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Nazir F, Munir I, Yesiloz G. A Microfluidics-Assisted Double-Barreled Nanobioconjugate Synthesis Introducing Aprotinin as a New Moonlight Nanocarrier Protein: Tested toward Physiologically Relevant 3D-Spheroid Models. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:18311-18326. [PMID: 38564228 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c16548] [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: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Proteins are promising substances for introducing new drug carriers with efficient blood circulation due to low possibilities of clearance by macrophages. However, such natural biopolymers have highly sophisticated molecular structures, preventing them from being assembled into nanoplatforms with manipulable payload release profiles. Here, we report a novel anticancer nanodrug carrier moonlighting protein, Aprotinin, to be used as a newly identified carrier for cytotoxic drugs. The Aprotinin-Doxorubicin (Apr-Dox) nanobioconjugate was prepared via a single-step microfluidics coflow mixing technique, a feasible and simple way to synthesize a carrier-based drug design with a double-barreled approach that can release and actuate two therapeutic agents simultaneously, i.e., Apr-Dox in 1:11 ratio (the antimetastatic carrier drug aprotinin and the chemotherapeutic drug DOX). With a significant stimuli-sensitive (i.e., pH) drug release ability, this nanobioconjugate achieves superior bioperformances, including high cellular uptake, efficient tumor penetration, and accumulation into the acidic tumor microenvironment, besides inhibiting further tumor growth by halting the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) involved in metastasis and tumor progression. Distinctly, in healthy human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVEC) cells, drastically lower cellular uptake of nanobioconjugates has been observed and validated compared to the anticancer agent Dox. Our findings demonstrate an enhanced cellular internalization of nanobioconjugates toward breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer both in vitro and in physiologically relevant biological 3D-spheroid models. Consequently, the designed nanobioconjugate shows a high potential for targeted drug delivery via a natural and biocompatible moonlighting protein, thus opening a new avenue for proving aprotinin in cancer therapy as both an antimetastatic and a drug-carrying agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiqa Nazir
- National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM)- Bilkent University, 06800 Cankaya-Ankara, Türkiye
- Institute of Material Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Cankaya-Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Iqra Munir
- National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM)- Bilkent University, 06800 Cankaya-Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Gurkan Yesiloz
- National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM)- Bilkent University, 06800 Cankaya-Ankara, Türkiye
- Institute of Material Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, 06800 Cankaya-Ankara, Türkiye
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Qiu Y, Zhang S, Man C, Gong D, Xu Y, Fan Y, Wang X, Zhang W. Advances on Senescence-associated secretory phenotype regulated by circular RNAs in tumors. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 97:102287. [PMID: 38570142 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The components that comprise the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) include growth factors, proteases, chemokines, cytokines, and bioactive lipids. It drives secondary aging and disrupts tissue homeostasis, ultimately leading to tissue repair and regeneration loss. It has a two-way regulatory effect on tumor cells, resisting cancer occurrence and promoting its progression. A category of single-stranded circular non-coding RNA molecules known as circular RNAs (circRNAs) carries out a series of cellular activities, including sequestering miRNAs and modulating gene editing and expression. Research has demonstrated that a large number of circRNAs exhibit aberrant expression in pathological settings, and play a part in the onset and progress of cancer via modulating SASP factors. However, the research related to SASP and circRNAs in tumors is still in its infancy at this stage. This review centers on the bidirectional modulation of SASP and the role of circRNAs in regulating SASP factors across different types of tumors. The aim is to present novel perspectives for the diagnosis and therapeutic management of malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Qiu
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, No 8, Dianli Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiqi Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Suqian First People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No 120, Suzhi Road, Suqian, Jiangsu 223812, People's Republic of China
| | - Changfeng Man
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, No 8, Dianli Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Gong
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, No 8, Dianli Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Xu
- Laboratory Center, Jiangsu University Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Fan
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, No 8, Dianli Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Suqian First People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No 120, Suzhi Road, Suqian, Jiangsu 223812, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- General Surgery Department, Jiangsu University Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
