Nuclear receptors and the Warburg effect in cancer

Expression of nuclear receptors and glucose metabolic pathway proteins in sebaceous carcinoma: Androgen receptor and monocarboxylate transporter 1 have a key role in disease progression

Standard systemic treatments are not consistently effective for treating unresectable or advanced sebaceous carcinoma (SC). The present study investigated the pathogenic roles of nuclear receptors (NRs), glucose metabolic dysregulation and immune checkpoint proteins in SC as prognostic markers or therapeutic targets. Patients with pathologically confirmed SC between January 2002 and December 2019 at three university hospitals in South Korea were included in the present study. Immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin-embedded tumor tissues for glucocorticoid receptors (GR), androgen receptors (AR), estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), monocarboxylate transporters (MCT1 and MCT4), CD147, phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (pAMPK) and the immune checkpoint protein, programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). The results were semi-quantitatively assessed and the associations of these proteins with various clinicopathological parameters were determined. A total of 39 cases of SC comprising 19 periocular and 20 extraocular tumors were enrolled. NRs were frequently detected in the tumor nuclei, with GR having the highest frequency (89.7%), followed by AR, ER (both 51.3%) and PR (41.0%). Regarding glucose metabolism, CD147, GLUT1 and MCT1 were highly expressed at 100, 89.7 and 87.2%, respectively, whereas MCT4 and pAMPK expression levels were relatively low at 38.5 and 35.9%, respectively. Membranous expression of PD-L1 was detected in five cases (12.8%), four of which were extraocular. In the multivariate analysis, advanced stage, low AR positivity and high MCT1 expression were independent poor prognostic factors for metastasis-free survival (all P<0.05). The present results suggested that hormonal and metabolic dysregulation may be associated with the pathogenesis of SC, and that AR and MCT1 in particular may serve as prognostic indicators and potential therapeutic targets. Additionally, ~10% of SC cases exhibited PD-L1 expression within the druggable range, and these patients are expected to benefit from treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The oxidative aging model integrated various risk factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus at system level

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic endocrine metabolic disease caused by insulin dysregulation. Studies have shown that aging-related oxidative stress (as "oxidative aging") play a critical role in the onset and progression of T2DM, by leading to an energy metabolism imbalance. However, the precise mechanisms through which oxidative aging lead to T2DM are yet to be fully comprehended. Thus, it is urgent to integrate the underlying mechanisms between oxidative aging and T2DM, where meaningful prediction models based on relative profiles are needed.

Methods

First, machine learning was used to build the aging model and disease model. Next, an integrated oxidative aging model was employed to identify crucial oxidative aging risk factors. Finally, a series of bioinformatic analyses (including network, enrichment, sensitivity, and pan-cancer analyses) were used to explore potential mechanisms underlying oxidative aging and T2DM.

Results

The study revealed a close relationship between oxidative aging and T2DM. Our results indicate that nutritional metabolism, inflammation response, mitochondrial function, and protein homeostasis are key factors involved in the interplay between oxidative aging and T2DM, even indicating key indices across different cancer types. Therefore, various risk factors in T2DM were integrated, and the theories of oxi-inflamm-aging and cellular senescence were also confirmed.

Conclusion

In sum, our study successfully integrated the underlying mechanisms linking oxidative aging and T2DM through a series of computational methodologies.

Progesterone Receptor-Mediated Regulation of Cellular Glucose and 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Uptake in Breast Cancer

Context

Positron emission tomography imaging with 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F]-fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) is used clinically for initial staging, restaging, and assessing therapy response in breast cancer. Tumor FDG uptake in steroid hormone receptor-positive breast cancer and physiologic FDG uptake in normal breast tissue can be affected by hormonal factors such as menstrual cycle phase, menopausal status, and hormone replacement therapy.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of the progesterone receptor (PR) in regulating glucose and FDG uptake in breast cancer cells.

Methods and Results

PR-positive T47D breast cancer cells treated with PR agonists had increased FDG uptake compared with ethanol control. There was no significant change in FDG uptake in response to PR agonists in PR-negative MDA-MB-231 cells, MDA-MB-468 cells, or T47D PR knockout cells. Treatment of T47D cells with PR antagonists inhibited the effect of R5020 on FDG uptake. Using T47D cell lines that only express either the PR-A or the PR-B isoform, PR agonists increased FDG uptake in both cell types. Experiments using actinomycin D and cycloheximide demonstrated the requirement for both transcription and translation in PR regulation of FDG uptake. GLUT1 and PFKFB3 mRNA expression and the enzymatic activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were increased after progestin treatment of T47D cells.

