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Bao Y, Pan Z, Zhao L, Qiu J, Cheng J, Liu L, Qian D. BIBR1532 combined with radiotherapy induces ferroptosis in NSCLC cells and activates cGAS-STING pathway to promote anti-tumor immunity. J Transl Med 2024; 22:519. [PMID: 38816831 PMCID: PMC11138045 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05331-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomerase, by safeguarding damaged telomeres and bolstering DNA damage repair, has the capacity to heighten the radioresistance of tumour cells. Thus, in turn, can compromise the efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) and radioimmunotherapy. Our previous studies have revealed that the highly selective telomerase inhibitor, BIBR1532, possesses the potential to enhance the radiosensitivity of Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we delve further into the impact of BIBR1532 on the immune activation induced by RT and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS Biological information analyses, immunofluorescence assays, western blot assays, flow cytometry analysis were conducted to elucidate the functions of the combination of BIBR1532 with radiotherapy in NSCLC. Intracellular levels of lipid peroxides, glutathione, malondialdehyde, and Fe2+ were measured as indicators of ferroptosis status. Both in vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to examine the antitumor effects. RESULTS Our findings indicate that the confluence of BIBR1532 with RT significantly augments the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway in both in vivo and in vitro settings, thereby fostering an effective anti-tumoral immune response. The effects can be ascribed to two key processes. Firstly, ionizing radiation, in precipitating DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), prompts the release of tumour-derived double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) into the cytoplasm. Subsequently, BIBR1532 amplifies the activation of antigen-presenting cells by dsDNA post-RT and instigates the cGAS-STING pathway. Secondly, BIBR1532 enhances the ferroptosis response in NSCLC following RT, thereby promoting unrestrained lipid peroxidation and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within tumour cells. This ultimately leads to mitochondrial stress and the release of endogenous mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytoplasm, thus facilitating the activation of the STING pathway and the induction of a type I interferon (IFN)-linked adaptive immune response. CONCLUSION This study underscores the potential of BIBR1532 as an efficacious and safe radiosensitizer and radioimmunotherapy synergist, providing robust preclinical research evidence for the treatment of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawei Bao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Zhipeng Pan
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230000, China
| | - Luqi Zhao
- Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5039, USA
| | - Jieping Qiu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jingjing Cheng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Dong Qian
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China.
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
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Hakobyan M, Binder H, Arakelyan A. Pan-cancer analysis of telomere maintenance mechanisms. J Biol Chem 2024:107392. [PMID: 38763334 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, protective caps at chromosome ends, maintain genomic stability and control cell lifespan. Dysregulated telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMM) are cancer hallmarks, enabling unchecked cell proliferation. We conducted a pan-cancer evaluation of TMM using RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for 33 different cancer types and analyzed the activities of telomerase-dependent (TEL) and alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) TMM pathways in detail. To further characterize the TMM profiles, we categorized the tumors based on their ALT and TEL TMM pathway activities into five major phenotypes: ALT high TEL low, ALT low TEL low, ALT middle TEL middle, ALT high TEL high, and ALT low TEL high. These phenotypes refer to variations in telomere maintenance strategies, shedding light on the heterogeneous nature of telomere regulation in cancer. Moreover, we investigated the clinical implications of TMM phenotypes by examining their associations with clinical characteristics and patient outcomes. Specific TMM profiles were linked to specific survival patterns, emphasizing the potential of TMM profiling as a prognostic indicator and aiding in personalized cancer treatment strategies. Gene ontology analysis of the TMM phenotypes unveiled enriched biological processes associated with cell cycle regulation (both TEL and ALT), DNA replication (TEL), and chromosome dynamics (ALT) showing that telomere maintenance is tightly intertwined with cellular processes governing proliferation and genomic stability. Overall, our study provides an overview of the complexity of transcriptional regulation of telomere maintenance mechanisms in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meline Hakobyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology NAS RA, Yerevan, Armenia.
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Armenian Bioinformatics Institute, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Arsen Arakelyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology NAS RA, Yerevan, Armenia
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Wang H, Yang S, Chen L, Li Y, He P, Wang G, Dong H, Ma P, Ding G. Tumor diagnosis using carbon-based quantum dots: Detection based on the hallmarks of cancer. Bioact Mater 2024; 33:174-222. [PMID: 38034499 PMCID: PMC10684566 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbon-based quantum dots (CQDs) have been shown to have promising application value in tumor diagnosis. Their use, however, is severely hindered by the complicated nature of the nanostructures in the CQDs. Furthermore, it seems impossible to formulate the mechanisms involved using the inadequate theoretical frameworks that are currently available for CQDs. In this review, we re-consider the structure-property relationships of CQDs and summarize the current state of development of CQDs-based tumor diagnosis based on biological theories that are fully developed. The advantages and deficiencies of recent research on CQDs-based tumor diagnosis are thus explained in terms of the manifestation of nine essential changes in cell physiology. This review makes significant progress in addressing related problems encountered with other nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuit, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, PR China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Superconducting Electronics (CENSE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, PR China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Siwei Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuit, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, PR China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Liangfeng Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuit, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, PR China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Yongqiang Li
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuit, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, PR China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuit, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, PR China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Gang Wang
- Department of Microelectronic Science and Engineering, School of Physical Science and Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, PR China
| | - Hui Dong
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuit, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, PR China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Superconducting Electronics (CENSE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, PR China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Peixiang Ma
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopedic Implants, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, PR China
| | - Guqiao Ding
- National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuit, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, PR China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing, 100049, PR China
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Eglenen-Polat B, Kowash RR, Huang HC, Siteni S, Zhu M, Chen K, Bender ME, Mender I, Stastny V, Drapkin BJ, Raj P, Minna JD, Xu L, Shay JW, Akbay EA. A telomere-targeting drug depletes cancer initiating cells and promotes anti-tumor immunity in small cell lung cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:672. [PMID: 38253555 PMCID: PMC10803750 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44861-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
There are few effective treatments for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) underscoring the need for innovative therapeutic approaches. This study focuses on exploiting telomerase, a critical SCLC dependency as a therapeutic target. A prominent characteristic of SCLC is their reliance on telomerase activity, a key enzyme essential for their continuous proliferation. Here we utilize a nucleoside analog, 6-Thio-2'-deoxyguanosine (6TdG) currently in phase II clinical trials, that is preferentially incorporated by telomerase into telomeres leading to telomere dysfunction. Using preclinical mouse and human derived models we find low intermittent doses of 6TdG inhibit tumor growth and reduce metastatic burden. Anti-tumor efficacy correlates with a reduction in a subpopulation of cancer initiating like cells (CICs) identified by their expression of L1CAM/CD133 and highest telomerase activity. 6TdG treatment also leads to activation of innate and adaptive anti-tumor responses. Mechanistically, 6TdG depletes CICs and induces type-I interferon signaling leading to tumor immune visibility by activating tumor cell STING signaling. We also observe increased sensitivity to irradiation after 6TdG treatment in both syngeneic and humanized SCLC xenograft models both of which are dependent on the presence of host immune cells. This study underscores the immune-enhancing and metastasis-reducing effects of 6TdG, employing a range of complementary in vitro and in vivo SCLC preclinical models providing a potential therapeutic approach to SCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buse Eglenen-Polat
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ryan R Kowash
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Hai-Cheng Huang
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Silvia Siteni
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Mingrui Zhu
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kenian Chen
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Department of Population & Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Matthew E Bender
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ilgen Mender
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Victor Stastny
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Benjamin J Drapkin
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Prithvi Raj
- Department of Immunology and Microbiome Research Laboratory University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John D Minna
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX, Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lin Xu
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Pediatrics University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jerry W Shay
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Esra A Akbay
