scholarly journals Engineered Exosomes for the Targeted Delivery of a Novel Therapeutic Cargo to Enhance Sorafenib-Mediated Ferroptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoju Li ◽  
Qianqian Yu ◽  
Xinyan Guo ◽  
Chenlin Liu ◽  
Runze Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Targeted Delivery ◽  
Rna Recognition Motif ◽  
Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Rna Recognition ◽  
Sorafenib Treatment ◽  
Recognition Motif ◽  
Interfering Rna

Abstract Background Sorafenib is one of the few effective first-line drugs approved for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the development of drug resistance is common among individuals with HCC. Thus, there is an urgent need to solve this problem. Results Recent evidence indicated that the anticancer activity of sorafenib mainly relies on the induction of ferroptosis. In our study, genes that suppress ferroptosis, especially GPX4 and DHODH, were enriched in sorafenib-resistant cells and primary tissues and were associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients who received sorafenib treatment. Therefore, silencing GPX4 and DHODH might be a novel and effective strategy to overcome sorafenib resistance. Here, a novel ferroptosis inducer comprising a multiplex small interfering RNA (multi-siRNA) capable of simultaneously silencing GPX4 and DHODH was created. Then, exosomes with high multi-siRNA loading and HCC-specific targeting were established by fusing the SP94 peptide and the N-terminal RNA recognition motif (RRM) of U1-A with the exosomal membrane protein Lamp2b. The results from the in vitro and in vivo experiments indicate that this tumor-targeting nanodelivery system (ExoSP94−lamp2b−RRM-multi-siRNA) could enhance sorafenib-induced ferroptosis and overcome sorafenib resistance, which might open a new avenue for clinically overcoming sorafenib resistance. Conclusions We designed HCC-targeted exosomes (ExoSP94−Lamp2b−RRM) that can deliver a novel ferroptosis inducer. Our data show that ExoSP94−lamp2b−RRM-multi-siRNA could enhance sorafenib-induced ferroptosis by silencing GPX4 and DHODH expression and consequently increase HCC sensitivity to sorafenib. This is the first study to describe the use of engineered exosomes to overcome acquired sorafenib resistance with respect to ferroptosis.

scholarly journals CASK Silence Enhances Chemosensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through activating Apoptosis, Inducing JNK/c-Jun-Mediated Autophagic Cell Death and Decreasing ABCG2

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
BiSha Ding ◽  
Chang Bao ◽  
Luqi Jin ◽  
Liang Xu ◽  
Zhijun Dai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Autophagic Cell Death ◽  
Cell Counting ◽  
Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Sorafenib Treatment

Abstract Background: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients usually fail to be treated because of drug resistance, including sorafenib. Methods: The expression and prognostic role of calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase (CASK) in HCC were assessed by combination of bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation. The effects of CASK in regulating proliferation, apoptosis and drug resistance of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo were investigated using gain- or loss-of-function strategies by performing lots of specific methods including Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK8), colony formation assay, flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescent confocal laser microscopy and tumor xenograft experiments, immunohistochemistry staining. Moreover, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for CASK’s functions in HCC were also explored. Results: Currently, we discovered that CASK was positively associated with sorafenib resistance of HCC in vitro and in vivo, and was significantly related with poor prognosis in HCC. Moreover, inhibition of CASK can increase the effect of sorafenib partially by promoting apoptosis and autophagy, while CASK overexpression presented the opposite results. Besides, all the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, autophagy inhibitor 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) of LC3B reversed CASK knockout-induced effects with sorafenib treatment, suggesting that both apoptosis and autophagy were involved in CASK-mediated above functions and autophagy played a pro-death role in this research. Intriguingly, similar results were observed in vivo. In molecular level, CASK knockout activated the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, and treatment with JNK inhibitor SP600125 or transiently transfected with si-JNK significantly attenuated CASK knockout-mediated autophagic cell death. Besides, knockout of CASK dramatically inhibited the expression of ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) and reversed of multidrug-resistance (MDR) of HCC. Conclusions: Collectively, all these results together indicated that CASK might be a promising biomarker for HCC patients and a potential therapeutic target for relieving drug resistance of HCC.

scholarly journals CUS2, a Yeast Homolog of Human Tat-SF1, Rescues Function of Misfolded U2 through an Unusual RNA Recognition Motif

