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Gan C, Yuan Y, Shen H, Gao J, Kong X, Che Z, Guo Y, Wang H, Dong E, Xiao J. Liver diseases: epidemiology, causes, trends and predictions. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2025; 10:33. [PMID: 39904973 PMCID: PMC11794951 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-02072-z] [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: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 10/06/2024] [Accepted: 11/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2025] Open
Abstract
As a highly complex organ with digestive, endocrine, and immune-regulatory functions, the liver is pivotal in maintaining physiological homeostasis through its roles in metabolism, detoxification, and immune response. Various factors including viruses, alcohol, metabolites, toxins, and other pathogenic agents can compromise liver function, leading to acute or chronic injury that may progress to end-stage liver diseases. While sharing common features, liver diseases exhibit distinct pathophysiological, clinical, and therapeutic profiles. Currently, liver diseases contribute to approximately 2 million deaths globally each year, imposing significant economic and social burdens worldwide. However, there is no cure for many kinds of liver diseases, partly due to a lack of thorough understanding of the development of these liver diseases. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive examination of the epidemiology and characteristics of liver diseases, covering a spectrum from acute and chronic conditions to end-stage manifestations. We also highlight the multifaceted mechanisms underlying the initiation and progression of liver diseases, spanning molecular and cellular levels to organ networks. Additionally, this review offers updates on innovative diagnostic techniques, current treatments, and potential therapeutic targets presently under clinical evaluation. Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of liver diseases hold critical implications and translational value for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Gan
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Yuan
- Aier Institute of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Haiyuan Shen
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital; The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jinhang Gao
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiangxin Kong
- Engineering and Translational Medicine, Medical College, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhaodi Che
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute and Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yangkun Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital; The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
| | - Erdan Dong
- Research Center for Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Qingdao Hospital, School of Health and Life Sciences, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China.
- Department of Cardiology and Institute of Vascular Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jia Xiao
- Clinical Medicine Research Institute and Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China.
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2
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Matsumoto S, Kikuchi A. Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in liver biology and tumorigenesis. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2024; 60:466-481. [PMID: 38379098 DOI: 10.1007/s11626-024-00858-7] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway that controls fundamental physiological and pathological processes by regulating cell proliferation and differentiation. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway enables liver homeostasis by inducing differentiation and contributes to liver-specific features such as metabolic zonation and regeneration. In contrast, abnormalities in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway promote the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Similarly, hepatoblastoma, the most common childhood liver cancer, is frequently associated with β-catenin mutations, which activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. HCCs with activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway have unique gene expression patterns and pathological and clinical features. Accordingly, they are highly differentiated with retaining hepatocyte-like characteristics and tumorigenic. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in HCC also alters the state of immune cells, causing "immune evasion" with inducing resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have recently become widely used to treat HCC. Activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling exhibits these phenomena in liver tumorigenesis through the expression of downstream target genes, and the molecular basis is still poorly understood. In this review, we describe the physiological roles of Wnt/b-catenin signaling and then discuss their characteristic changes by the abnormal activation of Wnt/b-catenin signaling. Clarification of the mechanism would contribute to the development of therapeutic agents in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinji Matsumoto
- Departments of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
- Integrated Frontier Research for Medical Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives (OTRI), 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Akira Kikuchi
- Departments of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center of Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, 2-8 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
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3
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Zhao Z, Cui T, Wei F, Zhou Z, Sun Y, Gao C, Xu X, Zhang H. Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma: pathogenic role and therapeutic target. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1367364. [PMID: 38634048 PMCID: PMC11022604 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1367364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant liver tumor and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway is a highly conserved pathway involved in several biological processes, including the improper regulation that leads to the tumorigenesis and progression of cancer. New studies have found that abnormal activation of the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway is a major cause of HCC tumorigenesis, progression, and resistance to therapy. New perspectives and approaches to treating HCC will arise from understanding this pathway. This article offers a thorough analysis of the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway's function and its therapeutic implications in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zekun Zhao
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tenglu Cui
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Radiotherapy Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Fengxian Wei
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhiming Zhou
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuan Sun
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Chaofeng Gao
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Xu
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Huihan Zhang
- The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- The Second General Surgery Department, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Ramadan A, Ghanem HM, Mohamed AA, Elshobaky M, El Agawy W, Gawad EAHA, Eldeeb HH, Ezz Al Arab MR, Kamal MM. GPC3 gene expression and allelic discrimination of FZD7 gene in Egyptian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother 2023; 28:485-495. [PMID: 37795234 PMCID: PMC10547423 DOI: 10.5603/rpor.a2023.0049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and especially in Egypt. Early diagnosis of HCC greatly improves the survival and prognosis of patients. Low sensitivity and specificity of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has led to the demand for novel biomarkers of HCC. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the validity of frizzled-7 (FZD7) and glypican-3 (GPC3) gene expression as potential biomarkers for HCC early diagnosis, and to investigate the association between FZD7 rs2280509 polymorphism and HCC risk. Materials and methods Quantification of FZD7 and GPC3 gene expression by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay, and genotyping FZD 7 (rs2280509 SNP) gene polymorphism using RT-PCR. Results The current results revealed that FZD7 gene expression had a greater area under the curve (AUC) for identifying HCC than GPC3 gene expression and AFP levels. The combination of the three markers as a panel showed a better diagnostic performance with a greater AUC than any of the single markers alone (p < 0.05). The FZD7 rs2280509 polymorphism (CT) was found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of HCC. The CT genotype and T allele were significantly more prevalent in the HCC group compared to either the cirrhosis (p = 0.03) or control groups (p = 0.0009 and 0.002; respectively). Conclusion FZD7 and GPC3 gene expressions have a complementary role in early HCC detection, with a greater diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy than AFP. In addition, FZD7 rs2280509 polymorphism is significantly associated with an increased risk of HCC in the Egyptian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amany Ramadan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hala M Ghanem
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Amal A Mohamed
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Elshobaky
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Waleed El Agawy
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Port Said University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman Al Hussain A Gawad
- Department of Chemical Pathology, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hala H Eldeeb
- Clinical and Chemical Pathology Department, El Sahel Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | - Maha M Kamal
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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5
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Lee SY, Kim MY, Han JH, Park SS, Yun Y, Jee SC, Han JJ, Lee JH, Seok H, Choi BY. Ramifications of POU4F3 variants associated with autosomal dominant hearing loss in various molecular aspects. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12584. [PMID: 37537203 PMCID: PMC10400627 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38272-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
POU4F3, a member of the POU family of transcription factors, commonly causes autosomal dominant deafness. Exome sequencing was used to identify four novel variants in POU4F3 (NM_002700.2), including c.564dupA: p.Ala189SerfsTer26, c.743T > C:p.Leu248Pro, c.879C > A:p.Phe293Leu, and c.952G > A:p.Val318Met, and diverse aspects of the molecular consequences of their protein expression, stability, subcellular localization, and transcriptional activity were investigated. The expression of three mutant proteins, encoded by missense variants, was reduced compared to the wild-type protein, demonstrating that the mutants were unstable and vulnerable to degradation. Additionally, all the mutant proteins had distinct subcellular localization patterns. A mutant protein carrying p.Ala189SerfsTer26, in which both mono- and bi-partite nuclear localization signals were disrupted, showed abnormal subcellular localization. Resultantly, all the mutant proteins significantly reduced the transcriptional activity required to regulate the downstream target gene expression. Furthermore, we identified the altered expression of 14 downstream target genes associated with inner ear development using patient-derived lymphoblastoid cell lines. There was a significant correlation of the expression profile between patient-derived cells and the cochlear hair cells, which provided a breakthrough for cases where the collection of human cochlear samples for transcriptome studies was unfeasible. This study expanded the genotypic spectrum of POU4F3 in DFNA15, and further refined the molecular mechanisms underlying POU4F3-associated DFNA15.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Yeon Lee
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Sensory Organ Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Young Kim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 300 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 463-707, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Hee Han
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 300 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 463-707, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Soo Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yejin Yun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Cheol Jee
- Department of Transdisciplinary Research and Collaboration, Genomics Core Facility, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Joon Han
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Ho Lee
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heeyoung Seok
- Department of Transdisciplinary Research and Collaboration, Genomics Core Facility, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Byung Yoon Choi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 300 Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, 463-707, Republic of Korea.
- Sensory Organ Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Zhang D, Liu S, Wu Q, Ma Y, Zhou S, Liu Z, Sun W, Lu Z. Prognostic model for hepatocellular carcinoma based on anoikis-related genes: immune landscape analysis and prediction of drug sensitivity. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1232814. [PMID: 37502362 PMCID: PMC10369074 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1232814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a complex ailment characterized by an unfavorable prognosis in advanced stages. The involvement of immune cells in HCC progression is of significant importance. Moreover, metastasis poses a substantial impediment to enhanced prognostication for HCC patients, with anoikis playing an indispensable role in facilitating the distant metastasis of tumor cells. Nevertheless, limited investigations have been conducted regarding the utilization of anoikis factors for predicting HCC prognosis and assessing immune infiltration. This present study aims to identify hepatocellular carcinoma-associated anoikis-related genes (ANRGs), establish a robust prognostic model for HCC, and delineate distinct immune characteristics based on the anoikis signature. Cell migration and cytotoxicity experiments were performed to validate the accuracy of the ANRGs model. Methods Consensus clustering based on ANRGs was employed in this investigation to categorize HCC samples obtained from both TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohorts. To assess the differentially expressed genes, Cox regression analysis was conducted, and subsequently, prognostic gene signatures were constructed using LASSO-Cox methodology. External validation was performed at the International Cancer Genome Conference. The tumor microenvironment (TME) was characterized utilizing ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms, while machine learning techniques facilitated the identification of potential target drugs. The wound healing assay and CCK-8 assay were employed to evaluate the migratory capacity and drug sensitivity of HCC cell lines, respectively. Results Utilizing the TCGA-LIHC dataset, we devised a nomogram integrating a ten-gene signature with diverse clinicopathological features. Furthermore, the discriminative potential and clinical utility of the ten-gene signature and nomogram were substantiated through ROC analysis and DCA. Subsequently, we devised a prognostic framework leveraging gene expression data from distinct risk cohorts to predict the drug responsiveness of HCC subtypes. Conclusion In this study, we have established a promising HCC prognostic ANRGs model, which can serve as a valuable tool for clinicians in selecting targeted therapeutic drugs, thereby improving overall patient survival rates. Additionally, this model has also revealed a strong connection between anoikis and immune cells, providing a potential avenue for elucidating the mechanisms underlying immune cell infiltration regulated by anoikis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dengyong Zhang
- Graduate School, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Sihua Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Yang Ma
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Shuo Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Zhong Liu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Wanliang Sun
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Zheng Lu
- Graduate School, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
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Faheem SA, Hazem RM, Elsayed NM, Ahmed YM, Saeed NM. Niclosamide modulates cyclosporin A-induced hepatotoxicity in a mouse model: PPAR-γ and Wnt/β-catenin crosstalk. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 117:109941. [PMID: 37012891 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.109941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate whether: 1) Wnt/β-catenin signaling is involved in cyclosporin A (CsA)-induced hepatotoxicity, and 2) knockdown of this pathway by niclosamide (NCL) attenuate CsA-induced hepatotoxicity. METHODS The experiment was accomplished in 21 days. Adult male mice were randomly distributed into five groups: control group, CsA (25 mg/kg/day) group, CsA + NCL (2.5 mg/kg/day) group, CsA + NCL (5 mg/kg/day) group, and NCL (5 mg/kg/day) group. RESULTS NCL showed marked hepatoprotection by significantly decreasing liver enzymes activities and ameliorating the histopathological alterations induced by CsA. Besides, NCL alleviated oxidative stress and inflammation. NCL-treated groups (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) displayed rise in the expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) by 2.1- and 2.5-fold, respectively. Notably, NCL (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) significantly inhibited Wnt/β-catenin signaling, evidenced by a marked decrease in the hepatic expression of Wnt3a by 54 % and 50 %, frizzled-7 receptor by 50 % and 50 %, β-catenin by 22 % and 49 %, and c-myc by 50 % and 50 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS NCL can be regarded as a potential agent to mitigate CsA-induced hepatotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safaa A Faheem
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Egyptian Russian University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Reem M Hazem
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Norhan M Elsayed
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Yasser M Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Noha M Saeed
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Egyptian Russian University, Cairo, Egypt.
