Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-4 (TIMP-4) regulates stemness in cervical cancer cells

The TIMP protein family: diverse roles in pathophysiology

The tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are a family of four matrisome proteins classically defined by their roles as the primary endogenous inhibitors of metalloproteinases (MPs). Their functions however are not limited to MP inhibition, with each family member harboring numerous MP-independent biological functions that play key roles in processes such as inflammation and apoptosis. Because of these multifaceted functions, TIMPs have been cited in diverse pathophysiological contexts. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview of the MP-dependent and -independent roles of TIMPs across a range of pathological conditions. The potential therapeutic and biomarker applications of TIMPs in these disease contexts are also considered, highlighting the biomedical promise of this complex and often misunderstood protein family.

Unveiling diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for cervical cancer: biomarker discovery through proteomics approaches and exploring the role of cervical cancer stem cells

Cervical cancer (CC) is a major global health problem and leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide. Early detection through screening programs has reduced mortality; however, screening compliance remains low. Identifying non-invasive biomarkers through proteomics for diagnosis and monitoring response to treatment could improve patient outcomes. Here we review recent proteomics studies which have uncovered biomarkers and potential drug targets for CC. Additionally, we explore into the role of cervical cancer stem cells and their potential implications in driving CC progression and therapy resistance. Although challenges remain, proteomics has the potential to revolutionize the field of cervical cancer research and improve patient outcomes.

Retrospective study of transcriptomic profiling identifies Thai triple-negative breast cancer patients who may benefit from immune checkpoint and PARP inhibitors

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a rare and aggressive breast cancer subtype. Unlike the estrogen receptor-positive subtype, whose recurrence risk can be predicted by gene expression-based signature, TNBC is more heterogeneous, with diverse drug sensitivity levels to standard regimens. This study explored the benefit of gene expression-based profiling for classifying the molecular subtypes of Thai TNBC patients.

Methods

The nCounter-based Breast 360 gene expression was used to classify Thai TNBC retrospective cohort subgroups. Their expression profiles were then compared against the previously established TNBC classification system. The differential characteristics of the tumor microenvironment and DNA damage repair signatures across subgroups were also explored.

Results

Thai TNBC cohort could be classified into four main subgroups, corresponding to the LAR, BL-2, and M subtypes based on Lehmann's TNBC classification. The PAM50 gene set classified most samples as basal-like subtypes except for Group 1. Group 1 exhibited similar enrichment of the metabolic and hormone response pathways to the LAR subtype. Group 2 shared pathway activation with the BL-2 subtype. Group 3 showed an increase in the EMT pathway, similar to the M subtype. Group 4 showed no correlation with Lehmann's TNBC. The tumor microenvironment (TME) analysis showed high TME cell abundance with increased expression of immune blockade genes in Group 2. Group 4 exhibited low TME cell abundance and reduced immune blockade gene expressions. We also observed distinct signatures of the DNA double-strand break repair genes in Group 1.

Conclusions

Our study reported unique characteristics between the four TNBC subgroups and showed the potential use of immune checkpoint and PARP inhibitors in subsets of Thai TNBC patients. Our findings warrant further clinical investigation to validate TNBC's sensitivity to these regimens.

Identification of New Key Genes and Their Association with Breast Cancer Occurrence and Poor Survival Using In Silico and In Vitro Methods

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancer diagnosed globally and continues to have a significant impact on the global number of cancer deaths. Despite all efforts of epidemiological and experimental research, therapeutic concepts in cancer are still unsatisfactory. Gene expression datasets are widely used to discover the new biomarkers and molecular therapeutic targets in diseases. In the present study, we analyzed four datasets using R packages with accession number GSE29044, GSE42568, GSE89116, and GSE109169 retrieved from NCBI-GEO and differential expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to screen the key genes. Subsequently, the GO function and KEGG pathways were analyzed to determine the biological function of key genes. Expression profile of key genes was validated in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines using qRT-PCR. Overall expression level and stage wise expression pattern of key genes was determined by GEPIA. The bc-GenExMiner was used to compare expression level of genes among groups of patients with respect to age factor. OncoLnc was used to analyze the effect of expression levels of LAMA2, TIMP4, and TMTC1 on the survival of breast cancer patients. We identified nine key genes, of which COL11A1, MMP11, and COL10A1 were found up-regulated and PCOLCE2, LAMA2, TMTC1, ADAMTS5, TIMP4, and RSPO3 were found down-regulated. Similar expression pattern of seven among nine genes (except ADAMTS5 and RSPO3) was observed in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Further, we found that LAMA2, TMTC1, and TIMP4 were significantly expressed among different age groups of patients. LAMA2 and TIMP4 were found significantly associated and TMTC1 was found less correlated with breast cancer occurrence. We found that the expression level of LAMA2, TIMP4, and TMTC1 was abnormal in all TCGA tumors and significantly associated with poor survival.

