AIM: To determine the functional significance of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in gastric carcinogenesis, and to explore the possible role of AhR in gastric cancer (GC) treatment. METHODS: RT-PCR, real-time PC...AIM: To determine the functional significance of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in gastric carcinogenesis, and to explore the possible role of AhR in gastric cancer (GC) treatment. METHODS: RT-PCR, real-time PCR, and Western blotting were performed to detect AhR expression in 39 GC tissues and five GC cell lines. AhR protein was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 290 samples: 30 chronic superficial gastritis (CSG), 30 chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), 30 intestinal metapiasia (IN), 30 atypical hyperplasia (AH), and 70 GC. The AhR agonist tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD) was used to treat AGS cells. MTr assay and flow cytometric analysis were performed to measure the viability, cell cycle and apoptosis of AGS cells.RESULTS: AhR expression was significantly increased in GC tissues and GC cell lines. IHC results indicated that the levels of AhR expression gradually increased, with the lowest levels in CSG, followed by CAG, IM, AH and GC. AhR expression and nuclear translocation were significantly higher in GC than in precancerous tissues. TCDD inhibited proliferation of AGS cells via induction of growth arrest at the G1-S phase. CONCLUSION: AhR plays an important role in gastric carcinogenesis. AhR may be a potential therapeutic target for GC treatment.展开更多
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play pivotal roles in regulating various cellular functions. It has been well established that GPCR activates NF-κB and aberrant regulation of GPCR-NF-κB signaling axis leads to...G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play pivotal roles in regulating various cellular functions. It has been well established that GPCR activates NF-κB and aberrant regulation of GPCR-NF-κB signaling axis leads to cancers. However, how GPCRs induce NF-κB activation remains largely elusive. Recently, it has been shown that a novel scaffold protein, CARMA3, is indispensable in GPCR-induced NF-κB activation. In CARMA3-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblast cells, some GPCR ligand-, like lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), induced NF-κB activation is completely abolished. Mechanistically, upon GPCR activation, CARMA3 is linked to the membrane by β-arrestin 2 and phosphorylated by some PKC isoform. Phosphorylation of CARMA3 unfolds its steric structure and recruits its downstream effectors, which in turn activate the IKK complex and NF-κB. Interestingly, GPCR (LPA)-CARMA3-NF-κB signaling axis also exists in ovarian cancer cells, and knockdown of CARMA3 results in attenuation of ovarian cancer migration and invasion, suggesting a novel target for cancer therapy. In this review, we summarize the biology of CARMA3, discuss the GPCR (LPA)-CARMA3-NF-κB signaling axis in ovarian cancer and speculate its potential role in other types of cancers. With a strongly increasing tendency to identify more LPA-like ligands, such as endothelin-1 and angiotensin II, which also activate NF-κB through CARMA3 and contribute to myriad diseases, GPCR-CARMA3-NF-κB signaling axis is emerging as a novel drug target for various types of cancer and other myriad diseases.展开更多
Gastric cancer imposes a considerable health burden worldwide, and its mortality ranks as the second highest for all types of cancers. The limited knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying gastric cancer tumori...Gastric cancer imposes a considerable health burden worldwide, and its mortality ranks as the second highest for all types of cancers. The limited knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying gastric cancer tumorigenesis hinders the development of therapeutic strategies. However, ongoing collaborative sequencing efforts facilitate molecular classification and unveil the genomic landscape of gastric cancer. Several new drivers and tumorigenic pathways in gastric cancer, including chromatin remodeling genes, Rho A-related pathways, TP53 dysregulation, activation of receptor tyrosine kinases, stem cell pathways and abnormal DNA methylation, have been revealed. These newly identified genomic alterations await translation into clinical diagnosis and targeted therapies. Considering that loss-of-function mutations are intractable, synthetic lethality could be employed when discussing feasible therapeutic strategies. Although many challenges remain to be tackled, we are optimistic regarding improvements in the prognosis and treatment of gastric cancer in the near future.展开更多
