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Chhetri D, Vengadassalapathy S, Venkadassalapathy S, Balachandran V, Umapathy VR, Veeraraghavan VP, Jayaraman S, Patil S, Iyaswamy A, Palaniyandi K, Gnanasampanthapandian D. Pleiotropic effects of DCLK1 in cancer and cancer stem cells. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:965730. [PMID: 36250024 PMCID: PMC9560780 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.965730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), a protein molecule, has been identified as a tumor stem cell marker in the cancer cells of gastrointestinal, pancreas, and human colon. DCLK1 expression in cancers, such as breast carcinoma, lung carcinoma, hepatic cell carcinoma, tuft cells, and human cholangiocarcinoma, has shown a way to target the DCLK1 gene and downregulate its expression. Several studies have discussed the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation along with neoplastic cell arrest when the DCLK1 gene, which is expressed in both cancer and normal cells, was targeted successfully. In addition, previous studies have shown that DCLK1 plays a vital role in various cancer metastases. The correlation of DCLK1 with numerous stem cell receptors, signaling pathways, and genes suggests its direct or an indirect role in promoting tumorigenesis. Moreover, the impact of DCLK1 was found to be related to the functioning of an oncogene. The downregulation of DCLK1 expression by using targeted strategies, such as embracing the use of siRNA, miRNA, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, nanomolecules, specific monoclonal antibodies, and silencing the pathways regulated by DCLK1, has shown promising results in both in vitro and in vivo studies on gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. In this review, we will discuss about the present understanding of DCLK1 and its role in the progression of GI cancer and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dibyashree Chhetri
- Cancer Science Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
| | - Srinivasan Vengadassalapathy
- Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, India
| | | | - Varadharaju Balachandran
- Department of Physiology, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Vidhya Rekha Umapathy
- Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sree Balaji Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, India
| | - Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan
- Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Selvaraj Jayaraman
- Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Shankargouda Patil
- College of Dental Medicine, Roseman University of Health Sciences, South Jordan, UT, United States
| | - Ashok Iyaswamy
- Centre for Parkinsons Disease Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kanagaraj Palaniyandi
- Cancer Science Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
- *Correspondence: Kanagaraj Palaniyandi, ; Dhanavathy Gnanasampanthapandian,
| | - Dhanavathy Gnanasampanthapandian
- Cancer Science Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
- *Correspondence: Kanagaraj Palaniyandi, ; Dhanavathy Gnanasampanthapandian,
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Loren P, Saavedra N, Saavedra K, De Godoy Torso N, Visacri MB, Moriel P, Salazar LA. Contribution of MicroRNAs in Chemoresistance to Cisplatin in the Top Five Deadliest Cancer: An Updated Review. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:831099. [PMID: 35444536 PMCID: PMC9015654 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.831099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin (DDP) is a well-known anticancer drug used for the treatment of numerous human cancers in solid organs, including bladder, breast, cervical, head and neck squamous cell, ovarian, among others. Its most important mode of action is the DNA-platinum adducts formation, inducing DNA damage response, silencing or activating several genes to induce apoptosis; these mechanisms result in genetics and epigenetics modifications. The ability of DDP to induce tumor cell death is often challenged by the presence of anti-apoptotic regulators, leading to chemoresistance, wherein many patients who have or will develop DDP-resistance. Cancer cells resist the apoptotic effect of chemotherapy, being a problem that severely restricts the successful results of treatment for many human cancers. In the last 30 years, researchers have discovered there are several types of RNAs, and among the most important are non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), a class of RNAs that are not involved in protein production, but they are implicated in gene expression regulation, and representing the 98% of the human genome non-translated. Some ncRNAs of great interest are long ncRNAs, circular RNAs, and microRNAs (miRs). Accumulating studies reveal that aberrant miRs expression can affect the development of chemotherapy drug resistance, by modulating the expression of relevant target proteins. Thus, identifying molecular mechanisms underlying chemoresistance development is fundamental for setting strategies to improve the prognosis of patients with different types of cancer. Therefore, this review aimed to identify and summarize miRs that modulate chemoresistance in DDP-resistant in the top five deadliest cancer, both in vitro and in vivo human models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pía Loren
- Center of Molecular Biology and Pharmacogenetics, Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Nicolás Saavedra
- Center of Molecular Biology and Pharmacogenetics, Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Kathleen Saavedra
- Center of Molecular Biology and Pharmacogenetics, Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | | | | | - Patricia Moriel
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Luis A Salazar
- Center of Molecular Biology and Pharmacogenetics, Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
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Interaction between avian leukosis virus subgroup J surface protein and doublecortin-like kinase 1 accelerates cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. J Virol 2022; 96:e0165721. [PMID: 35080427 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01657-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) induces myelocytomas, which can metastasize to multiple organs in diseased chicken. Although metastasis is the primary cause of death in such cases, the mechanism for it remains unclear. Here, we found that interaction between ALV-J surface protein (SU) and doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell proliferation. We found that ALV-J can activate EMT in infected cells. Subsequently, proteomics analysis revealed that DCLK1, a well-established putative tumor stem cell marker, which is highly expressed in ALV-J-infected DF-1 cells and chickens, might be a potential factor mediating EMT. Furthermore, using immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation, we verified that SU interacts with DCLK1. Functional studies suggested that overexpression of DCLK1 increased viral replication, and promoted cell proliferation by accelerating the progression of cells from the G0/G1 phase to the S phase of cell cycle, whereas RNA-interference of DCLK1 reduced viral replication and arrested cell proliferation by retarding cell cycle progression from the late G1 phase into the S phase in ALV-J-infected cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that the increased accumulation of DCLK1 promotes EMT by increasing the expression of N-cadherin, vimentin, MMP2, transcription factor Snail1, and decreasing the expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin. These results suggest that ALV-J SU interacts with DCLK1, and accelerates cell proliferation, leading to increased viral replication, and ultimately activating EMT, which paves the way for tumor metastasis. IMPORTANCE Tumor metastasis is a major challenge in cancer research, because of its systemic nature and the resistance of disseminated tumor cells to existing therapeutic agents. It is estimated that >90% of mortality from cancer is attributable to metastases. We found that ALV-J can activate EMT, which plays a critical role in cancer metastasis. Subsequently, we identified a tumor stem cell marker, DCLK1, in ALV-J infected cells, which interacts with surface protein (SU) of ALV-J to promote virus replication, activate EMT, and accelerate cell proliferation enabling ALV-J to obtain metastatic ability. Understanding the process of participation of ALV-J in EMT and the route of metastasis will help elucidate the mechanism of virus-induced tumor metastasis, and help identify promising molecular targets and key obstacles for ALV-J control and clinical technology development.
