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Xu J, Zhou Y, He S, Wang Y, Ma J, Li C, Liu Z, Zhou X. Activation of the YY1-UGT2B7 Axis Promotes Mammary Estrogen Homeostasis Dysregulation and Exacerbates Breast Tumor Metastasis. Drug Metab Dispos 2024; 52:408-421. [PMID: 38575184 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.124.001640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the most common pathway of cancer death. The lack of effective predictors of breast cancer metastasis is a pressing issue in clinical practice. Therefore, exploring the mechanism of breast cancer metastasis to uncover reliable predictors is very important for the clinical treatment of breast cancer patients. In this study, tandem mass tag quantitative proteomics technology was used to detect protein content in primary breast tumor tissue samples from patients with metastatic and nonmetastatic breast cancer at diagnosis. We found that the high expression of yin-yang 1(YY1) is strongly associated with poor prognosis in high-grade breast cancer. YY1 expression was detected in both clinical tumor tissue samples and tumor tissue samples from mammary-specific polyomavirus middle T antigen overexpression mouse model mice. We demonstrated that upregulation of YY1 expression was closely associated with breast cancer metastasis and that high YY1 expression could promote the migratory invasive ability of breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, YY1 directly binds to the UGT2B7 mRNA initiation sequence ATTCAT, thereby transcriptionally regulating the inhibition of UGT2B7 expression. UGT2B7 can regulate the development of breast cancer by regulating estrogen homeostasis in the breast, and the abnormal accumulation of estrogen, especially 4-OHE2, promotes the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells, ultimately causing the development of breast cancer metastasis. In conclusion, YY1 can regulate the UGT2B7-estrogen metabolic axis and induce disturbances in estrogen metabolism in breast tumors, ultimately leading to breast cancer metastasis. Disturbances in estrogen metabolism in the breast tissue may be an important risk factor for breast tumor progression and metastasis SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: In this study, we propose for the first time a regulatory relationship between YY1 and the UGT2B7/estrogen metabolism axis and explore the molecular mechanism. Our study shows that the YY1/UGT2B7/estrogen axis plays an important role in the development and metastasis of breast cancer. This study further elucidates the potential mechanisms of YY1-mediated breast cancer metastasis and the possibility and promise of YY1 as a predictor of cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Xu
- 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (J.X., Y.Z., S.H., Y.W., J.M., X.Z.); The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, China (J.X.); Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (Z.L.); and Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital XuZhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (C.L.)
| | - Ying Zhou
- 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (J.X., Y.Z., S.H., Y.W., J.M., X.Z.); The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, China (J.X.); Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (Z.L.); and Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital XuZhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (C.L.)
| | - Shiqing He
- 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (J.X., Y.Z., S.H., Y.W., J.M., X.Z.); The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, China (J.X.); Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (Z.L.); and Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital XuZhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (C.L.)
| | - Yinghao Wang
- 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (J.X., Y.Z., S.H., Y.W., J.M., X.Z.); The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, China (J.X.); Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (Z.L.); and Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital XuZhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (C.L.)
| | - Jiachen Ma
- 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (J.X., Y.Z., S.H., Y.W., J.M., X.Z.); The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, China (J.X.); Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (Z.L.); and Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital XuZhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (C.L.)
| | - Changwen Li
- 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (J.X., Y.Z., S.H., Y.W., J.M., X.Z.); The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, China (J.X.); Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (Z.L.); and Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital XuZhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (C.L.)
| | - Zhao Liu
- 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (J.X., Y.Z., S.H., Y.W., J.M., X.Z.); The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, China (J.X.); Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (Z.L.); and Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital XuZhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (C.L.)
| | - Xueyan Zhou
- 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (J.X., Y.Z., S.H., Y.W., J.M., X.Z.); The First People's Hospital of Changzhou, Changzhou, China (J.X.); Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (Z.L.); and Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital XuZhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China (C.L.)
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Žalytė E. Ferroptosis, Metabolic Rewiring, and Endometrial Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:75. [PMID: 38203246 PMCID: PMC10778781 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of regulated cell death. The main feature of ferroptosis is excessive membrane lipid peroxidation caused by iron-mediated chemical and enzymatic reactions. In normal cells, harmful lipid peroxides are neutralized by glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). When GPX4 is inhibited, ferroptosis occurs. In mammalian cells, ferroptosis serves as a tumor suppression mechanism. Not surprisingly, in recent years, ferroptosis induction has gained attention as a potential anticancer strategy, alone or in combination with other conventional therapies. However, sensitivity to ferroptosis inducers depends on the metabolic state of the cell. Endometrial cancer (EC) is the sixth most common cancer in the world, with more than 66,000 new cases diagnosed every year. Out of all gynecological cancers, carcinogenesis of EC is mostly dependent on metabolic abnormalities. Changes in the uptake and catabolism of iron, lipids, glucose, and glutamine affect the redox capacity of EC cells and, consequently, their sensitivity to ferroptosis-inducing agents. In addition to this, in EC cells, ferroptosis-related genes are usually mutated and overexpressed, which makes ferroptosis a promising target for EC prediction, diagnosis, and therapy. However, for a successful application of ferroptosis, the connection between metabolic rewiring and ferroptosis in EC needs to be deciphered, which is the focus of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eglė Žalytė
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio av. 7, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
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Bertrand KA, Delp L, Coogan PF, Cozier YC, Lenzy YM, Rosenberg L, Palmer JR. Hair relaxer use and risk of uterine cancer in the Black Women's Health Study. Environ Res 2023; 239:117228. [PMID: 37821068 PMCID: PMC10842360 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemical hair relaxers, use of which is highly prevalent among Black women in the US, have been inconsistently linked to risk of estrogen-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer, and other reproductive health conditions. Whether hair relaxer use increases risk of uterine cancer is unknown. METHODS In the Black Women's Health Study, 44,798 women with an intact uterus who self-identified as Black were followed from 1997, when chemical hair relaxer use was queried, until 2019. Over follow-up, 347 incident uterine cancers were diagnosed. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusted for age and other potential confounders, to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of hair relaxer use with risk of uterine cancer. RESULTS Compared to women who never used hair relaxers or used them infrequently (<4 years and ≤1-2 times/year), the HR for uterine cancer associated with heavy use (≥15 years and at least 5 times/year) was 1.18 (95% CI: 0.81, 1.71). However, among postmenopausal women, compared to never/light use, the HR for moderate use was 1.60 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.53), the HR for heavy use was 1.64 (1.01, 2.64), and the HR for ≥20 years of use regardless of frequency was 1.71 (1.08, 2.72). Results among premenopausal women were null. CONCLUSIONS In this large cohort of Black women, long-term use of chemical hair relaxers was associated with increased risk of uterine cancer among postmenopausal women, but not among premenopausal women. These findings suggest that hair relaxer use may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for uterine cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Bertrand
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Lauren Delp
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Yvette C Cozier
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yolanda M Lenzy
- Lenzy Dermatology and Hair Loss Center, Chicopee, MA, USA; University of Connecticut Health Dermatology, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Lynn Rosenberg
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Julie R Palmer
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Ge Y, Ni X, Li J, Ye M, Jin X. Roles of estrogen receptor α in endometrial carcinoma (Review). Oncol Lett 2023; 26:530. [PMID: 38020303 PMCID: PMC10644365 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.14117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is a group of endometrial epithelial malignancies, most of which are adenocarcinomas and occur in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. It is one of the most common carcinomas of the female reproductive system. It has been shown that the occurrence and development of EC is closely associated with the interaction between estrogen (estradiol, E2) and estrogen receptors (ERs), particularly ERα. As a key nuclear transcription factor, ERα is a carcinogenic factor in EC. Its interactions with upstream and downstream effectors and co-regulators have important implications for the proliferation, metastasis, invasion and inhibition of apoptosis of EC. In the present review, the structure of ERα and the regulation of ERα in multiple dimensions are described. In addition, the classical E2/ERα signaling pathway and the crosstalk between ERα and other EC regulators are elucidated, as well as the therapeutic targeting of ERα, which may provide a new direction for clinical applications of ERα in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidong Ge
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, P.R. China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoqi Ni
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, P.R. China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Jingyun Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, P.R. China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Meng Ye
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, P.R. China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Jin
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, P.R. China
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
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Wu PJ, Tsai SCS, Huang JY, Lee MS, Wang PH, Lin FCF. From Infection to Malignancy: Tracing the Impact of Human Papillomavirus on Uterine Endometrial Cancer in a Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study. Viruses 2023; 15:2314. [PMID: 38140555 PMCID: PMC10747305 DOI: 10.3390/v15122314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Uterine endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecological malignancy in Taiwan. This study aimed to investigate the association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the development of uterine EC among Taiwanese women. A nationwide population cohort research approach was employed, leveraging longitudinal health insurance databases (LHID 2007 and 2015) from the National Health Insurance Research Database alongside data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry datasets. A comparative analysis examined 472,420 female patients with HPV infection and 944,840 without HPV infection. The results demonstrated that the HPV cohort exhibited a significantly elevated risk of uterine EC, as evidenced by an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.588 (95% CI: 1.335-1.888). Furthermore, this elevated risk extended to type 1 EC with an aHR of 1.671 (95% CI: 1.376-2.029), specifically the endometrioid adenocarcinoma subtype with an aHR 1.686 (95% CI: 1.377-2.065). Importantly, these findings were statistically significant (p < 0.001). In conclusion, this research unveils a potential association between HPV infection and an increased risk of uterine EC, particularly the type 1 endometrial cancer subtype, within the Taiwanese female population. These findings have implications for preventive measures and screening programs targeting HPV infection to reduce the risk of this prevalent gynecological malignancy in Taiwan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Ju Wu
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (P.-J.W.); (J.-Y.H.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan;
| | - Stella Chin-Shaw Tsai
- Superintendent Office, Tungs’ Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung 43503, Taiwan;
- Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Yang Huang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (P.-J.W.); (J.-Y.H.)
