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Benedetti R, Di Crosta M, D’Orazi G, Cirone M. Post-Translational Modifications (PTMs) of mutp53 and Epigenetic Changes Induced by mutp53. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:508. [PMID: 39056701 PMCID: PMC11273943 DOI: 10.3390/biology13070508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Wild-type (wt) p53 and mutant forms (mutp53) play a key but opposite role in carcinogenesis. wtP53 acts as an oncosuppressor, preventing oncogenic transformation, while mutp53, which loses this property, may instead favor this process. This suggests that a better understanding of the mechanisms activating wtp53 while inhibiting mutp53 may help to design more effective anti-cancer treatments. In this review, we examine possible PTMs with which both wt- and mutp53 can be decorated and discuss how their manipulation could represent a possible strategy to control the stability and function of these proteins, focusing in particular on mutp53. The impact of ubiquitination, phosphorylation, acetylation, and methylation of p53, in the context of several solid and hematologic cancers, will be discussed. Finally, we will describe some of the recent studies reporting that wt- and mutp53 may influence the expression and activity of enzymes responsible for epigenetic changes such as acetylation, methylation, and microRNA regulation and the possible consequences of such changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Benedetti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (M.D.C.)
| | - Michele Di Crosta
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (M.D.C.)
| | - Gabriella D’Orazi
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. D’Annunzio”, 66013 Chieti, Italy
| | - Mara Cirone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.B.); (M.D.C.)
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2
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Di Crosta M, Ragone FC, Benedetti R, D’Orazi G, Gilardini Montani MS, Cirone M. SAHA/5-AZA Enhances Acetylation and Degradation of mutp53, Upregulates p21 and Downregulates c-Myc and BRCA-1 in Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7020. [PMID: 39000128 PMCID: PMC11241381 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic changes are common in cancer and include aberrant DNA methylation and histone modifications, including both acetylation or methylation. DNA methylation in the promoter regions and histone deacetylation are usually accompanied by gene silencing, and may lead to the suppression of tumor suppressors in cancer cells. An interaction between epigenetic pathways has been reported that could be exploited to more efficiently target aggressive cancer cells, particularly those against which current treatments usually fail, such as pancreatic cancer. In this study, we explored the possibility to combine the DNA demethylating agent 5-AZA with HDAC inhibitor SAHA to treat pancreatic cancer cell lines, focusing on the acetylation of mutp53 and the consequences on its stability, as well as on the interaction of this protein with c-myc and BRCA-1, key molecules in cancer survival. The results obtained suggest that SAHA/5-AZA combination was more effective than single treatments to promote the degradation of mutp53, to upregulate p21 and downregulate c-Myc and BRCA-1, thus increasing DNA damage and cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Di Crosta
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.D.C.); (F.C.R.); (R.B.)
| | - Francesca Chiara Ragone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.D.C.); (F.C.R.); (R.B.)
| | - Rossella Benedetti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.D.C.); (F.C.R.); (R.B.)
| | - Gabriella D’Orazi
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. D’Annunzio” Chieti, 66100 Pescara, Italy;
- Department of Research and Technological Innovation, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Mara Cirone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (M.D.C.); (F.C.R.); (R.B.)
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3
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Di Crosta M, Arena A, Benedetti R, Gilardini Montani MS, Cirone M. 5-AZA Upregulates SOCS3 and PTPN6/SHP1, Inhibiting STAT3 and Potentiating the Effects of AG490 against Primary Effusion Lymphoma Cells. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:2468-2479. [PMID: 38534772 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46030156] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications, including aberrant DNA methylation occurring at the promoters of oncogenes and oncosuppressor genes and histone modifications, can contribute to carcinogenesis. Aberrant methylation mediated by histone methylatransferases, alongside histones, can affect methylation of proteins involved in the regulation of pro-survival pathways such as JAK/STAT and contribute to their activation. In this study, we used DNA or histone demethylating agents, 5-Azacytidine (5-AZA) or DS-3201 (valemetostat), respectively, to treat primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) cells, alone or in combination with AG490, a Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitor. Cell viability was investigated by trypan blue assay and FACS analysis. The molecular changes induced by 5-AZA and/or AG490 treatments were investigated by Western blot analysis, while cytokine release by PEL cells treated by these drugs was evaluated by Luminex. Statistical analyses were performed with Graphpad Prism® software (version 9) and analyzed by Student's t test or a nonparametric one-way ANOVA test. The results obtained in this study suggest that 5-AZA upregulated molecules that inhibit STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation, namely Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 (SOCS3) and tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type (PTPN) 6/Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1), reducing STAT3 activation and downregulating several STAT3 pro-survival targets in PEL cells. As this lymphoma is highly dependent on the constitutive activation of STAT3, 5-AZA impaired PEL cell survival, and when used in combination with AG490 JAK2/STAT3 inhibitor, it potentiated its cytotoxic effect. Differently from 5-AZA, the inhibition of the EZH1/2 histone methyltransferase by DS-3201, reported to contribute to STAT3 activation in other cancers, slightly affected STAT3 phosphorylation or survival in PEL cells, either alone or in combination with AG490. This study suggests that 5-AZA, by upregulating the expression level of SOCS3 and PTPN6/SHP1, reduced STAT3 activation and improved the outcome of treatment targeting this transcription factor in PEL cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Di Crosta
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Arena
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Benedetti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Mara Cirone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy
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4
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Mardente S, Romeo MA, Asquino A, Po A, Gilardini Montani MS, Cirone M. HHV-6A Infection of Papillary Thyroid Cancer Cells Induces Several Effects Related to Cancer Progression. Viruses 2023; 15:2122. [PMID: 37896899 PMCID: PMC10612057 DOI: 10.3390/v15102122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that thyrocytes are permissive to HHV-6A infection and that the virus may contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroiditis. Thyroid autoimmune diseases increase the risk of papillary cancer, which is not surprising considering that chronic inflammation activates pathways that are also pro-oncogenic. Moreover, in this condition, cell proliferation is stimulated as an attempt to repair tissue damage caused by the inflammatory process. Interestingly, it has been reported that the well-differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), the less aggressive form of thyroid tumor, may progress to the more aggressive follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) and eventually to the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), and that to such progression contributes the presence of an inflammatory/immune suppressive tumor microenvironment. In this study, we investigated whether papillary tumor cells (BCPAP) could be infected by human herpes virus-6A (HHV-6A), and if viral infection could induce effects related to cancer progression. We found that the virus dysregulated the expression of several microRNAs, such as miR-155, miR-9, and the miR-221/222 cluster, which are involved in different steps of carcinogenesis, and increased the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL-6, which may also sustain thyroid tumor cell growth and promote cancer progression. Genomic instability and the expression of PTEN, reported to act as an oncogene in mutp53-carrying cells such as BCPAP, also increased following HHV-6A-infection. These findings suggest that a ubiquitous herpesvirus such as HHV-6A, which displays a marked tropism for thyrocytes, could be involved in the progression of PTC towards more aggressive forms of thyroid tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Mardente
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.M.); (M.A.R.); (A.A.); (M.S.G.M.)
| | - Maria Anele Romeo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.M.); (M.A.R.); (A.A.); (M.S.G.M.)
| | - Angela Asquino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.M.); (M.A.R.); (A.A.); (M.S.G.M.)
| | - Agnese Po
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | | | - Mara Cirone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (S.M.); (M.A.R.); (A.A.); (M.S.G.M.)
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Romeo MA, Gilardini Montani MS, Santarelli R, Benedetti R, Arena A, Cirone M. Acetylation increases expression, interaction with TRAPPC4 and surface localization of PD-L1. Discov Oncol 2023; 14:152. [PMID: 37603071 PMCID: PMC10442048 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-023-00766-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
PD-L1 is an immune checkpoint inhibitor, whose surface expression may be exploited by cancer cells to escape T cell-mediated immune recognition. PD-L1 expression and nuclear localization can be affected by epigenetic modifications, such as acetylation. In this study, we showed that VPA, a class I/IIa HDAC inhibitor, upregulated PD-L1 expression on the surface of pancreatic cancer cells. To this effect contributed the increased transcription, in correlation with histone acetylation of the PD-L1 gene and the acetylation of PD-L1 protein, which led to an increased interaction with TRAPPC4, molecule involved in PD-L1 recycling to the cell membrane. Interestingly, the BRD4 inhibitor JQ-1, counteracted PD-L1 transcription and reduced its surface expression, suggesting that such a combination could improve the outcome of VPA treatment, also because it increased the cytotoxic effect of VPA. Also considering that this HDACi did not upregulate PD-L2 and that the supernatant of VPA-treated cancer cells did not increase PD-L1 expression on the surface of macrophages exposed to it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Anele Romeo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Roberta Santarelli
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Benedetti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Arena
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Mara Cirone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, Italy.