Conclusion

Thus, progesterone and progestins increase FDG uptake in T47D breast cancer cells through the classical action of PR as a ligand-activated transcription factor. Ligand-activated PR ultimately increases expression and activity of proteins involved in glucose uptake, glycolysis, and the pentose phosphate pathway.

Demystifying the Functional Role of Nuclear Receptors in Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer (EC), an aggressive and poorly understood disease, is one of the top causes of cancer-related fatalities. GLOBOCAN 2020 reports that there are 544,076 deaths and 604,100 new cases expected worldwide. Even though there are various advancements in treatment procedures, this cancer has been reported as one of the most difficult cancers to cure, and to increase patient survival; treatment targets still need to be established. Nuclear receptors (NRs) are a type of transcription factor, which has a key role in several biological processes such as reproduction, development, cellular differentiation, stress response, immunity, metabolism, lipids, and drugs, and are essential regulators of several diseases, including cancer. Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of NRs in tumor immunology and proved the well-known roles of multiple NRs in modulating proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. There are surplus of studies conducted on NRs and their implications in EC, but only a few studies have demonstrated the diagnostic and prognostic potential of NRs. Therefore, there is still a paucity of the role of NRs and different ways to target them in EC cells to stop them from spreading malignancy. This review emphasizes the significance of NRs in EC by discussing their diverse agonists as well as antagonists and their response to tumor progression. Additionally, we emphasize NRs’ potential to serve as a novel therapeutic target and their capacity to treat and prevent EC.

Formyl-Peptide Receptor 2 Signaling Redirects Glucose and Glutamine into Anabolic Pathways in Metabolic Reprogramming of Lung Cancer Cells

Glucose and glutamine play a crucial role in the metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells. Proliferating cells metabolize glucose in the aerobic glycolysis for energy supply, and glucose and glutamine represent the primary sources of carbon atoms for the biosynthesis of nucleotides, amino acids, and lipids. Glutamine is also an important nitrogen donor for the production of nucleotides, amino acids, and nicotinamide. Several membrane receptors strictly control metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells and are considered new potential therapeutic targets. Formyl-peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) belongs to a small family of GPCRs and is implicated in many physiopathological processes. Its stimulation induces, among other things, NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS generation that, in turn, contributes to intracellular signaling. Previously, by phosphoproteomic analysis, we observed that numerous proteins involved in energetic metabolism are uniquely phosphorylated upon FPR2 stimulation. Herein, we investigated the role of FPR2 in cell metabolism, and we observed that the concentrations of several metabolites associated with the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), tricarboxylic acid cycle, nucleotide synthesis, and glutamine metabolism, were significantly enhanced in FPR2-stimulated cells. In particular, we found that the binding of specific FPR2 agonists: (i) promotes NADPH production; (ii) activates the non-oxidative phase of PPP; (iii) induces the expression of the ASCT2 glutamine transporter; (iv) regulates oxidative phosphorylation; and (v) induces the de novo synthesis of pyrimidine nucleotides, which requires FPR2-dependent ROS generation.

Lactate dehydrogenase as promising marker for prognosis of brain metastasis

BACKGROUND

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a biomarker for cancer. However, the relationship between serum LDH levels and the survival of patients with brain metastasis has been fully revealed. We aimed to evaluate the serum LDH levels and assess its prognostic value in patients with BM.

METHODS

The serum LDH levels were collected from 2507 patients with BM. Patients were categorized into four groups according to the quartile of serum LDH levels. The association between serum LDH levels and overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier curves. Three predictive models were used to evaluate patients.

RESULTS

The Kaplan-Meier curve for survival by the serum LDH group demonstrates clear separation between four groups (P < 0.001). The participants in the lower group had longer OS than those in the higher group. After adjusting in multivariate Cox regression models remained significant for patients in the Q4 compared with patients in the Q1 (Q4:Q1 OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.38-1.80). Furthermore, the GPA-LDH model generates a pooled area under the curve of 0.630 (95% CI 0.600, 0.660).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum LDH levels and OS in patients with brain metastasis is an inverse association. Moreover, Serum LDH levels can improve the prognosis of the GPA model.

