Human prostate luminal cell differentiation requires NOTCH3 induction by p38-MAPK and MYC

Lifelong exercise training promotes the remodelling of the immune system and prostate signalome in a rat model of prostate carcinogenesis

This work aimed to understand how lifelong exercise training promotes the remodelling of the immune system and prostate signalome in a rat model of PCa. Fifty-five male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control sedentary, control exercised, induced PCa sedentary and induced PCa exercised. Exercised animals were trained in a treadmill for 53 weeks. Pca induction consisted on the sequential administration of flutamide, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and testosterone propionate implants. Serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) were not different among groups. Peripheral levels of γδ T cells were higher in Pca exercised group than in the PCa sedentary group (p < 0.05). Exercise training also induced Oestrogen Receptor (ESR1) upregulation and Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase 13 (MAPK13) downregulation, changed the content of the phosphorylated (at Ser-104) form of this receptor (coded by the gene ESR1) and seemed to increase Erα phosphorylation and activity in exercised PCa rats when compared with sedentary PCa rats. Our data highlight the exercise-induced remodelling of peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations and lymphocyte infiltration in prostate tissue. Moreover, exercise training promotes the remodelling prostate signalome in this rat model of prostate carcinogenesis.

Clinical significance of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinases in hepatitis B virus -related hepatocellular carcinoma and underlying mechanism exploration

The purpose of this research was to explore the diagnostic/prognostic significance and prospective molecular mechanisms of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinases (MAP3Ks) in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Diagnostic/prognostic significance of MAP3Ks was screened in the GSE1450 data set and validated in the Guangxi cohort. Various bioinformatics tools were used to explore the biological functions of prognosis-related genes. Subsequently, molecular biology assays were used to verify the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of specific gene. MAP3K9 was observed to be differentially expressed in HCC and adjacent tissues with satisfactory diagnostic value. It was discovered in survival analysis that MAP3K13 and MAP3K15 were associated with overall survival (OS) of patients with HBV-related HCC in the GSE1450 data set and the Guangxi cohort. Nomograms were established based on prognosis-related genes and clinical factors for individualized risk assessment. The assays on HCC cells demonstrated that MAP3K13 regulated the death and proliferation of HCC cells by activating the JNK pathway and inducing the expression of apoptosis-related factors. In conclusion, our results suggested that MAP3K9 might serve as a diagnostic biomarker in HBV-related HCC and MAP3K13 and MAP3K15 might serve as useful prognostic biomarkers. Besides, cytological assays prompted that MAP3K13 might impact the prognosis of HCC by regulating the JNK pathway and inducing apoptosis.

Mapping genetic variability in mature miRNAs and miRNA binding sites in prostate cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate diverse cancer hallmarks through sequence-specific regulation of gene expression, so genetic variability in their seed sequences or target sites could be responsible for cancer initiation or progression. While several efforts have been made to predict the locations of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) at miRNA target sites and associate them with cancer risk and susceptibility, there have been few direct assessments of SNVs in both mature miRNAs and their target sites to assess their impact on miRNA function in cancers. Using genome-wide target capture of miRNAs and miRNA-binding sites followed by deep sequencing in prostate cancer cell lines, here we identified prostate cancer-specific SNVs in mature miRNAs and their target binding sites. SNV rs9860655 in the mature sequence of miR-570 was not present in benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) tissue or cell lines but was detectable in clinical prostate cancer tissue samples and adjacent normal tissue. SLC45A3 (prostein), a putative oncogene target of miR-1178, was highly upregulated in PC3 cells harboring an miR-1178 seed sequence SNV. Finally, systematic assessment of losses and gains of miRNA targets through 3'UTR SNVs revealed SNV-associated changes in target oncogene and tumor suppressor gene expression that might be associated with prostate carcinogenesis. Further work is required to systematically assess the functional effects of miRNA SNVs.

