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Liang S, Hess J. Tumor Neurobiology in the Pathogenesis and Therapy of Head and Neck Cancer. Cells 2024; 13:256. [PMID: 38334648 PMCID: PMC10854684 DOI: 10.3390/cells13030256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The neurobiology of tumors has attracted considerable interest from clinicians and scientists and has become a multidisciplinary area of research. Neural components not only interact with tumor cells but also influence other elements within the TME, such as immune cells and vascular components, forming a polygonal relationship to synergistically facilitate tumor growth and progression. This review comprehensively summarizes the current state of the knowledge on nerve-tumor crosstalk in head and neck cancer and discusses the potential underlying mechanisms. Several mechanisms facilitating nerve-tumor crosstalk are covered, such as perineural invasion, axonogenesis, neurogenesis, neural reprogramming, and transdifferentiation, and the reciprocal interactions between the nervous and immune systems in the TME are also discussed in this review. Further understanding of the nerve-tumor crosstalk in the TME of head and neck cancer may provide new nerve-targeted treatment options and help improve clinical outcomes for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Liang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Tumors, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Jochen Hess
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Tumors, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
- Research Group Molecular Mechanisms of Head and Neck Tumors, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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2
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Ye L, Liu B, Huang J, Zhao X, Wang Y, Xu Y, Wang S. DCLK1 and its oncogenic functions: A promising therapeutic target for cancers. Life Sci 2024; 336:122294. [PMID: 38007147 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), a significant constituent of the protein kinase superfamily and the doublecortin family, has been recognized as a prooncogenic factor that exhibits a strong association with the malignant progression and clinical prognosis of various cancers. DCLK1 serves as a stem cell marker that governs tumorigenesis, tumor cell reprogramming, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Multiple studies have indicated the capable of DCLK1 in regulating the DNA damage response and facilitating DNA damage repair. Additionally, DCLK1 is involved in the regulation of the immune microenvironment and the promotion of tumor immune evasion. Recently, DCLK1 has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for a multitude of cancers. Several small-molecule inhibitors of DCLK1 have been identified. Nevertheless, the biological roles of DCLK1 are mainly ambiguous, particularly with the disparities between its α- and β-form transcripts in the malignant progression of cancers, which impedes the development of more precisely targeted drugs. This article focuses on tumor stem cells, tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition, the DNA damage response, and the tumor microenvironment to provide a comprehensive overview of the association between DCLK1 and tumor malignant progression, address unsolved questions and current challenges, and project future directions for targeting DCLK1 for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Ye
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Beibei Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Jingling Huang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Xiaolin Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Yungen Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
| | - Shuping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
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3
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Standing D, Arnold L, Dandawate P, Ottemann B, Snyder V, Ponnurangam S, Sayed A, Subramaniam D, Srinivasan P, Choudhury S, New J, Kwatra D, Ramamoorthy P, Roy BC, Shadoin M, Al-Rajabi R, O’Neil M, Gunewardena S, Ashcraft J, Umar S, Weir SJ, Tawfik O, Padhye SB, Biersack B, Anant S, Thomas SM. Doublecortin-like kinase 1 is a therapeutic target in squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:145-159. [PMID: 36218231 PMCID: PMC9852063 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23472] [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: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Doublecortin like kinase 1 (DCLK1) plays a crucial role in several cancers including colon and pancreatic adenocarcinomas. However, its role in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains unknown. To this end, we examined DCLK1 expression in head and neck SCC (HNSCC) and anal SCC (ASCC). We found that DCLK1 is elevated in patient SCC tissue, which correlated with cancer progression and poorer overall survival. Furthermore, DCLK1 expression is significantly elevated in human papilloma virus negative HNSCC, which are typically aggressive with poor responses to therapy. To understand the role of DCLK1 in tumorigenesis, we used specific shRNA to suppress DCLK1 expression. This significantly reduced tumor growth, spheroid formation, and migration of HNSCC cancer cells. To further the translational relevance of our studies, we sought to identify a selective DCLK1 inhibitor. Current attempts to target DCLK1 using pharmacologic approaches have relied on nonspecific suppression of DCLK1 kinase activity. Here, we demonstrate that DiFiD (3,5-bis [2,4-difluorobenzylidene]-4-piperidone) binds to DCLK1 with high selectivity. Moreover, DiFiD mediated suppression of DCLK1 led to G2/M arrest and apoptosis and significantly suppressed tumor growth of HNSCC xenografts and ASCC patient derived xenografts, supporting that DCLK1 is critical for SCC growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Standing
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Levi Arnold
