Dual targeting of Polo-like kinase 1 and baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis repeat-containing 5 in TP53-mutated hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),often diagnosed at advanced stages without curative therapies,is the fifth most common malignant cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality.Polo-like kinase 1(PLK1)is activated in the late G2 phase of the cell cycle and is required for entry to mitosis.Interestingly,PLK1 is overexpressed in many HCC patients and is highly associated with poor clinical outcome.Baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis repeatcontaining 5(BIRC5)is also highly overexpressed in HCC and plays key roles in this malignancy.AIM To determine the expression patterns of PLK1 and BIRC5,as well as their correlation with p53 mutation status and patient clinical outcome.METHODS The expression patterns of PLK1 and BIRC5,and their correlation with p53 mutation status or patient clinical outcome were analyzed using a TCGA HCC dataset.Cell viability,cell apoptosis,and cell cycle arrest assays were conducted to investigate the efficacy of the PLK1 inhibitors volasertib and GSK461364 and the BIRC5 inhibitor YM155,alone or in combination.The in vivo efficacy of volasertib and YM155,alone or in combination,was assessed in p53-mutated Huh7-derived xenograft models in immune-deficient NSIG mice.RESULTS Our bioinformatics analysis using a TCGA HCC dataset revealed that PLK1 and BIRC5 were overexpressed in the same patient subset and their expression was highly correlated.The overexpression of both PLK1 and BIRC5 was more frequently detected in HCC with p53 mutations.High PLK1 or BIRC5 expression significantly correlated with poor clinical outcome.PLK1 inhibitors(volasertib and GSK461364)or a BIRC5 inhibitor(YM155)selectively targeted Huh7 cells with mutated p53,but not HepG2 cells with wild-type p53.The combination treatment of volasertib and YM155 synergistically inhibited the viability of Huh7 cells via apoptotic pathway.The efficacy of volasertib and YM155,alone or in combination,was validated in vivo in a Huh7-derived xenograft model.CONCLUSION PLK1 and BIRC5 are highly co-expressed in p53-mutated HCC and inhibition of both PLK1 and BIRC5 synergistically compromises the viability of p53-mutated HCC cells in vitro and in vivo.

Leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 marks different cancer stem cell compartments in human Caco-2 and LoVo colon cancer lines

BACKGROUND Colon cancer cell lines are widely used for research and for the screening of drugs that specifically target the stem cell compartment of colon cancers.It was reported that colon cancer carcinoma specimens contain a subset of leucine-rich repeatcontaining G protein-coupled receptor 5(LGR5)-expressing stem cells,these socalled“tumour-initiating”cells,reminiscent in their properties of the normal intestinal stem cells(ISCs),may explain the apparent heterogeneity of colon cancer cell lines.Also,colon cancer is initiated by aberrant Wnt signaling in ISCs known to express high levels of LGR5.Furthermore,in vivo reports demonstrate the clonal expansion of intestinal adenomas from a single LGR5-expressing cell.AIM To investigate whether colon cancer cell lines contain cancer stem cells and to characterize these putative cancer stem cells.METHODS A portable fluorescent reporter construct based on a conserved fragment of the LGR5 promoter was used to isolate the cell compartments expressing different levels of LGR5 in two widely used colon cancer cell lines(Caco-2 and LoVo).These cells were then characterized according to their proliferation capacity,gene expression signatures of ISC markers,and their tumorigenic properties in vivo and in vitro.RESULTS The data revealed that the LGR5 reporter can be used to identify and isolate a classical intestinal crypt stem cell-like population from the Caco-2,but not from the LoVo,cell lines,in which the cancer stem cell population is more akin to B lymphoma Moloney murine leukemia virus insertion region 1 homolog(+4 crypt)stem cells.This sub-population within Caco-2 cells exhibits an intestinal cancer stem cell gene expression signature and can both self-renew and generate differentiated LGR5 negative progeny.Our data also show that cells expressing high levels of LGR5/enhanced yellow fluorescent protein(EYFP)from this cell line exhibit tumorigenic-like properties in vivo and in vitro.In contrast,cell compartments of LoVo that are expressing high levels of LGR5/EYFP did not show these stem cell-like properties.Thus,cells that exhibit high levels of LGR5/EYFP expression represent the cancer stem cell compartment of Caco-2 colon cancer cells,but not LoVo cells.CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the presence of a spectrum of different ISC-like compartments in different colon cancer cell lines.Their existence is an important consideration for their screening applications and should be taken into account when interpreting drug screening data.We have generated a portable LGR5-reporter that serves as a valuable tool for the identification and isolation of different colon cancer stem cell populations in colon cancer lines.