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Wei Q, Zhang YH. Flavonoids with Anti-Angiogenesis Function in Cancer. Molecules 2024; 29:1570. [PMID: 38611849 PMCID: PMC11013936 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29071570] [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: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The formation of new blood vessels, known as angiogenesis, significantly impacts the development of multiple types of cancer. Consequently, researchers have focused on targeting this process to prevent and treat numerous disorders. However, most existing anti-angiogenic treatments rely on synthetic compounds and humanized monoclonal antibodies, often expensive or toxic, restricting patient access to these therapies. Hence, the pursuit of discovering new, affordable, less toxic, and efficient anti-angiogenic compounds is imperative. Numerous studies propose that natural plant-derived products exhibit these sought-after characteristics. The objective of this review is to delve into the anti-angiogenic properties exhibited by naturally derived flavonoids from plants, along with their underlying molecular mechanisms of action. Additionally, we summarize the structure, classification, and the relationship between flavonoids with their signaling pathways in plants as anti-angiogenic agents, including main HIF-1α/VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/AKT, Wnt/β-catenin, JNK1/STAT3, and MAPK/AP-1 pathways. Nonetheless, further research and innovative approaches are required to enhance their bioavailability for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Wei
- School of Medicine, Anhui Xinhua University, 555 Wangjiang West Road, Hefei 230088, China;
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Müller P, Zimmer C, Frey A, Holzmann G, Weldert AC, Schirmeister T. Ligand-Based Design of Selective Peptidomimetic uPA and TMPRSS2 Inhibitors with Arg Bioisosteres. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1375. [PMID: 38338655 PMCID: PMC10855164 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Trypsin-like serine proteases are involved in many important physiological processes like blood coagulation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. On the other hand, they are also associated with pathological conditions. The urokinase-pwlasminogen activator (uPA), which is involved in tissue remodeling, can increase the metastatic behavior of various cancer types when overexpressed and dysregulated. Another member of this protease class that received attention during the SARS-CoV 2 pandemic is TMPRSS2. It is a transmembrane serine protease, which enables cell entry of the coronavirus by processing its spike protein. A variety of different inhibitors have been published against both proteases. However, the selectivity over other trypsin-like serine proteases remains a major challenge. In the current study, we replaced the arginine moiety at the P1 site of peptidomimetic inhibitors with different bioisosteres. Enzyme inhibition studies revealed that the phenylguanidine moiety in the P1 site led to strong affinity for TMPRSS2, whereas the cyclohexylguanidine derivate potently inhibited uPA. Both inhibitors exhibited high selectivity over other structurally similar and physiologically important proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, D-55128 Mainz, Germany; (P.M.); (C.Z.); (A.F.); (G.H.); (A.C.W.)
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Micalet A, Tappouni LJ, Peszko K, Karagianni D, Lam A, Counsell JR, Quezada SA, Moeendarbary E, Cheema U. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) regulates invasion and matrix remodelling in colorectal cancer. Matrix Biol Plus 2023; 19-20:100137. [PMID: 38020586 PMCID: PMC10667746 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2023.100137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer cells remodel their local physical environment through processes of matrix reorganisation, deposition, stiffening and degradation. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), which is encoded by the PLAU gene, is an extracellular proteolytic enzyme known to be involved in cancer progression and tumour microenvironment (TME) remodelling. Perturbing uPA therefore has a strong potential as a mechano-based cancer therapy. This work is a bioengineering investigation to validate whether 1) uPA is involved in matrix degradation and 2) preventing matrix degradation by targeting uPA can reduce cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Methods To this aim, we used an engineered 3D in vitro model, termed the tumouroid, that appropriately mimics the tumour's native biophysical environment (3 kPa). A CRISPR-Cas9 mediated uPA knockout was performed to introduce a loss of function mutation in the gene coding sequence. Subsequently, to validate the translational potential of blocking uPA action, we tested a pharmacological inhibitor, UK-371,801. The changes in matrix stiffness were measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Invasion was quantified using images of the tumouroid, obtained after 21 days of culture. Results We showed that uPA is highly expressed in invasive breast and colorectal cancers, and these invasive cancer cells locally degrade their TME. PLAU (uPA) gene knock-out (KO) completely stopped matrix remodelling and significantly reduced cancer invasion. Many invasive cancer gene markers were also downregulated in the PLAU KO tumouroids. Pharmacological inhibition of uPA showed similarly promising results, where matrix degradation was reduced and so was the cancer invasion. Conclusion This work supports the role of uPA in matrix degradation. It demonstrates that the invasion of cancer cells was significantly reduced when enzymatic breakdown of the TME matrix was prevented. Collectively, this provides strong evidence of the effectiveness of targeting uPA as a mechano-based cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Auxtine Micalet
