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Vasilaki E, Bai Y, Ali MM, Sundqvist A, Moustakas A, Heldin CH. ΔNp63 bookmarks and creates an accessible epigenetic environment for TGFβ-induced cancer cell stemness and invasiveness. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:411. [PMID: 39180088 PMCID: PMC11342681 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01794-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND p63 is a transcription factor with intrinsic pioneer factor activity and pleiotropic functions. Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling via activation and cooperative action of canonical, SMAD, and non-canonical, MAP-kinase (MAPK) pathways, elicits both anti- and pro-tumorigenic properties, including cell stemness and invasiveness. TGFβ activates the ΔNp63 transcriptional program in cancer cells; however, the link between TGFβ and p63 in unmasking the epigenetic landscape during tumor progression allowing chromatin accessibility and gene transcription, is not yet reported. METHODS Small molecule inhibitors, including protein kinase inhibitors and RNA-silencing, provided loss of function analyses. Sphere formation assays in cancer cells, chromatin immunoprecipitation and mRNA expression assays were utilized in order to gain mechanistic evidence. Mass spectrometry analysis coupled to co-immunoprecipitation assays revealed novel p63 interactors and their involvement in p63-dependent transcription. RESULTS The sphere-forming capacity of breast cancer cells was enhanced upon TGFβ stimulation and significantly decreased upon ΔNp63 depletion. Activation of TGFβ signaling via p38 MAPK signaling induced ΔNp63 phosphorylation at Ser 66/68 resulting in stabilized ΔNp63 protein with enhanced DNA binding properties. TGFβ stimulation altered the ratio of H3K27ac and H3K27me3 histone modification marks, pointing towards higher H3K27ac and increased p300 acetyltransferase recruitment to chromatin. By silencing the expression of ΔNp63, the TGFβ effect on chromatin remodeling was abrogated. Inhibition of H3K27me3, revealed the important role of TGFβ as the upstream signal for guiding ΔNp63 to the TGFβ/SMAD gene loci, as well as the indispensable role of ΔNp63 in recruiting histone modifying enzymes, such as p300, to these genomic regions, regulating chromatin accessibility and gene transcription. Mechanistically, TGFβ through SMAD activation induced dissociation of ΔNp63 from NURD or NCOR/SMRT histone deacetylation complexes, while promoted the assembly of ΔNp63-p300 complexes, affecting the levels of histone acetylation and the outcome of ΔNp63-dependent transcription. CONCLUSIONS ΔNp63, phosphorylated and recruited by TGFβ to the TGFβ/SMAD/ΔNp63 gene loci, promotes chromatin accessibility and transcription of target genes related to stemness and cell invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleftheria Vasilaki
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 582, Uppsala, SE-751 23, Sweden.
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SE-751 85, Sweden.
| | - Yu Bai
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 582, Uppsala, SE-751 23, Sweden
| | - Mohamad Moustafa Ali
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 582, Uppsala, SE-751 23, Sweden
| | - Anders Sundqvist
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 582, Uppsala, SE-751 23, Sweden
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Box 591, Uppsala, SE-751 24, Sweden
| | - Aristidis Moustakas
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 582, Uppsala, SE-751 23, Sweden
| | - Carl-Henrik Heldin
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 582, Uppsala, SE-751 23, Sweden.
