1
|
Wu H, Chen Y, Li M, Chen Z, Liu J, Lai G. Characterization of tumor microenvironment infiltration and therapeutic responses of cell cycle-related genes' signature in breast cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:13889-13904. [PMID: 37540256 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05198-9] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is unknown how the cell cycle plays a role in breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to establish a clinically applicable predictive model to predict the therapeutic responses and overall survival in BC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cell cycle-related genes (CCGs) were identified within the Cancer Genome Atlas cohort (n is equal to 1001) and the Gene Expression Omnibus cohort (n is equal to 3265). An analysis of univariate and multivariate Cox was then conducted to develop a nomogram based on CCGs. After validating the nomogram, risk cohort stratification was established and the predictive value was examined. Finally, immune cell infiltration and therapeutic responses were analysed. RESULTS Based on 15 CCGs, 4 prognostic predictors were identified and entered into the nomogram. According to the curves of calibration, the estimated and observed value of the nomogram is in optimal agreement. Subsequently, stratification into two risk cohorts showed that the predictive value, immune cell infiltration and overall survival were better among patients with low risk. Immune checkpoint expression in patients with BC at higher risk was downregulated. Furthermore, the results of the study revealed that doxorubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, cisplatin and vinorelbine all had higher IC50 values in patients with high-risk BC. CONCLUSION The nomogram based on CCG could assess tumour immune micro-environment regulation and therapeutic responses of immunotherapy in BC. Moreover, it may provide novel information on the control of immune micro-environment infiltration in BC and aid in the development of targeted immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huacong Wu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Yutao Chen
- The Second Clinical School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengyi Li
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Shenzhen Baoan Women's and Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zijun Chen
- The Second Clinical School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Breast Cancer, Affiliated Foshan Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, China.
| | - Guie Lai
- Breast Disease Comprehensive Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chen W, Ji M, Cheng H, Zheng M, Xia F, Min W, Yang H, Wang X, Wang L, Cao L, Yuan K, Yang P. Discovery, Optimization, and Evaluation of Selective CDK4/6 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Breast Cancer. J Med Chem 2022; 65:15102-15122. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Weijiao Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Minghui Ji
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Hao Cheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Mingming Zheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Fei Xia
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Wenjian Min
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Huanaoyu Yang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lijuan Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Metabolism, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Peng Yang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhang J, Buranjiang G, Mutalifu Z, Jin H, Yao L. KIF14 affects cell cycle arrest and cell viability in cervical cancer by regulating the p27 Kip1 pathway. World J Surg Oncol 2022; 20:125. [PMID: 35439960 PMCID: PMC9016959 DOI: 10.1186/s12957-022-02585-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cervical cancer is a kind of malignant gynecological tumor. The first choice for treating cervical cancer is still a combination of surgery and chemoradiotherapy, but the 5-year survival rate remains poor. Therefore, researchers are trying to find new ways to diagnose and treat cervical cancer early. Methods The expression level of KIF14 in cells and tissues was determined via qRT–PCR. The ability of the cells to proliferate, migrate, and invade was examined using CCK-8 assay kits, colony formation assays, and Transwell chambers. The expression levels of Cyclin D1, Cyclin B1, p21, and p27 were also detected using western blot assays. Results The results suggested that p27 is a key regulatory factor in the KIF14-mediated regulation of the cell cycle. In addition, KIF14 knockdown promotes malignancy in cervical cancer cells by inhibiting p27 degradation, resulting in cell cycle arrest. Conclusions KIF14 is an oncogene in cervical cancer, and knocking down KIF14 causes cell cycle arrest by inhibiting p27 degradation, thus affecting cell viability, proliferation, and migration. These results provide a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Nanhu Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
| | - Gulimire Buranjiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Nanhu Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
| | - Zuohelaguli Mutalifu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Nanhu Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
| | - Hua Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Nanhu Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830011, China
| | - Liyan Yao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Nanhu Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830063, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Klimaszewska-Wiśniewska A, Buchholz K, Neska-Długosz I, Durślewicz J, Grzanka D, Zabrzyński J, Sopońska P, Grzanka A, Gagat M. Expression of Genomic Instability-Related Molecules: Cyclin F, RRM2 and SPDL1 and Their Prognostic Significance in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:859. [PMID: 33670609 PMCID: PMC7922901 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study, we aimed to assess the selected components of cell cycle machinery, checkpoint, DNA repair, and synthesis, namely RRM2, cyclin F, and SPDL1 in pancreatic adenocarcinomas (PAC) by in-house immunohistochemistry (IHC) and bioinformatic analysis of public datasets, in terms of expression, correlation with clinicopathological parameters, and patient survival. Sixty eight patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were included in our cohort study, and IHC was performed on tissue macroarrays. RNA-Seq-based transcriptome data for 177 PACs were retrieved from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We found cyclin F, RRM2, and SPDL1 to be overexpressed at both protein and mRNA levels in tumor tissues compared to respective controls. Based on TCGA dataset, we have demonstrated that CCNF, RRM2, and SPDL1 are potent independent prognostic markers for poor overall survival, both by themselves and even more in combination with each other. Furthermore, high CCNF mRNA expression was associated with features of cancer progression. By contrast, overexpression of cyclin F or SPDL1 proteins denoted a good prognosis in PDAC patients; however, in the case of the former protein, the results did not reach statistical significance. Specifically, high levels of SPDL1 protein emerged as the most powerful independent prognostic factor associated with a better outcome. If validated, the CCNF/RRM2/SPDL1 three-gene panel developed in this study, as well as SPDL1 protein, may provide significant clinical implications for the prognosis prediction of PAC patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Klimaszewska-Wiśniewska
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (K.B.); (I.N.-D.); (J.D.); (D.G.); (J.Z.)
| | - Karolina Buchholz
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (K.B.); (I.N.-D.); (J.D.); (D.G.); (J.Z.)
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (A.G.); (M.G.)
| | - Izabela Neska-Długosz
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (K.B.); (I.N.-D.); (J.D.); (D.G.); (J.Z.)
| | - Justyna Durślewicz
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (K.B.); (I.N.-D.); (J.D.); (D.G.); (J.Z.)
| | - Dariusz Grzanka
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (K.B.); (I.N.-D.); (J.D.); (D.G.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jan Zabrzyński
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (K.B.); (I.N.-D.); (J.D.); (D.G.); (J.Z.)
