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Pourali G, Ahmadzade AM, Arastonejad M, Pourali R, Kazemi D, Ghasemirad H, Khazaei M, Fiuji H, Nassiri M, Hassanian SM, Ferns GA, Avan A. The circadian clock as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer. Mol Cell Biochem 2024; 479:1243-1255. [PMID: 37405534 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04790-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a very high mortality rate globally. Despite ongoing efforts, its prognosis has not improved significantly over the last two decades. Thus, further approaches for optimizing treatment are required. Various biological processes oscillate in a circadian rhythm and are regulated by an endogenous clock. The machinery controlling the circadian cycle is tightly coupled with the cell cycle and can interact with tumor suppressor genes/oncogenes; and can therefore potentially influence cancer progression. Understanding the detailed interactions may lead to the discovery of prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers and new potential targets for treatment. Here, we explain how the circadian system relates to the cell cycle, cancer, and tumor suppressor genes/oncogenes. Furthermore, we propose that circadian clock genes may be potential biomarkers for some cancers and review the current advances in the treatment of PC by targeting the circadian clock. Despite efforts to diagnose pancreatic cancer early, it still remains a cancer with poor prognosis and high mortality rates. While studies have shown the role of molecular clock disruption in tumor initiation, development, and therapy resistance, the role of circadian genes in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis is not yet fully understood and further studies are required to better understand the potential of circadian genes as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghazaleh Pourali
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Amir Mahmoud Ahmadzade
- Transplant Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mahshid Arastonejad
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Roozbeh Pourali
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Danial Kazemi
- Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezar Jerib Street, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Ghasemirad
- Student Research Committee, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Majid Khazaei
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hamid Fiuji
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Nassiri
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Mahdi Hassanian
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Gordon A Ferns
- Division of Medical Education, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 9PH, UK
| | - Amir Avan
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia.
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, 37 Kent Street, QLD, 4102, Australia.
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Li T, Jiang Y, Bai Y, Jiang K, Du G, Chen P, Luo C, Li L, Qiao J, Shen J. A review for the impacts of circadian disturbance on urological cancers. Sleep Biol Rhythms 2024; 22:163-180. [PMID: 38524168 PMCID: PMC10959858 DOI: 10.1007/s41105-023-00500-1] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Circadian rhythm is an internal timing system and harmonizes a variety of cellular, behavioral, and physiological processes to daily environment. Circadian disturbance caused by altered life style or disrupted sleep patterns inevitably contributes to various disorders. As the rapidly increased cancer occurrences and subsequent tremendous financial burdens, more researches focus on reducing the morbidity rather than treating it. Recently, many epidemiologic studies demonstrated that circadian disturbance was tightly related to the occurrence and development of cancers. For urinary system, numerous clinical researches observed the incidence and progress of prostate cancer were influenced by nightshift work, sleep duration, chronotypes, light exposure, and meal timing, this was also proved by many genetic and fundamental findings. Although the epidemiological studies regarding the relationship between circadian disturbance and kidney/bladder cancers were relative limited, some basic researches still claimed circadian disruption was closely correlated to these two cancers. The role of circadian chemotherapy on cancers of prostate, kidney, and bladder were also explored, however, it has not been regularly recommended considering the limited evidence and poor standard protocols. Finally, the researches for the impacts of circadian disturbance on cancers of adrenal gland, penis, testis were not found at present. In general, a better understanding the relationship between circadian disturbance and urological cancers might help to provide more scientific work schedules and rational lifestyles which finally saving health resource by reducing urological tumorigenesis, however, the underlying mechanisms are complex which need further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Li
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- Department of Urology, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Yiting Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Ninth People’s Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing, China
| | - Yunjin Bai
- Department of Urology and Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kehua Jiang
- Department of Urology, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Guangshi Du
- Translational Medicine Research Center of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Chao Luo
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Lei Li
- Gastrointestinal Surgery Center, School of Medicine, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Qiao
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Jun Shen
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
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Juhász KZ, Hajdú T, Kovács P, Vágó J, Matta C, Takács R. Hypoxic Conditions Modulate Chondrogenesis through the Circadian Clock: The Role of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α. Cells 2024; 13:512. [PMID: 38534356 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060512] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimer transcription factor composed of an alpha and a beta subunit. HIF-1α is a master regulator of cellular response to hypoxia by activating the transcription of genes that facilitate metabolic adaptation to hypoxia. Since chondrocytes in mature articular cartilage reside in a hypoxic environment, HIF-1α plays an important role in chondrogenesis and in the physiological lifecycle of articular cartilage. Accumulating evidence suggests interactions between the HIF pathways and the circadian clock. The circadian clock is an emerging regulator in both developing and mature chondrocytes. However, how circadian rhythm is established during the early steps of cartilage formation and through what signaling pathways it promotes the healthy chondrocyte phenotype is still not entirely known. This narrative review aims to deliver a concise analysis of the existing understanding of the dynamic interplay between HIF-1α and the molecular clock in chondrocytes, in states of both health and disease, while also incorporating creative interpretations. We explore diverse hypotheses regarding the intricate interactions among these pathways and propose relevant therapeutic strategies for cartilage disorders such as osteoarthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztián Zoltán Juhász
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tibor Hajdú
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Patrik Kovács
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Judit Vágó
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Csaba Matta
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Roland Takács
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
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Nelson N, Relógio A. Molecular mechanisms of tumour development in glioblastoma: an emerging role for the circadian clock. NPJ Precis Oncol 2024; 8:40. [PMID: 38378853 PMCID: PMC10879494 DOI: 10.1038/s41698-024-00530-z] [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: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is one of the most lethal cancers with current therapeutic options lacking major successes. This underlines the necessity to understand glioblastoma biology on other levels and use these learnings for the development of new therapeutic concepts. Mounting evidence in the field of circadian medicine points to a tight interplay between disturbances of the circadian system and glioblastoma progression. The circadian clock, an internal biological mechanism governing numerous physiological processes across a 24-h cycle, also plays a pivotal role in regulationg key cellular functions, including DNA repair, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis. These processes are integral to tumour development and response to therapy. Disruptions in circadian rhythms can influence tumour growth, invasion, and response to treatment in glioblastoma patients. In this review, we explore the robust association between the circadian clock, and cancer hallmarks within the context of glioblastoma. We further discuss the impact of the circadian clock on eight cancer hallmarks shown previously to link the molecular clock to different cancers, and summarize the putative role of clock proteins in circadian rhythm disturbances and chronotherapy in glioblastoma. By unravelling the molecular mechanisms behind the intricate connections between the circadian clock and glioblastoma progression, researchers can pave the way for the identification of potential therapeutic targets, the development of innovative treatment strategies and personalized medicine approaches. In conclusion, this review underscores the significant influence of the circadian clock on the advancement and understanding of future therapies in glioblastoma, ultimately leading to enhanced outcomes for glioblastoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Nelson
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, 20457, Germany
| | - Angela Relógio
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, 20457, Germany.