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DiNatale A, Kaur R, Qian C, Zhang J, Marchioli M, Ipe D, Castelli M, McNair CM, Kumar G, Meucci O, Fatatis A. Subsets of cancer cells expressing CX3CR1 are endowed with metastasis-initiating properties and resistance to chemotherapy. Oncogene 2022; 41:1337-1351. [PMID: 34999735 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02174-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis-initiating cells (MICs) display stem cell-like features, cause metastatic recurrences and defy chemotherapy, which leads to patients' demise. Here we show that prostate and breast cancer patients harbor contingents of tumor cells with high expression of CX3CR1, OCT4a (POU5F1), and NANOG. Impairing CX3CR1 expression or signaling hampered the formation of tumor spheroids by cell lines from which we isolated small subsets co-expressing CX3CR1 and stemness-related markers, similarly to patients' tumors. These rare CX3CR1High cells show transcriptomic profiles enriched in pathways that regulate pluripotency and endowed with metastasis-initiating behavior in murine models. Cancer cells lacking these features (CX3CR1Low) were capable of re-acquiring CX3CR1-associated features over time, implying that MICs can continuously emerge from non-stem cancer cells. CX3CR1 expression also conferred resistance to docetaxel, and prolonged treatment with docetaxel selected CX3CR1High phenotypes with de-enriched transcriptomic profiles for apoptotic pathways. These findings nominate CX3CR1 as a novel marker of stem-like tumor cells and provide conceptual ground for future development of approaches targeting CX3CR1 signaling and (re)expression as therapeutic means to prevent or contain metastasis initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony DiNatale
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Ramanpreet Kaur
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.,Champions Oncology, 1330 Piccard Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Chen Qian
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.,Samuel Oschin Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Jieyi Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Michael Marchioli
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Darin Ipe
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Maria Castelli
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.,Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Chris M McNair
- Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.,Cancer Informatics, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Gaurav Kumar
- Department of Cancer Biology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Olimpia Meucci
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.,Program in Immune Cell Regulation & Targeting, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
| | - Alessandro Fatatis
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA. .,Program in Translational and Cellular Oncology at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
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Ding L, Yang Y, Ge Y, Lu Q, Yan Z, Chen X, Du J, Hafizi S, Xu X, Yao J, Liu J, Cao Z, Weygant N. Inhibition of DCLK1 with DCLK1-IN-1 Suppresses Renal Cell Carcinoma Invasion and Stemness and Promotes Cytotoxic T-Cell-Mediated Anti-Tumor Immunity. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225729. [PMID: 34830884 PMCID: PMC8616267 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this study, we found that the novel small molecule kinase inhibitor DCLK1-IN-1 not only inhibited DCLK1 phosphorylation, stemness, and EMT-related properties of RCC cells but also revealed its potential as an immunotherapy agent and potential combination therapy with anti-PD1 against RCC in immune co-culture experiments. Abstract The approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors has expanded treatment options for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but new therapies that target RCC stemness and promote anti-tumor immunity are needed. Previous findings demonstrate that doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) regulates stemness and is associated with RCC disease progression. Herein, we demonstrate that small-molecule kinase inhibitor DCLK1-IN-1 strongly inhibits DCLK1 phosphorylation and downregulates pluripotency factors and cancer stem cell (CSC) or epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated markers including c-MET, c-MYC, and N-Cadherin in RCC cell lines. Functionally, DCLK1-IN-1 treatment resulted in significantly reduced colony formation, migration, and invasion. Additionally, assays using floating or Matrigel spheroid protocols demonstrated potent inhibition of stemness. An analysis of clinical populations showed that DCLK1 predicts RCC survival and that its expression is correlated with reduced CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell infiltration and increases in M2 immunosuppressive macrophage populations. The treatment of RCC cells with DCLK1-IN-1 significantly reduced the expression of immune checkpoint ligand PD-L1, and co-culture assays using peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) or T-cell expanded PBMCs demonstrated a significant increase in immune-mediated cytotoxicity alone or in combination with anti-PD1 therapy. Together, these findings demonstrate broad susceptibility to DCLK1 kinase inhibition in RCC using DCLK1-IN-1 and provide the first direct evidence for DCLK1-IN-1 as an immuno-oncology agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Ding
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China; (L.D.); (Y.Y.); (Q.L.); (X.C.); (J.D.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine in Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Yuning Yang
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China; (L.D.); (Y.Y.); (Q.L.); (X.C.); (J.D.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine in Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Yang Ge
- Department of Oncology, Capital Medical University, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing 100020, China; (Y.G.); (J.Y.); (J.L.)
