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Gu ML, Zhou XX, Ren MT, Shi KD, Yu MS, Jiao WR, Wang YM, Zhong WX, Ji F. Blockage of ETS homologous factor inhibits the proliferation and invasion of gastric cancer cells through the c-Met pathway. World J Gastroenterol 2020; 26:7497-7512. [PMID: 33384550 PMCID: PMC7754554 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i47.7497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common and deadliest types of cancer worldwide due to its delayed diagnosis and high metastatic frequency, but its exact pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. ETS homologous factor (EHF) is an important member of the ETS family and contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple malignant tumors. To date, whether EHF participates in the development of GC via the c-Met signaling pathway remains unclear.
AIM To investigate the role and mechanism of EHF in the occurrence and development of GC.
METHODS The expression of EHF mRNA in GC tissues and cell lines was measured by quantitative PCR. Western blotting was performed to determine the protein expression of EHF, c-Met, and its downstream signal molecules. The EHF expression in GC tissues was further detected by immunohistochemical staining. To investigate the role of EHF in GC oncogenesis, small interfering RNA (siRNA) against EHF was transfected into GC cells. The cell proliferation of GC cells was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony formation assays. Flow cytometry was performed following Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) to identify apoptotic cells and PI staining to analyze the cell cycle. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by transwell assays.
RESULTS The data showed that EHF was upregulated in GC tissues and cell lines in which increased expression of c-Met was also observed. Silencing of EHF by siRNA reduced the proliferation of GC cells. Inhibition of EHF induced significant apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in GC cells. Cell migration and invasion were significantly inhibited. EHF silencing led to c-Met downregulation and further blocked the Ras/c-Raf/extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) pathway. Additionally, phosphatase and tensin homolog was upregulated and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta was deactivated. Moreover, inactivation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 was detected following EHF inhibition, leading to inhibition of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
CONCLUSION These results suggest that EHF plays a key role in cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, the cell cycle and EMT via the c-Met pathway. Therefore, EHF may serve as an antineoplastic target for the diagnosis and treatment of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Li Gu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Xin-Xin Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Meng-Ting Ren
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ke-Da Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mo-Sang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wen-Rui Jiao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Ya-Mei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Yiwu 322000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Wei-Xiang Zhong
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Feng Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
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Shahi Thakuri P, Lamichhane A, Singh S, Gupta M, Luker GD, Tavana H. Modeling Adaptive Resistance of KRAS Mutant Colorectal Cancer to MAPK Pathway Inhibitors with a Three-Dimensional Tumor Model. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2020; 3:1176-1187. [PMID: 33344895 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Single-agent drug treatment of KRASmut colorectal cancers is often ineffective because the activation of compensatory signaling pathways leads to drug resistance. To mimic cyclic chemotherapy treatments of patients, we showed that intermittent treatments of 3D tumor spheroids of KRASmut colorectal cancer cells with inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway temporarily suppressed growth of spheroids. However, the efficacy of successive single-agent treatments was significantly reduced. Molecular analysis showed compensatory activation of PI3K/AKT and STAT kinases and EGFR family proteins. To overcome the adaptation of cancer cells to MAPK pathway inhibitors, we treated tumor spheroids with a combination of MEK and EGFR inhibitors. This approach significantly blocked signaling of MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways and prevented the growth of spheroids, but it was not effective against STAT signaling. Although the combination treatment blocked the matrix invasion of DLD1 cells, additional treatments with STAT inhibitors were necessary to prevent invasiveness of HCT116 cells. Overall, our drug resistance model elucidated the mechanisms of treatment-induced growth and invasiveness of cancer cells and allowed design-driven testing and identifying of effective treatments to suppress these phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradip Shahi Thakuri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Astha Lamichhane
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Sunil Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Megha Gupta
- Department of Arts and Sciences, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Gary D Luker
- Department of Radiology, Microbiology and Immunology, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, United States.,Department of Radiology, Microbiology and Immunology, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, United States.,Department of Radiology, Microbiology and Immunology, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, United States
