Downregulation of ZNF395 Drives Progression of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma through Enhancement of Growth Potential

Pathobiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Shusaku Kurogi ◽  
Naoki Hijiya ◽  
Shinya Hidano ◽  
Seiya Sato ◽  
Tomohisa Uchida ◽  
...  

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Progression of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) to invasive carcinoma is a critical factor impacting the prognosis of patients with pancreatic tumors. However, the molecular mechanisms involved are not fully understood. We have reported that the process frequently involves loss of chromosome 8p, causing downregulation of DUSP4, thus conferring invasive ability on cancer cells. Here, we focus on ZNF395, whose expression was also found to be decreased by 8p loss and was predicted to be a growth suppressor gene. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Pancreatic cancer cell lines inducibly expressing ZNF395 were established to assess the functional significance of ZNF395 in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Immunohistochemistry was also performed to analyze the expression levels of ZNF395 in pancreatic cancer tissues. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Induction of ZNF395 in pancreatic cancer cells resulted in marked activation of JNK and suppression of their proliferation through a delay in cell cycle progression. Immunohistochemistry revealed that ZNF395 was expressed ubiquitously in both normal pancreatic ducts and PanINs but was significantly reduced in invasive cancers, especially those showing poor differentiation. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> ZNF395 acts as a novel tumor suppressor gene. Its downregulation caused by 8p loss in intraepithelial cells accelerates their proliferation through dysregulation of the cell cycle, leading to progression to invasive cancer.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison N. Lau ◽  
Zhaoqi Li ◽  
Laura V. Danai ◽  
Anna M. Westermark ◽  
Alicia M. Darnell ◽  
...  

AbstractTumors are composed of many different cell types including cancer cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells. Dissecting functional metabolic differences between various cell types within a mixed population can be limited by the rapid turnover of metabolites relative to the time needed to isolate cells. To overcome this challenge, we traced isotope-labeled nutrients into macromolecules that turn over more slowly than metabolites. This approach was used to assess differences between cancer cell and fibroblast metabolism in pancreatic cancer organoid-fibroblast co-cultures and in pancreatic tumors. In these contexts, we find pancreatic cancer cells exhibit increased pyruvate carboxylation relative to fibroblasts, and that this flux depends on both pyruvate carboxylase and malic enzyme 1 activity. Consequently, expression of both enzymes in cancer cells is necessary for organoid and tumor growth, demonstrating that dissecting the metabolism of specific cell populations within heterogeneous systems can identify dependencies that may not be evident from studying isolated cells in culture or bulk tumor tissue.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 4470-4491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Geisen ◽  
Marion Zenthoefer ◽  
Matthias Peipp ◽  
Jannik Kerber ◽  
Johannes Plenge ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pilar Acedo ◽  
Aristi Fernandes ◽  
Joanna Zawacka-Pankau

AbstractThe p73 is a tumor suppressor that compensates for p53 loss and induces apoptosis in tumors in response to genotoxic stress or small-molecule treatments.Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a late onset of the disease, responds poorly to the existing therapies and has very low overall survival rates.Here, using drug-repurposing approach, we found that protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (BPD) activate p73 and induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. PpIX and BPD induce reactive oxygen species and inhibit thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1). Thus, PpIX and BPD target cancer cells’ vulnerabilities namely activate TAp73 tumor suppressor and inhibit oncogenic TrxR1. Our findings, may contribute to faster repurposing of PpIX and BPD to treat pancreatic tumors.Lay AbstractDespite the efforts, pancreatic cancer remains among the most aggressive tumors. Late diagnoses often linked with the asymptomatic disease progression make it extremely difficult to cure. We have used drugs that are already in clinics and applied in photodynamic therapy of cancer and showed that the compounds induce death of cancer cells. The mechanism is via activation of p73 tumor suppressor and inhibition oncogenic thioredoxin reductase. Molecules that in parallel induce two pathways leading to cell death might be very promising candidates for improved cancer therapy in pancreatic cancer patients.


Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (24) ◽  
pp. 4445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Btissame El Hassouni ◽  
Giulia Mantini ◽  
Benoît Immordino ◽  
Godefridus J. Peters ◽  
Elisa Giovannetti

Background: Inhibition of ribosome biogenesis has recently emerged as a promising strategy for the treatment of metastatic tumors. The RNA polymerase I inhibitor CX-5461 has shown efficacy in a panel of cancer types and is currently being tested in clinical trials. However, further preclinical studies to unravel molecular mechanisms underlying the activity of this drug are warranted. Methods: In this study, we have investigated the effects of CX-5461 on cell growth and migration of pancreatic cancer cells by the sulforhodamine-B and wound healing assay, respectively. Furthermore, we assessed the expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes by qRT-PCR, while protein expression of DNA damage marker phospho-H2A.X was studied by Western blot and immunofluorescence. Results: CX-5461 inhibits pancreatic cancer cell growth in the nanomolar range and inhibits the migratory capability of the cells. Additionally, CX-5461 induced expression of EMT factor SNAI1 and caused DNA double-strand breaks as measured by increased expression of phospho-H2A.X. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that CX-5461 is active against pancreatic cancer cells and modulation of EMT factors, as well as increased expression of phospho-H2A.X, support further pre-/clinical investigations, including the analyses of these markers.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Liu ◽  
Bin Zhang ◽  
xin jin ◽  
Xiang Cheng

