effect of NEAT1 overexpression on colon cancer cells. NEAT1 directly bound to let-7 g-5p and let-7 g-5p targeted BACH1. CONCLUSION Downregulated NEAT1 elevated let-7 g-5p to suppress EMT of colon cancer cells through inhibiting BACH1. This research may contribute to treatment of colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Gao
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314000, zhejiang Province, China; Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jiawei Wang
- Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yi Bao
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314000, zhejiang Province, China
| | - Dongjuan Wu
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314000, zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yanhong Gu
- Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Yesilkanal AE, Yang D, Valdespino A, Tiwari P, Sabino AU, Nguyen LC, Lee J, Xie XH, Sun S, Dann C, Robinson-Mailman L, Steinberg E, Stuhlmiller T, Frankenberger C, Goldsmith E, Johnson GL, Ramos AF, Rosner MR. Limited inhibition of multiple nodes in a driver network blocks metastasis. eLife 2021; 10:59696. [PMID: 33973518 PMCID: PMC8128439 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis suppression by high-dose, multi-drug targeting is unsuccessful due to network heterogeneity and compensatory network activation. Here, we show that targeting driver network signaling capacity by limited inhibition of core pathways is a more effective anti-metastatic strategy. This principle underlies the action of a physiological metastasis suppressor, Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP), that moderately decreases stress-regulated MAP kinase network activity, reducing output to transcription factors such as pro-metastastic BACH1 and motility-related target genes. We developed a low-dose four-drug mimic that blocks metastatic colonization in mouse breast cancer models and increases survival. Experiments and network flow modeling show limited inhibition of multiple pathways is required to overcome variation in MAPK network topology and suppress signaling output across heterogeneous tumor cells. Restricting inhibition of individual kinases dissipates surplus signal, preventing threshold activation of compensatory kinase networks. This low-dose multi-drug approach to decrease signaling capacity of driver networks represents a transformative, clinically relevant strategy for anti-metastatic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ekrem Yesilkanal
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Dongbo Yang
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Andrea Valdespino
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Payal Tiwari
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Alan U Sabino
- Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina and Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades; University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Long Chi Nguyen
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Jiyoung Lee
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Xiao-He Xie
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Siqi Sun
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Christopher Dann
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | | | - Ethan Steinberg
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Timothy Stuhlmiller
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Casey Frankenberger
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | | | - Gary L Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Alexandre F Ramos
- Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina and Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades; University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marsha R Rosner
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
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Zhao Y, Gao J, Xie X, Nan P, Liu F, Sun Y, Zhao X. BACH1 promotes the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by inducing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis. Cancer Med 2021; 10:3413-3426. [PMID: 33932125 PMCID: PMC8124123 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis to regional lymph nodes or distal organs predicts the progression of the disease and poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Previous studies demonstrated that BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) participates in various types of tumor metastasis. However, the function of BACH1 in ESCC was rarely reported. The present study demonstrated that BACH1 protein was overexpressed in ESCC tissues compared with paired esophageal epithelial tissues according to immunohistochemical staining (IHC). Higher levels of BACH1 mRNA were associated with decreased overall survival (OS) and shorter disease‐free survival (DFS) of ESCC patients based on an analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. BACH1 significantly enhanced the migration and invasion of ESCC in vitro. Mechanistically, BACH1 promoted the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) by directly activating the transcription of CDH2, SNAI2, and VIM, as determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ChIP‐qPCR). BACH1 overexpression significantly enhanced CDH2 promoter activity according to the results of a luciferase assay. The results of subsequent experiments indicated that BACH1 enhanced the growth of tumor xenografts. The density of CD31+ blood vessels and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC) in tumor xenografts were significantly associated with BACH1 levels according to the results of IHC and immunofluorescence (IF) analyses performed in vivo. Moreover, ChIP‐qPCR analysis demonstrated that the transcriptional activity of VEGFC was also upregulated by BACH1. Thus, BACH1 contributes to ESCC metastasis and tumorigenesis by partially facilitating the EMT and angiogenesis, and BACH1 may be a promising therapeutic target or molecular marker in ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jiajia Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiufeng Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Nan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yulin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Luu T. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Its Regulation Mechanisms in Pancreatic Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:646399. [PMID: 33928036 PMCID: PMC8076603 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.646399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As one of the malignancies with high mortality and high insensitivity to existing therapies, pancreatic cancer and mechanisms underlying its progression have received growing scholarly attention. The role of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pancreatic cancer genesis and metastasis has been reported albeit controversy has remained. Recent insights into further EMT-regulating mechanisms underlying pancreatic cancer contribute to the nexus between EMT and this cancer type. This review will elucidate the role of EMT as a hallmark for pancreatic cancer as well as summarize EMT-regulating factors recently detected as a key advance in the research stream on EMT in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan Luu
- Management & Marketing Department, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
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A Novel Therapeutic Target, BACH1, Regulates Cancer Metabolism. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030634. [PMID: 33809182 PMCID: PMC8001775 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BTB domain and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) is a transcription factor that is highly expressed in tumors including breast and lung, relative to their non-tumor tissues. BACH1 is known to regulate multiple physiological processes including heme homeostasis, oxidative stress response, senescence, cell cycle, and mitosis. In a tumor, BACH1 promotes invasion and metastasis of cancer cells, and the expression of BACH1 presents a poor outcome for cancer patients including breast and lung cancer patients. Recent studies identified novel functional roles of BACH1 in the regulation of metabolic pathways in cancer cells. BACH1 inhibits mitochondrial metabolism through transcriptional suppression of mitochondrial membrane genes. In addition, BACH1 suppresses activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), a key enzyme that converts pyruvate to acetyl-CoA for the citric acid (TCA) cycle through transcriptional activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK). Moreover, BACH1 increases glucose uptake and lactate secretion through the expression of metabolic enzymes involved such as hexokinase 2 (HK2) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) for aerobic glycolysis. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of BACH1 could reprogram by increasing mitochondrial metabolism, subsequently rendering metabolic vulnerability of cancer cells against mitochondrial respiratory inhibition. Furthermore, inhibition of BACH1 decreased antioxidant-induced glycolysis rates as well as reduced migration and invasion of cancer cells, suggesting BACH1 as a potentially useful cancer therapeutic target.