- Department of General Orthopaedics, Musculoskeletal Oncology and Trauma Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-572 Poznań, Poland
| | - Paulina Sopońska
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
| | - Alina Grzanka
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (A.G.); (M.G.)
| | - Maciej Gagat
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-092 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (A.G.); (M.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Jamin SP, Hikmet F, Mathieu R, Jégou B, Lindskog C, Chalmel F, Primig M. Combined RNA/tissue profiling identifies novel Cancer/testis genes. Mol Oncol 2021; 15:3003-3023. [PMID: 33426787 PMCID: PMC8564638 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer/Testis (CT) genes are induced in germ cells, repressed in somatic cells, and derepressed in somatic tumors, where these genes can contribute to cancer progression. CT gene identification requires data obtained using standardized protocols and technologies. This is a challenge because data for germ cells, gonads, normal somatic tissues, and a wide range of cancer samples stem from multiple sources and were generated over substantial periods of time. We carried out a GeneChip‐based RNA profiling analysis using our own data for testis and enriched germ cells, data for somatic cancers from the Expression Project for Oncology, and data for normal somatic tissues from the Gene Omnibus Repository. We identified 478 candidate loci that include known CT genes, numerous genes associated with oncogenic processes, and novel candidates that are not referenced in the Cancer/Testis Database (www.cta.lncc.br). We complemented RNA expression data at the protein level for SPESP1, GALNTL5, PDCL2, and C11orf42 using cancer tissue microarrays covering malignant tumors of breast, uterus, thyroid, and kidney, as well as published RNA profiling and immunohistochemical data provided by the Human Protein Atlas (www.proteinatlas.org). We report that combined RNA/tissue profiling identifies novel CT genes that may be of clinical interest as therapeutical targets or biomarkers. Our findings also highlight the challenges of detecting truly germ cell‐specific mRNAs and the proteins they encode in highly heterogenous testicular, somatic, and tumor tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soazik P Jamin
- Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S, Univ Rennes, France
| | - Feria Hikmet
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Romain Mathieu
- Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S, Univ Rennes, France.,Department of Urology, University Hospital, Rennes, France
| | - Bernard Jégou
- Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S, Univ Rennes, France
| | - Cecilia Lindskog
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Frédéric Chalmel
- Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S, Univ Rennes, France
| | - Michael Primig
- Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S, Univ Rennes, France
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Gregoire-Mitha S, Gray DA. What deubiquitinating enzymes, oncogenes, and tumor suppressors actually do: Are current assumptions supported by patient outcomes? Bioessays 2021; 43:e2000269. [PMID: 33415735 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Context can determine whether a given gene acts as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor. Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) regulate the stability of many components of the pathways dictating cell fate so it would be expected that alterations in the levels or activity of these enzymes may have oncogenic or tumor suppressive consequences. In the current review we survey publications reporting that genes encoding DUBs are oncogenes or tumor suppressors. For many DUBs both claims have been made. For such "double agents," the effects of gain or loss of function will depend on the overall status of a complex of molecular signaling networks subject to extensive crosstalk. As the TGF-β paradox makes clear context is critical in cell fate decisions, and the disconnect between experimental findings and patient survival outcomes can in part be attributed to disparities between culture conditions and the microenvironment in vivo. Convincing claims for oncogene or tumor suppressor roles require the documentation of gene alterations in patient samples; survival curves are alone inadequate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Gregoire-Mitha
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.,Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Douglas A Gray
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.,Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kołat D, Kałuzińska Ż, Orzechowska M, Bednarek AK, Płuciennik E. Functional genomics of AP-2α and AP-2γ in cancers: in silico study. BMC Med Genomics 2020; 13:174. [PMID: 33213447 PMCID: PMC7678100 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-020-00823-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among all causes of death, cancer is the most prevalent and is only outpaced by cardiovascular diseases. Molecular theory of carcinogenesis states that apoptosis and proliferation are regulated by groups of tumor suppressors or oncogenes. Transcription factors are example of proteins comprising representatives of both cancer-related groups. Exemplary family of transcription factors which exhibits dualism of function is Activating enhancer-binding Protein 2 (AP-2). Scientific reports concerning their function in carcinogenesis depend on particular family member and/or tumor type which proves the issue to be unsolved. Therefore, the present study examines role of the best-described AP-2 representatives, AP-2α and AP-2γ, through ontological analysis of their target genes and investigation what processes are differentially regulated in 21 cancers using samples deposited in Genomic Data Analysis Center (GDAC) Firehose. METHODS Expression data with clinical annotation was collected from TCGA-dedicated repository GDAC Firehose. Transcription factor targets were obtained from Gene Transcription Regulation Database (GTRD), TRANScription FACtor database (TRANSFAC) and Transcriptional Regulatory Relationships Unraveled by Sentence-based Text mining (TRRUST). Monocle3 R package was used for global samples profiling while Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) tool was used to perform gene ontology analysis. RESULTS With RNA-seq data and Monocle3 or PANTHER tools we outlined differences in many processes and signaling pathways, separating tumor from normal tissues or tumors from each other. Unexpectedly, a number of alterations in basal-like breast cancer were identified that distinguished it from other subtypes, which could bring future clinical benefits. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that while the AP-2α/γ role remains ambiguous, their activity is based on processes that underlie the cancer hallmarks and their expression could have potential in diagnosis of selected tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damian Kołat
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752, Lodz, Poland.