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Haematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
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Petković M, Henis M, Heese O, Relógio A. Chronotherapy in Glioblastoma: state of the art and future perspectives. EBioMedicine 2023; 89:104470. [PMID: 36796229 PMCID: PMC9958380 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythms regulate various processes in the human body, including drug metabolism. Chronotherapy optimizes treatment timing based on the circadian rhythm of the individual patient, such that the treatment efficacy is maximized, and adverse effects are minimized. It has been explored in different cancers with varying conclusions. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive type of brain tumour with a very dismal prognosis. In recent years, there has been very little success in designing successful therapies to fight this disease. Chronotherapy offers the opportunity to leverage existing treatments to extend patient survival and to increase their quality of life. Here, we discuss recent advances in using chronotherapy regimens in the treatment of GMB, such as radiotherapy, temozolomide (TMZ) and bortezomib, as well as discuss novel treatments with drugs of short half-life or circadian phase specific activity, and examine the therapeutic potential of new approaches that target elements of the core circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Petković
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin 10117, Germany
| | - Melad Henis
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg 20457, Germany
| | - Oliver Heese
- Department of Neurosurgery and Spinal Surgery, HELIOS Medical Center Schwerin, University Campus of MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg 20457, Germany
| | - Angela Relógio
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin 10117, Germany; Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg 20457, Germany; Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin 10117, Germany.
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Time Matters: Importance of Circadian Rhythms, Disruption, and Chronotherapy in Urologic Malignancies. Urology 2023:S0090-4295(23)00052-3. [PMID: 36693529 DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2023.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The human body was evolutionarily programmed to run on cycles, termed circadian rhythms, which integrate human behavior and bodily function with the environment. Disruptions to these rhythms via desynchronization have been deemed a probable carcinogen by the WHO. Subsequent research has identified alterations in multiple core clock genes when comparing tumor and benign tissues. This review will discuss core clock genes associated with urogenital malignancies and highlight impactful research regarding circadian biology use in treatment. Chronotherapy, treatment alignment with an individual's biological rhythm, remains a relatively untouched field within urology that should be explored to possibly enhance therapeutic outcomes.
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Wang Z, Chen G. Insights about circadian clock in glioma: From molecular pathways to therapeutic drugs. CNS Neurosci Ther 2022; 28:1930-1941. [PMID: 36066207 PMCID: PMC9627379 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioma is characterized as the most aggressive brain tumor that occurred in the central nervous system. The circadian rhythm is an essential cyclic change system generated by the endogenous circadian clock. Current studies found that the circadian clock affects glioma pathophysiology. It is still controversial whether the circadian rhythm disruption is a cause or an effect of tumorigenesis. This review discussed the association between cell cycle and circadian clock and provided a prominent molecular theoretical basis for tumor therapy. We illustrated the external factors affecting the circadian clock including thermodynamics, hypoxia, post-translation, and microRNA, while the internal characteristics concerning the circadian clock in glioma involve stemness, metabolism, radiotherapy sensitivity, and chemotherapy sensitivity. We also summarized the molecular pathways and the therapeutic drugs involved in the glioma circadian rhythm. There are still many questions in this field waiting for further investigation. The results of glioma chronotherapy in sensitizing radiation therapy and chemotherapy have shown great therapeutic potential in improving clinical outcomes. These findings will help us further understand the characteristics of glioma pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongqi Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research LaboratoryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversitySuzhouChina,Institute of Stroke ResearchSoochow UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research LaboratoryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversitySuzhouChina,Institute of Stroke ResearchSoochow UniversitySuzhouChina
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Li T, Bai Y, Jiang Y, Jiang K, Tian Y, Gu J, Sun F. The potential impacts of circadian rhythm disturbances on male fertility. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1001316. [PMID: 36277693 PMCID: PMC9582279 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1001316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A circadian rhythm is an internalized timing system that synchronizes the cellular, behavioral, and physiological processes of organisms to the Earth's rotation. Because all physiological activities occur at a specific time, circadian rhythm disturbances can lead to various pathological disorders and diseases. Growing evidence has shown that the circadian clock is tightly connected to male fertility, and circadian perturbations contribute to infertility. The night shiftwork, insufficient sleep, and poor sleep quality are common causes of circadian disturbances, and many studies have reported that they impair sperm quality and increase the risk of male infertility. However, research on the impacts of light, body temperature, and circadian/circannual rhythms is relatively lacking, although some correlations have been demonstrated. Moreover, as the index of sperm quality was diverse and study designs were non-uniform, the conclusions were temporarily inconsistent and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. A better understanding of whether and how circadian disturbances regulate male fertility will be meaningful, as more scientific work schedules and rational lifestyles might help improve infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Li
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yunjin Bai
- Department of Urology and Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiting Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Ninth People’s Hospital of Chongqing, Chongqing, China
| | - Kehua Jiang
- Department of Urology, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Ye Tian
