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Wang L, Jia Z, Xie D, Zhao T, Tan Z, Zhang S, Kong F, Wei D, Xie K. Methylation of HSP70 Orchestrates Its Binding to and Stabilization of BCL2 mRNA and Renders Pancreatic Cancer Cells Resistant to Therapeutics. Cancer Res 2020; 80:4500-4513. [PMID: 32699135 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-1738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease owing to its intrinsic and acquired resistance to therapeutic modalities. The altered balance between pro- and antiapoptosis signals within cancer cells is critical to therapeutic resistance. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying increased antiapoptosis signals remain poorly understood. In this study, we report that PRMT1 expression is increased in pancreatic cancer tissues and is associated with higher tumor grade, increased aggressiveness, and worse prognosis. PRMT1 overexpression increased arginine methylation of HSPs of 70 kDa (HSP70); this methylation enhanced HSP70 binding and stabilization of BCL2 mRNA through AU-rich elements in 3'-untranslated region and consequentially increased BCL2 protein expression and protected cancer cells from apoptosis induced by cellular stresses and therapeutics. RNA binding and regulation function of HSP70 was involved in pancreatic cancer drug resistance and was dependent on protein arginine methylation. These findings not only reveal a novel PRMT1-HSP70-BCL2 signaling axis that is crucial to pancreatic cancer cell survival and therapeutic resistance, but they also provide a proof of concept that targeted inhibition of this axis may represent a new therapeutic strategy. SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates that a PRMT1-mediated stabilization of BCL2 mRNA contributes to therapeutic resistance in pancreatic cancer and that targeting this pathway could overcome said resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
| | - Zhiliang Jia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Dacheng Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.,The Precision Institutes of Medicine and Oncology, Houston, Texas
| | - Tiansuo Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Zhi Tan
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas.,Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Shuxing Zhang
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas.,Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Fanyang Kong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Daoyan Wei
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Keping Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. .,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas.,The Precision Institutes of Medicine and Oncology, Houston, Texas
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Xie VK, He J, Xie K. Protein arginine methylation promotes therapeutic resistance in human pancreatic cancer. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2020; 55:58-69. [PMID: 32739260 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease with limited treatment options for cure. A high degree of intrinsic and acquired therapeutic resistance may result from cellular alterations in genes and proteins involved in drug transportation and metabolism, or from the influences of cancer microenvironment. Mechanistic basis for therapeutic resistance remains unclear and should profoundly impact our ability to understand pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and its effective clinical management. Recent evidences have indicated the importance of epigenetic changes in pancreatic cancer, including posttranslational modifications of proteins. We will review new knowledge on protein arginine methylation and its consequential contribution to therapeutic resistance of pancreatic cancer, underlying molecular mechanism, and clinical application of potential strategies of its reversal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Katie Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital Affiliated to The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie He
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital Affiliated to The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Keping Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital Affiliated to The South China University of Technology School of Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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Ostrowski LA, Saville BJ. Natural antisense transcripts are linked to the modulation of mitochondrial function and teliospore dormancy in Ustilago maydis. Mol Microbiol 2017; 103:745-763. [PMID: 27888605 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The basidiomycete smut fungus Ustilago maydis causes common smut of corn. This disease is spread through the production of teliospores, which are thick-walled dormant structures characterized by low rates of respiration and metabolism. Teliospores are formed when the fungus grows within the plant, and the morphological steps involved in their formation have been described, but the molecular events leading to dormancy are not known. In U. maydis, natural antisense transcripts (NATs) can function to alter gene expression and many NATs have increased levels in the teliospore. One such NAT is as-ssm1 which is complementary to the gene for the mitochondrial seryl-tRNA synthetase (ssm1), an enzyme important to mitochondrial function. The disruption of ssm1 leads to cell lysis, indicating it is also essential for cellular viability. To assess the function of as-ssm1, it was ectopically expressed in haploid cells, where it is not normally present. This expression led to reductions in growth rate, virulence, mitochondrial membrane potential and oxygen consumption. It also resulted in the formation of as-ssm1/ssm1 double-stranded RNA and increased ssm1 transcript levels, but no change in Ssm1 protein levels was detected. Together, these findings suggest a role for as-ssm1 in facilitating teliospore dormancy through dsRNA formation and reduction of mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Ostrowski
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9L 0G2
| | - Barry J Saville
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9L 0G2.,Forensic Science Program, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9L 0G2
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Luzi E, Papucci L, Schiavone N, Donnini M, Lapucci A, Tempestini A, Witort E, Nicolin A, Capaccioli S. Downregulation of bcl-2 expression in lymphoma cells by bcl-2 ARE-targeted modified, synthetic ribozyme. Cancer Gene Ther 2003; 10:201-8. [PMID: 12637941 DOI: 10.1038/sj.cgt.7700556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules designed to inhibit gene expression by cleaving specific mRNA sequences. We investigated the potential of synthetic ribozymes to inhibit bcl-2 expression in apoptosis defective bcl-2 overexpressing tumors. A chemically stabilized hammerhead ribozyme has been targeted to the A+U-rich regulative element of bcl-2 mRNA that is involved in bcl-2 gene switch-off during apoptosis. The design of the ribozyme was based on the results of probing accessibility of the RNA target in cellular extracts with antisense DNA. The ribozyme was lipotransfected to a bcl-2 overexpressing human lymphoma cell line (Raji). The cellular uptake of this ribozyme resulted in a marked reduction of both bcl-2 mRNA and BCL-2 protein levels and dramatically increased cellular death by apoptosis. Our results suggest a potential therapeutic application of such ribozyme for the treatment of bcl-2 overexpressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ettore Luzi
- Department of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Florence, Italy.
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