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2
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Gou S, Wu A, Luo Z. Integrins in cancer stem cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1434378. [PMID: 39239559 PMCID: PMC11375753 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1434378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Integrins are a class of adhesion receptors on cell membranes, consisting of α and β subunits. By binding to the extracellular matrix, integrins activate intracellular signaling pathways, participating in every step of cancer initiation and progression. Tumor stem cells possess self-renewal and self-differentiation abilities, along with strong tumorigenic potential. In this review, we discussed the role of integrins in cancer, with a focus on their impact on tumor stem cells and tumor stemness. This will aid in targeting tumor stem cells as a therapeutic approach, leading to the exploration of novel cancer treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Gou
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Department of urology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Anqi Wu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Department of Clinical Research Center, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Zhigang Luo
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Department of urology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
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3
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Villoch-Fernandez J, Martínez-García N, Martín-López M, Maeso-Alonso L, López-Ferreras L, Vazquez-Jimenez A, Muñoz-Hidalgo L, Garcia-Romero N, Sanchez JM, Fernandez A, Ayuso-Sacido A, Marques MM, Marin MC. A novel TAp73-inhibitory compound counteracts stemness features of glioblastoma stem cells. Mol Oncol 2024. [PMID: 39090849 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13694] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common and fatal type of primary malignant brain tumor for which effective therapeutics are still lacking. GB stem cells, with tumor-initiating and self-renewal capacity, are mostly responsible for GB malignancy, representing a crucial target for therapies. The TP73 gene, which is highly expressed in GB, gives rise to the TAp73 isoform, a pleiotropic protein that regulates neural stem cell biology; however, its role in cancer has been highly controversial. We inactivated TP73 in human GB stem cells and revealed that TAp73 is required for their stemness potential, acting as a regulator of the transcriptional stemness signatures, highlighting TAp73 as a possible therapeutic target. As proof of concept, we identified a novel natural compound with TAp73-inhibitory capacity, which was highly effective against GB stem cells. The treatment reduced GB stem cell-invasion capacity and stem features, at least in part by TAp73 repression. Our data are consistent with a novel paradigm in which hijacking of p73-regulated neurodevelopmental programs, including neural stemness, might sustain tumor progression, pointing out TAp73 as a therapeutic strategy for GB.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole Martínez-García
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad de León, Spain
| | | | - Laura Maeso-Alonso
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de León, Spain
| | - Lorena López-Ferreras
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de León, Spain
| | | | - Lisandra Muñoz-Hidalgo
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Odontology, Universidad de Valencia, Spain
| | - Noemí Garcia-Romero
- Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid, Spain
- Brain Tumor Laboratory, Fundación Vithas, Grupo Hospitales Vithas, Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Angel Ayuso-Sacido
- Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid, Spain
- Brain Tumor Laboratory, Fundación Vithas, Grupo Hospitales Vithas, Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Margarita M Marques
- Instituto de Desarrollo Ganadero y Sanidad Animal y Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad de León, Spain
| | - Maria C Marin
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de León, Spain
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4
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Foutadakis S, Kordias D, Vatsellas G, Magklara A. Identification of New Chemoresistance-Associated Genes in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6853. [PMID: 38999963 PMCID: PMC11241600 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25136853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive mammary neoplasia with a high fatality rate, mainly because of the development of resistance to administered chemotherapy, the standard treatment for this disease. In this study, we employ both bulk RNA-sequencing and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to investigate the transcriptional landscape of TNBC cells cultured in two-dimensional monolayers or three-dimensional spheroids, before and after developing resistance to the chemotherapeutic agents paclitaxel and doxorubicin. Our findings reveal significant transcriptional heterogeneity within the TNBC cell populations, with the scRNA-seq identifying rare subsets of cells that express resistance-associated genes not detected by the bulk RNA-seq. Furthermore, we observe a partial shift towards a highly mesenchymal phenotype in chemoresistant cells, suggesting the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as a prevalent mechanism of resistance in subgroups of these cells. These insights highlight potential therapeutic targets, such as the PDGF signaling pathway mediating EMT, which could be exploited in this setting. Our study underscores the importance of single-cell approaches in understanding tumor heterogeneity and developing more effective, personalized treatment strategies to overcome chemoresistance in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spyros Foutadakis
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Dimitrios Kordias
- Biomedical Research Institute-Foundation for Research and Technology, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Giannis Vatsellas
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Angeliki Magklara
- Biomedical Research Institute-Foundation for Research and Technology, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
- Institute of Biosciences, University Research Center of Ioannina (URCI), 45110 Ioannina, Greece
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5