| | - Żaneta Kałuzińska
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752, Lodz, Poland
| | - Magdalena Orzechowska
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752, Lodz, Poland
| | - Andrzej K Bednarek
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752, Lodz, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Płuciennik
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752, Lodz, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ye T, Feng J, Wan X, Xie D, Liu J. Double Agent: SPDEF Gene with Both Oncogenic and Tumor-Suppressor Functions in Breast Cancer. Cancer Manag Res 2020; 12:3891-3902. [PMID: 32547225 PMCID: PMC7259446 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s243748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The dichotomy of cancer-regulatory genes into “oncogenes (OCGs)” and “tumor-suppressor genes (TSGs)” has greatly helped us in learning molecular details of tumor biology. SPDEF, known as the prostate-derived ETS factor, is reported to play a pivotal role in normal cell development and survival, which has also been endowed with dual characteristics in cancers. Breast cancer (BC) is a highly heterogeneous disease which becomes the leading reason for cancer-related fatality among women worldwide. The involvement of SPDEF in many aspects of BC has been postulated, whereas the mechanism governing the regulation of the pro- and anti-oncogenic activities of SPDEF in BC state remains poorly defined. In this review, we summarized SPDEF as the double agent involving in expression profiles, the regulatory mechanism in BC progression, as well as the role in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of BC. The understanding of SPDEF duality has contributed to gain insight into the tumor biology and also add a new dimension to the new therapy targets for BC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Ye
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Feng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Wan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Xie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinbo Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan 646000, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Dou X, Tong P, Huang H, Zellmer L, He Y, Jia Q, Zhang D, Peng J, Wang C, Xu N, Liao DJ. Evidence for immortality and autonomy in animal cancer models is often not provided, which causes confusion on key issues of cancer biology. J Cancer 2020; 11:2887-2920. [PMID: 32226506 PMCID: PMC7086263 DOI: 10.7150/jca.41324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern research into carcinogenesis has undergone three phases. Surgeons and pathologists started the first phase roughly 250 years ago, establishing morphological traits of tumors for pathologic diagnosis, and setting immortality and autonomy as indispensable criteria for neoplasms. A century ago, medical doctors, biologists and chemists started to enhance "experimental cancer research" by establishing many animal models of chemical-induced carcinogenesis for studies of cellular mechanisms. In this second phase, the two-hit theory and stepwise carcinogenesis of "initiation-promotion" or "initiation-promotion-progression" were established, with an illustrious finding that outgrowths induced in animals depend on the inducers, and thus are not authentically neoplastic, until late stages. The last 40 years are the third incarnation, molecular biologists have gradually dominated the carcinogenesis research fraternity and have established numerous genetically-modified animal models of carcinogenesis. However, evidence has not been provided for immortality and autonomy of the lesions from most of these models. Probably, many lesions had already been collected from animals for analyses of molecular mechanisms of "cancer" before the lesions became autonomous. We herein review the monumental work of many predecessors to reinforce that evidence for immortality and autonomy is essential for confirming a neoplastic nature. We extrapolate that immortality and autonomy are established early during sporadic human carcinogenesis, unlike the late establishment in most animal models. It is imperative to resume many forerunners' work by determining the genetic bases for initiation, promotion and progression, the genetic bases for immortality and autonomy, and which animal models are, in fact, good for identifying such genetic bases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xixi Dou
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Transmucosal and Transdermal Drug Delivery, Shandong Freda Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Jinan 250101, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Pingzhen Tong
- Department of Pathology, The Second Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550001, Guizhou Province, P.R. China
| | - Hai Huang
- Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, P.R. China
| | - Lucas Zellmer
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, 435 E. River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Yan He
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of The Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province 550004, P. R. China
| | - Qingwen Jia
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Transmucosal and Transdermal Drug Delivery, Shandong Freda Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Jinan 250101, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Daizhou Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Transmucosal and Transdermal Drug Delivery, Shandong Freda Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Jinan 250101, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Jiang Peng
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250021, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Chenguang Wang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250021, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Tianjin LIPOGEN Gene Technology Ltd., #238 Baidi Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300192, P.R. China
| | - Dezhong Joshua Liao
- Department of Pathology, The Second Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang 550001, Guizhou Province, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Fadaka AO, Pretorius A, Klein A. MicroRNA Assisted Gene Regulation in Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4899. [PMID: 31623294 PMCID: PMC6801675 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20194899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second-leading cause of cancer death and a major public health problem. Nearly 80% CRC cases are diagnosed after the disease have metastasized and are often too advanced for treatment. Small non-coding RNA guides argonaute protein to their specific target for regulation as the sole of RNA induced silencing complex for gene silencing. These non-coding RNA for example microRNA, are thought to play a key role in affecting the efficiency of gene regulation in cancer, especially CRC. Understanding the mechanism at the molecular level could lead to improved diagnosis, treatment, and management decisions for CRC. The study aimed to predict the molecular mechanism of gene regulation based microRNA-mRNA duplex as a lead in the silencing mechanism. Five candidate microRNAs were identified through the in silico approach. The MicroRNA target prediction and subsequent correlation, and prioritization were performed using miRTarBase, gbCRC and CoReCG, and DAVID databases respectively. Protein selection and preparation were carried out using PDB and Schrödinger suits. The molecular docking analysis was performed using PATCHDOCK webserver and visualized by discovery studio visualizer. The results of the study reveal that the candidate microRNAs have strong binding affinity towards their targets suggesting a crucial factor in the silencing mechanism. Furthermore, the molecular docking of the receptor to both the microRNA and microRNA-mRNA duplex were analyzed computationally to understand their interaction at the molecular level. Conclusively, the study provides an explanation for understanding the microRNAs-based gene regulation (silencing mechanism) in CRC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adewale O Fadaka
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Ashley Pretorius
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Ashwil Klein
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 Cape Town, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Asnafi AA, Mohammadi MB, Rezaeeyan H, Davari N, Saki N. Prognostic significance of mutated genes in megakaryocytic disorders. Oncol Rev 2019; 13:408. [PMID: 31410247 PMCID: PMC6661530 DOI: 10.4081/oncol.2019.408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Megakaryopoiesis is a process during which platelets that play a major role in hemostasis are produced due to differentiation and maturation of megakaryocytic precursors. Several genes, including oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, play a role in the regulation of this process. This study was conducted to investigate the oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes as well as their mutations during the megakaryopoiesis process, which can lead to megakaryocytic disorders. Relevant literature was identified by a PubMed search (1998-2019) of English language papers using the terms ‘Megakaryopoiesis’, ‘Mutation’, ‘oncogenes’, and ‘Tumor Suppressor’. According to investigations, several mutations occur in the genes implicated in megakaryopoiesis, which abnormally induce or inhibit megakaryocyte production, differentiation, and maturation, leading to platelet disorders. GATA-1 is one of the important genes in megakaryopoiesis and its mutations can be considered among the factors involved in the incidence of these disorders. Considering the essential role of these genes (such as GATA- 1) in megakaryopoiesis and the involvement of their mutations in platelet disorders, study and examination of these changes can be a positive step in the diagnosis and prognosis of these diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Amin Asnafi
- Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Research Institute of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Bagher Mohammadi
- Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Research Institute of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Hadi Rezaeeyan
- Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Research Institute of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Nader Davari
- Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Research Institute of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Najmaldin Saki
- Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Research Institute of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zvarych L, Golyarnik N, Ilienko I. Level of Cyclin D1 protein in peripheral blood lymphocytes of Chornobyl clean-up workers in remote period after radiation exposure. SCIENCERISE: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.15587/2519-8025.2019.165703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
|
13
|
Kołat D, Kałuzińska Ż, Bednarek AK, Płuciennik E. The biological characteristics of transcription factors AP-2α and AP-2γ and their importance in various types of cancers. Biosci Rep 2019; 39:BSR20181928. [PMID: 30824562 PMCID: PMC6418405 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20181928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Activator Protein 2 (AP-2) transcription factor (TF) family is vital for the regulation of gene expression during early development as well as carcinogenesis process. The review focusses on the AP-2α and AP-2γ proteins and their dualistic regulation of gene expression in the process of carcinogenesis. Both AP-2α and AP-2γ influence a wide range of physiological or pathological processes by regulating different pathways and interacting with diverse molecules, i.e. other proteins, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) or miRNAs. This review summarizes the newest information about the biology of two, AP-2α and AP-2γ, TFs in the carcinogenesis process. We emphasize that these two proteins could have either oncogenic or suppressive characteristics depending on the type of cancer tissue or their interaction with specific molecules. They have also been found to contribute to resistance and sensitivity to chemotherapy in oncological patients. A better understanding of molecular network of AP-2 factors and other molecules may clarify the atypical molecular mechanisms occurring during carcinogenesis, and may assist in the recognition of new diagnostic biomarkers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damian Kołat
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Education, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Żaneta Kałuzińska
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Postgraduate Education, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Andrzej K Bednarek
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Płuciennik
- Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Saki N, Mohammadi M, Kaydani G, Asnafi A. The correlation between overexpression of GATA-1 variants valine 205 methionine and R216Q with occurrence, prognosis, and therapeutic approaches for immune thrombocytopenic purpura. CLINICAL CANCER INVESTIGATION JOURNAL 2019. [DOI: 10.4103/ccij.ccij_78_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
|
15
|
Shi M, Zhou H, Lei M, Chen L, Zellmer L, He Y, Yang W, Xu N, Liao DJ. Spontaneous Cancers, But Not Many Induced Ones in Animals, Resemble Semi-New Organisms that Possess a Unique Programmed Cell Death Mode Different from Apoptosis, Senescent Death, Necrosis and Stress-Induced Cell Death. J Cancer 2018; 9:4726-4735. [PMID: 30588258 PMCID: PMC6299389 DOI: 10.7150/jca.26502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
There are four basic cell death modes in animals, i.e. physiological senescent death (SD) and apoptosis as well as pathological necrosis and stress-induced cell death (SICD). There have been numerous publications describing “apoptosis” in cancer, mostly focused on killing cancer cells using radio- or chemo-therapy, with few on exploring how cancer cells die naturally without such treatments. Spontaneous benign or malignant neoplasms are immortal and autonomous, but they still retain some allegiance to their parental tissue or organ and thus are still somewhat controlled by the patient's body. Because of these properties of immortality, semi-autonomy, and semi-allegiance to the patient's body, spontaneous tumors have no redundant cells and resemble “semi-new organisms” parasitizing the patients, becoming a unique tissue type possessing a hitherto unannotated cell death mode besides SD, apoptosis, necrosis and SICD. Particularly, apoptosis aims to expunge redundant cells, whereas this new mode does not. In contrast to spontaneous tumors, many histologically malignant tumors induced in experimental animals, before they reach an advanced stage, regress after withdrawal of the inducer. This mortal and non-autonomous nature disqualifies these animal lesions as authentic neoplasms and as semi-new organisms but makes them a good tissue type for apoptosis studies. Ruminating over cell death in spontaneous cancers and many inauthentic tumors induced in animals from these new slants makes us realize that “whether cancer cells undergo apoptosis” is not an easy question with a simple answer. Our answer is that cancer cells have an uncharacterized programmed cell death mode, which is not apoptosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingjun Shi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Haiyan Zhou
- Clinical Research Center, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Mingjuan Lei
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Lichan Chen
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Lucas Zellmer
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, 435 E. River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Yan He
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China at Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Wenxiu Yang
- Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou province, China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Dezhong Joshua Liao
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China at Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou province, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Dou X, Chen L, Lei M, Zellmer L, Jia Q, Ling P, He Y, Yang W, Liao DJ. Evaluating the Remote Control of Programmed Cell Death, with or without a Compensatory Cell Proliferation. Int J Biol Sci 2018; 14:1800-1812. [PMID: 30443184 PMCID: PMC6231223 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.26962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Organisms and their different component levels, whether organelle, cellular or other, come by birth and go by death, and the deaths are often balanced by new births. Evolution on the one hand has built demise program(s) in cells of organisms but on the other hand has established external controls on the program(s). For instance, evolution has established death program(s) in animal cells so that the cells can, when it is needed, commit apoptosis or senescent death (SD) in physiological situations and stress-induced cell death (SICD) in pathological situations. However, these programmed cell deaths are not predominantly regulated by the cells that do the dying but, instead, are controlled externally and remotely by the cells' superior(s), i.e. their host tissue or organ or even the animal's body. Currently, it is still unclear whether a cell has only one death program or has several programs respectively controlling SD, apoptosis and SICD. In animals, apoptosis exterminates, in a physiological manner, healthy but no-longer needed cells to avoid cell redundancy, whereas suicidal SD and SICD, like homicidal necrosis, terminate ill but useful cells, which may be followed by regeneration of the live cells and by scar formation to heal the damaged organ or tissue. Therefore, “who dies” clearly differentiates apoptosis from SD, SICD and necrosis. In animals, apoptosis can occur only in those cell types that retain a lifelong ability of proliferation and never occurs in those cell types that can no longer replicate in adulthood. In cancer cells, SICD is strengthened, apoptosis is dramatically weakened while SD has been lost. Most published studies professed to be about apoptosis are actually about SICD, which has four basic and well-articulated pathways involving caspases or involving pathological alterations in the mitochondria, endoplasmic reticula, or lysosomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xixi Dou
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceuticals, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinan 250101, Shandong Province, P.R. China.,Technology Center, Shandong Freda Pharmaceutical Group, Jinan 250101, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Lichan Chen
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, Fujian Province, P.R. China
| | - Mingjuan Lei
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Lucas Zellmer
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, 435 E. River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Qingwen Jia
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceuticals, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinan 250101, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Peixue Ling
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceuticals, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinan 250101, Shandong Province, P.R. China.,Technology Center, Shandong Freda Pharmaceutical Group, Jinan 250101, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Yan He