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Maw-Sheng Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan;
- Lee Women’s Hospital, Taichung 40652, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hui Wang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan; (P.-J.W.); (J.-Y.H.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan;
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
| | - Frank Cheau-Feng Lin
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40201, Taiwan
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Blanchard Z, Rush CM, Arnesen S, Vahrenkamp JM, Rodriguez AC, Jarboe EA, Brown C, Chang MEK, Flory MR, Mohammed H, Modzelewska K, Lum DH, Gertz J. Allele-Specific Gene Regulation, Phenotypes, and Therapeutic Vulnerabilities in Estrogen Receptor Alpha-Mutant Endometrial Cancer. Mol Cancer Res 2023; 21:1023-1036. [PMID: 37363949 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-22-0848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Activating estrogen receptor alpha (ER; also known as ESR1) mutations are present in primary endometrial and metastatic breast cancers, promoting estrogen-independent activation of the receptor. Functional characterizations in breast cancer have established unique molecular and phenotypic consequences of the receptor, yet the impact of ER mutations in endometrial cancer has not been fully explored. In this study, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to model the clinically prevalent ER-Y537S mutation and compared results with ER-D538G to discover allele-specific differences between ER mutations in endometrial cancer. We found that constitutive activity of mutant ER resulted in changes in the expression of thousands of genes, stemming from combined alterations to ER binding and chromatin accessibility. The unique gene expression programs resulted in ER-mutant cells developing increased cancer-associated phenotypes, including migration, invasion, anchorage-independent growth, and growth in vivo. To uncover potential treatment strategies, we identified ER-associated proteins via Rapid Immunoprecipitation and Mass Spectrometry of Endogenous Proteins and interrogated two candidates, CDK9 and NCOA3. Inhibition of these regulatory proteins resulted in decreased growth and migration, representing potential novel treatment strategies for ER-mutant endometrial cancer. IMPLICATIONS This study provides insight into mutant ER activity in endometrial cancer and identifies potential therapies for women with ER-mutant endometrial cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zannel Blanchard
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Craig M Rush
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Spencer Arnesen
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Jeffery M Vahrenkamp
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Adriana C Rodriguez
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Elke A Jarboe
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Callie Brown
- Preclinical Research Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Matthew E K Chang
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Mark R Flory
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Hisham Mohammed
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Katarzyna Modzelewska
- Preclinical Research Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - David H Lum
- Preclinical Research Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Jason Gertz
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Shen K, Shen D, Jin D, Zheng Y, Zhu Y, Zhao X, Zhang Z, Wang N, Chen H, Yang L. High-fat diet promotes tumor growth in the patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse model of ER positive endometrial cancer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16537. [PMID: 37783734 PMCID: PMC10545748 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43797-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer, one of the common gynecological malignancies, is affected by several influencing factors. This study established a unique patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude mouse model for the study of influencing factors in ER positive endometrial cancer. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that a high-fat diet can affect the growth of ER positive endometrial cancer PDOX model tumors. The tumor tissues were expanded by subcutaneous transplantation in nude mice, and then the subcutaneous tumor tissues were orthotopically implanted into the nude mouse uterus to establish the PDOX model. After modeling, they were divided into high-fat diet group and normal diet group for 8 weeks of feeding, which showed that high-fat diet significantly promoted tumor growth (P < 0.001) and increased the protein expression level of ERα in tumor tissues. This study demonstrates that PDOX models of endometrial cancer can embody the role of dietary influences on tumor growth and that this model has the potential for preclinical studies of cancer promoting factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dandan Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Dongdong Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yichao Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yuanhang Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xinyue Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhenan Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Nannan Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Huanhuan Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
- Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Endometrial Disease Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou, China.
