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Park J, Lee HJ, Han YK, Kang K, Yi JM. Identification of DNA methylation biomarkers for evaluating cardiovascular disease risk from epigenome profiles altered by low-dose ionizing radiation. Clin Epigenetics 2024; 16:19. [PMID: 38303056 PMCID: PMC10835887 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-024-01630-0] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental exposure, medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications, and industrial utilization of radionuclides have prompted a growing focus on the risks associated with low-dose radiation (< 100 mGy). Current evidence suggests that such radiation can induce epigenetic changes. Nevertheless, whether exposure to low-dose radiation can disrupt endothelial cell function at the molecular level is unclear. Because endothelial cells play crucial roles in cardiovascular health and disease, we aimed to investigate whether low-dose radiation could lead to differential DNA methylation patterns at the genomic level in endothelial cell (EC) lines. METHODS We screened for changes in DNA methylation patterns in primary human aortic (HAECs) and coronary artery endothelial cells following exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation. Using a subset of genes altered via DNA methylation by low-dose irradiation, we performed gene ontology (GO) analysis to predict the possible biological network mediating the effect of low-dose radiation. In addition, we performed comprehensive validation using methylation and gene expression analyses, and ChIP assay to identify useful biomarkers among candidate genes for use in detecting low-dose radiation exposure in human primary normal ECs. RESULTS Low-dose radiation is sufficient to induce global DNA methylation alterations in normal EC lines. GO analysis demonstrated that these hyper- or hypo-methylated genes were linked to diverse biological pathways. Our findings indicated a robust correlation between promoter hypermethylation and transcriptional downregulation of four genes (PGRMC1, UNC119B, RERE, and FNDC3B) in response to low-dose ionizing radiation in HAECs. CONCLUSIONS Based on these findings, the identified genes can serve as potential DNA methylation biomarkers for the assessment of cardiovascular risk upon exposure to low-dose radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Park
- Department of Microbiology, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, South Korea
| | - Hae-June Lee
- Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, 01812, South Korea
| | - Yu Kyeong Han
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan, 47392, South Korea
| | - Keunsoo Kang
- Department of Microbiology, Dankook University, Cheonan, 31116, South Korea
| | - Joo Mi Yi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan, 47392, South Korea.
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Zeng Z, Fu M, Hu Y, Wei Y, Wei X, Luo M. Regulation and signaling pathways in cancer stem cells: implications for targeted therapy for cancer. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:172. [PMID: 37853437 PMCID: PMC10583419 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01877-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs), initially identified in leukemia in 1994, constitute a distinct subset of tumor cells characterized by surface markers such as CD133, CD44, and ALDH. Their behavior is regulated through a complex interplay of networks, including transcriptional, post-transcriptional, epigenetic, tumor microenvironment (TME), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) factors. Numerous signaling pathways were found to be involved in the regulatory network of CSCs. The maintenance of CSC characteristics plays a pivotal role in driving CSC-associated tumor metastasis and conferring resistance to therapy. Consequently, CSCs have emerged as promising targets in cancer treatment. To date, researchers have developed several anticancer agents tailored to specifically target CSCs, with some of these treatment strategies currently undergoing preclinical or clinical trials. In this review, we outline the origin and biological characteristics of CSCs, explore the regulatory networks governing CSCs, discuss the signaling pathways implicated in these networks, and investigate the influential factors contributing to therapy resistance in CSCs. Finally, we offer insights into preclinical and clinical agents designed to eliminate CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zeng
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Minyang Fu
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Hu
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology Nursing, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Yuquan Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Xiawei Wei
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Min Luo
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Agent Target, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China.
