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Sun Q, Xu J, Yuan F, Liu Y, Chen Q, Guo L, Dong H, Liu B. RND1 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and temozolomide resistance of glioblastoma via AKT/GSK3-β pathway. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2321770. [PMID: 38444223 PMCID: PMC10936657 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2321770] [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: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
GBM is one of the most malignant tumor in central nervous system. The resistance to temozolomide (TMZ) is inevitable in GBM and the characterization of TMZ resistance seriously hinders clinical treatment. It is worthwhile exploring the underlying mechanism of aggressive invasion and TMZ resistance in GBM treatment. Bioinformatic analysis was used to analyze the association between RND1 and a series of EMT-related genes. Colony formation assay and cell viability assay were used to assess the growth of U87 and U251 cells. The cell invasion status was evaluated based on transwell and wound-healing assays. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression in GBM cells. Treatment targeted RND1 combined with TMZ therapy was conducted in nude mice to evaluate the potential application of RND1 as a clinical target for GBM. The overexpression of RND1 suppressed the progression and migration of U87 and U251 cells. RND1 knockdown facilitated the growth and invasion of GBM cells. RND1 regulated the EMT of GBM cells via inhibiting the phosphorylation of AKT and GSK3-β. The promoted effects of RND1 on TMZ sensitivity was identified both in vitro and in vivo. This research demonstrated that the overexpression of RND1 suppressed the migration and EMT status by downregulating AKT/GSK3-β pathway in GBM. RND1 enhanced the TMZ sensitivity of GBM cells both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings may contribute to the targeted therapy for GBM and the understanding of mechanisms of TMZ resistance in GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Junjie Xu
- Office of director, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Fan’en Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qianxue Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lirui Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Huimin Dong
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Baohui Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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2
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Ma D, Liu S, Liu K, Kong L, Xiao L, Xin Q, Jiang C, Wu J. MDFI promotes the proliferation and tolerance to chemotherapy of colorectal cancer cells by binding ITGB4/LAMB3 to activate the AKT signaling pathway. Cancer Biol Ther 2024; 25:2314324. [PMID: 38375821 PMCID: PMC10880501 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2024.2314324] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most lethal cancers. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and protein-protein interactions (PPIs) have enabled the systematic study of CRC. In our research, the activation of the AKT pathway in CRC was analyzed by KEGG using single-cell sequencing data from the GSE144735 dataset. The correlation and PPIs of MDFI and ITGB4/LAMB3 were examined. The results were verified in the TCGA and CCLE and further tested by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. The effect of MDFI on the AKT pathway via ITGB4/LAMB3 was validated by knockdown and lentiviral overexpression experiments. The effect of MDFI on oxaliplatin/fluorouracil sensitivity was probed by colony formation assay and CCK8 assay. We discovered that MDFI was positively associated with ITGB4/LAMB3. In addition, MDFI was negatively associated with oxaliplatin/fluorouracil sensitivity. MDFI upregulated the AKT pathway by directly interacting with LAMB3 and ITGB4 in CRC cells, and enhanced the proliferation of CRC cells via the AKT pathway. Finally, MDFI reduced the sensitivity of CRC cells to oxaliplatin and fluorouracil. In conclusion, MDFI promotes the proliferation and tolerance to chemotherapy of colorectal cancer cells, partially through the activation of the AKT signaling pathway by the binding to ITGB4/LAMB3. Our findings provide a possible molecular target for CRC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shuwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lingkai Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lingjun Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qilei Xin
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Shounuo City Light West Block, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Chunping Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Shounuo City Light West Block, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China
| | - Junhua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, National Institute of Healthcare Data Science at Nanjing University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Shounuo City Light West Block, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China
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El-Hashim AZ, Khajah MA, Orabi KY, Balakrishnan S, Sary HG, Barakat AM. Treatment with onion bulb extract both prevents and reverses allergic inflammation in a murine model of asthma. Pharm Biol 2024; 62:326-340. [PMID: 38584568 PMCID: PMC11003327 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2024.2335187] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT Asthma presents a global health challenge. The main pharmacotherapy is synthetic chemicals and biological-based drugs that are costly, and have significant side effects. In contrast, use of natural products, such as onion (Allium cepa L., Amaryllidaceae) in the treatment of airway diseases has increased world-wide because of their perceived efficacy and little safety concerns. However, their pharmacological actions remain largely uncharacterized. OBJECTIVE We investigated whether onion bulb extract (OBE) can (1) reverse established asthma phenotype (therapeutic treatment) and/or (2) prevent the development of the asthma phenotype, if given before the immunization process (preventative treatment). MATERIALS AND METHODS Six groups of male Balb/c mice were established for the therapeutic (21 days) and five groups for the preventative (19 days) treatment protocols; including PBS and house dust mite (HDM)-challenged mice treated with vehicle or OBE (30, 60, and 100 mg/kg/i.p.). Airways inflammation was determined using cytology, histology, immunofluorescence, Western blot, and serum IgE. RESULTS Therapeutic (60 mg/kg/i.p.) and preventative (100 mg/kg/i.p.) OBE treatment resulted in down-regulation of HDM-induced airway cellular influx, histopathological changes and the increase in expression of pro-inflammatory signaling pathway EGFR, ERK1/2, AKT, pro-inflammatory cytokines and serum IgE. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Our data show that OBE is an effective anti-inflammatory agent with both therapeutic and preventative anti-asthma effects. These findings imply that onion/OBE may be used as an adjunct therapeutic agent in established asthma and/or to prevent development of allergic asthma. However, further studies to identify the active constituents, and demonstrate proof-of-concept in humans are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Z. El-Hashim
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Maitham A. Khajah
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Khaled Y. Orabi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Sowmya Balakrishnan
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Hanan G. Sary
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Ahmad M. Barakat
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait
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Roberts BM, Geddis AV, Matheny RW. The dose-response effects of flurbiprofen, indomethacin, ibuprofen, and naproxen on primary skeletal muscle cells. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2024; 21:2302046. [PMID: 38198469 PMCID: PMC10783825 DOI: 10.1080/15502783.2024.2302046] [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: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, naproxen sodium, and indomethacin are commonly employed for their pain-relieving and inflammation-reducing qualities. NSAIDs work by blocking COX-1 and/or COX-2, enzymes which play roles in inflammation, fever, and pain. The main difference among NSAIDs lies in their affinity to these enzymes, which in turn, influences prostaglandin secretion, and skeletal muscle growth and regeneration. The current study investigated the effects of NSAIDs on human skeletal muscle cells, focusing on myoblast proliferation, differentiation, and muscle protein synthesis signaling. METHODS Using human primary muscle cells, we examined the dose-response impact of flurbiprofen (25-200 µM), indomethacin (25-200 µM), ibuprofen (25-200 µM), and naproxen sodium (25-200 µM), on myoblast viability, myotube area, fusion, and prostaglandin production. RESULTS We found that supraphysiological concentrations of indomethacin inhibited myoblast proliferation (-74 ± 2% with 200 µM; -53 ± 3% with 100 µM; both p < 0.05) compared to control cells and impaired protein synthesis signaling pathways in myotubes, but only attenuated myotube fusion at the highest concentrations (-18 ± 2% with 200 µM, p < 0.05) compared to control myotubes. On the other hand, ibuprofen had no such effects. Naproxen sodium only increased cell proliferation at low concentrations (+36 ± 2% with 25 µM, p < 0.05), and flurbiprofen exhibited divergent impacts depending on the concentration whereby low concentrations improved cell proliferation (+17 ± 1% with 25 µM, p < 0.05) but high concentrations inhibited cell proliferation (-32 ± 1% with 200 µM, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that indomethacin, at high concentrations, may detrimentally affect myoblast proliferation and differentiation via an AKT-dependent mechanism, and thus provide new understanding of NSAIDs' effects on skeletal muscle cell development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon M. Roberts
- Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, USA
| | - Alyssa V. Geddis
- Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, USA
| | - Ronald W. Matheny
- Military Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, USA
- Military Operational Medicine Research Program, Detrick, MD, USA
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5
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Li K, Zhang Y, Zhao W, Wang R, Li Y, Wei L, Wang L, Chen X, Chen Z, Liu P, Nie N, Tian X, Fu R. DPP8/9 inhibition attenuates the TGF-β1-induced excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in human mesangial cells via Smad and Akt signaling pathways. Toxicol Lett 2024; 395:1-10. [PMID: 38458339 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2024.03.001] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of glomerular diseases is strongly influenced by abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in mesangial cells. Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) enzyme family contains DPP8 and DPP9, which are involved in multiple diseases. However, the pathogenic roles of DPP8 and DPP9 in mesangial cells ECM deposition remain unclear. In this study, we observed that DPP8 and DPP9 were significantly increased in glomerular mesangial cells and podocytes in CKD patients compared with healthy individuals, and DPP9 levels were higher in the urine of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients than in control urine. Therefore, we further explored the mechanism of DPP8 and DPP9 in mesangial cells and revealed a significant increase in the expression of DPP8 and DPP9 in human mesangial cells (HMCs) following TGF-β1 stimulation. Silencing DPP8 and DPP9 by siRNAs alleviated the expression of ECM-related proteins including collagen Ⅲ, collagen Ⅳ, fibronectin, MMP2, in TGF-β1-treated HMCs. Furthermore, DPP8 siRNA and DPP9 siRNA inhibited TGF-β1-induced phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3, as well as the phosphorylation of Akt in HMCs. The findings suggested the inhibition of DPP8/9 may alleviate HMCs ECM deposition induced by TGF-β1 via suppressing TGF-β1/Smad and AKT signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Li
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Yuzhan Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China
| | - Weihao Zhao
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Rongrong Wang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Linting Wei
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Xianghui Chen
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Zhao Chen
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Pengfei Liu
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biodiagnosis and Biotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Na Nie
- Department of Nephrology, Hanzhong Central Hospital, Hanzhong, Shaanxi 723000, China
| | - Xuefei Tian
- Section of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medcine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Rongguo Fu
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China.
