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Chen J, Hong JH, Huang Y, Liu S, Yin J, Deng P, Sun Y, Yu Z, Zeng X, Xiao R, Chan JY, Guan P, Wang Y, Wang P, Liu L, Wen S, Yu Q, Ong CK, Teh BT, Xiong Y, Tan J. EZH2 mediated metabolic rewiring promotes tumor growth independently of histone methyltransferase activity in ovarian cancer. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:85. [PMID: 37210576 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01786-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), the key catalytic subunit of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), is overexpressed and plays an oncogenic role in various cancers through catalysis-dependent or catalysis-independent pathways. However, the related mechanisms contributing to ovarian cancer (OC) are not well understood. METHODS The levels of EZH2 and H3K27me3 were evaluated in 105 OC patients by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, and these patients were stratified based on these levels. Canonical and noncanonical binding sites of EZH2 were defined by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq). The EZH2 solo targets were obtained by integrative analysis of ChIP-Seq and RNA sequencing data. In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to determine the role of EZH2 in OC growth. RESULTS We showed that a subgroup of OC patients with high EZH2 expression but low H3K27me3 exhibited the worst prognosis, with limited therapeutic options. We demonstrated that induction of EZH2 degradation but not catalytic inhibition profoundly blocked OC cell proliferation and tumorigenicity in vitro and in vivo. Integrative analysis of genome-wide chromatin and transcriptome profiles revealed extensive EZH2 occupancy not only at genomic loci marked by H3K27me3 but also at promoters independent of PRC2, indicating a noncanonical role of EZH2 in OC. Mechanistically, EZH2 transcriptionally upregulated IDH2 to potentiate metabolic rewiring by enhancing tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) activity, which contributed to the growth of OC. CONCLUSIONS These data reveal a novel oncogenic role of EZH2 in OC and identify potential therapeutic strategies for OC by targeting the noncatalytic activity of EZH2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 East Dongfeng Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China.
| | - Jing Han Hong
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yulin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Shini Liu
- Department of Oncology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Jiaxin Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Peng Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Yichen Sun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Zhaoliang Yu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510655, P. R. China
| | - Xian Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Rong Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Jason Yongsheng Chan
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenome, Division of Medical Sciences, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peiyong Guan
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yali Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Peili Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Lizhen Liu
- Center of Medical Research, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Shijun Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Yu
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Choon Kiat Ong
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Lymphoma Genomic Translational Research Laboratory, Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bin-Tean Teh
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenome, Division of Medical Sciences, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ying Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Jing Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, P. R. China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 East Dongfeng Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China.
- Center of Medical Research, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China.
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Ghate NB, Kim S, Shin Y, Kim J, Doche M, Valena S, Situ A, Kim S, Rhie SK, Lenz HJ, Ulmer TS, Mumenthaler SM, An W. Phosphorylation and stabilization of EZH2 by DCAF1/VprBP trigger aberrant gene silencing in colon cancer. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2140. [PMID: 37069142 PMCID: PMC10110550 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37883-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Our recent work has shown that DCAF1 (also known as VprBP) is overexpressed in colon cancer and phosphorylates histone H2AT120 to drive epigenetic gene inactivation and oncogenic transformation. We have extended these observations by investigating whether DCAF1 also phosphorylates non-histone proteins as an additional mechanism linking its kinase activity to colon cancer development. We now demonstrate that DCAF1 phosphorylates EZH2 at T367 to augment its nuclear stabilization and enzymatic activity in colon cancer cells. Consistent with this mechanistic role, DCAF1-mediated EZH2 phosphorylation leads to elevated levels of H3K27me3 and altered expression of growth regulatory genes in cancer cells. Furthermore, our preclinical studies using organoid and xenograft models revealed that EZH2 requires phosphorylation for its oncogenic function, which may have therapeutic implications for gene reactivation in colon cancer cells. Together, our data define a mechanism underlying DCAF1-driven colonic tumorigenesis by linking DCAF1-mediated EZH2 phosphorylation to EZH2 stability that is crucial for establishing H3K27me3 and gene silencing program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhil B Ghate
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Sungmin Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Yonghwan Shin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Jinman Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Michael Doche
- Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90064, USA
| | - Scott Valena
- Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90064, USA
| | - Alan Situ
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Sangnam Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Suhn K Rhie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Heinz-Josef Lenz
- Division of Medical Oncology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Tobias S Ulmer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Shannon M Mumenthaler
- Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90064, USA
| | - Woojin An
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
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3
