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Wang A, Hao Y, Huo Y, Xu X, Zhang Y. An analysis of the influencing factors of false negative autoantibodies in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1358387. [PMID: 38800369 PMCID: PMC11116597 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1358387] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives To analyze the clinical significance of seven autoantibodies (P53, PGP9.5, SOX2, GAGE7, GBU4-5, MAGE, and CAGE) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the factors that influence false-negative results. Methods Seven autoantibodies were measured in the serum of 502 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using ELISA, and their correlations with age, sex, smoking history, pathological type, clinical stage, and PD-L1 gene expression were analyzed. The clinicopathological data of the false-negative and positive groups for the seven autoantibodies were compared to determine the influencing factors. Results P53 antibody expression level was correlated with lobulation sign, PGP9.5 antibody expression level with sex and vascular convergence; SOX2 antibody expression level with pathological type, clinical stage, and enlarged lymph nodes; and MAGE antibody expression level with the pathological type (P<0.05). False-negative autoantibodies are prone to occur in lung cancer patients with ground-glass nodules, no enlarged lymph nodes, no vascular convergence, and PD-L1 gene expression <1% (P <0.05). Conclusion Detection of seven autoantibodies was clinically significant in patients with NSCLC. However, poor sensitivity should be considered in clinical diagnoses to prevent missed diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailin Wang
- Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Sheng Jing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Ying Hao
- Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Sheng Jing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yunlong Huo
- Department of Pathology, Sheng Jing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaoman Xu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Sheng Jing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Sheng Jing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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2
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Sun H, Zhang H. Lysine Methylation-Dependent Proteolysis by the Malignant Brain Tumor (MBT) Domain Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2248. [PMID: 38396925 PMCID: PMC10889763 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042248] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Lysine methylation is a major post-translational protein modification that occurs in both histones and non-histone proteins. Emerging studies show that the methylated lysine residues in non-histone proteins provide a proteolytic signal for ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. The SET7 (SETD7) methyltransferase specifically transfers a methyl group from S-Adenosyl methionine to a specific lysine residue located in a methylation degron motif of a protein substrate to mark the methylated protein for ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. LSD1 (Kdm1a) serves as a demethylase to dynamically remove the methyl group from the modified protein. The methylated lysine residue is specifically recognized by L3MBTL3, a methyl-lysine reader that contains the malignant brain tumor domain, to target the methylated proteins for proteolysis by the CRL4DCAF5 ubiquitin ligase complex. The methylated lysine residues are also recognized by PHF20L1 to protect the methylated proteins from proteolysis. The lysine methylation-mediated proteolysis regulates embryonic development, maintains pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells and other stem cells such as neural stem cells and hematopoietic stem cells, and controls other biological processes. Dysregulation of the lysine methylation-dependent proteolysis is associated with various diseases, including cancers. Characterization of lysine methylation should reveal novel insights into how development and related diseases are regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, P.O. Box 454003, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4003, USA;
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3
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Abatti LE, Lado-Fernández P, Huynh L, Collado M, Hoffman M, Mitchell J. Epigenetic reprogramming of a distal developmental enhancer cluster drives SOX2 overexpression in breast and lung adenocarcinoma. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:10109-10131. [PMID: 37738673 PMCID: PMC10602899 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhancer reprogramming has been proposed as a key source of transcriptional dysregulation during tumorigenesis, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Here, we identify an enhancer cluster required for normal development that is aberrantly activated in breast and lung adenocarcinoma. Deletion of the SRR124-134 cluster disrupts expression of the SOX2 oncogene, dysregulates genome-wide transcription and chromatin accessibility and reduces the ability of cancer cells to form colonies in vitro. Analysis of primary tumors reveals a correlation between chromatin accessibility at this cluster and SOX2 overexpression in breast and lung cancer patients. We demonstrate that FOXA1 is an activator and NFIB is a repressor of SRR124-134 activity and SOX2 transcription in cancer cells, revealing a co-opting of the regulatory mechanisms involved in early development. Notably, we show that the conserved SRR124 and SRR134 regions are essential during mouse development, where homozygous deletion results in the lethal failure of esophageal-tracheal separation. These findings provide insights into how developmental enhancers can be reprogrammed during tumorigenesis and underscore the importance of understanding enhancer dynamics during development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis E Abatti
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Patricia Lado-Fernández
- Laboratory of Cell Senescence, Cancer and Aging, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de Santiago (XXIS/SERGAS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Department of Physiology and Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Linh Huynh
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Manuel Collado
- Laboratory of Cell Senescence, Cancer and Aging, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de Santiago (XXIS/SERGAS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Michael M Hoffman
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Mitchell
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Kang L, Liu Y, He J, Wang Y, Xue M, Wu X, Wang Z, Zhang Y, Chu M, Li J, Wei W, Li J, Li E, Liao L, Xiao J, Zhang R, Xu L, Wong J. GSK3β-driven SOX2 overexpression is a targetable vulnerability in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Oncogene 2023; 42:2297-2314. [PMID: 37349645 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02748-w] [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: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the deadliest forms of human malignancy that currently lacks approved targeted therapeutics. Accumulating evidence suggests that SOX2 overexpression is a key driving factor for ESCC and various squamous cell carcinoma. Here, through screening a small-molecule kinase inhibitor library, we identified GSK3β as a kinase that is critically required for robust SOX2 expression in ESCC cells. GSK3β did not promote SOX2 transcriptionally but was required for SOX2 protein stability. We demonstrated that GSK3β interacts with and phosphorylates SOX2 at residue S251, which blocks SOX2 from ubiquitination and proteasome-dependent degradation instigated by ubiquitin E3 ligase CUL4ADET1-COP1. Pharmacological inhibition or knockdown of GSK3β by RNA interference selectively impaired SOX2-positive ESCC cell proliferation, cancer stemness, and tumor growth in mouse xenograft model, suggesting that GSK3β promotes ESCC tumorigenesis primarily by driving SOX2 overexpression. GSK3β was found to be frequently overexpressed in clinical esophageal tumors, and there was a positive correlation between GSK3β and SOX2 protein levels. Notably, we found that SOX2 enhanced GSK3β expression transcriptionally, suggesting the existence of a vicious cycle that drives a coordinated GSK3β and SOX2 overexpression in ESCC cells. Finally, we demonstrated in tumor xenograft model that GSK3β inhibitor AR-A014418 was effective in suppressing SOX2-positive ESCC tumor progression and inhibited tumor progression cooperatively with chemotherapeutic agent carboplatin. In conclusion, we uncovered a novel role for GSK3β in driving SOX2 overexpression and tumorigenesis and provided evidence that targeting GSK3β may hold promise for the treatment of recalcitrant ESCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Kang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Joint Center for Translational Medicine, Fengxian District Central Hospital, 6600th Nanfeng Road, Fengxian District, Shanghai, China
| | - Yujie Liu
- Department of Orthopedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianzhong He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yaling Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengyang Xue
- The Third School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fengxian Central Hospital affiliated to the Southern Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yunpeng Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Manyu Chu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jialun Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiwen Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Enmin Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lujian Liao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianru Xiao
- Department of Orthopedic Oncology, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fengxian Central Hospital affiliated to the Southern Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liyan Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jiemin Wong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
- Joint Center for Translational Medicine, Fengxian District Central Hospital, 6600th Nanfeng Road, Fengxian District, Shanghai, China.
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5
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Kang L, Zhang H, Wang Y, Chu M, He J, Xue M, Pan L, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Chen Z, Huang Y, Chen Z, Li E, Li J, Xu L, Zhang R, Wong J. Control of SOX2 protein stability and tumorigenic activity by E3 ligase CHIP in esophageal cancer cells. Oncogene 2023; 42:2315-2328. [PMID: 37353616 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02745-z] [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: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
SOX2 is highly expressed and controls tumor initiation and cancer stem cell function in various squamous cell carcinomas including esophageal squamous cancer. However, the molecular mechanism leading to SOX2 overexpression in cancer is incompletely understood. Here, we identified CHIP, a chaperone-associated ubiquitin E3 ligase, as a novel negative regulator of SOX2 protein stability and tumorigenic activity in esophageal squamous carcinoma cells. We showed that CHIP interacted with SOX2 primarily via chaperone HSP70, together they catalyzed SOX2 ubiquitination and degradation via proteasome. In contrast, HSP90 promoted SOX2 stability and inhibition of HSP90 activity induced SOX2 ubiquitination and degradation. Notably, unlike the case in normal esophageal tissues where CHIP was detected in both the cytoplasm and nucleus, CHIP in clinical esophageal tumor specimens was predominantly localized in the cytoplasm. Consistent with this observation, we observed increased expression of exportin-1/CRM-1 in clinical esophageal tumor specimens. We further demonstrated that CHIP catalyzed SOX2 ubiquitination and degradation primarily in the nuclear compartment. Taken together, our study has identified CHIP as a key suppressor of SOX2 protein stability and tumorigenic activity and revealed CHIP nuclear exclusion as a potential mechanism for aberrant SOX2 overexpression in esophageal cancer. Our study also suggests HSP90 inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents for SOX2-positive cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Kang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Huifang Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yaling Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Manyu Chu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianzhong He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Mengyang Xue
- The Third School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Fengxian Central Hospital affiliated to the Southern Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liu Pan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Fengxian Central Hospital affiliated to the Southern Medical University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinzhou Medical University, Liaoning, China
| | - Yunfeng Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Zhaosu Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yuanyong Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Zitai Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Enmin Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiwen Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Liyan Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Cancer Research Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Fengxian Central Hospital affiliated to the Southern Medical University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jiemin Wong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Fengxian District Central Hospital-ECNU Joint Center of Translational Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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6
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Liu Z, Zhang F, Jiang J, Zhao C, Zhu L, Liu C, Li N, Qiu L, Shen C, Sheng D, Zeng Q. Early detection of lung cancer in a real-world cohort via tumor-associated immune autoantibody and imaging combination. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1166894. [PMID: 37081975 PMCID: PMC10110964 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1166894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundEfficient early detection methods for lung cancer can significantly decrease patient mortality. One promising approach is the use of tumor-associated autoantibodies (TAABs) as a diagnostic tool. In this study, the researchers aimed to evaluate the potential of seven TAABs in detecting lung cancer within a population undergoing routine health examinations. The results of this study could provide valuable insights into the utility of TAABs for lung cancer screening and diagnosis.MethodsIn this study, the serum concentrations of specific antibodies were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a cohort of 15,430 subjects. The efficacy of both a 7-TAAB panel and LDCT for lung cancer detection were evaluated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) being assessed and compared. These results could have significant implications for the development of improved screening methods for lung cancer.ResultsOver the 12-month observation period, 26 individuals were diagnosed with lung cancer. The 7-TAAB panel demonstrated promising sensitivity (61.5%) and a high degree of specificity (88.5%). The panel’s area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.8062, which was superior to that of any individual TAAB. In stage I patients, the sensitivity of the panel was 50%. In our cohort, there was no gender or age bias observed. This 7-TAAB panel showed a sensitivity of approximately 60% in detecting lung cancer, regardless of histological subtype or lesion size. Notably, ground-glass nodules had a higher diagnostic rate than solid nodules (83.3% vs. 36.4%, P = 0.021). The ROC analyses further revealed that the combination of LDCT with the 7-TAAB assay exhibited a significantly superior diagnostic efficacy than LDCT alone.ConclusionIn the context of the study, it was demonstrated that the 7-TAAB panel showed improved detective efficacy of LDCT, thus serving as an effective aid for the detection of lung cancer in real-world scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong Liu
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianwen Jiang
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenzhao Zhao
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu Zhu
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenbing Liu
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nan Li
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lihong Qiu
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Shen
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Di Sheng
- Health Management Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Zeng
- Department of Health Management Institute, The Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Qiang Zeng,
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7
