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Yuan S, Almagro J, Fuchs E. Beyond genetics: driving cancer with the tumour microenvironment behind the wheel. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:274-286. [PMID: 38347101 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-023-00660-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Cancer has long been viewed as a genetic disease of cumulative mutations. This notion is fuelled by studies showing that ageing tissues are often riddled with clones of complex oncogenic backgrounds coexisting in seeming harmony with their normal tissue counterparts. Equally puzzling, however, is how cancer cells harbouring high mutational burden contribute to normal, tumour-free mice when allowed to develop within the confines of healthy embryos. Conversely, recent evidence suggests that adult tissue cells expressing only one or a few oncogenes can, in some contexts, generate tumours exhibiting many of the features of a malignant, invasive cancer. These disparate observations are difficult to reconcile without invoking environmental cues triggering epigenetic changes that can either dampen or drive malignant transformation. In this Review, we focus on how certain oncogenes can launch a two-way dialogue of miscommunication between a stem cell and its environment that can rewire downstream events non-genetically and skew the morphogenetic course of the tissue. We review the cells and molecules of and the physical forces acting in the resulting tumour microenvironments that can profoundly affect the behaviours of transformed cells. Finally, we discuss possible explanations for the remarkable diversity in the relative importance of mutational burden versus tumour microenvironment and its clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaopeng Yuan
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jorge Almagro
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elaine Fuchs
- Robin Chemers Neustein Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY, USA.
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Li Q, Li Z, Luo T, Shi H. Targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAF/MEK/ERK pathways for cancer therapy. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2022; 3:47. [PMID: 36539659 PMCID: PMC9768098 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-022-00110-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAF/MEK/ERK pathways are commonly activated by mutations and chromosomal translocation in vital targets. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is dysregulated in nearly all kinds of neoplasms, with the component in this pathway alternations. RAF/MEK/ERK signaling cascades are used to conduct signaling from the cell surface to the nucleus to mediate gene expression, cell cycle processes and apoptosis. RAS, B-Raf, PI3K, and PTEN are frequent upstream alternative sites. These mutations resulted in activated cell growth and downregulated cell apoptosis. The two pathways interact with each other to participate in tumorigenesis. PTEN alterations suppress RAF/MEK/ERK pathway activity via AKT phosphorylation and RAS inhibition. Several inhibitors targeting major components of these two pathways have been supported by the FDA. Dozens of agents in these two pathways have attracted great attention and have been assessed in clinical trials. The combination of small molecular inhibitors with traditional regimens has also been explored. Furthermore, dual inhibitors provide new insight into antitumor activity. This review will further comprehensively describe the genetic alterations in normal patients and tumor patients and discuss the role of targeted inhibitors in malignant neoplasm therapy. We hope this review will promote a comprehensive understanding of the role of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathways in facilitating tumors and will help direct drug selection for tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingfang Li
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhihui Li
- Department of Oncology, The General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Ting Luo
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Breast, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, P. R. China
| | - Huashan Shi
- grid.13291.380000 0001 0807 1581Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041 Chengdu, P. R. China
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Li Z, Nong D, Li B, Wang H, Li C, Chen Z, Li X, Huang G, Lin J, Hao N, Li W. Effect of AKT silence on malignant biological behavior of renal cell carcinoma cells. BMC Urol 2022; 22:129. [PMID: 35996134 PMCID: PMC9396790 DOI: 10.1186/s12894-022-01087-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the most common malignant tumor of primary renal tumor, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the highly invasive disease with high mortality. AKT is a serine/threonine kinase that play a critical role in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway, and it is an attractive target for RCC treatment. The aim of present study was to investigate the effect of AKT silence on malignant behavior of renal cell carcinoma cells. METHODS AKT expression was quantified by immunohistochemistry in tumor tissues and normal tissues. The human RCC cell lines Caki-2 cell were chosen for this study. The optimal silencing siRNA was subsequently selected by RT-qPCR and western blot. The effect of AKT silence on RCC cells was investigated by CCK8 assay, transwell assay, scratch test and flow cytometry. The AKT1 expression in human renal cell carcinoma tissue was detected by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS The AKT in Caki-2 cells was silenced successfully. The results shown AKT silence could inhibit cell proliferation, invasion, and, migration. In addition, AKT silence could promote Caki-2 cell apoptosis with prevention of RCC cells move from G1 phase to S phase. Immunohistochemical staining revealed significant difference of expression of AKT1 in RCC tissues and normal renal tissues. Taken together, AKT family members might involve in malignant growth of RCC, and might be a potential therapeutic target. CONCLUSION Our data show that AKT silence inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and, migration of Caki-2 cell, and promoted Caki-2 cell apoptosis. Moreover, AKT silence prevented RCC cells move from G1 phase to S phase. Therefore, AKT may act as an effective therapeutic target for RCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuan Li