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Brunty S, Clower L, Mitchell B, Fleshman T, Zgheib NB, Santanam N. Peritoneal Modulators of Endometriosis-Associated Ovarian Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:793297. [PMID: 34900746 PMCID: PMC8655857 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.793297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the 4th largest cause of cancer death in women. Approximately 10-15% of women of childbearing age suffer from endometriosis. Endometriosis is defined by the growth and presence of endometrial tissue (lesions) outside of the uterus. The women with endometriosis also have an increased presence of peritoneal fluid (PF) that comprises of inflammatory cells, growth factors, cytokines/chemokines, etc. Epidemiological studies have shown that >3% of women with endometriosis develop ovarian cancer (low-grade serous or endometrioid types). Our hypothesis is that the PF from women with endometriosis induces transformative changes in the ovarian cells, leading to ovarian cancer development. PF from women with and without endometriosis was collected after IRB approval and patient consent. IOSE (human normal ovarian epithelial cells) and TOV-21G cells (human ovarian clear cell carcinoma cell line) were treated with various volumes of PF (no endometriosis or endometriosis) for 48 or 96 h and proliferation measured. Expression levels of epigenetic regulators and FoxP3, an inflammatory tumor suppressor, were determined. A Human Cancer Inflammation and Immunity Crosstalk RT2 Profiler PCR array was used to measure changes in cancer related genes in treated cells. Results showed increased growth of TOV-21G cells treated with PF from women with endometriosis versus without endometriosis and compared to IOSE cells. Endo PF treatment induced EZH2, H3K27me3, and FoxP3. The RT2 PCR array of TOV-21G cells treated with endo PF showed upregulation of various inflammatory genes (TLRs, Myd88, etc.). These studies indicate that PF from women with endometriosis can both proliferate and transform ovarian cells and hence this microenvironment plays a major mechanistic role in the progression of endometriosis to ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Brunty
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Lauren Clower
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Brenda Mitchell
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Taylor Fleshman
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Nadim Bou Zgheib
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
| | - Nalini Santanam
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, United States
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4
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Brunty S, Mitchell B, Bou-Zgheib N, Santanam N. Endometriosis and ovarian cancer risk, an epigenetic connection. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:1715. [PMID: 33490227 PMCID: PMC7812227 DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-2449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a gynecological disorder that affects 176 million women worldwide and 1 in 10 females in the United States. Endometriosis most often affects women of child-bearing age, with most going undiagnosed. Endometriosis also shares many characteristics common to invasive cancer and has been known to be associated with epithelial ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is the 11th most common cancer among women and over 22,000 new cases will be diagnosed within the next year. Women most commonly diagnosed with this cancer are between the ages of 55–64 years, outside the range of the age of women affected with endometriosis. While no known cause of either disease has been established, epigenetic regulation is thought to play a major role in both. This review focuses on epigenetic changes that occur within each individual disease as well as those that are similar in both, suggesting a possible etiological link between the two diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Brunty
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
| | - Brenda Mitchell
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
| | - Nadim Bou-Zgheib
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
| | - Nalini Santanam
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA
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5
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Boussios S, Mikropoulos C, Samartzis E, Karihtala P, Moschetta M, Sheriff M, Karathanasi A, Sadauskaite A, Rassy E, Pavlidis N. Wise Management of Ovarian Cancer: On the Cutting Edge. J Pers Med 2020; 10:E41. [PMID: 32455595 PMCID: PMC7354604 DOI: 10.3390/jpm10020041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality among women. Two-thirds of patients present at advanced stage at diagnosis, and the estimated 5 year survival rate is 20-40%. This heterogeneous group of malignancies has distinguishable etiology and molecular biology. Initially, single-gene sequencing was performed to identify germline DNA variations associated with EOC. However, hereditary EOC syndrome can be explained by germline pathogenic variants (gPVs) in several genes. In this regard, next-generation sequencing (NGS) changed clinical diagnostic testing, allowing assessment of multiple genes simultaneously in a faster and cheaper manner than sequential single gene analysis. As we move into the era of personalized medicine, there is evidence that poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors exploit homologous recombination (HR) deficiency, especially in breast cancer gene 1 and 2 (BRCA1/2) mutation carriers. Furthermore, extensive preclinical data supported the development of aurora kinase (AURK) inhibitors in specific tumor types, including EOC. Their efficacy may be optimized in combination with chemotherapeutic or other molecular agents. The efficacy of metformin in ovarian cancer prevention is under investigation. Certain mutations, such as ARID1A mutations, and alterations in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR pathway, which are specific in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) and endometrioid ovarian carcinoma (EnOC), may offer additional therapeutic targets in these clinical entities. Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs) are rare and randomized trials are extremely challenging for the improvement of the existing management and development of novel strategies. This review attempts to offer an overview of the main aspects of ovarian cancer, catapulted from the molecular mechanisms to therapeutic considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stergios Boussios
- Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Windmill Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5NY, UK; (M.S.); (A.K.); (A.S.)