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Lambert AW, Zhang Y, Weinberg RA. Cell-intrinsic and microenvironmental determinants of metastatic colonization. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:687-697. [PMID: 38714854 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01409-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis is a biologically complex process that remains a major challenge in the oncology clinic, accounting for nearly all of the mortality associated with malignant neoplasms. To establish metastatic growths, carcinoma cells must disseminate from the primary tumour, survive in unfamiliar tissue microenvironments, re-activate programs of proliferation, and escape innate and adaptive immunosurveillance. The entire process is extremely inefficient and can occur over protracted timescales, yielding only a vanishingly small number of carcinoma cells that are able to complete all of the required steps. Here we review both the cancer-cell-intrinsic mechanisms and microenvironmental interactions that enable metastatic colonization. In particular, we highlight recent work on the behaviour of already-disseminated tumour cells, since meaningful progress in treating metastatic disease will clearly require a better understanding of the cells that spawn metastases, which generally have disseminated by the time of initial diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur W Lambert
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Translational Medicine, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Yun Zhang
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Robert A Weinberg
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- MIT Ludwig Center, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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6
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Ren Z, Dharmaratne M, Liang H, Benard O, Morales-Gallego M, Suyama K, Kumar V, Fard AT, Kulkarni AS, Prystowsky M, Mar JC, Norton L, Hazan RB. Redox signalling regulates breast cancer metastasis via phenotypic and metabolic reprogramming due to p63 activation by HIF1α. Br J Cancer 2024; 130:908-924. [PMID: 38238426 PMCID: PMC10951347 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02522-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Redox signaling caused by knockdown (KD) of Glutathione Peroxidase 2 (GPx2) in the PyMT mammary tumour model promotes metastasis via phenotypic and metabolic reprogramming. However, the tumour cell subpopulations and transcriptional regulators governing these processes remained unknown. METHODS We used single-cell transcriptomics to decipher the tumour cell subpopulations stimulated by GPx2 KD in the PyMT mammary tumour and paired pulmonary metastases. We analyzed the EMT spectrum across the various tumour cell clusters using pseudotime trajectory analysis and elucidated the transcriptional and metabolic regulation of the hybrid EMT state. RESULTS Integration of single-cell transcriptomics between the PyMT/GPx2 KD primary tumour and paired lung metastases unraveled a basal/mesenchymal-like cluster and several luminal-like clusters spanning an EMT spectrum. Interestingly, the luminal clusters at the primary tumour gained mesenchymal gene expression, resulting in epithelial/mesenchymal subpopulations fueled by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis. By contrast, at distant metastasis, the basal/mesenchymal-like cluster gained luminal and mesenchymal gene expression, resulting in a hybrid subpopulation using OXPHOS, supporting adaptive plasticity. Furthermore, p63 was dramatically upregulated in all hybrid clusters, implying a role in regulating partial EMT and MET at primary and distant sites, respectively. Importantly, these effects were reversed by HIF1α loss or GPx2 gain of function, resulting in metastasis suppression. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these results underscored a dramatic effect of redox signaling on p63 activation by HIF1α, underlying phenotypic and metabolic plasticity leading to mammary tumour metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuen Ren
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Malindrie Dharmaratne
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Huizhi Liang
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | | | | | - Kimita Suyama
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Viney Kumar
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Atefeh Taherian Fard
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Ameya S Kulkarni
- Department of Endocrinology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Michael Prystowsky
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA
| | - Jessica C Mar
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Larry Norton
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Rachel B Hazan
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
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7
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Henry WS, Müller S, Yang JS, Innes-Gold S, Das S, Reinhardt F, Sigmund K, Phadnis VV, Wan Z, Eaton E, Sampaio JL, Bell GW, Viravalli A, Hammond PT, Kamm RD, Cohen AE, Boehnke N, Hsu VW, Levental KR, Rodriguez R, Weinberg RA. Ether lipids influence cancer cell fate by modulating iron uptake. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.20.585922. [PMID: 38562716 PMCID: PMC10983928 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.20.585922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cell fate has been widely ascribed to mutational changes within protein-coding genes associated with tumor suppressors and oncogenes. In contrast, the mechanisms through which the biophysical properties of membrane lipids influence cancer cell survival, dedifferentiation and metastasis have received little scrutiny. Here, we report that cancer cells endowed with a high metastatic ability and cancer stem cell-like traits employ ether lipids to maintain low membrane tension and high membrane fluidity. Using genetic approaches and lipid reconstitution assays, we show that these ether lipid-regulated biophysical properties permit non-clathrin-mediated iron endocytosis via CD44, leading directly to significant increases in intracellular redox-active iron and enhanced ferroptosis susceptibility. Using a combination of in vitro three-dimensional microvascular network systems and in vivo animal models, we show that loss of ether lipids also strongly attenuates extravasation, metastatic burden and cancer stemness. These findings illuminate a mechanism whereby ether lipids in carcinoma cells serve as key regulators of malignant progression while conferring a unique vulnerability that can be exploited for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney S Henry
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Sebastian Müller
- Institut Curie, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris 75005, France
| | - Jia-Shu Yang
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Dept. of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sarah Innes-Gold
- Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Sunny Das
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ferenc Reinhardt
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Kim Sigmund
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Vaishnavi V Phadnis
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Dept. of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Zhengpeng Wan
- Dept. of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Elinor Eaton
