-
Breast Cancer Research : BCR May 2021Biglycan is a proteoglycan found in the extracellular matrix. We have previously shown that biglycan is secreted from tumor endothelial cells and induces tumor...
BACKGROUND
Biglycan is a proteoglycan found in the extracellular matrix. We have previously shown that biglycan is secreted from tumor endothelial cells and induces tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. However, the function of stroma biglycan in breast cancer is still unclear.
METHODS
Biglycan gene analysis and its prognostic values in human breast cancers were based on TCGA data. E0771 breast cancer cells were injected into WT and Bgn KO mice, respectively.
RESULTS
Breast cancer patients with high biglycan expression had worse distant metastasis-free survival. Furthermore, biglycan expression was higher in the tumor stromal compartment compared to the epithelial compartment. Knockout of biglycan in the stroma (Bgn KO) in E0771 tumor-bearing mice inhibited metastasis to the lung. Bgn KO also impaired tumor angiogenesis and normalized tumor vasculature by repressing tumor necrosis factor-ɑ/angiopoietin 2 signaling. Moreover, fibrosis was suppressed and CD8+ T cell infiltration was increased in tumor-bearing Bgn KO mice. Furthermore, chemotherapy drug delivery and efficacy were improved in vivo in Bgn KO mice.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that targeting stromal biglycan may yield a potent and superior anticancer effect in breast cancer.
Topics: Angiopoietin-2; Animals; Biglycan; Breast Neoplasms; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Cell Line, Tumor; Female; Fibrosis; Humans; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Paclitaxel; Prognosis; Signal Transduction; Stromal Cells; Treatment Outcome; Tumor Microenvironment; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
PubMed: 33966638
DOI: 10.1186/s13058-021-01423-w -
The Journal of Histochemistry and... Apr 2018It is now well-established that members of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family act in their soluble form, released proteolytically from the extracellular... (Review)
Review
It is now well-established that members of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family act in their soluble form, released proteolytically from the extracellular matrix (ECM), as danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). By interacting with Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the inflammasome, the two SLRPs, biglycan and decorin, autonomously trigger sterile inflammation. Recent data indicate that these SLRPs, besides their conventional role as pro-inflammatory DAMPs, additionally trigger anti-inflammatory signaling pathways to tightly control inflammation. This is brought about by selective employment of TLRs, their co-receptors, various adaptor molecules, and through crosstalk between SLRP-, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-, and sphingolipid-signaling. In this review, the complexity of SLRP signaling in immune and kidney resident cells and its relevance for renal inflammation is discussed. We propose that the dichotomy in SLRP signaling (pro- and anti-inflammatory) allows for fine-tuning the inflammatory response, which is decisive for the outcome of inflammatory kidney diseases.
Topics: Animals; Autophagy; Biglycan; Decorin; Fibrosis; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Inflammasomes; Inflammation; Kidney; Kidney Diseases; Signal Transduction; Small Leucine-Rich Proteoglycans; Transforming Growth Factor beta
PubMed: 29290137
DOI: 10.1369/0022155417738752 -
Cancer Science Oct 2017Tumor metastasis is the main cause of cancer-related death. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor metastasis is crucial to control this fatal disease.... (Review)
Review
Tumor metastasis is the main cause of cancer-related death. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor metastasis is crucial to control this fatal disease. Several molecular pathways orchestrate the complex biological cell events during a metastatic cascade. It is now well known that bidirectional interaction between tumor cells and their microenvironment, including tumor stroma, is important for tumor progression and metastasis. Tumor stromal cells, which acquire their specific characteristics in the tumor microenvironment, accelerate tumor malignancy. The formation of new blood vessels, termed as tumor angiogenesis, is a requirement for tumor progression. Tumor blood vessels supply nutrients and oxygen and also provide the route for metastasis. Tumor endothelial cells, which line tumor blood vessels, also exhibit several altered phenotypes compared with those of their normal counterparts. Recent studies have emphasized "angiocrine factors" that are released from tumor endothelial cells and promote tumor progression. During intravasation, tumor cells physically contact tumor endothelial cells and interact with them by juxtacrine and paracrine signaling. Recently, we observed that in highly metastatic tumors, tumor endothelial cells interact with tumor cells by secretion of a small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycan known as biglycan. Biglycan from tumor endothelial cells stimulates the tumor cells to metastasize. In the present review, we highlight the role of tumor stromal cells, particularly endothelial cells, in the initial steps of tumor metastasis.