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Castillo-Castrejon M, Sankofi BM, Murguia SJ, Udeme AA, Cen HH, Xia YH, Thomas NS, Berry WL, Jones KL, Richard VR, Zahedi RP, Borchers CH, Johnson JD, Wellberg EA. FGF1 supports glycolytic metabolism through the estrogen receptor in endocrine-resistant and obesity-associated breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res 2023; 25:99. [PMID: 37608351 PMCID: PMC10463730 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-023-01699-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity increases breast cancer risk and breast cancer-specific mortality, particularly for people with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors. Body mass index (BMI) is used to define obesity, but it may not be the best predictor of breast cancer risk or prognosis on an individual level. Adult weight gain is an independent indicator of breast cancer risk. Our previous work described a murine model of obesity, ER-positive breast cancer, and weight gain and identified fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) as a potential driver of tumor progression. During adipose tissue expansion, the FGF1 ligand is produced by hypertrophic adipocytes as a stimulus to stromal preadipocytes that proliferate and differentiate to provide additional lipid storage capacity. In breast adipose tissue, FGF1 production may stimulate cancer cell proliferation and tumor progression. METHODS We explored the effects of FGF1 on ER-positive endocrine-sensitive and resistant breast cancer and compared that to the effects of the canonical ER ligand, estradiol. We used untargeted proteomics, specific immunoblot assays, gene expression profiling, and functional metabolic assessments of breast cancer cells. The results were validated in tumors from obese mice and breast cancer datasets from women with obesity. RESULTS FGF1 stimulated ER phosphorylation independently of estradiol in cells that grow in obese female mice after estrogen deprivation treatment. Phospho- and total proteomic, genomic, and functional analyses of endocrine-sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells show that FGF1 promoted a cellular phenotype characterized by glycolytic metabolism. In endocrine-sensitive but not endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells, mitochondrial metabolism was also regulated by FGF1. Comparison of gene expression profiles indicated that tumors from women with obesity shared hallmarks with endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our data suggest that one mechanism by which obesity and weight gain promote breast cancer progression is through estrogen-independent ER activation and cancer cell metabolic reprogramming, partly driven by FGF/FGFR. The first-line treatment for many patients with ER-positive breast cancer is inhibition of estrogen synthesis using aromatase inhibitors. In women with obesity who are experiencing weight gain, locally produced FGF1 may activate ER to promote cancer cell metabolic reprogramming and tumor progression independently of estrogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisol Castillo-Castrejon
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10th Street BRC 309, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Barbara Mensah Sankofi
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10th Street BRC 309, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Stevi Johnson Murguia
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10th Street BRC 309, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Abasi-Ama Udeme
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10th Street BRC 309, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Hoaning Howard Cen
- Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Yi Han Xia
- Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nisha S Thomas
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10th Street BRC 309, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - William L Berry
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10th Street BRC 309, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Kenneth L Jones
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10th Street BRC 309, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Vincent R Richard
- Segal Cancer Proteomics Centre, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital and McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Rene P Zahedi
- Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3P4, Canada
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3P4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0J9, Canada
- CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0V9, Canada
| | - Christoph H Borchers
- Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3P4, Canada
- Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, H3T 1E2, Canada
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
- Department of Pathology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - James D Johnson
- Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Elizabeth A Wellberg
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10th Street BRC 309, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
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9
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Li W, Xu Y, Zeng X, Tan J, Wang Y, Wu H, Li M, Yi C. Etiological relationship between lipid metabolism and endometrial carcinoma. Lipids Health Dis 2023; 22:116. [PMID: 37537560 PMCID: PMC10401764 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-023-01868-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial carcinoma (EC) has become one of the most common gynecological malignant neoplasms in developed countries worldwide. Studies have shown that this may be closely related to the abnormal metabolism of blood lipids, which was the most significant metabolic change in the human body in this cancer. In this review, we focus on the correlation between lipid metabolism and EC and discuss the evidence that abnormal lipid metabolism promotes an increase in EC growth and metabolism, as well as the regulatory mechanism and related signaling pathways involved in this relationship. In addition, we also discussed the research progress of targeted therapies and drug treatments for EC that act on lipid metabolism, and statins are expected to become adjuvant drugs for EC in the future. This review will provide a systematic view for a better understanding of the etiological relationship between lipid metabolism and EC and further open up new therapeutic possibilities and effective treatments for EC by targeting lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhe Li
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Xinling Zeng
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Jie Tan
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Ya Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China.
- Department of Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Personalized Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China.
| | - Hongyan Wu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Maokun Li
- Department of Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Personalized Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China.
| | - Cunjian Yi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China.
- Department of Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Personalized Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China.
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10
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Wang Y, Huang Z, Sun M, Huang W, Xia L. ETS transcription factors: Multifaceted players from cancer progression to tumor immunity. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188872. [PMID: 36841365 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023]
Abstract
The E26 transformation specific (ETS) family comprises 28 transcription factors, the majority of which are involved in tumor initiation and development. Serving as a group of functionally heterogeneous gene regulators, ETS factors possess a structurally conserved DNA-binding domain. As one of the most prominent families of transcription factors that control diverse cellular functions, ETS activation is modulated by multiple intracellular signaling pathways and post-translational modifications. Disturbances in ETS activity often lead to abnormal changes in oncogenicity, including cancer cell survival, growth, proliferation, metastasis, genetic instability, cell metabolism, and tumor immunity. This review systematically addresses the basics and advances in studying ETS factors, from their tumor relevance to clinical translational utility, with a particular focus on elucidating the role of ETS family in tumor immunity, aiming to decipher the vital role and clinical potential of regulation of ETS factors in the cancer field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Zhao Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Mengyu Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China.
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11
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Yang P, Lu J, Zhang P, Zhang S. Comprehensive Analysis of Prognosis and Immune Landscapes Based on Lipid-Metabolism- and Ferroptosis-Associated Signature in Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13050870. [PMID: 36900015 PMCID: PMC10000778 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13050870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The effect of tumor immunotherapy is influenced by the immune microenvironment, and it is unclear how lipid metabolism and ferroptosis regulate the immune microenvironment of uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC). (2) Methods: Genes associated with lipid metabolism and ferroptosis (LMRGs-FARs) were extracted from the MSigDB and FerrDb databases, respectively. Five hundred and forty-four UCEC samples were obtained from the TCGA database. The risk prognostic signature was constructed by consensus clustering, univariate cox, and LASSO analyses. The accuracy of the risk modes was assessed through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, nomogram, calibration,, and C-index analyses. The relationship between the risk signature and immune microenvironment was detected by the ESTIMATE, EPIC, TIMER, xCELL, quan-TIseq, and TCIA databases. The function of a potential gene, PSAT1, was measured by in vitro experiments. (3) Results: A six-gene (CDKN1A, ESR1, PGR, CDKN2A, PSAT1, and RSAD2) risk signature based on MRGs-FARs was constructed and evaluated with high accuracy in UCEC. The signature was identified as an independent prognostic parameter and it divided the samples into high- and low-risk groups. The low-risk group was positively associated with good prognosis, high mutational status, upregulated immune infiltration status, high expression of CTLA4, GZMA and PDCD1, anti-PD-1 treatment sensitivity, and chemoresistance. (4) Conclusions: We constructed a risk prognostic model based on both lipid metabolism and ferroptosis and evaluated the relationship between the risk score and tumor immune microenvironment in UCEC. Our study has provided new ideas and potential targets for UCEC individualized diagnosis and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pusheng Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gynecology Oncology, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Jiawei Lu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Diseases, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Panpan Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gynecology Oncology, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Shu Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gynecology Oncology, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
- Correspondence:
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12
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Shia DW, Choi W, Vijayaraj P, Vuong V, Sandlin JM, Lu MM, Aziz A, Marin C, Aros CJ, Sen C, Durra A, Lund AJ, Purkayastha A, Rickabaugh TM, Graeber TG, Gomperts BN. Targeting PEA3 transcription factors to mitigate small cell lung cancer progression. Oncogene 2023; 42:434-448. [PMID: 36509998 PMCID: PMC9898033 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-022-02558-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains a lethal disease with a dismal overall survival rate of 6% despite promising responses to upfront combination chemotherapy. The key drivers of such rapid mortality include early metastatic dissemination in the natural course of the disease and the near guaranteed emergence of chemoresistant disease. Here, we found that we could model the regression and relapse seen in clinical SCLC in vitro. We utilized time-course resolved RNA-sequencing to globally profile transcriptome changes as SCLC cells responded to a combination of cisplatin and etoposide-the standard-of-care in SCLC. Comparisons across time points demonstrated a distinct transient transcriptional state resembling embryonic diapause. Differential gene expression analysis revealed that expression of the PEA3 transcription factors ETV4 and ETV5 were transiently upregulated in the surviving fraction of cells which we determined to be necessary for efficient clonogenic expansion following chemotherapy. The FGFR-PEA3 signaling axis guided the identification of a pan-FGFR inhibitor demonstrating in vitro and in vivo efficacy in delaying progression following combination chemotherapy, observed inhibition of phosphorylation of the FGFR adaptor FRS2 and corresponding downstream MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Taken together, these data nominate PEA3 transcription factors as key mediators of relapse progression in SCLC and identify a clinically actionable small molecule candidate for delaying relapse of SCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Shia