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - DeYong Nong
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Bincai Li
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Haojian Wang
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Chunlin Li
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Zhi Chen
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Ximing Li
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Guihai Huang
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Junhao Lin
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Nan Hao
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Wei Li
- grid.410652.40000 0004 6003 7358Department of Urology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
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The AKT1E17K Allele Promotes Breast Cancer in Mice. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14112645. [PMID: 35681625 PMCID: PMC9179273 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14112645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The main finding reported in this manuscript is that the gain-of-function mutation AKT1E17K is a bona fide oncogene for mammary epithelium, being able to efficiently initiate breast cancer in mice. On the basis of high-molecular-weight cytokeratins expressed by AKT1E17K-derived tumors supported by additional integrative gene expression analysis these tumors resulted similar to human basal-like cancer, phenotypically and molecularly. These results indicate that the AKTE17K strain may represent an appropriate model of human basal-like breast cancer for the identification of novel therapies specific for this type of tumor. Abstract The gain-of-function mutation in the pleckstrin homology domain of AKT1 (AKT1E17K) occurs in lung and breast cancer. Through the use of human cellular models and of a AKT1E17K transgenic Cre-inducible murine strain (R26-AKT1E17K mice), we have demonstrated that AKT1E17K is a bona fide oncogene for lung epithelial cells. However, the role of AKT1E17K in breast cancer remains to be determined. Here, we report the generation and the characterization of a MMTV-CRE; R26-AKT1E17K mouse strain that expresses the mutant AKT1E17K allele in the mammary epithelium. We observed that AKT1E17K stimulates the development of mammary tumors classified as ductal adenocarcinoma of medium–high grade and presented a variety of proliferative alterations classified as adenosis with low-to-high grade dysplasia in the mammary epithelium. A subsequent immunohistochemical characterization suggested they were PR−/HER2−/ER+, basal-like and CK8−/CK10−/CK5+/CK14+. We also observed that, in parallel with an increased proliferation rate, tumors expressing mutant AKT1E17K presented an activation of the GSK3/cyclin D1 pathway in the mammary epithelium and cluster significantly with the human basal-like tumors. In conclusion, we demonstrate AKT1E17K is a bona fide oncogene that can initiate tumors at high efficiency in murine mammary epithelium in vivo.
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Francia M, Stortz M, Echegaray CV, Oses C, Verneri P, Petrone MV, Toro A, Waisman A, Miriuka S, Cosentino MS, Levi V, Guberman A. SUMO conjugation susceptibility of Akt/protein kinase B affects the expression of the pluripotency transcription factor Nanog in embryonic stem cells. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254447. [PMID: 34242346 PMCID: PMC8270172 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Akt/PKB is a kinase involved in the regulation of a wide variety of cell processes. Its activity is modulated by diverse post-translational modifications (PTMs). Particularly, conjugation of the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) to this kinase impacts on multiple cellular functions, such as proliferation and splicing. In embryonic stem (ES) cells, this kinase is key for pluripotency maintenance. Among other functions, Akt is known to promote the expression of Nanog, a central pluripotency transcription factor (TF). However, the relevance of this specific PTM of Akt has not been previously analyzed in this context. In this work, we study the effect of Akt1 variants with differential SUMOylation susceptibility on the expression of Nanog. Our results demonstrate that both, the Akt1 capability of being modified by SUMO conjugation and a functional SUMO conjugase activity are required to induce Nanog gene expression. Likewise, we found that the common oncogenic E17K Akt1 mutant affected Nanog expression in ES cells also in a SUMOylatability dependent manner. Interestingly, this outcome takes places in ES cells but not in a non-pluripotent heterologous system, suggesting the presence of a crucial factor for this induction in ES cells. Remarkably, the two major candidate factors to mediate this induction, GSK3-β and Tbx3, are non-essential players of this effect, suggesting a complex mechanism probably involving non-canonical pathways. Furthermore, we found that Akt1 subcellular distribution does not depend on its SUMOylatability, indicating that Akt localization has no influence on the effect on Nanog, and that besides the membrane localization of E17K Akt mutant, SUMOylation is also required for its hyperactivity. Our results highlight the impact of SUMO conjugation in the function of a kinase relevant for a plethora of cellular processes, including the control of a key pluripotency TF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Francia
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martin Stortz
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Camila Vazquez Echegaray
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Camila Oses
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paula Verneri
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Victoria Petrone
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ayelen Toro
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ariel Waisman
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada a las Neurociencias Fundación para la Lucha contra las Enfermedades Neurológicas de la Infancia (LIAN, FLENI-CONICET), Escobar, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Santiago Miriuka
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada a las Neurociencias Fundación para la Lucha contra las Enfermedades Neurológicas de la Infancia (LIAN, FLENI-CONICET), Escobar, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Soledad Cosentino
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria Levi
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandra Guberman
