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Zhang Y, Xu M, Yuan J, Hu Z, Jiang J, Huang J, Wang B, Shen J, Long M, Fan Y, Montone KT, Tanyi JL, Tavana O, Chan HM, Hu X, Zhang L. Repression of PRMT activities sensitize homologous recombination-proficient ovarian and breast cancer cells to PARP inhibitor treatment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.21.595159. [PMID: 38826355 PMCID: PMC11142138 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.21.595159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
An "induced PARP inhibitor (PARPi) sensitivity by epigenetic modulation" strategy is being evaluated in the clinic to sensitize homologous recombination (HR)-proficient tumors to PARPi treatments. To expand its clinical applications and identify more efficient combinations, we performed a drug screen by combining PARPi with 74 well-characterized epigenetic modulators that target five major classes of epigenetic enzymes. Both type I PRMT inhibitor and PRMT5 inhibitor exhibit high combination and clinical priority scores in our screen. PRMT inhibition significantly enhances PARPi treatment-induced DNA damage in HR-proficient ovarian and breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, PRMTs maintain the expression of genes associated with DNA damage repair and BRCAness and regulate intrinsic innate immune pathways in cancer cells. Analyzing large-scale genomic and functional profiles from TCGA and DepMap further confirms that PRMT1, PRMT4, and PRMT5 are potential therapeutic targets in oncology. Finally, PRMT1 and PRMT5 inhibition act synergistically to enhance PARPi sensitivity. Our studies provide a strong rationale for the clinical application of a combination of PRMT and PARP inhibitors in patients with HR-proficient ovarian or breast cancer.
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2
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Loh JJ, Ma S. Hallmarks of cancer stemness. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:617-639. [PMID: 38701757 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.04.004] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Cancer stemness is recognized as a key component of tumor development. Previously coined "cancer stem cells" (CSCs) and believed to be a rare population with rigid hierarchical organization, there is good evidence to suggest that these cells exhibit a plastic cellular state influenced by dynamic CSC-niche interplay. This revelation underscores the need to reevaluate the hallmarks of cancer stemness. Herein, we summarize the techniques used to identify and characterize the state of these cells and discuss their defining and emerging hallmarks, along with their enabling and associated features. We also highlight potential future directions in this field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Jian Loh
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Stephanie Ma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China; Centre for Translational and Stem Cell Biology, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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3
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Yeyeodu S, Hanafi D, Webb K, Laurie NA, Kimbro KS. Population-enriched innate immune variants may identify candidate gene targets at the intersection of cancer and cardio-metabolic disease. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 14:1286979. [PMID: 38577257 PMCID: PMC10991756 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1286979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Both cancer and cardio-metabolic disease disparities exist among specific populations in the US. For example, African Americans experience the highest rates of breast and prostate cancer mortality and the highest incidence of obesity. Native and Hispanic Americans experience the highest rates of liver cancer mortality. At the same time, Pacific Islanders have the highest death rate attributed to type 2 diabetes (T2D), and Asian Americans experience the highest incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cancers induced by infectious agents. Notably, the pathologic progression of both cancer and cardio-metabolic diseases involves innate immunity and mechanisms of inflammation. Innate immunity in individuals is established through genetic inheritance and external stimuli to respond to environmental threats and stresses such as pathogen exposure. Further, individual genomes contain characteristic genetic markers associated with one or more geographic ancestries (ethnic groups), including protective innate immune genetic programming optimized for survival in their corresponding ancestral environment(s). This perspective explores evidence related to our working hypothesis that genetic variations in innate immune genes, particularly those that are commonly found but unevenly distributed between populations, are associated with disparities between populations in both cancer and cardio-metabolic diseases. Identifying conventional and unconventional innate immune genes that fit this profile may provide critical insights into the underlying mechanisms that connect these two families of complex diseases and offer novel targets for precision-based treatment of cancer and/or cardio-metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Yeyeodu
- Julius L Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Institute (JLC-BBRI), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
- Charles River Discovery Services, Morrisville, NC, United States
| | - Donia Hanafi
- Julius L Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Institute (JLC-BBRI), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Kenisha Webb
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Nikia A. Laurie
- Julius L Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Institute (JLC-BBRI), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - K. Sean Kimbro
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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4
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Lavogina D, Krõlov MK, Vellama H, Modhukur V, Di Nisio V, Lust H, Eskla KL, Salumets A, Jaal J. Inhibition of epigenetic and cell cycle-related targets in glioblastoma cell lines reveals that onametostat reduces proliferation and viability in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4303. [PMID: 38383756 PMCID: PMC10881536 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54707-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The choice of targeted therapies for treatment of glioblastoma patients is currently limited, and most glioblastoma patients die from the disease recurrence. Thus, systematic studies in simplified model systems are required to pinpoint the choice of targets for further exploration in clinical settings. Here, we report screening of 5 compounds targeting epigenetic writers or erasers and 6 compounds targeting cell cycle-regulating protein kinases against 3 glioblastoma cell lines following incubation under normoxic or hypoxic conditions. The viability/proliferation assay indicated that PRMT5 inhibitor onametostat was endowed with high potency under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions in cell lines that are strongly MGMT-positive (T98-G), weakly MGMT-positive (U-251 MG), or MGMT-negative (U-87 MG). In U-251 MG and U-87 MG cells, onametostat also affected the spheroid formation at concentrations lower than the currently used chemotherapeutic drug lomustine. In T98-G cell line, treatment with onametostat led to dramatic changes in the transcriptome profile by inducing the cell cycle arrest, suppressing RNA splicing, and down-regulating several major glioblastoma cell survival pathways. Further validation by immunostaining in three cell lines confirmed that onametostat affects cell cycle and causes reduction in nucleolar protein levels. In this way, inhibition of epigenetic targets might represent a viable strategy for glioblastoma treatment even in the case of decreased chemo- and radiation sensitivity, although further studies in clinically more relevant models are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darja Lavogina
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, L. Puusepa 8, 50406, Tartu, Estonia.
- Chair of Bioorganic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Mattias Kaspar Krõlov
- Chair of Bioorganic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Hans Vellama
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Vijayachitra Modhukur
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Valentina Di Nisio
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Helen Lust
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, L. Puusepa 8, 50406, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kattri-Liis Eskla
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andres Salumets
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jana Jaal
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, L. Puusepa 8, 50406, Tartu, Estonia.
- Department of Radiotherapy and Oncological Therapy, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.
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5
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Li D, Peng X, Hu Z, Li S, Chen J, Pan W. Small molecules targeting selected histone methyltransferases (HMTs) for cancer treatment: Current progress and novel strategies. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 264:115982. [PMID: 38056296 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115982] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Histone methyltransferases (HMTs) play a critical role in gene post-translational regulation and diverse physiological processes, and are implicated in a plethora of human diseases, especially cancer. Increasing evidences demonstrate that HMTs may serve as a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Thus, the development of HMTs inhibitor have been pursued with steadily increasing interest over the past decade. However, the disadvantages such as insufficient clinical efficacy, moderate selectivity, and propensity for acquired resistance have hindered the development of conventional HMT inhibitors. New technologies and methods are imperative to enhance the anticancer activity of HMT inhibitors. In this review, we first review the structure and biological functions of the several essential HMTs, such as EZH2, G9a, PRMT5, and DOT1L. The internal relationship between these HMTs and cancer is also expounded. Next, we mainly focus on the latest progress in the development of HMT modulators encompassing dual-target inhibitors, targeted protein degraders and covalent inhibitors from perspectives such as rational design, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and clinical status. Lastly, we also discuss the challenges and future directions for HMT-based drug discovery for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deping Li
- Department of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, PR China
| | - Xiaopeng Peng
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, School of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, PR China
| | - Zhihao Hu
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, School of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, PR China
| | - Shuqing Li
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, School of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, PR China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 516000, PR China.
| | - Wanyi Pan
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, School of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, PR China.
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6
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Huang W, Li J, Zhu H, Qin X, Chen C, Wang B, Wei J, Song Y, Lu X, Li Z, Xia W, He A, Cheng L, Yu X, Shu K, Wang W. A novel EGFR variant EGFRx maintains glioblastoma stem cells through STAT5. Neuro Oncol 2024; 26:85-99. [PMID: 37616578 PMCID: PMC10768976 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noad153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastomas are universally lethal brain tumors containing tumor-propagating glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). EGFR gene amplification or mutation is frequently detected in GBMs and is associated with poor prognosis. However, EGFR variants in GSCs and their role in the maintenance of GSCs and progression of GBM are unclear. METHODS EGFR variants were detected through bioinformatic HISAT-StringTie-Ballgown pipeline and verified through 5' RACE, RT-PCR, ribonuclease protection, and northern blotting assays. EGFRx function was investigated through neurosphere, cell viability, intracranial xenograft and RNA-seq assays. EGFRx-STAT5 signaling was investigated through western blotting, coimmunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, luciferase reporter, RT-PCR and CUT&Tag assays. RESULTS We identified a novel EGFR variant (EGFRx), that is specifically expressed in GSCs. Unlike the EGFRvIII variant, which lacks exons 2-7, EGFRx is characterized by the absence of exons 2-14, and encodes an EGFR protein that does not possess the entire extracellular ligand-binding domain. We observed that EGFRx exhibits significant glycosylation, is required for GSC self-renewal, proliferation, and tumorigenesis, and highly active in glioblastomas compared to normal brain tissue. Mechanistically, EGFRx constitutively and specifically activates STAT5 in GSCs through spontaneous asymmetric dimerization of the kinase domain. CONCLUSIONS EGFRx plays essential roles in the maintenance of the GSC phenotype through constitutive activation of STAT5 and promotes GBM progression, suggesting that EGFRx-STAT5 signaling represents a promising therapeutic target for GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongtao Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuhui Qin
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Department of Orthopaedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bing Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinxia Wei
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanyang Song
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xia Lu
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhongyu Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenqing Xia
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Aodi He
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lidong Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xingjiang Yu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kai Shu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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7
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Huang L, Ravi M, Zhang XO, Verdejo-Torres O, Shendy NAM, Nezhady MAM, Gopalan S, Wang G, Durbin AD, Fazzio TG, Wu Q. PRMT5 orchestrates EGFR and AKT networks to activate NFκB and promote EMT. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.03.574104. [PMID: 38260418 PMCID: PMC10802358 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.03.574104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma remains a formidable challenge in pediatric oncology, representing 15% of cancer-related mortalities in children. Despite advancements in combinatorial and targeted treatments improving survival rates, nearly 50% of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma will ultimately succumb to their disease. Dysregulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key mechanism of tumor cell dissemination, resulting in metastasis and poor outcomes in many cancers. Our prior work identified PRMT5 as a key regulator of EMT via methylation of AKT at arginine 15, enhancing the expression of EMT-driving transcription factors and facilitating metastasis. Here, we identify that PRMT5 directly regulates the transcription of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). PRMT5, through independent modulation of the EGFR and AKT pathways, orchestrates the activation of NFκB, resulting in the upregulation of the pro-EMT transcription factors ZEB1, SNAIL, and TWIST1. Notably, EGFR and AKT form a compensatory feedback loop, reinforcing the expression of these EMT transcription factors. Small molecule inhibition of PRMT5 methyltransferase activity disrupts EGFR/AKT signaling, suppresses EMT transcription factor expression and ablates tumor growth in vivo . Our findings underscore the pivotal role of PRMT5 in the control of the EMT program in high-risk neuroblastoma.