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Prasad Dandawate
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Brendan Ottemann
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Vusala Snyder
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Sivapriya Ponnurangam
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Afreen Sayed
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | | | | | - Sonali Choudhury
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Jacob New
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Deep Kwatra
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Prabhu Ramamoorthy
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Badal C. Roy
- Department of General Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Melissa Shadoin
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Raed Al-Rajabi
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Maura O’Neil
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Sumedha Gunewardena
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - John Ashcraft
- Department of General Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Shahid Umar
- Department of General Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Scott J. Weir
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
- Institute for Advancing Medical Innovation, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Ossama Tawfik
- Department of Pathology, Saint Luke’s Health System, Kansas City, Missouri and MAWD Pathology Group, Kansas City, Kansas
| | | | | | - Shrikant Anant
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Sufi Mary Thomas
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
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4
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Yang L, Zhang Q, Yang Q. KDM3A promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation and invasion via H3K9me2 demethylation-activated DCLK1. Genes Genomics 2022; 44:1333-1342. [PMID: 36094735 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-022-01287-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a frequently-diagnosed malignancy with high potential for proliferation and invasion. Histone methylation is known as a crucial mechanism that regulates pathological processes in various cancers, including OSCC. OBJECTIVE This study sought to delve into the molecular mechanism of lysine demethylase 3 A (KDM3A) in OSCC cell proliferation and invasion. METHODS Expression levels of KDM3A, lysin-9 of di-methylated histone H3 (H3K9me2), and doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) in cells were determined by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction or Western blot analysis. Cell proliferation and invasion were evaluated by cell counting kit-8, colony formation, and Transwell assays. The enrichment of KDM3A and H3K9me2 on the DCLK1 promoter was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. The functional rescue experiment was performed with DCLK1 overexpression vector and si-KDM3A in CAL-27 and SCC-9 cells. RESULTS KDM3A was elevated in OSCC cells. KDM3A knockdown suppressed OSCC proliferation and invasion, along with increased H3K9me2 level in OSCC cells. KDM3A and H3K9me2 were enriched on the DCLK1 promoter and inhibiting H3K9me2 improved DCLK1 expression levels. DCLK1 overexpression neutralized the inhibition of KDM3A knockdown on OSCC proliferation and invasion. CONCLUSIONS KDM3A facilitated OSCC proliferation and invasion by eliminating H3K9me2 to upregulate DCLK1 expression levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- Department of Prosthodontics, Daqing Oilfield General Hospital, No. 9 Zhongkang Street, Saertu District, Daqing City, 163001, Heilongjiang Province, China.
| | - Qiqiong Zhang
- Department of Prosthodontics, Daqing Oilfield General Hospital, No. 9 Zhongkang Street, Saertu District, Daqing City, 163001, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Qiuye Yang
- Department of Prosthodontics, Daqing Oilfield General Hospital, No. 9 Zhongkang Street, Saertu District, Daqing City, 163001, Heilongjiang Province, China
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5
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Radiosensitizing effect of galunisertib, a TGF-ß receptor I inhibitor, on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in vitro. Invest New Drugs 2022; 40:478-486. [PMID: 34985593 PMCID: PMC9098568 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-021-01207-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background. Resistance to radiation therapy poses a major clinical problem for patients suffering from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) has emerged as a potential target. This study aimed to investigate the radiosensitizing effect of galunisertib, a small molecule TGF-ß receptor kinase I inhibitor, on HNSCC cells in vitro. Methods. Three HNSCC cell lines were treated with galunisertib alone, or in combination with radiation. Of those three cell lines, one has a known inactivating mutation of the TGF-ß pathway (Cal27), one has a TGF-ß pathway deficiency (FaDu) and one has no known alteration (SCC-25). The effect on metabolic activity was evaluated by a resazurin-based reduction assay. Cell migration was evaluated by wound-healing assay, clonogenic survival by colony formation assay and cell cycle by FACS analysis. Results. Galunisertib reduced metabolic activity in FaDu, increased in SCC-25 and had no effect on CAL27. Migration was significantly reduced by galunisertib in all three cell lines and showed additive effects in combination with radiation in CAL27 and SCC-25. Colony-forming capabilities were reduced in SCC-25 by galunisertib and also showed an additive effect with adjuvant radiation treatment. Cell cycle analysis showed a reduction of cells in G1 phase in response to galunisertib treatment. Conclusion. Our results indicate a potential antineoplastic effect of galunisertib in HNSCC with intact TGF-ß signaling in combination with radiation.