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Fahim SA, ElZohairy YA, Moustafa RI. Favipiravir, an antiviral drug, in combination with tamoxifen exerts synergistic effect in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells via hTERT inhibition. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1844. [PMID: 38246945 PMCID: PMC10800350 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51977-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Tamoxifen (TAM) is one of the most successful treatments for breast cancer; however, TAM resistance continues to be a significant barrier. TAM resistance has been reported to be associated with increased expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). This enzyme shares structural similarity with RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme of RNA viruses, suggesting that RdRp inhibitors may also inhibit hTERT. Favipiravir (FAV) is an antiviral drug that inhibits RdRp of RNA viruses. Thus, we propose that FAV may also elicit an antitumor effect by suppressing hTERT. This study aimed to investigate the effect of FAV and TAM on TAM-resistant breast cancer (TAMR-1). The cell viabilities were determined. The levels of CDK1/ hTERT, in addition to regulators of hTERT-targeted signaling pathways were measured. Apoptosis, migration, and cell cycle distribution were also determined. Our data revealed that the combination of TAM and FAV suppressed cell proliferation synergistically (CI < 1) and resulted in a significant change in cell migration and apoptosis. Indeed, this was associated with reduced levels of hTERT and CDK1 and shift in the cell cycle distribution. Our findings suggest that the TAM/FAV combination exhibits synergistic effects against TAMR-1 human breast cancer cells by targeting hTERT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A Fahim
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Newgiza University (NGU), Newgiza, Km 22 Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, 6th of October, P.O. Box 12577, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Yehia A ElZohairy
- School of Pharmacy, Newgiza University (NGU), Newgiza, Km 22 Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, P.O. Box 12577, Giza, Egypt
| | - Rehab I Moustafa
- Microbial Biotechnology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
- Microbiology Department, School of Pharmacy, Newgiza University (NGU), Newgiza, Km 22 Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, P.O. Box 12577, Giza, Egypt
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Cai Y, Guo H, Zhou J, Zhu G, Qu H, Liu L, Shi T, Ge S, Qu Y. An alternative extension of telomeres related prognostic model to predict survival in lower grade glioma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:13575-13589. [PMID: 37515613 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05155-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The alternative extension of the telomeres (ALT) mechanism is activated in lower grade glioma (LGG), but the role of the ALT mechanism has not been well discussed. The primary purpose was to demonstrate the significance of the ALT mechanism in prognosis estimation for LGG patients. METHOD Gene expression and clinical data of LGG patients were collected from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort, respectively. ALT-related genes obtained from the TelNet database and potential prognostic genes related to ALT were selected by LASSO regression to calculate an ALT-related risk score. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to construct a prognosis signature, and a nomogram was used to represent this signature. Possible pathways of the ALT-related risk score are explored by enrichment analysis. RESULT The ALT-related risk score was calculated based on the LASSO regression coefficients of 22 genes and then divided into high-risk and low-risk groups according to the median. The ALT-related risk score is an independent predictor of LGG (HR and 95% CI in CGGA cohort: 5.70 (3.79, 8.58); in TCGA cohort: 1.96 (1.09, 3.54)). ROC analysis indicated that the model contained ALT-related risk score was superior to conventional clinical features (AUC: 0.818 vs 0.729) in CGGA cohorts. The results in the TCGA cohort also shown a powerful ability of ALT-related risk score (AUC: 0.766 vs 0.691). The predicted probability and actual probability of the nomogram are consistent. Enrichment analysis demonstrated that the ALT mechanism was involved in the cell cycle, DNA repair, immune processes, and others. CONCLUSION ALT-related risk score based on the 22-gene is an important factor in predicting the prognosis of LGG patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaning Cai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Hao Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - JinPeng Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Gang Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Hongwen Qu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Lingyu Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Tao Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China
| | - Shunnan Ge
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China.
| | - Yan Qu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 569 Xinsi Road, Xi'an 710038, China.
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Sameni S, Viswanathan R, Ng GYQ, Martinez-Lopez W, Hande MP. Telomerase Inhibition by MST-312 Sensitizes Breast Cancer Cells to the Anti-cancer Properties of Plumbagin. Genome Integr 2023; 14:e20230002. [PMID: 38765717 PMCID: PMC11102071 DOI: 10.14293/genint.14.1.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cause of malignancy and the second most common cause of death due to cancer in women. This heterogeneous disease is currently broadly classified as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) positive luminal tumors, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplified tumors and triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). Phytochemicals are proven to be promising anti-cancer chemotherapeutics agents with minimal cytotoxic effects on normal cells. Plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1, 4-naphthoquinone) is a phytochemical derived from the roots of Plumbago zeylanica and it is known to possess anti-cancer properties similar to other compounds of naphthoquinones. In about 90% of cancer cells, the telomerase enzyme activity is revived to add telomeric repeats to evade apoptosis. In this study, a combinatorial approach of combining the anti-cancer compound plumbagin to induce genotoxicity and a potent telomerase inhibitor, MST-312 (synthetic derivative of tea catechins), was used to determine the combinational treatment-induced lethality in breast cancer cells such as MDA-MB-231 (TNBC) and MCF-7 (lumina) cells. MDA-MB-231 cells were responsive to combination treatment in both short-term (48 h) and long-term treatment (14 days) in a synergistic manner, whereas in MCF-7, the combination treatment was more effective in the long-term regimen. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effects of the plumbagin and MST-312 combination treatment were not recoverable after the short-term treatment. In conclusion, a combination treatment of MST-312 and plumbagin is proven to be more effective than a single plumbagin compound treatment in inducing DNA damage and telomere dysfunction leading to greater genome instability, cell cycle arrest and eventually cell death in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safoura Sameni
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ramya Viswanathan
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gavin Yong-Quan Ng
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wilner Martinez-Lopez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Associate Unit on Genomic Stability, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Republic (UdelaR), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - M. Prakash Hande
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Liu J, Zheng R, Zhang Y, Jia S, He Y, Liu J. The Cross Talk between Cellular Senescence and Melanoma: From Molecular Pathogenesis to Target Therapies. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092640. [PMID: 37174106 PMCID: PMC10177054 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is a malignant skin tumor that originates from melanocytes. The pathogenesis of melanoma involves a complex interaction that occurs between environmental factors, ultraviolet (UV)-light damage, and genetic alterations. UV light is the primary driver of the skin aging process and development of melanoma, which can induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the presence of DNA damage in the cells, and results in cell senescence. As cellular senescence plays an important role in the relationship that exists between the skin aging process and the development of melanoma, the present study provides insight into the literature concerning the topic at present and discusses the relationship between skin aging and melanoma, including the mechanisms of cellular senescence that drive melanoma progression, the microenvironment in relation to skin aging and melanoma factors, and the therapeutics concerning melanoma. This review focuses on defining the role of cellular senescence in the process of melanoma carcinogenesis and discusses the targeting of senescent cells through therapeutic approaches, highlighting the areas that require more extensive research in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging and Tumor, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Runzi Zheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging and Tumor, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yanghuan Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging and Tumor, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Shuting Jia
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging and Tumor, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yonghan He
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging and Tumor, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
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Zhou Y, Xiao D, Jiang X, Nie C. EREG is the core onco-immunological biomarker of cuproptosis and mediates the cross-talk between VEGF and CD99 signaling in glioblastoma. J Transl Med 2023; 21:28. [PMID: 36647156 PMCID: PMC9843967 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-03883-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioma is the most prevalent primary tumor of the central nervous system. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant form of glioma with an extremely poor prognosis. A novel, regulated cell death form of copper-induced cell death called "cuproptosis" provides a new prospect for cancer treatment by regulating cuproptosis. METHODS Data from bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis (The Cancer Genome Atlas cohort and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas cohort) and single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) analysis were integrated to reveal their relationships. A scoring system was constructed according to the cuproptosis-related gene expression, and core genes were experimentally verified using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blot (WB), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF). Moreover, cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), colony formation, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation, transwell, and flow cytometry cell cycle were performed to evaluate cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. RESULTS The Cuproptosis Activation Scoring (CuAS) Model has stable and independent prognostic efficacy, as verified by two CGGA datasets. Epiregulin (EREG), the gene of the model has the most contributions in the principal component analysis (PCA), is an onco-immunological gene that can affect immunity by influencing the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and mediate the process of cuproptosis by influencing the expression of ferredoxin 1 (FDX1). Single cell transcriptome analysis revealed that high CuAS GBM cells are found in vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) + malignant cells. Oligodendrocyte transcription factor 1 (OLIG1) + malignant is the original clone, and VEGF and CD99 are the differential pathways of specific cell communication between the high and low CuAS groups. This was also demonstrated by immunofluorescence in the tissue sections. Furthermore, CuAS has therapeutic potential for immunotherapy, and we predict that many drugs (methotrexate, NU7441, KU -0063794, GDC-0941, cabozantinib, and NVP-BEZ235) may be used in patients with high CuAS. CONCLUSION EREG is the core onco-immunological biomarker of CuAS and modulates the cross-talk between VEGF and CD99 signaling in glioblastoma, and CuAS may provide support for immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Zhou
