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AKT1 Transcriptomic Landscape in Breast Cancer Cells. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152290. [PMID: 35892586 PMCID: PMC9332453 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Overexpression and hyperactivation of the serine/threonine protein kinase B (AKT) pathway is one of the most common cellular events in breast cancer progression. However, the nature of AKT1-specific genome-wide transcriptomic alterations in breast cancer cells and breast cancer remains unknown to this point. Here, we delineate the impact of selective AKT1 knock down using gene-specific siRNAs or inhibiting the AKT activity with a pan-AKT inhibitor VIII on the nature of transcriptomic changes in breast cancer cells using the genome-wide RNA-sequencing analysis. We found that changes in the cellular levels of AKT1 lead to changes in the levels of a set of differentially expressed genes and, in turn, imply resulting AKT1 cellular functions. In addition to an expected positive relationship between the status of AKT1 and co-expressed cellular genes, our study unexpectedly discovered an inherent role of AKT1 in inhibiting the expression of a subset of genes in both unstimulated and growth factor stimulated breast cancer cells. We found that depletion of AKT1 leads to upregulation of a subset of genes—many of which are also found to be downregulated in breast tumors with elevated high AKT1 as well as upregulated in breast tumors with no detectable AKT expression. Representative experimental validation studies in two breast cancer cell lines showed a reasonable concurrence between the expression data from the RNA-sequencing and qRT-PCR or data from ex vivo inhibition of AKT1 activity in cancer patient-derived cells. In brief, findings presented here provide a resource for further understanding of AKT1-dependent modulation of gene expression in breast cancer cells and broaden the scope and significance of AKT1 targets and their functions.
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Mollen EWJ, Ient J, Tjan-Heijnen VCG, Boersma LJ, Miele L, Smidt ML, Vooijs MAGG. Moving Breast Cancer Therapy up a Notch. Front Oncol 2018; 8:518. [PMID: 30515368 PMCID: PMC6256059 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy, worldwide. Treatment decisions are based on tumor stage, histological subtype, and receptor expression and include combinations of surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic treatment. These, together with earlier diagnosis, have resulted in increased survival. However, initial treatment efficacy cannot be guaranteed upfront, and these treatments may come with (long-term) serious adverse effects, negatively affecting a patient's quality of life. Gene expression-based tests can accurately estimate the risk of recurrence in early stage breast cancers. Disease recurrence correlates with treatment resistance, creating a major need to resensitize tumors to treatment. Notch signaling is frequently deregulated in cancer and is involved in treatment resistance. Preclinical research has already identified many combinatory therapeutic options where Notch involvement enhances the effectiveness of radiotherapy, chemotherapy or targeted therapies for breast cancer. However, the benefit of targeting Notch has remained clinically inconclusive. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on targeting the Notch pathway to enhance current treatments for breast cancer and to combat treatment resistance. Furthermore, we propose mechanisms to further exploit Notch-based therapeutics in the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik W J Mollen
- Department of Radiotherapy, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Jonathan Ient
- Department of Radiotherapy, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Vivianne C G Tjan-Heijnen
- Department of Radiotherapy, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth J Boersma
- Department of Radiotherapy, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Lucio Miele
- Department of Genetics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States.,Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Marjolein L Smidt
- Department of Radiotherapy, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Marc A G G Vooijs
- Department of Radiotherapy, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Department of Radiation Oncology (MAASTRO), Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands
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Pappa KI, Christou P, Xholi A, Mermelekas G, Kontostathi G, Lygirou V, Makridakis M, Zoidakis J, Anagnou NP. Membrane proteomics of cervical cancer cell lines reveal insights on the process of cervical carcinogenesis. Int J Oncol 2018; 53:2111-2122. [PMID: 30106135 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2018.4518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The available therapeutic approaches for cervical cancer can seriously affect the fertility potential of patient; thus, there is a pressing requirement for less toxic and targeted therapies. The membrane proteome is a potential source of therapeutic targets; however, despite the significance of membrane proteins in cancer, proteomic analysis has been a challenging task due to their unique biochemical properties. The aim of the present study was to develop an efficient membrane protein enrichment protocol, and to the best of our knowledge, to compare for the first time the expression pattern of membrane proteins of one normal cell line, HCK1T, and three cervical cancer cell lines, C33A, a human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative cell line, and two HPV-positive cell lines, SiHa (HPV16+) and HeLa (HPV18+). The study aimed to identify the proteins that are involved in cervical carcinogenesis and may constitute novel drug targets. Membrane protein isolation, liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry proteomics and bioinformatics analysis were performed in the membrane fraction of the informative cervical cell lines following a novel enrichment protocol. The percentages of membrane and transmembrane proteins in the enrichment protocol were higher compared with those of the corresponding data derived from total cell extract analysis. Differentially expressed proteins were detected by the comparison of the cervical cancer cell lines with the normal cell line. These proteins constitute molecular features of cancer pathology and participate in biological pathways relevant to malignancy, including 'HIPPO signaling', 'PI3K/Akt signaling', 'cell cycle: G2/M DNA damage checkpoint regulation' and 'EIF2 signaling'. These unique membrane protein identifications offer insights on a previously inaccessible region of the cervical cancer proteome, and may represent putative diagnostic and prognostic markers, and eventually therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalliopi I Pappa
- Cell and Gene Therapy Laboratory, Centre of Basic Research II, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Polyxeni Christou