- UCL Centre for 3D Models of Health and Disease, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Charles Bell House, 43-45 Foley Street, London W1W 7TS, United Kingdom
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Luke J. Tappouni
- UCL Centre for Targeted Cancer Therapies, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Charles Bell House, 43-45 Foley Street, London W1W 7TS, United Kingdom
| | - Katarzyna Peszko
- UCL Centre for 3D Models of Health and Disease, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Charles Bell House, 43-45 Foley Street, London W1W 7TS, United Kingdom
| | - Despoina Karagianni
- Immune Regulation and Tumour Immunotherapy Group, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, United Kingdom
| | - Ashley Lam
- UCL Centre for 3D Models of Health and Disease, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Charles Bell House, 43-45 Foley Street, London W1W 7TS, United Kingdom
| | - John R. Counsell
- UCL Centre for Targeted Cancer Therapies, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Charles Bell House, 43-45 Foley Street, London W1W 7TS, United Kingdom
| | - Sergio A. Quezada
- Immune Regulation and Tumour Immunotherapy Group, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6DD, United Kingdom
| | - Emad Moeendarbary
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- 199 Biotechnologies Ltd., Gloucester Road, London W2 6LD, United Kingdom
| | - Umber Cheema
- UCL Centre for 3D Models of Health and Disease, Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Charles Bell House, 43-45 Foley Street, London W1W 7TS, United Kingdom
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Mazzocato Y, Perin S, Morales-Sanfrutos J, Romanyuk Z, Pluda S, Acquasaliente L, Borsato G, De Filippis V, Scarso A, Angelini A. A novel genetically-encoded bicyclic peptide inhibitor of human urokinase-type plasminogen activator with better cross-reactivity toward the murine orthologue. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 95:117499. [PMID: 37879145 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The inhibition of human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (huPA), a serine protease that plays an important role in pericellular proteolysis, is a promising strategy to decrease the invasive and metastatic activity of tumour cells. However, the generation of selective small molecule huPA inhibitors has proven to be challenging due to the high structural similarity of huPA to other paralogue serine proteases. Efforts to generate more specific therapies have led to the development of cyclic peptide-based inhibitors with much higher selectivity against huPA. While this latter property is desired, the sparing of the orthologue murine poses difficulties for the testing of the inhibitor in preclinical mouse model. In this work, we have applied a Darwinian evolution-based approach to identify phage-encoded bicyclic peptide inhibitors of huPA with better cross-reactivity towards murine uPA (muPA). The best selected bicyclic peptide (UK132) inhibited huPA and muPA with Ki values of 0.33 and 12.58 µM, respectively. The inhibition appears to be specific for uPA, as UK132 only weakly inhibits a panel of structurally similar serine proteases. Removal or substitution of the second loop with one not evolved in vitro led to monocyclic and bicyclic peptide analogues with lower potency than UK132. Moreover, swapping of 1,3,5-tris-(bromomethyl)-benzene with different small molecules not used in the phage selection, resulted in an 80-fold reduction of potency, revealing the important structural role of the branched cyclization linker. Further substitution of an arginine in UK132 to a lysine resulted in a bicyclic peptide UK140 with enhanced inhibitory potency against both huPA (Ki = 0.20 µM) and murine orthologue (Ki = 2.79 µM). By combining good specificity, nanomolar affinity and a low molecular mass, the bicyclic peptide inhibitor developed in this work may provide a novel human and murine cross-reactive lead for the development of a potent and selective anti-metastatic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ylenia Mazzocato
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Stefano Perin
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Julia Morales-Sanfrutos
- Proteomics Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), C. de Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Zhanna Romanyuk
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Stefano Pluda
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; Fidia Farmaceutici S.p.A., Via Ponte della Fabbrica 3/A, Abano Terme 35031, Italy
| | - Laura Acquasaliente
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Borsato
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Filippis
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 5, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Scarso
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Alessandro Angelini
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; European Centre for Living Technology (ECLT), Ca' Bottacin, Dorsoduro 3911, Calle Crosera, 30123 Venice, Italy.