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022 Hubei China
| | - Dongdong Xiao
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022 Hubei China
| | - Xiaobing Jiang
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022 Hubei China
| | - Chuansheng Nie
- grid.33199.310000 0004 0368 7223Department of Neurosurgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022 Hubei China
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10
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Fischer-Mertens J, Otte F, Roderwieser A, Rosswog C, Kahlert Y, Werr L, Hellmann AM, Berding M, Chiu B, Bartenhagen C, Fischer M. Telomerase-targeting compounds Imetelstat and 6-thio-dG act synergistically with chemotherapy in high-risk neuroblastoma models. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2022; 45:991-1003. [PMID: 35953764 PMCID: PMC9579108 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00702-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of high-risk neuroblastomas harbor telomerase activity, and telomerase-interacting compounds, such as 6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine (6-thio-dG), have been found to impair the growth of telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cell lines. It has remained unclear, however, how such drugs can be combined with other compounds used in current treatment concepts for neuroblastoma patients. METHODS Growth-inhibitory effects of varying concentrations of 6-thio-dG in combination with etoposide, doxorubicin or ceritinib were determined in eight telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cell lines with distinct genetic backgrounds. Tumor growth inhibition of subcutaneous xenografts from three different cell lines was assessed upon treatment with 6-thio-dG, the competitive telomerase inhibitor imetelstat, etoposide, or combinations of these compounds. RESULTS Robust synergistic anti-tumor effects were observed for combinations of 6-thio-dG and etoposide or doxorubicin, but not for 6-thio-dG and ceritinib, in telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro. Treatment of mouse xenografts with combinations of 6-thio-dG and etoposide significantly attenuated tumor growth and improved mouse survival over etoposide alone in two of three cell line models. Treatment of xenograft tumors by imetelstat monotherapy decreased telomerase activity by roughly 50% and significantly improved survival over control in all three models, whereas treatment with imetelstat plus etoposide led to enhanced survival over etoposide monotherapy in one model. Mechanistically, the synergistic effect was found to be due to both increased apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. CONCLUSION Our study indicates that telomerase is an actionable target in telomerase-positive neuroblastoma, and demonstrates that combination therapies including telomerase-interacting compounds may improve the efficacy of established cytotoxic drugs. Targeting telomerase may thus represent a therapeutic option in high-risk neuroblastoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janina Fischer-Mertens
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Felix Otte
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andrea Roderwieser
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Carolina Rosswog
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Yvonne Kahlert
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Lisa Werr
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anna-Maria Hellmann
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maya Berding
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Bill Chiu
- Pediatric Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christoph Bartenhagen
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthias Fischer
- Experimental Pediatric Oncology, University Children's Hospital of Cologne, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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11
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Mota JIS, Silva-Júnior RMP, Martins CS, Bueno AC, Wildemberg LE, Antunes XLDS, Ozaki JGO, Coeli-Lacchini FB, Garcia-Peral C, Oliveira AER, Santos AC, Moreira AC, Machado HR, Dos Santos MV, Colli LM, Gadelha MR, Antonini SRR, de Castro M. Telomere length and Wnt/β-catenin pathway in adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas. Eur J Endocrinol 2022; 187:219-230. [PMID: 35584004 DOI: 10.1530/eje-21-1269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate how telomere length behaves in adamantinomtous craniopharyngioma (aCP) and if it contributes to the pathogenesis of aCPs with and without CTNNB1 mutations. DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional study enrolling 42 aCP patients from 2 tertiary institutions. METHODS Clinicopathological features were retrieved from the patient's charts. Fresh frozen tumors were used for RNA and DNA analyses. Telomere length was evaluated by qPCR (T/S ratio). Somatic mutations in TERT promoter (TERTp) and CTNNB1 were detected by Sanger and/or whole-exome sequencing. We performed RNA-Seq to identify differentially expressed genes in aCPs presenting with shorter or longer telomere lengths. RESULTS Mutations in CTNNB1 were detected in 29 (69%) tumors. There was higher frequency of CTNNB1 mutations in aCPs from patients diagnosed under the age of 15 years (85% vs 15%; P = 0.04) and a trend to recurrent disease (76% vs 24%; P = 0.1). No mutation was detected in the TERTp region. The telomeres were shorter in CTNNB1-mutated aCPs (0.441, IQR: 0.297-0.597vs 0.607, IQR: 0.445-0.778; P = 0.04), but it was neither associated with clinicopathological features nor with recurrence. RNAseq identified a total of 387 differentially expressed genes, generating two clusters, being one enriched for short telomeres and CTNNB1-mutated aCPs. CONCLUSIONS: CTNNB1 mutations are more frequent in children and adolescents and appear to associate with progressive disease. CTNNB1-mutated aCPs have shorter telomeres, demonstrating a relationship between the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and telomere biology in the pathogenesis of aCPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Italo Soares Mota
- Department of Internal Medicine of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Clarissa Silva Martins
- Department of Internal Medicine of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Bueno
- Department of Pediatrics of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz Eduardo Wildemberg
- Neuroendocrinology Research Center/Endocrinology Section, Medical School and Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ximene Lima da Silva Antunes
- Neuroendocrinology Research Center/Endocrinology Section, Medical School and Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jorge Guilherme Okanobo Ozaki
- Department of Internal Medicine of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos Garcia-Peral
- Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Antonio Edson Rocha Oliveira
- Department of Internal Medicine of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antônio Carlos Santos
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Oncology of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ayrton Custodio Moreira
- Department of Internal Medicine of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Helio Rubens Machado
- Department of Surgery and Anatomy of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, Hematology and Oncology of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Volpon Dos Santos
- Department of Surgery and Anatomy of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, Hematology and Oncology of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro M Colli
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Oncology of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Monica R Gadelha
- Neuroendocrinology Research Center/Endocrinology Section, Medical School and Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Sonir Roberto R Antonini
- Department of Pediatrics of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Margaret de Castro
- Department of Internal Medicine of Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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12
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Zanotti S, Decaesteker B, Vanhauwaert S, De Wilde B, De Vos WH, Speleman F. Cellular senescence in neuroblastoma. Br J Cancer 2022; 126:1529-1538. [PMID: 35197583 PMCID: PMC9130206 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01755-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a tumour that arises from the sympathoadrenal lineage occurring predominantly in children younger than five years. About half of the patients are diagnosed with high-risk tumours and undergo intensive multi-modal therapy. The success rate of current treatments for high-risk neuroblastoma is disappointingly low and survivors suffer from multiple therapy-related long-term side effects. Most chemotherapeutics drive cancer cells towards cell death or senescence. Senescence has long been considered to represent a terminal non-proliferative state and therefore an effective barrier against tumorigenesis. This dogma, however, has been challenged by recent observations that infer a much more dynamic and reversible nature for this process, which may have implications for the efficacy of therapy-induced senescence-oriented treatment strategies. Neuroblastoma cells in a dormant, senescent-like state may escape therapy, whilst their senescence-associated secretome may promote inflammation and invasiveness, potentially fostering relapse. Conversely, due to its distinct molecular identity, senescence may also represent an opportunity for the development of novel (combination) therapies. However, the limited knowledge on the molecular dynamics and diversity of senescence signatures demands appropriate models to study this process in detail. This review summarises the molecular knowledge about cellular senescence in neuroblastoma and investigates current and future options towards therapeutic exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Zanotti
- grid.5284.b0000 0001 0790 3681Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, 2610 Belgium ,grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000 Belgium ,grid.510942.bCancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, 9000 Belgium
| | - Bieke Decaesteker
- grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000 Belgium ,grid.510942.bCancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, 9000 Belgium
| | - Suzanne Vanhauwaert
- grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000 Belgium ,grid.510942.bCancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, 9000 Belgium
| | - Bram De Wilde
- grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000 Belgium ,grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000 Belgium ,grid.410566.00000 0004 0626 3303Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, 9000 Belgium
| | - Winnok H. De Vos
- grid.5284.b0000 0001 0790 3681Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, 2610 Belgium
| | - Frank Speleman
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium. .,Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, 9000, Belgium.