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8
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Brown EJ, Balaguer-Lluna L, Cribbs AP, Philpott M, Campo L, Browne M, Wong JF, Oppermann U, Carcaboso ÁM, Bullock AN, Farnie G. PRMT5 inhibition shows in vitro efficacy against H3K27M-altered diffuse midline glioma, but does not extend survival in vivo. Sci Rep 2024; 14:328. [PMID: 38172189 PMCID: PMC10764357 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48652-x] [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: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
H3K27-altered Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG) is a universally fatal paediatric brainstem tumour. The prevalent driver mutation H3K27M creates a unique epigenetic landscape that may also establish therapeutic vulnerabilities to epigenetic inhibitors. However, while HDAC, EZH2 and BET inhibitors have proven somewhat effective in pre-clinical models, none have translated into clinical benefit due to either poor blood-brain barrier penetration, lack of efficacy or toxicity. Thus, there remains an urgent need for new DMG treatments. Here, we performed wider screening of an epigenetic inhibitor library and identified inhibitors of protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) among the top hits reducing DMG cell viability. Two of the most effective inhibitors, LLY-283 and GSK591, were targeted against PRMT5 using distinct binding mechanisms and reduced the viability of a subset of DMG cells expressing wild-type TP53 and mutant ACVR1. RNA-sequencing and phenotypic analyses revealed that LLY-283 could reduce the viability, clonogenicity and invasion of DMG cells in vitro, representing three clinically important phenotypes, but failed to prolong survival in an orthotopic xenograft model. Together, these data show the challenges of DMG treatment and highlight PRMT5 inhibitors for consideration in future studies of combination treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Brown
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Leire Balaguer-Lluna
- SJD Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adam P Cribbs
- Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Centre for Translational Myeloma Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Martin Philpott
- Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Centre for Translational Myeloma Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Leticia Campo
- Department of Oncology, Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Molly Browne
- Department of Oncology, Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jong Fu Wong
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Udo Oppermann
- Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, National Institute of Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Centre for Translational Myeloma Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ángel M Carcaboso
- SJD Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alex N Bullock
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Gillian Farnie
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Oxford Centre for Translational Myeloma Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Cancer Research Horizons, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
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9
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Salib A, Jayatilleke N, Seneviratne JA, Mayoh C, De Preter K, Speleman F, Cheung BB, Carter DR, Marshall GM. MYCN and SNRPD3 cooperate to maintain a balance of alternative splicing events that drives neuroblastoma progression. Oncogene 2024; 43:363-377. [PMID: 38049564 PMCID: PMC10824661 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02897-y] [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: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Many of the pro-tumorigenic functions of the oncogene MYCN are attributed to its regulation of global gene expression programs. Alternative splicing is another important regulator of gene expression and has been implicated in neuroblastoma development, however, the molecular mechanisms remain unknown. We found that MYCN up-regulated the expression of the core spliceosomal protein, SNRPD3, in models of neuroblastoma initiation and progression. High mRNA expression of SNRPD3 in human neuroblastoma tissues was a strong, independent prognostic factor for poor patient outcome. Repression of SNRPD3 expression correlated with loss of colony formation in vitro and reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. The effect of SNRPD3 on cell viability was in part dependent on MYCN as an oncogenic co-factor. RNA-sequencing revealed a global increase in the number of genes being differentially spliced when MYCN was overexpressed. Surprisingly, depletion of SNRPD3 in the presence of overexpressed MYCN further increased differential splicing, particularly of cell cycle regulators, such as BIRC5 and CDK10. MYCN directly bound SNRPD3, and the protein arginine methyltransferase, PRMT5, consequently increasing SNRPD3 methylation. Indeed, the PRMT5 inhibitor, JNJ-64619178, reduced cell viability and SNRPD3 methylation in neuroblastoma cells with high SNRPD3 and MYCN expression. Our findings demonstrate a functional relationship between MYCN and SNRPD3, which maintains the fidelity of MYCN-driven alternative splicing in the narrow range required for neuroblastoma cell growth. SNRPD3 methylation and its protein-protein interface with MYCN represent novel therapeutic targets. Hypothetical model for SNRPD3 as a co-factor for MYCN oncogenesis. SNRPD3 and MYCN participate in a regulatory loop to balance splicing fidelity in neuroblastoma cells. First MYCN transactivates SNRPD3 to lead to high-level expression. Second, SNRPD3 and MYCN form a protein complex involving PRMT5. Third, this leads to balanced alterative splicing (AS) activitiy that is favorable to neuroblastoma. Together this forms as a therapeutic vulnerability where SNRPD3 perturbation or PRMT5 inhibitors are selectively toxic to neuroblastoma by conditionally disturbing splicing activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Salib
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Nisitha Jayatilleke
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Janith A Seneviratne
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Chelsea Mayoh
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Katleen De Preter
- Center for Medical Genetics (CMGG), Ghent University, Medical Research Building (MRB1), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Frank Speleman
- Center for Medical Genetics (CMGG), Ghent University, Medical Research Building (MRB1), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Belamy B Cheung
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Daniel R Carter
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Glenn M Marshall
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia.
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10
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Zhu Y, Xia T, Chen DQ, Xiong X, Shi L, Zuo Y, Xiao H, Liu L. Promising role of protein arginine methyltransferases in overcoming anti-cancer drug resistance. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 72:101016. [PMID: 37980859 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2023.101016] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance remains a major challenge in cancer treatment, necessitating the development of novel strategies to overcome it. Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) are enzymes responsible for epigenetic arginine methylation, which regulates various biological and pathological processes, as a result, they are attractive therapeutic targets for overcoming anti-cancer drug resistance. The ongoing development of small molecules targeting PRMTs has resulted in the generation of chemical probes for modulating most PRMTs and facilitated clinical treatment for the most advanced oncology targets, including PRMT1 and PRMT5. In this review, we summarize various mechanisms underlying protein arginine methylation and the roles of specific PRMTs in driving cancer drug resistance. Furthermore, we highlight the potential clinical implications of PRMT inhibitors in decreasing cancer drug resistance. PRMTs promote the formation and maintenance of drug-tolerant cells via several mechanisms, including altered drug efflux transporters, autophagy, DNA damage repair, cancer stem cell-related function, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and disordered tumor microenvironment. Multiple preclinical and ongoing clinical trials have demonstrated that PRMT inhibitors, particularly PRMT5 inhibitors, can sensitize cancer cells to various anti-cancer drugs, including chemotherapeutic, targeted therapeutic, and immunotherapeutic agents. Combining PRMT inhibitors with existing anti-cancer strategies will be a promising approach for overcoming anti-cancer drug resistance. Furthermore, enhanced knowledge of the complex functions of arginine methylation and PRMTs in drug resistance will guide the future development of PRMT inhibitors and may help identify new clinical indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxia Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Tong Xia
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Da-Qian Chen
- Department of Medicine Oncology, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital, Shenzhen 518110, China
| | - Xia Xiong
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Lihong Shi
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yueqi Zuo
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Institute of Basic Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710021, China.
| | - Hongtao Xiao
- Department of Pharmacy, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
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11
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Kumar D, Jain S, Coulter DW, Joshi SS, Chaturvedi NK. PRMT5 as a Potential Therapeutic Target in MYC-Amplified Medulloblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5855. [PMID: 38136401 PMCID: PMC10741595 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
MYC amplification or overexpression is most common in Group 3 medulloblastomas and is positively associated with poor clinical outcomes. Recently, protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) overexpression has been shown to be associated with tumorigenic MYC functions in cancers, particularly in brain cancers such as glioblastoma and medulloblastoma. PRMT5 regulates oncogenes, including MYC, that are often deregulated in medulloblastomas. However, the role of PRMT5-mediated post-translational modification in the stabilization of these oncoproteins remains poorly understood. The potential impact of PRMT5 inhibition on MYC makes it an attractive target in various cancers. PRMT5 inhibitors are a promising class of anti-cancer drugs demonstrating preclinical and preliminary clinical efficacies. Here, we review the publicly available preclinical and clinical studies on PRMT5 targeting using small molecule inhibitors and discuss the prospects of using them in medulloblastoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devendra Kumar
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198, USA; (D.K.); (S.J.); (D.W.C.)
| | - Stuti Jain
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198, USA; (D.K.); (S.J.); (D.W.C.)
| | - Don W. Coulter
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198, USA; (D.K.); (S.J.); (D.W.C.)
- Child Health Research Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198, USA
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198, USA
| | - Shantaram S. Joshi
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198, USA;
| | - Nagendra K. Chaturvedi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198, USA; (D.K.); (S.J.); (D.W.C.)
