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Sung Y, Hong ST, Jang M, Kim ES, Kim C, Jung Y, Youn I, Chan Kwon I, Cho SW, Ryu JH. Predicting response to anti-EGFR antibody, cetuximab, therapy by monitoring receptor internalization and degradation. Biomaterials 2023; 303:122382. [PMID: 37977005 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122382] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody, cetuximab, therapy has significantly improved the clinical outcomes of patients with colorectal cancer, but the response to cetuximab can vary widely among individuals. We thus need strategies for predicting the response to this therapy. However, the current methods are unsatisfactory in their predictive power. Cetuximab can promote the internalization and degradation of EGFR, and its therapeutic efficacy is significantly correlated with the degree of EGFR degradation. Here, we present a new approach to predict the response to anti-EGFR therapy, cetuximab by evaluating the degree of EGFR internalization and degradation of colorectal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Our newly developed fluorogenic cetuximab-conjugated probe (Cetux-probe) was confirmed to undergo EGFR binding, internalization, and lysosomal degradation to yield fluorescence activation; it thus shares the action mechanism by which cetuximab exerts its anti-tumor effects. Cetux-probe-activated fluorescence could be used to gauge EGFR degradation and showed a strong linear correlation with the cytotoxicity of cetuximab in colorectal cancer cells and tumor-bearing mice. The predictive ability of Cetux-probe-activated fluorescence was much higher than those of EGFR expression or KRAS mutation status. The Cetux-probes may become useful tools for predicting the response to cetuximab therapy by assessing EGFR degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yejin Sung
- Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea; Graduate Program in Bioindustrial Engineering, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Taek Hong
- Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea; Division of Biohealthcare, Department of Echo-Applied Chemistry, Daejin University, 1007 Hoguk-ro, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 11159, Republic of Korea
| | - Mihue Jang
- Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Sun Kim
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, 20841, Republic of Korea
| | - Chansoo Kim
- AI/R Lab., Computational Science Centre & ASSIST, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngmee Jung
- Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Inchan Youn
- Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Ick Chan Kwon
- Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea; KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Woo Cho
- Graduate Program in Bioindustrial Engineering, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea; Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea; Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ju Hee Ryu
- Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
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Tuersuntuoheti A, Li Q, Teng Y, Li X, Huang R, Lu Y, Li K, Liang J, Miao S, Wu W, Song W. YWK-II/APLP2 inhibits TGF-β signaling by interfering with the TGFBR2-Hsp90 interaction. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res 2023; 1870:119548. [PMID: 37479189 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2023.119548] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) regulates multiple cellular biological processes by activating TGF-β type I receptors (TGFBR1) and type II receptors (TGFBR2), and Hsp90 stabilizes these receptors through specific interactions. In many malignancies, one of the most deregulated signaling pathways is the TGF-β signaling pathway, which is often inactivated by mutations or deregulation of TGF-β type II receptors (TGFBR2). However, the molecular mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we show that YWK-II/APLP2, an immediately early response gene for TGF-β signaling, inhibits TGF-β signaling by promoting the degradation of the TGFBR2 protein. Knockdown of YWK-II/APLP2 increases the TGFBR2 protein level and sensitizes cells to TGF-β stimulation, while YWK-II/APLP2 overexpression destabilizes TGFBR2 and desensitizes cells to TGF-β. Mechanistically, YWK-II/APLP2 is associated with TGFBR2 in a TGF-β activity-dependent manner, binds to Hsp90 to interfere with the interaction between TGFBR2 and Hsp90, and leads to enhanced ubiquitination and degradation of TGFBR2. Taken together, YWK-II/APLP2 is involved in negatively regulating the duration and intensity of TGF-β/Smad signaling and suggests that aberrantly high expression of YWK-II/APLP2 in malignancies may antagonize the growth inhibition mediated by TGF-β signaling and play a role in carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amannisa Tuersuntuoheti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Qinshan Li
- Guizhou Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medical Laboratory Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China
| | - Yu Teng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Xiaolu Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Rong Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Yan Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Junbo Liang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Shiying Miao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China.
| | - Wei Song
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China.
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Afrin S, El Sabeh M, Islam MS, Miyashita-Ishiwata M, Malik M, Catherino WH, Akimzhanov AM, Boehning D, Yang Q, Al-Hendy A, Segars JH, Borahay MA. Simvastatin modulates estrogen signaling in uterine leiomyoma via regulating receptor palmitoylation, trafficking and degradation. Pharmacol Res 2021; 172:105856. [PMID: 34461224 PMCID: PMC8455458 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [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: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Uterine leiomyomas or fibroids are the most common tumors of the female reproductive tract. Estrogen (E2), a steroid-derived hormone, and its receptors (ERs), particularly ER-α, are important drivers for the development and growth of leiomyomas. We previously demonstrated that simvastatin, a drug used for hyperlipidemia, also possesses anti-leiomyoma properties. The aim of this work is to investigate the impact of simvastatin on ER-α signaling in leiomyoma cells, including its expression, downstream signaling, transcriptional activity, post-translational modification, trafficking and degradation. Primary and immortalized human uterine leiomyoma (HuLM) cells were used for in vitro experiments. Immunodeficient mice xenografted with human leiomyoma tissue explants were used for in vivo studies. Leiomyoma samples were obtained from patients enrolled in an ongoing double-blinded, phase II, randomized controlled trial. Here, we found that simvastatin significantly reduced E2-induced proliferation and PCNA expression. In addition, simvastatin reduced total ER-α expression in leiomyoma cells and altered its subcellular localization by inhibiting its trafficking to the plasma membrane and nucleus. Simvastatin also inhibited E2 downstream signaling, including ERK and AKT pathways, E2/ER transcriptional activity and E2-responsive genes. To explain simvastatin effects on ER-α level and trafficking, we examined its effects on ER-α post-translational processing. We noticed that simvastatin reduced ER-α palmitoylation; a required modification for its stability, trafficking to plasma membrane, and signaling. We also observed an increase in ubiquitin-mediated ER-α degradation. Importantly, we found that the effects of simvastatin on ER-α expression were recapitulated in the xenograft leiomyoma mouse model and human tissues. Thus, our data suggest that simvastatin modulates several E2/ER signaling targets with potential implications in leiomyoma therapy and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadia Afrin
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Malak El Sabeh
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Md Soriful Islam
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mariko Miyashita-Ishiwata
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Minnie Malik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - William H Catherino
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Askar M Akimzhanov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, USA
| | - Darren Boehning
- Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, 401 Broadway, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
| | - Qiwei Yang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Chicago School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Ayman Al-Hendy
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Chicago School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - James H Segars
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mostafa A Borahay
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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