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Njouendou AJ, Szarvas T, Tiofack AAZ, Kenfack RN, Tonouo PD, Ananga SN, Bell EHMD, Simo G, Hoheisel JD, Siveke JT, Lueong SS. SOX2 dosage sustains tumor-promoting inflammation to drive disease aggressiveness by modulating the FOSL2/IL6 axis. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:52. [PMID: 36932385 PMCID: PMC10022277 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01734-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inflammation is undoubtedly a hallmark of cancer development. Its maintenance within tumors and the consequences on disease aggressiveness are insufficiently understood. METHODS Data of 27 tumor entities (about 5000 samples) were downloaded from the TCGA and GEO databases. Multi-omic analyses were performed on these and in-house data to investigate molecular determinants of tumor aggressiveness. Using molecular loss-of-function data, the mechanistic underpinnings of inflammation-induced tumor aggressiveness were addressed. Patient specimens and in vivo disease models were subsequently used to validate findings. RESULTS There was significant association between somatic copy number alterations (sCNAs) and tumor aggressiveness. SOX2 amplification was the most important feature among novel and known aggressiveness-associated alterations. Mechanistically, SOX2 regulates a group of genes, in particular the AP1 transcription factor FOSL2, to sustain pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, such as IL6-JAK-STAT3, TNFA and IL17. FOSL2 was found overexpressed in tumor sections of specifically aggressive cancers. In consequence, prolonged inflammation induces immunosuppression and activates cytidine deamination and thus DNA damage as evidenced by related mutational signatures in aggressive tumors. The DNA damage affects tumor suppressor genes such as TP53, which is the most mutated gene in aggressive tumors compared to less aggressive ones (38% vs 14%), thereby releasing cell cycle control. These results were confirmed by analyzing tissues from various tumor types and in vivo studies. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate the implication of SOX2 in promoting DNA damage and genome instability by sustaining inflammation via FOSL2/IL6, resulting in tumor aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdel Jelil Njouendou
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon
- Phytopharmacy and Drug Discovery Section, The Cameroon Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (CCOTCARE), Douala, Cameroon
| | - Tibor Szarvas
- Department of Urology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, 45122, Essen, Germany
- Department of Urology, Semmelweis University, 1082, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Arnol Auvaker Zebaze Tiofack
- Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit (MPEU), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, West Region, Cameroon
- Early Detection and Biomarker Section, The Cameroon Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (CCOTCARE), Douala, Cameroon
| | - Rovaldo Nguims Kenfack
- Early Detection and Biomarker Section, The Cameroon Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (CCOTCARE), Douala, Cameroon
- Research Unit of Microbiology and Antimicrobial Substances (RUMAS), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, West Region, Cameroon
| | - Pamela Derliche Tonouo
- Early Detection and Biomarker Section, The Cameroon Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (CCOTCARE), Douala, Cameroon
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon
- Department of Medical Oncology, Douala General Hospital, Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon
| | - Sidonie Noa Ananga
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon
- Department of Medical Oncology, Douala General Hospital, Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon
- Epidemiology and Clinical Trial Section, The Cameroon Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (CCOTCARE), Douala, Cameroon
| | - Esther H M Dina Bell
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon
- Department of Medical Oncology, Douala General Hospital, Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon
- Epidemiology and Clinical Trial Section, The Cameroon Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (CCOTCARE), Douala, Cameroon
| | - Gustave Simo
- Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit (MPEU), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, West Region, Cameroon
- Directorate of Scientific Affairs, The Cameroon Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (CCOTCARE), Douala, Cameroon
| | - Jörg D Hoheisel
- Division of Functional Genome Analysis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jens T Siveke
- Bridge Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Hufeland Str. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany
- Division for Solid Tumor Translational Oncology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)West German Cancer Center, The German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Essen/Düsseldorf Partner, Site University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Smiths S Lueong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon.
- Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit (MPEU), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, West Region, Cameroon.
- Early Detection and Biomarker Section, The Cameroon Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (CCOTCARE), Douala, Cameroon.
- Bridge Institute for Experimental Cancer Therapy, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, Hufeland Str. 55, 45147, Essen, Germany.
- Division for Solid Tumor Translational Oncology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)West German Cancer Center, The German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Essen/Düsseldorf Partner, Site University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
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8
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Zhang S, Chen Y, Hu Q, Zhao T, Wang Z, Zhou Y, Wei Y, Zhao H, Wang J, Yang Y, Zhang J, Shi S, Zhang Y, Yang L, Fu Z, Liu K. SOX2 inhibits LLGL2 polarity protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via miRNA-142-3p. Cancer Biol Ther 2022; 23:1-15. [PMID: 36131361 PMCID: PMC9519027 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2022.2126248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
ABBREVIATIONS CCK-8, Cell Counting Kit 8; Chip, Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; EC, Esophageal cancer; EMT, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; ESCC, Esophageal squamous cell carcinomas; LLGL2, lethal (2) giant larvae protein homolog 2; LLGL2ov, LLGL2 overexpression; MET, mesenchymal-epithelial transition; miRNAs, MicroRNAs; PRM-MS, Parallel reaction monitoring-Mass spectrometry; SD, Standard deviation; SOX, sex determining region Y (SRY)-like box; SOX2-Kd, SOX2-knockdwon; TUNEL, TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihui Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Yunyun Chen
- Central Laboratory, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Qiong Hu
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Department of Clinic Medical Laboratory, Zhoushan Hospital, Zhoushan, China
| | - Tingting Zhao
- Central Laboratory, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- Central Laboratory, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yijian Zhou
- Central Laboratory, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yuxuan Wei
- Central Laboratory, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hongzhou Zhao
- Central Laboratory, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Junkai Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yaxin Yang
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Jiaying Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Songlin Shi
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yujun Zhang
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ling Yang
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhichao Fu
- Department of radiotherapy, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistics Team (Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University), Fuzhou, China
| | - Kuancan Liu
- Central Laboratory, Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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9
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Xie S, Wan X, Chen S, Hu Y, Liu X. p21-activated kinase 2 binds to transcription factor SOX2 and up-regulates DEK to promote the progression of lung squamous cell carcinoma. J Transl Med 2022; 102:1109-1120. [PMID: 35821094 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-022-00808-5] [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: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a prevalent and progressive subtype of lung cancer. This study aimed to substantiate the regulatory effect of the PAK2/SOX2/DEK axis on the LSCC development. LSCC tissues (n = 83) and adjacent normal tissues were collected and SOX2 expression was determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Correlation between SOX2 expression and the prognosis of LSCC patients was then explored utilizing Kaplan-Meier analysis. Co-immunoprecipitation and glutathione-S-transferase pull-down assays were conducted to validate the binding of SOX2 to DEK. Gain- and loss- of function assays were then performed on LSCC cells, with CCK-8 and Transwell assays applied to detect the malignant behaviors of cells. A mouse xenograft model of LSCC was further established for in vivo validation. The expression levels of SOX2, PAK2 and DEK were up-regulated in LSCC tissues and cells. SOX2 overexpression was correlated with poor prognosis of LSCC patients. Knockdown of SOX2 weakened the viability and the migratory and invasive potential of LSCC cells. Further, PAK2 directly interacted with SOX2. PAK2 overexpression accelerated the malignant phenotypes of LSCC cells through interplay with SOX2. Moreover, SOX2 activated the expression of DEK, and silencing DEK attenuated the malignant behaviors of LSCC cells. In conclusion, PAK2 could bind to the transcription factor SOX2 and thus activate the expression of DEK, thereby driving the malignant phenotypes of LSCC cells both in vivo and in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiguang Xie
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 330006, Nanchang, P.R. China
| | - Xuan Wan
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 330006, Nanchang, P.R. China
| | - Shuyun Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 330006, Nanchang, P.R. China
| | - Yan Hu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 330006, Nanchang, P.R. China.
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 330006, Nanchang, P.R. China.
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10
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de Wet L, Williams A, Gillard M, Kregel S, Lamperis S, Gutgesell LC, Vellky JE, Brown R, Conger K, Paner GP, Wang H, Platz EA, De Marzo AM, Mu P, Coloff JL, Szmulewitz RZ, Vander Griend DJ. SOX2 mediates metabolic reprogramming of prostate cancer cells. Oncogene 2022; 41:1190-1202. [PMID: 35067686 PMCID: PMC8858874 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02157-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
New strategies are needed to predict and overcome metastatic progression and therapy resistance in prostate cancer. One potential clinical target is the stem cell transcription factor SOX2, which has a critical role in prostate development and cancer. We thus investigated the impact of SOX2 expression on patient outcomes and its function within prostate cancer cells. Analyses of SOX2 expression among a case-control cohort of 1028 annotated tumor specimens demonstrated that SOX2 expression confers a more rapid time to metastasis and decreased patient survival after biochemical recurrence. SOX2 ChIP-Seq analyses revealed SOX2-binding sites within prostate cancer cells which differ significantly from canonical embryonic SOX2 gene targets, and prostate-specific SOX2 gene targets are associated with multiple oncogenic pathways. Interestingly, phenotypic and gene expression analyses after CRISPR-mediated deletion of SOX2 in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells, as well as ectopic SOX2 expression in androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells, demonstrated that SOX2 promotes changes in multiple metabolic pathways and metabolites. SOX2 expression in prostate cancer cell lines confers increased glycolysis and glycolytic capacity, as well as increased basal and maximal oxidative respiration and increased spare respiratory capacity. Further, SOX2 expression was associated with increased quantities of mitochondria, and metabolomic analyses revealed SOX2-associated changes in the metabolism of purines, pyrimidines, amino acids and sugars, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Analyses of SOX2 gene targets with central functions metabolism (CERK, ECHS1, HS6SDT1, LPCAT4, PFKP, SLC16A3, SLC46A1, and TST) document significant expression correlation with SOX2 among RNA-Seq datasets derived from patient tumors and metastases. These data support a key role for SOX2 in metabolic reprogramming of prostate cancer cells and reveal new mechanisms to understand how SOX2 enables metastatic progression, lineage plasticity, and therapy resistance. Further, our data suggest clinical opportunities to exploit SOX2 as a biomarker for staging and imaging, as well as a potential pharmacologic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larischa de Wet
- Committee on Cancer Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Anthony Williams
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Marc Gillard
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Steven Kregel
- Committee on Cancer Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Sophia Lamperis
- Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Lisa C Gutgesell
- Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Jordan E Vellky
- Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Ryan Brown
- Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Kelly Conger
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Gladell P Paner
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Heng Wang
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Platz
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Angelo M De Marzo
- Departments of Pathology, Urology, and Oncology, and the Brady Urological Research Institute and the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Ping Mu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jonathan L Coloff
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Russell Z Szmulewitz
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Donald J Vander Griend
- Department of Pathology, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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11
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Gao L, Yu W, Song P, Li Q. Non-histone methylation of SET7/9 and its biological functions. Recent Pat Anticancer Drug Discov 2021; 17:231-243. [PMID: 34856916 DOI: 10.2174/1574892816666211202160041] [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: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND (su(var)-3-9,enhancer-of-zeste,trithorax) domain-containing protein 7/9 (SET7/9) is a member of the protein lysine methyltransferases (PLMTs or PKMTs) family. It contains a SET domain. Recent studies demonstrate that SET7/9 methylates both lysine 4 of histone 3 (H3-K4) and lysine(s) of non-histone proteins, including transcription factors, tumor suppressors, and membrane-associated receptors. OBJECTIVE This article mainly reviews the non-histone methylation effects of SET7/9 and its functions in tumorigenesis and development. METHODS PubMed was screened for this information. RESULTS SET7/9 plays a key regulatory role in various biological processes such as cell proliferation, transcription regulation, cell cycle, protein stability, cardiac morphogenesis, and development. In addition, SET7/9 is involved in the pathogenesis of hair loss, breast cancer progression, human carotid plaque atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and pulmonary fibrosis. CONCLUSION SET7/9 is an important methyltransferase, which can catalyze the methylation of a variety of proteins. Its substrates are closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Gao
- Department of Pathology, Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Shanghai 201299. China
| | - Weiping Yu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Medical school of Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu. China
| | - Peng Song
- Department of Pathology, Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Shanghai 201299. China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Pathology, Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Shanghai 201299. China
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12
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Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of seven autoantibodies in all lung cancer, lung adenocarcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma and early-stage lung cancer patients. ELISA testing of a seven autoantibody panel was performed on 386 lung cancer patients and 238 normal controls. The sensitivity and specificity of each autoantibody were analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The diagnostic efficacy of a combination of these seven autoantibodies was evaluated by binary logistic regression. The results indicated that six of the seven autoantibodies (p53, SOX2, GAGE7, GBU4-5, MAGEA1 and CAGE) had high specificity and low sensitivity, while PGP9.5 had high sensitivity and low specificity. Further analysis showed that all seven autoantibodies had better diagnostic value in lung squamous cell carcinoma patients when compared to lung adenocarcinoma or all lung cancer patients. Logistic regression showed that a combination of the seven autoantibodies resulted in more reliable detection of lung cancer than any individual autoantibody in early-stage lung cancer (sensitivity/specificity: 47.8%/81.4%, areas under the curve: 0.764, 95% confidence interval: 0.718-0.811). Additionally, this panel had a better sensitivity of 56.5% for detection of lung squamous cell carcinoma than for all lung cancer (50.1%) or adenocarcinoma (51.7%) (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that the seven autoantibody panel could be used for early lung cancer detection, and it had better sensitivity in diagnosis of lung squamous cell carcinoma.
