scholarly journals Complement Factor D Is a Novel Biomarker and Putative Therapeutic Target in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Cancers ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 305
Author(s):  
Pegah Rahmati Nezhad ◽  
Pilvi Riihilä ◽  
Jaakko S. Knuutila ◽  
Kristina Viiklepp ◽  
Sirkku Peltonen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Tumor Cell ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Therapeutic Target ◽  
Normal Skin ◽  
Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Epidermal Keratinocytes ◽  
Protein Kinase Activity

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the most prevalent metastatic skin cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated the autocrine role of complement components in cSCC progression. We have investigated factor D (FD), the key enzyme of the alternative complement pathway, in the development of cSCC. RT-qPCR analysis of cSCC cell lines and normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) demonstrated significant up-regulation of FD mRNA in cSCC cells compared to NHEKs. Western blot analysis also showed more abundant FD production by cSCC cell lines. Significantly higher FD mRNA levels were noted in cSCC tumors than in normal skin. Strong tumor cell-associated FD immunolabeling was detected in the invasive margin of human cSCC xenografts. More intense tumor cell-specific immunostaining for FD was seen in the tumor edge in primary and metastatic cSCCs, in metastases, and in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa-associated cSCCs, compared with cSCC in situ, actinic keratosis and normal skin. FD production by cSCC cells was dependent on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activity, and it was induced by interferon-γ and interleukin-1β. Blocking FD activity by Danicopan inhibited activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and attenuated proliferation of cSCC cells. These results identify FD as a novel putative biomarker and therapeutic target for cSCC progression.

scholarly journals Identifying an lncRNA-Related ceRNA Network to Reveal Novel Targets for a Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 432
Author(s):  
Yaqin Xu ◽  
Yingying Dong ◽  
Yunhua Deng ◽  
Qianrong Qi ◽  
Mi Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Biological Process ◽  
Normal Skin ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Therapeutic Targets ◽  
Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Cerna Network

A cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) derived from keratinocytes is the second most common cause of non-melanoma skin cancer. The accumulation of the mutational burden of genes and cellular DNA damage caused by the risk factors (e.g., exposure to ultraviolet radiation) contribute to the aberrant proliferation of keratinocytes and the formation of a cSCC. A cSCC encompasses a spectrum of diseases that range from recursor actinic keratosis (AK) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in situ (SCCIS) to invasive cSCCs and further metastatic SCCs. Emerging evidence has revealed that lncRNAs are involved in the biological process of a cSCC. According to the ceRNA regulatory theory, lncRNAs act as natural miRNA sponges and interact with miRNA response elements, thereby regulating the mRNA expression of their down-stream targets. This study was designed to search for the potential lncRNAs that may become potential therapeutic targets or biomarkers of a cSCC. Considering the spirit of the study to be adequately justified, we collected microarray-based datasets of 19 cSCC tissues and 12 normal skin samples from the GEO database (GSE42677 and GSE45164). After screening the differentially expressed genes via a limma package, we identified 24 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and 3221 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs). The miRcode, miRTarBase, miRDB and TargetScan databases were used to predict miRNAs that could interact with DElncRNAs and DEmRNAs. A total of 137 miRNA-lncRNA and 221 miRNA-mRNA pairs were retained in the ceRNA network, consisting of 31 miRNAs, 11 DElncRNAs and 155 DEmRNAs. For the functional analysis, the top enriched biological process was enhancer sequence-specific DNA binding in Gene Ontology (GO) terms. The FoxO signaling pathway, autophagy and cellular senescence were the top enrichment terms based on a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. The combination of a STRING tool and Cytoscape software (plug-in MCODE) identified five core mRNAs and built a core mRNA-associated ceRNA network. The expression for five identified core mRNAs and their related nine lncRNAs was validated using the external dataset GSE7553. Finally, one lncRNA HLA-F-AS1 and three mRNAs named AGO4, E2F1 and CCND1 were validated with the same expression patterns. We speculate that lncRNA HLA-F-AS1 may sponge miR-17-5p or miR-20b-5p to regulate the expression of CCND1 and E2F1 in the cSCC. The present study may provide potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for cSCC patients.

scholarly journals A dual specificity kinase, DYRK1A, as a potential therapeutic target for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aneesha Radhakrishnan ◽  
Vishalakshi Nanjappa ◽  
Remya Raja ◽  
Gajanan Sathe ◽  
Vinuth N. Puttamallesh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Therapeutic Target ◽  
Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Dual Specificity ◽  
Hnscc Cell