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Escudero DS, Fantinelli JC, Martínez VR, González Arbeláez LF, Amarillo ME, Pérez NG, Díaz RG. Hydrocortisone cardioprotection in ischaemia/reperfusion injury involves antioxidant mechanisms. Eur J Clin Invest 2024; 54:e14172. [PMID: 38293760 DOI: 10.1111/eci.14172] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptors are highly expressed in cardiac tissue, and both can be activated by corticosteroids. MR activation, in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), worsens cardiac function, and increase NHE activity contributing to the deleterious process. In contrast, effects of GR activation are not fully understood, probably because of the controversial scenario generated by using different doses or potencies of corticosteroids. AIMS We tested the hypothesis that an acute dose of hydrocortisone (HC), a low-potency glucocorticoid, in a murine model of AMI could be cardioprotective by regulating NHE1 activity, leading to a decrease in oxidative stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS Isolated hearts from Wistar rats were subjected to regional ischemic protocol. HC (10 nmol/L) was added to the perfusate during early reperfusion. Infarct size and oxidative stress were determined. Isolated papillary muscles from non-infarcted hearts were used to evaluate HC effect on sodium-proton exchanger 1 (NHE1) by analysing intracellular pH recovery from acute transient acidosis. RESULTS HC treatment decreased infarct size, improved cardiac mechanics, reduced oxidative stress after AMI, while restoring the decreased level of the pro-fusion mitochondrial protein MFN-2. Co-treatment with the GR-blocker Mifepristone avoided these effects. HC reduced NHE1 activity by increasing the NHE1 pro-inhibiting Ser648 phosphorylation site and its upstream kinase AKT. HC restored the decreased AKT phosphorylation and anti-apoptotic BCL-2 protein expression detected after AMI. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide the first evidence that acute HC treatment during early reperfusion induces cardioprotection against AMI, associated with a non-genomic HC-triggered NHE1 inhibition by AKT and antioxidant action that might involves mitochondrial dynamics improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiana S Escudero
- Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares 'Dr. Horacio E. Cingolani', Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Established Investigator of Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas (CIC), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juliana C Fantinelli
- Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares 'Dr. Horacio E. Cingolani', Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Established Investigators of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Valeria R Martínez
- Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares 'Dr. Horacio E. Cingolani', Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Established Investigators of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luisa F González Arbeláez
- Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares 'Dr. Horacio E. Cingolani', Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Established Investigators of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María E Amarillo
- Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares 'Dr. Horacio E. Cingolani', Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Fellow of Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (Agencia I+D+i), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Néstor G Pérez
- Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares 'Dr. Horacio E. Cingolani', Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Established Investigators of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Romina G Díaz
- Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares 'Dr. Horacio E. Cingolani', Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
- Established Investigators of Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Du X, Cheng C, Yang Y, Fan B, Wang P, Xia H, Ni X, Liu Q, Lu L, Wei L. NSUN2 promotes lung adenocarcinoma progression through stabilizing PIK3R2 mRNA in an m 5C-dependent manner. Mol Carcinog 2024; 63:962-976. [PMID: 38411298 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23701] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
It is well known that 5-methylcytosine (m5C) is involved in variety of crucial biological processes in cancers. However, its biological roles in lung adenocarcinoma (LAUD) remain to be determined. The LUAD samples were used to assess the clinical value of NOP2/Sun RNA Methyltransferase 2 (NSUN2). Dot blot was used to determine global m5C levels. ChIP and dual-luciferase assays were performed to investigate the MYC-associated zinc finger protein (MAZ)-binding sites in NSUN2 promoter. RNA-seq was used to explore the downstream molecular mechanisms of NSUN2. Dual luciferase reporter assay, m5C-RIP-qPCR, and mRNA stability assay were conducted to explore the effect of NSUN2-depletion on target genes. Cell viability, transwell, and xenograft mouse model were designed to demonstrate the characteristic of NSUN2 in promoting LUAD progression. The m5C methyltransferase NSUN2 was highly expressed and caused elevated m5C methylation in LUAD samples. Mechanistically, MAZ positively regulated the transcription of NSUN2 and was related to poor survival of LUAD patients. Silencing NSUN2 decreased the global m5C levels, suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion, and inhibited activation of PI3K-AKT signaling in A549 and SPAC-1 cells. Phosphoinositide-3-Kinase Regulatory Subunit 2 (PIK3R2) was upregulated by NSUN2-mediated m5C methylation by enhancing its mRNA stabilization and activated the phosphorylation of the PI3K-AKT signaling. The present study explored the underlying mechanism and biological function of NSUN2-meditated m5C RNA methylation in LUAD. NSUN2 was discovered to facilitate the malignancy progression of LUAD through regulating m5C modifications to stabilize PIK3R2 activating the PI3K-AKT signaling, suggesting that NSUN2 could be a novel biomarker and promising therapeutic target for LUAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Du
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, School of Public Health, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, School of Public Health, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Suzhou Institute of Public Health, Gusu School, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, School of Public Health, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Suzhou Institute of Public Health, Gusu School, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bowen Fan
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, School of Public Health, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Suzhou Institute of Public Health, Gusu School, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Peiwen Wang
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, School of Public Health, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Suzhou Institute of Public Health, Gusu School, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haibo Xia
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, School of Public Health, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Suzhou Institute of Public Health, Gusu School, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinye Ni
- Second People's Hospital of Changzhou, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qizhan Liu
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, School of Public Health, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Suzhou Institute of Public Health, Gusu School, Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Animal Core facility, The Key Laboratory of Model Animal, Jiangsu Animal Experimental Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Research, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lei Wei
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Chen S, Wang H, Guo M, Zhao X, Yang J, Chen L, Zhao J, Chen C, Zhou Y, Xu L. Promoter A1312C mutation leads to microRNA-7 downregulation in human non-small cell lung cancer. Cell Signal 2024; 117:111095. [PMID: 38346527 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2024.111095] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
MicroRNA-7 (miRNA-7, miR-7) is a unique class of tumor suppressors, plays an important role in various physiological and pathological processes including human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In previous works, we revealed that miR-7 could regulate the growth and metastasis of human NSCLC cells. However, the mechanism of dysregulated miR-7 expression in NSCLC remains to be further elucidated. In this study, based on clinical sample analysis, we found that the downregulated expression of miR-7 was dominantly attributed to the decreased level of pri-miR-7-2 in human NSCLC. Furthermore, there were four site mutations in the miR-7-2 promoter sequence. Notably, among these four sites, mutation at -1312 locus (A → C, termed as A1312C mutation) was dominate, and A1312C mutation further led to decreased expression of miR-7 in human NSCLC cells, accompanied with elevated transduction of NDUFA4/ERK/AKT signaling pathway. Mechanistically, homeobox A5 (HOXA5) is the key transcription factors regulating miR-7 expression in NSCLC. A1312C mutation impairs HOXA5 binding, thereby reducing the transcriptional activity of miR-7-2 promoter, resulting in downregulation of miR-7 expression. Together, these data may provide new insights into the dysregulation of specific miRNA expression in NSCLC and ultimately prove to be helpful in the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies against NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shipeng Chen
- Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection and Therapy of Guizhou Province, Zunyi 563000, China; Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Hui Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Mengmeng Guo
- Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection and Therapy of Guizhou Province, Zunyi 563000, China; Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Xu Zhao
- Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection and Therapy of Guizhou Province, Zunyi 563000, China; Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection and Therapy of Guizhou Province, Zunyi 563000, China; Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Longqing Chen
- Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection and Therapy of Guizhou Province, Zunyi 563000, China; Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Juanjuan Zhao
- Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection and Therapy of Guizhou Province, Zunyi 563000, China; Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection and Therapy of Guizhou Province, Zunyi 563000, China; Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China.
| | - Ya Zhou
- Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection and Therapy of Guizhou Province, Zunyi 563000, China; Department of Medical Physics, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China.
| | - Lin Xu
- Special Key Laboratory of Gene Detection and Therapy of Guizhou Province, Zunyi 563000, China; Department of Immunology, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, Guizhou, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563000, China.
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9
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Shokeir AA, Awadalla A, Hamam ET, Hussein AM, Mahdi MR, Abosteta AN, Shahin M, Barakat N, El-Adl M, El-Sherbiny M, Eldesoqui M, AlMadani M, Ali SK, El-Sherbini ES, Khirallah SM. Human Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stromal stem cells preconditioned with valproic acid promote cell migration and reduce renal inflammation in ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating the AKT/P13K and SDF1/CXCR4 pathways. Arch Biochem Biophys 2024; 755:109985. [PMID: 38579957 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2024.109985] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether WJ-MSCs pretreated with VPA would enhance their migration to improve functional recovery of renal IRI in rats. METHODS 150 Sprague-Dawley rats were distributed into 5 groups; Sham, IRI, WJ-MSC, VPA, and WJ-MSCs + VPA. 10 rats were sacrificed after 3, 5, and 7 days. Role of WJ-MSCs pretreated with VPA was evaluated by assessment of renal function, antioxidant enzymes together with renal histopathological and immunohistopathological analyses and finally by molecular studies. RESULTS WJ-MSCs and VPA significantly improved renal function and increased antioxidants compared to IRI group. Regarding gene expression, WJ-MSCs and VPA decreased BAX and TGF-β1, up-regulated Akt, PI3K, BCL2, SDF1α, and CXCR4 related to IRI. Additionally, WJ-MSCs pretreated with VPA improved the measured parameters more than either treatment alone. CONCLUSION WJ-MSCs isolated from the umbilical cord and pretreated with VPA defended the kidney against IRI by more easily homing to the site of injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A Shokeir
- Center of Excellence for Genome and Cancer Research, Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Amira Awadalla
- Center of Excellence for Genome and Cancer Research, Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Eman T Hamam
- Center of Excellence for Genome and Cancer Research, Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt; Nanomedicine Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Delta University for Science and Technology, Gamasa, Egypt
| | - Abdelaziz M Hussein
- Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Mohamed R Mahdi
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Galala University, Suez, Egypt
| | - Alyaa Naeem Abosteta
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Mirna Shahin
- Mansoura Manchester Medical Program for Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Nashwa Barakat
- Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Mohamed El-Adl
- Departement of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Mohamed El-Sherbiny
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, Diriyah, 13713, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mamdouh Eldesoqui
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, Diriyah, 13713, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moneer AlMadani
- Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, Diriyah, 13713, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sahar K Ali
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - El-Said El-Sherbini
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Salma M Khirallah
- Chemistry Department (Biochemistry Division), Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said, 42526, Egypt.
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10
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Wang Y, Xu K, Gao X, Wei Z, Han Q, Wang S, Du W, Chen M. Polystyrene nanoplastics with different functional groups and charges have different impacts on type 2 diabetes. Part Fibre Toxicol 2024; 21:21. [PMID: 38658944 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-024-00582-w] [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: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing attention is being paid to the environmental and health impacts of nanoplastics (NPs) pollution. Exposure to nanoplastics (NPs) with different charges and functional groups may have different adverse effects after ingestion by organisms, yet the potential ramifications on mammalian blood glucose levels, and the risk of diabetes remain unexplored. RESULTS Mice were exposed to PS-NPs/COOH/NH2 at a dose of 5 mg/kg/day for nine weeks, either alone or in a T2DM model. The findings demonstrated that exposure to PS-NPs modified by different functional groups caused a notable rise in fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance in a mouse model of T2DM. Exposure to PS-NPs-NH2 alone can also lead the above effects to a certain degree. PS-NPs exposure could induce glycogen accumulation and hepatocellular edema, as well as injury to the pancreas. Comparing the effect of different functional groups or charges on T2DM, the PS-NPs-NH2 group exhibited the most significant FBG elevation, glycogen accumulation, and insulin resistance. The phosphorylation of AKT and FoxO1 was found to be inhibited by PS-NPs exposure. Treatment with SC79, the selective AKT activator was shown to effectively rescue this process and attenuate T2DM like lesions. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to PS-NPs with different functional groups (charges) induced T2DM-like lesions. Amino-modified PS-NPs cause more serious T2DM-like lesions than pristine PS-NPs or carboxyl functionalized PS-NPs. The underlying mechanisms involved the inhibition of P-AKT/P-FoxO1. This study highlights the potential risk of NPs pollution on T2DM, and provides a new perspective for evaluating the impact of plastics aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyi Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 430079, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 430079, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiao Gao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 430079, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhaolan Wei
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 430079, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qi Han
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 430079, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shuxin Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 430079, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wanting Du
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 430079, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Mingqing Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 430079, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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11
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Wang J, Xu Z, Lai Y, Zhang Y, Zhang P, Mu Q, Yang S, Sheng L, Ouyang G. Anlotinib Inhibiting Mantle Cell Lymphoma Proliferation and Inducing Apoptosis through PI3K/ AKT/mTOR Pathway. Curr Mol Med 2024; 24:CMM-EPUB-139937. [PMID: 38659267 DOI: 10.2174/0115665240284638240408081133] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigates the inhibitory mechanism of anlotinib on human Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) cells through in vitro and in vivo experiments. METHODS In vitro cellular experiments validate the effects of anlotinib on MCL cell proliferation and apoptosis. Moreover, a subcutaneous xenograft nude mice model of Mino MCL cells was established to assess the anti-tumour effect and tumour microenvironment regulation of anlotinib in vivo. RESULTS The results indicate that MCL cell proliferation was significantly inhibited upon anlotinib exposure. The alterations in the expression of apoptosis-related proteins further confirm that anlotinib can induce apoptosis in MCL cells. Additionally, anlotinib significantly reduced the PI3K/Akt/mTOR phosphorylation level in MCL cells. The administration of a PI3K phosphorylation agonist, 740YP, could reverse the inhibitory effect of anlotinib on MCL. In the xenograft mouse model using Mino MCL cells, anlotinib treatment led to a gradual reduction in body weight and a significant increase in survival time compared to the control group. Additionally, anlotinib attenuated PD-1 expression and elevated inflammatory factors, CD4, and CD8 levels in tumour tissues. CONCLUSION Anlotinib effectively inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in MCL both in vitro and in vivo. This inhibition is likely linked to suppressing phosphorylation in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaping Wang
- Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies, Department of hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315000, China
| | - Zhijuan Xu
- Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies, Department of hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315000, China
| | - Yanli Lai
- Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies, Department of hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315000, China
| | - Yanli Zhang
- Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies, Department of hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315000, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies, Department of hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315000, China
| | - Qitian Mu
- Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies, Department of hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315000, China
| | - Shujun Yang
- Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies, Department of hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315000, China