| | - Qin Lu
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China; (L.D.); (Y.Y.); (Q.L.); (X.C.); (J.D.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine in Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Zixing Yan
- Affiliated Fuzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350001, China;
| | - Xuzheng Chen
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China; (L.D.); (Y.Y.); (Q.L.); (X.C.); (J.D.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine in Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Jian Du
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China; (L.D.); (Y.Y.); (Q.L.); (X.C.); (J.D.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine in Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Sassan Hafizi
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DT, UK;
| | - Xiaohui Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Taicang, Taicang Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215400, China;
| | - Jiannan Yao
- Department of Oncology, Capital Medical University, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing 100020, China; (Y.G.); (J.Y.); (J.L.)
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Oncology, Capital Medical University, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing 100020, China; (Y.G.); (J.Y.); (J.L.)
| | - Zhiyun Cao
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China; (L.D.); (Y.Y.); (Q.L.); (X.C.); (J.D.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine in Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Correspondence: (Z.C.); (N.W.)
| | - Nathaniel Weygant
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China; (L.D.); (Y.Y.); (Q.L.); (X.C.); (J.D.)
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine in Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Correspondence: (Z.C.); (N.W.)
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Vijai M, Baba M, Ramalingam S, Thiyagaraj A. DCLK1 and its interaction partners: An effective therapeutic target for colorectal cancer. Oncol Lett 2021; 22:850. [PMID: 34733368 PMCID: PMC8561619 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.13111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase protein 1 (DCLK1) is a microtubule-associated protein with a C-terminal serine/threonine kinase domain. Its expression was first reported in radial glial cells, where it serves an essential role in early neurogenesis, and since then, other functions of the DCLK1 protein have also been identified. Initially considered to be a marker of quiescent gastrointestinal and pancreatic stem cells, DCLK1 has recently been identified in the gastrointestinal tract as a marker of tuft cells. It has also been implicated in different types of cancer, where it regulates several vital pathways, such as Kras signaling. However, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The present review discusses the different roles of DCLK1 and its interactions with other proteins that are homologically similar to DCLK1 to develop a novel therapeutic strategy to target cancer cells more accurately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muthu Vijai
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) Nagar, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Mursaleen Baba
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) Nagar, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Satish Ramalingam
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) Nagar, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
| | - Anand Thiyagaraj
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Sri Ramaswamy Memorial (SRM) Nagar, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
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Jang DM, Lim HJ, Hahn H, Lee Y, Kim HK, Kim HS. Structural Basis of Inhibition of DCLK1 by Ruxolitinib. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168488. [PMID: 34445192 PMCID: PMC8395186 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the functional attributes of Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) in tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, cell motility, and tumor stemness, it is emerging as a therapeutic target in gastrointestinal cancers. Although a series of specific or nonspecific ATP-competitive inhibitors were identified against DCLK1, different types of scaffolds that can be utilized for the development of highly selective inhibitors or structural understanding of binding specificities of the compounds remain limited. Here, we present our work to repurpose a Janus kinase 1 inhibitor, ruxolitinib as a DCLK1 inhibitor, showing micromolar binding affinity and inhibitory activity. Furthermore, to gain an insight into its interaction mode with DCLK1, a crystal structure of the ruxolitinib-complexed DCLK1 has been determined and analyzed. Ruxolitinib as a nonspecific DCLK1 inhibitor characterized in this work is anticipated to provide a starting point for the structure-guided discovery of selective DCLK1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Hark Kyun Kim
- Correspondence: (H.K.K.); (H.S.K.); Tel.: +82-31-920-2275 (H.S.K.)
| | - Hyoun Sook Kim
- Correspondence: (H.K.K.); (H.S.K.); Tel.: +82-31-920-2275 (H.S.K.)