Aberrant CREB1 activation in prostate cancer disrupts normal prostate luminal cell differentiation

The molecular mechanisms of luminal cell differentiation are not understood well enough to determine how differentiation goes awry during oncogenesis. Using RNA-Seq analysis, we discovered that CREB1 plays a central role in maintaining new luminal cell survival and that oncogenesis dramatically changes the CREB1-induced transcriptome. CREB1 is active in luminal cells, but not basal cells. We identified ING4 and its E3 ligase, JFK, as CREB1 transcriptional targets in luminal cells. During luminal cell differentiation, transient induction of ING4 expression is followed by a peak in CREB1 activity, while JFK increases concomitantly with CREB1 activation. Transient expression of ING4 is required for luminal cell induction; however, failure to properly down-regulate ING4 leads to luminal cell death. Consequently, blocking CREB1 increased ING4 expression, suppressed JFK, and led to luminal cell death. Thus, CREB1 is responsible for the suppression of ING4 required for luminal cell survival and maintenance. Oncogenic transformation by suppressing PTEN resulted in constitutive activation of CREB1. However, the tumor cells could no longer fully differentiate into luminal cells, failed to express ING4, and displayed a unique CREB1 transcriptome. Blocking CREB1 in tumorigenic cells suppressed tumor growth in vivo, rescued ING4 expression, and restored luminal cell formation, but ultimately induced luminal cell death. IHC of primary prostate tumors demonstrated a strong correlation between loss of ING4 and loss of PTEN. This is the first study to define a molecular mechanism whereby oncogenic loss of PTEN, leading to aberrant CREB1 activation, suppresses ING4 expression causing disruption of luminal cell differentiation.

The Metabolic Fates of Pyruvate in Normal and Neoplastic Cells

Pyruvate occupies a central metabolic node by virtue of its position at the crossroads of glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and its production and fate being governed by numerous cell-intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The former includes the cell’s type, redox state, ATP content, metabolic requirements and the activities of other metabolic pathways. The latter include the extracellular oxygen concentration, pH and nutrient levels, which are in turn governed by the vascular supply. Within this context, we discuss the six pathways that influence pyruvate content and utilization: 1. The lactate dehydrogenase pathway that either converts excess pyruvate to lactate or that regenerates pyruvate from lactate for use as a fuel or biosynthetic substrate; 2. The alanine pathway that generates alanine and other amino acids; 3. The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex pathway that provides acetyl-CoA, the TCA cycle’s initial substrate; 4. The pyruvate carboxylase reaction that anaplerotically supplies oxaloacetate; 5. The malic enzyme pathway that also links glycolysis and the TCA cycle and generates NADPH to support lipid bio-synthesis; and 6. The acetate bio-synthetic pathway that converts pyruvate directly to acetate. The review discusses the mechanisms controlling these pathways, how they cross-talk and how they cooperate and are regulated to maximize growth and achieve metabolic and energetic harmony.

Notch Signaling Pathway in Cancer-Review with Bioinformatic Analysis

Simple Summary

The Notch signaling pathway, which controls multiple cell differentiation processes during the embryonic stage and adult life, is associated with carcinogenesis and disease progression. The aim of the present study was to highlight cancer heterogeneity with respect to the Notch pathway. Our analysis concerns the effects of the Notch signaling at different levels, including core components and downstream target genes. We also demonstrate overall and disease-free survival results, pointing out the characteristics of particular Notch components. Depending on tissue context, Notch members can be either oncogenic or suppressive. We observed different expression profile core components and target genes that could be associated with distinct survival of patients. Advances in our understanding of the Notch signaling in cancer are very promising for the development of new treatment strategies for the benefit of patients.

Abstract

Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway regulating normal embryonic development and homeostasis in a wide variety of tissues. It is also critically involved in carcinogenesis, as well as cancer progression. Activation of the Notch pathway members can be either oncogenic or suppressive, depending on tissue context. The present study is a comprehensive overview, extended with a bioinformatics analysis of TCGA cohorts, including breast, bladder, cervical, colon, kidney, lung, ovary, prostate and rectum carcinomas. We performed global expression profiling of the Notch pathway core components and downstream targets. For this purpose, we implemented the Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection algorithm to reduce the dimensions. Furthermore, we determined the optimal cutpoint using Evaluate Cutpoint software to established disease-free and overall survival with respect to particular Notch members. Our results demonstrated separation between tumors and their corresponding normal tissue, as well as between tumors in general. The differentiation of the Notch pathway, at its various stages, in terms of expression and survival resulted in distinct profiles of biological processes such as proliferation, adhesion, apoptosis and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. In conclusion, whether oncogenic or suppressive, Notch signaling is proven to be associated with various types of malignancies, and thus may be of interest as a potential therapeutic target.