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13
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Fragkiadaki P, Renieri E, Kalliantasi K, Kouvidi E, Apalaki E, Vakonaki E, Mamoulakis C, Spandidos DA, Tsatsakis A. Τelomerase inhibitors and activators in aging and cancer: A systematic review. Mol Med Rep 2022; 25:158. [PMID: 35266017 PMCID: PMC8941523 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2022.12674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The main aim of the present systematic review was to summarize the most frequently used telomerase regulators with an impact on aging and cancer that are referred to in in vitro and in vivo studies. For this purpose, a systematic review of the available literature on telomerase regulators referred to in articles from PubMed and Scopus libraries published from 2002 to 2021 and in accordance with PRISMA 2020 criteria, was conducted. Articles were included if they met the following criteria: They referred to telomerase modulators in aging and in cancer and were in vitro and/or in vivo studies, while studies that did not provide sufficient data or studies not written in English were excluded. In the present systematic review, 54 publications were included, of which 29 were full-text published studies, 11 were full-text reviews, 10 structure-based design studies and 4 abstracts are reported in this review. Telomerase regulators were then categorized as synthetic direct telomerase inhibitors, synthetic indirect telomerase inhibitors, synthetic telomerase activators, natural direct telomerase activators, natural telomerase inhibitors and natural indirect telomerase activators, according to their origin and their activity. On the whole, as demonstrated herein, telomerase regulators appear to be promising treatment agents in various age-related diseases. However, further in vivo and in vitro studies need to be performed in order to clarify the potentiality of telomerase as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Persefoni Fragkiadaki
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.,Spin‑Off Toxplus S.A., Heraklion 71601, Greece
| | - Elisavet Renieri
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Katerina Kalliantasi
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Elisavet Kouvidi
- Genesis Genoma Lab, Genetic Diagnosis, Clinical Genetics and Research, Athens 15232, Greece
| | - Evita Apalaki
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology (IGP), Uppsala University, 75105 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elena Vakonaki
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.,Spin‑Off Toxplus S.A., Heraklion 71601, Greece
| | - Charalampos Mamoulakis
- Department of Urology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Demetrios A Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.,Spin‑Off Toxplus S.A., Heraklion 71601, Greece
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14
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Zhao J, Liu Q, Yi D, Li Q, Guo S, Ma L, Zhang Y, Dong D, Guo F, Liu Z, Wei T, Li X, Cen S. 5-Iodotubercidin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 RNA synthesis. Antiviral Res 2022; 198:105254. [PMID: 35101534 PMCID: PMC8800165 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly emerged infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The rapid global emergence of SARS-CoV-2 highlights the importance and urgency for potential drugs to control the pandemic. The functional importance of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in the viral life cycle, combined with structural conservation and absence of closely related homologs in humans, makes it an attractive target for designing antiviral drugs. Nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) are still the most promising broad-spectrum class of viral RdRp inhibitors. In this study, using our previously developed cell-based SARS-CoV-2 RdRp report system, we screened 134 compounds in the Selleckchemicals NAs library. Four candidate compounds, Fludarabine Phosphate, Fludarabine, 6-Thio-20-Deoxyguanosine (6-Thio-dG), and 5-Iodotubercidin, exhibit remarkable potency in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. Among these four compounds, 5-Iodotubercidin exhibited the strongest inhibition upon SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, and was resistant to viral exoribonuclease activity, thus presenting the best antiviral activity against coronavirus from a different genus. Further study showed that the RdRp inhibitory activity of 5-Iodotubercidin is closely related to its capacity to inhibit adenosine kinase (ADK).
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15
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Han H, He C, Chen X, Luo Y, Yang M, Wen Z, Hu J, Lin F, Han M, Yin T, Yang R, Lin H, Qi J, Yang Y. Shikonin N-benzyl matrinic acid ester derivatives as novel telomerase inhibitors with potent activity against lung cancer cell lines. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 57:128503. [PMID: 34922028 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In this study, a series of novel shikonin N-benzyl matrinic acid ester derivatives (PMMB-299-PMMB-310) were synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. Compared with shikonin and matrine, some of the ester derivatives were found to exhibit better anti-proliferative activity against seven different cancer cell lines, with less cytotoxicity toward non-cancerous cells. The strongest anti-proliferative activity was exhibited by PMMB-302, which had an IC50 value of 2.71 μM against A549 cells. The compound caused cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and induced apoptosis. Effects on the expression of apoptosis-related molecules such as Bcl2, Bcl-XL, caspase-3, caspase-9 and FADD suggested that PMMB-302 has tumor suppressive roles in lung cancer cells. In addition, PMMB-302 inhibited expression of telomerase core proteins, dyskerin and NHP2, and telomerase reverse transcriptase RNA. Moreover, molecular docking of PMMB-302 was subsequently conducted to determine the probable binding mode with telomerase. Taken together, the results indicate that PMMB-302 acts as a tumor suppressor in lung cancer cells by negatively regulating telomerase expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Cong He
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xingyu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuelin Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Minkai Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhongling Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jiabao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Faxiang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Mi Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Tongming Yin
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Rongwu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Hongyan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Jinliang Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
| | - Yonghua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
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16
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Yu S, Wei S, Savani M, Lin X, Du K, Mender I, Siteni S, Vasilopoulos T, Reitman ZJ, Ku Y, Wu D, Liu H, Tian M, Chen Y, Labrie M, Charbonneau CM, Sugarman E, Bowie M, Hariharan S, Waitkus M, Jiang W, McLendon RE, Pan E, Khasraw M, Walsh KM, Lu Y, Herlyn M, Mills G, Herbig U, Wei Z, Keir ST, Flaherty K, Liu L, Wu K, Shay JW, Abdullah K, Zhang G, Ashley DM. A Modified Nucleoside 6-Thio-2'-Deoxyguanosine Exhibits Antitumor Activity in Gliomas. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:6800-6814. [PMID: 34593527 PMCID: PMC8678347 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-0374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the therapeutic role of a novel telomere-directed inhibitor, 6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine (THIO) in gliomas both in vitro and in vivo. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN A panel of human and mouse glioma cell lines was used to test therapeutic efficacy of THIO using cell viability assays, flow cytometric analyses, and immunofluorescence. Integrated analyses of RNA sequencing and reverse-phase protein array data revealed the potential antitumor mechanisms of THIO. Four patient-derived xenografts (PDX), two patient-derived organoids (PDO), and two xenografts of human glioma cell lines were used to further investigate the therapeutic efficacy of THIO. RESULTS THIO was effective in the majority of human and mouse glioma cell lines with no obvious toxicity against normal astrocytes. THIO as a monotherapy demonstrated efficacy in three glioma cell lines that had acquired resistance to temozolomide. In addition, THIO showed efficacy in four human glioma cell lines grown as neurospheres by inducing apoptotic cell death. Mechanistically, THIO induced telomeric DNA damage not only in glioma cell lines but also in PDX tumor specimens. Integrated computational analyses of transcriptomic and proteomic data indicated that THIO significantly inhibited cell invasion, stem cell, and proliferation pathways while triggering DNA damage and apoptosis. Importantly, THIO significantly decreased tumor proliferation in two PDO models and reduced the tumor size of a glioblastoma xenograft and a PDX model. CONCLUSIONS The current study established the therapeutic role of THIO in primary and recurrent gliomas and revealed the acute induction of telomeric DNA damage as a primary antitumor mechanism of THIO in gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengnan Yu
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, P.R. China
| | - Shiyou Wei
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Milan Savani
- Department of Neurosurgery, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Xiang Lin
- Department of Computer Science, Ying Wu College of Computing, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Kuang Du
- Department of Computer Science, Ying Wu College of Computing, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Ilgen Mender
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas
| | - Silvia Siteni
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas
| | - Themistoklis Vasilopoulos
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Zachary J Reitman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Yin Ku
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Meng Tian
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
- Neurosurgery Research Laboratory, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Yaohui Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Marilyne Labrie
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Casey M Charbonneau
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Eric Sugarman
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Michelle Bowie
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Seethalakshmi Hariharan
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Matthew Waitkus
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Wen Jiang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Roger E McLendon
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Edward Pan
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Mustafa Khasraw
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Kyle M Walsh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Yiling Lu
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Gordon Mills
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Utz Herbig
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Zhi Wei
- Department of Computer Science, Ying Wu College of Computing, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Stephen T Keir
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Keith Flaherty
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lunxu Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Kongming Wu
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Jerry W Shay
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas
| | - Kalil Abdullah
- Department of Neurosurgery, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Gao Zhang
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - David M Ashley
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
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17
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TRIM28 is a transcriptional activator of the mutant TERT promoter in human bladder cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2102423118. [PMID: 34518220 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102423118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) has a 70% telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT or hTERT in humans) promoter mutation prevalence, commonly at -124 base pairs, and this is associated with increased hTERT expression and poor patient prognosis. We inserted a green fluorescent protein (GFP) tag in the mutant hTERT promoter allele to create BC cells expressing an hTERT-GFP fusion protein. These cells were used in a fluorescence-activated cell sorting-based pooled CRISPR-Cas9 Kinome knockout genetic screen to identify tripartite motif containing 28 (TRIM28) and TRIM24 as regulators of hTERT expression. TRIM28 activates, while TRIM24 suppresses, hTERT transcription from the mutated promoter allele. TRIM28 is recruited to the mutant promoter where it interacts with TRIM24, which inhibits its activity. Phosphorylation of TRIM28 through the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) releases it from TRIM24 and induces hTERT transcription. TRIM28 expression promotes in vitro and in vivo BC cell growth and stratifies BC patient outcome. mTORC1 inhibition with rapamycin analog Ridaforolimus suppresses TRIM28 phosphorylation, hTERT expression, and cell viability. This study may lead to hTERT-directed cancer therapies with reduced effects on normal progenitor cells.