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Julio L Sampaio
- Institut Curie, INSERM, Mines ParisTech, Paris 75005, France
| | - George W Bell
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Amartya Viravalli
- Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Paula T Hammond
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Dept. of Chemical Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Senior author
| | - Roger D Kamm
- Dept. of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Dept. of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Senior author
| | - Adam E Cohen
- Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Dept. of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Senior author
| | - Natalie Boehnke
- Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Senior author
| | - Victor W Hsu
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Dept. of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Senior author
| | - Kandice R Levental
- Dept. of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
- Senior author
| | - Raphaël Rodriguez
- Institut Curie, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris 75005, France
- Senior author
| | - Robert A Weinberg
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Dept. of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Ludwig Center for Molecular Oncology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Senior author
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8
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Celià-Terrassa T, Kang Y. How important is EMT for cancer metastasis? PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002487. [PMID: 38324529 PMCID: PMC10849258 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a biological phenomenon of cellular plasticity initially reported in embryonic development, has been increasingly recognized for its importance in cancer progression and metastasis. Despite tremendous progress being made in the past 2 decades in our understanding of the molecular mechanism and functional importance of EMT in cancer, there are several mysteries around EMT that remain unresolved. In this Unsolved Mystery, we focus on the variety of EMT types in metastasis, cooperative and collective EMT behaviors, spatiotemporal characterization of EMT, and strategies of therapeutically targeting EMT. We also highlight new technical advances that will facilitate the efforts to elucidate the unsolved mysteries of EMT in metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni Celià-Terrassa
- Cancer Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yibin Kang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Princeton Branch, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
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9
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Low-Calle AM, Ghoneima H, Ortega N, Cuibus AM, Katz C, Prives C, Prywes R. A Non-Canonical Hippo Pathway Represses the Expression of ΔNp63. Mol Cell Biol 2024; 44:27-42. [PMID: 38270135 PMCID: PMC10829837 DOI: 10.1080/10985549.2023.2292037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The p63 transcription factor, a member of the p53 family, plays an oncogenic role in squamous cell carcinomas, while in breast cancers its expression is often repressed. In the canonical conserved Hippo pathway, known to play a complex role in regulating growth of cancer cells, protein kinases MST1/2 and LATS1/2 act sequentially to phosphorylate and inhibit the YAP/TAZ transcription factors. We found that in MCF10A mammary epithelial cells as well as in squamous and breast cancer cell lines, expression of ΔNp63 RNA and protein is strongly repressed by inhibition of the Hippo pathway protein kinases. While MST1/2 and LATS1 are required for p63 expression, the next step of the pathway, namely phosphorylation and degradation of the YAP/TAZ transcriptional activators is not required for p63 repression. This suggests that regulation of p63 expression occurs by a noncanonical version of the Hippo pathway. We identified similarly regulated genes, suggesting the broader importance of this pathway. Interestingly, lowering p63 expression lead to increased YAP protein levels, indicating crosstalk of the YAP/TAZ-independent and -dependent branches of the Hippo pathway. These results, which reveal the intersection of the Hippo and p63 pathways, may prove useful for the control of their activities in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Low-Calle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hana Ghoneima
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nicholas Ortega
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Adriana M. Cuibus
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Chen Katz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Carol Prives
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ron Prywes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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10
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Chen L, Zhu S, Liu T, Zhao X, Xiang T, Hu X, Wu C, Lin D. Aberrant epithelial cell interaction promotes esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma development and progression. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:453. [PMID: 38097539 PMCID: PMC10721848 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01710-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and proliferation play important roles in epithelial cancer formation and progression, but what molecules and how they trigger EMT is largely unknown. Here we performed spatial transcriptomic and functional analyses on samples of multistage esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) from mice and humans to decipher these critical issues. By investigating spatiotemporal gene expression patterns and cell-cell interactions, we demonstrated that the aberrant epithelial cell interaction via EFNB1-EPHB4 triggers EMT and cell cycle mediated by downstream SRC/ERK/AKT signaling. The aberrant epithelial cell interaction occurs within the basal layer at early precancerous lesions, which expands to the whole epithelial layer and strengthens along the cancer development and progression. Functional analysis revealed that the aberrant EFNB1-EPHB4 interaction is caused by overexpressed ΔNP63 due to TP53 mutation, the culprit in human ESCC tumorigenesis. Our results shed new light on the role of TP53-TP63/ΔNP63-EFNB1-EPHB4 axis in EMT and cell proliferation in epithelial cancer formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Chen
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Shihao Zhu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Tianyuan Liu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Tao Xiang
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Chen Wu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Genomic Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
- CAMS Oxford Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100006, China.