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN, CONICET-UBA), Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Yu L, Wei J, Liu P. Attacking the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway for targeted therapeutic treatment in human cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 85:69-94. [PMID: 34175443 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of human death globally. PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling is one of the most frequently dysregulated signaling pathways observed in cancer patients that plays crucial roles in promoting tumor initiation, progression and therapy responses. This is largely due to that PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling is indispensable for many cellular biological processes, including cell growth, metastasis, survival, metabolism, and others. As such, small molecule inhibitors targeting major kinase components of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway have drawn extensive attention and been developed and evaluated in preclinical models and clinical trials. Targeting a single kinase component within this signaling usually causes growth arrest rather than apoptosis associated with toxicity-induced adverse effects in patients. Combination therapies including PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors show improved patient response and clinical outcome, albeit developed resistance has been reported. In this review, we focus on revealing the mechanisms leading to the hyperactivation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in cancer and summarizing efforts for developing PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitors as either mono-therapy or combination therapy in different cancer settings. We hope that this review will facilitate further understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing dysregulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR oncogenic signaling in cancer and provide insights into possible future directions for targeted therapeutic regimen for cancer treatment, by developing new agents, drug delivery systems, or combination regimen to target the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. This information will also provide effective patient stratification strategy to improve the patient response and clinical outcome for cancer patients with deregulated PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Yu
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | | | - Pengda Liu
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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Kang C, Wang L, Wang D, Zhang X, Chen J. Lung cancer A549 cells suppressed with overexpressed HNF1B or PCDHA13 inhibited PI3K/AKT phosphorylation. Transl Cancer Res 2020; 9:3819-3827. [PMID: 35117749 PMCID: PMC8797347 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-20-1727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lung cancer is the most revenant and deadly tumors around the world. Here we aimed to explore the effects of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1B (HNF1B) and PCDHA13 overexpression on PI3K/AKT phosphorylation and malignant biological behavior in lung cancer A549 cells. METHODS HNF1B and PCDHA13 were amplified, and their overexpression plasmids were constructed for transfection. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA levels of HNF1B and PCDHA13. Cell proliferation and cell apoptosis were detected by clone formation experiments and flow cytometry, respectively, while cell invasion was studied by Transwell assay. The expression of survivin, PCNA, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, VEGF, and fibronectin was detected using immunoblotting, as was PI3K/AKT phosphorylation. RESULTS The level of HNF1B mRNA expression was significantly higher in the pcNDA-HNF1B group than in the control group (P<0.05), and the level of PCDHA13 mRNA expression in the pcNDA-PCDHA13 group was also significantly increased (P<0.05). The clone formation rate and cell invasion count in pcNDA-HNF1B or pcNDA-PCDHA13 transfected groups were significantly reduced in comparison with the control group, which were further validated with the protein expression levels of survivin, PCNA, VEGF, and fibronectin (P<0.05). However, the apoptosis rate, and the cleaved caspase3/caspase3 and cleaved caspase9/caspase9 protein expression ratios were all significantly increased (P<0.05). Cells transfected with pcNDA-HNF1B or pcNDA-PCDHA13 showed decreased levels of PI3K/AKT phosphorylation (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Overexpression of HNF1B and PCDHA13 inhibits the phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT and hinders the malignant biological behavior of lung cancer A549 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Kang
- Department of Pathology, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou 451191, China
| | - Lingxiao Wang
- Department of Pathology, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou 451191, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450014, China
| | - Xiuzhi Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou 451191, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, Henan Medical College, Zhengzhou 451191, China
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Abstract
The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is frequently activated in various human cancers and has been considered a promising therapeutic target. Many of the positive regulators of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis, including the catalytic (p110α) and regulatory (p85α), of class IA PI3K, AKT, RHEB, mTOR, and eIF4E, possess oncogenic potentials, as demonstrated by transformation assays in vitro and by genetically engineered mouse models in vivo. Genetic evidences also indicate their roles in malignancies induced by activation of the upstream oncoproteins including receptor tyrosine kinases and RAS and those induced by the loss of the negative regulators of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway such as PTEN, TSC1/2, LKB1, and PIPP. Possible mechanisms by which the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis contributes to oncogenic transformation include stimulation of proliferation, survival, metabolic reprogramming, and invasion/metastasis, as well as suppression of autophagy and senescence. These phenotypic changes are mediated by eIF4E-induced translation of a subset of mRNAs and by other downstream effectors of mTORC1 including S6K, HIF-1α, PGC-1α, SREBP, and ULK1 complex.
