1
|
Zhang X, Sakamoto W, Canals D, Ishibashi M, Matsuda M, Nishida K, Toyoshima M, Shigeta S, Taniguchi M, Senkal CE, Okazaki T, Yaegashi N, Hannun YA, Nabe T, Kitatani K. Ceramide synthase 2-C 24:1 -ceramide axis limits the metastatic potential of ovarian cancer cells. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21287. [PMID: 33423335 PMCID: PMC8237407 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202001504rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of sphingolipid metabolism plays a role in cellular homeostasis, and dysregulation of these pathways is involved in cancer progression. Previously, our reports identified ceramide as an anti-metastatic lipid. In the present study, we investigated the biochemical alterations in ceramide-centered metabolism of sphingolipids that were associated with metastatic potential. We established metastasis-prone sublines of SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells using an in vivo selection method. These cells showed decreases in ceramide levels and ceramide synthase (CerS) 2 expression. Moreover, CerS2 downregulation in ovarian cancer cells promoted metastasis in vivo and potentiated cell motility and invasiveness. Moreover, CerS2 knock-in suppressed the formation of lamellipodia required for cell motility in this cell line. In order to define specific roles of ceramide species in cell motility controlled by CerS2, the effect of exogenous long- and very long-chain ceramide species on the formation of lamellipodia was evaluated. Treatment with distinct ceramides increased cellular ceramides and had inhibitory effects on the formation of lamellipodia. Interestingly, blocking the recycling pathway of ceramides by a CerS inhibitor was ineffective in the suppression of exogenous C24:1 -ceramide for the formation of lamellipodia. These results suggested that C24:1 -ceramide, a CerS2 metabolite, predominantly suppresses the formation of lamellipodia without the requirement for deacylation/reacylation. Moreover, knockdown of neutral ceramidase suppressed the formation of lamellipodia concomitant with upregulation of C24:1 -ceramide. Collectively, the CerS2-C24:1 -ceramide axis, which may be countered by neutral ceramidase, is suggested to limit cell motility and metastatic potential. These findings may provide insights that lead to further development of ceramide-based therapy and biomarkers for metastatic ovarian cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuewei Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Wataru Sakamoto
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Canals
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Masumi Ishibashi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Masaya Matsuda
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Setsunan University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kentaro Nishida
- Department of Integrative Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Setsunan University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masafumi Toyoshima
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Shogo Shigeta
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Makoto Taniguchi
- Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Can E. Senkal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA, USA
| | - Toshiro Okazaki
- Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
- Department of Hematology and Immunology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Nobuo Yaegashi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Yusuf A. Hannun
- Department of Medicine, Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Takeshi Nabe
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Setsunan University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Kitatani
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Setsunan University, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Raichur S, Brunner B, Bielohuby M, Hansen G, Pfenninger A, Wang B, Bruning JC, Larsen PJ, Tennagels N. The role of C16:0 ceramide in the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes: CerS6 inhibition as a novel therapeutic approach. Mol Metab 2019; 21:36-50. [PMID: 30655217 PMCID: PMC6407366 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2018.