scholarly journals Cystine/glutamate antiporter xCT (SLC7A11) facilitates oncogenic RAS transformation by preserving intracellular redox balance

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (19) ◽  
pp. 9433-9442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan K. M. Lim ◽  
Alberto Delaidelli ◽  
Sean W. Minaker ◽  
Hai-Feng Zhang ◽  
Milena Colovic ◽  
...  

The RAS family of proto-oncogenes are among the most commonly mutated genes in human cancers and predict poor clinical outcome. Several mechanisms underlying oncogenic RAS transformation are well documented, including constitutive signaling through the RAF-MEK-ERK proproliferative pathway as well as the PI3K-AKT prosurvival pathway. Notably, control of redox balance has also been proposed to contribute to RAS transformation. However, how homeostasis between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants, which have opposing effects in the cell, ultimately influence RAS-mediated transformation and tumor progression is still a matter of debate and the mechanisms involved have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that oncogenic KRAS protects fibroblasts from oxidative stress by enhancing intracellular GSH levels. Using a whole transcriptome approach, we discovered that this is attributable to transcriptional up-regulation of xCT, the gene encoding the cystine/glutamate antiporter. This is in line with the function of xCT, which mediates the uptake of cystine, a precursor for GSH biosynthesis. Moreover, our results reveal that the ETS-1 transcription factor downstream of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling cascade directly transactivates the xCT promoter in synergy with the ATF4 endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated transcription factor. Strikingly, xCT was found to be essential for oncogenic KRAS-mediated transformation in vitro and in vivo by mitigating oxidative stress, as knockdown of xCT strongly impaired growth of tumor xenografts established from KRAS-transformed cells. Overall, this study uncovers a mechanism by which oncogenic RAS preserves intracellular redox balance and identifies an unexpected role for xCT in supporting RAS-induced transformation and tumorigenicity.

Author(s):  
Adrian Rafael Murillo-de-Ozores ◽  
Alejandro Rodriguez-Gama ◽  
Hector Carbajal-Contreras ◽  
Gerardo Gamba ◽  
Maria Castaneda-Bueno

With No Lysine (K) kinase 4 (WNK4) belongs to a serine-threonine kinase family characterized by the atypical positioning of its catalytic lysine. Despite the fact that WNK4 has been found in many tissues, the majority of its study has revolved around its function in the kidney, specifically as a positive regulator of the thiazide-sensitive NaCl cotransporter (NCC) in the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) of the nephron. This is explained by the description of gain-of-function mutations in the gene encoding WNK4 that cause Familial Hyperkalemic Hypertension (FHHt). This disease is mainly driven by increased downstream activation of the Ste20-related Proline Alanine Rich Kinase (SPAK)/Oxidative Stress Responsive Kinase 1 (OSR1)-NCC pathway, which increases salt reabsorption in the DCT and indirectly impairs renal K+ secretion. Here, we review the large volume of information that has accumulated about different aspects of WNK4 function. We first review the knowledge on WNK4 structure and enumerate the functional domains and motifs that have been characterized. Then, we discuss WNK4 physiological functions based on the information obtained from in vitro studies and from a diverse set of genetically modified mouse models with altered WNK4 function. We then review in vitro and in vivo evidence on the different levels of regulation of WNK4. Finally, we go through the evidence that has suggested how different physiological conditions act through WNK4 to modulate NCC activity.


2011 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahid M Delwar ◽  
Marina Fernanda Vita ◽  
Åke Siden ◽  
Mabel Cruz ◽  
Juan Sebastian Yakisich

In most cells, the major intracellular redox buffer is glutathione (GSH) and its disulfide-oxidized (GSSG) form. The GSH/GSSG system maintains the intracellular redox balance and the essential thiol status of proteins by thiol disulfide exchange. Topoisomerases are thiol proteins and are a target of thiol-reactive substances. In this study, the inhibitory effect of physiological concentration of GSH and GSSG on topoisomerase IIα activity in vitro was investigated. GSH (0-10 mM) inhibited topoisomerase IIα in a concentration-dependent manner while GSSG (1-100 µM) had no significant effect. These findings suggest that the GSH/GSSG system could have a potential in vivo role in regulating topoisomerase IIα activity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aruna Marchetto ◽  
Shunya Ohmura ◽  
Martin F. Orth ◽  
Maximilian M. L. Knott ◽  
Maria V. Colombo ◽  
...  