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- UCLA Medical Scientist Training Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - WooSuk Choi
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Preethi Vijayaraj
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Valarie Vuong
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jenna M Sandlin
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Michelle M Lu
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Adam Aziz
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Caliope Marin
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Cody J Aros
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- UCLA Medical Scientist Training Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Chandani Sen
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Abdo Durra
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Andrew J Lund
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Arunima Purkayastha
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Tammy M Rickabaugh
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Thomas G Graeber
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Brigitte N Gomperts
- UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Eli and Edythe Broad Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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13
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Duan J, Liu C, Yi J, Wang Y. Shared sex hormone metabolism-related gene prognostic index between breast and endometrial cancers. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1126862. [PMID: 36742386 PMCID: PMC9895087 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1126862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS As sex hormone-dependent tumors, it remains to be clarified whether there is a common genetic signature and its value between breast and endometrial cancers. The aim of this study was to establish the shared sex hormone metabolism-related gene prognostic index (SHMRGPI) between breast and endometrial cancers and to analyze its potential role in the therapeutic and prognostic assessment of endometrial cancers. METHODS Using transcriptome data from TCGA, tumor-associated gene modules were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis, and the intersection of module genes with female sex hormone synthesis and metabolism genes was defined as sex hormone metabolism-related gene. SHMRGPI was established by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and Cox regression. Its prognostic value of patients with endometrial cancer was validated, and a nomogram was constructed. We further investigated the relationship between SHMRGPI groups and clinicopathological features, immune infiltration, tumor mutation burden, and drug sensitivity. RESULTS A total of 8 sex hormone metabolism-related gene were identified as key genes for the construction of prognostic models. Based on SHMRGPI, endometrial cancer patients were divided into high and low SHMRGPI groups. Patients in the low SHMRGPI group had longer overall survival (OS) compared with the high group (P< 0.05). Furthermore, we revealed significant differences between SHMRGPI groups as regards tumor immune cell infiltration, somatic mutation, microsatellite instability and drug sensitivity. Patients with low SHMRGPI may be the beneficiaries of immunotherapy and targeted therapy. CONCLUSIONS The SHMRGPI established in this study has prognostic power and may be used to screen patients with endometrial cancer who may benefit from immunotherapy or targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyi Duan
- First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Chenan Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiahong Yi
- Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yun Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The 985th Hospital of The People’s Liberation Army Joint Logistic Support Force, Taiyuan, China
- *Correspondence: Yun Wang,
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14
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Pang H, Wang J, Wei Q, Liu J, Chu X, Yuan C, Yang B, Li M, Ma D, Tang Y, Wang C, Zhang J. miR-548ag functions as an oncogene by suppressing MOB1B in the development of obesity-related endometrial cancer. Cancer Sci 2022; 114:1507-1518. [PMID: 36445107 PMCID: PMC10067393 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a high-risk factor in the development of endometrial cancer (EC). Our previous study observed that miR-548ag was significantly overexpressed in the sera of obese individuals. Here, we report the function of miR-548ag and its mechanism in promoting the obesity-related progression of EC. The content of miR-548ag was increased in the serum of obese EC individuals. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the survival rate of EC patients with a higher expression of miR-548ag was significantly reduced. The Mps One Binder Kinase Activator 1B (MOB1B, the core member of the Hippo signaling pathway) is a direct target gene of miR-548ag, which is inversely correlated with the expression of miR-548ag. The overexpression of miR-548ag enhances the proliferation, invasion, and migration, and inhibits apoptosis by downregulating the expression of MOB1B, leading to the deactivation of the Hippo pathway in EC cell lines and contributing to tumor progression in vivo. Our study has established that miR-548ag functions as an oncogene by suppressing MOB1B in the development of obesity-related EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huai Pang
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Jingzhou Wang
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Xiaolong Chu
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | | | - Bingqi Yang
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Menghuan Li
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Dingling Ma
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Yihan Tang
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Cuizhe Wang
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Medical College of Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
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15
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Rush CM, Blanchard Z, Polaski JT, Osborne KS, Osby K, Vahrenkamp JM, Yang CH, Lum DH, Hagan CR, Leslie KK, Pufall MA, Thiel KW, Gertz J. Characterization of HCI-EC-23 a novel estrogen- and progesterone-responsive endometrial cancer cell line. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19731. [PMID: 36396974 PMCID: PMC9672046 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24211-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Most endometrial cancers express the hormone receptor estrogen receptor alpha (ER) and are driven by excess estrogen signaling. However, evaluation of the estrogen response in endometrial cancer cells has been limited by the availability of hormonally responsive in vitro models, with one cell line, Ishikawa, being used in most studies. Here, we describe a novel, adherent endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) cell line model, HCI-EC-23. We show that HCI-EC-23 retains ER expression and that ER functionally responds to estrogen induction over a range of passages. We also demonstrate that this cell line retains paradoxical activation of ER by tamoxifen, which is also observed in Ishikawa and is consistent with clinical data. The mutational landscape shows that HCI-EC-23 is mutated at many of the commonly altered genes in EEC, has relatively few copy-number alterations, and is microsatellite instable high (MSI-high). In vitro proliferation of HCI-EC-23 is strongly reduced upon combination estrogen and progesterone treatment. HCI-EC-23 exhibits strong estrogen dependence for tumor growth in vivo and tumor size is reduced by combination estrogen and progesterone treatment. Molecular characterization of estrogen induction in HCI-EC-23 revealed hundreds of estrogen-responsive genes that significantly overlapped with those regulated in Ishikawa. Analysis of ER genome binding identified similar patterns in HCI-EC-23 and Ishikawa, although ER exhibited more bound sites in Ishikawa. This study demonstrates that HCI-EC-23 is an estrogen- and progesterone-responsive cell line model that can be used to study the hormonal aspects of endometrial cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig M Rush
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Zannel Blanchard
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jacob T Polaski
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Kyle S Osborne
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Krystle Osby
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jeffery M Vahrenkamp
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Chieh-Hsiang Yang
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - David H Lum
- Preclinical Research Resource, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Christy R Hagan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Kimberly K Leslie
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Departments of Internal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Miles A Pufall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kristina W Thiel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jason Gertz
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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16
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He Y, Lin L, Ou Y, Hu X, Xu C, Wang C. Endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) promoted by transcription factor SPI1 acts as an oncogene to modulate the malignant phenotype of endometrial cancer. Open Med (Wars) 2022; 17:1376-1389. [PMID: 36117773 PMCID: PMC9420884 DOI: 10.1515/med-2022-0529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We aimed to study the function and mechanism of endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) in endometrial cancer (EC). The binding relationship between SPI1 and ESM1 was predicted by bioinformatics analysis and verified by the dual-luciferase reporter assay. The expressions and effects of SPI1 and ESM1 were determined using quantitative real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and functional experiments. ESM1 was highly expressed in EC and was associated with the poor prognosis of patients. ESM1 silencing suppressed the viability, proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of EC cells, down-regulated expressions of PCNA, N-cadherin, Vimentin, VEGFR-1, VEGFR2, and EGFR, but upregulated E-cadherin level, while ESM1 overexpression did oppositely. Moreover, SPI1 bound to ESM1. Overexpressed SPI1 promoted the expression of ESM1 and induced malignant phenotype (viability, proliferation, and invasion), which were countervailed by ESM1 silencing. Collectively, ESM1 induced by SPI1 promotes the malignant phenotype of EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu He
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College , Bengbu City , Anhui Province, 233004 , China
| | - Lu Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College , Bengbu City , Anhui Province, 233004 , China
| | - Yurong Ou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College , Bengbu City , Anhui Province, 233004 , China
| | - Xiaowen Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College , Bengbu City , Anhui Province, 233004 , China
| | - Chi Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College , Bengbu City , Anhui Province, 233004 , China
| | - Caizhi Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College , No. 287, Changhuai Road , Bengbu City , Anhui Province, 233004 , China
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17
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Abstract
Progesterone receptor membrane component (PGRMC) proteins play important roles in tumor growth, progression, and chemoresistance, of which PGRMC1 is the best characterized. The ancestral member predates the evolution of metazoans, so it is perhaps not surprising that many of the purported actions of PGRMC proteins are rooted in fundamental metabolic processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, and DNA damage responses. Despite mediating some of the actions of progesterone (P4) and being fundamentally required for female fertility, PGRMC1 and PGRMC2 are broadly expressed in most tissues. As such, these proteins likely have both progesterone-dependent and progesterone-independent functions. It has been proposed that PGRMC1 acquired the ability to mediate P4 actions over evolutionary time through acquisition of its cytochrome b5-like heme/sterol-binding domain. Diverse reproductive and nonreproductive diseases associate with altered PGRMC1 expression, epigenetic regulation, or gene silencing mechanisms, some of which include polycystic ovarian disease, premature ovarian insufficiency, endometriosis, Alzheimer disease, and cancer. Although many studies have been completed using transformed cell lines in culture or in xenograft tumor approaches, recently developed transgenic model organisms are offering new insights in the physiological actions of PGRMC proteins, as well as pathophysiological and oncogenic consequences when PGRMC expression is altered. The purpose of this mini-review is to provide an overview of PGRMC proteins in cancer and to offer discussion of where this field must go to solidify PGRMC proteins as central contributors to the oncogenic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- James K Pru
- Correspondence: James K. Pru, PhD, Program in Reproductive Biology, Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.
