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Tomkova M, Tomek J, Chow J, McPherson JD, Segal DJ, Hormozdiari F. Dr.Nod: computational framework for discovery of regulatory non-coding drivers in tissue-matched distal regulatory elements. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e23. [PMID: 36625266 PMCID: PMC9976879 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of cancer driver mutations is a fundamental goal in cancer research. While many cancer driver mutations have been discovered in the protein-coding genome, research into potential cancer drivers in the non-coding regions showed limited success so far. Here, we present a novel comprehensive framework Dr.Nod for detection of non-coding cis-regulatory candidate driver mutations that are associated with dysregulated gene expression using tissue-matched enhancer-gene annotations. Applying the framework to data from over 1500 tumours across eight tissues revealed a 4.4-fold enrichment of candidate driver mutations in regulatory regions of known cancer driver genes. An overarching conclusion that emerges is that the non-coding driver mutations contribute to cancer by significantly altering transcription factor binding sites, leading to upregulation of tissue-matched oncogenes and down-regulation of tumour-suppressor genes. Interestingly, more than half of the detected cancer-promoting non-coding regulatory driver mutations are over 20 kb distant from the cancer-associated genes they regulate. Our results show the importance of tissue-matched enhancer-gene maps, functional impact of mutations, and complex background mutagenesis model for the prediction of non-coding regulatory drivers. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that non-coding mutations in enhancers play a previously underappreciated role in cancer and dysregulation of clinically relevant target genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marketa Tomkova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.,UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jakub Tomek
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Julie Chow
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - John D McPherson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - David J Segal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Fereydoun Hormozdiari
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,UC Davis MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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2
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Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Urokinase and Its Receptor in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030498. [PMID: 35158766 PMCID: PMC8833673 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have ascertained that uPA and uPAR do participate in tumor progression and metastasis and are involved in cell adhesion, migration, invasion and survival, as well as angiogenesis. Increased levels of uPA and uPAR in tumor tissues, stroma and biological fluids correlate with adverse clinic-pathologic features and poor patient outcomes. After binding to uPAR, uPA activates plasminogen to plasmin, a broad-spectrum matrix- and fibrin-degrading enzyme able to facilitate tumor cell invasion and dissemination to distant sites. Moreover, uPAR activated by uPA regulates most cancer cell activities by interacting with a broad range of cell membrane receptors. These findings make uPA and uPAR not only promising diagnostic and prognostic markers but also attractive targets for developing anticancer therapies. In this review, we debate the uPA/uPAR structure-function relationship as well as give an update on the molecules that interfere with or inhibit uPA/uPAR functions. Additionally, the possible clinical development of these compounds is discussed.
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Metrangolo V, Ploug M, Engelholm LH. The Urokinase Receptor (uPAR) as a "Trojan Horse" in Targeted Cancer Therapy: Challenges and Opportunities. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215376. [PMID: 34771541 PMCID: PMC8582577 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Discovered more than three decades ago, the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) has now firmly established itself as a versatile molecular target holding promise for the treatment of aggressive malignancies. The copious abundance of uPAR in virtually all human cancerous tissues versus their healthy counterparts has fostered a gradual shift in the therapeutic landscape targeting this receptor from function inhibition to cytotoxic approaches to selectively eradicate the uPAR-expressing cells by delivering a targeted cytotoxic insult. Multiple avenues are being explored in a preclinical setting, including the more innovative immune- or stroma targeting therapies. This review discusses the current state of these strategies, their potentialities, and challenges, along with future directions in the field of uPAR targeting. Abstract One of the largest challenges to the implementation of precision oncology is identifying and validating selective tumor-driving targets to enhance the therapeutic efficacy while limiting off-target toxicity. In this context, the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) has progressively emerged as a promising therapeutic target in the management of aggressive malignancies. By focalizing the plasminogen activation cascade and subsequent extracellular proteolysis on the cell surface of migrating cells, uPAR endows malignant cells with a high proteolytic and migratory potential to dissolve the restraining extracellular matrix (ECM) barriers and metastasize to distant sites. uPAR is also assumed to choreograph multiple other neoplastic stages via a complex molecular interplay with distinct cancer-associated signaling pathways. Accordingly, high uPAR expression is observed in virtually all human cancers and is frequently associated with poor patient prognosis and survival. The promising therapeutic potential unveiled by the pleiotropic nature of this receptor has prompted the development of distinct targeted intervention strategies. The present review will focus on recently emerged cytotoxic approaches emphasizing the novel technologies and related limits hindering their application in the clinical setting. Finally, future research directions and emerging opportunities in the field of uPAR targeting are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Metrangolo
- The Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (V.M.); (M.P.)
- Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), Department of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Ploug
- The Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (V.M.); (M.P.)
- Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), Department of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars H. Engelholm
- The Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (V.M.); (M.P.)
- Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC), Department of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +45-31-43-20-77
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Mahmood N, Rabbani SA. Fibrinolytic System and Cancer: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094358. [PMID: 33921923 PMCID: PMC8122389 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrinolysis is a crucial physiological process that helps to maintain a hemostatic balance by counteracting excessive thrombosis. The components of the fibrinolytic system are well established and are associated with a wide array of physiological and pathophysiological processes. The aberrant expression of several components, especially urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), its cognate receptor uPAR, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), has shown a direct correlation with increased tumor growth, invasiveness, and metastasis. As a result, targeting the fibrinolytic system has been of great interest in the field of cancer biology. Even though there is a plethora of encouraging preclinical evidence on the potential therapeutic benefits of targeting the key oncogenic components of the fibrinolytic system, none of them made it from “bench to bedside” due to a limited number of clinical trials on them. This review summarizes our existing understanding of the various diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting the fibrinolytic system during cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niaz Mahmood
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC H4A3J1, Canada;
- Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC H4A3J1, Canada
| | - Shafaat A. Rabbani
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC H4A3J1, Canada;
- Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC H4A3J1, Canada
- Correspondence:
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Shafiee F, Aucoin MG, Jahanian-Najafabadi A. Targeted Diphtheria Toxin-Based Therapy: A Review Article. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2340. [PMID: 31681205 PMCID: PMC6813239 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Conventional therapeutic strategies usually offer limited specificity, resulting in severe side effects and toxicity to normal tissues. Targeted cancer therapy, on the other hand, can improve the therapeutic potential of anti-cancer agents and decrease unwanted side effects. Targeted applications of cytolethal bacterial toxins have been found to be especially useful for the specific eradication of cancer cells. Targeting is either mediated by peptides or by protein-targeting moieties, such as antibodies, antibody fragments, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), growth factors, or cytokines. Together with a toxin domain, these molecules are more commonly referred to as immunotoxins. Targeting can also be achieved through gene delivery and cell-specific expression of a toxin. Of the available cytolethal toxins, diphtheria toxin (DT) is one of the most frequently used for these strategies. Of the many DT-based therapeutic strategies investigated to date, two immunotoxins, OntakTM and TagraxofuspTM, have gained FDA approval for clinical application. Despite some success with immunotoxins, suicide-gene therapy strategies, whereby controlled tumor-specific expression of DT is used for the eradication of malignant cells, are gaining prominence. The first part of this review focuses on DT-based immunotoxins, and it then discusses recent developments in tumor-specific expression of DT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Shafiee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Marc G Aucoin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Ali Jahanian-Najafabadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Mahmood N, Mihalcioiu C, Rabbani SA. Multifaceted Role of the Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator (uPA) and Its Receptor (uPAR): Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Applications. Front Oncol 2018; 8:24. [PMID: 29484286 PMCID: PMC5816037 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 255] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The plasminogen activator (PA) system is an extracellular proteolytic enzyme system associated with various physiological and pathophysiological processes. A large body of evidence support that among the various components of the PA system, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), its receptor (uPAR), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and -2 (PAI-1 and PAI-2) play a major role in tumor progression and metastasis. The binding of uPA with uPAR is instrumental for the activation of plasminogen to plasmin, which in turn initiates a series of proteolytic cascade to degrade the components of the extracellular matrix, and thereby, cause tumor cell migration from the primary site of origin to a distant secondary organ. The components of the PA system show altered expression patterns in several common malignancies, which have identified them as ideal diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets to reduce cancer-associated morbidity and mortality. This review summarizes the various components of the PA system and focuses on the role of uPA-uPAR in different biological processes especially in the context of malignancy. We also discuss the current state of knowledge of uPA-uPAR-targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for various malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niaz Mahmood
- Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Catalin Mihalcioiu
- Department of Oncology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Shafaat A. Rabbani
- Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Oncology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Serna N, Sánchez-García L, Unzueta U, Díaz R, Vázquez E, Mangues R, Villaverde A. Protein-Based Therapeutic Killing for Cancer Therapies. Trends Biotechnol 2017; 36:318-335. [PMID: 29246477 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2017.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The treatment of some high-incidence human diseases is based on therapeutic cell killing. In cancer this is mainly achieved by chemical drugs that are systemically administered to reach effective toxic doses. As an innovative alternative, cytotoxic proteins identified in nature can be adapted as precise therapeutic agents. For example, individual toxins and venom components, proapoptotic factors, and antimicrobial peptides from bacteria, animals, plants, and humans have been engineered as highly potent drugs. In addition to the intrinsic cytotoxic activities of these constructs, their biological fabrication by DNA recombination allows the recruitment, in single pharmacological entities, of diverse functions of clinical interest such as specific cell-surface receptor binding, self-activation, and self-assembling as nanoparticulate materials, with wide applicability in cell-targeted oncotherapy and theragnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naroa Serna
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Laura Sánchez-García
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Ugutz Unzueta
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau and Josep Carreras Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raquel Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Esther Vázquez
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Ramón Mangues
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques Sant Pau and Josep Carreras Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Antonio Villaverde
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
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Cao HY, Guo XF, Zhu XF, Li SS, Zhen YS. A ligand-based and enediyne-energized bispecific fusion protein targeting epidermal growth factor receptor and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor shows potent antitumor efficacy against esophageal cancer. Oncol Rep 2017; 37:3329-3340. [DOI: 10.3892/or.2017.5606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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Simon N, FitzGerald D. Immunotoxin Therapies for the Treatment of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Dependent Cancers. Toxins (Basel) 2016; 8:toxins8050137. [PMID: 27153091 PMCID: PMC4885052 DOI: 10.3390/toxins8050137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many epithelial cancers rely on enhanced expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to drive proliferation and survival pathways. Development of therapeutics to target EGFR signaling has been of high importance, and multiple examples have been approved for human use. However, many of the current small molecule or antibody-based therapeutics are of limited effectiveness due to the inevitable development of resistance and toxicity to normal tissues. Recombinant immunotoxins are therapeutic molecules consisting of an antibody or receptor ligand joined to a protein cytotoxin, combining the specific targeting of a cancer-expressed receptor with the potent cell killing of cytotoxic enzymes. Over the decades, many bacterial- or plant-based immunotoxins have been developed with the goal of targeting the broad range of cancers reliant upon EGFR overexpression. Many examples demonstrate excellent anti-cancer properties in preclinical development, and several EGFR-targeted immunotoxins have progressed to human trials. This review summarizes much of the past and current work in the development of immunotoxins for targeting EGFR-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Simon
- Biotherapy Section, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, 37/5124 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - David FitzGerald
- Biotherapy Section, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, 37/5124 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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HUANG JUN, LI YANMICHAEL, CHENG QUAN, VALLERA DANIELA, HALL WALTERA. A novel brain metastasis xenograft model for convection-enhanced delivery of targeted toxins via a micro-osmotic pump system enabled for real-time bioluminescence imaging. Mol Med Rep 2015; 12:5163-8. [DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.4111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Whitsett TG, Inge LJ, Dhruv HD, Cheung PY, Weiss GJ, Bremner RM, Winkles JA, Tran NL. Molecular determinants of lung cancer metastasis to the central nervous system. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2015; 2:273-83. [PMID: 25806243 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2218-6751.2013.03.