scholarly journals Non-canonical role of Hippo tumor suppressor serine/threonine kinase 3 STK3 in prostate cancer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia U. Schirmer ◽  
Lucy M. Driver ◽  
Megan T. Zhao ◽  
Carrow I. Wells ◽  
Julie E. Pickett ◽  
...  

AbstractSerine/threonine kinase 3 (STK3) is an essential member of the highly conserved Hippo Tumor suppressor pathway which regulates Yes 1 Associated protein (YAP1) and TAZ. STK3 and its paralog STK4 initiate a phosphorylation cascade that regulate YAP1/TAZ activation and degradation, which is important for regulated cell growth and organ size. Deregulation of this pathway leads to hyper-activation of YAP1 in various cancers. Counter to the canonical tumor suppression role of STK3, we report that in the context of prostate cancer (PC), STK3 has a pro-tumorigenic role. Our investigation started with the observation that STK3, but not STK4, is frequently amplified in PC. A high STK3 expression is associated with decreased overall survival and positively correlates with androgen receptor (AR) activity in metastatic castrate resistant PC. XMU-MP-1, an STK3/4 inhibitor, slowed cell proliferation, spheroid growth and matrigel invasion in multiple models. Genetic depletion of STK3 decreased proliferation in several PC cell lines. In a syngeneic allograft model, STK3 loss slowed tumor growth kinetics in vivo and biochemical analysis suggest a mitotic growth arrest phenotype. To further probe the role of STK3 in PC, we identified and validated a new set of selective STK3 inhibitors, with enhanced kinase selectivity relative XMU-MP-1, that inhibited tumor spheroid growth and invasion. Consistent with the canonical role, inhibition of STK3 induced cardiomyocyte growth and had chemo-protective effects. Our results contend that STK3 has a non-canonical role in PC progression and inhibition of STK3 may have therapeutic potential for PC that merits further investigation.SignificanceOur findings illuminate a new actionable target for PC therapy that would traditionally be overlooked due to its canonical role as a tumor suppressor in other cancer types.

Author(s):  
Amelia U. Schirmer ◽  
Lucy M. Driver ◽  
Megan T. Zhao ◽  
Carrow I. Wells ◽  
Julie E. Pickett ◽  
...  

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofan Lai ◽  
Shaojie Huang ◽  
Sijia Lin ◽  
Lvya Pu ◽  
Yaqing Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive deadly fibrotic lung disease with high prevalence and mortality worldwide. The therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in pulmonary fibrosis may be attributed to the strong paracrine, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis and immunoregulatory effects. However, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of MSCs in IPF, especially in terms of alveolar type 2 (AT2) cells senescence, are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of MSCs in NAD metabolism and senescence of AT2 cells in vitro and in vivo. Methods MSCs were isolated from human bone marrow. The protective effects of MSCs injection in pulmonary fibrosis were assessed via bleomycin mouse models. The senescence of AT2 cells co-cultured with MSCs was evaluated by SA-β-galactosidase assay, immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting. NAD+ level and NAMPT expression in AT2 cells affected by MSCs were determined in vitro and in vivo. FK866 and NAMPT shRNA vectors were used to determine the role of NAMPT in MSCs inhibiting AT2 cells senescence. Results We proved that MSCs attenuate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Senescence of AT2 cells was alleviated in MSCs-treated pulmonary fibrosis mice and when co-cultured with MSCs in vitro. Mechanistic studies showed that NAD+ and NAMPT levels were rescued in AT2 cells co-cultured with MSCs and MSCs could suppress AT2 cells senescence mainly via suppressing lysosome-mediated NAMPT degradation. Conclusions MSCs attenuate AT2 cells senescence by upregulating NAMPT expression and NAD+ levels, thus exerting protective effects in pulmonary fibrosis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianna Maria Santos ◽  
Fazle Hussain

Background: Reduced levels of magnesium can cause several diseases and increase cancer risk. Motivated by magnesium chloride’s (MgCl2) non-toxicity, physiological importance, and beneficial clinical applications, we studied its action mechanism and possible mechanical, molecular, and physiological effects in prostate cancer with different metastatic potentials.Methods: We examined the effects of MgCl2, after 24 and 48 hours, on apoptosis, cell migration, expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, and V-H+-ATPase, myosin II (NMII) and the transcription factor NF Kappa B (NFkB) expressions.Results: MgCl2 induces apoptosis, and significantly decreases migration speed in cancer cells with different metastatic potentials.  MgCl2 reduces the expression of V-H+-ATPase and myosin II that facilitates invasion and metastasis, suppresses the expression of vimentin and increases expression of E-cadherin, suggesting a role of MgCl2 in reversing the EMT. MgCl2 also significantly increases the chromatin condensation and decreases NFkB expression.Conclusions: These results suggest a promising preventive and therapeutic role of MgCl2 for prostate cancer. Further studies should explore extending MgCl2 therapy to in vivo studies and other cancer types.Keywords: Magnesium chloride, prostate cancer, migration speed, V-H+-ATPase, and EMT.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 030006052110143
Author(s):  
Mingcui Zang ◽  
Xun Guo ◽  
Manqiu Chen

