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Dickkopf Proteins and Their Role in Cancer: A Family of Wnt Antagonists with a Dual Role. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14080810. [PMID: 34451907 PMCID: PMC8400703 DOI: 10.3390/ph14080810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway regulates crucial aspects such as cell fate determination, cell polarity and organogenesis during embryonic development. Wnt pathway deregulation is a hallmark of several cancers such as lung, gastric and liver cancer, and has been reported to be altered in others. Despite the general agreement reached by the scientific community on the oncogenic potential of the central components of the pathway, the role of the antagonist proteins remains less clear. Deregulation of the pathway may be caused by overexpression or downregulation of a wide range of antagonist proteins. Although there is growing information related to function and regulation of Dickkopf (DKK) proteins, their pharmacological potential as cancer therapeutics still has not been fully developed. This review provides an update on the role of DKK proteins in cancer and possible potential as therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer; available compounds in pre-clinical or clinical trials are also reviewed.
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Broza YY, Zhou X, Yuan M, Qu D, Zheng Y, Vishinkin R, Khatib M, Wu W, Haick H. Disease Detection with Molecular Biomarkers: From Chemistry of Body Fluids to Nature-Inspired Chemical Sensors. Chem Rev 2019; 119:11761-11817. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yoav Y. Broza
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Xi Zhou
- School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, P.R. China
| | - Miaomiao Yuan
- The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518033, P.R. China
| | - Danyao Qu
- School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Smart Sensors, Xidian University, Shaanxi 710126, P.R. China
| | - Youbing Zheng
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Rotem Vishinkin
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Muhammad Khatib
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Weiwei Wu
- School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Smart Sensors, Xidian University, Shaanxi 710126, P.R. China
| | - Hossam Haick
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
- School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Smart Sensors, Xidian University, Shaanxi 710126, P.R. China
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Gondkar K, Patel K, Patil Okaly GV, Nair B, Pandey A, Gowda H, Kumar P. Dickkopf Homolog 3 (DKK3) Acts as a Potential Tumor Suppressor in Gallbladder Cancer. Front Oncol 2019; 9:1121. [PMID: 31737564 PMCID: PMC6828847 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a common malignancy of biliary tract cancers and its incidence has been rising rapidly worldwide. The prognosis for this disease is dismal as most of the symptoms are non-specific leading to a definitive diagnosis only at a late stage. Loss of DKK3 gene is associated with a possible tumor suppressor role in human cancers. The role and regulation of DKK3 in GBC have not been studied. We found that DKK3 expression levels were low in GBC patients and cell lines. Treatment of GBC cell lines with demethylating agent 5-Aza- 2'-deoxycytidine enhances its expression, establishing impact of methylation on DKK3 expression. We observed low expression of DKK3 in gallbladder adenocarcinoma tumors and highly invasive GBC cell lines. We showed that overexpression of DKK3 can decrease cell invasion, proliferation, and colony forming ability of GBC cells. Our data thus demonstrated the DKK3 gene is a potential tumor suppressor gene in GBC and aberrant promoter methylation could be involved in its downregulation, which may play a role in the tumorigenesis and aggressiveness of GBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirti Gondkar
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Tech Park, Bangalore, India.,Amrita School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, India
| | - Krishna Patel
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Tech Park, Bangalore, India.,Amrita School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, India
| | - Geeta V Patil Okaly
- Department of Pathology, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, India
| | - Bipin Nair
- Amrita School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, India
| | - Akhilesh Pandey
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.,Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.,Center for Molecular Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Harsha Gowda
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Tech Park, Bangalore, India.,Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Tech Park, Bangalore, India.,Amrita School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, India.,Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
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Kim MS, Lee HN, Kim HJ, Myung SC. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in DKK3 gene are associated with prostate cancer risk and progression. Int Braz J Urol 2016; 41:869-97. [PMID: 26689513 PMCID: PMC4756964 DOI: 10.1590/s1677-5538.ibju.2014.0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We had investigated whether sequence variants within DKK3 gene are associated with the development of prostate cancer in a Korean study cohort. We evaluated the association between 53 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the DKK3 gene and prostate cancer risk as well as clinical characteristics (PSA, clinical stage, pathological stage and Gleason score) in Korean men (272 prostate cancer subjects and 173 benign prostate hyperplasia subjects) using unconditional logistic regression analysis. Of the 53 SNPs and 25 common haplotypes, 5 SNPs and 4 haplotypes were associated with prostate cancer risk (P=0.02-0.04); 3 SNPs and 2 haplotypes were significantly associated with susceptibility to prostate cancer, however 2 SNPs and 2 haplotypes exhibited a significant protective effect on prostate cancer. Logistic analyses of the DKK3 gene polymorphisms with several prostate cancer related factors showed that several SNPs were significant; three SNPs and two haplotypes to PSA level, three SNPs and two haplotypes to clinical stage, nine SNPs and two haplotype to pathological stage, one SNP and one haplotypes to Gleason score. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report documenting that DKK3 polymorphisms are not only associated with prostate cancer but also related to prostate cancer-related factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Su Kim
