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Jiang M, Wu W, Xiong Z, Yu X, Ye Z, Wu Z. Targeting autophagy drug discovery: Targets, indications and development trends. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 267:116117. [PMID: 38295689 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Autophagy plays a vital role in sustaining cellular homeostasis and its alterations have been implicated in the etiology of many diseases. Drugs development targeting autophagy began decades ago and hundreds of agents were developed, some of which are licensed for the clinical usage. However, no existing intervention specifically aimed at modulating autophagy is available. The obstacles that prevent drug developments come from the complexity of the actual impact of autophagy regulators in disease scenarios. With the development and application of new technologies, several promising categories of compounds for autophagy-based therapy have emerged in recent years. In this paper, the autophagy-targeted drugs based on their targets at various hierarchical sites of the autophagic signaling network, e.g., the upstream and downstream of the autophagosome and the autophagic components with enzyme activities are reviewed and analyzed respectively, with special attention paid to those at preclinical or clinical trials. The drugs tailored to specific autophagy alone and combination with drugs/adjuvant therapies widely used in clinical for various diseases treatments are also emphasized. The emerging drug design and development targeting selective autophagy receptors (SARs) and their related proteins, which would be expected to arrest or reverse the progression of disease in various cancers, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders, are critically reviewed. And the challenges and perspective in clinically developing autophagy-targeted drugs and possible combinations with other medicine are considered in the review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjia Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Wayne Wu
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Zijie Xiong
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- Department of Biology, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Zihong Ye
- Department of Biology, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Zhiping Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, China Jiliang University, China.
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2
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Nopora A, Weidle UH. CircRNAs as New Therapeutic Entities and Tools for Target Identification in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2024; 21:118-136. [PMID: 38423599 PMCID: PMC10905271 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a genetically extremely heterogeneous disease. Drug resistance after induction therapy is a very frequent event resulting in poor medium survival times. Therefore, the identification of new targets and treatment modalities is a medical high priority issue. We addressed our attention to circular RNAs (circRNAs), which can act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in AML. We searched the literature (PubMed) and identified eight up-regulated and two down-regulated circ-RNAs with activity in preclinical in vivo models. In addition, we identified twenty-two up-regulated and four down-regulated circRNAs with activity in preclinical in vitro systems, but pending in vivo activity. Up-regulated RNAs are potential targets for si- or shRNA-based approaches, and down-regulated circRNAs can be reconstituted by replacement therapy to achieve a therapeutic benefit in preclinical systems. The up-regulated targets can be tackled with small molecules, antibody-based entities, or other modes of intervention. For down-regulated targets, up-regulators must be identified. The ranking of the identified circRNAs with respect to therapy of AML will depend on further target validation experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Nopora
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich H Weidle
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
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3
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Wang X, Sun H, Dong Y, Huang J, Bai L, Tang Z, Liu S, Chen S. Development and validation of a cuproptosis-related prognostic model for acute myeloid leukemia patients using machine learning with stacking. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2802. [PMID: 38307903 PMCID: PMC10837443 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53306-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Our objective is to develop a prognostic model focused on cuproptosis, aimed at predicting overall survival (OS) outcomes among Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. The model utilized machine learning algorithms incorporating stacking. The GSE37642 dataset was used as the training data, and the GSE12417 and TCGA-LAML cohorts were used as the validation data. Stacking was used to merge the three prediction models, subsequently using a random survival forests algorithm to refit the final model using the stacking linear predictor and clinical factors. The prediction model, featuring stacking linear predictor and clinical factors, achieved AUC values of 0.840, 0.876 and 0.892 at 1, 2 and 3 years within the GSE37642 dataset. In external validation dataset, the corresponding AUCs were 0.741, 0.754 and 0.783. The predictive performance of the model in the external dataset surpasses that of the model simply incorporates all predictors. Additionally, the final model exhibited good calibration accuracy. In conclusion, our findings indicate that the novel prediction model refines the prognostic prediction for AML patients, while the stacking strategy displays potential for model integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xichao Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Hao Sun
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Yongfei Dong
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Jie Huang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Lu Bai
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Zaixiang Tang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, P. R. China.
