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Abrams SL, Duda P, Akula SM, Steelman LS, Follo ML, Cocco L, Ratti S, Martelli AM, Montalto G, Emma MR, Cervello M, Rakus D, Gizak A, McCubrey JA. Effects of the Mutant TP53 Reactivator APR-246 on Therapeutic Sensitivity of Pancreatic Cancer Cells in the Presence and Absence of WT-TP53. Cells 2022; 11:794. [PMID: 35269416 PMCID: PMC8909756 DOI: 10.3390/cells11050794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The TP53 tumor suppressor is mutated in ~75% of pancreatic cancers. The mutant TP53 protein in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) promotes tumor growth and metastasis. Attempts have been made to develop molecules that restore at least some of the properties of wild-type (WT) TP53. APR-246 is one such molecule, and it is referred to as a mutant TP53 reactivator. To understand the potential of APR-246 to sensitize PDAC cells to chemotherapy, we introduced a vector encoding WT-TP53 into two PDAC cell lines, one lacking the expression of TP53 (PANC-28) and one with a gain-of-function (GOF) mutant TP53 (MIA-PaCa-2). APR-246 increased drug sensitivity in the cells containing either a WT or mutant TP53 protein with GOF activity, but not in cells that lacked TP53. The introduction of WT-T53 into PANC-28 cells increased their sensitivity to the TP53 reactivator, chemotherapeutic drugs, and signal transduction inhibitors. The addition of WT-TP53 to PDAC cells with GOF TP53 also increased their sensitivity to the drugs and therapeutics, indicating that APR-246 could function in cells with WT-TP53 and GOF TP53. These results highlight the importance of knowledge of the type of TP53 mutation that is present in cancer patients before the administration of drugs which function through the reactivation of TP53.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen L. Abrams
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA; (S.L.A.); (S.M.A.); (L.S.S.)
| | - Przemysław Duda
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Wrocław, 50-335 Wrocław, Poland; (P.D.); (D.R.); (A.G.)
| | - Shaw M. Akula
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA; (S.L.A.); (S.M.A.); (L.S.S.)
| | - Linda S. Steelman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA; (S.L.A.); (S.M.A.); (L.S.S.)
| | - Matilde L. Follo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (M.L.F.); (L.C.); (S.R.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Lucio Cocco
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (M.L.F.); (L.C.); (S.R.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Stefano Ratti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (M.L.F.); (L.C.); (S.R.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Alberto M. Martelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy; (M.L.F.); (L.C.); (S.R.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Montalto
- Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy;
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (M.C.)
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (M.C.)
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (M.C.)
| | - Dariusz Rakus
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Wrocław, 50-335 Wrocław, Poland; (P.D.); (D.R.); (A.G.)
| | - Agnieszka Gizak
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Wrocław, 50-335 Wrocław, Poland; (P.D.); (D.R.); (A.G.)
| | - James A. McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA; (S.L.A.); (S.M.A.); (L.S.S.)
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Augello G, Emma MR, Azzolina A, Puleio R, Condorelli L, Cusimano A, Giannitrapani L, McCubrey JA, Iovanna JL, Cervello M. The NUPR1/p73 axis contributes to sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2021; 519:250-262. [PMID: 34314755 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.07.026] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib was the first drug approved by the FDA for treating patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, sorafenib resistance remains a major challenge for improving the effectiveness of HCC treatment. Previously, we identified several genes modulated after sorafenib treatment of human HCC cells, including the stress-inducible nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) gene. Multiple studies have shown that NUPR1 regulates autophagy, apoptosis, and chemoresistance. Here, we demonstrate that treatment of HCC cells with sorafenib resulted in the activation of autophagic flux. NUPR1 knock-down (KD) in HCC cells was associated with increased p62 expression, suggesting an impairment of autophagic flux, and with a significant increase of cell sensitivity to sorafenib. In NUPR1 KD cells, reduced levels of NUPR1 were associated with the increased expression of p73 as well as its downstream transcription targets PUMA, NOXA, and p21. Simultaneous silencing of p73 and NUPR1 in HCC cells resulted in increased resistance to sorafenib, as compared to the single KD of either gene. Conversely, pharmacological activation of p73, via the novel p73 small molecule activator NSC59984, determined synergistic anti-tumor effects in sorafenib-treated HCC cells. The combination of NSC59984 and sorafenib, when compared to either treatment alone, synergistically suppressed tumor growth of HCC cells in vivo. Our data suggest that the activation of the p73 pathway achieved by NUPR1 KD potentiates sorafenib-induced anti-tumor effects in HCC cells. Moreover, combined pharmacological therapy with the p73 activator NSC59984 and sorafenib could represent a novel approach for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppa Augello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonina Azzolina
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Roberto Puleio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Palermo, Italy
| | - Lucia Condorelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonella Cusimano
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Lydia Giannitrapani
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy; Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - James A McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27858, USA
| | - Juan Lucio Iovanna
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy.
