Shujie Yang

Progesterone: the ultimate endometrial tumor suppressor

The uterine endometrium is exquisitely sensitive to steroid hormones that act through well-described nuclear receptors. Estrogen drives epithelial proliferation, and progesterone inhibits growth and causes cell differentiation. The importance of progesterone as a key inhibitor of carcinogenesis is reflected by the observation that women who ovulate and produce progesterone almost never get endometrial cancer. In this review we describe seminal research findings that define progesterone as the major endometrial tumor suppressor. We discuss the genes and diverse signaling pathways that are controlled by progesterone through progesterone receptors (PRs) and also the multiple factors that regulate progesterone/PR activity. By defining these progesterone-regulated factors and pathways we identify the principal therapeutic opportunities to control the growth of endometrial cancer.

Mapping ErbB receptors on breast cancer cell membranes during signal transduction.

Distributions of ErbB receptors on membranes of SKBR3 breast cancer cells were mapped by immunoelectron microscopy. The most abundant receptor, ErbB2, is phosphorylated, clustered and active. Kinase inhibitors ablate ErbB2 phosphorylation without dispersing clusters. Modest co-clustering of ErbB2 and EGFR, even after EGF treatment, suggests that both are predominantly involved in homointeractions. Heregulin leads to dramatic clusters of ErbB3 that contain some ErbB2 and EGFR and abundant PI 3-kinase. Other docking proteins, such as Shc and STAT5, respond differently to receptor activation. Levels of Shc at the membrane increase two- to five-fold with EGF, whereas pre-associated STAT5 becomes strongly phosphorylated. These data suggest that the distinct topography of receptors and their docking partners modulates signaling activities.

erbB3 Is an Active Tyrosine Kinase Capable of Homo- and Heterointeractions

ABSTRACT Often considered to be a “dead” kinase, erbB3 is implicated in escape from erbB-targeted cancer therapies. Here, heregulin stimulation is shown to markedly upregulate kinase activity in erbB3 immunoprecipitates. Intact, activated erbB3 phosphorylates tyrosine sites in an exogenous peptide substrate, and this activity is abolished by mutagenesis of lysine 723 in the catalytic domain. Enhanced erbB3 kinase activity is linked to heterointeractions with catalytically active erbB2, since it is largely blocked in cells pretreated with lapatinib or pertuzumab. erbB2 activation of erbB3 is not dependent on equal surface levels of these receptors, since it occurs even in erbB3-transfected CHO cells with disproportionally small amounts of erbB2. We tested a model in which transient erbB3/erbB2 heterointeractions set the stage for erbB3 homodimers to be signaling competent. erbB3 homo- and heterodimerization events were captured in real time on live cells using single-particle tracking of quantum dot probes bound to ligand or hemagglutinin tags on recombinant receptors.

A Mechanism for Synergy with Combined mTOR and PI3 Kinase Inhibitors

Dysregulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling has been found in many human cancers, particularly those with loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN. However, mTORC1 inhibitors such as temsirolimus have only modest activity when used alone and may induce acquired resistance by activating upstream mTORC2 and Akt. Other tumors that do not depend upon PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling for survival are primarily resistant. This study tested the hypothesis that the limited clinical efficacy of temsirolimus is due to a compensatory increase in survival signaling pathways downstream of Akt as well as an incomplete block of 4E-BP1-controlled proliferative processes downstream of mTOR. We explored the addition of a PI3K inhibitor to temsirolimus and identified the mechanism of combinatorial synergy. Proliferation assays revealed that BEZ235 (dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor) or ZSTK474 (pan PI3K inhibitor) combined with temsirolimus synergistically inhibited cell growth compared to cells treated with any of the agents alone. Co-treatment resulted in G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and up-regulation of p27. Cell death occurred through massive autophagy and subsequent apoptosis. While molecular profiling revealed that, in most cases, sensitivity to temsirolimus alone was most marked in cells with high basal phospho-Akt resulting from PTEN inactivation, combining a PI3K inhibitor with temsirolimus prevented compensatory Akt phosphorylation and synergistically enhanced cell death regardless of PTEN status. Another molecular correlate of synergy was the finding that temsirolimus treatment alone blocks downstream S6 kinase signaling, but not 4E-BP1. Adding BEZ235 completely abrogated 4E-BP1 phosphorylation. We conclude that the addition of a PI3K inhibitor overcomes cellular resistance to mTORC1 inhibitors regardless of PTEN status, and thus substantially expands the molecular phenotype of tumors likely to respond.

