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He Q, Zheng Y, Lu L, Shen H, Gu W, Yang J, Zhang X, Jin H. Hyperthermia improves gemcitabine sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells by suppressing the EFNA4/β-catenin axis and activating dCK. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28488. [PMID: 38590861 PMCID: PMC10999932 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28488] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Previously, our investigations have underscored the potential of hyperthermia to improve the therapeutic efficacy of gemcitabine (GEM) in pancreatic cancer (PC). Nonetheless, the precise underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Methods We engineered two GEM-resistant PC cell lines (BxPC-3/GEM and PANC-1/GEM) and treated them with GEM alongside hyperthermia. The impact of hyperthermia on the therapeutic potency of GEM was ascertained through MTT assay, assessment of the concentration of its active metabolite dFdCTP, and evaluation of deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) activity. Lentivirus-mediated dCK silencing was further employed to validate its involvement in mediating the GEM-sensitizing effect of hyperthermia. The mechanism underlying hyperthermia-mediated dCK activation was explored using bioinformatics analyses. The interplay between hyperthermia and the ephrin A4 (EFNA4)/β-catenin/dCK axis was investigated, and their roles in GEM resistance was further explored via the establishment of xenograft tumor models in nude mice. Results Hyperthermia restored dCK expression in GEM-resistant cell lines, concurrently enhancing GEM sensitivity and fostering DNA damage and cell death. These observed effects were negated by dCK silencing. Regarding the mechanism, hyperthermia activated dCK by downregulating EFNA4 expression and mitigating β-catenin activation. Overexpression of EFNA4 activated the β-catenin while suppressing dCK, thus diminishing cellular GEM sensitivity-a phenomenon remediated by the β-catenin antagonist MSAB. Consistently, in vivo, hyperthermia augmented the therapeutic efficacy of GEM on xenograft tumors through modulation of the ephrin A4/β-catenin/dCK axis. Conclusion This study delineates the role of hyperthermia in enhancing GEM sensitivity of PC cells, primarily mediated through the suppression of the EFNA4/β-catenin axis and activation of dCK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoxian He
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yangyang Zheng
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Lei Lu
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Hongzhang Shen
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Weigang Gu
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Jianfeng Yang
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
- Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhang
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
- Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Hangbin Jin
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, PR China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
- Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, PR China
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Ye P, Chen Z, Lou H, Mai Y, Zhu X, Fu X. Ephrin-A4 Ligand ( EFNA4) Predicts Poor Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Promotes Tumor Proliferation. J Clin Exp Hepatol 2023; 13:767-773. [PMID: 37693261 PMCID: PMC10482992 DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2023.04.004] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background/Aims Primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal tumor diseases in the world. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are thought to play a vital role in HCC and Ephrin-A4 ligand (EFNA4) is a membrane-bound molecule that can activate RTKs through erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular (Eph) receptors. However, the specific role of EFNA4 remains unknown. The aim of our study was to explore the prognostic value of EFNA4 expression in HCC. Methods Bioinformatics analyses were conducted to probe the expression levels and prognostic value of EFNA4 in HCC. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical and western blot were used to confirm the expression of EFNA4 in paired clinical specimens of HCC. Colony formation assay was used to confirm the proliferation of tumor cell. Results The expression of EFNA4 is generally elevated in various cancers. Especially, EFNA4 was upregulated in tumor tissue and associated with clinical stage in HCC patients. HCC patients with lower levels of EFNA4 possessed better survival and progression-free survival times. Colony formation assay indicated that the overexpression of EFNA4 promoted tumor cell proliferation. Conclusion These results demonstrated that EFNA4 played as an oncogenic gene and a prognostic biomarker for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Ye
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Panyu Central Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zide Chen
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Cancer Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Haibo Lou
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Panyu Central Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanjun Mai
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Panyu Central Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaolin Zhu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Central Hospital of Zibo, Zibo, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xihua Fu
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Panyu Central Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Tung ML, Chandra B, Kotlarek J, Melo M, Phillippi E, Justice CM, Musolf A, Boyadijev SA, Romitti PA, Darbro B, El-Shanti H. TBX3 and EFNA4 Variant in a Family with Ulnar-Mammary Syndrome and Sagittal Craniosynostosis. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13. [PMID: 36140816 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Ulnar-mammary syndrome (UMS) is a rare, autosomal dominant disorder characterized by anomalies affecting the limbs, apocrine glands, dentition, and genital development. This syndrome is caused by haploinsufficiency in the T-Box3 gene (TBX3), with considerable variability in the clinical phenotype being observed even within families. We describe a one-year-old female with unilateral, postaxial polydactyly, and bilateral fifth fingernail duplication. Next-generation sequencing revealed a novel, likely pathogenic, variant predicted to affect the canonical splice site in intron 3 of the TBX3 gene (c.804 + 1G > A, IVS3 + 1G > A). This variant was inherited from the proband’s father who was also diagnosed with UMS with the additional clinical finding of congenital, sagittal craniosynostosis. Subsequent whole genome analysis in the proband’s father detected a variant in the EFNA4 gene (c.178C > T, p.His60Tyr), which has only been reported to be associated with sagittal craniosynostosis in one patient prior to this report but reported in other cranial suture synostosis. The findings in this family extend the genotypic spectrum of UMS, as well as the phenotypic spectrum of EFNA4-related craniosynostosis.