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13
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Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 Exerts Its Anti-Metastatic Effect in Aerodigestive Tract Cancers by Disrupting the Protein Stability of Vimentin. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13051041. [PMID: 33801272 PMCID: PMC7958122 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Local invasion and distal metastasis are the main causes of cancer-related death and the poor prognosis of patients with aerodigestive tract cancers. Therefore, understanding the biology of invasion and metastasis is important for the development of effective therapeutic strategies. The present study shows that insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) inhibits the migration and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells in vitro and the development of metastasized tumors in vivo. Mechanistic studies suggest vimentin as a cellular target for the antimetastatic effect of IGFBP-3. These results contribute to a better understanding on the regulation of metastasis of cancer cells, providing the rationale to utilize IGFBP-3 as an effective therapeutic strategy targeting migration and metastasis of aerodigestive tract cancers. Abstract The proapoptotic, antiangiogenic, and antimetastatic activities of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) through IGF-dependent or -independent mechanisms have been suggested in various types of human cancers. However, a mechanistic explanation of and downstream targets involved in the antimetastatic effect of IGFBP-3 is still lacking. In this study, by applying various in vitro and in vivo models, we show that IGFBP-3 suppresses migration and invasion of human head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Silencing IGFBP-3 expression elevated the migration and invasion of NSCLC and HNSCC cells in vitro and their local invasion and metastasis in vivo, whereas overexpression of IGFBP-3 decreased such prometastatic changes. Local invasion of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO)-induced HNSCC tumors was consistently significantly potentiated in Igfbp3 knockout mice compared with that in wild-type mice. Mechanistically, IGFBP-3 disrupted the protein stability of vimentin via direct binding and promoting its association with the E3 ligase FBXL14, causing proteasomal degradation. The C-terminal domain of IGFBP-3 and the head domain of vimentin are essential for their interaction. These results provide a molecular framework for IGFBP-3′s IGF-independent antimetastatic and antitumor activities.
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14
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Zengin T, Önal-Süzek T. Comprehensive Profiling of Genomic and Transcriptomic Differences between Risk Groups of Lung Adenocarcinoma and Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma. J Pers Med 2021; 11:154. [PMID: 33672117 PMCID: PMC7926392 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11020154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer type and responsible for the highest number of cancer deaths worldwide. Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) are subtypes of non-small-cell lung cancer which has the highest frequency of lung cancer cases. We aimed to analyze genomic and transcriptomic variations including simple nucleotide variations (SNVs), copy number variations (CNVs) and differential expressed genes (DEGs) in order to find key genes and pathways for diagnostic and prognostic prediction for lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma. We performed a univariate Cox model and then lasso-regularized Cox model with leave-one-out cross-validation using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) gene expression data in tumor samples. We generated 35- and 33-gene signatures for prognostic risk prediction based on the overall survival time of the patients with LUAD and LUSC, respectively. When we clustered patients into high- and low-risk groups, the survival analysis showed highly significant results with high prediction power for both training and test datasets. Then, we characterized the differences including significant SNVs, CNVs, DEGs, active subnetworks, and the pathways. We described the results for the risk groups and cancer subtypes separately to identify specific genomic alterations between both high-risk groups and cancer subtypes. Both LUAD and LUSC high-risk groups have more downregulated immune pathways and upregulated metabolic pathways. On the other hand, low-risk groups have both up- and downregulated genes on cancer-related pathways. Both LUAD and LUSC have important gene alterations such as CDKN2A and CDKN2B deletions with different frequencies. SOX2 amplification occurs in LUSC and PSMD4 amplification in LUAD. EGFR and KRAS mutations are mutually exclusive in LUAD samples. EGFR, MGA, SMARCA4, ATM, RBM10, and KDM5C genes are mutated only in LUAD but not in LUSC. CDKN2A, PTEN, and HRAS genes are mutated only in LUSC samples. The low-risk groups of both LUAD and LUSC tend to have a higher number of SNVs, CNVs, and DEGs. The signature genes and altered genes have the potential to be used as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for personalized oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talip Zengin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, 48000 Muğla, Turkey;
- Department of Bioinformatics, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, 48000 Muğla, Turkey
| | - Tuğba Önal-Süzek
- Department of Bioinformatics, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, 48000 Muğla, Turkey
- Department of Computer Engineering, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, 48000 Muğla, Turkey
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15
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Terasaki K, Gen Y, Iwai N, Soda T, Kitaichi T, Dohi O, Taketani H, Seko Y, Umemura A, Nishikawa T, Yamaguchi K, Moriguchi M, Konishi H, Naito Y, Itoh Y, Yasui K. SOX2 enhances cell survival and induces resistance to apoptosis under serum starvation conditions through the AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2021; 21:269. [PMID: 33717266 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.12530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human SOX2 gene was recently identified as a novel major oncogene, recurrently amplified and overexpressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the role and molecular mechanism of SOX2 in the carcinogenesis of ESCC remain to be elucidated. The present study investigated the effect of SOX2 on ESCC cell survival and resistance to apoptosis under serum starvation conditions. An adenoviral vector-mediated expression system and RNA interference were used to study the effect of SOX2. The present results revealed that SOX2 promoted ESCC cell survival and enhanced resistance to apoptosis under serum starvation conditions, but not in culture conditions with serum. Mechanistically, SOX2 increased the expression levels of phosphorylated AKT and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), a downstream factor of AKT, under serum starvation conditions, leading to the promotion of ESCC cell survival. Additionally, SOX2 activated AKT through the PTEN/PI3K/phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 signaling pathways. Therefore, SOX2 may facilitate the survival of ESCC cells under poor nutrient conditions by activating the AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Terasaki
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Gen
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Naoto Iwai
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Soda
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Tomoko Kitaichi
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Osamu Dohi
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Hiroyoshi Taketani
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yuya Seko
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Atsushi Umemura
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Taichiro Nishikawa
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Kanji Yamaguchi
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Michihisa Moriguchi
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Konishi
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yuji Naito
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yoshito Itoh
- Department of Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan
| | - Kohichiroh Yasui
- School of Health Sciences, Bukkyo University, Nakagyo, Kyoto 604-8418, Japan
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16
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Wang X, Ge X, Wang H, Huang J, Song Q, Xu C, Jiang Z, Su J, Wang H, Tan L, Jiang D, Hou Y. SOX2 amplification and chromosome 3 gain significantly impact prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2021; 9:321. [PMID: 33708948 PMCID: PMC7944334 DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-1290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background We aimed to investigate the prevalence and prognostic role of Sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) amplification and expression in surgically resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods We evaluated 450 ESCC samples using fluorescence in-situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry for SOX2 gene amplification and protein expression, respectively. The relationships of gene status with various clinicopathological characteristics and patient survival were statistically analyzed. Results SOX2 amplifications and chromosome 3 gain were observed in 4.4% and 12.9% of patients with ESCC. SOX2 amplification was associated with later clinical stage, and chromosome 3 gain was associated with earlier clinical stage (P=0.025). Low and high SOX2 expression were found in 28.9% and 24.7% of cases, respectively. SOX2 expression was significantly associated with gene copy number variation (P=0.007). SOX2 amplification was associated with a significantly shorter disease-free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS). However, chromosome 3 gain was associated with a significantly longer DFS or OS (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model indicated that SOX2 amplification was an independently poorer prognostic factor (DFS, P<0.001, HR 2.638, 95% CI, 1.581–4.403; OS, P<0.001, HR 2.608, 95% CI, 1.562–4.355), along with pathology tumor-node-metastasis (pTNM) stage, whereas chromosome 3 gain was an independently better prognostic factor (DFS, P=0.003, HR 0.486, 95% CI, 0.300–0.789; OS, P=0.003, HR 0.474, 95% CI, 0.289–0.779) for ESCC. Conclusions This is the first study wherein SOX2 amplification and chromosome 3 gain in a large cohort of ESCC were evaluated. SOX2 amplification is an independently poorer prognostic factor, whereas chromosome 3 gain is an independently favorable prognostic factor. Our results suggest that SOX2 amplification and chromosome 3 gain are potential biomarkers related to tumor progression and risk stratification in ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowen Ge
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haixing Wang
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Song
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Xu
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengzeng Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jieakesu Su
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijie Tan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongxian Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingyong Hou
- Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences & Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pathology, Qingpu Branch of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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17
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Yi M, Tan Y, Wang L, Cai J, Li X, Zeng Z, Xiong W, Li G, Li X, Tan P, Xiang B. TP63 links chromatin remodeling and enhancer reprogramming to epidermal differentiation and squamous cell carcinoma development. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:4325-4346. [PMID: 32447427 PMCID: PMC7588389 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03539-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an aggressive malignancy that can originate from various organs. TP63 is a master regulator that plays an essential role in epidermal differentiation. It is also a lineage-dependent oncogene in SCC. ΔNp63α is the prominent isoform of TP63 expressed in epidermal cells and SCC, and overexpression promotes SCC development through a variety of mechanisms. Recently, ΔNp63α was highlighted to act as an epidermal-specific pioneer factor that binds closed chromatin and enhances chromatin accessibility at epidermal enhancers. ΔNp63α coordinates chromatin-remodeling enzymes to orchestrate the tissue-specific enhancer landscape and three-dimensional high-order architecture of chromatin. Moreover, ΔNp63α establishes squamous-like enhancer landscapes to drive oncogenic target expression during SCC development. Importantly, ΔNp63α acts as an upstream regulator of super enhancers to activate a number of oncogenic transcripts linked to poor prognosis in SCC. Mechanistically, ΔNp63α activates genes transcription through physically interacting with a number of epigenetic modulators to establish enhancers and enhance chromatin accessibility. In contrast, ΔNp63α also represses gene transcription via interacting with repressive epigenetic regulators. ΔNp63α expression is regulated at multiple levels, including transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels. In this review, we summarize recent advances of p63 in epigenomic and transcriptional control, as well as the mechanistic regulation of p63.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Yi
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Yixin Tan
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, The Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Jing Cai
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoling Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Zhaoyang Zeng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Guiyuan Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Xiayu Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Pingqing Tan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya Medical School, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
| | - Bo Xiang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis, Hunan Provincial Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nonresolving Inflammation and Cancer, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, China.