- AELIA Organization, 9th Km Thessaloniki—Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Christos Mikropoulos
- St Luke’s Cancer Center, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Egerton Rd, Guildford GU2 7XX, UK;
| | - Eleftherios Samartzis
- Division of Gynecology, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, CH-8091 Zürich, Switzerland;
| | - Peeter Karihtala
- Department of Oncology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center, P.O. Box 100, FI-00029 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Michele Moschetta
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Hills Rd, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK;
| | - Matin Sheriff
- Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Windmill Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5NY, UK; (M.S.); (A.K.); (A.S.)
| | - Afroditi Karathanasi
- Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Windmill Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5NY, UK; (M.S.); (A.K.); (A.S.)
| | - Agne Sadauskaite
- Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Windmill Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5NY, UK; (M.S.); (A.K.); (A.S.)
| | - Elie Rassy
- Department of Cancer Medicine, Gustave Roussy Institut, 94805 Villejuif, France;
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, Hotel Dieu de France University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Beirut 166830, Lebanon
| | - Nicholas Pavlidis
- Medical School, University of Ioannina, Stavros Niarchou Avenue, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
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6
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Al-Alem LF, Baker AT, Pandya UM, Eisenhauer EL, Rueda BR. Understanding and Targeting Apoptotic Pathways in Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11111631. [PMID: 31652965 PMCID: PMC6893837 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11111631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer cells evade the immune system as well as chemotherapeutic and/or biologic treatments through inherent or acquired mechanisms of survival and drug resistance. Depending on the cell type and the stimuli, this threshold can range from external forces such as blunt trauma to programmed processes such as apoptosis, autophagy, or necroptosis. This review focuses on apoptosis, which is one form of programmed cell death. It highlights the multiple signaling pathways that promote or inhibit apoptosis and reviews current clinical therapies that target apoptotic pathways in ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linah F Al-Alem
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Andrew T Baker
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Unnati M Pandya
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Eric L Eisenhauer
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
- Gynecology and Oncology Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Bo R Rueda
- Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
- Gynecology and Oncology Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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7
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Li Y, Jiao Y, Hao J, Xing H, Li C. Long noncoding RNA TP73-AS1 accelerates the epithelial ovarian cancer via epigenetically repressing p21. Am J Transl Res 2019; 11:2447-2454. [PMID: 31105851 PMCID: PMC6511761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Evidence has indicated the important roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the human cancer biology, providing potential targets for cancer intervention. However, the expression profile and function of lncRNA TP73-AS1 in human epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remain to be investigated. In the EOC specimens and cell lines, TP73-AS1 was identified to be significantly up-regulated. EOC patients with high TP73-AS1 expression had poor survival rate. The gain and loss of functional assay uncovered that TP73-AS1 promoted the proliferation, invasion and reduced the apoptosis of EOC cells in vitro. And, the knockdown of TP73-AS1 inhibited the tumor growth in vivo. By using chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assay, we identified TP73-AS1 epigenetically repressed p21 via recruiting EZH2. In conclusion, this finding supports that TP73-AS1 promotes the EOC progression via epigenetically repressing p21, serving as a prognosis predictor for EOC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong UniversityJinan 250021, Shandong, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weihai Municipal HospitalWeihai 264200, Shandong, China
| | - Yingying Jiao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Liaocheng People’s HospitalLiaocheng 252000, Shandong, China
| | - Jing Hao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weihai Municipal HospitalWeihai 264200, Shandong, China
| | - Hongbo Xing
- Department of Stomatology, Weihai Municipal HospitalWeihai 264200, Shandong, China
| | - Changzhong Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong UniversityJinan 250021, Shandong, China
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8