AbstractEwing sarcoma (EwS) is an aggressive childhood cancer likely originating from mesenchymal stem cells or osteo-chondrogenic progenitors. It is characterized by fusion oncoproteins involving EWSR1 and variable members of the ETS-family of transcription factors (in 85% FLI1). EWSR1-FLI1 can induce target genes by using GGAA-microsatellites as enhancers.Here, we show that EWSR1-FLI1 hijacks the developmental transcription factor SOX6 – a physiological driver of proliferation of osteo-chondrogenic progenitors – by binding to an intronic GGAA-microsatellite, which promotes EwS growth in vitro and in vivo. Through integration of transcriptome-profiling, published drug-screening data, and functional in vitro and in vivo experiments including 3D and PDX models, we discover that constitutively high SOX6 expression promotes elevated levels of oxidative stress that create a therapeutic vulnerability toward the oxidative stress-inducing drug Elesclomol.Collectively, our results exemplify how aberrant activation of a developmental transcription factor by a dominant oncogene can promote malignancy, but provide opportunities for targeted therapy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-293
Author(s):  
George Laylson da Silva Oliveira ◽  
Maria das Dores Alves de Oliveira ◽  
Maria da Conceição Oliveira Prado ◽  
Alexandre de Barros Falcão Ferraz ◽  
José Carlos Correia Lima da Silva ◽  
...  

Background: Garcinielliptone FC corresponds to a polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol having a benzophenonic core (diphenylmethanone) substituted with isoprenyl(s) group(s) (3-methyl-2-butenyl) and 2-isopropenyl-hex-5-enyl. Objective: The present work evaluated the antioxidant activity of garcinielliptone FC (GFC) in vitro against non-biological radicals [2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and 2,2'-azinobis-3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS•+)] and ex vivo against oxidative damage induced by AAPH (2,2'-azobis-2-methylpropionamidine dihydrochloride) and iron/citrate ion in erythrocytes and mitochondria, respectively. Methods: In addition to the protective effect, the main biochemical indexes of oxidative stress, such as lipid peroxidation through the formation of Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) activity and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Results: According to the results obtained in erythrocytes, the antioxidant results at concentrations of 0.1, 0.3, 0.7, 1.5 and 3.0 mM were 26.34 ± 0.68, 43.39 ± 2.17, 62.27 ± 2.17, 86.69 ± 0.47 and 92.89 ± 0.45%, respectively, where GFC reduced the rate of oxidative hemolysis when compared to AAPH (p<0.05). The antioxidant activity observed in erythrocytes was also seen in mitochondria in which GFC reduced mitochondrial swelling by increasing the absorbance when compared to iron/citrate ion complex (p<0.05). In both biological models, GFC had an antioxidant effect on erythrocyte and mitochondrial redox balance when analyzing oxidative stress biomarkers, such as reduction of lipid peroxidation and inhibition of depletion in the activity of SOD, CAT and GSH levels. Conclusion: In conclusion, GFC had in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant activity against oxidative damage induced in erythrocytes and mitochondria acting on the erythrocytic and mitochondrial redox balance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 745-754
Author(s):  
Nedim Karagenç ◽  
Göksel Doğan ◽  
Kerem Esmen ◽  
Bengi Çınar Kul ◽  
Hasan Yeşilkaya ◽  
...  

Abstract In vitro culture under atmospheric oxygen puts embryos under oxidative stress and impairs preimplantation development. However, to what extent this process alters the redox balance in the perinatal period remains largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to examine if the redox balance is altered in the lung tissue of fetuses generated through transfer of mouse embryos exposed to atmospheric oxygen at different stages of development and to determine if this has any effect on lung morphogenesis and gene expression. Two experimental groups (EGs) were generated by transferring in vitro- and in vivo-derived blastocysts to pseudo-pregnant females. In vivo-developed fetuses served as control. Enzymatic/nonenzymatic antioxidants, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, total antioxidant capacity, stage of lung development and gene expression were evaluated on day 18 of pregnancy. Weight of fetuses was significantly less in both experimental cohorts (ANOVA, P < 0.001 versus control), associated with delayed lung development, higher amounts of MDA (ANOVA, P < 0.001 versus control) and altered expression of several genes in oxidative stress/damage pathways. Evidence gathered in the present study indicates that pre-implantation stress caused by culture under atmospheric oxygen, even for a short period of time, leads to fetal growth restriction, impaired lung development and redox balance along with dysregulation of several genes in oxidative stress response. Absence of an EG in which in vitro embryo culture was performed at 5% oxygen and the use of genetically heterogeneous F2 fetuses are the limitations of the study. In any case, the long-term impact of such dramatic changes in the developmental programming of resulting fetuses warrants further investigations.


2013 ◽  
Vol 394 (10) ◽  
pp. 1263-1280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco J. Sánchez-Gómez ◽  
Cristina Espinosa-Díez ◽  
Megha Dubey ◽  
Madhu Dikshit ◽  
Santiago Lamas

Abstract Glutathione is considered the main regulator of redox balance in the cellular milieu due to its capacity for detoxifying deleterious molecules. The oxidative stress induced as a result of a variety of stimuli promotes protein oxidation, usually at cysteine residues, leading to changes in their activity. Mild oxidative stress, which may take place in physiological conditions, induces the reversible oxidation of cysteines to sulfenic acid form, while pathological conditions are associated with higher rates of reactive oxygen species production, inducing the irreversible oxidation of cysteines. Among these, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes have been proposed to be pathogenetically linked to this state. In diabetes-associated vascular complications, lower levels of glutathione and increased oxidative stress have been reported. S-glutathionylation has been proposed as a posttranslational modification able to protect proteins from over-oxidizing environments. S-glutathionylation has been identified in proteins involved in diabetic models both in vitro and in vivo. In all of them, S-glutathionylation represents a mechanism that regulates the response to diabetic conditions, and has been described to occur in erythrocytes and neutrophils from diabetic patients. However, additional studies are necessary to discern whether this modification represents a biomarker for the early onset of diabetic vascular complications.


