scholarly journals Gene Expression Signature-Based Approach Identifies Antifungal Drug Ciclopirox As a Novel Inhibitor of HMGA2 in Colorectal Cancer

Biomolecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Min Huang ◽  
Chia-Hsiung Cheng ◽  
Shiow-Lin Pan ◽  
Pei-Ming Yang ◽  
Ding-Yen Lin ◽  
...  

Human high-mobility group A2 (HMGA2) encodes for a non-histone chromatin protein which influences a variety of biological processes, including the cell cycle process, apoptosis, the DNA damage repair process, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. The accumulated evidence suggests that high expression of HMGA2 is related to tumor progression, poor prognosis, and a poor response to therapy. Thus, HMGA2 is an important molecular target for many types of malignancies. Our recent studies revealed the positive connections between heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and HMGA2 and that the Hsp90 inhibitor has therapeutic potential to inhibit HMGA2-triggered tumorigenesis. However, 43% of patients suffered visual disturbances in a phase I trial of the second-generation Hsp90 inhibitor, NVP-AUY922. To identify a specific inhibitor to target HMGA2, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the Library of Integrated Network-based Cellular Signatures (LINCS) L1000platform were both analyzed. We identified the approved small-molecule antifungal agent ciclopirox (CPX) as a novel potential inhibitor of HMGA2. In addition, CPX induces cytotoxicity of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells by induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo through direct interaction with the AT-hook motif (a small DNA-binding protein motif) of HMGA2. In conclusion, this study is the first to report that CPX is a novel potential inhibitor of HMGA2 using a drug-repurposing approach, which can provide a potential therapeutic intervention in CRC patients.

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2582
Author(s):  
Jan Schulte am Esch ◽  
Beatrice Ariane Windmöller ◽  
Johannes Hanewinkel ◽  
Jonathan Storm ◽  
Christine Förster ◽  
...  

Cancer stem cells (CSC) are crucial mediators of cancer relapse. Here, we isolated two primary human colorectal cancer cell lines derived from a rectal neuroendocrine carcinoma (BKZ-2) and a colorectal adenocarcinoma (BKZ-3), both containing subpopulations with potential stem-like properties. Protein expression of CSC-markers prominin-1 and CD44 antigen was significantly higher for BKZ-2 and BKZ-3 in comparison to well-established colon carcinoma cell lines. High sphere-formation capacity further confirmed the existence of a subpopulation with potential stem-like phenotype. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition markers as well as immune checkpoint ligands were expressed more pronounced in BKZ-2. Both cell populations demonstrated N-myc proto-oncogene (NMYC) copy number gain. Myc proto-oncogene (MYC)/NMYC activity inhibitor all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) significantly reduced the number of tumor spheres for both and the volume of BKZ-2 spheres. In contrast, the sphere volume of ATRA-treated BKZ-3 was increased, and only BKZ-2 cell proliferation was reduced in monolayer culture. Treatment with KJ-Pyr-9, a specific inhibitor of MYC/NMYC-myc-associated factor X interaction, decreased survival by the induction of apoptosis of both. In summary, here, we present the novel colorectal cancer cell lines BKZ-2 and BKZ-3 as promising cellular in vitro models for colorectal carcinomas and identify the MYC/NMYC molecular pathway involved in CSC-induced carcinogenesis with relevant therapeutic potential.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A38-A38
Author(s):  
Shilpa Ravindran ◽  
Heba Sidahmed ◽  
Harshitha Manjunath ◽  
Rebecca Mathew ◽  
Tanwir Habib ◽  
...  