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Leth JM, Newcombe EA, Grønnemose AL, Jørgensen JT, Qvist K, Clausen AS, Knudsen LBS, Kjaer A, Kragelund BB, Jørgensen TJD, Ploug M. Targeted imaging of uPAR expression in vivo with cyclic AE105 variants. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17248. [PMID: 37821532 PMCID: PMC10567728 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43934-w] [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: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive literature reports on the correlation between elevated levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and the severity of diseases with chronic inflammation including solid cancers. Molecular imaging is widely used as a non-invasive method to locate disease dissemination via full body scans and to stratify patients for targeted treatment. To date, the only imaging probe targeting uPAR that has reached clinical phase-II testing relies on a high-affinity 9-mer peptide (AE105), and several studies by positron emission tomography (PET) scanning or near-infra red (NIR) fluorescence imaging have validated its utility and specificity in vivo. While our previous studies focused on applying various reporter groups, the current study aims to improve uPAR-targeting properties of AE105. We successfully stabilized the small uPAR-targeting core of AE105 by constraining its conformational landscape by disulfide-mediated cyclization. Importantly, this modification mitigated the penalty on uPAR-affinity typically observed after conjugation to macrocyclic chelators. Cyclization did not impair tumor targeting efficiency of AE105 in vivo as assessed by PET imaging and a trend towards increased tracer uptake was observed. In future studies, we predict that this knowledge will aid development of new fluorescent AE105 derivatives with a view to optical imaging of uPAR to assist precision guided cancer surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Maja Leth
- Finsen Laboratory, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Estella Anne Newcombe
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- REPIN, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- The Linderstrøm Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaloes Vej 5, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Anne Louise Grønnemose
- Finsen Laboratory, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Jesper Tranekjær Jørgensen
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Katrine Qvist
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Anne Skovsbo Clausen
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Line Bruhn Schneider Knudsen
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Andreas Kjaer
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Birthe Brandt Kragelund
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- REPIN, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- The Linderstrøm Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaloes Vej 5, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | | | - Michael Ploug
- Finsen Laboratory, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
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Rao Z, Lu C, Fan H, Du F, Zhu Y, Xia Y, Wang Z, Ning P. Engineered Macrophages-Based uPA-Scavenger Load Gemcitabine to Prompt Robust Treating Cancer Metastasis. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2203356. [PMID: 36929306 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202203356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The majority of cancer patients die of metastasis rather than primary tumors, and most patients may have already completed the cryptic metastatic process at the time of diagnosis, making them intractable for therapeutic intervention. The urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) system is proved to drive cancer metastasis. However, current blocking agents such as uPA inhibitors or antibodies are far from satisfactory due to poor pharmacokinetics and especially have to face multiplex mechanisms of metastasis. Herein, an effective strategy is proposed to develop a uPA-scavenger macrophage (uPAR-MΦ), followed by loading chemotherapeutics with nanoparticles (GEM@PLGA) to confront cancer metastasis. Interestingly, significant elimination of uPA by uPAR-MΦ is demonstrated by transwell analysis on tumor cells in vitro and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detection in peripheral blood of mice with metastatic tumors, contributing to significant inhibition of migration of tumor cells and occurrence of metastatic tumor lesions in mice. Moreover, uPAR-MΦ loaded with GEM@PLGA shows a robust antimetastasis effect and significantly prolonged survival in 4T1-tumor-bearing mice models. This work provides a novel living drug platform for realizing a potent treatment strategy to patients suffering from cancer metastasis, which can be further expanded to handle other tumor metastasis markers mediating cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiping Rao
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular & Neuroimaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
| | - Chuanchuan Lu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular & Neuroimaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
| | - Hongyu Fan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular & Neuroimaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
| | - Fuyu Du
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular & Neuroimaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
| | - Yutong Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular & Neuroimaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
| | - Yuqiong Xia
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular & Neuroimaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
| | - Zhiming Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Xiamen Branch, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Xiamen, 361015, P. R. China
| | - Pengbo Ning
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular & Neuroimaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710071, P. R. China
