Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Elsevier BV  

DOI： 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105486

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Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Wiley  

Abstract

The renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) has been widely known as a circulating endocrine system involved in the control of blood pressure. However, components of RAS have been found to be localized in rather unexpected sites in the body including the kidneys, brain, bone marrow, immune cells, and reproductive system. These discoveries have led to steady, growing evidence of the existence of independent tissue RAS specific to several parts of the body. It is important to understand how RAS regulates these systems for a variety of reasons: It gives a better overall picture of human physiology, helps to understand and mitigate the unintended consequences of RAS‐inhibiting or activating drugs, and sets the stage for potential new therapies for a variety of ailments. This review fulfills the need for an updated overview of knowledge about local tissue RAS in several bodily systems, including their components, functions, and medical implications.

DOI： 10.1002/med.21996

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Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Frontiers Media SA  

The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is defined by impaired lipid handling by macrophages which increases intracellular lipid accumulation. This dysregulation of macrophages triggers the accumulation of apoptotic cells and chronic inflammation which contributes to disease progression. We previously reported that mice with increased macrophage-specific angiotensin-converting enzyme, termed ACE10/10 mice, resist atherosclerosis in an adeno-associated virus-proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (AAV-PCSK9)-induced model. This is due to increased lipid metabolism by macrophages which contributes to plaque resolution. However, the importance of ACE in peripheral blood monocytes, which are the primary precursors of lesional-infiltrating macrophages, is still unknown in atherosclerosis. Here, we show that the ACE-mediated metabolic phenotype is already triggered in peripheral blood circulating monocytes and that this functional modification is directly transferred to differentiated macrophages in ACE10/10 mice. We found that Ly-6Clo monocytes were increased in atherosclerotic ACE10/10 mice. The monocytes isolated from atherosclerotic ACE10/10 mice showed enhanced lipid metabolism, elevated mitochondrial activity, and increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels which implies that ACE overexpression is already altered in atherosclerosis. Furthermore, we observed increased oxygen consumption (VO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and spontaneous physical activity in ACE10/10 mice compared to WT mice in atherosclerotic conditions, indicating enhanced systemic energy consumption. Thus, ACE overexpression in myeloid lineage cells modifies the metabolic function of peripheral blood circulating monocytes which differentiate to macrophages and protect against atherosclerotic lesion progression due to better lipid metabolism.

DOI： 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1278383

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Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Oxford University Press (OUP)  

Abstract

Aims

The metabolic failure of macrophages to adequately process lipid is central to the aetiology of atherosclerosis. Here, we examine the role of macrophage angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in a mouse model of PCSK9-induced atherosclerosis.

Methods and results

Atherosclerosis in mice was induced with AAV-PCSK9 and a high-fat diet. Animals with increased macrophage ACE (ACE 10/10 mice) have a marked reduction in atherosclerosis vs. WT mice. Macrophages from both the aorta and peritoneum of ACE 10/10 express increased PPARα and have a profoundly altered phenotype to process lipids characterized by higher levels of the surface scavenger receptor CD36, increased uptake of lipid, increased capacity to transport long chain fatty acids into mitochondria, higher oxidative metabolism and lipid β-oxidation as determined using 13C isotope tracing, increased cell ATP, increased capacity for efferocytosis, increased concentrations of the lipid transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1, and increased cholesterol efflux. These effects are mostly independent of angiotensin II. Human THP-1 cells, when modified to express more ACE, increase expression of PPARα, increase cell ATP and acetyl-CoA, and increase cell efferocytosis.

Conclusion

Increased macrophage ACE expression enhances macrophage lipid metabolism, cholesterol efflux, efferocytosis, and it reduces atherosclerosis. This has implications for the treatment of cardiovascular disease with angiotensin II receptor antagonists vs. ACE inhibitors.