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, China.
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Tokaca N, Cui W, Hazell S, Nicholson AG, Van As N, Popat S. Squamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Molecularly Reclassified as Transdifferentiated Prostate Cancer Due to Identification of TMPRSS2-ERG Translocation With SOX2 Amplification. JCO Oncol Pract 2020; 16:695-697. [PMID: 32840422 DOI: 10.1200/op.20.00575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nadza Tokaca
- The Lung Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wanyuan Cui
- The Lung Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Hazell
- Department of Histopathology, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew G Nicholson
- Department of Histopathology, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, and National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sanjay Popat
- The Lung Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, United Kingdom.,The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Extracellular serine controls epidermal stem cell fate and tumour initiation. Nat Cell Biol 2020; 22:779-790. [PMID: 32451440 PMCID: PMC7343604 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-020-0525-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Tissue stem cells are the cell of origin for many malignancies. Metabolites regulate the balance between self-renewal and differentiation, but whether endogenous metabolic pathways or nutrient availability predispose stem cells to transformation remains unknown. Here, we address this question in epidermal stem cells (EpdSCs), a cell of origin for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We find that oncogenic EpdSCs are serine auxotrophs whose growth and self-renewal requires abundant exogenous serine. When extracellular serine is limiting, EpdSCs activate de novo serine synthesis, which in turn stimulates αKG-dependent dioxygenases that remove the repressive histone modification H3K27me3 and activate differentiation programs. Accordingly, serine starvation or enforced α-ketoglutarate production antagonizes SCC growth. Conversely, blocking serine synthesis or repressing α-ketoglutarate driven demethylation facilitates malignant progression. Together, these findings reveal that extracellular serine is a critical determinant of EpdSC fate and provide insight into how nutrient availability is integrated with stem cell fate decisions during tumor initiation.
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20
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Huang T, Cheng X, Chahoud J, Sarhan A, Tamboli P, Rao P, Guo M, Manyam G, Zhang L, Xiang Y, Han L, Shang X, Deng P, Luo Y, Lu X, Feng S, Ferrer MM, Alan Wang Y, DePinho RA, Pettaway CA, Lu X. Effective combinatorial immunotherapy for penile squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2124. [PMID: 32358507 PMCID: PMC7195486 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15980-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) accounts for over 95% of penile malignancies and causes significant mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Molecular mechanisms and therapies of PSCC are understudied, owing to scarcity of laboratory models. Herein, we describe a genetically engineered mouse model of PSCC, by co-deletion of Smad4 and Apc in the androgen-responsive epithelium of the penis. Mouse PSCC fosters an immunosuppressive microenvironment with myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) as a dominant population. Preclinical trials in the model demonstrate synergistic efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade with the MDSC-diminishing drugs cabozantinib or celecoxib. A critical clinical problem of PSCC is chemoresistance to cisplatin, which is induced by Pten deficiency on the backdrop of Smad4/Apc co-deletion. Drug screen studies informed by targeted proteomics identify a few potential therapeutic strategies for PSCC. Our studies have established what we believe to be essential resources for studying PSCC biology and developing therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhe Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710061, China
| | - Xi Cheng
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of General Surgery, , Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Jad Chahoud
- Department of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ahmed Sarhan
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Pheroze Tamboli
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Priya Rao
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ming Guo
- Department of Pathology/Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ganiraju Manyam
- Department of Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - Yu Xiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Leng Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Xiaoying Shang
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Pingna Deng
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yanting Luo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Xuemin Lu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Shan Feng
- Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310024, Zhejiang, China
| | - Magaly Martinez Ferrer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA
- University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA
| | - Y Alan Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ronald A DePinho
- Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Curtis A Pettaway
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Xin Lu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.
- Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
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Guan Y, Wang G, Fails D, Nagarajan P, Ge Y. Unraveling cancer lineage drivers in squamous cell carcinomas. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 206:107448. [PMID: 31836455 PMCID: PMC6995404 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.107448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cancer hijacks embryonic development and adult wound repair mechanisms to fuel malignancy. Cancer frequently originates from de-regulated adult stem cells or progenitors, which are otherwise essential units for postnatal tissue remodeling and repair. Cancer genomics studies have revealed convergence of multiple cancers across organ sites, including squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), a common group of cancers arising from the head and neck, esophagus, lung, cervix and skin. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on the molecular drivers of SCCs, including these five major organ sites. We especially focus our discussion on lineage dependent driver genes and pathways, in the context of squamous development and stratification. We then use skin as a model to discuss the notion of field cancerization during SCC carcinogenesis, and cancer as a wound that never heals. Finally, we turn to the idea of context dependency widely observed in cancer driver genes, and outline literature support and possible explanations for their lineage specific functions. Through these discussions, we aim to provide an up-to-date summary of molecular mechanisms driving tumor plasticity in squamous cancers. Such basic knowledge will be helpful to inform the clinics for better stratifying cancer patients, revealing novel drug targets and providing effective treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinglu Guan
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Guan Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Danielle Fails
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Priyadharsini Nagarajan
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Yejing Ge
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
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22
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Schaefer T, Lengerke C. SOX2 protein biochemistry in stemness, reprogramming, and cancer: the PI3K/AKT/SOX2 axis and beyond. Oncogene 2020; 39:278-292. [PMID: 31477842 PMCID: PMC6949191 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-0997-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Research of the past view years expanded our understanding of the various physiological functions the cell-fate determining transcription factor SOX2 exerts in ontogenesis, reprogramming, and cancer. However, while scientific reports featuring novel and exciting aspects of SOX2-driven biology are published in near weekly routine, investigations in the underlying protein-biochemical processes that transiently tailor SOX2 activity to situational demand are underrepresented and have not yet been comprehensively summarized. Largely unrecognizable to modern array or sequencing-based technology, various protein secondary modifications and concomitant function modulations have been reported for SOX2. The chemical modifications imposed onto SOX2 are inherently heterogeneous, comprising singular or clustered events of phosphorylation, methylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, PARPylation, and O-glycosylation that reciprocally affect each other and critically impact SOX2 functionality, often in a tissue and species-specific manner. One recurring regulatory principle though is the canonical PI3K/AKT signaling axis to which SOX2 relates in various entangled, albeit not exclusive ways. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the current knowledge on SOX2 protein modifications, their proposed relationship to the PI3K/AKT pathway, and regulatory influence on SOX2 with regards to stemness, reprogramming, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Schaefer
- University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Claudia Lengerke
- University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Department of Biomedicine, Basel, Switzerland
- University Hospital Basel, Division of Hematology, Basel, Switzerland
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23
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Zhou YX, Liu Q, Wang H, Ding F, Ma YQ. The expression and prognostic value of SOX2, β-catenin and survivin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Future Oncol 2019; 15:4181-4195. [PMID: 31789057 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2018-0884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: We mainly explored the effect of SOX2, β-catenin and survivin on prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Materials & methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of SOX2, β-catenin and survivin. χ2 test was used to analyze the relationship between proteins and clinicopathological parameters. Survival analysis was used to investigate the effect of three proteins on prognosis. Results: SOX2 was related to lymph node metastasis (p = 0.004) and vascular invasion (p = 0.041). β-catenin was associated with depth of invasion (p = 0.014), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.032) and postoperative chemoradiotherapy (p < 0.001). Survivin was related to gender (p = 0.022) and nerve invasion (p = 0.014). There was a positive correlation between SOX2 and β-catenin. Patients with SOX2 and β-catenin overexpression had poor prognosis. Survivin-positive patients who received postoperative chemoradiotherapy had a short time. Conclusion: SOX2, β-catenin and survivin can be used as prognostic markers of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Xing Zhou
- Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, PR China, 830054
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Pathology, Basic Medicine College, Medical University of Xinjiang, Urumqi, PR China, 830054
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, PR China, 830054
| | - Fend Ding
- Department of Pathology, The First People's Hospital of Pingyuan County, Dezhou, Shandong, PR China, 253100
| | - Yu-Qing Ma
- Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, PR China, 830054
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24
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Verma V, Chandrashekar C. Evaluation of SOX2 and podoplanin expression in oral epithelial dysplasia and its correlation with malignant transformation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 10:e12450. [PMID: 31464104 DOI: 10.1111/jicd.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
AIM Oral carcinogenesis cascade is a complex process, characterized by variable numbers of genetic and epigenetic alterations of various genes with manifold roles that could serve as biological hallmarks. This study was undertaken to assess the protein expression of SOX2 and podoplanin in oral epithelial dysplasia and correlate the expression with clinicopathological parameters and risk of malignant transformation. METHODS SOX2 and podoplanin expression were analyzed in 60 cases of oral epithelial dysplasia. The association between SOX2 and podoplanin expression with various clinicopathological parameters and transformation to oral cancer was analyzed. RESULTS A higher Histoscore was seen in 55% of moderate and 30% of severe dysplasia. 25% of the cases showed a negative podoplanin expression and 30% of patients had higher podoplanin expression (score 2 and 3). Though there was significant association of both SOX2 and podoplanin expression with the degree of dysplasia, the association of their expression with transformation to oral squamous cell carcinoma did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION Alteration in SOX2 and podoplanin is likely an important event in head and neck carcinogenesis; however, their expression may be valuable only in a few cases of oral epithelial dysplasia to assess the risk of malignant transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vani Verma
- Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Chetana Chandrashekar
- Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
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25
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26
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The Stem Cell-associated Transcription Factor SOX2 as a Diagnostic Marker of High-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion of the Uterine Cervix in Comparison With p16 and Ki-67. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol 2019; 26:403-410. [PMID: 27490766 DOI: 10.1097/pai.0000000000000434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor SOX2 has been identified as an oncogene involved in the pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of multiple sites, including the uterine cervix. The relationship between SOX2 overexpression and the continuum of precancerous lesions of the cervix has not been previously elucidated. We evaluated SOX2 immunohistochemical expression in normal cervix, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) (mild squamous dysplasia), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) (moderate and severe dysplasia) and SCC of the cervix in comparison with p16 and Ki-67. Staining patterns were scored as negative, basal one third of the epithelium, lower two third, or full thickness. The results showed that SOX2 expression was limited to the basal one third in 84% of LSIL cases, whereas 95% of HSIL showed SOX2 expression up to two third or full thickness (P<0.0001). p16 and Ki-67 displayed similar results. The difference in SOX2 expression between moderate and severe dysplasia was not statistically significant (P=0.53). Invasive SCC positivity was as follows: SOX2 94%; p16 89%; and Ki-67 100%. Our findings support a role for SOX2 in the progression of squamous dysplasia to SCC. The Lower Anogenital Standardization Terminology Project's recent assertion of a lack of a biological correlate to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia II is also upheld by SOX2. For equivocal situations in which a diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia II would have been made, Lower Anogenital Standardization Terminology recommends p16, or other biomarkers such as Ki-67 to clarify the diagnosis. SOX2, with a clean nuclear staining pattern, may also be suitable for this role.