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8
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Zhang Q, Fei S, Zhao Y, Liu S, Wu X, Lu L, Chen W. PUS7 promotes the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells by directly stabilizing SIRT1 to activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:160-173. [PMID: 36222184 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Pseudouridine synthase 7 (PUS7) may play key roles in cancer development. However, few studies have been conducted in this area. In the present study, we explored the function and potential mechanisms of PUS7 in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. We found that PUS7 had higher expression in CRC tissues and cell lines. Clinically, high expression of PUS7 was associated with an unfavorable prognosis for CRC patients. Functionally, knockdown of PUS7 suppressed the proliferation of CRC cells in vitro and inhibited tumorigenicity in vivo. Mechanistically, RNA sequencing and coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) indicated that PUS7 exhibited oncogenic functions through the interaction of Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Thus, our findings suggest that PUS7 promotes the proliferation of CRC cells by directly stabilizing SIRT1 to activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Sujuan Fei
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanchao Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shengnan Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoting Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lili Lu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weichang Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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9
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Ge Q, Teng M, Li X, Guo Q, Tao Y. An epitope-directed selection strategy facilitating the identification of Frizzled receptor selective antibodies. Structure 2023; 31:33-43.e5. [PMID: 36513066 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.11.009] [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: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The lack of incorporating epitope information into the selection process makes the conventional antibody screening method less effective in identifying antibodies with desired functions. Here, we developed an epitope-directed antibody selection method by designing a directed library favoring the target epitope and a precise "counter" antigen for clearing irrelevant binders in the library. With this method, we successfully isolated an antibody, pF7_A5, that targets the less conserved region on the FZD2/7 CRD as designed. Guided by the structure of pF7_A5-FZD2CRD, a further round of evolution was conducted together with the "counter" antigen selection strategy, and ultimately, an FZD2-specific antibody and an FZD7-preferred antibody were obtained. Because of targeting the predefined functional site, all these antibodies exhibited the expected modulatory activity on the Wnt pathway. Together, the method developed here will be useful in antibody drug discovery, and the identified FZD antibodies will have clinical potential in FZD-related cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiangqiang Ge
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Maikun Teng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P.R. China.
| | - Xu Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P.R. China.
| | - Qiong Guo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P.R. China.
| | - Yuyong Tao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, 230027 Hefei, P.R. China; Joint Laboratory of Innovation in Life Sciences University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and Changchun Zhuoyi Biological Co. Ltd., 130616 Changchun, P.R. China.
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10
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Ma K, Wu H, Ji L. Construction of HBV gene-related prognostic and diagnostic models for hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Genet 2023; 13:1065644. [PMID: 36685852 PMCID: PMC9845411 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1065644] [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: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a main cause of malignancy-related death all over the world with a poor prognosis. The current research is focused on developing novel prognostic and diagnostic models of Hepatocellular carcinoma from the perspective of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related genes, and predicting its prognostic characteristics and potential reliable biomarkers for Hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis. Methods: As per the information related to Hepatocellular carcinoma expression profile and the clinical data in multiple public databases, we utilized limma for assessing the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HBV vs non- hepatitis B virus groups, and the gene set was enriched, analyzed and annotated by WebGestaltR package. Then, STRING was employed to investigate the protein interactions. A risk model for evaluating Hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis was built with Lasso Cox regression analysis. The effect patients receiving immunotherapy was predicted using Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE). Additionally, pRRophetic was used to investigate the drug sensitivity. Lastly, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) approach was utilized for building the diagnostic model. Results: The Hepatocellular Carcinoma Molecular Atlas 18 (HCCDB18) data set was utilized for the identification of 1344 HBV-related differentially expressed genes, mainly associated with cell division activities. Five functional modules were established and then we built a prognostic model in accordance with the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Five HBV-related genes affecting prognosis were identified for constructing a prognostic model. Then, the samples were assigned into RS-high and -low groups as per their relevant prognostic risk score (RS). High-risk group showed worse prognosis, higher mutation rate of TP53, lower sensitivity to immunotherapy but higher response to chemotherapeutic drugs than low-risk group. Finally, the hepatitis B virus diagnostic model of Hepatocellular carcinoma was established. Conclusion: In conclusion, the prognostic and diagnostic models of hepatitis B virus gene-related Hepatocellular carcinoma were constructed. ABCB6, IPO7, TIMM9, FZD7, and ACAT1, the five HBV-related genes that affect the prognosis, can work as reliable biomarkers for the diagnosis of Hepatocellular carcinoma, giving a new insight for improving the prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes of HBV-type Hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keqiang Ma
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Huadu Hospital, Southern Medical University (People’s Hospital of Huadu District), Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongsheng Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Huadu Hospital, Southern Medical University (People’s Hospital of Huadu District), Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Ji
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Renmin Hospital Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
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11
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Bhandari R, Shaikh II, Bhandari R, Chapagain S. LINC01023 Promotes the Hepatoblastoma Tumorigenesis via miR-378a-5p/WNT3 Axis. Mol Cell Biochem 2022:10.1007/s11010-022-04636-5. [PMID: 36576714 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04636-5] [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: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Hepatoblastoma is the most common type of hepatic tumors occurring in children between 0 and 5 years. And the exact pathophysiology of the disease is still mysterious. Accumulating studies on LncRNA have shown its pivotal role in the development and progression of distinct human cancers. However, the role of LINC01023 in hepatoblastoma is unknown. The relative expression of LINC01023, miR-378a-5p, and Wnt3 on hepatoblastoma tissue and cell lines was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The effect of LINC01023 downregulation and upregulation on cell proliferation, colony formation and apoptosis activities in HUH6 and HepG2 Cells was assessed by CKK8, clonogenic and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Dual luciferase, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pull-down were performed to confirm the interaction between LINC01023 and miR-378a-5p. Similarly, Dual luciferase assay was performed to confirmed the interaction between Wnt3 and miR-378a-5p. The xenograft tumorgenicity test was performed to elucidate the tumorgenicity potential of LINC01023. LINC01023 was significantly upregulated in hepatoblastoma tissue and cell lines rather than in adjacent normal hepatic tissue and QSG7701 cell lines. LINC01023 silencing attenuated cell proliferation, colony formation and increased cell apoptosis. Conversely, LINC01023 upregulation results in significant increase in cell proliferation, and colony formation activities however, a significant reduction in apoptosis activity was reported. Interaction between the LINC01023 and WNT3 was confirmed by dual luciferase assay. Xenograft animal tumorgenicity test confirmed the in-vivo tumorigenesis potential of LINC01203. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first study demonstrating the role of LINC01023 in hepatoblastoma tumorigenesis through the LINC01023/miR-378a-5p/Wnt3 axis. It could be a potential therapeutic target and a prognostic biomarker in hepatoblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Bhandari
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth Peoples Hospital, Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People's Republic of China.
| | - Imran Ibrahim Shaikh
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200065, People's Republic of China
| | - Rajeev Bhandari
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth Peoples Hospital, Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People's Republic of China
| | - Sadikchha Chapagain
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Tenth Peoples Hospital, Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People's Republic of China
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12
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Xu Y, Yu X, Sun Z, He Y, Guo W. Roles of lncRNAs Mediating Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in HCC. Front Oncol 2022; 12:831366. [PMID: 35356220 PMCID: PMC8959654 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.831366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered the second most deadly cancer worldwide. Due to the absence of early diagnostic markers and effective therapeutic approaches, distant metastasis and increasing recurrence rates are major difficulties in the clinical treatment of HCC. Further understanding of its pathogenesis has become an urgent goal in HCC research. Recently, abnormal expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) was identified as a vital regulator involved in the initiation and development of HCC. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been reported to obviously impact cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of HCC. This article reviews specific interactions, significant mechanisms and molecules related to HCC initiation and progression to provide promising strategies for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zongzong Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yuting He
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenzhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation of Henan Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, Zhengzhou, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
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13
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Zheng C, Liu M, Ge Y, Qian Y, Fan H. HBx increases chromatin accessibility and ETV4 expression to regulate dishevelled-2 and promote HCC progression. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:116. [PMID: 35121725 PMCID: PMC8816937 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04563-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the predominant causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV X protein (HBx), as the most frequently integrated viral gene sequence following HBV infection, plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of HCC. H3K27ac is a characteristic marker for identifying active enhancers and even indicates chromatin accessibility associated with super-enhancers (SEs). In this study, H3K27ac ChIP-seq was applied for high-quality SE annotation of HBx-induced SEs and chromatin accessibility evaluation. The results indicated that HBx preferentially affects enrichment of H3K27ac in transcription factor signaling pathway genes, including ETV4. RNA-seq indicated that ETV4 is upregulated by HBx and that upregulated ETV4 promotes HCC progression. Interestingly, ETV4 was also included in the 568 cancer driver gene pool obtained by the Integrative OncoGenomics pipeline. However, the biological function and mechanism of ETV4 remain incompletely understood. In vivo and in vitro, we found that increased ETV4 expression promotes HCC cell migration and invasion by upregulating DVL2 and activating Wnt/β-catenin. The mRNA and protein levels of ETV4 are higher in tumor tissues compared with adjacent tissues, and high expression of ETV4 is associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. In summary, we first confirm that ETV4 is significantly upregulated by HBx and involved in SE-associated chromatin accessibility. Increased expression of ETV4 promotes HCC cell invasion and metastasis by upregulating DVL2. The present study provides insight into the ETV4-DVL2-β-catenin axis in HBV-related HCC, which will be helpful for treating patients with aggressive HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuqian Zheng
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanping Ge
- School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanyan Qian
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong Fan
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
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14
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Larasati Y, Boudou C, Koval A, Katanaev VL. Unlocking the Wnt pathway: Therapeutic potential of selective targeting FZD 7 in cancer. Drug Discov Today 2021; 27:777-792. [PMID: 34915171 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The Wnt signaling is of paramount pathophysiological importance. Despite showing promising anticancer activities in pre-clinical studies, current Wnt pathway inhibitors face complications in clinical trials resulting from on-target toxicity. Hence, the targeting of pathway component(s) that are essential for cancer but dispensable for normal physiology is key to the development of a safe Wnt signaling inhibitor. Frizzled7 (FZD7) is a Wnt pathway receptor that is redundant in healthy tissues but crucial in various cancers. FZD7 modulates diverse aspects of carcinogenesis, including cancer growth, metastasis, maintenance of cancer stem cells, and chemoresistance. In this review, we describe state-of-the-art knowledge of the functions of FZD7 in carcinogenesis and adult tissue homeostasis. Next, we overview the development of small molecules and biomolecules that target FZD7. Finally, we discuss challenges and possibilities in developing FZD7-selective antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonika Larasati
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Cédric Boudou
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexey Koval
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Vladimir L Katanaev
- Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Translational Research Centre in Oncohaematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland; School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia.