| | - Songbai Liu
- Suzhou Key Laboratory of Medical Biotechnology, Suzhou Vocational Health College, Suzhou, 215009, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Suning Chen
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Institute of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
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Lai J, Yang C, Shang C, Chen W, Chu MP, Brandwein J, Lai R, Wang P. ULK2 Is a Key Pro-Autophagy Protein That Contributes to the High Chemoresistance and Disease Relapse in FLT3-Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:646. [PMID: 38203816 PMCID: PMC10780038 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
We recently demonstrated that a small subset of cells in FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines exhibit SORE6 reporter activity and cancer stem-like features including chemoresistance. To study why SORE6+ cells are more chemoresistant than SORE6- cells, we hypothesized that these cells carry higher autophagy, a mechanism linked to chemoresistance. We found that cytarabine (Ara-C) induced a substantially higher protein level of LC3B-II in SORE6+ compared to SORE6- cells. Similar observations were made using a fluorescence signal-based autophagy assay. Furthermore, chloroquine (an autophagy inhibitor) sensitized SORE6+ but not SORE6- cells to Ara-C. To decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying the high autophagic flux in SORE6+ cells, we employed an autophagy oligonucleotide array comparing gene expression between SORE6+ and SORE6- cells before and after Ara-C treatment. ULK2 was the most differentially expressed gene between the two cell subsets. To demonstrate the role of ULK2 in conferring higher chemoresistance in SORE6+ cells, we treated the two cell subsets with a ULK1/2 inhibitor, MRT68921. MRT68921 significantly sensitized SORE6+ but not SORE6- cells to Ara-C. Using our in vitro model for AML relapse, we found that regenerated AML cells contained higher ULK2 expression compared to pretreated cells. Importantly, inhibition of ULK2 using MRT68921 prevented in vitro AML relapse. Lastly, using pretreatment and relapsed AML patient bone marrow samples, we found that ULK2 expression was higher in relapsed AML. To conclude, our results supported the importance of autophagy in the relapse of FLT3-mutated AML and highlighted ULK2 in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Lai
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (J.L.); (M.P.C.); (J.B.)
| | - Claire Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (C.Y.); (C.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Chuquan Shang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (C.Y.); (C.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Will Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (C.Y.); (C.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Michael P. Chu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (J.L.); (M.P.C.); (J.B.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
| | - Joseph Brandwein
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (J.L.); (M.P.C.); (J.B.)
| | - Raymond Lai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (C.Y.); (C.S.); (W.C.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada; (J.L.); (M.P.C.); (J.B.)
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada
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Chen Y, Zou Z, Găman MA, Xu L, Li J. NADPH oxidase mediated oxidative stress signaling in FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:208. [PMID: 37391442 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01528-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The internal tandem duplication of the juxtamembrane domain of the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3-ITD) is the most common genetic change in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and about 30% of all AMLs harbor a FLT3-ITD mutation. Even though FLT3 inhibitors have displayed encouraging effects in FLT3-ITD-mutated AML, the extent of the clinical response to these compounds is cut short due to the rapid development of drug resistance. Evidence has shown that FLT3-ITD triggered activation of oxidative stress signaling may exert a pivotal role in drug resistance. The downstream pathways of FLT3-ITD, including STAT5, PI3K/AKT, and RAS/MAPK, are considered to be major oxidative stress signaling pathways. These downstream pathways can inhibit apoptosis and promote proliferation and survival by regulating apoptosis-related genes and promoting the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through NADPH oxidase (NOX) or other mechanisms. Appropriate levels of ROS may promote proliferation, but high levels of ROS can lead to oxidative damage to the DNA and increase genomic instability. In addition, post-translational modifications of FLT3-ITD and changes in its subcellular localization can affect downstream signaling which may also be one of the mechanisms leading to drug resistance. In this review, we summarized the research progress on NOX mediated oxidative stress signaling and its relationship with drug resistance in FLT3-ITD AML, and discuss the possible new targets in FLT3-ITD signal blocking to reverse drug resistance in FLT3-ITD-mutated AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongfeng Chen
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College of Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang, 318000, China.
| | - Zhenyou Zou
- Institute of Psychosis Prevention, Brain Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Liuzhou, Guangxi, 542005, China.
| | - Mihnea-Alexandru Găman
- Faculty of Medicine, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474, Bucharest, Romania.
- Department of Hematology, Centre of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Linglong Xu
- Department of Hematology, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital), Taizhou, Zhejiang, 318000, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, 637000, China
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Alhasan B, Mikeladze M, Guzhova I, Margulis B. Autophagy, molecular chaperones, and unfolded protein response as promoters of tumor recurrence. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2023; 42:217-254. [PMID: 36723697 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10085-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Tumor recurrence is a paradoxical function of a machinery, whereby a small proportion of the cancer cell population enters a resistant, dormant state, persists long-term in this condition, and then transitions to proliferation. The dormant phenotype is typical of cancer stem cells, tumor-initiating cells, disseminated tumor cells, and drug-tolerant persisters, which all demonstrate similar or even equivalent properties. Cancer cell dormancy and its conversion to repopulation are regulated by several protein signaling systems that inhibit or induce cell proliferation and provide optimal interrelations between cancer cells and their special niche; these systems act in close connection with tumor microenvironment and immune response mechanisms. During dormancy and reawakening periods, cell proteostasis machineries, autophagy, molecular chaperones, and the unfolded protein response are recruited to protect refractory tumor cells from a wide variety of stressors and therapeutic insults. Proteostasis mechanisms functionally or even physically interfere with the main regulators of tumor relapse, and the significance of these interactions and implications in the tumor recurrence phases are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bashar Alhasan
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretsky Ave. 4, 194064, St. Petersburg, Russia.