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Teresa Borrello M, Rita Emma M, Listi A, Rubis M, Coslet S, Augello G, Cusimano A, Cabibi D, Porcasi R, Giannitrapani L, Soresi M, Pantuso G, Blyth K, Montalto G, Pin C, Cervello M, Iovanna J. NUPR1 protects liver from lipotoxic injury by improving the endoplasmic reticulum stress response. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21395. [PMID: 33566371 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202002413rr] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and related syndromes affect one-third of the adult population in industrialized and developing countries. Lifestyle and caloric oversupply are the main causes of such array of disorders, but the molecular mechanisms underlying their etiology remain elusive. Nuclear Protein 1 (NUPR1) expression increases upon cell injury in all organs including liver. Recently, we reported NUPR1 actively participates in the activation of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). The UPR typically maintains protein homeostasis, but downstream mediators of the pathway regulate metabolic functions including lipid metabolism. As increases in UPR and NUPR1 in obesity and liver disease have been well documented, the goal of this study was to investigate the roles of NUPR1 in this context. To establish whether NUPR1 is involved in these liver conditions we used patient-derived liver biopsies and in vitro and in vivo NUPR1 loss of functions models. First, we analyzed NUPR1 expression in a cohort of morbidly obese patients (MOPs), with simple fatty liver (NAFL) or more severe steatohepatitis (NASH). Next, we explored the metabolic roles of NUPR1 in wild-type (Nupr1+/+ ) or Nupr1 knockout mice (Nupr1-/- ) fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 15 weeks. Immunohistochemical and mRNA analysis revealed NUPR1 expression is inversely correlated to hepatic steatosis progression. Mechanistically, we found NUPR1 participates in the activation of PPAR-α signaling via UPR. As PPAR-α signaling is controlled by UPR, collectively, these findings suggest a novel function for NUPR1 in protecting liver from metabolic distress by controlling lipid homeostasis, possibly through the UPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Borrello
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedicale (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy
| | - Angela Listi
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Marion Rubis
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Sergiu Coslet
- MI-mAbs, Aix-Marseille University, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Giuseppa Augello
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedicale (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonella Cusimano
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedicale (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy
| | - Daniela Cabibi
- Dipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Rossana Porcasi
- Dipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Lydia Giannitrapani
- Dipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maurizio Soresi
- Dipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Gianni Pantuso
- Department of Surgical Oncological and Oral Sciences, Division of General and Oncological Surgery, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Karen Blyth
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Giuseppe Montalto
- Dipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza (PROMISE), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Christopher Pin
- Children's Health Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Istituto per la Ricerca e l'Innovazione Biomedicale (IRIB), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Palermo, Italy
| | - Juan Iovanna
- Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille, INSERM U1068, CNRS UMR 7258, Aix-Marseille Université and Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille, France
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Emma MR, Augello G, Di Stefano V, Azzolina A, Giannitrapani L, Montalto G, Cervello M, Cusimano A. Potential Uses of Olive Oil Secoiridoids for the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer: A Narrative Review of Preclinical Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22031234. [PMID: 33513799 PMCID: PMC7865905 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a combination of foods mainly rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients that have been shown to have many health-enhancing effects. Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is an important component of the MD. The importance of EVOO can be attributed to phenolic compounds, represented by phenolic alcohols, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol, and to secoiridoids, which include oleocanthal, oleacein, oleuropein, and ligstroside (along with the aglycone and glycosidic derivatives of the latter two). Each secoiridoid has been studied and characterized, and their effects on human health have been documented by several studies. Secoiridoids have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferative properties and, therefore, exhibit anti-cancer activity. This review summarizes the most recent findings regarding the pharmacological properties, molecular targets, and action mechanisms of secoiridoids, focusing attention on their preventive and anti-cancer activities. It provides a critical analysis of preclinical, in vitro and in vivo, studies of these natural bioactive compounds used as agents against various human cancers. The prospects for their possible use in human cancer prevention and treatment is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rita Emma
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (G.A.); (A.A.); (L.G.); (G.M.)