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Raja Arul GL, Toruner MD, Gatenby RA, Carr RM. Ecoevolutionary biology of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Pancreatology 2022; 22:730-740. [PMID: 35821188 DOI: 10.1016/j.pan.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common histological subtype of pancreatic cancer, is an aggressive disease predicted to be the 2nd cause of cancer mortality in the US by 2040. While first-line therapy has improved, 5-year overall survival has only increased from 5 to ∼10%, and surgical resection is only available for ∼20% of patients as most present with advanced disease, which is invariably lethal. PDAC has well-established highly recurrent mutations in four driver genes including KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4. Unfortunately, these genetic drivers are not currently therapeutically actionable. Despite extensive sequencing efforts, few additional significantly recurrent and druggable drivers have been identified. In the absence of targetable mutations, chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment for most patients. Further, the role of the above driver mutations on PDAC initiation and early development is well-established. However, these mutations alone cannot account for PDAC heterogeneity nor discern early from advanced disease. Taken together, management of PDAC is an example highlighting the shortcomings of the current precision medicine paradigm. PDAC, like other malignancies, represents an ecoevolutionary process. Better understanding the disease through this lens can facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies to better control and cure PDAC. This review aims to integrate the current understanding of PDAC pathobiology into an ecoevolutionary framework.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Merih D Toruner
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Robert A Gatenby
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ryan M Carr
- Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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4
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Salah M, Akasaka H, Shimizu Y, Morita K, Nishimura Y, Kubota H, Kawaguchi H, Sogawa T, Mukumoto N, Ogino C, Sasaki R. Reactive oxygen species-inducing titanium peroxide nanoparticles as promising radiosensitizers for eliminating pancreatic cancer stem cells. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:146. [PMID: 35428310 PMCID: PMC9013114 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02358-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite recent advances in radiotherapy, radioresistance in patients with pancreatic cancer remains a crucial dilemma for clinical treatment. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a major factor in radioresistance. Developing a potent radiosensitizer may be a novel candidate for the eradication of pancreatic CSCs. METHODS CSCs were isolated from MIA PaCa-2 and PANC1 human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Titanium peroxide nanoparticles (TiOxNPs) were synthesized from titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and utilized as radiosensitizers when added one hour prior to radiation exposure. The antitumor activity of this novel therapeutic strategy was evaluated against well-established pancreatic CSCs model both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS It is shown that TiOxNPs combined with ionizing radiation exhibit anti-cancer effects on radioresistant CSCs both in vitro and in vivo. TiOxNPs exhibited a synergistic effect with radiation on pancreatic CSC-enriched spheres by downregulating self-renewal regulatory factors and CSC surface markers. Moreover, combined treatment suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, and invasion properties in primary and aggressive pancreatic cancer cells by reducing the expression of proteins relevant to these processes. Notably, radiosensitizing TiOxNPs suppressed the growth of pancreatic xenografts following primary or dissociating sphere MIA PaCa-2 cell implantation. It is inferred that synergy is formed by generating intolerable levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inactivating the AKT signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggested the use of TiOxNPs in combination with radiation may be considered an attractive therapeutic strategy to eliminate pancreatic CSCs.
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Grants
- 21K07594, 20KK0192, 20K21576, 20K08108 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan
- 19K08121 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan
- 20K08134 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Salah
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan.
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83522, Egypt.
| | - Hiroaki Akasaka
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Shimizu
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Kenta Morita
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Yuya Nishimura
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Hikaru Kubota
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kawaguchi
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Tomomi Sogawa
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Naritoshi Mukumoto
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Chiaki Ogino
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Ryohei Sasaki
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan.
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Dharmalingam P, Venkatakrishnan K, Tan B. Nanoplatform to Investigate Tumor-Initiating Cancer Stem Cells: Breaking the Diagnostic Barrier. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:6370-6386. [PMID: 35090345 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c21998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Drug-resistant capacity in a small population of tumor-initiating cancer stem cells (tiCSCs) can be due to aberrant epigenetic changes. However, currently available conventional detection methods are inappropriate and cannot be applied to investigate the scarce population (tiCSCs). In addition, selective inhibitor drugs are shown to reverse epigenetic changes; however, each cancer type is discrete. Hence, it is essential to probe the resultant changes in tiCSCs even after therapy. Therefore, we have developed a multimode nanoplatform to investigate tiCSCs, detect epigenetic changes, and subsequently explore their transformation signals following drug therapy. We performed this by developing a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active nanoplatform integrated with n-dopant using an ultrafast laser ionization technique. The dopant functionalization enhances Raman scattering ability and permits label-free analysis of biomarkers in tiCSCs with the resolution down to the cellular level. Here, we investigated epigenetic biomarkers of tiCSCs in pancreatic and lung cancers. An extended study using inhibitor drugs demonstrates an unexpected increase of tiCSCs from lung cancer; this difference can be attributed to transformation changes in lung tiCSC. Thus, our work brings new insight into the differentiation abilities of CSCs upon epigenetic reversal, emphasizing unique perceptions in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Dharmalingam