- Child Health Research Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198, USA
- Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 69198, USA
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12
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Wang J, Wu M, Sun J, Chen M, Zhang Z, Yu J, Chen D. Pan-cancer analysis identifies protein arginine methyltransferases PRMT1 and PRMT5 and their related signatures as markers associated with prognosis, immune profile, and therapeutic response in lung adenocarcinoma. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22088. [PMID: 38125466 PMCID: PMC10731011 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22088] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) regulate several signal transduction pathways involved in cancer progression. Recently, it has been reported that PRMTs are closely related to anti-tumor immunity; however, the underlying mechanisms have yet to be studied in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In this study, we focused on PRMT1 and PRMT5, key members of the PRMT family. And their signatures in lung carcinoma associated with prognosis, immune profile, and therapeutic response including immunotherapy and radiotherapy were explored. Methods To understand the function of PRMT1 and PRMT5 in tumor cells, we examined the association between the expression of PRMT1 and PRMT5 and the clinical, genomic, and immune characteristics, as well as the sensitivity to immunotherapy and radiotherapy. Specifically, our investigation focused on the role of PRMT1 and PRMT5 in tumor progression, with particular emphasis on interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and the pathway of type I interferon. Furthermore, the influence of proliferation, migration, and invasion ability was investigated based on the expression of PRMT1 and PRMT5 in human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Results Through the examination of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and survival studies, PRMT1 and PRMT5 were identified as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis. Additionally, heightened expression of PRMT1 or PRMT5 was associated with immunosuppressive microenvironments. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between the presence of PRMT1 or PRMT5 with microsatellite instability, tumor mutational burden, and neoantigens in the majority of cancers. Moreover, the predictive potential of PRMT1 or PRMT5 in individuals undergoing immunotherapy has been acknowledged. Our study ultimately revealed that the inhibition of PRMT1 and PRMT5 in lung adenocarcinoma resulted in the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway, especially after radiation. Favorable prognosis was observed in lung adenocarcinoma patients receiving radiotherapy with reduced PRMT1 or PRMT5 expression. It was also found that the expression of PRMT1 and PRMT5 influenced proliferation, migration, and invasion of human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Conclusion The findings indicate that PRMT1 and PRMT5 exhibit potential as immune-related biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. Furthermore, these biomarkers could be therapeutically targeted to augment the efficacy of immunotherapy and radiotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wang
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong Province, China
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Meng Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jujie Sun
- Department of Pathology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Minxin Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Zengfu Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jinming Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
| | - Dawei Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 250117, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
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13
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Lo Cascio C, Margaryan T, Luna-Melendez E, McNamara JB, White CI, Knight W, Ganta S, Opachich Z, Cantoni C, Yoo W, Sanai N, Tovmasyan A, Mehta S. Quisinostat is a brain-penetrant radiosensitizer in glioblastoma. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e167081. [PMID: 37991020 PMCID: PMC10721329 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.167081] [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: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have garnered considerable interest for the treatment of adult and pediatric malignant brain tumors. However, owing to their broad-spectrum nature and inability to effectively penetrate the blood-brain barrier, HDAC inhibitors have failed to provide substantial clinical benefit to patients with glioblastoma (GBM) to date. Moreover, global inhibition of HDACs results in widespread toxicity, highlighting the need for selective isoform targeting. Although no isoform-specific HDAC inhibitors are currently available, the second-generation hydroxamic acid-based HDAC inhibitor quisinostat possesses subnanomolar specificity for class I HDAC isoforms, particularly HDAC1 and HDAC2. It has been shown that HDAC1 is the essential HDAC in GBM. This study analyzed the neuropharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and radiation-sensitizing properties of quisinostat in preclinical models of GBM. It was found that quisinostat is a well-tolerated and brain-penetrant molecule that extended survival when administered in combination with radiation in vivo. The pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic-efficacy relationship was established by correlating free drug concentrations and evidence of target modulation in the brain with survival benefit. Together, these data provide a strong rationale for clinical development of quisinostat as a radiosensitizer for the treatment of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Lo Cascio
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Tigran Margaryan
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Ernesto Luna-Melendez
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - James B. McNamara
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Connor I. White
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - William Knight
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Saisrinidhi Ganta
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Zorana Opachich
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Claudia Cantoni
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Wonsuk Yoo
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Nader Sanai
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Artak Tovmasyan
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Shwetal Mehta
- Ivy Brain Tumor Center and
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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14
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Li S, Chen Y, Xie Y, Zhan H, Zeng Y, Zeng K, Wang L, Zhan Z, Li C, Zhao L, Chen X, Tan Y, Wang Z, Bu J, Song Y, Deng F, Zhou A. FBXO7 Confers Mesenchymal Properties and Chemoresistance in Glioblastoma by Controlling Rbfox2-Mediated Alternative Splicing. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303561. [PMID: 37822160 PMCID: PMC10667838 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Mesenchymal glioblastoma (GBM) is highly resistant to radio-and chemotherapy and correlates with worse survival outcomes in GBM patients; however, the underlying mechanism determining the mesenchymal phenotype remains largely unclear. Herein, it is revealed that FBXO7, a substrate-recognition component of the SCF complex implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, confers mesenchymal properties and chemoresistance in GBM by controlling Rbfox2-mediated alternative splicing. Specifically, FBXO7 ubiquitinates Rbfox2 Lys249 through K63-linked ubiquitin chains upon arginine dimethylation at Arg341 and Arg441 by PRMT5, leading to Rbfox2 stabilization. FBXO7 controls Rbfox2-mediated splicing of mesenchymal genes, including FoxM1, Mta1, and Postn. FBXO7-induced exon Va inclusion of FoxM1 promotes FoxM1 phosphorylation by MEK1 and nuclear translocation, thereby upregulates CD44, CD9, and ID1 levels, resulting in GBM stem cell self-renewal and mesenchymal transformation. Moreover, FBXO7 is stabilized by temozolomide, and FBXO7 depletion sensitizes tumor xenografts in mice to chemotherapy. The findings demonstrate that the FBXO7-Rbfox2 axis-mediated splicing contributes to mesenchymal transformation and tumorigenesis, and targeting FBXO7 represents a potential strategy for GBM treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangbiao Li
- Department of Radiation OncologyZhujiang HospitalSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510280China
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Yanwen Chen
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Yuxin Xie
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Hongchao Zhan
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Yu Zeng
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Kunlin Zeng
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Ziling Zhan
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Cuiying Li
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Liqian Zhao
- Department of NeurosurgeryNanfang HospitalSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Xiaoxia Chen
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Yujing Tan
- Department of Radiation OncologyZhujiang HospitalSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510280China
| | - Zhongyong Wang
- Department of NeurosurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversitySuzhou215004China
| | - Junguo Bu
- Department of Radiation OncologyZhujiang HospitalSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510280China
| | - Ye Song
- Department of NeurosurgeryNanfang HospitalSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Fan Deng
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
| | - Aidong Zhou
- Department of Radiation OncologyZhujiang HospitalSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510280China
- Department of Cell BiologySchool of Basic Medical ScienceSouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor PathologySouthern Medical UniversityGuangzhou510515China
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15
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Zeng J, Zeng XX. Systems Medicine for Precise Targeting of Glioblastoma. Mol Biotechnol 2023; 65:1565-1584. [PMID: 36859639 PMCID: PMC9977103 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00699-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant cancer that is fatal even after standard therapy and the effects of current available therapeutics are not promising due its complex and evolving epigenetic and genetic profile. The mysteries that lead to GBM intratumoral heterogeneity and subtype transitions are not entirely clear. Systems medicine is an approach to view the patient in a whole picture integrating systems biology and synthetic biology along with computational techniques. Since the GBM oncogenesis involves genetic mutations, various therapies including gene therapeutics based on CRISPR-Cas technique, MicroRNAs, and implanted synthetic cells endowed with synthetic circuits against GBM with neural stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells acting as potential vehicles carrying therapeutics via the intranasal route, avoiding the risks of invasive methods in order to reach the GBM cells in the brain are discussed and proposed in this review. Systems medicine approach is a rather novel strategy, and since the GBM of a patient is complex and unique, thus to devise an individualized treatment strategy to tailor personalized multimodal treatments for the individual patient taking into account the phenotype of the GBM, the unique body health profile of the patient and individual responses according to the systems medicine concept might show potential to achieve optimum effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zeng
- Benjoe Institute of Systems Bio-Engineering, High Technology Park, Xinbei District, Changzhou, 213022 Jiangsu People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiao Xue Zeng
- Department of Health Management, Centre of General Practice, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 28, Desheng Road Section, Liguan Road, Lishui Town, Nanhai District, Foshan, 528000 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
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16
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Chang K, Gao D, Yan J, Lin L, Cui T, Lu S. Critical Roles of Protein Arginine Methylation in the Central Nervous System. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:6060-6091. [PMID: 37415067 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03465-x] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
A remarkable post-transitional modification of both histones and non-histone proteins is arginine methylation. Methylation of arginine residues is crucial for a wide range of cellular process, including signal transduction, DNA repair, gene expression, mRNA splicing, and protein interaction. Arginine methylation is modulated by arginine methyltransferases and demethylases, like protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMTs) and Jumonji C (JmjC) domain containing (JMJD) proteins. Symmetric dimethylarginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine, metabolic products of the PRMTs and JMJD proteins, can be changed by abnormal expression of these proteins. Many pathologies including cancer, inflammation and immune responses have been closely linked to aberrant arginine methylation. Currently, the majority of the literature discusses the substrate specificity and function of arginine methylation in the pathogenesis and prognosis of cancers. Numerous investigations on the roles of arginine methylation in the central nervous system (CNS) have so far been conducted. In this review, we display the biochemistry of arginine methylation and provide an overview of the regulatory mechanism of arginine methyltransferases and demethylases. We also highlight physiological functions of arginine methylation in the CNS and the significance of arginine methylation in a variety of neurological diseases such as brain cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders. Furthermore, we summarize PRMT inhibitors and molecular functions of arginine methylation. Finally, we pose important questions that require further research to comprehend the roles of arginine methylation in the CNS and discover more effective targets for the treatment of neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kewei Chang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Dan Gao
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jidong Yan
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Liyan Lin
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tingting Cui
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shemin Lu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China.
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17
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Zhou B, Chen N, Chen Z, Chen S, Yang J, Zheng Y, Shen L. Prmt5 deficient mouse B cells display RNA processing complexity and slower colorectal tumor progression. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2250226. [PMID: 37389889 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202250226] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (Prmt5) is essential for normal B-cell development; however, the roles of Prmt5 in tumor-infiltrating B cells in tumor therapy have not been well elucidated. Here, we revealed that CD19-cre-Prmt5fl/fl (Prmt5cko) mice showed smaller tumor weights and volumes in the colorectal cancer mouse model; B cells expressed higher levels of Ccl22 and Il12a, which attracted T cells to the tumor site. Furthermore, we used direct RNA sequencing to comprehensively profile RNA processes in Prmt5 deletion B cells to explore underline mechanisms. We found significantly differentially expressed isoforms, mRNA splicing, poly(A) tail lengths, and m6A modification changes between the Prmt5cko and control groups. Cd74 isoform expressions might be regulated by mRNA splicing; the expression of two novel Cd74 isoforms was decreased, while one isoform was elevated in the Prmt5cko group, but the Cd74 gene expression showed no changes. We observed Ccl22, Ighg1, and Il12a expression was significantly increased in the Prmt5cko group, whereas Jak3 and Stat5b expression was decreased. Ccl22 and Ighg1 expression might be associated with poly(A) tail length, Jak3, Stat5b, and Il12a expression might be modulated by m6A modification. Our study demonstrated that Prmt5 regulates B-cell function through different mechanisms and supported the development of Prmt5-targeted antitumor treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingqian Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ningdai Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheyi Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiyu Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junyao Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingxia Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lisong Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
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18
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Bray C, Balcells C, McNeish IA, Keun HC. The potential and challenges of targeting MTAP-negative cancers beyond synthetic lethality. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1264785. [PMID: 37795443 PMCID: PMC10546069 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1264785] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 15% of cancers exhibit loss of the chromosomal locus 9p21.3 - the genomic location of the tumour suppressor gene CDKN2A and the methionine salvage gene methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP). A loss of MTAP increases the pool of its substrate methylthioadenosine (MTA), which binds to and inhibits activity of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5). PRMT5 utilises the universal methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to methylate arginine residues of protein substrates and regulate their activity, notably histones to regulate transcription. Recently, targeting PRMT5, or MAT2A that impacts PRMT5 activity by producing SAM, has shown promise as a therapeutic strategy in oncology, generating synthetic lethality in MTAP-negative cancers. However, clinical development of PRMT5 and MAT2A inhibitors has been challenging and highlights the need for further understanding of the downstream mediators of drug effects. Here, we discuss the rationale and methods for targeting the MAT2A/PRMT5 axis for cancer therapy. We evaluate the current limitations in our understanding of the mechanism of MAT2A/PRMT5 inhibitors and identify the challenges that must be addressed to maximise the potential of these drugs. In addition, we review the current literature defining downstream effectors of PRMT5 activity that could determine sensitivity to MAT2A/PRMT5 inhibition and therefore present a rationale for novel combination therapies that may not rely on synthetic lethality with MTAP loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandler Bray
- Cancer Metabolism & Systems Toxicology Group, Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cristina Balcells
- Cancer Metabolism & Systems Toxicology Group, Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Iain A. McNeish
- Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hector C. Keun
- Cancer Metabolism & Systems Toxicology Group, Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Ling ZN, Jiang YF, Ru JN, Lu JH, Ding B, Wu J. Amino acid metabolism in health and disease. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:345. [PMID: 37699892 PMCID: PMC10497558 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01569-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein synthesis. They are structural elements and energy sources of cells necessary for normal cell growth, differentiation and function. Amino acid metabolism disorders have been linked with a number of pathological conditions, including metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, immune diseases, and cancer. In the case of tumors, alterations in amino acid metabolism can be used not only as clinical indicators of cancer progression but also as therapeutic strategies. Since the growth and development of tumors depend on the intake of foreign amino acids, more and more studies have targeted the metabolism of tumor-related amino acids to selectively kill tumor cells. Furthermore, immune-related studies have confirmed that amino acid metabolism regulates the function of effector T cells and regulatory T cells, affecting the function of immune cells. Therefore, studying amino acid metabolism associated with disease and identifying targets in amino acid metabolic pathways may be helpful for disease treatment. This article mainly focuses on the research of amino acid metabolism in tumor-oriented diseases, and reviews the research and clinical research progress of metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases and immune-related diseases related to amino acid metabolism, in order to provide theoretical basis for targeted therapy of amino acid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe-Nan Ling
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310003, P.R. China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Fan Jiang
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310003, P.R. China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Jun-Nan Ru
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310003, P.R. China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Hua Lu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310003, P.R. China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Bo Ding
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310003, P.R. China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Jian Wu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310003, P.R. China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.