Role of doublecortin-like kinase 1 and leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 in patients with stage Ⅱ/Ⅲ colorectal cancer:Cancer progression and prognosis

BACKGROUND Cancer stem cells(CSCs)are a subpopulation of cancer cells with the potential of self-renewal and differentiation.CSCs play critical roles in tumorigenesis,recurrence,metastasis,radiation tolerance and chemoresistance.AIM To assess the expression patterns and clinical potential of doublecortin-like kinase 1(DCLK1)and leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5(Lgr5),as prognostic CSC markers of colorectal cancer(CRC).METHODS The expression of DCLK1 and Lgr5 in CRC tissue sections from 92 patients was determined by immunohistochemistry.Each case was evaluated using a combined scoring method based on signal intensity staining(scored 0-3)and the proportion of positively stained cancer cells(scored 0-3).The final staining score was calculated as the intensity score multiplied by the proportion score.Low expression of DCLK1 and Lgr5 was defined as a score of 0-3;high expression of DCLK1 and Lgr5 was defined as a score of≥4.Specimens were categorized as either high or low expression,and the correlation between the expression of DCLK1 or Lgr5 and clinicopathological factors was investigated.RESULTS DCLK1 and Lgr5 expression levels were significantly positively correlated.CRC patients with high DCLK1,Lgr5 and DCLK1/Lgr5 expressions had poorer progression-free survival and overall survival.Moreover,high expression of DCLK1 was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence and overall survival in patients with CRC by multivariate analysis(P=0.026 and P=0.049,respectively).CONCLUSION DCLK1 may be a potential CSC marker for the recurrence and survival of CRC patients.

BIR repeat-containing ubiquitin conjugating enzyme (BRUCE) regulation of β-catenin signaling in the progression of drug-induced hepatic fibrosis and carcinogenesis

BACKGROUND BIR repeat-containing ubiquitin conjugating enzyme(BRUCE)is a liver tumor suppressor,which is downregulated in a large number of patients with liver diseases.BRUCE facilitates DNA damage repair to protect the mouse liver against the hepatocarcinogen diethylnitrosamine(DEN)-dependent acute liver injury and carcinogenesis.While there exists an established pathologic connection between fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),DEN exposure alone does not induce robust hepatic fibrosis.Further studies are warranted to identify new suppressive mechanisms contributing to DEN-induced fibrosis and HCC.AIM To investigate the suppressive mechanisms of BRUCE in hepatic fibrosis and HCC development.METHODS Male C57/BL6/J control mice[loxp/Loxp;albumin-cre(Alb-cre)-]and BRUCE Alb-Cre KO mice(loxp/Loxp;Alb-Cre+)were injected with a single dose of DEN at postnatal day 15 and sacrificed at different time points to examine liver disease progression.RESULTS By using a liver-specific BRUCE knockout(LKO)mouse model,we found that BRUCE deficiency,in conjunction with DEN exposure,induced hepatic fibrosis in both premalignant as well as malignant stages,thus recapitulating the chronic fibrosis background often observed in HCC patients.Activated in fibrosis and HCC,β-catenin activity depends on its stabilization and subsequent translocation to the nucleus.Interestingly,we observed that livers from BRUCE KO mice demonstrated an increased nuclear accumulation and elevated activity ofβ-catenin in the three stages of carcinogenesis:Pre-malignancy,tumor initiation,and HCC.This suggests that BRUCE negatively regulatesβ-catenin activity during liver disease progression.β-catenin can be activated by phosphorylation by protein kinases,such as protein kinase A(PKA),which phosphorylates it at Ser-675(pSer-675-β-catenin).Mechanistically,BRUCE and PKA were colocalized in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes where PKA activity is maintained at the basal level.However,in BRUCE deficient mouse livers or a human liver cancer cell line,both PKA activity and pSer-675-β-catenin levels were observed to be elevated.CONCLUSION Our data support a“BRUCE-PKA-β-catenin”signaling axis in the mouse liver.The BRUCE interaction with PKA in hepatocytes suppresses PKA-dependent phosphorylation and activation ofβ-catenin.This study implicates BRUCE as a novel negative regulator of both PKA andβ-catenin in chronic liver disease progression.Furthermore,BRUCE-liver specific KO mice serve as a promising model for understanding hepatic fibrosis and HCC in patients with aberrant activation of PKA andβ-catenin.