BackgroundPatients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC), depending on the duration and severity of the disease. The evolutionary process in IBD is driven by chronic inflammation leading to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) events in colonic fibrotic areas. EMT plays a determinant role in tumor formation and progression, through the acquisition of ‘stemness’ properties and the generation of neoplastic cells. The aim of this study is to monitor EMT/cancer initiating tracts in IBD in association with the deep characterization of inflammation in order to assess the mechanisms of IBD severity and progression towards malignancy.Methods10 pediatric and 20 adult IBD patients, admitted at Sidra Medicine (SM) and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) respectively, have been enrolled in this study, from whom gut tissue biopsies (from both left and right side) were collected. Retrospectively collected tissues (N=10) from patients with malignancy and history of IBD were included in the study. DNA and RNA were extracted from fresh small size (2–4 mm in diameter) gut tissues using the BioMasher II (Kimble) and All Prep DNA/RNA kits (Qiagen). MicroRNA (miRNA; N=700) and gene expression (N=800) profiling have been performed (cCounter platform; Nanostring) as well as the methylation profiling microarray (Infinium Methylation Epic Bead Chip kit, Illumina) to interrogate up to 850,000 methylation sites across the genome.ResultsDifferential miRNA profile (N=27 miRNA; p<0.05) was found by the comparison of tissues from pediatric and adult patients. These miRNAs regulate: i. oxidative stress damage (e.g., miR 99b), ii. hypoxia induced autophagy; iii. genes associated with the susceptibility to IBD (ATG16L1, NOD2, IRGM), iv. immune responses, such as TH17 T cell subset (miR 29). N=6 miRNAs (miR135b, 10a196b, 125b, let7c, 375) linked with the regulation of Wnt/b-catenin, EM-transaction, autophagy, oxidative stress and play role also in cell proliferation and mobilization and colorectal cancer development were differentially expressed (p<0.05) in tissues from left and right sides of gut. Gene expression signature, including genes associated with inflammation, stemness and fibrosis, has also been performed for the IBD tissues mentioned above. Methylation sites at single nucleotide resolution have been analyzed.ConclusionsAlthough the results warrant further investigation, differential genomic profiling suggestive of altered pathways involved in oxidative stress, EMT, and of the possible stemness signature was found. The integration of data from multiple platforms will provide insights of the overall molecular determinants in IBD patients along with the evolution of the disease.Ethics ApprovalThis study was approved by Sidra Medicine and Hamad Medical Corporation Ethics Boards; approval number 180402817 and MRC-02-18-096, respectively.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1212
Author(s):  
Getinet M. Adinew ◽  
Equar Taka ◽  
Patricia Mendonca ◽  
Samia S. Messeha ◽  
Karam F. A. Soliman

Triple- negative breast cancer (TNBC) incidence rate has regularly risen over the last decades and is expected to increase in the future. Finding novel treatment options with minimum or no toxicity is of great importance in treating or preventing TNBC. Flavonoids are new attractive molecules that might fulfill this promising therapeutic option. Flavonoids have shown many biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. In addition to their anticancer effects by arresting the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing cancer cell proliferation, flavonoids can modulate non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) function. Several preclinical and epidemiological studies indicate the possible therapeutic potential of these compounds. Flavonoids display a unique ability to change miRNAs’ levels via different mechanisms, either by suppressing oncogenic miRNAs or activating oncosuppressor miRNAs or affecting transcriptional, epigenetic miRNA processing in TNBC. Flavonoids are not only involved in the regulation of miRNA-mediated cancer initiation, growth, proliferation, differentiation, invasion, metastasis, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), but also control miRNAs-mediated biological processes that significantly impact TNBC, such as cell cycle, immune system, mitochondrial dysregulation, modulating signaling pathways, inflammation, and angiogenesis. In this review, we highlighted the role of miRNAs in TNBC cancer progression and the effect of flavonoids on miRNA regulation, emphasizing their anticipated role in the prevention and treatment of TNBC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 126
Author(s):  
Noshad Peyravian ◽  
Stefania Nobili ◽  
Zahra Pezeshkian ◽  
Meysam Olfatifar ◽  
Afshin Moradi ◽  
...  

This study aimed at building a prognostic signature based on a candidate gene panel whose expression may be associated with lymph node metastasis (LNM), thus potentially able to predict colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and patient survival. The mRNA expression levels of 20 candidate genes were evaluated by RT-qPCR in cancer and normal mucosa formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues of CRC patients. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the prognosis performance of our model by calculating the area under the curve (AUC) values corresponding to stage and metastasis. A total of 100 FFPE primary tumor tissues from stage I–IV CRC patients were collected and analyzed. Among the 20 candidate genes we studied, only the expression levels of VANGL1 significantly varied between patients with and without LNMs (p = 0.02). Additionally, the AUC value of the 20-gene panel was found to have the highest predictive performance (i.e., AUC = 79.84%) for LNMs compared with that of two subpanels including 5 and 10 genes. According to our results, VANGL1 gene expression levels are able to estimate LNMs in different stages of CRC. After a proper validation in a wider case series, the evaluation of VANGL1 gene expression and that of the 20-gene panel signature could help in the future in the prediction of CRC progression.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoqiang Zhu ◽  
Xianglong Tian ◽  
Linhua Ji ◽  
Xinyu Zhang ◽  
Yingying Cao ◽  
...  

