scholarly journals Upregulation of DAB2IP Inhibits Ras Activity and Tumorigenesis in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 153303381989549
Author(s):  
Yifan Duan ◽  
Xiaoyu Yin ◽  
Xiaorong Lai ◽  
Chao Liu ◽  
Wenjing Nie ◽  
...  

KRAS mutation-induced Ras activation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer, but the role of wild-type Ras and Ras GTPase-activating proteins remains unclear. The present study was designed to determine the expression spectra of Ras GTPase-activating proteins genes in pancreatic cancer cells, and the role of DAB2IP, a Ras GTPase-activating proteins gene, in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Following the analyses of the expression profiles of 16 Ras GTPase-activating proteins in 6 pancreatic cancer cell lines including Bxpc-3 (with wild-type KRAS), Capan-2, Sw1990, Aspc-1, CFPAC-1, and Panc-1 (with mutant KRAS) and 1 normal human pancreatic ductal epithelial cell line, H6C7, the expression of DAB2IP messenger RNA was further analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The role of DAB2IP in pancreatic cancer was further investigated in vitro and in vivo by upregulating DAB2IP in Bxpc-3 cells through transfection of DAB2IP into Bxpc-3 cells with recombinant lentivirus. The DAB2IP expression in pancreatic cancer cells and tissues with wild-type KRAS was significantly lower than that in cells and tissues with mutant KRAS ( P < .05). In Bxpc-3 cells with wild-type KRAS, overexpression of DAB2IP decreased the expression of P-AKT and P-ERK and the Ras activity; increased the expression of P-JNK and caspase 3; inhibited cell proliferation, invasiveness, and migration; and increased the cell sensitivity to cetuximab. Overexpression of DAB2IP inhibited tumor progression in a mouse model. In conclusion, DAB2IP downregulates Ras activity in wild-type pancreatic cancer cells. Overexpression of DAB2IP decreases the Ras activity, inhibits cell proliferation, and increases sensitivity to cetuximab in wild-type pancreatic cancer cells. In conclusion, DAB2IP may serve as a potential molecular therapeutic target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 417-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Chen ◽  
Jilai Tian ◽  
Gloria H. Su ◽  
Jiayuh Lin

Background:Elevated production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and dysfunction of IL-6 signaling promotes tumorigenesis and are associated with poor survival outcomes in multiple cancer types. Recent studies showed that the IL-6/GP130/STAT3 signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in pancreatic cancer development and maintenance.Objective:We aim to develop effective treatments through inhibition of IL-6/GP130 signaling in pancreatic cancer.Methods:The effects on cell viability and cell proliferation were measured by MTT and BrdU assays, respectively. The effects on glycolysis was determined by cell-based assays to measure lactate levels. Protein expression changes were evaluated by western blotting and immunoprecipitation. siRNA transfection was used to knock down estrogen receptor α gene expression. Colony forming ability was determined by colony forming cell assay.Results:We demonstrated that IL-6 can induce pancreatic cancer cell viability/proliferation and glycolysis. We also showed that a repurposing FDA-approved drug bazedoxifene could inhibit the IL-6/IL-6R/GP130 complexes. Bazedoxifene also inhibited JAK1 binding to IL-6/IL-6R/GP130 complexes and STAT3 phosphorylation. In addition, bazedoxifene impeded IL-6 mediated cell viability/ proliferation and glycolysis in pancreatic cancer cells. Consistently, other IL-6/GP130 inhibitors SC144 and evista showed similar inhibition of IL-6 stimulated cell viability, cell proliferation and glycolysis. Furthermore, all three IL-6/GP130 inhibitors reduced the colony forming ability in pancreatic cancer cells.Conclusion:Our findings demonstrated that IL-6 stimulates pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, survival and glycolysis, and supported persistent IL-6 signaling is a viable therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer using IL-6/GP130 inhibitors.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 277
Author(s):  
Jungwhoi Lee ◽  
Jungsul Lee ◽  
Woogwang Sim ◽  
Jae-Hoon Kim

Even though the tumour suppressive role of PTEN is well-known, its prognostic implications are ambiguous. The objective of this study was to further explore the function of PTEN expression in human pancreatic cancer. The expression of PTEN has been dominant in various human cancers including pancreatic cancer when compared with their matched normal tissues. The pancreatic cancer cells have been divided into PTEN blockade-susceptible and PTEN blockade-impassible groups dependent on targeting PTEN by altering intracellular signaling. The expression of PTEN has led to varying clinical outcomes of pancreatic cancer based on GEO Series (GSE) data analysis and Liptak’s z analysis. Differential dependency to PTEN blockade has been ascertained based on the expression of polo-like kinase1 PLK1 in pancreatic cancer cells. The prognostic value of PTEN also depends on PLK1 expression in pancreatic cancer. Collectively, the present study provides a rationale for targeting PTEN as a promising therapeutic strategy dependent on PLK1 expressions using a companion biomarker discovery platform.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 224-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoon Ho Ko ◽  
Young-Seok Cho ◽  
Hye Sung Won ◽  
Eun Kyoung Jeon ◽  
Young Seon Hong

