1
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Waghmare I, Gangwani K, Rai A, Singh A, Kango-Singh M. A Tumor-Specific Molecular Network Promotes Tumor Growth in Drosophila by Enforcing a Jun N-Terminal Kinase-Yorkie Feedforward Loop. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1768. [PMID: 38730720 PMCID: PMC11083887 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells expand rapidly in response to altered intercellular and signaling interactions to achieve the hallmarks of cancer. Impaired cell polarity combined with activated oncogenes is known to promote several hallmarks of cancer, e.g., activating invasion by increased activity of Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and sustained proliferative signaling by increased activity of Hippo effector Yorkie (Yki). Thus, JNK, Yki, and their downstream transcription factors have emerged as synergistic drivers of tumor growth through pro-tumor signaling and intercellular interactions like cell competition. However, little is known about the signals that converge onto JNK and Yki in tumor cells and enable tumor cells to achieve the hallmarks of cancer. Here, using mosaic models of cooperative oncogenesis (RasV12,scrib-) in Drosophila, we show that RasV12,scrib- tumor cells grow through the activation of a previously unidentified network comprising Wingless (Wg), Dronc, JNK, and Yki. We show that RasV12,scrib- cells show increased Wg, Dronc, JNK, and Yki signaling, and all these signals are required for the growth of RasV12,scrib- tumors. We report that Wg and Dronc converge onto a JNK-Yki self-reinforcing positive feedback signal-amplification loop that promotes tumor growth. We found that the Wg-Dronc-Yki-JNK molecular network is specifically activated in polarity-impaired tumor cells and not in normal cells, in which apical-basal polarity remains intact. Our findings suggest that the identification of molecular networks may provide significant insights into the key biologically meaningful changes in signaling pathways and paradoxical signals that promote tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indrayani Waghmare
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA; (I.W.); (A.R.); (A.S.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
| | - Karishma Gangwani
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA; (I.W.); (A.R.); (A.S.)
- Computational Biology Department, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Arushi Rai
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA; (I.W.); (A.R.); (A.S.)
| | - Amit Singh
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA; (I.W.); (A.R.); (A.S.)
- Premedical Programs, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA
- Integrative Science and Engineering Centre (ISE), University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA
| | - Madhuri Kango-Singh
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA; (I.W.); (A.R.); (A.S.)
- Premedical Programs, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA
- Integrative Science and Engineering Centre (ISE), University of Dayton, Dayton, OH 45469, USA
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2
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Zandawala M, Gera J. Leptin- and cytokine-like unpaired signaling in Drosophila. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 584:112165. [PMID: 38266772 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2024.112165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Animals have evolved a multitude of signaling pathways that enable them to orchestrate diverse physiological processes to tightly regulate systemic homeostasis. This signaling is mediated by various families of peptide hormones and cytokines that are conserved across the animal kingdom. In this review, we primarily focus on the unpaired (Upd) family of proteins in Drosophila which are evolutionarily related to mammalian leptin and the cytokine interleukin 6. We summarize expression patterns of Upd in Drosophila and discuss the parallels in structure, signaling pathway, and functions between Upd and their mammalian counterparts. In particular, we focus on the roles of Upd in governing metabolic homeostasis, growth and development, and immune responses. We aim to stimulate future studies on leptin-like signaling in other phyla which can help bridge the evolutionary gap between insect Upd and vertebrate leptin and cytokines like interleukin 6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meet Zandawala
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.
| | - Jayati Gera
- Neurobiology and Genetics, Theodor-Boveri Institute, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
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3
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Kwok SH, Liu Y, Bilder D, Kim J. Paraneoplastic renal dysfunction in fly cancer models driven by inflammatory activation of stem cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.21.586173. [PMID: 38585959 PMCID: PMC10996499 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.21.586173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Tumors can induce systemic disturbances in distant organs, leading to physiological changes that enhance host morbidity. In Drosophila cancer models, tumors have been known for decades to cause hypervolemic 'bloating' of the abdominal cavity. Here we use allograft and transgenic tumors to show that hosts display fluid retention associated with autonomously defective secretory capacity of fly renal tubules, which function analogous to those of the human kidney. Excretion from these organs is blocked by abnormal cells that originate from inappropriate activation of normally quiescent renal stem cells (RSCs). Blockage is initiated by IL-6-like oncokines that perturb renal water-transporting cells, and trigger a damage response in RSCs that proceeds pathologically. Thus, a chronic inflammatory state produced by the tumor causes paraneoplastic fluid dysregulation by altering cellular homeostasis of host renal units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze Hang Kwok
- School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuejiang Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA, 94720, USA
| | - David Bilder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA, 94720, USA
| | - Jung Kim
- School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA, 94720, USA
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4
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Terry D, Schweibenz C, Moberg K. Local ecdysone synthesis in a wounded epithelium sustains developmental delay and promotes regeneration in Drosophila. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.25.581888. [PMID: 38464192 PMCID: PMC10925115 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.25.581888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Regenerative ability often declines as animals mature past embryonic and juvenile stages, suggesting that regeneration requires redirection of growth pathways that promote developmental growth. Intriguingly, the Drosophila larval epithelia require the hormone ecdysone (Ec) for growth but require a drop in circulating Ec levels to regenerate. Examining Ec dynamics more closely, we find that transcriptional activity of the Ec-receptor (EcR) drops in uninjured regions of wing discs, but simultaneously rises in cells around the injury-induced blastema. In parallel, blastema depletion of genes encoding Ec biosynthesis enzymes blocks EcR activity and impairs regeneration but has no effect on uninjured wings. We find that local Ec/EcR signaling is required for injury-induced pupariation delay following injury and that key regeneration regulators upd3 and Ets21c respond to Ec levels. Collectively, these data indicate that injury induces a local source of Ec within the wing blastema that sustains a transcriptional signature necessary for developmental delay and tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Terry
- Graduate Programs in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Laney Graduate School, Emory University
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Colby Schweibenz
- Graduate Programs in Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Laney Graduate School, Emory University
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Kenneth Moberg
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
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5
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Portela M, Mukherjee S, Paul S, La Marca JE, Parsons LM, Veraksa A, Richardson HE. The Drosophila tumour suppressor Lgl and Vap33 activate the Hippo pathway through a dual mechanism. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs261917. [PMID: 38240353 PMCID: PMC10911279 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The tumour suppressor, Lethal (2) giant larvae [Lgl; also known as L(2)gl], is an evolutionarily conserved protein that was discovered in the vinegar fly Drosophila, where its depletion results in tissue overgrowth and loss of cell polarity. Lgl links cell polarity and tissue growth through regulation of the Notch and the Hippo signalling pathways. Lgl regulates the Notch pathway by inhibiting V-ATPase activity via Vap33. How Lgl regulates the Hippo pathway was unclear. In this current study, we show that V-ATPase activity inhibits the Hippo pathway, whereas Vap33 acts to activate Hippo signalling. Vap33 physically and genetically interacts with the actin cytoskeletal regulators RtGEF (Pix) and Git, which also bind to the Hippo protein (Hpo) and are involved in the activation of the Hippo pathway. Additionally, we show that the ADP ribosylation factor Arf79F (Arf1), which is a Hpo interactor, is involved in the inhibition of the Hippo pathway. Altogether, our data suggest that Lgl acts via Vap33 to activate the Hippo pathway by a dual mechanism: (1) through interaction with RtGEF, Git and Arf79F, and (2) through interaction and inhibition of the V-ATPase, thereby controlling epithelial tissue growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Portela
- Department of Biochemistry & Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
- Cell Cycle and Development Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 3002, Australia
| | - Swastik Mukherjee
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - Sayantanee Paul
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - John E. La Marca
- Department of Biochemistry & Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
- Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Water and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- Genome Engineering and Cancer Modelling Program, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3084, Australia
| | - Linda M. Parsons
- Cell Cycle and Development Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 3002, Australia
| | - Alexey Veraksa
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - Helena E. Richardson
- Department of Biochemistry & Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia
- Cell Cycle and Development Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, 3002, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
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6
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Peglion F, Etienne-Manneville S. Cell polarity changes in cancer initiation and progression. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202308069. [PMID: 38091012 PMCID: PMC10720656 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202308069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell polarity, which consists of the morphological, structural, and functional organization of cells along a defined axis, is a feature of healthy cells and tissues. In contrast, abnormal polarity is a hallmark of cancer cells. At the molecular level, key evolutionarily conserved proteins that control polarity establishment and maintenance in various contexts are frequently altered in cancer, but the relevance of these molecular alterations in the oncogenic processes is not always clear. Here, we summarize the recent findings, shedding new light on the involvement of polarity players in cancer development, and discuss the possibility of harnessing cell polarity changes to better predict, diagnose, and cure cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Peglion
- Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer Unit, Université de Paris, UMR3691 CNRS, Equipe Labellisée Ligue 2023, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Etienne-Manneville
- Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer Unit, Université de Paris, UMR3691 CNRS, Equipe Labellisée Ligue 2023, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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7
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Waghmare I, Gangwani K, Rai A, Singh A, Kango-Singh M. A Tumour-Specific Molecular Network Promotes Tumour Growth in Drosophila by Enforcing a JNK-YKI Feedforward Loop. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.18.561369. [PMID: 37904920 PMCID: PMC10614921 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.18.561369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Cancer cells expand rapidly in response to altered intercellular and signalling interactions to achieve hallmarks of cancer. Impaired cell polarity combined with activated oncogenes is known to promote several hallmarks of cancer e.g., activating invasion by increased activity of Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and sustained proliferative signalling by increased activity of Hippo effector Yorkie (Yki). Thus, JNK, Yki, and their downstream transcription factors have emerged as synergistic drivers of tumour growth through pro-tumour signalling and intercellular interactions like cell-competition. However, little is known about the signals that converge onto JNK and Yki in tumour cells that enable the tumour cells to achieve hallmarks of cancer. Here, using mosaic models of cooperative oncogenesis ( Ras V12 , scrib - ) in Drosophila , we show that Ras V12 , scrib - tumour cells grow by activation of a previously unidentified network comprising Wingless (Wg), Dronc, JNK and Yki. We show that Ras V12 , scrib - cells show increased Wg, Dronc, JNK, and Yki signalling, and all of these signals are required for the growth of Ras V12 , scrib - tumours. We report that Wg and Dronc converge onto a JNK-Yki self-reinforcing positive feedback signal-amplification loop that promotes tumour growth. We found that Wg-Dronc-Yki-JNK molecular network is specifically activated in polarity-impaired tumour cells and not in normal cells where apical basal polarity is intact. Our findings suggest that identification of molecular networks may provide significant insights about the key biologically meaningful changes in signalling pathways, and paradoxical signals that promote Tumourigenesis.