| | - Giuseppa Augello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (G.A.); (A.A.); (L.G.); (G.M.)
| | - Vita Di Stefano
- Department of Biological, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Antonina Azzolina
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (G.A.); (A.A.); (L.G.); (G.M.)
| | - Lydia Giannitrapani
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (G.A.); (A.A.); (L.G.); (G.M.)
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Montalto
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (G.A.); (A.A.); (L.G.); (G.M.)
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (G.A.); (A.A.); (L.G.); (G.M.)
- Correspondence: (M.C.); (A.C.); Tel.: +39-091-680-9534/511/555 (M.C.); +39-091-680-9589 (A.C.)
| | - Antonella Cusimano
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy; (M.R.E.); (G.A.); (A.A.); (L.G.); (G.M.)
- Correspondence: (M.C.); (A.C.); Tel.: +39-091-680-9534/511/555 (M.C.); +39-091-680-9589 (A.C.)
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Cusimano A, Soresi M, Montalto G, Augello G, Emma MR, Azzolina A, Cervello M, Giannitrapani L. Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Difficult Cancer to Treat. Crit Rev Oncog 2021; 26:11-25. [PMID: 34347970 DOI: 10.1615/critrevoncog.2020036234] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very peculiar cancer because it presents several molecular alterations linked to the activation of survival and antiapoptotic signal pathways that are protein in form and not easily targetable by even the newest targeted therapies. In addition, it is almost always a consequence of liver cirrhosis, a serious disease condition in which several drugs are often not tolerated. This is why the study of HCC was such a challenge for Professor Natale D'Alessandro, to whom this work is dedicated, during the latter years of his career. The aim of this review is to summarize studies on different molecules involved in the development, progression, and chemoresistance of HCC, topics on which we have focused our research over the last decade. In particular, we have analyzed the role of inflammatory mediators, such as the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), interleukin 6 (IL-6), as well as other important factors, such as Yin Yang 1 (YY1), in HCC. Moreover, we have reviewed some more recent literature on research aimed at identifying druggable targets in HCC as well as candidate agents for its prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Cusimano
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Maurizio Soresi
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences Maternal and Infantile Care, Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Montalto
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy; Department of Health Promotion Sciences Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppa Augello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy; Biomedical Department of internal Medicine and Specialties, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 143, 90127
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonina Azzolina
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR) Palermo, Italy
| | - Lydia Giannitrapani
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy; Department of Health Promotion Sciences Maternal and Infantile Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Italy
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Tesauro D, Mastro R, Cusimano A, Emma MR, Cervello M. Synthetic peptide-labelled micelles for active targeting of cells overexpressing EGF receptors. Amino Acids 2019; 51:1177-1185. [PMID: 31240409 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-019-02755-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The goal of nanomedicine is to transport drugs to pathological tissues, reducing side effects while increasing targeting and efficacy. Aggregates grafted by bioactive molecules act as the active targeting agents. Among bioactive molecules, peptides, which are able to recognize overexpressed receptors on cancer cell membranes, appear to be very promising. The aim of this study was to formulate analog peptide-labeled micelles enabled to potentially deliver highly hydrophobic drugs to cancer cells overexpressing epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR). The selected synthetic peptide sequences were anchored to a hydrophobic moiety, aiming to obtain amphiphilic peptide molecules. Mixed micelles were formulated with Pluronic® F127. These micelles were fully characterized by physico-chemical methods, estimating the critical micellar concentration (CMC) by fluorescence. Their sizes were established by dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis. Then, micelles were also tested in vitro for their binding capacity to human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines overexpressing EGFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Tesauro
- Department of Pharmacy and CIRPeB, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy.