1998 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 5000-5009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Yan ◽  
Rhonda Perriman ◽  
Haller Igel ◽  
Kenneth J. Howe ◽  
Megan Neville ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Binding ◽  
Rna Binding Proteins ◽  
Normal Activity ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Rna Recognition Motif ◽  
Rna Recognition ◽  
Recognition Motif ◽  
Yeast Homolog

ABSTRACT A screen for suppressors of a U2 snRNA mutation identified CUS2, an atypical member of the RNA recognition motif (RRM) family of RNA binding proteins. CUS2 protein is associated with U2 RNA in splicing extracts and interacts with PRP11, a subunit of the conserved splicing factor SF3a. Absence of CUS2 renders certain U2 RNA folding mutants lethal, arguing that a normal activity of CUS2 is to help refold U2 into a structure favorable for its binding to SF3b and SF3a prior to spliceosome assembly. Both CUS2 function in vivo and the in vitro RNA binding activity of CUS2 are disrupted by mutation of the first RRM, suggesting that rescue of misfolded U2 involves the direct binding of CUS2. Human Tat-SF1, reported to stimulate Tat-specific, transactivating region-dependent human immunodeficiency virus transcription in vitro, is structurally similar to CUS2. Anti-Tat-SF1 antibodies coimmunoprecipitate SF3a66 (SAP62), the human homolog of PRP11, suggesting that Tat-SF1 has a parallel function in splicing in human cells.

scholarly journals CircRNA-SORE mediates sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma by stabilizing YBX1

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junjie Xu ◽  
Lin Ji ◽  
Yuelong Liang ◽  
Zhe Wan ◽  
Wei Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Nuclear Interaction ◽  
Circular Rna ◽  
Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Potential Strategy ◽  
Oncogenic Protein ◽  
Hcc Cells

AbstractSorafenib is the first-line chemotherapeutic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, sorafenib resistance significantly limits its therapeutic efficacy, and the mechanisms underlying resistance have not been fully clarified. Here we report that a circular RNA, circRNA-SORE (a circular RNA upregulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells), plays a significant role in sorafenib resistance in HCC. We found that circRNA-SORE is upregulated in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and depletion of circRNA-SORE substantially increases the cell-killing ability of sorafenib. Further studies revealed that circRNA-SORE binds the master oncogenic protein YBX1 in the cytoplasm, which prevents YBX1 nuclear interaction with the E3 ubiquitin ligase PRP19 and thus blocks PRP19-mediated YBX1 degradation. Moreover, our in vitro and in vivo results suggest that circRNA-SORE is transported by exosomes to spread sorafenib resistance among HCC cells. Using different HCC mouse models, we demonstrated that silencing circRNA-SORE by injection of siRNA could substantially overcome sorafenib resistance. Our study provides a proof-of-concept demonstration for a potential strategy to overcome sorafenib resistance in HCC patients by targeting circRNA-SORE or YBX1.

TLS (FUS) binds RNA in vivo and engages in nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling

1997 ◽  
Vol 110 (15) ◽  
pp. 1741-1750 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zinszner ◽  
J. Sok ◽  
D. Immanuel ◽  
Y. Yin ◽  
D. Ron
Keyword(s):  
Rna Binding ◽  
Cellular Transformation ◽  
Rna Recognition Motif ◽  
Rna Recognition ◽  
Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling ◽  
Uv Crosslinking ◽  
Recognition Motif ◽  
Specific Analysis ◽  
Human And Mouse

TLS, the product of a gene commonly translocated in liposarcomas (TLS), is prototypical of a newly identified class of nuclear proteins that contain a C-terminal domain with a distinct RNA recognition motif (RRM) surrounded by Arg-Gly-Gly (RGG) repeats. Its unique N terminus serves as an essential transforming domain for a number of fusion oncoproteins in human sarcomas and leukemias. In this study we use an in vivo UV crosslinking procedure to probe the interactions of TLS with RNA. TLS is found to bind RNA in vivo and the association of TLS with RNA is rapidly diminished by treating cells with transcriptional inhibitors. This suggests that the species bound by TLS turns over rapidly. Surprisingly, the RRM was found to be dispensable for RNA binding by TLS in vivo, suggesting that at any one time most of the interactions between TLS and RNA in the cell are not sequence specific. Analysis of inter specific heterokaryons formed between human and mouse or Xenopus cells revealed that TLS engages in rapid nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, a finding confirmed by the ability of anti-TLS antibodies to trap TLS when injected into the cytoplasm of HeLa cells. Cellular fractionation experiments suggest that TLS binds to RNA in both the nucleus and cytoplasm and support the hypothesis that TLS functions as a heterogeneous ribonuclear protein (hnRNP)-like chaperone of RNA. These findings are discussed in the context of the role altered forms of TLS play in cellular transformation.

