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Yavuz BR, Arici MK, Demirel HC, Tsai CJ, Jang H, Nussinov R, Tuncbag N. Neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer networks share pathways, but differ in mechanisms, signaling strength, and outcome. NPJ Genom Med 2023; 8:37. [PMID: 37925498 PMCID: PMC10625621 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-023-00377-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies suggest that individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are more prone to develop certain types of cancer. Notably, however, the case statistics can be impacted by late discovery of cancer in individuals afflicted with NDDs, such as intellectual disorders, autism, and schizophrenia, which may bias the numbers. As to NDD-associated mutations, in most cases, they are germline while cancer mutations are sporadic, emerging during life. However, somatic mosaicism can spur NDDs, and cancer-related mutations can be germline. NDDs and cancer share proteins, pathways, and mutations. Here we ask (i) exactly which features they share, and (ii) how, despite their commonalities, they differ in clinical outcomes. To tackle these questions, we employed a statistical framework followed by network analysis. Our thorough exploration of the mutations, reconstructed disease-specific networks, pathways, and transcriptome levels and profiles of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and cancers, point to signaling strength as the key factor: strong signaling promotes cell proliferation in cancer, and weaker (moderate) signaling impacts differentiation in ASD. Thus, we suggest that signaling strength, not activating mutations, can decide clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bengi Ruken Yavuz
- Graduate School of Informatics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
- Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - M Kaan Arici
- Graduate School of Informatics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
| | - Habibe Cansu Demirel
- Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering, Koc University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey
| | - Chung-Jung Tsai
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
| | - Nurcan Tuncbag
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey.
- School of Medicine, Koc University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.
- Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Turkey.
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Nussinov R, Yavuz BR, Arici MK, Demirel HC, Zhang M, Liu Y, Tsai CJ, Jang H, Tuncbag N. Neurodevelopmental disorders, like cancer, are connected to impaired chromatin remodelers, PI3K/mTOR, and PAK1-regulated MAPK. Biophys Rev 2023; 15:163-181. [PMID: 37124926 PMCID: PMC10133437 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-023-01054-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractNeurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and cancer share proteins, pathways, and mutations. Their clinical symptoms are different. However, individuals with NDDs have higher probabilities of eventually developing cancer. Here, we review the literature and ask how the shared features can lead to different medical conditions and why having an NDD first can increase the chances of malignancy. To explore these vital questions, we focus on dysregulated PI3K/mTOR, a major brain cell growth pathway in differentiation, and MAPK, a critical pathway in proliferation, a hallmark of cancer. Differentiation is governed by chromatin organization, making aberrant chromatin remodelers highly likely agents in NDDs. Dysregulated chromatin organization and accessibility influence the lineage of specific cell brain types at specific embryonic development stages. PAK1, with pivotal roles in brain development and in cancer, also regulates MAPK. We review, clarify, and connect dysregulated pathways with dysregulated proliferation and differentiation in cancer and NDDs and highlight PAK1 role in brain development and MAPK regulation. Exactly how PAK1 activation controls brain development, and why specific chromatin remodeler components, e.g., BAF170 encoded by SMARCC2 in autism, await clarification.
