VLA-4 Induces Chemoresistance of T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells via PYK2-Mediated Drug Efflux

Cell adhesion plays a critical role in the development of chemoresistance, which is a major issue in anti-cancer therapies. In this study, we have examined the role of the VLA-4 integrin, a major adhesion molecule of the immune system, in the chemoresistance of T-ALL cells. We found that attachment of Jurkat and HSB-2 T-ALL cells to VCAM-1, a VLA-4 ligand, inhibits doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. However, their adhesion to fibronectin, which is mainly mediated via VLA-5, had no effect. Even the presence of the chemoattractant SDF1α (Stromal cell-derived factor-1α), which enhances the adhesion of T-ALL cells to fibronectin, did not modify the sensitivity of the cells attached on fibronectin towards doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, we found that VLA-4 promoted T-ALL chemoresistance by inducing doxorubicin efflux. Our results showed that cell adhesion to both fibronectin and VCAM-1-induced Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation in T-ALL cells. However, only cell adhesion to VCAM-1 led to PYK2 phosphorylation. Inhibition studies indicated that FAK is not involved in doxorubicin efflux and chemoresistance, whereas PYK2 inhibition abrogated both VLA-4-induced doxorubicin efflux and chemoresistance. Together, these results indicate that the VLA-4/PYK2 pathway could participate in T-ALL chemoresistance and its targeting could be beneficial to limit/avoid chemoresistance and patient relapse.

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N-cadherin antagonists as oncology therapeutics

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2014.0039 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 370 (1661) ◽

pp. 20140039 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Orest W. Blaschuk

Keyword(s):

Cell Adhesion ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Structural Integrity ◽

Cancer Therapies ◽

Transmembrane Glycoprotein ◽

Anti Cancer ◽

Different Types ◽

Poorly Differentiated ◽

Novel Strategy

The cell adhesion molecule (CAM), N-cadherin, has emerged as an important oncology therapeutic target. N-cadherin is a transmembrane glycoprotein mediating the formation and structural integrity of blood vessels. Its expression has also been documented in numerous types of poorly differentiated tumours. This CAM is involved in regulating the proliferation, survival, invasiveness and metastasis of cancer cells. Disruption of N-cadherin homophilic intercellular interactions using peptide or small molecule antagonists is a promising novel strategy for anti-cancer therapies. This review discusses: the discovery of N-cadherin, the mechanism by which N-cadherin promotes cell adhesion, the role of N-cadherin in blood vessel formation and maintenance, participation of N-cadherin in cancer progression, the different types of N-cadherin antagonists and the use of N-cadherin antagonists as anti-cancer drugs.

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Cell adhesion to collagen promotes leukemia resistance to doxorubicin by reducing DNA damage through the inhibition of Rac1 activation

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-55934-w ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Dalila Naci ◽

Sofiane Berrazouane ◽

Frédéric Barabé ◽

Fawzi Aoudjit

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Cell Adhesion ◽

Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

Leukemic Cells ◽

Major Pathway ◽

Histone H2ax ◽

Anti Cancer ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Induced Apoptosis ◽

Α2β1 Integrin

AbstractChemoresistance is a major hurdle in anti-cancer therapy. Growing evidence indicates that integrin-mediated cell adhesion to extracellular matrix plays a major role in chemoresistance. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We have previously shown that the collagen-binding integrin α2β1 promoted doxorubicin resistance in acute T cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). In this study, we found that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines also express α2β1 integrin and collagen promoted their chemoresistance as well. Furthermore, we found that high levels of α2 integrin correlate with worse overall survival in AML. Our results showed that doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in leukemic cells is associated with activation of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) and that collagen inhibited this pathway. The protective effect of collagen is associated with the inhibition of Rac1-induced DNA damage as evaluated by the comet assay and the phosphorylated levels of histone H2AX (γ-H2AX). Together these results show that by inhibiting pro-apoptotic Rac1, α2β1 integrin can be a major pathway protecting leukemic cells from genotoxic agents and may thus represent an important therapeutic target in anti-cancer treatment.