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8
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Broner EC, Trujillo JA, Korzinkin M, Subbannayya T, Agrawal N, Ozerov IV, Zhavoronkov A, Rooper L, Kotlov N, Shen L, Pearson AT, Rosenberg AJ, Savage PA, Mishra V, Chatterjee A, Sidransky D, Izumchenko E. Doublecortin-Like Kinase 1 (DCLK1) Is a Novel NOTCH Pathway Signaling Regulator in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:677051. [PMID: 34336664 PMCID: PMC8323482 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.677051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advancements, the 5 year survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) hovers at 60%. DCLK1 has been shown to regulate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition as well as serving as a cancer stem cell marker in colon, pancreatic and renal cancer. Although it was reported that DCLK1 is associated with poor prognosis in oropharyngeal cancers, very little is known about the molecular characterization of DCLK1 in HNSCC. In this study, we performed a comprehensive transcriptome-based computational analysis on hundreds of HNSCC patients from TCGA and GEO databases, and found that DCLK1 expression positively correlates with NOTCH signaling pathway activation. Since NOTCH signaling has a recognized role in HNSCC tumorigenesis, we next performed a series of in vitro experiments in a collection of HNSCC cell lines to investigate the role of DCLK1 in NOTCH pathway regulation. Our analyses revealed that DCLK1 inhibition, using either a pharmacological inhibitor or siRNA, resulted in substantially decreased proliferation, invasion, migration, and colony formation. Furthermore, these effects paralleled downregulation of active NOTCH1, and its downstream effectors, HEY1, HES1 and HES5, whereas overexpression of DCLK1 in normal keratinocytes, lead to an upregulation of NOTCH signaling associated with increased proliferation. Analysis of 233 primary and 40 recurrent HNSCC cancer biopsies revealed that high DCLK1 expression was associated with poor prognosis and showed a trend towards higher active NOTCH1 expression in tumors with elevated DCLK1. Our results demonstrate the novel role of DCLK1 as a regulator of NOTCH signaling network and suggest its potential as a therapeutic target in HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther C. Broner
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jonathan A. Trujillo
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | | | - Nishant Agrawal
- Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ivan V. Ozerov
- InSilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Pak Shek Kok, Hong Kong
| | | | - Lisa Rooper
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Nikita Kotlov
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Le Shen
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Alexander T. Pearson
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Ari J. Rosenberg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Peter A. Savage
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Vasudha Mishra
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Aditi Chatterjee
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology Park, Bangalore, India
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - David Sidransky
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Evgeny Izumchenko
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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9
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Ataei A, Arab SS, Zahiri J, Rajabpour A, Kletenkov K, Rizvanov A. Filtering of the Gene Signature as the Predictors of Cisplatin-Resistance in Ovarian Cancer. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 19:e2643. [PMID: 34825010 PMCID: PMC8590720 DOI: 10.30498/ijb.2021.209370.2643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gene expression profiling and prediction of drug responses based on the molecular signature indicate new molecular biomarkers which help to find the most effective drugs according to the tumor characteristics. OBJECTIVES In this study two independent datasets, GSE28646 and GSE15372 were subjected to meta-analysis based on Affymetrix microarrays. MATERIAL AND METHODS In-silico methods were used to determine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the previously reported sensitive and resistant A2780 cell lines to Cisplatin. Gene Fuzzy Scoring (GFS) and Principle Component Analysis (PCA) were then used to eliminate batch effects and reduce data dimension, respectively. Moreover, SVM method was performed to classify sensitive and resistant data samples. Furthermore, Wilcoxon Rank sum test was performed to determine DEGs. Following the selection of drug resistance markers, several networks including transcription factor-target regulatory network and miRNA-target network were constructed and Differential correlation analysis was performed on these networks. RESULTS The trained SVM successfully classified sensitive and resistant data samples. Moreover, Performing DiffCorr analysis on the sensitive and resistant samples resulted in detection of 27 and 25 significant (with correlation ≥|0.9|) pairs of genes that respectively correspond to newly constructed correlations and loss of correlations in the resistant samples. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated the functional genes and networks in Cisplatin resistance of ovarian cancer cells and support the importance of differential expression studies in ovarian cancer chemotherapeutic agent responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atousa Ataei
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Seyed Shahriar Arab
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Zahiri
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azam Rajabpour
- Department of Molecular medicine, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Konstantin Kletenkov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Albert Rizvanov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan, Russia
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10
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Liu Y, Ferguson FM, Li L, Kuljanin M, Mills CE, Subramanian K, Harshbarger W, Gondi S, Wang J, Sorger PK, Mancias JD, Gray NS, Westover KD. Chemical Biology Toolkit for DCLK1 Reveals Connection to RNA Processing. Cell Chem Biol 2020; 27:1229-1240.e4. [PMID: 32755567 PMCID: PMC8053042 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2020.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is critical for neurogenesis, but overexpression is also observed in multiple cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. Nevertheless, the function of DCLK1 in cancer, especially the context-dependent functions, are poorly understood. We present a "toolkit" that includes the DCLK1 inhibitor DCLK1-IN-1, a complementary DCLK1-IN-1-resistant mutation G532A, and kinase dead mutants D511N and D533N, which can be used to investigate signaling pathways regulated by DCLK1. Using a cancer cell line engineered to be DCLK1 dependent for growth and cell migration, we show that this toolkit can be used to discover associations between DCLK1 kinase activity and biological processes. In particular, we show an association between DCLK1 and RNA processing, including the identification of CDK11 as a potential substrate of DCLK1 using phosphoproteomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Fleur M Ferguson