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Klatt Shaw D, Saraswathy VM, Zhou L, McAdow AR, Burris B, Butka E, Morris SA, Dietmann S, Mokalled MH. Localized EMT reprograms glial progenitors to promote spinal cord repair. Dev Cell 2021; 56:613-626.e7. [PMID: 33609461 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Anti-regenerative scarring obstructs spinal cord repair in mammals and presents a major hurdle for regenerative medicine. In contrast, adult zebrafish possess specialized glial cells that spontaneously repair spinal cord injuries by forming a pro-regenerative bridge across the severed tissue. To identify the mechanisms that regulate differential regenerative capacity between mammals and zebrafish, we first defined the molecular identity of zebrafish bridging glia and then performed cross-species comparisons with mammalian glia. Our transcriptomics show that pro-regenerative zebrafish glia activate an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) gene program and that EMT gene expression is a major factor distinguishing mammalian and zebrafish glia. Functionally, we found that localized niches of glial progenitors undergo EMT after spinal cord injury in zebrafish and, using large-scale CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis, we identified the gene regulatory network that activates EMT and drives functional regeneration. Thus, non-regenerative mammalian glia lack an essential EMT-driving gene regulatory network that reprograms pro-regenerative zebrafish glia after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Klatt Shaw
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | | | - Lili Zhou
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Anthony R McAdow
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Brooke Burris
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Emily Butka
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Samantha A Morris
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sabine Dietmann
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Mayssa H Mokalled
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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Feng P, Li H, Pei J, Huang Y, Li G. Identification of a 14-Gene Prognostic Signature for Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). Front Genet 2021; 12:625414. [PMID: 33643388 PMCID: PMC7902938 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.625414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Although immunotherapy is a potential strategy to resist cancers, due to the inadequate acknowledge, this treatment is not always effective for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Based on the current situation, it is critical to systematically investigate the immune pattern. According to the result of univariate and multivariate cox proportional hazards, LASSO regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis on immune-related genes (IRGs), a prognostic signature, containing 14 IRGs (AQP9, LMBR1L, FGF20, TANK, CRP, ORM1, JAK1, BACH2, MTCP1, IFITM1, TNFSF10, FGF12, RFX5, and LAP3), was built. This model was validated by external data, and performed well. DLBCL patients were divided into low- and high-risk groups, according to risk scores from risk formula. The results of CIBERSORT showed that different immune status and infiltration pattern were observed in these two groups. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) indicated 12 signaling pathways were significantly enriched in the high-risk group, such as natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, toll-like receptor signaling pathway, and so on. In summary, 14 clinically significant IRGs were screened to build a risk score formula. This formula was an accurate tool to provide a certain basis for the treatment of DLBCL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Feng
- Department of Basic Medicine, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Hongxia Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Changzhi Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changzhi, China
| | - Jinhong Pei
- Department of Basic Medicine, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Department of Basic Medicine, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
| | - Guixia Li
- Department of Basic Medicine, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China
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Wang W, Xu Z, Wang N, Yao R, Qin T, Lin H, Yue L. Prognostic value of eight immune gene signatures in pancreatic cancer patients. BMC Med Genomics 2021; 14:42. [PMID: 33546693 PMCID: PMC7863419 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-020-00868-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract, and it has a poor prognosis. Traditional methods are not effective to accurately assess the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. Immunotherapy is a new promising approach for the treatment of pancreatic cancer; however, some patients do not respond well to immunotherapy, which may be related to tumor microenvironment regulation. In this study, we use gene expression database to mine important immune genes and establish a prognostic prediction model for pancreatic cancer patients. We hope to provide a feasible method to evaluate the prognosis of pancreatic cancer and provide valuable targets for pancreatic cancer immunotherapy. RESULTS We used univariate COX proportional hazard regression analysis, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, and multivariate COX regression analysis to screen 8 genes related to prognosis from the 314 immune-related genes, and used them to construct a new clinical prediction model in the TCGA pancreatic cancer cohort. Subsequently, we evaluated the prognostic value of the model. The Kaplan-Meier cumulative curve showed that patients with low risk scores survived significantly longer than patients with high risk scores. The area under the ROC curve (AUC value) of the risk score was 0.755. The univariate COX analysis showed that the risk score was significantly related to overall survival (HR 1.406, 95% CI 1.237-1.598, P < 0.001), and multivariate analysis showed that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor (HR 1.400, 95% CI 1.287-1.522, P < 0.001). Correlation analysis found that immune genes are closely related to tumor immune microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS Based on the TCGA-PAAD cohort, we identified immune-related markers with independent prognostic significance, validated, and analyzed their biological functions, to provide a feasible method for the prognosis of pancreatic cancer and provide potentially valuable targets for pancreatic cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Wang
- Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, 5 Donghaizhong Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijian Xu
- Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, 5 Donghaizhong Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Wang
- Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, 5 Donghaizhong Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruyong Yao
- Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Qin
- Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, 5 Donghaizhong Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Lin
- Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, 5 Donghaizhong Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Yue
- Qingdao Municipal Hospital, School of Medicine, Qingdao University, 5 Donghaizhong Road, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
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van Wijk K, Akabane T, Kimura T, Saitoh S, Okano S, Kelly VP, Takagi M, Kodama K, Takahashi K, Tanaka T, Nakajima M, Nakajima O. Heterozygous disruption of ALAS1 in mice causes an accelerated age-dependent reduction in free heme, but not total heme, in skeletal muscle and liver. Arch Biochem Biophys 2020; 697:108721. [PMID: 33307066 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2020.108721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is the rate-limiting intermediate in heme biosynthesis in vertebrate species; a reaction catalyzed by the mitochondrial ALA synthase 1 (ALAS1) enzyme. Previously we reported that knockdown of the ubiquitously expressed ALAS1 gene in mice disrupts normal glucose metabolism, attenuates mitochondrial function and results in a prediabetic like phenotype when animals pass 20-weeks of age (Saitoh et al., 2018). Contrary to our expectations, the cytosolic and mitochondrial heme content of ALAS1 heterozygous (A1+/-) mice were similar to WT animals. Therefore, we speculated that regulatory "free heme" may be reduced in an age dependent manner in A1+/- mice, but not total heme. Here, we examine free and total heme from the skeletal muscle and liver of WT and A1+/- mice using a modified acetone extraction method and examine the effects of aging on free heme by comparing the amounts at 8-12 weeks and 30-36 weeks of age, in addition to the mRNA abundance of ALAS1. We found an age-dependent reduction in free heme in the skeletal muscle and liver of A1+/- mice, while WT mice showed only a slight decrease in the liver. Total heme levels showed no significant difference between young and aged WT and A1+/- mice. ALAS1 mRNA levels showed an age-dependent reduction similar to that of free heme levels, indicating that ALAS1 mRNA expression levels are a major determinant for free heme levels. The free heme pools in skeletal muscle tissue were almost 2-fold larger than that of liver tissue, suggesting that the heme pool varies across different tissue types. The expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) mRNA, which is expressed proportionally to the amount of free heme, were similar to those of free heme levels. Taken together, this study demonstrates that the free heme pool differs across tissues, and that an age-dependent reduction in free heme levels is accelerated in mice heterozygous for ALAS1, which could account for the prediabetic phenotype and mitochondrial abnormality observed in these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen van Wijk
- Department of Functional Genomics, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan; Research Center for Molecular Genetics, Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
| | - Takeru Akabane
- Department of Functional Genomics, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan; Research Center for Molecular Genetics, Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Japan; Department of Orthopedics, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Kimura
- Department of Functional Genomics, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan; Research Center for Molecular Genetics, Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
| | - Shinichi Saitoh
- Department of Functional Genomics, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan; Research Center for Molecular Genetics, Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
| | - Satoshi Okano
- Department of Functional Genomics, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan; Research Center for Molecular Genetics, Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Japan
| | - Vincent P Kelly
- School of Biochemistry & Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michiaki Takagi
- Department of Orthopedics, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | - Osamu Nakajima
- Department of Functional Genomics, Yamagata University School of Medicine, Japan; Research Center for Molecular Genetics, Institute for Promotion of Medical Science Research, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
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Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the USA, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) constitutes 85% of pancreatic cancer diagnoses. PDA frequently metastasizes to the peritoneum, but effective treatment of peritoneal metastasis remains a clinical challenge. Despite this unmet need, understanding of the biological mechanisms that contribute to development and progression of PDA peritoneal metastasis is sparse. By contrast, a vast number of studies have investigated mechanisms of peritoneal metastasis in ovarian and gastric cancers. Here, we contrast similarities and differences between peritoneal metastasis in PDA as compared with those in gastric and ovarian cancer by outlining molecular mediators involved in each step of the peritoneal metastasis cascade. This review aims to provide mechanistic insights that could be translated into effective targeted therapies for patients with peritoneal metastasis from PDA.
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