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, P.R. China
| | - Wenxiu Yang
- Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou province, P.R. China
| | - Dezhong Joshua Liao
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, P.R. China.,Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou province, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Yi M, Wang W, Chen S, Peng Y, Li J, Cai J, Zhou Y, Peng Q, Ban Y, Zeng Z, Li X, Xiong W, Li G, Xiang B. Dual-functionality of RASSF1A overexpression in A375 cells is mediated by activation of IL-6/STAT3 regulatory loop. Mol Biol Rep 2018; 45:1277-1287. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-018-4288-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
18
|
Luo Y, Li B, Zhang G, He Y, Bae JH, Hu F, Cui R, Liu R, Wang Z, Wang L. Integrated Oncogenomic Profiling of Copy Numbers and Gene Expression in Lung Adenocarcinomas without EGFR Mutations or ALK Fusion. J Cancer 2018; 9:1096-1105. [PMID: 29581789 PMCID: PMC5868177 DOI: 10.7150/jca.23909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapies based on EGFR mutations or on the ALK fusion oncogene have become the standard treatment for certain patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, most LUAD patients have no EGFR mutation or ALK fusion, and their oncogenetic alterations remain to be characterized. Here we conducted an integrated analysis of public datasets to assess the genomic alterations of 23 highly lung cancer-associated genes. The copy numbers of these genes were measured in ten micro-dissected, paired tumors and normal lung tissues of LUAD patients without EGFR mutations or ALK fusion. The copy numbers of PTEN, RB1, HMGA2, and PTPRD were lower in tumors compared with those for normal tissues. Although there were reduced mRNA levels of PTEN and RB1 in tumors, there was a correlation between copy number and expression only for PTEN. In addition, analysis of the copy number alterations of these 23 genes revealed correlations between EMSY/CCND1, EMSY/PIK3CA, CCND1/CDKN2A, and CCND1/PIK3CA. Our exploration of integrated copy number and gene expression analysis gives priority to the PTEN-PIK3CA and RB1-CCND1 pathways in developing therapeutic strategies for LUAD patients without EGFR mutations or ALK fusion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanzhuo Luo
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.,Department of Cardiac Surgery, The First Hospital Affiliated to Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, 154002, China
| | - Bingjin Li
- Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, Jilin, China
| | - Guangxin Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, Jilin, China
| | - Yuxiao He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110003, China
| | - Jeeyoo Hope Bae
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| | - Fengping Hu
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| | - Ranji Cui
- Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, Jilin, China
| | - Runhua Liu
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| | - Zhou Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China
| | - Lizhong Wang
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
A mononucleotide repeat in PRRT2 is an important, frequent target of mismatch repair deficiency in cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 8:6043-6056. [PMID: 27907910 PMCID: PMC5351611 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system corrects DNA replication mismatches thereby contributing to the maintenance of genomic stability. MMR deficiency has been observed in prostate cancer but its impact on the genomic landscape of these tumours is not known. In order to identify MMR associated mutations in prostate cancer we have performed whole genome sequencing of the MMR deficient PC346C prostate cancer cell line. We detected a total of 1196 mutations in PC346C which was 1.5-fold higher compared to a MMR proficient prostate cancer sample (G089). Of all different mutation classes, frameshifts in mononucleotide repeat (MNR) sequences were significantly enriched in the PC346C sample. As a result, a selection of genes with frameshift mutations in MNR was further assessed regarding its mutational status in a comprehensive panel of prostate, ovarian, endometrial and colorectal cancer cell lines. We identified PRRT2 and DAB2IP to be frequently mutated in MMR deficient cell lines, colorectal and endometrial cancer patient samples. Further characterization of PRRT2 revealed an important role of this gene in cancer biology. Both normal prostate cell lines and a colorectal cancer cell line showed increased proliferation, migration and invasion when expressing the mutated form of PRRT2 (ΔPRRT2). The wild-type PRRT2 (PRRT2wt) had an inhibitory effect in proliferation, consistent with the low expression level of PRRT2 in cancer versus normal prostate samples.
Collapse
|
20
|
Liu X, Yang W, Guan Z, Yu W, Fan B, Xu N, Liao DJ. There are only four basic modes of cell death, although there are many ad-hoc variants adapted to different situations. Cell Biosci 2018; 8:6. [PMID: 29435221 PMCID: PMC5796572 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-018-0206-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
There have been enough cell death modes delineated in the biomedical literature to befuddle all cell death researchers. Mulling over cell death from the viewpoints of the host tissue or organ and of the host animal, we construe that there should be only two physiological cell death modes, i.e. apoptosis and senescent death (SD), as well as two pathological modes, i.e. necrosis and stress-induced cell death (SICD). Other death modes described in the literature are ad-hoc variants or coalescences of some of these four basic ones in different physiological or pathological situations. SD, SICD and necrosis kill useful cells and will thus trigger regeneration, wound healing and probably also scar formation. SICD and necrosis will likely instigate inflammation as well. Apoptosis occurs as a mechanism to purge no-longer useful cells from a tissue via phagocytosis by cells with phagocytic ability that are collectively tagged by us as scavengers, including macrophages; therefore apoptosis is not followed by regeneration and inflammation. The answer for the question of “who dies” clearly differentiates apoptosis from SD, SICD and necrosis, despite other similarities and disparities among the four demise modes. Apoptosis cannot occur in cell lines in vitro, because cell lines are immortalized by reprogramming the death program of the parental cells, because in culture there lack scavengers and complex communications among different cell types, and because culture condition is a stress to the cells. Several issues of cell death that remain enigmatic to us are also described for peers to deliberate and debate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xingde Liu
- 1Department of Cardiology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang, 550004 Guizhou People's Republic of China
| | - Wenxiu Yang
- 2Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang, 550004 Guizhou People's Republic of China
| | - Zhizhong Guan
- 3Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004 People's Republic of China
| | - Wenfeng Yu
- 3Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004 People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Fan
- 2Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang, 550004 Guizhou People's Republic of China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- 4Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - D Joshua Liao
- 2Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang, 550004 Guizhou People's Republic of China.,3Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004 People's Republic of China.,4Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology & State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
He Y, Yuan C, Chen L, Lei M, Zellmer L, Huang H, Liao DJ. Transcriptional-Readthrough RNAs Reflect the Phenomenon of "A Gene Contains Gene(s)" or "Gene(s) within a Gene" in the Human Genome, and Thus Are Not Chimeric RNAs. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E40. [PMID: 29337901 PMCID: PMC5793191 DOI: 10.3390/genes9010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tens of thousands of chimeric RNAs, i.e., RNAs with sequences of two genes, have been identified in human cells. Most of them are formed by two neighboring genes on the same chromosome and are considered to be derived via transcriptional readthrough, but a true readthrough event still awaits more evidence and trans-splicing that joins two transcripts together remains as a possible mechanism. We regard those genomic loci that are transcriptionally read through as unannotated genes, because their transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulations are the same as those of already-annotated genes, including fusion genes formed due to genetic alterations. Therefore, readthrough RNAs and fusion-gene-derived RNAs are not chimeras. Only those two-gene RNAs formed at the RNA level, likely via trans-splicing, without corresponding genes as genomic parents, should be regarded as authentic chimeric RNAs. However, since in human cells, procedural and mechanistic details of trans-splicing have never been disclosed, we doubt the existence of trans-splicing. Therefore, there are probably no authentic chimeras in humans, after readthrough and fusion-gene derived RNAs are all put back into the group of ordinary RNAs. Therefore, it should be further determined whether in human cells all two-neighboring-gene RNAs are derived from transcriptional readthrough and whether trans-splicing truly exists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan He
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
| | - Chengfu Yuan
- Department of Biochemistry, China Three Gorges University, Yichang City 443002, Hubei, China.