BET protein inhibitor JQ1 downregulates chromatin accessibility and suppresses metastasis of gastric cancer via inactivating RUNX2/NID1 signaling

Chromatin accessibility is critical for tumor development, whose mechanisms remain unclear. As a crucial regulator for chromatin remodeling, BRD4 promotes tumor progression by regulating multiple genes. As a small-molecule inhibitor of BRD4, JQ1 has potent chemotherapeutic activity against various human cancers. However, whether JQ1 has potential anti-tumor effects and how JQ1 regulates global transcription in gastric cancer (GC) remain largely unknown. In this research, we found BRD4 was highly expressed in GC tissues and was significantly associated with poor prognosis. JQ1 inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of GC cells in vitro. Besides, JQ1 suppressed the migration and invasion of cancer cells by inducing MET. Notably, an assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) data showed that JQ1 obviously downregulated the chromatin accessibility of GC cells and differentially accessible regions were highly enriched for RUNX2-binding motifs. Combinational analysis of ATAC-seq and RNA-seq data discovered NID1 as the downstream target of JQ1 and JQ1 reduced NID1 expression in GC cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase reporter gene assay, and rescue experiments all confirmed that RUNX2/NID1 axis was responsible for JQ1-inhibiting metastasis of GC cells. What’s more, high expression of NID1 in GC tissues also predicted poor survival outcome of cancer patients and NID1 knockdown prohibited migration and invasion of cancer cells via partially inducing MET. Finally, in vivo models showed that JQ1 prevented GC growth and suppressed cancer metastasis. In conclusion, JQ1 inhibits the malignant progression of GC by downregulating chromatin accessibility and inactivating RUNX2/NID1 signaling. In addition, NID1 is also a novel therapeutic target for progressive GC patients.

Effects of Notch/p38MAPK signaling pathway on articular cartilage defect recovery by BMSCs tissue based on the rabbit articular cartilage defect models

Objective

The objective is to clarify the effects of Notch/p38MAPK signaling pathway on articular cartilage defect recovery by BMSCs tissue and provide a basis for clinical treatments of articular cartilage defects.

Methods

A total of 96 healthy male rabbits (weighed 1.5–2.0 kg) that were fully-grown were selected and grouped as the no-treatment group, the model group, and the treatment group in a random manner. Each group included 32 rabbits in total. The no-treatment group was fed without any interventions. The model group and the treatment group were constructed into rabbit knee-joint articular cartilage defect models. In addition, rabbits in the treatment group were given intervention treatments with Notch inhibitor (DAPT) combined with p38MAPK inhibitor (SB203580). The general conditions of rabbits in each group and the conditions of the stained articular cartilage tissue samples were observed, the proliferation of chondrocytes of rabbits in each group was compared.

Results

(1) After drug interventions, in contrast to the rabbits in the model group, the general conditions and the chondrocyte recovering situations of rabbits in the treatment group were obviously improved; (2) 8 weeks after model construction, the articular cartilage empty bone lacuna rate of rabbits in the treatment group was (12.13 ± 1.81)%, which was obviously lower than the synchronous (21.55 ± 3.07)% articular cartilage empty bone lacuna rate of rabbits in the model group, and there was a statistical significance in the differences (P < 0.05); (3) the absorbance value (OD value) of chondrocytes in the treatment group was (0.34 ± 0.015), which was obviously higher than the (0.10 ± 0.020) OD value of chondrocytes in the model group, and there was a statistical significance in the differences (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The inhibition of Notch/p38MAPK signaling pathway can promote the recovery of articular cartilage by BMSCs tissue, accelerate the proliferation of chondrocytes, and contribute to the recovery of knee-joint injuries in rabbits, which provides a reliable basis for clinical treatments of articular cartilage defects.

Functional Role of p53 in the Regulation of Chemical-Induced Oxidative Stress

The nuclear transcription factor p53, discovered in 1979, has a broad range of biological functions, primarily the regulation of apoptosis, the cell cycle, and DNA repair. In addition to these canonical functions, a growing body of evidence suggests that p53 plays an important role in regulating intracellular redox homeostasis through transcriptional and nontranscriptional mechanisms. Oxidative stress induction and p53 activation are common responses to chemical exposure and are suggested to play critical roles in chemical-induced toxicity. The activation of p53 can exert either prooxidant or antioxidant activity, depending on the context. In this review, we discuss the functional role of p53 in regulating chemical-induced oxidative stress, summarize the potential signaling pathways involved in p53's regulation of chemically mediated oxidative stress, and propose issues that should be addressed in future studies to improve understanding of the relationship between p53 and chemical-induced oxidative stress.