| | - Lixia Sheng
- Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies, Department of hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315000, China
| | - Guifang Ouyang
- Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies, Department of hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315000, China
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12
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Becattini B, Molinaro A, Henricsson M, Borén J, Solinas G. Adipocyte PI3K links adipostasis with baseline insulin secretion at fasting through an adipoincretin effect. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114132. [PMID: 38656871 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114132] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Insulin-PI3K signaling controls insulin secretion. Understanding this feedback mechanism is crucial for comprehending how insulin functions. However, the role of adipocyte insulin-PI3K signaling in controlling insulin secretion in vivo remains unclear. Using adipocyte-specific PI3Kα knockout mice (PI3KαAdQ) and a panel of isoform-selective PI3K inhibitors, we show that PI3Kα and PI3Kβ activities are functionally redundant in adipocyte insulin signaling. PI3Kβ-selective inhibitors have no effect on adipocyte AKT phosphorylation in control mice but blunt it in adipocytes of PI3KαAdQ mice, demonstrating adipocyte-selective pharmacological PI3K inhibition in the latter. Acute adipocyte-selective PI3K inhibition increases serum free fatty acid (FFA) and potently induces insulin secretion. We name this phenomenon the adipoincretin effect. The adipoincretin effect operates in fasted mice with increasing FFA and decreasing glycemia, indicating that it is not primarily a control system for blood glucose. This feedback control system defines the rates of adipose tissue lipolysis and chiefly controls basal insulin secretion during fasting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Becattini
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Angela Molinaro
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marcus Henricsson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jan Borén
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Giovanni Solinas
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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13
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Wißfeld J, Hering M, Ten Bosch N, Cui G. The immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A has an immunostimulatory function in CD8 + T cells. Eur J Immunol 2024:e2350825. [PMID: 38650034 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202350825] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Cyclosporin A is a well-established immunosuppressive drug used to treat or prevent graft-versus-host disease, the rejection of organ transplants, autoimmune disorders, and leukemia. It exerts its immunosuppressive effects by inhibiting calcineurin-mediated dephosphorylation of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), thus preventing its nuclear entry and suppressing T cell activation. Here we report an unexpected immunostimulatory effect of cyclosporin A in activating the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), a crucial metabolic hub required for T cell activation. Through screening a panel of tool compounds known to regulate mTORC1 activation, we found that cyclosporin A activated mTORC1 in CD8+ T cells in a 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1) and protein kinase B (PKB/AKT)-dependent manner. Mechanistically, cyclosporin A inhibited the calcineurin-mediated AKT dephosphorylation, thereby stabilizing mTORC1 signaling. Cyclosporin A synergized with mTORC1 pathway inhibitors, leading to potent suppression of proliferation and cytokine production in CD8+ T cells and an increase in the killing of acute T cell leukemia cells. Consequently, relying solely on CsA is insufficient to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes. It is necessary to simultaneously target both the calcineurin-NFAT pathway and the mTORC1 pathway to maximize therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannis Wißfeld
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON) Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marvin Hering
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON) Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim (UMM), Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nora Ten Bosch
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON) Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Guoliang Cui
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON) Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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14
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Li J, Tuo D, Guo G, Gao Y, Gan J. The clinical significance and oncogenic function of LRRFIP1 in pancreatic cancer. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:123. [PMID: 38634978 PMCID: PMC11026317 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-00977-3] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Pancreatic cancer is a lethal malignancy with a grim prognosis. Previous studies have proven that Leucine Rich Repeat of Flightless-1 Interacting Protein 1 (LRRFIP1) plays a pivotal role in cell biological processes, while its clinical significance and function in pancreatic cancer remain to be elucidated. Hence, we aimed to explore the roles and mechanisms of LRRFIP1 in pancreatic cancer. METHODS The expression of LRRFIP1 in pancreatic cancer tissues and its clinical significance for pancreatic cancer were analyzed by immunohistochemistry assay and bioinformatic analysis. The influences of LRRFIP1 on the proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer cells were assessed in vitro. The underlying mechanisms of LRRFIP1 in pancreatic cancer progression were explored using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and molecular experiments. RESULTS The results showed that LRRFIP1 expression was significantly upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues compared to the normal tissues, and such upregulation was associated with poor prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. GSEA revealed that LRRFIP1 upregulation was significantly associated with various cancer-associated signaling pathways, including PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and Wnt pathway. Furthermore, LRRFIP1 was found to be associated with the infiltration of various immune cells. Functionally, LRRFIP1 silencing suppressed cell proliferation somewhat and inhibited migration substantially. Further molecular experiments indicated that LRRFIP1 silencing inactivated the AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling axis. CONCLUSION Taken together, LRRFIP1 is associated with tumorigenesis, immune cell infiltration, and prognosis in pancreatic cancer, which suggests that LRRFIP1 may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinping Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dayun Tuo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
- Department of Pathology, Liuzhou People's Hospital, Liuzhou, 545006, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Gunan Guo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
- School of Stomatology, Zhaoqing Medical College, Zhaoqing, 526020, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Gao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinfeng Gan
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Microenvironmental Regulation, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541199, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Cui L, Liu T, Huang C, Yang F, Luo L, Sun L, Zhao Y, Wang D, Wang M, Ji Y, Zhu W. Gastric Cancer Mesenchymal Stem Cells Trigger Endothelial Cell Functional Changes to Promote Cancer Progression. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2024:10.1007/s12015-024-10720-8. [PMID: 38598065 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-024-10720-8] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Our previous studies have highlighted the pivotal role of gastric cancer mesenchymal stem cells (GCMSCs) in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. In parallel, it is well-documented that endothelial cells (ECs) undergo functional alterations in response to challenging tumor microenvironment. This study aims to elucidate whether functional changes in ECs might be induced by GCMSCs and thus influence cancer progression. Cell proliferation was assessed through CCK-8 and colony formation assays, while cell migration and invasion capabilities were evaluated by wound-healing and Transwell assays. Immunohistochemistry was employed to examine protein distribution and expression levels. Additionally, quantitative analysis of protein and mRNA expression was carried out through Western blotting and qRT-PCR respectively, with gene knockdown achieved using siRNA. Our findings revealed that GCMSCs effectively stimulate cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), both in vitro and in vivo. GCMSCs promote the migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells by inducing the expression of Slit2 in HUVECs. Notably, the inhibition of phosphorylated AKT partially mitigates the aforementioned effects. In conclusion, GCMSCs may exert regulatory control over Slit2 expression in ECs via the AKT signaling pathway, thereby inducing functional changes in ECs that promote tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linjing Cui
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Ting Liu
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Chao Huang
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Fumeng Yang
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Liqi Luo
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Kunshan Hospital of Jiangsu University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhao
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Deqiang Wang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Mei Wang
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China
| | - Yong Ji
- Department of Surgery, Jingjiang People's Hospital, Jingjiang, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, 212013, China.
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Sabbah DA, Hajjo R, Bardaweel SK, Zhong HA. Targeting the PI3K/ AKT signaling pathway in anticancer research: a recent update on inhibitor design and clinical trials (2020-2023). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2024:1-18. [PMID: 38557273 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2024.2338100] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent years have witnessed great achievements in drug design and development targeting the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase-B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway, a pathway central to cell growth and proliferation. The nearest neighbor protein-protein interaction networks for PI3K and AKT show the interplays between these target proteins which can be harnessed for drug discovery. In this review, we discuss the drug design and clinical development of inhibitors of PI3K/AKT in the past three years. We review in detail the structures, selectivity, efficacy, and combination therapy of 35 inhibitors targeting these proteins, classified based on the target proteins. Approaches to overcoming drug resistance and to minimizing toxicities are discussed. Future research directions for developing combinational therapy and PROTACs of PI3K and AKT inhibitors are also discussed. AREA COVERED This review covers clinical trial reports and patent literature on inhibitors of PI3K and AKT published between 2020 and 2023. EXPERT OPINION To address drug resistance and drug toxicity of inhibitors of PI3K and AKT, it is highly desirable to design and develop subtype-selective PI3K inhibitors or subtype-selective AKT1 inhibitors to minimize toxicity or to develop allosteric drugs that can form covalent bonds. The development of PROTACs of PI3Kα or AKT helps to reduce off-target toxicities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dima A Sabbah
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Rima Hajjo
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- National Center for Epidemics and Communicable Disease Control (JCDC), Amman, Jordan
| | - Sanaa K Bardaweel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Haizhen A Zhong
- DSC 309, Department of Chemistry, The University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA
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Ohnishi Y, Masui A, Suezawa T, Mikawa R, Hirai T, Hagiwara M, Gotoh S. Screening of factors inducing alveolar type 1 epithelial cells using human pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Reports 2024; 19:529-544. [PMID: 38552636 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.02.009] [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: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Alveolar type 2 (AT2) epithelial cells are tissue stem cells capable of differentiating into alveolar type 1 (AT1) cells for injury repair and maintenance of lung homeostasis. However, the factors involved in human AT2-to-AT1 cell differentiation are not fully understood. Here, we established SFTPCGFP and AGERmCherry-HiBiT dual-reporter induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which detected AT2-to-AT1 cell differentiation with high sensitivity and identified factors inducing AT1 cell differentiation from AT2 and their progenitor cells. We also established an "on-gel" alveolar epithelial spheroid culture suitable for medium-throughput screening. Among the 274 chemical compounds, several single compounds, including LATS-IN-1, converted AT1 cells from AT2 and their progenitor cells. Moreover, YAP/TAZ signaling activation and AKT signaling suppression synergistically recapitulated the induction of transcriptomic, morphological, and functionally mature AT1 cells. Our findings provide novel insights into human lung development and lung regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Ohnishi
- Department of Drug Discovery for Lung Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Atsushi Masui
- Department of Drug Discovery for Lung Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takahiro Suezawa
- Department of Drug Discovery for Lung Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Ryuta Mikawa
- Department of Drug Discovery for Lung Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Toyohiro Hirai
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Hagiwara
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shimpei Gotoh
- Department of Drug Discovery for Lung Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
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18
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Abdulmalek SA, Saleh AM, Shahin YR, El Azab EF. Functionalized siRNA-chitosan nanoformulations promote triple-negative breast cancer cell death via blocking the miRNA-21/ AKT/ERK signaling axis: in-silico and in vitro studies. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2024:10.1007/s00210-024-03068-w. [PMID: 38592437 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03068-w] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Oncogenic microRNA (miRNA), especially miRNA-21 upregulation in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), suggests a new class of therapeutic targets. In this study, we aimed to create GE11 peptide-conjugated small interfering RNA-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (GE11-siRNA-CSNPs) for the targeting of EGFR overexpressed TNBC and selectively inhibit miRNA-21 expression. A variety of in-silico and in vitro cellular and molecular studies were conducted to investigate the binding affinities of specific targets used as well as the anticancer efficacies and mechanisms of GE11-siRNA-CSNPs in TNBC cells. An in-silico assessment reveals a distinct binding affinity of miRNA-21 with siRNA as well as between the extracellular domain of EGFR and synthesized peptides. Notably, the in vitro results showed that GE11-siRNA-CSNPs were revealed to have better cytotoxicity against TNBC cells. It significantly inhibits miRNA-21 expression, cell migration, and colony formation. The results also indicated that GE11-siRNA-CSNPs impeded cell cycle progression. It induces cell death by reducing the expression of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2 and increasing the expression of the proapoptotic genes Bax, Caspase 3, and Caspase 9. Additionally, the docking analysis and immunoblot investigations verified that GE1-siRNA-CSNPs, which specifically target TNBC cells and suppress miRNA-21, can prevent the effects of miRNA-21 on the proliferation of TNBC cells via controlling EGFR and subsequently inhibiting the PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 signaling axis. The GE11-siRNA-CSNPs design, which specifically targets TNBC cells, offers a novel approach for the treatment of breast cancer with improved effectiveness. This study suggests that GE11-siRNA-CSNPs could be a promising candidate for further assessment as an additional strategy in the treatment of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaymaa A Abdulmalek
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt.
| | - Abdulrahman M Saleh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr El‑Aini Street, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
- Aweash El-Hagar Family Medicine Center, Epidemiological Surveillance Unit, MOHP, Mansoura, 35711, Egypt
| | - Yasmin R Shahin
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt
| | - Eman Fawzy El Azab
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21511, Egypt
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences at Al-Qurayyat, Jouf University, Al-Qurayyat, 77454, Saudi Arabia
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19
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Zheng H, Wang H, Xu Y, Xu X, Zhu Z, Fang J, Song Z, Liu J. MST2 Acts via AKT Activity to Promote Neurite Outgrowth and Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury in Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04158-9. [PMID: 38581538 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04158-9] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) constitutes a significant clinical challenge, and there is extensive research focused on identifying molecular activities that can facilitate the repair of spinal cord injuries. Mammalian sterile 20-like kinase 2 (MST2), a core component of the Hippo signaling pathway, plays a key role in apoptosis and cell growth. However, its role in neurite outgrowth after spinal cord injury remains unknown. Through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo experiments, we demonstrated that MST2, predominantly expressed in neurons, actively participated in the natural development of the CNS. Post-SCI, MST2 expression significantly increased, indicating its activation and potential role in the early stages of neural recovery. Detailed analyses showed that MST2 knockdown impaired neurite outgrowth and motor function recovery, whereas MST2 overexpression led to the opposite effects, underscoring MST2's neuroprotective role in enhancing neural repair. Further, we elucidated the mechanism underlying MST2's action, revealing its interaction with AKT and positive regulation of AKT activity, a well-established promoter of neurite outgrowth. Notably, MST2's promotion of neurite outgrowth and motor functional recovery was diminished by AKT inhibitors, highlighting the dependency of MST2's neuroprotective effects on AKT signaling. In conclusion, our findings affirmed MST2's pivotal role in fostering neuronal neurite outgrowth and facilitating functional recovery after SCI, mediated through its positive modulation of AKT activity. In conclusion, our findings confirmed MST2's crucial role in neural protection, promoting neurite outgrowth and functional recovery after SCI through positive AKT activity modulation. These results position MST2 as a potential therapeutic target for SCI, offering new insights into strategies for enhancing neuroregeneration and functional restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongming Zheng
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
- Department of Orthopedics, The People's Hospital of Danyang, Danyang, 212300, China
| | - Honghai Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The NO. 2 People's Hospital of Fuyang, Fuyang, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Xu Xu
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Zhenghuan Zhu
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Fang
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China
| | - Zhiwen Song
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China.
| | - Jinbo Liu
- Department of Spinal Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China.