NR4A Family Genes: A Review of Comprehensive Prognostic and Gene Expression Profile Analysis in Breast Cancer

This report analyzes nuclear receptor (NR) subfamily 4A's potential role in treating those diagnosed with breast cancer. Here we reviewed the current literature on NR4 family members. We also examined the relative gene expression of the NR4A receptor subfamily in the basal, HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) positive, luminal A, and luminal B subtypes using data from tumor samples in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC). These data showed a positive link between NR4A1-NR4A3 expression and increased overall survival and relapse-free survival in breast cancer patients. In addition, we observed that high expression of NR4A1, NR4A2, and NR4A3 led to better survival. Furthermore, NR4A family genes seem to play an essential regulatory role in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in breast cancer. The novel prognostic role of the NR4A1-NR4A3 receptors implicates these receptors as important mediators controlling breast cancer metabolic reprograming and its progression. The review establishes a strong clinical basis for the investigation of the cellular, molecular, and physiological roles of NR4A genes in breast cancer.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress promotes sorafenib resistance via miR-188-5p/hnRNPA2B1-mediated upregulation of PKM2 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Emerging evidence has shown that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress promotes sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism by which ER stress promotes sorafenib resistance in HCC. We found that pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2) was highly expressed in human HCC tissues and co-related with worse clinicopathologic features and overall survival. Activation of ER stress positively correlated with PKM2 expression both in HCC tissue samples and tunicamycin (TM)-induced HCC cell lines. PKM2 knockdown increased sorafenib-induced apoptosis and decreased the ability of colony formation, while upregulation of PKM2 reverses this phenomenon. Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing identified that activation of ER stress significantly downregulated the expression of miR-188-5p in HCC cells. According to bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase assays, we further confirmed that hnRNPA2B1 is the target gene of miR-188-5p. Downregulating the expression of hnRNPA2B1 with siRNA could decrease the expression of PKM2 and enhance sorafenib-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Our study demonstrated that ER stress could promote sorafenib resistance through upregulating PKM2 via miR-188-5p/hnRNPA2B1. Therefore, targeting the miR-188-5p/hnRNPA2B1/PKM2 pathway and ER stress may prove instrumental in overcoming sorafenib resistance in HCC treatment.

Dual imaging of dendritic spines and mitochondria in vivo reveals hotspots of plasticity and metabolic adaptation to stress

Metabolic adaptation is a critical feature of synaptic plasticity. Indeed, synaptic plasticity requires the utilization and resupply of metabolites, in particular when the turnover is high and fast such as in stress conditions. What accounts for the localized energy burden of the post-synaptic compartment to the build up of chronic stress is currently not understood. We used in vivo microscopy of genetically encoded fluorescent probes to track changes of mitochondria, dendritic spines, ATP and H2O2 levels in pyramidal neurons of cortex before and after chronic unpredictable mild stress. Data revealed hotspots of postsynaptic mitochondria and dendritic spine turnover. Pharmacogenetic approach to force expression of the metabolic stress gene NR4A1 caused the fragmentation of postsynaptic mitochondria and loss of proximal dendritic spine clusters, whereas a dominant-negative mutant counteracted the effect of chronic stress. When fragmented, dendritic mitochondria produced lesser ATP at resting state and more on acute demand. This corresponded with significant production of mitochondrial H2O2 oxidative species in the dendritic compartment. Together, data indicate that pyramidal neurons adjust proximal dendritic spine turnover and mitochondria functions in keeping with synaptic demands.

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Addition of dendritic spine clusters match with more proximal mitochondria coverage.

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Loss of dendritic spine clusters match with less proximal mitochondria coverage.

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Dendrites alter spine dynamics, ATP and H202 production in keeping with excitation.

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In excess, the transcription factor NR4A1 promotes cross-clustering losses.

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Blocking NR4A1 prevents net cross-clustering losses mediated by chronic stress.

Pseudoginsengenin DQ exerts antitumour activity against hypopharyngeal cancer cells by targeting the HIF-1α-GLUT1 pathway

BACKGROUND

Ginsenosides have been reported to possess a variety of biological activities. Synthesized from the ginsenoside protopanaxadiol (PPD), the octanone pseudoginsengenin DQ (PDQ) may have robust pharmacological effects as a secondary ginsenoside. Nevertheless, its antitumour activity and molecular mechanism against hypopharyngeal cancer cells remain unclear.

METHODS

Cell Counting Kit8 assays, cell cycle assays and cell apoptosis assays were conducted to assess FaDu cell proliferation, cell phase and apoptosis. The interactions between PDQ and HIF-1α were investigated by a molecular docking study. The expression of HIF-1α, GLUT1, and apoptosis-related proteins was detected by Western blotting, direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) and qRT-PCR. A glucose uptake assay was used to assess the glucose uptake capacity of FaDu cells.