- Ultrashort Laser Nanomanufacturing Research Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (I-BEST), Partnership between Ryerson University and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada
- Nanocharacterization Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Nano-Bio Interface Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Krishnan Venkatakrishnan
- Ultrashort Laser Nanomanufacturing Research Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Keenan Research Center, St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
- Nano-Bio Interface Facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Bo Tan
- Nanocharacterization Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada
- Keenan Research Center, St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada
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Park MT, Kim SD, Han YK, Hyun JW, Lee HJ, Yi JM. Enhancement of Radiosensitivity by DNA Hypomethylating Drugs through Apoptosis and Autophagy in Human Sarcoma Cells. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2022; 30:80-89. [PMID: 34887366 PMCID: PMC8724837 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2021.174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The targeting of DNA methylation in cancer using DNA hypomethylating drugs has been well known to sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy and immunotherapy by affecting multiple pathways. Herein, we investigated the combinational effects of DNA hypomethylating drugs and ionizing radiation (IR) in human sarcoma cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. Clonogenic assays were performed to determine the radiosensitizing properties of two DNA hypomethylating drugs on sarcoma cell lines we tested in this study with multiple doses of IR. We analyzed the effects of 5-aza-dC or SGI-110, as DNA hypomethylating drugs, in combination with IR in vitro on the proliferation, apoptosis, caspase-3/7 activity, migration/invasion, and Western blotting using apoptosis- or autophagy-related factors. To confirm the combined effect of DNA hypomethylating drugs and IR in our in vitro experiment, we generated the sarcoma cells in nude mouse xenograft models. Here, we found that the combination of DNA hypomethylating drugs and IR improved anticancer effects by inhibiting cell proliferation and by promoting synergistic cell death that is associated with both apoptosis and autophagy in vitro and in vivo. Our data demonstrated that the combination effects of DNA hypomethylating drugs with radiation exhibited greater cellular effects than the use of a single agent treatment, thus suggesting that the combination of DNA hypomethylating drugs and radiation may become a new radiotherapy to improve therapeutic efficacy for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moon-Taek Park
- Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Busan 46033, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Dae Kim
- Research Center, Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences (DIRAMS), Busan 46033, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu Kyeong Han
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan 47392, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Won Hyun
- Jeju National University School of Medicine and Jeju Research Center for Natural Medicine, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae-June Lee
- Division of Radiation Biomedical Research, Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, Seoul 01812, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Mi Yi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan 47392, Republic of Korea
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Pan D, Du Y, Li R, Shen A, Liu X, Li C, Hu B. miR-29b-3p Increases Radiosensitivity in Stemness Cancer Cells via Modulating Oncogenes Axis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:741074. [PMID: 34604239 PMCID: PMC8481616 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.741074] [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: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Radioresistance conferred by cancer stem cells (CSCs) is the principal cause of the failure of cancer radiotherapy. Eradication of CSCs is a prime therapeutic target and a requirement for effective radiotherapy. Three dimensional (3D) cell-cultured model could mimic the morphology of cells in vivo and induce CSC properties. Emerging evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in the regulation of radiosensitivity in cancers. In this study, we aim to investigate the effects of miRNAs on the radiosensitivity of 3D cultured stem-like cells. Using miRNA microarray analysis in 2D and 3D cell culture models, we found that the expression of miR-29b-3p was downregulated in 3D cultured A549 and MCF7 cells compared with monolayer (2D) cells. Clinic data analysis from The Cancer Genome Atlas database exhibited that miR-29b-3p high expression showed significant advantages in lung adenocarcinoma and breast invasive carcinoma patients’ prognosis. The subsequent experiments proved that miR-29b-3p overexpression decreased the radioresistance of cells in 3D culture and tumors in vivo through interfering kinetics process of DNA damage repair and inhibiting oncogenes RBL1, PIK3R1, AKT2, and Bcl-2. In addition, miR-29b-3p knockdown enhanced cancer cells invasion and migration capability. MiR-29b-3p overexpression decreased the stemness of 3D cultured cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that miR-29b-3p could be a sensitizer of radiation killing in CSC-like cells via inhibiting oncogenes expression. MiR-29b-3p could be a novel therapeutic candidate target for radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Pan
- Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Space Radiobiology of Gansu Province, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, China.,Department of Dermatology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Yarong Du
- Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Space Radiobiology of Gansu Province, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, China
| | - Rong Li
- Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Aihua Shen
- Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Liu
- Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Chuanyuan Li
- Department of Dermatology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Burong Hu
