NR4A3 Suppresses Lymphomagenesis through Induction of Proapoptotic Genes

Prognostic model for cervical cancer based on apoptosis-related genes

This study attempts to develop a novel apoptosis-related predictive model for cervical cancer. Differentially expressed apoptosis-related genes were identified using TCGA, GEO, and MSigDB databases. A 13-gene prognostic model was constructed using multiple regression analyses. The low-risk group exhibited low tumor purity and high ESTIMATE and immune scores. Most of the immune checkpoints in the low-risk group were expressed at higher levels than those in the high-risk group. The low-risk group also had relatively more infiltrating immune cells. An independent prognostic model pertaining to cell apoptosis has been built by this work, which performs well in prediction.

Integrated multi-omics analyses reveal Jorunnamycin A as a novel suppressor for muscle-invasive bladder cancer by targeting FASN and TOP1

BACKGROUND

Bladder cancer is a urological carcinoma with high incidence, among which muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is a malignant carcinoma with high mortality. There is an urgent need to develop new drugs with low toxicity and high efficiency for MIBC because existing medication has defects, such as high toxicity, poor efficacy, and side effects. Jorunnamycin A (JorA), a natural marine compound, has been found to have a high efficiency anticancer effect, but its anticancer function and mechanism on bladder cancer have not been studied.

METHODS

To examine the anticancer effect of JorA on MIBC, Cell Counting Kit 8, EdU staining, and colony formation analyses were performed. Moreover, a xenograft mouse model was used to verify the anticancer effect in vivo. To investigate the pharmacological mechanism of JorA, high-throughput quantitative proteomics, transcriptomics, RT-qPCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, pulldown assays, and molecular docking were performed.

RESULTS

JorA inhibited the proliferation of MIBC cells, and the IC50 of T24 and UM-UC-3 was 0.054 and 0.084 μM, respectively. JorA-induced significantly changed proteins were enriched in "cancer-related pathways" and "EGFR-related signaling pathways", which mainly manifested by inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis. Specifically, JorA dampened the DNA synthesis rate, induced phosphatidylserine eversion, and inhibited cell migration. Furthermore, it was discovered that fatty acid synthase (FASN) and topoisomerase 1 (TOP1) are the JorA interaction proteins. Using DockThor software, the 3D docking structures of JorA binding to FASN and TOP1 were obtained (the binding affinities were - 8.153 and - 7.264 kcal/mol, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The marine compound JorA was discovered to have a specific inhibitory effect on MIBC, and its potential pharmacological mechanism was revealed for the first time. This discovery makes an important contribution to the development of new high efficiency and low toxicity drugs for bladder cancer therapy.

Sex- and Female Age-Dependent Differences in Gene Expression in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma-Possible Estrogen Effects

For most lymphomas, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the male incidence is higher, and the prognosis is worse compared to females. The reasons are unclear; however, epidemiological and experimental data suggest that estrogens are involved. With this in mind, we analyzed gene expression data from a publicly available cohort (EGAD00001003600) of 746 DLBCL samples based on RNA sequencing. We found 1293 genes to be differentially expressed between males and females (adj. p-value < 0.05). Few autosomal genes and pathways showed common sex-regulated expression between germinal center B-cell (GCB) and activated B-cell lymphoma (ABC) DLBCL. Analysis of differentially expressed genes between pre- vs. postmenopausal females identified 208 GCB and 345 ABC genes, with only 5 being shared. When combining the differentially expressed genes between females vs. males and pre- vs. postmenopausal females, nine putative estrogen-regulated genes were identified in ABC DLBCL. Two of them, NR4A2 and MUC5B, showed induced and repressed expression, respectively. Interestingly, NR4A2 has been reported as a tumor suppressor in lymphoma. We show that ABC DLBCL females with a high NR4A2 expression showed better survival. Inversely, MUC5B expression causes a more malignant phenotype in several cancers. NR4A2 and MUC5B were confirmed to be estrogen-regulated when the ABC cell line U2932 was grafted to mice. The results demonstrate sex- and female reproductive age-dependent differences in gene expression between DLBCL subtypes, likely due to estrogens. This may contribute to the sex differences in incidence and prognosis.