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Ye S, Tian X, Anwaier A, Wei S, Liu W, Su J, Zhu S, Dai B, Gu J, Qu Y, Xu W, Zhang H, Ye D. Protein Arginine Methyltransferases Refine the Classification of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma with Distinct Prognosis and Tumor Microenvironment Characteristics. Int J Biol Sci 2023; 19:4552-4570. [PMID: 37781030 PMCID: PMC10535715 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.80323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is an aggressive urological cancer that originates from the proximal tubular epithelium. As one of the most common post-translational modification, protein arginine methylation plays a pivotal role in various cancer-associated biological functions, especially in cancer immunity. Therefore, constructing a protein arginine methylation-related prognostic signature would be beneficial in guiding better personalized clinical management for patients with ccRCC. Methods: Based on the multi-omics profiling of the expression levels of eight protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) in 763 ccRCC samples (from TCGA, CPTAC, EMBL, and ICGC databases), we established a scoring system with machine-learning algorithms to quantify the modification patterns on clinical and immunological characterizations of individual ccRCC patient, which was termed as PRMTScore. Moreover, we utilized two external clinical cohorts receiving immunotherapy (n=302) to validate the reliability of the PRMTScore system. Multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) was performed to characterize the cellular composition of 30 paired ccRCC samples. The proteomic profiling of 232 ccRCC samples obtained from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) was analyzed to validate the protein expression of PRMT5 in ccRCC. Finally, CCK-8, transwell, and wound healing assays were conducted to elucidate the role of PRMT5 in ccRCC in vitro. Results: A total of 763 ccRCC patients with available multi-omics profiling were stratified into two clusters (PRMTCluster A and B) with distinctive prognosis, genomic alterations, tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics, and fundamental biological mechanisms. Subsequently, protein arginine methylation-related prognostic signature (PRMTScore) was constructed and consisted of SLC16A12, HRH2, F2RL3, and SAA1. The PRMTScore showed remarkable differences in outcomes, immune and stromal fractions, expressions of immune checkpoints, the abundance of immune cells, and immunotherapy response in ccRCC patients. Additionally, preliminary insights unveiled the tumor-suppressive role of PRMT5 in ccRCC, and the signal of PRMT5low significantly predicted aggressive prognosis and the high abundance of PD1+ CD8+ cells in ccRCC. Conclusion: We constructed a PRMTScore system, which showed the potent ability to assess the prognosis, TME characteristics, and immunotherapy response for patients with ccRCC. Moreover, this is the first study to propose that PRMT5 acts as a cancer suppressor in ccRCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi Ye
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Xi Tian
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Aihetaimujiang Anwaier
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Shiyin Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, 533000, P.R. China
| | - Wangrui Liu
- Department of Interventional Oncology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Jiaqi Su
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Shuxuan Zhu
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Bo Dai
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Jun Gu
- The Affiliated Jiangsu Shengze Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215228, P.R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Qu
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Wenhao Xu
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Hailiang Zhang
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
| | - Dingwei Ye
- Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
- Shanghai Genitourinary Cancer Institute, Shanghai 200032, P.R. China
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Pitolli C, Marini A, Guerra M, Pieraccioli M, Marabitti V, Palluzzi F, Giacò L, Tamburrini G, Cecconi F, Nazio F, Sette C, Pagliarini V. MYC up-regulation confers vulnerability to dual inhibition of CDK12 and CDK13 in high-risk Group 3 medulloblastoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:214. [PMID: 37599362 PMCID: PMC10440921 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02790-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common cerebellar malignancy during childhood. Among MB, MYC-amplified Group 3 tumors display the worst prognosis. MYC is an oncogenic transcription factor currently thought to be undruggable. Nevertheless, targeting MYC-dependent processes (i.e. transcription and RNA processing regulation) represents a promising approach. METHODS We have tested the sensitivity of MYC-driven Group 3 MB cells to a pool of transcription and splicing inhibitors that display a wide spectrum of targets. Among them, we focus on THZ531, an inhibitor of the transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) 12 and 13. High-throughput RNA-sequencing analyses followed by bioinformatics and functional analyses were carried out to elucidate the molecular mechanism(s) underlying the susceptibility of Group 3 MB to CDK12/13 chemical inhibition. Data from International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and other public databases were mined to evaluate the functional relevance of the cellular pathway/s affected by the treatment with THZ531 in Group 3 MB patients. RESULTS We found that pharmacological inhibition of CDK12/13 is highly selective for MYC-high Group 3 MB cells with respect to MYC-low MB cells. We identified a subset of genes enriched in functional terms related to the DNA damage response (DDR) that are up-regulated in Group 3 MB and repressed by CDK12/13 inhibition. Accordingly, MYC- and CDK12/13-dependent higher expression of DDR genes in Group 3 MB cells limits the toxic effects of endogenous DNA lesions in these cells. More importantly, chemical inhibition of CDK12/13 impaired the DDR and induced irreparable DNA damage exclusively in MYC-high Group 3 MB cells. The augmented sensitivity of MYC-high MB cells to CDK12/13 inhibition relies on the higher elongation rate of the RNA polymerase II in DDR genes. Lastly, combined treatments with THZ531 and DNA damage-inducing agents synergically suppressed viability of MYC-high Group 3 MB cells. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that CDK12/13 activity represents an exploitable vulnerability in MYC-high Group 3 MB and may pave the ground for new therapeutic approaches for this high-risk brain tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Consuelo Pitolli
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Marini
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168, Rome, Italy
- GSTEP-Organoids Research Core Facility, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Marika Guerra
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Pieraccioli
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168, Rome, Italy
- GSTEP-Organoids Research Core Facility, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Veronica Marabitti
- Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Fernando Palluzzi
- Bioinformatics Research Core Facility, Gemelli Science and Technology Park (GSTeP), IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Present Address: Integrated Omics Department, Novo Nordisk, 2860, Søborg, Denmark
| | - Luciano Giacò
- Bioinformatics Research Core Facility, Gemelli Science and Technology Park (GSTeP), IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianpiero Tamburrini
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Pediatric Neurosurgery, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Cecconi
- Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensive Care and Perioperative Clinics Research, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Unit of Cell Stress and Survival, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Francesca Nazio
- Department of Pediatric Hemato-Oncology and Cell and Gene Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Sette
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168, Rome, Italy.
- GSTEP-Organoids Research Core Facility, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - Vittoria Pagliarini
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168, Rome, Italy.
- GSTEP-Organoids Research Core Facility, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168, Rome, Italy.
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Joshi G, Basu A. Epigenetic control of cell signalling in cancer stem cells. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 383:67-88. [PMID: 38359971 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2023.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The self-renewing cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent one of the distinct cell populations occurring in a tumour that can differentiate into multiple lineages. This group of sparsely abundant cells play a vital role in tumour survival and resistance to different treatments during cancer. The lack of exclusive markers associated with CSCs makes diagnosis and prognosis in cancer patients extremely difficult. This calls for the identification of unique regulators and markers for CSCs. Various signalling pathways like the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, Hedgehog pathway, Notch pathway, and TGFβ/BMP play a major role in the regulation and maintenance of CSCs. Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms add another layer of complexity to control these signalling pathways. In this chapter, we discuss about the role of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating the cellular signalling pathways in CSCs. The epigenetic regulatory mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification and microRNAs can modulate the diverse effectors of signalling pathways and consequently the growth, differentiation and tumorigenicity of CSCs. In the end, we briefly discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting these epigenetic regulators and their target genes in CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Joshi
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.
| | - Amitava Basu
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany.
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23
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Zheng Y, Chen Z, Zhou B, Chen S, Chen N, Shen L. Prmt5 deficiency inhibits CD4+ T-cell Klf2/S1pr1 expression and ameliorates EAE disease. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:183. [PMID: 37533053 PMCID: PMC10398933 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02854-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (Prmt5) is the main type II methyltransferase, catalyzes protein arginine residue symmetric dimethylation, and modulates normal cellular physiology and disease progression. Prmt5 inhibition or deletion in CD4+ T cells has been reported to ameliorate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), but the detailed molecular mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. METHODS EAE was induced by administration of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG35-55) in T cells Prmt5 conditional knockout (CD4-cre-Prmt5fl/fl, Prmt5cko) and Prmt5fl/fl (WT) mice. Flow cytometry, single-cell RNA sequencing, ATAC sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP) approaches were used to explore the detail mechanisms. RESULTS We find that Prmt5cko mice are resistant to EAE; infiltrating inflammatory CD4+ T cells in the central nervous system (CNS) are greatly reduced. However, in Prmt5cko mice, T cells in the spleen show much more proliferation and activation properties, the total number of CD4+ T cells in the spleen is not reduced, and the percentage of Rora+ CD4+ T cells is elevated. Also, CD4+ T cells express lower levels of S1pr1 and Klf2 than WT mice, which may influence pathogenic CD4+ T-cell egress from the spleen and migration to the CNS. Moreover, the single-cell ATAC sequence and ChIP assay reveal that the transcription factor Klf2 is enriched at the S1pr1 promoter and that Klf2 motif activity is reduced in Prmt5cko mice. CONCLUSIONS Our study delineates the undiscovered role of Prmt5 in T-cell biology in which Prmt5 may inhibit Klf2-S1pr1 pathway to ameliorate EAE disease. Controlling T-cell Prmt5 expression may be helpful for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxia Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zheyi Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingqian Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiyu Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ningdai Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lisong Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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24
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Jin ML, Jeong KW. Histone modifications in drug-resistant cancers: From a cancer stem cell and immune evasion perspective. Exp Mol Med 2023:10.1038/s12276-023-01014-z. [PMID: 37394580 PMCID: PMC10394043 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-023-01014-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The development and immune evasion of cancer stem cells (CSCs) limit the efficacy of currently available anticancer therapies. Recent studies have shown that epigenetic reprogramming regulates the expression of characteristic marker proteins and tumor plasticity associated with cancer cell survival and metastasis in CSCs. CSCs also possess unique mechanisms to evade external attacks by immune cells. Hence, the development of new strategies to restore dysregulated histone modifications to overcome cancer resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapy has recently attracted attention. Restoring abnormal histone modifications can be an effective anticancer strategy to increase the therapeutic effect of conventional chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic drugs by weakening CSCs or by rendering them in a naïve state with increased sensitivity to immune responses. In this review, we summarize recent findings regarding the role of histone modifiers in the development of drug-resistant cancer cells from the perspectives of CSCs and immune evasion. In addition, we discuss attempts to combine currently available histone modification inhibitors with conventional chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li Jin
- Gachon Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21936, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Won Jeong
- Gachon Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21936, Republic of Korea.