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Klymenko Y, Nephew KP. Epigenetic Crosstalk between the Tumor Microenvironment and Ovarian Cancer Cells: A Therapeutic Road Less Traveled. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:E295. [PMID: 30200265 PMCID: PMC6162502 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10090295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic dissemination of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) predominantly occurs through direct cell shedding from the primary tumor into the intra-abdominal cavity that is filled with malignant ascitic effusions. Facilitated by the fluid flow, cells distribute throughout the cavity, broadly seed and invade through peritoneal lining, and resume secondary tumor growth in abdominal and pelvic organs. At all steps of this unique metastatic process, cancer cells exist within a multidimensional tumor microenvironment consisting of intraperitoneally residing cancer-reprogramed fibroblasts, adipose, immune, mesenchymal stem, mesothelial, and vascular cells that exert miscellaneous bioactive molecules into malignant ascites and contribute to EOC progression and metastasis via distinct molecular mechanisms and epigenetic dysregulation. This review outlines basic epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNA regulators, and summarizes current knowledge on reciprocal interactions between each participant of the EOC cellular milieu and tumor cells in the context of aberrant epigenetic crosstalk. Promising research directions and potential therapeutic strategies that may encompass epigenetic tailoring as a component of complex EOC treatment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliya Klymenko
- Cell, Molecular and Cancer Biology Program, Medical Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN 46617, USA.
| | - Kenneth P Nephew
- Cell, Molecular and Cancer Biology Program, Medical Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
- Indiana University Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
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9
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Wang J, Ai Z, Chen J, Teng Y, Zhu J. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 blockade by RNA interference is implicated with inhibited proliferation, invasion and promoted apoptosis in endometrial carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2018; 15:9429-9435. [PMID: 29805666 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.8518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynecological malignancy of the female genital tract worldwide (2012). Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a critical component of the polycomb repressive complex 2, has been found to be associated with multiple biological processes and is overexpressed in multiple types of cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated that EZH2 is associated with endometrial carcinoma. The present study investigated the expression and biology function of EZH2 in endometrial cancer (EC). It was found that EZH2 levels were markedly increased in endometrial cancer tissues compared with that in adjacent normal tissues. EZH2 was significantly overexpressed in 3 separate endometrial cancer cell lines (Ishikawa, RL95-2 and HEC1-A) when compared with the normal endometrial cell line ESC. Additionally, small interfering RNA was used to investigate the role of EZH2 in endometrial carcinoma cell proliferation, and the results showed that EZH2 knockdown suppressed the proliferation of endometrial carcinoma cells in vitro. Furthermore, EZH2 knockdown induced apoptosis of human EC cells by promoting the expression of pro-apoptosis protein caspase 3, caspase 9, BCL2 associated X and decreasing the expression of anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-2. Finally, the present study demonstrated that EZH2 knockdown suppressed the invasion of EC cells through downregulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Collectively, these data demonstrate that EZH2 is frequently overexpressed in EC cells and its overexpression is associated with promoting the proliferation and invasion and decreasing the apoptosis of EC cells, suggesting that EZH2 may provide potential therapeutic targets for treatment of endometrial carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Zhihong Ai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Yincheng Teng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Jieping Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
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10
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Meryet-Figuière M, Lambert B, Gauduchon P, Vigneron N, Brotin E, Poulain L, Denoyelle C. An overview of long non-coding RNAs in ovarian cancers. Oncotarget 2016; 7:44719-44734. [PMID: 26992233 PMCID: PMC5190131 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
As with miRNAs a decade ago, the scientific community recently understood that lncRNAs represent a new layer of complexity in the regulation of gene expression. Although only a subset of lncRNAs has been functionally characterized, it is clear that they are deeply involved in the most critical physiological and pathological biological processes. This review shows that in ovarian carcinoma, data already available testify to the importance of lncRNAs and that the demonstration of an ever-growing role of lncRNAs in the biology of this malignancy can be expected from future studies. We also underline the importance of their relationship with associated protein partners and miRNAs. Together, the available information suggests that the emerging field of lncRNAs will pave the way for a better understanding of ovarian cancer biology and might lead to the development of innovative therapeutic approaches. Moreover, lncRNAs expression signatures either alone or in combination with other types of markers (miRNAs, mRNAs, proteins) could prove useful to predict outcome or treatment follow-up in order to improve the therapeutic care of ovarian carcinoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Meryet-Figuière