- Department of Radiation Medicine, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Radiation Biology and Medicine of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Space Radiobiology of Gansu Province, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, China
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Ma J, Sun S, Song C, Li N, Li N, Xu L, Yang T, Lan Y, Li M. Screening potential microRNAs associated with pancreatic cancer: Data mining based on RNA sequencing and microarrays. Exp Ther Med 2020; 20:2705-2715. [PMID: 32765765 PMCID: PMC7401655 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2020.8991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the digestive tract, rendering it difficult to make an accurate diagnosis. The 5 year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is <1%, and surgical resection rarely proves to be effective. Therefore, the identification of more effective methods for the early detection of pancreatic cancer is an urgent requirement. The present study aimed to explore key genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. Public databases were searched, and the data were integrated from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases, leading to the identification of 23 differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs). A total of four of the DE-miRNAs were upregulated (hsa-miR-892b, hsa-miR-194-2, hsa-miR-200a and hsa-miR-194-1), whereas 19 downregulated DE-miRNAs (hsa-miR-424, hsa-miR-191, hsa-miR-484, hsa-miR-142, hsa-miR-15b, hsa-miR-450a-1, hsa-miR-423, hsa-miR-126, hsa-miR-505, hsa-miR-16-1, hsa-miR-342, hsa-miR-130a, hsa-miR-3613, hsa-miR-450a-2, hsa-miR-26b, hsa-miR-451, hsa-miR-19b-2, hsa-miR-106a and hsa-miR-503) were identified using the cut-off criteria of P<0.05 and |log 2FC|>1.0. Hsa-miR-3613-5p was identified as a prognostic DE-miRNA. The functional enrichment analyses demonstrated that the target genes of hsa-miR-3613-5p may be associated with the p53 signaling pathway. Survival analysis performed for genes in the p53 signaling pathway revealed that cyclin-dependent kinase 6 and ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase subunit M2 may be the most likely to be associated with prognostic value. The integrated analysis performed in the current study demonstrated that hsa-miR-3613-5p may be used as a potential prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ma
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Siwen Sun
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Chen Song
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Foreign Languages, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Lingzhi Xu
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Ting Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Yulong Lan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
| | - Man Li
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, P.R. China
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Borgato GB, Borges GA, Souza AP, Squarize CH, Castilho RM. Loss of PTEN sensitizes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to 5-AZA-2'-deoxycytidine. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol 2020; 130:181-190. [PMID: 32546428 DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2020.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive cancer associated with poor survival. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a tumor suppressor gene involved in the maintenance of stem cells. DNA methylation is a known epigenetic modification involved in tumor progression. In this study, we investigated the effect of the DNA demethylation agent 5-AZA-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AZA) over HNSCC and its population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) presenting dysfunctional PTEN. STUDY DESIGN The effects of 5-AZA on HNSCC were evaluated by using WSU-HN13 cells. CSC was assessed by sphere-forming assays, along with the endogenous levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase. The clonogenic potential of tumors was evaluated, along with the protein expression of mTOR signaling and the identification of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS We observed that loss of PTEN enhances tumor biologic behavior, including colony- and tumor sphere-forming abilities. We also found that 5-AZA has an inhibitory effect over the CSCs and molecular markers associated with the NF-κB and EMT pathways. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the stratification of treatment of HNSCC based on PTEN status may identify a subset of patients who can benefit from the coadministration of 5-AZA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriell Bonifacio Borgato
- Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Epithelial Biology, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gabriel Alvares Borges
- Laboratory of Epithelial Biology, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Laboratory of Oral Histopathology, Health Sciences Faculty, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Souza
- Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Helena Squarize
- Laboratory of Epithelial Biology, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rogerio Moraes Castilho
- Laboratory of Epithelial Biology, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Enzyme-mediated depletion of serum l-Met abrogates prostate cancer growth via multiple mechanisms without evidence of systemic toxicity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:13000-13011. [PMID: 32434918 PMCID: PMC7293657 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1917362117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive studies in prostate cancer and other malignancies have revealed that l-methionine (l-Met) and its metabolites play a critical role in tumorigenesis. Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that systemic restriction of serum l-Met, either via partial dietary restriction or with bacterial l-Met-degrading enzymes exerts potent antitumor effects. However, administration of bacterial l-Met-degrading enzymes has not proven practical for human therapy because of problems with immunogenicity. As the human genome does not encode l-Met-degrading enzymes, we engineered the human cystathionine-γ-lyase (hMGL-4.0) to catalyze the selective degradation of l-Met. At therapeutically relevant dosing, hMGL-4.0 reduces serum l-Met levels to >75% for >72 h and significantly inhibits the growth of multiple prostate cancer allografts/xenografts without weight loss or toxicity. We demonstrate that in vitro, hMGL-4.0 causes tumor cell death, associated with increased reactive oxygen species, S-adenosyl-methionine depletion, global hypomethylation, induction of autophagy, and robust poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage indicative of DNA damage and apoptosis.
