bims-ectoca 2024-05-19 papers

Issue of 2024‒05‒19
five papers selected by
Ankita Daiya, Birla Institute of Technology and Science

BMC Cancer. 2024 May 14. 24(1): 587

The Hippo pathway terminal effector TAZ/WWTR1 mediates oxaliplatin sensitivity in p53 proficient colon cancer cells.

Věra Slaninová, Lisa Heron-Milhavet, Mathilde Robin, Laura Jeanson, Adam Aissanou, Diala Kantar, Diego Tosi, Laurent Bréhélin, Céline Gongora, Alexandre Djiane.

YAP and TAZ, the Hippo pathway terminal transcriptional activators, are frequently upregulated in cancers. In tumor cells, they have been mainly associated with increased tumorigenesis controlling different aspects from cell cycle regulation, stemness, or resistance to chemotherapies. In fewer cases, they have also been shown to oppose cancer progression, including by promoting cell death through the action of the p73/YAP transcriptional complex, in particular after chemotherapeutic drug exposure. Using HCT116 cells, we show here that oxaliplatin treatment led to core Hippo pathway down-regulation and nuclear accumulation of TAZ. We further show that TAZ was required for the increased sensitivity of HCT116 cells to oxaliplatin, an effect that appeared independent of p73, but which required the nuclear relocalization of TAZ. Accordingly, Verteporfin and CA3, two drugs affecting the activity of YAP and TAZ, showed antagonistic effects with oxaliplatin in co-treatments. Importantly, using several colorectal cell lines, we show that the sensitizing action of TAZ to oxaliplatin is dependent on the p53 status of the cells. Our results support thus an early action of TAZ to sensitize cells to oxaliplatin, consistent with a model in which nuclear TAZ in the context of DNA damage and p53 activity pushes cells towards apoptosis.

Keywords: Colon cancer; Hippo signaling; Oxaliplatin; TAZ; p53

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-024-12316-4

Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Apr 30. pii: 4874. [Epub ahead of print]25(9):

VRK1 Regulates Sensitivity to Oxidative Stress by Altering Histone Epigenetic Modifications and the Nuclear Phosphoproteome in Tumor Cells.

Elena Navarro-Carrasco, Eva Monte-Serrano, Aurora Campos-Díaz, Frank Rolfs, Richard de Goeij-de Haas, Thang V Pham, Sander R Piersma, Paula González-Alonso, Connie R Jiménez, Pedro A Lazo.

The chromatin organization and its dynamic remodeling determine its accessibility and sensitivity to DNA damage oxidative stress, the main source of endogenous DNA damage. We studied the role of the VRK1 chromatin kinase in the response to oxidative stress. which alters the nuclear pattern of histone epigenetic modifications and phosphoproteome pathways. The early effect of oxidative stress on chromatin was studied by determining the levels of 8-oxoG lesions and the alteration of the epigenetic modification of histones. Oxidative stress caused an accumulation of 8-oxoG DNA lesions that were increased by VRK1 depletion, causing a significant accumulation of DNA strand breaks detected by labeling free 3'-DNA ends. In addition, oxidative stress altered the pattern of chromatin epigenetic marks and the nuclear phosphoproteome pathways that were impaired by VRK1 depletion. Oxidative stress induced the acetylation of H4K16ac and H3K9 and the loss of H3K4me3. The depletion of VRK1 altered all these modifications induced by oxidative stress and resulted in losses of H4K16ac and H3K9ac and increases in the H3K9me3 and H3K4me3 levels. All these changes were induced by the oxidative stress in the epigenetic pattern of histones and impaired by VRK1 depletion, indicating that VRK1 plays a major role in the functional reorganization of chromatin in the response to oxidative stress. The analysis of the nuclear phosphoproteome in response to oxidative stress detected an enrichment of the phosphorylated proteins associated with the chromosome organization and chromatin remodeling pathways, which were significantly decreased by VRK1 depletion. VRK1 depletion alters the histone epigenetic pattern and nuclear phosphoproteome pathways in response to oxidative stress. The enzymes performing post-translational epigenetic modifications are potential targets in synthetic lethality strategies for cancer therapies.

Keywords: VRK1; acetylation; chromatin; histone; methylation; nuclear phosphoproteins; oxidative stress

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094874

Life Sci Alliance. 2024 Aug;pii: e202302382. [Epub ahead of print]7(8):

Reversal of high-glucose-induced transcriptional and epigenetic memories through NRF2 pathway activation.

Martí Wilson-Verdugo, Brandon Bustos-García, Olga Adame-Guerrero, Jaqueline Hersch-González, Nallely Cano-Domínguez, Maribel Soto-Nava, Carlos A Acosta, Teresa Tusie-Luna, Santiago Avila-Rios, Lilia G Noriega, Victor J Valdes.

