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Journal of Experimental & Clinical... Oct 2022Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is the ninth member of the proprotein convertase family that regulates lipoprotein homeostasis and altered PCSK9...
PCSK9 promotes the progression and metastasis of colon cancer cells through regulation of EMT and PI3K/AKT signaling in tumor cells and phenotypic polarization of macrophages.
BACKGROUND
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is the ninth member of the proprotein convertase family that regulates lipoprotein homeostasis and altered PCSK9 expression was reportedly associated with tumor development and progression. This study assessed PCSK9 expression and functions in human colon cancer and then explored the underlying molecular events.
METHODS
Colon cancer tissues were utilized for analysis of PCSK9 expression for association with clinicopathological factors from patients by immunohistochemistry assay. Manipulation of PCSK9 expression was assessed in vitro and in vivo for colon cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion using cell viability CCK-8, Transwell tumor cell migration and invasion, and wound-healing assays. Next, proteomic analysis, Western blot, qRT-PCR and Flow cytometry were conducted to assess downstream targets and tumor cell-derived PCSK9 action on macrophage polarization.
RESULTS
PCSK9 expression was upregulated in colon cancer tissues versus the normal tissues, and associated with advanced tumor pathological grade. Knockdown of PCSK9 expression reduced colon cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and suppressed tumor metastasis in vivo. PCSK9 directly or indirectly upregulated Snail 1 and in turn to downregulate E-cadherin expression, but upregulate N-cadherin and MMP9 levels and thereafter, to induce colon cancer cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and activated PI3K/AKT signaling. However, PCSK9 overexpression showed the inverse effects on colon cancer cells. Knockdown of PCSK9 expression inhibited M2 macrophage polarization, but also promoted M1 macrophage polarization by reduction of lactate, protein lactylation and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) levels.
CONCLUSION
PCSK9 played an important role in the progression and metastasis of colon cancer by regulation of tumor cell EMT and PI3K/AKT signaling and in the phenotypic polarization of macrophages by mediating MIF and lactate levels. Targeting PCSK9 expression or activity could be used to effectively control colon cancer.
Topics: Humans; Cadherins; Cell Movement; Colonic Neoplasms; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Lactates; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Proprotein Convertase 9; Proteomics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Sincalide; Subtilisins
PubMed: 36242053
DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02477-0 -
Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters Sep 2022CDGSH iron sulfur domain 2 (CISD2) is an iron-sulfur protein with a [2Fe-2S] cluster, which is critical for cell proliferation and iron homeostasis. It has been...
BACKGROUND
CDGSH iron sulfur domain 2 (CISD2) is an iron-sulfur protein with a [2Fe-2S] cluster, which is critical for cell proliferation and iron homeostasis. It has been demonstrated that aberrant expression of CISD2 is associated with the progression of multiple cancers. However, the underlying mechanism of CISD2 in regulating tumorigenesis remains obscure.
METHODS
Bioinformatics strategies were used to investigate the protein interaction network and functional annotation of CISD2. In the functional experiment, cell viability was measured by CCK-8 kit. The levels of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), intracellular free iron, lipid peroxides, and lysosomal activity were determined by DCF-DA, RPA, C11-BODIPY, and cathepsin B staining, respectively. The glutathione (GSH) content was determined using a GSH assay kit.
RESULTS
We showed that knockdown of CISD2 significantly accelerated the Erastin-induced ferroptotic cell death with excess lipid peroxidation, GSH exhaustion, and iron accumulation, while overexpression of CISD2 hindered the sensitivity to Erastin. Further assays via confocal microscopy and western blot exhibited that CISD2 knockdown markedly enhanced the lysosomal activity, and activated ferritinophagy under the exposure of Erastin. Pharmacological inhibition of lysosomal function could inhibit the degradation of ferritin heavy chain (FTH), and attenuate the phenotypes of ferroptosis, such as accelerated iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Notably, we found that Erastin-induced compensatory elevation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) could be eliminated in CISD2 depletion cells. Mechanically, CISD2 knockdown promoted the degradation of autophagy adaptor p62 and resulted in an increased binding affinity of Keap1 with NRF2, thus leading to the increased ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of NRF2. Enforced expression of NRF2 reversed the sensitivity of shCISD2 cells to ferroptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, enforced expression of Keap1 exacerbated the degradation of NRF2, reduced the transcriptional expression of FTH and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), increased the oxidative damage, and thus further facilitated ferroptosis.