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25
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Robertson FL, O'Duibhir E, Gangoso E, Bressan RB, Bulstrode H, Marqués-Torrejón MÁ, Ferguson KM, Blin C, Grant V, Alfazema N, Morrison GM, Pollard SM. Elevated FOXG1 in glioblastoma stem cells cooperates with Wnt/β-catenin to induce exit from quiescence. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112561. [PMID: 37243590 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) stem cells (GSCs) display phenotypic and molecular features reminiscent of normal neural stem cells and exhibit a spectrum of cell cycle states (dormant, quiescent, proliferative). However, mechanisms controlling the transition from quiescence to proliferation in both neural stem cells (NSCs) and GSCs are poorly understood. Elevated expression of the forebrain transcription factor FOXG1 is often observed in GBMs. Here, using small-molecule modulators and genetic perturbations, we identify a synergistic interaction between FOXG1 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Increased FOXG1 enhances Wnt-driven transcriptional targets, enabling highly efficient cell cycle re-entry from quiescence; however, neither FOXG1 nor Wnt is essential in rapidly proliferating cells. We demonstrate that FOXG1 overexpression supports gliomagenesis in vivo and that additional β-catenin induction drives accelerated tumor growth. These data indicate that elevated FOXG1 cooperates with Wnt signaling to support the transition from quiescence to proliferation in GSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faye L Robertson
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Eoghan O'Duibhir
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Ester Gangoso
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Raul Bardini Bressan
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Harry Bulstrode
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Maria-Ángeles Marqués-Torrejón
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Kirsty M Ferguson
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Carla Blin
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Vivien Grant
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Neza Alfazema
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Gillian M Morrison
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine & Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK.
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26
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Araki S, Ohori M, Yugami M. Targeting pre-mRNA splicing in cancers: roles, inhibitors, and therapeutic opportunities. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1152087. [PMID: 37342192 PMCID: PMC10277747 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1152087] [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: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence has indicated that pre-mRNA splicing plays critical roles in a variety of physiological processes, including development of multiple diseases. In particular, alternative splicing is profoundly involved in cancer progression through abnormal expression or mutation of splicing factors. Small-molecule splicing modulators have recently attracted considerable attention as a novel class of cancer therapeutics, and several splicing modulators are currently being developed for the treatment of patients with various cancers and are in the clinical trial stage. Novel molecular mechanisms modulating alternative splicing have proven to be effective for treating cancer cells resistant to conventional anticancer drugs. Furthermore, molecular mechanism-based combination strategies and patient stratification strategies for cancer treatment targeting pre-mRNA splicing must be considered for cancer therapy in the future. This review summarizes recent progress in the relationship between druggable splicing-related molecules and cancer, highlights small-molecule splicing modulators, and discusses future perspectives of splicing modulation for personalized and combination therapies in cancer treatment.
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27
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Tian JL, Huang CW, Eslami F, Mannino MP, Mai RL, Hart GW. Regulation of Primary Cilium Length by O-GlcNAc during Neuronal Development in a Human Neuron Model. Cells 2023; 12:1520. [PMID: 37296641 PMCID: PMC10252524 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111520] [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: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary cilium plays critical roles in the homeostasis and development of neurons. Recent studies demonstrate that cilium length is regulated by the metabolic state of cells, as dictated by processes such as glucose flux and O-GlcNAcylation (OGN). The study of cilium length regulation during neuron development, however, has been an area left largely unexplored. This project aims to elucidate the roles of O-GlcNAc in neuronal development through its regulation of the primary cilium. Here, we present findings suggesting that OGN levels negatively regulate cilium length on differentiated cortical neurons derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells. In neurons, cilium length increased significantly during maturation (after day 35), while OGN levels began to drop. Long-term perturbation of OGN via drugs, which inhibit or promote its cycling, during neuron development also have varying effects. Diminishing OGN levels increases cilium length until day 25, when neural stem cells expand and undergo early neurogenesis, before causing cell cycle exit defects and multinucleation. Elevating OGN levels induces greater primary cilia assembly but ultimately results in the development of premature neurons, which have higher insulin sensitivity. These results indicate that OGN levels and primary cilium length are jointly critical in proper neuron development and function. Understanding the interplays between these two nutrient sensors, O-GlcNAc and the primary cilium, during neuron development is important in paving connections between dysfunctional nutrient-sensing and early neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie L. Tian
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.-W.H.); (F.E.); (M.P.M.); (R.L.M.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Chia-Wei Huang
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.-W.H.); (F.E.); (M.P.M.); (R.L.M.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Farzad Eslami
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.-W.H.); (F.E.); (M.P.M.); (R.L.M.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Michael Philip Mannino
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.-W.H.); (F.E.); (M.P.M.); (R.L.M.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Rebecca Lee Mai
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.-W.H.); (F.E.); (M.P.M.); (R.L.M.)
- Department of Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Gerald W. Hart
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.-W.H.); (F.E.); (M.P.M.); (R.L.M.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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28
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Bernhard C, Reita D, Martin S, Entz-Werle N, Dontenwill M. Glioblastoma Metabolism: Insights and Therapeutic Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119137. [PMID: 37298093 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor metabolism is emerging as a potential target for cancer therapies. This new approach holds particular promise for the treatment of glioblastoma, a highly lethal brain tumor that is resistant to conventional treatments, for which improving therapeutic strategies is a major challenge. The presence of glioma stem cells is a critical factor in therapy resistance, thus making it essential to eliminate these cells for the long-term survival of cancer patients. Recent advancements in our understanding of cancer metabolism have shown that glioblastoma metabolism is highly heterogeneous, and that cancer stem cells exhibit specific metabolic traits that support their unique functionality. The objective of this review is to examine the metabolic changes in glioblastoma and investigate the role of specific metabolic processes in tumorigenesis, as well as associated therapeutic approaches, with a particular focus on glioma stem cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Bernhard
- UMR CNRS 7021, Laboratory Bioimaging and Pathologies, Tumoral Signaling and Therapeutic Targets, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Strasbourg, 67405 lllkirch, France
| | - Damien Reita
- UMR CNRS 7021, Laboratory Bioimaging and Pathologies, Tumoral Signaling and Therapeutic Targets, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Strasbourg, 67405 lllkirch, France
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Cancer Molecular Genetics, University Hospital of Strasbourg, 67200 Strasbourg, France
| | - Sophie Martin
- UMR CNRS 7021, Laboratory Bioimaging and Pathologies, Tumoral Signaling and Therapeutic Targets, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Strasbourg, 67405 lllkirch, France
| | - Natacha Entz-Werle
- UMR CNRS 7021, Laboratory Bioimaging and Pathologies, Tumoral Signaling and Therapeutic Targets, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Strasbourg, 67405 lllkirch, France
- Pediatric Onco-Hematology Unit, University Hospital of Strasbourg, 67098 Strasbourg, France
| | - Monique Dontenwill
- UMR CNRS 7021, Laboratory Bioimaging and Pathologies, Tumoral Signaling and Therapeutic Targets, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Strasbourg, 67405 lllkirch, France
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29
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Gillespie MS, Ward CM, Davies CC. DNA Repair and Therapeutic Strategies in Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1897. [PMID: 36980782 PMCID: PMC10047301 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
First-line cancer treatments successfully eradicate the differentiated tumour mass but are comparatively ineffective against cancer stem cells (CSCs), a self-renewing subpopulation thought to be responsible for tumour initiation, metastasis, heterogeneity, and recurrence. CSCs are thus presented as the principal target for elimination during cancer treatment. However, CSCs are challenging to drug target because of numerous intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of drug resistance. One such mechanism that remains relatively understudied is the DNA damage response (DDR). CSCs are presumed to possess properties that enable enhanced DNA repair efficiency relative to their highly proliferative bulk progeny, facilitating improved repair of double-strand breaks induced by radiotherapy and most chemotherapeutics. This can occur through multiple mechanisms, including increased expression and splicing fidelity of DNA repair genes, robust activation of cell cycle checkpoints, and elevated homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair. Herein, we summarise the current knowledge concerning improved genome integrity in non-transformed stem cells and CSCs, discuss therapeutic opportunities within the DDR for re-sensitising CSCs to genotoxic stressors, and consider the challenges posed regarding unbiased identification of novel DDR-directed strategies in CSCs. A better understanding of the DDR mediating chemo/radioresistance mechanisms in CSCs could lead to novel therapeutic approaches, thereby enhancing treatment efficacy in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Gillespie
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (M.S.G.)
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Ciara M. Ward
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (M.S.G.)
| | - Clare C. Davies
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (M.S.G.)
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30
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Fackenthal JD. Alternative mRNA Splicing and Promising Therapies in Cancer. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13030561. [PMID: 36979496 PMCID: PMC10046298 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. While considerable attention has been given to genetic and epigenetic sources of cancer-specific cellular activities, the role of alternative mRNA splicing has only recently received attention as a major contributor to cancer initiation and progression. The distribution of alternate mRNA splicing variants in cancer cells is different from their non-cancer counterparts, and cancer cells are more sensitive than non-cancer cells to drugs that target components of the splicing regulatory network. While many of the alternatively spliced mRNAs in cancer cells may represent "noise" from splicing dysregulation, certain recurring splicing variants have been shown to contribute to tumor progression. Some pathogenic splicing disruption events result from mutations in cis-acting splicing regulatory sequences in disease-associated genes, while others may result from shifts in balance among naturally occurring alternate splicing variants among mRNAs that participate in cell cycle progression and the regulation of apoptosis. This review provides examples of cancer-related alternate splicing events resulting from each step of mRNA processing and the promising therapies that may be used to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Fackenthal
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Health, Benedictine University, Lisle, IL 60532, USA
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31
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Johanssen T, McVeigh L, Erridge S, Higgins G, Straehla J, Frame M, Aittokallio T, Carragher NO, Ebner D. Glioblastoma and the search for non-hypothesis driven combination therapeutics in academia. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1075559. [PMID: 36733367 PMCID: PMC9886867 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1075559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) remains a cancer of high unmet clinical need. Current standard of care for GBM, consisting of maximal surgical resection, followed by ionisation radiation (IR) plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ), provides less than 15-month survival benefit. Efforts by conventional drug discovery to improve overall survival have failed to overcome challenges presented by inherent tumor heterogeneity, therapeutic resistance attributed to GBM stem cells, and tumor niches supporting self-renewal. In this review we describe the steps academic researchers are taking to address these limitations in high throughput screening programs to identify novel GBM combinatorial targets. We detail how they are implementing more physiologically relevant phenotypic assays which better recapitulate key areas of disease biology coupled with more focussed libraries of small compounds, such as drug repurposing, target discovery, pharmacologically active and novel, more comprehensive anti-cancer target-annotated compound libraries. Herein, we discuss the rationale for current GBM combination trials and the need for more systematic and transparent strategies for identification, validation and prioritisation of combinations that lead to clinical trials. Finally, we make specific recommendations to the preclinical, small compound screening paradigm that could increase the likelihood of identifying tractable, combinatorial, small molecule inhibitors and better drug targets specific to GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Johanssen
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Laura McVeigh
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Erridge
- Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Geoffrey Higgins
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Joelle Straehla
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Margaret Frame
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Tero Aittokallio
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Cancer Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Neil O. Carragher
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Ebner
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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32
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Lin Y, Tan H, Yu G, Zhan M, Xu B. Molecular Mechanisms of Noncoding RNA in the Occurrence of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021305. [PMID: 36674820 PMCID: PMC9860629 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Although several therapeutic options have been shown to improve survival of most patients with prostate cancer, progression to castration-refractory state continues to present challenges in clinics and scientific research. As a highly heterogeneous disease entity, the mechanisms of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) are complicated and arise from multiple factors. Among them, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), the untranslated part of the human transcriptome, are closely related to almost all biological regulation, including tumor metabolisms, epigenetic modifications and immune escape, which has encouraged scientists to investigate their role in CRPC. In clinical practice, ncRNAs, especially miRNAs and lncRNAs, may function as potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of CRPC. Therefore, understanding the molecular biology of CRPC will help boost a shift in the treatment of CRPC patients. In this review, we summarize the recent findings of miRNAs and lncRNAs, discuss their potential functional mechanisms and highlight their clinical application prospects in CRPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Lin
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Haisong Tan
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Guopeng Yu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Ming Zhan
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
- The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
- Correspondence: (M.Z.); (B.X.)