DOI： 10.1093/cvr/cvad082

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Authorship：Lead author   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：MDPI AG  

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly aggressive disease with poor prognosis, which is mainly due to drug resistance. The biology determining the response to chemo-radiotherapy in HNSCC is poorly understood. Using clinical samples, we found that miR124-3p and miR766-3p are overexpressed in chemo-radiotherapy-resistant (non-responder) HNSCC, as compared to responder tumors. Our study shows that inhibition of miR124-3p and miR766-3p enhances the sensitivity of HNSCC cell lines, CAL27 and FaDu, to 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin (FP) chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In contrast, overexpression of miR766-3p and miR124-3p confers a resistance phenotype in HNSCC cells. The upregulation of miR124-3p and miR766-3p is associated with increased HNSCC cell invasion and migration. In a xenograft mouse model, inhibition of miR124-3p and miR766-3p enhanced the efficacy of chemo-radiotherapy with reduced growth of resistant HNSCC. For the first time, we identified that miR124-3p and miR766-3p attenuate expression of CREBRF and NR3C2, respectively, in HNSCC, which promotes aggressive tumor behavior by inducing the signaling axes CREB3/ATG5 and β-catenin/c-Myc. Since miR124-3p and miR766-3p affect complementary pathways, combined inhibition of these two miRNAs shows an additive effect on sensitizing cancer cells to chemo-radiotherapy. In conclusion, our study demonstrated a novel miR124-3p- and miR766-3p-based biological mechanism governing treatment-resistant HNSCC, which can be targeted to improve clinical outcomes in HNSCC.

DOI： 10.3390/cancers14215273

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Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：MDPI AG  

Infection with SARS-CoV-2 results in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is known to cause mild to acute respiratory infection and sometimes progress towards respiratory failure and death. The mechanisms driving the progression of the disease and accumulation of high viral load in the lungs without initial symptoms remain elusive. In this study, we evaluated the upper respiratory tract host transcriptional response in COVID-19 patients with mild to severe symptoms and compared it with the control COVID-19 negative group using RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq). Our results reveal an upregulated early type I interferon response in severe COVID-19 patients as compared to mild or negative COVID-19 patients. Moreover, severely symptomatic patients have pronounced induction of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs), particularly the oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) family of genes. Our results are in concurrence with other studies depicting the early induction of IFN-I response in severe COVID-19 patients, providing novel insights about the ISGs involved.

DOI： 10.3390/v14102182

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Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Wiley  

DOI： 10.1111/cas.15465

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Other Link： https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/cas.15465

Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Elsevier BV  

DOI： 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170769

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Springer Science and Business Media LLC  

<title>Abstract</title><sec>
<title>Purpose</title>
Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors are widely used for the treatment of advanced estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. To develop a treatment strategy for cancers resistant to CDK4/6 inhibitors, here, we established palbociclib-resistant sublines and analyzed their resistance mechanisms.


</sec><sec>
<title>Methods</title>
Palbociclib-resistant sublines were established from T47D and MCF7 cells. Sensitivity to other drugs was assessed via the WST assay. Altered expression/phosphorylation of proteins related to signal transduction and cell cycle regulation was examined using western blotting. Copy number alterations and mutations in the retinoblastoma (<italic>RB1</italic>) gene were also analyzed.


</sec><sec>
<title>Results</title>
Although an increase in CDK6 and decrease in retinoblastoma protein (Rb) expression/phosphorylation were commonly observed in the resistant sublines, changes in other cell cycle-related proteins were heterogeneous. Upon extended exposure to palbociclib, the expression/phosphorylation of these proteins became altered, and the long-term removal of palbociclib did not restore the Rb expression/phosphorylation patterns. Consistently a copy number decrease, as well as <italic>RB1</italic> mutations were detected. Moreover, although the resistant sublines exhibited cross-resistance to abemaciclib, their response to dinaciclib was the same as that of wild-type cells. Of note, the cell line exhibiting increased mTOR phosphorylation also showed a higher sensitivity to everolimus. However, the sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents was unchanged in palbociclib-resistant sublines.