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Analysis of miRNA profiles identified miR-196a as a crucial mediator of aberrant PI3K/AKT signaling in lung cancer cells. Oncotarget 2017; 8:19172-19191. [PMID: 27880728 PMCID: PMC5386676 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperactivation of the PI3K/AKT pathway is observed in most human cancer including lung carcinomas. Here we have investigated the role of miRNAs as downstream targets of activated PI3K/AKT signaling in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). To this aim, miRNA profiling was performed in human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) expressing active AKT1 (BEAS-AKT1-E17K), active PI3KCA (BEAS-PIK3CA-E545K) or with silenced PTEN (BEAS-shPTEN). Twenty-four differentially expressed miRNAs common to BEAS-AKT1-E17K, BEAS-PIK3CA-E545K and BEAS-shPTEN cells were identified through this analysis, with miR-196a being the most consistently up-regulated miRNA. Interestingly, miR-196a was significantly overexpressed also in human NSCLC-derived cell lines (n=11) and primary lung cancer samples (n=28). By manipulating the expression of miR-196a in BEAS-2B and NCI-H460 cells, we obtained compelling evidence that this miRNA acts downstream the PI3K/AKT pathway, mediating some of the proliferative, pro-migratory and tumorigenic activity that this pathway exerts in lung epithelial cells, possibly through the regulation of FoxO1, CDKN1B (hereafter p27) and HOXA9.
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De Marco C, Laudanna C, Rinaldo N, Oliveira DM, Ravo M, Weisz A, Ceccarelli M, Caira E, Rizzuto A, Zoppoli P, Malanga D, Viglietto G. Specific gene expression signatures induced by the multiple oncogenic alterations that occur within the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway in lung cancer. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178865. [PMID: 28662101 PMCID: PMC5491004 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperactivation of the phosphatydil-inositol-3' phosphate kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway is observed in most NSCLCs, promoting proliferation, migration, invasion and resistance to therapy. AKT can be activated through several mechanisms that include loss of the negative regulator PTEN, activating mutations of the catalytic subunit of PI3K (PIK3CA) and/or mutations of AKT1 itself. However, number and identity of downstream targets of activated PI3K/AKT pathway are poorly defined. To identify the genes that are targets of constitutive PI3K/AKT signalling in lung cancer cells, we performed a comparative transcriptomic analysis of human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) expressing active mutant AKT1 (AKT1-E17K), active mutant PIK3CA (PIK3CA-E545K) or that are silenced for PTEN. We found that, altogether, aberrant PI3K/AKT signalling in lung epithelial cells regulated the expression of 1,960/20,436 genes (9%), though only 30 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (15 up-regulated, 12 down-regulated and 3 discordant) out of 20,436 that were common among BEAS-AKT1-E17K, BEAS-PIK3CA-E545K and BEAS-shPTEN cells (0.1%). Conversely, DEGs specific for mutant AKT1 were 133 (85 up-regulated; 48 down-regulated), DEGs specific for mutant PIK3CA were 502 (280 up-regulated; 222 down-regulated) and DEGs specific for PTEN loss were 1549 (799 up-regulated, 750 down-regulated). The results obtained from array analysis were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR on selected up- and down-regulated genes (n = 10). Treatment of BEAS-C cells and the corresponding derivatives with pharmacological inhibitors of AKT (MK2206) or PI3K (LY294002) further validated the significance of our findings. Moreover, mRNA expression of selected DEGs (SGK1, IGFBP3, PEG10, GDF15, PTGES, S100P, respectively) correlated with the activation status of the PI3K/AKT pathway assessed by S473 phosphorylation in NSCLC cell lines (n = 6). Finally, we made use of Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) to investigate the relevant BioFunctions enriched by the costitutive activation of AKT1-, PI3K- or PTEN-dependent signalling in lung epithelial cells. Expectedly, the analysis of the DEGs common to all three alterations highlighted a group of BioFunctions that included Cell Proliferation of tumor cell lines (14 DEGs), Invasion of cells (10 DEGs) and Migration of tumour cell lines (10 DEGs), with a common core of 5 genes (ATF3, CDKN1A, GDF15, HBEGF and LCN2) that likely represent downstream effectors of the pro-oncogenic activities of PI3K/AKT signalling. Conversely, IPA analysis of exclusive DEGs led to the identification of different downstream effectors that are modulated by mutant AKT1 (TGFBR2, CTSZ, EMP1), mutant PIK3CA (CCND2, CDK2, IGFBP2, TRIB1) and PTEN loss (ASNS, FHL2). These findings not only shed light on the molecular mechanisms that are activated by aberrant signalling through the PI3K/AKT pathway in lung epithelial cells, but also contribute to the identification of previously unrecognised molecules whose regulation takes part in the development of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela De Marco