基金Supported by The grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30871145, No. 30670949 and No. 30671904the grant awarded to PhD supervisor from Chinese Ministry of Education, No. 20060558010+1 种基金the grant awarded to new teacher from Chinese Ministry of Education No. 20070558288the grants from the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, No. 5300767 and No. 7001641
文摘AIM: To determine the functional significance of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in gastric carcinogenesis, and to explore the possible role of AhR in gastric cancer (GC) treatment. METHODS: RT-PCR, real-time PCR, and Western blotting were performed to detect AhR expression in 39 GC tissues and five GC cell lines. AhR protein was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 290 samples: 30 chronic superficial gastritis (CSG), 30 chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), 30 intestinal metapiasia (IN), 30 atypical hyperplasia (AH), and 70 GC. The AhR agonist tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD) was used to treat AGS cells. MTr assay and flow cytometric analysis were performed to measure the viability, cell cycle and apoptosis of AGS cells.RESULTS: AhR expression was significantly increased in GC tissues and GC cell lines. IHC results indicated that the levels of AhR expression gradually increased, with the lowest levels in CSG, followed by CAG, IM, AH and GC. AhR expression and nuclear translocation were significantly higher in GC than in precancerous tissues. TCDD inhibited proliferation of AGS cells via induction of growth arrest at the G1-S phase. CONCLUSION: AhR plays an important role in gastric carcinogenesis. AhR may be a potential therapeutic target for GC treatment.
文摘G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play pivotal roles in regulating various cellular functions. It has been well established that GPCR activates NF-κB and aberrant regulation of GPCR-NF-κB signaling axis leads to cancers. However, how GPCRs induce NF-κB activation remains largely elusive. Recently, it has been shown that a novel scaffold protein, CARMA3, is indispensable in GPCR-induced NF-κB activation. In CARMA3-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblast cells, some GPCR ligand-, like lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), induced NF-κB activation is completely abolished. Mechanistically, upon GPCR activation, CARMA3 is linked to the membrane by β-arrestin 2 and phosphorylated by some PKC isoform. Phosphorylation of CARMA3 unfolds its steric structure and recruits its downstream effectors, which in turn activate the IKK complex and NF-κB. Interestingly, GPCR (LPA)-CARMA3-NF-κB signaling axis also exists in ovarian cancer cells, and knockdown of CARMA3 results in attenuation of ovarian cancer migration and invasion, suggesting a novel target for cancer therapy. In this review, we summarize the biology of CARMA3, discuss the GPCR (LPA)-CARMA3-NF-κB signaling axis in ovarian cancer and speculate its potential role in other types of cancers. With a strongly increasing tendency to identify more LPA-like ligands, such as endothelin-1 and angiotensin II, which also activate NF-κB through CARMA3 and contribute to myriad diseases, GPCR-CARMA3-NF-κB signaling axis is emerging as a novel drug target for various types of cancer and other myriad diseases.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (16ZR1410400, 14DZ2270100)the State Scholarship Council (201506145040)
文摘Gastric cancer imposes a considerable health burden worldwide, and its mortality ranks as the second highest for all types of cancers. The limited knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying gastric cancer tumorigenesis hinders the development of therapeutic strategies. However, ongoing collaborative sequencing efforts facilitate molecular classification and unveil the genomic landscape of gastric cancer. Several new drivers and tumorigenic pathways in gastric cancer, including chromatin remodeling genes, Rho A-related pathways, TP53 dysregulation, activation of receptor tyrosine kinases, stem cell pathways and abnormal DNA methylation, have been revealed. These newly identified genomic alterations await translation into clinical diagnosis and targeted therapies. Considering that loss-of-function mutations are intractable, synthetic lethality could be employed when discussing feasible therapeutic strategies. Although many challenges remain to be tackled, we are optimistic regarding improvements in the prognosis and treatment of gastric cancer in the near future.