</sec><sec>
<title>Conclusion</title>
ER-positive breast cancer cells use multiple molecular mechanisms to survive in the presence of palbociclib, suggesting that targeting activated proteins may be an effective strategy to overcome resistance. Additionally, palbociclib monotherapy induces mutations and copy number alterations in the <italic>RB1</italic> gene.


</sec>

DOI： 10.1007/s00432-021-03722-3

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Other Link： https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00432-021-03722-3/fulltext.html

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Public Library of Science (PLoS)  

Sequential treatment with endocrine or chemotherapy is generally used in the treatment of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive recurrent breast cancer. To date, few studies have investigated the effect of long-term endocrine therapy on the response to subsequent chemotherapy in ER-positive breast cancer. We examined whether a preceding endocrine therapy affects the sensitivity to subsequent chemotherapy in ER-positive breast cancer cells. Three ER-positive breast cancer cell lines (T47D, MCF7, BT474) and tamoxifen-resistant sublines (T47D/T, MCF7/T, BT474/T) were analyzed for sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil, paclitaxel, and doxorubicin. The mRNA levels of factors related to drug sensitivity were analyzed by RT-PCR. MCF7/T cells became more sensitive to 5-fluorouracil than wild-type (wt)-MCF7 cells. In addition, the apoptosis induced by 5-fluorouracil was significantly increased in MCF7/T cells. However, no difference in sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents was observed in T47D/T and BT474/T cells compared with their wt cells. Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (<italic>DPYD</italic>) mRNA expression was significantly decreased in MCF7/T cells compared with wt-MCF7 cells. The expression of <italic>DPYD</italic> mRNA was restored with 5-azacytidine treatment in MCF7/T cells. In addition, <italic>DPYD</italic> 3′-UTR luciferase activity was significantly reduced in MCF7/T cells. These data indicated that the expression of <italic>DPYD</italic> mRNA was repressed by methylation of the <italic>DPYD</italic> promoter region and post-transcriptional regulation by miRNA in MCF7/T cells. In the mouse xenograft model, capecitabine significantly reduced the tumor volume in MCF7/T compared with MCF7. The results of this study indicate that endocrine therapy could alter the sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents in a subset of breast cancers, and 5-fluorouracil may be effective in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancers.

DOI： 10.1371/journal.pone.0252822

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：American Chemical Society (ACS)  

Covalent modification of disease-associated proteins with small molecules is a powerful approach for achieving an increased and sustained pharmacological effect. To reduce the potential risk of nonselective covalent modification, molecular design of covalent inhibitors is critically important. We report herein the development of a targeted covalent inhibitor for mutated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (L858R/T790M) using α-chlorofluoroacetamide (CFA) as the reactive group. The chemically tuned weak reactivity of CFA was suitable for the design of third-generation EGFR inhibitors that possess the pyrimidine scaffold. The structure-activity relationship study revealed that CFA inhibitor 18 (NSP-037) possessed higher inhibition selectivity to the mutated EGFR over wild-type EGFR when compared to clinically approved osimertinib. Mass-based chemical proteomics analyses further revealed that 18 displayed high covalent modification selectivity for the mutated EGFR in living cells. These findings highlight the utility of CFA as a warhead of targeted covalent inhibitors and the potential application of the CFA-pyrimidines for treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer.

DOI： 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00574

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Many diseases, including cancer, have been associated with impaired regulation of angiogenesis, of which vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A is a key regulator. Here, we test the contribution of N-myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) to VEGF-A-induced angiogenesis in vascular endothelial cells (ECs). Ndrg1-/- mice exhibit impaired VEGF-A-induced angiogenesis in corneas. Tumor angiogenesis induced by cancer cells that express high levels of VEGF-A was also reduced in a mouse dorsal air sac assay. Furthermore, NDRG1 deficiency in ECs prevented angiogenic sprouting from the aorta and the activation of phospholipase Cγ1 (PLCγ1) and ERK1/2 by VEGF-A without affecting the expression and function of VEGFR2. Finally, we show that NDRG1 formed a complex with PLCγ1 through its phosphorylation sites, and the inhibition of PLCγ1 dramatically suppressed VEGF-A-induced angiogenesis in the mouse cornea, suggesting an essential role of NDRG1 in VEGF-A-induced angiogenesis through PLCγ1 signaling.