| | - Raffaella Mastro
- Department of Pharmacy and CIRPeB, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Cusimano
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology, National Research Council, Palermo, Italy
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Botto C, Augello G, Amore E, Emma MR, Azzolina A, Cavallaro G, Cervello M, Bondì ML. Cationic Solid Lipid Nanoparticles as Non Viral Vectors for the Inhibition of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Growth by RNA Interference. J Biomed Nanotechnol 2019; 14:1009-1016. [PMID: 29883570 DOI: 10.1166/jbn.2018.2557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most important causes of cancer deaths worldwide. Gene therapy is a novel approach for treating HCC. A safe and efficient gene delivery method, using viral or non-viral vectors, is a crucial factor for developing a successful HCC gene therapy. Among non-viral vectors, cationic solid lipid nanoparticles (cSLN) have advantages such as biocompatibility and transfection efficiency. In this study, novel cSLN were prepared, characterized and complexed with a plasmid (shNUPR1) capable of inhibiting the expression of the NUPR1 gene, which is involved in HCC growth and chemoresistance. The particles resulted biocompatible, as confirmed by haemolysis and cytotoxicity assays, and was able to protect the shNUPR1 plasmid from degradation by DNase I. We also demonstrated, by carrying out transfection and immunofluorescence studies, that the particles efficiently delivered the shNUPR1 plasmid into HCC cells, causing the downregulation of NUPR1-regulated genes and NUPR1 protein expression. These results suggest that the cSLN obtained could be proposed for further in vivo studies as novel transfection vectors for HCC gene therapy, having shown excellent in vitro transfection efficiency and biocompatibility.
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Augello G, Emma MR, Cusimano A, Azzolina A, Mongiovì S, Puleio R, Cassata G, Gulino A, Belmonte B, Gramignoli R, Strom SC, McCubrey JA, Montalto G, Cervello M. Targeting HSP90 with the small molecule inhibitor AUY922 (luminespib) as a treatment strategy against hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Cancer 2018; 144:2613-2624. [DOI: 10.1002/ijc.31963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppa Augello
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology “Alberto Monroy”National Research Council (CNR) Palermo Italy
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology “Alberto Monroy”National Research Council (CNR) Palermo Italy
| | - Antonella Cusimano
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology “Alberto Monroy”National Research Council (CNR) Palermo Italy
| | - Antonina Azzolina
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology “Alberto Monroy”National Research Council (CNR) Palermo Italy
| | - Sarah Mongiovì
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology “Alberto Monroy”National Research Council (CNR) Palermo Italy
| | - Roberto Puleio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia “A. Mirri”Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry Laboratory Palermo Italy
| | - Giovanni Cassata
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia “A. Mirri”Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry Laboratory Palermo Italy
| | - Alessandro Gulino
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health ScienceUniversity of Palermo Palermo Italy
| | - Beatrice Belmonte
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health ScienceUniversity of Palermo Palermo Italy
| | - Roberto Gramignoli
- Division of Pathology, Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
| | - Stephen C. Strom
- Division of Pathology, Department of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
| | - James A. McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyBrody School of Medicine at East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina USA
| | - Giuseppe Montalto
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology “Alberto Monroy”National Research Council (CNR) Palermo Italy
- Biomedic Department of Internal Medicine and SpecialtiesUniversity of Palermo Palermo Italy
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology “Alberto Monroy”National Research Council (CNR) Palermo Italy
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Augello G, Balasus D, Fusilli C, Mazza T, Emma MR, Giannitrapani L, Agliastro R, Cervello M, Montalto G. Association Between MICA Gene Variants and the Risk of Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Hepatocellular Cancer in a Sicilian Population Sample. OMICS 2018; 22:274-282. [PMID: 29584564 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2017.0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There are currently no biomarkers that predict hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis. We investigated the relationships among major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I chain-related gene A (MICA) polymorphisms, plasma levels of soluble MICA (sMICA), and HCC risk in patients with HCV-related HCC. One hundred fifty-four HCV-related HCC patients, 93 HCV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) cases, and 244 healthy controls, all sampled from the native Sicilian population, were genotyped using the KASP™ single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping method. The MICA rs2596542 polymorphism showed that the G/G genotype was significantly more frequent in HCC than control subjects and LC patients (p < 0.005). For MICA rs2596538 polymorphism, the C allele and C/C genotype were significantly more frequent in HCC than in controls and LC cases (p < 0.005), after controlling for potential confounders. These results demonstrate that MICA rs2596542G/G, and particularly the rs2596538C/C polymorphism, are associated with the risk of developing HCV-related HCC in a Sicilian population sample. Importantly, using a machine learning classifier, we found that "age" and either rs2596542 or rs2596538 were important discriminating factors for patients with LC and HCC. Finally, sMICA levels significantly increased during HCV-related liver disease progression, while a significant relationship between both rs2596542 and rs2596538 genotypes and sMICA plasma levels was identified in patients with LC and HCC. In summary, the MICA rs2596538 and rs2596542 variants warrant further research for their clinical validity and utility in relationship to the risk of developing HCV-related HCC in independent populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppa Augello
- 1 Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy ," National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy .,2 Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, University of Palermo , Palermo, Italy
| | - Daniele Balasus
- 1 Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy ," National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy .,2 Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, University of Palermo , Palermo, Italy
| | - Caterina Fusilli
- 3 Bioinformatics Unit, Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital , IRCCS, S. Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Tommaso Mazza
- 3 Bioinformatics Unit, Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital , IRCCS, S. Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- 1 Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy ," National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Lydia Giannitrapani
- 2 Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, University of Palermo , Palermo, Italy
| | - Rosalia Agliastro
- 4 Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine Unit, "Civico" Regional Hospital , Palermo, Italy
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- 1 Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy ," National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Montalto
- 1 Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy ," National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy .,2 Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, University of Palermo , Palermo, Italy
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Cervello M, Pitarresi G, Volpe AB, Porsio B, Balasus D, Emma MR, Azzolina A, Puleio R, Loria GR, Puleo S, Giammona G. Nanoparticles of a polyaspartamide-based brush copolymer for modified release of sorafenib: In vitro and in vivo evaluation. J Control Release 2017; 266:47-56. [PMID: 28917533 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we describe the preparation of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with sorafenib for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A synthetic brush copolymer, named PHEA-BIB-ButMA (PBB), was synthesized by Atom Trasnfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) starting from the α-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-d,l-aspartamide (PHEA) and poly butyl methacrylate (ButMA). Empty and sorafenib loaded PBB NPs were, then, produced by using a dialysis method and showed spherical morphology, colloidal size, negative ζ potential and the ability to allow a sustained sorafenib release in physiological environment. Sorafenib loaded PBB NPs were tested in vitro on HCC cells in order to evaluate their cytocompatibility and anticancer efficacy if compared to free drug. Furthermore, the enhanced anticancer effect of sorafenib loaded PBB NPs was demonstrated in vivo by using a xenograft model, by first allowing Hep3B cells to grow subcutaneously into nude mice and then administering sorafenib as free drug or incorporated into NPs via intraperitoneal injection. Finally, in vivo biodistribution studies were performed, showing the ability of the produced drug delivery system to accumulate in a significant manner in the solid tumor by passive targeting, thanks to the enhanced permeability and retention effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melchiorre Cervello
- Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "Alberto Monroy", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanna Pitarresi
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
| | - Antonella Bavuso Volpe
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy
| | - Barbara Porsio
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy
| | - Daniele Balasus
- Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "Alberto Monroy", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "Alberto Monroy", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonina Azzolina
- Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "Alberto Monroy", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Roberto Puleio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Area Diagnostica Specialistica, Laboratorio di Istopatologia ed Immunoistochimica, Palermo, Italy