| | - Marina Mikeladze
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretsky Ave. 4, 194064, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Irina Guzhova
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretsky Ave. 4, 194064, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Boris Margulis
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretsky Ave. 4, 194064, St. Petersburg, Russia
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7
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Small Molecule Inhibitors for Unc-51-like Autophagy-Activating Kinase Targeting Autophagy in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24020953. [PMID: 36674464 PMCID: PMC9866249 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24020953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a cellular process that removes damaged components of cells and recycles them as biochemical building blocks. Autophagy can also be induced to protect cells in response to intra- and extracellular stresses, including damage to cellular components, nutrient deprivation, hypoxia, and pathogenic invasion. Dysregulation of autophagy has been attributed to various diseases. In particular, autophagy protects cancer cells by supporting tumor cell survival and the development of drug resistance. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of autophagy in cancer has stimulated the research on discovery and development of specific inhibitors targeting various stages of autophagy. In recent years, Unc-51-like autophagy-activating kinase (ULK) inhibitors have become an attractive strategy to treat cancer. This review summarizes recent discoveries and developments in small-molecule ULK inhibitors and their potential as anticancer agents. We focused on structural features, interactions with binding sites, and biological effects of these inhibitors. Overall, this review will provide guidance for using ULK inhibitors as chemical probes for autophagy in various cancers and developing improved ULK inhibitors that would enhance therapeutic benefits in the clinic.
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Hasan KMM, Haque MA. Autophagy and Its Lineage-Specific Roles in the Hematopoietic System. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2023; 2023:8257217. [PMID: 37180758 PMCID: PMC10171987 DOI: 10.1155/2023/8257217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a dynamic process that regulates the selective and nonselective degradation of cytoplasmic components, such as damaged organelles and protein aggregates inside lysosomes to maintain tissue homeostasis. Different types of autophagy including macroautophagy, microautophagy, and chaperon-mediated autophagy (CMA) have been implicated in a variety of pathological conditions, such as cancer, aging, neurodegeneration, and developmental disorders. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism and biological functions of autophagy have been extensively studied in vertebrate hematopoiesis and human blood malignancies. In recent years, the hematopoietic lineage-specific roles of different autophagy-related (ATG) genes have gained more attention. The evolution of gene-editing technology and the easy access nature of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), hematopoietic progenitors, and precursor cells have facilitated the autophagy research to better understand how ATG genes function in the hematopoietic system. Taking advantage of the gene-editing platform, this review has summarized the roles of different ATGs at the hematopoietic cell level, their dysregulation, and pathological consequences throughout hematopoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazi Md Mahmudul Hasan
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Islamic University, Kushtia 7003, Bangladesh
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, The University of California, 710 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Md Anwarul Haque
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Islamic University, Kushtia 7003, Bangladesh
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Rahmati A, Mafi A, Soleymani F, Babaei Aghdam Z, Masihipour N, Ghezelbash B, Asemi R, Aschner M, Vakili O, Homayoonfal M, Asemi Z, Sharifi M, Azadi A, Mirzaei H, Aghadavod E. Circular RNAs: pivotal role in the leukemogenesis and novel indicators for the diagnosis and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1149187. [PMID: 37124518 PMCID: PMC10140500 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1149187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological malignancy and affected patients have poor overall survival (OS) rates. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) with a unique loop structure. In recent years, with the development of high-throughput RNA sequencing, many circRNAs have been identified exhibiting either up-regulation or down-regulation in AML patients compared with healthy controls. Recent studies have reported that circRNAs regulate leukemia cell proliferation, stemness, and apoptosis, both positively and negatively. Additionally, circRNAs could be promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets in AML. In this study, we present a comprehensive review of the regulatory roles and potentials of a number of dysregulated circRNAs in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atefe Rahmati
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran
| | - Alireza Mafi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Firooze Soleymani
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Zahra Babaei Aghdam
- Imaging Sciences Research Group, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Niloufar Masihipour
- Department of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Science, Lorestan, Iran
| | - Behrooz Ghezelbash
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Reza Asemi
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Cancer Prevention Research Center, Seyyed Al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Omid Vakili
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mina Homayoonfal
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Zatollah Asemi
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Mehran Sharifi
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Cancer Prevention Research Center, Seyyed Al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Abbas Azadi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Hamed Mirzaei
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
- *Correspondence: Abbas Azadi, ; Esmat Aghadavod, ; Hamed Mirzaei, ;
| | - Esmat Aghadavod
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
- *Correspondence: Abbas Azadi, ; Esmat Aghadavod, ; Hamed Mirzaei, ;
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Translatome proteomics identifies autophagy as a resistance mechanism to on-target FLT3 inhibitors in acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia 2022; 36:2396-2407. [PMID: 35999260 PMCID: PMC9522593 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-022-01678-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Internal tandem duplications (ITD) in the receptor tyrosine kinase FLT3 occur in 25 % of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, drive leukemia progression and confer a poor prognosis. Primary resistance to FLT3 kinase inhibitors (FLT3i) quizartinib, crenolanib and gilteritinib is a frequent clinical challenge and occurs in the absence of identifiable genetic causes. This suggests that adaptive cellular mechanisms mediate primary resistance to on-target FLT3i therapy. Here, we systematically investigated acute cellular responses to on-target therapy with multiple FLT3i in FLT3-ITD + AML using recently developed functional translatome proteomics (measuring changes in the nascent proteome) with phosphoproteomics. This pinpointed AKT-mTORC1-ULK1-dependent autophagy as a dominant resistance mechanism to on-target FLT3i therapy. FLT3i induced autophagy in a concentration- and time-dependent manner specifically in FLT3-ITD + cells in vitro and in primary human AML cells ex vivo. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of autophagy increased the sensitivity to FLT3-targeted therapy in cell lines, patient-derived xenografts and primary AML cells ex vivo. In mice xenografted with FLT3-ITD + AML cells, co-treatment with oral FLT3 and autophagy inhibitors synergistically impaired leukemia progression and extended overall survival. Our findings identify a molecular mechanism responsible for primary FLT3i treatment resistance and demonstrate the pre-clinical efficacy of a rational combination treatment strategy targeting both FLT3 and autophagy induction.