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20
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Law YY, Lee HL, Lin CL, Chen PN, Wang PH, Hsieh YH, Chen CM. Asiatic acid inhibits osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion via the AKT/Sp1/MMP1 axis. Environ Toxicol 2024. [PMID: 38567545 DOI: 10.1002/tox.24246] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor affecting adolescents and children. No effective treatment is currently available. Asiatic acid (AA), a triterpenoid compound found in Centella asiatica, possesses anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties in various types of tumor cells. This study aims to determine whether AA exerts antitumor effects in human osteosarcoma cells. Our results indicate that AA does not influence the viability, proliferative rate, or cell cycle phase of human osteosarcoma cells under non-toxic conditions. AA suppressed osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion by down-regulating matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) expression. Data in the TNMplot database suggested MMP1 expression was higher in osteosarcoma than in normal tissues, with associated clinical significance observed in osteosarcoma patients. Overexpression of MMP1 in osteosarcoma cells reversed the AA-induced suppression of cell migration and invasion. AA treatment decreased the expression of specificity protein 1 (Sp1), while Sp1 overexpression abolished the effect of AA on MMP1 expression and cell migration and invasion. AA inhibited AKT phosphorylation, and treatment with a PI3K inhibitor (wortmannin) increased the anti-invasive effect of AA on osteosarcoma cells via the p-AKT/Sp1/MMP1 axis. Thus, AA exhibits the potential for use as an anticancer drug against human osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yat-Yin Law
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Orthopedics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Lin Lee
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chu-Liang Lin
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ni Chen
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Han Wang
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsien Hsieh
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Min Chen
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
- Department of Leisure Industry Management, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan
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21
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Yifan M, Rui X, Yuan L, Feiyun J. Allicin inhibits the biological activities of cervical cancer cells by suppressing circEIF4G2. Food Sci Nutr 2024; 12:2523-2536. [PMID: 38628206 PMCID: PMC11016449 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3935] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Allicin is a safe herbal extract believed to have antitumor effects, which, however, remain unclear. The aim of the present work was to discuss Allicin antitumor effects on cervical cancer using cell experiments. Using Hela and Siha to our research objectives in our study, first step, difference concentration of Allicin (20, 40, and 80 μM) treated Hela and Siha cell lines, and next step, discuss circEIF4G2 effects in Allicin antitumor effects in Hela and Siha cell lines; the cell proliferation and EdU-positive cell number by CCK-8 and EdU staining; cell apoptosis rate by flow cytometry; invasion cell number by transwell assay; wound healing rate by wound healing assay; and relative mRNA and protein levels using qRT-PCR and WB assay. With Allicin supplement, the cell proliferation and EdU-positive cell number were significantly depressed with cell apoptosis rate significantly increasing; invasion cell number and wound healing rate significantly suppressed with circEIF4G2 mRNA expression significantly down-regulation (p < .05, respectively). However, there was no significant difference among Allicin, si-circEIF4G2, and Allicin+si-circEIF4G2 in cell biological activities including cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration, and relative gene and protein expression. Allicin depresses biological activities of cervical cancer cells through down-regulating circEIF4G2/HOXA1/AKT/mTOR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Yifan
- Gynecology of the Second People's Hospital of Wuhu CityWuhuChina
| | - Xu Rui
- Gynecology of the Second People's Hospital of Wuhu CityWuhuChina
| | - Li Yuan
- Department of GeriatricsThe First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical CollegeWuhuChina
| | - Jiang Feiyun
- Gynecology of the Second People's Hospital of Wuhu CityWuhuChina
- Department of GynecologyWuhu City Second People's HospitalWuhuChina
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22
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Shen X, Xia Y, Lu H, Zheng P, Wang J, Chen Y, Xu C, Qiu C, Zhang Y, Xiao Z, Zou P, Cui R, Ni D. Synergistic targeting of TrxR1 and ATM/ AKT pathway in human colon cancer cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116507. [PMID: 38565059 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116507] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1) has emerged as a promising target for cancer therapy. In our previous research, we discovered several new TrxR1 inhibitors and found that they all have excellent anti-tumor activity. At the same time, we found these TrxR1 inhibitors all lead to an increase in AKT phosphorylation in cancer cells, but the detailed role of AKT phosphorylation in TrxR1 inhibitor-mediated cell death remains unclear. In this study, we identified the combination of AKT and TrxR1 inhibitor displayed a strong synergistic effect in colon cancer cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the synergistic effect of auranofin (TrxR1 inhibitor) and MK-2206 (AKT inhibitor) was caused by ROS accumulation. Importantly, we found that ATM inhibitor KU-55933 can block the increase of AKT phosphorylation caused by auranofin, and exhibited a synergistic effect with auranofin. Taken together, our study demonstrated that the activation of ATM/AKT pathway is a compensatory mechanism to cope with ROS accumulation induced by TrxR1 inhibitor, and synergistic targeting of TrxR1 and ATM/AKT pathway is a promising strategy for treating colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Shen
- Affiliated Yueqing Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Yiqun Xia
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Hui Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Peisen Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Junqi Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Yinghua Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Chenxin Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Chenyu Qiu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Yafei Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Zhongxiang Xiao
- Affiliated Yueqing Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Peng Zou
- Affiliated Yueqing Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Ri Cui
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
| | - Daoyong Ni
- Affiliated Yueqing Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
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23
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Shen M, Cao S, Long X, Xiao L, Yang L, Zhang P, Li L, Chen F, Lei T, Gao H, Ye F, Bu H. DNAJC12 causes breast cancer chemotherapy resistance by repressing doxorubicin-induced ferroptosis and apoptosis via activation of AKT. Redox Biol 2024; 70:103035. [PMID: 38306757 PMCID: PMC10847378 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103035] [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: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemotherapy is a primary treatment for breast cancer (BC), yet many patients develop resistance over time. This study aims to identify critical factors contributing to chemoresistance and their underlying molecular mechanisms, with a focus on reversing this resistance. METHODS We utilized samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and West China Hospital to identify and validate genes associated with chemoresistance. Functional studies were conducted using MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines, involving gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) identified potential mechanisms. We examined interactions between DNAJC12, HSP70, and AKT using co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays and established cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) models for in vivo validations. RESULTS Boruta analysis of four GEO datasets identified DNAJC12 as highly significant. Patients with high DNAJC12 expression showed an 8 % pathological complete response (pCR) rate, compared to 38 % in the low expression group. DNAJC12 inhibited doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cell death through both ferroptosis and apoptosis. Combining apoptosis and ferroptosis inhibitors completely reversed DOX resistance caused by DNAJC12 overexpression. RNA-seq suggested that DNAJC12 overexpression activated the PI3K-AKT pathway. Inhibition of AKT reversed the DOX resistance induced by DNAJC12, including reduced apoptosis and ferroptosis, restoration of cleaved caspase 3, and decreased GPX4 and SLC7A11 levels. Additionally, DNAJC12 was found to increase AKT phosphorylation in an HSP70-dependent manner, and inhibiting HSP70 also reversed the DOX resistance. In vivo studies confirmed that AKT inhibition reversed DNAJC12-induced DOX resistance in the CDX model. CONCLUSION DNAJC12 expression is closely linked to chemoresistance in BC. The DNAJC12-HSP70-AKT signaling axis is crucial in mediating resistance to chemotherapy by suppressing DOX-induced ferroptosis and apoptosis. Our findings suggest that targeting AKT and HSP70 activities may offer new therapeutic strategies to overcome chemoresistance in BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjia Shen
- Department of Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37, Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Institute of Clinical Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Shiyu Cao
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xinyi Long
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin Xiao
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Libo Yang
- Department of Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37, Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Institute of Clinical Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Peichuan Zhang
- Institute of Thoracic Oncology and Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Li
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Fei Chen
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Lei
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213003, China
| | - Hongwei Gao
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Feng Ye
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Ministry of Health, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
| | - Hong Bu
- Department of Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37, Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Institute of Clinical Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Key Lab of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, Ministry of Health, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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24
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Deng R, Zhu Y, Liu K, Zhang Q, Hu S, Wang M, Zhang Y. Genetic loss of Nrf1 and Nrf2 leads to distinct metabolism reprogramming of HepG2 cells by opposing regulation of the PI3K- AKT-mTOR signalling pathway. Bioorg Chem 2024; 145:107212. [PMID: 38377819 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107212] [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: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
As a vital hallmarker of cancer, the metabolic reprogramming has been shown to play a pivotal role in tumour occurrence, metastasis and drug resistance. Amongst a vast variety of signalling molecules and metabolic enzymes involved in the regulation of cancer metabolism, two key transcription factors Nrf1 and Nrf2 are required for redox signal transduction and metabolic homeostasis. However, the regulatory effects of Nrf1 and Nrf2 (both encoded by Nfe2l1 and Nfe2l2, respectively) on the metabolic reprogramming of hepatocellular carcinoma cells have been not well understood to date. Here, we found that the genetic deletion of Nrf1 and Nrf2 from HepG2 cells resulted in distinct metabolic reprogramming. Loss of Nrf1α led to enhanced glycolysis, reduced mitochondrial oxygen consumption, enhanced gluconeogenesis and activation of the pentose phosphate pathway in the hepatocellular carcinoma cells. By striking contrast, loss of Nrf2 attenuated the glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways, but with not any significant effects on the pentose phosphate pathway. Moreover, knockout of Nrf1α also caused fat deposition and increased amino acid synthesis and transport, especially serine synthesis, whilst Nrf2 deficiency did not cause fat deposition, but attenuated amino acid synthesis and transport. Further experiments revealed that such distinctive metabolic programming of between Nrf1α-/- and Nrf2-/- resulted from substantial activation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signalling pathway upon the loss of Nrf1, leading to increased expression of critical genes for the glucose uptake, glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and the de novo lipid synthesis, whereas deficiency of Nrf2 resulted in the opposite phenomenon by inhibiting the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway. Altogether, these provide a novel insight into the cancer metabolic reprogramming and guide the exploration of a new strategy for targeted cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongzhen Deng
- Bioengineering College and Graduate School, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; Chongqing University Jiangjin Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, No. 725 Jiangzhou Avenue, Dingshan Street, Jiangjin District, Chongqing 402260, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Medical Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Yuping Zhu
- The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Medical Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; school of Basic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, No. 6 Aokang Avenue, Gui'an New District, Guizhou 561113, China
| | - Keli Liu
- Bioengineering College and Graduate School, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; Chongqing University Jiangjin Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, No. 725 Jiangzhou Avenue, Dingshan Street, Jiangjin District, Chongqing 402260, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Medical Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Qun Zhang
- Bioengineering College and Graduate School, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; Chongqing University Jiangjin Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, No. 725 Jiangzhou Avenue, Dingshan Street, Jiangjin District, Chongqing 402260, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Medical Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Shaofan Hu
- Bioengineering College and Graduate School, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China; Chongqing University Jiangjin Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, No. 725 Jiangzhou Avenue, Dingshan Street, Jiangjin District, Chongqing 402260, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Medical Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Bioengineering College and Graduate School, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Yiguo Zhang
- Chongqing University Jiangjin Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, No. 725 Jiangzhou Avenue, Dingshan Street, Jiangjin District, Chongqing 402260, China; The Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Topogenetic Regulation, College of Bioengineering and Faculty of Medical Sciences, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400044, China.