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15
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WNT3 hypomethylation counteracts low activity of the Wnt signaling pathway in the placenta of preeclampsia. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:6995-7008. [PMID: 34608506 PMCID: PMC8558176 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03941-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Many studies have shown that epigenetic mechanisms may play a role in preeclampsia. Moreover, our previous study indicated that the differentially methylated genes in preeclampsia were enriched in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. This study aimed to identify differentially methylated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway genes in the preeclamptic placenta and to study the roles of these genes in trophoblast cells in vitro. Using an Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation 850 K BeadChip, we found that the Wnt signaling pathway was globally hypermethylated in the preeclamptic group compared with the term birth group, but hypomethylated in the preeclamptic group compared with the preterm birth group. Among all Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway factors, WNT3 was the most significantly differentially expressed gene and was hypomethylated in the preeclamptic group compared to the nonhypertensive groups, namely, the preterm birth group and term birth group. This result was confirmed by pyrosequencing. Through quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis, the WNT3 gene was found to be highly expressed in preeclamptic placental tissues, in contrast to other WNT factors, which were previously reported to be expressed at low levels in placental tissues. Additionally, in the HTR8/SVneo cell line, knockdown of WNT3 suppressed the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, consistent with the findings for other WNT factors. These results prompted us to speculate that the WNT3 gene counteracts the low activation state of the Wnt signaling pathway in the preeclamptic placenta through methylation modification.
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16
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Yu F, Yu C, Li F, Zuo Y, Wang Y, Yao L, Wu C, Wang C, Ye L. Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cancers and targeted therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:307. [PMID: 34456337 PMCID: PMC8403677 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00701-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 389] [Impact Index Per Article: 97.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been broadly implicated in human cancers and experimental cancer models of animals. Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling is tightly linked with the increment of prevalence, advancement of malignant progression, development of poor prognostics, and even ascendence of the cancer-associated mortality. Early experimental investigations have proposed the theoretical potential that efficient repression of this signaling might provide promising therapeutic choices in managing various types of cancers. Up to date, many therapies targeting Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cancers have been developed, which is assumed to endow clinicians with new opportunities of developing more satisfactory and precise remedies for cancer patients with aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling. However, current facts indicate that the clinical translations of Wnt/β-catenin signaling-dependent targeted therapies have faced un-neglectable crises and challenges. Therefore, in this study, we systematically reviewed the most updated knowledge of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cancers and relatively targeted therapies to generate a clearer and more accurate awareness of both the developmental stage and underlying limitations of Wnt/β-catenin-targeted therapies in cancers. Insights of this study will help readers better understand the roles of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cancers and provide insights to acknowledge the current opportunities and challenges of targeting this signaling in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanyuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Endodontics, West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Changhao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Endodontics, West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Feifei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanqin Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Endodontics, West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yitian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Endodontics, West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chenzhou Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chenglin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Endodontics, West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
- Department of Endodontics, West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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17
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Elpek GO. Molecular pathways in viral hepatitis-associated liver carcinogenesis: An update. World J Clin Cases 2021; 9:4890-4917. [PMID: 34307543 PMCID: PMC8283590 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i19.4890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of cancer among primary malignant tumors of the liver and is a consequential cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In recent years, uncovering the molecular mechanisms involved in the development and behavior of this tumor has led to the identification of multiple potential treatment targets. Despite the vast amount of data on this topic, HCC remains a challenging tumor to treat due to its aggressive behavior and complex molecular profile. Therefore, the number of studies aiming to elucidate the mechanisms involved in both carcinogenesis and tumor progression in HCC continues to increase. In this context, the close association of HCC with viral hepatitis has led to numerous studies focusing on the direct or indirect involvement of viruses in the mechanisms contributing to tumor development and behavior. In line with these efforts, this review was undertaken to highlight the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) participate in oncogenesis and tumor progression in HCC and summarize new findings. Cumulative evidence indicates that HBV DNA integration promotes genomic instability, resulting in the overexpression of genes related to cancer development, metastasis, and angiogenesis or inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. In addition, genetic variations in HBV itself, especially preS2 deletions, may play a role in malignant transformation. Epigenetic dysregulation caused by both viruses might also contribute to tumor formation and metastasis by modifying the methylation of DNA and histones or altering the expression of microRNAs. Similarly, viral proteins of both HBV and HCV can affect pathways that are important anticancer targets. The effects of these two viruses on the Hippo-Yap-Taz pathway in HCC development and behavior need to be investigated. Additional, comprehensive studies are also needed to determine these viruses' interaction with integrins, farnesoid X, and the apelin system in malignant transformation and tumor progression. Although the relationship of persistent inflammation caused by HBV and HCV hepatitis with carcinogenesis is well defined, further studies are warranted to decipher the relationship among inflammasomes and viruses in carcinogenesis and elucidate the role of virus-microbiota interactions in HCC development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulsum Ozlem Elpek
- Department of Pathology, Akdeniz University Medical School, Antalya 07070, Turkey
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Determining the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Syndrome with the Best Prognosis of HBV-Related HCC and Exploring the Related Mechanism Using Network Pharmacology. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:9991533. [PMID: 34306165 PMCID: PMC8263254 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9991533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Background In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), TCM syndrome is a key guideline, and Chinese materia medicas are widely used to treat hepatitis B virus- (HBV-) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) according to different TCM syndromes. However, the prognostic value of TCM syndromes in HBV-related HCC patients has never been studied. Methods A retrospective cohort of HBV-related HCC patients at Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from December 2005 to October 2017 was analyzed. The prognostic value of TCM syndromes in HBV-related HCC patients was assessed by Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox analysis, and the TCM syndrome with the best prognosis of HBV-related HCC patients was determined. To further study the relevant mechanisms, key Chinese materia medicas (KCMMs) for the TCM syndrome with the best prognosis were summarized, and network pharmacology was also performed. Results A total of 207 HBV-related HCC patients were included in this research, and we found that HBV-related HCC patients with TCM excess syndrome had better OS. Then, a total of eight KCMMs for TCM excess syndrome were identified, whose crucial ingredients included quercetin, beta-sitosterol, kaempferol, luteolin, and XH-14, and KCMMs could play a therapeutic role through MAPK, JAK-STAT, Wnt, Hippo, and other pathways. Moreover, TP53, SRC, STAT3, MAPK3, PIK3R1, HRAS, VEGFA, HSP90AA1, EGFR, and JAK2 were determined as the key targets. Conclusion We propose a new research method of “prognosis of TCM syndromes-KCMMs-network pharmacology” to reveal the prognostic value of TCM syndromes and the potential mechanism by which TCM syndromes affect prognosis.
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Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Focus on New Biomarkers and Lifestyle Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22083899. [PMID: 33918878 PMCID: PMC8069944 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, characterized from pathological changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Its main characteristics are excessive lipid accumulation and oxidative stress, which create a lipotoxic environment in hepatocytes leading to liver injury. Recently, many studies have focused on the identification of the genetic and epigenetic modifications that also contribute to NAFLD pathogenesis and their prognostic implications. The present review is aimed to discuss on cellular and metabolic alterations associated with NAFLD, which can be helpful to identify new noninvasive biomarkers. The identification of accumulated lipids in the cell membranes, as well as circulating cytokeratins and exosomes, provides new insights in understanding of NAFLD. This review also suggests that lifestyle modifications remain the main prevention and/or treatment for NAFLD.