CONCLUSION
Taken together, our current results illustrated two parallel mechanisms involved in the shCISD2-mediated ferroptosis. One was that shCISD2 enhanced the accumulation of free iron via ferritinophagy-dependent ferritin turnover; the other was that CISD2 depletion induced the inhibition of the p62-Keap1-NRF2 pathway, which resulted in oxidative stress and ferroptosis.
Topics: Apoferritins; Cathepsin B; Ferritins; Ferroptosis; Glutathione; Heme Oxygenase-1; Iron; Iron-Sulfur Proteins; Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein 1; Lipid Peroxides; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Reactive Oxygen Species; Sincalide; Sulfur
PubMed: 36180832
DOI: 10.1186/s11658-022-00383-z -
Cell Proliferation Oct 2022The main target of current drugs for alleviating bone loss is osteoclasts. However, the long-term application of such drugs will also cause side effects. Therefore, it...
OBJECTIVES
The main target of current drugs for alleviating bone loss is osteoclasts. However, the long-term application of such drugs will also cause side effects. Therefore, it is of great need to develop new and safer therapeutics for osteoporosis. In recent years, drug development based on gut microbiota has gradually attracted attention. This manuscript investigates the inhibitory effect of urolithin B (UB) on osteoclastogenesis and differentiation in vitro and in ovariectomized (OVX) mice.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
CCK-8 was used to analyse the cytotoxicity of UB; BMMs cells were differentiated into osteoclasts by RANKL, and respectively treated with 1, 5, and 25 μmol/L UB during this process. After one week of intervention, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining was used to analyse the number and average area of osteoclasts. F-actin staining and immunofluorescence staining were conducted to evaluate the morphology and function of osteoclasts. Bone resorption function of osteoclasts was detected by Pit Formation Assay. The expression of osteoclast-related protein genes in RAW264.7 cells were investigated via western blot and RT-PCR assays. Western blot analysis of RANKL-mediated activation of MAPK/NF-κB pathway after 0, 5, 15, 30, 60 min of intervention. For in vivo experiments, OVX mice received intraperitoneal injection of 10, 50 mg/kg every two days, 8 weeks later, the femurs of mice were taken for morphological analysis, and the serum content of CTX-1, a bone metabolism index, was analysed.
RESULTS
UB could inhibit the osteoclast differentiation of rankl-induced bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) and RAW264.7 cells in vitro, suppress the uptake activity of hydroxyapatite and expression of osteoclast-related gene MMP9, CTSK, NFATc1 and c-fos. Furthermore, UB repressed the rankl-induced phosphorylation and degradation of IκB and the phosphorylation of P65 in the NF-κB pathway of RAW264.7 cells, and also down-regulated the phosphorylation level of ERK in the MAPK pathway. For in vivo studies, UB-treated OVX mice showed more significant improved various parameters of distal femur compared with the control group, with fewer NFATc1, MMP9 and TRAP-positive osteoclasts in bone tissues, and less serum content of CTX-1.
CONCLUSION
Urolithin B attenuated bone loss in OVX mice by inhibiting the formation and activation of osteoclasts via down-regulation of the ERK/NF-κB signalling pathway.
Topics: Actins; Animals; Cell Differentiation; Coumarins; Hydroxyapatites; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; Mice; NF-kappa B; NFATC Transcription Factors; Osteoclasts; Osteogenesis; Osteoporosis; RANK Ligand; Sincalide; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase
PubMed: 35708050
DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13291 -
Cell Research Mar 2020
Topics: Adenosine Monophosphate; Alanine; Animals; Antimalarials; Antiviral Agents; Betacoronavirus; Biological Assay; COVID-19; Chlorocebus aethiops; Chloroquine; Coronavirus Infections; Drug Discovery; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Humans; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; Pneumonia, Viral; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; Sincalide; Vero Cells; COVID-19 Drug Treatment
PubMed: 32020029
DOI: 10.1038/s41422-020-0282-0 -
Theranostics 2022The limited effect of adjuvant therapy for advanced bladder cancer (BCa) leads to a poor prognosis. Increasing evidence has shown that RNA N6-methyladenosine (mA)...