- Department of Urology, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, China
| | - Jiang Gu
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Fa Sun, ; Jiang Gu,
| | - Fa Sun
- Department of Urology, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Fa Sun, ; Jiang Gu,
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Yalçin M, Malhan D, Basti A, Peralta AR, Ferreira JJ, Relógio A. A Computational Analysis in a Cohort of Parkinson's Disease Patients and Clock-Modified Colorectal Cancer Cells Reveals Common Expression Alterations in Clock-Regulated Genes. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13235978. [PMID: 34885088 PMCID: PMC8657387 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13235978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer and neurodegenerative diseases are two aging-related pathologies with differential developmental characteristics, but they share altered cellular pathways. Interestingly, dysregulations in the biological clock are reported in both diseases, though the extent and potential consequences of such disruption have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we aimed at characterizing global changes on common cellular pathways associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). We used gene expression data retrieved from an idiopathic PD (IPD) patient cohort and from CRC cells with unmodified versus genetically altered clocks. Our results highlight common differentially expressed genes between IPD patients and cells with disrupted clocks, suggesting a role for the circadian clock in the regulation of pathways altered in both pathologies. Interestingly, several of these genes are related to cancer hallmarks and may have an impact on the overall survival of colon cancer patients, as suggested by our analysis. Abstract Increasing evidence suggests a role for circadian dysregulation in prompting disease-related phenotypes in mammals. Cancer and neurodegenerative disorders are two aging related diseases reported to be associated with circadian disruption. In this study, we investigated a possible effect of circadian disruption in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). We used high-throughput data sets retrieved from whole blood of idiopathic PD (IPD) patients and time course data sets derived from an in vitro model of CRC including the wildtype and three core-clock knockout (KO) cell lines. Several gene expression alterations in IPD patients resembled the expression profiles in the core-clock KO cells. These include expression changes in DBP, GBA, TEF, SNCA, SERPINA1 and TGFB1. Notably, our results pointed to alterations in the core-clock network in IPD patients when compared to healthy controls and revealed variations in the expression profile of PD-associated genes (e.g., HRAS and GBA) upon disruption of the core-clock genes. Our study characterizes changes at the transcriptomic level following circadian clock disruption on common cellular pathways associated with cancer and neurodegeneration (e.g., immune system, energy metabolism and RNA processing), and it points to a significant influence on the overall survival of colon cancer patients for several genes resulting from our analysis (e.g., TUBB6, PAK6, SLC11A1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Müge Yalçin
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (M.Y.); (D.M.); (A.B.)
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Deeksha Malhan
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (M.Y.); (D.M.); (A.B.)
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alireza Basti
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (M.Y.); (D.M.); (A.B.)
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ana Rita Peralta
- EEG/Sleep Laboratory, Department Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital de Santa Maria—CHULN, 1649-035 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Department of Neurology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
- CNS-Campus Neurológico Senior, 2560-280 Torres Vedras, Portugal;
| | - Joaquim J. Ferreira
- CNS-Campus Neurológico Senior, 2560-280 Torres Vedras, Portugal;
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Angela Relógio
- Institute for Theoretical Biology (ITB), Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany; (M.Y.); (D.M.); (A.B.)
- Molecular Cancer Research Center (MKFZ), Medical Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Tumour Immunology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
- Correspondence: or
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Wei Y, Papachristou N, Mueller S, Chang WH, Lai AG. Application of ensemble clustering and survival tree analysis for identifying prognostic clinicogenomic features in patients with colorectal cancer from the 100,000 Genomes Project. BMC Res Notes 2021; 14:385. [PMID: 34600575 PMCID: PMC8487486 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05789-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to employ ensemble clustering and tree-based risk model approaches to identify interactions between clinicogenomic features for colorectal cancer using the 100,000 Genomes Project. RESULTS Among the 2211 patients with colorectal cancer (mean age of diagnosis: 67.7; 59.7% male), 16.3%, 36.3%, 39.0% and 8.4% had stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 cancers, respectively. Almost every patient had surgery (99.7%), 47.4% had chemotherapy, 7.6% had radiotherapy and 1.4% had immunotherapy. On average, tumour mutational burden (TMB) was 18 mutations/Mb and 34.4%, 31.3% and 25.7% of patients had structural or copy number mutations in KRAS, BRAF and NRAS, respectively. In the fully adjusted Cox model, patients with advanced cancer [stage 3 hazard ratio (HR) = 3.2; p < 0.001; stage 4 HR = 10.2; p < 0.001] and those who had immunotherapy (HR = 1.8; p < 0.04) or radiotherapy (HR = 1.5; p < 0.02) treatment had a higher risk of dying. The ensemble clustering approach generated four distinct clusters where patients in cluster 2 had the best survival outcomes (1-year: 98.7%; 2-year: 96.7%; 3-year: 93.0%) while patients in cluster 3 (1-year: 87.9; 2-year: 70.0%; 3-year: 53.1%) had the worst outcomes. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log rank test revealed that the clusters were separated into distinct prognostic groups (p < 0.0001). Survival tree or recursive partitioning analyses were performed to further explore risk groups within each cluster. Among patients in cluster 2, for example, interactions between cancer stage, grade, radiotherapy, TMB, BRAF mutation status were identified. Patients with stage 4 cancer and TMB ≥ 1.6 mutations/Mb had 4 times higher risk of dying relative to the baseline hazard in that cluster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuguo Wei
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Stefanie Mueller
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Wai Hoong Chang
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alvina G Lai
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK.