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Tang M, Crown J, Duffy MJ. Degradation of MYC by the mutant p53 reactivator drug, COTI-2 in breast cancer cells. Invest New Drugs 2023; 41:541-550. [PMID: 37233863 PMCID: PMC10447602 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-023-01368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
TP53 (p53) and MYC are amongst the most frequently altered genes in cancer. Both are thus attractive targets for new anticancer therapies. Historically, however, both genes have proved challenging to target and currently there is no approved therapy against either. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the mutant p53 reactivating drug, COTI-2 on MYC. Total MYC, pSer62 MYC and pThr58 MYC were detected using Western blotting. Proteasome-mediated degradation was determined using the proteasome, inhibitor MG-132, while MYC half-life was measured using pulse chase experiments in the presence of cycloheximide. Cell proliferation was assessed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Treatment of 5 mutant p53 breast cancer cell lines with COTI-2 resulted in dose-dependent MYC degradation. Addition of the proteasome inhibitor, MG132, rescued the degradation, suggesting that this proteolytic system was at least partly responsible for the inactivation of MYC. Using cycloheximide in pulse chase experiments, COTI-2 was found to reduce the half-life of MYC in 2 different mutant p53 breast cancer cell lines, i.e., from 34.8 to 18.6 min in MDA-MB-232 cells and from 29.6 to 20.3 min in MDA-MB-468 cells. Co-treatment with COTI-2 and the MYC inhibitor, MYCi975 resulted in synergistic growth inhibition in all 4 mutant p53 cell lines investigated. The dual ability of COTI-2 to reactivate mutant p53 and degrade MYC should enable this compound to have broad application as an anticancer drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhong Tang
- UCD School of Medicine, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - John Crown
- Department of Medical Oncology, St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael J Duffy
- UCD School of Medicine, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Clinical Research Centre, St Vincent's University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin, D04 T6F4, Ireland.
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Gao H, Nepovimova E, Heger Z, Valko M, Wu Q, Kuca K, Adam V. Role of hypoxia in cellular senescence. Pharmacol Res 2023; 194:106841. [PMID: 37385572 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Senescent cells persist and continuously secrete proinflammatory and tissue-remodeling molecules that poison surrounding cells, leading to various age-related diseases, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease. The underlying mechanism of cellular senescence has not yet been fully explored. Emerging evidence indicates that hypoxia is involved in the regulation of cellular senescence. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)- 1α accumulates under hypoxic conditions and regulates cellular senescence by modulating the levels of the senescence markers p16, p53, lamin B1, and cyclin D1. Hypoxia is a critical condition for maintaining tumor immune evasion, which is promoted by driving the expression of genetic factors (such as p53 and CD47) while triggering immunosenescence. Under hypoxic conditions, autophagy is activated by targeting BCL-2/adenovirus E1B 19-kDa interacting protein 3, which subsequently induces p21WAF1/CIP1 as well as p16Ink4a and increases β-galactosidase (β-gal) activity, thereby inducing cellular senescence. Deletion of the p21 gene increases the activity of the hypoxia response regulator poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and the level of nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) proteins, repairs DNA double-strand breaks, and alleviates cellular senescence. Moreover, cellular senescence is associated with intestinal dysbiosis and an accumulation of D-galactose derived from the gut microbiota. Chronic hypoxia leads to a striking reduction in the amount of Lactobacillus and D-galactose-degrading enzymes in the gut, producing excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inducing senescence in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in cellular senescence. miR-424-5p levels are decreased under hypoxia, whereas lncRNA-MALAT1 levels are increased, both of which induce cellular senescence. The present review focuses on recent advances in understanding the role of hypoxia in cellular senescence. The effects of HIFs, immune evasion, PARP-1, gut microbiota, and exosomal mRNA in hypoxia-mediated cell senescence are specifically discussed. This review increases our understanding of the mechanism of hypoxia-mediated cellular senescence and provides new clues for anti-aging processes and the treatment of aging-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Gao
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, China
| | - Eugenie Nepovimova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové 500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Zbynek Heger
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno 613 00, Czech Republic
| | - Marian Valko
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava 812 37, Slovakia
| | - Qinghua Wu
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, China; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové 500 03, Czech Republic.
| | - Kamil Kuca
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové 500 03, Czech Republic; Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove 500 05, Czech Republic; Andalusian Research Institute in Data Science and Computational Intelligence (DaSCI), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Vojtech Adam
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Brno 613 00, Czech Republic.