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Ectopic fat deposition is associated with increased tissue production of ceramides. Recent genetic mouse studies suggest that specific sphingolipid C16:0 ceramide produced by ceramide synthase 6 (CerS6) plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance. However, the therapeutic potential of CerS6 inhibition not been demonstrated. Therefore, we pharmacologically investigated the selective ablation of CerS6 using antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) in obese insulin resistance animal models. METHODS We utilized ASO as therapeutic modality, CerS6 ASO molecules designed and synthesized were initially screened for in-vitro knock-down (KD) potency and cytotoxicity. ASOs with >85% inhibition of CerS6 mRNA were selected for further investigations. Most promising ASOs verified for in-vivo KD efficacy in healthy mice. CerS6 ASO (AAGATGAGCCGCACC) was found most active with hepatic reduction of CerS6 mRNA expression. Prior to longitudinal metabolic studies, we performed a dose titration target engagement analysis with CerS6 ASO in healthy mice to select the optimal dose. Next, we utilized leptin deficiency ob/ob and high fat diet (HFD) induced obese mouse models for pharmacological efficacy study. RESULTS CerS6 expression were significantly elevated in the liver and brown adipose, this was correlated with significantly elevated C16:0 ceramide concentrations in plasma and liver. Treatment with CerS6 ASO selectively reduced CerS6 expression by ∼90% predominantly in the liver and this CerS6 KD resulted in a significant reduction of C16:0 ceramide by about 50% in both liver and plasma. CerS6 KD resulted in lower body weight gain and accompanied by a significant reduction in whole body fat and fed/fasted blood glucose levels (1% reduction in HbA1c). Moreover, ASO-mediated CerS6 KD significantly improved oral glucose tolerance (during oGTT) and mice displayed improved insulin sensitivity. Thus, CerS6 appear to play an important role in the development of obesity and insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS Our investigations identified specific and selective therapeutic valid ASO for CerS6 ablation in in-vivo. CerS6 should specifically be targeted for the reduction of C16:0 ceramides, that results in amelioration of insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and obesity. CerS6 mediated C16:0 ceramide reduction could be a potentially attractive target for the treatment of insulin resistance, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Bodo Brunner
- Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, TA Diabetes, Industriepark Höchst, D-65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maximilian Bielohuby
- Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, TA Diabetes, Industriepark Höchst, D-65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Gitte Hansen
- Gubra ApS, Hørsholm Kongevej 11B, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Anja Pfenninger
- Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, TA Diabetes, Industriepark Höchst, D-65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Bing Wang
- Analytical Research & Development US Predevelopment Sciences, Sanofi, 153 Second Avenue, Waltham, MA 02451, USA
| | - Jens C Bruning
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolic Research, Gleueler Str. 50, D-50931 Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Norbert Tennagels
- Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, TA Diabetes, Industriepark Höchst, D-65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Suzuki M, Cao K, Kato S, Komizu Y, Mizutani N, Tanaka K, Arima C, Tai MC, Yanagisawa K, Togawa N, Shiraishi T, Usami N, Taniguchi T, Fukui T, Yokoi K, Wakahara K, Hasegawa Y, Mizutani Y, Igarashi Y, Inokuchi JI, Iwaki S, Fujii S, Satou A, Matsumoto Y, Ueoka R, Tamiya-Koizumi K, Murate T, Nakamura M, Kyogashima M, Takahashi T. Targeting ceramide synthase 6-dependent metastasis-prone phenotype in lung cancer cells. J Clin Invest 2015; 126:254-65. [PMID: 26650179 DOI: 10.1172/jci79775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sphingolipids make up a family of molecules associated with an array of biological functions, including cell death and migration. Sphingolipids are often altered in cancer, though how these alterations lead to tumor formation and progression is largely unknown. Here, we analyzed non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens and cell lines and determined that ceramide synthase 6 (CERS6) is markedly overexpressed compared with controls. Elevated CERS6 expression was due in part to reduction of microRNA-101 (miR-101) and was associated with increased invasion and poor prognosis. CERS6 knockdown in NSCLC cells altered the ceramide profile, resulting in decreased cell migration and invasion in vitro, and decreased the frequency of RAC1-positive lamellipodia formation while CERS6 overexpression promoted it. In murine models, CERS6 knockdown in transplanted NSCLC cells attenuated lung metastasis. Furthermore, combined treatment with l-α-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine liposome and the glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor D-PDMP induced cell death in association with ceramide accumulation and promoted cancer cell apoptosis and tumor regression in murine models. Together, these results indicate that CERS6-dependent ceramide synthesis and maintenance of ceramide in the cellular membrane are essential for lamellipodia formation and metastasis. Moreover, these results suggest that targeting this homeostasis has potential as a therapeutic strategy for CERS6-overexpressing NSCLC.
Collapse
|