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18
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Salinas-Vera YM, Valdés J, Pérez-Navarro Y, Mandujano-Lazaro G, Marchat LA, Ramos-Payán R, Nuñez-Olvera SI, Pérez-Plascencia C, López-Camarillo C. Three-Dimensional 3D Culture Models in Gynecological and Breast Cancer Research. Front Oncol 2022; 12:826113. [PMID: 35692756 PMCID: PMC9177953 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.826113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cell cultures have long been the gold standard for cancer biology research. However, their ability to accurately reflect the molecular mechanisms of tumors occurring in vivo is limited. Recent development of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models facilitate the possibility to better recapitulate several of the biological and molecular characteristics of tumors in vivo, such as cancer cells heterogeneity, cell-extracellular matrix interactions, development of a hypoxic microenvironment, signaling pathway activities depending on contacts with extracellular matrix, differential growth kinetics, more accurate drugs response, and specific gene expression and epigenetic patterns. In this review, we discuss the utilization of different types of 3D culture models including spheroids, organotypic models and patient-derived organoids in gynecologic cancers research, as well as its potential applications in oncological research mainly for screening drugs with major physiological and clinical relevance. Moreover, microRNAs regulation of cancer hallmarks in 3D cell cultures from different types of cancers is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yarely M. Salinas-Vera
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV-IPN), Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Jesús Valdés
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV-IPN), Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Yussel Pérez-Navarro
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Gilberto Mandujano-Lazaro
- Programa en Biomedicina Molecular y Red de Biotecnología, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Laurence A. Marchat
- Programa en Biomedicina Molecular y Red de Biotecnología, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Rosalio Ramos-Payán
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Culiacán Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Stephanie I. Nuñez-Olvera
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | | | - César López-Camarillo
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
- *Correspondence: César López-Camarillo, ; orcid.org/0000-0002-9417-2609
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Shojaei Baghini S, Gardanova ZR, Abadi SAH, Zaman BA, İlhan A, Shomali N, Adili A, Moghaddar R, Yaseri AF. CRISPR/Cas9 application in cancer therapy: a pioneering genome editing tool. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2022; 27:35. [PMID: 35508982 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-022-00336-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The progress of genetic engineering in the 1970s brought about a paradigm shift in genome editing technology. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system is a flexible means to target and modify particular DNA sequences in the genome. Several applications of CRISPR/Cas9 are presently being studied in cancer biology and oncology to provide vigorous site-specific gene editing to enhance its biological and clinical uses. CRISPR's flexibility and ease of use have enabled the prompt achievement of almost any preferred alteration with greater efficiency and lower cost than preceding modalities. Also, CRISPR/Cas9 technology has recently been applied to improve the safety and efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies and defeat tumor cell resistance to conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The current review summarizes the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in cancer therapy. We also discuss the present obstacles and contemplate future possibilities in this context.
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20
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Zhou Y, Li Y, Zhang Y, Yi Z, Jiang M. Establishment and application of a human osteosarcoma U-2OS cell line that can stably express Cas9 protein. Mol Cell Biochem 2022; 477:2183-2191. [PMID: 35445373 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04434-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor, and U-2OS is a common osteosarcoma cell model. The study obtained a human osteosarcoma U-2OS tool cell line which could stably express Cas9 protein, and we reported its production method and application. Firstly, we introduced a Cas9 protein expression gene and an antibiotic screening marker gene through CRISPR/Cas9 system to construct a human osteosarcoma U-2OS tool cell line which could stably express Cas9 protein. Secondly, as the cell line could stably express Cas9 protein, it was only transfected alone a small sgRNA fragment for related gene editing, we then transfected, respectively, a small ETV4 and MALAT1 sgRNA fragment to U-2OS tool cell line for gene editing. Lastly, the Q-PCR results showed that the transcription levels of ETV4 and MALAT1 were significantly decreased, and western blotting result showed that the translation level of ETV4 was significantly decreased, these results indicated that the constructed U-2OS tool cell line could effectively edit protein-coding gene (ETV4) and long non-coding RNA gene (MALAT1). The results of this study also indicated that the constructed U-2OS tool cell line could greatly improve the efficiency of gene editing. Therefore, the genetic engineering cell line provided by the study is of great significance for studying the pathogenesis and regulatory network of osteosarcoma, and for preventing and treating bone tumor as soon as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Zhou
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha, 410022, China.