Abstract BackgroundPancreatic cancer is a highly heterogeneous and has a poor prognosis. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying pancreatic cancer progression is essential for improving patient survival. Although the E3 ubiquitin ligase mind bomb 1 (MIB1) is involved in cancer cell proliferation and is often overexpressed in pancreatic cancer, the role of MIB1 in pancreatic cancer progression remains unclear.Methods The relationship of MIB1 with the clinicopathological features of pancreatic tumors was bioinformatically investigated in different datasets. The protein levels of MIB1 and ST7 were assessed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The role of MIB1 and ST7 in pancreatic cancer growth was assessed by MTS assays, colony formation assays, and experiments in mouse xenograft models. The interaction between MIB1 and ST7 was investigated by co-immunoprecipitation. The relationship between MIB1, ST7, and IQGAP1 levels was explored by Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR.ResultsMIB1 expression was elevated in pancreatic cancer tissues, and its expression levels were associated with unfavorable prognosis. MIB1 overexpression enhanced pancreatic cancer proliferation and invasion in vitro and in vivo. We identified ST7 as a novel MIB1 target for proteasomal degradation. Further, we found that ST7 suppressed tumor growth by downregulating IQGAP1 in pancreatic cancer cells.ConclusionsThese data suggest that MIB1 promotes pancreatic cancer progression by inducing ST7 degradation. ST7 suppresses tumor growth by downregulating IQGAP1 in pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, the MIB1/ST7/IQGAP1 axis is essential for pancreatic cancer progression, and MIB1 inhibition may improve the survival of pancreatic cancer patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 401 (10) ◽  
pp. 1153-1165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antônio F. da Silva Filho ◽  
Lucas B. Tavares ◽  
Maira G. R. Pitta ◽  
Eduardo I. C. Beltrão ◽  
Moacyr J. B. M. Rêgo

AbstractPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive tumors with a microenvironment marked by hypoxia and starvation. Galectin-3 has been evaluated in solid tumors and seems to present both pro/anti-tumor effects. So, this study aims to characterize the expression of Galectin-3 from pancreatic tumor cells and analyze its influence for cell survive and motility in mimetic microenvironment. For this, cell cycle and cell death were accessed through flow cytometry. Characterization of inside and outside Galectin-3 was performed through Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), immunofluorescence, Western blot, and ELISA. Consequences of Galectin-3 extracellular inhibition were investigated using cell death and scratch assays. PANC-1 showed increased Galectin-3 mRNA expression when cultivated in hypoxia for 24 and 48 h. After 24 h in simultaneously hypoxic/deprived incubation, PANC-1 shows increased Galectin-3 protein and secreted levels. For Mia PaCa-2, cultivation in deprivation was determinant for the increasing in Galectin-3 mRNA expression. When cultivated in simultaneously hypoxic/deprived condition, Mia PaCa-2 also presented increasing for the Galectin-3 secreted levels. Treatment of PANC-1 cells with lactose increased the death rate when cells were incubated simultaneously hypoxic/deprived condition. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that the microenvironmental conditions modulate the Galectin-3 expression on the transcriptional and translational levels for pancreatic cancer cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Guo ◽  
Yingke Zhou ◽  
Hui Guo ◽  
Dianyun Ren ◽  
Xin Jin ◽  
...  

AbstractNR5A2 is a transcription factor regulating the expression of various oncogenes. However, the role of NR5A2 and the specific regulatory mechanism of NR5A2 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are not thoroughly studied. In our study, Western blotting, real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry were conducted to assess the expression levels of different molecules. Wound-healing, MTS, colony formation, and transwell assays were employed to evaluate the malignant potential of pancreatic cancer cells. We demonstrated that NR5A2 acted as a negative prognostic biomarker in PDAC. NR5A2 silencing inhibited the proliferation and migration abilities of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. While NR5A2 overexpression markedly promoted both events in vitro. We further identified that NR5A2 was transcriptionally upregulated by BRD4 in pancreatic cancer cells and this was confirmed by Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and ChIP-qPCR. Besides, transcriptome RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed to explore the cancer-promoting effects of NR5A2, we found that GDF15 is a component of multiple down-regulated tumor-promoting gene sets after NR5A2 was silenced. Next, we showed that NR5A2 enhanced the malignancy of pancreatic cancer cells by inducing the transcription of GDF15. Collectively, our findings suggest that NR5A2 expression is induced by BRD4. In turn, NR5A2 activates the transcription of GDF15, promoting pancreatic cancer progression. Therefore, NR5A2 and GDF15 could be promising therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer.


2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 1849-1857 ◽  
Author(s):  
RANGANATHA R. SOMASAGARA ◽  
GAGAN DEEP ◽  
SANGEETA SHROTRIYA ◽  
MANISHA PATEL ◽  
CHAPLA AGARWAL ◽  
...  

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