RESULTS

PDQ suppressed proliferation, reduced glucose uptake, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in FaDu cells. A molecular docking study demonstrated that PDQ could interact with the active site of HIF-1α. PDQ decreased the expression and mRNA levels of HIF-1α and its downstream factor GLUT1. Moreover, the dSTORM results showed that PDQ reduced GLUT1 expression on the cell membrane and inhibited GLUT1 clustering.

CONCLUSION

Our work showed that the antitumour effect of PDQ was related to the downregulation of the HIF-1α-GLUT1 pathway, suggesting that PDQ could be a potential therapeutic agent for hypopharyngeal cancer treatment.

Diagnostic potential of hypoxia-induced genes in liquid biopsies of breast cancer patients

In tumor cells, higher expression of glucose transporter proteins (GLUT) and carbonic anhydrases (CAIX) genes is influenced by hypoxia-induced factors (HIF).Thus, we aimed to study the expression profile of these markers in sequential peripheral blood collections performed in breast cancer patients in order to verify their predictive potential in liquid biopsies. Gene expressions were analyzed by qPCR in tumor and blood samples from 125 patients and 25 healthy women. Differential expression was determined by the 2(−ΔCq) method. Expression of HIF-1α and GLUT1 in the blood of breast cancer patients is significantly higher (90–91 and 160–161 fold increased expression, respectively; p < 0.0001) than that found in healthy women. Their diagnostic power was confirmed by ROC curve. CAIX is also more expressed in breast cancer women blood, but its expression was detected only in a few samples. But none of these genes could be considered predictive markers. Therefore, evaluation of the expression of HIF-1α and GLUT1 in blood may be a useful laboratory tool to complement the diagnosis of breast cancer, in addition to being useful for follow-up of patients and of women with a family history of breast cancer.

Resibufogenin suppresses tumor growth and Warburg effect through regulating miR-143-3p/HK2 axis in breast cancer

Increasing evidence confirmed that the Warburg effect plays an important role involved in the progression of malignant tumors. Resibufogenin (RES) has been proved to have a therapeutic effect in multiple malignant tumors. However, the mechanism of whether RES exerted an antitumor effect on breast cancer through regulating the Warburg effect is largely unknown. The effect of RES on glycolysis was determined by glucose consumption, lactate production, ATP generation, extracellular acidification rate and oxygen consumption rate in breast cancer cells. The total RNA and protein levels were respectively measured by RT-qPCR and western blot. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined using the CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. The interaction between miR-143-3p and HK2 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. We also evaluated the influence of RES on the tumor growth and Warburg effect in vivo. RES treatment significantly decreased glycolysis, cell proliferation and induced apoptosis of both MDA-MB-453 and MCF-7 cells. Simultaneously, the expression of HK2 was decreased in breast cancer cells treated with RES, which was positively associated with tumor size and glycolysis. Moreover, HK2 was a direct target gene of miR-143-3p. Mechanistically, upregulation of miR-143-3p by RES treatment inhibited tumor growth by downregulating HK2-mediated Warburg effect in breast cancer. Our findings suggested that RES exerted anti-tumorigenesis and anti-glycolysis activities in breast cancer through upregulating the inhibitory effect of miR-143-3p on HK2 expression, which provided a new potential strategy for breast cancer clinical treatment.

ER-Negative Breast Cancer Is Highly Responsive to Cholesterol Metabolite Signalling

Interventions that alter cholesterol have differential impacts on hormone receptor positive- and negative-breast cancer risk and prognosis. This implies differential regulation or response to cholesterol within different breast cancer subtypes. We evaluated differences in side-chain hydroxycholesterol and liver X nuclear receptor signalling between Oestrogen Receptor (ER)-positive and ER-negative breast cancers and cell lines. Cell line models of ER-positive and ER-negative disease were treated with Liver X Receptor (LXR) ligands and transcriptional activity assessed using luciferase reporters, qPCR and MTT. Publicly available datasets were mined to identify differences between ER-negative and ER-positive tumours and siRNA was used to suppress candidate regulators. Compared to ER-positive breast cancer, ER-negative breast cancer cells were highly responsive to LXR agonists. In primary disease and cell lines LXRA expression was strongly correlated with its target genes in ER-negative but not ER-positive disease. Expression of LXR’s corepressors (NCOR1, NCOR2 and LCOR) was significantly higher in ER-positive disease relative to ER-negative, and their knock-down equalized sensitivity to ligand between subtypes in reporter, gene expression and viability assays. Our data support further evaluation of dietary and pharmacological targeting of cholesterol metabolism as an adjunct to existing therapies for ER-negative and ER-positive breast cancer patients.

