scholarly journals A truncating mutation in the autophagy gene UVRAG drives inflammation and tumorigenesis in mice

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Quach ◽  
Ying Song ◽  
Hongrui Guo ◽  
Shun Li ◽  
Hadi Maazi ◽  
...  

AbstractAberrant autophagy is a major risk factor for inflammatory diseases and cancer. However, the genetic basis and underlying mechanisms are less established. UVRAG is a tumor suppressor candidate involved in autophagy, which is truncated in cancers by a frameshift (FS) mutation and expressed as a shortened UVRAGFS. To investigate the role of UVRAGFS in vivo, we generated mutant mice that inducibly express UVRAGFS (iUVRAGFS). These mice are normal in basal autophagy but deficient in starvation- and LPS-induced autophagy by disruption of the UVRAG-autophagy complex. iUVRAGFS mice display increased inflammatory response in sepsis, intestinal colitis, and colitis-associated cancer development through NLRP3-inflammasome hyperactivation. Moreover, iUVRAGFS mice show enhanced spontaneous tumorigenesis related to age-related autophagy suppression, resultant β-catenin stabilization, and centrosome amplification. Thus, UVRAG is a crucial autophagy regulator in vivo, and autophagy promotion may help prevent/treat inflammatory disease and cancer in susceptible individuals.

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 985-992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysegul Hanikoglu ◽  
Ertan Kucuksayan ◽  
Rana Cagla Akduman ◽  
Tomris Ozben

This systematic review aims to elucidate the role of melatonin (N-acetyl-5-metoxy-tryptamine) (MLT) in the prevention and treatment of cancer. MLT is a pineal gland secretory product, an evolutionarily highly conserved molecule; it is also an antioxidant and an impressive protector of mitochondrial bioenergetic activity. MLT is characterized by an ample range of activities, modulating the physiology and molecular biology of the cell. Its physiological functions relate principally to the interaction of G Protein-Coupled MT1 and MT2 trans-membrane receptors (GPCRs), a family of guanidine triphosphate binding proteins. MLT has been demonstrated to suppress the growth of various tumours both, in vivo and in vitro. In this review, we analyze in depth, the antioxidant activity of melatonin, aiming to illustrate the cancer treatment potential of the molecule, by limiting or reversing the changes occurring during cancer development and growth.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Xin She ◽  
Qing Yang Yu ◽  
Xiao Xiao Tang

AbstractInterleukins, a group of cytokines participating in inflammation and immune response, are proved to be involved in the formation and development of pulmonary fibrosis. In this article, we reviewed the relationship between interleukins and pulmonary fibrosis from the clinical, animal, as well as cellular levels, and discussed the underlying mechanisms in vivo and in vitro. Despite the effects of interleukin-targeted treatment on experimental pulmonary fibrosis, clinical applications are lacking and unsatisfactory. We conclude that intervening in one type of interleukins with similar functions in IPF may not be enough to stop the development of fibrosis as it involves a complex network of regulation mechanisms. Intervening interleukins combined with other existing therapy or targeting interleukins affecting multiple cells/with different functions at the same time may be one of the future directions. Furthermore, the intervention time is critical as some interleukins play different roles at different stages. Further elucidation on these aspects would provide new perspectives on both the pathogenesis mechanism, as well as the therapeutic strategy and drug development.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donita L. Garland ◽  
Eric A. Pierce ◽  
Rosario Fernandez-Godino

AbstractThe complement system plays a role in the formation of sub-retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) deposits in early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). But the specific mechanisms that connect complement activation and deposit formation in AMD patients are unknown, which limits the development of efficient therapies to reduce or stop disease progression. We have previously demonstrated that C3 blockage prevents the formation of sub-RPE deposits in a mouse model of EFEMP1-associated macular degeneration. In this study, we have used double mutant Efemp1R345W/R345W:C5-/- mice to investigate the role of C5 in the formation of sub-RPE deposits in vivo and in vitro. The data revealed that the genetic ablation of C5 does not eliminate the formation of sub-RPE deposits. Contrarily, the absence of C5 in RPE cultures promotes complement dysregulation that results in increased activation of C3, which likely contributes to deposit formation even in the absence of EFEMP1-R345W mutant protein. The results also suggest that genetic ablation of C5 alters the extracellular matrix turnover through an effect on matrix metalloproteinases in RPE cell cultures. These results confirm that C3 rather than C5 could be an effective therapeutic target to treat early AMD.