- Biotechnology Division, Centre of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Amarildo Xholi
- Biotechnology Division, Centre of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - George Mermelekas
- Biotechnology Division, Centre of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Kontostathi
- Biotechnology Division, Centre of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Lygirou
- Biotechnology Division, Centre of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Manousos Makridakis
- Biotechnology Division, Centre of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Jerome Zoidakis
- Biotechnology Division, Centre of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Nicholas P Anagnou
- Cell and Gene Therapy Laboratory, Centre of Basic Research II, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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Abdelmoez A, Coraça-Huber DC, Thurner GC, Debbage P, Lukas P, Skvortsov S, Skvortsova II. Screening and identification of molecular targets for cancer therapy. Cancer Lett 2017; 387:3-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Magnani L, Patten DK, Nguyen VT, Hong SP, Steel JH, Patel N, Lombardo Y, Faronato M, Gomes AR, Woodley L, Page K, Guttery D, Primrose L, Garcia DF, Shaw J, Viola P, Green A, Nolan C, Ellis IO, Rakha EA, Shousha S, Lam EWF, Győrffy B, Lupien M, Coombes RC. The pioneer factor PBX1 is a novel driver of metastatic progression in ERα-positive breast cancer. Oncotarget 2015; 6:21878-91. [PMID: 26215677 PMCID: PMC4673133 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Over 30% of ERα breast cancer patients develop relapses and progress to metastatic disease despite treatment with endocrine therapies. The pioneer factor PBX1 translates epigenetic cues and mediates estrogen induced ERα binding. Here we demonstrate that PBX1 plays a central role in regulating the ERα transcriptional response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling. PBX1 regulates a subset of EGF-ERα genes highly expressed in aggressive breast tumours. Retrospective stratification of luminal patients using PBX1 protein levels in primary cancer further demonstrates that elevated PBX1 protein levels correlate with earlier metastatic progression. In agreement, PBX1 protein levels are significantly upregulated during metastatic progression in ERα-positive breast cancer patients. Finally we reveal that PBX1 upregulation in aggressive tumours is partly mediated by genomic amplification of the PBX1 locus. Correspondingly, ERα-positive breast cancer patients carrying PBX1 amplification are characterized by poor survival. Notably, we demonstrate that PBX1 amplification can be identified in tumor derived-circulating free DNA of ERα-positive metastatic patients. Metastatic patients with PBX1 amplification are also characterized by shorter relapse-free survival. Our data identifies PBX1 amplification as a functional hallmark of aggressive ERα-positive breast cancers. Mechanistically, PBX1 amplification impinges on several critical pathways associated with aggressive ERα-positive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Magnani
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Darren K. Patten
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Van T.M. Nguyen
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sung-Pil Hong
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jennifer H. Steel
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Naina Patel
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ylenia Lombardo
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Monica Faronato
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ana R. Gomes
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Laura Woodley
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Karen Page
- Department of Cancer Studies, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - David Guttery
- Department of Cancer Studies, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Lindsay Primrose
- Department of Cancer Studies, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Jacqui Shaw
- Department of Cancer Studies, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Patrizia Viola
- Laboratory of Medicine, Histopathology Department, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
| | - Andrew Green
- Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Budapest, HU
| | - Christopher Nolan
- Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Budapest, HU
| | - Ian O. Ellis
- Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Budapest, HU
| | - Emad A. Rakha
- Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Budapest, HU
| | - Sami Shousha
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Eric W.-F. Lam
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Balázs Győrffy
- MTA TTK Lendület Cancer Biomarker Research Group, 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University and MTA-SE Pediatrics and Nephrology Research Group, Budapest, HU
| | - Mathieu Lupien
- The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Cross-species DNA copy number analyses identifies multiple 1q21-q23 subtype-specific driver genes for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2015; 152:347-56. [PMID: 26109346 PMCID: PMC4491106 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-015-3476-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A large number of DNA copy number alterations (CNAs) exist in human breast cancers, and thus characterizing the most frequent CNAs is key to advancing therapeutics because it is likely that these regions contain breast tumor ‘drivers’ (i.e., cancer causal genes). This study aims to characterize the genomic landscape of breast cancer CNAs and identify potential subtype-specific drivers using a large set of human breast tumors and genetically engineered mouse (GEM) mammary tumors. Using a novel method called SWITCHplus, we identified subtype-specific DNA CNAs occurring at a 15 % or greater frequency, which excluded many well-known breast cancer-related drivers such as amplification of ERBB2, and deletions of TP53 and RB1. A comparison of CNAs between mouse and human breast tumors identified regions with shared subtype-specific CNAs. Additional criteria that included gene expression-to-copy number correlation, a DawnRank network analysis, and RNA interference functional studies highlighted candidate driver genes that fulfilled these multiple criteria. Numerous regions of shared CNAs were observed between human breast tumors and GEM mammary tumor models that shared similar gene expression features. Specifically, we identified chromosome 1q21-23 as a Basal-like subtype-enriched region with multiple potential driver genes including PI4KB, SHC1, and NCSTN. This step-wise computational approach based on a cross-species comparison is applicable to any tumor type for which sufficient human and model system DNA copy number data exist, and in this instance, highlights that a single region of amplification may in fact harbor multiple driver genes.
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