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27
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Janku F, Diamond EL, Goodman AM, Raghavan VK, Barnes TG, Kato S, Abdel-Wahab O, Durham BH, Meric-Bernstam F, Kurzrock R. Molecular Profiling of Tumor Tissue and Plasma Cell-Free DNA from Patients with Non-Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 18:1149-1157. [PMID: 31015311 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-18-1244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The BRAF V600E mutation and BRAF inhibitor responsiveness characterize ∼50% of patients with the non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis (non-LCH) Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD). We interrogated the non-LCH molecular landscape [ECD, n = 35; Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), n = 3; mixed ECD/RDD, n = 1] using BRAF V600E PCR and/or next-generation sequencing [tissue and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) of plasma and/or urine]. Of 34 evaluable patients, 17 (50%) had the BRAF V600E mutation. Of 31 patients evaluable for non-BRAF V600E alterations, 18 (58%) had ≥1 alteration and 12 putative non-BRAF V600E MAPK pathway alterations: atypical BRAF mutation; GNAS, MAP2K1, MAP2K2, NF1, and RAS mutations; RAF1 or ERBB2 amplifications; LMNA-NTRK1 (TRK inhibitor-sensitive) and CAPZA2-BRAF fusions. Four patients had JAK2, MPL ASXL1, U2AF1 alterations, which can correlate with myeloid neoplasms, a known ECD predisposition, and one developed myelofibrosis 13 months after cfDNA testing. Therefore, our multimodal comprehensive genomics reveals clinically relevant alterations and suggests that MAPK activation is a hallmark of non-LCH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Janku
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Clinical Trials Program), Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
| | - Eli L Diamond
- Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
| | - Aaron M Goodman
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, California
| | - Vaijayanthi Kandadai Raghavan
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Clinical Trials Program), Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Tamara G Barnes
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Clinical Trials Program), Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Shumei Kato
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, California
| | - Omar Abdel-Wahab
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Benjamin H Durham
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Funda Meric-Bernstam
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Clinical Trials Program), Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Razelle Kurzrock
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, California
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AKT drives SOX2 overexpression and cancer cell stemness in esophageal cancer by protecting SOX2 from UBR5-mediated degradation. Oncogene 2019; 38:5250-5264. [PMID: 30894683 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-0790-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As a transcription factor critical for embryonic and adult stem cell self-renewal and function, SOX2 gene amplification has been recognized as a driving factor for various cancers including esophageal cancer. SOX2 overexpression occurs more broadly in cancer than gene amplification, but the mechanism is poorly understood. Here we showed that in esophageal cancer cell lines the levels of SOX2 proteins are not directly correlated to the copy numbers of SOX2 genes and are strongly influenced by proteostasis. We showed that AKT is a major determinant for SOX2 overexpression and does so by protecting SOX2 from ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation. We identified UBR5 as a major ubiquitin E3 ligase that induces SOX2 degradation through ubiquitinating SOX2 at lysine 115. Phosphorylation of SOX2 at threonine 116 by AKT inhibits the interaction of UBR5 with SOX2 and thus stabilizes SOX2. We provided evidence that AKT inhibitor can effectively downregulate SOX2 and suppress esopheageal cancer cell proliferation and stemness. Taken together, our study provides new insight into the mechanism of SOX2 overexpression in cancer and evidence for targeting AKT as a potential therapeutic strategy for SOX2-positive cancers.
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29
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Granda-Díaz R, Menéndez ST, Pedregal Mallo D, Hermida-Prado F, Rodríguez R, Suárez-Fernández L, Vallina A, Sánchez-Canteli M, Rodríguez A, Fernández-García MS, Rodrigo JP, García-Pedrero JM. The Novel Role of SOX2 as an Early Predictor of Cancer Risk in Patients with Laryngeal Precancerous Lesions. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11030286. [PMID: 30823625 PMCID: PMC6468607 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11030286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The SOX2 gene located at 3q26 is frequently amplified and overexpressed in multiple cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). The tumor-promoting activity and involvement of SOX2 in tumor progression has been extensively demonstrated, thereby emerging as a promising therapeutic target. However, the role of SOX2 in early stages of tumorigenesis and its possible contribution to malignant transformation remain unexplored. This study investigates for the first time SOX2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry and gene amplification by real-time PCR using a large series of 94 laryngeal precancerous lesions. Correlations with the histopathological classification and the risk of progression to invasive carcinoma were established. Nuclear SOX2 expression was frequently detected in 38 (40%) laryngeal dysplasias, whereas stromal cells and normal adjacent epithelia showed negative expression. SOX2 gene amplification was detected in 18 (33%) of 55 laryngeal dysplasias. Univariate Cox analysis showed that SOX2 gene amplification (p = 0.046) and protein expression (p < 0.001) but not histological grading (p = 0.432) were significantly associated with laryngeal cancer risk. In multivariate stepwise analysis including age, tobacco, histology, SOX2 gene amplification and SOX2 expression, SOX2 expression (HR = 3.531, 95% CI 1.144 to 10.904; p = 0.028) was the only significant independent predictor of laryngeal cancer development. These findings underscore the relevant role of SOX2 in early tumorigenesis and a novel clinical application of SOX2 expression as independent predictor of laryngeal cancer risk in patients with precancerous lesions beyond current WHO histological grading. Therefore, targeting SOX2 could lead to effective strategies for both cancer prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Granda-Díaz
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
- Ciber de Cáncer, CIBERONC, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Sofía T Menéndez
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
- Ciber de Cáncer, CIBERONC, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Daniel Pedregal Mallo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Francisco Hermida-Prado
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - René Rodríguez
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
- Ciber de Cáncer, CIBERONC, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Laura Suárez-Fernández
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Aitana Vallina
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Mario Sánchez-Canteli
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Aida Rodríguez
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - M Soledad Fernández-García
- Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Juan P Rodrigo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
- Ciber de Cáncer, CIBERONC, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Juana M García-Pedrero
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Avda. Roma, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
- Ciber de Cáncer, CIBERONC, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
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PHF20L1 antagonizes SOX2 proteolysis triggered by the MLL1/WDR5 complexes. J Transl Med 2018; 98:1627-1641. [PMID: 30089852 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-018-0106-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional factor SOX2 regulates stem cell pluripotency, cell differentiation and tumorigenesis. As a key factor, the expression of SOX2 is tightly regulated at transcriptional and post-translational levels. However, the underlying mechanism of SOX2 protein stability remains to be elucidated. Here we show that the histone-lysine N-methyltransferase MLL1/WDR5 complexes physically interact with SOX2 and evoke SOX2 proteolysis, possibly through methylation on a potential site lysine 42 (K42). Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing of the components of the MLL1/WDR5 complexes WDR5, MLL1, RBBP5, and ASH2L lead to the accumulation of SOX2, while forced expression of WDR5 promotes SOX2 ubiquitination and proteolysis. Conversely, PHD finger protein 20-like protein 1 (PHF20L1) associates with SOX2, antagonizes SOX2 ubiquitination and the sequential degradation induced by the MLL1/WDR5 complexes. RNA interferences of PHF20L1 promote the degradation of SOX2, while forced expression of PHF20L1 stabilizes SOX2. Co-silencing of MLL1/WDR5 components and PHF20L1 preclude degradation of SOX2 induced by knockdown of PHF20L1. Moreover, co-expression of PHF20L1 and WDR5 prevent ubiquitination of SOX2 triggered by WDR5 over-expression. However, SOX2 mutant K42R is non-sensitive to the MLL1/WDR5 complexes or PHF20L1. In addition, PHF20L1 may regulate the stability of SOX2 through its malignant brain tumor (MBT) domain, since the degradation of SOX2 is accelerated by UNC1215 and UNC669, inhibitors that bind to the MBT domain. Furthermore, abundant expression of SOX2 is highly correlated to immature ovarian teratoma. Loss of PHF20L1 weakened the tumor initiation ability of PA-1 cells while ablation of MLL1 promoted the growth of tumors. Thus, our studies reveal an antagonistic mechanism by which the protein stability of SOX2 is regulated by the MLL1/WDR5 complexes and PHF20L1, possibly through methylation of SOX2 protein, and provide a novel perspective on SOX2-positive cancer treatment.
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SOX2 Gene Amplification and Overexpression is Linked to HPV-positive Vulvar Carcinomas. Int J Gynecol Pathol 2018; 37:68-73. [PMID: 28700423 DOI: 10.1097/pgp.0000000000000388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
SOX2 (SRY-related HMG-box 2) belongs to the SOX gene family of high-mobility transcription factors indispensably involved in gene regulation in pluripotent stem cells and neural differentiation. SOX2 copy number increases have been frequently reported in various types of squamous cell cancer. To better understand the effect of SOX2 aberrations on vulvar cancer phenotype and patient prognosis, we analyzed SOX2 copy number changes using fluorescence in situ hybridization and SOX2 expression by immunohistochemistry in 55 squamous cell carcinomas of the vulva. SOX2 amplification was found in 20.8% of tumors; 27.3% of vulvar carcinomas showed SOX2 protein overexpression. SOX2 amplification was correlated with SOX2 overexpression in our data set (P<0.01). Amplification of the SOX2 locus was associated with high tumor grade (P<0.05) and human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity (P<0.01). SOX2-amplified tumors showed more frequently a basaloid phenotype than nonamplified carcinomas. SOX2 protein overexpression was also correlated with basaloid phenotype and positive HPV status of vulvar carcinomas (P<0.05, each). SOX2 amplification and expression were not associated with patient overall survival. In conclusion, SOX2 copy number increases are detectable in a substantial proportion of high-grade HPV-positive vulvar carcinomas with basaloid differentiation. Our study provides further evidence for different molecular alterations in HPV-positive and HPV-negative vulvar carcinomas.