F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renae J. Stefanetti ◽  
Sarah Voisin ◽  
Aaron Russell ◽  
Séverine Lamon

The forkhead box O3 (FOXO3, or FKHRL1) protein is a member of the FOXO subclass of transcription factors. FOXO proteins were originally identified as regulators of insulin-related genes; however, they are now established regulators of genes involved in vital biological processes, including substrate metabolism, protein turnover, cell survival, and cell death. FOXO3 is one of the rare genes that have been consistently linked to longevity in in vivo models. This review provides an update of the most recent research pertaining to the role of FOXO3 in (i) the regulation of protein turnover in skeletal muscle, the largest protein pool of the body, and (ii) the genetic basis of longevity. Finally, it examines (iii) the role of microRNAs in the regulation of FOXO3 and its impact on the regulation of the cell cycle.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Sun ◽  
Xiaofeng Tang ◽  
Feifei Zhang ◽  
Cheng Ju ◽  
Renfeng Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: WT161 as a new selective HDAC6 inhibitor has been shown to play anti-tumor effects on multiple myeloma and breast cancer. However, the role of WT161 in osteosarcoma remains unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the role of WT161 in osteosarcoma and its underlying mechanisms.Methods: The anti-proliferative effect of WT161 on osteosarcoma cells was examined using MTT assay and colony formation assay. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometer. The synergistic effect was evaluated by isobologram analysis using CompuSyn software. The osteosarcoma xenograft models were esatablished to evaluate the anti-proliferative effect of WT161 in vivo.Results: WT161 suppressed the cell growth and induced apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Mechanistically, we found that WT161 treatment obviously increased the protein expression level of PTEN and decreased the phosphorylation level of AKT. Notably, WT161 shows synergistically inhibitory effects on osteosarcoma cell combined with 5-FU. Animal experiment results show WT161 inhibits the growth of osteosarcoma tumor and further illustrates that WT161 and 5-FU have a synergistic efficiency in osteosarcoma.Conclusions: These results indicate that WT161 inhibiting the growth of osteosarcoma through PTEN and has a synergistic efficiency with 5-FU.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoko Ito ◽  
Niccolette Schaefer ◽  
Amelia Sanchez ◽  
David Francisco ◽  
Rafeul Alam ◽  
...  

Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) is a key negative regulator of innate immunity by preventing excessive proinflammatory responses. Tollip genetic variation has been associated with airflow limitation in asthma subjects and Tollip expression. Whether Tollip regulates lung inflammation in a type 2 cytokine milieu (e.g., IL-13) is unclear. Our goal was to determine the in vivo role of Tollip in IL-13-mediated lung eosinophilic inflammation and the underlying mechanisms. Tollip-knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were inoculated intranasally with recombinant mouse IL-13 protein to examine lung inflammation. To determine how Tollip regulates inflammation, alveolar macrophages and bone marrow-derived macrophages from Tollip KO and WT mice were cultured with or without IL-13 and/or IL-33. IL-13-treated Tollip KO mice significantly increased lung eosinophilic inflammation and eotaxin-2 (CCL24) levels compared with the WT mice. IL-13- treated Tollip KO (vs. WT) macrophages, in the absence and particularly in the presence of IL-33, increased expression of the IL-33 receptor ST2L and CCL24, which was in part dependent on enhanced activation of interleukin (IL)-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6). Our results suggest that Tollip downregulates IL-13-mediated pulmonary eosinophilia in part through inhibiting the activity of the ST2L/IL-33/IRAK1 axis and STAT6.


Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seock-Won Youn ◽  
Sudhahar Varadarajan ◽  
Archita Das ◽  
Ronald D McKinney ◽  
Tohru Fukai ◽  
...  