Comprehensive insights into the function and molecular and pharmacological regulation of neuron-derived orphan receptor 1, an orphan receptor

Neuron-derived orphan receptor 1 (NOR1), also called nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 3 (NR4A3), is a nuclear receptor belonging to the NR4A family. Since no endogenous ligand has been identified to date, NOR1 is also referred to as an orphan receptor. NOR1 is expressed in a variety of cells and tissues, including neurons, vascular smooth muscle cells, T lymphocytes, dendritic cells, tumor cells, heart, liver, and pancreas. Because NOR1 was first identified in apoptotic neurons, it is functionally associated with the regulation of cell migration and the growth of neuronal synapses. In-depth studies have shown that NOR1 can be edited by the immediate early gene and functions as a transcription factor. NOR1 has been shown to be rapidly induced by a number of stimulants including growth factors, fatty acids, and neurotransmitters. Elevated NOR1 levels may be involved in a number of pathophysiological processes. These include regulation of cellular apoptosis and regeneration, neuron formation, contextual fearing memory, inflammation, vascular smooth muscle proliferation, insulin secretion, and tumor development, whereby NOR1 mediates the pathogenesis of numerous diseases such as cerebral ischemia, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, cardiac hypertrophy, diabetes, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. However, to date, comprehensive insights into the function of NOR1 are not available in sources published online. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the function and molecular and pharmacological regulation of NOR1 in various pathological or physiological conditions to advance the development of NOR1 as a novel target for disease treatment.

NR4A nuclear receptors in T and B lymphocytes: Gatekeepers of immune tolerance. Immunol Rev 2022;307:116-133. [PMID: 35174510 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13072]

Random VDJ recombination early in T and B cell development enables the adaptive immune system to recognize a vast array of evolving pathogens via antigen receptors. However, the potential of such randomly generated TCRs and BCRs to recognize and respond to self-antigens requires layers of tolerance mechanisms to mitigate the risk of life-threatening autoimmunity. Since they were originally cloned more than three decades ago, the NR4A family of nuclear hormone receptors have been implicated in many critical aspects of immune tolerance, including negative selection of thymocytes, peripheral T cell tolerance, regulatory T cells (Treg), and most recently in peripheral B cell tolerance. In this review, we discuss important insights from many laboratories as well as our own group into the function and mechanisms by which this small class of primary response genes promotes self-tolerance and immune homeostasis to balance the need for host defense against the inherent risks posed by the adaptive immune system.

NR4A Family Genes: A Review of Comprehensive Prognostic and Gene Expression Profile Analysis in Breast Cancer

This report analyzes nuclear receptor (NR) subfamily 4A's potential role in treating those diagnosed with breast cancer. Here we reviewed the current literature on NR4 family members. We also examined the relative gene expression of the NR4A receptor subfamily in the basal, HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) positive, luminal A, and luminal B subtypes using data from tumor samples in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC). These data showed a positive link between NR4A1-NR4A3 expression and increased overall survival and relapse-free survival in breast cancer patients. In addition, we observed that high expression of NR4A1, NR4A2, and NR4A3 led to better survival. Furthermore, NR4A family genes seem to play an essential regulatory role in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in breast cancer. The novel prognostic role of the NR4A1-NR4A3 receptors implicates these receptors as important mediators controlling breast cancer metabolic reprograming and its progression. The review establishes a strong clinical basis for the investigation of the cellular, molecular, and physiological roles of NR4A genes in breast cancer.