The limited effect of adjuvant therapy for advanced bladder cancer (BCa) leads to a poor prognosis. Increasing evidence has shown that RNA N6-methyladenosine (mA) modification plays important functional roles in tumorigenesis. Nevertheless, the role and mechanism of m6A-modified noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in BCa remain largely unknown. RT-PCR, western blotting and ONCOMINE dataset were used to determine the dominant mA-related enzyme in BCa. MA-lncRNA epitranscriptomic microarray was used to screen candidate targets of METTL14. RT-PCR, MeRIP and TCGA dataset were carried out to confirm the downstream target of METTL14. CHIRP/MS was conducted to identify the candidate proteins binding to lncDBET. RT-PCR, western blotting, RIP and KEGG analysis were used to confirm the target of lncDBET. The levels of METTL14, lncDBET and FABP5 were tested and . CCK-8, EdU, transwell and flow cytometry assays were performed to determine the oncogenic function of METTL14, lncDBET and FABP5, and their regulatory networks. : We identified that the mA level of total RNA was elevated and that METTL14 was the dominant m6A-related enzyme in BCa. mA modification mediated by METTL14 promoted the malignant progression of BCa by promoting the expression of lncDBET. Upregulated lncDBET activated the PPAR signalling pathway to promote the lipid metabolism of cancer cells through direct interaction with FABP5, thus promoting the malignant progression of BCa and . : Our study establishes METTL14/lncDBET/FABP5 as a critical oncogenic axis in BCa.
Topics: Carcinogenesis; Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; Humans; Lipid Metabolism; Methyltransferases; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors; RNA, Long Noncoding; Sincalide; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms
PubMed: 36168624
DOI: 10.7150/thno.71456 -
Journal of Experimental & Clinical... Oct 2022Beta-1,3-galactosyltransferase-4 (B3GALT4) plays a critical regulatory role in tumor biology. However, the role of B3GALT4 in modulating the tumor microenvironment (TME)...
BACKGROUND
Beta-1,3-galactosyltransferase-4 (B3GALT4) plays a critical regulatory role in tumor biology. However, the role of B3GALT4 in modulating the tumor microenvironment (TME) of neuroblastoma (NB) remains unknown.
METHODS
Public datasets and clinical NB samples were collected to evaluate the expression and clinical significance of GD2 and B3GALT4 in NB patients. CCK-8, colony formation, and transwell assays and experiments in tumor-bearing mouse models were conducted to investigate the function of B3GALT4. Flow cytometry, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and chemotaxis assays were conducted to ascertain the immunomodulatory mechanism of B3GALT4. The combined therapeutic effect of the lipid raft inhibitor MβCD and anti-GD2 mAb was validated in a murine model of NB.
RESULTS
GD2 was overexpressed in NB tissues and high expression of GD2 was associated with poor prognosis in NB patients. B3GALT4 was downregulated in NB tissues, and low expression of B3GALT4 indicated poor prognosis in NB patients. Silencing B3GALT4 significantly enhanced tumor progression both in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, the overexpression of B3GALT4 increased the recruitment of CD8 T lymphocytes via the chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10. Additionally, B3GALT4 regulated NB-cell GD2 expression and lipid raft formation. Mechanistically, B3GALT4 regulated the expression of CXCL9 and CXCL10 via the c-Met signaling in the lipid rafts and the downstream AKT/mTOR/IRF-1 pathway. The lipid raft inhibitor, MβCD, attenuated B3GALT4 deficiency-induced tumor progression and immune evasion. Last, MβCD combined with anti-GD2 mAb treatment significantly enhanced the antitumor effect and the infiltration of CD8 T cells.
CONCLUSIONS
Upregulation of B3GALT4 promotes the secretion of CXCL9 and CXCL10 to recruit CD8 T lymphocytes via the GD2-mediated lipid rafts and the c-Met/AKT/mTOR/IRF-1 pathway. Moreover, lipid raft inhibitors may enhance the efficacy of anti-GD2 immunotherapy for NB.
Topics: Animals; Mice; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cell Line, Tumor; Chemokines; Galactosyltransferases; Gangliosides; Membrane Microdomains; Neuroblastoma; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Sincalide; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; Tumor Microenvironment; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
PubMed: 36284313
DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02523-x -
Journal of Translational Medicine Sep 2022Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor that leads to lethality. Several studies have demonstrated that mitochondria play an important role...
BACKGROUND
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor that leads to lethality. Several studies have demonstrated that mitochondria play an important role in GBM and that mitochondria-related genes (MRGs) are potential therapeutic targets. However, the role of MRGs in GBM remains unclear.