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Toul M, Slonkova V, Mican J, Urminsky A, Tomkova M, Sedlak E, Bednar D, Damborsky J, Hernychova L, Prokop Z. Identification, characterization, and engineering of glycosylation in thrombolyticsa. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 66:108174. [PMID: 37182613 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and pulmonary embolism, are the most common causes of disability and death worldwide. Blood clot hydrolysis by thrombolytic enzymes and thrombectomy are key clinical interventions. The most widely used thrombolytic enzyme is alteplase, which has been used in clinical practice since 1986. Another clinically used thrombolytic protein is tenecteplase, which has modified epitopes and engineered glycosylation sites, suggesting that carbohydrate modification in thrombolytic enzymes is a viable strategy for their improvement. This comprehensive review summarizes current knowledge on computational and experimental identification of glycosylation sites and glycan identity, together with methods used for their reengineering. Practical examples from previous studies focus on modification of glycosylations in thrombolytics, e.g., alteplase, tenecteplase, reteplase, urokinase, saruplase, and desmoteplase. Collected clinical data on these glycoproteins demonstrate the great potential of this engineering strategy. Outstanding combinatorics originating from multiple glycosylation sites and the vast variety of covalently attached glycan species can be addressed by directed evolution or rational design. Directed evolution pipelines would benefit from more efficient cell-free expression and high-throughput screening assays, while rational design must employ structure prediction by machine learning and in silico characterization by supercomputing. Perspectives on challenges and opportunities for improvement of thrombolytic enzymes by engineering and evolution of protein glycosylation are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Toul
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/C13, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Slonkova
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/C13, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Mican
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/C13, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Urminsky
- Research Centre for Applied Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Zluty kopec 7, 656 53 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Maria Tomkova
- Center for Interdisciplinary Biosciences, P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Jesenna 5, 04154 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Erik Sedlak
- Center for Interdisciplinary Biosciences, P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Jesenna 5, 04154 Kosice, Slovakia
| | - David Bednar
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/C13, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Damborsky
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/C13, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Hernychova
- Research Centre for Applied Molecular Oncology, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Zluty kopec 7, 656 53 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Zbynek Prokop
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/C13, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic.
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10
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The uPA/uPAR System Orchestrates the Inflammatory Response, Vascular Homeostasis, and Immune System in Fibrosis Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021796. [PMID: 36675310 PMCID: PMC9866279 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrotic diseases, such as systemic sclerosis (SSc), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, renal fibrosis and liver cirrhosis are characterized by tissue overgrowth due to excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Fibrosis progression is caused by ECM overproduction and the inhibition of ECM degradation due to several events, including inflammation, vascular endothelial dysfunction, and immune abnormalities. Recently, it has been reported that urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR), known to be fibrinolytic factors, orchestrate the inflammatory response, vascular homeostasis, and immune homeostasis system. The uPA/uPAR system may show promise as a potential therapeutic target for fibrotic diseases. This review considers the role of the uPA/uPAR system in the progression of fibrotic diseases.
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11
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Chien HJ, Liu CJ, Ying TH, Wu PJ, Wang JW, Ting YH, Hsieh YH, Wang SC. Timosaponin AIII Inhibits Migration and Invasion Abilities in Human Cervical Cancer Cells through Inactivation of p38 MAPK-Mediated uPA Expression In Vitro and In Vivo. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 15:cancers15010037. [PMID: 36612038 PMCID: PMC9817900 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecologic cancers globally that require novel approaches. Timosaponin AIII (TSAIII) is a steroidal saponin that displays beneficial effects in antitumor activities. However, the effect of TSAIII on human cervical cancer remains unknown. In this study, we found that TSAIII showed no influence on cell viability, cytotoxicity, cell cycle distribution and apoptosis induction in human cervical cancer cells. TSAIII was revealed to have a significant inhibitory effect on cell migration and invasion through the downregulation of invasion-related uPA expression and p38 MAPK activation in both human cervical cancer cells and cervical cancer stem cells (CCSCs), indicating that the p38 MAPK-uPA axis mediated the TSAIII-inhibited capacity of cellular migration and invasion. In a synergistic inhibition assay, a TSAIII plus p38 siRNA cotreatment revealed a greater inhibition of uPA expression, migration and invasion in human cervical cancer cells. In an immunodeficient mouse model, TSAIII significantly inhibited lung metastases from human cervical cancer SiHa cells without TSAIII-induced toxicity. These findings first revealed the inhibitory effects of TSAIII on the progression of human cervical cancer through its downregulation of p38 MAPK-uPA axis activation. Therefore, TSAIII might provide a potential strategy for auxiliary therapy in human cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung-Ju Chien
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Jung Liu
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807378, Taiwan
- Regenetative Medicine and Cell Therapy Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807378, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Ho Ying
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ju Wu
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Jiunn-Wei Wang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807378, Taiwan
- Regenetative Medicine and Cell Therapy Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807378, Taiwan
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807378, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsuan Ting
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsien Hsieh
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (Y.-H.H.); (S.-C.W.)
| | - Shih-Chiang Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung-Kang Branch, Cheng Ching Hospital, Taichung 40764, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (Y.-H.H.); (S.-C.W.)
