scholarly journals Chemotherapy Resistance Explained through Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Dependent Signaling

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Entaz Bahar ◽  
Ji-Ye Kim ◽  
Hyonok Yoon

Cancers cells have the ability to develop chemotherapy resistance, which is a persistent problem during cancer treatment. Chemotherapy resistance develops through different molecular mechanisms, which lead to modification of the cancer cells signals needed for cellular proliferation or for stimulating an immune response. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an important organelle involved in protein quality control, by promoting the correct folding of protein and ER-mediated degradation of unfolded or misfolded protein, namely, ER-associated degradation. Disturbances of the normal ER functions causes an accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the ER lumen, resulting in a condition called “ER stress (ERS).” ERS triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR)—also called the ERS response (ERSR)—to restore homeostasis or activate cell death. Although the ERSR is one emerging potential target for chemotherapeutics to treat cancer, it is also critical for chemotherapeutics resistance, as well. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of the relationship between the ERSR and tumor survival or drug resistance remains to be fully understood. In this review, we aim to describe the most vital molecular mechanism of the relationship between the ERSR and chemotherapy resistance. Moreover, the review also discusses the molecular mechanism of ER stress-mediated apoptosis on cancer treatments.

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (15) ◽  
pp. 1729-1741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed H. Shahcheraghi ◽  
Venant Tchokonte-Nana ◽  
Marzieh Lotfi ◽  
Malihe Lotfi ◽  
Ahmad Ghorbani ◽  
...  

: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant astrocytic glioma, accounting for about 90% of all brain tumors with poor prognosis. Despite recent advances in understanding molecular mechanisms of oncogenesis and the improved neuroimaging technologies, surgery, and adjuvant treatments, the clinical prognosis of patients with GBM remains persistently unfavorable. The signaling pathways and the regulation of growth factors of glioblastoma cells are very abnormal. The various signaling pathways have been suggested to be involved in cellular proliferation, invasion, and glioma metastasis. The Wnt signaling pathway with its pleiotropic functions in neurogenesis and stem cell proliferation is implicated in various human cancers, including glioma. In addition, the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is closely related to growth, metabolism, survival, angiogenesis, autophagy, and chemotherapy resistance of GBM. Understanding the mechanisms of GBM’s invasion, represented by invasion and migration, is an important tool in designing effective therapeutic interventions. This review will investigate two main signaling pathways in GBM: PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathways.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-63
Author(s):  
Li Jiang ◽  
Zhi-Cheng Yao ◽  
Miao-Miao Liu ◽  
Run-Hui Ma ◽  
Kiran Thakur

Cervical cancer has always been the top malignant cancer among female cancers in the world. Due to its recurrence, metastasis rate, and drug resistance, the treatment results of cervical cancer have been unsatisfactory. Apigetrin is present in a variety of fruits and vegetables and has been reported to have antioxidant, free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Therefore, this study focuses on the effect of apigetrin on the autophagy of cervical cancer HeLa cells based on the previous research. The results showed that apigetrin can enhance the autophagy fluorescence of light chain 3B (LC3B), and further combined with quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blotting found that the expression of autophagy-related genes and proteins p-mTOR, Beclin1, and LC3B increased, while the expression of AMPK, ULK1, and p62 decreased. In addition, apigetrin also promoted the release of Ca2+, the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/chop, and IRE1α pathways activate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The addition of 4PBA proved that ER stress promoted autophagy in HeLa cells. Finally, the addition of the 3-MA indicates the relationship between autophagy and apoptosis in HeLa cells. Our results indicate that apigetrin has a certain anticancer potential and can be used as a drug adjuvant and food additive for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuan Yuan ◽  
Defang Li ◽  
Hong Zhao ◽  
Jiangtao Jiang ◽  
Penglong Wang ◽  
...  

Licochalcone A (LCA), a licorice chalconoid, is considered to be a bioactive agent with chemopreventive potential. This study investigated the mechanisms involved in LCA-induced apoptosis in human bladder cancer T24 cells. LCA significantly inhibited cells proliferation, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and caused T24 cells apoptosis. Moreover, LCA induced mitochondrial dysfunction, caspase-3 activation, and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage, which displayed features of mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signals. Besides, exposure of T24 cells to LCA triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress; as indicated by the enhancement in 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP 78), growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible gene 153/C/EBP homology protein (GADD153/CHOP) expression, ER stress-dependent apoptosis is caused by the activation of ER-specific caspase-12. All the findings from our study suggest that LCA initiates mitochondrial ROS generation and induces oxidative stress that consequently causes T24 cell apoptosis via the mitochondria-dependent and the ER stress-triggered signaling pathways.