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25
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Li Q, Zheng S, Niu K, Qiao Y, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Li B, Zheng C, Yu B. Paeoniflorin improves ulcerative colitis via regulation of PI3K‑ AKT based on network pharmacology analysis. Exp Ther Med 2024; 27:125. [PMID: 38414786 PMCID: PMC10895587 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2024.12414] [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: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Paeoniflorin (PF) is the primary component derived from Paeonia lactiflora and white peony root and has been used widely for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) in China. UC primarily manifests as a chronic inflammatory response in the intestine. In the present study, a network pharmacology approach was used to explore the specific effects and underlying mechanisms of action of PF in the treatment of UC. A research strategy based on network pharmacology, combining target prediction, network construction, Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, and molecular docking simulation was used to predict the targets of PF. A total of 288 potential targets of PF and 599 UC-related targets were identified. A total of 60 therapeutic targets of PF against UC were identified. Of these, 20 core targets were obtained by protein-protein interaction network construction. GO and KEGG pathway analyses showed that PF alleviated UC through EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, the IL-17 signaling pathway, and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Molecular docking simulation showed that AKT1 and EGFR had good binding energy with PF. Animal-based experiments revealed that the administration of PF ameliorated the colonic pathological damage in a dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse model, resulting in lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines including IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and higher levels of IL-10 and TGF-β. PF decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of AKT1, EGFR, mTOR, and PI3K. These findings suggested that PF plays a therapeutic protective role in the treatment of UC by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qifang Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272069, P.R. China
| | - Shuyue Zheng
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Kai Niu
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Yi Qiao
- School of Public Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Ying Zhang
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Bingbing Li
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Canlei Zheng
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
| | - Bin Yu
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong 272067, P.R. China
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Zhang Y, Xue J, Zhu W, Wang H, Xi P, Tian D. TRPV4 in adipose tissue ameliorates diet-induced obesity by promoting white adipocyte browning. Transl Res 2024; 266:16-31. [PMID: 37926276 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2023.11.001] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The induction of adipocyte browning to increase energy expenditure is a promising strategy to combat obesity. Transient receptor potential channel V4 (TRPV4) functions as a nonselective cation channel in various cells and plays physiological roles in osmotic and thermal sensations. However, the function of TRPV4 in energy metabolism remains controversial. This study revealed the role of TRPV4 in adipose tissue in the development of obesity. Adipose-specific TRPV4 overexpression protected mice against diet-induced obesity (DIO) and promoted white fat browning. TRPV4 overexpression was also associated with decreased adipose inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity. Mechanistically, TRPV4 could directly promote white adipocyte browning via the AKT pathway. Consistently, adipose-specific TRPV4 knockout exacerbated DIO with impaired thermogenesis and activated inflammation. Corroborating our findings in mice, TRPV4 expression was low in the white adipose tissue of obese people. Our results positioned TRPV4 as a potential regulator of obesity and energy expenditure in mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300203, China
| | - Jie Xue
- Department of Pathology, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, Hebei 057150, China
| | - Wenjuan Zhu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Third Hospital of Nanchang, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330008, China
| | - Haomin Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Pengjiao Xi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300203, China.
| | - Derun Tian
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300203, China; Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
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27
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Liu YF, Feng ZQ, Chu TH, Yi B, Liu J, Yu H, Xue J, Wang YJ, Zhang CZ. Andrographolide sensitizes KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer cells to cetuximab by inhibiting the EGFR/ AKT and PDGFRβ/AKT signaling pathways. Phytomedicine 2024; 126:155462. [PMID: 38394734 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155462] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cetuximab, an inhibitor targeting EGFR, is widely applied in clinical management of colorectal cancer (CRC). Nevertheless, drug resistance induced by KRAS-mutations limits cetuximab's anti-cancer effectiveness. Furthermore, the persistent activation of EGFR-independent AKT is another significant factor in cetuximab resistance. Nevertheless, the mechanism that EGFR-independent AKT drives cetuximab resistance remains unclear. Thus, highlighting the need to optimize therapies to overcome cetuximab resistance and also to explore the underlying mechanism. PURPOSE This work aimed to investigate whether and how andrographolide enhance the therapeutic efficacy of cetuximab in KRAS-mutant CRC cells by modulating AKT. METHODS The viabilities of CRC cell lines were analyzed by CCK-8. The intracellular proteins phosphorylation levels were investigated by Human Phospho-kinase Antibody Array analysis. Knockdown and transfection of PDGFRβ were used to evaluate the role of andrographolide on PDGFRβ. The western blotting was used to investigate Wnt/β-catenin pathways, PI3K/AKT, and EMT in KRAS-mutant CRC cells. The animal models including subcutaneous tumor and lung metastasis were performed to assess tumor response to therapy in vivo. RESULTS Andrographolide was demonstrated to decrease the expression of PI3K and AKT through targeting PDGFRβ and EGFR, and it enhanced cetuximab effect on KRAS-mutant CRC cells by this mechanism. Meanwhile, andrographolide helped cetuximab to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin, CRC cell migration and reduced Vimentin expression, while increasing that of E-cadherin. Lastly, co-treatment with cetuximab and andrographolide reduced the growth of KRAS-mutant tumors and pulmonary metastases in vivo. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that andrographolide can overcome the KRAS-mutant CRC cells' resistance to cetuximab through inhibiting the EGFR/PI3K/AKT and PDGFRβ /AKT signaling pathways. This research provided a possible theory that andrographolide sensitizes KRAS-mutant tumor to EGFR TKI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Fei Liu
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, 190 JieYuan Road, Tianjin 300121, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Feng
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, 190 JieYuan Road, Tianjin 300121, China
| | - Tian-Hao Chu
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, 190 JieYuan Road, Tianjin 300121, China
| | - Ben Yi
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, 190 JieYuan Road, Tianjin 300121, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Fourth Central Hospital Affiliated to Nankai University, Tianjin 300241, China
| | - Haiyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Jun Xue
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
| | - Yi-Jia Wang
- Laboratory of Oncologic molecular medicine, Tianjin Union Medical Center, 190 JieYuan Road, Tianjin 300121, China.
| | - Chun-Ze Zhang
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, 190 JieYuan Road, Tianjin 300121, China.
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Bullock KK, Shattuck-Brandt R, Scalise C, Luo W, Chen SC, Saleh N, Gonzalez-Ericsson PI, Garcia G, Sanders ME, Ayers GD, Yan C, Richmond A. Endogenous p AKT activity is associated with response to AKT inhibition alone and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibition in murine models of TNBC. Cancer Lett 2024; 586:216681. [PMID: 38311054 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216681] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous and challenging-to-treat breast cancer subtype. The clinical introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) for TNBC has had mixed results, and very few patients achieved a durable response. The PI3K/AKT pathway is frequently mutated in breast cancer. Given the important roles of the PI3K pathway in immune and tumor cell signaling, there is an interest in using inhibitors of this pathway to increase the response to ICI. This study sought to determine if AKT inhibition could enhance the response to ICI in murine TNBC models. We further sought to understand underlying mechanisms of response or non-response to AKT inhibition in combination with ICI. Using four murine TNBC-like cell lines and corresponding orthotopic mouse tumor models, we found that hyperactivity of the PI3K pathway, as evidenced by levels of phospho-AKT rather than PI3K pathway mutational status, was associated with response to AKT inhibition alone and in combination with ICI. Additional mutations in other growth regulatory pathways could override the response of PI3K pathway mutant tumors to AKT inhibition. Furthermore, we observed that AKT inhibition enhanced the response to ICI in an already sensitive model. However, AKT inhibition failed to convert ICI-resistant tumors, to responsive tumors. These findings suggest that analysis of both the mutational status and phospho-AKT protein levels may be beneficial in predicting which TNBC tumors will respond to AKT inhibition in combination with ICI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kennady K Bullock
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Department of Veteran Affairs, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rebecca Shattuck-Brandt
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Department of Veteran Affairs, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Carly Scalise
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Department of Veteran Affairs, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Weifeng Luo
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Department of Veteran Affairs, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sheau-Chiann Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Nabil Saleh
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Department of Veteran Affairs, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Paula I Gonzalez-Ericsson
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Guadalupe Garcia
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Melinda E Sanders
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Gregory D Ayers
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Chi Yan
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Department of Veteran Affairs, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Ann Richmond
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Department of Veteran Affairs, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Wang J, Li Q, Liang F, Du X, Song P, Wu T, Chen R, Lin X, Liu Q, Hu H, Han P, Huang X. Dickkopf-1 drives perineural invasion via PI3K- AKT signaling pathway in head and neck squamous cancer. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e518. [PMID: 38525111 PMCID: PMC10959454 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.518] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Perineural invasion (PNI) leads to the poor prognosis of head and neck squamous cancer (HNSCC) patients, but the mechanism of PNI remains unclear. Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), a secretory protein in the Wnt signaling pathway, was found indeed upregulated in HNSCC cells and tissues. Higher expression of DKK1 was statistically relevant to T stage, N stage, PNI, and poor prognosis of HNSCC. DKK1 overexpression enhanced the migration abilities of cancer cells. Moreover, DKK1-overexpressing cancer cells promoted cancer cells invasion of peripheral nerves in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, DKK1 could promote the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. The migration abilities of neuroblastoma cells, which were enhanced by DKK1-overexpressing HNSCC cell lines, could be reversed by an inhibitor of Akt (MK2206). The association of DKK1 with PNI was also confirmed in HNSCC samples. Variables, including T stage, N stage, DKK1 expression, and PNI, were used to establish a nomogram to predict the survival probability and disease-free probability at 3 and 5 years. In summary, DKK1 can promote the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in tumor cells and then could induce neuritogenesis and facilitate PNI. MK2206 may be a potential therapeutic target drug for HNSCC patients with PNI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgerySun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangzhouChina
| | - Qianying Li
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgerySun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangzhouChina
| | - Faya Liang
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgerySun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangzhouChina
| | - Xin Du
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Pan Song
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgerySun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangzhouChina
| | - Taowei Wu
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgerySun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangzhouChina
| | - Renhui Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgerySun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaorong Lin
- Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Breast DiseasesShantou Central HospitalShantouChina
| | - Qinglian Liu
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Hai Hu
- Department of Oncology, Sun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Ping Han
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgerySun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaoming Huang
- Department of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgerySun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangzhouChina
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Hou G, Hu W, Sang Y, Gan X, Xu H, Hu Q, Cao X. Corynoxine triggers cell death via activating PP2A and regulating AKT-mTOR/GSK3β axes in NSCLC. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 222:116110. [PMID: 38460908 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116110] [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: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
This study investigates the anticancer activity and pharmacological mechanisms of Corynoxine (Cory) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Cory, a natural product derived from the Chinese herbal medicine Uncaria rhynchophylla, demonstrates promising pharmacological activity. Cell proliferation and viability were evaluated via MTT and colony formation assays. Flow cytometry was employed to analyze cell apoptosis, cycle distribution, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Autophagy was detected using fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy. Western blotting, protein overexpression, gene knockdown, co-immunoprecipitation, and bioinformatics characterized Cory's impact on signaling pathways. The research indicates that Cory inhibits the proliferation of NSCLC cells in vivo and in vitro. Cory enhances PP2A activity, inhibits the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway triggering autophagy, while suppressing the AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway to induce cellular apoptosis in NSCLC. Notably, the activation of PP2A plays a crucial role in Cory's antitumor effects by inhibiting AKT. In vivo experiments validated Cory's efficacy in NSCLC treatment. These findings highlight the promising role of Cory as a lead compound for drug development in NSCLC therapy, providing a viable option for addressing this challenging disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqing Hou
- School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China; School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weihua Hu
- Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Yazhou Sang
- School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaocai Gan
- School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Hui Xu
- School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Qiongying Hu
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Xuan Cao
- School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei, China; School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China.