DOI： 10.1038/s42003-020-0829-0

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Nuclear expression of Y-box-binding protein (YBX1) is closely correlated with clinical poor outcomes and drug resistance in breast cancer. Nuclear translocation of YBX1 is facilitated by YBX1 phosphorylation at serine 102 by AKT, p70S6K, and p90RSK, and the phosphorylated YBX1 (pYBX1) promotes expression of genes related to drug resistance and cell growth. A forthcoming problem to be addressed is whether targeting the phosphorylation of YBX1 overcomes antiestrogen resistance by progressive breast cancer. Here, we found that increased expression of pYBX1 was accompanied by acquired resistance to antiestrogens, fulvestrant and tamoxifen. Forced expression of YBX1/S102E, a constitutive phosphorylated form, resulted in acquired resistance to fulvestrant. Inversely, YBX1 silencing specifically overcame antiestrogen resistance. Furthermore, treatment with everolimus, an mTORC1 inhibitor, or TAS0612, a novel multikinase inhibitor of AKT, p70S6K, and p90RSK, suppressed YBX1 phosphorylation and overcame antiestrogen resistance in vitro and in vivo IHC analysis revealed that expression of pYBX1 and YBX1 was augmented in patients who experienced recurrence during treatment with adjuvant endocrine therapies. Furthermore, pYBX1 was highly expressed in patients with triple-negative breast cancer compared with other subtypes. TAS0612 also demonstrated antitumor effect against triple-negative breast cancer in vivo Taken together, our findings suggest that pYBX1 represents a potential therapeutic target for treatment of antiestrogen-resistant and progressive breast cancer.

DOI： 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-19-0690

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Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)  

DOI： 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-0438

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

© 2019 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley &amp; Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association. Y-box binding protein-1 (YBX1), a multifunctional oncoprotein containing an evolutionarily conserved cold shock domain, dysregulates a wide range of genes involved in cell proliferation and survival, drug resistance, and chromatin destabilization by cancer. Expression of a multidrug resistance-associated ATP binding cassette transporter gene, ABCB1, as well as growth factor receptor genes, EGFR and HER2/ErbB2, was initially discovered to be transcriptionally activated by YBX1 in cancer cells. Expression of other drug resistance-related genes, MVP/LRP, TOP2A, CD44, CD49f, BCL2, MYC, and androgen receptor (AR), is also transcriptionally activated by YBX1, consistently indicating that YBX1 is involved in tumor drug resistance. Furthermore, there is strong evidence to support that nuclear localization and/or overexpression of YBX1 can predict poor outcomes in patients with more than 20 different tumor types. YBX1 is phosphorylated by kinases, including AKT, p70S6K, and p90RSK, and translocated into the nucleus to promote the transcription of resistance- and malignancy-related genes. Phosphorylated YBX1, therefore, plays a crucial role as a potent transcription factor in cancer. Herein, a novel anticancer therapeutic strategy is presented by targeting activated YBX1 to overcome drug resistance and malignant progression.

DOI： 10.1111/cas.14006

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Irreversible inhibition of disease-associated proteins with small molecules is a powerful approach for achieving increased and sustained pharmacological potency. Here, we introduce α-chlorofluoroacetamide (CFA) as a novel warhead of targeted covalent inhibitor (TCI). Despite weak intrinsic reactivity, CFA-appended quinazoline showed high reactivity toward Cys797 of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In cells, CFA-quinazoline showed higher target specificity for EGFR than the corresponding Michael acceptors in a wide concentration range (0.1-10 μM). The cysteine adduct of the CFA derivative was susceptible to hydrolysis and reversibly yielded intact thiol but was stable in solvent-sequestered ATP-binding pocket of EGFR. This environment-dependent hydrolysis can potentially reduce off-target protein modification by CFA-based drugs. Oral administration of CFA quinazoline NS-062 significantly suppressed tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. Further, CFA-appended pyrazolopyrimidine irreversibly inhibited Bruton's tyrosine kinase with higher target specificity. These results demonstrate the utility of CFA as a new class warheads for TCI.