Changes in the Extracellular Matrix in Endometrial and Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review

Endometrial and cervical cancers are the two most common gynaecological malignancies and among the leading causes of death worldwide. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important component of the cellular microenvironment and plays an important role in developing and regulating normal tissues and homeostasis. The pathological dynamics of the ECM contribute to several different processes such as endometriosis, infertility, cancer, and metastasis. Identifying changes in components of ECM is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of cancer development and its progression. We performed a systematic analysis of publications on the topic of changes in the extracellular matrix in cervical and endometrial cancer. The findings of this systematic review show that matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) play an important role impacting tumour growth in both types of cancer. MMPs degrade various specific substrates (collagen, elastin, fibronectin, aggrecan, fibulin, laminin, tenascin, vitronectin, versican, nidogen) and play a crucial role in the basal membrane degradation and ECM components. Similar types of MMPs were found to be increased in both cancers, namely, MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-11. Elevated concentrations of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were correlated with the FIGO stage and are associated with poor prognosis in endometrial cancer, whereas in cervical cancer, elevated concentrations of MMP-9 have been associated with a better outcome. Elevated ADAMTS levels were found in cervical cancer tissues. Elevated disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) levels were also found in endometrial cancer, but their role is still unclear. Following these findings, this review reports on tissue inhibitors of ECM enzymes, MMPs, and ADAMTS. The present review demonstrates changes in the extracellular matrix in cervical and endometrial cancers and compared their effect on cancer development, progression, and patient prognosis.

Flavonoids as regulators of TIMPs expression in cancer: Consequences, opportunities, and challenges

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in patients worldwide, where invasion and metastasis are directly responsible for this statement. Although cancer therapy has progressed in recent years, current therapeutic approaches are ineffective due to toxicity and chemoresistance. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate other treatment options, and natural products are a promising alternative as they show antitumor properties in different study models. This review describes the regulation of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) expression and the role of flavonoids as molecules with the antitumor activity that targets TIMPs therapeutically. These inhibitors regulate tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover; they inhibit matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis and induce apoptosis in tumor cells. Data obtained in cell lines and in vivo models suggest that flavonoids are chemopreventive and cytotoxic against various types of cancer through several mechanisms. Flavonoids also regulate crucial signaling pathways such as focal adhesion kinase (FAK), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), nuclear factor κB (NFκB), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) involved in cancer cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. All these data reposition flavonoids as excellent candidates for use in cancer therapy.

The Repertoire of Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteases: Evolution, Regulation of Extracellular Matrix Proteolysis, Engineering and Therapeutic Challenges

Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteases (TIMPs) belong to a fascinating protein family expressed in all Metazoa. They act as regulators of the turnover of the extracellular matrix, and they are consistently involved in essential processes. Herein, we recapitulate the main activities of mammalian TIMPs (TIMP1-4) in the control of extracellular-matrix degradation and pathologies associated with aberrant proteostasis. We delineate the activity of TIMPs in the control of extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis and discuss the diversity of TIMPs across metazoans taking into account the emergence of the components of the ECM during evolution. Thus, the TIMP repertoire herein analysed includes the homologues from cnidarians, which are coeval with the origins of ECM components; protostomes (molluscs, arthropods and nematodes); and deuterostomes (echinoderms and vertebrates). Several questions, including the maintenance of the structure despite low sequence similarity and the strategies for TIMP engineering, shed light on the possibility to use recombinant TIMPs integrating unique features and binding selectivity for therapeutic applications in the treatment of inflammatory pathologies.

Human Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor Antigens as Biomarkers and Potential Therapeutic Targets

Simple Summary

Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is a deadly type of human pediatric brain cancer without effective treatments. ATRT is mainly linked to the inactivation of a tumor suppressor gene, SMARCB1; however, additional biomarkers remain to be identified to develop novel therapeutic strategies. Therefore, different tumor antigens and extracellular matrix modulators were investigated in two human ATRT and one kidney malignant rhabdoid tumor cell lines and compared with the nonmalignant HEK293 cell line. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), mucin-16 (MUC16 or cancer antigen 125/CA125), osteopontin (OPN), and mesothelin (MSLN) are highly expressed in these human malignant rhabdoid cancer cell lines. Inhibiting MMPs using a small-molecule inhibitor decreased cell survival. This biomarker discovery process may lead to the identification of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, such as the development of targeted and immunotherapies against cancer biomarkers, to treat cancer patients.