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8
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Brown HE, Weasner BP, Weasner BM, Kumar JP. Polycomb safeguards imaginal disc specification through control of the Vestigial-Scalloped complex. Development 2023; 150:dev201872. [PMID: 37702007 PMCID: PMC10560572 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
A fundamental goal of developmental biology is to understand how cell and tissue fates are specified. The imaginal discs of Drosophila are excellent model systems for addressing this paradigm as their fate can be redirected when discs regenerate after injury or when key selector genes are misregulated. Here, we show that when Polycomb expression is reduced, the wing selector gene vestigial is ectopically activated. This leads to the inappropriate formation of the Vestigial-Scalloped complex, which forces the eye to transform into a wing. We further demonstrate that disrupting this complex does not simply block wing formation or restore eye development. Instead, immunohistochemistry and high-throughput genomic analysis show that the eye-antennal disc unexpectedly undergoes hyperplastic growth with multiple domains being organized into other imaginal discs and tissues. These findings provide insight into the complex developmental landscape that tissues must navigate before adopting their final fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley E. Brown
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | | | - Bonnie M. Weasner
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Justin P. Kumar
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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9
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Smith MJ. Defining bone fide effectors of RAS GTPases. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2300088. [PMID: 37401638 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
RAS GTPases play essential roles in normal development and are direct drivers of human cancers. Three decades of study have failed to wholly characterize pathways stimulated by activated RAS, driven by engagement with 'effector' proteins that have RAS binding domains (RBDs). Bone fide effectors must bind directly to RAS GTPases in a nucleotide-dependent manner, and this interaction must impart a clear change in effector activity. Despite this, for most proteins currently deemed effectors there is little mechanistic understanding of how binding to the GTPase alters protein function. There has also been limited effort to comprehensively resolve the specificity of effector binding to the full array of RAS superfamily GTPase proteins. This review will summarize what is known about RAS-driven activation for an array of potential effector proteins, focusing on structural and mechanistic effects and highlighting how little is still known regarding this key paradigm of cellular signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Smith
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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10
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Brown HE, Weasner BP, Weasner BM, Kumar JP. Polycomb safeguards imaginal disc specification through control of the Vestigial-Scalloped complex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.11.536444. [PMID: 37090526 PMCID: PMC10120697 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.11.536444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
A fundamental goal of developmental biology is to understand how cell and tissue fates are specified. The imaginal discs of Drosophila are excellent model systems for addressing this paradigm as their fate can be redirected when discs regenerate after injury or when key selector genes are mis-regulated. Here, we show that when Polycomb expression is reduced, the wing selector gene vestigial is ectopically activated. This leads to the inappropriate formation of the Vestigial-Scalloped complex which forces the eye to transform into a wing. We further demonstrate that disrupting this complex does not simply block wing formation or restore eye development. Instead, immunohistochemistry and high throughput genomic analysis show that the eye-antennal disc unexpectedly undergoes hyperplastic growth with multiple domains being organized into other imaginal discs and tissues. These findings provide insight into the complex developmental landscape that tissues must navigate before adopting their final fate. Summary Statement Here we describe a novel mechanism by which Pc promotes an eye fate during normal development and how the eye is reprogrammed into a wing in its absence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley E. Brown
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 USA
| | | | - Bonnie M. Weasner
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 USA
| | - Justin P. Kumar
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 USA
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11
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Sollazzo M, Paglia S, Di Giacomo S, Grifoni D. Apoptosis inhibition restrains primary malignant traits in different Drosophila cancer models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1043630. [PMID: 36704198 PMCID: PMC9871239 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1043630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells exploit multiple mechanisms to evade apoptosis, hence the strategies aimed at reactivating cell death in cancer. However, recent studies are revealing that dying cells play remarkable pro-oncogenic roles. Among the mechanisms promoting cell death, cell competition, elicited by disparities in MYC activity in confronting cells, plays the primary role of assuring tissue robustness during development from Drosophila to mammals: cells with high MYC levels (winners) overproliferate while killing suboptimal neighbors (losers), whose death is essential to process completion. This mechanism is coopted by tumor cells in cancer initiation, where host cells succumb to high-MYC-expressing precancerous neighbors. Also in this case, inhibition of cell death restrains aberrant cell competition and rescues tissue structure. Inhibition of apoptosis may thus emerge as a good strategy to counteract cancer progression in competitive contexts; of note, we recently found a positive correlation between cell death amount at the tumor/stroma interface and MYC levels in human cancers. Here we used Drosophila to investigate the functional role of competition-dependent apoptosis in advanced cancers, observing dramatic changes in mass dimensions and composition following a boost in cell competition, rescued by apoptosis inhibition. This suggests the role of competition-dependent apoptosis be not confined to the early stages of tumorigenesis. We also show that apoptosis inhibition, beside restricting cancer mass, is sufficient to rescue tissue architecture and counteract cell migration in various cancer contexts, suggesting that a strong activation of the apoptotic pathways intensifies cancer burden by affecting distinct phenotypic traits at different stages of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Sollazzo
- CanceЯEvolutionLab, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simona Paglia
- CanceЯEvolutionLab, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simone Di Giacomo
- CanceЯEvolutionLab, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Daniela Grifoni
- CanceЯEvolutionLab, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy,CanceЯEvolutionLab, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy,*Correspondence: Daniela Grifoni,
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12
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Chatterjee D, Costa CAM, Wang XF, Jevitt A, Huang YC, Deng WM. Single-cell transcriptomics identifies Keap1-Nrf2 regulated collective invasion in a Drosophila tumor model. eLife 2022; 11:80956. [PMID: 36321803 PMCID: PMC9708074 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicobasal cell polarity loss is a founding event in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and epithelial tumorigenesis, yet how pathological polarity loss links to plasticity remains largely unknown. To understand the mechanisms and mediators regulating plasticity upon polarity loss, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of Drosophila ovaries, where inducing polarity-gene l(2)gl-knockdown (Lgl-KD) causes invasive multilayering of the follicular epithelia. Analyzing the integrated Lgl-KD and wildtype transcriptomes, we discovered the cells specific to the various discernible phenotypes and characterized the underlying gene expression. A genetic requirement of Keap1-Nrf2 signaling in promoting multilayer formation of Lgl-KD cells was further identified. Ectopic expression of Keap1 increased the volume of delaminated follicle cells that showed enhanced invasive behavior with significant changes to the cytoskeleton. Overall, our findings describe the comprehensive transcriptome of cells within the follicle cell tumor model at the single-cell resolution and identify a previously unappreciated link between Keap1-Nrf2 signaling and cell plasticity at early tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deeptiman Chatterjee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, New Orleans, United States
| | - Caique Almeida Machado Costa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, New Orleans, United States
| | - Xian-Feng Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, New Orleans, United States
| | - Allison Jevitt
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States
| | - Yi-Chun Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, New Orleans, United States
| | - Wu-Min Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, New Orleans, United States.,Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, United States
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13
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Jiang H, Kimura T, Hai H, Yamamura R, Sonoshita M. Drosophila as a toolkit to tackle cancer and its metabolism. Front Oncol 2022; 12:982751. [PMID: 36091180 PMCID: PMC9458318 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.982751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most severe health problems worldwide accounting for the second leading cause of death. Studies have indicated that cancers utilize different metabolic systems as compared with normal cells to produce extra energy and substances required for their survival, which contributes to tumor formation and progression. Recently, the fruit fly Drosophila has been attracting significant attention as a whole-body model for elucidating the cancer mechanisms including metabolism. This tiny organism offers a valuable toolkit with various advantages such as high genetic conservation and similar drug response to mammals. In this review, we introduce flies modeling for cancer patient genotypes which have pinpointed novel therapeutic targets and drug candidates in the salivary gland, thyroid, colon, lung, and brain. Furthermore, we introduce fly models for metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cachexia. Diabetes mellitus and obesity are widely acknowledged risk factors for cancer, while cachexia is a cancer-related metabolic condition. In addition, we specifically focus on two cancer metabolic alterations: the Warburg effect and redox metabolism. Indeed, flies proved useful to reveal the relationship between these metabolic changes and cancer. Such accumulating achievements indicate that Drosophila offers an efficient platform to clarify the mechanisms of cancer as a systemic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Jiang
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Taku Kimura
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Department of Oral Diagnosis and Medicine, Graduate school of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Han Hai
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ryodai Yamamura
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Global Station for Biosurfaces and Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Ryodai Yamamura, ; Masahiro Sonoshita,
| | - Masahiro Sonoshita
- Division of Biomedical Oncology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Global Station for Biosurfaces and Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Ryodai Yamamura, ; Masahiro Sonoshita,
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14
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Logeay R, Géminard C, Lassus P, Rodríguez-Vázquez M, Kantar D, Heron-Milhavet L, Fischer B, Bray SJ, Colinge J, Djiane A. Mechanisms underlying the cooperation between loss of epithelial polarity and Notch signaling during neoplastic growth in Drosophila. Development 2022; 149:274230. [PMID: 35005772 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Aggressive neoplastic growth can be initiated by a limited number of genetic alterations, such as the well-established cooperation between loss of cell architecture and hyperactive signaling pathways. However, our understanding of how these different alterations interact and influence each other remains very incomplete. Using Drosophila paradigms of imaginal wing disc epithelial growth, we have monitored the changes in Notch pathway activity according to the polarity status of cells (scrib mutant). We show that the scrib mutation impacts the direct transcriptional output of the Notch pathway, without altering the global distribution of Su(H), the Notch-dedicated transcription factor. The Notch-dependent neoplasms require, however, the action of a group of transcription factors, similar to those previously identified for Ras/scrib neoplasm (namely AP-1, Stat92E, Ftz-F1 and basic leucine zipper factors), further suggesting the importance of this transcription factor network during neoplastic growth. Finally, our work highlights some Notch/scrib specificities, in particular the role of the PAR domain-containing basic leucine zipper transcription factor and Notch direct target Pdp1 for neoplastic growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Logeay