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Testa U, Castelli G, Pelosi E. Lung Cancers: Molecular Characterization, Clonal Heterogeneity and Evolution, and Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:E248. [PMID: 30060526 PMCID: PMC6116004 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10080248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer causes the largest number of cancer-related deaths in the world. Most (85%) of lung cancers are classified as non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (15%) (SCLC). The 5-year survival rate for NSCLC patients remains very low (about 16% at 5 years). The two predominant NSCLC histological phenotypes are adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (LSQCC). ADCs display several recurrent genetic alterations, including: KRAS, BRAF and EGFR mutations; recurrent mutations and amplifications of several oncogenes, including ERBB2, MET, FGFR1 and FGFR2; fusion oncogenes involving ALK, ROS1, Neuregulin1 (NRG1) and RET. In LSQCC recurrent mutations of TP53, FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3, DDR2 and genes of the PI3K pathway have been detected, quantitative gene abnormalities of PTEN and CDKN2A. Developments in the characterization of lung cancer molecular abnormalities provided a strong rationale for new therapeutic options and for understanding the mechanisms of drug resistance. However, the complexity of lung cancer genomes is particularly high, as shown by deep-sequencing studies supporting the heterogeneity of lung tumors at cellular level, with sub-clones exhibiting different combinations of mutations. Molecular studies performed on lung tumors during treatment have shown the phenomenon of clonal evolution, thus supporting the occurrence of a temporal tumor heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ugo Testa
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Germana Castelli
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Elvira Pelosi
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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33
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Ren S, Klump W. Gynecologic Serous Carcinoma: An Immunohistochemical Analysis of Malignant Body Fluid Specimens. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2018; 143:677-682. [PMID: 29688031 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2017-0260-oa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT.— Evaluation of fluid specimens involved by serous carcinoma might potentially include PAX8, GATA3, Uroplakin II, SOX2, and SALL4 antibodies. Those markers are commonly employed for diagnosing carcinomas of various types, including urothelial malignancies and germ cell tumors. There have been no comprehensive immunohistochemical studies, to our knowledge, for those markers on fluid specimens involved by serous carcinoma. OBJECTIVE.— To evaluate immunohistochemical markers PAX8, GATA3, SOX2, uroplakin II, and SALL4 in the diagnosis of high-grade serous carcinoma in fluid specimens. DESIGN.— We examined 113 fluids (96 ascites specimens and 17 pleural fluid specimens) that were positive for carcinoma. Most (94 cases; 83.2%) consisted of high-grade serous carcinoma of Müllerian origin. Nineteen cases of non-high-grade serous carcinoma (including one case of low-grade serous carcinoma) of gynecologic origin were also included as anecdotal data. RESULTS.— In 113 fluid specimens with positive results for carcinoma, including nonserous types, 99 (87.6%) had positive results for PAX8, 19 (16.8%) for GATA3; 19 (16.8%) for SOX2, 23 (20.4%) for uroplakin II, and 8 (7.1%) for SALL4. Of 94 fluids (83.2%) involved with high-grade serous carcinoma, 84 (89.4%) had positive results for PAX8, 18 (19.1%) for GATA3, 17 (18.1%) for SOX2, 22 (23.4%) for uroplakin II, and 8 (8.5%) for SALL4. Some of these specimens showed reactivity for more than one immunohistochemical marker. CONCLUSIONS.— Most fluids involving high-grade serous carcinoma showed positive results for PAX8, and some cases expressed GATA3, SOX2, uroplakin II, and SALL4. Serous carcinoma in fluids may be positive for immunohistochemical markers not thought of traditionally as associated with gynecologic malignancy, an important consideration in avoiding misdiagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William Klump
- From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, New Jersey
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34
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Feng X, Lu M. Expression of sex-determining region Y-box protein 2 in breast cancer and its clinical significance. Saudi Med J 2018; 38:685-690. [PMID: 28674712 PMCID: PMC5556274 DOI: 10.15537/smj.2017.7.19372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-determining region Y-box protein 2 (SOX2) is an embryo transcription factor located on chromosome 3q26.3-q27. It plays an important role in the maintenance of differentiation and self-renewal of pluripotent stem cells. Studies have shown that SOX2 is associated with multiple cancers and is overexpressed in many different phenotypes of breast cancer. To study the relationship between SOX2 and clinicopathological parameters of breast cancer patients, we found that the expression of SOX2 was closely related to the increase in tumor size, histological grade, lymph node metastasis, and high invasiveness. Therefore, studies on the role of SOX2 in breast cancer may provide effective biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. This article will discuss the role of SOX2 in breast cancer, including its occurrence, invasion and metastasis, diagnosis and treatment, relapse, resistance, and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesong Feng
- The First College of Clinical Medical Science, China Three Gorges University Cancer Center & Yichang Central People's Hospital, Yichang, China. E-mail.
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35
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Bochen F, Adisurya H, Wemmert S, Lerner C, Greiner M, Zimmermann R, Hasenfus A, Wagner M, Smola S, Pfuhl T, Bozzato A, Al Kadah B, Schick B, Linxweiler M. Effect of 3q oncogenes SEC62 and SOX2 on lymphatic metastasis and clinical outcome of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Oncotarget 2018; 8:4922-4934. [PMID: 28002801 PMCID: PMC5354881 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome 3q26 amplification represents a frequent alteration in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Overexpression of 3q26 encoded genes SEC62 and SOX2 was detected in various cancers, including HNSCCs, indicating their potential function as oncogenes. In our study, we elucidated the function of SEC62 and SOX2 in HNSCC patients, with a main focus on their effect on lymphatic metastasis and patient survival. We analyzed SEC62 and SOX2 expression in tissue specimens from 65 HNSCC patients and 29 patients with cervical cancer of unknown primary (CUP); a higher SEC62 and lower SOX2 expression was observed in the lymph node metastases from HNSCC patients compared with the respective primary tumor. Lymph node metastases from CUP patients showed higher SEC62 and lower SOX2 expression compared with lymph node metastases from HNSCC patients. When proceeding from the N1 to the N3 stage, SEC62 expression in the lymph node metastases showed an increase and SOX2 expression showed a decrease. Moreover, both genes showed a highly significant relevance as prognostic biomarkers, with the worst prognosis for patients with high SEC62 and low SOX2 expression levels. In functional analyses, knockdown of SEC62 resulted in an inhibition of HNSCC cell migration while, conversely, SEC62 and SOX2 overexpression stimulated cell migration. Taken together, our study showed that the expression of the 3q oncogenes SEC62 and SOX2 affects lymphatic metastasis and cell migration in HNSCC and CUP patients and has a high prognostic relevance in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Bochen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany.,Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Hana Adisurya
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Silke Wemmert
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Cornelia Lerner
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Markus Greiner
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Richard Zimmermann
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Andrea Hasenfus
- Department of General and Surgical Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Mathias Wagner
- Department of General and Surgical Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Sigrun Smola
- Institute of Virology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Thorsten Pfuhl
- Institute of Virology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Alessandro Bozzato
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Basel Al Kadah
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Bernhard Schick
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
| | - Maximilian Linxweiler
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg (Saar), Germany
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36
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Hoang N, Zhang X, Zhang C, Vo V, Leng F, Saxena L, Yin F, Lu F, Zheng G, Bhowmik P, Zhang H. New histone demethylase LSD1 inhibitor selectively targets teratocarcinoma and embryonic carcinoma cells. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:1523-1537. [PMID: 29439916 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
LSD1/KDM1 is a histone demethylase that preferentially removes methyl groups from the mono- and di-methylated lysine 4 in histone H3 (H3K4), key marks for active chromatin for transcriptional activation. LSD1 is essential for pluripotent embryonic stem cells and embryonic teratocarcinoma/carcinoma cells and its expression is often elevated in various cancers. We developed a new LSD1 inhibitor, CBB3001, which potently inhibited LSD1 activity both in vitro and in vivo. CBB3001 also selectively inhibited the growth of human ovarian teratocarcinoma PA-1 and mouse embryonic carcinoma F9 cells, caused the downregulation of pluripotent stem cell proteins SOX2 and OCT4. However, CBB3001 does not have significant inhibition on the growth of human colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells or mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells that do not express these stem cell proteins. Our studies strongly indicate that CBB3001 is a specific LSD1 inhibitor that selectively inhibits teratocarcinoma and embryonic carcinoma cells that express SOX2 and OCT4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nam Hoang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Chunxiao Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA; School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Van Vo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Feng Leng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA; School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lovely Saxena
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Feng Yin
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Fei Lu
- School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Guangrong Zheng
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Pradip Bhowmik
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
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37
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Chung JH, Jung HR, Jung AR, Lee YC, Kong M, Lee JS, Eun YG. SOX2 activation predicts prognosis in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1677. [PMID: 29374236 PMCID: PMC5785960 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20086-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
SOX2 copy number and mRNA expression were analysed to examine the clinical significance of SOX2 activation in HNSCC. Gene expression signatures reflecting SOX2 activation were identified in an HNSCC cohort. Patients with HNSCC were classified into two subgroups according to the gene expression signature: SOX2-high and SOX2-low. The clinical significance of SOX2 activation was further validated in two independent cohorts. Moreover, clinical significance of SOX2 activation in response to radiotherapy was assessed in patients with HNSCC. The relationship between SOX2 activation and radiotherapy was validated in an in vitro experiment. Patients in the SOX2-high subgroup had a better prognosis than patients in the SOX2-low subgroup in all three patient cohorts. Results of multivariate regression analysis showed that SOX2 signature was an independent predictor of the overall survival of patients with HNSCC (hazard ratio, 1.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.92; P = 0.01). Interestingly, SOX2 activation was a predictor of therapy outcomes in patients receiving radiotherapy. Moreover, SOX2 overexpression enhanced the effect of radiotherapy in HNSCC cell lines. SOX2 activation is associated with improved prognosis of patients with HNSCC and might be used to predict which patients might benefit from radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hyun Chung
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hae Rim Jung
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ah Ra Jung
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young Chan Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Moonkyoo Kong
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ju-Seog Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Young-Gyu Eun
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.