Abstract Despite advances in clinical management, 5-year survival rate in patients with late-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not improved significantly over the past decade. Targeted therapies have emerged as one of the most promising approaches to treat several malignancies. Though tyrosine phosphorylation accounts for a minority of total phosphorylation, it is critical for activation of signaling pathways and plays a significant role in driving cancers. To identify activated tyrosine kinase signaling pathways in HNSCC, we compared the phosphotyrosine profiles of a panel of HNSCC cell lines to a normal oral keratinocyte cell line. Dual-specificity tyrosine-(Y)-phosphorylation regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) was one of the kinases hyperphosphorylated at Tyr-321 in all HNSCC cell lines. Inhibition of DYRK1A resulted in an increased apoptosis and decrease in invasion and colony formation ability of HNSCC cell lines. Further, administration of the small molecular inhibitor against DYRK1A in mice bearing HNSCC xenograft tumors induced regression of tumor growth. Immunohistochemical labeling of DYRK1A in primary tumor tissues using tissue microarrays revealed strong to moderate staining of DYRK1A in 97.5% (39/40) of HNSCC tissues analyzed. Taken together our results suggest that DYRK1A could be a novel therapeutic target in HNSCC.

scholarly journals A Unique Panel of Patient-Derived Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines Provides a Preclinical Pathway for Therapeutic Testing

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (14) ◽  
pp. 3428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakinah Hassan ◽  
Karin J. Purdie ◽  
Jun Wang ◽  
Catherine A. Harwood ◽  
Charlotte M. Proby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Drug Screening ◽  
Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Screening Methods

Background: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) incidence continues to rise with increasing morbidity and mortality, with limited treatment options for advanced disease. Future improvements in targeted therapy will rely on advances in genomic/transcriptomic understanding and the use of model systems for basic research. We describe here the panel of 16 primary and metastatic cSCC cell lines developed and characterised over the past three decades in our laboratory in order to provide such a resource for future preclinical research and drug screening. Methods: Primary keratinocytes were isolated from cSCC tumours and metastases, and cell lines were established. These were characterised using short tandem repeat (STR) profiling and genotyped by whole exome sequencing. Multiple in vitro assays were performed to document their morphology, growth characteristics, migration and invasion characteristics, and in vivo xenograft growth. Results: STR profiles of the cSCC lines allow the confirmation of their unique identity. Phylogenetic trees derived from exome sequence analysis of the matched primary and metastatic lines provide insight into the genetic basis of disease progression. The results of in vivo and in vitro analyses allow researchers to select suitable cell lines for specific experimentation. Conclusions: There are few well-characterised cSCC lines available for widespread preclinical experimentation and drug screening. The described cSCC cell line panel provides a critical tool for in vitro and in vivo experimentation.

scholarly journals Comprehensive Mutational and Phenotypic Characterization of New Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Lines Reveal Novel Drug Susceptibilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (24) ◽  
pp. 9536
Author(s):  
Jay Perry ◽  
Bruce Ashford ◽  
Amarinder Singh Thind ◽  
Marie-Emilie Gauthier ◽  
Elahe Minaei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Phenotypic Characterization ◽  
Adjuvant Radiation ◽  
Compound Libraries ◽  
Novel Drug

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a common skin cancer. Most patients who develop metastases (2–5%) present with advanced disease that requires a combination of radical surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy. There are few effective therapies for refractory disease. In this study, we describe novel patient-derived cell lines from cSCC metastases of the head and neck (designated UW-CSCC1 and UW-CSCC2). The cell lines genotypically and phenotypically resembled the original patient tumor and were tumorogenic in mice. Differences in cancer-related gene expression between the tumor and cell lines after various culturing conditions could be largely reversed by xenografting and reculturing. The novel drug susceptibilities of UW-CSCC1 and an irradiated subclone UW-CSCC1-R to drugs targeting cell cycle, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and DNA damage pathways were observed using high-throughput anti-cancer and kinase-inhibitor compound libraries, which correlate with either copy number variations, targetable mutations and/or the upregulation of gene expression. A secondary screen of top hits in all three cell lines including PIK3CA-targeting drugs supports the utility of targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in this disease. UW-CSCC cell lines are thus useful preclinical models for determining targetable pathways and candidate therapeutics.

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