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italia
| | - Carmelo Laudanna
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italia
| | - Nicola Rinaldo
- Biogem scarl, Instituto di Rihe Genetiche "Gaetano Salvatore", Ariano Irpino, Italia
| | - Duarte Mendes Oliveira
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italia
| | - Maria Ravo
- Laboratorio di Medicina Molecolare e Genomica, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Salerno, Baronissi, Italia
| | - Alessandro Weisz
- Laboratorio di Medicina Molecolare e Genomica, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università di Salerno, Baronissi, Italia
| | - Michele Ceccarelli
- Dipartimento di Studi Biologici e Ambientali, Università del Sannio, Benevento, Italia
| | - Elvira Caira
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italia
| | - Antonia Rizzuto
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Università "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italia
| | - Pietro Zoppoli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italia
| | - Donatella Malanga
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italia
| | - Giuseppe Viglietto
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italia.,Biogem scarl, Instituto di Rihe Genetiche "Gaetano Salvatore", Ariano Irpino, Italia
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Scrima M, Zito Marino F, Oliveira DM, Marinaro C, La Mantia E, Rocco G, De Marco C, Malanga D, De Rosa N, Rizzuto A, Botti G, Franco R, Zoppoli P, Viglietto G. Aberrant Signaling through the HER2-ERK1/2 Pathway is Predictive of Reduced Disease-Free and Overall Survival in Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Patients. J Cancer 2017; 8:227-239. [PMID: 28243327 PMCID: PMC5327372 DOI: 10.7150/jca.17093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of the Extracellular-regulated protein kinase (ERK)-1/2 pathway to oncogenic signaling elicited by the tyrosine kinase receptor HER2 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and to assess the prognostic value of these oncoproteins in NSCLC patients. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine expression and activation of HER2 and ERK1/2 (detected by phosphorylation of Y1248 and T202/Y204, respectively) using Tissue Micro Arrays (TMA) containing matched normal and neoplastic tissues from 132 NSCLC patients. Survival analysis was carried out using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate the prognostic value of pERK1/2, pHER2 and a combination thereof with clinical-pathological parameters such as age, lymph node status (N), size (T), stage (TNM) and grade. Results: We found that HER2 was overexpressed in 33/120 (27%) and activated in 41/114 (36%) cases; ERK1/2 was activated in 44/102 (43%) cases. A direct association was found between pERK1/2 and pHER2 (23/41; p=0.038). In addition, patients positive for pERK1/2 and for both pHER2 and pERK1/2 showed significantly worse overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) compared with negative patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis of patients' survival revealed that positivity for pHER2-pERK1/2 and for pERK1/2 alone were independent prognostic factors of poor survival in NSCLC patients. In particular, this association was significantly important for DFS in stage I+II patients. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that activated ERK1/2 and/or the combined activation of HER2 and ERK1/2 are good indicators of poor prognosis in NSCLC patients, not only in unselected patients but also in early stage disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Scrima
- Biogem scarl, Institute of Genetic Research, Ariano Irpino (AV), Italy.; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Federica Zito Marino
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale", IRCCS, Naples, Italy
| | - Duarte Mendes Oliveira
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Cinzia Marinaro
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Elvira La Mantia
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale", IRCCS, Naples, Italy
| | - Gaetano Rocco
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale", IRCCS, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmela De Marco
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Donatella Malanga
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy
| | | | - Antonia Rizzuto
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University "Magna Graecia" Medical School, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Gerardo Botti
- Pathology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori "Fondazione G. Pascale", IRCCS, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Pietro Zoppoli
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Viglietto
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy
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