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Lianbo Li
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Miljan Kuljanin
- Division of Radiation and Genome Stability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Caitlin E Mills
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Science, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kartik Subramanian
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Science, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wayne Harshbarger
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sudershan Gondi
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jinhua Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Peter K Sorger
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Program in Therapeutic Science, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Joseph D Mancias
- Division of Radiation and Genome Stability, Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kenneth D Westover
- Department of Biochemistry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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11
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Panneerselvam J, Mohandoss P, Patel R, Gillan H, Li M, Kumar K, Nguyen D, Weygant N, Qu D, Pitts K, Lightfoot S, Rao C, Houchen C, Bronze M, Chandrakesan P. DCLK1 Regulates Tumor Stemness and Cisplatin Resistance in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer via ABCD-Member-4. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2020; 18:24-36. [PMID: 32637578 PMCID: PMC7321820 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2020.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemoresistance cells have features similar to cancer stem cells. Elimination of these cells is an effective therapeutic strategy to clinically combat chemoresistance non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we demonstrate that Doublecortin-like kinase1 (DCLK1) is the key to developing chemoresistance and associated stemness in NSCLC. DCLK1 is highly expressed in human lung adenocarcinoma and strongly correlated with stemness. Silencing DCLK1 inhibits NSCLC cell primary and secondary spheroid formation, which is the prerequisite feature of tumor stem cells. DCLK1 inhibition reduced NSCLC cell migration/invasion in vitro and induced tumor growth inhibition in vivo. NSCLC cells responded differently to cisplatin treatment; indeed, the clonogenic ability of all NSCLC cells was reduced. We found that the cisplatin-resistant NSCLC cells gain the expression of DCLK1 compared with their parental control. However, DCLK1 inhibition in cisplatin-resistance NSCLC cells reverses the tumor cell resistance to cisplatin and reduced tumor self-renewal ability. Specifically, we found that DCLK1-mediated cisplatin resistance in NSCLC is via an ABC subfamily member 4 (ABCD4)-dependent mechanism. Our data demonstrate that increased expression of DCLK1 is associated with chemoresistance and enhanced cancer stem cell-like features in NSCLC. Targeting DCLK1 using gene knockdown/knockout strategies alone or in combination with cisplatin may represent a novel therapeutic strategy to treat NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janani Panneerselvam
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | | | - Ravi Patel
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Hamza Gillan
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Michael Li
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Kirtana Kumar
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - DangHuy Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Nathaniel Weygant
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Dongfeng Qu
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Kamille Pitts
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Stanley Lightfoot
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Chinthalapally Rao
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Courtney Houchen
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Michael Bronze
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Parthasarathy Chandrakesan
- Department of Medicine, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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12
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Molecular Bases of Mechanisms Accounting for Drug Resistance in Gastric Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12082116. [PMID: 32751679 PMCID: PMC7463778 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) is the most common histological type of gastric cancer, the fifth according to the frequency and the third among the deadliest cancers. GAC high mortality is due to a combination of factors, such as silent evolution, late clinical presentation, underlying genetic heterogeneity, and effective mechanisms of chemoresistance (MOCs) that make the available antitumor drugs scarcely useful. MOCs include reduced drug uptake (MOC-1a), enhanced drug efflux (MOC-1b), low proportion of active agents in tumor cells due to impaired pro-drug activation or active drug inactivation (MOC-2), changes in molecular targets sensitive to anticancer drugs (MOC-3), enhanced ability of cancer cells to repair drug-induced DNA damage (MOC-4), decreased function of pro-apoptotic factors versus up-regulation of anti-apoptotic genes (MOC-5), changes in tumor cell microenvironment altering the response to anticancer agents (MOC-6), and phenotypic transformations, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the appearance of stemness characteristics (MOC-7). This review summarizes updated information regarding the molecular bases accounting for these mechanisms and their impact on the lack of clinical response to the pharmacological treatment currently used in GAC. This knowledge is required to identify novel biomarkers to predict treatment failure and druggable targets, and to develop sensitizing strategies to overcome drug refractoriness in GAC.
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13