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11
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Citron F, Fabris L. Targeting Epigenetic Dependencies in Solid Tumors: Evolutionary Landscape Beyond Germ Layers Origin. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12030682. [PMID: 32183227 PMCID: PMC7140038 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12030682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive efforts recently witnessed the complexity of cancer biology; however, molecular medicine still lacks the ability to elucidate hidden mechanisms for the maintenance of specific subclasses of rare tumors characterized by the silent onset and a poor prognosis (e.g., ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, and glioblastoma). Recent mutational fingerprints of human cancers highlighted genomic alteration occurring on epigenetic modulators. In this scenario, the epigenome dependency of cancer orchestrates a broad range of cellular processes critical for tumorigenesis and tumor progression, possibly mediating escaping mechanisms leading to drug resistance. Indeed, in this review, we discuss the pivotal role of chromatin remodeling in shaping the tumor architecture and modulating tumor fitness in a microenvironment-dependent context. We will also present recent advances in the epigenome targeting, posing a particular emphasis on how this knowledge could be translated into a feasible therapeutic approach to individualize clinical settings and improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Citron
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA;
| | - Linda Fabris
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-713-563-5635
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12
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Garcia-Mayea Y, Mir C, Masson F, Paciucci R, LLeonart ME. Insights into new mechanisms and models of cancer stem cell multidrug resistance. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 60:166-180. [PMID: 31369817 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2019.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The acquisition of genetic alterations, clonal evolution, and the tumor microenvironment promote cancer progression, metastasis and therapy resistance. These events correspond to the establishment of the great phenotypic heterogeneity and plasticity of cancer cells that contribute to tumor progression and resistant disease. Targeting resistant cancers is a major challenge in oncology; however, the underlying processes are not yet fully understood. Even though current treatments can reduce tumor size and increase life expectancy, relapse and multidrug resistance (MDR) ultimately remain the second cause of death in developed countries. Recent evidence points toward stem-like phenotypes in cancer cells, promoted by cancer stem cells (CSCs), as the main culprit of cancer relapse, resistance (radiotherapy, hormone therapy, and/or chemotherapy) and metastasis. Many mechanisms have been proposed for CSC resistance, such as drug efflux through ABC transporters, overactivation of the DNA damage response (DDR), apoptosis evasion, prosurvival pathways activation, cell cycle promotion and/or cell metabolic alterations. Nonetheless, targeted therapy toward these specific CSC mechanisms is only partially effective to prevent or abolish resistance, suggesting underlying additional causes for CSC resilience. This article aims to provide an integrated picture of the MDR mechanisms that operate in CSCs' behavior and to propose a novel model of tumor evolution during chemotherapy. Targeting the pathways mentioned here might hold promise and reveal new strategies for future clinical therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Garcia-Mayea
- Biomedical Research in Cancer Stem Cells, Vall d´Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Passeig Vall d´Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Mir
- Biomedical Research in Cancer Stem Cells, Vall d´Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Passeig Vall d´Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Masson
- Biomedical Research in Cancer Stem Cells, Vall d´Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Passeig Vall d´Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - R Paciucci
- Clinical Biochemistry Group, Vall d'Hebron Hospital and Vall d´Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Passeig Vall d´Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - M E LLeonart
- Biomedical Research in Cancer Stem Cells, Vall d´Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Passeig Vall d´Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Network Centre in Oncology, CIBERONC, Spain.