Circulation ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (suppl_16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Masafumi Myoishi ◽  
Testuo Minamino ◽  
Masafumi Kitakaze

Background Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) responds to various stresses by up-regulation of ER chaperones, and prolonged ER stress eventually causes apoptosis. Although apoptosis is considered to be essential for the progression and rupture of atherosclerotic plaques, the influence of ER stress and apoptosis on rupture of unstable coronary plaques remains unclear. Methods and Results We obtained 152 coronary artery segments at autopsy and 40 atherectomy specimens from 71 and 40 patients, respectively . Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and macrophages in the fibrous caps of thin cap atheroma and ruptured plaques, but not in the fibrous caps of thick cap atheroma and fibrous plaques, showed a marked increase in the expression of ER chaperone and numbers of apoptotic cells. ER chaperones also expressed higher in atherectomy specimens from patients with unstable angina pectoris than with stable angina. To explore the plausible molecular mechanism of activation of ER stress and the mechanistic link to apoptosis, we investigated plaque lipids such as oxysterols. Among oxysterols, expression of 7-ketocholesterol was increased in the fibrous caps of thin cap atheroma compared with thick cap atheroma. Treatment of either cultured coronary artery SMCs or THP-1 cells with 7-ketocholesterol induced upregulation of ER chaperones and apoptosis, while these changes were prevented by antioxidants. We also investigated possible signaling pathways for ER-initiated apoptosis and found that the CHOP (a transcription factor induced by ER stress)-dependent pathway was activated in unstable plaques. In addition, knockdown of CHOP expression by siRNA decreased ER stress-dependent death of cultured coronary artery SMCs and THP-1 cells. Conclusions Increased ER stress occurs in unstable plaques. Our findings suggest that ER stress-induced apoptosis of SMCs and macrophages may contribute to plaque vulnerability.


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nam ◽  
Jeon

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an interconnected organelle that is responsible for the biosynthesis, folding, maturation, stabilization, and trafficking of transmembrane and secretory proteins. Therefore, cells evolve protein quality-control equipment of the ER to ensure protein homeostasis, also termed proteostasis. However, disruption in the folding capacity of the ER caused by a large variety of pathophysiological insults leads to the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in this organelle, known as ER stress. Upon ER stress, unfolded protein response (UPR) of the ER is activated, integrates ER stress signals, and transduces the integrated signals to relive ER stress, thereby leading to the re-establishment of proteostasis. Intriguingly, severe and persistent ER stress and the subsequently sustained unfolded protein response (UPR) are closely associated with tumor development, angiogenesis, aggressiveness, immunosuppression, and therapeutic response of cancer. Additionally, the UPR interconnects various processes in and around the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, it has begun to be delineated that pharmacologically and genetically manipulating strategies directed to target the UPR of the ER might exhibit positive clinical outcome in cancer. In the present review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the UPR of the ER and the UPR of the ER–mitochondria interconnection. We also highlight new insights into how the UPR of the ER in response to pathophysiological perturbations is implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer. We provide the concept to target the UPR of the ER, eventually discussing the potential of therapeutic interventions for targeting the UPR of the ER for cancer treatment.


Author(s):  
Malgorzata Furmanik ◽  
Rick van Gorp ◽  
Meredith Whitehead ◽  
Sadia Ahmad ◽  
Jayanta Bordoloi ◽  
...  

Objective: Vascular calcification is common among aging populations and mediated by vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is involved in protein folding and ER stress has been implicated in bone mineralization. The role of ER stress in VSMC-mediated calcification is less clear. Approach and Results: mRNA expression of the ER stress markers PERK (PKR (protein kinase RNA)-like ER kinase), ATF (activating transcription factor) 4, ATF6, and Grp78 was detectable in human vessels with levels of PERK decreased in calcified plaques compared to healthy vessels. Protein deposition of Grp78/Grp94 was increased in the matrix of calcified arteries. Induction of ER stress accelerated human primary VSMC-mediated calcification, elevated expression of some osteogenic markers (Runx2, Osterix, ALP, BSP, and OPG), and decreased expression of SMC markers. ER stress potentiated extracellular vesicle (EV) release via SMPD3. EVs from ER stress-treated VSMCs showed increased Grp78 levels and calcification. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of Grp78/Grp94 in EVs. siRNA knock-down of Grp78 decreased calcification. Warfarin-induced Grp78 and ATF4 expression in rat aortas and VSMCs and increased calcification in an ER stress-dependent manner via increased EV release. Conclusions: ER stress induces vascular calcification by increasing release of Grp78-loaded EVs. Our results reveal a novel mechanism of action of warfarin, involving increased EV release via the PERK-ATF4 pathway, contributing to calcification. This study is the first to show that warfarin induces ER stress and to link ER stress to cargo loading of EVs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 2108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wioletta Rozpędek-Kamińska ◽  
Natalia Siwecka ◽  
Adam Wawrzynkiewicz ◽  
Radosław Wojtczak ◽  
Dariusz Pytel ◽  
...  