- Inserm U1199, Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Locally Aggressive Cancer (BioTICLA) Unit, Caen, France
- Normandie University, Caen, France
- UNICAEN, Caen, France
- Comprehensive Cancer Center CLCC François Baclesse, Unicancer, Caen, France
| | - Bernard Lambert
- Inserm U1199, Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Locally Aggressive Cancer (BioTICLA) Unit, Caen, France
- Normandie University, Caen, France
- UNICAEN, Caen, France
- Comprehensive Cancer Center CLCC François Baclesse, Unicancer, Caen, France
- CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Pascal Gauduchon
- Inserm U1199, Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Locally Aggressive Cancer (BioTICLA) Unit, Caen, France
- Normandie University, Caen, France
- UNICAEN, Caen, France
- Comprehensive Cancer Center CLCC François Baclesse, Unicancer, Caen, France
| | - Nicolas Vigneron
- Inserm U1199, Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Locally Aggressive Cancer (BioTICLA) Unit, Caen, France
- Normandie University, Caen, France
- UNICAEN, Caen, France
- Comprehensive Cancer Center CLCC François Baclesse, Unicancer, Caen, France
| | - Emilie Brotin
- Inserm U1199, Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Locally Aggressive Cancer (BioTICLA) Unit, Caen, France
- Normandie University, Caen, France
- UNICAEN, Caen, France
- Comprehensive Cancer Center CLCC François Baclesse, Unicancer, Caen, France
| | - Laurent Poulain
- Inserm U1199, Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Locally Aggressive Cancer (BioTICLA) Unit, Caen, France
- Normandie University, Caen, France
- UNICAEN, Caen, France
- Comprehensive Cancer Center CLCC François Baclesse, Unicancer, Caen, France
| | - Christophe Denoyelle
- Inserm U1199, Biology and Innovative Therapeutics for Locally Aggressive Cancer (BioTICLA) Unit, Caen, France
- Normandie University, Caen, France
- UNICAEN, Caen, France
- Comprehensive Cancer Center CLCC François Baclesse, Unicancer, Caen, France
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11
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Hua KT, Wang MY, Chen MW, Wei LH, Chen CK, Ko CH, Jeng YM, Sung PL, Jan YH, Hsiao M, Kuo ML, Yen ML. The H3K9 methyltransferase G9a is a marker of aggressive ovarian cancer that promotes peritoneal metastasis. Mol Cancer 2014; 13:189. [PMID: 25115793 PMCID: PMC4260797 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-13-189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer (OCa) peritoneal metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women with limited therapeutic options available for treating it and poor prognosis, as the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. METHOD The clinicopathological correlation of G9a expression was assessed in tumor specimens of ovarian cancer patients. Knockdown or overexpression of G9a in ovarian cancer cell lines was analysed with regard to its effect on adhesion, migration, invasion and anoikis-resistance. In vivo biological functions of G9a were tested by i.p. xenograft ovarian cancer models. Microarray and quantitative RT-PCR were used to analyze G9a-regulated downstream target genes. RESULTS We found that the expression of histone methyltransferase G9a was highly correlated with late stage, high grade, and serous-type OCa. Higher G9a expression predicted a shorter survival in ovarian cancer patients. Furthermore, G9a expression was higher in metastatic lesions compared with their corresponding ovarian primary tumors. Knockdown of G9a expression suppressed prometastatic cellular activities including adhesion, migration, invasion and anoikis-resistance of ovarian cancer cell lines, while G9a over-expression promoted these cellular properties. G9a depletion significantly attenuated the development of ascites and tumor nodules in a peritoneal dissemination model. Importantly, microarray and quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that G9a regulates a cohort of tumor suppressor genes including CDH1, DUSP5, SPRY4, and PPP1R15A in ovarian cancer. Expression of these genes was also inversely correlated with G9a expression in OCa specimens. CONCLUSION We propose that G9a contributes to multiple steps of ovarian cancer metastasis and represents a novel target to combat this deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Min-Liang Kuo
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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12