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11
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Zou L, Liao M, Zhen Y, Zhu S, Chen X, Zhang J, Hao Y, Liu B. Autophagy and beyond: Unraveling the complexity of UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) from biological functions to therapeutic implications. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:3743-3782. [PMID: 36213540 PMCID: PMC9532564 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1), as a serine/threonine kinase, is an autophagic initiator in mammals and a homologous protein of autophagy related protein (Atg) 1 in yeast and of UNC-51 in Caenorhabditis elegans. ULK1 is well-known for autophagy activation, which is evolutionarily conserved in protein transport and indispensable to maintain cell homeostasis. As the direct target of energy and nutrition-sensing kinase, ULK1 may contribute to the distribution and utilization of cellular resources in response to metabolism and is closely associated with multiple pathophysiological processes. Moreover, ULK1 has been widely reported to play a crucial role in human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, and infections, and subsequently targeted small-molecule inhibitors or activators are also demonstrated. Interestingly, the non-autophagy function of ULK1 has been emerging, indicating that non-autophagy-relevant ULK1 signaling network is also linked with diseases under some specific contexts. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the structure and functions of ULK1 as an autophagic initiator, with a focus on some new approaches, and further elucidated the key roles of ULK1 in autophagy and non-autophagy. Additionally, we also discussed the relationships between ULK1 and human diseases, as well as illustrated a rapid progress for better understanding of the discovery of more candidate small-molecule drugs targeting ULK1, which will provide a clue on novel ULK1-targeted therapeutics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Zou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Minru Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yongqi Zhen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Shiou Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiya Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 28 85503817.
| | - Yue Hao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 28 85503817.
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel./fax: +86 28 85503817.
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Wang K, Liu J, Deng G, Ou Z, Li S, Xu X, Zhang M, Peng X, Chen F. LncSIK1 enhanced the sensitivity of AML cells to retinoic acid by the E2F1/autophagy pathway. Cell Prolif 2022; 55:e13185. [PMID: 35092119 PMCID: PMC8891555 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ke Wang
- School of PharmacyAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui ProvinceAnhui Institute of Innovative DrugsHefeiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune DiseasesAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Jun‐da Liu
- Department of Anesthesiologythe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Ge Deng
- School of PharmacyAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui ProvinceAnhui Institute of Innovative DrugsHefeiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune DiseasesAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Zi‐yao Ou
- School of PharmacyAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui ProvinceAnhui Institute of Innovative DrugsHefeiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune DiseasesAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Shu‐fang Li
- School of PharmacyAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui ProvinceAnhui Institute of Innovative DrugsHefeiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune DiseasesAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Xiao‐ling Xu
- School of PharmacyAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui ProvinceAnhui Institute of Innovative DrugsHefeiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune DiseasesAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Mei‐Ju Zhang
- School of PharmacyAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui ProvinceAnhui Institute of Innovative DrugsHefeiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune DiseasesAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Xiao‐Qing Peng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecologythe First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Fei‐hu Chen
- School of PharmacyAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui ProvinceAnhui Institute of Innovative DrugsHefeiChina
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune DiseasesAnhui Medical UniversityHefeiChina
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13
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Mukhopadhyay S, Mahapatra KK, Praharaj PP, Patil S, Bhutia SK. Recent progress of autophagy signaling in tumor microenvironment and its targeting for possible cancer therapeutics. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 85:196-208. [PMID: 34500075 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy, a lysosomal catabolic process, involves degradation of cellular materials, protein aggregate, and dysfunctional organelles to maintain cellular homeostasis. Strikingly, autophagy exhibits a dual-sided role in cancer; on the one hand, it promotes clearance of transformed cells and inhibits tumorigenesis, while cytoprotective autophagy has a role in sustaining cancer. The autophagy signaling in the tumor microenvironment (TME) during cancer growth and therapy is not adequately understood. The review highlights the role of autophagy signaling pathways to support cancer growth and progression in adaptation to the oxidative and hypoxic context of TME. Furthermore, autophagy contributes to regulating the metabolic switch for generating sufficient levels of high-energy metabolites, including amino acids, ketones, glutamine, and free fatty acids for cancer cell survival. Interestingly, autophagy has a critical role in modulating the tumor-associated fibroblast resulting in different cytokines and paracrine signaling mediated angiogenesis and invasion of pre-metastatic niches to secondary tumor sites. Moreover, autophagy promotes immune evasion to inhibit antitumor immunity, and autophagy inhibitors enhance response to immunotherapy with infiltration of immune cells to the TME niche. Furthermore, autophagy in TME maintains and supports the survival of cancer stem cells resulting in chemoresistance and therapy recurrence. Presently, drug repurposing has enabled the use of lysosomal inhibitor-based antimalarial drugs like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as clinically available autophagy inhibitors in cancer therapy. We focus on the recent developments of multiple autophagy modulators from pre-clinical trials and the challenges in developing autophagy-based cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhadip Mukhopadhyay
- Cancer and Cell Death Laboratory, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela 769008, Odisha, India