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6
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Agulto RL, Rogers MM, Tan TC, Ramkumar A, Downing AM, Bodin H, Castro J, Nowakowski DW, Ori-McKenney KM. Autoregulatory control of microtubule binding in doublecortin-like kinase 1. eLife 2021; 10:e60126. [PMID: 34310279 PMCID: PMC8352597 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The microtubule-associated protein, doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), is highly expressed in a range of cancers and is a prominent therapeutic target for kinase inhibitors. The physiological roles of DCLK1 kinase activity and how it is regulated remain elusive. Here, we analyze the role of mammalian DCLK1 kinase activity in regulating microtubule binding. We found that DCLK1 autophosphorylates a residue within its C-terminal tail to restrict its kinase activity and prevent aberrant hyperphosphorylation within its microtubule-binding domain. Removal of the C-terminal tail or mutation of this residue causes an increase in phosphorylation within the doublecortin domains, which abolishes microtubule binding. Therefore, autophosphorylation at specific sites within DCLK1 has diametric effects on the molecule's association with microtubules. Our results suggest a mechanism by which DCLK1 modulates its kinase activity to tune its microtubule-binding affinity. These results provide molecular insights for future therapeutic efforts related to DCLK1's role in cancer development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina L Agulto
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Melissa M Rogers
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Tracy C Tan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Amrita Ramkumar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Ashlyn M Downing
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Hannah Bodin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
| | - Julia Castro
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, DavisDavisUnited States
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7
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Broner EC, Trujillo JA, Korzinkin M, Subbannayya T, Agrawal N, Ozerov IV, Zhavoronkov A, Rooper L, Kotlov N, Shen L, Pearson AT, Rosenberg AJ, Savage PA, Mishra V, Chatterjee A, Sidransky D, Izumchenko E. Doublecortin-Like Kinase 1 (DCLK1) Is a Novel NOTCH Pathway Signaling Regulator in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:677051. [PMID: 34336664 PMCID: PMC8323482 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.677051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advancements, the 5 year survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) hovers at 60%. DCLK1 has been shown to regulate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition as well as serving as a cancer stem cell marker in colon, pancreatic and renal cancer. Although it was reported that DCLK1 is associated with poor prognosis in oropharyngeal cancers, very little is known about the molecular characterization of DCLK1 in HNSCC. In this study, we performed a comprehensive transcriptome-based computational analysis on hundreds of HNSCC patients from TCGA and GEO databases, and found that DCLK1 expression positively correlates with NOTCH signaling pathway activation. Since NOTCH signaling has a recognized role in HNSCC tumorigenesis, we next performed a series of in vitro experiments in a collection of HNSCC cell lines to investigate the role of DCLK1 in NOTCH pathway regulation. Our analyses revealed that DCLK1 inhibition, using either a pharmacological inhibitor or siRNA, resulted in substantially decreased proliferation, invasion, migration, and colony formation. Furthermore, these effects paralleled downregulation of active NOTCH1, and its downstream effectors, HEY1, HES1 and HES5, whereas overexpression of DCLK1 in normal keratinocytes, lead to an upregulation of NOTCH signaling associated with increased proliferation. Analysis of 233 primary and 40 recurrent HNSCC cancer biopsies revealed that high DCLK1 expression was associated with poor prognosis and showed a trend towards higher active NOTCH1 expression in tumors with elevated DCLK1. Our results demonstrate the novel role of DCLK1 as a regulator of NOTCH signaling network and suggest its potential as a therapeutic target in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther C. Broner
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jonathan A. Trujillo
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | | | - Nishant Agrawal
- Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ivan V. Ozerov
- InSilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Pak Shek Kok, Hong Kong
| | | | - Lisa Rooper
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Nikita Kotlov
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Le Shen
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Alexander T. Pearson