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20
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Effects of HDAC4 on IL-1β-induced matrix metalloproteinase expression regulated partially through the WNT3A/β-catenin pathway. Chin Med J (Engl) 2021; 134:963-970. [PMID: 33840739 PMCID: PMC8078302 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000001470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) regulates chondrocyte hypertrophy and bone formation. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of HDAC4 on Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β)-induced chondrocyte extracellular matrix degradation and whether it is regulated through the WNT family member 3A (WNT3A)/β-catenin signaling pathway. Methods: Primary chondrocytes (CC) and human chondrosarcoma cells (SW1353 cells) were treated with IL-1β and the level of HDAC4 was assayed using Western blotting. Then, HDAC4 expression in the SW1353 cells was silenced using small interfering RNA to detect the effect of HDAC4 knockdown on the levels of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) and MMP13 induced by IL-1β. After transfection with HDAC4 plasmids, the overexpression efficiency was examined using Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and the levels of MMP3 and MMP13 were assayed using Western blotting. After incubation with IL-1β, the translocation of β-catenin into the nucleus was observed using immunofluorescence staining in SW1353 cells to investigate the activation of the WNT3A/β-catenin signaling pathway. Finally, treatment with WNT3A and transfection with glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) plasmids were assessed for their effects on HDAC4 levels using Western blotting. Results: IL-1β downregulated HDAC4 levels in chondrocytes and SW1353 cells. Furthermore, HDAC4 knockdown increased the levels of MMP3 and MMP13, which contributed to the degradation of the extracellular matrix. Overexpression of HDAC4 inhibited IL-1β-induced increases in MMP3 and MMP13. IL-1β upregulated the levels of WNT3A, and WNT3A reduced HDAC4 levels in SW1353 cells. GSK-3β rescued IL-1β-induced downregulation of HDAC4 in SW1353 cells. Conclusion: HDAC4 exerted an inhibitory effect on IL-1β-induced extracellular matrix degradation and was regulated partially by the WNT3A/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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21
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Chen L, Guo P, Li W, Fang F, Zhu W, Fan J, Wang F, Gao Y, Zhao Q, Wang Q, Xiao Y, Xing X, Li D, Shi T, Yu D, Aschner M, Zhang L, Chen W. Perturbation of Specific Signaling Pathways Is Involved in Initiation of Mouse Liver Fibrosis. Hepatology 2021; 73:1551-1569. [PMID: 32654205 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS To identify the regulatory role of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in the development of liver disease, we generated a mouse model with hepatocyte-specific deletion of Ppp2r1a gene (encoding PP2A Aα subunit). APPROACH AND RESULTS Homozygote (HO) mice and matched wild-type littermates were investigated at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 months of age. Pathological examination showed that PP2A Aα deficiency in hepatocytes resulted in progressive liver fibrosis phenotype from 9 months of age. No hepatocyte death was observed in HO mice. However, perturbation of pathways including epidermal growth factor receptor 1 (EGFR1), amino acid metabolism, and translation factors as well as leptin and adiponectin led to pronounced hepatic fibrosis. In vitro studies demonstrated the involvement of specific B subunit complexes in the regulation of EGFR1 signaling pathway and cross talk between defected hepatocytes and stimulation of interstitial hyperplasia. It is noteworthy that HO mice failed to develop hepatocellular carcinoma for as long as 22 months of age. We further demonstrate that PP2A Aβ-containing holoenzymes played a critical role in preventing hepatocyte apoptosis and antagonizing tumorigenesis through specific pathways on Aα loss. Furthermore, PP2A Aα and Aβ were functionally distinct, and the Aβ isoform failed to substitute for Aα in the development of inflammation and liver fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS These observations identify pathways that contribute to the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and provide putative therapeutic targets for its treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ping Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenxue Li
- Department of Toxicology, Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fei Fang
- Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, National Chromatographic Research and Analysis Center, Dalian, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Department of Toxicology, Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junling Fan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fangping Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Gao
- The Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, National Chromatographic Research and Analysis Center, Dalian, China
| | - Qing Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongmei Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiumei Xing
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Daochuan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tieliu Shi
- The Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dianke Yu
- School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Lihua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, National Chromatographic Research and Analysis Center, Dalian, China
| | - Wen Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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22
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Dehghanbanadaki N, Taghdir M, Naderi-Manesh H. Investigation of Atrial Natriuretic Peptide as A Competitive Inhibitory Candidate Against Wnt/β-Catenin Signalling: A Molecular Dynamics Approach. Int J Pept Res Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-020-10085-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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23
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Extrinsic Regulators of mRNA Translation in Developing Brain: Story of WNTs. Cells 2021; 10:cells10020253. [PMID: 33525513 PMCID: PMC7911671 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Extrinsic molecules such as morphogens can regulate timed mRNA translation events in developing neurons. In particular, Wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 3 (Wnt3), was shown to regulate the translation of Foxp2 mRNA encoding a Forkhead transcription factor P2 in the neocortex. However, the Wnt receptor that possibly mediates these translation events remains unknown. Here, we report Frizzled member 7 (Fzd7) as the Wnt3 receptor that lays downstream in Wnt3-regulated mRNA translation. Fzd7 proteins co-localize with Wnt3 ligands in developing neocortices. In addition, the Fzd7 proteins overlap in layer-specific neuronal subpopulations expressing different transcription factors, Foxp1 and Foxp2. When Fzd7 was silenced, we found decreased Foxp2 protein expression and increased Foxp1 protein expression, respectively. The Fzd7 silencing also disrupted the migration of neocortical glutamatergic neurons. In contrast, Fzd7 overexpression reversed the pattern of migratory defects and Foxp protein expression that we found in the Fzd7 silencing. We further discovered that Fzd7 is required for Wnt3-induced Foxp2 mRNA translation. Surprisingly, we also determined that the Fzd7 suppression of Foxp1 protein expression is not Wnt3 dependent. In conclusion, it is exhibited that the interaction between Wnt3 and Fzd7 regulates neuronal identity and the Fzd7 receptor functions as a downstream factor in ligand Wnt3 signaling for mRNA translation. In particular, the Wnt3-Fzd7 signaling axis determines the deep layer Foxp2-expressing neurons of developing neocortices. Our findings also suggest that Fzd7 controls the balance of the expression for Foxp transcription factors in developing neocortical neurons. These discoveries are presented in our manuscript within a larger framework of this review on the role of extrinsic factors in regulating mRNA translation.
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24
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Azbazdar Y, Karabicici M, Erdal E, Ozhan G. Regulation of Wnt Signaling Pathways at the Plasma Membrane and Their Misregulation in Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:631623. [PMID: 33585487 PMCID: PMC7873896 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.631623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling is one of the key signaling pathways that govern numerous physiological activities such as growth, differentiation and migration during development and homeostasis. As pathway misregulation has been extensively linked to pathological processes including malignant tumors, a thorough understanding of pathway regulation is essential for development of effective therapeutic approaches. A prominent feature of cancer cells is that they significantly differ from healthy cells with respect to their plasma membrane composition and lipid organization. Here, we review the key role of membrane composition and lipid order in activation of Wnt signaling pathway by tightly regulating formation and interactions of the Wnt-receptor complex. We also discuss in detail how plasma membrane components, in particular the ligands, (co)receptors and extracellular or membrane-bound modulators, of Wnt pathways are affected in lung, colorectal, liver and breast cancers that have been associated with abnormal activation of Wnt signaling. Wnt-receptor complex components and their modulators are frequently misexpressed in these cancers and this appears to correlate with metastasis and cancer progression. Thus, composition and organization of the plasma membrane can be exploited to develop new anticancer drugs that are targeted in a highly specific manner to the Wnt-receptor complex, rendering a more effective therapeutic outcome possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yagmur Azbazdar
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, İzmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Karabicici
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, İzmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Esra Erdal
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, İzmir, Turkey.,Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Gunes Ozhan
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, İzmir, Turkey.,Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute (IBG-Izmir), Dokuz Eylul University, İzmir, Turkey
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25
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Liu Y, Wu D, Cheng H, Chen L, Zhang W, Zou L, Gao Q, Zhao Z, Chen Q, Zeng W, Zhang Z, Jiang W, Huang C, Liu G. Wnt8B, transcriptionally regulated by ZNF191, promotes cell proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma via Wnt signaling. Cancer Sci 2020; 112:629-640. [PMID: 33197287 PMCID: PMC7894019 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of wingless‐type (Wnt) signaling is implicated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Wnt family member 8B (Wnt8B), one of the canonical Wnt ligands, is implicated in oncogenesis. However, the role of Wnt8B in human HCCs and its transcriptional regulation mechanism are presently unknown . Here, we report that Wnt8B expression was frequently increased in HCCs and was significantly associated with poorer patient prognosis. Wnt8B knockdown suppresses HCC cell growth both in vitro and in vivo via inhibiting the canonical Wnt signaling. Zinc finger transcription factor 191 (ZNF191) can positively regulate Wnt8B mRNA and protein expression, and promoter luciferase assay indicated that ZNF191 can increase the transcription activity of the 2‐Kbps WNT8B promoter. Chromatin immunoprecipitation‐qPCR and electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that ZNF191 protein directly binds to the WNT8B promoter, and the binding sites are at nt‐1491(ATTAATT) and nt‐1178(ATTCATT). Moreover, Wnt8B contributes to the effect of ZNF191 on cell proliferation, and Wnt8B expression correlates positively with ZNF191 in human HCCs. Our findings suggested that Wnt8B, directly transcriptionally regulated by ZNF191, plays a pivotal role in HCC proliferation via the canonical Wnt pathway and may serve as a new prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Liu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Wu
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanghang Cheng
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weidi Zhang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liping Zou
- Departmant of Pathology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiongmei Gao
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhonghua Zhao
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjiao Zeng
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhigang Zhang
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Ministry of Education, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- Department of Liver Surgery & Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoyuan Liu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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26
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Chidambaranathan-Reghupaty S, Fisher PB, Sarkar D. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): Epidemiology, etiology and molecular classification. Adv Cancer Res 2020; 149:1-61. [PMID: 33579421 PMCID: PMC8796122 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 527] [Impact Index Per Article: 105.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the primary malignancy of hepatocytes, is a diagnosis with bleak outcome. According to National Cancer Institute's SEER database, the average five-year survival rate of HCC patients in the US is 19.6% but can be as low as 2.5% for advanced, metastatic disease. When diagnosed at early stages, it is treatable with locoregional treatments including surgical resection, Radio-Frequency Ablation, Trans-Arterial Chemoembolization or liver transplantation. However, HCC is usually diagnosed at advanced stages when the tumor is unresectable, making these treatments ineffective. In such instances, systemic therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) becomes the only viable option, even though it benefits only 30% of patients, provides only a modest (~3months) increase in overall survival and causes drug resistance within 6months. HCC, like many other cancers, is highly heterogeneous making a one-size fits all option problematic. The selection of liver transplantation, locoregional treatment, TKIs or immune checkpoint inhibitors as a treatment strategy depends on the disease stage and underlying condition(s). Additionally, patients with similar disease phenotype can have different molecular etiology making treatment responses different. Stratification of patients at the molecular level would facilitate development of the most effective treatment option. With the increase in efficiency and affordability of "omics"-level analysis, considerable effort has been expended in classifying HCC at the molecular, metabolic and immunologic levels. This review examines the results of these efforts and the ways they can be leveraged to develop targeted treatment options for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saranya Chidambaranathan-Reghupaty
- C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Paul B Fisher
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Devanand Sarkar
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States.