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Abstract
Circadian clocks are biological timing mechanisms that generate 24-h rhythms of physiology and behavior, exemplified by cycles of sleep/wake, hormone release, and metabolism. The adaptive value of clocks is evident when internal body clocks and daily environmental cycles are mismatched, such as in the case of shift work and jet lag or even mistimed eating, all of which are associated with physiological disruption and disease. Studies with animal and human models have also unraveled an important role of functional circadian clocks in modulating cellular and organismal responses to physiological cues (ex., food intake, exercise), pathological insults (e.g. virus and parasite infections), and medical interventions (e.g. medication). With growing knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying circadian physiology and pathophysiology, it is becoming possible to target circadian rhythms for disease prevention and treatment. In this review, we discuss recent advances in circadian research and the potential for therapeutic applications that take patient circadian rhythms into account in treating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yool Lee
- Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington
| | - Jeffrey M Field
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Amita Sehgal
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chronobiology and Sleep Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Wagner PM, Prucca CG, Caputto BL, Guido ME. Adjusting the Molecular Clock: The Importance of Circadian Rhythms in the Development of Glioblastomas and Its Intervention as a Therapeutic Strategy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8289. [PMID: 34361055 PMCID: PMC8348990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are solid tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) that originated from different glial cells. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies these tumors into four groups (I-IV) with increasing malignancy. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumor classified as grade IV. GBMs are resistant to conventional therapies with poor prognosis after diagnosis even when the Stupp protocol that combines surgery and radiochemotherapy is applied. Nowadays, few novel therapeutic strategies have been used to improve GBM treatment, looking for higher efficiency and lower side effects, but with relatively modest results. The circadian timing system temporally organizes the physiology and behavior of most organisms and daily regulates several cellular processes in organs, tissues, and even in individual cells, including tumor cells. The potentiality of the function of the circadian clock on cancer cells modulation as a new target for novel treatments with a chronobiological basis offers a different challenge that needs to be considered in further detail. The present review will discuss state of the art regarding GBM biology, the role of the circadian clock in tumor progression, and new chrono-chemotherapeutic strategies applied for GBM treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula M. Wagner
- CIQUIBIC-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina; (P.M.W.); (C.G.P.); (B.L.C.)
- Departamento de Química Biológica Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - César G. Prucca
- CIQUIBIC-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina; (P.M.W.); (C.G.P.); (B.L.C.)
- Departamento de Química Biológica Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Beatriz L. Caputto
- CIQUIBIC-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina; (P.M.W.); (C.G.P.); (B.L.C.)
- Departamento de Química Biológica Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Mario E. Guido
- CIQUIBIC-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina; (P.M.W.); (C.G.P.); (B.L.C.)
- Departamento de Química Biológica Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
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13
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Adjusting the Molecular Clock: The Importance of Circadian Rhythms in the Development of Glioblastomas and Its Intervention as a Therapeutic Strategy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8289. [PMID: 34361055 PMCID: PMC8348990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158289;] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are solid tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) that originated from different glial cells. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies these tumors into four groups (I-IV) with increasing malignancy. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumor classified as grade IV. GBMs are resistant to conventional therapies with poor prognosis after diagnosis even when the Stupp protocol that combines surgery and radiochemotherapy is applied. Nowadays, few novel therapeutic strategies have been used to improve GBM treatment, looking for higher efficiency and lower side effects, but with relatively modest results. The circadian timing system temporally organizes the physiology and behavior of most organisms and daily regulates several cellular processes in organs, tissues, and even in individual cells, including tumor cells. The potentiality of the function of the circadian clock on cancer cells modulation as a new target for novel treatments with a chronobiological basis offers a different challenge that needs to be considered in further detail. The present review will discuss state of the art regarding GBM biology, the role of the circadian clock in tumor progression, and new chrono-chemotherapeutic strategies applied for GBM treatment.
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14
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Milanti A, Chan DNS, Li C, So WKW. Actigraphy-measured rest-activity circadian rhythm disruption in patients with advanced cancer: a scoping review. Support Care Cancer 2021; 29:7145-7169. [PMID: 34142279 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-021-06317-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Patients with later-stage cancer have been reported to demonstrate more disrupted rest-activity circadian rhythms (RACR) than those with earlier-stage cancer, but consolidated evidence of this is lacking. The aim of this review was to examine and map the existing evidence on actigraphy-measured RACR in terms of their (1) pattern, (2) prevalence, (3) related factors, and (4) outcomes in advanced cancer patients. METHODS A comprehensive scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's framework. A literature search was performed using nine databases: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, British Nursing Index, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and SINTA. RESULTS Twenty-one studies were included in the review. Compared with the healthy population, advanced cancer patients were more likely to display weaker RACR, manifesting as lower activity levels during the day, more frequent and longer daytime naps, and fragmented nighttime sleep. The prevalence of RACR disruption among advanced cancer patients ranged from 31.3 to 54.9%. It was found to be linked to the presence of physical and psychological symptoms (fatigue, appetite loss, pain, dyspnoea, sleep disturbance, depression, and anxiety), chemotherapy, male sex, and also predict the lower quality of life and survival. CONCLUSION Disruption of the RACR is prevalent in advanced cancer patients and is associated with a set of physical and psychological symptoms. It was also found to be a predictor of the quality of life and survival among these patients. These results indicate the importance of interventions to restabilise the disrupted RACR among advance cancer patients to improve their health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariesta Milanti
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Dorothy N S Chan
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Caixia Li
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Winnie K W So
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, China
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15