- IRCM, Inserm, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Charles Géminard
- IRCM, Inserm, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Patrice Lassus
- IRCM, Inserm, University of Montpellier, ICM, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Diala Kantar
- IRCM, Inserm, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Bettina Fischer
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Sarah J Bray
- Department of Physiology Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Jacques Colinge
- IRCM, Inserm, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
| | - Alexandre Djiane
- IRCM, Inserm, University of Montpellier, ICM, Montpellier, France
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15
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Ding X, Li Z, Lin G, Li W, Xue L. Toll-7 promotes tumour growth and invasion in Drosophila. Cell Prolif 2022; 55:e13188. [PMID: 35050535 PMCID: PMC8828261 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Drosophila melanogaster has become an excellent model organism to explore the genetic mechanisms underlying tumour progression. Here, by using well‐established Drosophila tumour models, we identified Toll‐7 as a novel regulator of tumour growth and invasion. Materials and methods Transgenic flies and genetic epistasis analysis were used. All flies were raised on a standard cornmeal and agar medium at 25°C unless otherwise indicated. Immunostaining and RT‐qPCR were performed by standard procedures. Images were taken by OLYMPUS BX51 microscope and Zeiss LSM 880 confocal microscope. Adobe Photoshop 2020 and Zeiss Zen were used to analyse the images. All results were presented in Scatter plots or Column bar graphs created by GraphPad Prism 8.0. Results Loss of Toll‐7 suppresses RasV12/lgl−/−‐induced tumour growth and invasion, as well as cell polarity disruption‐induced invasive cell migration, whereas expression of a constitutively active allele of Toll‐7 is sufficient to promote tumorous growth and cell migration. In addition, the Egr‐JNK signalling is necessary and sufficient for Toll‐7‐induced invasive cell migration. Mechanistically, Toll‐7 facilitates the endocytosis of Egr, which is known to activate JNK in the early endosomes. Moreover, Toll‐7 activates the EGFR‐Ras signalling, which cooperates with the Egr‐JNK signalling to promote Yki‐mediated cell proliferation and tissue overgrowth. Finally, Toll‐7 is necessary and sufficient for the proper maintenance of EGFR protein level. Conclusions Our findings characterized Toll‐7 as a proto‐oncogene that promotes tumour growth and invasion in Drosophila, which shed light on the pro‐tumour function of mammalian Toll‐like receptors (TLRs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Ding
- Institute of Intervention Vessel, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhuojie Li
- Institute of Intervention Vessel, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gufa Lin
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenzhe Li
- Institute of Intervention Vessel, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Xue
- Institute of Intervention Vessel, Shanghai 10th People's Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.,Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai People's Hospital, Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University, Zhuhai, China
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16
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La Marca JE, Willoughby LF, Allan K, Portela M, Goh PK, Tiganis T, Richardson HE. PTP61F Mediates Cell Competition and Mitigates Tumorigenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12732. [PMID: 34884538 PMCID: PMC8657627 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue homeostasis via the elimination of aberrant cells is fundamental for organism survival. Cell competition is a key homeostatic mechanism, contributing to the recognition and elimination of aberrant cells, preventing their malignant progression and the development of tumors. Here, using Drosophila as a model organism, we have defined a role for protein tyrosine phosphatase 61F (PTP61F) (orthologue of mammalian PTP1B and TCPTP) in the initiation and progression of epithelial cancers. We demonstrate that a Ptp61F null mutation confers cells with a competitive advantage relative to neighbouring wild-type cells, while elevating PTP61F levels has the opposite effect. Furthermore, we show that knockdown of Ptp61F affects the survival of clones with impaired cell polarity, and that this occurs through regulation of the JAK-STAT signalling pathway. Importantly, PTP61F plays a robust non-cell-autonomous role in influencing the elimination of adjacent polarity-impaired mutant cells. Moreover, in a neoplastic RAS-driven polarity-impaired tumor model, we show that PTP61F levels determine the aggressiveness of tumors, with Ptp61F knockdown or overexpression, respectively, increasing or reducing tumor size. These effects correlate with the regulation of the RAS-MAPK and JAK-STAT signalling by PTP61F. Thus, PTP61F acts as a tumor suppressor that can function in an autonomous and non-cell-autonomous manner to ensure cellular fitness and attenuate tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E. La Marca
- Cell Polarity, Cell Signaling & Cancer Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry & Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (J.E.L.M.); (K.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Lee F. Willoughby
- Cell Cycle & Development Laboratory, Research Division, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia;
| | - Kirsten Allan
- Cell Polarity, Cell Signaling & Cancer Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry & Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (J.E.L.M.); (K.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Marta Portela
- Cell Polarity, Cell Signaling & Cancer Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry & Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (J.E.L.M.); (K.A.); (M.P.)
| | - Pei Kee Goh
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (P.K.G.); (T.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Tony Tiganis
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (P.K.G.); (T.T.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Helena E. Richardson
- Cell Polarity, Cell Signaling & Cancer Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry & Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia; (J.E.L.M.); (K.A.); (M.P.)
- Cell Cycle & Development Laboratory, Research Division, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia;
- Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, Department of Biochemistry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
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17
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A Blueprint for Cancer-Related Inflammation and Host Innate Immunity. Cells 2021; 10:cells10113211. [PMID: 34831432 PMCID: PMC8623541 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Both in situ and allograft models of cancer in juvenile and adult Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies offer a powerful means for unravelling cancer gene networks and cancer-host interactions. They can also be used as tools for cost-effective drug discovery and repurposing. Moreover, in situ modeling of emerging tumors makes it possible to address cancer initiating events-a black box in cancer research, tackle the innate antitumor immune responses to incipient preneoplastic cells and recurrent growing tumors, and decipher the initiation and evolution of inflammation. These studies in Drosophila melanogaster can serve as a blueprint for studies in more complex organisms and help in the design of mechanism-based therapies for the individualized treatment of cancer diseases in humans. This review focuses on new discoveries in Drosophila related to the diverse innate immune responses to cancer-related inflammation and the systemic effects that are so detrimental to the host.
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18
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Bilder D, Ong K, Hsi TC, Adiga K, Kim J. Tumour-host interactions through the lens of Drosophila. Nat Rev Cancer 2021; 21:687-700. [PMID: 34389815 PMCID: PMC8669834 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-021-00387-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is a large gap between the deep understanding of mechanisms driving tumour growth and the reasons why patients ultimately die of cancer. It is now appreciated that interactions between the tumour and surrounding non-tumour (sometimes referred to as host) cells play critical roles in mortality as well as tumour progression, but much remains unknown about the underlying molecular mechanisms, especially those that act beyond the tumour microenvironment. Drosophila has a track record of high-impact discoveries about cell-autonomous growth regulation, and is well suited to now probe mysteries of tumour - host interactions. Here, we review current knowledge about how fly tumours interact with microenvironmental stroma, circulating innate immune cells and distant organs to influence disease progression. We also discuss reciprocal regulation between tumours and host physiology, with a particular focus on paraneoplasias. The fly's simplicity along with the ability to study lethality directly provide an opportunity to shed new light on how cancer actually kills.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bilder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Katy Ong
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Tsai-Ching Hsi
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kavya Adiga
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jung Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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19
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Kim J, Chuang HC, Wolf NK, Nicolai CJ, Raulet DH, Saijo K, Bilder D. Tumor-induced disruption of the blood-brain barrier promotes host death. Dev Cell 2021; 56:2712-2721.e4. [PMID: 34496290 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Cancer patients often die from symptoms that manifest at a distance from any tumor. Mechanisms underlying these systemic physiological perturbations, called paraneoplastic syndromes, may benefit from investigation in non-mammalian systems. Using a non-metastatic Drosophila adult model, we find that malignant-tumor-produced cytokines drive widespread host activation of JAK-STAT signaling and cause premature lethality. STAT activity is particularly high in cells of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), where it induces aberrant BBB permeability. Remarkably, inhibiting STAT in the BBB not only rescues barrier function but also extends the lifespan of tumor-bearing hosts. We identify BBB damage in other pathological conditions that cause elevated inflammatory signaling, including obesity and infection, where BBB permeability also regulates host survival. IL-6-dependent BBB dysfunction is further seen in a mouse tumor model, and it again promotes host morbidity. Therefore, BBB alterations constitute a conserved lethal tumor-host interaction that also underlies other physiological morbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Hsiu-Chun Chuang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Natalie K Wolf
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Christopher J Nicolai
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - David H Raulet
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kaoru Saijo
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - David Bilder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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20
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Dillard C, Reis JGT, Rusten TE. RasV12; scrib-/- Tumors: A Cooperative Oncogenesis Model Fueled by Tumor/Host Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168873. [PMID: 34445578 PMCID: PMC8396170 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The phenomenon of how oncogenes and tumor-suppressor mutations can synergize to promote tumor fitness and cancer progression can be studied in relatively simple animal model systems such as Drosophila melanogaster. Almost two decades after the landmark discovery of cooperative oncogenesis between oncogenic RasV12 and the loss of the tumor suppressor scribble in flies, this and other tumor models have provided new concepts and findings in cancer biology that has remarkable parallels and relevance to human cancer. Here we review findings using the RasV12; scrib-/- tumor model and how it has contributed to our understanding of how these initial simple genetic insults cooperate within the tumor cell to set in motion the malignant transformation program leading to tumor growth through cell growth, cell survival and proliferation, dismantling of cell-cell interactions, degradation of basement membrane and spreading to other organs. Recent findings have demonstrated that cooperativity goes beyond cell intrinsic mechanisms as the tumor interacts with the immediate cells of the microenvironment, the immune system and systemic organs to eventually facilitate malignant progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Dillard
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway;
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379 Oslo, Norway
- Correspondence: (C.D.); (T.E.R.)
| | - José Gerardo Teles Reis
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway;
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379 Oslo, Norway
| | - Tor Erik Rusten
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway;
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Montebello, 0379 Oslo, Norway
- Correspondence: (C.D.); (T.E.R.)