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Arena A, Romeo MA, Benedetti R, Gilardini Montani MS, Cirone M. JQ-1/bortezomib combination strongly impairs MM and PEL survival by inhibiting c-Myc and mTOR despite the activation of prosurvival mechanisms. Exp Hematol 2023; 119-120:28-41. [PMID: 36623719 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2022.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) and primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) are two aggressive hematologic cancers against which bortezomib and JQ-1, proteasome and bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) inhibitors, respectively, have been shown to have a certain success. However, the combination of both seems to be more promising than the single treatments against several cancers, including MM. Indeed, in the latter, proteasome inhibition upregulated nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), and such a prosurvival effect was counteracted by BET inhibitors. In the present study, we found that JQ-1/bortezomib induced a strong cytotoxic effect against PEL and discovered new insights into the cytotoxic mechanisms induced by such a drug combination in PEL and MM cells. In particular, a stronger c-Myc downregulation, leading to increased DNA damage, was observed in these cells after treatment with JQ-1/bortezomib than after treatment with the single drugs. Such an effect contributed to mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)-phosphorylated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (p-4EBP1) axis inhibition, also occurring through c-Myc downregulation. However, besides the prodeath effects, JQ-1/bortezomib activated unfolded protein response (UPR) and autophagy as prosurvival mechanisms. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that JQ-1/bortezomib combination could be a promising treatment for MM and PEL, unveiling new molecular mechanisms underlying its cytotoxic effect, and suggested that UPR and autophagy inhibition could be exploited to further potentiate the cytotoxicity of JQ-1/bortezomib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Arena
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Anele Romeo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Benedetti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Mara Cirone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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Gonnella R, Arena A, Zarrella R, Gilardini Montani MS, Santarelli R, Cirone M. HSPs/STAT3 Interplay Sustains DDR and Promotes Cytokine Release by Primary Effusion Lymphoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043933. [PMID: 36835344 PMCID: PMC9959463 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare and aggressive B-cell lymphoma, against which current therapies usually fail. In the present study, we show that targeting HSPs, such as HSP27, HSP70 and HSP90, could be an efficient strategy to reduce PEL cell survival, as it induces strong DNA damage, which correlated with an impairment of DDR. Moreover, as HSP27, HSP70 and HSP90 cross talk with STAT3, their inhibition results in STAT3 de-phosphorylation and. On the other hand, the inhibition of STAT3 may downregulate these HSPs. These findings suggest that targeting HSPs has important implications in cancer therapy, as it can reduce the release of cytokines by PEL cells, which, besides affecting their own survival, could negatively influence anti-cancer immune response.
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NRF2 in Cancer: Cross-Talk with Oncogenic Pathways and Involvement in Gammaherpesvirus-Driven Carcinogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010595. [PMID: 36614036 PMCID: PMC9820659 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010595] [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: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Expanding knowledge of the molecular mechanisms at the basis of tumor development, especially the cross-talk between oncogenic pathways, will possibly lead to better tailoring of anticancer therapies. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) plays a central role in cancer progression, not only because of its antioxidant activity but also because it establishes cross-talk with several oncogenic pathways, including Heat Shock Factor1 (HSF1), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and mutant (mut) p53. Moreover, the involvement of NRF2 in gammaherpesvirus-driven carcinogenesis is particularly interesting. These viruses indeed hijack the NRF2 pathway to sustain the survival of tumor cells in which they establish a latent infection and to avoid a too-high increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) when these cancer cells undergo treatments that induce viral replication. Interestingly, NRF2 activation may prevent gammaherpesvirus-driven oncogenic transformation, highlighting how manipulating the NRF2 pathway in the different phases of gammaherpesvirus-mediated carcinogenesis may lead to different outcomes. This review will highlight the mechanistic interplay between NRF2 and some oncogenic pathways and its involvement in gammaherpesviruses biology to recapitulate published evidence useful for potential application in cancer therapy.