Effect of the traditional Chinese medicine Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granules on chronic glomerulonephritis rats studied by using long noncoding RNAs expression profiling

AIM OF THE STUDY

Chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) is the most common form of primary glomerular disease. Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granules have been proposed as a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treatment of CGN, however,the comprehensive molecular mechanism underlying this therapeutic effectremains unclear to date. Our study aimed to evaluate and analyze the possible roles and molecular mechanisms of Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granule-mediated treatment of CGN induced by adriamycin in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RNA-sequencing and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were applied to identify specifically expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in glomerular tissues of rats from the control group, adriamycin-induced group, and Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granules group (n = 3). Differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs (messengerRNAs) were screened out among the 3 groups. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were performed to analyze the biological functions and pathways for mRNAs. LncRNA-mRNA co-expression network was constructed to analyse for the genes. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was visualized.

RESULTS

A total of 473 significantly up and down-regulated lncRNAs, 753 up and down-regulated mRNAs were identified. Additionally, it is worth noting that TOP2a (topoisomerase (DNA) II alpha), with the highest connectivity degree in PPI network, was enriched in variouskinds of pathways. Coding-non-coding gene co-expression networks (CNC network) were drawn based on the correlation analysis between lncRNAs and mRNAs. Ten lncRNAs, NONRATT009275.2, NONRATT025409.2, NONRATT025419.2, MSTRG.7681.1, ENSRNOT00000084373, NONRATT000512.2, NONRATT006734.2, ENSRNOT00000084386, NONRATT021738.2, ENSRNOT00000084080, were selected to analyse the relationship between LncRNAs and Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granules via the CNC network (Coding-non-coding gene co-expression networks) and GO analysis. Real-time PCR results confirmed that the six lncRNAs were specifically expressed in the Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granules rats.

CONCLUSIONS

The ten lncRNAs might play important roles in the Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granules treatment of CGN. Key genes, such as Ptprc (protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type, C), TOP2a, Fos (FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene), Myc (myelocytomatosis oncogene), etc, may be crucial biomarkers for Qi Teng Xiao Zhuo granules.

Notch3 promotes prostate cancer-induced bone lesion development via MMP-3

Prostate cancer metastases primarily localize in the bone where they induce a unique osteoblastic response. Elevated Notch activity is associated with high-grade disease and metastasis. To address how Notch affects prostate cancer bone lesions, we manipulated Notch expression in mouse tibia xenografts and monitored tumor growth, lesion phenotype, and the bone microenvironment. Prostate cancer cell lines that induce mixed osteoblastic lesions in bone expressed 5–6 times more Notch3, than tumor cells that produce osteolytic lesions. Expression of active Notch3 (NICD3) in osteolytic tumors reduced osteolytic lesion area and enhanced osteoblastogenesis, while loss of Notch3 in osteoblastic tumors enhanced osteolytic lesion area and decreased osteoblastogensis. This was accompanied by a respective decrease and increase in the number of active osteoclasts and osteoblasts at the tumor-bone interface, without any effect on tumor proliferation. Conditioned medium from NICD3-expressing cells enhanced osteoblast differentiation and proliferation in vitro, while simultaneously inhibiting osteoclastogenesis. MMP-3 was specifically elevated and secreted by NICD3-expressing tumors, and inhibition of MMP-3 rescued the NICD3-induced osteoblastic phenotypes. Clinical osteoblastic bone metastasis samples had higher levels of Notch3 and MMP-3 compared to patient matched visceral metastases or osteolytic metastasis samples. We identified a Notch3-MMP-3 axis in human prostate cancer bone metastases that contributes to osteoblastic lesion formation by blocking osteoclast differentiation, while also contributing to osteoblastogenesis. These studies define a new role for Notch3 in manipulating the tumor microenvironment in bone metastases.