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Khorasani ABS, Hafezi N, Sanaei MJ, Jafari-Raddani F, Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi A, Bashash D. The PI3K/ AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in breast cancer: Review of clinical trials and latest advances. Cell Biochem Funct 2024; 42:e3998. [PMID: 38561964 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3998] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality in women. As the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway is involved in a wide range of physiological functions of cells including growth, proliferation, motility, and angiogenesis, any alteration in this axis could induce oncogenic features; therefore, numerous preclinical and clinical studies assessed agents able to inhibit the components of this pathway in BC patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that analyzed all the registered clinical trials investigating safety and efficacy of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis inhibitors in BC. Of note, we found that the trends of PI3K inhibitors in recent years were superior as compared with the inhibitors of either AKT or mTOR. However, most of the trials entering phase III and IV used mTOR inhibitors (majorly Everolimus) followed by PI3K inhibitors (majorly Alpelisib) leading to the FDA approval of these drugs in the BC context. Despite favorable efficacies, our analysis shows that the majority of trials are utilizing PI3K pathway inhibitors in combination with hormone therapy and chemotherapy; implying monotherapy cannot yield huge clinical benefits, at least partly, due to the activation of compensatory mechanisms. To emphasize the beneficial effects of these inhibitors in combined-modal strategies, we also reviewed recent studies which investigated the conjugation of nanocarriers with PI3K inhibitors to reduce harmful toxicities, increase the local concentration, and improve their efficacies in the context of BC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nasim Hafezi
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Javad Sanaei
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farideh Jafari-Raddani
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Atieh Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Davood Bashash
- Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Chang TY, Lin MS, Chen CC, Leu YL, Wang SH. Isoxanthohumol reduces neointimal hyperplasia through the apelin/ AKT pathway. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167099. [PMID: 38428686 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167099] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The abnormal proliferation, migration, and inflammation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play crucial roles in the development of neointimal hyperplasia and restenosis. Exposure to inflammatory cytokines such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) induces the transformation of contractile VSMCs into abnormal synthetic VSMCs. Isoxanthohumol (IXN) has significant anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and antimigratory effects. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic impact and regulatory mechanism of IXN in treating neointimal hyperplasia. The present findings indicate that IXN effectively hinders the abnormal proliferation, migration, and inflammation of VSMCs triggered by PDGF or TNF-α. This inhibition is primarily achieved through the modulation of the apelin/AKT or AKT pathway, respectively. In an in vivo model, IXN effectively reduced neointimal hyperplasia in denuded femoral arteries. These results suggest that IXN holds promise as a potential and innovative therapeutic candidate for the treatment of restenosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Yu Chang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mao-Shin Lin
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Chuan Chen
- Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Tissue Bank, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yann-Lii Leu
- Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Tissue Bank, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Huei Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Ma Z, Ma Y, Feng J, Xu Z, Cheng C, Qin J, Li S, Jiang J, Kong R. NDRG2 acts as a negative regulator of the progression of small-cell lung cancer through the modulation of the PTEN- AKT-mTOR signalling cascade. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2024; 485:116915. [PMID: 38537875 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116915] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) has been recognised as a negative regulator of the progression of numerous tumours, yet its specific role in small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is not fully understood. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the biological role and mechanism of NDRG2 in SCLC. Initial investigation using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset revealed marked downregulation of NDRG2 transcripts in SCLC. The decreased abundance of NDRG2 in SCLC was verified by examining clinical specimens. Increasing NDRG2 expression in SCLC cell lines caused significant changes in cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, colony formation, and chemosensitivity. NDRG2 overexpression decreased the levels of phosphorylated PTEN, AKT and mTOR. In PTEN-depleted SCLC cells, the upregulation of NDRG2 did not result in any noticeable impact on AKT or mTOR activation. Additionally, the reactivation of AKT reversed the antitumour effects of NDRG2 in SCLC cells. Notably, increasing NDRG2 expression retarded the growth of SCLC cell-derived xenografts in vivo. In conclusion, NDRG2 serves as an inhibitor of SCLC, and its cancer-inhibiting effects are achieved through the suppression of AKT/mTOR via the activation of PTEN. This work suggests that NDRG2 is a potential druggable target for SCLC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenchuan Ma
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Yuefeng Ma
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Jie Feng
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Zhengshui Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Chuantao Cheng
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Jie Qin
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Shaomin Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China
| | - Jiantao Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China.
| | - Ranran Kong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China.
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Yun HM, Kwon HS, Lee JY, Park KR. Vitexicarpin Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Metastatic Properties via the AKT-PRAS40 Pathway in Human Osteosarcoma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3582. [PMID: 38612399 PMCID: PMC11012096 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073582] [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: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma, which has poor prognosis after metastasis, is the most common type of bone cancer in children and adolescents. Therefore, plant-derived bioactive compounds are being actively developed for cancer therapy. Artemisia apiacea Hance ex Walp. is a traditional medicinal plant native to Eastern Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea. Vitexicarpin (Vitex), derived from A. apiacea, has demonstrated analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antitumour, and immunoregulatory properties; however, there are no published studies on Vitex isolated from the aerial parts of A. apiacea. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the antitumour activity of Vitex against human osteosarcoma cells. In the present study, Vitex (>99% purity) isolated from A. apiacea induced significant cell death in human osteosarcoma MG63 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner; cell death was mediated by apoptosis, as evidenced by the appearance of cleaved-PARP, cleaved-caspase 3, anti-apoptotic proteins (Survivin and Bcl-2), pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax), and cell cycle-related proteins (Cyclin D1, Cdk4, and Cdk6). Additionally, a human phosphokinase array proteome profiler revealed that Vitex suppressed AKT-dependent downstream kinases. Further, Vitex reduced the phosphorylation of PRAS40, which is associated with autophagy and metastasis, induced autophagosome formation, and suppressed programmed cell death and necroptosis. Furthermore, Vitex induced antimetastatic activity by suppressing the migration and invasion of MMP13, which is the primary protease that degrades type I collagen for tumour-induced osteolysis in bone tissues and preferential metastasis sites. Taken together, our results suggest that Vitex is an attractive target for treating human osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyung-Mun Yun
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Sook Kwon
- National Development Institute for Korean Medicine, Gyeongsan 38540, Republic of Korea; (H.S.K.); (J.Y.L.)
| | - Joon Yeop Lee
- National Development Institute for Korean Medicine, Gyeongsan 38540, Republic of Korea; (H.S.K.); (J.Y.L.)
| | - Kyung-Ran Park
- Gwangju Center, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Gwangju 61751, Republic of Korea
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35
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Xu M, Xi S, Li H, Xia Y, Mei G, Cheng Z. Prognosis significance and potential association between ALDOA and AKT expression in colorectal cancer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6488. [PMID: 38499636 PMCID: PMC10948905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57209-5] [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: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract and a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Since many CRC patients are diagnosed already in the advanced stage, and traditional chemoradiotherapy is prone to drug resistance, it is important to find new therapeutic targets. In this study, the expression levels of ALDOA and p-AKT were detected in cancer tissues and paired normal tissues, and it was found that they were significantly increased in CRC tissues, and their high expression indicated poor prognosis. Moreover, a positive correlation between the expression of ALDOA and p-AKT was found in CRC tissues and paired normal tissues. In addition, the Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the group with both negative of ALDOA/p-AKT expression had longer five-year survival rates compared with the other group. Besides, the group with both high expression of ALDOA/p-AKT had a worse prognosis compared with the other group. Based on the expression of ALDOA and p-AKT in tumor tissues, we can effectively distinguish tumor tissues from normal tissues through cluster analysis. Furthermore, we constructed nomograms to predict 3-year and 5-year overall survival, showing that the expression of ALDOA/p-AKT plays a crucial role in predicting the prognosis of CRC patients. Therefore, ALDOA/p-AKT may act as a crucial role in CRC, which may provide new horizons for targeted therapies for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menglin Xu
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Shihang Xi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Haoran Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, No.2 Zheshan West Road, Jinghu, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Yong Xia
- Department of Education Affairs, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Guangliang Mei
- Department of Party Affairs, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241000, China
| | - Zhengwu Cheng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, No.2 Zheshan West Road, Jinghu, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China.
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Szulzewsky F, Thirimanne HN, Holland EC. Meningioma: current updates on genetics, classification, and mouse modeling. Ups J Med Sci 2024; 129:10579. [PMID: 38571886 PMCID: PMC10989216 DOI: 10.48101/ujms.v129.10579] [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: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Meningiomas, the most common primary brain tumors in adults, are often benign and curable by surgical resection. However, a subset is of higher grade, shows aggressive growth behavior as well as brain invasion, and often recurs even after several rounds of surgery. Increasing evidence suggests that tumor classification and grading primarily based on histopathology do not always accurately predict tumor aggressiveness and recurrence behavior. The underlying biology of aggressive treatment-resistant meningiomas and the impact of specific genetic aberrations present in these high-grade tumors is still only insufficiently understood. Therefore, an in-depth research into the biology of this tumor type is warranted. More recent studies based on large-scale molecular data such as whole exome/genome sequencing, DNA methylation sequencing, and RNA sequencing have provided new insights into the biology of meningiomas and have revealed new risk factors and prognostic subtypes. The most common genetic aberration in meningiomas is functional loss of NF2 and occurs in both low- and high-grade meningiomas, whereas NF2-wildtype meningiomas are enriched for recurrent mutations in TRAF7, KLF4, AKT1, PI3KCA, and SMO and are more frequently benign. Most meningioma mouse models are based on patient-derived xenografts and only recently have new genetically engineered mouse models of meningioma been developed that will aid in the systematic evaluation of specific mutations found in meningioma and their impact on tumor behavior. In this article, we review recent advances in the understanding of meningioma biology and classification and highlight the most common genetic mutations, as well as discuss new genetically engineered mouse models of meningioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Szulzewsky
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Eric C. Holland
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Seattle Translational Tumor Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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Anand P, Kaur A, Singh S. Fucoxanthin mitigates valproic acid-induced autistic behavior through modulation of the AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathway. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 967:176335. [PMID: 38331341 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176335] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of fucoxanthin, a natural compound found in seaweed, on various aspects of autism using a rat model induced by valproic acid (VPA). Pregnant rats were administered VPA (600 mg/kg) on gestational day 12.5, and male pups were orally administered fucoxanthin at 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg beginning on post-natal day (PND) 23-43. Behavioral assessments were conducted on PND 45-53, and on PND 54, the animals were sacrificed for further biochemical analyses (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO)) via UV spectroscopy. Inflammatory markers (IL-17, TNF-α, and IL-1β) were also analyzed by sandwich ELISA, and the molecular parameters were evaluated through ELISA. The results revealed that, compared with VPA, fucoxanthin improved behavior and neuronal morphology. Specifically, fucoxanthin administration was found to enhance spatial memory, reduce pain sensitivity, and improve social interaction, locomotor activity, balance, and motor coordination. Fucoxanthin also exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, as indicated by the restoration of SOD and GSH levels and reduced inflammatory cytokine levels. Molecular analyses revealed that fucoxanthin restored the levels of GSK-3β and AKT. Furthermore, fucoxanthin regulates neurotransmitters, which are related to increasing GABA and reducing glutamate levels in the cortex and cerebellum. The therapeutic effects were dose-dependent, with higher doses (200 mg/kg) showing greater efficacy than lower doses (100 mg/kg) in improving behavioral, biochemical, neurotransmitter, and molecular parameters. Fucoxanthin is a potential treatment for autism, but further research, including clinical trials, is necessary to determine its effectiveness in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piyush Anand
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India
| | - Arshbir Kaur
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India
| | - Shamsher Singh
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India.