| | - Hossein Tavana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
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Tsubaki M, Takeda T, Noguchi M, Jinushi M, Seki S, Morii Y, Shimomura K, Imano M, Satou T, Nishida S. Overactivation of Akt Contributes to MEK Inhibitor Primary and Acquired Resistance in Colorectal Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11121866. [PMID: 31769426 PMCID: PMC6966459 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11121866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
RAS and BRAF-mutated colorectal cancers are associated with resistance to chemotherapy and poor prognosis, highlighting the need for new therapeutic strategies. Although these cancers sometimes respond to mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor treatment, they often acquire resistance via mechanisms, which are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the mechanism of MEK inhibitor resistance in primary- and acquired-resistant cells. Cell viability was examined using the trypan blue dye exclusion assay. Protein expression was analyzed by western blotting. Somatic mutations in colorectal cancer cells were investigated using the polymerase chain reaction array. PD0325901 and trametinib induced cell death in LoVo and Colo-205 cells but not in DLD-1 and HT-29 cells, which have a PIK3CA mutation constitutively activating Akt and NF-κB. Treatment with PD0325901 and trametinib suppressed ERK1/2 activation in all four cell lines but only induced Akt and NF-κB activation in DLD-1 and HT-29 cells. Inhibition of Akt but not NF-κB, overcame MEK inhibitor resistance in DLD-1 and HT-29 cells. Acquired-resistant LoVo/PR, Colo-205/PR and LoVo/TR cells have constitutively active Akt due to a M1043V mutation in the kinase activation loop of PIK3CA and Akt inhibitor resensitized these cells to MEK inhibitor. These results demonstrate that the overactivation of Akt plays a critical role in MEK inhibitor primary and acquired resistance and implicate combined Akt/MEK inhibition as a potentially useful treatment for RAS/BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masanobu Tsubaki
- Division of Pharmacotherapy, Kindai University Faculty of Pharmacy, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502, Japan; (M.T.); (T.T.); (M.N.); (M.J.); (S.S.); (Y.M.)
| | - Tomoya Takeda
- Division of Pharmacotherapy, Kindai University Faculty of Pharmacy, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502, Japan; (M.T.); (T.T.); (M.N.); (M.J.); (S.S.); (Y.M.)
| | - Masaki Noguchi
- Division of Pharmacotherapy, Kindai University Faculty of Pharmacy, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502, Japan; (M.T.); (T.T.); (M.N.); (M.J.); (S.S.); (Y.M.)
| | - Minami Jinushi
- Division of Pharmacotherapy, Kindai University Faculty of Pharmacy, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502, Japan; (M.T.); (T.T.); (M.N.); (M.J.); (S.S.); (Y.M.)
| | - Shiori Seki
- Division of Pharmacotherapy, Kindai University Faculty of Pharmacy, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502, Japan; (M.T.); (T.T.); (M.N.); (M.J.); (S.S.); (Y.M.)
| | - Yuusuke Morii
- Division of Pharmacotherapy, Kindai University Faculty of Pharmacy, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502, Japan; (M.T.); (T.T.); (M.N.); (M.J.); (S.S.); (Y.M.)
- Department of Phamacy, Municipal Ikeda Hospital, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8510, Japan;
| | - Kazunori Shimomura
- Department of Phamacy, Municipal Ikeda Hospital, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8510, Japan;
| | - Motohiro Imano
- Department of Surgery, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka 589-0014, Japan;
| | - Takao Satou
- Department of Pathology, Kindai University Faculty of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka 589-0014, Japan.;
| | - Shozo Nishida
- Division of Pharmacotherapy, Kindai University Faculty of Pharmacy, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502, Japan; (M.T.); (T.T.); (M.N.); (M.J.); (S.S.); (Y.M.)
- Correspondence:
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Wang Z, Yin M, Chu P, Lou M. STAT3 inhibitor sensitized KRAS-mutant lung cancers to RAF inhibitor by activating MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 11:7187-7196. [PMID: 31484165 PMCID: PMC6756870 DOI: 10.18632/aging.102244] [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: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
KRAS is frequently mutated in patients with lung cancers, resulting in low survival rates. Inhibiting the downstream pathways of KRAS seems to be a feasible strategy to target KRAS-mutant tumors. However, the clinical outcomes only show limited success. Here, we developed a novel strategy by combining RAF (AZ628) and STAT3 (BP-1-102) inhibitors. The results showed that the AZ628 and BP-1-102 combination showed strongly synergistic effects on KRAS(G12D) H838, KRAS(G12S) H292 and KRAS(G12V) H441 cells and significantly enhanced the inhibition of cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo by promoting apoptosis compared with one inhibitor alone. For mechanism, AZ628 and BP-1-102 combination markedly abrogated MEK/ERK signaling pathway activation in KRAS-mutant lung cancer cells suggesting the combination of RAF and STAT3 inhibitors is an effective therapy for treating lung cancer cells harboring KRAS mutations. Taken together, the current results indicate that oncogene addiction can be targeted for therapy in lung cancer cells harboring RAS-mutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenlin Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengchen Yin
- Department of Orthopaedics, LongHua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Peilin Chu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Central Hospital of Ma'anshan City, Anhui, China
| | - Meiqing Lou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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