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ari J. Rosenberg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Peter A. Savage
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Vasudha Mishra
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Aditi Chatterjee
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology Park, Bangalore, India
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - David Sidransky
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Evgeny Izumchenko
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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8
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Jank BJ, Kadletz L, Dunkler D, Haas M, Schnoell J, Kenner L, Heiduschka G. Epithelial stem cell marker LGR6 expression identifies a low-risk subgroup in human papillomavirus positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Oral Oncol 2020; 105:104657. [DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2020.104657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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9
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Overexpression of LAPTM4B-35 is a negative prognostic factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18866. [PMID: 31827181 PMCID: PMC6906383 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55319-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of LAPTM4B-35 (lysosomal-associated transmembrane protein 4β-35) is associated with a poor prognosis in numerous malignant tumours. Expression patterns and effects of LAPTM4B-35 on head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic relevance of LAPTM4B-35 in HNSCC. Tissue microarrays were constructed with primary tumours and associated lymph node metastases isolated from 127 patients. The expression of LAPTM4B-35 was investigated by immunohistochemistry and the results were correlated with survival data. LAPTM4B-35 in the primary tumour was highly expressed in 47.2% of the patients (60/127). LAPTM4B-35 expression was significantly associated with tumour stage. Moreover, overexpression of LAPTM4B-35 correlated with a significantly worse disease-free survival (10.23 years vs. not reached) and a higher recurrence rate (40.7% vs. 25%). High expression of LAPTM4B-35 in lymph node metastasis was found in 29.2% of cases. In 19.4% of cases, high LAPTM4B-35 expression was observed in both the primary tumour and corresponding lymph node metastases. In conclusion, our data indicates that overexpression of LAPTM4B-35 is associated with poor prognosis and may therefore serve as a new prognostic marker in HNSCC.
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10
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Kadletz L, Kenner L, Wiebringhaus R, Jank B, Mayer C, Gurnhofer E, Konrad S, Heiduschka G. Evaluation of the cancer stem cell marker DCLK1 in patients with lymph node metastases of head and neck cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2019; 215:152698. [PMID: 31706685 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2019.152698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lymph node metastases are frequently detected in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. Little is known about biomarkers expressed in lymph node metastases or their influence on clinical outcome. Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is one marker that might be associated with outcome, owing to its correlation with stem cell-like characteristics. METHODS We assessed the expression of DCLK1 in 74 postoperatively irradiated patients in histologically confirmed HNSCC lymph node metastases. Statistical analysis of the association with DCLK1 on clinical outcomes was performed. RESULTS DCLK1 was expressed in 63.5% of our patient cohort. DCLK1(+) HNSCC patients, compared with those without DCLK1 expression, showed a significantly poorer time to recurrence. Moreover, we observed a significantly poorer time to recurrence in HPV(-) HNSCC patients, and significantly shorter overall and disease-free survival rates in HPV(-) oropharyngeal cancer patients, compared with HPV(+) patients with these cancers. HPV(+) patients showed no significant differences in survival time according to DCLK1 expression. However, recurrent disease occurred in only DCLK1(+) patients. Mulitivariate analysis showed that DCLK1 expression in lymph node metastases is an independent marker for recurrence. CONCLUSION DCLK1 expression might be associated with poorer clinical outcomes in HNSCC patients, specifically in HPV(-) move patients. However, larger studies are required to verify our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenz Kadletz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Lukas Kenner
- Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Cancer Research, Vienna, Austria; Department of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Animal Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.