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Li R, Yan X, Zhong W, Zheng J, Li X, Liang J, Hu Z, Liu H, Chen G, Yang Y, Zhang J, Qu E, Liu W. Stratifin promotes the malignant progression of HCC via binding and hyperactivating AKT signaling. Cancer Lett 2024:216761. [PMID: 38490326 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216761] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. In this study, we reveal the pivotal role of Stratifin (SFN), also recognized as 14-3-3σ, in driving HCC progression. Our investigation underscores a substantial upregulation of SFN within HCC tissues, manifesting a significant association with worse prognostic outcomes among HCC patients. In vitro and in vivo experiments reveal that SFN overexpression significantly amplifies proliferation, mitigates sorafenib-induced effects on HCC cells, and enhances tumorigenesis. While SFN silencing exerts converse effects on HCC progression. Additionally, we unveil a critical interaction between SFN and AKT, where SFN boosts AKT kinase activity by disrupting the binding of PHLPP2 and AKT, thereby intensifying the malignant progression of HCC cells. In conclusion, this study identifies the oncogenic role of SFN and elucidates the regulatory mechanism of the SFN/AKT axis in HCC, which may provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of HCC progression and potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China; Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xijing Yan
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Wenhui Zhong
- Department of Pancreatic and Gastric Surgery, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Jun Zheng
- Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xuejiao Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jinliang Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Zhongying Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Huanyi Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Guihua Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China; Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510630, China; Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Jianwei Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic and Gastric Surgery, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Enze Qu
- Department of Ultrasound, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Wei Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Disease Research, Guangzhou, 510630, China; Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
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Li X, Fu Q, Zhong M, Long Y, Zhao F, Huang Y, Zhang Z, Wen M, Chen K, Chen R, Ma X. Quantitative proteomics of the miR-301a/SOCS3/STAT3 axis reveals underlying autism and anxiety-like behavior. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2024; 35:102136. [PMID: 38439911 PMCID: PMC10909786 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102136] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Autism is a widespread neurodevelopmental disorder. Although the research on autism spectrum disorders has been increasing in the past decade, there is still no specific answer to its mechanism of action and treatment. As a pro-inflammatory microRNA, miR-301a is abnormally expressed in various psychiatric diseases including autism. Here, we show that miR-301a deletion and inhibition exhibited two distinct abnormal behavioral phenotypes in mice. We observed that miR-301a deletion in mice impaired learning/memory, and enhanced anxiety. On the contrary, miR-301a inhibition effectively reduced the maternal immune activation (MIA)-induced autism-like behaviors in mice. We further demonstrated that miR-301a bound to the 3'UTR region of the SOCS3, and that inhibition of miR-301a led to the upregulation of SOCS3 in hippocampus. The last result in the reduction of the inflammatory response by inhibiting phosphorylation of AKT and STAT3, and the expression level of IL-17A in poly(I:C)-induced autism-like features in mice. The obtained data revealed the miR-301a as a critical participant in partial behavior phenotypes, which may exhibit a divergent role between gene knockout and knockdown. Our findings ascertain that miR-301a negatively regulates SOCS3 in MIA-induced autism in mice and could present a new therapeutic target for ameliorating the behavioral abnormalities of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Li
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Qi Fu
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Mingtian Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yihao Long
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Fengyun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yanni Huang
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Zizhu Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Min Wen
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Kaizhao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Rongqing Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China; Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
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Ren G, Chen J, Pu Y, Yang EJ, Tao S, Mou PK, Chen LJ, Zhu W, Chan KL, Luo G, Deng C, Shim JS. BET inhibition induces synthetic lethality in PTEN deficient colorectal cancers via dual action on p21 CIP1/WAF1. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:1978-1991. [PMID: 38617536 PMCID: PMC11008266 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.91867] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Loss of PTEN tumor suppressor is an important event during colorectal cancer (CRC) development and is a target for therapeutic exploitation. This study reports that bromodomain and extra-terminal motif (BET) is a synthetic lethal partner of PTEN in CRC. BET inhibition (BETi) selectively induced G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in PTEN-/- CRC. Further, BETi selectively and dose-dependently suppressed the growth of PTEN-/- CRC tumor xenografts in mice and patient-derived organoids. Mechanistically, PTEN-deficient CRC cells elevated the level of cytoplasmic p21CIP1/WAF1 that is hyper-phosphorylated at Thr145 by AKT. BETi suppressed AKT activation in PTEN-deficient CRC cells, followed by the reduction in p21 phosphorylation at Thr145, thereby promoting its nuclear translocation. In addition, BETi suppressed MYC level and this in turn increased the total p21 level in the nuclei. Over-expression of a phospho-mimetic p21 mutant (T145D) significantly rescued the BETi effect on PTEN-deficient CRC. These results suggest that BETi has a dual action on p21: elevating the level of p21 by inhibiting MYC and converting the oncogenic (cytoplasmic) p21 into the tumor-suppressive (nuclear) p21 by inhibiting AKT. Taken together, this study identified the synthetic lethal interaction between PTEN and BET, and provides a potential actionable target for CRC with PTEN loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowen Ren
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Jinghong Chen
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- Central laboratory, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yue Pu
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Eun Ju Yang
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Shishi Tao
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Pui Kei Mou
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Li-Jie Chen
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | | | | | | | - Chuxia Deng
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- MOE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Joong Sup Shim
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
- MOE Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
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Alqudah A, Qnais E, Alqudah M, Gammoh O, Wedyan M, Abdalla SS. Isorhamnetin as a potential therapeutic agent for diabetes mellitus through PGK1/ AKT activation. Arch Physiol Biochem 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38445617 DOI: 10.1080/13813455.2024.2323947] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) is a significant health concern worldwide, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches beyond conventional treatments. OBJECTIVE To assess isorhamnetin's potential in improving insulin sensitivity and mitigating T2D characteristics through oxidative and glycative stress modulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS T2D was induced in mice with a high-fat diet and streptozotocin injections. Isorhamnetin was administered at 10 mg/kg for 12 weeks. HepG2 cells were used to examine in vitro effects on stress markers and insulin sensitivity. Molecular effects on the PGK1 and AKT signalling pathway were also analyzed. RESULTS The administration of isorhamnetin significantly impacted both in vivo and in vitro models. In HepG2 cells, oxidative and glycative stresses were markedly reduced, indicating a direct effect of isorhamnetin on cellular stress pathways, which are implicated in the deterioration of insulin sensitivity. Specifically, treated cells showed a notable decrease in markers of oxidative stress, such as malondialdehyde, and advanced glycation end products, highlighting isorhamnetin's antioxidant and antiglycative properties. In vivo, isorhamnetin-treated mice exhibited substantially lower fasting glucose levels compared to untreated T2D mice, suggesting a strong hypoglycemic effect. Moreover, these mice showed improved insulin responsiveness, evidenced by enhanced glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance tests. The molecular investigation revealed that isorhamnetin activated PGK1, leading to the activation of the AKT signalling pathway, crucial for promoting glucose uptake and reducing insulin resistance. This molecular action underscores the potential mechanism through which isorhamnetin exerts its beneficial effects in T2D management. DISCUSSION The study underscores isorhamnetin's multifaceted role in T2D management, emphasizing its impact on oxidative and glycative stress reduction and molecular pathways critical for insulin sensitivity. CONCLUSION Isorhamnetin presents a promising avenue for T2D treatment, offering a novel approach to enhancing insulin sensitivity and managing glucose levels through the modulation of key molecular pathways. Further research is needed to translate these findings into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelrahim Alqudah
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Esam Qnais
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Mohammed Alqudah
- Physiology Department, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
| | - Omar Gammoh
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Mohammed Wedyan
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Shtaywy S Abdalla
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
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Ma X, Gao L, Ge R, Yuan T, Lin B, Zhen L. CDC-like kinase 3 deficiency aggravates hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis through AKT signaling pathway. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2024:10.1007/s11626-024-00886-3. [PMID: 38438604 DOI: 10.1007/s11626-024-00886-3] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis is one major pathological change of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but the underlying mechanism remains unexplored. CDC-like kinase 3 (CLK3) plays crucial roles in cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and nucleotide metabolism, however, the role of CLK3 in AMI, especially hypoxia-induced apoptosis, is largely unknown. The expression of CLK3 was elevated in mouse myocardial infarction (MI) models and neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs) under hypoxia. Furthermore, CLK3 knockdown significantly promoted apoptosis and inhibited NRVM survival, while CLK3 overexpression promoted NRVM survival and inhibited apoptosis under hypoxic conditions. Mechanistically, CLK3 regulated the phosphorylation status of AKT, a key player in the regulation of apoptosis. Furthermore, overexpression of AKT rescued hypoxia-induced apoptosis in NRVMs caused by CLK3 deficiency. Taken together, CLK3 deficiency promotes hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis through AKT signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiue Ma
- School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Liming Gao
- Department of Cardiology, Ji'an Hospital, Shanghai East Hospital, Ji'an, 343000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Rucun Ge
- Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Tianyou Yuan
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201620, China.
| | - Bowen Lin
- School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Lixiao Zhen
- Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
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Wang H, Liu J, Zhang Z, Peng J, Wang Z, Yang L, Wang X, Hu S, Hong L. β-Sitosterol targets ASS1 for Nrf2 ubiquitin-dependent degradation, inducing ROS-mediated apoptosis via the PTEN/PI3K/ AKT signaling pathway in ovarian cancer. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 214:137-157. [PMID: 38364944 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.02.004] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
The exploration of drugs derived from natural sources holds significant promise in addressing current limitations in ovarian cancer (OC) treatments. While previous studies have highlighted the remarkable anti-cancer properties of the natural compound β-sitosterol (SIT) across various tumors, its specific role in OC treatment remains unexplored. This study aims to investigate the anti-tumor activity of SIT in OC using in vitro and in vivo models, delineate potential mechanisms, and establish a preclinical theoretical foundation for future clinical trials, thus fostering further research. Utilizing network pharmacology, we pinpoint SIT as a promising candidate for OC treatment and predict its potential targets and pathways. Through a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments, we unveil a novel mechanism through which SIT mitigates the malignant biological behaviors of OC cells by modulating redox status. Specifically, SIT selectively targets argininosuccinate synthetase 1 (ASS1), a protein markedly overexpressed in OC tissues and cells. Inhibiting ASS1, SIT enhances the interaction between Nrf2 and Keap1, instigating the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of Nrf2, subsequently diminishing the transcriptional activation of downstream antioxidant genes HO-1 and NQO1. The interruption of the antioxidant program by SIT results in the substantial accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in OC cells. This, in turn, upregulates PTEN, exerting negative regulation on the phosphorylation activation of AKT. The suppression of AKT signaling disrupted downstream pathways associated with cell cycle, cell survival, apoptosis, migration, and invasion, ultimately culminating in the death of OC cells. Our research uncovers new targets and mechanisms of SIT against OC, contributing to the existing knowledge on the anti-tumor effects of natural products in the context of OC. Additionally, this research unveils a novel role of ASS1 in regulating the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant program and governing redox homeostasis in OC, providing a deeper understanding of this complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road NO.238, Wuhan, 430060, PR China.
| | - Jingchun Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road NO.238, Wuhan, 430060, PR China.
| | - Zihui Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road NO.238, Wuhan, 430060, PR China.
| | - Jiaxin Peng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road NO.238, Wuhan, 430060, PR China.
| | - Zhi Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road NO.238, Wuhan, 430060, PR China.
| | - Lian Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road NO.238, Wuhan, 430060, PR China.
| | - Xinqi Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road NO.238, Wuhan, 430060, PR China.
| | - Siyuan Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road NO.238, Wuhan, 430060, PR China.
| | - Li Hong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RenMin Hospital of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road NO.238, Wuhan, 430060, PR China.
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Zhao X, Cai X, Zhu H, Dang Q, Yang Q, Zhu Y, Zhang Y, Zhang M, Jiang X, Hu Z, Wei Y, Xiao R, Yu H. 27-Hydroxycholesterol inhibits trophoblast fusion during placenta development by activating PI3K/ AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:849-863. [PMID: 38180513 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03664-4] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Trophoblast cell syncytialization is essential for placental and fetal development. Abnormal trophoblast cell fusion leads to pregnancy pathologies, such as preeclampsia (PE), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and miscarriage. 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC) is the most abundant oxysterol in human peripheral blood synthesized by sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) and is considered a critical mediator between hypercholesterolemia and a variety of related disorders. Gestational hypercholesterolemia was associated with spontaneous preterm delivery and low birth weight (LBW) in term infants, yet the mechanism is unclear. In this study, two trophoblast cell models and CD-1 mice were used to evaluate the effects of 27-OHC on trophoblast fusion during placenta development. Two different kinds of trophoblast cells received a dosage of 2.5, 5, or 10 uM 27-OHC. Three groups of pregnant mice were randomly assigned: control, full treatment (E0.5-E17.5), or late treatment (E13.5-E17.5). All mice received daily intraperitoneal injections of saline (control group) and 27-OHC (treatment group; 5.5 mg/kg). In vitro experiments, we found that 27-OHC inhibited trophoblast cell fusion in primary human trophoblasts (PHT) and forskolin (FSK)-induced BeWo cells. 27-OHC up-regulated the expression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins. Moreover, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 rescued the inhibitory effect of 27-OHC. Inhibition of trophoblast cell fusion by 27-OHC was also observed in CD-1 mice. Furthermore, fetal weight and placental efficiency decreased and fetal blood vessel development was inhibited in pregnant mice treated with 27-OHC. This study was the first to prove that 27-OHC inhibits trophoblast cell fusion by Activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. This study reveals a novel mechanism by which dyslipidemia during pregnancy results in adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Zhao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaxia Cai
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Haiyan Zhu
- FuXing Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Qinyu Dang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Yandi Zhu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Yadi Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengling Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyin Jiang
- Departments of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Brooklyn College of City University of New York, New York, NY, 11210, USA
| | - Zhuo Hu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuchen Wei
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Xiao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China
| | - Huanling Yu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, People's Republic of China.