Matriptase-2/NR4A3 axis switches TGF-β action toward suppression of prostate cancer cell invasion, tumor growth, and metastasis

Dysregulation of pericellular proteolysis is strongly implicated in cancer metastasis through alteration of cell invasion and the microenvironment. Matriptase-2 (MT-2) is a membrane-anchored serine protease which can suppress prostate cancer (PCa) cell invasion. In this study, we showed that MT-2 was down-regulated in PCa and could suppress PCa cell motility, tumor growth, and metastasis. Using microarray and biochemical analysis, we found that MT-2 shifted TGF-β action towards its tumor suppressor function by repressing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promoting Smad2 phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation to upregulate two TGF-β1 downstream effectors (p21 and PAI-1), culminating in hindrance of PCa cell motility and malignant growth. Mechanistically, MT-2 could dramatically up-regulate the expression of nuclear receptor NR4A3 via iron metabolism in PCa cells. MT-2-induced NR4A3 further coactivated Smad2 to activate p21 and PAI-1 expression. In addition, NR4A3 functioned as a suppressor of PCa and mediated MT-2 signaling to inhibit PCa tumorigenesis and metastasis. These results together indicate that NR4A3 sustains MT-2 signaling to suppress PCa cell invasion, tumor growth, and metastasis, and serves as a contextual factor for the TGF-β/Smad2 signaling pathway in favor of tumor suppression via promoting p21 and PAI-1 expression.

Atypic SUMOylation of Nor1/NR4A3 regulates neural cell viability and redox sensitivity

Neuron-derived orphan receptor 1, NR4A3 (Nor1)/NR4A3 is an orphan nuclear receptor involved in the transcriptional control of developmental and neurological functions. Oxidative stress-induced conditions are primarily associated with neurological defects in humans, yet the impact on Nor1-mediated transcription of neuronal genes remains with unknown mechanism. Here, we demonstrate that Nor1 is a non-conventional target of SUMO2/3 conjugation at Lys-137 contained in an atypic ψKxSP motif referred to as the pSuM. Nor1 pSuM SUMOylation differs from the canonical process with the obligate phosphorylation of Ser-139 by Ras signaling to create the required negatively charged interface for SUMOylation. Additional phosphorylation at sites flanking the pSuM is also mediated by the coordinated action of protein kinase casein kinase 2 to function as a small ubiquitin-like modifier enhancer, regulating Nor1-mediated transcription and proteasomal degradation. Nor1 responsive genes involved in cell proliferation and metabolism, such as activating transcription factor 3, cyclin D1, CASP8 and FADD-like apoptosis regulator, and enolase 3 were upregulated in response to pSuM disruption in mouse HT-22 hippocampal neuronal cells and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. We also identified critical antioxidant genes, such as catalase, superoxide dismutase 1, and microsomal glutathione S-transferase 2, as responsive targets of Nor1 under pSuM regulation. Nor1 SUMOylation impaired gene transcription through less effective Nor1 chromatin binding and reduced enrichment of histone H3K27ac marks to gene promoters. These effects resulted in decreased neuronal cell growth, increased apoptosis, and reduced survival to oxidative stress damage, underlying the role of pSuM-modified Nor1 in redox homeostasis. Our findings uncover a hierarchical post-translational mechanism that dictates Nor1 non-canonical SUMOylation, disrupting Nor1 transcriptional competence, and neuroprotective redox sensitivity.

Distinct expression of select and transcriptome-wide isolated 3'UTRs suggests critical roles in development and transition states