Photo-patterned oxygen sensing films based on Pt porphyrin for controlling cell growth and studying metabolism

A new type of biocompatible and photo-polymerizable hydrogel with oxygen sensors for microengineering was developed. Herein, a red emitter as an oxygen probe which was chemically immobilized in a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-co-polyacrylamide-based matrix was expected to monitor cell metabolism. A few micropatterned films with gratings (5, 7, 10, 20, and 50 μm in width, respectively and with 1.2 μm in height) were designed and fabricated by photo-lithography using these hydrogels. SEM and AFM were used to validate these films to attain their lateral width and vertical depth. The oxygen responses of these films were characterized. Results showed that patterned films exhibited higher sensitivity than the non-patterned films. The films' construction can also have some influence on cell alignment and elongation. This phenomenon was evaluated by culturing human cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells) and mouse embryo fibroblasts (3T3-L1), on the film surfaces with different construction. Linear correlation between cell elongation and the logarithm of grating width was observed. Real-time monitoring of oxygen consumption of HeLa cells in cell culture medium was achieved. This study is expected to have potential to be applied in micro-structured design and to help understanding metabolism.

The association between nuclear receptors and ocular diseases

Nuclear hormone receptors (NRs) are one of the most abundant transcription factors in the human cells. They regulate expression of genes via interactions with corresponding ligands, co-activators, and co-repressors. These molecular pathways play important roles in the development, cell differentiation, and physiologic and metabolic processes. Increasingly, targeting nuclear receptors is becoming a promising strategy for new drug development. The aim of this review is to discuss the association between nuclear receptors and eye development, and expand their role in various ocular diseases such as keratitis, cataract, glaucoma, uveitis, retinopathy, and ophthalmic tumors. Recent studies in this area are highlighted as well as future research directions and potential clinical applications. Finally, various strategies will be elucidated to inspire more targeted therapies for ocular diseases through the use of nuclear receptors.

Palliative treatment efficacy of glucose inhibition combined with chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer with widespread bone and brain metastases: A case report

Otto Warburg observed in 1924 that cancer cells were dependent exclusively on glycolysis for the production of energy even in the presence of oxygen (the 'Warburg effect'). Consequently, cancer cells require ~19 times more glucose uptake to obtain equivalent amounts of energy as normal cells. The Warburg effect is the scientific basis for positron emission tomography (PET), which has markedly improved cancer detection. During chemotherapy, cancer cells may upregulate their expression of multi-drug resistance proteins and ultimately cause treatment failure. As multi-drug resistance proteins require energy to operate, the present report evaluated the potential clinical efficacy of lowering blood glucose with insulin during chemotherapy for a patient with advanced pulmonary adenocarcinoma with multiple metastases. A 64-year-old male was admitted to the Department of Medical Oncology at Changzhou Tumor Hospital (Changzhou, China) due to an irritating cough and multiple bone pain. PET/computed tomography (CT) with F-18 fluorodeoxy glucose (18F-FDG) identified multiple hypermetabolic foci in the right hilum, right upper lung, shoulder blades, thoracic vertebrae, lumbar, sacrum, bilateral iliac crest and pelvis. Additionally, magnetic resonance imaging detected multiple metastases in the brain. The patient received 56 repeat treatments with insulin to induce hypoglycemia combined with reduced doses of chemotherapy over an 8-month period. For each treatment, insulin at 0.2 U/kg body weight was injected intravenously (i.v.), and when blood glucose level reached 2.5-3.0 mmol/l, navelbine (10 mg), cisplatin (10 mg) and fluorouracil (250 mg) were injected (i.v.) over a period of ~10 min. The patient's blood glucose level was returned to normal immediately after chemotherapy with an i.v. injection of 20 ml 50% glucose solution. During the 8-month chemotherapy regimen, the patient received two PET/CT follow-ups. The results demonstrated that the levels of 18F-FDG uptake in all lesions had been reduced. In addition, the patient exhibited improved appetite and weight gain, a reduced cough, and had less pain. The levels of tumor markers, namely carcinoembryonic antigen, carcinoma antigen 15-3, CYRA21-1, neuron-specific enolase, also declined gradually. These results suggest that controlled, mild hypoglycemia may be safely combined with low dose chemotherapy to provide clinical benefit for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Biomarkers of resistance to radiation therapy: a prospective study in cervical carcinoma

Background

Clinical parameters and proteins have recently been suggested as possible causes of radiotherapy (RT) resistance in cervical carcinoma (CC). The objective of the present study was to validate prognostic biomarkers of radiation resistance.