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Tang WD, Zhu WY, Tang HL, Zhao P, Zhao LJ. Engagement of AKT and ERK signaling pathways facilitates infection of human neuronal cells with West Nile virus. J Virus Erad 2024; 10:100368. [PMID: 38601702 PMCID: PMC11004658 DOI: 10.1016/j.jve.2024.100368] [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: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is an important neurotropic virus that accounts for the emergence of human arboviral encephalitis and meningitis. The interaction of WNV with signaling pathways plays a key role in controlling WNV infection. We have investigated the roles of the AKT and ERK pathways in supporting WNV propagation and modulating the inflammatory response following WNV infection. WNV established a productive infection in neuronal cell lines originated from human and mouse. Expression of IL-11 and TNF-α was markedly up-regulated in the infected human neuronal cells, indicating elicitation of inflammation response upon WNV infection. WNV incubation rapidly activated signaling cascades of AKT (AKT-S6-4E-BP1) and ERK (MEK-ERK-p90RSK) pathways. Treatment with AKT inhibitor MK-2206 or MEK inhibitor U0126 abrogated WNV-induced AKT or ERK activation. Strong activation of AKT and ERK signaling pathways could be detectable at 24 h after WNV infection, while such activation was abolished at 48 h post infection. U0126 treatment or knockdown of ERK expression significantly increased WNV RNA levels and viral titers and efficiently decreased IL-11 production induced by WNV, suggesting the involvement of ERK pathway in WNV propagation and IL-11 induction. MK-2206 treatment enhanced WNV RNA replication accompanied with a moderate decrease in IL-11 production. These results demonstrate that engagement of AKT and ERK signaling pathways facilitates viral infection and may be implicated in WNV pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Da Tang
- Department of Microbiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Biodefense, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, 200433, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Yang Zhu
- The 16th Student Brigade, College of Basic Medicine, Naval Medical University, 200433, Shanghai, China
| | - Hai-Lin Tang
- Department of Microbiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Biodefense, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, 200433, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Biodefense, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, 200433, Shanghai, China
| | - Lan-Juan Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Biodefense, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Naval Medical University, 200433, Shanghai, China
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Wang N, Jiang Y, Li M, Wang H, Pan J, Tang Y, Xie S, Xu Y, Li X, Zhou X, Xu P, Lin W, Wang X. Protein Kinase STK24 Promotes Tumor Immune Evasion via the AKT-PD-L1 Axis. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2024; 11:e2304342. [PMID: 38229183 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202304342] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy targeting PD-L1 is still ineffective for a wide variety of tumors with high unpredictability. Deploying combined immunotherapy with alternative targeting is practical to overcome this therapeutic resistance. Here, the deficiency of serine-threonine kinase STK24 is observed in tumor cells causing substantial attenuation of tumor growth in murine syngeneic models, a process relying on cytotoxic CD8+ T and NK cells. Mechanistically, STK24 in tumor cells associates with and directly phosphorylates AKT at Thr21, which promotes AKT activation and subsequent PD-L1 induction. Deletion or inhibition of STK24, by contrast, blocks IFN-γ-mediated PD-L1 expression. Various murine models indicate that in vivo silencing of STK24 can significantly enhance the efficacy of the anti-PD-1 blockade strategy. Elevated STK24 levels are observed in patient specimens in multiple tumor types and inversely correlated with intratumoral infiltration of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and with patient survival. The study collectively identifies STK24 as a critical modulator of antitumor immunity, which engages in AKT and PD-L1/PD-1 signaling and is a promising target for combined immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Wang
- Institute of Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Yu Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Mengjie Li
- Institute of Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Haofei Wang
- Institute of Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Jie Pan
- Institute of Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Yang Tang
- Institute of Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Shaofang Xie
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310024, China
| | - Yunyang Xu
- Institute of Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Xu Li
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310024, China
| | - Xuefei Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Pinglong Xu
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Wenlong Lin
- Institute of Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Xiaojian Wang
- Institute of Immunology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
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Morel M, Long W. FBXL16 promotes cell growth and drug resistance in lung adenocarcinomas with KRAS mutation by stabilizing IRS1 and upregulating IRS1/ AKT signaling. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:762-777. [PMID: 37983945 PMCID: PMC10920083 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13554] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs) are a major subtype of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). About 25% of LUADs harbor GTPase KRAS mutations associated with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. While encouraging tumor response to novel covalent inhibitors specifically targeting KRASG12C has been shown in the clinic, either intrinsic resistance exists or acquired therapeutic resistance arises upon treatment. There is an unmet need to identify new therapeutic targets for treating LUADs with activating KRAS mutations, particularly those with resistance to KRASG12C inhibitor(s). In this study, we have revealed that F-box/LRR-repeat protein 16 (FBXL16) is selectively upregulated in LUAD with KRAS mutations. It promotes LUAD cell growth and transforms lung epithelial cells. Importantly, FBXL16 depletion greatly enhances sensitivity to the KRASG12C inhibitor (sotorasib) in resistant cells by downregulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB; also known as AKT) signaling. Mechanistically, FBXL16 upregulates insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) protein stability, leading to an increase of IGF1/AKT signaling, thereby promoting cell growth and migration. Taken together, our study highlights the potential of FBXL16 as a therapeutic target for treating LUAD with KRAS activating mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Morel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of MedicineWright State UniversityDaytonOHUSA
| | - Weiwen Long
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of MedicineWright State UniversityDaytonOHUSA
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Guo X, Sun W, Zhang B. Monotropein Alleviates Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma in Mouse Model by Inhibiting AKT/NF-κB Pathway. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38432211 DOI: 10.1159/000535450] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Clinical management of asthma remains as a prevalent challenge. Monotropein (MON) is a naturally occurring cyclic enol ether terpene glycoside with medical application potential. This study aims to evaluate the potential therapeutic effects of MON in the mouse model of chronic asthma. METHODS An ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthmatic mouse model was established to evaluate the therapeutic effect of MON at different doses (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg). The potential involvement of protein kinase B (AKT)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway in the effect of MON was investigated by the administration of an AKT activator SC79. Histological changes in pulmonary tissues were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The profiles of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-4, IL-5, IL-13, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and OVA-specific IgE in blood samples were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The oxidative stress in the lung tissues was determined by measuring malondialdehyde level. The phosphorylation activation of AKT and NF-κB was examined by immunoblotting in the lung tissues. RESULTS MON treatment suppressed the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the airways of OVA-induced asthma mice and reduced the thickness of the bronchial wall and smooth muscle layer in a dose-dependent manner. MON treatment also reduced the levels of OVA-specific IgE in serum and cytokines in BALF in asthma-induced mice, and attenuated the oxidative stress in the lung tissues. OVA induced the phosphorylation of AKT and NF-κB proteins in the lung tissues of asthmatic mice, which was significantly suppressed by MON treatment. The co-administration of AKT activator SC79 impaired the therapeutic effect of MON on asthma-induced mice. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrated the potential therapeutic effect of MON on asthmatic mouse model, suggesting that MON attenuated the inflammatory and oxidative damages in ling tissues by dampening the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Guo
- Department of Pediatrics, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China
| | - Wenjie Sun
- Department of Pediatrics, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital Laishan Hospital Area, Yantai, China
| | - Bingbing Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China
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Lee HW, Choi JH, Seo D, Gavaachimed L, Choi J, Park S, Min NY, Lee DH, Bang HW, Ham SW, Kim JW, Lee SC, Rhee S, Seo SB, Lee KH. EGCG-induced selective death of cancer cells through autophagy-dependent regulation of the p62-mediated antioxidant survival pathway. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res 2024; 1871:119659. [PMID: 38216089 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2024.119659] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
The effects of EGCG on the selective death of cancer cells by modulating antioxidant pathways through autophagy were explored in various normal and cancer cells. EGCG positively regulated the p62-KEAP1-NRF2-HO-1 pathway in normal cells, while negatively regulating it in cancer cells, leading to selective apoptotic death of cancer cells. In EGCG-treated MRC5 cells (EGCG-MRC5), autophagic flux was blocked, which was accompanied by the formation of p62-positive aggregates. However, EGCG-treated HeLa cells (EGCG-HeLa) showed incomplete autophagic flux and no aggregate formation. The levels of P-ULK1 S556 and S758 increased in EGCG-MRC5 through AMPK-mTOR cooperative interaction. In contrast, EGCG treatment in HeLa cells led to AMPK-induced mTOR inactivation, resulting in abrogation of P-ULK1 S556 and S758 levels. AMPK knockout in EGCG-HeLa restored positive regulation of the p62-mediated pathway, which was accompanied by increased P-mTOR S2448 and P-ULK1 S758 levels. Knockdown of 67LR in EGCG-HeLa abolished AMPK activity but did not restore the p62-mediated pathway. Surprisingly, both AMPK knockout and 67LR knockdown in EGCG-HeLa markedly increased cell viability, despite differential regulation of the antioxidant enzyme HO-1. In conclusion, EGCG induces the selective death of cancer cells through the modulation of at least two autophagy-dependent and independent regulatory pathways: negative regulation involves the mTOR-ULK1 (S556 and S758)-p62-KEAP1-NRF2-HO-1 axis via AMPK activation, whereas positive regulation occurs through the 67LR-AMPK axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Woon Lee
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee-Hye Choi
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongbeom Seo
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Lkhagvasuren Gavaachimed
- Department of Science of Cultural Properties, Graduate School, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaesung Choi
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sehwan Park
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Na Young Min
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Ho Lee
- Da Vinci College of General Education, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Weon Bang
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Wook Ham
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Woong Kim
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Chul Lee
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangmyung Rhee
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Beom Seo
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Ho Lee
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Science of Cultural Properties, Graduate School, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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50
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Yao H, Li J, Zhou D, Pan X, Chu Y, Yin J. FOXM1 transcriptional regulation of RacGAP1 activates the PI3K/ AKT signaling pathway to promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Int J Clin Oncol 2024; 29:333-344. [PMID: 38172354 DOI: 10.1007/s10147-023-02452-5] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common gynecological tumor disease in women, which occurs at the junction of cervical squamous columnar epithelium. We investigated the effect and mechanism of transcription factor FOXM1 synergizing RacGAP1 in the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CC cells. METHODS Here, we analyzed the correlation between FOXM1 and RacGAP1 and the clinicopathological features of 68 CC patients. RT-qPCR was used to assess FOXM1 and RacGAP1 mRNA expression in CC tissues and cells. Cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8 and EDU assays. Transwell assay was applied to test migration and invasion. Cell apoptosis was evaluated utilizing flow cytometry. ChIP and dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed the interaction of FOXM1 and RacGAP1. Protein levels of FOXM1 and RacGAP1, as well as PI3K/AKT, were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS FOXM1 expression was correlated with FIGO stage and histological grade, and RacGAP1 expression was correlated with histological grade. FOXM1 and RacGAP1 levels were increased in CC tissues, and higher expressed in human CC cell lines than that in an immortalized HPV-negative skin keratinocyte line (HaCaT). Depleted RacGAP1 suppressed CC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoted apoptosis. RacGAP1 was a target gene of FOXM1, and FOXM1 positively regulated RacGAP1 expression. FOXM1 had a synergistic effect with RacGAP1 to exert oncogenic function in CC by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling. CONCLUSION FOXM1 cooperates with RacGAP1 to induce CC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, inhibit apoptosis, and regulate PI3K/AKT signaling to promote CC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongye Yao
- Department of Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Jiashan County, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, 314100, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Ninghai City, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315600, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Jiashan County, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, 314100, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaotian Pan
- Department of Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Jiashan County, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, 314100, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaying Chu
- Department of Gynecology, The First People's Hospital of Jiashan County, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, 314100, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Yin
- Department of Gynecology, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Jiashan County, No. 20, Luoxing Road, Luoxing Street, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, 314100, People's Republic of China.
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