AbstractStudies have shown that tumor microenvironment (TME) might affect drug sensitivity and the classification of colorectal cancer (CRC). Using TME-specific gene signature to identify CRC subtypes with distinctive clinical relevance has not yet been tested. A total of 18 “bulk” RNA-seq datasets (total n = 2269) and four single-cell RNA-seq datasets were included in this study. We constructed a “Signature associated with FOLFIRI resistant and Microenvironment” (SFM) that could discriminate both TME and drug sensitivity. Further, SFM subtypes were identified using K-means clustering and verified in three independent cohorts. Nearest template prediction algorithm was used to predict drug response. TME estimation was performed by CIBERSORT and microenvironment cell populations-counter (MCP-counter) methods. We identified six SFM subtypes based on SFM signature that discriminated both TME and drug sensitivity. The SFM subtypes were associated with distinct clinicopathological, molecular and phenotypic characteristics, specific enrichments of gene signatures, signaling pathways, prognosis, gut microbiome patterns, and tumor lymphocytes infiltration. Among them, SFM-C and -F were immune suppressive. SFM-F had higher stromal fraction with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition phenotype, while SFM-C was characterized as microsatellite instability phenotype which was responsive to immunotherapy. SFM-D, -E, and -F were sensitive to FOLFIRI and FOLFOX, while SFM-A, -B, and -C were responsive to EGFR inhibitors. Finally, SFM subtypes had strong prognostic value in which SFM-E and -F had worse survival than other subtypes. SFM subtypes enable the stratification of CRC with potential chemotherapy response thereby providing more precise therapeutic options for these patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoshan Su ◽  
Junjie Chen ◽  
Xiaoping Lin ◽  
Xiaoyang Chen ◽  
Zhixing Zhu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential pathophysiological process in COPD and plays an important role in airway remodeling, fibrosis, and malignant transformation of COPD. Previous studies have indicated FERMT3 is downregulated and plays a tumor-suppressive role in lung cancer. However, the role of FERMT3 in COPD, including EMT, has not yet been investigated. Methods The present study aimed to explore the potential role of FERMT3 in COPD and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Three GEO datasets were utilized to analyse FERMT3 gene expression profiles in COPD. We then established EMT animal models and cell models through cigarette smoke (CS) or cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure to detect the expression of FERMT3 and EMT markers. RT-PCR, western blot, immunohistochemical, cell migration, and cell cycle were employed to investigate the potential regulatory effect of FERMT3 in CSE-induced EMT. Results Based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data set analysis, FERMT3 expression in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was lower in COPD smokers than in non-smokers or smokers. Moreover, FERMT3 expression was significantly down-regulated in lung tissues of COPD GOLD 4 patients compared with the control group. Cigarette smoke exposure reduced the FERMT3 expression and induces EMT both in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that overexpression of FERMT3 could inhibit EMT induced by CSE in A549 cells. Furthermore, the CSE-induced cell migration and cell cycle progression were reversed by FERMT3 overexpression. Mechanistically, our study showed that overexpression of FERMT3 inhibited CSE-induced EMT through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Conclusions In summary, these data suggest FERMT3 regulates cigarette smoke-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition through Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These findings indicated that FERMT3 was correlated with the development of COPD and may serve as a potential target for both COPD and lung cancer.


eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Connor Rogerson ◽  
Samuel Ogden ◽  
Edward Britton ◽  
Yeng Ang ◽  
Andrew D Sharrocks ◽  
...  

Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths. Barrett’s oesophagus (BO) is the only known precancerous precursor to OAC, but our understanding about the molecular events leading to OAC development is limited. Here, we have integrated gene expression and chromatin accessibility profiles of human biopsies and identified a strong cell cycle gene expression signature in OAC compared to BO. Through analysing associated chromatin accessibility changes, we have implicated the transcription factor KLF5 in the transition from BO to OAC. Importantly, we show that KLF5 expression is unchanged during this transition, but instead, KLF5 is redistributed across chromatin to directly regulate cell cycle genes specifically in OAC cells. This new KLF5 target gene programme has potential prognostic significance as high levels correlate with poorer patient survival. Thus, the repurposing of KLF5 for novel regulatory activity in OAC provides new insights into the mechanisms behind disease progression.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Connor Rogerson ◽  
Samuel Ogden ◽  
Edward Britton ◽  
Yeng Ang ◽  
Andrew D. Sharrocks ◽  
...  

AbstractOesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths and yet compared to other common cancers, we know relatively little about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Barrett’s oesophagus (BO) is the only known precancerous precursor to OAC, but our understanding about the specific events leading to OAC development is limited. Here, we have integrated gene expression and chromatin accessibility profiles of human biopsies of BO and OAC and identified a strong cell cycle gene expression signature in OAC compared to BO. Through analysing associated chromatin accessibility changes, we have implicated the transcription factor KLF5 in the transition from BO to OAC. Importantly, we show that KLF5 expression is unchanged during this transition, but instead, KLF5 is redistributed across chromatin in OAC cells to directly regulate cell cycle genes specifically in OAC. Our findings have potential prognostic significance as the survival of patients with high expression of KLF5 target genes is significantly lower. We have provided new insights into the gene expression networks in OAC and the mechanisms behind progression to OAC, chiefly the repurposing of KLF5 for novel regulatory activity in OAC.


Gut ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 1291-1298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sang Cheul Oh ◽  
Yun-Yong Park ◽  
Eun Sung Park ◽  
Jae Yun Lim ◽  
Soo Mi Kim ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen‐Jing Yang ◽  
Hai‐Bo Wang ◽  
Wen‐Da Wang ◽  
Peng‐Yu Bai ◽  
Hong‐Xia Lu ◽  
...  

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