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12
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Hosen SMZ, Uddin MN, Xu Z, Buckley BJ, Perera C, Pang TCY, Mekapogu AR, Moni MA, Notta F, Gallinger S, Pirola R, Wilson J, Ranson M, Goldstein D, Apte M. Metastatic phenotype and immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Key role of the urokinase plasminogen activator (PLAU). Front Immunol 2022; 13:1060957. [PMID: 36591282 PMCID: PMC9794594 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1060957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies have revealed the role of dysregulated urokinase plasminogen activator (encoded by PLAU) expression and activity in several pathways associated with cancer progression. However, systematic investigation into the association of PLAU expression with factors that modulate PDAC (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma) progression is lacking, such as those affecting stromal (pancreatic stellate cell, PSC)-cancer cell interactions, tumour immunity, PDAC subtypes and clinical outcomes from potential PLAU inhibition. Methods This study used an integrated bioinformatics approach to identify prognostic markers correlated with PLAU expression using different transcriptomics, proteomics, and clinical data sets. We then determined the association of dysregulated PLAU and correlated signatures with oncogenic pathways, metastatic phenotypes, stroma, immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment (TME) and clinical outcome. Finally, using an in vivo orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer, we confirmed the predicted effect of inhibiting PLAU on tumour growth and metastasis. Results Our analyses revealed that PLAU upregulation is not only associated with numerous other prognostic markers but also associated with the activation of various oncogenic signalling pathways, aggressive phenotypes relevant to PDAC growth and metastasis, such as proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), stemness, hypoxia, extracellular cell matrix (ECM) degradation, upregulation of stromal signatures, and immune suppression in the tumour microenvironment (TME). Moreover, the upregulation of PLAU was directly connected with signalling pathways known to mediate PSC-cancer cell interactions. Furthermore, PLAU upregulation was associated with the aggressive basal/squamous phenotype of PDAC and significantly reduced overall survival, indicating that this subset of patients may benefit from therapeutic interventions to inhibit PLAU activity. Our studies with a clinically relevant orthotopic pancreatic model showed that even short-term PLAU inhibition is sufficient to significantly halt tumour growth and, importantly, eliminate visible metastasis. Conclusion Elevated PLAU correlates with increased aggressive phenotypes, stromal score, and immune suppression in PDAC. PLAU upregulation is also closely associated with the basal subtype type of PDAC; patients with this subtype are at high risk of mortality from the disease and may benefit from therapeutic targeting of PLAU.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. M. Zahid Hosen
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Md. Nazim Uddin
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Zhihong Xu
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Benjamin J. Buckley
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Chamini Perera
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Tony C. Y. Pang
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alpha Raj Mekapogu
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Mohammad Ali Moni
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Faiyaz Notta
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Steven Gallinger
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ron Pirola
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jeremy Wilson
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marie Ranson
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - David Goldstein
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia
| | - Minoti Apte
- Pancreatic Research Group, SWS Clinical Campus, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia,Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia,*Correspondence: Minoti Apte,
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13
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Daniluk K, Lange A, Pruchniewski M, Małolepszy A, Sawosz E, Jaworski S. Delivery of Melittin as a Lytic Agent via Graphene Nanoparticles as Carriers to Breast Cancer Cells. J Funct Biomater 2022; 13:jfb13040278. [PMID: 36547538 PMCID: PMC9787603 DOI: 10.3390/jfb13040278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Melittin, as an agent to lyse biological membranes, may be a promising therapeutic agent in the treatment of cancer. However, because of its nonspecific actions, there is a need to use a delivery method. The conducted research determined whether carbon nanoparticles, such as graphene and graphene oxide, could be carriers for melittin to breast cancer cells. The studies included the analysis of intracellular pH, the potential of cell membranes, the type of cellular transport, and the expression of receptor proteins. By measuring the particle size, zeta potential, and FT-IT analysis, we found that the investigated nanoparticles are connected by electrostatic interactions. The level of melittin encapsulation with graphene was 86%, while with graphene oxide it was 78%. A decrease in pHi was observed for all cell lines after administration of melittin and its complex with graphene. The decrease in membrane polarization was demonstrated for all lines treated with melittin and its complex with graphene and after exposure to the complex of melittin with graphene oxide for the MDA-MB-231 and HFFF2 lines. The results showed that the investigated melittin complexes and the melittin itself act differently on different cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7). It has been shown that in MDA-MD-231 cells, melittin in a complex with graphene is transported to cells via caveolin-dependent endocytosis. On the other hand, the melittin-graphene oxide complex can reach breast cancer cells through various types of transport. Other differences in protein expression changes were also observed for tumor lines after exposure to melittin and complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Daniluk