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27
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Mo Z, Cao Z, Luo S, Chen Y, Zhang S. Novel Molecular Subtypes Associated With 5mC Methylation and Their Role in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Immunotherapy. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:562441. [PMID: 33195409 PMCID: PMC7645064 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.562441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background 5-methylcytosine (5mC) has been reported in the prognosis of a variety of cancers, however, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been investigated yet. This study aimed at identifying the molecular subtypes associated with 5mC and establishing a relevant score to predict its prognosis in HCC. Methods Somatic gene mutation data and gene expression data were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Molecular subtypes were identified by unsupervised clustering based on the expression of 5mC regulators, and the molecular features of each subtype were investigated by survival, mutation, gene set variation, and immune cell infiltration analyses. Next, we performed a differentially expressed analysis based on the new subtypes and selected the overlapping genes for further analysis. We undertook univariate Cox analysis to analyze these genes and constructed a prognostic model by lasso regression analysis. Meanwhile, survival and gene set enrichment analyses were used to explore the prognosis and the relevant pathways, respectively. The LIRI cohort from the International Cancer Genome Consortium database was used as a reference to validate the 5mC subtypes and 5mC score. Results Twenty-one types of 5mC regulators were employed in this study, and three 5mC-associated molecular subtypes were identified. These three subtypes presented significant differences in prognosis, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint inhibitors, signaling pathways, and mutational features. Compared with cluster 3, cluster 2 exhibited significantly increased expression of PD-L1, TIM3, Galectin9, CTLA4, and CD80, while PD-L1, TIM3, and CD80 were higher in cluster 2 than in cluster 1. Furthermore, a 5mC-related score, composed of seven genes (SGPP2, SALL4, B3GNT7, ROR1, MYBL2, SLC7A1, and CAND2), was proven to be significantly associated with prognosis. The established subtypes and scores were thus successfully verified by the validated cohort. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify a novel molecular subtype based on 5mC regulators. The identification of the 5mC-associated subtype may help reveal the potential relation between 5mC and immunity and provide novel insights for the development of individualized therapy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuomao Mo
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhirui Cao
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoju Luo
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shijun Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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28
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Li W, Yang G, Yang D, Li D, Sun Q. LncRNA LEF1-AS1 promotes metastasis of prostatic carcinoma via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Cancer Cell Int 2020; 20:543. [PMID: 33292271 PMCID: PMC7654046 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-020-01624-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important functional regulators of many biological processes of cancers. However, the mechanisms by which lncRNAs modulate androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) development remain largely unknown. METHODS Next-generation sequencing technology and RT-qPCR were used to assess LEF1-AS1 expression level in AIPC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. Functional in vitro experiments, including colony formation, EDU and transwell assays were performed to assess the role of LEF1-AS1 in AIPC. Xenograft assays were conducted to assess the effect of LEF1-AS1 on cell proliferation in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were performed to elucidate the regulatory network of LEF1-AS1. RESULTS The next-generation sequencing results showed that LEF1-AS1 is significantly overexpressed in AIPC. Furthermore, our RT-qPCR assay data showed that LEF1-AS1 is overexpressed in AIPC tissues. Functional experiments showed that LEF1-AS1 promotes the proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenic ability of AIPC cells in vitro and tumour growth in vivo by recruiting the transcription factor C-myb to the promoter of FZD2, inducing its transcription. Furthermore, LEF1-AS1 was shown to function as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) that sponges miR-328 to activate CD44. CONCLUSION In summary, the results of our present study revealed that LEF1-AS1 acts as a tumour promoter in the progression of AIPC. Furthermore, the results revealed that LEF1-AS1 functions as a ceRNA and regulates Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity via FZD2 and CD44. Our results provide new insights into the mechanism that links the function of LEF1-AS1 with AIPC and suggests that LEF1-AS1 may serve as a novel potential target for the improvement of AIPC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyuan Li
- Department of Urology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, People's Republic of China
| | - Ganggang Yang
- Department of Urology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, People's Republic of China
| | - Dengke Yang
- Department of Urology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Li
- Department of Urology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qian Sun
- Department of Urology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200336, People's Republic of China.
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29
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Sun Y, Wang W, Zhao C. Frizzled Receptors in Tumors, Focusing on Signaling, Roles, Modulation Mechanisms, and Targeted Therapies. Oncol Res 2020; 28:661-674. [PMID: 32998794 PMCID: PMC7962935 DOI: 10.3727/096504020x16014648664459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt molecules play crucial roles in development and adult homeostasis through their receptors Frizzled proteins (Fzds). Fzds mediate canonical β-catenin pathway and various noncanonical β-catenin-independent pathways. Aberrant Fzd signaling is involved in many diseases including cancer. Wnt/β-catenin is a well-established oncogenic pathway involved in almost every aspect of tumor development. However, Fzd-mediated noncanonical Wnt pathways function as both tumor promoters and tumor suppressors depending on cellular context. Fzd-targeted therapies have proven to be effective on cultured tumor cells, tumor cell xenografts, mouse tumor models, and patient-derived xenografts (PDX). Moreover, Fzd-targeted therapies synergize with chemotherapy in preclinical models. However, the occurrence of fragility fractures in patients treated with Fzd-targeted agents such as OMP-54F28 and OMP-18R5 limits the development of this combination. Along with new insights on signaling, roles, and modulation mechanisms of Fzds in human tumors, more Fzd-related therapeutic targets will be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Sun
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical UniversityShenyangP.R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical UniversityShenyangP.R. China
| | - Chenghai Zhao
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical UniversityShenyangP.R. China
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30
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Javanmard D, Karbalaie Niya MH, Khalafkhany D, Najafi M, Ziaee M, Babaei MR, Kiani SJ, Esghaei M, Jazayeri SM, Panahi M, Safarnezhad Tameshkel F, Mehrabi M, Monavari SH, Bokharaei-Salim F. Downregulation of GSK3β and Upregulation of URG7 in Hepatitis B-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma. HEPATITIS MONTHLY 2020; 20. [DOI: 10.5812/hepatmon.100899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 08/30/2023]
Abstract
: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The exact molecular contributors to the development of HBV-related HCC are not yet completely understood. Recent studies demonstrated that the deregulation of the Wnt pathway is highly associated with the development of HCC. Besides, HBV is known to have roles in the deregulation of this pathway. The present study evaluated the molecular aspects of the Wnt pathway in HBV-related HCC in liver tissue samples. Viral characterization was done by identifying the HBx mutations and the assessment of intrahepatic viral load. The expression of Wnt pathway genes was assessed using real-time PCR and methylation-specific PCR. The intrahepatic viral load was significantly higher in tumor samples than in normal tissues (P = 0.0008). Aberrant expression was observed in Wnt-1, Wnt-7a, FZD2, FZD7, β-catenin, URG7, c-Myc, SFRP5, and GSK3β, among which Wnt1, FZD2, SFRP5, Gsk3β, and URG7 were associated with HBV. HBx mutations at positions I88, L116, and I127 + F132 were associated with the decreased expression of GSK3β and overexpression of URG7 and Wnt1. Alterations in the expression level of β-catenin, as well as some mutants of HBx, were correlated with the level of c-Myc. HBV-related HCC seems to be mostly coordinated with epigenetic behaviors of HBx, such a multi-functional peptide with suppressing/trans-activating functions.
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31
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Yin P, Bai Y, Wang Z, Sun Y, Gao J, Na L, Zhang Z, Wang W, Zhao C. Non-canonical Fzd7 signaling contributes to breast cancer mesenchymal-like stemness involving Col6a1. Cell Commun Signal 2020; 18:143. [PMID: 32894152 PMCID: PMC7487719 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-020-00646-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal-like stemness is characterized by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Breast cancer (BC) cell mesenchymal-like stemness is responsible for distal lung metastasis. Interrogation of databases showed that Fzd7 was closely associated with a panel of mesenchymal-related genes and a panel of stemness-related genes. Fzd7 knockdown in mesenchymal-like MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cells reduced expression of Vimentin, Slug and Zeb1, induced an epithelial-like morphology, inhibited cell motility, impaired mammosphere formation and decreased Lgr5+ subpopulation. In contrast, Fzd7 overexpression in MCF7 cells resulted in opposite changes. Fzd7 knockdown delayed xenograft tumor formation, suppressed tumor growth, and impaired lung metastasis. Mechanistically, Fzd7 combined with Wnt5a/b and modulated expression of phosphorylated Stat3 (p-STAT3), Smad3 and Yes-associated protein 1 (Yap1). Moreover, Fzd7-Wnt5b modulated expression of collagen, type VI, alpha 1 (Col6a1). Both Wnt5b knockdown and Col6a1 knockdown disrupted BC cell mesenchymal phenotype and stemness. Taken together, Fzd7 contributes to BC cell EMT and stemness, inducing tumorigenesis and metastasis, mainly through a non-canonical Wnt5b pathway. Col6a1 is implicated in Fzd7-Wnt5b signaling, and mediates Fzd7-Wnt5b -induced mesenchymal-like stemness. Video Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Yin
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yu Bai
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.,Department of Nephrology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhuo Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jian Gao
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lei Na
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zhongbo Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
| | - Chenghai Zhao
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
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Michelli M, Zougros A, Chatziandreou I, Michalopoulos NV, Lazaris AC, Saetta AA. Concurrent Wnt pathway component expression in breast and colorectal cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2020; 216:153005. [PMID: 32534708 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2020.153005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Wnt signaling pathway regulates important cell functions such as proliferation and migration and is frequently deregulated in colorectal and breast cancer. Thus, it constitutes an attractive therapeutic target with many drugs being investigated in clinical trials. Eighty-two breast and 102 colorectal carcinomas were analyzed for: relative mRNA expression levels of Wnt pathway components namely Wnt3 ligand, Frizzled 7 receptor and LEF1 transcriptional factor, their concurrent expression patterns and their correlation with clinicopathological features. Regarding breast carcinomas, increased relative mRNA expression levels of WNT3 were found in 54 % of cases whereas decreased relative mRNA expression levels were observed in FZD7 and LEF1 in 82 % and 43 % of cases, respectively. Expression levels of WNT3 were significantly correlated with tumour grade (p = 0.021) in breast cancer. As far as colorectal carcinomas are concerned, increased relative mRNA expression levels of WNT3, FZD7 and LEF1 were found in 60 %, 37 % and 48 % of cases respectively. A statistically significant correlation emerged between LEF1expression levels and pT-category (p = 0.027), suggesting a possible association with tumour aggressiveness in colorectal carcinomas. Statistically significant linear correlations were observed between the expression of WNT3/LEF1 (R = 0.233, p = 0.035) and FZD7/LEF1 (R = 0.359, p = 0.001) in breast carcinomas as well as in colorectal carcinomas (R = 0.536, p < 0.01 and R = 0.210, p = 0.034) respectively. Our results demonstrate a possible clinical significance of Wnt pathway gene expression levels in both tumour types. The distinct expression patterns and simultaneous expression of the investigated genes underscore the complexity of this pathway in breast and colorectal carcinogenesis and highlights the necessity of patient selection with regard to the effectiveness of Wnt pathway inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Michelli
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, Greece
| | - Alexandros Zougros
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, Greece
| | - Ilenia Chatziandreou
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos V Michalopoulos
- Fourth Department of Surgery, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Rimini 1, Haidari, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas C Lazaris
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, Greece
| | - Angelica A Saetta
- First Department of Pathology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, Greece.