Abstract

Introduction: Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is a lethal type of malignant rhabdoid tumor in the brain, seen mostly in children under two years old. ATRT is mainly linked to the biallelic inactivation of the SMARCB1 gene. To understand the deadly characteristics of ATRT and develop novel diagnostic and immunotherapy strategies for the treatment of ATRT, this study investigated tumor antigens, such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), mucin-16 (MUC16/CA125), and osteopontin (OPN), and extracellular matrix modulators, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), in different human malignant rhabdoid tumor cell lines. In addition, the roles of MMPs were also examined. Materials and methods: Five human cell lines were chosen for this study, including two ATRT cell lines, CHLA-02-ATRT and CHLA-05-ATRT; a kidney malignant rhabdoid tumor cell line, G401; and two control cell lines, human embryonic kidney HEK293 and HEK293T. Both ATRT cell lines were treated with a broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor, GM6001, to investigate the effect of MMPs on cell proliferation, viability, and expression of tumor antigens and biomarkers. Gene expression was examined using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and protein expression was characterized by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. Results: All the rhabdoid tumor cell lines tested had high gene expression levels of MUC16, OPN, AFP, and MSLN. Low expression levels of neuron-specific enolase (ENO2) by the two ATRT cell lines demonstrated their lack of neuronal genotype. Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP/MMP-14) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) were highly expressed in these malignant rhabdoid tumor cells, indicating their invasive phenotypes. GM6001 significantly decreased ATRT cell proliferation and the gene expression of MSLN, OPN, and several mesenchymal markers, suggesting that inhibition of MMPs may reduce the aggressiveness of rhabdoid cancer cells. Conclusion: The results obtained from this study may advance our knowledge of the molecular landscapes of human malignant rhabdoid tumors and their biomarkers for effective diagnosis and treatment. This work analyzed the expression of human malignant rhabdoid tumor antigens that may serve as biomarkers for the development of novel therapeutic strategies, such as cancer vaccines and targeted and immunotherapies targeting osteopontin and mesothelin, for the treatment of patients with ATRT and other malignant rhabdoid tumors.

Colorectal Cancer Chemotherapy Drug Bevacizumab May Induce Muscle Atrophy Through CDKN1A and TIMP4

The muscle in the organism has the function of regulating metabolism. Long-term muscle inactivity or the occurrence of chronic inflammatory diseases are easy to induce muscle atrophy. Bevacizumab is an antiangiogenic drug that prevents the formation of neovascularization by inhibiting the activation of VEGF signaling pathway. It is used in the first-line treatment of many cancers in clinic. Studies have shown that the use of bevacizumab in the treatment of tumors can cause muscle mass loss and may induce muscle atrophy. Based on bioinformatics analysis, this study sought the relationship and influence mechanism between bevacizumab and muscle atrophy. The differences of gene and sample expression between bevacizumab treated group and control group were studied by RNA sequencing. WGCNA is used to find gene modules related to bevacizumab administration and explore biological functions through metascape. Differential analysis was used to analyze the difference of gene expression between the administration group and the control group in different muscle tissues. The key genes timp4 and CDKN1A were obtained through Venn diagram, and then GSEA was used to explore their biological functions in RNA sequencing data and geo chip data. This study studied the role of bevacizumab in muscle through the above methods, preliminarily determined that timp4 and CDKN1A may be related to muscle atrophy, and further explored their functional mechanism in bevacizumab myotoxicity.

Lysyl Oxidase Family Enzymes and Their Role in Tumor Progression

The five genes of the lysyl oxidase family encode enzymes that covalently cross-link components of the extracellular matrix, such as various types of collagen and elastin, and, thus, promote the stabilization of extracellular matrixes. Several of these genes, in particular lysyl oxidase (LOX) and lysyl oxidase like-2 (LOXL2) were identified as genes that are upregulated by hypoxia, and promote tumor cells invasion and metastasis. Here, we focus on the description of the diverse molecular mechanisms by which the various lysyl oxidases affect tumor progression. We also describe attempts that have been made, and are still on-going, that focus on the development of efficient lysyl oxidase inhibitors for the treatment of various forms of cancer, and of diseases associated with abnormal fibrosis.