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Gao Y, Wu Y, Zhang N, Yuan H, Wang F, Xu H, Yu J, Ma J, Hou S, Cao X. IDH1 gene mutation activates Smad signaling molecules to regulate the expression levels of cell cycle and biological rhythm genes in human glioma U87‑MG cells. Mol Med Rep 2021; 23:354. [PMID: 33760141 PMCID: PMC7974315 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.11993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Isocitrate dehydrogenase1 (IDH1) mutation is the most important genetic change in glioma. The most common IDH1 mutation results in the amino acid substitution of arginine 132 (Arg/R132), which is located at the active site of the enzyme. IDH1 Arg132His (R132H) mutation can reduce the proliferative rate of glioma cells. Numerous diseases follow circadian rhythms, and there is growing evidence that circadian disruption may be a risk factor for cancer in humans. Dysregulation of the circadian clock serves an important role in the development of malignant tumors, including glioma. Brain-Muscle Arnt-Like protein 1 (BMAL1) and Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput (CLOCK) are the main biological rhythm genes. The present study aimed to further study whether there is an association between IDH1 R132H mutation and biological rhythm in glioma, and whether this affects the occurrence of glioma. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to detect the expression levels of the biological rhythm genes BMAL1 and CLOCK in various types of tumor. Additionally, U87-MG cells were infected with wild-type and mutant IDH1 lentiviruses. Colony formation experiments were used to detect cell proliferation in each group, cell cycle distribution was detected by flow cytometry and western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of wild-type and mutant IDH1, cyclins, biological rhythm genes and Smad signaling pathway-associated genes in U87-MG cells. TCGA database results suggested that BMAL1 and CLOCK were abnormally expressed in glioma. Cells were successfully infected with wild-type and mutant IDH1 lentiviruses. Colony formation assay revealed decreased cell proliferation in the IDH1 R132H mutant group. The cell cycle distribution detected by flow cytometry indicated that IDH1 gene mutation increased the G1 phase ratio and decreased the S phase ratio in U87-MG cells. The western blotting results demonstrated that IDH1 R132H mutation decreased the expression levels of the S phase-associated proteins Cyclin A and CDK2, and increased the expression levels of the G1 phase-associated proteins Cyclin D3 and CDK4, but did not significantly change the expression levels of the G2/M phase-associated protein Cyclin B1. The expression levels of the positive and negative rhythm regulation genes BMAL1, CLOCK, period (PER s (PER1, 2 and 3) and cryptochrom (CRY)s (CRY1 and 2) were significantly decreased, those of the Smad signaling pathway-associated genes Smad2, Smad3 and Smad2-3 were decreased, and those of phosphorylated (p)-Smad2, p-Smad3 and Smad4 were increased. Therefore, the present results suggested that the IDH1 R132H mutation may alter the cell cycle and biological rhythm genes in U87-MG cells through the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongying Gao
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Yanwei Wu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Ningmei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Tumor Hospital, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Hongmei Yuan
- Functional Department, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, P.R. China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Pathology, The First People's Hospital of Yinchuan, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750001, P.R. China
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Jiaxiang Yu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Jie Ma
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Shaozhang Hou
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Xiangmei Cao
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
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16
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Sapienza LG, Nasra K, Berry R, Danesh L, Little T, Abu-Isa E. Clinical effects of morning and afternoon radiotherapy on high-grade gliomas. Chronobiol Int 2021; 38:732-741. [PMID: 33557650 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2021.1880426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Initial clinical reports comparing the delivery of radiotherapy (RT) at distinct times of the day suggest that this strategy might affect toxicity and oncologic outcomes of radiation for multiple human tissues, but the clinical effects on high-grade gliomas (HGG) are unknown. The present study addresses the hypothesis that radiotherapy treatment time of the day (RT-TTD) influences outcome and/or toxic events in HGG. Patients treated between 2009-2018 were reviewed (n = 109). Outcomes were local control (LC), distant CNS control (DCNSC), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). RT-TTD was classified as morning if ≥50% of fractions were delivered before 12:00 h (n = 70) or as afternoon (n = 39) if after 12:00 h. The average age was 62.6 years (range: 14.5-86.9) and 80% were glioblastoma. The median follow-up was 10.9 months (range: 0.4-57.2). The 1y/3y LC, DCNSC, and PFS were: 61.3%/28.1%, 86.8%/65.2%, and 39.7%/10.2%, respectively. Equivalent PFS was found between morning and afternoon groups (HR 1.27; p = .3). The median OS was 16.5 months. Patients treated in the afternoon had worse survival in the univariate analysis (HR 1.72; p = .05), not confirmed after multivariate analysis (HR 0.92, p = .76). Patients with worse baseline performance status and treatment interruptions showed worse PFS and OS. The proportion of patients that developed grade 3 acute toxicity, pseudo progression, and definitive treatment interruptions were 10.1%, 9.2%, and 7.3%, respectively, and were not affected by RT-TTD. In conclusion, for patients with HGG, there was no difference in PFS and OS between patients treated in the morning or afternoon. Of note, definitive treatment interruptions adversely affected outcomes and should be avoided, especially in patients with low performance status. Based on these clinical findings, high-grade glioma cells may not be the best initial model to be irradiated in order to study the effects of chronotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Gomes Sapienza
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Karim Nasra
- Department of Radiology, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine/Ascension Providence Hospital, Southfield, Michigan, USA
| | - Ryan Berry
- Department of Internal Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Leana Danesh
- Department of Internal Medicine, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Tania Little
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ascension Providence Hospital, Southfield, MI, USA
| | - Eyad Abu-Isa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Chang WH, Lai AG. An integrative pan-cancer investigation reveals common genetic and transcriptional alterations of AMPK pathway genes as important predictors of clinical outcomes across major cancer types. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:773. [PMID: 32807122 PMCID: PMC7433212 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07286-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an evolutionarily conserved regulator of cellular energy homeostasis. As a nexus for transducing metabolic signals, AMPK cooperates with other energy-sensing pathways to modulate cellular responses to metabolic stressors. With metabolic reprogramming being a hallmark of cancer, the utility of agents targeting AMPK has received continued scrutiny and results have demonstrated conflicting effects of AMPK activation in tumorigenesis. Harnessing multi-omics datasets from human tumors, we seek to evaluate the seemingly pleiotropic, tissue-specific dependencies of AMPK signaling dysregulation. METHODS We interrogated copy number variation and differential transcript expression of 92 AMPK pathway genes across 21 diverse cancers involving over 18,000 patients. Cox proportional hazards regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to evaluate the prognostic significance of AMPK dysregulation on patient outcomes. RESULTS A total of 24 and seven AMPK pathway genes were identified as having loss- or gain-of-function features. These genes exhibited tissue-type dependencies, where survival outcomes in glioma patients were most influenced by AMPK inactivation. Cox regression and log-rank tests revealed that the 24-AMPK-gene set could successfully stratify patients into high- and low-risk groups in glioma, sarcoma, breast and stomach cancers. The 24-AMPK-gene set could not only discriminate tumor from non-tumor samples, as confirmed by multidimensional scaling analyses, but is also independent of tumor, node and metastasis staging. AMPK inactivation is accompanied by the activation of multiple oncogenic pathways associated with cell adhesion, calcium signaling and extracellular matrix organization. Anomalous AMPK signaling converged on similar groups of transcriptional targets where a common set of transcription factors were identified to regulate these targets. We also demonstrated crosstalk between pro-catabolic AMPK signaling and two pro-anabolic pathways, mammalian target of rapamycin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, where they act synergistically to influence tumor progression significantly. CONCLUSION Genetic and transcriptional aberrations in AMPK signaling have tissue-dependent pro- or anti-tumor impacts. Pan-cancer investigations on molecular changes of this pathway could uncover novel therapeutic targets and support risk stratification of patients in prospective trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Hoong Chang
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK
| | - Alvina G Lai
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK.