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Accepted: 03/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The propensity for metastasis to the central nervous system (CNS) is a major clinical hurdle contributing to the low five-year survival rate of advanced disease. CNS metastases significantly outnumber primary brain tumors and carry a dismal prognosis in part due to the inability of therapeutic agents to cross the blood brain barrier. Standard treatment using radiation has been largely ineffective in improving mortality, suggesting the need for new agents targeting the critical metastatic drivers. The genetic and molecular events governing CNS metastasis from the lung are poorly understood at this time. This review highlights genetic events associated with CNS dissemination from the lung and molecular mechanisms associated with CNS metastasis. In vivo model systems that faithfully recapitulate escape from the lung and colonization of the CNS are described as tools for understanding the metastatic phenotype and for testing new therapeutic agents. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms of lung cancer metastasis to the CNS is needed to elucidate novel therapeutic avenues towards the improvement of the mortality associated with advanced stage lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy G Whitsett
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Landon J Inge
- Center for Thoracic and Esophageal Disease, Heart and Lung Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Harshil D Dhruv
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Philip Y Cheung
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Glen J Weiss
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA ; ; Medical Oncology, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Goodyear, AZ, USA
| | - Ross M Bremner
- Center for Thoracic and Esophageal Disease, Heart and Lung Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Winkles
- Departments of Surgery and Physiology, Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases and the Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nhan L Tran
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Plasma membrane gp96 enhances invasion and metastatic potential of liver cancer via regulation of uPAR. Mol Oncol 2015; 9:1312-23. [PMID: 25841765 DOI: 10.1016/j.molonc.2015.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapy is currently under intensive investigation due to the resistance of liver cancer to cytotoxic chemotherapies. Dissecting the molecular events that drive the progression of liver cancer and defining specific targets are urgently needed to develop efficient tailored therapies. Cell membrane gp96 (mgp96) has been implicated in tumor growth and malignancy. Here, we explored the functional and clinical relevance of mgp96 in liver cancer. We found that elevated mgp96 abundance was associated with tumor metastasis and recurrence in patients with primary liver tumors. Decreased KDELR1 levels in hepatoma cells contribute to cell membrane translocation of the normally ER-resident gp96. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) was identified as a mgp96 client protein, and mgp96 stabilized uPAR protein. Our clinical results proved that elevated mgp96 abundance is positively correlated with uPAR expression levels in liver tumors. We further provided evidence that targeting mgp96 with siRNA or a specific mAb that blocked the mgp96-uPAR interaction led to inhibited cell growth, survival, and invasion in vitro, as well as the suppression of liver tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. mgp96 promotes liver cancer progression through increasing the protein stability and signaling of uPAR, and may be a new promising target for suppressing uPAR-mediated tumor growth and metastasis in liver cancer.
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O'Halloran TV, Ahn R, Hankins P, Swindell E, Mazar AP. The many spaces of uPAR: delivery of theranostic agents and nanobins to multiple tumor compartments through a single target. Am J Cancer Res 2013; 3:496-506. [PMID: 23843897 PMCID: PMC3706693 DOI: 10.7150/thno.4953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2012] [Accepted: 02/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) system is a proteolytic system comprised of uPA, a cell surface receptor for uPA (uPAR), and an inhibitor of uPA (PAI-1) and is implicated in many aspects of tumor growth and metastasis. The uPA system has been identified in nearly all solid tumors examined to date as well as several hematological malignancies. In adults, transient expression of the uPA system is observed during wound healing and inflammatory processes while only limited expression is identified in healthy, quiescent tissue. Members of the uPA system are expressed not only on cancer cells but also on tumor-associated stromal cells. These factors make the uPA system an ideal therapeutic target for cancer therapies. To date most therapeutics targeted at the uPA system have been inhibitors of either the uPA-uPAR interaction or uPA proteolysis but have not shown robust anti-tumor activity. There is now mounting evidence that uPAR participates in a complex signaling network central to its role in cancer progression, which provides a basis for the hypothesis that uPAR may be a marker for cancer stem cells. Several new uPAR-directed therapies have recently been developed based on this new information. A monoclonal antibody has been developed that disrupts the interactions of uPAR with signaling partners and is poised to enter the clinic. In addition, nanoscale drug delivery vehicles targeted to the uPA system using monoclonal antibodies, without disrupting the normal functioning of the system, are also in development. This review will highlight some of these new discoveries and the new uPA system-based therapeutic approaches that have arisen from them.
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