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Cheng C, Hsu SK, Chen YC, Liu W, Shu ED, Chien CM, Chiu CC, Chang WT. Burning down the house: Pyroptosis in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Life Sci 2024; 347:122627. [PMID: 38614301 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122627] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
A high mortality rate makes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) a difficult cancer to treat. When surgery is not possible, liver cancer patients are treated with chemotherapy. However, HCC management and treatment are difficult. Sorafenib, which is a first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma, initially slows disease progression. However, sorafenib resistance limits patient survival. Recent studies have linked HCC to programmed cell death, which has increased researcher interest in therapies targeting cell death. Pyroptosis, which is an inflammatory mode of programmed cell death, may be targeted to treat HCC. Pyroptosis pathways, executors, and effects are examined in this paper. This review summarizes how pyroptosis affects the tumor microenvironment (TME) in HCC, including the role of cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18 in regulating immune responses. The use of chemotherapies and their ability to induce cancer cell pyroptosis as alternative treatments and combining them with other drugs to reduce side effects is also discussed. In conclusion, we highlight the potential of inducing pyroptosis to treat HCC and suggest ways to improve patient outcomes. Studies on cancer cell pyroptosis may lead to new HCC treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Cheng
- School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Kai Hsu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Chun Chen
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Wangta Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - En-De Shu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Ming Chien
- Department of Medical Sciences Industry, College of Health Sciences, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 711, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chih Chiu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; The Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Tsan Chang
- Division of General and Digestive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
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Hsu SK, Chen YE, Shu ED, Ko CC, Chang WT, Lin IL, Li CY, Gallego RP, Chiu CC. The Pyroptotic and Nonpyroptotic Roles of Gasdermins in Modulating Cancer Progression and Their Perspectives on Cancer Therapeutics. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2023; 71:14. [PMID: 37258998 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-023-00678-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Gasdermins (GSDMs) are a protein family encoded by six paralogous genes in humans, including GSDMA, GSDMB, GSDMC, GSDMD, GSDME (also known as DFNA5), and DFNB59 (also known as pejvakin). Structurally, members of the GSDM family possess a C-terminus (an autoinhibitory domain) and a positively charged N-terminus (a pore-forming domain) linked with divergent peptide linkers. Recently, GSDMs have been identified as key executors of pyroptosis (an immunogenic programmed cell death) due to their pore-forming activities on the plasma membrane when proteolytically cleaved by caspases or serine proteases. Accumulating studies suggest that chemoresistance is attributed to dysregulation of apoptotic machinery and that inducing pyroptosis to bypass aberrant apoptosis can potently resensitize apoptosis-resistant cancer to chemotherapeutics. Pyroptosis is initiated by pore formation and culminates with plasma membrane rupture; these processes enable the release of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β and IL-18) and damage-associated molecular patterns, which further modulate antitumor immunity within the tumor microenvironment. Although pyroptosis is considered a promising strategy to boost antitumor effects, it is also reported to cause unwanted tissue damage (e.g., gut damage and nephrotoxicity). Intriguingly, mounting evidence has uncovered nonpyroptotic roles of GSDMs in tumorigenesis, such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. Thus, this provides a rationale for GSDMs as potential therapeutic targets. Taken together, we shed unbiased light on the pyroptosis-dependent roles of GSDMs in cancer progression and highlighted how GSDMs modulate tumorigenesis in a pyroptosis-independent manner. It is evident that targeting GSDMs seems profound in cancer management; however, several problems require further investigation to target GSDMs from bench to bedside, which is elucidated in the discussion section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Kai Hsu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
| | - Yi-En Chen
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
| | - En-De Shu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chung Ko
- Department of Medical Imaging, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, 710, Taiwan
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Tsan Chang
- Division of General and Digestive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
| | - I-Ling Lin
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yang Li
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
| | - Rovelyn P Gallego
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environment Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chih Chiu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan.
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan.
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan.
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, 807, Taiwan.
- National Laboratory Animal Center, National Applied Research Laboratories, Taipei, 115, Taiwan.