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11
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Romeo MA, Gilardini Montani MS, Arena A, Benedetti R, D’Orazi G, Cirone M. c-Myc Sustains Pancreatic Cancer Cell Survival and mutp53 Stability through the Mevalonate Pathway. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10102489. [PMID: 36289751 PMCID: PMC9599358 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102489] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been shown that wild-type (wt)p53 inhibits oncogene c-Myc while mutant (mut)p53 may transactivate it, with an opposite behavior that frequently occurs in the crosstalk of wt or mutp53 with molecules/pathways promoting carcinogenesis. Even if it has been reported that mutp53 sustains c-Myc, whether c-Myc could in turn influence mutp53 expression remains to be investigated. In this study, we found that pharmacological or genetic inhibition of c-Myc downregulated mutp53, impaired cell survival and increased DNA damage in pancreatic cancer cells. At the molecular level, we observed that c-Myc inhibition reduced the expression of mevalonate kinase (MVK), a molecule belonging to the mevalonate pathway that—according to previous findings—can control mutp53 stability, and thus contributes to cancer cell survival. In conclusion, this study unveils another criminal alliance between oncogenes, such as c-Myc and mutp53, that plays a key role in oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Anele Romeo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Arena
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Benedetti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriella D’Orazi
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics, and Technological Innovation, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00128 Rome, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. D’Annunzio, Via dei Vestini 33, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Mara Cirone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
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12
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The impairment of DDR reduces XBP1s, further increasing DNA damage, and triggers autophagy via PERK/eIF2alpha in MM and IRE1alpha/JNK1/2 in PEL cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 613:19-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.04.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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13
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D’Orazi G, Cirone M. Interconnected Adaptive Responses: A Way Out for Cancer Cells to Avoid Cellular Demise. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14112780. [PMID: 35681760 PMCID: PMC9179898 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14112780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Different from normal cells, cancer cells must hyperactivate a variety of integrated responses in order to survive their basal stress or its exacerbation caused by exposure to anti-cancer agents. As cancer cells become particularly dependent on these adaptive responses, namely UPR, DDR autophagy, anti-oxidant and heat shock responses, this turns out to be an Achille’s heel, which allows them to be selectively killed while sparing normal unstressed cells. Better knowledge of the cross-talk between these adaptive processes and their impact on the immune system is needed to design more effective anti-cancer therapies, as reviewed in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella D’Orazi
- Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. D’Annunzio”, 66013 Chieti, Italy;
- Unit of Cellular Networks, Department of Research and Advanced Technologies, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy
| | - Mara Cirone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome LA Sapienza, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
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14
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Targeting c-Myc Unbalances UPR towards Cell Death and Impairs DDR in Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma Cells. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10040731. [PMID: 35453482 PMCID: PMC9033049 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) and primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) are aggressive hematological cancers, for which the search for new and more effective therapies is needed. Both cancers overexpress c-Myc and are highly dependent on this proto-oncogene for their survival. Although c-Myc inhibition has been shown to reduce PEL and MM survival, the underlying mechanisms leading to such an effect are not completely clarified. In this study, by pharmacologic inhibition and silencing, we show that c-Myc stands at the cross-road between UPR and DDR. Indeed, it plays a key role in maintaining the pro-survival function of UPR, through the IRE1α/XBP1 axis, and sustains the expression level of DDR molecules such as RAD51 and BRCA1 in MM and PEL cells. Moreover, we found that c-Myc establishes an interplay with the IRE1α/XBP1 axis whose inhibition downregulated c-Myc, skewed UPR towards cell death and enhanced DNA damage. In conclusion, this study unveils new insights into the molecular mechanisms leading to the cytotoxic effects of c-Myc inhibition and reinforces the idea that its targeting may be a promising therapeutic approach against MM and PEL that, although different cancers, share some similarities, including c-Myc overexpression, constitutive ER stress and poor response to current chemotherapies.
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15
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Zinc Supplementation Enhances the Pro-Death Function of UPR in Lymphoma Cells Exposed to Radiation. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11010132. [PMID: 35053130 PMCID: PMC8773084 DOI: 10.3390/biology11010132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary It is of fundamental importance to find strategies able to reduce the minimum doses of anticancer treatments, such as radiations, and concomitantly maintain efficient killing of cancer cells. The interconnection between ER stress and DNA repair may represent a promising approach to obtaining this goal. Here we found that pretreatment of lymphoma cells with Zinc chloride rendered these cells more sensitive to 2 Gy radiation. The exacerbation of ER stress and the activation pro-death function of UPR were among the underlying mechanisms leading to higher cytotoxicity of Zinc/radiation combination treatment. This evidence encourages the use of Zinc to reduce the doses of radiation in the treatment of lymphoma cells, allowing a high cytotoxicity to be obtained while minimizing the side effects. Abstract We have previously shown that Zinc supplementation triggered ER stress/UPR in cancer cells undergoing treatment by genotoxic agents, reactivated wtp53 in cancer cells harboring mutant p53 (mutp53) and potentiated the activity of wtp53 in those carrying wtp53. In this study, we used Zinc chloride alone or in combination with 2 Gy radiation to treat Primary Effusion Lymphoma (PEL) cells, an aggressive B-cell lymphoma associated with KSHV that harbors wt or partially functioning p53. We found that Zinc triggered a mild ER stress/UPR in these lymphoma cells and activated ERK1/2, molecule known to sustain cell survival in the course of UPR activation. In combination with radiations, Zinc triggered a stronger p53 activation that counteracted its mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation, further upregulating the UPR molecule CHOP and promoting cell death. These data suggest that Zinc supplementation could be a promising strategy to reduce the doses of radiation and possibly of other DNA-damaging agents to obtain an efficient capacity to induce lymphoma cell death.
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