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21
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Lam Wong KK, Verheyen EM. Metabolic reprogramming in cancer: mechanistic insights from Drosophila. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:1-17. [PMID: 34240146 PMCID: PMC8277969 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.048934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells constantly reprogram their metabolism as the disease progresses. However, our understanding of the metabolic complexity of cancer remains incomplete. Extensive research in the fruit fly Drosophila has established numerous tumor models ranging from hyperplasia to neoplasia. These fly tumor models exhibit a broad range of metabolic profiles and varying nutrient sensitivity. Genetic studies show that fly tumors can use various alternative strategies, such as feedback circuits and nutrient-sensing machinery, to acquire and consolidate distinct metabolic profiles. These studies not only provide fresh insights into the causes and functional relevance of metabolic reprogramming but also identify metabolic vulnerabilities as potential targets for cancer therapy. Here, we review the conceptual advances in cancer metabolism derived from comparing and contrasting the metabolic profiles of fly tumor models, with a particular focus on the Warburg effect, mitochondrial metabolism, and the links between diet and cancer. Summary: Recent research in fruit flies has demonstrated that tumors rewire their metabolism by using diverse strategies that involve feedback regulation, nutrient sensing, intercellular or even inter-organ interactions, yielding new molecules as potential cancer markers or drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Kin Lam Wong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada.,Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Esther M Verheyen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada.,Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
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22
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Snigdha K, Singh A, Kango-Singh M. Yorkie-Cactus (IκBα)-JNK axis promotes tumor growth and progression in Drosophila. Oncogene 2021; 40:4124-4136. [PMID: 34017079 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01831-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Presence of inflammatory factors in the tumor microenvironment is well-documented yet their specific role in tumorigenesis is elusive. The core inflammatory pathways like the Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) and the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) pathway are conserved in Drosophila. We induced GFP-marked epithelial tumors by expressing activated oncogenic forms of RasV12 or Yorkie (Yki3SA, mammalian YAP) in scribble deficient cells (scribRNAi, mammalian SCRIB) to study the role of inflammatory factors in tumorigenesis. Similar to RasV12scribRNAi, we found that Yki3SAscribRNAi form invasive neoplastic lethal tumors that induce a systemic inflammatory response. We identified Cactus (Cact, mammalian IκBα), the negative regulator of TLR, as a key player in tumor growth. Cact accumulates in the cytoplasm in Drosophila tumor models, similar to squamous cell carcinoma in mice models and human patients where cytoplasmic IκBα favors oncogenic transformation. Further, cact is transcriptionally upregulated in tumors, and downregulation of Cact affects tumor growth. We investigated if TLR or TNF pathway affect tumor growth through activation of Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) pathway and its target Matrix Metalloprotease1 (MMP1). Genetically manipulating levels of TLR components or TNF receptors showed that Cact acts upstream of JNK signaling and regulates JNK via a non-canonical mechanism during tumorigenesis. Further, Hippo coactivator Yki transcriptionally regulates cact expression, and downregulation of Yki or Cact is sufficient to cause downregulation of JNK-mediated signaling that promotes tumorigenesis. Here, we report a link between Hippo, IκBα and JNK signaling that may induce inflammation and innate immune response in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirti Snigdha
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Amit Singh
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA.,Center for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering at Dayton (TREND), University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA.,Premedical Programs, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA.,Integrative Science and Engineering Center (ISE), University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Madhuri Kango-Singh
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA. .,Center for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering at Dayton (TREND), University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA. .,Premedical Programs, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA. .,Integrative Science and Engineering Center (ISE), University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA.
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23
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Romão D, Muzzopappa M, Barrio L, Milán M. The Upd3 cytokine couples inflammation to maturation defects in Drosophila. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1780-1787.e6. [PMID: 33609452 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.01.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Developmental transitions, such as puberty or metamorphosis, are tightly controlled by steroid hormones and can be delayed by the appearance of growth abnormalities, developmental tumors, or inflammatory disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease or cystic fibrosis.1-4 Here, we used a highly inflammatory epithelial model of malignant transformation in Drosophila5,6 to unravel the role of Upd3-a cytokine with homology to interleukin-6-and the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in coupling inflammation to a delay in metamorphosis. We present evidence that Upd3 produced by malignant and nearby cell populations signals to the prothoracic gland-an endocrine tissue primarily dedicated to the production of the steroid hormone ecdysone-to activate JAK/STAT and bantam microRNA (miRNA) and to delay metamorphosis. Upd cytokines produced by the tumor site contribute to increasing the systemic levels of Upd3 by amplifying its expression levels in a cell-autonomous manner and by inducing Upd3 expression in neighboring tissues in a non-autonomous manner, culminating in a major systemic response to prevent larvae from initiating pupa transition. Our results identify a new regulatory network impacting on ecdysone biosynthesis and provide new insights into the potential role of inflammatory cytokines and the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in coupling inflammation to delays in puberty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Romão
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mariana Muzzopappa
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lara Barrio
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Milán
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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24
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Bajgar A, Krejčová G, Doležal T. Polarization of Macrophages in Insects: Opening Gates for Immuno-Metabolic Research. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:629238. [PMID: 33659253 PMCID: PMC7917182 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.629238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Insulin resistance and cachexia represent severe metabolic syndromes accompanying a variety of human pathological states, from life-threatening cancer and sepsis to chronic inflammatory states, such as obesity and autoimmune disorders. Although the origin of these metabolic syndromes has not been fully comprehended yet, a growing body of evidence indicates their possible interconnection with the acute and chronic activation of an innate immune response. Current progress in insect immuno-metabolic research reveals that the induction of insulin resistance might represent an adaptive mechanism during the acute phase of bacterial infection. In Drosophila, insulin resistance is induced by signaling factors released by bactericidal macrophages as a reflection of their metabolic polarization toward aerobic glycolysis. Such metabolic adaptation enables them to combat the invading pathogens efficiently but also makes them highly nutritionally demanding. Therefore, systemic metabolism has to be adjusted upon macrophage activation to provide them with nutrients and thus support the immune function. That anticipates the involvement of macrophage-derived systemic factors mediating the inter-organ signaling between macrophages and central energy-storing organs. Although it is crucial to coordinate the macrophage cellular metabolism with systemic metabolic changes during the acute phase of bacterial infection, the action of macrophage-derived factors may become maladaptive if chronic or in case of infection by an intracellular pathogen. We hypothesize that insulin resistance evoked by macrophage-derived signaling factors represents an adaptive mechanism for the mobilization of sources and their preferential delivery toward the activated immune system. We consider here the validity of the presented model for mammals and human medicine. The adoption of aerobic glycolysis by bactericidal macrophages as well as the induction of insulin resistance by macrophage-derived factors are conserved between insects and mammals. Chronic insulin resistance is at the base of many human metabolically conditioned diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cachexia. Therefore, revealing the original biological relevance of cytokine-induced insulin resistance may help to develop a suitable strategy for treating these frequent diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Bajgar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Gabriela Krejčová
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Tomáš Doležal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
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25
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Parra AS, Johnston CA. Mud Loss Restricts Yki-Dependent Hyperplasia in Drosophila Epithelia. J Dev Biol 2020; 8:E34. [PMID: 33322177 PMCID: PMC7768408 DOI: 10.3390/jdb8040034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue development demands precise control of cell proliferation and organization, which is achieved through multiple conserved signaling pathways and protein complexes in multicellular animals. Epithelia are a ubiquitous tissue type that provide diverse functions including physical protection, barrier formation, chemical exchange, and secretory activity. However, epithelial cells are also a common driver of tumorigenesis; thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms that control their growth dynamics is important in understanding not only developmental mechanisms but also disease. One prominent pathway that regulates epithelial growth is the conserved Hippo/Warts/Yorkie network. Hippo/Warts inactivation, or activating mutations in Yorkie that prevent its phosphorylation (e.g., YkiS168A), drive hyperplastic tissue growth. We recently reported that loss of Mushroom body defect (Mud), a microtubule-associated protein that contributes to mitotic spindle function, restricts YkiS168A-mediated growth in Drosophila imaginal wing disc epithelia. Here we show that Mud loss alters cell cycle progression and triggers apoptosis with accompanying Jun kinase (JNK) activation in YkiS168A-expressing discs. To identify additional molecular insights, we performed RNAseq and differential gene expression profiling. This analysis revealed that Mud knockdown in YkiS168A-expressing discs resulted in a significant downregulation in expression of core basement membrane (BM) and extracellular matrix (ECM) genes, including the type IV collagen gene viking. Furthermore, we found that YkiS168A-expressing discs accumulated increased collagen protein, which was reduced following Mud knockdown. Our results suggest that ECM/BM remodeling can limit untoward growth initiated by an important driver of tumor growth and highlight a potential regulatory link with cytoskeleton-associated genes.