| | - Kewal Kumar Mahapatra
- Cancer and Cell Death Laboratory, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela 769008, Odisha, India
| | - Prakash Priyadarshi Praharaj
- Cancer and Cell Death Laboratory, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela 769008, Odisha, India
| | - Shankargouda Patil
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, Division of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sujit Kumar Bhutia
- Cancer and Cell Death Laboratory, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela 769008, Odisha, India.
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14
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Kumar P, Jagtap YA, Patwa SM, Kinger S, Dubey AR, Prajapati VK, Dhiman R, Poluri KM, Mishra A. Autophagy based cellular physiological strategies target oncogenic progression. J Cell Physiol 2021; 237:258-277. [PMID: 34448206 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30567] [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: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Evidence accumulated from past findings indicates that defective proteostasis may contribute to risk factors for cancer generation. Irregular assembly of abnormal proteins catalyzes the disturbance of cellular proteostasis and induces the ability of abnormal cellular proliferation. The autophagy mechanism plays a key role in the regular clearance of abnormal/poor lipids, proteins, and various cellular organelles. The results of functional and effective autophagy deliver normal cellular homeostasis, which establishes supportive metabolism and avoids unexpected tumorigenesis events. Still, the precise molecular mechanism of autophagy in tumor suppression has not been clear. How autophagy triggers selective or nonselective bulk degradation to dissipate tumor promotion under stress conditions is not clear. Under proteotoxic insults to knockdown the drive of tumorigenesis, it is critical for us to figure out the detailed molecular functions of autophagy in human cancers. The current article summarizes autophagy-based theragnostic strategies targeting various phases of tumorigenesis and suggests the preventive roles of autophagy against tumor progression. A better understanding of various molecular partners of autophagic flux will improve and innovate therapeutic approaches based on autophagic-susceptible effects against cellular oncogenic transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Kumar
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Yuvraj Anandrao Jagtap
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Som Mohanlal Patwa
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Sumit Kinger
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Ankur Rakesh Dubey
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Prajapati
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India
| | - Rohan Dhiman
- Laboratory of Mycobacterial Immunology, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India
| | - Krishna Mohan Poluri
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Amit Mishra
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
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15
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Qiu X, Zheng L, Liu X, Hong D, He M, Tang Z, Tian C, Tan G, Hwang S, Shi Z, Wang L. ULK1 Inhibition as a Targeted Therapeutic Strategy for Psoriasis by Regulating Keratinocytes and Their Crosstalk With Neutrophils. Front Immunol 2021; 12:714274. [PMID: 34421918 PMCID: PMC8371267 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.714274] [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: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease resulting from an interplay of keratinocytes and immune cells. Previous studies have identified an essential role of autophagy in the maintenance of epidermal homeostasis including proliferation and differentiation. However, much less is known about the role of autophagy-related proteins in the cutaneous immune response. Herein, we showed that ULK1, the key autophagic initiator, and its phosphorylation at Ser556 were distinctively decreased in the epidermis from lesional skin of psoriasis patients. Topical application of SBI0206965, a selective ULK1 inhibitor, significantly attenuated epidermal hyperplasia, infiltration of neutrophils, and transcripts of the psoriasis-related markers in imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasiform dermatitis (PsD). In vitro, ULK1 impairment by siRNA and SBI0206965 arrested cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis of keratinocytes but had a marginal effect on the expression of proinflammatory mediators under steady status. Surprisingly, SBI0206965 blocked the production of chemokines and cytokines in keratinocytes stimulated by neutrophils. Of interest, the pro-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects of ULK1 inhibition cannot be fully replicated by autophagic inhibitors. Our findings suggest a self-regulatory process by downregulating ULK1 to maintain the immune homeostasis of psoriatic skin via regulating keratinocytes and their crosstalk with neutrophils, possibly through both autophagy-dependent and independent mechanisms. ULK1 might be a potential target for preventing or treating psoriasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Qiu
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lin Zheng
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiuting Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dan Hong
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mintong He
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zengqi Tang
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cuicui Tian
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guozhen Tan
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sam Hwang
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States
| | - Zhenrui Shi
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liangchun Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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16
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Autophagy Modulators in Cancer: Focus on Cancer Treatment. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080839. [PMID: 34440583 PMCID: PMC8401266 DOI: 10.3390/life11080839] [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: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncontrolled autophagy has been associated with the development and progression of various cancers that are resistant to cancer therapy. Therefore, many efforts to modulate uncontrolled autophagy as a cancer treatment have been attempted, from basic science to clinical trials. However, it remains difficult to equally apply autophagy modulators to cancer therapy because autophagy is a double-edged sword in cancer: it can be tumor-suppressive or tumor-protective. Therefore, the precise mechanisms of autophagy modulators and their varied responsiveness to each cancer type should be addressed in detail. This study will describe the precise mechanisms of developing various autophagy modulators, their current therapeutic applications and future perspectives.