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agata Lange
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michał Pruchniewski
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Artur Małolepszy
- Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-654 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa Sawosz
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sławomir Jaworski
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute of Biology, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-225936675
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14
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Inhibition of Human Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator (uPA) Enzyme Activity and Receptor Binding by DNA Aptamers as Potential Therapeutics through Binding to the Different Forms of uPA. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094890. [PMID: 35563278 PMCID: PMC9100121 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Urokinase-type plasminogen activator is widely discussed as a marker for cancer prognosis and diagnosis and as a target for cancer therapies. Together with its receptor, uPA plays an important role in tumorigenesis, tumor progression and metastasis. In the present study, systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) was used to select single-stranded DNA aptamers targeting different forms of human uPA. Selected aptamers allowed the distinction between HMW-uPA and LMW-uPA, and therefore, presumably, have different binding regions. Here, uPAapt-02-FR showed highly affine binding with a KD of 0.7 nM for HMW-uPA and 21 nM for LMW-uPA and was also able to bind to pro-uPA with a KD of 14 nM. Furthermore, no cross-reactivity to mouse uPA or tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) was measured, demonstrating high specificity. Suppression of the catalytic activity of uPA and inhibition of uPAR-binding could be demonstrated through binding with different aptamers and several of their truncated variants. Since RNA aptamers are already known to inhibit uPA-uPAR binding and other pathological functions of the uPA system, these aptamers represent a novel, promising tool not only for detection of uPA but also for interfering with the pathological functions of the uPA system by additionally inhibiting uPA activity.
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15
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Baldini E, Presutti D, Favoriti P, Santini S, Papoff G, Tuccilli C, Carletti R, Di Gioia C, Lori E, Ferent IC, Gagliardi F, Catania A, Pironi D, Tripodi D, D’Andrea V, Sorrenti S, Ruberti G, Ulisse S. In Vitro and In Vivo Effects of the Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor WX-340 on Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Cell Lines. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073724. [PMID: 35409084 PMCID: PMC8999125 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased expression of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) system is associated with tumor invasion, neo-angiogenesis, and metastatic spread, and has been shown to positively correlate with a poor prognosis in several cancer types, including thyroid carcinomas. In recent years, several uPA inhibitors were found to have anticancer effects in preclinical studies and in some phase II clinical trials, which prompted us to evaluate uPA as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of patients affected by the most aggressive form of thyroid cancer, the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). In this study, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo effects of WX-340, a highly specific and selective uPA inhibitor, on two ATC-derived cell lines, CAL-62 and BHT-101. The results obtained indicated that WX-340 was able to reduce cell adhesion and invasiveness in a dose-dependent manner in both cell lines. In addition, WX-340 increased uPA receptor (uPAR) protein levels without affecting its plasma membrane concentration. However, this compound was unable to significantly reduce ATC growth in a xenograft model, indicating that uPA inhibition alone may not have the expected therapeutic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enke Baldini
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Dario Presutti
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy; (D.P.); (S.S.); (G.P.); (G.R.)
| | - Pasqualino Favoriti
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Simonetta Santini
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy; (D.P.); (S.S.); (G.P.); (G.R.)
| | - Giuliana Papoff
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy; (D.P.); (S.S.); (G.P.); (G.R.)
| | - Chiara Tuccilli
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Raffaella Carletti
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.C.); (C.D.G.)
| | - Cira Di Gioia
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (R.C.); (C.D.G.)
| | - Eleonora Lori
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Iulia Catalina Ferent
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Federica Gagliardi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Antonio Catania
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Daniele Pironi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Domenico Tripodi
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Vito D’Andrea
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Salvatore Sorrenti
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
| | - Giovina Ruberti
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy; (D.P.); (S.S.); (G.P.); (G.R.)
| | - Salvatore Ulisse
- Department of Surgical Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.B.); (P.F.); (C.T.); (E.L.); (I.C.F.); (F.G.); (A.C.); (D.P.); (D.T.); (V.D.); (S.S.)