Topics: Animals; Biglycan; Disease Progression; Endothelial Cells; Humans; Neoplasm Metastasis; Neoplasms; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Paracrine Communication; Signal Transduction; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 28763139
DOI: 10.1111/cas.13336 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2019The small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family consists of 18 members categorized into five distinct classes, the traditional classes I-III, and the non-canonical... (Review)
Review
The small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) family consists of 18 members categorized into five distinct classes, the traditional classes I-III, and the non-canonical classes IV-V. Unlike the other class I SLRPs (decorin and biglycan), asporin contains a unique and conserved stretch of aspartate (D) residues in its N terminus, and germline polymorphisms in the D-repeat-length are associated with osteoarthritis and prostate cancer progression. Since the first discovery of asporin in 2001, previous studies have focused mainly on its roles in bone and joint diseases, including osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration and periodontal ligament mineralization. Recently, gene expression was also reported to be dysregulated in tumor tissues of different types of cancer, and to act as oncogene in pancreatic, colorectal, gastric, and prostate cancers, and some types of breast cancer, though it is also reported to function as a tumor suppressor gene in triple-negative breast cancer. Furthermore, asporin is also positively or negatively correlated with tumor proliferation, migration, invasion, and patient prognosis through its regulation of different signaling pathways, including the TGF-β, EGFR, and CD44 pathways. In this review, we seek to elucidate the signaling pathways and functions regulated by asporin in different types of cancer and to highlight some important issues that require investigation in future research.
PubMed: 31608236
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00948 -
International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2021The composition and organisation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), particularly the pericellular matrix (PCM), in articular cartilage is critical to its biomechanical... (Review)
Review
The composition and organisation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), particularly the pericellular matrix (PCM), in articular cartilage is critical to its biomechanical functionality; the presence of proteoglycans such as aggrecan, entrapped within a type II collagen fibrillar network, confers mechanical resilience underweight-bearing. Furthermore, components of the PCM including type VI collagen, perlecan, small leucine-rich proteoglycans-decorin and biglycan-and fibronectin facilitate the transduction of both biomechanical and biochemical signals to the residing chondrocytes, thereby regulating the process of mechanotransduction in cartilage. In this review, we summarise the literature reporting on the bidirectional reciprocity of the ECM in chondrocyte mechano-signalling and articular cartilage homeostasis. Specifically, we discuss studies that have characterised the response of articular cartilage to mechanical perturbations in the local tissue environment and how the magnitude or type of loading applied elicits cellular behaviours to effect change. In vivo, including transgenic approaches, and in vitro studies have illustrated how physiological loading maintains a homeostatic balance of anabolic and catabolic activities, involving the direct engagement of many PCM molecules in orchestrating this slow but consistent turnover of the cartilage matrix. Furthermore, we document studies characterising how abnormal, non-physiological loading including excessive loading or joint trauma negatively impacts matrix molecule biosynthesis and/or organisation, affecting PCM mechanical properties and reducing the tissue's ability to withstand load. We present compelling evidence showing that reciprocal engagement of the cells with this altered ECM environment can thus impact tissue homeostasis and, if sustained, can result in cartilage degradation and onset of osteoarthritis pathology. Enhanced dysregulation of PCM/ECM turnover is partially driven by mechanically mediated proteolytic degradation of cartilage ECM components. This generates bioactive breakdown fragments such as fibronectin, biglycan and lumican fragments, which can subsequently activate or inhibit additional signalling pathways including those involved in inflammation. Finally, we discuss how bidirectionality within the ECM is critically important in enabling the chondrocytes to synthesise and release PCM/ECM molecules, growth factors, pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteolytic enzymes, under a specified load, to influence PCM/ECM composition and mechanical properties in cartilage health and disease.
Topics: Animals; Cartilage, Articular; Extracellular Matrix; Humans; Mechanotransduction, Cellular; Osteoarthritis; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 34948394
DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413595 -
Computational and Mathematical Methods... 2022Biglycan (BGN) is a family member of small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans. High expression of BGN might enhance the invasion and metastasis in some types of tumors....
BACKGROUND
Biglycan (BGN) is a family member of small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycans. High expression of BGN might enhance the invasion and metastasis in some types of tumors. Here, the prognostic significance of BGN was evaluated in gastric cancer. . Two independent Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) gastric cancer microarray datasets ( = 64 and = 432) were collected for this study. Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to evaluate if BGN impacts the outcomes of gastric cancer. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed on gastric cancer-related genes and BGN targets, and those interactions with confidence interval (CI) ≥ 0.7 were chosen to construct a PPI network. The gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to explore BGN and cancer-related gene signatures. Gene Transcription Regulation Database (GTRD) and ALGGEN-PROMO predicted the transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) of the BGN promoter. BGN protein level in gastric cancer tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Bioinformatic analysis predicted the putative TFs of BGN.