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13
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Churyukina KA, Zhuze AL, Ivanov AA, Zamulaeva IA. Effects of Dimeric Bisbenzimidazoles and Ionizing Radiation on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Stem Cells. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350920010030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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14
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A. Zamulaeva I, A. Churyukina K, N. Matchuk O, A. Ivanov A, O. Saburov V, L. Zhuze A. Dimeric bisbenzimidazoles DB(n) in combination with ionizing radiation decrease number and clonogenic activity of MCF-7 breast cancer stem cells. AIMS BIOPHYSICS 2020. [DOI: 10.3934/biophy.2020024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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15
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Transcriptome alteration spectrum in rat lung induced by radiotherapy. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19701. [PMID: 31873113 PMCID: PMC6927959 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56027-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiation therapy is crucial for curative treatment of lung cancer, which frequently leads to lung injury. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides and lack protein-coding capacity. Increasing evidences demonstrate the important roles of lncRNAs in biological processes. However, the mechanism underlying the association of ionizing radiation with alterations in mRNA and lncRNA expression and lung injury remains unclear. In our study, the male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to a dose of 18 Gy of 6 MV X-ray and the transcriptome spectrum was studied. To identify the differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs induced by X-ray, the RNA sequencing data of lung tissues from irradiated and normal rats for 4, 8, and 16 weeks were analyzed, using |log2_ratio| ≥ 1 and q ≤ 0.05 as thresholds for significantly differential expression. The number of differentially expressed mRNAs was 1097 (686 up- and 411 down-) for 4-week radiotherapy group, 3006 (1935 up- and 1071 down-) for 8-week group and 1838 (1178 up- and 660 down-) for 16-week group. There were 606 (279 up- and 327 down-) differentially expressed lncRNAs in 4-week group, 1715 (831 up- and 884 down-) in 8-week group and 1043 (656 up- and 387 down-) in 16-week group. The differentially expressed mRNAs were mainly involved in cell cycle regulation and Fc receptor pathway, while the lncRNA target genes were significantly enriched in cellular stress response and regulation of cell migration. Moreover, compared with the control group, the irradiated group presented higher tissue specificity of lncRNAs. Radiation-induced lung injury, especially the dynamic network of lncRNAs and mRNAs, is worthy of study. Investigation on the regulatory details of related pathways is significant for the prevention of radiation-related lung injury, as well as the improvement of radiation therapy.
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16
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Wang X. Stem cells in tissues, organoids, and cancers. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:4043-4070. [PMID: 31317205 PMCID: PMC6785598 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03199-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells give rise to all cells and build the tissue structures in our body, and heterogeneity and plasticity are the hallmarks of stem cells. Epigenetic modification, which is associated with niche signals, determines stem cell differentiation and somatic cell reprogramming. Stem cells play a critical role in the development of tumors and are capable of generating 3D organoids. Understanding the properties of stem cells will improve our capacity to maintain tissue homeostasis. Dissecting epigenetic regulation could be helpful for achieving efficient cell reprograming and for developing new drugs for cancer treatment. Stem cell-derived organoids open up new avenues for modeling human diseases and for regenerative medicine. Nevertheless, in addition to the achievements in stem cell research, many challenges still need to be overcome for stem cells to have versatile application in clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xusheng Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
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17
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Wang HC, Chou CL, Yang CC, Huang WL, Hsu YC, Luo CW, Chen TJ, Li CF, Pan MR. Over-Expression of CHD4 Is an Independent Biomarker of Poor Prognosis in Patients with Rectal Cancers Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20174087. [PMID: 31438571 PMCID: PMC6747537 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20174087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), followed by radical proctectomy, is the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer. However, a poor response and therapeutic resistance continue to occur despite this treatment. In this study, we analyzed the microarray datasets (GSE68204) of rectal cancer from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and identified CHD4 as one of the most significantly up-regulated genes among all subunits of the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylation (NuRD) complex, in non-responders to CCRT, among locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients. We confirmed the predictive and prognostic significance of CHD4 expression in CCRT treatment, and its correlation with other clinicopathological features, such as tumor regression grade (TRG), therapeutic response, and patient survival. This was carried out by immunohistochemical studies on endoscopic biopsy tissues from 172 rectal cancer patients, receiving neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). A high expression of CHD4 