- Department of Urology, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ha Na Lee
- Department of Urology, Seoul Seonam Hospital, EwhaWomans University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hae Jong Kim
- Research Institue for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea.,Advanced Urogenital Diseas Research Center, Chung-Ang University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Soon Chul Myung
- Department of Urology, Chung-Ang University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Roberts MJ, Richards RS, Gardiner RA, Selth LA. Seminal fluid: a useful source of prostate cancer biomarkers? Biomark Med 2015; 9:77-80. [PMID: 25689895 DOI: 10.2217/bmm.14.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Roberts
- Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Tao L, Huang G, Chen Y, Chen L. DNA methylation of DKK3 modulates docetaxel chemoresistance in human nonsmall cell lung cancer cell. Cancer Biother Radiopharm 2015; 30:100-6. [PMID: 25760729 DOI: 10.1089/cbr.2014.1797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dickkopf-related protein 3 (DKK3) gene, as a tumor suppressor gene, has been discovered in various cancers, but its relationship with tumor chemoresistance is still unclear. In this study, this laboratory detected that DNA methylation contributes to the downregulation of DKK3 in docetaxel resistance of human lung cancer cells and its possible biochemical mechanism. DKK3 has been proved to be downregulated by hypermethylation in docetaxel-resistant lung cancer cells. Upregulation of DKK3 can reverse the chemoresistance of docetaxel-resistant cell lines in vitro by growth inhibition and enhancement of apoptosis. Conversely, downregulation of DKK3 could induce parental human lung cancer cells insensitivity to docetaxel by promoting proliferative capacity and inhibiting apoptosis of cancer cells. In addition, the authors observed that overexpression of DKK3 might decrease the expression of P-glycoprotein. All results suggested that epigenetic downregulation of DKK3 leads to docetaxel resistance in human nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by increased expression of P-glycoprotein. DKK3 may reveal a novel molecular target for docetaxel resistance for NSCLC patients in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leilei Tao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University , Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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Kroon J, in 't Veld LS, Buijs JT, Cheung H, van der Horst G, van der Pluijm G. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibition depletes the population of prostate cancer stem/progenitor-like cells and attenuates metastatic growth. Oncotarget 2015; 5:8986-94. [PMID: 25344861 PMCID: PMC4253412 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells with stem or progenitor properties play a pivotal role in the initiation, recurrence and metastatic potential of solid tumors, including those of the human prostate. Cancer stem cells are generally more resistant to conventional therapies thus requiring the characterization of key pathways involved in the formation and/or maintenance of this malignant cellular subpopulation. To this end, we identified Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β (GSK-3β) as a crucial kinase for the maintenance of prostate cancer stem/progenitor-like cells and pharmacologic inhibition of GSK-3β dramatically decreased the size of this cellular subpopulation. This was paralleled by impaired clonogenicity, decreased migratory potential and dramatic morphological changes. In line with our in vitro observations, treatment with a GSK-3β inhibitor leads to a complete loss of tumorigenicity and a decrease in metastatic potential in preclinical in vivo models. These observed anti-tumor effects appear to be largely Wnt-independent as simultaneous Wnt inhibition does not reverse the observed antitumor effects of GSK-3β blockage. We found that GSK-3β activity is linked to cytoskeletal protein F-actin and inhibition of GSK-3β leads to disturbance of F-actin polymerization. This may underlie the dramatic effects of GSK-3β inhibition on prostate cancer migration. Furthermore, GSK-3β inhibition led to strongly decreased expression of several integrin types including the cancer stem cell-associated α2β1 integrin. Taken together, our mechanistic observations highlight the importance of GSK-3β activity in prostate cancer stemness and may facilitate the development of novel therapy for advanced prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Kroon
- Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Lars S in 't Veld
- Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen T Buijs
- Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Henry Cheung
- Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Gabri van der Pluijm
- Department of Urology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Fatima S, Luk JM, Poon RTP, Lee NP. Dysregulated expression of dickkopfs for potential detection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2014; 14:535-48. [PMID: 24809435 DOI: 10.1586/14737159.2014.915747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains dismal due to the lack of diagnostic markers for early detection. This review will discuss the clinical potential of the dickkopf (DKK) family members as diagnostic and/or prognostic markers for HCC. In comparison to serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) level, which remains the gold standard for HCC diagnosis, high serum DKK1 levels have higher diagnostic value for HCC, especially for AFP-negative HCC, and can distinguish HCC from non-malignant chronic liver diseases. Additionally, the combination of serum DKK1 and AFP levels enhances diagnostic accuracy for HCC compared to serum DKK1 or AFP levels alone. Although DKK1 offers potential for its use in HCC diagnosis this review will discuss the challenges facing DKK1 and also shed some light on recent developments on the remaining DKK family members: DKK2, DKK3 and DKK4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarwat Fatima