METHODS
Differential expression and univariate Cox regression analyses were combined to screen for prognostic differentially-expressed (DE)-MRGs in GBM. Based on LASSO Cox analysis, 12 DE-MRGs were selected to construct a risk score model. Survival, time dependent ROC, and stratified analyses were performed to evaluate the performance of this risk model. Mutation and functional enrichment analyses were performed to determine the potential mechanism of the risk score. Immune cell infiltration analysis was used to determine the association between the risk score and immune cell infiltration levels. CCK-8 and transwell assays were performed to evaluate cell proliferation and migration, respectively. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and morphology were measured using a confocal laser scanning microscope. Genes and proteins expression levels were investigated by quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively.
RESULTS
We identified 21 prognostic DE-MRGs, of which 12 DE-MRGs were selected to construct a prognostic risk score model for GBM. This model presented excellent performance in predicting the prognosis of patients with GBM and acted as an independent predictive factor. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the risk score was enriched in the inflammatory response, extracellular matrix, and pro-cancer-related and immune related pathways. Additionally, the risk score was significantly associated with gene mutations and immune cell infiltration in GBM. Single-stranded DNA-binding protein 1 (SSBP1) was considerably upregulated in GBM and associated with poor prognosis. Furthermore, SSBP1 knockdown inhibited GBM cell progression and migration. Mechanistically, SSBP1 knockdown resulted in mitochondrial dysfunction and increased ROS levels, which, in turn, increased temozolomide (TMZ) sensitivity in GBM cells by enhancing ferroptosis.
CONCLUSION
Our 12 DE-MRGs-based prognostic model can predict the GBM patients prognosis and 12 MRGs are potential targets for the treatment of GBM. SSBP1 was significantly upregulated in GBM and protected U87 cells from TMZ-induced ferroptosis, which could serve as a prognostic and therapeutic target/biomarker for GBM.
Topics: Biomarkers; DNA-Binding Proteins; Ferroptosis; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Glioblastoma; Humans; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial Proteins; Reactive Oxygen Species; Sincalide; Temozolomide
PubMed: 36180956
DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03657-4 -
Journal of Experimental & Clinical... Feb 2024In recent years, the development of adjunctive therapeutic hyperthermia for cancer therapy has received considerable attention. However, the mechanisms underlying...
BACKGROUND
In recent years, the development of adjunctive therapeutic hyperthermia for cancer therapy has received considerable attention. However, the mechanisms underlying hyperthermia resistance are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the roles of cold‑inducible RNA binding protein (Cirbp) in regulating hyperthermia resistance and underlying mechanisms in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
METHODS
CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, tumor sphere formation assay, qRT-PCR, Western blot were employed to examine the effects of hyperthermia (HT), HT + oridonin(Ori) or HT + radiotherapy (RT) on the proliferation and stemness of NPC cells. RNA sequencing was applied to gain differentially expressed genes upon hyperthermia. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments were used to evaluate the effects of RNAi-mediated Cirbp silencing or Cirbp overexpression on the sensitivity or resistance of NPC cells and cancer stem-like cells to hyperthermia by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, tumorsphere formation assay and apoptosis assay, and in subcutaneous xenograft animal model. miRNA transient transfection and luciferase reporter assay were used to demonstrate that Cirbp is a direct target of miR-377-3p. The phosphorylation levels of key members in ATM-Chk2 and ATR-Chk1 pathways were detected by Western blot.
RESULTS
Our results firstly revealed that hyperthermia significantly attenuated the stemness of NPC cells, while combination treatment of hyperthermia and oridonin dramatically increased the killing effect on NPC cells and cancer stem cell (CSC)‑like population. Moreover, hyperthermia substantially improved the sensitivity of radiation‑resistant NPC cells and CSC‑like cells to radiotherapy. Hyperthermia noticeably suppressed Cirbp expression in NPC cells and xenograft tumor tissues. Furthermore, Cirbp inhibition remarkably boosted anti‑tumor‑killing activity of hyperthermia against NPC cells and CSC‑like cells, whereas ectopic expression of Cirbp compromised tumor‑killing effect of hyperthermia on these cells, indicating that Cirbp overexpression induces hyperthermia resistance. ThermomiR-377-3p improved the sensitivity of NPC cells and CSC‑like cells to hyperthermia in vitro by directly suppressing Cirbp expression. More importantly, our results displayed the significantly boosted sensitization of tumor xenografts to hyperthermia by Cirbp silencing in vivo, but ectopic expression of Cirbp almost completely counteracted hyperthermia-mediated tumor cell-killing effect against tumor xenografts in vivo. Mechanistically, Cirbp silencing-induced inhibition of DNA damage repair by inactivating ATM-Chk2 and ATR-Chk1 pathways, decrease in stemness and increase in cell death contributed to hyperthermic sensitization; conversely, Cirbp overexpression-induced promotion of DNA damage repair, increase in stemness and decrease in cell apoptosis contributed to hyperthermia resistance.