Spatio-temporal modeling of signaling protein recruitment to EGFR

BackgroundA stochastic simulator was implemented to study EGFR signal initiation in 3D with single molecule detail. The model considers previously unexplored contributions to receptor-adaptor coupling, such as receptor clustering and diffusive properties of both receptors and binding partners. The agent-based and rule-based approach permits consideration of combinatorial complexity, a problem associated with multiple phosphorylation sites and the potential for simultaneous binding of adaptors.ResultsThe model was used to simulate recruitment of four different signaling molecules (Grb2, PLCγ1, Stat5, Shc) to the phosphorylated EGFR tail, with rules based on coarse-grained prediction of spatial constraints. Parameters were derived in part from quantitative immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation and electron microscopy data. Results demonstrate that receptor clustering increases the efficiency of individual adaptor retainment on activated EGFR, an effect that is overridden if crowding is imposed by receptor overexpression. Simultaneous docking of multiple proteins is highly dependent on receptor-adaptor stability and independent of clustering.ConclusionsOverall, we propose that receptor density, reaction kinetics and membrane spatial organization all contribute to signaling efficiency and influence the carcinogenesis process.

Cytoplasmic Metadherin (MTDH) Provides Survival Advantage under Conditions of Stress by Acting as RNA-binding Protein

Background: MTDH is overexpressed in solid tumors and is involved in metastasis and chemoresistance. Results: Cytoplasmic MTDH associates with RNA and RNA-associated proteins, blocks Rad51 nuclear accumulation, and increases survival and drug resistance. Conclusion: Cytoplasmic MTDH promotes cancer cell proliferation and resistance to treatment by acting as an RNA-binding protein. Significance: Targeting MTDH may increase sensitivity to anti-cancer treatments. Overexpression of metadherin (MTDH) has been documented in many solid tumors and is implicated in metastasis and chemoresistance. MTDH has been detected at the plasma membrane as well as in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and the function of MTDH in these locales remains under investigation. In the nucleus, MTDH acts as a transcription co-factor to induce expression of chemoresistance-associated genes. However, MTDH is predominantly cytoplasmic in prostate tumors, and this localization correlates with poor prognosis. Herein, we used endometrial cancer cells as a model system to define a new role for MTDH in the cytoplasm. First, MTDH was primarily localized to the cytoplasm in endometrial cancer cells, and the N-terminal region of MTDH was required to maintain cytoplasmic localization. Next, we identified novel binding partners for cytoplasmic MTDH, including RNA-binding proteins and components of the RNA-induced silencing complex. Nucleic acids were required for the association of MTDH with these cytoplasmic proteins. Furthermore, MTDH interacted with and regulated protein expression of multiple mRNAs, such as PDCD10 and KDM6A. Depletion of cytoplasmic MTDH was associated with increased stress granule formation, reduced survival in response to chemotherapy and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor BIBF1120, Rad51 nuclear accumulation, and cell cycle arrest at G2/M. Finally, in vivo tumor formation was abrogated with knockdown of cytoplasmic MTDH. Taken together, our data identify a novel function for cytoplasmic MTDH as an RNA-binding protein. Our findings implicate cytoplasmic MTDH in cell survival and broad drug resistance via association with RNA and RNA-binding proteins.

Correlation of MTDH/AEG-1 and HOTAIR Expression with Metastasis and Response to Treatment in Sarcoma Patients

BACKGROUND Chemoresistance and metastasis are the main reasons for the failure of current treatments with sarcoma patients. Novel biomarkers are required to predict metastasis and response to treatment. The oncogene MTDH/AEG1 and the long noncoding RNA (lincRNA) HOTAIR are two novel factors involved in drug resistance and metastasis in various types of solid tumors. However, the correlation between MTDH/AEG-1 and HOTAIR expression with metastasis and drug resistance in sarcoma is unknown. METHODS Expression of MTDH protein or HOTAIR was detected by Western blotting or qRT-PCR, respectively, in primary and metastatic sarcoma patient tissue samples. RESULTS High individual or co-expression of MTDH/AEG1 and HOTAIR was observed in three of four primary and six of eight metastatic sarcoma patient tumor samples. High level expression of both of MTDH/AEG1 and HOTAIR in the primary tumor correlated with a likelihood to metastasize. MTDH expression was lower in samples pre-treated with irradiation and/or chemotherapy as compared to those that had not been treated. HOTAIR expression seemed to correlate with the percent necrosis seen in different sarcoma samples. CONCLUSIONS High levels of both MTDH/AEG-1 and HOTAIR in primary sarcoma are correlated with a high probability of metastasis. By contrast, reduced expression of both MTDH/AEG-1 and HOTAIR is correlated with a good response to treatment in terms of necrosis, suggesting that levels of MTDH and HOTAIR are potential biomarkers for treatment efficacy. Whether we can predict disease progression in sarcoma remains to be seen. Additional study is needed to better define the best clinical application of MTDH/AEG-1 and HOTAIR expression with metastasis and outcome.