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18
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O'Connell EJ, Martinez CA, Liang YG, Cistulli PA, Cook KM. Out of breath, out of time: interactions between HIF and circadian rhythms. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2020; 319:C533-C540. [PMID: 32726159 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00305.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Humans have internal circadian clocks that ensure that important physiological functions occur at specific times of the day. These molecular clocks are regulated at the genomic level and exist in most cells of the body. Multiple circadian resetting cues have been identified, including light, temperature, and food. Recently, oxygen has been identified as a resetting cue, and emerging science indicates that this occurs through interactions at the cellular level between the circadian transcription-translation feedback loop and the hypoxia-inducible pathway (hypoxia-inducible factor; subject of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine). This review will cover recently identified relationships between HIF and proteins of the circadian clock. Interactions between the circadian clock and hypoxia could have wide-reaching implications for human diseases, and understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating these overlapping pathways may open up new strategies for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J O'Connell
- University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Chloe-Anne Martinez
- University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Yichuan G Liang
- University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Peter A Cistulli
- University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kristina M Cook
- University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
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19
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Shen H, Cook K, Gee HE, Hau E. Hypoxia, metabolism, and the circadian clock: new links to overcome radiation resistance in high-grade gliomas. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2020; 39:129. [PMID: 32631383 PMCID: PMC7339573 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-020-01639-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment of high-grade gliomas (HGGs). It eradicates tumor cells by inducing oxidative stress and subsequent DNA damage. Unfortunately, almost all HGGs recur locally within several months secondary to radioresistance with intricate molecular mechanisms. Therefore, unravelling specific underlying mechanisms of radioresistance is critical to elucidating novel strategies to improve the radiosensitivity of tumor cells, and enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy. This review addresses our current understanding of how hypoxia and the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway have a profound impact on the response of HGGs to radiotherapy. In addition, intriguing links between hypoxic signaling, circadian rhythms and cell metabolism have been recently discovered, which may provide insights into our fundamental understanding of radioresistance. Cellular pathways involved in the hypoxic response, DNA repair and metabolism can fluctuate over 24-h periods due to circadian regulation. These oscillatory patterns may have consequences for tumor radioresistance. Timing radiotherapy for specific times of the day (chronoradiotherapy) could be beneficial in patients with HGGs and will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Shen
- Translational Radiation Biology and Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia.
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Kristina Cook
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health & Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Harriet E Gee
- Translational Radiation Biology and Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Eric Hau
- Translational Radiation Biology and Oncology Laboratory, Centre for Cancer Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Blacktown Hematology and Cancer Centre, Blacktown Hospital, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia
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20
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Zhang H, Dahlén T, Khan A, Edgren G, Rzhetsky A. Measurable health effects associated with the daylight saving time shift. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1007927. [PMID: 32511231 PMCID: PMC7302868 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The transition to daylight saving time (DST) is beneficial for energy conservation but at the same time it has been reported to increase the risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular problems. Here, we evaluate the effect of the DST shift on a whole spectrum of diseases—an analysis we hope will be helpful in weighing the risks and benefits of DST shifts. Our study relied on a population-based, cross-sectional analysis of the IBM Watson Health MarketScan insurance claim dataset, which incorporates over 150 million unique patients in the US, and the Swedish national inpatient register, which incorporates more than nine million unique Swedes. For hundreds of sex- and age-specific diseases, we assessed effects of the DST shifts forward and backward by one hour in spring and autumn by comparing the observed and expected diagnosis rates after DST shift exposure. We found four prominent, elevated risk clusters, including cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks), injuries, mental and behavioral disorders, and immune-related diseases such as noninfective enteritis and colitis to be significantly associated with DST shifts in the United States and Sweden. While the majority of disease risk elevations are modest (a few percent), a considerable number of diseases exhibit an approximately ten percent relative risk increase. We estimate that each spring DST shift is associated with negative health effects–with 150,000 incidences in the US, and 880,000 globally. We also identify for the first time a collection of diseases with relative risks that appear to decrease immediately after the spring DST shift, enriched with infections and immune system-related maladies. These diseases’ decreasing relative risks might be driven by the documented boosting effect of a short-term stress (such as that experienced around the spring DST shift) on the immune system. Over a quarter of the world population is subjected to the daylight saving time (DST) shift twice a year, which disrupts both human work and rest schedules and possibly the body’s biological clock. Several clinical studies have reported an increased risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular problems with DST shifts but little is known about other potential health effects. The DST shift represents a natural exposure experiment which allows us the unique opportunity of linking health outcomes to an external, state-wide event in the US and Sweden. We performed a comprehensive, phenome-wide screening of the putative health effects of the DST shift by analyzing two independent, country-scale health datasets, and found both adverse and protective associations with DST shifts in several clusters of conditions. We successfully verified previously reported associations, such as heart diseases and injuries, and identified new signals–for example, immune-related conditions. We suggest that the ramifications of daylight-saving time shifts should be acknowledged and further tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxin Zhang
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, and Institute of Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Torsten Dahlén
- Department of Medicine Solna, Clinical Epidemiology Division, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Atif Khan
- Department of Medicine, and Institute of Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Gustaf Edgren
- Department of Medicine Solna, Clinical Epidemiology Division, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Cardiology, Södersjukhuset Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrey Rzhetsky