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Degirmenci B, Dincer C, Demirel HC, Berkova L, Moor AE, Kahraman A, Hausmann G, Aguet M, Tuncbag N, Valenta T, Basler K. Epithelial Wnt secretion drives the progression of inflammation-induced colon carcinoma in murine model. iScience 2021; 24:103369. [PMID: 34849464 PMCID: PMC8607204 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Colon cancer is initiated by stem cells that escape the strict control. This process is often driven through aberrant activation of Wnt signaling by mutations in components acting downstream of the receptor complex that unfetter tumor cells from the need for Wnts. Here we describe a class of colon cancer that does not depend on mutated core components of the Wnt pathway. Genetically blocking Wnt secretion from epithelial cells of such tumors results in apoptosis, reduced expression of colon cancer markers, followed by enhanced tumor differentiation. In contrast to the normal colonic epithelium, such tumor cells autosecrete Wnts to maintain their uncontrolled proliferative behavior. In humans, we determined certain cases of colon cancers in which the Wnt pathway is hyperactive, but not through mutations in its core components. Our findings illuminate the path in therapy to find further subtypes of Wnt-dependent colon cancer that might be responsive to Wnt secretion inhibitors. Acquired expression of epithelial Wnts can drive colon cancer in murine AOM/DSS model Blocking epithelial Wnt-secretion induces apoptosis of AOM/DSS cancer cells The loss of epithelial Wnts promotes differentiation of Wnt-dependent colon tumors Organoids derived from AOM/DSS cancer depend on self-autonomously secreted Wnts
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahar Degirmenci
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse. 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.,National Nanotechnology Center, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Cansu Dincer
- Graduate School of Informatics, Department of Health Informatics, METU, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Habibe Cansu Demirel
- Graduate School of Informatics, Department of Health Informatics, METU, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Linda Berkova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the ASCR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Andreas E Moor
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Life Sciences, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Abdullah Kahraman
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - George Hausmann
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse. 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michel Aguet
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Life Sciences, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nurcan Tuncbag
- Graduate School of Informatics, Department of Health Informatics, METU, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tomas Valenta
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse. 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.,Institute of Molecular Genetics of the ASCR, v. v. i., Vídeňská 1083142 20, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Konrad Basler
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse. 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Demirel HC, Arici MK, Tuncbag N. Computational approaches leveraging integrated connections of multi-omic data toward clinical applications. Mol Omics 2021; 18:7-18. [PMID: 34734935 DOI: 10.1039/d1mo00158b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In line with the advances in high-throughput technologies, multiple omic datasets have accumulated to study biological systems and diseases coherently. No single omics data type is capable of fully representing cellular activity. The complexity of the biological processes arises from the interactions between omic entities such as genes, proteins, and metabolites. Therefore, multi-omic data integration is crucial but challenging. The impact of the molecular alterations in multi-omic data is not local in the neighborhood of the altered gene or protein; rather, the impact diffuses in the network and changes the functionality of multiple signaling pathways and regulation of the gene expression. Additionally, multi-omic data is high-dimensional and has background noise. Several integrative approaches have been developed to accurately interpret the multi-omic datasets, including machine learning, network-based methods, and their combination. In this review, we overview the most recent integrative approaches and tools with a focus on network-based methods. We then discuss these approaches according to their specific applications, from disease-network and biomarker identification to patient stratification, drug discovery, and repurposing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habibe Cansu Demirel
- Graduate School of Informatics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
| | - Muslum Kaan Arici
- Graduate School of Informatics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey.,Foot and Mouth Diseases Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ankara, 06044, Turkey
| | - Nurcan Tuncbag
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Koc University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.,School of Medicine, Koc University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey.,Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Istanbul, Turkey.
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Demirel HC, Dogan T, Tuncbag N. A Structural Perspective on the Modulation of Protein-Protein Interactions with Small Molecules. Curr Top Med Chem 2018; 18:700-713. [DOI: 10.2174/1568026618666180601080824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) are the key components in many cellular processes including
signaling pathways, enzymatic reactions and epigenetic regulation. Abnormal interactions of some
proteins may be pathogenic and cause various disorders including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Although inhibiting PPIs with small molecules is a challenging task, it gained an increasing interest
because of its strong potential for drug discovery and design. The knowledge of the interface as well
as the structural and chemical characteristics of the PPIs and their roles in the cellular pathways is necessary
for a rational design of small molecules to modulate PPIs. In this study, we review the recent progress
in the field and detail the physicochemical properties of PPIs including binding hot spots with a
focus on structural methods. Then, we review recent approaches for structural prediction of PPIs. Finally,
we revisit the concept of targeting PPIs from a systems biology perspective and we refer to approaches
that are usually employed when the structural information is not present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habibe Cansu Demirel
- Graduate School of Informatics, Department of Health Informatics, METU, Ankara, Turkey; Cancer Systems Biology Laboratory (CanSyL-METU), Ankara, Turkey
| | - Tunca Dogan
- Graduate School of Informatics, Department of Health Informatics, METU, Ankara, Turkey; Cancer Systems Biology Laboratory (CanSyL-METU), Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nurcan Tuncbag
- Graduate School of Informatics, Department of Health Informatics, METU, Ankara, Turkey; Cancer Systems Biology Laboratory (CanSyL-METU), Ankara, Turkey
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