| | - Dongxin Lin
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Genomic Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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11
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Yamashita N, Withers H, Morimoto Y, Bhattacharya A, Haratake N, Daimon T, Fushimi A, Nakashoji A, Thorner AR, Isenhart E, Rosario S, Long MD, Kufe D. MUC1-C integrates aerobic glycolysis with suppression of oxidative phosphorylation in triple-negative breast cancer stem cells. iScience 2023; 26:108168. [PMID: 37915591 PMCID: PMC10616323 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of the MUC1-C protein promotes lineage plasticity, epigenetic reprogramming, and the cancer stem cell (CSC) state. The present studies performed on enriched populations of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) CSCs demonstrate that MUC1-C is essential for integrating activation of glycolytic pathway genes with self-renewal and tumorigenicity. MUC1-C further integrates the glycolytic pathway with suppression of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes encoding components of mitochondrial Complexes I-V. The repression of mtDNA genes is explained by MUC1-C-mediated (i) downregulation of the mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) required for mtDNA transcription and (ii) induction of the mitochondrial transcription termination factor 3 (mTERF3). In support of pathogenesis that suppresses mitochondrial ROS production, targeting MUC1-C increases (i) mtDNA gene transcription, (ii) superoxide levels, and (iii) loss of self-renewal capacity. These findings and scRNA-seq analysis of CSC subpopulations indicate that MUC1-C regulates self-renewal and redox balance by integrating activation of glycolysis with suppression of oxidative phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nami Yamashita
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Henry Withers
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Naoki Haratake
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tatsuaki Daimon
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Atsushi Fushimi
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ayako Nakashoji
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aaron R. Thorner
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily Isenhart
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Spencer Rosario
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Mark D. Long
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Donald Kufe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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12
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Shyam S, Ramu S, Sehgal M, Jolly MK. A systems-level analysis of the mutually antagonistic roles of RKIP and BACH1 in dynamics of cancer cell plasticity. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20230389. [PMID: 37963558 PMCID: PMC10645512 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important axis of phenotypic plasticity-a hallmark of cancer metastasis. Raf kinase-B inhibitor protein (RKIP) and BTB and CNC homology 1 (BACH1) are reported to influence EMT. In breast cancer, they act antagonistically, but the exact nature of their roles in mediating EMT and associated other axes of plasticity remains unclear. Here, analysing transcriptomic data, we reveal their antagonistic trends in a pan-cancer manner in terms of association with EMT, metabolic reprogramming and immune evasion via PD-L1. Next, we developed and simulated a mechanism-based gene regulatory network that captures how RKIP and BACH1 engage in feedback loops with drivers of EMT and stemness. We found that RKIP and BACH1 belong to two antagonistic 'teams' of players-while BACH1 belonged to the one driving pro-EMT, stem-like and therapy-resistant cell states, RKIP belonged to the one enabling pro-epithelial, less stem-like and therapy-sensitive phenotypes. Finally, we observed that low RKIP levels and upregulated BACH1 levels associated with worse clinical outcomes in many cancer types. Together, our systems-level analysis indicates that the emergent dynamics of underlying regulatory network enable the antagonistic patterns of RKIP and BACH1 with various axes of cancer cell plasticity, and with patient survival data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Shyam
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Soundharya Ramu
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Manas Sehgal
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Department of Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
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13
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Li Y, Giovannini S, Wang T, Fang J, Li P, Shao C, Wang Y, Shi Y, Candi E, Melino G, Bernassola F. p63: a crucial player in epithelial stemness regulation. Oncogene 2023; 42:3371-3384. [PMID: 37848625 PMCID: PMC10638092 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02859-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial tissue homeostasis is closely associated with the self-renewal and differentiation behaviors of epithelial stem cells (ESCs). p63, a well-known marker of ESCs, is an indispensable factor for their biological activities during epithelial development. The diversity of p63 isoforms expressed in distinct tissues allows this transcription factor to have a wide array of effects. p63 coordinates the transcription of genes involved in cell survival, stem cell self-renewal, migration, differentiation, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Through the regulation of these biological processes, p63 contributes to, not only normal epithelial development, but also epithelium-derived cancer pathogenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of p63 in epithelial stemness regulation, including self-renewal, differentiation, proliferation, and senescence. We describe the differential expression of TAp63 and ΔNp63 isoforms and their distinct functional activities in normal epithelial tissues and in epithelium-derived tumors. Furthermore, we summarize the signaling cascades modulating the TAp63 and ΔNp63 isoforms as well as their downstream pathways in stemness regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Li
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Sara Giovannini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Tingting Wang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Jiankai Fang
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Peishan Li
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Changshun Shao
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Yufang Shi
- The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Institutes for Translational Medicine, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, China.