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China
- Correspondence: (M.Z.); (B.X.)
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33
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McCornack C, Woodiwiss T, Hardi A, Yano H, Kim AH. The function of histone methylation and acetylation regulators in GBM pathophysiology. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1144184. [PMID: 37205197 PMCID: PMC10185819 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1144184] [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: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal primary brain malignancy and is characterized by a high degree of intra and intertumor cellular heterogeneity, a starkly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and nearly universal recurrence. The application of various genomic approaches has allowed us to understand the core molecular signatures, transcriptional states, and DNA methylation patterns that define GBM. Histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) have been shown to influence oncogenesis in a variety of malignancies, including other forms of glioma, yet comparatively less effort has been placed on understanding the transcriptional impact and regulation of histone PTMs in the context of GBM. In this review we discuss work that investigates the role of histone acetylating and methylating enzymes in GBM pathogenesis, as well as the effects of targeted inhibition of these enzymes. We then synthesize broader genomic and epigenomic approaches to understand the influence of histone PTMs on chromatin architecture and transcription within GBM and finally, explore the limitations of current research in this field before proposing future directions for this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin McCornack
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Timothy Woodiwiss
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa, IA, United States
| | - Angela Hardi
- Bernard Becker Medical Library, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Hiroko Yano
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- The Brain Tumor Center, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Albert H. Kim
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- The Brain Tumor Center, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Albert H. Kim,
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34
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Zhai LH, Chen KF, Hao BB, Tan MJ. Proteomic characterization of post-translational modifications in drug discovery. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2022; 43:3112-3129. [PMID: 36372853 PMCID: PMC9712763 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-022-01017-y] [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: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs), which are usually enzymatically catalyzed, are major regulators of protein activity and involved in almost all celluar processes. Dysregulation of PTMs is associated with various types of diseases. Therefore, PTM regulatory enzymes represent as an attractive and important class of targets in drug research and development. Inhibitors against kinases, methyltransferases, deacetyltransferases, ubiquitin ligases have achieved remarkable success in clinical application. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics technologies serve as a powerful approach for system-wide characterization of PTMs, which facilitates the identification of drug targets, elucidation of the mechanisms of action of drugs, and discovery of biomakers in personalized therapy. In this review, we summarize recent advances of proteomics-based studies on PTM targeting drugs and discuss how proteomics strategies facilicate drug target identification, mechanism elucidation, and new therapy development in precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Hui Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Zhongshan Institute of Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Science, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Kai-Feng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Bing-Bing Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Min-Jia Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Zhongshan Institute of Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Science, Zhongshan, 528400, China.
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35
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Liao Y, Luo Z, Lin Y, Chen H, Chen T, Xu L, Orgurek S, Berry K, Dzieciatkowska M, Reisz JA, D’Alessandro A, Zhou W, Lu QR. PRMT3 drives glioblastoma progression by enhancing HIF1A and glycolytic metabolism. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:943. [PMID: 36351894 PMCID: PMC9646854 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05389-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor, but the mechanisms underlying tumor growth and progression remain unclear. The protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) regulate a variety of biological processes, however, their roles in GBM growth and progression are not fully understood. In this study, our functional analysis of gene expression networks revealed that among the PRMT family expression of PRMT3 was most significantly enriched in both GBM and low-grade gliomas. Higher PRMT3 expression predicted poorer overall survival rate in patients with gliomas. Knockdown of PRMT3 markedly reduced the proliferation and migration of GBM cell lines and patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells (GSC) in cell culture, while its over-expression increased the proliferative capacity of GSC cells by promoting cell cycle progression. Consistently, stable PRMT3 knockdown strongly inhibited tumor growth in xenograft mouse models, along with a significant decrease in cell proliferation as well as an increase in apoptosis. We further found that PRMT3 reprogrammed metabolic pathways to promote GSC growth via increasing glycolysis and its critical transcriptional regulator HIF1α. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of PRMT3 with a PRMT3-specific inhibitor SGC707 impaired the growth of GBM cells. Thus, our study demonstrates that PRMT3 promotes GBM progression by enhancing HIF1A-mediated glycolysis and metabolic rewiring, presenting a point of metabolic vulnerability for therapeutic targeting in malignant gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfei Liao
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children’s Hospital, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China ,grid.239573.90000 0000 9025 8099Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229 USA
| | - Zaili Luo
- grid.239573.90000 0000 9025 8099Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229 USA
| | - Yifeng Lin
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children’s Hospital, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huiyao Chen
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children’s Hospital, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tong Chen
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children’s Hospital, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingli Xu
- grid.239573.90000 0000 9025 8099Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229 USA
| | - Sean Orgurek
- grid.239573.90000 0000 9025 8099Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229 USA
| | - Kalen Berry
- grid.239573.90000 0000 9025 8099Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229 USA
| | - Monika Dzieciatkowska
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Julie A. Reisz
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Angelo D’Alessandro
- grid.430503.10000 0001 0703 675XUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Wenhao Zhou
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children’s Hospital, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Q. Richard Lu
- grid.239573.90000 0000 9025 8099Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229 USA
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36
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Asberry AM, Cai X, Deng X, Santiago U, Liu S, Sims HS, Liang W, Xu X, Wan J, Jiang W, Camacho CJ, Dai M, Hu CD. Discovery and Biological Characterization of PRMT5:MEP50 Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2022; 65:13793-13812. [PMID: 36206451 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is a master epigenetic regulator and an extensively validated therapeutic target in multiple cancers. Notably, PRMT5 is the only PRMT that requires an obligate cofactor, methylosome protein 50 (MEP50), to function. We developed compound 17, a novel small-molecule PRMT5:MEP50 protein-protein interaction (PPI) inhibitor, after initial virtual screen hit identification and analogue refinement. Molecular docking indicated that compound 17 targets PRMT5:MEP50 PPI by displacing the MEP50 W54 burial into a hydrophobic pocket of the PRMT5 TIM barrel. In vitro analysis indicates IC50 < 500 nM for prostate and lung cancer cells with selective, specific inhibition of PRMT5:MEP50 substrate methylation and target gene expression, and RNA-seq analysis suggests that compound 17 may dysregulate TGF-β signaling. Compound 17 provides a proof of concept in targeting PRMT5:MEP50 PPI, as opposed to catalytic targeting, as a novel mechanism of action and supports further preclinical development of inhibitors in this class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Asberry
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.,Purdue University Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Graduate Program, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Xinpei Cai
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Xuehong Deng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Ulises Santiago
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Sheng Liu
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.,The Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States
| | - Hunter S Sims
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Weida Liang
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Xueyong Xu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 240 S Martin Jischke Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Jun Wan
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.,The Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.,The Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States
| | - Wen Jiang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 240 S Martin Jischke Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Carlos J Camacho
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Mingji Dai
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Chang-Deng Hu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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37
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Loss of METTL3 attenuates blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm response to PRMT5 inhibition via IFN signaling. Blood Adv 2022; 6:5330-5344. [PMID: 35482445 PMCID: PMC9631685 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2021006306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive hematologic malignancy with poor clinical outcomes. Dysregulated MYC expression, which is associated with protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) dependency, is a recurrent feature of BPDCN. Although recent studies have reported a PRMT5 gene signature in BPDCN patient samples, the role of PRMT5 in BPDCN remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that BPDCN is highly sensitive to PRMT5 inhibition. Consistent with the upregulation of PRMT5 in BPDCN, we show that pharmacological inhibition (GSK3326595) of PRMT5 inhibits the growth of the patient-derived BPDCN cell line CAL-1 in vitro and mitigated tumor progression in our mouse xenograft model. Interestingly, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that PRMT5 inhibition increases intron retention in several key RNA methylation genes, including METTL3, which was accompanied by a dose-dependent decrease in METTL3 expression. Notably, the function of cellular m6A RNA modification of METTL3 was also affected by PRMT5 inhibition in CAL-1 cells. Intriguingly, METTL3 depletion in CAL-1 caused a significant increase in interferon (IFN) signaling, which was further elevated upon PRMT5 inhibition. Importantly, we discovered that this increase in IFN signaling attenuated the sensitivity of METTL3-depleted CAL-1 cells to PRMT5 inhibition. Correspondingly, stimulation of IFN signaling via TLR7 agonists weakened CAL-1 cell sensitivity to PRMT5 inhibition. Overall, our findings implicate PRMT5 as a therapeutic target in BPDCN and provide insight into the involvement of METTL3 and the IFN pathway in regulating the response to PRMT5 inhibition.