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26
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Sun G, Ding XA, Argaw Y, Guo X, Montell DJ. Akt1 and dCIZ1 promote cell survival from apoptotic caspase activation during regeneration and oncogenic overgrowth. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5726. [PMID: 33184261 PMCID: PMC7664998 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19068-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Apoptosis is an ancient and evolutionarily conserved cell suicide program. During apoptosis, executioner caspase enzyme activation has been considered a point of no return. However, emerging evidence suggests that some cells can survive caspase activation following exposure to apoptosis-inducing stresses, raising questions as to the physiological significance and underlying molecular mechanisms of this unexpected phenomenon. Here, we show that, following severe tissue injury, Drosophila wing disc cells that survive executioner caspase activation contribute to tissue regeneration. Through RNAi screening, we identify akt1 and a previously uncharacterized Drosophila gene CG8108, which is homologous to the human gene CIZ1, as essential for survival from the executioner caspase activation. We also show that cells expressing activated oncogenes experience apoptotic caspase activation, and that Akt1 and dCIZ1 are required for their survival and overgrowth. Thus, survival following executioner caspase activation is a normal tissue repair mechanism usurped to promote oncogene-driven overgrowth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongping Sun
- The Key Laboratory of Experimental Teratology, Ministry of Education and Department of Anatomy and Histoembryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
| | - Xun Austin Ding
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Yewubdar Argaw
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Xiaoran Guo
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Denise J Montell
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
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27
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Murcia L, Clemente-Ruiz M, Pierre-Elies P, Royou A, Milán M. Selective Killing of RAS-Malignant Tissues by Exploiting Oncogene-Induced DNA Damage. Cell Rep 2020; 28:119-131.e4. [PMID: 31269434 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Several oncogenes induce untimely entry into S phase and alter replication timing and progression, thereby generating replicative stress, a well-known source of genomic instability and a hallmark of cancer. Using an epithelial model in Drosophila, we show that the RAS oncogene, which triggers G1/S transition, induces DNA damage and, at the same time, silences the DNA damage response pathway. RAS compromises ATR-mediated phosphorylation of the histone variant H2Av and ATR-mediated cell-cycle arrest in G2 and blocks, through ERK, Dp53-dependent induction of cell death. We found that ERK is also activated in normal tissues by an exogenous source of damage and that this activation is necessary to dampen the pro-apoptotic role of Dp53. We exploit the pro-survival role of ERK activation upon endogenous and exogenous sources of DNA damage to present evidence that its genetic or chemical inhibition can be used as a therapeutic opportunity to selectively eliminate RAS-malignant tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lada Murcia
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Clemente-Ruiz
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Anne Royou
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, 2, rue Robert Escarpit, 33607 Pessac, France
| | - Marco Milán
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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28
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Hamaratoglu F, Atkins M. Rounding up the Usual Suspects: Assessing Yorkie, AP-1, and Stat Coactivation in Tumorigenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4580. [PMID: 32605129 PMCID: PMC7370090 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Can hyperactivation of a few key signaling effectors be the underlying reason for the majority of epithelial cancers despite different driver mutations? Here, to address this question, we use the Drosophila model, which allows analysis of gene expression from tumors with known initiating mutations. Furthermore, its simplified signaling pathways have numerous well characterized targets we can use as pathway readouts. In Drosophila tumor models, changes in the activities of three pathways, Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK), Janus Kinase / Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (JAK/STAT), and Hippo, mediated by AP-1 factors, Stat92E, and Yorkie, are reported frequently. We hypothesized this may indicate that these three pathways are commonly deregulated in tumors. To assess this, we mined the available transcriptomic data and evaluated the activity levels of eight pathways in various tumor models. Indeed, at least two out of our three suspects contribute to tumor development in all Drosophila cancer models assessed, despite different initiating mutations or tissues of origin. Surprisingly, we found that Notch signaling is also globally activated in all models examined. We propose that these four pathways, JNK, JAK/STAT, Hippo, and Notch, are paid special attention and assayed for systematically in existing and newly developed models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mardelle Atkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX 77341, USA
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29
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Domesticated gag Gene of Drosophila LTR Retrotransposons Is Involved in Response to Oxidative Stress. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11040396. [PMID: 32268600 PMCID: PMC7231272 DOI: 10.3390/genes11040396] [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: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most extensively used genetic model organisms for studying LTR retrotransposons that are represented by various groups in its genome. However, the phenomenon of molecular domestication of LTR retrotransposons has been insufficiently studied in Drosophila, as well as in other invertebrates. The present work is devoted to studying the role of the domesticated gag gene, Gagr, in the Drosophila genome. The Gagr gene has been shown to be involved in the response to stress caused by exposure to ammonium persulfate, but not in the stress response to oligomycin A, zeomycin, and cadmium chloride. Ammonium persulfate tissue specifically activates the expression of Gagr in the tissues of the carcass, but not in the gut. We found that the Gagr gene promoter contains one binding motif for the transcription factor kayak, a component of the JNK signaling pathway, and two binding motifs for the transcription factor Stat92E, a component of the Jak-STAT signaling pathway. Remarkably, Gagr orthologs contain the second binding motif for Stat92E only in D. melanogaster, D. simulans and D. sechellia, whereas in D. yakuba and D. erecta, Gagr orthologs contain a single motif, and there are no binding sites for Stat92E in the promoters of Gagr orthologs in D. ananassae and in species outside the melanogaster group. The data obtained indicate the formation of the protective function of the Gagr gene during evolution.
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30
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La Marca JE, Richardson HE. Two-Faced: Roles of JNK Signalling During Tumourigenesis in the Drosophila Model. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:42. [PMID: 32117973 PMCID: PMC7012784 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The highly conserved c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) signalling pathway has many functions, regulating a diversity of processes: from cell movement during embryogenesis to the stress response of cells after environmental insults. Studies modelling cancer using the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, have identified both pro- and anti-tumourigenic roles for JNK signalling, depending on context. As a tumour suppressor, JNK signalling commonly is activated by conserved Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) signalling, which promotes the caspase-mediated death of tumourigenic cells. JNK pathway activation can also occur via actin cytoskeleton alterations, and after cellular damage inflicted by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, JNK signalling frequently acts in concert with Salvador-Warts-Hippo (SWH) signalling – either upstream of or parallel to this potent growth-suppressing pathway. As a tumour promoter, JNK signalling is co-opted by cells expressing activated Ras-MAPK signalling (among other pathways), and used to drive cell morphological changes, induce invasive behaviours, block differentiation, and enable persistent cell proliferation. Furthermore, JNK is capable of non-autonomous influences within tumour microenvironments by effecting the transcription of various cell growth- and proliferation-promoting molecules. In this review, we discuss these aspects of JNK signalling in Drosophila tumourigenesis models, and highlight recent publications that have expanded our knowledge of this important and versatile pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E La Marca
- Richardson Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Helena E Richardson
- Richardson Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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31
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Deng M, Wang Y, Zhang L, Yang Y, Huang S, Wang J, Ge H, Ishibashi T, Yan Y. Single cell transcriptomic landscapes of pattern formation, proliferation and growth in Drosophila wing imaginal discs. Development 2019; 146:dev.179754. [PMID: 31455604 DOI: 10.1242/dev.179754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Organ formation relies on the orchestration of pattern formation, proliferation and growth during development. How these processes are integrated at the individual cell level remains unclear. In the past decades, studies using Drosophila wing imaginal discs as a model system have provided valuable insights into pattern formation, growth control and regeneration. Here, we provide single cell transcriptomic landscapes of pattern formation, proliferation and growth of wing imaginal discs. We found that patterning information is robustly maintained in the single cell transcriptomic data and can provide reference matrices for computationally mapping single cells into discrete spatial domains. Assignment of wing disc single cells to spatial subregions facilitates examination of patterning refinement processes. We also clustered single cells into different proliferation and growth states and evaluated the correlation between cell proliferation/growth states and spatial patterning. Furthermore, single cell transcriptomic analyses allowed us to quantitatively examine disturbances of differentiation, proliferation and growth in a well-established tumor model. We provide a database to explore these datasets at http://drosophilayanlab-virtual-wingdisc.ust.hk:3838/v2/This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxi Deng
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lina Zhang
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shengshuo Huang
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiguang Wang
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hao Ge
- Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research and Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Peking, China 100871
| | - Toyotaka Ishibashi
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yan Yan
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China .,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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32
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Ji T, Zhang L, Deng M, Huang S, Wang Y, Pham TT, Smith AA, Sridhar V, Cabernard C, Wang J, Yan Y. Dynamic MAPK signaling activity underlies a transition from growth arrest to proliferation in Drosophila scribble mutant tumors. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm.040147. [PMID: 31371383 PMCID: PMC6737955 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.040147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Human tumors exhibit plasticity and evolving capacity over time. It is difficult to study the mechanisms of how tumors change over time in human patients, in particular during the early stages when a few oncogenic cells are barely detectable. Here, we used a Drosophila tumor model caused by loss of scribble (scrib), a highly conserved apicobasal cell polarity gene, to investigate the spatial-temporal dynamics of early tumorigenesis events. The fly scrib mutant tumors have been successfully used to model many aspects of tumorigenesis processes. However, it is still unknown whether Drosophila scrib mutant tumors exhibit plasticity and evolvability along the temporal axis. We found that scrib mutant tumors displayed different growth rates and cell cycle profiles over time, indicative of a growth arrest-to-proliferation transition as the scrib mutant tumors progress. Longitudinal bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analysis of scrib mutant tumors revealed that the MAPK pathway, including JNK and ERK signaling activities, showed quantitative changes over time. We found that high JNK signaling activity caused G2/M cell cycle arrest in early scrib mutant tumors. In addition, JNK signaling activity displayed a radial polarity with the JNKhigh cells located at the periphery of scrib mutant tumors, providing an inherent mechanism that leads to an overall decrease in JNK signaling activity over time. We also found that ERK signaling activity, in contrast to JNK activity, increased over time and promoted growth in late-stage scrib mutant tumors. Furthermore, high JNK signaling activity repressed ERK signaling activity in early scrib mutant tumors. Together, these data demonstrate that dynamic MAPK signaling activity, fueled by intratumor heterogeneity derived from tissue topological differences, drives a growth arrest-to-proliferation transition in scrib mutant tumors. This article has an associated First Person interview with the joint first authors of the paper. Summary: The authors provide evidence to show that a well-established Drosophila tumor model, caused by loss of apicobasal cell polarity, harbors a surprising degree of plasticity and evolvability along the temporal axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Ji