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17
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Zada S, Hwang JS, Ahmed M, Lai TH, Pham TM, Elashkar O, Kim DR. Cross talk between autophagy and oncogenic signaling pathways and implications for cancer therapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1876:188565. [PMID: 33992723 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a highly conserved metabolic process involved in the degradation of intracellular components including proteins and organelles. Consequently, it plays a critical role in recycling metabolic energy for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis in response to various stressors. In cancer, autophagy either suppresses or promotes cancer progression depending on the stage and cancer type. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer metastasis are directly mediated by oncogenic signal proteins including SNAI1, SLUG, ZEB1/2, and NOTCH1, which are functionally correlated with autophagy. In this report, we discuss the crosstalk between oncogenic signaling pathways and autophagy followed by possible strategies for cancer treatment via regulation of autophagy. Although autophagy affects EMT and cancer metastasis, the overall signaling pathways connecting cancer progression and autophagy are still illusive. In general, autophagy plays a critical role in cancer cell survival by providing a minimum level of energy via self-digestion. Thus, cancer cells face nutrient limitations and challenges under stress during EMT and metastasis. Conversely, autophagy acts as a potential cancer suppressor by degrading oncogenic proteins, which are essential for cancer progression, and by removing damaged components such as mitochondria to enhance genomic stability. Therefore, autophagy activators or inhibitors represent possible cancer therapeutics. We further discuss the regulation of autophagy-dependent degradation of oncogenic proteins and its functional correlation with oncogenic signaling pathways, with potential applications in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahib Zada
- Department of Biochemistry and Convergence Medical Sciences and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 527-27, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Seok Hwang
- Department of Biochemistry and Convergence Medical Sciences and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 527-27, Republic of Korea
| | - Mahmoud Ahmed
- Department of Biochemistry and Convergence Medical Sciences and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 527-27, Republic of Korea
| | - Trang Huyen Lai
- Department of Biochemistry and Convergence Medical Sciences and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 527-27, Republic of Korea
| | - Trang Minh Pham
- Department of Biochemistry and Convergence Medical Sciences and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 527-27, Republic of Korea
| | - Omar Elashkar
- Department of Biochemistry and Convergence Medical Sciences and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 527-27, Republic of Korea
| | - Deok Ryong Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Convergence Medical Sciences and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju 527-27, Republic of Korea.