224 Background: Autophagy is a catabolic process and provides metabolic support for the cell by degradation of intracellular macromolecules. Various types of stress, including hypoxia, activate autophagy. Recent studies have suggested that hypoxia has been shown to associate with resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy and hence poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer. This study investigated the role of autophagy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer with gemcitabine under hypoxic condition. Methods: To evaluate the role of autophagy inhibition in hypoxia-induced chemoresistance, BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cell line was used under normoxic and hypoxic conditions.We evaluated the extent of LC3-II, as an autophagosome marker, induced by gemcitabine, by western blotting to measure the hypoxia- or chemotherapy- induced autophagy. We then examined the effects of gemcitabine on induction of apoptosis under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Next, to determine the effect of 3-MA, a known inhibitor of autophagy, on overcoming hypoxia-induced chemoresistance, the MTS assay and flow cytometry were performed. Results: Compared with normoxia, gemcitabine-induced cell death under hypoxia was significantly decreased, as a result of the reduced apoptosis. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that LC3-II was increased under hypoxia, compared with normoxia.However, we found that 3-MA can enhance the growth inhibition and apoptotic effect of gemcitabine, even under hypoxia. These findings mean that autophagy mediates the chemoresistance under hypoxia. Conclusions: Activated autophagy plays a role in hypoxia-induced chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer cells. These findings may have important implications for future therapeutic strategies using gemcitabine against pancreatic cancer.


Cancer ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 106 (10) ◽  
pp. 2284-2294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Li ◽  
Qihui Zhai ◽  
Uddalak Bharadwaj ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Fei Li ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shima Byagowi ◽  
Taghi Naserpour Farivar ◽  
Reza Najafipour ◽  
Mehdi Sahmani ◽  
Masoud Darabi ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A1019-A1020
Author(s):  
Reetobrata Basu ◽  
John Joseph Kopchick ◽  
Silvana Duran Ortiz ◽  
Yanrong Qian ◽  
Prateek Kulkarni

Abstract Human growth hormone (GH) and its cognate growth hormone receptor (GHR) have been established to have a distinct role in promoting the progression of several types of human cancers. We had earlier described a newfound role of the GH-GHR axis in driving chemoresistance in melanoma by upregulating drug efflux by ABC multidrug transporter expression and a phenotype switch by induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Here we present an in-depth analysis of this role of GH-GHR in the highly therapy resistant human pancreatic cancer which has a 5-year survival rate of only 10% in 2020. Using human and mouse pancreatic cancer cells and RNA and protein expression analyses by RT-qPCR, ELISA, and western-blot, we identified that (i) GH upregulates specific ABC-transporter expressions in a drug-context specific manner, (ii) GH upregulates EMT transcription factors, (iii) GH activates specific oncogenic signaling pathways, and (iii) GH action increases cytochrome P450 members involved in hepatic drug metabolism. The GH antagonist, Pegvisomant, significantly inhibited these effects. Additionally, we confirmed the effects of these molecular changes by specific assays. For example, GH increases basement membrane invasion, viability of circulating tumor cells, and drug efflux; while inhibition of GHR by pegvisomant in pancreatic cancer cells reversed this aggressive tumor phenotype and sensitized the tumor cells to chemotherapy. Cell viability assays confirmed a decreased IC50 of gemcitabine, doxorubicin, and erlotinib in pancreatic cancer cells treated with pegvisomant and an increase in IC50 cells treated with GH. We further verified our results using in silico analyses of TCGA datasets for pancreatic cancer - which provided robust confirmation of our experimental findings. Presently we are validating our observation in nude mice with human pancreatic cancer cell xenografts. In conclusion, our in vitro results confirm that GHR antagonism can drastically sensitize human pancreatic cancer cells by blocking mechanisms of drug resistance, thus providing a valuable window for improved efficacy of available chemo- and targeted therapy.


Pharmacology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 250-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eri Usugi ◽  
Kenichiro Ishii ◽  
Yoshifumi Hirokawa ◽  
Kazuki Kanayama ◽  
Chise Matsuda ◽  
...  

Background: Pirfenidone (PFD), which is an antifibrotic agent used for treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, induces G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in fibroblasts. We hypothesized that PFD-induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest might be achieved in other types of cells, including cancer cells. Here we investigated the effects of PFD on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) in vitro. Method: Human skin fibroblasts ASF-4-1 cells and human prostate stromal cells (PrSC) were used as fibroblasts. PANC-1, MIA PaCa-2, and BxPC-3 cells were used as human PCCs. Cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed using flow cytometer. Results: First, we confirmed that PFD suppressed cell proliferation of ASF-4-1 cells and PrSC and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Under these experimental conditions, PFD also suppressed cell proliferation and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in all PCCs. In PFD-treated PCCs, expression of p21 was increased but that of CDK2 was not clearly decreased. Of note, PFD did not induce significant apoptosis among PCCs. Conclusions: These results demonstrated that the antifibrotic agent PFD might have antiproliferative effects on PCCs by inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. This suggests that PFD may target not only fibroblasts but also PCCs in the tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer.


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