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Chandrakesan P, Panneerselvam J, May R, Weygant N, Qu D, Berry WR, Pitts K, Stanger BZ, Rao CV, Bronze MS, Houchen CW. DCLK1-Isoform2 Alternative Splice Variant Promotes Pancreatic Tumor Immunosuppressive M2-Macrophage Polarization. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 19:1539-1549. [PMID: 32371580 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Tumor-associated M2-macrophages are one of the most abundant immunosuppressive cell types in the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the generation of M2-macrophages are unclear. Here, we demonstrated that overexpression of DCLK1-isoform2 in AsPC1 and MIA PaCa2 cells resulted in the polarization of M1-macrophages toward an M2 phenotype via secreted chemokines/cytokines. These M2-macrophages enhanced parental PDAC cell migration, invasion, and self-renewal, and this was associated with increased expression of Snail and Slug. We observed distinct expression of Dclk-isoform2, marked infiltration of M2-macrophages, and a marginal increase of CD8+ T cells in 20-week-old KPCY mice pancreas compared with 5 weeks old. Utilizing an autochthonous mouse model of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, we observed distinct immunoreactive Dclk1 and arginase1 in tissues where CD8+ T-cell infiltration was low and observed a paucity of DCLK1 and arginase1 staining where CD8+ T-cell infiltration was high. Finally, we found that DCLK1-isoform2 tumor-educated M2-macrophages inhibit CD8+ T-cell proliferation and granzyme-B activation. Inhibition of DCLK1 in an organoid coculture system enhanced CD8+ T-cell activation and associated organoid death. We conclude that DCLK1-isoform2 is a novel initiator of alternate macrophage activation that contributes to the immunosuppression observed in the PDAC TME. These data suggest that tumor DCLK1-isoform2 may be an attractive target for PDAC therapy, either alone or in conjunction with immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parthasarathy Chandrakesan
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. .,OU Cancer Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Janani Panneerselvam
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.,OU Cancer Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Randal May
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Nathaniel Weygant
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Dongfeng Qu
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.,OU Cancer Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - William R Berry
- Department of Surgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Kamille Pitts
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Ben Z Stanger
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Chinthalapally V Rao
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.,OU Cancer Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Michael S Bronze
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Courtney W Houchen
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. .,OU Cancer Institute, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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14
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Wu X, Qu D, Weygant N, Peng J, Houchen CW. Cancer Stem Cell Marker DCLK1 Correlates with Tumorigenic Immune Infiltrates in the Colon and Gastric Adenocarcinoma Microenvironments. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12020274. [PMID: 31979136 PMCID: PMC7073156 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy that has proven efficacy in several solid cancers plays a partial role in improving clinical outcomes of advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. There is an unmet need to find new immune-related therapeutic targets. Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) marks tuft cells which are recognized as cancer-initiating cells and regulators of the type II immune response, and has been studied for its role in many cancers including colon and gastric cancers, but its role in tumor immunity remains unexplored. In the current study, we analyzed colon and gastric cancer RNA sequencing data from 283 and 415 patients, respectively, from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). High DCLK1 expression predicted the worse clinical outcomes in colon and gastric cancer patients and correlated with increased immune and stromal components. Further analysis indicated that DCLK1 was strongly linked to infiltration of multiple immune cell types, especially TAMs and Treg, and strongly correlated with increased CD8+ T cell inhibitors TGFB1 and CXCL12 and their receptors, suggesting it may contribute to TAM-mediated inhibition of CD8+ T cells. Interestingly, we found that DCLK1 was a prognostic biomarker in left-sided colon cancer, which has worse outcomes and demonstrates a reduced response to existing immunotherapies. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that DCLK1 is linked with functional regulation of the tumor microenvironment and may have potential as a prognostic biomarker and adjuvant target to promote immunotherapy sensitivity in colon and gastric cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyan Wu
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA; (X.W.); (D.Q.)
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China;
| | - Dongfeng Qu
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA; (X.W.); (D.Q.)
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Nathaniel Weygant
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China;
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine in Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
| | - Jun Peng
- Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China;
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine in Geriatrics, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350122, China
- Correspondence: (J.P.); (C.W.H.); Tel.: +1-0591-2286-1303 (J.P.); +86-405-271-2175 (C.W.H.); Fax: +1-0591-2286-1157 (J.P.); +86-405-271-5450 (C.W.H.)
| | - Courtney W. Houchen
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA; (X.W.); (D.Q.)
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
- Correspondence: (J.P.); (C.W.H.); Tel.: +1-0591-2286-1303 (J.P.); +86-405-271-2175 (C.W.H.); Fax: +1-0591-2286-1157 (J.P.); +86-405-271-5450 (C.W.H.)
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15
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Cooperative and Escaping Mechanisms between Circulating Tumor Cells and Blood Constituents. Cells 2019; 8:cells8111382. [PMID: 31684193 PMCID: PMC6912439 DOI: 10.3390/cells8111382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths and despite measurable progress in the field, underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) disseminate within the bloodstream, where most of them die due to the attack of the immune system. On the other hand, recent evidence shows active interactions between CTCs and platelets, myeloid cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and other hematopoietic cells that secrete immunosuppressive cytokines, which aid CTCs to evade the immune system and enable metastasis. Platelets, for instance, regulate inflammation, recruit neutrophils, and cause fibrin clots, which may protect CTCs from the attack of Natural Killer cells or macrophages and facilitate extravasation. Recently, a correlation between the commensal microbiota and the inflammatory/immune tone of the organism has been stablished. Thus, the microbiota may affect the development of cancer-promoting conditions. Furthermore, CTCs may suffer phenotypic changes, as those caused by the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, that also contribute to the immune escape and resistance to immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the findings regarding the collaborative biological events among CTCs, immune cells, and microbiome associated to immune escape and metastatic progression.