RESULTS
For gastric cancer, the mRNA expression level of BGN in tumor tissue was significantly higher than that in normal tissue. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that higher expression of BGN mRNA was significantly associated with more reduced recurrence-free survival (RFS). GSEA results suggested that BGN was significantly enriched in gene signatures related to metastasis and poor prognosis, revealing that BGN might be associated with cell proliferation, poor differentiation, and high invasiveness of gastric cancer. Meanwhile, the putative TFs, including AR, E2F1, and TCF4, were predicted by bioinformatic analysis and also significantly correlated with expression of BGN in mRNA levels.
CONCLUSION
High expression of BGN mRNA was significantly related to poor prognosis, which suggested that BGN was a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target of gastric cancer.
Topics: Biglycan; Biomarkers; Humans; Prognosis; RNA, Messenger; Stomach Neoplasms; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 36110576
DOI: 10.1155/2022/2656480 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2022We analyzed the expression of ADAMTS proteinases ADAMTS-1, -2, -4, -5 and -13; their activating enzyme MMP-15; and the degradation products of proteoglycan substrates...
We analyzed the expression of ADAMTS proteinases ADAMTS-1, -2, -4, -5 and -13; their activating enzyme MMP-15; and the degradation products of proteoglycan substrates versican and biglycan in an ocular microenvironment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients. Vitreous samples from PDR and nondiabetic patients, epiretinal fibrovascular membranes from PDR patients, rat retinas, retinal Müller glial cells and human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) were studied. The levels of ADAMTS proteinases and MMP-15 were increased in the vitreous from PDR patients. Both full-length and cleaved activation/degradation fragments of ADAMTS proteinases were identified. The amounts of versican and biglycan cleavage products were increased in vitreous from PDR patients. ADAMTS proteinases and MMP-15 were localized in endothelial cells, monocytes/macrophages and myofibroblasts in PDR membranes, and ADAMTS-4 was expressed in the highest number of stromal cells. The angiogenic activity of PDR membranes correlated significantly with levels of ADAMTS-1 and -4 cellular expression. ADAMTS proteinases and MMP-15 were expressed in rat retinas. ADAMTS-1 and -5 and MMP-15 levels were increased in diabetic rat retinas. HRMECs and Müller cells constitutively expressed ADAMTS proteinases but not MMP-15. The inhibition of NF-κB significantly attenuated the TNF-α-and-VEGF-induced upregulation of ADAMTS-1 and -4 in a culture medium of HRMECs and Müller cells. In conclusion, ADAMTS proteinases, MMP-15 and versican and biglycan cleavage products were increased in the ocular microenvironment of patients with PDR.
Topics: ADAMTS Proteins; Animals; Biglycan; Blotting, Western; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Diabetic Retinopathy; Endothelial Cells; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Humans; NF-kappa B; Peptide Hydrolases; Rats; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Versicans; Vitreous Body
PubMed: 36144730
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27185977 -
Clinical and Translational Medicine Nov 2022Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Exploring key regulators in colon cancer metastatic progression could lead to better outcomes for patients.
BACKGROUND
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Exploring key regulators in colon cancer metastatic progression could lead to better outcomes for patients.
METHODS
Initially, the transcriptional profiles of 681 colonrectal cancer (CRC) cases were used to discover signature genes that were significantly correlated with colon cancer metastasis. These signature genes were then validated using another independent 210 CRC cases' transcriptomics and proteomics profiles, and Kaplan-Meier regression analyses were used to screen the key regulators with patients' survival. Immunohistochemical staining was used to confirm the biomarkers, and transit knockdown was used to explore their implications on colon cancer cells migration and invasion abilities. The impact on the key signalling molecules in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process that drive tumour metastasis was tested using Western blot. The response to clinical standard therapeutic drugs was compared to clinical prognosis of key regulators using an ROC plotter.