| | - Guido Ruggero Loria
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Area Diagnostica Specialistica, Laboratorio di Istopatologia ed Immunoistochimica, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefano Puleo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Tecnologie Avanzate "G.F. Ingrassia", Università degli Studi di Catania, Italy
| | - Gaetano Giammona
- Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare "Alberto Monroy", Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Palermo, Italy
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Cervello M, Augello G, Cusimano A, Emma MR, Balasus D, Azzolina A, McCubrey JA, Montalto G. Pivotal roles of glycogen synthase-3 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Adv Biol Regul 2017; 65:59-76. [PMID: 28619606 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world, and represents the second most frequently cancer and third most common cause of death from cancer worldwide. At advanced stage, HCC is a highly aggressive tumor with a poor prognosis and with very limited response to common therapies. Therefore, there is still the need for new effective and well-tolerated therapeutic strategies. Molecular-targeted therapies hold promise for HCC treatment. One promising molecular target is the multifunctional serine/threonine kinase glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3). The roles of GSK-3β in HCC remain controversial, several studies suggested a possible role of GSK-3β as a tumor suppressor gene in HCC, whereas, other studies indicate that GSK-3β is a potential therapeutic target for this neoplasia. In this review, we will focus on the different roles that GSK-3 plays in HCC and its interaction with signaling pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of HCC, such as Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF), Notch, Wnt/β-catenin, Hedgehog (HH), and TGF-β pathways. In addition, the pivotal roles of GSK3 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and metastasis will be also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melchiorre Cervello
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy.
| | - Giuseppa Augello
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonella Cusimano
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Daniele Balasus
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonina Azzolina
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - James A McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Giuseppe Montalto
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy; Biomedic Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Bondì ML, Emma MR, Botto C, Augello G, Azzolina A, Di Gaudio F, Craparo EF, Cavallaro G, Bachvarov D, Cervello M. Biocompatible Lipid Nanoparticles as Carriers To Improve Curcumin Efficacy in Ovarian Cancer Treatment. J Agric Food Chem 2017; 65:1342-1352. [PMID: 28111949 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b04409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Curcumin is a natural molecule with proved anticancer efficacy on several human cancer cell lines. However, its clinical application has been limited due to its poor bioavailability. Nanocarrier-based drug delivery approaches could make curcumin dispersible in aqueous media, thus overtaking the limits of its low solubility. The aim of this study was to increase the bioavailability and the antitumoral activity of curcumin, by entrapping it into nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs). For this purpose here we describe the preparation and characterization of three kinds of curcumin-loaded NLCs. The nanosystems allowed the achievement of a controlled release of curcumin, the amounts of curcumin released after 24 h from Compritol-Captex, Compritol-Miglyol, and Compritol NLCs being, respectively, equal to 33, 28, and 18% w/w on the total entrapped curcumin. Considering the slower curcumin release profile, Compritol NLCs were chosen to perform successive in vitro studies on ovarian cancer cell lines. The results show that curcumin-loaded NLCs maintain anticancer activity, and reduce cell colony survival more effectively than free curcumin. As an example, the ability of A2780S cells to form colonies was decreased after treatment with 5 μM free curcumin by 50% ± 6, whereas, at the same concentration, the delivery of curcumin with NLC significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited colony formation to approximately 88% ± 1, therefore potentiating the activity of curcumin to inhibit A2780S cell growth. The obtained results clearly suggest that the entrapment of curcumin into NLCs increases curcumin efficacy in vitro, indicating the potential use of NLCs as curcumin delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Luisa Bondì
- Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN), CNR, U.O.S. Palermo , via Ugo La Malfa, 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- Istituto di Biomedicina ed Immunologia Molecolare (IBIM) "Alberto Monroy", CNR , via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Chiara Botto
- Laboratorio di Polimeri Biocompatibili, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF) , Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppa Augello