Methods

The present prospective study included patients undergoing RT with curative intent for histologically proven locally advanced squamous cell CC. Tissues and blood samples were systematically collected before RT initiation. Immuno-histochemistry was performed (IGF-IR α and β, GAPDH, HIF-1 alpha, Survivin, GLUT1, CAIX, hTERT and HKII). Response to radiation was assessed through tumour response 3 months after RT completion, through overall survival (OS) and through progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

One hundred forty nine patients with a mean age of 46 years were included, with FIGO IIB (n = 53) and FIGO IIIB (n = 96) CCs. 61 patients were treated with exclusive RT + brachytherapy and 88 underwent chemo-radiotherapy + brachytherapy. Our findings suggest an association between hemoglobin level (Hb) (>11 g/dL) and 3 months complete response (p = 0.02). Hb level < 11 g/dL was associated with decreased PFS (p = 0.05) and OS (p = 0.08). Overexpression of IGF-1R β was correlated with a decreased OS (p = 0.007). Overexpression of GLUT1 was marginally correlated with reduced OS (p = 0.05). PFS and OS were significantly improved in patients undergoing chemoradiation versus exclusive radiotherapy (PFS: p = 0.04; OS: p = 0.01).

Conclusions

IGF-1R β overexpression and Hb level (≤11 g/dl) were associated with poor prognosis, and thus appear to be possible interesting biomarkers of radiation resistance. Our results corroborate previous pre-clinical studies suggesting IGF-1R and hypoxia to be part of the biological pathways leading to radio-resistance.

In vitro Detection of Hypoxia using a Ratiometric Quantum Dot-based Oxygen Sensor

A quantum-dot based ratiometric fluorescent oxygen probe for the detection of hypoxia in live cells is reported. The system is comprised of a water-soluble near-infrared emissive quantum dot conjugated to perylene dye. The response to the oxygen concentration is investigated using enzymatic oxygen scavenging in water, while in vitro studies were performed with HeLa cells incubated under varying O2 levels. In both cases a significant enhancement in dye/QD emission intensity ratio was observed in the deoxygenated environment, demonstrating the possible use of this probe for cancer research.

Glutamine activates STAT3 to control cancer cell proliferation independently of glutamine metabolism

Cancer cells can use a variety of metabolic substrates to fulfill the bioenergetic and biosynthetic needs of their oncogenic program. Besides bioenergetics, cancer cell metabolism also directly influences genetic, epigenetic and signaling events associated with tumor progression. Many cancer cells are addicted to glutamine, and this addiction is observed in oxidative as well as in glycolytic cells. While both oxidative and bioreductive glutamine metabolism can contribute to cancer progression and glutamine can further serve to generate peptides (including glutathione) and proteins, we report that glutamine promotes the proliferation of cancer cells independently of its use as a metabolic fuel or as a precursor of glutathione. Extracellular glutamine activates transcription factor STAT3, which is necessary and sufficient to mediate the proliferative effects of glutamine in glycolytic and in oxidative cancer cells. Glutamine also activates transcription factors HIF-1, mTOR and c-Myc, but these factors do not mediate the effects of glutamine on cancer cell proliferation. Our findings shed a new light on the anticancer effects of L-asparaginase that possesses glutaminase activity and converts glutamine into glutamate extracellularly. Conversely, cancer resistance to treatments that block glutamine metabolism could arise from glutamine-independent STAT3 re-activation.

Prognostic value of preoperative serum lactate dehydrogenase in thymic carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) has been demonstrated in various solid tumors. We attempted to determine whether serum LDH was predictive of survival in thymic carcinoma after surgical resection.