| | - Lichan Chen
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA.
| | - Mingjuan Lei
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA.
| | - Lucas Zellmer
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, 435 E. River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Hai Huang
- School of Clinical Laboratory Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
| | - Dezhong Joshua Liao
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
- Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Fouad YA, Aanei C. Revisiting the hallmarks of cancer. Am J Cancer Res 2017; 7:1016-1036. [PMID: 28560055 PMCID: PMC5446472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The hallmarks of cancer described by Hanahan and Weinberg have proved seminal in our understanding of cancer's common traits and in rational drug design. Not free of critique and with understanding of different aspects of tumorigenesis coming into clearer focus in the recent years, we attempt to draw a more organized and updated picture of the cancer hallmarks. We define seven hallmarks of cancer: selective growth and proliferative advantage, altered stress response favoring overall survival, vascularization, invasion and metastasis, metabolic rewiring, an abetting microenvironment, and immune modulation, while highlighting some considerations for the future of the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carmen Aanei
- Hematology Laboratory, Pole De Biologie-Pathologie, University Hospital of St EtienneSt Etienne, France
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Liu X, Wang Y, Yang W, Guan Z, Yu W, Liao DJ. Protein multiplicity can lead to misconduct in western blotting and misinterpretation of immunohistochemical staining results, creating much conflicting data. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 51:51-58. [PMID: 27908506 DOI: 10.1016/j.proghi.2016.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Western blotting (WB) and immunohistochemical staining (IHC) are common techniques for determining tissue protein expression. Both techniques require a primary antibody specific for the protein in question. WB data is band(s) on a membrane while IHC result is a staining on a tissue section. Most human genes are known to produce multiple protein isoforms; in agreement with that, multiple bands are often found on the WB membrane. However, a common but unspoken practice in WB is to cut away the extra band(s) and present for publication only the band of interest, which implies to the readers that only one form of protein is expressed and thus the data interpretation is straightforward. Similarly, few IHC studies discuss whether the antibody used is isoform-specific and whether the positive staining is derived from only one isoform. Currently, there is no reliable technique to determine the isoform-specificity of an antibody, especially for IHC. Therefore, cutting away extra band(s) on the membrane usually is a form of misconduct in WB, and a positive staining in IHC only indicates the presence of protein product(s) of the to-be-interrogated gene, and not necessarily the presence of the isoform of interest. We suggest that data of WB and IHC involving only one antibody should not be published and that relevant reports should discuss whether there may be protein multiplicity and whether the antibody used is isoform-specific. Hopefully, techniques will soon emerge that allow determination of not only the presence of protein products of genes but also the isoforms expressed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xingde Liu
- Department of Cardiology Department, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, PR China.
| | - Yiming Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, China
| | - Wenxiu Yang
- Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, PR China.
| | - Zhizhong Guan
- Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, PR China; Department of Molecular Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, PR China.
| | - Wenfeng Yu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, PR China
| | - D Joshua Liao
- Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, PR China; Department of Molecular Biology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Jia Y, Chen L, Jia Q, Dou X, Xu N, Liao DJ. The well-accepted notion that gene amplification contributes to increased expression still remains, after all these years, a reasonable but unproven assumption. J Carcinog 2016; 15:3. [PMID: 27298590 PMCID: PMC4895059 DOI: 10.4103/1477-3163.182809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
“Gene amplification causes overexpression” is a longstanding and well-accepted concept in cancer genetics. However, raking the whole literature, we find only statistical analyses showing a positive correlation between gene copy number and expression level, but do not find convincing experimental corroboration for this notion, for most of the amplified oncogenes in cancers. Since an association does not need to be an actual causal relation, in our opinion, this widespread notion still remains a reasonable but unproven assumption awaiting experimental verification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Jia
- Animal Facilities, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong 250101, USA
| | - Lichan Chen
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Qingwen Jia
- Animal Facilities, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong 250101, USA
| | - Xixi Dou
- Animal Facilities, Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong 250101, USA
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Dezhong Joshua Liao
- Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guizhou, Guiyang 550004, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Paradoxical roles of cyclin D1 in DNA stability. DNA Repair (Amst) 2016; 42:56-62. [PMID: 27155130 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2016.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Maintenance of DNA integrity is vital for all of the living organisms. Consequence of DNA damaging ranges from, introducing harmless synonymous mutations, to causing disease-associated mutations, genome instability, and cell death. A cell cycle protein cyclin D1 is an established cancer-driving protein. However, contribution of cyclin D1 to cancer formation and cancer survival is not entirely known. In cancer tissues, overexpression of cyclin D1 is associated with both cancer genome instability, and resistance to DNA-damaging cancer drugs. Emerging evidence indicated that cyclin D1 may play novel direct roles in regulating DNA repair. Here we provide an insight how cyclin D1 expression may contribute to DNA repair and chromosome instability, and how these functions may facilitate cancer formation, and drug resistance.