Mature mRNA molecules are expected to be comprised of a 5'UTR, a 3'UTR and a coding region (CDS). Unexpectedly, however, there have been multiple recent reports of widespread differential expression of mRNA 3'UTRs and their cognate coding regions (CDS), reflecting the expression of isolated 3'UTRs (i3'UTRs); these i3'UTRs can be highly expressed, often in reciprocal patterns to their cognate CDS. As with other long non-coding (lncRNAs), isolated 3'UTRs are likely to play an important role in gene regulation, but little is known about the contexts in which they are deployed. To illuminate the functions of i3'UTRs, here we carry out in vitro, in vivo and in silico analyses of differential 3'UTR/CDS mRNA ratio usage across tissues, development and cell state changes both for a select list of developmentally important genes as well as by unbiased transcriptome-wide analyses. Across two developmental paradigms we find a distinct switch from high i3'UTR expression for stem cell related genes in proliferating cells to high CDS for these genes in newly differentiated cells. Unbiased transcriptome analysis across multiple gene sets shows that regardless of tissue, genes with high 3'UTR to CDS ratios belong predominantly to gene ontology categories related to cell-type specific functions. In contrast, the gene ontology categories of genes with low 3'UTR to CDS ratios are similar across tissues and relate to common cellular functions. We further show that, at least for some genes, traditional transcriptional start site genomic elements correspond to identified RNAseq 3'UTR peak regions, suggesting that some i3'UTRs may be generated by de novo transcription. Our results provide critical information from which detailed hypotheses for individual i3'UTRs can be tested, with a common theme that i3'UTRs appear poised to regulate cell-specific gene expression and state.

Bioinformatic analysis and validation of microRNA-508-3p as a protective predictor by targeting NR4A3/MEK axis in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) featured a debilitating progressive disorder. Here, we intend to determine diagnosis‐valuable biomarkers for PAH and decode the fundamental mechanisms of the biological function of these markers. Two mRNA microarray profiles (GSE70456 and GSE117261) and two microRNA microarray profiles (GSE55427 and GSE67597) were mined from the Gene Expression Omnibus platform. Then, we identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs), respectively. Besides, we investigated online miRNA prediction tools to screen the target gene of DEMs. In this study, 185 DEGs and three common DEMs were screened as well as 1266 target genes of the three DEMs were identified. Next, 16 overlapping dysregulated genes from 185 DEGs and 1266 target gene were obtained. Meanwhile, we constructed the miRNA gene regulatory network and determined miRNA‐508‐3p‐NR4A3 pair for deeper exploring. Experiment methods verified the functional expression of miR‐508‐3p in PAH and its signalling cascade. We observed that ectopic miR‐508‐3p expression promotes proliferation and migration of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC). Bioinformatic, dual‐luciferase assay showed NR4A3 represents directly targeted gene of miR‐508‐3p. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that down‐regulation of miR‐508‐3p advances PASMC proliferation and migration via inducing NR4A3 to activate MAPK/ERK kinase signalling pathway. Altogether, our research provides a promising diagnosis of predictor and therapeutic avenues for patients in PAH.

Role of ATF3 as a prognostic biomarker and correlation of ATF3 expression with macrophage infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The abnormal expression of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), a member of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) family of transcription factors, is associated with carcinogenesis. However, the expression pattern and exact role of ATF3 in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear.

METHODS

We used UALCAN, ONCOMINE, Kaplan-Meier plotter, and cBioPortal databases to investigate the prognostic value of ATF3 expression in HCC.

RESULTS

ATF3 was found to be expressed at low levels in multiple HCC tumor tissues. Moreover, low ATF3 expression was significantly associated with clinical cancer stage and pathological tumor grade in patients with HCC. Therefore, low expression of ATF3 was significantly associated with poor overall survival in patients with HCC. Functional network analysis showed that ATF3 regulates cytokine receptors and signaling pathways via various cancer-related kinases, miRNAs, and transcription factors. ATF3 expression was found to be correlated with macrophage infiltration levels and with macrophage immune marker sets in HCC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Using data mining methods, we clarified the role of ATF3 expression and related regulatory networks in HCC, laying a foundation for further functional research. Future research will validate our findings and establish clinical applications of ATF3 in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Novel Non-Coding Transcript in NR4A3 Locus, LncNR4A3, Regulates RNA Processing Machinery Proteins and NR4A3 Expression