Insight into the role of multiple signaling pathways in regulating cancer stem cells of gynecologic cancers

Mounting evidence has demonstrated that a myriad of developmental signaling pathways, such as the Wnt, Notch, Hedgehog and Hippo, are frequently deregulated and play a critical role in regulating cancer stem cell (CSC) activity in human cancers, including gynecologic malignancies. In this review article, we describe an overview of various signaling pathways in human cancers. We further discuss the developmental roles how these pathways regulate CSCs from experimental evidences in gynecologic cancers. Moreover, we mention several compounds targeting CSCs in gynecologic cancers to enhance the treatment outcomes. Therefore, these signaling pathways might be the potential targets for developing targeted therapy in gynecologic cancers.

Significance of TP53 mutation in treatment and prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Background: TP53 is ranked as the most common mutated gene in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Results: The status of TP53 mutation was investigated on International Cancer Genome Consortium and The Cancer Genome Atlas database and TP53-related differentially expressed genes were screened out from transcriptome data and mutation information. A TP53-related prognostic gene signature (TIMP4, ONECUT2, CGNL1, DMRTA2 and NKX2.3) was constructed based on Cox regression analysis and LASSO algorithm. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to identify promising prognosticators for HNSCC. Conclusion: Our findings provide a well-rounded landscape of TP53 mutation in HNSCC and pave the groundwork for developing innovative and effective cancer treatment methods for HNSCC.

Cervical cancer stem cells and other leading factors associated with cervical cancer development

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortalities in women from developing countries. Similar to other types of cancer, CC is considered to be a multifactorial disease, involving socioeconomic, cultural, immunological and epigenetic factors, as well as persistent human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. It has been well established that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in defining tumor size, the speed of development and the level of regression following treatment; therefore, CSCs are associated with a poor prognosis. CSCs have been detected in many types of cancer, including leukemia, pancreatic, colon, esophagus, liver, prostate, breast, gastric and lung cancer. In cervical cancer, CSCs have been associated with resistance to normally used drugs such as cisplatin. The present review summarizes the strategies that high-risk HPV viruses (HPV-16 and HPV-18) have developed to transform normal epithelial cells into cancer cells, as well as the cellular pathways and studies associated with the identification of cervical cancer stem cell biomarkers. In this sense, the present review provides state of the art information regarding CC development.

TIMP-3 as a therapeutic target for cancer

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3), a secreted glycoprotein, plays an important role in carcinogenesis. It can bind to many proteinases to suppress their activity and thus protect the extracellular matrix from degradation. TIMP-3 may have many anticancer properties, including apoptosis induction and antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, and antimetastatic activities. This review summarizes the structure, proteinase inhibition ability, genetic and epigenetic regulation, cancer therapy potential, and contribution to cancer development of TIMP-3. Furthermore, in this review we discuss its potential as a biomarker for predicting cancer progression and the current state of drugs that target TIMP-3, either alone or in combination with clinical treatment. In conclusion, TIMP-3 can be a biomarker of cancer and a potential target for cancer therapy. This review article can serve as a basis to understand how to modulate TIMP-3 levels as a drug target of cancers.

Inflammatory mediators in exhaled breath condensate and peripheral blood of healthy donors and stable COPD patients

Objective: The aim of this work was to compare matrix metalloproteinase-9 and -12, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and -4, and neutrophil elastase in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) and peripheral blood of patients with COPD. Methods: Peripheral blood and EBC samples from COPD patients and healthy donors were collected. In serum and EBC, MMP-9, MMP-12, NE, TIMP-1, and TIMP-4 proteins were detected by ELISA. The mRNA expression levels of MMP-9, MMP-12, NE, TIMP-1, and TIMP-4 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Results: The protein levels of MMP-9 (p=.034) and MMP-12 (p=.041) in the EBC of COPD smokers were higher than those of COPD never-smokers. The concentrations of TIMP-1 (p=.072) and TIMP-4 (p=.084) in the EBC of COPD smokers were higher than those of COPD never-smokers; however, the difference was not statistically significant. MMP-9 (r=-0.78, p<.0001) and TIMP-1 (r=-0.71, p<.0001) levels in EBC were significantly negatively correlated with pulmonary function FEV1%pred. The protein levels of MMP-12 (r=-0.37, p=.034) and TIMP-4 (r=-0.34, p=.041) were also negatively correlated with FEV1%pred. The expression of MMP-9, MMP-12, NE, TIMP-1, and TIMP-4 in PBMCs and serum of COPD smokers were significantly higher than those of control never-smokers (p<.05). Conclusions: Exhaled MMP-9, MMP-12, TIMP-1, and TIMP-4 levels increased in stable COPD patients and were negatively correlated with FEV1%pred, which suggests the usefulness of their measurement in EBC for the monitoring of airway inflammation. However, to better assess their diagnostic or prognostic value, larger studies are necessary.