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38
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Avincsal MO, Jimbo N, Fujikura K, Shinomiya H, Otsuki N, Morimoto K, Furukawa T, Morita N, Maehara R, Itoh T, Nibu KI, Zen Y. Epigenetic down-regulation of SOX2 is an independent poor prognostic factor for hypopharyngeal cancers. Histopathology 2018; 72:826-837. [DOI: 10.1111/his.13436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Ozgur Avincsal
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Naoe Jimbo
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Kohei Fujikura
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Hirotaka Shinomiya
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Naoki Otsuki
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Koichi Morimoto
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Tatsuya Furukawa
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Naruhiko Morita
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Ritsuko Maehara
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Tomoo Itoh
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Ken-ichi Nibu
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
| | - Yoh Zen
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology; Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine; Kobe Japan
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39
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Zhang C, Hoang N, Leng F, Saxena L, Lee L, Alejo S, Qi D, Khal A, Sun H, Lu F, Zhang H. LSD1 demethylase and the methyl-binding protein PHF20L1 prevent SET7 methyltransferase-dependent proteolysis of the stem-cell protein SOX2. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:3663-3674. [PMID: 29358331 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra117.000342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The pluripotency-controlling stem-cell protein SRY-box 2 (SOX2) plays a pivotal role in maintaining the self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells and also of teratocarcinoma or embryonic carcinoma cells. SOX2 is monomethylated at lysine 119 (Lys-119) in mouse embryonic stem cells by the SET7 methyltransferase, and this methylation triggers ubiquitin-dependent SOX2 proteolysis. However, the molecular regulators and mechanisms controlling SET7-induced SOX2 proteolysis are unknown. Here, we report that in human ovarian teratocarcinoma PA-1 cells, methylation-dependent SOX2 proteolysis is dynamically regulated by the LSD1 lysine demethylase and a methyl-binding protein, PHD finger protein 20-like 1 (PHF20L1). We found that LSD1 not only removes the methyl group from monomethylated Lys-117 (equivalent to Lys-119 in mouse SOX2), but it also demethylates monomethylated Lys-42 in SOX2, a reaction that SET7 also regulated and that also triggered SOX2 proteolysis. Our studies further revealed that PHF20L1 binds both monomethylated Lys-42 and Lys-117 in SOX2 and thereby prevents SOX2 proteolysis. Down-regulation of either LSD1 or PHF20L1 promoted SOX2 proteolysis, which was prevented by SET7 inactivation in both PA-1 and mouse embryonic stem cells. Our studies also disclosed that LSD1 and PHF20L1 normally regulate the growth of pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells and PA-1 cells by preventing methylation-dependent SOX2 proteolysis. In conclusion, our findings reveal an important mechanism by which the stability of the pluripotency-controlling stem-cell protein SOX2 is dynamically regulated by the activities of SET7, LSD1, and PHF20L1 in pluripotent stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxiao Zhang
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and.,the Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Nam Hoang
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and
| | - Feng Leng
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and.,the Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lovely Saxena
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and
| | - Logan Lee
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and
| | - Salvador Alejo
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and
| | - Dandan Qi
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and.,the Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Anthony Khal
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and
| | - Hong Sun
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and
| | - Fei Lu
- the Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- From the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 and
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40
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Association of SOX2 and Nestin DNA amplification and protein expression with clinical features and overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Oncotarget 2018; 7:34520-31. [PMID: 27150062 PMCID: PMC5085173 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Up to now, the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is poor. With progress of cancer biology, a number of genes have been investigated for predicting prognosis of NSCLC, such as cancer stem cell markers SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 2 (SOX2) and Nestin. Recently, a series of studies have been performed to examine the associations of SOX2 and Nestin with clinical parameters and prognosis in NSCLC, however, the results were not consistent. In the present study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the associations. Four English databases (PubMed, ISI web of science, Embase, and Ovid) were used to search the relevant studies with the last date of November 10, 2015. The pooling analyses were stratified by DNA amplification and protein expression. The pooling ORs or HRs were used to assess the strength of the associations. Finally, we included 19 articles for SOX2 and six articles for Nestin according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The pooling analyses revealed that there were significant associations between SOX2 DNA amplification and clinical features of NSCLC, gender, smoking status, squamous cell cancer (SCC) histology, and differentiations. And significant associations were also identified between SOX2 protein expression and clinical parameters, smoking status and SCC histology. For Nestin, its protein expression was correlated with lymph node metastasis and stage. Simultaneously, we found that high/positive SOX2 alterations, either DNA amplification or protein expression, were favorable for overall survival (OS) in NSCLC. On the contrary, high/positive Nestin protein expression was poor for OS.
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41
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SOX2-silenced squamous cell carcinoma: a highly malignant form of esophageal cancer with SOX2 promoter hypermethylation. Mod Pathol 2018; 31:83-92. [PMID: 28862264 DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.2017.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
This study originally aimed to investigate whether the overexpression of SOX2 is associated with the poor prognosis of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. However, we unexpectedly found that esophageal squamous cell carcinomas completely lacking SOX2 expression showed distinct pathologic features and highly aggressive clinical courses. The study cohort consisted of 113 consecutive patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent surgical resection without neoadjuvant therapy. Immunostaining on tissue microarrays and whole sections revealed that 8/113 (7%) cases were entirely negative for this transcriptional factor. SOX2-negative cancers were histologically less differentiated (P=0.002) and showed higher pT and pStages (P=0.003 and 0.007, respectively) than SOX2-positive cases. A remarkable finding was widespread lymphatic infiltration distant from the primary invasive focus, which was observed in 4 SOX2-negative cancers (50%), but none of the SOX2-positive cases. All separate dysplastic lesions observed in SOX2-negative cases were also SOX2-negative. The negative expression of SOX2 appeared to be an independent poor prognostic factor (OR=7.05, 95% CI=1.27-39.0). No mutations were identified in the coding or non-coding regions of SOX2. Fluorescent in situ hybridization did not show any copy-number variations in this gene. Since the SOX2 promoter contains an extensive CpG island, SOX2-negative cases underwent methylation-specific PCR, which disclosed promoter hypermethylation in all cases. In conclusion, SOX2-silenced squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus appear to be a minor, but distinct form of malignancy characterized by extensive lymphatic invasion, a poor prognosis, and potential association with multiple SOX2-negative neoplastic lesions. The hypermethylation of the promoter region is seemingly a critical epigenetic event leading to SOX2 silencing.
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42
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Kozub MM, Carr RM, Lomberk GL, Fernandez-Zapico ME. LSD1, a double-edged sword, confers dynamic chromatin regulation but commonly promotes aberrant cell growth. F1000Res 2017; 6:2016. [PMID: 29225781 PMCID: PMC5691370 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.12169.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone-modifying enzymes play a critical role in chromatin remodeling and are essential for influencing several genome processes such as gene expression and DNA repair, replication, and recombination. The discovery of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), the first identified histone demethylase, dramatically revolutionized research in the field of epigenetics. LSD1 plays a pivotal role in a wide range of biological operations, including development, cellular differentiation, embryonic pluripotency, and disease (for example, cancer). This mini-review focuses on the role of LSD1 in chromatin regulatory complexes, its involvement in epigenetic changes throughout development, and its importance in physiological and pathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan M Kozub
- Genomics Laboratories, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| | - Ryan M Carr
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| | - Gwen L Lomberk
- Division of Research, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Martin E Fernandez-Zapico
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
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43
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SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcoma: a distinctive clinicopathological entity with undifferentiated rhabdoid morphology and aggressive behavior. Mod Pathol 2017; 30:1422-1432. [PMID: 28643792 DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.2017.61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
A distinct subset of thoracic sarcomas with undifferentiated rhabdoid morphology and SMARCA4 inactivation has recently been described, and potential targeted therapy for SMARC-deficient tumors is emerging. We sought to validate the clinicopathological features of SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcomas. Clinicopathological information was gathered for 40 undifferentiated thoracic tumors with rhabdoid morphology (mediastinum (n=18), lung (n=14), pleura (n=8)). Thymic carcinomas (n=11) were used as a comparison group. Immunohistochemistry included BRG1 (SMARCA4), BRM (SMARCA2), INI-1 (SMARCB1), pan-cytokeratin, desmin, NUT, S-100 protein, TTF1, CD34, and SOX2. BRG1 loss was present in 12 of 40 rhabdoid thoracic tumors (30%): 7 of 18 in mediastinum (39%), 2 of 8 in pleura (25%), and 3 of 14 in lung (21%). All BRG1-deficient tumors tested for BRM (n=8) showed concomitant loss. All thymic carcinomas showed retained BRG1 and INI-1. Morphologically, tumors with BRG1 loss showed sheets of monotonous ovoid cells with indistinct cell borders, abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, and prominent nucleoli. Scattered areas with rhabdoid morphology (ie, eccentric nuclei, dense eosinophilic cytoplasm, discohesion) were present in all the cases. SMARCA4/BRG1-deficient sarcomas showed rare cells positive for cytokeratin in 10 cases (83%). One showed rare TTF1-positive cells. All were negative for desmin, NUT, and S-100 protein. CD34 was positive in three of five (60%) BRG1-deficient tumors tested. SOX2 was positive in all four BRG1-deficient tumors tested, and negative in all seven tested cases with retained BRG1. SMARCA4/BRG1-deficient sarcomas occurred at median age of 59 years (range 44-76) with male predominance (9:3) and had worse 2-year survival compared with BRG1-retained tumors (12.5% vs 64.4%, P=0.02). SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcomas can be identified based on their distinctive high-grade rhabdoid morphology, and the diagnosis can be confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Identification of these tumors is clinically relevant due to their aggressive behavior, poor prognosis, and potential targeted therapy.
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44
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Ishida H, Kasajima A, Kamei T, Miura T, Oka N, Yazdani S, Ozawa Y, Fujishima F, Sakurada A, Nakamura Y, Tanaka Y, Kurosumi M, Ishikawa Y, Okada Y, Ohuchi N, Sasano H. SOX2 and Rb1 in esophageal small-cell carcinoma: their possible involvement in pathogenesis. Mod Pathol 2017; 30:660-671. [PMID: 28106103 DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.2016.222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Clinicopathological features and pathogenesis of esophageal small-cell carcinoma remain unclear. We hypothesized common cellular origin and pathogenesis in small-cell carcinoma of esophagus and lung associated with SOX2 overexpression and loss of Rb1. Expression of squamous-basal markers (CK5/6 and p40), glandular markers (CK18 and CEA), SOX2, and Rb1 were evaluated in 15 esophageal small-cell carcinomas, 46 poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas, and 88 small-cell lung carcinoma, as well as 16 embryonic esophagus. Esophageal small-cell carcinoma expressed higher levels of glandular markers and lower levels of squamous-basal markers than poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. No significant differences were observed in immunohistochemistry profiles between small-cell carcinoma of the esophagus and the lung. SOX2 expression was high in esophageal small-cell carcinoma (70%±33% of nuclei), small-cell lung carcinoma (70%±26%), and the embryonic esophagus (75%±4%), and it was significantly lower in poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (29%±28%). Rb1 expression was significantly lower in esophageal small-cell carcinoma (0.3%±1%), small-cell lung carcinoma (2%±6%), and the embryonic esophagus (7%±5%), and it was significantly higher in poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (51%±24%). The immunohistochemistry profiles of small-cell carcinoma of the esophagus and the lung are highly similar. The loss of Rb1 function is a key contributor to the pathogenesis of both neoplasms. In addition, SOX2 overexpression observed in esophageal and lung small-cell carcinoma as well as in the embryonic esophagus indicated that esophageal small-cell carcinoma may arise from embryonic-like stem cells in the esophageal epithelium. The two distinct differentiation patterns (neuroendocrine and glandular) of esophageal small-cell carcinoma further support the fact that SOX2 has a pivotal role in the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into esophageal small-cell carcinoma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Ishida
- Division of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Miyagi, Japan.,Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Atsuko Kasajima
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Takashi Kamei
- Division of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Miura
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Naomi Oka
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, National Hospital Organization Sendai Medical Center, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Samaneh Yazdani
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Yohei Ozawa
- Division of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Fumiyoshi Fujishima
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Akira Sakurada
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Nakamura
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Yoichi Tanaka
- Division of Gastroenterological Surgery, Saitama, Japan
| | | | - Yuichi Ishikawa
- Division of Pathology, The Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Okada
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Noriaki Ohuchi
- Division of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Hironobu Sasano
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
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45
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SOX2 Expression in Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Grade 3 (CIN3) and Superficially Invasive (Stage IA1) Squamous Carcinoma of the Cervix. Int J Gynecol Pathol 2017; 35:566-573. [PMID: 26886477 DOI: 10.1097/pgp.0000000000000273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The transcription factor SOX2 plays an important role in tissue development and differentiation. In the neoplastic context, SOX2 has been shown to potentiate tumor invasion, and increased SOX2 immunoreactivity has been demonstrated in a variety of epithelial and nonepithelial malignancies often correlating with adverse prognosis. There are limited data on SOX2 expression in cervical squamous neoplasia and in particular, no studies have compared staining in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)3 and in superficially invasive (Stage IA1) squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). We examined SOX2 expression in 12 cervical biopsies showing CIN3 only and 30 specimens with an initial diagnosis of Stage IA1 SCC; 7 of the latter samples did not demonstrate residual invasive foci in the study slides but all showed CIN3. There was variable staining in CIN3 without stromal invasion but CIN3 adjacent to SCC was more often SOX2 positive with 70% cases showing diffuse staining. CIN within endocervical crypts often showed more extensive SOX2 expression and in some cases staining was restricted to areas of crypt involvement. In contrast to CIN, most SCCs were SOX2 negative and there was often an abrupt loss of expression at the tumor-stromal interface. In summary, CIN3 usually showed increased SOX2 expression compared with normal epithelium, particularly in areas of endocervical crypt involvement and adjacent to superficially invasive SCC. However, most invasive tumor cells were unstained suggesting downregulation of SOX2 during the initial stages of the invasive process. Progression of cervical squamous neoplasia may involve cyclical alterations in SOX2 activity.