DOI： 10.1038/s41589-018-0204-3

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Authorship：Lead author   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Impact Journals, LLC  

© Shibata et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0 (CC BY 3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The enhanced expression of the Y-box binding protein YBX1 is consistently correlated with poor outcomes or reduced survival of breast cancer patients. However, the mechanism underlying the association between increased YBX1 expression and poor outcomes has yet to be revealed. We searched a database for the top 500 genes that are positively or negatively correlated with YBX1 and with ESR1 in breast cancer patients. We further examined the association between YBX1-correlated genes and breast cancer outcomes in patients at Kyushu University Hospital. More than 60% of genes that are positively correlated with YBX1 are also negatively correlated with ESR1. The enhanced expression levels of the top 20 positively correlated genes mostly predict negative outcomes, while the enhanced expression levels of the top 20 negatively correlated genes mostly predict positive outcomes. Furthermore, in breast cancer patients at Kyushu University Hospital, the expression levels of YBX1 and YBX1-positively correlated genes were significantly higher and the expression levels of genes negatively correlated with YBX1 were significantly lower in patients who relapsed after their primary surgery than in those who did not relapse. The expression of YBX1 together with the expression of its positively or negatively correlated genes may help to predict outcomes as well as resistance to endocrine therapies in breast cancer patients. Determining the expression of YBX1 and its closely correlated genes will contribute to the development of precision therapeutics for breast cancer.

DOI： 10.18632/oncotarget.26469

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Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH  

Endocrine therapies effectively improve the outcomes of patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. However, the emergence of drug-resistant tumors creates a core clinical challenge. In breast cancer cells rendered resistant to the antiestrogen fulvestrant, we defined causative mechanistic roles for the transcription factor YBX1 and the levels of ER and the ERBB2 receptor. Enforced expression of YBX1 in parental cells conferred resistance against tamoxifen and fulvestrant in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, YBX1 overexpression was associated with decreased and increased levels of ER and ERBB2 expression, respectively. In antiestrogen-resistant cells, increased YBX1 phosphorylation was associated with a 4-fold higher degradation rate of ER. Notably, YBX1 bound the ER, leading to its accelerated proteasomal degradation, and induced the transcriptional activation of ERBB2. In parallel fashion, tamoxifen treatment also augmented YBX1 binding to the ERBB2 promoter to induce increased ERBB2 expression. Together, these findings define a mechanism of drug resistance through which YBX1 contributes to antiestrogen bypass in breast cancer cells. (C) 2016 AACR.

DOI： 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-16-1593

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：IMPACT JOURNALS LLC  

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Although recent studies facilitate the identification of crucial genes and relevant regulatory pathways, therapeutic approaches against advanced HCC are insufficiently effective. Therefore, we aimed here to develop potent therapeutics to provide a reliable biomarker for the therapeutic efficacy in patients with HCC. To this end, we first compared the cytotoxic effects of various anti-cancer drugs between well differentiated (HAK-1A) and poorly differentiated (HAK-1B) cell lines established from a single HCC tumor. Of various drug screened, HAK-1B cells were more sensitive by a factor of 2,000 to the mTORC1 inhibitors (rapalogs), rapamycin and everolimus, than HAK-1A cells. Although rapalogs inhibited phosphorylation of mTOR Ser2448 in HAK-1A and HAK-1B cells, phosphorylation of mTOR Ser2481 was specifically inhibited only in HAK-1B cells. Silencing of Raptor induced apoptosis and inhibited the growth of only HAK-1B cells. Further, three other cell lines established independently from the tumors of three patients with HCC were also approximately 2,000-fold times more sensitive to rapamycin, which correlated closely with the inhibition of mTOR Ser2481 phosphorylation by rapamycin. Treatment with everolimus markedly inhibited the growth of tumors induced by poorly differentiated HAK-1B and KYN-2 cells and phosphorylation of mTOR Ser2481 in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that the phosphorylation of mTOR Ser2481 is selectively inhibited by rapalogs in mTORC1-addicted HCC cells and may be a potential reliable biomarker for the therapeutic efficacy of rapalogs for treating HCC patients.