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Chiu CC, Chen YC, Bow YD, Chen JYF, Liu W, Huang JL, Shu ED, Teng YN, Wu CY, Chang WT. diTFPP, a Phenoxyphenol, Sensitizes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to C2-Ceramide-Induced Autophagic Stress by Increasing Oxidative Stress and ER Stress Accompanied by LAMP2 Hypoglycosylation. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14102528. [PMID: 35626132 PMCID: PMC9139631 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102528] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Chemotherapy is the major treatment modality for advanced or unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, chemoresistance carries a poor prognosis in HCC patients. Exogenous ceramide, a sphingolipid, has been well documented to exert anticancer effects; however, recent reports showed ceramide resistance, which limits the development of the ceramide-based cancer treatment diTFPP, a novel phenoxyphenol compound that has been shown to sensitize HCC cells to ceramide treatment. Here, we further clarified the mechanism underlying diTFPP-mediated sensitization of HCC to C2-ceramide-induced stresses, including oxidative stress, ER stress, and autophagic stress, especially the modulation of LAMP2 glycosylation, the lysosomal membrane protein that is crucial for autophagic fusion. This study may shed light on the mechanism of ceramide resistance and help in the development of adjuvants for ceramide-based cancer therapeutics. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Chemotherapy is the major treatment modality for advanced or unresectable HCC; unfortunately, chemoresistance results in a poor prognosis for HCC patients. Exogenous ceramide, a sphingolipid, has been well documented to exert anticancer effects. However, recent reports suggest that sphingolipid metabolism in ceramide-resistant cancer cells favors the conversion of exogenous ceramides to prosurvival sphingolipids, conferring ceramide resistance to cancer cells. However, the mechanism underlying ceramide resistance remains unclear. We previously demonstrated that diTFPP, a novel phenoxyphenol compound, enhances the anti-HCC effect of C2-ceramide. Here, we further clarified that treatment with C2-ceramide alone increases the protein level of CERS2, which modulates sphingolipid metabolism to favor the conversion of C2-ceramide to prosurvival sphingolipids in HCC cells, thus activating the unfolded protein response (UPR), which further initiates autophagy and the reversible senescence-like phenotype (SLP), ultimately contributing to C2-ceramide resistance in these cells. However, cotreatment with diTFPP and ceramide downregulated the protein level of CERS2 and increased oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Furthermore, insufficient LAMP2 glycosylation induced by diTFPP/ceramide cotreatment may cause the failure of autophagosome–lysosome fusion, eventually lowering the threshold for triggering cell death in response to C2-ceramide. Our study may shed light on the mechanism of ceramide resistance and help in the development of adjuvants for ceramide-based cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Chih Chiu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (Y.-C.C.); (J.Y.-F.C.); (W.L.); (E.-D.S.); (C.-Y.W.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
- The Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Chun Chen
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (Y.-C.C.); (J.Y.-F.C.); (W.L.); (E.-D.S.); (C.-Y.W.)
| | - Yung-Ding Bow
- Ph.D. Program in Life Sciences, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
| | - Jeff Yi-Fu Chen
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (Y.-C.C.); (J.Y.-F.C.); (W.L.); (E.-D.S.); (C.-Y.W.)
| | - Wangta Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (Y.-C.C.); (J.Y.-F.C.); (W.L.); (E.-D.S.); (C.-Y.W.)
| | - Jau-Ling Huang
- Department of Bioscience Technology, College of Health Science, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 711, Taiwan;
| | - En-De Shu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (Y.-C.C.); (J.Y.-F.C.); (W.L.); (E.-D.S.); (C.-Y.W.)
| | - Yen-Ni Teng
- Department of Biological Sciences and Technology, National University of Tainan, Tainan 700, Taiwan;
| | - Chang-Yi Wu
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (Y.-C.C.); (J.Y.-F.C.); (W.L.); (E.-D.S.); (C.-Y.W.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Tsan Chang
- Center for Cancer Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Division of General and Digestive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-7-312-1101 (ext. 7651); Fax: +886-7-312-6992
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