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lina Zhang
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mingxi Deng
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shengshuo Huang
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tri Thanh Pham
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Science Building, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Andrew Alan Smith
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Science Building, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Varun Sridhar
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Science Building, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Clemens Cabernard
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Science Building, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jiguang Wang
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.,Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yan Yan
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China .,Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, School of Science and Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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33
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Parvy JP, Yu Y, Dostalova A, Kondo S, Kurjan A, Bulet P, Lemaître B, Vidal M, Cordero JB. The antimicrobial peptide defensin cooperates with tumour necrosis factor to drive tumour cell death in Drosophila. eLife 2019; 8:45061. [PMID: 31358113 PMCID: PMC6667213 DOI: 10.7554/elife.45061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small cationic molecules best known as mediators of the innate defence against microbial infection. While in vitro and ex vivo evidence suggest AMPs’ capacity to kill cancer cells, in vivo demonstration of an anti-tumour role of endogenous AMPs is lacking. Using a Drosophila model of tumourigenesis, we demonstrate a role for the AMP Defensin in the control of tumour progression. Our results reveal that Tumour Necrosis Factor mediates exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS), which makes tumour cells selectively sensitive to the action of Defensin remotely secreted from tracheal and fat tissues. Defensin binds tumour cells in PS-enriched areas, provoking cell death and tumour regression. Altogether, our results provide the first in vivo demonstration for a role of an endogenous AMP as an anti-cancer agent, as well as a mechanism that explains tumour cell sensitivity to the action of AMPs. Animals have a natural defence system – the immune system – that is needed to fight off disease-causing microbes, known as pathogens. One way the immune system attacks pathogens is by producing small microbe-killing molecules called antimicrobial peptides. These antimicrobial peptides carry a positive charge, which allows them to interact with and disrupt the negatively charged cell surfaces of many microbes. Healthy animal cells do not have these negatively charged components on their cell surface, which means they are invisible to antimicrobial peptides. Studies have reported that antimicrobial peptides can attack cancer cells grown in a dish. However, it was unclear whether they could fight cancer cells in a live animal. Parvy et al. have now addressed this issue by studying tumours in the larvae of fruit flies. Flies with tumours made an antimicrobial peptide called Defensin, which normally helps to fight infections. When Parvy et al. deleted the gene coding for Defensin, less tumour cells were dying and the tumours became bigger. This result indicated that Defensin was protecting the fruit flies from tumours. Examining the tumours under the microscope showed that Defensin protein interacted with the membranes of tumour cells. Defensin was not, however, interacting with healthy cells. Further analysis revealed that a negatively charged component of cell membranes called phosphatidylserine, which normally faces the inside of healthy cells, is exposed to the outer surface of tumour cells. This negatively charged molecule renders cancer cells visible to positively charged Defensin. Importantly, the exposure of the phosphatidylserine is mediated by the fly equivalent of a protein called Tumour Necrosis Factor, a key player in cancer biology. Defensin binding to tumour cells leads to their death. These experiments in the fruit fly highlight key molecular mechanisms that allow antimicrobial peptides to fight cancer cells in a living organism. Because human tumour cells can also expose phosphatidylserine, these latest findings may open up the possibility of a new kind of anti-cancer therapy for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yachuan Yu
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Dostalova
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Shu Kondo
- Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory, Genetic Strains Research Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Alina Kurjan
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Philippe Bulet
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, CR University Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Immunologie Analytique des Pathologies Chroniques, Grenoble, France
| | - Bruno Lemaître
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Julia B Cordero
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom.,Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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34
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Wong KKL, Liao JZ, Verheyen EM. A positive feedback loop between Myc and aerobic glycolysis sustains tumor growth in a Drosophila tumor model. eLife 2019; 8:46315. [PMID: 31259690 PMCID: PMC6636907 DOI: 10.7554/elife.46315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells usually exhibit aberrant cell signaling and metabolic reprogramming. However, mechanisms of crosstalk between these processes remain elusive. Here, we show that in an in vivo tumor model expressing oncogenic Drosophila Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase (Hipk), tumor cells display elevated aerobic glycolysis. Mechanistically, elevated Hipk drives transcriptional upregulation of Drosophila Myc (dMyc; MYC in vertebrates) likely through convergence of multiple perturbed signaling cascades. dMyc induces robust expression of pfk2 (encoding 6-Phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase; PFKFB in vertebrates) among other glycolytic genes. Pfk2 catalyzes the synthesis of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate, which acts as a potent allosteric activator of Phosphofructokinase (Pfk) and thus stimulates glycolysis. Pfk2 and Pfk in turn are required to sustain dMyc protein accumulation post-transcriptionally, establishing a positive feedback loop. Disruption of the loop abrogates tumorous growth. Together, our study demonstrates a reciprocal stimulation of Myc and aerobic glycolysis and identifies the Pfk2-Pfk governed committed step of glycolysis as a metabolic vulnerability during tumorigenesis. Cancer arises when cells in the body divide and grow excessively. These cells will often also take up more glucose than normal cells and break it down into another chemical known as lactate faster. This change to the chemical reactions happening within the cell, also called a metabolic change, is required to help produce the extra DNA, proteins and fatty molecules that it needs to grow. Elevated levels of certain proteins can trigger the changes that lead to the growth of tumors. MYC (called dMyc in fruit flies) is one of these proteins. It controls cell division and increases the production of enzymes that break down glucose. Hipk is another protein that can induce tumor growth in fruit flies, but how it does so was unknown. Here, Wong et al. show that high levels of Hipk boost glucose metabolism and accumulation of dMyc protein in fruit fly cells. They also describe the link between increased glucose metabolism and uncontrolled cell division. First, fruit fly cells were fed a fluorescent molecule similar to glucose that cannot be broken down by the cells. This experiment established that glucose uptake increases in cells with too much Hipk. These cells also break down glucose faster, confirming that they have increased glucose metabolism. Cells with high levels of Hipk also activate the genes that generate the enzymes involved in glucose breakdown, and increase the activity of the gene coding for dMyc. Levels of the dMyc protein are higher in these cells, which was shown by staining the cells with fluorescent molecules that specifically bind the dMyc protein. It is this buildup of dMyc protein that activates the genes coding for the enzymes responsible for glucose breakdown. PFK2 is one of these enzymes. Finally, Wong et al. inhibited the production of the enzymes that are elevated in cells with high Hipk. Stopping the production of PFK2 prevents both tumor growth and the accumulation of dMyc protein. This shows that high levels of dMyc increase PFK2 levels, leading to further dMyc buildup, and creating a loop that links the uncontrolled cell division caused by too much dMyc and the shift to higher glucose metabolism. These results highlight new potential targets for cancer therapy, showing that targeting glucose metabolism may reduce, or even stop, tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Kin Lam Wong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.,Centre for Cell Biology Development and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Jenny Zhe Liao
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Esther M Verheyen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.,Centre for Cell Biology Development and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
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35
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La Marca JE, Diepstraten ST, Hodge AL, Wang H, Hart AH, Richardson HE, Somers WG. Strip and Cka negatively regulate JNK signalling during Drosophila spermatogenesis. Development 2019; 146:dev.174292. [PMID: 31164352 DOI: 10.1242/dev.174292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
One fundamental property of a stem cell niche is the exchange of molecular signals between its component cells. Niche models, such as the Drosophila melanogaster testis, have been instrumental in identifying and studying the conserved genetic factors that contribute to niche molecular signalling. Here, we identify jam packed (jam), an allele of Striatin interacting protein (Strip), which is a core member of the highly conserved Striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex. In the developing Drosophila testis, Strip cell-autonomously regulates the differentiation and morphology of the somatic lineage, and non-cell-autonomously regulates the proliferation and differentiation of the germline lineage. Mechanistically, Strip acts in the somatic lineage with its STRIPAK partner, Connector of kinase to AP-1 (Cka), where they negatively regulate the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signalling pathway. Our study reveals a novel role for Strip/Cka in JNK pathway regulation during spermatogenesis within the developing Drosophila testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E La Marca
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3086
| | - Sarah T Diepstraten
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3086
| | - Amy L Hodge
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3086
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program, Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore 169857.,National University of Singapore Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456.,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597
| | - Adam H Hart
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3086
| | - Helena E Richardson
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3086
| | - W Gregory Somers
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3086
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36
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Mundorf J, Donohoe CD, McClure CD, Southall TD, Uhlirova M. Ets21c Governs Tissue Renewal, Stress Tolerance, and Aging in the Drosophila Intestine. Cell Rep 2019; 27:3019-3033.e5. [PMID: 31167145 PMCID: PMC6581828 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Homeostatic renewal and stress-related tissue regeneration rely on stem cell activity, which drives the replacement of damaged cells to maintain tissue integrity and function. The Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway has been established as a critical regulator of tissue homeostasis both in intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and mature enterocytes (ECs), while its chronic activation has been linked to tissue degeneration and aging. Here, we show that JNK signaling requires the stress-inducible transcription factor Ets21c to promote tissue renewal in Drosophila. We demonstrate that Ets21c controls ISC proliferation as well as EC apoptosis through distinct sets of target genes that orchestrate cellular behaviors via intrinsic and non-autonomous signaling mechanisms. While its loss appears dispensable for development and prevents epithelial aging, ISCs and ECs demand Ets21c function to mount cellular responses to oxidative stress. Ets21c thus emerges as a vital regulator of proliferative homeostasis in the midgut and a determinant of the adult healthspan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Mundorf
- Institute for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Colin D Donohoe
- Institute for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Colin D McClure
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Ernst Chain Building, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Tony D Southall
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Ernst Chain Building, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Mirka Uhlirova
- Institute for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany.