- Istituto di Biomedicina ed Immunologia Molecolare (IBIM) "Alberto Monroy", CNR , via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonina Azzolina
- Istituto di Biomedicina ed Immunologia Molecolare (IBIM) "Alberto Monroy", CNR , via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Gaudio
- Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Biotecnologie Mediche (DIBIMED), Scuola di Medicina e Chirurgia , via Del Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Emanuela Fabiola Craparo
- Laboratorio di Polimeri Biocompatibili, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF) , Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Gennara Cavallaro
- Laboratorio di Polimeri Biocompatibili, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF) , Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Dimcho Bachvarov
- Cancer Research Centre, Hôpital L'Hotel-Dieu de Québec, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec , Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University , Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- Istituto di Biomedicina ed Immunologia Molecolare (IBIM) "Alberto Monroy", CNR , via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
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Augello G, Puleio R, Emma MR, Cusimano A, Loria GR, McCubrey JA, Montalto G, Cervello M. A PTEN inhibitor displays preclinical activity against hepatocarcinoma cells. Cell Cycle 2016; 15:573-83. [PMID: 26794644 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2016.1138183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene is considered a tumor suppressor gene. However, PTEN mutations rarely occur in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), whereas heterozygosity of PTEN, resulting in reduced PTEN expression, has been observed in 32-44% of HCC patients. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the small molecule PTEN inhibitor VO-OHpic in HCC cells. VO-OHpic inhibited cell viability, cell proliferation and colony formation, and induced senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity in Hep3B (low PTEN expression) and to a lesser extent in PLC/PRF/5 (high PTEN expression) cells, but not in PTEN-negative SNU475 cells. VO-OHpic synergistically inhibited cell viability when combined with PI3K/mTOR and RAF/MEK/ERK pathway inhibitors, but only in Hep3B cells, and significantly inhibited tumor growth in nude mice bearing xenografts of Hep3B cells. Therefore, we demonstrated for the first time that VO-OHpic inhibited cell growth and induced senescence in HCC cells with low PTEN expression, and that the combination of VO-OHpic with PI3K/mTOR and RAF/MEK/ERK inhibitors resulted in a more effective tumor cell kill. Our findings, hence, provide proof-of-principle evidence that pharmacological inhibition of PTEN may represent a promising approach for HCC therapy in a subclass of patients with a low PTEN expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppa Augello
- a Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy,", National Research Council (CNR) , Palermo , Italy
| | - Roberto Puleio
- b Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A Mirri,", Area Diagnostica Specialistica, Laboratorio di Istopatologia ed Immunoistochimica , Palermo , Italy
| | - Maria Rita Emma
- a Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy,", National Research Council (CNR) , Palermo , Italy
| | - Antonella Cusimano
- a Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy,", National Research Council (CNR) , Palermo , Italy
| | - Guido R Loria
- b Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A Mirri,", Area Diagnostica Specialistica, Laboratorio di Istopatologia ed Immunoistochimica , Palermo , Italy
| | - James A McCubrey
- c Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University , Greenville , NC , USA
| | - Giuseppe Montalto
- a Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy,", National Research Council (CNR) , Palermo , Italy.,d Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo , Palermo , Italy
| | - Melchiorre Cervello
- a Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy,", National Research Council (CNR) , Palermo , Italy
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14
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Emma MR, Iovanna JL, Bachvarov D, Puleio R, Loria GR, Augello G, Candido S, Libra M, Gulino A, Cancila V, McCubrey JA, Montalto G, Cervello M. NUPR1, a new target in liver cancer: implication in controlling cell growth, migration, invasion and sorafenib resistance. Cell Death Dis 2016; 7:e2269. [PMID: 27336713 PMCID: PMC5143401 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2016.175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [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: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Sorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, is the only approved agent for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its benefits are modest, and as its mechanisms of action remain elusive, a better understanding of its anticancer effects is needed. Based on our previous study results, we investigated here the implication of the nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) in HCC and its role in sorafenib treatment. NUPR1 is a stress-inducible protein that is overexpressed in various malignancies, but its role in HCC is not yet fully understood. We found that NUPR1 expression was