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El-Derany MO, El-Demerdash E. Pyrvinium pamoate attenuates non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: Insight on hedgehog/Gli and Wnt/β-catenin signaling crosstalk. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 177:113942. [PMID: 32240652 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.113942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a devastating form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Pyrvinium pamoate (PP) has been recently introduced as anti-adipogenic compound. We aimed to investigate the effects of PP on high fat diet (HFD)-induced NASH in rats and examine the underlying mechanisms. NASH was induced by exposing rats to HFD for 16 weeks and a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) 35 mg/kg at the fifth week. At the tenth week, PP was given orally at a dose of 60 µg/kg, day after day for 6 weeks. HFD/STZ induced significant steatohepatitis and insulin resistance as was evident by the elevated transaminases activity, NAFLD activity score and HOMA-IR level. Also, HFD induced serum hyperlipidemia and hepatic lipid accumulation. In addition, HFD induced an imbalance in the oxidative status of the liver via upregulating lipid peroxides and mitochondrial oxidative stress markers (MnSOD, UCP-2), together with marked decrease in anti-oxidant glutathione level, glutathione peroxidase activity and expression of mitophagy related markers (PINK1, Parkin, ULK1) and increase in SQSTM1/p62 and LC3II/LC3I. Upregulation of inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) and apoptotic marker (caspase 3) were observed. Those events all together precipitated in initiation of liver fibrosis as confirmed by elevation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and liver collagen content. Co-treatment with PP protected against HFD-induced NASH and liver fibrosis via downregulating the expression of key factors in Hedgehog and Wnt/ β-catenin signaling pathway. These findings imply that PP can attenuate the progression of NASH and its associated sequela of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa O El-Derany
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Ebtehal El-Demerdash
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
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Investigation of CTNNB1 gene mutations and expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis in association with hepatitis B virus infection. Infect Agent Cancer 2020; 15:37. [PMID: 32514293 PMCID: PMC7268324 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-020-00297-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV), along with Hepatitis C virus chronic infection, represents a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. However, molecular mechanisms involved in the development of HCC are not yet completely understood. Recent studies have indicated that mutations in CTNNB1 gene encoding for β-catenin protein lead to aberrant activation of the Wnt/ β-catenin pathway. The mutations in turn activate several downstream genes, including c-Myc, promoting the neoplastic process. The present study evaluated the mutational profile of the CTNNB1 gene and expression levels of CTNNB1 and c-Myc genes in HBV-related HCC, as well as in cirrhotic and control tissues. Mutational analysis of the β-catenin gene and HBV genotyping were conducted by direct sequencing. Expression of β-catenin and c-Myc genes was assessed using real-time PCR. Among the HCC cases, 18.1% showed missense point mutation in exon 3 of CTNNB1, more frequently in codons 32, 33, 38 and 45. The frequency of mutation in the hotspots of exon 3 was significantly higher in non-viral HCCs (29.4%) rather than HBV-related cases (12.7%, P = 0.021). The expression of β-catenin and c-Myc genes was found upregulated in cirrhotic tissues in association with HBV infection. Mutations at both phosphorylation and neighboring sites were associated with increased activity of the Wnt pathway. The results demonstrated that mutated β-catenin caused activation of the Wnt pathway, but the rate of CTNNB1 gene mutations was not related to HBV infection. HBV factors may deregulate the Wnt pathway by causing epigenetic alterations in the HBV-related HCC.
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Yin L, Yao J, Deng G, Wang X, Cai W, Shen J. Identification of candidate lncRNAs and circRNAs regulating WNT3/β-catenin signaling in essential hypertension. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:8261-8288. [PMID: 32392180 PMCID: PMC7244030 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence suggests that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. However, their role in essential hypertension (EH) is still unclear. We therefore identified differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in EH patients from a high-risk population group and constructed a competing endogenous RNA regulatory network that predicts interactions of potential diagnostic and therapeutic relevance between specific lncRNA/circRNA-microRNA-mRNA triplets. Our analysis identified two lncRNAs, transmembrane protein 183A pseudogene (LOC646616) and leucine aminopeptidase 3 pseudogene 2 (LAP3P2), and two circRNAs, hsa_circ_0039388 and hsa_circ_0038648, that are highly co-expressed with both wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 3 (WNT3) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II inhibitor 2 (CAMK2N2) mRNAs and also share common microRNA binding sites with these two transcripts. We also confirmed that a mutually regulated network composed of LOC646616/microRNA-637/WNT3 controls WNT3 expression and influences viability and invasive properties in human arterial smooth muscle cells in vitro. These findings highlight a novel ncRNA-based regulatory mechanism potentially driving WNT/β-catenin activation in EH, and suggest that the identified ncRNAs may represent useful biomarkers and therapeutic targets for this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Yin
- Department of Endocrinology, Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shunde 528300, China
| | - Jie Yao
- Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shunde 528300, China
| | - Guangxue Deng
- Department of Endocrinology, Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shunde 528300, China
| | - Xuemei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Chien-Shiung Wu Lab, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Weijuan Cai
- Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shunde 528300, China.,State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Chien-Shiung Wu Lab, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Department of Endocrinology, Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shunde 528300, China
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Ding Z, Lu W, Dai C, Huang W, Liu F, Shan W, Cheng C, Xu J, Yin Z, He W. The CRD of Frizzled 7 exhibits chondroprotective effects in osteoarthritis via inhibition of the canonical Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 82:106367. [PMID: 32151961 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic inflammatory joint disease without effective drugs. Frizzled 7 (FzD7) binds its ligand Wnt3a through an extracellular cysteine-rich domain (CRD) to transduce the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which has been strongly implicated in OA pathogenesis. Effects of recombinant protein of FzD7 CRD on Wnt/β-catenin signaling and chondral destruction was evaluated in this study. Firstly, increased protein levels of FzD7, Wnt3a and β-catenin were detected in human OA cartilage implying that the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling mediated by Wnt3a and FzD7 executes an essential role in OA. Then we showed that FzD7 CRD antagonized the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway in a dose-dependent manner by binding Wnt3a. In addition, FzD7 CRD increased the expression of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), Collagen II, aggrecan and reduced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-13, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS-5) in Wnt3a-stimulated human chondrocytes. Furthermore, a single intra-articular injection of the FzD7 CRD was efficacious in destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) mouse OA model, significantly improving Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) histology scores compared to mice treated with PBS. The results indicate that the FzD7 CRD exhibits chondroprotective effects by binding Wnt3a to suppress the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling. Targeting the FzD7 CRD may be a novel therapy for the treatment of OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfei Ding
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218#Ji Xi Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218#Ji Xi Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Ce Dai
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218#Ji Xi Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Fuen Liu
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218#Ji Xi Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Wenshan Shan
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218#Ji Xi Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Chao Cheng
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218#Ji Xi Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jiegou Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, 81#Mei Shan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Zongsheng Yin
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218#Ji Xi Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
| | - Wei He
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, 81#Mei Shan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
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Chen C, Yang Z, Huang ZS. Progress in research on association between cell signal transduction pathways and hepatocellular carcinoma. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2019; 27:1330-1338. [DOI: 10.11569/wcjd.v27.i21.1330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell signal transduction refers to the process by which a signal molecule induces signal transduction in a cell by stimulating the cell membrane or intracellular receptor, thereby affecting the biological function of the cell. In recent years, studies have found that the activation or inhibition of certain cell signal transduction pathways plays an important role in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. This article will review the recent research progress in the understanding of the role of some common signal transduction pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Chen
- Graduate School of Youjiang Medical College for Nationalities, Baise 533000, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Zhe Yang
- Graduate School of Youjiang Medical College for Nationalities, Baise 533000, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
| | - Zan-Song Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical College for Nationalities, Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Hepatobiliary Diseases, Baise 533000, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
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Bhat V, Lee-Wing V, Hu P, Raouf A. Isolation and characterization of a new basal-like luminal progenitor in human breast tissue. Stem Cell Res Ther 2019; 10:269. [PMID: 31443683 PMCID: PMC6708178 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-019-1361-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Adult stem cells and progenitors are responsible for breast tissue regeneration. Human breast epithelial progenitors are organized in a lineage hierarchy consisting of bipotent progenitors (BPs), myoepithelial- and luminal-restricted progenitors (LRPs) where the LRP differentiation into mature luminal cells requires estrogen receptor (ER) signaling. However, the experimental evidence exploring the relationship between the BPs and LRPs has remained elusive. In this study, we report the presence of a basal-like luminal progenitor (BLP) in human breast epithelial cells. Methods Breast reduction samples were used to obtain different subsets of human breast epithelial cell based on cell surface marker expression using flow cytometry. Loss of function and gain of function studies were employed to demonstrate the role of NOTCH3 (NR3)-FRIZZLED7 (FZD7) signaling in luminal cell fate commitment. Results Our results suggest that, NR3-FZD7 signaling axis was necessary for luminal cell fate commitment. Similar to LRPs, BLPs (NR3highFZD7highCD90+MUC1−ER−) differentiate to generate NR3medFZD7medCD90−MUC1+ER+ luminal cells. Unlike LRPs however, BLP’s proliferation and differentiation potentials depend on NR3 and regulated in part by FZD7 signaling. Lastly, we show that BLPs have a higher colony-forming potential than LRPs and that they are continuously generated from the NOTCH3−FZD7low subset of the bipotent progenitors. Conclusion Our data indicate that BPs differentiate to generate basal-like luminal progenitors that in turn differentiate into LRPs. These results provide new insights into the hierarchical organization of human breast epithelial cell and how cooperation between the Notch and Wnt signaling pathways define a new progenitor cell type. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13287-019-1361-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasudeva Bhat
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 471 Apotex Centre, 750 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0T5, Canada.,Research Institute for Oncology and Hematology, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Victoria Lee-Wing
- Research Institute for Oncology and Hematology, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Pingzhao Hu
- Research Institute for Oncology and Hematology, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Afshin Raouf
- Department of Immunology, Max Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 471 Apotex Centre, 750 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0T5, Canada. .,Research Institute for Oncology and Hematology, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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Song T, Ma K, Zhao C, Yang J, Liu J. MicroRNA-2053 overexpression inhibits the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2019; 18:2043-2049. [PMID: 31423276 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2019.10501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small RNAs that participate in the regulation of tumor progression. However, the identification of functional miRNAs in tumors has not been thoroughly elucidated. In the present study we aim to investigate the impact of altered miR-2053 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The results of the present study demonstrated that miR-2053 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoted apoptosis in a HCC cell line, while miR-2053 knockdown induced the opposite cellular phenotypic changes. Mechanistically, it was found that overexpression of miR-2053 resulted in the downregulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways, which are aberrantly expressed in HCC. Collectively, the results indicate that miR-2053 serves as a tumor suppressor with a crucial role in inhibiting the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC via targeting the PI3K and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. These data indicate a potential application of miR-2053 in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Song
- Department of Medical Imaging, Changhai Hospital of Second Military Medical University of Chinese PLA, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
| | - Ke Ma
- Shandong Co-Innovation Center of Classic TCM Formula, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250355, P.R. China
| | - Cui Zhao
- Department of General Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College, Chengde, Hebei 067000, P.R. China
| | - Jijin Yang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Changhai Hospital of Second Military Medical University of Chinese PLA, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
| | - Jingyu Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Changhai Hospital of Second Military Medical University of Chinese PLA, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
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A Novel Drug, CC-122, Inhibits Tumor Growth in Hepatocellular Carcinoma through Downregulation of an Oncogenic TCF-4 Isoform. Transl Oncol 2019; 12:1345-1356. [PMID: 31352197 PMCID: PMC6664230 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunomodulatory drugs such as lenalidomide (LEN) have shown significant anti-tumor activity against hematologic malignancies and they may have similar actions on solid tumors as well. We studied the effect of a new analog of the immunomodulatory drugs (CC-122) on the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explored mechanisms of anti-tumor activity by analyzing expression of a novel oncogenic T-cell factor (TCF)-4 J and its downstream gene activation. LEN and CC-122 significantly reduced the expression levels of TCF-4 J and its target genes (SPP1, AXIN2, MMP7, ASPH, CD24, ANXA1, and CAMK2N1); however, CC-122 was more potent. In a xenograft tumor model with a HAK-1A-TCF-4 J derived stable cells, tumor growth was significantly inhibited by CC-122, but not by LEN or vehicle control. The mice with HCC xenograft tumors treated with CC-122 exhibited decreased TCF-4 J expression compared to LEN and control. Furthermore, expression of TCF-4 J-responsive target genes (SPP1, AXIN2, MMP7, ASPH, JAG1, CD24, ANXA1, and CAMK2N1) was reduced by CC-122 and not by LEN or control. These results suggest that CC-122 inhibits HCC tumor growth through downregulation of the oncogenic TCF-4 J isoform.