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37
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Sharma J, Larkin J. Therapeutic Implication of SOCS1 Modulation in the Treatment of Autoimmunity and Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:324. [PMID: 31105556 PMCID: PMC6499178 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family of intracellular proteins has a vital role in the regulation of the immune system and resolution of inflammatory cascades. SOCS1, also called STAT-induced STAT inhibitor (SSI) or JAK-binding protein (JAB), is a member of the SOCS family with actions ranging from immune modulation to cell cycle regulation. Knockout of SOCS1 leads to perinatal lethality in mice and increased vulnerability to cancer, while several SNPs associated with the SOCS1 gene have been implicated in human inflammation-mediated diseases. In this review, we describe the mechanism of action of SOCS1 and its potential therapeutic role in the prevention and treatment of autoimmunity and cancer. We also provide a brief outline of the other JAK inhibitors, both FDA-approved and under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatin Sharma
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Joseph Larkin
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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38
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Centrosome Loss Triggers a Transcriptional Program To Counter Apoptosis-Induced Oxidative Stress. Genetics 2019; 212:187-211. [PMID: 30867197 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Centrosomes play a critical role in mitotic spindle assembly through their role in microtubule nucleation and bipolar spindle assembly. Loss of centrosomes can impair the ability of some cells to properly conduct mitotic division, leading to chromosomal instability, cell stress, and aneuploidy. Multiple aspects of the cellular response to mitotic error associated with centrosome loss appear to involve activation of JNK signaling. To further characterize the transcriptional effects of centrosome loss, we compared gene expression profiles of wild-type and acentrosomal cells from Drosophila wing imaginal discs. We found elevation of expression of JNK target genes, which we verified at the protein level. Consistent with this, the upregulated gene set showed significant enrichment for the AP-1 consensus DNA-binding sequence. We also found significant elevation in expression of genes regulating redox balance. Based on those findings, we examined oxidative stress after centrosome loss, revealing that acentrosomal wing cells have significant increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS). We then performed a candidate genetic screen and found that one of the genes upregulated in acentrosomal cells, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, plays an important role in buffering acentrosomal cells against increased ROS and helps protect those cells from cell death. Our data and other recent studies have revealed a complex network of signaling pathways, transcriptional programs, and cellular processes that epithelial cells use to respond to stressors, like mitotic errors, to help limit cell damage and maintain normal tissue development.
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39
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Cosolo A, Jaiswal J, Csordás G, Grass I, Uhlirova M, Classen AK. JNK-dependent cell cycle stalling in G2 promotes survival and senescence-like phenotypes in tissue stress. eLife 2019; 8:41036. [PMID: 30735120 PMCID: PMC6389326 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The restoration of homeostasis after tissue damage relies on proper spatial-temporal control of damage-induced apoptosis and compensatory proliferation. In Drosophila imaginal discs these processes are coordinated by the stress response pathway JNK. We demonstrate that JNK signaling induces a dose-dependent extension of G2 in tissue damage and tumors, resulting in either transient stalling or a prolonged but reversible cell cycle arrest. G2-stalling is mediated by downregulation of the G2/M-specific phosphatase String(Stg)/Cdc25. Ectopic expression of stg is sufficient to suppress G2-stalling and reveals roles for stalling in survival, proliferation and paracrine signaling. G2-stalling protects cells from JNK-induced apoptosis, but under chronic conditions, reduces proliferative potential of JNK-signaling cells while promoting non-autonomous proliferation. Thus, transient cell cycle stalling in G2 has key roles in wound healing but becomes detrimental upon chronic JNK overstimulation, with important implications for chronic wound healing pathologies or tumorigenic transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Cosolo
- Center for Biological Systems Analysis, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Janhvi Jaiswal
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gábor Csordás
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Isabelle Grass
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (BIOSS), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies (CIBSS), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mirka Uhlirova
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anne-Kathrin Classen
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Centre for Biological Signalling Studies (BIOSS), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies (CIBSS), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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40
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Fahey-Lozano N, La Marca JE, Portela M, Richardson HE. Drosophila Models of Cell Polarity and Cell Competition in Tumourigenesis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1167:37-64. [PMID: 31520348 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23629-8_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cell competition is an important surveillance mechanism that measures relative fitness between cells in a tissue during development, homeostasis, and disease. Specifically, cells that are "less fit" (losers) are actively eliminated by relatively "more fit" (winners) neighbours, despite the less fit cells otherwise being able to survive in a genetically uniform tissue. Originally described in the epithelial tissues of Drosophila larval imaginal discs, cell competition has since been shown to occur in other epithelial and non-epithelial Drosophila tissues, as well as in mammalian model systems. Many genes and signalling pathways have been identified as playing conserved roles in the mechanisms of cell competition. Among them are genes required for the establishment and maintenance of apico-basal cell polarity: the Crumbs/Stardust/Patj (Crb/Sdt/Patj), Bazooka/Par-6/atypical Protein Kinase C (Baz/Par-6/aPKC), and Scribbled/Discs large 1/Lethal (2) giant larvae (Scrib/Dlg1/L(2)gl) modules. In this chapter, we describe the concepts and mechanisms of cell competition, with emphasis on the relationship between cell polarity proteins and cell competition, particularly the Scrib/Dlg1/L(2)gl module, since this is the best described module in this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Fahey-Lozano
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - John E La Marca
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marta Portela
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology, Cajal Institute (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Helena E Richardson
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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41
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Bonello TT, Peifer M. Scribble: A master scaffold in polarity, adhesion, synaptogenesis, and proliferation. J Cell Biol 2018; 218:742-756. [PMID: 30598480 PMCID: PMC6400555 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201810103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Key events ranging from cell polarity to proliferation regulation to neuronal signaling rely on the assembly of multiprotein adhesion or signaling complexes at particular subcellular sites. Multidomain scaffolding proteins nucleate assembly and direct localization of these complexes, and the protein Scribble and its relatives in the LAP protein family provide a paradigm for this. Scribble was originally identified because of its role in apical-basal polarity and epithelial integrity in Drosophila melanogaster It is now clear that Scribble acts to assemble and position diverse multiprotein complexes in processes ranging from planar polarity to adhesion to oriented cell division to synaptogenesis. Here, we explore what we have learned about the mechanisms of action of Scribble in the context of its multiple known interacting partners and discuss how this knowledge opens new questions about the full range of Scribble protein partners and their structural and signaling roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa T Bonello
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Mark Peifer
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC .,Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
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42
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Eichenlaub T, Villadsen R, Freitas FCP, Andrejeva D, Aldana BI, Nguyen HT, Petersen OW, Gorodkin J, Herranz H, Cohen SM. Warburg Effect Metabolism Drives Neoplasia in a Drosophila Genetic Model of Epithelial Cancer. Curr Biol 2018; 28:3220-3228.e6. [PMID: 30293715 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.08.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cancers develop in a complex mutational landscape. Genetic models of tumor formation have been used to explore how combinations of mutations cooperate to promote tumor formation in vivo. Here, we identify lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a key enzyme in Warburg effect metabolism, as a cooperating factor that is both necessary and sufficient for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-driven epithelial neoplasia and metastasis in a Drosophila model. LDH is upregulated during the transition from hyperplasia to neoplasia, and neoplasia is prevented by LDH depletion. Elevated LDH is sufficient to drive this transition. Notably, genetic alterations that increase glucose flux, or a high-sugar diet, are also sufficient to promote EGFR-driven neoplasia, and this depends on LDH activity. We provide evidence that increased LDHA expression promotes a transformed phenotype in a human primary breast cell culture model. Furthermore, analysis of publically available cancer data showed evidence of synergy between elevated EGFR and LDHA activity linked to poor clinical outcome in a number of human cancers. Altered metabolism has generally been assumed to be an enabling feature that accelerates cancer cell proliferation. Our findings provide evidence that sugar metabolism may have a more profound role in driving neoplasia than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Eichenlaub
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen 2200 N, Denmark
| | - René Villadsen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen 2200 N, Denmark
| | - Flávia C P Freitas
- Center for Non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 61, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Diana Andrejeva
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen 2200 N, Denmark
| | - Blanca I Aldana
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hung Than Nguyen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen 2200 N, Denmark
| | - Ole William Petersen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen 2200 N, Denmark
| | - Jan Gorodkin
- Center for Non-coding RNA in Technology and Health, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 61, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Héctor Herranz
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen 2200 N, Denmark.
| | - Stephen M Cohen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, Copenhagen 2200 N, Denmark.