NR4A3 is a key tumor suppressor in myeloid malignancy, mice lacking both NR4A1 and family member NR4A3 rapidly develop lethal acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We identified a long non-coding transcript in the NR4A3 locus and pursued the characterization of this anonymous transcript and the study of its role in leukemogenesis. We characterized this novel long non-coding transcript as a sense polyadenylated transcript. Bone marrow cells from AML patients expressed significantly reduced levels of lncNR4A3 compared to healthy controls (controls = 15, MDS= 20, p=0.05., AML= 21, p<0.01). Expression of NR4A3, as previously reported, was also significantly reduced in AML. Interestingly, the expression of both coding and non-coding transcripts was highly correlated (Pearson R = 0.3771, P<0.01). Transient over-expression of LncNR4A3 by nucleofection led to an increase in the RNA and protein level of NR4A3, reduction of proliferation in myeloid cell lines K-562 and KG1 (n=3 and 2 respectively, p<0.05) and reduced colony formation capacity in primary leukemic cells. A mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics approach was used to identify proteins dysregulated after lncNR4A3 over-expression in K-562. Enrichment analysis showed that the altered proteins are biologically connected (n=4, p<0.001) and functionally associated to RNA binding, transcription elongation, and splicing. Remarkably, we were able to validate the most significant results by WB. We showed that this novel transcript, lncNR4A3 regulates NR4A3 and we hypothesize this regulatory mechanism is mediated by the modulation of the RNA processing machinery.

Targeting Orphan Nuclear Receptors NR4As for Energy Homeostasis and Diabetes

Orphan nuclear receptors are important members of the nuclear receptor family and may regulate cell proliferation, metabolism, differentiation, and apoptosis. NR4As, a subfamily of orphan nuclear receptors, have been reported to play key roles in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. Popularity of obesity has resulted in a series of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and its complications. While imbalance of energy intake and expenditure is the main cause of obesity, the concrete mechanism of obesity has not been fully understood. It has been reported that NR4As have significant regulatory effects on energy homeostasis and diabetes and are expected to become new targets for discovering drugs for metabolic syndrome. A number of studies have demonstrated that abnormalities in metabolism induced by altered levels of NR4As may contribute to numerous diseases, such as chronic inflammation, tumorigenesis, diabetes and its complications, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases. However, systematic reviews focusing on the roles of NR4As in mediating energy homeostasis and diabetes remain limited. Therefore, this article reviews the structure and regulation of NR4As and their critical function in energy homeostasis and diabetes, as well as small molecules that may regulate NR4As. Our work is aimed at providing valuable support for the research and development of drugs targeting NR4As for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases.

Lipid Regulatory Proteins as Potential Therapeutic Targets for Ovarian Cancer in Obese Women

Obesity has become a recognized global epidemic that is associated with numerous comorbidities including type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and cancer incidence and progression. Ovarian cancer (OvCa) has a unique mechanism of intra-peritoneal metastasis, already present in 80% of women at the time of diagnosis, making it the fifth leading cause of death from gynecological malignancy. Meta-analyses showed that obesity increases the risk of OvCa progression, leads to enhanced overall and organ-specific tumor burden, and adversely effects survival of women with OvCa. Recent data discovered that tumors grown in mice fed on a western diet (40% fat) have elevated lipid levels and a highly increased expression level of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1). SREBP1 is a master transcription factor that regulates de novo lipogenesis and lipid homeostasis, and induces lipogenic reprogramming of tumor cells. Elevated SREBP1 levels are linked to cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. This review will summarize recent findings to provide a current understanding of lipid regulatory proteins in the ovarian tumor microenvironment with emphasis on SREBP1 expression in the obese host, the role of SREBP1 in cancer progression and metastasis, and potential therapeutic targeting of SREBPs and SREBP-pathway genes in treating cancers, particularly in the context of host obesity.