scholarly journals Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 library screening identified PHGDH as a critical driver for Sorafenib resistance in HCC

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lai Wei ◽  
Derek Lee ◽  
Cheuk-Ting Law ◽  
Misty Shuo Zhang ◽  
Jialing Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Kinase Inhibitors ◽  
Standard Treatment ◽  
Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Library Screening ◽  
Sorafenib Treatment ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Phosphoglycerate Dehydrogenase

Abstract Sorafenib is the standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the development of drug resistance is common. By using genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 library screening, we identify phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), the first committed enzyme in the serine synthesis pathway (SSP), as a critical driver for Sorafenib resistance. Sorafenib treatment activates SSP by inducing PHGDH expression. With RNAi knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9 knockout models, we show that inactivation of PHGDH paralyzes the SSP and reduce the production of αKG, serine, and NADPH. Concomitantly, inactivation of PHGDH elevates ROS level and induces HCC apoptosis upon Sorafenib treatment. More strikingly, treatment of PHGDH inhibitor NCT-503 works synergistically with Sorafenib to abolish HCC growth in vivo. Similar findings are also obtained in other FDA-approved tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), including Regorafenib or Lenvatinib. In summary, our results demonstrate that targeting PHGDH is an effective approach to overcome TKI drug resistance in HCC.

CDK12 inhibition mediates DNA damage and is synergistic with sorafenib treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma

Gut ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 727-736 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cun Wang ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
Cor Lieftink ◽  
Aimee du Chatinier ◽  
Dongmei Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Bioinformatics Analyses ◽  
Sorafenib Treatment ◽  
Hcc Cells

ObjectivesHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies and a major leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Several therapeutic options like sorafenib and regorafenib provide only modest survival benefit to patients with HCC. This study aims to identify novel druggable candidate genes for patients with HCC.DesignA non-biased CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) loss-of-function genetic screen targeting all known human kinases was performed to identify vulnerabilities of HCC cells. Whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) and bioinformatics analyses were performed to explore the mechanisms of the action of a cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) inhibitor in HCC cells. Multiple in vitro and in vivo assays were used to study the synergistic effects of the combination of CDK12 inhibition and sorafenib.ResultsWe identify CDK12 as critically required for most HCC cell lines. Suppression of CDK12 using short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) or its inhibition by the covalent small molecule inhibitor THZ531 leads to robust proliferation inhibition. THZ531 preferentially suppresses the expression of DNA repair-related genes and induces strong DNA damage response in HCC cell lines. The combination of THZ531 and sorafenib shows striking synergy by inducing apoptosis or senescence in HCC cells. The synergy between THZ531 and sorafenib may derive from the notion that THZ531 impairs the adaptive responses of HCC cells induced by sorafenib treatment.ConclusionOur data highlight the potential of CDK12 as a drug target for patients with HCC. The striking synergy of THZ531 and sorafenib suggests a potential combination therapy for this difficult to treat cancer.

scholarly journals Role of antioxidants in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: Integrative review

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e46310112028
Author(s):  
Claudriana Locatelli ◽  
Joyce Kelly Busolin Jardim ◽  
Vilmair Zancanaro
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Radical Scavenging Activity ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Radical Scavenging ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Rate Dependent

Theorical framework: Hepatocellular carcinoma is a unique cancer that typically arises in the setting of chronic liver disease at a rate dependent upon the complex interplay between the host, disease, and environmental factors. Unfortunately, with contemporary management, patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma have few treatment options, and the prognosis is poor. Objective: Evaluate the role of antioxidants in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methodology: It is an integrative review, with a qualitative approach. Based on research on ScienceDirect and PubMed databases, 12 articles were selected that were consistent with the theme and the inclusion and exclusion criteria, through the association of descriptors and keywords. Results: Studies in vivo demonstrated a positive correlation of antioxidants in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The antioxidants were able to promote inhibition of development tumor through promotes decrease of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 and IL-6 and changes the ratios of Bax/Bcl2 that supports apoptosis. In oxidative stress, may be able to direct free radical scavenging activity. Among the main antioxidants with advanced preclinical evidence in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma is curcumin with tests in humans, and gallic acid, quercetin and resveratrol with several tests in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: This study highlights that antioxidants can be a promising therapy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

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