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18
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You J, Wang X. Circ_HIPK3 Knockdown Inhibits Cell Proliferation, Migration and Invasion of Cholangiocarcinoma Partly via Mediating the miR-148a-3p/ULK1 Pathway. Cancer Manag Res 2021; 13:3827-3839. [PMID: 34007215 PMCID: PMC8123961 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s293823] [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: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The incidence of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is on the rise in recent years, and its pathogenesis may be associated with the deregulation of circular RNAs (circRNAs). Hence, we aimed to investigate the role of circRNA homeodomain interacting protein kinase 3 (circ_HIPK3) in CCA. Methods The expression of circ_HIPK3, miR-148a-3p and unc-51 like kinase 3 (ULK1) mRNA was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The role of circ_HIPK3 in cell proliferation was detected by 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and colony formation assay. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle progression were investigated using flow cytometry assay. Cell migration and invasion were detected by transwell assay. The protein levels of ULK1 and migration/invasion-associated markers were measured using Western blot. The putative relationship between miR-148a-3p and circ_HIPK3 or ULK1 was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The role of circ_HIPK3 was also investigated in vivo. Results Circ_HIPK3 was overexpressed in CCA tissues and cells. In function, circ_HIPK3 knockdown inhibited CCA cell proliferation, migration and invasion and induced apoptosis and cycle arrest. It was confirmed that miR-148a-3p was a target of circ_HIPK3, and ULK1 was a target of miR-148a-3p. Circ_HIPK3 regulated ULK1 expression by targeting miR-148a-3p. Rescue experiments showed that miR-148a-3p inhibition reversed the effects of circ_HIPK3 knockdown. Besides, miR-148a-3p enrichment-blocked cell proliferation, migration and invasion were recovered by ULK1 overexpression. In vivo, circ_HIPK3 knockdown inhibited solid tumor growth. Conclusion Circ_HIPK3 knockdown blocked CCA malignant development partly via regulating the miR-148a-3p/ULK1 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junning You
- Department of Emergency, Xianyang Hosptial, Yan'an University, XianYang, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaolin Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Yulin No.2 Hospital, Yulin, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
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19
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Baba T, Yoshida T, Tanabe Y, Nishimura T, Morishita S, Gotoh N, Hirao A, Hanayama R, Mukaida N. Cytoplasmic DNA accumulation preferentially triggers cell death of myeloid leukemia cells by interacting with intracellular DNA sensing pathway. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:322. [PMID: 33771977 PMCID: PMC7997981 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03587-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence indicates the presence of cytoplasmic DNAs in various types of malignant cells, and its involvement in anti-cancer drug- or radiotherapy-mediated DNA damage response and replication stress. However, the pathophysiological roles of cytoplasmic DNAs in leukemias remain largely unknown. We observed that during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in mouse myeloid leukemia models, double-stranded (ds)DNAs were constitutively secreted in the form of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from myeloid leukemia cells and were transferred to the donor cells to dampen their hematopoietic capabilities. Subsequent analysis of cytoplasmic DNA dynamics in leukemia cells revealed that autophagy regulated cytoplasmic dsDNA accumulation and subsequent redistribution into EVs. Moreover, accumulated cytoplasmic dsDNAs activated STING pathway, thereby reducing leukemia cell viability through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Pharmaceutical inhibition of autophagosome formation induced cytoplasmic DNA accumulation, eventually triggering cytoplasmic DNA sensing pathways to exert cytotoxicity, preferentially in leukemia cells. Thus, manipulation of cytoplasmic dsDNA dynamics can be a novel and potent therapeutic strategy for myeloid leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohisa Baba
- Division of Molecular Bioregulation, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
| | - Takeshi Yoshida
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.,Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yamato Tanabe
- Division of Molecular Bioregulation, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Tatsunori Nishimura
- Division of Cancer Cell Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Soji Morishita
- Department of Transfusion Medicine and Stem Cell Regulation, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriko Gotoh
- Division of Cancer Cell Biology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Atsushi Hirao
- Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.,Division of Molecular Genetics, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Rikinari Hanayama
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.,Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Naofumi Mukaida
- Division of Molecular Bioregulation, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
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20
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Li Q, Luan Q, Zhu H, Zhao Y, Ji J, Wu F, Yan J. Circular RNA circ_0005774 contributes to proliferation and suppresses apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia cells via circ_0005774/miR-192-5p/ULK1 ceRNA pathway. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 551:78-85. [PMID: 33735626 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.02.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) have been emerging as new players in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Hsa_circ_0005774 (circ_0005774) is an upregulated circRNA in pediatric AML, while its role is uncovered. Thus, we intended to measure the function and mechanism of circ_0005774 in AML leukemogenesis. Real time-quantitative PCR revealed that circ_0005774 was highly expressed in blood of pediatric AML patients and AML cells (HL-60 and NB4), accompanied with downregulated miRNA-192-5p (miR-192-5p) which was a crucial tumor-associated and leukemia-related miRNA. Circ_0005774 was abundant in miRNA response element according to CSCD software, and miR-192-5p was identified as a target of circ_0005774, as evidenced by RNA immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays. Cell viability assay, flow cytometry and western blotting were performed to measure cell functions. Accordingly, blocking circ_0005774 and/or overexpressing miR-192-5p could enhance apoptosis rate of HL-60 and NB4 cells, but suppress cell viability and cell cycle entrance, accompanied with depression of proliferation markers including proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), CyclinD1 and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). Meanwhile, depleting miR-192-5p counteracted the role of circ_0005774 knockdown in AML cells. Uncoordinated 51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) was previously demonstrated to be associated with diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic strategy for AML, and restoring ULK1 could abrogate miR-192-5p overexpression-induced effects in HL-60 and NB4 cells. Notably, ULK1 was a downstream target of miR-192-5p and indirectly modulated by circ_0005774. In conclusion, circ_0005774 knockdown repressed cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis of AML cells partially through regulating miR-192-5p/ULK1 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghua Li
- Department of Pediatric, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261041, Shandong, China
| | - Qingxia Luan
- Department of Pediatric, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261041, Shandong, China.