Unveiling the therapeutic potential:KBU2046 halts triple-negative breast cancer cell migration by constricting TGF-β1 activation in vitro

Background:Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)is a heterogeneous,recurring cancer characterized by a high rate of metastasis,poor prognosis,and lack of efficient therapies.KBU2046,a small molecule inhibitor,can inhibit cell motility in malignant tumors,including breast cancer.However,the specific targets and the corresponding mechanism of its function remain unclear.Methods:In this study,we employed(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H tetrazolium)(MTS)assay and transwell assay to investigate the impact of KBU2046 on the proliferation and migration of TNBC cells in vitro.RNA-Seq was used to explore the targets of KBU2046 that inhibit the motility of TNBC.Finally,confirmed the predicted important signaling pathways through RT-qPCR and western blotting.Results:In this study,we found that KBU2046 functioned as a novel transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β1)inhibitor,effectively suppressing tumor cell motility in vitro.Mechanistically,it directly down-regulated leucine-rich repeat-containing 8 family,member E(LRRC8E),latent TGFβ-binding protein 3(LTBP3),dynein light chain 1(DNAL1),and MAF family of bZIP transcription factors(MAFF)genes,along with reduced protein expression of the integrin family.Additionally,KBU2046 decreased phosphorylation levels of Raf and ERK.This deactivation of the ERK signaling pathway impeded cancer invasion and metastasis.Conclusions:In summary,these findings advocate for the utilization of TGF-β1 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and as a therapeutic target in TNBC.Furthermore,our data underscore the potential of KBU2046 as a novel therapeutic strategy for combating cancer metastasis.

LGR5 is a promising biomarker for patients with stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ gastric cancer

Objective： To investigate Leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 （LGR5） expressions in gastric cancer and to evaluate its clinical significance. Methods： LGR5 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 257 gastric cancer patients after surgery. The relationships between LGR5 expression and clinicopathological features and patients prognosis were statistically analyzed. Results： The expression of LGR5 was significantly higher in gastric cancers as a cancer stem cell marker than in adjacent normal tissues （P〈0.001）, and more frequently in patients with intestinal type, well-moderate differentiation and stage I and II （P〈0.05）. Although we found gastric cancer patients with LGR5 positive expression had a poorer prognosis, it didn＇t meet statistical significance （P〉0.05）. LGR5 negative expression was significantly related to the favorable overall survival in stage I and II gastric cancer patients （P〈0.05）. Furthermore, patients with high LGR5 expression tended to be more likely to get progression and have poorer progress-free survival （P〈0.05）. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that LGR5 expression was an independent factor of overall survival for the patients with stage I and II gastric cancer （P〈0.05）. Conclusions： Our results show that LGR5 may play an important role in tumorigenesis and progression and would be a powerful marker to predict the prognosis of patients with stage I and II gastric cancer.