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, and Institute of Genomics and Systems Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Human Genetics and Committee on Quantitative Methods in Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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21
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van der Watt PJ, Roden LC, Davis KT, Parker MI, Leaner VD. Circadian Oscillations Persist in Cervical and Esophageal Cancer Cells Displaying Decreased Expression of Tumor-Suppressing Circadian Clock Genes. Mol Cancer Res 2020; 18:1340-1353. [PMID: 32503923 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-1074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
There is accumulating evidence for a link between circadian clock disruption and cancer progression. In this study, the circadian clock was investigated in cervical and esophageal cancers, to determine whether it is disrupted in these cancer types. Oncomine datamining revealed downregulation of multiple members of the circadian clock gene family in cancer patient tissue compared with matched normal epithelium. Real-time RT-PCR analysis confirmed significant downregulation of CLOCK, PER1, PER2, PER3, CRY1, CRY2, REV-ERBα, and RORα in esophageal tumor tissue. In cell line models, expression of several circadian clock genes was significantly decreased in transformed and cancer cells compared with noncancer controls, and protein levels were dysregulated. These effects were mediated, at least in part, by methylation, where CLOCK, CRY1, and RORα gene promoter regions were found to be methylated in cancer cells. Overexpression of CLOCK and PER2 in cancer cell lines inhibited cell proliferation and activation of RORα and REV-ERBα using agonists resulted in cancer cell death, while having a lesser effect on normal epithelial cells. Despite dysregulated circadian clock gene expression, cervical and esophageal cancer cells maintain functional circadian oscillations after Dexamethasone synchronization, as revealed using real-time bioluminescence imaging, suggesting that their circadian clock mechanisms are intact. IMPLICATIONS: This study is a first to describe dysregulated, yet oscillating, circadian clock gene expression in cervical and esophageal cancer cells, and knowledge of circadian clock functioning in these cancer types has the potential to inform chronotherapy approaches, where the timing of administration of chemotherapy is optimized on the basis of the circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline J van der Watt
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Laura C Roden
- School of Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Kate T Davis
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - M Iqbal Parker
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Virna D Leaner
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- SAMRC/UCT Gynaecological Cancer Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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22
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Rajendran S, Benna C, Marchet A, Nitti D, Mocellin S. Germline polymorphisms of circadian genes and gastric cancer predisposition. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2020; 40:234-238. [PMID: 32243092 PMCID: PMC7238666 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Senthilkumar Rajendran
- Department of Surgery Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padua, 35128, Italy.,First Surgical Clinic, Padova University Hospital, Padua, 35128, Italy
| | - Clara Benna
- Department of Surgery Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padua, 35128, Italy.,First Surgical Clinic, Padova University Hospital, Padua, 35128, Italy
| | - Alberto Marchet
- Multidisciplinary Day-surgery Unit, Padova University Hospital, Padua, 35128, Italy
| | - Donato Nitti
- Department of Surgery Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padua, 35128, Italy.,First Surgical Clinic, Padova University Hospital, Padua, 35128, Italy
| | - Simone Mocellin
- Department of Surgery Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padua, 35128, Italy.,Surgical Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padua, 35128, Italy
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23
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Arafa K, Emara M. Insights About Circadian Clock and Molecular Pathogenesis in Gliomas. Front Oncol 2020; 10:199. [PMID: 32195174 PMCID: PMC7061216 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The circadian clock is an endogenous time-keeping system that has been discovered across kingdoms of life. It controls and coordinates metabolism, physiology, and behavior to adapt to variations within the day and the seasonal environmental cycles driven by earth rotation. In mammals, although circadian rhythm is controlled by a set of core clock genes that are present in both in suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus and peripheral tissues, the generation and control of the circadian rhythm at the cellular, tissue, and organism levels occurs in a hierarchal fashion. The SCN is central pacemaker comprising the principal circadian clock that synchronizes peripheral circadian clocks to their appropriate phase. Different epidemiological studies have shown that disruption of normal circadian rhythm is implicated in increasing the risk of developing cancers. In addition, deregulated expression of clock genes has been demonstrated in various types of cancer. These findings indicate a close association between circadian clock and cancer development and progression. Here, we review different evidences of this association in relation to molecular pathogenesis in gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marwan Emara
- Center for Aging and Associated Diseases, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Cairo, Egypt
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24
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García-Costela M, Escudero-Feliú J, Puentes-Pardo JD, San Juán SM, Morales-Santana S, Ríos-Arrabal S, Carazo Á, León J. Circadian Genes as Therapeutic Targets in Pancreatic Cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020; 11:638. [PMID: 33042011 PMCID: PMC7516350 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide due to its symptoms, early metastasis, and chemoresistance. Thus, the mechanisms contributing to pancreatic cancer progression require further exploration. Circadian rhythms are the daily oscillations of multiple biological processes regulated by an endogenous clock. Several evidences suggest that the circadian clock may play an important role in the cell cycle, cell proliferation and apoptosis. In addition, timing of chemotherapy or radiation treatment can influence the efficacy and toxicity treatment. Here, we revisit the studies on circadian clock as an emerging target for therapy in pancreatic cancer. We highlight those potential circadian genes regulators that are commonly affected in pancreatic cancer according to most recent reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- María García-Costela
- Research Unit, Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada, ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
| | - Julia Escudero-Feliú
- Research Unit, Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada, ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
| | - Jose D. Puentes-Pardo
- Research Unit, Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada, ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
- Jose D. Puentes-Pardo
| | - Sara Moreno San Juán
- Cytometry and Michroscopy Research Service, Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada, ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
| | - Sonia Morales-Santana
- Proteomic Research Service, Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada, ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
- Endocrinology Unit, Endocrinology Division, CIBER of Fragility and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES), San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain
| | - Sandra Ríos-Arrabal
- Research Unit, Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada, ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