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A critical role of periostin in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Leukemia ◽

10.1038/leu.2017.149 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (8) ◽

pp. 1835-1837 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Z Ma ◽

X Zhao ◽

J Huang ◽

X Jia ◽

M Deng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

B Cell ◽

Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

Critical Role ◽

Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

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Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Anti-Cancer Therapies

Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy ◽

10.2174/1574888x15666200310171547 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (6) ◽

pp. 482-491 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Milena Kostadinova ◽

Milena Mourdjeva

Keyword(s):

Cancer Cells ◽

Small Population ◽

Tumor Formation ◽

Bioactive Molecules ◽

Cancer Therapies ◽

New Methods ◽

Cycle Arrest ◽

Anti Cancer ◽

Blocking Mechanisms

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are localized throughout the adult body as a small population in the stroma of the tissue concerned. In injury, tissue damage, or tumor formation, they are activated and leave their niche to migrate to the site of injury, where they release a plethora of growth factors, cytokines, and other bioactive molecules. With the accumulation of data about the interaction between MSCs and tumor cells, the dualistic role of MSCs remains unclear. However, a large number of studies have demonstrated the natural anti-tumor properties inherent in MSCs, so this is the basis for intensive research for new methods using MSCs as a tool to suppress cancer cell development. This review focuses specifically on advanced approaches in modifying MSCs to become a powerful, precision- targeted tool for killing cancer cells, but not normal healthy cells. Suppression of tumor growth by MSCs can be accomplished by inducing apoptosis or cell cycle arrest, suppressing tumor angiogenesis, or blocking mechanisms mediating metastasis. In addition, the chemosensitivity of cancer cells may be increased so that the dose of the chemotherapeutic agent used could be significantly reduced.

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Inhibition of BCL11B induces downregulation of PTK7 and results in growth retardation and apoptosis in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Biomarker Research ◽

10.1186/s40364-021-00270-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kehan Li ◽

Cunte Chen ◽

Rili Gao ◽

Xibao Yu ◽

Youxue Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

T Cell ◽

Growth Retardation ◽

Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

Downstream Target ◽

B Cell Leukemia ◽

Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

Induced Apoptosis ◽

Necrosis Factor ◽

Aggressive Subtype

AbstractT-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive subtype of leukemia with poor prognosis, and biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets are urgently needed for this disease. Our previous studies have found that inhibition of the B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 11B (BCL11B) gene could significantly promote the apoptosis and growth retardation of T-ALL cells, but the molecular mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear. This study intends to investigate genes downstream of BCL11B and further explore its function in T-ALL cells. We found that PTK7 was a potential downstream target of BCL11B in T-ALL. Compared with the healthy individuals (HIs), PTK7 was overexpressed in T-ALL cells, and BCL11B expression was positively correlated with PTK7 expression. Importantly, BCL11B knockdown reduced PTK7 expression in T-ALL cells. Similar to the effects of BCL11B silencing, downregulation of PTK7 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in Molt-4 cells via up-regulating the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and p27. Altogether, our studies suggest that PTK7 is a potential downstream target of BCL11B, and downregulation of PTK7 expression via inhibition of the BCL11B pathway induces growth retardation and apoptosis in T-ALL cells.

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Lobetyolin inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer cells via ASCT2 down-regulation-induced apoptosis

Human & Experimental Toxicology ◽

10.1177/09603271211021476 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 096032712110214

Author(s):

Yansong Chen ◽

Ye Tian ◽

Gongsheng Jin ◽

Zhen Cui ◽

Wei Guo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Breast Cancer Cells ◽

Glutamine Metabolism ◽

Down Regulation ◽

Anti Cancer ◽

Induced Apoptosis ◽

Glutamine Uptake

This study aimed to investigate the anti-cancer effect of lobetyolin on breast cancer cells. Lobetyolin was incubated with MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells for 24 h. Glucose uptake and the mRNA expression of GLUT4 ( SLC2A4), HK2 and PKM2 were detected to assess the effect of lobetyolin on glucose metabolism. Glutamine uptake and the mRNA expression of ASCT2 ( SLC1A5), GLS1, GDH and GLUL were measured to assess the effect of lobetyolin on glutamine metabolism. Annexin V/PI double staining and Hoechst 33342 staining were used to investigate the effect of lobetyolin on cell apoptosis. Immunoblot was employed to estimate the effect of lobetyolin on the expression of proliferation-related markers and apoptosis-related markers. SLC1A5 knockdown with specific siRNA was performed to study the role of ASCT2 played in the anti-cancer effect of lobetyolin on MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. C-MYC knockdown with specific siRNA was performed to study the role of c-Myc played in lobetyolin-induced ASCT2 down-regulation. Myr-AKT overexpression was performed to investigate the role of AKT/GSK3β signaling played in lobetyolin-induced down-regulation of c-Myc and ASCT2. The results showed that lobetyolin inhibited the proliferation of both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. Lobetyolin disrupted glutamine uptake via down-regulating ASCT2. SLC1A5 knockdown attenuated the anti-cancer effect of lobetyolin. C-MYC knockdown attenuated lobetyolin-caused down-regulation of ASCT2 and Myr-AKT overexpression reversed lobetyolin-caused down-regulation of both c-Myc and ASCT2. In conclusion, the present work suggested that lobetyolin exerted anti-cancer effect via ASCT2 down-regulation-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