| | - Yingjie Li
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha, 410022, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha, 410022, China
| | - Zilin Yi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University, Changsha, 410022, China
| | - Minggui Jiang
- Hunan Fenghui Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Changsha, 410000, China
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21
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Abstract
The physiological role of estrogen in the female endometrium is well established. On the basis of responses to steroid hormones (progesterone, androgen, and estrogen), the endometrium is considered to have proliferative and secretory phases. Estrogen can act in the endometrium by interacting with estrogen receptors (ERs) to induce mucosal proliferation during the proliferative phase and progesterone receptor (PR) synthesis, which prepare the endometrium for the secretory phase. Mouse knockout studies have shown that ER expression, including ERα, ERβ, and G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in the endometrium is critical for normal menstrual cycles and subsequent pregnancy. Incorrect expression of ERs can produce many diseases that can cause endometriosis, endometrial hyperplasia (EH), and endometrial cancer (EC), which affect numerous women of reproductive age. ERα promotes uterine cell proliferation and is strongly associated with an increased risk of EC, while ERβ has the opposite effects on ERα function. GPER is highly expressed in abnormal EH, but its expression in EC patients is paradoxical. Effective treatments for endometrium-related diseases depend on understanding the physiological function of ERs; however, much less is known about the signaling pathways through which ERs functions in the normal endometrium or in endometrial diseases. Given the important roles of ERs in the endometrium, we reviewed the published literature to elaborate the regulatory role of estrogen and its nuclear and membrane-associated receptors in maintaining the function of endometrium and to provide references for protecting female reproduction. Additionally, the role of drugs such as tamoxifen, raloxifene, fulvestrant and G-15 in the endometrium are also described. Future studies should focus on evaluating new therapeutic strategies that precisely target specific ERs and their related growth factor signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng-Yuan Huang
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Xue-Ling Xu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiang-Wei Fu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Beijing Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic Improvement, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shou-Long Deng
- National Health Commission of China (NHC) Key Laboratory of Human Disease Comparative Medicine, Institute of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Center, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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22
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Zheng C, Liu M, Ge Y, Qian Y, Fan H. HBx increases chromatin accessibility and ETV4 expression to regulate dishevelled-2 and promote HCC progression. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:116. [PMID: 35121725 PMCID: PMC8816937 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04563-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the predominant causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV X protein (HBx), as the most frequently integrated viral gene sequence following HBV infection, plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of HCC. H3K27ac is a characteristic marker for identifying active enhancers and even indicates chromatin accessibility associated with super-enhancers (SEs). In this study, H3K27ac ChIP-seq was applied for high-quality SE annotation of HBx-induced SEs and chromatin accessibility evaluation. The results indicated that HBx preferentially affects enrichment of H3K27ac in transcription factor signaling pathway genes, including ETV4. RNA-seq indicated that ETV4 is upregulated by HBx and that upregulated ETV4 promotes HCC progression. Interestingly, ETV4 was also included in the 568 cancer driver gene pool obtained by the Integrative OncoGenomics pipeline. However, the biological function and mechanism of ETV4 remain incompletely understood. In vivo and in vitro, we found that increased ETV4 expression promotes HCC cell migration and invasion by upregulating DVL2 and activating Wnt/β-catenin. The mRNA and protein levels of ETV4 are higher in tumor tissues compared with adjacent tissues, and high expression of ETV4 is associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. In summary, we first confirm that ETV4 is significantly upregulated by HBx and involved in SE-associated chromatin accessibility. Increased expression of ETV4 promotes HCC cell invasion and metastasis by upregulating DVL2. The present study provides insight into the ETV4-DVL2-β-catenin axis in HBV-related HCC, which will be helpful for treating patients with aggressive HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuqian Zheng
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanping Ge
- School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanyan Qian
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong Fan
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
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23
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La Greca A, Bellora N, Le Dily F, Jara R, Nacht AS, Quilez Oliete J, Villanueva JL, Vidal E, Merino G, Fresno C, Tarifa Reischle I, Vallejo G, Vicent GP, Fernández E, Beato M, Saragüeta P. Chromatin topology defines estradiol-primed progesterone receptor and PAX2 binding in endometrial cancer cells. eLife 2022; 11:66034. [PMID: 35018885 PMCID: PMC8887898 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Estrogen (E2) and Progesterone (Pg), via their specific receptors (ERalpha and PR), are major determinants in the development and progression of endometrial carcinomas, However, their precise mechanism of action and the role of other transcription factors involved are not entirely clear. Using Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells, we report that E2 treatment exposes a set of progestin-dependent PR binding sites which include both E2 and progestin target genes. ChIP-seq results from hormone-treated cells revealed a non-random distribution of PAX2 binding in the vicinity of these estrogen-promoted PR sites. Altered expression of hormone regulated genes in PAX2 knockdown cells suggests a role for PAX2 in fine-tuning ERalpha and PR interplay in transcriptional regulation. Analysis of long-range interactions by Hi-C coupled with ATAC-seq data showed that these regions, that we call ‘progestin control regions’ (PgCRs), exhibited an open chromatin state even before hormone exposure and were non-randomly associated with regulated genes. Nearly 20% of genes potentially influenced by PgCRs were found to be altered during progression of endometrial cancer. Our findings suggest that endometrial response to progestins in differentiated endometrial tumor cells results in part from binding of PR together with PAX2 to accessible chromatin regions. What maintains these regions open remains to be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolás Bellora
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Institute of Nuclear Technologies for Health, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - François Le Dily
- Gene Regulation, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Jara
- Biology and Experimental Medicine Institute, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | | | - Enrique Vidal
- Gene Regulation, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gabriela Merino
- Bioscience Data Mining Group, Córdoba University, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Cristóbal Fresno
- Bioscience Data Mining Group, Córdoba University, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | - Griselda Vallejo
- Biology and Experimental Medicine Institute, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Elmer Fernández
- Bioscience Data Mining Group, Córdoba University, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Miguel Beato
- Gene Regulation, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
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24
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Wang J, Sun C, Li J, Jiang H, Qiu Y, Gong M. Knockdown of ETV4 promotes autophagy-dependent apoptosis in GBM cells by reducing the transcriptional activation of EMP1. Oncol Lett 2022; 23:41. [PMID: 34976153 PMCID: PMC8674874 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2021.13159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
ETS variant transcription factor 4 (ETV4) is a common cancer-promoting transcription factor and its expression has been found to be significantly upregulated in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), as determined via analysis of the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database. In addition, our previous study demonstrated that ETV4 expression was highly positively correlated with epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1). The present study aimed to determine whether ETV4 could influence the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to affect the autophagy and apoptosis of GBM cells by regulating the transcriptional activity of EMP1. In addition to the analysis of the GEPIA database, the expression levels of ETV4 were also investigated in several different GBM cell lines. After interfering with the expression of ETV4, western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of autophagy- and apoptosis-related proteins, and a TUNEL assay was used to detect the levels of cell apoptosis. Dual luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were used to verify the potential binding site of ETV4 on EMP1. Western blotting was also used to analyze the expression levels of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins. The results of the current study revealed that the expression levels of ETV4 were significantly upregulated in GBM cell lines compared with those in normal glial cells. In the GBM cell line, LN-229, ETV4 was discovered to bind to the EMP1 promoter and positively regulate the expression of EMP1. The knockdown of ETV4 expression inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway activity to promote autophagy and apoptosis, and this effect could be partially reversed by overexpressing EMP1. In conclusion, these findings indicated that the knockdown of ETV4 in GBM cells may reduce the transcriptional activation of EMP1 and thereby inhibit PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway activity to promote autophagy and apoptosis. This provides a novel insight into potential strategies for the treatment of GBM via the induction of autophagy-dependent apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Changshu, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215500, P.R. China
| | - Chengfa Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Changshu, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215500, P.R. China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Changshu, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215500, P.R. China
| | - Hua Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Changshu, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215500, P.R. China
| | - Yun Qiu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Changshu, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215500, P.R. China
| | - Mingjie Gong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Changshu, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215500, P.R. China