Notch Signaling Affects Oral Neoplasm Cell Differentiation and Acquisition of Tumor-Specific Characteristics

Histopathological findings of oral neoplasm cell differentiation and metaplasia suggest that tumor cells induce their own dedifferentiation and re-differentiation and may lead to the formation of tumor-specific histological features. Notch signaling is involved in the maintenance of tissue stem cell nature and regulation of differentiation and is responsible for the cytological regulation of cell fate, morphogenesis, and/or development. In our previous study, immunohistochemistry was used to examine Notch expression using cases of odontogenic tumors and pleomorphic adenoma as oral neoplasms. According to our results, Notch signaling was specifically associated with tumor cell differentiation and metaplastic cells of developmental tissues. Notch signaling was involved in the differentiation of the ductal epithelial cells of salivary gland tumors and ameloblast-like cells of odontogenic tumors. However, Notch signaling was also involved in squamous metaplasia, irrespective of the type of developmental tissue. In odontogenic tumors, Notch signaling was involved in epithelial–mesenchymal interactions and may be related to tumor development and tumorigenesis. This signaling may also be associated with the malignant transformation of ameloblastomas. Overall, Notch signaling appears to play a major role in the formation of the characteristic cellular composition and histological features of oral neoplasms, and this involvement has been reviewed here.

Prevention of cancer dormancy by Fbxw7 ablation eradicates disseminated tumor cells

Dormant cancer cells known as disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) are often present in bone marrow of breast cancer patients. These DTCs are thought to be responsible for the incurable recurrence of breast cancer. The mechanism underlying the long-term maintenance of DTCs remains unclear, however. Here, we show that Fbxw7 is essential for the maintenance of breast cancer dormancy. Genetic ablation of Fbxw7 in breast cancer cells disrupted the quiescence of DTCs, rendering them proliferative, in mouse xenograft and allograft models. Fbxw7-deficient DTCs were significantly depleted by treatment with paclitaxel, suggesting that cell proliferation induced by Fbxw7 ablation sensitized DTCs to chemotherapy. The combination of Fbxw7 ablation and chemotherapy reduced the number of DTCs even when applied after tumor cell dissemination. Mice injected with Fbxw7-deficient cancer cells survived longer after tumor resection and subsequent chemotherapy than did those injected with wild-type cells. Furthermore, database analysis revealed that breast cancer patients whose tumors expressed FBXW7 at a high level had a poorer prognosis than did those with a low FBXW7 expression level. Our results suggest that a wake-up strategy for DTCs based on Fbxw7 inhibition might be of value in combination with conventional chemotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer.

Recent advances in prostate cancer research: large-scale genomic analyses reveal novel driver mutations and DNA repair defects

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a disease of mutated and misregulated genes. However, primary prostate tumors have relatively few mutations, and only three genes ( ERG, PTEN, and SPOP) are recurrently mutated in more than 10% of primary tumors. On the other hand, metastatic castration-resistant tumors have more mutations, but, with the exception of the androgen receptor gene ( AR), no single gene is altered in more than half of tumors. Structural genomic rearrangements are common, including ERG fusions, copy gains involving the MYC locus, and copy losses containing PTEN. Overall, instead of being associated with a single dominant driver event, prostate tumors display various combinations of modifications in oncogenes and tumor suppressors. This review takes a broad look at the recent advances in PCa research, including understanding the genetic alterations that drive the disease and how specific mutations can sensitize tumors to potential therapies. We begin with an overview of the genomic landscape of primary and metastatic PCa, enabled by recent large-scale sequencing efforts. Advances in three-dimensional cell culture techniques and mouse models for PCa are also discussed, and particular emphasis is placed on the benefits of patient-derived xenograft models. We also review research into understanding how ETS fusions (in particular, TMPRSS2-ERG) and SPOP mutations contribute to tumor initiation. Next, we examine the recent findings on the prevalence of germline DNA repair mutations in about 12% of patients with metastatic disease and their potential benefit from the use of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and immune modulation. Lastly, we discuss the recent increased prevalence of AR-negative tumors (neuroendocrine and double-negative) and the current state of immunotherapy in PCa. AR remains the primary clinical target for PCa therapies; however, it does not act alone, and better understanding of supporting mutations may help guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

The Notch-3 receptor: A molecular switch to tumorigenesis?

The Notch pathway is a highly conserved pathway increasingly implicated with the progression of human cancers. Of the four existing receptors associated with the pathway, the deregulation in the expression of the Notch-3 receptor is associated with more aggressive disease and poor prognosis. Selective targeting of this receptor has the potential to enhance current anti-cancer treatments. Molecular profiling strategies are increasingly incorporated into clinical decision making. This review aims to evaluate the clinical potential of Notch-3 within this new era of personalised medicine.