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43
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Alpar L, Bergantiños C, Johnston LA. Spatially Restricted Regulation of Spätzle/Toll Signaling during Cell Competition. Dev Cell 2018; 46:706-719.e5. [PMID: 30146479 PMCID: PMC6156939 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Cell competition employs comparisons of fitness to selectively eliminate cells sensed as less healthy. In Drosophila, apoptotic elimination of the weaker "loser" cells from growing wing discs is induced by a signaling module consisting of the Toll ligand Spätzle (Spz), several Toll-related receptors, and NF-κB factors. How this module is activated and restricted to competing disc cells is unknown. Here, we use Myc-induced cell competition to demonstrate that loser cell elimination requires local wing disc synthesis of Spz. We identify Spz processing enzyme (SPE) and modular serine protease (ModSP) as activators of Spz-regulated competitive signaling and show that "winner" cells trigger elimination of nearby WT cells by boosting SPE production. Moreover, Spz requires both Toll and Toll-8 to induce apoptosis of wing disc cells. Thus, during cell competition, Spz-mediated signaling is strictly confined to the imaginal disc, allowing errors in tissue fitness to be corrected without compromising organismal physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lale Alpar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Cora Bergantiños
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Laura A. Johnston
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Correspondence:
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44
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Abstract
Polyploid cells, which contain multiple copies of the typically diploid genome, are widespread in plants and animals. Polyploidization can be developmentally programmed or stress induced, and arises from either cell-cell fusion or a process known as endoreplication, in which cells replicate their DNA but either fail to complete cytokinesis or to progress through M phase entirely. Polyploidization offers cells several potential fitness benefits, including the ability to increase cell size and biomass production without disrupting cell and tissue structure, and allowing improved cell longevity through higher tolerance to genomic stress and apoptotic signals. Accordingly, recent studies have uncovered crucial roles for polyploidization in compensatory cell growth during tissue regeneration in the heart, liver, epidermis and intestine. Here, we review current knowledge of the molecular pathways that generate polyploidy and discuss how polyploidization is used in tissue repair and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bruce A Edgar
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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45
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La Fortezza M, Grigolon G, Cosolo A, Pindyurin A, Breimann L, Blum H, van Steensel B, Classen AK. DamID profiling of dynamic Polycomb-binding sites in Drosophila imaginal disc development and tumorigenesis. Epigenetics Chromatin 2018; 11:27. [PMID: 29871666 PMCID: PMC5987561 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-018-0196-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tracking dynamic protein–chromatin interactions in vivo is key to unravel transcriptional and epigenetic transitions in development and disease. However, limited availability and heterogeneous tissue composition of in vivo source material impose challenges on many experimental approaches. Results Here we adapt cell-type-specific DamID-seq profiling for use in Drosophila imaginal discs and make FLP/FRT-based induction accessible to GAL driver-mediated targeting of specific cell lineages. In a proof-of-principle approach, we utilize ubiquitous DamID expression to describe dynamic transitions of Polycomb-binding sites during wing imaginal disc development and in a scrib tumorigenesis model. We identify Atf3 and Ets21C as novel Polycomb target genes involved in scrib tumorigenesis and suggest that target gene regulation by Atf3 and AP-1 transcription factors, as well as modulation of insulator function, plays crucial roles in dynamic Polycomb-binding at target sites. We establish these findings by DamID-seq analysis of wing imaginal disc samples derived from 10 larvae. Conclusions Our study opens avenues for robust profiling of small cell population in imaginal discs in vivo and provides insights into epigenetic changes underlying transcriptional responses to tumorigenic transformation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13072-018-0196-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco La Fortezza
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152, Planegg, Martinsried, Germany.,Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giovanna Grigolon
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152, Planegg, Martinsried, Germany.,Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schorenstrasse 16, 8603, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Cosolo
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152, Planegg, Martinsried, Germany.,Center for Biological Systems Analysis, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Habsburgerstrasse 49, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alexey Pindyurin
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Lavrentiev Ave. 8/2, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Laura Breimann
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152, Planegg, Martinsried, Germany.,Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13092, Berlin, Germany
| | - Helmut Blum
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Gene Center Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Feodor-Lynen-Str. 25, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Bas van Steensel
- Division Gene Regulation, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anne-Kathrin Classen
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2-4, 82152, Planegg, Martinsried, Germany. .,Center for Biological Systems Analysis, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Habsburgerstrasse 49, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
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46
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de Vreede G, Morrison HA, Houser AM, Boileau RM, Andersen D, Colombani J, Bilder D. A Drosophila Tumor Suppressor Gene Prevents Tonic TNF Signaling through Receptor N-Glycosylation. Dev Cell 2018; 45:595-605.e4. [PMID: 29870719 PMCID: PMC5995582 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila tumor suppressor genes have revealed molecular pathways that control tissue growth, but mechanisms that regulate mitogenic signaling are far from understood. Here we report that the Drosophila TSG tumorous imaginal discs (tid), whose phenotypes were previously attributed to mutations in a DnaJ-like chaperone, are in fact driven by the loss of the N-linked glycosylation pathway component ALG3. tid/alg3 imaginal discs display tissue growth and architecture defects that share characteristics of both neoplastic and hyperplastic mutants. Tumorous growth is driven by inhibited Hippo signaling, induced by excess Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activity. We show that ectopic JNK activation is caused by aberrant glycosylation of a single protein, the fly tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor homolog, which results in increased binding to the continually circulating TNF. Our results suggest that N-linked glycosylation sets the threshold of TNF receptor signaling by modifying ligand-receptor interactions and that cells may alter this modification to respond appropriately to physiological cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geert de Vreede
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Holly A Morrison
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Alexandra M Houser
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ryan M Boileau
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ditte Andersen
- University Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice 06108, France
| | - Julien Colombani
- University Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice 06108, France
| | - David Bilder
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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47
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Poon CLC, Brumby AM, Richardson HE. Src Cooperates with Oncogenic Ras in Tumourigenesis via the JNK and PI3K Pathways in Drosophila epithelial Tissue. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19061585. [PMID: 29861494 PMCID: PMC6032059 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ras oncogene (Rat Sarcoma oncogene, a small GTPase) is a key driver of human cancer, however alone it is insufficient to produce malignancy, due to the induction of cell cycle arrest or senescence. In a Drosophila melanogaster genetic screen for genes that cooperate with oncogenic Ras (bearing the RasV12 mutation, or RasACT), we identified the Drosophila Src (Sarcoma virus oncogene) family non-receptor tyrosine protein kinase genes, Src42A and Src64B, as promoting increased hyperplasia in a whole epithelial tissue context in the Drosophila eye. Moreover, overexpression of Src cooperated with RasACT in epithelial cell clones to drive neoplastic tumourigenesis. We found that Src overexpression alone activated the Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) signalling pathway to promote actin cytoskeletal and cell polarity defects and drive apoptosis, whereas, in cooperation with RasACT, JNK led to a loss of differentiation and an invasive phenotype. Src + RasACT cooperative tumourigenesis was dependent on JNK as well as Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K) signalling, suggesting that targeting these pathways might provide novel therapeutic opportunities in cancers dependent on Src and Ras signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole L C Poon
- Cell Cycle and Development lab, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Anthony M Brumby
- Cell Cycle and Development lab, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia.
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Helena E Richardson
- Cell Cycle and Development lab, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute of Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia.
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48
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Torres J, Monti R, Moore AL, Seimiya M, Jiang Y, Beerenwinkel N, Beisel C, Beira JV, Paro R. A switch in transcription and cell fate governs the onset of an epigenetically-deregulated tumor in Drosophila. eLife 2018; 7:32697. [PMID: 29560857 PMCID: PMC5862528 DOI: 10.7554/elife.32697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor initiation is often linked to a loss of cellular identity. Transcriptional programs determining cellular identity are preserved by epigenetically-acting chromatin factors. Although such regulators are among the most frequently mutated genes in cancer, it is not well understood how an abnormal epigenetic condition contributes to tumor onset. In this work, we investigated the gene signature of tumors caused by disruption of the Drosophila epigenetic regulator, polyhomeotic (ph). In larval tissue ph mutant cells show a shift towards an embryonic-like signature. Using loss- and gain-of-function experiments we uncovered the embryonic transcription factor knirps (kni) as a new oncogene. The oncogenic potential of kni lies in its ability to activate JAK/STAT signaling and block differentiation. Conversely, tumor growth in ph mutant cells can be substantially reduced by overexpressing a differentiation factor. This demonstrates that epigenetically derailed tumor conditions can be reversed when targeting key players in the transcriptional network. When an animal is developing as an embryo, different cells start to specialize into the specific cell types needed to form the tissues and organs of the body. How an individual cell commits to become a certain type of cell is mostly determined by which of the genes in its DNA are active. In animal cells, DNA is wrapped around proteins called histones, and one way that cells can maintain their distinct pattern of gene activity is via chemical tags on the histones. These tags can switch nearby genes on or off, and are added or removed by other proteins called epigenetic regulators. The epigenetic tags are also stably inherited when the cell divides, meaning that a cell’s identity can be maintained over many cell generations. If epigenetic regulators fail to work properly or get disrupted, the pattern of gene activity in a cell becomes altered. As a consequence, that cell can lose its identity and will often turn into a cancer cell. In fact, mutations in epigenetic regulators are found in several human cancers. It is not yet understood how these changes in gene expression lead cells to become cancerous. Torres et al. have now analyzed an epigenetic regulator called Polyhomeotic in developing larvae of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. The results show that when Polyhomeotic is not produced the fly larvae develop tumors. Moreover, the mutant cells without Polyhomeotic had different gene expression profiles compared to normal cells. This in turn caused the mutant cells, which had previously committed to a certain fate, to become more like the unspecialized cells found in early embryos. Torres et al. next showed that, among the genes that were incorrectly regulated when Polyhomeotic’s activity was compromised, one gene called knirps was switched on by mistake, which led the mutant cells to become tumor cells. When the activity of knirps was reduced instead, almost no tumors grew. Additionally, Torres et al. found that the protein encoded by knirps activates a signaling pathway that keeps tumor cells unspecialized by blocking their normal progress to a more mature and specialized state – a process known as differentiation. Experimentally raising the levels of a different molecule that ultimately promotes differentiation caused the tumor cells to grow less. These findings suggest that tumors caused when epigenetic regulation goes awry may be reversed by targeting key genes such as knirps. Further work is now needed to test whether these findings will also extend to humans. Forcing cancer cells from a highly dividing, non-specialized state into a dead-end, mature state may lead to new ways to treat cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Torres
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Remo Monti
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ariane L Moore
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Makiko Seimiya
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Yanrui Jiang
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Niko Beerenwinkel
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Beisel
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jorge V Beira
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Renato Paro
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland.,Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Parvy JP, Hodgson JA, Cordero JB. Drosophila as a Model System to Study Nonautonomous Mechanisms Affecting Tumour Growth and Cell Death. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:7152962. [PMID: 29725601 PMCID: PMC5872677 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7152962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The study of cancer has represented a central focus in medical research for over a century. The great complexity and constant evolution of the pathology require the use of multiple research model systems and interdisciplinary approaches. This is necessary in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding into the mechanisms driving disease initiation and progression, to aid the development of appropriate therapies. In recent decades, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and its associated powerful genetic tools have become a very attractive model system to study tumour-intrinsic and non-tumour-derived processes that mediate tumour development in vivo. In this review, we will summarize recent work on Drosophila as a model system to study cancer biology. We will focus on the interactions between tumours and their microenvironment, including extrinsic mechanisms affecting tumour growth and how tumours impact systemic host physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Philippe Parvy
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Joseph A. Hodgson
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Julia B. Cordero
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
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50
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Modelling Cooperative Tumorigenesis in Drosophila. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:4258387. [PMID: 29693007 PMCID: PMC5859872 DOI: 10.1155/2018/4258387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The development of human metastatic cancer is a multistep process, involving the acquisition of several genetic mutations, tumour heterogeneity, and interactions with the surrounding microenvironment. Due to the complexity of cancer development in mammals, simpler model organisms, such as the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, are being utilized to provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms involved. In this review, we highlight recent advances in modelling tumorigenesis using the Drosophila model, focusing on the cooperation of oncogenes or tumour suppressors, and the interaction of mutant cells with the surrounding tissue in epithelial tumour initiation and progression.
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