Knockdown of MTDH sensitizes endometrial cancer cells to cell death induction by death receptor ligand TRAIL and HDAC inhibitor LBH589 co-treatment

Understanding the molecular underpinnings of chemoresistance is vital to design therapies to restore chemosensitivity. In particular, metadherin (MTDH) has been demonstrated to have a critical role in chemoresistance. Over-expression of MTDH correlates with poor clinical outcome in breast cancer, neuroblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and prostate cancer. MTDH is also highly expressed in advanced endometrial cancers, a disease for which new therapies are urgently needed. In this present study, we focused on the therapeutic benefit of MTDH depletion in endometrial cancer cells to restore sensitivity to cell death. Cells were treated with a combination of tumor necrosis factor-α-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), which promotes death of malignant cells of the human reproductive tract, and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which have been shown to increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Our data indicate that depletion of MTDH in endometrial cancer cells resulted in sensitization of cells that were previously resistant in response to combinatorial treatment with TRAIL and the HDAC inhibitor LBH589. MTDH knockdown reduced the proportion of cells in S and increased cell arrest in G2/M in cells treated with LBH589 alone or LBH589 in combination with TRAIL, suggesting that MTDH functions at the cell cycle checkpoint to accomplish resistance. Using microarray technology, we identified 57 downstream target genes of MTDH, including calbindin 1 and galectin-1, which may contribute to MTDH-mediated therapeutic resistance. On the other hand, in MTDH depleted cells, inhibition of PDK1 and AKT phosphorylation along with increased Bim expression and XIAP degradation correlated with enhanced sensitivity to cell death in response to TRAIL and LBH589. These findings indicate that targeting or depleting MTDH is a potentially novel avenue for reversing therapeutic resistance in patients with endometrial cancer.

The Catalytically Active Domain in the A Subunit of Calcineurin

Abstract Calcineurin (CaN) is a heterodimer composed of a catalytic subunit A (CaNA) and a regulatory subunit B (CaNB). We report here an active truncated mutation of the rat CaNAδ that contains only the catalytic domain (residues 1-347, also known as a/CaNA). The pnitrophenyl phosphatase activity and protein phosphatase activity of a/CaNA were higher than that of CaNA. Both pnitrophenyl phosphatase activity and protein phosphatase activity of a/CaNA were unaffected by CaM and the B-subunit; the B-subunit and CaM have relatively little effect on pnitrophenyl phosphatase activity and a crucial effect on protein phosphatase activity of CaNA. Mn[2+] and Ni[2+] ions effeciently activated CaNA. The Km of a/CaNA was about 16 mM, and the kcat of a/CaNA was 10.03 1/s using pNPP as substrate. With RII peptide as a substrate, the Km of a/CaNA was about 21 uM and the kcat of a/CaNA was 0.51 1/s. The optimum reaction temperature was about 45C, and the optimum reaction pH was about 7.2. Our results indicate that a/CaNA is the catalytic core of CaNA, and CaN and the Bsubunit binding domain itself might play roles in the negative regulation of the phosphatase activity of CaN. The results provide the basis for future studies on the catalytic domain of CaN.

Strategies for Molecularly Enhanced Chemotherapy to Achieve Synthetic Lethality in Endometrial Tumors with Mutant p53.

Serous uterine endometrial carcinomas are aggressive type II cancers with poor outcomes for which new treatment strategies are urgently needed, in particular, strategies that augment sensitivity to established chemotherapy regimens. The tumor suppressor gene TP53 is dysregulated in more than 90% of serous tumors, altering master regulators of the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint in unique and predictable ways and desensitizing cells to chemotherapy. We hypothesized that synthetic lethality can be achieved in endometrial cancer cells with mutant p53 by combining paclitaxel with agents to overcome G2/M arrest and induce mitotic catastrophe. The combination of BIBF1120, an investigational VEGFR, PDGFR, and FGFR multityrosine kinase inhibitor with established anti-angiogenic activity, with paclitaxel abrogated the G2/M checkpoint in p53-null endometrial cancer cells via modulation of G2/M checkpoint regulators followed by induction of mitotic cell death. In endometrial cancer cells harboring an oncogenic gain-of-function p53 mutation, synthetic lethality was created by combining paclitaxel with BIBF1120 and a histone deacetylase inhibitor, which serves to destabilize mutant p53. These cells were also sensitive to an inhibitor of the G2/M kinase Wee1 in combination with paclitaxel. These findings reveal that, in addition to antiangiogenic activity, the angiokinase inhibitor BIBF1120 can be used to restore sensitivity to paclitaxel and induce mitotic cell death in endometrial cancer cells with non-functional p53. These preclinical data serve as a critical platform for the creative design of future clinical trials utilizing molecularly enhanced chemotherapy to achieve synthetic lethality based on the mutational landscape.