Collapse
|
26
|
Wang G, Chen L, Yu B, Zellmer L, Xu N, Liao DJ. Learning about the Importance of Mutation Prevention from Curable Cancers and Benign Tumors. J Cancer 2016; 7:436-45. [PMID: 26918057 PMCID: PMC4749364 DOI: 10.7150/jca.13832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Some cancers can be cured by chemotherapy or radiotherapy, presumably because they are derived from those cell types that not only can die easily but also have already been equipped with mobility and adaptability, which would later allow the cancers to metastasize without the acquisition of additional mutations. From a viewpoint of biological dispersal, invasive and metastatic cells may, among other possibilities, have been initial losers in the competition for resources with other cancer cells in the same primary tumor and thus have had to look for new habitats in order to survive. If this is really the case, manipulation of their ecosystems, such as by slightly ameliorating their hardship, may prevent metastasis. Since new mutations may occur, especially during and after therapy, to drive progression of cancer cells to metastasis and therapy-resistance, preventing new mutations from occurring should be a key principle for the development of new anticancer drugs. Such new drugs should be able to kill cancer cells very quickly without leaving the surviving cells enough time to develop new mutations and select resistant or metastatic clones. This principle questions the traditional use and the future development of genotoxic drugs for cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gangshi Wang
- 1. Department of Geriatric Gastroenterology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, P.R. China
| | - Lichan Chen
- 2. Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Baofa Yu
- 3. Beijing Baofa Cancer Hospital, Shahe Wangzhuang Gong Ye Yuan, Chang Pin Qu, Beijing 102206, P.R. China
| | - Lucas Zellmer
- 2. Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- 4. Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100021, P.R. China
| | - D Joshua Liao
- 5. D. Joshua Liao, Clinical Research Center, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guizhou, Guiyang 550004, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
METTL13 is downregulated in bladder carcinoma and suppresses cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19261. [PMID: 26763933 PMCID: PMC4725887 DOI: 10.1038/srep19261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of bladder cancer has increased in the last few decades, thus novel markers for early diagnosis and more efficacious treatment are urgently needed. It found that METTTL13 protein is aberrant expression in variety of human cancers and METTL13 was involved in oncogenic pathways. However, the role of METTL13 has been unexplored in bladder cancer to date. Here, expression of METTL13 was lower in bladder cancer tissue samples and cancer cell lines than in normal bladder tissue and cell lines. METTL13 was downregulated in the late stages of the disease and was maintained at low level throughout the tumor progression process based on tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging. Further research suggested that METTL13 negatively regulates cell proliferation in bladder cancer and reinstates G1/S checkpoint via the coordinated downregulation of CDK6, CDK4 and CCND1, decreased phosphorylation of Rb and subsequent delayed cell cycle progression. Moreover, METTL13-dependent inhibition of bladder cancer cell migration and invasion is mediated by downregulation of FAK (Focal adhesion kinase) phosphorylation, AKT (v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene) phosphorylation, β-catenin expression and MMP-9 expression. These integrated efforts have identified METTL13 as a tumor suppressor and might provide promising approaches for bladder cancer treatment and prevention.
Collapse
|
28
|
Affiliation(s)
- C. E. Caldon
- The Kinghorn Cancer Center, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- St. Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW; Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Stepanenko AA, Andreieva SV, Korets KV, Mykytenko DO, Baklaushev VP, Chekhonin VP, Dmitrenko VV. mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus and MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 promote chromosomal instability and cell type-dependent phenotype changes of glioblastoma cells. Gene 2015; 579:58-68. [PMID: 26748241 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2015.12.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the RAF/mitogen-activated and extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways are frequently deregulated in cancer. Temsirolimus (TEM) and its primary active metabolite rapamycin allosterically block mTOR complex 1 substrate recruitment. The context-/experimental setup-dependent opposite effects of rapamycin on the multiple centrosome formation, aneuploidy, DNA damage/repair, proliferation, and invasion were reported. Similarly, the context-dependent either tumor-promoting or suppressing effects of RAF-MEK-ERK pathway and its inhibitors were demonstrated. Drug treatment-mediated stress may promote chromosomal instability (CIN), accelerating changes in the genomic landscape and phenotype diversity. Here, we characterized the genomic and phenotypic changes of U251 and T98G glioblastoma cell lines long-term treated with TEM or U0126, an inhibitor of MEK1/2. TEM significantly increased clonal and non-clonal chromosome aberrations. Both TEM and U0126 affected copy number alterations (CNAs) pattern. A proliferation rate of U251TEM and U251U0126 cells was lower and higher, respectively, than control cells. Colony formation efficiency of U251TEM significantly decreased, whereas U251U0126 did not change. U251TEM and U251U0126 cells decreased migration. In contrast, T98GTEM and T98GU0126 cells did not change proliferation, colony formation efficiency, and migration. Changes in the sensitivity of inhibitor-treated cells to the reduction of the glucose concentration were observed. Our results suggest that CIN and adaptive reprogramming of signal transduction pathways may be responsible for the cell type-dependent phenotype changes of long-term TEM- or U0126-treated tumor cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A A Stepanenko
- Department of Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Zabolotnogo Str. 150, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine.