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16
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Schaal CM, Bora-Singhal N, Kumar DM, Chellappan SP. Regulation of Sox2 and stemness by nicotine and electronic-cigarettes in non-small cell lung cancer. Mol Cancer 2018; 17:149. [PMID: 30322398 PMCID: PMC6190543 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-018-0901-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths and its incidence is highly correlated with cigarette smoking. Nicotine, the addictive component of tobacco smoke, cannot initiate tumors, but can promote proliferation, migration, and invasion of cells in vitro and promote tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. This nicotine-mediated tumor promotion is facilitated through the activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), specifically the α7 subunit. More recently, nicotine has been implicated in promoting self-renewal of stem-like side-population cells from lung cancers. This subpopulation of cancer stem-like cells has been implicated in tumor initiation, generation of the heterogeneous tumor population, metastasis, dormancy, and drug resistance. Here we describe the molecular events driving nicotine and e-cigarette extract mediated stimulation of self-renewal of stem-like cells from non-small cell lung cancer. Methods Experiments were conducted using A549 and H1650 non-small cell lung cancer cell lines and human mesenchymal stem cells according to protocols described in this paper. 2 μM nicotine or e-cigarette extracts was used in all relevant experiments. Biochemical analysis using western blotting, transient transfections, RT-PCR and cell biological analysis using double immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, as well as proximity ligation assays were conducted. Results Here we demonstrate that nicotine can induce the expression of embryonic stem cell factor Sox2, which is indispensable for self-renewal and maintenance of stem cell properties in non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma (NSCLC) cells. We further demonstrate that this occurs through a nAChR-Yap1-E2F1 signaling axis downstream of Src and Yes kinases. Our data suggests Oct4 may also play a role in this process. Over the past few years, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been promoted as healthier alternatives to traditional cigarette smoking as they do not contain tobacco; however, they do still contain nicotine. Hence we have investigated whether e-cigarette extracts can enhance tumor promoting properties similar to nicotine; we find that they can induce expression of Sox2 as well as mesenchymal markers and enhance migration and stemness of NSCLC cells. Conclusions Our findings shed light on novel molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of smoking-related lung cancer in the context of cancer stem cell populations, and reveal new pathways involved that could potentially be exploited therapeutically. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12943-018-0901-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney M Schaal
- Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.,The Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Namrata Bora-Singhal
- Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Durairaj Mohan Kumar
- Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Srikumar P Chellappan
- Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
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17
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Takiyama A, Tanaka T, Kazama S, Nagata H, Kawai K, Hata K, Otani K, Nishikawa T, Sasaki K, Kaneko M, Emoto S, Murono K, Takiyama H, Nozawa H. DCLK1 Expression in Colorectal Polyps Increases with the Severity of Dysplasia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 32:365-371. [PMID: 29475922 DOI: 10.21873/invivo.11247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The expression of doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) has been investigated in cancer; however not in precancerous adenomatous polyps. MATERIALS AND METHODS Immunohistological expression of DCLK1 was evaluated in various grades of adenomas, cancerous polyps, and hyperplastic polyps in resected human tissue specimens. RESULTS Ninety-two specimens were positive for DCLK1 and 134 were negative. Cancerous polyps showed a high DCLK1 positivity rate compared to adenomas (68.4% vs. 36.8%; p<0.01). The rate of DCLK1 positivity was not significantly different among the three grades of adenomas (mild, moderate, and severe). DCLK1 was highly positive in advanced adenomas than low risk adenomas (49.6% vs. 29.3%; p<0.01). CONCLUSION The expression of DCLK1 was found in low-grade adenomas and increased with worsening severity of dysplasia. DCLK1 expression was highly observed in advanced adenomas, which had a clinically higher malignant potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aki Takiyama
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Tanaka
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Kazama
- Division of Gastroenterological Surgery, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nagata
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazushige Kawai
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Hata
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kensuke Otani
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nishikawa
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Sasaki
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Manabu Kaneko
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigenobu Emoto
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Murono
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Hiroaki Nozawa
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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18
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Rout-Pitt N, Farrow N, Parsons D, Donnelley M. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT): a universal process in lung diseases with implications for cystic fibrosis pathophysiology. Respir Res 2018; 19:136. [PMID: 30021582 PMCID: PMC6052671 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-018-0834-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 172] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that arises due to mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator gene, which encodes for a protein responsible for ion transport out of epithelial cells. This leads to a disruption in transepithelial Cl-, Na + and HCO3− ion transport and the subsequent dehydration of the airway epithelium, resulting in infection, inflammation and development of fibrotic tissue. Unlike in CF, fibrosis in other lung diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis has been well characterised. One of the driving forces behind fibrosis is Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), a process where epithelial cells lose epithelial proteins including E-Cadherin, which is responsible for tight junctions. The cell moves to a more mesenchymal phenotype as it gains mesenchymal markers such as N-Cadherin (providing the cells with migration potential), Vimentin and Fibronectin (proteins excreted to help form the extracellular matrix), and the fibroblast proliferation transcription factors Snail, Slug and Twist. This review paper explores the EMT process in a range of lung diseases, details the common links that these have to cystic fibrosis, and explores how understanding EMT in cystic fibrosis may open up novel methods of treating patients with cystic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Rout-Pitt
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. .,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. .,Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Rd, North Adelaide, South Australia, 5006, Australia.