- *Correspondence: Sandra Ríos-Arrabal
| | - Ángel Carazo
- Genomic Research Service, Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada, ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
| | - Josefa León
- Research Unit, Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada, ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain
- Clinical Management Unit of Digestive Disease, San Cecilio University Hospital, Granada, Spain
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25
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Chang WH, Lai AG. An immunoevasive strategy through clinically-relevant pan-cancer genomic and transcriptomic alterations of JAK-STAT signaling components. Mol Med 2019; 25:46. [PMID: 31684858 PMCID: PMC6829980 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-019-0114-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since its discovery almost three decades ago, the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway has paved the road for understanding inflammatory and immunity processes related to a wide range of human pathologies including cancer. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of JAK-STAT pathway components in regulating tumor initiation and metastatic progression, yet, the extent of how genetic alterations influence patient outcome is far from being understood. METHODS Focusing on 133 genes involved in JAK-STAT signaling, we investigated genomic, transcriptomic and clinical profiles of over 18,000 patients representing 21 diverse cancer types. We identified a core set of 28 putative gain- or loss-of-function JAK-STAT genes that correlated with survival outcomes using Cox proportional hazards regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Differential expression analyses between high- and low-expressing patient groups were performed to evaluate the consequences of JAK-STAT misexpression. RESULTS We found that copy number alterations underpinning transcriptional dysregulation of JAK-STAT pathway genes differ within and between cancer types. Integrated analyses uniting genomic and transcriptomic datasets revealed a core set of JAK-STAT pathway genes that correlated with survival outcomes in brain, renal, lung and endometrial cancers. High JAK-STAT scores were associated with increased mortality rates in brain and renal cancers, but not in lung and endometrial cancers where hyperactive JAK-STAT signaling is a positive prognostic factor. Patients with aberrant JAK-STAT signaling demonstrated pan-cancer molecular features associated with misexpression of genes in other oncogenic pathways (Wnt, MAPK, TGF-β, PPAR and VEGF). Brain and renal tumors with hyperactive JAK-STAT signaling had increased regulatory T cell gene (Treg) expression. A combined model uniting JAK-STAT and Tregs allowed further delineation of risk groups where patients with high JAK-STAT and Treg scores consistently performed the worst. CONCLUSION Providing a pan-cancer perspective of clinically-relevant JAK-STAT alterations, this study could serve as a framework for future research investigating anti-tumor immunity using combination therapy involving JAK-STAT and immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Hoong Chang
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK
| | - Alvina G Lai
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK.
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26
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Wu Y, Tao B, Zhang T, Fan Y, Mao R. Pan-Cancer Analysis Reveals Disrupted Circadian Clock Associates With T Cell Exhaustion. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2451. [PMID: 31708917 PMCID: PMC6821711 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although dysfunctional circadian clock has emerged as a hallmark of cancer, fundamental gaps remain in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved. Here, we systematically analyze the core genes of the circadian clock (CLOCK, ARNTL, ARNTL2, NPAS2, NR1D1, NR1D2, CRY1, CRY2, RORA, RORB, RORC, PER1, PER2, and PER3) across a broad range of cancers. To our surprise, core negative regulators (PER1, PER2, PER3, CRY1, and CRY2) are consistently downregulated, while core positive regulators show minimal alterations, indicating disrupted circadian clock in cancers. Such downregulation originates from copy number variations where heterozygous deletion predominates. The disrupted circadian clock is significantly associated with patient outcome. Further pathway enrichment analysis suggests that the circadian clock widely impacts 45 pathways such as the Ras signaling pathway and T cell receptor signaling pathway. By using state-of-the-art immune cell deconvolution and pathway quantification, we demonstrate that abnormal circadian clock contributes to T cell exhaustion and global upregulation of immune inhibitory molecules such as PD-L1 and CTLA-4. In summary, the rhythm of the circadian clock is disrupted in cancers. Abnormal circadian clock linked with immune evasion may serve as a potential hallmark of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingcheng Wu
- Laboratory of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Baorui Tao
- Laboratory of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tianyang Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yihui Fan
- Laboratory of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Renfang Mao
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
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27
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Chang WH, Lai AG. Aberrations in Notch-Hedgehog signalling reveal cancer stem cells harbouring conserved oncogenic properties associated with hypoxia and immunoevasion. Br J Cancer 2019; 121:666-678. [PMID: 31523055 PMCID: PMC6889439 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-019-0572-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have innate abilities to resist even the harshest of therapies. To eradicate CSCs, parallels can be drawn from signalling modules that orchestrate pluripotency. Notch-Hedgehog hyperactivation are seen in CSCs, yet, not much is known about their conserved roles in tumour progression across cancers. Methods Employing a comparative approach involving 21 cancers, we uncovered clinically-relevant, pan-cancer drivers of Notch and Hedgehog. GISTIC datasets were used to evaluate copy number alterations. Receiver operating characteristic and Cox regression were employed for survival analyses. Results We identified a Notch-Hedgehog signature of 13 genes exhibiting high frequencies of somatic amplifications leading to transcript overexpression. The signature successfully predicted patients at risk of death in five cancers (n = 2278): glioma (P < 0.0001), clear cell renal cell (P = 0.0022), papillary renal cell (P = 0.00099), liver (P = 0.014) and stomach (P = 0.011). The signature was independent of other clinicopathological parameters and offered an additional resolution to stratify similarly-staged tumours. High-risk patients exhibited features of stemness and had more hypoxic tumours, suggesting that hypoxia may influence CSC behaviour. Notch-Hedgehog+ CSCs had an immune privileged phenotype associated with increased regulatory T cell function. Conclusion This study will set the stage for exploring adjuvant therapy targeting the Notch-Hedgehog axis to help optimise therapeutic regimes leading to successful CSC elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Hoong Chang
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK
| | - Alvina G Lai
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK.
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28
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Chang WH, Lai AG. The pan‐cancer mutational landscape of the PPAR pathway reveals universal patterns of dysregulated metabolism and interactions with tumor immunity and hypoxia. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019; 1448:65-82. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wai Hoong Chang
- Nuffield Department of MedicineUniversity of Oxford Oxford United Kingdom
| | - Alvina G. Lai
- Nuffield Department of MedicineUniversity of Oxford Oxford United Kingdom
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