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18
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Akter J, Kamijo T. How Do Telomere Abnormalities Regulate the Biology of Neuroblastoma? Biomolecules 2021; 11:1112. [PMID: 34439779 PMCID: PMC8392161 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere maintenance plays important roles in genome stability and cell proliferation. Tumor cells acquire replicative immortality by activating a telomere-maintenance mechanism (TMM), either telomerase, a reverse transcriptase, or the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechanism. Recent advances in the genetic and molecular characterization of TMM revealed that telomerase activation and ALT define distinct neuroblastoma (NB) subgroups with adverse outcomes, and represent promising therapeutic targets in high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB), an aggressive childhood solid tumor that accounts for 15% of all pediatric-cancer deaths. Patients with HRNB frequently present with widely metastatic disease, with tumors harboring recurrent genetic aberrations (MYCN amplification, TERT rearrangements, and ATRX mutations), which are mutually exclusive and capable of promoting TMM. This review provides recent insights into our understanding of TMM in NB tumors, and highlights emerging therapeutic strategies as potential treatments for telomerase- and ALT-positive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesmin Akter
- Saitama Cancer Center, Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama 362-0806, Japan;
| | - Takehiko Kamijo
- Saitama Cancer Center, Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama 362-0806, Japan;
- Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, Department of Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 362-0806, Japan
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19
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Luchini C, Lawlor RT, Bersani S, Vicentini C, Paolino G, Mattiolo P, Pea A, Cingarlini S, Milella M, Scarpa A. Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: Ready for Prime-Time in Clinical Practice? Curr Oncol Rep 2021; 23:106. [PMID: 34269919 PMCID: PMC8285324 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-021-01096-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a telomerase-independent mechanism used by some types of malignancies, including pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, to overcome the issue of telomere shortening, thus supporting tumor growth and cell proliferation. This review is focused on the most important achievements and opportunities deriving from ALT assessment in PanNET onco-pathology, highlighting the most promising fields in which such biomarker could be implemented in clinical practice. RECENT FINDINGS In pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNET), ALT is strongly correlated with the mutational status of two chromatin remodeling genes, DAXX and ATRX. Recent advances in tumor biology permitted to uncover important roles of ALT in the landscape of PanNET, potentially relevant for introducing this biomarker into clinical practice. Indeed, ALT emerged as a reliable indicator of worse prognosis for PanNET, helping in clinical stratification and identification of "high-risk" patients. Furthermore, it is a very specific marker supporting the pancreatic origin of neuroendocrine neoplasms and can be used for improving the diagnostic workflow of patients presenting with neuroendocrine metastasis from unknown primary. The activation of this process can be determined by specific FISH analysis. ALT should be introduced in clinical practice for identifying "high-risk" PanNET patients and improving their clinical management, and as a marker of pancreatic origin among neuroendocrine tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Luchini
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Rita T Lawlor
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Samantha Bersani
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Caterina Vicentini
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Gaetano Paolino
- ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Paola Mattiolo
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Antonio Pea
- Department of Surgery, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Sara Cingarlini
- Department of Medicine, Section of Oncology, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Michele Milella
- Department of Medicine, Section of Oncology, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy. .,ARC-Net Research Centre, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy.
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20
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A Novel Screen for Expression Regulators of the Telomeric Protein TRF2 Identified Small Molecules That Impair TRF2 Dependent Immunosuppression and Tumor Growth. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13122998. [PMID: 34203903 PMCID: PMC8232760 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13122998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The telomeric protein TRF2 (Telomeric repeat-binding factor 2) is upregulated in human cancers and associated with poor prognosis. TRF2 oncogenic properties rely on its intrinsic telomere protective role, but also on cell extrinsic effects through immunosuppressive and angiogenic activities. Therefore, targeting TRF2 appears as a promising therapeutic anti-cancer strategy. In this study, we developed a cell-based method to screen for TRF2 inhibitors allowing us to identify two compounds that blunt the TRF2 pro-oncogenic properties in vivo. Abstract Telomeric repeat-binding factor 2 (TRF2) is a subunit of the shelterin protein complex, which binds to and protects telomeres from unwanted DNA damage response (DDR) activation. TRF2 expression plays a pivotal role in aging and cancer, being downregulated during cellular senescence and overexpressed during oncogenesis. Cancers overexpressing TRF2 often exhibit a poor prognosis. In cancer cells, TRF2 plays multiple functions, including telomere protection and non-cell autonomous roles, promoting neo-angiogenesis and immunosuppression. We present here an original screening strategy, which enables identification of small molecules that decrease or increase TRF2 expression. By screening a small library of Food and Drug Agency (FDA)-approved drugs, we identified two molecules (AR-A014418 and alexidine·2HCl) that impaired tumor growth, neo-angiogenesis and immunosuppression by downregulating TRF2 expression in a mouse xenograft model. These results support the chemotherapeutic strategy of downregulating TRF2 expression to treat aggressive human tumors and validate this cell-based assay capable of screening for potential anti-cancer and anti-aging molecules by modulating TRF2 expression levels.