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Lin J, Zeng C, Zhang J, Song Z, Qi N, Liu X, Zhang Z, Li A, Chen F. EFNA4 promotes cell proliferation and tumor metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma through a PIK3R2/GSK3β/β-catenin positive feedback loop. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2021; 25:328-341. [PMID: 34484860 PMCID: PMC8397841 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Rapid tumor progression, metastasis, and diagnosis in advanced stages of disease are the main reasons for the short survival time and high mortality rate of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ephrin A4 (EFNA4), the ligand of the EPH family, participates in the development of blood vessels and epithelium by regulating cell migration and rejection. In our study, based on bioinformatics analyses, we found that EFNA4 was highly expressed and led to poor prognosis in patients with HCC. We demonstrated that overexpression of EFNA4 significantly promoted HCC cell proliferation and migration in vivo or in vitro. In addition, knockdown of EFNA4 inhibited the proliferation and migration of HCC cells. Furthermore, EFNA4 was found to directly interact with EPHA2 and promote its phosphorylation at Ser897, followed by recruitment of phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 2 (PIK3R2) and activation of the glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK3β)/β-catenin signaling pathway. Moreover, overexpression of β-catenin further promoted the expression of PIK3R2, which formed a positive feedback loop. The results revealed that abnormal expression of EFNA4 is the main switch of the PIK3R2/GSK3β/β-catenin loop that influenced the proliferation and migration of HCC cells and suggest that EFNA4 is a potential prognostic marker and a prospective therapeutic target in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Lin
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Chunting Zeng
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - JiaKang Zhang
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Zhenghui Song
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.,Research Center of Carcinogenesis and Targeted Therapy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Na Qi
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Xinhui Liu
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ziyan Zhang
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Aimin Li
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Fengsheng Chen
- Cancer Center, Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China.,Cancer Center, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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Garrido-Laguna I, Krop I, Burris HA, Hamilton E, Braiteh F, Weise AM, Abu-Khalaf M, Werner TL, Pirie-Shepherd S, Zopf CJ, Lakshminarayanan M, Holland JS, Baffa R, Hong DS. First-in-human, phase I study of PF-06647263, an anti- EFNA4 calicheamicin antibody-drug conjugate, in patients with advanced solid tumors. Int J Cancer 2019; 145:1798-1808. [PMID: 30680712 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [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: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PF-06647263, a novel antibody-drug conjugate consisting of an anti-EFNA4 antibody linked to a calicheamicin payload, has shown potent antitumor activity in human xenograft tumor models, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In the dose-escalation part 1 of this multicenter, open-label, phase I study (NCT02078752), successive cohorts of patients (n, 48) with advanced solid tumors and no available standard therapy received PF-06647263 every 3 weeks (Q3W) or every week (QW), following a modified toxicity probability interval (mTPI) method (initial dosing: 0.015 mg/kg Q3W). Primary objective in part 1 was to estimate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and select the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). In part 2 (dose-expansion cohort), 12 patients with pretreated, metastatic TNBC received PF-06647263 at the RP2D to further evaluate tumor response and overall safety. PF-06647263 QW administration (n, 23) was better tolerated than the Q3W regimen (n, 25) with only 1 DLT reported (thrombocytopenia). The most common AEs with the QW regimen (fatigue, nausea, vomiting, mucosal inflammation, thrombocytopenia, and diarrhea) were mostly mild to moderate in severity. The MTD was not estimated. PF-06647263 exposures increased in a dose-related manner across the doses evaluated. The RP2D was determined to be 0.015 mg/kg QW. Six (10%) patients achieved a confirmed partial response and 22 (36.7%) patients had stable disease. No correlations were observed between tumor responses and EFNA4 expression levels. Study findings showed manageable safety and favorable PK for PF-06647263 administered QW at the RP2D, with preliminary evidence of limited antitumor activity in patients with TNBC and ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Garrido-Laguna
- Department of Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Ian Krop
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Center/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Howard A Burris
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sarah Cannon Research Institute/Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, TN
| | - Erika Hamilton
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sarah Cannon Research Institute/Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, TN
| | - Fadi Braiteh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada and University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Medicine, Las Vegas, NV
| | - Amy M Weise
- Department of Oncology, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI
| | - Maysa Abu-Khalaf
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Theresa L Werner
- Department of Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
| | | | | | | | | | | | - David S Hong
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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Taylor GM, Cooper GM, Losee JE, Mooney MP, Gilbert J. Molecular Analysis of Ephrin A4 and Ephrin B1 in a Rabbit Model of Craniosynostosis: Likely Exclusion as the Loci of Origin. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2017; 55:1020-1025. [PMID: 28135115 DOI: 10.1597/16-135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Craniosynostosis (CS) has a prevalence of approximately 1 in every 2000 live births and is characterized by the premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures. Failure to maintain the cell lineage boundary at the coronal suture is thought to be involved in the pathology of some forms of CS. The Ephrin family of receptor tyrosine kinases consists of membrane-bound receptors and ligands that control cell patterning and the formation of developmental boundaries. Mutations in the ephrin A4 (EFNA4) and ephrin B1 (EFNB1) ligands have been linked to nonsyndromic CS and craniofrontonasal syndrome, respectively, in patient samples. We have previously described a colony of rabbits with a heritable pattern of coronal suture synostosis, although the genetic basis for synostosis within this model remains unknown. The present study was performed to determine if EFNA4 or EFNB1 could be the loci of the causal mutation in this unique animal model. Sequencing of EFNA4 and EFNB1 was performed using templates obtained from wild-type (n = 4) and craniosynostotic (n = 4) rabbits. No structural coding errors were identified in either gene. A single-nucleotide transversion was identified in one wild-type rabbit within the third intron of EFNA4. These data indicate that the causal locus for heritable CS in this rabbit model is not located within the structural coding regions of either EFNA4 or EFNB1.
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