METHODS

Ninety-five patients with thymic carcinoma treated in our hospital between January 2005 and December 2015 were retrospectively enrolled. Serum LDH was measured before surgery and categorized as low or high relative to the upper limit of normal (ULN) (225 U/L). The relationships of serum LDH level and other clinical variables with survival were estimated by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

RESULTS

Serum LDH levels were found to be significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of these patients. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year PFS were 76%, 51%, and 38%, and the 1-, 3- and 5-year OS were 97%, 75%, and 46%, respectively. Univariate analysis found that high serum LDH (>225 U/L) was associated with both lower OS [hazard ratio (HR) =2.710; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.363-1.5.391; P=0.004] and PFS (HR =3.365; 95% CI: 1.776-6.374; P<0.001). Multivariate analysis found that high serum LDH was associated with lower PFS (HR =2.122; 95% CI: 1.056-4.267; P=0.035). Moreover, high LDH was significantly associated with advanced Masaoka stage (P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

High serum LDH (>225 U/L) was an independent predictor of decreased PFS in thymic carcinoma patients. It was also significantly associated with reduced OS, but was not an independent predictor of death in those patients.

Hsp90-binding immunophilin FKBP51 forms complexes with hTERT enhancing telomerase activity

FK506-binding proteins are members of the immunophilin family of proteins. Those immunophilins associated to the 90-kDa-heat-shock protein, Hsp90, have been proposed as potential modulators of signalling cascade factors chaperoned by Hsp90. FKBP51 and FKBP52 are the best characterized Hsp90-bound immunophilins first described associated to steroid-receptors. The reverse transcriptase subunit of telomerase, hTERT, is also an Hsp90 client-protein and is highly expressed in cancer cells, where it is required to compensate the loss of telomeric DNA after each successive cell division. Because FKBP51 is also a highly expressed protein in cancer tissues, we analyzed its potential association with hTERT·Hsp90 complexes and its possible biological role. In this study it is demonstrated that both immunophilins, FKBP51 and FKBP52, co-immunoprecipitate with hTERT. The Hsp90 inhibitor radicicol disrupts the heterocomplex and favors the partial cytoplasmic relocalization of hTERT in similar manner as the overexpression of the TPR-domain peptide of the immunophilin. While confocal microscopy images show that FKBP51 is primarily localized in mitochondria and hTERT is totally nuclear, upon the onset of oxidative stress, FKBP51 (but not FKBP52) becomes mostly nuclear colocalizing with hTERT, and longer exposure times to peroxide favors hTERT export to mitochondria. Importantly, telomerase activity of hTERT is significantly enhanced by FKBP51. These observations support the emerging role assigned to FKBP51 as antiapoptotic factor in cancer development and progression, and describe for the first time the potential role of this immunophilin favoring the clonal expansion by enhancing telomerase activity.

Oncoprotein HBXIP Modulates Abnormal Lipid Metabolism and Growth of Breast Cancer Cells by Activating the LXRs/SREBP-1c/FAS Signaling Cascade

Abnormal lipid metabolism is a hallmark of tumorigenesis. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that fatty acid synthase (FAS, FASN) is a metabolic oncogene that supports the growth and survival of tumor cells and is highly expressed in many cancers. Here, we report that the oncoprotein, hepatitis B X-interacting protein (HBXIP, LAMTOR5) contributes to abnormal lipid metabolism. We show that high expression of HBXIP in 236 breast cancer patients was significantly associated with decreased overall survival and progression-free survival. Interestingly, the expression of HBXIP was positively related to that of FAS in clinical breast cancer tissues, and HBXIP overexpression in breast cancer cells resulted in FAS upregulation. Mechanistically, HBXIP upregulated SREBP-1c (SREBF1), which activates the transcription of FAS, by directly interacting with and coactivating nuclear receptor (NR) liver X receptors (LXR). Physiologically, LXRs are activated via a coactivator containing NR motif in a ligand-dependent manner. However, in breast cancer cells, HBXIP containing the corepressor/nuclear receptor motif with special flanking sequence could coactivate LXRs independent of ligand. Moreover, overexpressed SREBP-1c was able to activate the transcription of HBXIP, forming a positive-feedback loop. Functionally, HBXIP enhanced lipogenesis, resulting in the growth of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo Thus, we conclude that the oncoprotein HBXIP contributes to the abnormal lipid metabolism in breast cancer through LXRs/SREBP-1c/FAS signaling, providing new insights into the mechanisms by which cancer cells reprogram lipid metabolism in their favor. Cancer Res; 76(16); 4696-707. ©2016 AACR.