was significantly associated with pre-treatment tumor status (p < 0.001) and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001), post-treatment tumor status (p < 0.001), and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001), vascular invasion (p = 0.042), and tumor regression grade (p = 0.001). A high expression of CHD4 could also predict poor disease-specific survival and metastasis-free survival (log-rank test, p = 0.0373 and p < 0.0001, respectively). In multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis, CHD4 overexpression was an independent factor of poor prognosis for metastasis-free survival (HR, 4.575; 95% CI, 1.717–12.192; p = 0.002). By in vitro studies, based on cell line models, we also demonstrated that, the overexpression of CHD4 induced radio-resistance in microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) colorectal cells (CRCs). On the contrary, the knockdown of CHD4 enhanced radiosensitivity in microsatellite stable (MSS) CRCs. Altogether, we have identified CHD4 as an important regulator of radio-resistance in both MSI-H and MSS CRC cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Ching Wang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Lin Chou
- Division of Colon & Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chieh Yang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan
- Department of Pharmacy, Chia-Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan 71745, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Lun Huang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Chou Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wen Luo
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Ju Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
- Department of Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan
- Department of Optometry, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan 717, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Feng Li
- Department of Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan 710, Taiwan
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institute, Tainan 704, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Ren Pan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
- Drug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
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18
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Perusina Lanfranca M, Thompson JK, Bednar F, Halbrook C, Lyssiotis C, Levi B, Frankel TL. Metabolism and epigenetics of pancreatic cancer stem cells. Semin Cancer Biol 2019; 57:19-26. [PMID: 30273655 PMCID: PMC6438777 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic Cancer (PDA) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by early spread and a high mortality. Current studies suggest that a subpopulation of cells exist within tumors, cancer stem cell (CSC), which are capable of self-renewal and give rise to unique progeny which form the major neoplastic cellular component of tumors. While CSCs constitute a small cellular subpopulation within the tumor, their resistance to chemotherapy and radiation make them an important therapeutic target for eradication. Along with distinctive phenotypic properties, CSCs possess a unique metabolic plasticity allowing them to rapidly respond and adapt to environmental changes. These cells and their progeny also display a significantly altered epigenetic state with distinctive patterns of DNA methylation. Several mechanisms of cross-talk between epigenetic and metabolic pathways in PDA exist which ultimately contribute to the observed cellular plasticity and enhanced tumorigenesis. In this review we discuss various examples of this metabolic-epigenetic interplay and how it may constitute a new avenue for therapy specifically targeting CSCs in PDA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J K Thompson
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - F Bednar
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - C Halbrook
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - C Lyssiotis
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - B Levi
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - T L Frankel
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
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19
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Inflammation, Biomarkers and Immuno-Oncology Pathways in Pancreatic Cancer. J Pers Med 2019; 9:jpm9020020. [PMID: 31035449 PMCID: PMC6616860 DOI: 10.3390/jpm9020020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
It is estimated that pancreatic cancer will be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally by 2030, highlighting the ongoing lack of effective treatment options for this devastating condition. There is a lack of reliable prognostic or predictive markers in pancreatic cancer to guide management decisions, whether for systemic chemotherapy, molecularly targeted therapies, or immunotherapies. To date, the results for targeted agents and immunotherapies in unselected populations of chemo-refractory pancreatic cancer have not met expectations. The reasons for this lack of efficacy of immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer are not completely understood. The challenges in pancreatic cancer include the physical barrier created by the dense desmoplastic stroma surrounding the tumor, chemokine-mediated exclusion of T cells, relatively poorer antigenicity compared to other solid tumors, paucity of infiltrating T cells within the tumor, ultimately leading to an immunosuppressive microenvironment. A better understanding of the role of inflammation in pancreatic cancer, its tumor microenvironment and individualized patient-related features, be they molecular, clinical or histopathological, would enable a more effective tailored approach to the management of pancreatic cancer. In this review, the role of inflammation, the immune tumor microenvironment and potential immune biomarkers in pancreatic cancer are explored.