DOI： 10.18632/oncotarget.10161

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP  

N-myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is a responsible gene for a hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy-Lom (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 4D). This is the first study aiming to assess the contribution of NDRG1 to differentiation of macrophage lineage cells, which has important implications for bone remodeling and inflammatory angiogenesis. Ndrg1 knockout (KO) mice exhibited abnormal curvature of the spine, high trabecular bone mass, and reduced number of osteoclasts. We observed that serum levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and macrophage-related cytokines were markedly decreased in KO mice. Differentiation of bone marrow (BM) cells into osteoclasts, M1/M2-type macrophages and dendritic cells was all impaired. Furthermore, KO mice also showed reduced tumor growth and angiogenesis by cancer cells, accompanied by decreased infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages. The transfer of BM-derived macrophages from KO mice into BM-eradicated wild type (WT) mice induced much less tumor angiogenesis than observed in WT mice. Angiogenesis in corneas in response to inflammatory stimuli was also suppressed with decreased infiltration of macrophages. Taken together, these results indicate that NDRG1 deficiency attenuates the differentiation of macrophage lineage cells, suppressing bone remodeling and inflammatory angiogenesis. This study strongly suggests the crucial role of NDRG1 in differentiation process for macrophages.

DOI： 10.1038/srep19470

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE  

Tumors formed by a highly metastatic human lung cancer cell line are characterized by activated signaling via vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C through its receptor (VEGFR-3) and aggressive lymph node metastasis. In this study, we examined how these highly metastatic cancers acquired aggressive lymph node metastasis. Compared with their lower metastatic counterparts, the highly metastatic tumors formed by this cell line expressed higher amounts of interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, with similarly augmented expression of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta by tumor stromal cells and of VEGF-A and VEGF-C by tumor-associated macrophages. These tumor-associated macrophages were mainly of the M2 type. Administration of a macrophage-targeting drug suppressed the production of these potent angiogenic and lymphangiogenic factors, resulting in decreased tumor growth, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and lymph node metastasis. In Matrigel plug assays, the highly metastatic cells formed tumors that were extensively infiltrated by M2-type macrophages and exhibited enhanced angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. All of these responses were suppressed by the IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) antagonist anakinra. Thus, the IL-1 alpha-driven inflammatory activation of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis seems to provide a highly metastatic tumor microenvironment favorable for lymph node metastasis through cross-talk with macrophages. Accordingly, the IL-1R/M2-type macrophage axis may be a good therapeutic target for patients with this form of lung cancer.

DOI： 10.1371/journal.pone.0099568

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Background: Expression of N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is significantly correlated with tumor angiogenesis by human gastric cancer. Results: NDRG1 overexpression induced JNK activation and expression of IL-1α and angiogenic CXC chemokines accompanied by tumor angiogenesis. Conclusion: NDRG1 promoted IL-1α-induced tumor angiogenesis through JNK/AP-1 activation. Significance: NDRG1/JNK/IL-1 axis could be a useful target for development of a novel anti-angiogenic strategy in gastric cancer. © 2013 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