| | - Nigel Farrow
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Rd, North Adelaide, South Australia, 5006, Australia.,Australian Respiratory Epithelium Consortium (AusRec), Perth, Western Australia, 6105, Australia
| | - David Parsons
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Rd, North Adelaide, South Australia, 5006, Australia.,Australian Respiratory Epithelium Consortium (AusRec), Perth, Western Australia, 6105, Australia
| | - Martin Donnelley
- Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Rd, North Adelaide, South Australia, 5006, Australia
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19
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Jiang D, Xiao C, Xian T, Wang L, Mao Y, Zhang J, Pang J. Association of doublecortin-like kinase 1 with tumor aggressiveness and poor biochemical recurrence-free survival in prostate cancer. Onco Targets Ther 2018. [PMID: 29535532 PMCID: PMC5836645 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s157295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) has been proven to be involved in numerous tumors, while its role in prostate cancer (PCa) is still unclear. This study aimed at investigating the expression pattern and prognostic value of DCLK1 in PCa. Patients and methods Real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were employed to determine DCLK1 mRNA and protein levels in 25 paired fresh samples of PCa and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) as well as in PCa cell lines. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed in 125 PCa and 65 BPH tissues to assess DCLK1 expression. Then, the association of DCLK1 expression with clinicopathological parameters and biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy was statistically analyzed. In addition, the role of DCLK1 in PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion was evaluated by using MTT and transwell assays. Results The mRNA and protein levels of DCLK1 were markedly higher in the fresh samples of PCa than that in BPH. Consistently, IHC revealed increased expression of DCLK1 in PCa paraffin-embedded tissues compared with BPH. Moreover, increased DCLK1 expression was significantly associated with postoperative Gleason grading (P=0.012), pathological T stage (P=0.001), seminal vesicle invasion (P=0.026), and lymph node involvement (P=0.017), respectively. The Kaplan–Meier curve analysis demonstrated that high DCLK1 expression was associated with lower postoperative BCR-free survival (bRFS). Furthermore, multivariate Cox analysis showed that postoperative Gleason grading (P=0.018), pathological T stage (P<0.001), seminal vesicle invasion (P=0.012), lymph node involvement (P=0.014), and DCLK1 expression (P=0.014) were independent predictors of BCR. In vitro, the overexpression and knockdown of DCLK1 in PCa cell lines indicated that DCLK1 could promote cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusion Increased DCLK1 expression is associated with PCa aggressiveness and may independently predict poor bRFS in patients with PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donggen Jiang
- Department of Urology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chutian Xiao
- Department of Urology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tuzeng Xian
- Department of Urology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liantao Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Shenzhen Shajing Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yunhua Mao
- Department of Urology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junfu Zhang
- Department of Urology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Pang
- Department of Urology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Urology, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
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Roles of Wnt Target Genes in the Journey of Cancer Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18081604. [PMID: 28757546 PMCID: PMC5577996 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18081604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in cancer stem cells (CSCs) has been acknowledged; however, the mechanism through which it regulates the biological function of CSCs and promotes cancer progression remains elusive. Hence, to understand the intricate mechanism by which Wnt controls stemness, the specific downstream target genes of Wnt were established by analyzing the genetic signatures of multiple types of metastatic cancers based on gene set enrichment. By focusing on the molecular function of Wnt target genes, the biological roles of Wnt were interpreted in terms of CSC dynamics from initiation to metastasis. Wnt signaling participates in cancer initiation by generating CSCs from normal stem cells or non-CSCs and augmenting persistent growth at the primary region, which is resistant to anti-cancer therapy. Moreover, it assists CSCs in invading nearby tissues and in entering the blood stream, during which the negative feedback of the Wnt signaling pathway maintains CSCs in a dormant state that is suitable for survival. When CSCs arrive at distant organs, another burst of Wnt signaling induces CSCs to succeed in re-initiation and colonization. This comprehensive understanding of Wnt target genes provides a plausible explanation for how Wnt allows CSCs variation during cancer progression.
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Chandrakesan P. Cancer cell of origin controls epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in skin squamous cell carcinoma. Stem Cell Investig 2017; 4:34. [PMID: 28607908 DOI: 10.21037/sci.2017.04.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Parthasarathy Chandrakesan
- Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.,Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.,Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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Dclk1, a tumor stem cell marker, regulates pro-survival signaling and self-renewal of intestinal tumor cells. Mol Cancer 2017; 16:30. [PMID: 28148261 PMCID: PMC5286867 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-017-0594-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND More than 80% of intestinal neoplasia is associated with the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) mutation. Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (Dclk1), a kinase protein, is overexpressed in colorectal cancer and specifically marks tumor stem cells (TSCs) that self-renew and increased the tumor progeny in Apc Min/+ mice. However, the role of Dclk1 expression and its contribution to regulating pro-survival signaling for tumor progression in Apc mutant cancer is poorly understood. METHODS We analyzed DCLK1 and pro-survival signaling gene expression datasets of 329 specimens from TCGA Colon Adenocarcinoma Cancer Data. The network of DCLK1 and pro-survival signaling was analyzed utilizing the GeneMANIA database. We examined the expression levels of Dclk1 and other stem cell-associated markers, pro-survival signaling pathways, cell self-renewal in the isolated intestinal epithelial cells of Apc Min/+ mice with high-grade dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. To determine the functional role of Dclk1 for tumor progression, we knocked down Dclk1 and determined the pro-survival signaling pathways and stemness. We used siRNA technology to gene silence pro-survival signaling in colon cancer cells in vitro. We utilized FACS, IHC, western blot, RT-PCR, and clonogenic (self-renewal) assays. RESULTS We found a correlation between DCLK1 and pro-survival signaling expression. The expression of Dclk1 and stem cell-associated markers Lgr5, Bmi1, and Musashi1 were significantly higher in the intestinal epithelial cells of Apc Min/+ mice than in wild-type controls. Intestinal epithelial cells of Apc Min/+ mice showed increased expression of pro-survival signaling, pluripotency and self-renewal ability. Furthermore, the enteroids formed from the intestinal Dclk1+ cells of Apc Min/+ mice display higher pluripotency and pro-survival signaling. Dclk1 knockdown in Apc Min/+ mice attenuates intestinal adenomas and adenocarcinoma, and decreases pro-survival signaling and self-renewal. Knocking down RELA and NOTCH1 pro-survival signaling and DCLK1 in HT29 and DLD1 colon cancer cells in vitro reduced the tumor cells' ability to self-renew and survive. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that Dclk1 is essential in advancing intestinal tumorigenesis. Knocking down Dclk1 decreases tumor stemness and progression and is thus predicted to regulate pro-survival signaling and tumor cell pluripotency. This study provides a strong rationale to target Dclk1 as a treatment strategy for colorectal cancer.
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