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Marsh DJ, Shah JS, Cole AJ. Histones and their modifications in ovarian cancer - drivers of disease and therapeutic targets. Front Oncol 2014; 4:144. [PMID: 24971229 PMCID: PMC4053763 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2014.00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer has the highest mortality of the gynecological malignancies. High grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (SEOC) is the most common subtype, with the majority of women presenting with advanced disease where 5-year survival is around 25%. Platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with paclitaxel remains the most effective treatment despite platinum therapies being introduced almost 40 years ago. Advances in molecular medicine are underpinning new strategies for the treatment of cancer. Major advances have been made by international initiatives to sequence cancer genomes. For SEOC, with the exception of TP53 that is mutated in virtually 100% of these tumors, there is no other gene mutated at high frequency. There is extensive copy number variation, as well as changes in methylation patterns that will influence gene expression. To date, the role of histones and their post-translational modifications in ovarian cancer is a relatively understudied field. Post-translational histone modifications play major roles in gene expression as they direct the configuration of chromatin and so access by transcription factors. Histone modifications include methylation, acetylation, and monoubiquitination, with involvement of enzymes including histone methyltransferases, histone acetyltransferases/deacetylases, and ubiquitin ligases/deubiquitinases, respectively. Complexes such as the Polycomb repressive complex also play roles in the control of histone modifications and more recently roles for long non-coding RNA and microRNAs are emerging. Epigenomic-based therapies targeting histone modifications are being developed and offer new approaches for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Here, we discuss histone modifications and their aberrant regulation in malignancy and specifically in ovarian cancer. We review current and upcoming histone-based therapies that have the potential to inform and improve treatment strategies for women with ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah J Marsh
- Hormones and Cancer Group, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, The University of Sydney , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Jaynish S Shah
- Hormones and Cancer Group, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, The University of Sydney , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Alexander J Cole
- Hormones and Cancer Group, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, The University of Sydney , Sydney, NSW , Australia
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13
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Zhao L, Yu Y, Wu J, Bai J, Zhao Y, Li C, Sun W, Wang X. Role of EZH2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma carcinogenesis. Gene 2014; 537:197-202. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2013] [Revised: 12/14/2013] [Accepted: 01/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Gharpure KM, Sood AK. Neighborhood matters: response to EZH2 methyltransferase inhibitors. Cell Cycle 2013; 12:2345. [PMID: 23887388 PMCID: PMC3841310 DOI: 10.4161/cc.25775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kshipra M Gharpure
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston, TX USA
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15
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Amatangelo MD, Garipov A, Li H, Conejo-Garcia JR, Speicher DW, Zhang R. Three-dimensional culture sensitizes epithelial ovarian cancer cells to EZH2 methyltransferase inhibition. Cell Cycle 2013; 12:2113-9. [PMID: 23759589 DOI: 10.4161/cc.25163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitors of EZH2 methyltransferase activity have been demonstrated to selectively suppress the growth of diffused large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cells with gain-of-function mutations in EZH2, while exhibiting very limited effects on the growth of DLBCL cells with wild-type EZH2. Given that EZH2 is often overexpressed but not mutated in solid tumors, it is important to investigate the determinants of sensitivity of solid tumor cells to EZH2 inhibitors. In the current study, we show that three-dimensional (3D) culture of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells that overexpress EZH2 sensitizes these cells to EZH2 methyltransferase inhibition. Treatment of EOC cells with GSK343, a specific inhibitor of EZH2 methyltransferase, decreases the level of H3K27Me3, the product of EZH2's enzymatic activity. However, GSK343 exhibited limited effects on the growth of EOC cells in conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture. In contrast, GSK343 significantly suppressed the growth of EOC cells cultured in 3D matrigel extracellular matrix (ECM), which more closely mimics the tumor microenvironment in vivo. Notably, GSK343 induces apoptosis of EOC cells in 3D but not 2D culture. In addition, GSK343 significantly inhibited the invasion of EOC cells. In summary, we show that the 3D ECM sensitizes EOC cells to EZH2 methyltransferase inhibition, which suppresses cell growth, induces apoptosis and inhibits invasion. Our findings imply that in EZH2 wild-type solid tumors, the ECM tumor microenvironment plays an important role in determining sensitivity to EZH2 inhibition and suggest that targeting the ECM represents a novel strategy for enhancing EZH2 inhibitor efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Amatangelo
- Gene Expression and Regulation Program; The Wistar Institute; Philadelphia, PA, USA
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