Vitamin D receptor and RXR in the post-genomic era

Following the elucidation of the human genome and components of the epigenome, it is timely to revisit what is known of vitamin D receptor (VDR) function. Early transcriptomic studies using microarray approaches focused on the protein coding mRNA that were regulated by the VDR, usually following treatment with ligand. These studies quickly established the approximate size and surprising diversity of the VDR transcriptome, revealing it to be highly heterogenous and cell type and time dependent. Investigators also considered VDR regulation of non-protein coding RNA and again, cell and time dependency was observed. Attempts to integrate mRNA and miRNA regulation patterns are beginning to reveal patterns of co-regulation and interaction that allow for greater control of mRNA expression, and the capacity to govern more complex cellular events. Alternative splicing in the trasncriptome has emerged as a critical process in transcriptional control and there is evidence of the VDR interacting with components of the splicesome. ChIP-Seq approaches have proved to be pivotal to reveal the diversity of the VDR binding choices across cell types and following treatment, and have revealed that the majority of these are non-canonical in nature. The underlying causes driving the diversity of VDR binding choices remain enigmatic. Finally, genetic variation has emerged as important to impact the transcription factor affinity towards genomic binding sites, and recently the impact of this on VDR function has begun to be considered.

VDR regulation of microRNA differs across prostate cell models suggesting extremely flexible control of transcription

The Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily and is of therapeutic interest in cancer and other settings. Regulation of microRNA (miRNA) by the VDR appears to be important to mediate its actions, for example, to control cell growth. To identify if and to what extent VDR-regulated miRNA patterns change in prostate cancer progression, we undertook miRNA microarray analyses in 7 cell models representing non-malignant and malignant prostate cells (RWPE-1, RWPE-2, HPr1, HPr1AR, LNCaP, LNCaP-C4-2, and PC-3). To focus on primary VDR regulatory events, we undertook expression analyses after 30 minutes treatment with 1α,25(OH)2D3. Across all models, 111 miRNAs were significantly modulated by 1α,25(OH)2D3 treatment. Of these, only 5 miRNAs were modulated in more than one cell model, and of these, only 3 miRNAs were modulated in the same direction. The patterns of miRNA regulation, and the networks they targeted, significantly distinguished the different cell types. Integration of 1α,25(OH)2D3-regulated miRNAs with published VDR ChIP-seq data showed significant enrichment of VDR peaks in flanking regions of miRNAs. Furthermore, mRNA and miRNA expression analyses in non-malignant RWPE-1 cells revealed patterns of miRNA and mRNA co-regulation; specifically, 13 significant reciprocal patterns were identified and these patterns were also observed in TCGA prostate cancer data. Lastly, motif search analysis revealed differential motif enrichment within VDR peaks flanking mRNA compared to miRNA genes. Together, this study revealed that miRNAs are rapidly regulated in a highly cell-type specific manner, and are significantly co-integrated with mRNA regulation.

Gene and protein expression of glucose transporter 1 and glucose transporter 3 in human laryngeal cancer-the relationship with regulatory hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression, tumor invasiveness, and patient prognosis

Increased glucose uptake mediated by glucose transporters and reliance on glycolysis are common features of malignant cells. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α supports the adaptation of hypoxic cells by inducing genes related to glucose metabolism. The contribution of glucose transporter (GLUT) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) activity to tumor behavior and their prognostic value in head and neck cancers remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive value of GLUT1, GLUT3, and HIF-1α messenger RNA (mRNA)/protein expression as markers of tumor aggressiveness and prognosis in laryngeal cancer. The level of hypoxia/metabolic marker genes was determined in 106 squamous cell laryngeal cancer (SCC) and 73 noncancerous matched mucosa (NCM) controls using quantitative real-time PCR. The related protein levels were analyzed by Western blot. Positive expression of SLC2A1, SLC2A3, and HIF-1α genes was noted in 83.9, 82.1, and 71.7 % of SCC specimens and in 34.4, 59.4, and 62.5 % of laryngeal cancer samples. Higher levels of mRNA/protein for GLUT1 and HIF-1α were noted in SCC compared to NCM (p < 0.05). SLC2A1 was found to have a positive relationship with grade, tumor front grading (TFG) score, and depth and mode of invasion (p < 0.05). SLC2A3 was related to grade and invasion type (p < 0.05). There were also relationships of HIF-1α with pTNM, TFG scale, invasion depth and mode, tumor recurrences, and overall survival (p < 0.05). In addition, more advanced tumors were found to be more likely to demonstrate positive expression of these proteins. In conclusion, the hypoxia/metabolic markers studied could be used as molecular markers of tumor invasiveness in laryngeal cancer.