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Increase in polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T-cells in children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-94469-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Asmaa M. Zahran ◽

Azza Shibl ◽

Amal Rayan ◽

Mohamed Alaa Eldeen Hassan Mohamed ◽

Amira M. M. Osman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

B Cell ◽

Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

Critical Role ◽

Suppressor Cells ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Blast Cells ◽

Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

The Impact

AbstractOur study aimed to evaluate the levels of MDSCs and Tregs in pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), their relation to patients’ clinical and laboratory features, and the impact of these cells on the induction response. This study included 31 pediatric B-ALL patients and 27 healthy controls. All patients were treated according to the protocols of the modified St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital total therapy study XIIIB for ALL. Levels of MDSCs and Tregs were analyzed using flow cytometry. We observed a reduction in the levels of CD4 + T-cells and an increase in both the polymorphonuclear MDSCs (PMN-MDSCs) and Tregs. The frequencies of PMN-MDSCs and Tregs were directly related to the levels of peripheral and bone marrow blast cells and CD34 + cells. Complete postinduction remission was associated with reduced percentages of PMN-MDSCs and Tregs, with the level of PMN-MDCs in this subpopulation approaching that of healthy controls. PMN-MDSCs and Tregs jointly play a critical role in maintaining an immune-suppressive state suitable for B-ALL tumor progression. Thereby, they could be independent predictors of B-ALL progress, and finely targeting both PMN-MDSCs and Tregs may be a promising approach for the treatment of B-ALL.

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Inhibition of Autophagy Enhances the Antitumor Effect of Thioridazine in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells

Life ◽

10.3390/life11040365 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 365

Author(s):

Carina Colturato-Kido ◽

Rayssa M. Lopes ◽

Hyllana C. D. Medeiros ◽

Claudia A. Costa ◽

Laura F. L. Prado-Souza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Death ◽

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

Clinical Problem ◽

Jurkat Cells ◽

Leukemia Cells ◽

Peripheral Mononuclear Blood ◽

Induced Apoptosis ◽

Cure Rates

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is an aggressive malignant disorder of lymphoid progenitor cells that affects children and adults. Despite the high cure rates, drug resistance still remains a significant clinical problem, which stimulates the development of new therapeutic strategies and drugs to improve the disease outcome. Antipsychotic phenothiazines have emerged as potential candidates to be repositioned as antitumor drugs. It was previously shown that the anti-histaminic phenothiazine derivative promethazine induced autophagy-associated cell death in chronic myeloid leukemia cells, although autophagy can act as a “double-edged sword” contributing to cell survival or cell death. Here we evaluated the role of autophagy in thioridazine (TR)-induced cell death in the human ALL model. TR induced apoptosis in ALL Jurkat cells and it was not cytotoxic to normal peripheral mononuclear blood cells. TR promoted the activation of caspase-8 and -3, which was associated with increased NOXA/MCL-1 ratio and autophagy triggering. AMPK/PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK/ERK pathways are involved in TR-induced cell death. The inhibition of the autophagic process enhanced the cytotoxicity of TR in Jurkat cells, highlighting autophagy as a targetable process for drug development purposes in ALL.

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The critical role of T cells in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

Cell Death and Disease ◽

10.1038/s41419-020-03249-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lin Song ◽

Lijuan Cao ◽

Rui Liu ◽

Hui Ma ◽

Yanan Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

T Cells ◽

Steady State ◽

Side Effects ◽

Critical Role ◽

Wild Type ◽

Receptor Activator ◽

Steady State Levels ◽

Induced Apoptosis

AbstractGlucocorticoids (GC) are widely used clinically, despite the presence of significant side effects, including glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). While GC are believed to act directly on osteoblasts and osteoclasts to promote osteoporosis, the detailed underlying molecular mechanism of GC-induced osteoporosis is still not fully elucidated. Here, we show that lymphocytes play a pivotal role in regulating GC-induced osteoporosis. We show that GIOP could not be induced in SCID mice that lack T cells, but it could be re-established by adoptive transfer of splenic T cells from wild-type mice. As expected, T cells in the periphery are greatly reduced by GC; instead, they accumulate in the bone marrow where they are protected from GC-induced apoptosis. These bone marrow T cells in GC-treated mice express high steady-state levels of NF-κB receptor activator ligand (RANKL), which promotes the formation and maturation of osteoclasts and induces osteoporosis. Taken together, these findings reveal a critical role for T cells in GIOP.

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