significantly higher in primary human HCC samples than in the normal liver. Knockdown of NUPR1 significantly increased cell sensitivity to sorafenib and inhibited the cell growth, migration and invasion of HCC cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, NUPR1 silencing influenced the expression of RELB and IER3 genes. Unsurprisingly, RELB and IER3 knockdown also inhibited HCC cell viability, growth and migration. Using gene expression profiling of HCC cells following stable NUPR1 knockdown, we found that genes functionally involved in cell death and survival, cellular response to therapies, lipid metabolism, cell growth and proliferation, molecular transport and cellular movement were mostly suppressed. Network analysis of dynamic gene expression identified NF-κB and ERK as downregulated gene nodes, and several HCC-related oncogenes were also suppressed. We identified Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) gene as a NUPR1-regulated gene and demonstrated that RUNX2 gene silencing inhibits HCC cell viability, growth, migration and increased cell sensitivity to sorafenib. We propose that the NUPR1/RELB/IER3/RUNX2 pathway has a pivotal role in hepatocarcinogenesis. The identification of the NUPR1/RELB/IER3/RUNX2 pathway as a potential therapeutic target may contribute to the development of new treatment strategies for HCC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- M R Emma
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy.,Biomedic Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - J L Iovanna
- INSERM UMR1068, Center of Research in Cancerology of Marseille (CRCM), Marseille, France
| | - D Bachvarov
- Cancer Research Centre, Hôpital L'Hotel-Dieu de Québec, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Quebec City (Quebec), Canada.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City (Quebec), Canada
| | - R Puleio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry Laboratory, Palermo, Italy
| | - G R Loria
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry Laboratory, Palermo, Italy
| | - G Augello
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy.,Biomedic Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - S Candido
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M Libra
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - A Gulino
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - V Cancila
- Tumor Immunology Unit, Department of Health Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - J A McCubrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - G Montalto
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy.,Biomedic Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiBiMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - M Cervello
- Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "Alberto Monroy", National Research Council (CNR), Palermo, Italy
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Costa MA, Zito F, Emma MR, Pellerito L, Fiore T, Pellerito C, Barbieri G. Apoptosis and cell growth arrest in A375 human melanoma cells by diorganotin(IV) and triorganotin(IV) complexes of [meso-Tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine] manganese(III)chloride. Int J Oncol 2010; 38:693-700. [PMID: 21206968 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2010.889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2010] [Accepted: 09/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
In previous studies we have demonstrated that two derivatives of meso-Tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine (TPPS), (Bu2Sn)2TPPS and (Bu3Sn)4TPPS, cause apoptotic death of A375 melanoma cells and, at lower concentrations, arrest of cell proliferation. In the present study, we examined if the manganese metal inside the porphyrin cavity could improve the efficacy of this class of compounds. Thus, [meso-Tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine]Mn(III)Cl (=MnTPPS) derivatives, namely (Me2Sn)2MnTPPS, (Bu2Sn)2MnTPPS, (Me3Sn)4MnTPPS and (Bu3Sn)4MnTPPS, were tested on the A375 human melanoma cell line. A cytotoxicity assay showed that (Bu2Sn)2MnTPPS and (Bu3Sn)4MnTPPS were highly cytotoxic by inducing apoptosis in melanoma cells, as shown by DNA fragmentation analysis and by apoptotic nuclei fluorescence, and when used at lower concentrations, they affected only cellular proliferation. An arrest of cell proliferation was also observed with (Me3Sn)4MnTPPS, but at the highest concentrations used. Moreover, the lower concentration of (Bu3Sn)4MnTPPS induced a change in cell morphology, from a polygonal to an elongated and spindle-shaped phenotype, likewise to its cognate (Bu3Sn)4TPPS, previously tested. Western blotting analysis showed indeed that both tributyltin compounds, i.e. (Bu3Sn)4MnTPPS and (Bu3Sn)4TPPS, lowered levels of the major proteins involved in tumorigenesis: ß-catenin, c-myc and snail. We also demonstrated that all compounds entered the cells and localized in the nuclei. In conclusion, our results show that, in spite of the Mn(III) metal introduction, the butyl derivatives always have a higher efficacy than methyl derivatives, and the tributyltin compounds in particular have an interesting effect in vitro on A375 cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Assunta Costa
- Istituto di Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, Italy.
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