Objective MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate prostate tumorigenesis and progression by involving different molecular pathways. In this study, we examined the role of miR-572 in prostate cancer (PCa). Methods The proliferation rates of LNCaP and PC-3 PCa cells were studied using MTT assays. Transwell migration and Matrigel invasion assays were performed to evaluate cell migration and invasion, respectively. Protein expression levels were examined using western blotting. Docetaxel-induced apoptosis was evaluated by Caspase-Glo3/7 assays. The putative miR-572 binding site in the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) 3ʹ untranslated region (3ʹ UTR) was assessed with dual-luciferase reporter assays. Additionally, miR-572 expression levels in human PCa tissues were examined by qRT-PCR assays. Results Upregulation of miR-572 promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion of PCa cells. Overexpression of miR-572 decreased sensitivity of PCa cells to docetaxel treatment by reducing docetaxel-induced apoptosis. MiR-572 can regulate migration and invasion in PCa cells. Furthermore, miR-572 could regulate expression of PTEN and p-AKT in PCa cells by directly binding to the PTEN 3ʹ UTR. MiR-572 expression levels were increased in human PCa tissues and associated with PCa stage. Conclusions miR-572 displayed essential roles in PCa tumor growth and its expression level may be used to predict docetaxel treatment in these tumors.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 3959
Author(s):  
Oluwaseun Adebayo Bamodu ◽  
Yuan-Hung Wang ◽  
Chen-Hsun Ho ◽  
Su-Wei Hu ◽  
Chia-Da Lin ◽  
...  

Background: prostate cancer (PCa) is a principal cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Castration resistance and metastasis are clinical challenges and continue to impede therapeutic success, despite diagnostic and therapeutic advances. There are reports of the oncogenic activity of genetic suppressor element (GSE)1 in breast and gastric cancers; however, its role in therapy resistance, metastasis, and susceptibility to disease recurrence in PCa patients remains unclear. Objective: this study investigated the role of aberrantly expressed GSE1 in the metastasis, therapy resistance, relapse, and poor prognosis of advanced PCa. Methods: we used a large cohort of multi-omics data and in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays to investigate the potential effect of altered GSE1 expression on advanced/castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) treatment responses, disease progression, and prognosis. Results: using a multi-cohort approach, we showed that GSE1 is upregulated in PCa, while tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 2 (TACSTD2) is downregulated. Moreover, the direct, but inverse, correlation interaction between GSE1 and TACSTD2 drives metastatic disease, castration resistance, and disease progression and modulates the clinical and immune statuses of patients with PCa. Patients with GSE1highTACSTD2low expression are more prone to recurrence and disease-specific death than their GSE1lowTACSTD2high counterparts. Interestingly, we found that the GSE1–TACSTD2 expression profile is associated with the therapy responses and clinical outcomes in patients with PCa, especially those with metastatic/recurrent disease. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the shRNA-mediated targeting of GSE1 (shGSE1) significantly inhibits cell proliferation and attenuates cell migration and tumorsphere formation in metastatic PC3 and DU145 cell lines, with an associated suppression of VIM, SNAI2, and BCL2 and the concomitant upregulation of TACSTD2 and BAX. Moreover, shGSE1 enhances sensitivity to the antiandrogens abiraterone and enzalutamide in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: these data provide preclinical evidence of the oncogenic role of dysregulated GSE1–TACSTD2 signaling and show that the molecular or pharmacological targeting of GSE1 is a workable therapeutic strategy for inhibiting androgen-driven oncogenic signals, re-sensitizing CRPC to treatment, and repressing the metastatic/recurrent phenotypes of patients with PCa.


Author(s):  
Diana Hamdan ◽  
Lisa A. Robinson

Excessive infiltration of immune cells into the kidney is a key feature of acute and chronic kidney diseases. The family of chemokines are key drivers of this process. CX3CL1 (fractalkine) is one of two unique chemokines synthesized as a transmembrane protein which undergoes proteolytic cleavage to generate a soluble species. Through interacting with its cognate receptor, CX3CR1, CX3CL1 was originally shown to act as a conventional chemoattractant in the soluble form, and as an adhesion molecule in the transmembrane form. Since then, other functions of CX3CL1 beyond leukocyte recruitment have been described, including cell survival, immunosurveillance, and cell-mediated cytotoxicity. This review summarizes diverse roles of CX3CL1 in kidney disease and potential uses as a therapeutic target and novel biomarker. As the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis has been shown to contribute to both detrimental and protective effects in various kidney diseases, a thorough understanding of how the expression and function of CX3CL1 are regulated is needed to unlock its therapeutic potential.


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