DOI： 10.1074/jbc.M113.472068

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Gene amplification of HER2/ErbB2 occurs in gastric cancer and the therapeutic efficacy of the HER2-targeted antibody, trastuzumab, has recently been improved against HER2-positive advanced stomach cancer. Here, we examined whether Y-box-binding protein-1 (YB-1) could selectively control HER2 gene expression and cellular sensitivity to EGF receptor (EGFR) family protein-targeted drugs in human gastric cancer cells. HER2 expression was specifically downregulated by YB-1 silencing using its cognate siRNA, whereas there was less change in the expression of EGFRand HER3. Achromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed the specific binding of YB-1 to its consensus sequence on the 5′-regulatory region of HER2. YB-1 knockdown induced drug resistance to lapatinib, a dual EGFR and HER2 kinase inhibitor, and also to erlotinib, an EGFR kinase inhibitor. Moreover, phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) was not markedly affected by lapatinib or erlotinib when YB-1 was silenced. Nuclear YB-1 expression was significantly (P = 0.026) associated with HER2 expression, but not with EGFR or HER3, in patients with gastric cancer (n = 111). The YB-1-HER2 axis may therefore be useful for the further development of personalized therapeutics against gastric cancer by HER2-targeted drugs. ©2013 American Association for Cancer Research.

DOI： 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-12-1125

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：WILEY-BLACKWELL  

Development of a novel type of angiogenesis inhibitor will be essential for further improvement of therapeutics against cancer patients. We examined whether an octahydronaphthalene derivative, AMF-26, which was screened as an inhibitor of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) production stimulated by inflammatory stimuli in vascular endothelial cells, could block angiogenesis in response to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and/or inflammatory cytokines. Low dose AMF-26 effectively inhibited the tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a)- or the interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta)-induced production of ICAM-1 in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). We found that the TNF-a-induced phosphorylation of nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha (I?Ba) and nuclear translocation of p65 were impaired by AMF-26 in both endothelial cells and cancer cells. AMF-26 was found to inhibit the phosphorylation of VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1), VEGFR2 and the downstream signaling molecules Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 stimulated by VEGF in HUVECs. Therefore, the VEGF-induced proliferation, migration and tube formation of vascular endothelial cells was highly susceptible to inhibition by AMF-26. Oral administration of AMF-26 significantly blocked VEGF- or IL-1 beta-induced angiogenesis in the mouse cornea, and also tumor angiogenesis and growth. Together, our results indicate that AMF-26 inhibits angiogenesis through suppression of both VEGFR1/2 and nuclear factor-?B (NF-?B) signaling pathways when stimulated by VEGF or inflammatory cytokines. AMF-26 could be a promising novel candidate drug for cancer treatments.

DOI： 10.1002/ijc.26356

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Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS  

Objective: Expression of N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1)/Cap43 is a prognostic indicator of human malignancies according to the tumor type in which it occurs. We investigated how NDRG1/Cap43 could affect tumor growth and angiogenesis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in vivo using an animal experimental model, and also how it could affect tumor angiogenesis and prognosis in NSCLC patients.
Methods and Results: Knockdown of NDRG1/Cap43 in lung cancer cells using a specific small interfering RNA resulted in growth rates in culture that were similar to those of counterpart control cells, but decreased tumor growth rates in vivo markedly. Stable NDRG1/Cap43 knockdown did not induce consistent changes in the expression of Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family proteins and c-Met in two human lung cancer cell lines in vitro. However, cell lines with NDRG1/Cap43 knockdown showed markedly decreased production of the potent angiogenic factors vascular endothelial growth factor-A and interleukin-8. Cells with knockdown of NDRG1/Cap43 showed marked reduction of tumor-induced angiogenesis. Using immunohistochemistry, we examined 182 surgically resected specimens of NSCLC for expression of NDRG1/Cap43 and tumor angiogenesis. High microvessel density in the tumor was significantly associated with nuclear positivity for NDRG1/Cap43 in both adenocarcinoma (p = 0.003) and squamous cell carcinoma (p=0.041). For both adenocarcinoma (p = 0.031) and squamous cell carcinoma (p=0.034), the survival curve of patients negative for nuclear NDRG1/Cap43 expression differed significantly from that of patients who were positive.
Conclusion: Therefore, the expression of NDRG1/Cap43 may be predictive of tumor angiogenesis and poor prognosis in NSCLC.

DOI： 10.1097/JTO.0b013e31824c92b4

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