Diabetes complications such as nephropathy, retinopathy, or cardiovascular disease arise from vascular dysfunction. In this context, it has been observed that past hyperglycemic events can induce long-lasting alterations, a phenomenon termed "metabolic memory." In this study, we evaluated the genome-wide gene expression and chromatin accessibility alterations caused by transient high-glucose exposure in human endothelial cells (ECs) in vitro. We found that cells exposed to high glucose exhibited substantial gene expression changes in pathways known to be impaired in diabetes, many of which persist after glucose normalization. Chromatin accessibility analysis also revealed that transient hyperglycemia induces persistent alterations, mainly in non-promoter regions identified as enhancers with neighboring genes showing lasting alterations. Notably, activation of the NRF2 pathway through NRF2 overexpression or supplementation with the plant-derived compound sulforaphane, effectively reverses the glucose-induced transcriptional and chromatin accessibility memories in ECs. These findings underscore the enduring impact of transient hyperglycemia on ECs' transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility profiles, emphasizing the potential utility of pharmacological NRF2 pathway activation in mitigating and reversing the high-glucose-induced transcriptional and epigenetic alterations.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202302382

Biochim Biophys Acta Gene Regul Mech. 2024 May 13. pii: S1874-9399(24)00029-4. [Epub ahead of print] 195033

To Ub or not to Ub: The epic dilemma of histones that regulate gene expression and epigenetic cross-talk.

Anirban Dasgupta, Sandhik Nandi, Sayan Gupta, Siddhartha Roy, Chandrima Das.

A dynamic array of histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) regulate diverse cellular processes in the eukaryotic chromatin. Among them, histone ubiquitination is particularly complex as it alters nucleosome surface area fostering intricate cross-talk with other chromatin modification. Ubiquitin signaling profoundly impacts DNA replication, repair, and transcription. Histones can undergo varied extent of ubiquitination such as mono, multi-mono, and polyubiquitination, which brings about distinct cellular fates. Mechanistic studies of the ubiquitin landscape in chromatin have unveiled a fascinating tapestry of events that orchestrate gene regulation. In this review, we summarize the key contributors involved in mediating different histone ubiquitination and deubiquitination events, and discuss their mechanism which impacts cell transcriptional identity and DNA damage response. We also focus on the proteins bearing epigenetic reader modules critical in discerning site-specific histone ubiquitination, pivotal for establishing complex epigenetic crosstalk. Moreover, we highlight the role of histone ubiquitination in different human diseases including neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer. Overall the review elucidates the intricate orchestration of histone ubiquitination impacting diverse cellular functions and disease pathogenesis, shedding light on the current challenges of targeting them for therapeutic interventions.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbagrm.2024.195033

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2024 May 14.

"Three Musketeers" Enhances Photodynamic Effects by Reducing Tumor Reactive Oxygen Species Resistance.

Wencheng Xu, Yanrong Qian, Luying Qiao, Lei Li, Yulin Xie, Qianqian Sun, Zewei Quan, Chunxia Li.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) based on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) has been widely used in the treatment of a variety of tumors. Compared with other therapeutic methods, this treatment has the advantages of high efficiency, strong penetration, and controllable treatment range. PDT kills tumors by generating a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which causes oxidative stress in the tumor. However, this killing effect is significantly inhibited by the tumor's own resistance to ROS. This is because tumors can either deplete ROS by high concentration of glutathione (GSH) or stimulate autophagy to eliminate ROS-generated damage. Furthermore, the tumor can also consume ROS through the lactic acid metabolic pathway, ultimately hindering therapeutic progress. To address this conundrum, we developed a UCNP-based nanocomposite for enhanced PDT by reducing tumor ROS resistance. First, Ce6-doped SiO2 encapsulated UCNPs to ensure the efficient energy transfer between UCNPs and Ce6. Then, the biodegradable tetrasulfide bond-bridged mesoporous organosilicon (MON) was coated on the outer layer to load chloroquine (CQ) and α-cyano4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA). Finally, hyaluronic acid was utilized to modify the nanomaterials to realize an active-targeting ability. The obtained final product was abbreviated as UCNPs@MON@CQ/CHCA@HA. Under 980 nm laser irradiation, upconverted red light from UCNPs excited Ce6 to produce a large amount of singlet oxygen (1O2), thus achieving efficient PDT. The loaded CQ and CHCA in MON achieved multichannel enhancement of PDT. Specifically, CQ blocked the autophagy process of tumor cells, and CHCA inhibited the uptake of lactic acid by tumor cells. In addition, the coated MON consumed a high level of intracellular GSH. In this way, these three functions complemented each other, just as the "three musketeers" punctured ROS resistance in tumors from multiple angles, and both in vitro and in vivo experiments had demonstrated the elevated PDT efficacy of nanomaterials.

Keywords: ROS resistance; autophagy inhibition; photodynamic therapy; rare earth upconversion nanoparticles

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c04278