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
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Zenzmaier C, Sampson N, Plas E, Berger P. Dickkopf-related protein 3 promotes pathogenic stromal remodeling in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. Prostate 2013; 73:1441-52. [PMID: 23765731 PMCID: PMC3842835 DOI: 10.1002/pros.22691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2012] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compartment-specific epithelial and stromal expression of the secreted glycoprotein Dickkopf-related protein (Dkk)-3 is altered in age-related proliferative disorders of the human prostate. This study aimed to determine the effect of Dkk-3 on prostate stromal remodeling that is stromal proliferation, fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation and expression of angiogenic factors in vitro. METHODS Lentiviral-delivered overexpression and shRNA-mediated knockdown of DKK3 were applied to primary human prostatic stromal cells (PrSCs). Cellular proliferation was analyzed by BrdU incorporation ELISA. Expression of Dkk-3, apoptosis-related genes, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors and angiogenic factors were analyzed by qPCR, Western blot analysis or ELISA. Fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation was monitored by smooth muscle cell actin and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 mRNA and protein levels. The relevance of Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways was assessed by cytoplasmic/nuclear β-catenin levels and phosphorylation of AKT. RESULTS Knockdown of DKK3 significantly attenuated PrSC proliferation as well as fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation and increased the expression of the vessel stabilizing factor angiopoietin-1. DKK3 knockdown did not affect subcellular localization or levels of β-catenin but attenuated AKT phosphorylation in PrSCs. Consistently the PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 mimicked the effects of DKK3 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS Dkk-3 promotes fibroblast proliferation and myofibroblast differentiation and regulates expression of angiopoietin-1 in prostatic stroma potentially via enhancing PI3K/AKT signaling. Thus, elevated Dkk-3 in the stroma of the diseased prostate presumably regulates stromal remodeling by enhancing proliferation and differentiation of stromal cells and contributing to the angiogenic switch observed in BPH and PCa. Therefore, Dkk-3 represents a potential therapeutic target for stromal remodeling in BPH and PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Zenzmaier
- Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of InnsbruckInnsbruck, Austria
- Department of Internal Medicine, Innsbruck Medical UniversityInnsbruck, Austria
- *Correspondence to: Christoph Zenzmaier, PhD, Peter Berger, PhD, Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of Innsbruck, Rennweg 10, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. E-mail: ,
| | - Natalie Sampson
- Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of InnsbruckInnsbruck, Austria
- Department of Urology, Innsbruck Medical UniversityInnsbruck, Austria
| | - Eugen Plas
- Department of Urology, Hanusch HospitalVienna, Austria
| | - Peter Berger
- Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of InnsbruckInnsbruck, Austria
- *Correspondence to: Christoph Zenzmaier, PhD, Peter Berger, PhD, Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of Innsbruck, Rennweg 10, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria. E-mail: ,
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Pin E, Fredolini C, Petricoin EF. The role of proteomics in prostate cancer research: biomarker discovery and validation. Clin Biochem 2012; 46:524-38. [PMID: 23266295 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2012.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Revised: 12/10/2012] [Accepted: 12/12/2012] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Prostate Cancer (PCa) represents the second most frequent type of tumor in men worldwide. Incidence increases with patient age and represents the most important risk factor. PCa is mostly characterized by indolence, however in a small percentage of cases (3%) the disease progresses to a metastatic state. To date, the most important issue concerning PCa research is the difficulty in distinguishing indolent from aggressive disease. This problem frequently results in low-grade PCa patient overtreatment and, in parallel; an effective treatment for distant and aggressive disease is not yet available. RESULT Proteomics represents a promising approach for the discovery of new biomarkers able to improve the management of PCa patients. Markers more specific and sensitive than PSA are needed for PCa diagnosis, prognosis and response to treatment. Moreover, proteomics could represent an important tool to identify new molecular targets for PCa tailored therapy. Several possible PCa biomarkers sources, each with advantages and limitations, are under investigation, including tissues, urine, serum, plasma and prostatic fluids. Innovative high-throughput proteomic platforms are now identifying and quantifying new specific and sensitive biomarkers for PCa detection, stratification and treatment. Nevertheless, many putative biomarkers are still far from being applied in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS This review aims to discuss the recent advances in PCa proteomics, emphasizing biomarker discovery and their application to clinical utility for diagnosis and patient stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Pin
- George Mason University, Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, USA
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Wang K, Li N, Yeung C, Li J, Wang H, Cooper T. Oncogenic Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathways in the cancer-resistant epididymis have implications for cancer research. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 19:57-71. [DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gas051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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