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38
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Gimple RC, Yang K, Halbert ME, Agnihotri S, Rich JN. Brain cancer stem cells: resilience through adaptive plasticity and hierarchical heterogeneity. Nat Rev Cancer 2022; 22:497-514. [PMID: 35710946 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-022-00486-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Malignant brain tumours are complex ecosystems containing neoplastic and stromal components that generate adaptive and evolutionarily driven aberrant tissues in the central nervous system. Brain cancers are cultivated by a dynamic population of stem-like cells that enforce intratumoural heterogeneity and respond to intrinsic microenvironment or therapeutically guided insults through proliferation, plasticity and restructuring of neoplastic and stromal components. Far from a rigid hierarchy, heterogeneous neoplastic populations transition between cellular states with differential self-renewal capacities, endowing them with powerful resilience. Here we review the biological machinery used by brain tumour stem cells to commandeer tissues in the intracranial space, evade immune responses and resist chemoradiotherapy. Through recent advances in single-cell sequencing, improved models to investigate the role of the tumour microenvironment and a deeper understanding of the fundamental role of the immune system in cancer biology, we are now better equipped to explore mechanisms by which these processes can be exploited for therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Gimple
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Kailin Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Matthew E Halbert
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sameer Agnihotri
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jeremy N Rich
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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39
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Feustel K, Falchook GS. Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) Inhibitors in Oncology Clinical Trials: A review. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOTHERAPY AND PRECISION ONCOLOGY 2022; 5:58-67. [PMID: 36034581 PMCID: PMC9390703 DOI: 10.36401/jipo-22-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) inhibitors are a new class of antineoplastic agents showing promising preliminary clinical efficacy. Targeting an enzyme involved in a wide array of cellular and transcriptional pro-oncogenic processes, this class offers multifaceted tumor-suppressive effects. Partial response has been seen in adenoid cystic carcinoma from both GSK3326595 and JNJ-64619178, with four cases of stable disease seen with PRT543. Highly significant is a durable complete response in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1-mutated glioblastoma multiforme with PRT811. Both alone and in combination with existing chemotherapies and immunotherapies, this class shows promising preliminary data, particularly in cancers with splicing mutations and DNA damage repair deficiencies. Further studies are warranted, and there are clinical trials to come whose data will be telling of the efficacy of PRMT5 inhibitors in both hematologic and solid malignancies. The aim of this study is to compile available results of PRMT5 inhibitors in oncology clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavanya Feustel
- 1 Sky Ridge Medical Center, HCA Continental Division, Lone Tree, CO, USA
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40
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Uthamacumaran A, Zenil H. A Review of Mathematical and Computational Methods in Cancer Dynamics. Front Oncol 2022; 12:850731. [PMID: 35957879 PMCID: PMC9359441 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.850731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancers are complex adaptive diseases regulated by the nonlinear feedback systems between genetic instabilities, environmental signals, cellular protein flows, and gene regulatory networks. Understanding the cybernetics of cancer requires the integration of information dynamics across multidimensional spatiotemporal scales, including genetic, transcriptional, metabolic, proteomic, epigenetic, and multi-cellular networks. However, the time-series analysis of these complex networks remains vastly absent in cancer research. With longitudinal screening and time-series analysis of cellular dynamics, universally observed causal patterns pertaining to dynamical systems, may self-organize in the signaling or gene expression state-space of cancer triggering processes. A class of these patterns, strange attractors, may be mathematical biomarkers of cancer progression. The emergence of intracellular chaos and chaotic cell population dynamics remains a new paradigm in systems medicine. As such, chaotic and complex dynamics are discussed as mathematical hallmarks of cancer cell fate dynamics herein. Given the assumption that time-resolved single-cell datasets are made available, a survey of interdisciplinary tools and algorithms from complexity theory, are hereby reviewed to investigate critical phenomena and chaotic dynamics in cancer ecosystems. To conclude, the perspective cultivates an intuition for computational systems oncology in terms of nonlinear dynamics, information theory, inverse problems, and complexity. We highlight the limitations we see in the area of statistical machine learning but the opportunity at combining it with the symbolic computational power offered by the mathematical tools explored.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hector Zenil
- Machine Learning Group, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, The University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- The Alan Turing Institute, British Library, London, United Kingdom
- Oxford Immune Algorithmics, Reading, United Kingdom
- Algorithmic Dynamics Lab, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Algorithmic Nature Group, LABORES, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Hector Zenil,
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41
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Orben F, Lankes K, Schneeweis C, Hassan Z, Jakubowsky H, Krauß L, Boniolo F, Schneider C, Schäfer A, Murr J, Schlag C, Kong B, Öllinger R, Wang C, Beyer G, Mahajan UM, Xue Y, Mayerle J, Schmid RM, Kuster B, Rad R, Braun CJ, Wirth M, Reichert M, Saur D, Schneider G. Epigenetic drug screening defines a PRMT5 inhibitor-sensitive pancreatic cancer subtype. JCI Insight 2022; 7:e151353. [PMID: 35439169 PMCID: PMC9220834 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.151353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic therapies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain unsatisfactory. Clinical prognosis is particularly poor for tumor subtypes with activating aberrations in the MYC pathway, creating an urgent need for novel therapeutic targets. To unbiasedly find MYC-associated epigenetic dependencies, we conducted a drug screen in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Here, we found that protein arginine N-methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) inhibitors triggered an MYC-associated dependency. In human and murine PDACs, a robust connection of MYC and PRMT5 was detected. By the use of gain- and loss-of-function models, we confirmed the increased efficacy of PRMT5 inhibitors in MYC-deregulated PDACs. Although inhibition of PRMT5 was inducing DNA damage and arresting PDAC cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, apoptotic cell death was executed predominantly in cells with high MYC expression. Experiments in primary patient-derived PDAC models demonstrated the existence of a highly PRMT5 inhibitor-sensitive subtype. Our work suggests developing PRMT5 inhibitor-based therapies for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Orben
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
| | | | - Christian Schneeweis
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
- Institute for Translational Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer Therapy, Technical University Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Zonera Hassan
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
| | - Hannah Jakubowsky
- Institute for Translational Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer Therapy, Technical University Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Lukas Krauß
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Fabio Boniolo
- Institute for Translational Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer Therapy, Technical University Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Carolin Schneider
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Arlett Schäfer
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
| | - Janine Murr
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
| | | | - Bo Kong
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TUM, Munich, Germany
- Department of General Surgery, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rupert Öllinger
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, TUM School of Medicine and
| | - Chengdong Wang
- Chair of Proteomics and Bioanalytics, TUM School of Life Sciences, TUM, Freising, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Georg Beyer
- Department of Medicine II, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
| | - Ujjwal M. Mahajan
- Department of Medicine II, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
| | - Yonggan Xue
- Department of Medicine II, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
| | - Julia Mayerle
- Department of Medicine II, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Roland M. Schmid
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
| | - Bernhard Kuster
- Chair of Proteomics and Bioanalytics, TUM School of Life Sciences, TUM, Freising, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Bavarian Center for Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry (BayBioMS), TUM, Freising, Germany
| | - Roland Rad
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, TUM School of Medicine and
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian J. Braun
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Matthias Wirth
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maximilian Reichert
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Protein Assemblies (CPA), TUM, Garching, Germany
- Translational Pancreatic Research Cancer Center, Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Dieter Saur
- Institute for Translational Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer Therapy, Technical University Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Günter Schneider
- Medical Clinic and Polyclinic II, Klinikum rechts der Isar and
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen, Germany
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42
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Wu Q, Nie DY, Ba-Alawi W, Ji Y, Zhang Z, Cruickshank J, Haight J, Ciamponi FE, Chen J, Duan S, Shen Y, Liu J, Marhon SA, Mehdipour P, Szewczyk MM, Dogan-Artun N, Chen W, Zhang LX, Deblois G, Prinos P, Massirer KB, Barsyte-Lovejoy D, Jin J, De Carvalho DD, Haibe-Kains B, Wang X, Cescon DW, Lupien M, Arrowsmith CH. PRMT inhibition induces a viral mimicry response in triple-negative breast cancer. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:821-830. [PMID: 35578032 PMCID: PMC9337992 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01024-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype with the worst prognosis and few effective therapies. Here we identified MS023, an inhibitor of type I protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), which has antitumor growth activity in TNBC. Pathway analysis of TNBC cell lines indicates that the activation of interferon responses before and after MS023 treatment is a functional biomarker and determinant of response, and these observations extend to a panel of human-derived organoids. Inhibition of type I PRMT triggers an interferon response through the antiviral defense pathway with the induction of double-stranded RNA, which is derived, at least in part, from inverted repeat Alu elements. Together, our results represent a shift in understanding the antitumor mechanism of type I PRMT inhibitors and provide a rationale and biomarker approach for the clinical development of type I PRMT inhibitors. ![]()
Type I PRMT inhibition elicits potent antitumor activity associated with increased interferon response and intron-retained dsRNA accumulation, suggesting its potential combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Wu
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
| | - David Y Nie
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wail Ba-Alawi
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - YiShuai Ji
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - ZiWen Zhang
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jennifer Cruickshank
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jillian Haight
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Felipe E Ciamponi
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Center (CBMEG), Medicinal Chemistry Center (CQMED), Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC-UNICAMP), University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Jocelyn Chen
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shili Duan
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yudao Shen
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing Liu
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sajid A Marhon
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Parinaz Mehdipour
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Nergiz Dogan-Artun
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - WenJun Chen
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lan Xin Zhang
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Genevieve Deblois
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC), University of Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Panagiotis Prinos
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Katlin B Massirer
- Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Center (CBMEG), Medicinal Chemistry Center (CQMED), Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC-UNICAMP), University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Dalia Barsyte-Lovejoy
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jian Jin
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel D De Carvalho
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benjamin Haibe-Kains
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Vector Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - XiaoJia Wang
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - David W Cescon
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mathieu Lupien
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Cheryl H Arrowsmith
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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43
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Szewczyk MM, Luciani GM, Vu V, Murison A, Dilworth D, Barghout SH, Lupien M, Arrowsmith CH, Minden MD, Barsyte-Lovejoy D. PRMT5 regulates ATF4 transcript splicing and oxidative stress response. Redox Biol 2022; 51:102282. [PMID: 35305370 PMCID: PMC8933703 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2022.102282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) symmetrically dimethylates arginine residues leading to regulation of transcription and splicing programs. Although PRMT5 has emerged as an attractive oncology target, the molecular determinants of PRMT5 dependency in cancer remain incompletely understood. Our transcriptomic analysis identified PRMT5 regulation of the activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) pathway in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). PRMT5 inhibition resulted in the expression of unstable, intron-retaining ATF4 mRNA that is detained in the nucleus. Concurrently, the decrease in the spliced cytoplasmic transcript of ATF4 led to lower levels of ATF4 protein and downregulation of ATF4 target genes. Upon loss of functional PRMT5, cells with low ATF4 displayed increased oxidative stress, growth arrest, and cellular senescence. Interestingly, leukemia cells with EVI1 oncogene overexpression demonstrated dependence on PRMT5 function. EVI1 and ATF4 regulated gene signatures were inversely correlated. We show that EVI1-high AML cells have reduced ATF4 levels, elevated baseline reactive oxygen species and increased sensitivity to PRMT5 inhibition. Thus, EVI1-high cells demonstrate dependence on PRMT5 function and regulation of oxidative stress response. Overall, our findings identify the PRMT5-ATF4 axis to be safeguarding the cellular redox balance that is especially important in high oxidative stress states, such as those that occur with EVI1 overexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Genna M Luciani
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Victoria Vu
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alex Murison
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Dilworth
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samir H Barghout
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mathieu Lupien
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cheryl H Arrowsmith
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark D Minden
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Dalia Barsyte-Lovejoy
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
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44
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Drozda A, Kurpisz B, Arasimowicz-Jelonek M, Kuźnicki D, Jagodzik P, Guan Y, Floryszak-Wieczorek J. Nitric Oxide Implication in Potato Immunity to Phytophthora infestans via Modifications of Histone H3/H4 Methylation Patterns on Defense Genes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23074051. [PMID: 35409411 PMCID: PMC8999698 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23074051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is an essential redox-signaling molecule operating in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. However, evidence on putative NO engagement in plant immunity by affecting defense gene expressions, including histone modifications, is poorly recognized. Exploring the effect of biphasic NO generation regulated by S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GNSOR) activity after avr Phytophthora infestans inoculation, we showed that the phase of NO decline at 6 h post-inoculation (hpi) was correlated with the rise of defense gene expressions enriched in the TrxG-mediated H3K4me3 active mark in their promoter regions. Here, we report that arginine methyltransferase PRMT5 catalyzing histone H4R3 symmetric dimethylation (H4R3sme2) is necessary to ensure potato resistance to avr P. infestans. Both the pathogen and S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) altered the methylation status of H4R3sme2 by transient reduction in the repressive mark in the promoter of defense genes, R3a and HSR203J (a resistance marker), thereby elevating their transcription. In turn, the PRMT5-selective inhibitor repressed R3a expression and attenuated the hypersensitive response to the pathogen. In conclusion, we postulate that lowering the NO level (at 6 hpi) might be decisive for facilitating the pathogen-induced upregulation of stress genes via histone lysine methylation and PRMT5 controlling potato immunity to late blight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andżelika Drozda
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Agronomy, Horticulture and Bioengineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (A.D.); (B.K.); (D.K.); (Y.G.)