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21
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Brouwer NJ, Verdijk RM, Heegaard S, Marinkovic M, Esmaeli B, Jager MJ. Conjunctival melanoma: New insights in tumour genetics and immunology, leading to new therapeutic options. Prog Retin Eye Res 2021; 86:100971. [PMID: 34015548 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2021.100971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent developments in oncology have led to a better molecular and cellular understanding of cancer, and the introduction of novel therapies. Conjunctival melanoma (CoM) is a rare but potentially devastating disease. A better understanding of CoM, leading to the development of novel therapies, is urgently needed. CoM is characterized by mutations that have also been identified in cutaneous melanoma, e.g. in BRAF, NRAS and TERT. These mutations are distinct from the mutations found in uveal melanoma (UM), affecting genes such as GNAQ, GNA11, and BAP1. Targeted therapies that are successful in cutaneous melanoma may therefore be useful in CoM. A recent breakthrough in the treatment of patients with metastatic cutaneous melanoma was the development of immunotherapy. While immunotherapy is currently sparsely effective in intraocular tumours such as UM, the similarities between CoM and cutaneous melanoma (including in their immunological tumour micro environment) provide hope for the application of immunotherapy in CoM, and preliminary clinical data are indeed emerging to support this use. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge regarding CoM, with a focus on the genetic and immunologic understanding. We elaborate on the distinct position of CoM in contrast to other types of melanoma, and explain how new insights in the pathophysiology of this disease guide the development of new, personalized, treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels J Brouwer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Robert M Verdijk
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medica Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Steffen Heegaard
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Pathology, Eye Pathology Section, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Marina Marinkovic
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Bita Esmaeli
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Orbital Oncology and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Martine J Jager
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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22
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Nersisyan L, Simonyan A, Binder H, Arakelyan A. Telomere Maintenance Pathway Activity Analysis Enables Tissue- and Gene-Level Inferences. Front Genet 2021; 12:662464. [PMID: 33897770 PMCID: PMC8058386 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.662464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere maintenance is one of the mechanisms ensuring indefinite divisions of cancer and stem cells. Good understanding of telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMM) is important for studying cancers and designing therapies. However, molecular factors triggering selective activation of either the telomerase dependent (TEL) or the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway are poorly understood. In addition, more accurate and easy-to-use methodologies are required for TMM phenotyping. In this study, we have performed literature based reconstruction of signaling pathways for the ALT and TEL TMMs. Gene expression data were used for computational assessment of TMM pathway activities and compared with experimental assays for TEL and ALT. Explicit consideration of pathway topology makes bioinformatics analysis more informative compared to computational methods based on simple summary measures of gene expression. Application to healthy human tissues showed high ALT and TEL pathway activities in testis, and identified genes and pathways that may trigger TMM activation. Our approach offers a novel option for systematic investigation of TMM activation patterns across cancers and healthy tissues for dissecting pathway-based molecular markers with diagnostic impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilit Nersisyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia.,Pathverse, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Arman Simonyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arsen Arakelyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia.,Pathverse, Yerevan, Armenia
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23
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Advani D, Sharma S, Kumari S, Ambasta RK, Kumar P. Precision Oncology, Signaling and Anticancer Agents in Cancer Therapeutics. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021; 22:433-468. [PMID: 33687887 DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666210308101029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global alliance for genomics and healthcare facilities provides innovational solutions to expedite research and clinical practices for complex and incurable health conditions. Precision oncology is an emerging field explicitly tailored to facilitate cancer diagnosis, prevention and treatment based on patients' genetic profile. Advancements in "omics" techniques, next-generation sequencing, artificial intelligence and clinical trial designs provide a platform for assessing the efficacy and safety of combination therapies and diagnostic procedures. METHOD Data were collected from Pubmed and Google scholar using keywords: "Precision medicine", "precision medicine and cancer", "anticancer agents in precision medicine" and reviewed comprehensively. RESULTS Personalized therapeutics including immunotherapy, cancer vaccines, serve as a groundbreaking solution for cancer treatment. Herein, we take a measurable view of precision therapies and novel diagnostic approaches targeting cancer treatment. The contemporary applications of precision medicine have also been described along with various hurdles identified in the successful establishment of precision therapeutics. CONCLUSION This review highlights the key breakthroughs related to immunotherapies, targeted anticancer agents, and target interventions related to cancer signaling mechanisms. The success story of this field in context to drug resistance, safety, patient survival and in improving quality of life is yet to be elucidated. We conclude that, in the near future, the field of individualized treatments may truly revolutionize the nature of cancer patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dia Advani
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
| | - Sudhanshu Sharma
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
| | - Smita Kumari
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
| | - Rashmi K Ambasta
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
| | - Pravir Kumar
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042. India
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24
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Han S, Ma X, Fang J. [Clinical Application and Challenges of Telomere and Telomerase Research
in Lung Cancer]. ZHONGGUO FEI AI ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF LUNG CANCER 2021; 24:25-30. [PMID: 33478187 PMCID: PMC7849035 DOI: 10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2020.102.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
肺癌是世界范围内发病率和死亡率较高的恶性肿瘤之一。端粒和端粒酶与肺癌的发生发展密切相关。虽然端粒酶可能不是导致细胞癌变的直接原因,但在维持端粒长度和肿瘤生长方面起到关键作用。包括肺癌在内的大部分肿瘤端粒长度缩短。端粒长度的变化与肺癌发生风险相关,并可能成为肺癌的治疗靶标和预测指标。针对端粒和端粒酶信号通路的靶向治疗药物正在探索中,以端粒酶抑制剂为代表的小分子药物有希望应用于肺癌的临床治疗中。但是,人们对于端粒和端粒酶的研究还远远不够,端粒长度维持的旁路作用机制可能是下一步需要深入研究的方向。
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Affiliation(s)
- Sen Han
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Xu Ma
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Jian Fang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
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25
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de Oliveira DM. Telomere Based Approach for Cancer Therapy. Curr Top Med Chem 2020; 20:409. [PMID: 32297568 DOI: 10.2174/156802662006200305112748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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26
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Han X, Yu YL, Ma D, Zhang ZY, Liu XH. Synthesis, telomerase inhibitory and anticancer activity of new 2-phenyl-4H-chromone derivatives containing 1,3,4-oxadiazole moiety. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2020; 36:344-360. [PMID: 33356666 PMCID: PMC7782168 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2020.1864630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on previous studies, 66 2-phenyl-4H-chromone derivatives containing amide and 1,3,4-oxadiazole moieties were prepared as potential telomerase inhibitors. The results showed most of the title compounds exhibited significantly inhibitory activity on telomerase. Among them, some compounds demonstrated the most potent telomerase inhibitory activity (IC50 < 1 µM), which was significantly superior to the staurosporine (IC50 = 6.41 µM). In addition, clear structure–activity relationships were summarised, indicating that the substitution of the methoxy group and the position, type and number of the substituents on the phenyl ring had significant effects on telomerase activity. Among them, compound A33 showed considerable inhibition against telomerase. Flow cytometric analysis showed that compound A33 could arrest MGC-803 cell cycle at G2/M phase and induce apoptosis in a concentration-dependent way. Meanwhile, Western blotting revealed that this compound could reduce the expression of dyskerin, which is a fragment of telomerase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Han
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Yun Long Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Duo Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Zhao Yan Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, P. R. China
| | - Xin Hua Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, P. R. China
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27
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Li H, Wang B, Li D, Li J, Luo Y, Dan J. Roles of telomeres and telomerase in age‑related renal diseases (Review). Mol Med Rep 2020; 23:96. [PMID: 33300081 PMCID: PMC7723152 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2020.11735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Age‑related renal diseases, which account for various progressive renal disorders associated with cellular and organismal senescence, are becoming a substantial public health burden. However, their aetiologies are complicated and their pathogeneses remain poorly understood. Telomeres and telomerase are known to be essential for maintaining the integrity and stability of eukaryotic genomes and serve crucial roles in numerous related signalling pathways that activate renal functions, such as repair and regeneration. Previous studies have reported that telomere dysfunction served a role in various types of age‑related kidney disease through various different molecular pathways. The present review aimed to summarise the current knowledge of the association between telomeres and ageing‑related kidney diseases and explored the contribution of dysfunctional telomeres to these diseases. The findings may help to provide novel strategies for treating patients with renal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haili Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging and Tumor, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, P.R. China
| | - Boyuan Wang
- The Key Lab of Sports and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Physical Education, Yuxi Normal University, Yuxi, Yunnan 653100, P.R. China
| | - Daoqun Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine and Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Science, Jinan, Shandong 250014, P.R. China
| | - Jinyuan Li
- Department of General Surgery, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, P.R. China
| | - Ying Luo
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging and Tumor, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, P.R. China
| | - Juhua Dan
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Aging and Tumor, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, P.R. China
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28
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Eckburg A, Dein J, Berei J, Schrank Z, Puri N. Oligonucleotides and microRNAs Targeting Telomerase Subunits in Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092337. [PMID: 32825005 PMCID: PMC7565511 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomerase provides cancer cells with replicative immortality, and its overexpression serves as a near-universal marker of cancer. Anti-cancer therapeutics targeting telomerase have garnered interest as possible alternatives to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Oligonucleotide-based therapies that inhibit telomerase through direct or indirect modulation of its subunits, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and human telomerase RNA gene (hTERC), are a unique and diverse subclass of telomerase inhibitors which hold clinical promise. MicroRNAs that play a role in the upregulation or downregulation of hTERT and respective progression or attenuation of cancer development have been effectively targeted to reduce telomerase activity in various cancer types. Tumor suppressor miRNAs, such as miRNA-512-5p, miRNA-138, and miRNA-128, and oncogenic miRNAs, such as miRNA-19b, miRNA-346, and miRNA-21, have displayed preclinical promise as potential hTERT-based therapeutic targets. Antisense oligonucleotides like GRN163L and T-oligos have also been shown to uniquely target the telomerase subunits and have become popular in the design of novel cancer therapies. Finally, studies suggest that G-quadruplex stabilizers, such as Telomestatin, preserve telomeric oligonucleotide architecture, thus inhibiting hTERC binding to the telomere. This review aims to provide an adept understanding of the conceptual foundation and current state of therapeutics utilizing oligonucleotides to target the telomerase subunits, including the advantages and drawbacks of each of these approaches.