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46
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Brennan K, Koenig JL, Gentles AJ, Sunwoo JB, Gevaert O. Identification of an atypical etiological head and neck squamous carcinoma subtype featuring the CpG island methylator phenotype. EBioMedicine 2017; 17:223-236. [PMID: 28314692 PMCID: PMC5360591 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is broadly classified into HNSCC associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, and HPV negative HNSCC, which is typically smoking-related. A subset of HPV negative HNSCCs occur in patients without smoking history, however, and these etiologically 'atypical' HNSCCs disproportionately occur in the oral cavity, and in female patients, suggesting a distinct etiology. To investigate the determinants of clinical and molecular heterogeneity, we performed unsupervised clustering to classify 528 HNSCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) into putative intrinsic subtypes based on their profiles of epigenetically (DNA methylation) deregulated genes. HNSCCs clustered into five subtypes, including one HPV positive subtype, two smoking-related subtypes, and two atypical subtypes. One atypical subtype was particularly genomically stable, but featured widespread gene silencing associated with the 'CpG island methylator phenotype' (CIMP). Further distinguishing features of this 'CIMP-Atypical' subtype include an antiviral gene expression profile associated with pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages and CD8+ T cell infiltration, CASP8 mutations, and a well-differentiated state corresponding to normal SOX2 copy number and SOX2OT hypermethylation. We developed a gene expression classifier for the CIMP-Atypical subtype that could classify atypical disease features in two independent patient cohorts, demonstrating the reproducibility of this subtype. Taken together, these findings provide unprecedented evidence that atypical HNSCC is molecularly distinct, and postulates the CIMP-Atypical subtype as a distinct clinical entity that may be caused by chronic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Brennan
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, United States
| | - J L Koenig
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, United States
| | - A J Gentles
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, United States
| | - J B Sunwoo
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford University, United States
| | - O Gevaert
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, United States.
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47
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Kim BR, Van de Laar E, Cabanero M, Tarumi S, Hasenoeder S, Wang D, Virtanen C, Suzuki T, Bandarchi B, Sakashita S, Pham NA, Lee S, Keshavjee S, Waddell TK, Tsao MS, Moghal N. SOX2 and PI3K Cooperate to Induce and Stabilize a Squamous-Committed Stem Cell Injury State during Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Pathogenesis. PLoS Biol 2016; 14:e1002581. [PMID: 27880766 PMCID: PMC5120804 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although cancers are considered stem cell diseases, mechanisms involving stem cell alterations are poorly understood. Squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) is the second most common lung cancer, and its pathogenesis appears to hinge on changes in the stem cell behavior of basal cells in the bronchial airways. Basal cells are normally quiescent and differentiate into mucociliary epithelia. Smoking triggers a hyperproliferative response resulting in progressive premalignant epithelial changes ranging from squamous metaplasia to dysplasia. These changes can regress naturally, even with chronic smoking. However, for unknown reasons, dysplasias have higher progression rates than earlier stages. We used primary human tracheobronchial basal cells to investigate how copy number gains in SOX2 and PIK3CA at 3q26-28, which co-occur in dysplasia and are observed in 94% of SQCCs, may promote progression. We find that SOX2 cooperates with PI3K signaling, which is activated by smoking, to initiate the squamous injury response in basal cells. This response involves SOX9 repression, and, accordingly, SOX2 and PI3K signaling levels are high during dysplasia, while SOX9 is not expressed. By contrast, during regeneration of mucociliary epithelia, PI3K signaling is low and basal cells transiently enter a SOX2LoSOX9Hi state, with SOX9 promoting proliferation and preventing squamous differentiation. Transient reduction in SOX2 is necessary for ciliogenesis, although SOX2 expression later rises and drives mucinous differentiation, as SOX9 levels decline. Frequent coamplification of SOX2 and PIK3CA in dysplasia may, thus, promote progression by locking basal cells in a SOX2HiSOX9Lo state with active PI3K signaling, which sustains the squamous injury response while precluding normal mucociliary differentiation. Surprisingly, we find that, although later in invasive carcinoma SOX9 is generally expressed at low levels, its expression is higher in a subset of SQCCs with less squamous identity and worse clinical outcome. We propose that early pathogenesis of most SQCCs involves stabilization of the squamous injury state in stem cells through copy number gains at 3q, with the pro-proliferative activity of SOX9 possibly being exploited in a subset of SQCCs in later stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Ram Kim
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emily Van de Laar
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Cabanero
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shintaro Tarumi
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stefan Hasenoeder
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dennis Wang
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Carl Virtanen
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Takaya Suzuki
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bizhan Bandarchi
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shingo Sakashita
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nhu An Pham
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sharon Lee
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shaf Keshavjee
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas K. Waddell
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ming-Sound Tsao
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nadeem Moghal
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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48
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Schaefer T, Wang H, Mir P, Konantz M, Pereboom TC, Paczulla AM, Merz B, Fehm T, Perner S, Rothfuss OC, Kanz L, Schulze-Osthoff K, Lengerke C. Molecular and functional interactions between AKT and SOX2 in breast carcinoma. Oncotarget 2016; 6:43540-56. [PMID: 26498353 PMCID: PMC4791249 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.6183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor SOX2 is a key regulator of pluripotency in embryonic stem cells and plays important roles in early organogenesis. Recently, SOX2 expression was documented in various cancers and suggested as a cancer stem cell (CSC) marker. Here we identify the Ser/Thr-kinase AKT as an upstream regulator of SOX2 protein turnover in breast carcinoma (BC). SOX2 and pAKT are co-expressed and co-regulated in breast CSCs and depletion of either reduces clonogenicity. Ectopic SOX2 expression restores clonogenicity and in vivo tumorigenicity of AKT-inhibited cells, suggesting that SOX2 acts as a functional downstream AKT target. Mechanistically, we show that AKT physically interacts with the SOX2 protein to modulate its subcellular distribution. AKT kinase inhibition results in enhanced cytoplasmic retention of SOX2, presumably via impaired nuclear import, and in successive cytoplasmic proteasomal degradation of the protein. In line, blockade of either nuclear transport or proteasomal degradation rescues SOX2 expression in AKT-inhibited BC cells. Finally, AKT inhibitors efficiently suppress the growth of SOX2-expressing putative cancer stem cells, whereas conventional chemotherapeutics select for this population. Together, our results suggest the AKT/SOX2 molecular axis as a regulator of BC clonogenicity and AKT inhibitors as promising drugs for the treatment of SOX2-positive BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Schaefer
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Perihan Mir
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Martina Konantz
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tamara C Pereboom
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anna M Paczulla
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Britta Merz
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Tanja Fehm
- Women's Hospital, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Sven Perner
- Institute of Pathology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Oliver C Rothfuss
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Lothar Kanz
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Klaus Schulze-Osthoff
- Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Lengerke
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.,Clinic for Hematology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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49
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Ying J, Shi C, Li CS, Hu LP, Zhang WD. Expression and significance of SOX2 in non-small cell lung carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2016; 12:3195-3198. [PMID: 27899982 PMCID: PMC5103921 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2016.5065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to examine the expression and clinical significance of SOX2 in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression level of SOX2 in 127 cases of NSCLC. The Chi-square test was used to analyze the association of SOX2 expression and clinicopathological factors in NSCLC and para-carcinoma tissues (2.5%). The Kaplan-Meier method was applied to plot the survival curve, and the log-rank test and COX multiple regression model were applied to determine survival. SOX2 showed a high expression in 35.4% NSCLC tissues, which was significantly higher than that of the para-carcinoma tissues. The expression level of SOX2 was not associated with gender, age, smoking history or TNM stage (P>0.05), but was significantly associated with the pathological type of carcinoma. The high expression rate of SOX2 in lung squamous cell carcinoma was 50% (25/50) and in lung adenocarcinoma was 20.3% (12/59). Survival analysis indicated that the prognosis of patients with a high SOX2 expression was significantly better than those with a low SOX2 expression. The COX multiple regression analysis revealed that the expression level of SOX2 was an independent prognostic factor of patients with NSCLC (P<0.001). In conclusion, the expression of SOX2 in NSCLC tissues was upregulated, which was associated with the pathological type of carcinoma, while a high SOX2 expression mainly occurred in lung squamous cell carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ying
- Department of Infection, Xuyi People's Hospital, Xuyi, Jiangsu 211700, P.R. China
| | - Chao Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Xuyi People's Hospital, Xuyi, Jiangsu 211700, P.R. China
| | - Chuan-Sheng Li
- Department of Infection, Xuyi People's Hospital, Xuyi, Jiangsu 211700, P.R. China
| | - Li-Ping Hu
- Department of General Surgery, Xuyi People's Hospital, Xuyi, Jiangsu 211700, P.R. China
| | - Wei-Dong Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Xuyi People's Hospital, Xuyi, Jiangsu 211700, P.R. China
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50
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Yin Yang 1 is associated with cancer stem cell transcription factors (SOX2, OCT4, BMI1) and clinical implication. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2016; 35:84. [PMID: 27225481 PMCID: PMC4881184 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-016-0359-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is frequently overexpressed in cancerous tissues compared to normal tissues and has regulatory roles in cell proliferation, cell viability, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis and drug/immune resistance. YY1 shares many properties with cancer stem cells (CSCs) that drive tumorigenesis, metastasis and drug resistance and are regulated by overexpression of certain transcription factors, including SOX2, OCT4 (POU5F1), BMI1 and NANOG. Based on these similarities, it was expected that YY1 expression would be associated with SOX2, OCT4, BMI1, and NANOG’s expressions and activities. Data mining from the proteomic tissue-based datasets from the Human Protein Atlas were used for protein expression patterns of YY1 and the four CSC markers in 17 types of cancer, including both solid and hematological malignancies. A close association was revealed between the frequency of expressions of YY1 and SOX2 as well as SOX2 and OCT4 in all cancers analyzed. Two types of dynamics were identified based on the nature of their association, namely, inverse or direct, between YY1 and SOX2. These two dynamics define distinctive patterns of BMI1 and OCT4 expressions. The relationship between YY1 and SOX2 expressions as well as the expressions of BMI1 and OCT4 resulted in the classification of four groups of cancers with distinct molecular signatures: 1) Prostate, lung, cervical, endometrial, ovarian and glioma cancers (YY1loSOX2hiBMI1hiOCT4hi) 2) Skin, testis and breast cancers (YY1hiSOX2loBMI1hiOCT4hi) 3) Liver, stomach, renal, pancreatic and urothelial cancers (YY1loSOX2loBMI1hiOCT4hi) and 4) Colorectal cancer, lymphoma and melanoma (YY1hiSOX2hiBMI1loOCT4hi). A regulatory loop is proposed consisting of the cross-talk between the NF-kB/PI3K/AKT pathways and the downstream inter-regulation of target gene products YY1, OCT4, SOX2 and BMI1.
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