| | - Eleonora Candi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy.
- Biochemistry Laboratory, Istituto Dermopatico Immacolata (IDI-IRCCS), 00100, Rome, Italy.
| | - Gerry Melino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesca Bernassola
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy.
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14
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Luo F, Tshering LF, Tutuska K, Szenk M, Rubel D, Rail JG, Russ S, Liu J, Nemajerova A, Balázsi G, Talos F. A luminal intermediate cell state maintains long-term prostate homeostasis and contributes to tumorigenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.24.529762. [PMID: 36909551 PMCID: PMC10002646 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.24.529762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Cellular heterogeneity poses tremendous challenges for developing cell-targeted therapies and biomarkers of clinically significant prostate cancer. The origins of this heterogeneity within normal adult and aging tissue remain unknown, leaving cellular states and transcriptional programs that allow expansions of malignant clones unidentified. To define cell states that contribute to early cancer development, we performed clonal analyses and single cell transcriptomics of normal prostate from genetically-engineered mouse models. We uncovered a luminal transcriptional state with a unique "basal-like" Wnt/p63 signaling ( luminal intermediate , LumI) which contributes to the maintenance of long-term prostate homeostasis. Moreover, LumI cells greatly expand during early stages of tumorigenesis in several mouse models of prostate cancer. Genetic ablation of p63 in vivo in luminal cells reduced the formation of aggressive clones in mouse prostate tumor models. Finally, the LumI cells and Wnt signaling appear to significantly increase in human aging prostate and prostate cancer samples, highlighting the importance of this hybrid cell state for human pathologies with potential translational impact.
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15
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Glathar AR, Oyelakin A, Nayak KB, Sosa J, Romano RA, Sinha S. A Systemic and Integrated Analysis of p63-Driven Regulatory Networks in Mouse Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:446. [PMID: 36672394 PMCID: PMC9856320 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15020446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy of the oral cavity and is linked to tobacco exposure, alcohol consumption, and human papillomavirus infection. Despite therapeutic advances, a lack of molecular understanding of disease etiology, and delayed diagnoses continue to negatively affect survival. The identification of oncogenic drivers and prognostic biomarkers by leveraging bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets of OSCC can lead to more targeted therapies and improved patient outcomes. However, the generation, analysis, and continued utilization of additional genetic and genomic tools are warranted. Tobacco-induced OSCC can be modeled in mice via 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO), which generates a spectrum of neoplastic lesions mimicking human OSCC and upregulates the oncogenic master transcription factor p63. Here, we molecularly characterized established mouse 4NQO treatment-derived OSCC cell lines and utilized RNA and chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing to uncover the global p63 gene regulatory and signaling network. We integrated our p63 datasets with published bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing of mouse 4NQO-treated tongue and esophageal tumors, respectively, to generate a p63-driven gene signature that sheds new light on the role of p63 in murine OSCC. Our analyses reveal known and novel players, such as COTL1, that are regulated by p63 and influence various oncogenic processes, including metastasis. The identification of new sets of potential biomarkers and pathways, some of which are functionally conserved in human OSCC and can prognosticate patient survival, offers new avenues for future mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Ruth Glathar
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Akinsola Oyelakin
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Kasturi Bala Nayak
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Jennifer Sosa
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Rose-Anne Romano
- Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Satrajit Sinha
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
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