The Paradoxical Roles of Orphan Nuclear Receptor 4A (NR4A) in Cancer

The three-orphan nuclear receptor 4A genes are induced by diverse stressors and stimuli, and there is increasing evidence that NR4A1 (Nur77), NR4A2 (Nurr1), and NR4A3 (Nor1) play an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and in pathophysiology. In blood-derived tumors (leukemias and lymphomas), NR4A expression is low and NR4A1^-/-/NR4A3^-/- double knockout mice rapidly develop acute myelocytic leukemia, suggesting that these receptors exhibit tumor suppressor activity. Treatment of leukemia and most lymphoma cells with drugs that induce expression of NR4A1and NR4A3 enhances apoptosis, and this represents a potential clinical application for treating this disease. In contrast, most solid tumor-derived cell lines express high levels of NR4A1 and NR4A2, and both receptors exhibit pro-oncogenic activities in solid tumors, whereas NR4A3 exhibits tumor-specific activities. Initial studies with retinoids and apoptosis-inducing agents demonstrated that their cytotoxic activity is NR4A1 dependent and involved drug-induced nuclear export of NR4A1 and formation of a mitochondrial proapoptotic NR4A1-bcl-2 complex. Drug-induced nuclear export of NR4A1 has been reported for many agents/biologics and involves interactions with multiple mitochondrial and extramitochondrial factors to induce apoptosis. Synthetic ligands for NR4A1, NR4A2, and NR4A3 have been identified, and among these compounds, bis-indole derived (CDIM) NR4A1 ligands primarily act on nuclear NR4A1 to inhibit NR4A1-regulated pro-oncogenic pathways/genes and similar results have been observed for CDIMs that bind NR4A2. Based on results of laboratory animal studies development of NR4A inducers (blood-derived cancers) and NR4A1/NR4A2 antagonists (solid tumors) may be promising for cancer therapy and also for enhancing immune surveillance.

The pro-inflammatory effect of NR4A3 in osteoarthritis

NR4A3 is a member of nuclear receptor subfamily 4, which is an important regulator of cellular function and inflammation. In this study, high expression of NR4A3 in human osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage was firstly observed. To explore the relationship between NR4A3 and OA, we used a lentivirus overexpression system to simulate its high expression and study its role in OA. Additionally, siRNA-mediated knockdown of NR4A3 was used to confirm the findings of overexpression experiments. The results showed the stimulatory effect of IL-1β on cartilage matrix-degrading enzyme expression such as MMP-3, 9, INOS and COX-2 was enhanced in NR4A3-overexpressed chondrocytes and decreased in NR4A3-knockdown chondrocytes at both mRNA and protein levels, while IL-1β-induced chondrocyte-specific gene (collagen 2 and SOX-9) degradation was only regulated by NR4A3 at protein level. Furthermore, overexpression of NR4A3 would also enhance EBSS-induced chondrocytes apoptosis, while knockdown of NR4A3 decreased apoptotic level after EBSS treatment. A pathway study indicated that IL-1β-induced NF-κB activation was enhanced by NR4A3 overexpression and reduced by NR4A3 knockdown. We suggest that NR4A3 plays a pro-inflammatory role in the development of OA, and we also speculate that NR4A3 mainly regulates cartilage matrix-degrading gene expression under inflammatory conditions via the NF-κB pathway.

Function of Nr4a Orphan Nuclear Receptors in Proliferation, Apoptosis and Fuel Utilization Across Tissues

The Nr4a family of nuclear hormone receptors is composed of three members-Nr4a1/Nur77, Nr4a2/Nurr1 and Nr4a3/Nor1. While currently defined as ligandless, these transcription factors have been shown to regulate varied processes across a host of tissues. Of particular interest, the Nr4a family impinge, in a tissue dependent fashion, on cellular proliferation, apoptosis and fuel utilization. The regulation of these processes occurs through both nuclear and non-genomic pathways. The purpose of this review is to provide a balanced perspective of the tissue specific and Nr4a family member specific, effects on cellular proliferation, apoptosis and fuel utilization.