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20
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Bekeschus S, Freund E, Wende K, Gandhirajan RK, Schmidt A. Hmox1 Upregulation Is a Mutual Marker in Human Tumor Cells Exposed to Physical Plasma-Derived Oxidants. Antioxidants (Basel) 2018; 7:E151. [PMID: 30373228 PMCID: PMC6262576 DOI: 10.3390/antiox7110151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing numbers of cancer deaths worldwide demand for new treatment avenues. Cold physical plasma is a partially ionized gas expelling a variety of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, which can be harnesses therapeutically. Plasmas and plasma-treated liquids have antitumor properties in vitro and in vivo. Yet, global response signatures to plasma treatment have not yet been identified. To this end, we screened eight human cancer cell lines to investigate effects of low-dose, tumor-static plasma-treated medium (PTM) on cellular activity, immune-modulatory properties, and transcriptional levels of 22 redox-related genes. With PTM, a moderate reduction of metabolic activity and modest modulation of chemokine/cytokine pattern and markers of immunogenic cell death was observed. Strikingly, the Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (nrf2) target heme oxygenase 1 (hmox1) was upregulated in all cell lines 4 h post PTM-treatment. nrf2 was not changed, but its baseline expression inversely and significantly correlated with hmox1 expression after exposure to PTM. Besides awarding hmox1 a central role with plasma-derived oxidants, we present a transcriptional redox map of 22 targets and chemokine/cytokine secretion map of 13 targets across eight different human tumor cell lines of four tumor entities at baseline activity that are useful for future studies in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Bekeschus
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Eric Freund
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Kristian Wende
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Rajesh Kumar Gandhirajan
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Anke Schmidt
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
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21
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Paradise BD, Barham W, Fernandez-Zapico ME. Targeting Epigenetic Aberrations in Pancreatic Cancer, a New Path to Improve Patient Outcomes? Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10050128. [PMID: 29710783 PMCID: PMC5977101 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10050128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer has one of the highest mortality rates among all types of cancers. The disease is highly aggressive and typically diagnosed in late stage making it difficult to treat. Currently, the vast majority of therapeutic regimens have only modest curative effects, and most of them are in the surgical/neo-adjuvant setting. There is a great need for new and more effective treatment strategies in common clinical practice. Previously, pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer was attributed solely to genetic mutations; however, recent advancements in the field have demonstrated that aberrant activation of epigenetic pathways contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of the disease. The identification of these aberrant activated epigenetic pathways has revealed enticing targets for the use of epigenetic inhibitors to mitigate the phenotypic changes driven by these cascades. These pathways have been found to be responsible for overactivation of growth signaling pathways and silencing of tumor suppressors and other cell cycle checkpoints. Furthermore, new miRNA signatures have been uncovered in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients, further widening the window for therapeutic opportunity. There has been success in preclinical settings using both epigenetic inhibitors as well as miRNAs to slow disease progression and eliminate diseased tissues. In addition to their utility as anti-proliferative agents, the pharmacological inhibitors that target epigenetic regulators (referred to here as readers, writers, and erasers for their ability to recognize, deposit, and remove post-translational modifications) have the potential to reconfigure the epigenetic landscape of diseased cells and disrupt the cancerous phenotype. The potential to “reprogram” cancer cells to revert them to a healthy state presents great promise and merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke D Paradise
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
| | - Whitney Barham
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
| | - Martín E Fernandez-Zapico
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
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22
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Chi HC, Tsai CY, Tsai MM, Lin KH. Impact of DNA and RNA Methylation on Radiobiology and Cancer Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19020555. [PMID: 29439529 PMCID: PMC5855777 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19020555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiotherapy is a well-established regimen for nearly half the cancer patients worldwide. However, not all cancer patients respond to irradiation treatment, and radioresistance is highly associated with poor prognosis and risk of recurrence. Elucidation of the biological characteristics of radioresistance and development of effective prognostic markers to guide clinical decision making clearly remain an urgent medical requirement. In tumorigenic and radioresistant cancer cell populations, phenotypic switch is observed during the course of irradiation treatment, which is associated with both stable genetic and epigenetic changes. While the importance of epigenetic changes is widely accepted, the irradiation-triggered specific epigenetic alterations at the molecular level are incompletely defined. The present review provides a summary of current studies on the molecular functions of DNA and RNA m6A methylation, the key epigenetic mechanisms involved in regulating the expression of genetic information, in resistance to irradiation and cancer progression. We additionally discuss the effects of DNA methylation and RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) of specific genes in cancer progression, recurrence, and radioresistance. As epigenetic alterations could be reversed by drug treatment or inhibition of specific genes, they are also considered potential targets for anticancer therapy and/or radiotherapy sensitizers. The mechanisms of irradiation-induced alterations in DNA and RNA m6A methylation, and ways in which this understanding can be applied clinically, including utilization of methylation patterns as prognostic markers for cancer radiotherapy and their manipulation for anticancer therapy or use as radiotherapy sensitizers, have been further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiang-Cheng Chi
- Radiation Biology Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University/Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
| | - Chung-Ying Tsai
- Kidney Research Center and Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
| | - Ming-Ming Tsai
- Department of Nursing, Chang-Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
- Department of General Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi 613, Taiwan.
| | - Kwang-Huei Lin
- Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
- Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
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