Higher prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is strictly connected with progressive aging of the world population. Interestingly, a broad range of age-related, neurodegenerative diseases is characterized by a common pathological mechanism—accumulation of misfolded and unfolded proteins within the cells. Under certain circumstances, such protein aggregates may evoke endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress conditions and subsequent activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathways via the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)-dependent manner. Under mild to moderate ER stress, UPR has a pro-adaptive role. However, severe or long-termed ER stress conditions directly evoke shift of the UPR toward its pro-apoptotic branch, which is considered to be a possible cause of neurodegeneration. To this day, there is no effective cure for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), or prion disease. Currently available treatment approaches for these diseases are only symptomatic and cannot affect the disease progression. Treatment strategies, currently under detailed research, include inhibition of the PERK-dependent UPR signaling branches. The newest data have reported that the use of small-molecule inhibitors of the PERK-mediated signaling branches may contribute to the development of a novel, ground-breaking therapeutic approach for neurodegeneration. In this review, we critically describe all the aspects associated with such targeted therapy against neurodegenerative proteopathies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenza Sisinni ◽  
Michele Pietrafesa ◽  
Silvia Lepore ◽  
Francesca Maddalena ◽  
Valentina Condelli ◽  
...  

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a stress response activated by the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and its uncontrolled activation is mechanistically responsible for several human pathologies, including metabolic, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory diseases, and cancer. Indeed, ER stress and the downstream UPR activation lead to changes in the levels and activities of key regulators of cell survival and autophagy and this is physiologically finalized to restore metabolic homeostasis with the integration of pro-death or/and pro-survival signals. By contrast, the chronic activation of UPR in cancer cells is widely considered a mechanism of tumor progression. In this review, we focus on the relationship between ER stress, apoptosis, and autophagy in human breast cancer and the interplay between the activation of UPR and resistance to anticancer therapies with the aim to disclose novel therapeutic scenarios. The hypothesis that autophagy and UPR may provide novel molecular targets in human malignancies is discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrizia Limonta ◽  
Roberta Moretti ◽  
Monica Marzagalli ◽  
Fabrizio Fontana ◽  
Michela Raimondi ◽  
...  

Cancer represents a serious global health problem, and its incidence and mortality are rapidly growing worldwide. One of the main causes of the failure of an anticancer treatment is the development of drug resistance by cancer cells. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new drugs characterized by better pharmacological and toxicological profiles. Natural compounds can represent an optimal collection of bioactive molecules. Many natural compounds have been proven to possess anticancer effects in different types of tumors, but often the molecular mechanisms associated with their cytotoxicity are not completely understood. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an organelle involved in multiple cellular processes. Alteration of ER homeostasis and its appropriate functioning originates a cascade of signaling events known as ER stress response or unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR pathways involve three different sensors (protein kinase RNA(PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK), inositol requiring enzyme1α (IRE1) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6)) residing on the ER membranes. Although the main purpose of UPR is to restore this organelle’s homeostasis, a persistent UPR can trigger cell death pathways such as apoptosis. There is a growing body of evidence showing that ER stress may play a role in the cytotoxicity of many natural compounds. In this review we present an overview of different plant-derived natural compounds, such as curcumin, resveratrol, green tea polyphenols, tocotrienols, and garcinia derivates, that exert their anticancer activity via ER stress modulation in different human cancers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (23) ◽  
pp. 11291-11298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aeid Igbaria ◽  
Philip I. Merksamer ◽  
Ala Trusina ◽  
Firehiwot Tilahun ◽  
Jeffrey R. Johnson ◽  
...  

Diverse perturbations to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) functions compromise the proper folding and structural maturation of secretory proteins. To study secretory pathway physiology during such “ER stress,” we employed an ER-targeted, redox-responsive, green fluorescent protein—eroGFP—that reports on ambient changes in oxidizing potential. Here we find that diverse ER stress regimes cause properly folded, ER-resident eroGFP (and other ER luminal proteins) to “reflux” back to the reducing environment of the cytosol as intact, folded proteins. By utilizing eroGFP in a comprehensive genetic screen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we show that ER protein reflux during ER stress requires specific chaperones and cochaperones residing in both the ER and the cytosol. Chaperone-mediated ER protein reflux does not require E3 ligase activity, and proceeds even more vigorously when these ER-associated degradation (ERAD) factors are crippled, suggesting that reflux may work in parallel with ERAD. In summary, chaperone-mediated ER protein reflux may be a conserved protein quality control process that evolved to maintain secretory pathway homeostasis during ER protein-folding stress.


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