The CXCR4-CXCL12-Axis Is of Prognostic Relevance in DLBCL and Its Antagonists Exert Pro-Apoptotic Effects In Vitro

In tumor cells of more than 20 different cancer types, the CXCR4-CXCL12-axis is involved in multiple key processes including proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Since data on this axis in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are inconsistent and limited, we comprehensively studied the CXCR4-CXCL12-axis in our DLBCL cohort as well as the effects of CXCR4 antagonists on lymphoma cell lines in vitro. In DLBCL, we observed a 140-fold higher CXCR4 expression compared to non-neoplastic controls, which was associated with poor clinical outcome. In corresponding bone marrow biopsies, we observed a correlation of CXCL12 expression and lymphoma infiltration rate as well as a reduction of CXCR4 expression in remission of bone marrow involvement after treatment. Additionally, we investigated the effects of three CXCR4 antagonists in vitro. Therefore, we used AMD3100 (Plerixafor), AMD070 (Mavorixafor), and WKI, the niacin derivative of AMD070, which we synthesized. WK1 demonstrated stronger pro-apoptotic effects than AMD070 in vitro and induced expression of pro-apoptotic genes of the BCL2-family in CXCR4-positive lymphoma cell lines. Finally, WK1 treatment resulted in the reduced expression of JNK-, ERK1/2- and NF-κB/BCR-target genes. These data indicate that the CXCR4-CXCL12-axis impacts the pathogenesis of DLBCL and represents a potential therapeutic target in aggressive lymphomas.

Orphan receptor NR4A3 is a novel target of p53 that contributes to apoptosis

Major tumor suppressor and transcription factor p53 coordinates expression of many genes hence affecting critical cellular functions including cell cycle, senescence, and apoptosis. The NR4A family of orphan receptors (NR4A1-3) belongs to the superfamily of nuclear receptors. They regulate genes involved in proliferation, cell migration, and apoptosis. In this study, we report an identification of NR4A3 as a direct transcriptional target of p53. Using various techniques, we showed that p53 directly bound the promoter of NR4A3 gene and induced its transcription. Functionally, over-expression of NR4A3 attenuated proliferation of cancer cells and promoted apoptosis by augmenting the expression of pro-apoptotic genes, PUMA and Bax. Knockdown of NR4A3 reversed these phenotypes. Importantly, NR4A3 exhibited tumor suppressive functions both in p53-dependent and independent manner. In addition, NR4A3 physically interacted with an anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein hence sequestering it from blunting apoptosis. These observations were corroborated by the bioinformatics analysis, which demonstrated a correlation between high levels of NR4A3 expression and better survival of breast and lung cancer patients. Collectively, our studies revealed a novel transcriptional target of p53, NR4A3, which triggers apoptosis and thus likely has a tumor suppressive role in breast and lung cancers.

Cytoplasmic location of NR4A1 in aggressive lymphomas is associated with a favourable cancer specific survival

The nuclear orphan receptor NR4A1 functions as tumour suppressor in aggressive lymphomas by pro-apoptotic genomic and non-genomic effects. Here, we immunohistochemically studied the clinico-pathological relevance of NR4A1 protein expression patterns in a cohort of 60 diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients and non-neoplastic lymph nodes. We observed a significant association between high cytoplasmic NR4A1 and favourable cancer-specific survival and the germinal centre B cell-like subtype, respectively. Moreover, the percentage of lymphoma cells exhibiting cytoplasmic NR4A1 significantly correlated to those showing cleaved caspase 3. Complementary, functional profiling using gene set enrichment of Reactome pathways based on publicly available microarray data was applied to determine pathways potentially implicated in cytoplasmic localization of NR4A1 and validated by means of semi quantitative real-time PCR. The pathway analysis revealed changes in the ERK1/2 pathway, and this was corroborated by the finding that high cytoplasmic NR4A1 was associated with higher expression of ERK1/2 targets in our cohort. These data indicate that high cytoplasmic NR4A1 is associated with a favourable lymphoma-specific survival and highlights the importance of NR4A1 expression patterns as potential prognostic marker for risk assessment in aggressive lymphomas.