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25
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Wang B, Cai Y, Li X, Kong Y, Fu H, Zhou J. ETV4 mediated lncRNA C2CD4D-AS1 overexpression contributes to the malignant phenotype of lung adenocarcinoma cells via miR-3681-3p/NEK2 axis. Cell Cycle 2021; 20:2607-2618. [PMID: 34850664 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2021.2005273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is originated from the mucus-producing glands of the lungs. The involvement of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been discovered in multiple diseases. In the present research, we aimed to unmask the role of C2CD4D and THEM5 antisense RNA 1 (C2CD4D-AS1) in LUAD. RT-qPCR or western blot analysis was respectively applied in the detection of RNA or protein expressions. The function of C2CD4D-AS1 in LUAD was assessed by functional assays. Through ChIP, RNA pull down, DNA pull down, RIP and luciferase reporter assays, the in-depth regulatory mechanism of C2CD4D-AS1 in LUAD was explored. C2CD4D-AS1 was dramatically overexpressed in LUAD tissues and cell lines. As a result, depletion of C2CD4D-AS1 significantly repressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and stimulated cell apoptosis in LUAD. Mechanistically, ETS variant transcription factor 4 (ETV4) activated the transcription of C2CD4D-AS1 and stimulated its up-regulation in LUAD cells, thus affecting LUAD cell biological functions. Furthermore, C2CD4D-AS1 sponged microRNA-3681-3p (miR-3681-3p) and regulated NIMA-related kinase 2 (NEK2), thus participating in modulating LUAD cell biological behaviors. To conclude, C2CD4D-AS1 up-regulation induced by ETV4 enhanced NEK2 expression by sequestering miR-3681-3p to contribute to the malignant behaviors of LUAD cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binliang Wang
- Department of Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Respiratory Disease, Taizhou First People's Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuanyuan Cai
- Department of Internal Medicine, Taizhou First People's Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaobo Li
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Taizhou First People's Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yiming Kong
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Taizhou First People's Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haiwei Fu
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Taizhou First People's Hospital, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianying Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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26
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Jiang W, Xu Y, Chen X, Pan S, Zhu X. E26 transformation-specific variant 4 as a tumor promotor in human cancers through specific molecular mechanisms. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2021; 22:518-527. [PMID: 34553037 PMCID: PMC8433062 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
E26 transformation-specific (ETS) variant 4 (ETV4) is an important transcription factor that belongs to the ETS transcription factor family and is essential for much cellular physiology. Recent evidence has revealed that ETV4 is aberrantly expressed in many types of tumors, and its overexpression is related to poor prognosis of cancer patients. Additionally, increasing studies have identified that ETV4 promotes cancer growth, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Mechanistically, the level of ETV4 is regulated by some post-translation modulations in a broad spectrum of cancers. However, little progress has been made to comprehensively summarize the critical roles of ETV4 in different human cancers. Hence, this review mainly focuses on the physiological functions of ETV4 in various human tumors. In addition, the molecular mechanisms of ETV4-mediated cancer progression were elucidated, including how ETV4 modulates its downstream signaling pathways and how ETV4 is regulated by some factors. On this basis, the present review may provide a valuable therapeutics strategy for future cancer treatment by targeting ETV4-related pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiao Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Yichi Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Shuya Pan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
| | - Xueqiong Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China
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27
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Stejskalová A, Vankelecom H, Sourouni M, Ho MY, Götte M, Almquist BD. In vitro modelling of the physiological and diseased female reproductive system. Acta Biomater 2021; 132:288-312. [PMID: 33915315 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The maladies affecting the female reproductive tract (FRT) range from infections to endometriosis to carcinomas. In vitro models of the FRT play an increasingly important role in both basic and translational research, since the anatomy and physiology of the FRT of humans and other primates differ significantly from most of the commonly used animal models, including rodents. Using organoid culture to study the FRT has overcome the longstanding hurdle of maintaining epithelial phenotype in culture. Both ECM-derived and engineered materials have proved critical for maintaining a physiological phenotype of FRT cells in vitro by providing the requisite 3D environment, ligands, and architecture. Advanced materials have also enabled the systematic study of factors contributing to the invasive metastatic processes. Meanwhile, microphysiological devices make it possible to incorporate physical signals such as flow and cyclic exposure to hormones. Going forward, advanced materials compatible with hormones and optimised to support FRT-derived cells' long-term growth, will play a key role in addressing the diverse array of FRT pathologies and lead to impactful new treatments that support the improvement of women's health. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The female reproductive system is a crucial component of the female anatomy. In addition to enabling reproduction, it has wide ranging influence on tissues throughout the body via endocrine signalling. This intrinsic role in regulating normal female biology makes it susceptible to a variety of female-specific diseases. However, the complexity and human-specific features of the reproductive system make it challenging to study. This has spurred the development of human-relevant in vitro models for helping to decipher the complex issues that can affect the reproductive system, including endometriosis, infection, and cancer. In this Review, we cover the current state of in vitro models for studying the female reproductive system, and the key role biomaterials play in enabling their development.
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28
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Yao D, Bao Z, Qian X, Yang Y, Mao Z. ETV4 transcriptionally activates HES1 and promotes Stat3 phosphorylation to promote malignant behaviors of colon adenocarcinoma. Cell Biol Int 2021; 45:2129-2139. [PMID: 34270850 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is the commonest type of colorectal cancer with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. ETS variant 4 (ETV4) is a member of the ETS transcription factors and is frequently involved in the progression of many cancers. This study focused on the relevance of ETV4 to the progression of COAD. ETV4 was highly expressed in the collected COAD tissues and acquired cells and indicated advanced Dukes staging in patients. Knockdown of ETV4 in COAD cells weakened proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) activity of cells. The downstream genes of ETV4 were predicted, and a Gene Ontology (GO) analysis was conducted to identify the key molecule involved. ETV4 bound to the promoter sequence of HES1 and activated its transcription. Further overexpression of HES1 restored the malignant behaviors of COAD cells. HES1 was also found to promote phosphorylation of Stat3. Similar results were reproduced in vivo where downregulation of ETV4 blocked the growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice. This study demonstrated that ETV4 encourages malignant development of COAD through activating HES1 transcription and Stat3 phosphorylation. This study may offer novel insights into COAD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Yao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Huai'an Second People's Hospital, the Affiliated Huai'an Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Huaian, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Zhongming Bao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Huaiyin People's Hospital, Huai Yin, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Xu Qian
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Huai'an Second People's Hospital, Huaian, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Yong Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Zhongqi Mao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
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29
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Xanthoulea S, Konings GFJ, Saarinen N, Delvoux B, Kooreman LFS, Koskimies P, Häkkinen MR, Auriola S, D'Avanzo E, Walid Y, Verhaegen F, Lieuwes NG, Caiment F, Kruitwagen R, Romano A. Pharmacological inhibition of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase impairs human endometrial cancer growth in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Cancer Lett 2021; 508:18-29. [PMID: 33762202 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological tumor in developed countries and its incidence is increasing. Approximately 80% of newly diagnosed EC cases are estrogen-dependent. Type 1 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD-1) is the enzyme that catalyzes the final step in estrogen biosynthesis by reducing the weak estrogen estrone (E1) to the potent estrogen 17β-estradiol (E2), and previous studies showed that this enzyme is implicated in the intratumoral E2 generation in EC. In the present study we employed a recently developed orthotopic and estrogen-dependent xenograft mouse model of EC to show that pharmacological inhibition of the 17β-HSD-1 enzyme inhibits disease development. Tumors were induced in one uterine horn of athymic nude mice by intrauterine injection of the well-differentiated human endometrial adenocarcinoma Ishikawa cell line, modified to express human 17β-HSD-1 in levels comparable to EC, and the luciferase and green fluorescent protein reporter genes. Controlled estrogen exposure in ovariectomized mice was achieved using subcutaneous MedRod implants that released either the low active estrone (E1) precursor or vehicle. A subgroup of E1 supplemented mice received daily oral gavage of FP4643, a well-characterized 17β-HSD-1 inhibitor. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was used to measure tumor growth non-invasively. At sacrifice, mice receiving E1 and treated with the FP4643 inhibitor showed a significant reduction in tumor growth by approximately 65% compared to mice receiving E1. Tumors exhibited metastatic spread to the peritoneum, to the lymphovascular space (LVI), and to the thoracic cavity. Metastatic spread and LVI invasion were both significantly reduced in the inhibitor-treated group. Transcriptional profiling of tumors indicated that FP4643 treatment reduced the oncogenic potential at the mRNA level. In conclusion, we show that 17β-HSD-1 inhibition represents a promising novel endocrine treatment for EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Xanthoulea
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands.