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Torresi J, Tran BM, Christiansen D, Earnest-Silveira L, Schwab RHM, Vincan E. HBV-related hepatocarcinogenesis: the role of signalling pathways and innovative ex vivo research models. BMC Cancer 2019; 19:707. [PMID: 31319796 PMCID: PMC6637598 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-019-5916-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the leading cause of liver cancer, but the mechanisms by which HBV causes liver cancer are poorly understood and chemotherapeutic strategies to cure liver cancer are not available. A better understanding of how HBV requisitions cellular components in the liver will identify novel therapeutic targets for HBV associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MAIN BODY The development of HCC involves deregulation in several cellular signalling pathways including Wnt/FZD/β-catenin, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, IRS1/IGF, and Ras/Raf/MAPK. HBV is known to dysregulate several hepatocyte pathways and cell cycle regulation resulting in HCC development. A number of these HBV induced changes are also mediated through the Wnt/FZD/β-catenin pathway. The lack of a suitable human liver model for the study of HBV has hampered research into understanding pathogenesis of HBV. Primary human hepatocytes provide one option; however, these cells are prone to losing their hepatic functionality and their ability to support HBV replication. Another approach involves induced-pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived hepatocytes. However, iPS technology relies on retroviruses or lentiviruses for effective gene delivery and pose the risk of activating a range of oncogenes. Liver organoids developed from patient-derived liver tissues provide a significant advance in HCC research. Liver organoids retain the characteristics of their original tissue, undergo unlimited expansion, can be differentiated into mature hepatocytes and are susceptible to natural infection with HBV. CONCLUSION By utilizing new ex vivo techniques like liver organoids it will become possible to develop improved and personalized therapeutic approaches that will improve HCC outcomes and potentially lead to a cure for HBV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Torresi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Bang Manh Tran
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Dale Christiansen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Linda Earnest-Silveira
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Renate Hilda Marianne Schwab
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Elizabeth Vincan
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010 Australia
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845 Australia
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Zhou F, Cao W, Xu R, Zhang J, Yu T, Xu X, Zhi T, Yin J, Cao S, Liu N, Wang Y, Zhao C. MicroRNA-206 attenuates glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by blocking the WNT/β-catenin pathway via direct targeting of Frizzled 7 mRNA. Am J Transl Res 2019; 11:4584-4601. [PMID: 31396362 PMCID: PMC6684916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Glioma is one of the most prevalent primary malignant brain tumours among adults, and accumulating evidence has shown that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is associated with various types of cancers, including glioma. It is necessary to gain a better understanding of the roles and mechanisms of action of miRNAs in WNT-driven glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Here, we report that miR-206 inhibits the WNT/β-catenin pathway by directly targeting Frizzled 7 (FZD7) mRNA and functions as a tumour suppressor in glioma. The expression of miR-206 in human glioma samples and glioma cells was assessed by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR, fluorescence in situ hybridisation, and histological analysis. Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation, flow-cytometric, wound healing, Transwell invasion, and three-dimensional migration assays were performed to examine glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. The effects of miR-206 in vivo were investigated in a xenograft nude-mouse model. MiR-206 expression was significantly lower in glioma specimens than in normal control samples. FZD7 was confirmed as a direct target gene of miR-206. GBM cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were blocked after restoration of miR-206 expression. Moreover, intracranial glioma models revealed an inhibitory effect of miR-206 on intracranial glioma tumour growth. Our results suggest that miR-206 plays a key role in the blockade of the WNT/β-catenin signalling pathway by down-regulating FZD7 and may be a promising therapeutic agent against malignant glioma and other WNT-driven tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengqi Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wenping Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ran Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Junxia Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Tianfu Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiupeng Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Tongle Zhi
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jianxing Yin
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Shengwu Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ning Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yingyi Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chunsheng Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
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Tang L, Wen JB, Wen P, Li X, Gong M, Li Q. Long non-coding RNA LINC01314 represses cell migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in gastric cancer via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by down-regulating KLK4. Cancer Cell Int 2019; 19:94. [PMID: 31007611 PMCID: PMC6458728 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-019-0799-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years, gastric cancer (GC) has become a major cause of mortality among various malignancies worldwide with high incidence rates. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) may serve as oncogenes and tumor suppressors in cancers. Therefore, we investigated the effect of LINC01314 on the development of GC cells in relation to the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Methods Microarray data analysis was conducted to screen GC-related differentially expressed lncRNAs, followed by determination of the binding interaction between LINC01314 and kallikrein 4 (KLK4). Human GC cell line SGC-7901 was treated with over-expressed or silenced LINC01314 or KLK4 to investigate the mechanism LINC01314 affecting GC cellular activities. The levels of KLK4, Wnt-1, β-catenin, cyclin D1, N-cadherin and E-cadherin were measured, and cell invasion and migration were evaluated. Next, the tumor weight, micro-vessel density (MVD) and the expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3 in transplanted tumors were measured. Results LINC01314 was poorly expressed in GC cells and KLK4 was revealed to be a direct target gene of LINC01314. Overexpressed LINC01314 or silencing of KLK4 led to inhibited GC cell migration and invasion, corresponding to decreased Wnt-1, β-catenin, cyclin D1 and N-cadherin while increased E-cadherin. Also, in response to over-expression of LINC01314 or silencing of KLK4, tumor weight and the MVD of transplanted tumors were reduced and angiogenesis was suppressed, which was indicated by down-regulated positive expression of VEGF-C and VEGFR-3. Conclusion The findings indicated that over-expression of LINC01314 down-regulated KLK4 to inhibit the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thus suppressing migration, invasion, and angiogenesis in GC cells, which provides new insight for the treatment of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Tang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jiangxi Pingxiang People's Hospital, No. 8, Wugongshan Middle Road, Pingxiang, 337000 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-Bo Wen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jiangxi Pingxiang People's Hospital, No. 8, Wugongshan Middle Road, Pingxiang, 337000 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Wen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jiangxi Pingxiang People's Hospital, No. 8, Wugongshan Middle Road, Pingxiang, 337000 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Xing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jiangxi Pingxiang People's Hospital, No. 8, Wugongshan Middle Road, Pingxiang, 337000 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Min Gong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jiangxi Pingxiang People's Hospital, No. 8, Wugongshan Middle Road, Pingxiang, 337000 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jiangxi Pingxiang People's Hospital, No. 8, Wugongshan Middle Road, Pingxiang, 337000 Jiangxi People's Republic of China
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Dong JJ, Ying L, Shi KQ. Expression of the Wnt ligands gene family and its relationship to prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2019; 19:34. [PMID: 30814912 PMCID: PMC6376661 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-019-0743-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Wnt gene family members are known to participate regulating various normal and pathological processes including tumorigenesis. However, the association between Wnt ligands gene family and prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma has not been systematically studied. Therefore, we evaluated the role of Wnt ligands gene family in hepatocellular carcinoma using publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Methods Clinical information and RNA-Seq mRNA expression data were derived from TCGA hepatocellular carcinoma cohort. Differences in overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) between increased and decreased expression groups (defined by X-tile analyses) of Wnt ligands gene family were compared using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model, with p-values calculated via log-rank test. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was performed. Results Multivariate analysis adjusted for patient age, sex, BMI, tumor grade, and TMN stage revealed that Wnt1, Wnt3 and Wnt5B expressions were independent prognostic factors for OS and DFS (OS: HR = 0.58, P = 0.006; HR = 0.65, P = 0.03; HR = 0.56, P = 0.023, respectively; DFS: HR = 0.52, P < 0.001; HR = 1.93, P = 0.003; HR = 0.59, P = 0.011, respectively). Furthermore, expression of Wnt1 and Wnt5B was significantly associated with TMN stage (P = 0.02 and P = 0.03 for OS; P = 0.02 and P = 0.02 for DFS). GSEA showed that nucleotide excision repair was differentially enriched in Wnt1 low expression phenotype and aminoacyl trna biosynthesis and basal transcription factors were differentially enriched in Wnt5B low expression phenotype. Conclusions Our results identified associations of several Wnt ligands with prognosis of HCC patients, indicating that these genes could serve as prognostic biomarkers of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Jia Dong
- 1Department of Ultrasonography, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang China
| | - Li Ying
- 1Department of Ultrasonography, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang China
| | - Ke-Qing Shi
- 2Precision Medical Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou, China
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Song H, Yu Z, Sun X, Feng J, Yu Q, Khan H, Zhu X, Huang L, Li M, Mok MTS, Cheng ASL, Gao Y, Feng H. Androgen receptor drives hepatocellular carcinogenesis by activating enhancer of zeste homolog 2-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling. EBioMedicine 2018; 35:155-166. [PMID: 30150059 PMCID: PMC6156715 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.08.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Androgen receptor (AR) plays a crucial role as a transcription factor in promoting the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which is prone to aberrant chromatin modifications. However, the regulatory effects of AR on epigenetic mediators in HCC remain ill-defined. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), an oncogene responsible for the tri-methylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3), was identified to be overexpressed in approximate 70–90% of HCC cases, which prompted us to investigate whether or how AR regulates EZH2 expression. Methods Colony formation, soft agar assay, xenograft and orthotopic mouse models were used to determine cell proliferation and tumorigenicity of gene-manipulated HCC cells. Gene regulation was assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase reporter assay, quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting. Clinical relevance of candidate proteins in patient specimens was examined in terms of pathological parameters and postsurgical survival rates. Findings In this study, we found that AR upregulated EZH2 expression by binding to EZH2 promoter and stimulating its transcriptional activity. EZH2 overexpression increased H3K27me3 levels and thereby silenced the expression of Wnt signal inhibitors, resulting in activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and subsequently induction of cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. In a cohort of human HCC patients, concordant overexpression of AR, EZH2, H3K27me3 and active β-catenin was observed in tumor tissues compared with paired non-tumor tissues, which correlated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. These findings demonstrate a novel working model in which EZH2 mediates AR-induced Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation through epigenetic modification, and support the application of EZH2-targeted reagents for treating HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibin Song
- Cancer Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Zhuo Yu
- Liver Disease Department, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Xuehua Sun
- Liver Disease Department, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jun Feng
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Qi Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Hanif Khan
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China
| | - Xiaojun Zhu
- Liver Disease Department, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Lingying Huang
- Liver Disease Department, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Man Li
- Liver Disease Department, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Myth T S Mok
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
| | - Alfred S L Cheng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China.
| | - Yueqiu Gao
- Liver Disease Department, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, PR China.
| | - Hai Feng
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China.