| | - Barbara Kurpisz
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Agronomy, Horticulture and Bioengineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (A.D.); (B.K.); (D.K.); (Y.G.)
| | - Magdalena Arasimowicz-Jelonek
- Department of Plant Ecophysiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; (M.A.-J.); (P.J.)
| | - Daniel Kuźnicki
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Agronomy, Horticulture and Bioengineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (A.D.); (B.K.); (D.K.); (Y.G.)
| | - Przemysław Jagodzik
- Department of Plant Ecophysiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; (M.A.-J.); (P.J.)
| | - Yufeng Guan
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Agronomy, Horticulture and Bioengineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (A.D.); (B.K.); (D.K.); (Y.G.)
- Department of Plant Ecophysiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614 Poznan, Poland; (M.A.-J.); (P.J.)
| | - Jolanta Floryszak-Wieczorek
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Agronomy, Horticulture and Bioengineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznan, Poland; (A.D.); (B.K.); (D.K.); (Y.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-61-848-71-81
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45
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Sette C, Paronetto MP. Somatic Mutations in Core Spliceosome Components Promote Tumorigenesis and Generate an Exploitable Vulnerability in Human Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071827. [PMID: 35406598 PMCID: PMC8997811 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary High throughput exome sequencing approaches have disclosed recurrent cancer-associated mutations in spliceosomal components, which drive aberrant pre-mRNA processing events and support the tumor phenotype. At the same time, mutations in spliceosome genes and aberrant splicing regulation establish a selective vulnerability of cancer cells to splicing-targeting approaches, which could be exploited therapeutically. It is conceivable that a better understanding of the mechanisms and roles of abnormal splicing in tumor metabolism will facilitate the development of a novel generation of tumor-targeting drugs. In this review, we describe recent advances in the elucidation of the biological impact and biochemical effects of somatic mutations in core spliceosome components on splicing choices and their associated targetable vulnerabilities. Abstract Alternative pre-mRNA processing enables the production of distinct mRNA and protein isoforms from a single gene, thus greatly expanding the coding potential of eukaryotic genomes and fine-tuning gene expression programs. Splicing is carried out by the spliceosome, a complex molecular machinery which assembles step-wise on mRNA precursors in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. In the last decade, exome sequencing technologies have allowed the identification of point mutations in genes encoding splicing factors as a recurrent hallmark of human cancers, with higher incidence in hematological malignancies. These mutations lead to production of splicing factors that reduce the fidelity of the splicing process and yield splicing variants that are often advantageous for cancer cells. However, at the same time, these mutations increase the sensitivity of transformed cells to splicing inhibitors, thus offering a therapeutic opportunity for novel targeted strategies. Herein, we review the recent literature documenting cancer-associated mutations in components of the early spliceosome complex and discuss novel therapeutic strategies based on small-molecule spliceosome inhibitors that exhibit strong anti-tumor effects, particularly against cancer cells harboring mutations in spliceosomal components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Sette
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy;
- GSTEP-Organoids Core Facility, Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Paola Paronetto
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Piazza Lauro De Bosis, 6, 00135 Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Reprogramming RNA processing: an emerging therapeutic landscape. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:437-454. [PMID: 35331569 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The production of a mature mRNA requires coordination of multiple processing steps, which ultimately control its content, localization, and stability. These steps include some of the largest macromolecular machines in the cell, which were, until recently, considered undruggable due to their biological complexity. Building from an expanded understanding of the underlying mechanisms that drive these processes, a new wave of therapeutics is seeking to target RNA processing. With a focus on impacting gene regulation at the RNA level, such modalities offer potential for sequence-specific resolution in drug design. Here, we review our current understanding of RNA-processing events and their role in gene regulation, with a focus on the therapeutic opportunities that have emerged within this landscape.
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Inhibition of PRMT5 Attenuates Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Infammation and Pyroptosis Through Suppression of NF-κB/NLRP3 Axis. Neurosci Lett 2022; 776:136576. [PMID: 35278646 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Protein methylation is a prevalent post-translational modification after cerebral ischemia. Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is a type of methyltransferase enzyme that can catalyse the formation of methylated residues on histones and non-histone proteins. Accumulating evidence suggested that PRMT5 might play a carcinogenic role in various cancers. However, the role of PRMT5 in cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unclear. In this project, middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) model in mice and oxygen-glucose deprivation/ reoxygenation (OGD/R) model in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were utilized to mimic disease state of cerebral I/R. We found that expression of inflammatory-related factors [Interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6)] and pyroptotic-related factor [N-term cleaved Gasdermin-D (GSDMD-N)] were up-regulated in both MCAO/R mice and OGD/R SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, both in vivo and in vitro, PRMT5 was aberrantly upregulated during cerebral I/R. However, these alterations induced by I/R were blocked by PRMT5 inhibitor LLY-283, and enhanced by overexpression of PRMT5. Furthermore, rescue experiment proved that PRMT5 plays a pro-inflammatory and pro-pyroptotic role by activating nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domainlike receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) axis. Finally, we observed that treatment of LLY-283 alleviated neurological deficits and reduced infarct volume in the MCAO/R mice. Taken together, PRMT5 may be a potential therapeutic target for cerebral I/R injury.
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Pitolli C, Marini A, Sette C, Pagliarini V. Non-Canonical Splicing and Its Implications in Brain Physiology and Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052811. [PMID: 35269953 PMCID: PMC8911335 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The advance of experimental and computational techniques has allowed us to highlight the existence of numerous different mechanisms of RNA maturation, which have been so far unknown. Besides canonical splicing, consisting of the removal of introns from pre-mRNA molecules, non-canonical splicing events may occur to further increase the regulatory and coding potential of the human genome. Among these, splicing of microexons, recursive splicing and biogenesis of circular and chimeric RNAs through back-splicing and trans-splicing processes, respectively, all contribute to expanding the repertoire of RNA transcripts with newly acquired regulatory functions. Interestingly, these non-canonical splicing events seem to occur more frequently in the central nervous system, affecting neuronal development and differentiation programs with important implications on brain physiology. Coherently, dysregulation of non-canonical RNA processing events is associated with brain disorders, including brain tumours. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge on molecular and regulatory mechanisms underlying canonical and non-canonical splicing events with particular emphasis on cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors that all together orchestrate splicing catalysis reactions and decisions. Lastly, we review the impact of non-canonical splicing on brain physiology and pathology and how unconventional splicing mechanisms may be targeted or exploited for novel therapeutic strategies in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Consuelo Pitolli
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (C.S.)
- GSTEP-Organoids Research Core Facility, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Alberto Marini
- GSTEP-Organoids Research Core Facility, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Claudio Sette
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (C.S.)
- GSTEP-Organoids Research Core Facility, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Vittoria Pagliarini
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy; (C.P.); (C.S.)
- GSTEP-Organoids Research Core Facility, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, 00168 Rome, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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Rocha C, Prinos P. Post-transcriptional and Post-translational Modifications of Primary Cilia: How to Fine Tune Your Neuronal Antenna. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:809917. [PMID: 35295905 PMCID: PMC8918543 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.809917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia direct cellular signaling events during brain development and neuronal differentiation. The primary cilium is a dynamic organelle formed in a multistep process termed ciliogenesis that is tightly coordinated with the cell cycle. Genetic alterations, such as ciliary gene mutations, and epigenetic alterations, such as post-translational modifications and RNA processing of cilia related factors, give rise to human neuronal disorders and brain tumors such as glioblastoma and medulloblastoma. This review discusses the important role of genetics/epigenetics, as well as RNA processing and post-translational modifications in primary cilia function during brain development and cancer formation. We summarize mouse and human studies of ciliogenesis and primary cilia activity in the brain, and detail how cilia maintain neuronal progenitor populations and coordinate neuronal differentiation during development, as well as how cilia control different signaling pathways such as WNT, Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) and PDGF that are critical for neurogenesis. Moreover, we describe how post-translational modifications alter cilia formation and activity during development and carcinogenesis, and the impact of missplicing of ciliary genes leading to ciliopathies and cell cycle alterations. Finally, cilia genetic and epigenetic studies bring to light cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie neurodevelopmental disorders and brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Rocha
- Early Drug Discovery Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Cecilia Rocha,
| | - Panagiotis Prinos
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Panagiotis Prinos,
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Hu R, Zhou B, Chen Z, Chen S, Chen N, Shen L, Xiao H, Zheng Y. PRMT5 Inhibition Promotes PD-L1 Expression and Immuno-Resistance in Lung Cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 12:722188. [PMID: 35111150 PMCID: PMC8801487 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.722188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein arginine transferase 5 (PRMT5) has been implicated as an important modulator of tumorigenesis as it promotes tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Studies have largely focused on PRMT5 regulating intrinsic changes in tumors; however, the effects of PRMT5 on the tumor microenvironment and particularly immune cells are largely unknown. Here we found that targeting PRMT5 by genetic or pharmacological inhibition reduced lung tumor progression in immunocompromised mice; however, the effects were weakened in immunocompetent mice. PRMT5 inhibition not only decreased tumor cell survival but also increased the tumor cell expression of CD274 in vitro and in vivo, which activated the PD1/PD-L1 axis and eliminated CD8+T cell antitumor immunity. Mechanistically, PRMT5 regulated CD274 gene expression through symmetric dimethylation of histone H4R3, increased deposition of H3R4me2s on CD274 promoter loci, and inhibition of CD274 gene expression. Targeting PRMT5 reduced this inhibitory effect and promoted CD274 expression in lung cancer. However, PRMT5 inhibitors represent a double-edged sword as they may selectively kill cancer cells but may also disrupt the antitumor immune response. The combination of PRMT5 inhibition and ani-PD-L1 therapy resulted in an increase in the number and enhanced the function of tumor-infiltrating T cells. Our findings address an unmet clinical need in which combining PRMT5 inhibition with anti-PD-L1 therapy could be a promising strategy for lung cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Hu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingqian Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheyi Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiyu Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ningdai Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lisong Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Xin Hua Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haibo Xiao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingxia Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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