2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 1081-1090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan M. Kraemer ◽  
David A. Goldstrohm ◽  
Ann Berger ◽  
Susan Hankey ◽  
Sherry A. Rovinsky ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT To characterize the role of the general transcription factor TFIIA in the regulation of gene expression by RNA polymerase II, we examined the transcriptional profiles of TFIIA mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using DNA microarrays. Whole-genome expression profiles were determined for three different mutants with mutations in the gene coding for the small subunit of TFIIA, TOA2. Depending on the particular mutant strain, approximately 11 to 27% of the expressed genes exhibit altered message levels. A search for common motifs in the upstream regions of the pool of genes decreased in all three mutants yielded the binding site for Yap1, the transcription factor that regulates the response to oxidative stress. Consistent with a TFIIA-Yap1 connection, the TFIIA mutants are unable to grow under conditions that require the oxidative stress response. Underexpression of Yap1-regulated genes in the TFIIA mutant strains is not the result of decreased expression of Yap1 protein, since immunoblot analysis indicates similar amounts of Yap1 in the wild-type and mutant strains. In addition, intracellular localization studies indicate that both the wild-type and mutant strains localize Yap1 indistinguishably in response to oxidative stress. As such, the decrease in transcription of Yap1-dependent genes in the TFIIA mutant strains appears to reflect a compromised interaction between Yap1 and TFIIA. This hypothesis is supported by the observations that Yap1 and TFIIA interact both in vivo and in vitro. Taken together, these studies demonstrate a dependence of Yap1 on TFIIA function and highlight a new role for TFIIA in the cellular mechanism of defense against reactive oxygen species.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 117 (9) ◽  
pp. 2735-2744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Testori ◽  
Bernhard Schweighofer ◽  
Iris Helfrich ◽  
Caterina Sturtzel ◽  
Karoline Lipnik ◽  
...  

Abstract The HLX gene encoding a diverged homeobox transcription factor has been found to be up-regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) in endothelial cells. We have now investigated the gene repertoire induced by HLX and its potential biologic function. HLX strongly increased the transcripts for several repulsive cell-guidance proteins including UNC5B, plexin-A1, and semaphorin-3G. In addition, genes for transcriptional repressors such as HES-1 were up-regulated. In line with these findings, adenoviral overexpression of HLX inhibited endothelial cell migration, sprouting, and vessel formation in vitro and in vivo, whereas proliferation was unaffected. This inhibition of sprouting was caused to a significant part by HLX-mediated up-regulation of UNC5B as shown by short hairpin RNA (shRNA)–mediated down-modulation of the respective mRNA. VEGF-A stimulation of endothelial cells induced elevated levels of HLX over longer time periods resulting in especially high up-regulation of UNC5B mRNA as well as an increase in cells displaying UNC5B at their surface. However, induction of HLX was strongly reduced and UNC5B up-regulation completely abrogated when cells were exposed to hypoxic conditions. These data suggest that HLX may function to balance attractive with repulsive vessel guidance by up-regulating UNC5B and to down-modulate sprouting under normoxic conditions.


2008 ◽  
Vol 205 (5) ◽  
pp. 1227-1242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp S. Lange ◽  
Juan C. Chavez ◽  
John T. Pinto ◽  
Giovanni Coppola ◽  
Chiao-Wang Sun ◽  
...  

Oxidative stress is pathogenic in neurological diseases, including stroke. The identity of oxidative stress–inducible transcription factors and their role in propagating the death cascade are not well known. In an in vitro model of oxidative stress, the expression of the bZip transcription factor activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) was induced by glutathione depletion and localized to the promoter of a putative death gene in neurons. Germline deletion of ATF4 resulted in a profound reduction in oxidative stress–induced gene expression and resistance to oxidative death. In neurons, ATF4 modulates an early, upstream event in the death pathway, as resistance to oxidative death by ATF4 deletion was associated with decreased consumption of the antioxidant glutathione. Forced expression of ATF4 was sufficient to promote cell death and loss of glutathione. In ATF4−/− neurons, restoration of ATF4 protein expression reinstated sensitivity to oxidative death. In addition, ATF4−/− mice experienced significantly smaller infarcts and improved behavioral recovery as compared with wild-type mice subjected to the same reductions in blood flow in a rodent model of ischemic stroke. Collectively, these findings establish ATF4 as a redox-regulated, prodeath transcriptional activator in the nervous system that propagates death responses to oxidative stress in vitro and to stroke in vivo.


2008 ◽  
Vol 181 (4) ◽  
pp. i13-i13
Author(s):  
Philipp S. Lange ◽  
Juan C. Chavez ◽  
John T. Pinto ◽  
Giovanni Coppola ◽  
Chiao-Wang Sun ◽  
...  

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