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Preziosi M, Poddar M, Singh S, Monga SP. Hepatocyte Wnts Are Dispensable During Diethylnitrosamine and Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Injury and Hepatocellular Cancer. Gene Expr 2018; 18:209-219. [PMID: 29519268 PMCID: PMC6190118 DOI: 10.3727/105221618x15205148413587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling is reported in large subsets of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Upregulation of Wnt genes is one contributing mechanism. In the current study, we sought to address the role of hepatocyte-derived Wnts in a model of hepatic injury, fibrosis, and carcinogenesis. We subjected hepatocyte-specific Wntless knockout mice (HP-KO), unable to secrete Wnts from hepatocytes, and littermate controls (HP-CON) to diethylnitrosamine and carbon tetrachloride (DEN/CCl4) and harvested at 3, 5, and 6 months for histological and molecular analysis. Analysis at 5 months displayed increased hepatic expression of several Wnts and upregulation of some, but not all, β-catenin targets, without mutations in Ctnnb1. At 5 months, HP-CON and HP-KO had comparable tumor burden and injury; however, HP-KO uniquely showed small CK19+ foci within tumors. At 6 months, both groups were moribund with comparable tumor burden and CK19 positivity. While HCC histology was indistinguishable between the groups, HP-KO exhibited increased active β-catenin and decreased c-Myc, Brd4, E-cadherin, and others. Hepatic injury, inflammation, and fibrosis were also indistinguishable at 3 months between both groups. Thus, lack of Wnt secretion from hepatocytes did not affect overall injury, fibrosis, or HCC burden, although there were protein expression differences in the tumors occurring in the two groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Preziosi
- *Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- †Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Minakshi Poddar
- *Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- †Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sucha Singh
- *Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- †Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Satdarshan P. Monga
- *Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- †Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- ‡Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Quan H, Li B, Yang J. MicroRNA-504 functions as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibiting Frizzled-7-mediated-Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 107:754-762. [PMID: 30142536 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.07.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators in the development and progression of various malignant tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Multiple findings have indicated that miRNA-504 (miR-504) is dysregulated in several types of cancers, functioning as an oncogenic miRNA or a tumor suppressive miRNA. However, the role of miR-504 in HCC remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to detect the expression pattern of miR-504 in HCC tissues and cell lines and investigate the precise biological function in HCC cells. Our results showed that miR-504 expression levels were frequently downregulated in both HCC tissues and cell lines. Gain-of-function experiments demonstrated that miR-504 overexpression inhibited the proliferation and invasion in HCC cell lines. By contrast, miR-504 inhibition had the opposite effect. Interestingly, bioinformatics analysis predicted that Frizzled-7 (FZD7) was a potential target gene of miR-504. Dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed that miR-504 directly targeted the 3'-untranslated region of FZD7 mRNA. In addition, our results showed that miR-504 negatively regulated the mRNA and protein expression of FZD7 in HCC cell lines. Moreover, miR-540 overexpression inhibited the cellular expression of β-catenin and blocked the activation of Wnt signaling in HCC cells. Notably, restoration of FZD7 expression significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-504 on proliferation, invasion, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in HCC cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that miR-504 functions as a tumor suppressive miRNA that inhibits the proliferation and invasion of HCC cells by targeting FZD7 and inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Our study provides evidence that miR-504-meidated FZD7/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays an important role in HCC development and progression and suggests miR-504 as a novel future therapeutic target for treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Quan
- Department of Interventional Vascular Surgery, Baoji Central Hospital, Baoji, Shaanxi Province 721008, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital of Baoji City, Baoji, Shaanxi Province 721001, China
| | - Jianjun Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Baoji Central Hospital, No. 8 Jiangtan Road, Weibin District, Baoji, Shaanxi Province 721008, China.
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Wang LJ, Lo HF, Lin CF, Ng PS, Wu YH, Lee YS, Cheong ML, Chen H. SFRP3 negatively regulates placental extravillous trophoblast cell migration mediated by the GCM1-WNT10B-FZD7 axis. FASEB J 2018; 33:314-326. [PMID: 29979633 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201800124r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Migration of placental extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells into uterine decidua facilitates the establishment of blood circulation between mother and fetus and is modulated by EVT-decidual cell interaction. Poor or excessive EVT migration is associated with pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia or placenta accreta. Glial cells missing 1 (GCM1) transcription factor is essential for placental development, and decreased GCM1 activity is detected in preeclampsia. To study whether GCM1 regulates trophoblast cell migration, here we showed that GCM1 promotes BeWo and JAR trophoblast cell migration through a novel target gene, WNT10B. Moreover, WNT10B signaling stimulated cytoskeletal remodeling via Rac1 and frizzled 7 (FZD7) was identified as the cognate receptor for WNT10B to up-regulate cell migration. We further showed that secreted frizzled-related protein 3 (SFRP3) is expressed in uterine decidual cells by immunohistochemistry and that SFRP3 expression in telomerase-transformed human endometrial stromal cells (T-HESCs) is elevated under decidualization stimuli and further enhanced by bone morphogenetic protein 2 via SMAD1. SFRP3 blocked the interaction between FZD7 and WNT10B to decrease BeWo cell migration, which corroborated the elevated BeWo cell migration when cocultured with decidualized and SFRP3-knockdown T-HESC monolayer. Our results suggest that GCM1 up-regulates EVT cell migration through WNT10B and FZD7, which is negatively modulated by decidual SFRP3.-Wang, L.-J., Lo, H.-F., Lin, C.-F., Ng, P.-S., Wu, Y.-H., Lee, Y.-S., Cheong, M.-L., Chen, H. SFRP3 negatively regulates placental extravillous trophoblast cell migration mediated by the GCM1-WNT10B-FZD7 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang-Jie Wang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Fan Lo
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Fu Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pui-Sze Ng
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hung Wu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Shien Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Ming Chuan University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Leng Cheong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; and.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hungwen Chen
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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SPAG5 promotes proliferation and suppresses apoptosis in bladder urothelial carcinoma by upregulating Wnt3 via activating the AKT/mTOR pathway and predicts poorer survival. Oncogene 2018; 37:3937-3952. [PMID: 29662193 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0223-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Sperm-associated antigen 5 (SPAG5) is involved in various biological processes. However, the roles of SPAG5 in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC) are unknown. This study showed that upregulation of SPAG5 was detected frequently in primary BUC tissues, and was associated with significantly worse survival among the 112 patients that underwent radical cystectomy (RC). Up and downregulating the expression of SPAG5 enhanced or inhibited, respectively, the proliferation of BUC cells in vitro and in vivo, and suppressed or enhanced, respectively, apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, SPAG5 increased the resistance of BUC cells to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Mechanistic investigations showed that SPAG5 promotes proliferation and suppresses apoptosis in BUC at least partially via upregulating Wnt3 through activating the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. The importance of the SPAG5/AKT-mTOR/Wnt3 axis identified in BUC cell models was confirmed via immunohistochemical analysis of a cohort of human BUC specimens that underwent RC. Collectively, our data suggested that in patients with BUC who underwent RC, high SPAG5 expression is associated with poor survival. In addition, targeting SPAG5 might represent a novel therapeutic strategy to improve the survival of patients with BUC.
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Li G, Su Q, Liu H, Wang D, Zhang W, Lu Z, Chen Y, Huang X, Li W, Zhang C, He Y, Fu L, Bi J. Frizzled7 Promotes Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition and Stemness Via Activating Canonical Wnt/β-catenin Pathway in Gastric Cancer. Int J Biol Sci 2018; 14:280-293. [PMID: 29559846 PMCID: PMC5859474 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.23756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of Wnt signaling is a crucial event in tumor development and metastasis. Wnt signaling is commonly divided into canonical and non-canonical signaling pathways based on whether β-catenin is activated (canonical). The two signaling pathways are initiated by Wnt ligand binding to the surface Frizzled (FZD) receptors, and regulate cancer stem cell self-renewal and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Frizzled 7 (FZD7), a member of Frizzled family, promotes cell proliferation and invasiveness in many cancers, suggesting that FZD7 transmitting Wnt signaling is important for driving cancer growth. FZD7 expression has been reported to be up-regulated in human primary gastric cancer tissues. However, the molecular mechanism by which FZD7 promotes gastric cancer(GC) development and progression is not fully understood. Our present study showed that FZD7 was overexpressed in clinical GC samples, and thus was correlated with tumor invasion, lymphatic and organ metastasis, late TNM stages and poor patient survival. The endogenous expression of FZD7 was significantly increased in cancer stem cell-enriched spheres compared with adherent cells. Furthermore, RNA interference-mediated silencing of FZD7 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion in gastric cancer cells. Moreover, ablation of FZD7 down-regulated EMT and the expression levels of cancer stem cell markers, and these inhibitions were associated with attenuated canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling. The results suggest that Wnt canonical pathway may contribute to tumorigenesis and metastasis, indicating that FZD7 could be a potential therapeutic target for gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanman Li
- Laboratory of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiao Su
- Animal Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Haibo Liu
- Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510000, Guangdong, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenhui Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenhai Lu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Immunity, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaohui Huang
- Laboratory of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen Li
- Laboratory of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Changhua Zhang
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Yulong He
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Li Fu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Genome Stability & Disease Prevention, Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Research Centre, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiong Bi
- Laboratory of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
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