Background: Endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is induced by inflammation and contributes to fibrosis; however, underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Cu plays an important role in physiological processes and pathophysiologies associated with inflammatory diseases. Since excess Cu is toxic, bioavailability of Cu is tightly controlled by Cu exporter ATP7A, which obtains Cu via Cu chaperone, Atox1, and exclude Cu. We reported that Atox1 also functions as a Cu dependent transcription factor. However, role of Cu transport proteins in EndMT is entirely unknown.[[Unable to Display Character: 
]] Results: Here we show that TNFα stimulation for 24hr in HUVEC significantly decreased ATP7A protein (80%) and increased intracellular Cu and Atox1 in nucleus, which was associated with shape change forming EndMT. ATP7A depletion with shRNA in EC significantly reduced EC markers (VE-cadherin and VEGFR2) and increased mesenchymal markers (αSMA, Calponin, SM22α, Collagen I/II). ATP7A siRNA also increased intracellular Cu and nuclear Atox1. These ATP7A knockdown-induced phenotype changes were inhibited by Cu chelators BCS and TTM. Mechanistically, microarray and qPCR based screening revealed that ATP7A knockdown in EC significantly increased miR21 (2.5 fold) and miR125b (1.5 fold) which induce EndMT in a Cu-dependent manner. Of note, promoters of both miR21 and miR125b have Cu dependent transcription factor Atox1 binding sites. Consistent with this, overexpression of Atox1 increased miR21 and miR125b expression as well as promoted EndMT. In vivo, ATP7A mutant (ATP7Amut) mice with reduced Cu export function showed impaired blood flow recovery and reduced arteriogenesis while increased αSMA+ cells and fibrosis in capillary network after ischemic injury. Moreover, ATP7Amut mice crossed with ApoE-/- mice with high fat diet (HFD) induced robust fibrosis and enhanced atherosclerotic lesion vs ApoE-/-/HFD mice.[[Unable to Display Character: 
]] Conclusions: ATP7A protects against fibrosis by preventing EndMT via nuclear Atox1-mediated upregulation of miR21 and miR125b which induce EndMT, in Cu dependent manner. These findings provide the foundation for novel protective role of Cu transport proteins against EndMT- and fibrosis-mediated cardiovascular diseases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6541
Author(s):  
Dong Wook Choi ◽  
Sang Woo Cho ◽  
Seok-Geun Lee ◽  
Cheol Yong Choi

The root bark of Morus has long been appreciated as an antiphlogistic, diuretic and expectorant drug in Chinese herbal medicine, albeit with barely known targets and mechanisms of action. In the 1970s, the development of analytic chemistry allowed for the discovery of morusin as one of 7 different isoprene flavonoid derivatives in the root bark of Morus. However, the remarkable antioxidant capacity of morusin with the unexpected potential for health benefits over the other flavonoid derivatives has recently sparked scientific interest in the biochemical identification of target proteins and signaling pathways and further clinical relevance. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the understanding of the functional roles of morusin in multiple biological processes such as inflammation, apoptosis, metabolism and autophagy. We also highlight recent in vivo and in vitro evidence on the clinical potential of morusin treatment for multiple human pathologies including inflammatory diseases, neurological disorders, diabetes, cancer and the underlying mechanisms.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofeng Qi ◽  
Wengguang Xu ◽  
Junqi Xie ◽  
Yufeng Wang ◽  
Shengwei Han ◽  
...  

Abstract Resistance towards chemotherapy is a common complication in treatment of oral cancers, which leads to treatment failure and poor outcome. In recent years, a growing body of evidence has shown that tumour hypoxia significantly contributes to chemoresistance. Metformin, a widely used oral hypoglycaemic drug, can reportedly potentiate the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs in various cancers; however, the underlying mechanisms are intricate and have not been fully understood. In this study, we explored the role of metformin in chemosensitivity of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells (OSCC) to cisplatin both in vitro and in vivo, and attempted to elucidate its possible underlying mechanisms. Encouragingly, we found that metformin synergistically enhanced cisplatin cytotoxicity and reversed the chemoresistance to certain extent. This mechanism could likely be related with inhibition of the NF-κB/HIF-1α signal axis and lead to the downregulation of hypoxia-regulated genes products. Therefore, metformin could serve as a chemosensitiser for cisplatin-based regimens for OSCC, thereby providing a theoretical basis for future use in the treatment of oral cancers.


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