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29
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Seimiya H. Crossroads of telomere biology and anticancer drug discovery. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:3089-3099. [PMID: 32579791 PMCID: PMC7469838 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The telomere is the specialized nucleoprotein complex at the end of the chromosome. Its highly conserved 5'-TTAGGG-3' repeats and shelterin protein complexes form a protective loop structure to maintain the integrity and stability of linear chromosomes. Although human somatic cells gradually shorten telomeres to undergo senescence or crisis, cancer cells activate telomerase, or the recombination-based mechanism to maintain telomeres and exhibit immortality. As the most frequent non-coding mutations in cancer, gain-of-function mutations in the promoter region of the telomerase catalytic subunit, TERT, trigger telomerase activation. Promoter methylation and copy number gain are also associated with the enhanced TERT expression. Although telomerase inhibitors were pioneered from telomere-directed therapeutics, their efficacies are limited to cancer with short telomeres and some hematological malignancies. Other therapeutic approaches include a nucleoside analog incorporated to telomeres and TERT promoter-driven oncolytic adenoviruses. Tankyrase poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, a positive regulator of telomerase, has been rediscovered as a target for Wnt-driven cancer. Meanwhile, telomeric nucleic acids form a higher-order structure called a G-quadruplex (G4). G4s are formed genome-wide and their dynamics affect various events, including replication, transcription, and translation. G4-stabilizing compounds (G4 ligands) exert anticancer effects and are in clinical investigations. Collectively, telomere biology has provided clues for deeper understanding of cancer, which expands opportunities to discover innovative anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Seimiya
- Division of Molecular Biotherapy, Cancer Chemotherapy Center, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
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30
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette M Lim
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Solomon
- Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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31
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Slusher AL, Kim JJJ, Ludlow AT. The Role of Alternative RNA Splicing in the Regulation of hTERT, Telomerase, and Telomeres: Implications for Cancer Therapeutics. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1514. [PMID: 32531916 PMCID: PMC7352778 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative RNA splicing impacts the majority (>90%) of eukaryotic multi-exon genes, expanding the coding capacity and regulating the abundance of gene isoforms. Telomerase (hTERT) is a key example of a gene that is alternatively spliced during human fetal development and becomes dysregulated in nearly all cancers. Approximately 90% of human tumors use telomerase to synthesize de novo telomere repeats and obtain telomere-dependent cellular immortality. Paradigm shifting data indicates that hTERT alternative splicing, in addition to transcription, plays an important role in the regulation of active telomerase in cells. Our group and others are pursuing the basic science studies to progress this emerging area of telomerase biology. Recent evidence demonstrates that switching splicing of hTERT from the telomerase activity producing full-length hTERT isoform to alternatively spliced, non-coding isoforms may be a novel telomerase inhibition strategy to prevent cancer growth and survival. Thus, the goals of this review are to detail the general roles of telomerase in cancer development, explore the emerging regulatory mechanisms of alternative RNA splicing of the hTERT gene in various somatic and cancer cell types, define the known and potential roles of hTERT splice isoforms in cancer cell biology, and provide insight into new treatment strategies targeting hTERT in telomerase-positive cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrew T. Ludlow
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (A.L.S.); (J.J.K.)
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32
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O'Rourke JJ, Bythell-Douglas R, Dunn EA, Deans AJ. ALT control, delete: FANCM as an anti-cancer target in Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres. Nucleus 2020; 10:221-230. [PMID: 31663812 PMCID: PMC6949022 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2019.1685246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Break-induced replication is a specific type of DNA repair that has a co-opted role in telomere extension by telomerase-negative cancer cells. This Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (or ‘ALT’) is required for viability in approximately 10% of all carcinomas, but up to 50% of the soft-tissue derived sarcomas. In several recent studies, we and others demonstrate that expression and activity of FANCM, a DNA translocase protein, is essential for the viability of ALT-associated cancers. Here we provide a summary of how and why FANCM depletion leads to deletion of ALT-controlled cancers, predominantly through a hyper-activation of break-induced replication. We also discuss how FANCM can and has been targeted in cancer cell killing, including potential opportunities in ALT and other genetic backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julienne J O'Rourke
- Genome Stability Unit, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia.,Department of Medicine, (St Vincent's) University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, Australia
| | - Rohan Bythell-Douglas
- Genome Stability Unit, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia
| | - Elyse A Dunn
- Genome Stability Unit, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia
| | - Andrew J Deans
- Genome Stability Unit, St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Australia.,Department of Medicine, (St Vincent's) University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, Australia
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33
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George SL, Parmar V, Lorenzi F, Marshall LV, Jamin Y, Poon E, Angelini P, Chesler L. Novel therapeutic strategies targeting telomere maintenance mechanisms in high-risk neuroblastoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2020; 39:78. [PMID: 32375866 PMCID: PMC7201617 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01582-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of high-risk neuroblastomas can be divided into three distinct molecular subgroups defined by the presence of MYCN amplification, upstream TERT rearrangements or alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). The common defining feature of all three subgroups is altered telomere maintenance; MYCN amplification and upstream TERT rearrangements drive high levels of telomerase expression whereas ALT is a telomerase independent telomere maintenance mechanism. As all three telomere maintenance mechanisms are independently associated with poor outcomes, the development of strategies to selectively target either telomerase expressing or ALT cells holds great promise as a therapeutic approach that is applicable to the majority of children with aggressive disease.Here we summarise the biology of telomere maintenance and the molecular drivers of aggressive neuroblastoma before describing the most promising therapeutic strategies to target both telomerase expressing and ALT cancers. For telomerase-expressing neuroblastoma the most promising targeted agent to date is 6-thio-2'-deoxyguanosine, however clinical development of this agent is required. In osteosarcoma cell lines with ALT, selective sensitivity to ATR inhibition has been reported. However, we present data showing that in fact ALT neuroblastoma cells are more resistant to the clinical ATR inhibitor AZD6738 compared to other neuroblastoma subtypes. More recently a number of additional candidate compounds have been shown to show selectivity for ALT cancers, such as Tetra-Pt (bpy), a compound targeting the telomeric G-quadruplex and pifithrin-α, a putative p53 inhibitor. Further pre-clinical evaluation of these compounds in neuroblastoma models is warranted.In summary, telomere maintenance targeting strategies offer a significant opportunity to develop effective new therapies, applicable to a large proportion of children with high-risk neuroblastoma. In parallel to clinical development, more pre-clinical research specifically for neuroblastoma is urgently needed, if we are to improve survival for this common poor outcome tumour of childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L George
- Paediatric Tumour Biology, Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
- Children and Young People's Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| | - V Parmar
- Children and Young People's Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - F Lorenzi
- Paediatric Tumour Biology, Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - L V Marshall
- Paediatric Tumour Biology, Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Children and Young People's Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Y Jamin
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - E Poon
- Paediatric Tumour Biology, Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - P Angelini
- Children and Young People's Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - L Chesler
- Paediatric Tumour Biology, Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Children and Young People's Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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34
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Berei J, Eckburg A, Miliavski E, Anderson AD, Miller RJ, Dein J, Giuffre AM, Tang D, Deb S, Racherla KS, Patel M, Vela MS, Puri N. Potential Telomere-Related Pharmacological Targets. Curr Top Med Chem 2020; 20:458-484. [DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666200109114339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres function as protective caps at the terminal portion of chromosomes, containing
non-coding nucleotide sequence repeats. As part of their protective function, telomeres preserve genomic
integrity and minimize chromosomal exposure, thus limiting DNA damage responses. With
continued mitotic divisions in normal cells, telomeres progressively shorten until they reach a threshold
at a point where they activate senescence or cell death pathways. However, the presence of the enzyme
telomerase can provide functional immortality to the cells that have reached or progressed past
senescence. In senescent cells that amass several oncogenic mutations, cancer formation can occur due
to genomic instability and the induction of telomerase activity. Telomerase has been found to be expressed
in over 85% of human tumors and is labeled as a near-universal marker for cancer. Due to this
feature being present in a majority of tumors but absent in most somatic cells, telomerase and telomeres
have become promising targets for the development of new and effective anticancer therapeutics.