| | - S V Andreieva
- Department of Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Zabolotnogo Str. 150, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine
| | - K V Korets
- Department of Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Zabolotnogo Str. 150, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine
| | - D O Mykytenko
- Department of Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Zabolotnogo Str. 150, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine
| | - V P Baklaushev
- Department of Medicinal Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian State Medical University, Ostrovitianov str. 1, Moscow 117997, Russia; Federal Research and Clinical Centre, FMBA of Russia, Orekhoviy bulvar str. 28, Moscow 115682, Russia
| | - V P Chekhonin
- Department of Medicinal Nanobiotechnology, Pirogov Russian State Medical University, Ostrovitianov str. 1, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - V V Dmitrenko
- Department of Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Zabolotnogo Str. 150, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Jia Y, Chen L, Ma Y, Zhang J, Xu N, Liao DJ. To Know How a Gene Works, We Need to Redefine It First but then, More Importantly, to Let the Cell Itself Decide How to Transcribe and Process Its RNAs. Int J Biol Sci 2015; 11:1413-23. [PMID: 26681921 PMCID: PMC4671999 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.13436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent genomic and ribonomic research reveals that our genome produces a stupendous amount of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including antisense RNAs, and that many genes contain other gene(s) in their introns. Since ncRNAs either regulate the transcription, translation or stability of mRNAs or directly exert cellular functions, they should be regarded as the fourth category of RNAs, after ribosomal, messenger and transfer RNAs. These and other research advances challenge the current concept of gene and raise a question as to how we should redefine gene. We can either consider each tiny part of the classically-defined gene, such as each mRNA variant, as a “gene”, or, alternatively and oppositely, regard a whole genomic locus as a “gene” that may contain intron-embedded genes and produce different types of RNAs and proteins. Each of the two ways to redefine gene not only has its strengths and weaknesses but also has its particular concern on the methodology for the determination of the gene's function: Ectopic expression of complementary DNA (cDNA) in cells has in the past decades provided us with great deal of detail about the functions of individual mRNA variants, and will make the data less conflicting with each other if just a small part of a classically-defined gene is considered as a “gene”. On the other hand, genomic DNA (gDNA) will better help us in understanding the collective function of a genomic locus. In our opinion, we need to be more cautious in the use of cDNA and in the explanation of data resulting from cDNA, and, instead, should make delivery of gDNA into cells routine in determination of genes' functions, although this demands some technology renovation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Jia
- 1. Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, 250101, P.R. China
| | - Lichan Chen
- 2. Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Yukui Ma
- 1. Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ji'nan, Shandong, 250101, P.R. China
| | - Jian Zhang
- 3. Center for Translational Medicine, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences Building, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, P.R. China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- 4. Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100021, P.R. China
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Liu B, Ezeogu L, Zellmer L, Yu B, Xu N, Joshua Liao D. Protecting the normal in order to better kill the cancer. Cancer Med 2015; 4:1394-403. [PMID: 26177855 PMCID: PMC4567024 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy is the only option for oncologists when a cancer has widely spread to different body sites. However, almost all currently available chemotherapeutic drugs will eventually encounter resistance after their initial positive effect, mainly because cancer cells develop genetic alterations, collectively coined herein as mutations, to adapt to the therapy. Some patients may still respond to a second chemo drug, but few cases respond to a third one. Since it takes time for cancer cells to develop new mutations and then select those life-sustaining ones via clonal expansion, "run against time for mutations to emerge" should be a crucial principle for treatment of those currently incurable cancers. Since cancer cells constantly change to adapt to the therapy whereas normal cells are stable, it may be a better strategy to shift our focus from killing cancer cells per se to protecting normal cells from chemotherapeutic toxicity. This new strategy requires the development of new drugs that are nongenotoxic and can quickly, in just hours or days, kill cancer cells without leaving the still-alive cells with time to develop mutations, and that should have their toxicities confined to only one or few organs, so that specific protections can be developed and applied.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bingya Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gastric Neoplasms, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, 200025, China
| | - Lewis Ezeogu
- Hormel Institute, University of MinnesotaAustin, Minnesota, 55912
| | - Lucas Zellmer
- Hormel Institute, University of MinnesotaAustin, Minnesota, 55912
| | - Baofa Yu
- Beijing Baofa Cancer Hospital, Shahe Wangzhuang Gong Ye YuanChang Pin Qu, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical ScienceBeijing, 100021, China
| | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Zhang J, Lou X, Zellmer L, Liu S, Xu N, Liao DJ. Just like the rest of evolution in Mother Nature, the evolution of cancers may be driven by natural selection, and not by haphazard mutations. Oncoscience 2014; 1:580-90. [PMID: 25594068 PMCID: PMC4278337 DOI: 10.18632/oncoscience.83] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sporadic carcinogenesis starts from immortalization of a differentiated somatic cell or an organ-specific stem cell. The immortalized cell incepts a new or quasinew organism that lives like a parasite in the patient and usually proceeds to progressive simplification, constantly engendering intermediate organisms that are simpler than normal cells. Like organismal evolution in Mother Nature, this cellular simplification is a process of Darwinian selection of those mutations with growth- or survival-advantages, from numerous ones that occur randomly and stochastically. Therefore, functional gain of growth- or survival-sustaining oncogenes and functional loss of differentiation-sustaining tumor suppressor genes, which are hallmarks of cancer cells and contribute to phenotypes of greater malignancy, are not drivers of carcinogenesis but are results from natural selection of advantageous mutations. Besides this mutation-load dependent survival mechanism that is evolutionarily low and of an asexual nature, cancer cells may also use cell fusion for survival, which is an evolutionarily-higher mechanism and is of a sexual nature. Assigning oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes or their mutants as drivers to induce cancer in animals may somewhat coerce them to create man-made oncogenic pathways that may not really be a course of sporadic cancer formations in the human.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ju Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Xiaomin Lou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Lucas Zellmer
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| | - Siqi Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, P.R. China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100021, P.R. China
| | - D Joshua Liao
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Zhang J, Lou X, Jin L, Zhou R, Liu S, Xu N, Liao DJ. Necrosis, and then stress induced necrosis-like cell death, but not apoptosis, should be the preferred cell death mode for chemotherapy: clearance of a few misconceptions. Oncoscience 2014; 1:407-22. [PMID: 25594039 PMCID: PMC4284620 DOI: 10.18632/oncoscience.61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell death overarches carcinogenesis and is a center of cancer researches, especially therapy studies. There have been many nomenclatures on cell death, but only three cell death modes are genuine, i.e. apoptosis, necrosis and stress-induced cell death (SICD). Like apoptosis, SICD is programmed. Like necrosis, SICD is a pathological event and may trigger regeneration and scar formation. Therefore, SICD has subtypes of stress-induced apoptosis-like cell death (SIaLCD) and stress-induced necrosis-like cell death (SInLCD). Whereas apoptosis removes redundant but healthy cells, SICD removes useful but ill or damaged cells. Many studies on cell death involve cancer tissues that resemble parasites in the host patients, which is a complicated system as it involves immune clearance of the alien cancer cells by the host. Cancer resembles an evolutionarily lower-level organism having a weaker apoptosis potential and poorer DNA repair mechanisms. Hence, targeting apoptosis for cancer therapy, i.e. killing via SIaLCD, will be less efficacious and more toxic. On the other hand, necrosis of cancer cells releases cellular debris and components to stimulate immune function, thus counteracting therapy-caused immune suppression and making necrosis better than SIaLCD for chemo drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ju Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaomin Lou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Longyu Jin
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN, USA
| | - Rongjia Zhou
- Department of Genetics & Center for Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Siqi Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Institute, Academy of Medical Science, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - D. Joshua Liao
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN, USA
| |
Collapse
|