RESULTS
Five genes (BGN, THBS2, SPARC, CDH11 and SPP1) were initially identified as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets of colon cancer metastasis. The most significant signatures associated with colon cancer metastasis were determined to be BGN and THBS2. Furthermore, highly expression of BGN and THBS2 in tumours was linked to a worse survival rate. BGN and THBS2 knockdown significantly reduced colon cancer cells migration and invasion, as well as down-regulating three EMT-related proteins (Snail, Vimentin and N-cadherin), and increasing the proliferation inhibitory effect of 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan and oxaliplatin treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
CRC metastatic progression, EMT phenotypic transition and poor survival time have been linked to BGN and THBS2. They could be utilized as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for colon cancer metastatic patients with a better prognosis.
Topics: Humans; Biglycan; Biomarkers; Cell Movement; Colonic Neoplasms; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Prognosis
PubMed: 36377223
DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.973 -
The FEBS Journal Aug 2019It is well established that biglycan, a small leucine-rich proteoglycan, acts as an extracellular matrix-derived danger signal in its soluble form. By binding to innate... (Review)
Review
It is well established that biglycan, a small leucine-rich proteoglycan, acts as an extracellular matrix-derived danger signal in its soluble form. By binding to innate immunity Toll-like receptors (TLR) 2 and 4, biglycan initiates and perpetuates the inflammatory response. Previous work has conveyed that biglycan's role in inflammation extends far beyond its function as a canonical danger signal. It has been shown that biglycan acts in an anti-inflammatory capacity, wherein it tightly regulates the inflammatory response. In this review, we will discuss a paradigm shift to our understanding of biglycan signaling in inflammation. Mounting evidence suggests that the selective interactions between biglycan, TLRs, and their adapter proteins critically regulate downstream signaling and disease outcome. Biglycan can act as a high-affinity ligand for TLR coreceptors CD14 and CD44, further providing an additional layer of complexity. We propose a novel concept, that biglycan steers signaling toward inflammation by interacting with CD14, whereas it can trigger autophagy by binding to CD44. Thus, biglycan, and perhaps others soluble proteoglycans, could function as molecular switches which could either propagate the signaling of chronic inflammation or promote the resolution of inflammatory processes. Obviously, these new functions have broad implications in the regulation of various inflammatory diseases and could provide the basis for developing novel therapeutic regimens that would selectively target the interactions between biglycan, TLRs, coreceptors, and adapter molecules.
Topics: Animals; Aortic Valve; Aortic Valve Stenosis; Autoimmune Diseases; Autophagy; Biglycan; Calcinosis; Diabetic Nephropathies; Humans; Toll-Like Receptors
PubMed: 30776184
DOI: 10.1111/febs.14791 -
Cancer Science May 2022Tumor blood vessels play important roles in tumor progression and metastasis. Targeting tumor endothelial cells (TECs) is one of the strategies for cancer therapy. We...
Tumor blood vessels play important roles in tumor progression and metastasis. Targeting tumor endothelial cells (TECs) is one of the strategies for cancer therapy. We previously reported that biglycan, a small leucine-rich proteoglycan, is highly expressed in TECs. TECs utilize biglycan in an autocrine manner for migration and angiogenesis. Furthermore, TEC-derived biglycan stimulates tumor cell migration in a paracrine manner leading to tumor cell intravasation and metastasis. In this study, we explored the therapeutic effect of biglycan inhibition in the TECs of renal cell carcinoma using an in vivo siRNA delivery system known as a multifunctional envelope-type nanodevice (MEND), which contains a unique pH-sensitive cationic lipid. To specifically deliver MEND into TECs, we incorporated cyclo(Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe-Lys) (cRGD) into MEND because α β integrin, a receptor for cRGD, is selective and highly expressed in TECs. We developed RGD-MEND-encapsulating siRNA against biglycan. First, we confirmed that MEND was delivered into OS-RC-2 tumor-derived TECs and induced in vitro RNAi-mediated gene silencing. MEND was then injected intravenously into OS-RC-2 tumor-bearing mice. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that MEND was specifically delivered into TECs. Quantitative RT-PCR indicated that biglycan was knocked down by biglycan siRNA-containing MEND. Finally, we analyzed the therapeutic effect of biglycan silencing by MEND in TECs. Tumor growth was inhibited by biglycan siRNA-containing MEND. Tumor microenvironmental factors such as fibrosis were also normalized using biglycan inhibition in TECs. Biglycan in TECs can be a novel target for cancer treatment.
Topics: Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Animals; Biglycan; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Endothelial Cells; Humans; Kidney Neoplasms; Liposomes; Mice; RNA, Small Interfering
PubMed: 35266253
DOI: 10.1111/cas.15323