In this review, we evaluate novel anticancer targets in development which aim to alter telomerase
or telomere function. Additionally, we analyze the progress that has been made, including preclinical
studies and clinical trials, with therapeutics directed at telomere-related targets. Furthermore, we review
the potential telomere-related therapeutics that are used in combination therapy with more traditional
cancer treatments. Throughout the review, topics related to medicinal chemistry are discussed,
including drug bioavailability and delivery, chemical structure-activity relationships of select therapies,
and the development of a unique telomere assay to analyze compounds affecting telomere elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Berei
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Adam Eckburg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Edward Miliavski
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Austin D. Anderson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Rachel J. Miller
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Joshua Dein
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Allison M. Giuffre
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Diana Tang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Shreya Deb
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Kavya Sri Racherla
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Meet Patel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Monica Saravana Vela
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
| | - Neelu Puri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, United States
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35
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The Role of Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres Mechanism in Cancer: Translational and Therapeutic Implications. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12040949. [PMID: 32290440 PMCID: PMC7226354 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12040949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere maintenance mechanisms (i.e., telomerase activity (TA) and the alternative lengthening of telomere (ALT) mechanism) contribute to tumorigenesis by providing unlimited proliferative capacity to cancer cells. Although the role of either telomere maintenance mechanisms seems to be equivalent in providing a limitless proliferative ability to tumor cells, the contribution of TA and ALT to the clinical outcome of patients may differ prominently. In addition, several strategies have been developed to interfere with TA in cancer, including Imetelstat that has been the first telomerase inhibitor tested in clinical trials. Conversely, the limited information available on the molecular underpinnings of ALT has hindered thus far the development of genuine ALT-targeting agents. Moreover, whether anti-telomerase therapies may be hampered or not by possible adaptive responses is still debatable. Nonetheless, it is plausible hypothesizing that treatment with telomerase inhibitors may exert selective pressure for the emergence of cancer cells that become resistant to treatment by activating the ALT mechanism. This notion, together with the evidence that both telomere maintenance mechanisms may coexist within the same tumor and may distinctly impinge on patients' outcomes, suggests that ALT may exert an unexpected role in tumor biology that still needs to be fully elucidated.
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36
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Amato R, Valenzuela M, Berardinelli F, Salvati E, Maresca C, Leone S, Antoccia A, Sgura A. G-quadruplex Stabilization Fuels the ALT Pathway in ALT-positive Osteosarcoma Cells. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11030304. [PMID: 32183119 PMCID: PMC7140816 DOI: 10.3390/genes11030304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Most human tumors maintain telomere lengths by telomerase, whereas a portion of them (10–15%) uses a mechanism named alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). The telomeric G-quadruplex (G4) ligand RHPS4 is known for its potent antiproliferative effect, as shown in telomerase-positive cancer models. Moreover, RHPS4 is also able to reduce cell proliferation in ALT cells, although the influence of G4 stabilization on the ALT mechanism has so far been poorly investigated. Here we show that sensitivity to RHPS4 is comparable in ALT-positive (U2OS; SAOS-2) and telomerase-positive (HOS) osteosarcoma cell lines, unlinking the telomere maintenance mechanism and RHPS4 responsiveness. To investigate the impact of G4 stabilization on ALT, the cardinal ALT hallmarks were analyzed. A significant induction of telomeric doublets, telomeric clusterized DNA damage, ALT-associated Promyelocytic Leukaemia-bodies (APBs), telomere sister chromatid exchanges (T-SCE) and c-circles was found exclusively in RHPS4-treated ALT cells. We surmise that RHPS4 affects ALT mechanisms through the induction of replicative stress that in turn is converted in DNA damage at telomeres, fueling recombination. In conclusion, our work indicates that RHPS4-induced telomeric DNA damage promotes overactivation of telomeric recombination in ALT cells, opening new questions on the therapeutic employment of G4 ligands in the treatment of ALT positive tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Amato
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, I-00146 Rome, Italy; (R.A.); (M.V.); (S.L.); (A.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Martina Valenzuela
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, I-00146 Rome, Italy; (R.A.); (M.V.); (S.L.); (A.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Francesco Berardinelli
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, I-00146 Rome, Italy; (R.A.); (M.V.); (S.L.); (A.A.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0657-33-6330
| | - Erica Salvati
- BPM-CNR Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Oncogenomic and Epigenetic Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy;
| | - Carmen Maresca
- Oncogenomic and Epigenetic Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy;
| | - Stefano Leone
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, I-00146 Rome, Italy; (R.A.); (M.V.); (S.L.); (A.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Antonio Antoccia
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, I-00146 Rome, Italy; (R.A.); (M.V.); (S.L.); (A.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Antonella Sgura
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, I-00146 Rome, Italy; (R.A.); (M.V.); (S.L.); (A.A.); (A.S.)
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37
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Aschacher T, Wolf B, Aschacher O, Enzmann F, Laszlo V, Messner B, Türkcan A, Weis S, Spiegl-Kreinecker S, Holzmann K, Laufer G, Ehrlich M, Bergmann M. Long interspersed element-1 ribonucleoprotein particles protect telomeric ends in alternative lengthening of telomeres dependent cells. Neoplasia 2019; 22:61-75. [PMID: 31846834 PMCID: PMC6920197 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2019.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant cells ensure telomere maintenance by the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) in the absence of telomerase activity (TA). The retrotransposons "long interspersed nuclear element-1" (LINE-1, L1) are expressed in malignant cells and are primarily known to contribute to complex karyotypes. Here we demonstrate that LINE-1 ribonucleoprotein particles (L1-RNPs) expression is significantly higher in ALT+- versus in TA+-human glioma. Analyzing a role of L1-RNP in ALT, we show that L1-RNPs bind to telomeric repeat containing RNA (TERRA), which is critical for telomere stabilization and which is overexpressed in ALT+ cells. In turn, L1-RNP knockdown (KD) abrogated the nuclear retention of TERRA, resulted in increased telomeric DNA damage, decreased cell growth and reduced expression of ALT characteristics such as c-circles and PML-bodies. L1-RNP KD also decreased the expression of Shelterin- and the ALT-regulating protein Topoisomerase IIIα (TopoIIIα) indicating a more general role of L1-RNPs in supporting telomeric integrity in ALT. Our findings suggest an impact of L1-RNP on telomere stability in ALT+ dependent tumor cells. As L1-RNPs are rarely expressed in normal adult human tissue those elements might serve as a novel target for tumor ablative therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Aschacher
- Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Brigitte Wolf
- Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Olivia Aschacher
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Enzmann
- Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Muellner Hauptstraße 48, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Viktoria Laszlo
- Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Messner
- Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Adrian Türkcan
- Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Serge Weis
- Division of Neuropathology, Neuromed Campus, Kepler University Hospital, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Sabine Spiegl-Kreinecker
- University Clinic for Neurosurgery, Neuromed Campus, Kepler University Hospital, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria
| | - Klaus Holzmann
- Department of Cancer Research, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Günther Laufer
- Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marek Ehrlich
- Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Bergmann
- Surgical Research Laboratories, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
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