- Correspondence:
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16
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Shmakova AA, Klimovich PS, Rysenkova KD, Popov VS, Gorbunova AS, Karpukhina AA, Karagyaur MN, Rubina KA, Tkachuk VA, Semina EV. Urokinase Receptor uPAR Downregulation in Neuroblastoma Leads to Dormancy, Chemoresistance and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14040994. [PMID: 35205745 PMCID: PMC8870350 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14040994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary uPAR is a membrane receptor that contributes to extracellular matrix remodeling and controls cellular adhesion, proliferation, survival, and migration. We demonstrate that the initially high uPAR expression predicts poor survival in neuroblastoma. However, relapsed neuroblastomas have a significantly decreased uPAR expression. uPAR downregulation in neuroblastoma cells leads to dormancy and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. In mice, low uPAR-expressing neuroblastoma cells formed smaller primary tumors but more frequent metastasis. Abstract uPAR is a membrane receptor that binds extracellular protease urokinase, contributes to matrix remodeling and plays a crucial role in cellular adhesion, proliferation, survival, and migration. uPAR overexpression in tumor cells promotes mitogenesis, opening a prospective avenue for targeted therapy. However, uPAR targeting in cancer has potential risks. We have recently shown that uPAR downregulation in neuroblastoma promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), potentially associated with metastasis and chemoresistance. We used data mining to evaluate the role of uPAR expression in primary and relapsed human neuroblastomas. To model the decreased uPAR expression, we targeted uPAR using CRISPR/Cas9 and shRNA in neuroblastoma Neuro2a cells and evaluated their chemosensitivity in vitro as well as tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. We demonstrate that the initially high PLAUR expression predicts poor survival in human neuroblastoma. However, relapsed neuroblastomas have a significantly decreased PLAUR expression. uPAR targeting in neuroblastoma Neuro2a cells leads to p38 activation and an increased p21 expression (suggesting a dormant phenotype). The dormancy in neuroblastoma cells can be triggered by the disruption of uPAR-integrin interaction. uPAR-deficient cells are less sensitive to cisplatin and doxorubicin treatment and exhibit lower p53 activation. Finally, low uPAR-expressing Neuro2a cells formed smaller primary tumors, but more frequent metastasis in mice. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study revealing the pathological role of dormant uPAR-deficient cancer cells having a chemoresistant and motile phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna A. Shmakova
- National Cardiology Research Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Institute of Experimental Cardiology, 121552 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.S.); (P.S.K.); (K.D.R.); (V.A.T.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia; (V.S.P.); (A.S.G.); (M.N.K.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Polina S. Klimovich
- National Cardiology Research Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Institute of Experimental Cardiology, 121552 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.S.); (P.S.K.); (K.D.R.); (V.A.T.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia; (V.S.P.); (A.S.G.); (M.N.K.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Karina D. Rysenkova
- National Cardiology Research Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Institute of Experimental Cardiology, 121552 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.S.); (P.S.K.); (K.D.R.); (V.A.T.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia; (V.S.P.); (A.S.G.); (M.N.K.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Vladimir S. Popov
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia; (V.S.P.); (A.S.G.); (M.N.K.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Anna S. Gorbunova
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia; (V.S.P.); (A.S.G.); (M.N.K.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Anna A. Karpukhina
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Science, 117334 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Maxim N. Karagyaur
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia; (V.S.P.); (A.S.G.); (M.N.K.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Kseniya A. Rubina
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia; (V.S.P.); (A.S.G.); (M.N.K.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Vsevolod A. Tkachuk
- National Cardiology Research Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Institute of Experimental Cardiology, 121552 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.S.); (P.S.K.); (K.D.R.); (V.A.T.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia; (V.S.P.); (A.S.G.); (M.N.K.); (K.A.R.)
| | - Ekaterina V. Semina
- National Cardiology Research Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Institute of Experimental Cardiology, 121552 Moscow, Russia; (A.A.S.); (P.S.K.); (K.D.R.); (V.A.T.)
- Faculty of Medicine, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, Russia; (V.S.P.); (A.S.G.); (M.N.K.); (K.A.R.)
- Correspondence:
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