Intestinal stem cell marker LGR5 expression during gastric carcinogenesis

AIM:To investigate the differential expression of leu-cine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor5(LGR5)in gastric cancer tissues and its significance related to tumor growth and spread.METHODS:Formalin-fixed biopsy specimens of intestinal metaplasia(n=90),dysplasia(n=53),gastric adenocarcinoma(n=180),metastases in lymph nodes and the liver(n=15),and lesion-adjacent normal gastric mucosa(controls;n=145)were obtained for analysis from the Peking University Cancer Hospital’s Department of Pathology and Gastrointestinal Surgery tissue archives(January 2003 to December 2011).The biopsied patients’demographic and clinicopathologic data were retrieved from the hospital’s medical records database.Each specimen was subjected to histopathological typing to classify the tumor node metastasis(TNM)stage and to immunohistochemistry staining to detect the expression of the cancer stem cell marker LGR5.The intergroup differences in LGR5 expression were assessed by Spearman’s rank correlation analysis,and the relationship between LGR5 expression level and the patients’clinicopathological characteristics was evaluated by theχ2test or Fisher’s exact test.RESULTS:Significantly more gastric cancer tissues showed LGR5+staining than normal control tissues(all P<0.01),with immunoreactivity detected in 72.2%(65/90)and 50.9%(27/53)of intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia specimens,respectively,52.8%(95/180)of gastric adenocarcinoma specimens,and 73.3%%(11/15)of metastasis specimens,but 26.9%(39/145)of lesion-adjacent normal gastric mucosa specimens.Comparison of the intensity of LGR5+staining showed an increasing trend that generally followed increasing dedifferentiation and tumor spread(normal tissue<dysplasia,<gastric adenocarcinoma<metastasis;all P<0.001),with the exception of expression level detected in intestinal metaplasia which was higher than that in normal gastric tissues(P<0.001).Moreover,gastric cancer-associated enhanced expression of LGR5 was found to be signifcantly associated with age,tumor differentiation,Lauren type and TNM stage(Ⅰ+ⅡvsⅢ+Ⅳ)(all P<0.05),but not with sex,tumor site,location,size,histology,lymphovascular invasion,depth of invasion,lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis.Patients with LGR5+gastric cancer specimens and without signs of metastasis from the original biopsy experienced more frequent rates of recurrence or metastasis during follow-up than patients with LGR5-specimens(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Enhanced LGR5 is related to progressive dedifferentiation and metastasis of gastric cancer,indicating the potential of this receptor as an early diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.

Baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis protein repeatcontaining protein 3 delays early Wallerian degeneration after sciatic nerve injury

Wallerian degeneration is a complex biological process that occurs after nerve injury,and involves nerve degeneration and regeneration.Schwann cells play a crucial role in the cellular and molecular events of Wallerian degeneration of the peripheral nervous system.However,Wallerian degeneration regulating nerve injury and repair remains largely unknown,especially the early response.We have previously reported some key regulators of Wallerian degeneration after sciatic nerve injury.Baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis protein repeat-containing protein 3(BIRC3)is an important factor that regulates apoptosis-inhibiting protein.In this study,we established rat models of right sciatic nerve injury.In vitro Schwann cell models were also established and subjected to gene transfection to inhibit and overexpress BIRC3.The data indicated that BIRC3 expression was significantly up-regulated after sciatic nerve injury.Both BIRC3 upregulation and downregulation affected the migration,proliferation and apoptosis of Schwan cells and affected the expression of related factors through activating c-fos and ERK signal pathway.Inhibition of BIRC3 delayed early Wallerian degeneration through inhibiting the apoptosis of Schwann cells after sciatic nerve injury.These findings suggest that BIRC3 plays an important role in peripheral nerve injury repair and regeneration.The study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Nantong University,China(approval No.2019-nsfc004)on March 1,2019.