| | | | - Bernhard Jank
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christina Mayer
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Stefan Konrad
- Department of Radiotherapy and -Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Heiduschka
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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11
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Ge Y, Weygant N, Qu D, May R, Berry WL, Yao J, Chandrakesan P, Zheng W, Zhao L, Zhao KL, Drake M, Vega KJ, Bronze MS, Tomasek JJ, An G, Houchen CW. Alternative splice variants of DCLK1 mark cancer stem cells, promote self-renewal and drug-resistance, and can be targeted to inhibit tumorigenesis in kidney cancer. Int J Cancer 2018; 143:1162-1175. [PMID: 29577277 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.31400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Revised: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common and devastating disease characterized by a hypoxic microenvironment, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and potent resistance to therapy evidencing the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Various CSC markers have been studied in RCC, but overall there is limited data on their role and most markers studied have been relatively nonspecific. Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is a validated CSC marker in the gastrointestinal tract and evidence for an equivalent role in other cancers is accumulating. We used bioinformatics, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, spheroid self-renewal and chemoresistance assays in combination with overexpression and siRNA-knockdown to study the stem cell-supportive role of DCLK1 alternative splice variants (DCLK1 ASVs) in RCC. To target tumor cells expressing DCLK1 ASVs directly, we developed a novel monoclonal antibody (CBT-15) and delivered it systemically to RCC tumor xenografts. DCLK1 ASVs were overexpressed, enriched together with CSC markers and predictive of overall and recurrence-free survival in RCC patients. In vitro, DCLK1 ASVs were able to directly stimulate essential molecular and functional characteristics of renal CSCs including expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase, self-renewal and resistance to FDA-approved receptor tyrosine kinase and mTOR inhibitors, while targeted downregulation of DCLK1 reversed these characteristics. Finally, targeting DCLK1 ASV-positive cells with the novel CBT-15 monoclonal antibody blocked RCC tumorigenesis in vivo. These findings establish DCLK1 as a CSC marker with implications for therapy, disease progression and survival in RCC and demonstrate the therapeutic value of DCLK1-targeted monoclonal antibodies against renal CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Ge
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Nathaniel Weygant
- Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK.,COARE Biotechnology Inc., Oklahoma City, OK
| | - Dongfeng Qu
- Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK.,COARE Biotechnology Inc., Oklahoma City, OK.,The Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK.,United States Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - Randal May
- Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK.,COARE Biotechnology Inc., Oklahoma City, OK.,United States Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - William L Berry
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - Jiannan Yao
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Parthasarathy Chandrakesan
- Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK.,COARE Biotechnology Inc., Oklahoma City, OK.,The Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - Wei Zheng
- Department of Pathology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - Lichao Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - Karena L Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - Michael Drake
- Coagulation Biology Laboratory, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - Kenneth J Vega
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO
| | - Michael S Bronze
- Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - James J Tomasek
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
| | - Guangyu An
- Department of Oncology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Courtney W Houchen
- Department of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK.,COARE Biotechnology Inc., Oklahoma City, OK.,The Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK.,United States Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK
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Kadletz L, Heiduschka G, Wolf A, Haug-Lettenbichler A, Poyntner L, Primosch T, Rogatsch H, Formanek M, Stadler M, Kenner L, Eckel HE, Brunner M. Effect of postoperative radiotherapy in pT1pN1cM0 and pT2p/cN0cM0 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Laryngoscope 2017; 128:1075-1082. [DOI: 10.1002/lary.26815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lorenz Kadletz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Gregor Heiduschka
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Axel Wolf
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery; Medical University of Graz; Graz Austria
| | - Anna Haug-Lettenbichler
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery; Medical University of Innsbruck; Innsbruck Austria
| | - Lukas Poyntner
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology; Hospital Feldkirch; Feldkirch Austria
| | - Thomas Primosch
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology; Klinikum Klagenfurt; Klagenfurt Austria
| | | | - Michael Formanek
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hospital of St. John of God, Department of Otolaryngology and Phonetics; Sigmund Freud University, Medical School; Vienna Austria
| | - Matthias Stadler
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology; Hospital Barmherzige Schwestern; Linz Austria
| | - Lukas Kenner
- Institute of Pathology; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
| | - Hans E. Eckel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology; Klinikum Klagenfurt; Klagenfurt Austria
| | - Markus Brunner
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery; Medical University of Vienna; Vienna Austria
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Increased DCLK1 correlates with the malignant status and poor outcome in malignant tumors: a meta-analysis. Oncotarget 2017; 8:100545-100557. [PMID: 29246000 PMCID: PMC5725042 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.20129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) has been found to be involved in malignant biological behavior of cancers and poor prognosis of cancer patients. The aim of this meta-analysis was to systematically clarify the relationships between expression level of DCLK1 and clinicopathological characteristics in tumors and assess its clinical value in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. 18 eligible studies with a total of 2660 patients were identified by searching the electronic bibliographic databases. Pooled results showed that DCLK1 was highly expressed in tissues from cancer patients compared to normal tissues (OR, 10.00), and overexpression of DCLK1 was significantly correlated with advanced clinical stage (OR, 2.48), positive lymph node metastasis (OR, 2.18), poorly differentiated cancers (OR, 1.83) and poor overall survival (HR, 2.15). The overall combined sensitivity and specificity for DCLK1 in distinguishing malignant tumors were 0.58 and 0.90, respectively. The mean diagnostic odds ratio was 12.70, and the corresponding area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.78. In summary, our study indicated that DCLK1 could be a risk factor for development of malignant tumors and may serve as a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for malignant tumors.
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