CONCLUSION
Taken together, these findings reveal a previously unrecognized role for Cirbp in positively regulating hyperthermia resistance and suggest that thermomiR-377-3p and its target gene Cirbp represent promising targets for therapeutic hyperthermia.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms; Sincalide; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; MicroRNAs; Neoplastic Stem Cells; Hyperthermia, Induced; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Diterpenes, Kaurane
PubMed: 38419081
DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-02983-3 -
Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology Sep 2019Sincalide (Kinevac) is widely used in conjunction with cholescintigraphy for a variety of clinical indications. Over the years, numerous publications have verified the... (Review)
Review
Sincalide (Kinevac) is widely used in conjunction with cholescintigraphy for a variety of clinical indications. Over the years, numerous publications have verified the optimal infusion methodology. Published data and consensus recommendations emphasize that sincalide, 0.02 μg/kg, should be infused over 60 min. Production problems sometimes limit the availability of sincalide. In that case, non-Food and Drug Administration pharmacy-compounded sincalide may serve as an alternative. Fatty meals have also been used. Various illnesses and drugs may inhibit gallbladder contraction. Thus, these drugs should be withheld for 48 h before the study. Sincalide cholescintigraphy is most commonly used to diagnose or exclude chronic acalculous gallbladder disease. The study should preferably be performed as an outpatient procedure.
Topics: Drug Administration Routes; Gallbladder; Humans; Radionuclide Imaging; Sincalide
PubMed: 31019045
DOI: 10.2967/jnmt.119.226019 -
Molecular Metabolism Nov 2022Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is characterized by high recurrence and metastasis and places a heavy burden on societies worldwide. Cancer cells thrive in a...
OBJECTIVE
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is characterized by high recurrence and metastasis and places a heavy burden on societies worldwide. Cancer cells thrive in a changing microenvironment by reprogramming lipidomic metabolic processes to provide nutrients and energy, activate oncogenic signaling pathways, and manage redox homeostasis to avoid lipotoxicity. The mechanism by which OSCC cells maintain lipid homeostasis during malignant progression is unclear.
METHODS
The altered expression of fatty acid (FA) metabolism genes in OSCC, compared with that in normal tissues, and in OSCC patients with or without recurrence or metastasis were determined using public data from the TCGA and GEO databases. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the carboxylesterase 2 (CES2) protein level in our own cohort. CCK-8 and Transwell assays and an in vivo xenograft model were used to evaluate the biological functions of CES2. Mass spectrometry and RNA sequencing were performed to determine the lipidome and transcriptome alterations induced by CES2. Mitochondrial mass, mtDNA content, mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS levels, and oxygen consumption and apoptosis rates were evaluated to determine the effects of CES2 on mitochondrial function in OSCC.
RESULTS
CES2 was downregulated in OSCC patients, especially those with recurrence or metastasis. CES2 OSCC patients showed better overall survival than CES2 OSCC patients. Restoring CES2 expression reduced OSCC cell viability and suppressed their migration and invasion in vitro, and it inhibited OSCC tumor growth in vivo. CES2 reprogrammed lipid metabolism in OSCC cells by hydrolyzing neutral lipid diacylglycerols (DGs) to release free fatty acids and reduce the membrane structure lipid phospholipids (PLs) synthesis. Free FAs were converted to acyl-carnitines (CARs) and transferred to mitochondria for oxidation, which induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis activation. Furthermore, the reduction in signaling lipids, e.g., DGs, PLs and substrates, suppressed PI3K/AKT/MYC signaling pathways. Restoring MYC rescued the diminished cell viability, suppressed migratory and invasive abilities, damaged mitochondria and reduced apoptosis rate induced by CES2.
CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrated that CES2 downregulation plays an important role in OSCC by maintaining lipid homeostasis and reducing lipotoxicity during tumor progression and may provide a potential therapeutic target for OSCC.
Topics: Carboxylesterase; Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; DNA, Mitochondrial; Diglycerides; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Homeostasis; Humans; Mitochondria; Mouth Neoplasms; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; Reactive Oxygen Species; Signal Transduction; Sincalide; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
PubMed: 36113774
DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101600