Hydrogen gas and preservation of intestinal stem cells in mesenteric ischemia and reperfusion

BACKGROUND Patients with mesenteric ischemia frequently suffer from bowel necrosis even after revascularization.Hydrogen gas has showed promising effects for ischemiareperfusion injury by reducing reactive oxygen species in various animal and clinical studies.We examined intestinal tissue injury by ischemia and reperfusion under continuous initiation of 3%hydrogen gas.AIM To clarify the treatment effects and target cells of hydrogen gas for mesenteric ischemia.METHODS Three rat groups underwent 60-min mesenteric artery occlusion(ischemia),60-min reperfusion following 60-min occlusion(reperfusion),or ischemiareperfusion with the same duration under continuous 3%hydrogen gas inhalation(hydrogen).The distal ileum was harvested.Immunofluorescence staining with caspase-3 and leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled 5(LGR5),a specific marker of intestinal stem cell,was conducted to evaluate the injury location and cell types protected by hydrogen.mRNA expressions of LGR5,olfactomedin 4(OLFM4),hairy and enhancer of split 1,Jagged 2,and Neurogenic locus notch homolog protein 1 were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Tissue oxidative stress was analyzed with immunostaining for 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine(8-OHdG).Systemic oxidative stress was evaluated by plasma 8-OHdG.RESULTS Ischemia damaged the epithelial layer at the tip of the villi,whereas reperfusion induced extensive apoptosis of the cells at the crypt base,which were identified as intestinal stem cells with double immunofluorescence stain.Hydrogen mitigated such apoptosis at the crypt base,and the LGR5 expression of the tissues was higher in the hydrogen group than in the reperfusion group.OLFM4 was also relatively higher in the hydrogen group,whereas other measured RNAs were comparable between the groups.8-OHdG concentration was high in the reperfusion group,which was reduced by hydrogen,particularly at the crypt base.Serum 8-OHdG concentrations were relatively higher in both reperfusion and hydrogen groups without significance.CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that hydrogen gas inhalation preserves intestinal stem cells and mitigates oxidative stress caused by mesenteric ischemia and reperfusion.

The BK channel:a vital link between cellular calcium and electrical signaling

Large-conductance Ca^(2+)-activated K+channels(BK channels)constitute an key physiological link between cellular Ca^(2+) signaling and electrical signaling at the plasma membrane.Thus these channels are critical to the control of action potential firing and neurotrans-mitter release in several types of neurons,as well as the dynamic control of smooth muscle tone in resis-tance arteries,airway,and bladder.Recent advances in our understanding of K^(+) channel structure and function have led to new insight toward the molecular mecha-nisms of opening and closing(gating)of these chan-nels.Here we will focus on mechanisms of BK channel gating by Ca^(2+),transmembrane voltage,and auxiliary subunit proteins.

The role of roof plate-specific spondins in liver homeostasis and disease

As evolutionarily conserved signals,roof plate-specific spondins(R-spondins;RSPOs)are a family with four members(RSPO1e4)exerting distinctly different functions.RSPOs have five receptors and correlate with different signaling pathways through these receptors and then perform various functions.Moreover,their best-known molecular function is the capacity to enhance WNT signaling pathways,which play critical roles in several processes.A recent study shows that RSPOs not only potentiate the WNT/beta(b)-catenin signaling pathway but are also involved in the WNT/planar cell polarity signaling pathway.RSPOs influence liver homeostasis and the development of multiple liver diseases.RSPO1 increases cell proliferation,protects hepatocytes from injury,improves liver regenerative potential,and affects liver metabolic zonation.RSPO2 not only regulates proliferation-associated genes and promotes differentiation in the liver but also participates in liver fibrosis through the WNT/b-catenin signaling pathway.RSPO3 is a key determinant of proper liver function,such as promoting hepatocyte regeneration and maintaining liver zonation.RSPO3 is upregulated in liver fibrosis and livers of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.Besides,RSPO2 and RSPO3 are confirmed as oncogenes and involved in the occurrence of liver cancer.The role of RSPO4 in the liver remains unclear.In this review,the structural and biochemical properties of RSPOs and their receptors and their roles in liver homeostasis and disease are summarized.