| | - Hailing Zhu
- Department of Pediatric, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261041, Shandong, China
| | - Yuehua Zhao
- Department of Pediatric, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261041, Shandong, China
| | - Jiafen Ji
- Department of Pediatric, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261041, Shandong, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Department of Pediatric, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261041, Shandong, China
| | - Jingfen Yan
- Department of Pediatric, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261041, Shandong, China
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21
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Yin S, Liu L, Gan W. The Roles of Post-Translational Modifications on mTOR Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041784. [PMID: 33670113 PMCID: PMC7916890 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a master regulator of cell growth, proliferation, and metabolism by integrating various environmental inputs including growth factors, nutrients, and energy, among others. mTOR signaling has been demonstrated to control almost all fundamental cellular processes, such as nucleotide, protein and lipid synthesis, autophagy, and apoptosis. Over the past fifteen years, mapping the network of the mTOR pathway has dramatically advanced our understanding of its upstream and downstream signaling. Dysregulation of the mTOR pathway is frequently associated with a variety of human diseases, such as cancers, metabolic diseases, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. Besides genetic alterations, aberrancies in post-translational modifications (PTMs) of the mTOR components are the major causes of the aberrant mTOR signaling in a number of pathologies. In this review, we summarize current understanding of PTMs-mediated regulation of mTOR signaling, and also update the progress on targeting the mTOR pathway and PTM-related enzymes for treatment of human diseases.
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22
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Rajak S, Raza S, Tewari A, Yadav S, Ghosh S, Yen PM, Sinha RA. Autophagic protein ULK1 regulates FOXM1 signalling in human hepatoma cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 532:570-575. [PMID: 32900486 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.08.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Unfortunately, a limited choice of anti-cancer drugs is available for treatment, owing to their minimal efficacy and development of acquired resistance. Autophagy, a cellular survival pathway, often exhibits a pleiotropic role in HCC progression. Studies show increased autophagy in established HCC, promoting the survival of HCC cells in the tumour microenvironment. Therefore, novel anti-autophagy drugs hold promise for preventing HCC progression. Here, using a non-biased transcriptomics analysis in HepG2 cells we demonstrate the existence of an autophagy-FOXM1 nexus regulating growth in HepG2 cells. Additionally, we show that suppression of autophagy by an Unc-51 Like Autophagy Activating Kinase 1(ULK1) inhibitor not only attenuates the expression of FOXM1 and its transcriptional targets, but also has a synergistic effect on the inhibition of HepG2 growth when combined with FOXM1 inhibitors. Thus, the autophagic protein, ULK1, is a promising candidate for preventing HCC progression. Collectively, our results provide new insight into the role of autophagy in HCC growth and are a proof-of concept for combinatorial therapy using ULK1 and FOXM1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangam Rajak
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Sana Raza
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Archana Tewari
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Shivmurat Yadav
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India
| | - Sujoy Ghosh
- Centre for Computational Biology, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, 169857, Singapore
| | - Paul M Yen
- Program of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, 169587, Singapore
| | - Rohit A Sinha
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, 226014, India.
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Ren H, Bakas NA, Vamos M, Chaikuad A, Limpert AS, Wimer CD, Brun SN, Lambert LJ, Tautz L, Celeridad M, Sheffler DJ, Knapp S, Shaw RJ, Cosford NDP. Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of an Orally Active Dual-Specific ULK1/2 Autophagy Inhibitor that Synergizes with the PARP Inhibitor Olaparib for the Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. J Med Chem 2020; 63:14609-14625. [PMID: 33200929 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of autophagy, the major cellular recycling pathway in mammalian cells, is a promising strategy for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We previously reported SBI-0206965, a small molecule inhibitor of unc-51-like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1), which is a key regulator of autophagy initiation. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and characterization of new dual inhibitors of ULK1 and ULK2 (ULK1/2). One inhibitor, SBP-7455 (compound 26), displayed improved binding affinity for ULK1/2 compared with SBI-0206965, potently inhibited ULK1/2 enzymatic activity in vitro and in cells, reduced the viability of TNBC cells and had oral bioavailability in mice. SBP-7455 inhibited starvation-induced autophagic flux in TNBC cells that were dependent on autophagy for survival and displayed synergistic cytotoxicity with the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib against TNBC cells. These data suggest that combining ULK1/2 and PARP inhibition may have clinical utility for the treatment of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyu Ren
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Nicole A Bakas
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Mitchell Vamos
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Apirat Chaikuad
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt 60438, Germany.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Allison S Limpert
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Carina D Wimer
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Sonja N Brun
- Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, San Diego, California 92037, United States
| | - Lester J Lambert
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Lutz Tautz
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Maria Celeridad
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Douglas J Sheffler
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt 60438, Germany.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Reuben J Shaw
- Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, San Diego, California 92037, United States
| | - Nicholas D P Cosford
- Cancer Molecules & Structures Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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