| | - Gonda F J Konings
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | - Niina Saarinen
- Forendo Pharma Ltd., Turku, Finland; Institute of Biomedicine, Research Centre for Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology and Turku Center for Disease Modeling (TCDM), University of Turku, Finland
| | - Bert Delvoux
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | - Loes F S Kooreman
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | | | - Merja R Häkkinen
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Seppo Auriola
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Elisabetta D'Avanzo
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | - Youssef Walid
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | - Frank Verhaegen
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Natasja G Lieuwes
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; MAASTRO Lab, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | - Florian Caiment
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | - Roy Kruitwagen
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea Romano
- GROW - School for Oncology & Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
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30
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Zhu T, Zheng J, Zhuo W, Pan P, Li M, Zhang W, Zhou H, Gao Y, Li X, Liu Z. ETV4 promotes breast cancer cell stemness by activating glycolysis and CXCR4-mediated sonic Hedgehog signaling. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:126. [PMID: 34052833 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00508-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a major cause of tumor treatment resistance, relapse and metastasis. Cancer cells exhibit reprogrammed metabolism characterized by aerobic glycolysis, which is also critical for sustaining cancer stemness. However, regulation of cancer cell metabolism rewiring and stemness is not completely understood. Here, we report that ETV4 is a key transcription factor in regulating glycolytic gene expression. ETV4 loss significantly inhibits the expression of HK2, LDHA as well as other glycolytic enzymes, reduces glucose uptake and lactate release in breast cancer cells. In human breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma tissues, ETV4 expression is positively correlated with glycolytic signaling. Moreover, we confirm that breast CSCs (BCSCs) are glycolysis-dependent and show that ETV4 is required for BCSC maintenance. ETV4 is enriched in BCSCs, its knockdown and overexpression suppresses and promotes breast cancer cell stem-like traits, respectively. Mechanistically, on the one hand, we find that ETV4 may enhance glycolysis activity to facilitate breast cancer stemness; on the other, ETV4 activates Sonic Hedgehog signaling by transcriptionally promoting CXCR4 expression. A xenograft assay validates the tumor growth-impeding effect and inhibition of CXCR4/SHH/GLI1 signaling cascade after ETV4 depletion. Together, our study highlights the potential roles of ETV4 in promoting cancer cell glycolytic shift and BCSC maintenance and reveals the molecular basis.
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31
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Liu Y, Xu Y, Jiang W, Ji H, Wang ZW, Zhu X. Discovery of key genes as novel biomarkers specifically associated with HPV-negative cervical cancer. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2021; 21:492-506. [PMID: 33997099 PMCID: PMC8091489 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cervical cancer is a common female malignancy that is mainly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. However, the incidence of HPV-negative cervical cancer has shown an increasing trend in recent years. Because the mechanism of HPV-negative cervical cancer development is unclear, this study aims to find the pattern of differential gene expression in HPV-negative cervical cancer and verify the underlying potential mechanism. Differentially expressed genes were compared among HPV-positive cervical cancer, HPV-negative cervical cancer, and normal cervical tissues retrieved from TCGA. Subsequently, dysregulated differentially expressed genes specifically existed in HPV-negative cervical cancer tissues and HPV-negative cell lines were validated by qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining. We found seventeen highly expressed genes that were particularly associated with HPV-negative cervical cancer from analysis of TCGA database. Among the 17 novel genes, 7 genes (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma [PRAME], HMGA2, ETS variant 4 [ETV4], MEX3A, TM7SF2, SLC19A1, and tweety-homologs 3 [TTYH3]) displayed significantly elevated expression in HPV-negative cervical cancer cells and HPV-negative cervical cancer tissues. Additionally, higher expression of MEX3A and TTYH3 was associated with a shorter overall survival of patients with HPV-negative cervical cancer. Our study implies that these seven genes are more likely to provide novel insights into the occurrence and progression of HPV-negative cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Center of Uterine Cancer Diagnosis & Therapy Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.,Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yichi Xu
- Center of Uterine Cancer Diagnosis & Therapy Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Wenxiao Jiang
- Center of Uterine Cancer Diagnosis & Therapy Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Huihui Ji
- Center of Uterine Cancer Diagnosis & Therapy Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Zhi-Wei Wang
- Center of Uterine Cancer Diagnosis & Therapy Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Xueqiong Zhu
- Center of Uterine Cancer Diagnosis & Therapy Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
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32
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Li Q, Lai H, Li Y, Chen B, Chen S, Li Y, Huang Z, Meng Z, Wang P, Hu Z, Huang S. RJunBase: a database of RNA splice junctions in human normal and cancerous tissues. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:D201-D211. [PMID: 33179749 PMCID: PMC7779070 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Splicing is an essential step of RNA processing for multi-exon genes, in which introns are removed from a precursor RNA, thereby producing mature RNAs containing splice junctions. Here, we develope the RJunBase (www.RJunBase.org), a web-accessible database of three types of RNA splice junctions (linear, back-splice, and fusion junctions) that are derived from RNA-seq data of non-cancerous and cancerous tissues. The RJunBase aims to integrate and characterize all RNA splice junctions of both healthy or pathological human cells and tissues. This new database facilitates the visualization of the gene-level splicing pattern and the junction-level expression profile, as well as the demonstration of unannotated and tumor-specific junctions. The first release of RJunBase contains 682 017 linear junctions, 225 949 back-splice junctions and 34 733 fusion junctions across 18 084 non-cancerous and 11 540 cancerous samples. RJunBase can aid researchers in discovering new splicing-associated targets and provide insights into the identification and assessment of potential neoepitopes for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Li
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyan Lai
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuchen Li
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Siyuan Chen
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhaohui Huang
- Wuxi Cancer Institute, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Zhiqiang Meng
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhixiang Hu
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shenglin Huang
- Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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33
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Carleton JB, Ginley-Hidinger M, Berrett KC, Layer RM, Quinlan AR, Gertz J. Regulatory sharing between estrogen receptor α bound enhancers. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:6597-6610. [PMID: 32479598 PMCID: PMC7337896 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The human genome encodes an order of magnitude more gene expression enhancers than promoters, suggesting that most genes are regulated by the combined action of multiple enhancers. We have previously shown that neighboring estrogen-responsive enhancers exhibit complex synergistic contributions to the production of an estrogenic transcriptional response. Here we sought to determine the molecular underpinnings of this enhancer cooperativity. We generated genetic deletions of four estrogen receptor α (ER) bound enhancers that regulate two genes and found that enhancers containing full estrogen response element (ERE) motifs control ER binding at neighboring sites, while enhancers with pre-existing histone acetylation/accessibility confer a permissible chromatin environment to the neighboring enhancers. Genome engineering revealed that two enhancers with half EREs could not compensate for the lack of a full ERE site within the cluster. In contrast, two enhancers with full EREs produced a transcriptional response greater than the wild-type locus. By swapping genomic sequences, we found that the genomic location of a full ERE strongly influences enhancer activity. Our results lead to a model in which a full ERE is required for ER recruitment, but the presence of a pre-existing permissible chromatin environment can also be needed for estrogen-driven gene regulation to occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia B Carleton
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Matthew Ginley-Hidinger
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Kristofer C Berrett
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Ryan M Layer
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.,Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Aaron R Quinlan
- Departments of Human Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jason Gertz
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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34
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Lõhmussaar K, Boretto M, Clevers H. Human-Derived Model Systems in Gynecological Cancer Research. Trends Cancer 2020; 6:1031-43. [PMID: 32855097 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2020.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The human female reproductive tract (FRT) is a complex system that combines series of organs, including ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, vagina, and vulva; each of which possesses unique cellular characteristics and functions. This versatility, in turn, allows for the development of a wide range of epithelial gynecological cancers with distinct features. Thus, reliable model systems are required to better understand the diverse mechanisms involved in the regional pathogenesis of the reproductive tract and improve treatment strategies. Here, we review the current human-derived model systems available to study the multitude of gynecological cancers, including ovarian, endometrial, cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancer, and the recent advances in the push towards personalized therapy.
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