Knockdown of BRCC3 exerts an anti‑tumor effect on cervical cancer in vitro

Cervical cancer is a serious malignancy that affects the health of females. In the present study, the association between breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein/breast cancer type 2 susceptibility protein-containing complex subunit 3 (BRCC3) and cervical cancer was investigated. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were performed to determine BRCC3 mRNA and protein expression levels in cervical cancer tissues and cells, in addition to the expression levels of proteins associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in HeLa and SiHa cells. Cell Counting Kit-8, Transwell and wound healing assays were performed to determine the cell viability, invasion and migration abilities of cervical cancer cells, respectively. The results of the present study revealed that BRCC3 expression was significantly increased in cervical cancer tissues, which was also revealed to be associated with the clinical stages and pathological grades of cervical cancer exhibited by patients, in addition to the survival time. Furthermore, BRCC3 expression levels were enhanced in HeLa, SiHa and C-33A cervical cancer cells. BRCC3 interference in HeLa and SiHa cells was revealed to suppress cell viability, invasion and migration abilities via upregulation of E-cadherin expression levels and downregulation of Vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, snail family transcriptional repressor (Snai)1 and Snai2 expression levels. In conclusion, the expression levels of BRCC3 were revealed to be increased in cervical cancer tissues, which were positively associated with clinical features of cervical cancer. Furthermore, BRCC3 interference inhibited the cell viability, invasion and migration abilities of HeLa and SiHa cells via regulation of EMT progression and expression levels of Snai family members. In addition, the results of the present study suggested that BRCC3 represents an oncogene associated with cervical cancer, and may also represent a novel therapeutic biomarker for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.

A Large-Scale Gene Expression Intensity-Based Similarity Metric for Drug Repositioning

Biological systems often respond to a specific environmental or genetic perturbation without pervasive gene expression changes. Such robustness to perturbations, however, is not reflected on the current computational strategies that utilize gene expression similarity metrics for drug discovery and repositioning. Here we propose a new expression-intensity-based similarity metric that consistently achieved better performance than other state-of-the-art similarity metrics with respect to the gold-standard clustering of drugs with known mechanisms of action. The new metric directly emphasizes the genes exhibiting the greatest changes in expression in response to a perturbation. Using the new framework to systematically compare 3,332 chemical and 3,934 genetic perturbations across 10 cell types representing diverse cellular signatures, we identified thousands of recurrent and cell type-specific connections. We also experimentally validated two drugs identified by the analysis as potential topoisomerase inhibitors. The new framework is a valuable resource for hypothesis generation, functional testing, and drug repositioning.

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Intensity-based similarity metric surpasses other standard metrics in drug clustering

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This metric was applied to compare thousands of compounds for drug repurposing

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Two drugs are experimentally confirmed as potential topoisomerase inhibitors

Cervical cancer stem-like cells: systematic review and identification of reference genes for gene expression

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer affecting women worldwide. Among many factors, the presence of cancer stem cells, a subpopulation of cells inside the tumor, has been associated with a worse prognosis. Considering the importance of gene expression studies to understand the biology of cervical cancer stem cells (CCSC), this work identifies stable reference genes for cervical cancer cell lines SiHa, HeLa, and ME180 as well as their respective cancer stem-like cells. A literature review was performed to identify validated reference genes currently used to normalize RT-qPCR data in cervical cancer cell lines. Then, cell lines were cultured in regular monolayer or in a condition that favors tumor sphere formation. RT-qPCR was performed using five reference genes: ACTB, B2M, GAPDH, HPRT1, and TBP. Stability was assessed to validate the selected genes as suitable reference genes. The evaluation validated B2M, GAPDH, HPRT1, and TBP in these experimental conditions. Among them, GAPDH and TBP presented the lowest variability according to the analysis by Normfinder, Bestkeeper, and ΔCq methods, being therefore the most adequate genes to normalize the combination of all samples. These results suggest that B2M, GAPDH, HPRT1, and TBP are suitable reference genes to normalize RT-qPCR data of established cervical cancer cell lines SiHa, HeLa, and ME180 as well as their derived cancer stem-like cells. Indeed, GAPDH and TBP seem to be the most convenient choices for studying gene expression in these cells in monolayers or spheres.