Project description:Peritoneal metastases are frequently found in high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSOC) patients and are commonly associated with a poor prognosis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex milieu that plays a critical role in epigenetic alterations driving tumor development and metastatic progression. However, the impact of epigenetic alterations on metastatic ovarian cancer cells in the harsh peritoneal microenvironment remains incompletely understood. Here, we identified that miR-33b is frequently silenced by promoter hypermethylation in HGSOC cells derived from metastatic omental tumor tissues. Enforced expression of miR-33b abrogates the oncogenic properties of ovarian cancer cells cocultured in omental conditioned medium (OCM), which mimics the ascites microenvironment, and in vivo tumor growth. Of note, restoration of miR-33b inhibited OCM-upregulated de novo lipogenesis and fatty acid β-oxidation in ovarian cancer cells, indicating that miR-33b may play a novel tumor suppressor role in the lipid-mediated oncogenic properties of metastatic ovarian cancer cells found in the omentum. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that miR-33b directly targets transforming growth factor beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), thereby suppressing the activities of fatty acid synthase (FASN) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) in modulating lipid metabolic activities and simultaneously inhibiting the phosphorylation of NF-κB signaling to govern the oncogenic behaviors of ovarian cancer cells. Thus, our data suggest that a lipid-rich microenvironment may cause epigenetic silencing of miR-33b, which negatively modulates ovarian cancer peritoneal metastases, at least in part, by suppressing TAK1/FASN/CPT1A/NF-κB signaling.
Project description:BackgroundWith the increasing concern for health and nutrition, dietary fat has attracted considerable attention. The composition of fatty acids in the diet is important because they are associated with major diseases including cancers, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The fatty acid synthase (FASN) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (delta-9-desaturase) (SCD) genes affect fatty acid composition (1). The expression of SCD and FASN genes is related to an increase in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in dairy products, which benefits human health.The aim of current study was to investigate expression changes of SCD and FASN genes that resulted from crossbreeding the local Baluchi sheep with alien breeds.MethodsWe collected tissue samples from the mammary glands of 24 single-born ewes from local Baluchi and synthetic Iran-Black and Arman sheep breeds in the Abbas Abad breeding center. After RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, real-time PCR was performed with all samples in triplicate.ResultsThe maximum and minimum expression of SCD and FASN genes was in the local Baluchi sheep and the crossbred Arman sheep, respectively.ConclusionWith the highest SCD and FASN gene expression in local Baluchi sheep and relatively less expression of these genes in synthetic Iran-Black and Arman Sheep breeds, it may be necessary to consider the consequences of crossbreeding local sheep and the fatty acid composition of their dairy products.
Project description:BackgroundOvarian carcinoma is extremely sensitive to (platinum-based) chemotherapy; however, most patients will relapse with platinum-resistant disease, badly affecting their prognosis. Effective therapies for relapsing resistant tumors are urgently needed.MethodsWe used patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) of ovarian carcinoma resistant to cisplatin (DDP) to test in vivo the combination of paclitaxel (15 mg/kg i.v. once a week for 3 weeks) and onvansertib, a plk1 inhibitor, (50 mg/kg orally 4 days a week for 3 weeks). The PDX models were subcutaneously (s.c.) or orthotopically transplanted in nude mice and antitumor efficacy was evaluated as tumor growth inhibition and survival advantages of the combination over untreated and single agent treatment.ResultsThe combination of onvansertib and paclitaxel was very well tolerated with weight loss no greater than 15% in the combination group compared with the control group. In the orthotopically transplanted PDXs, single onvansertib and paclitaxel treatments prolonged survival; however, the combined treatment was much more active, with median survival from three- to six-fold times that of untreated mice. Findings were similar with the s.c. transplanted PDX, though there was greater heterogeneity in tumor response. Ex vivo tumors treated with the combination showed greater induction of γH2AX, marker of apoptosis and DNA damage, and pSer10H3, a marker of mitotic block.ConclusionThe efficacy of onvansertib and paclitaxel combination in these preclinical ovarian cancer models supports the clinical translatability of this combination as an effective therapeutic approach for platinum-resistant high-grade ovarian carcinoma.
Project description:Global emergence of Gram-negative bacteria carrying the plasmid-borne resistance genes, blaMBL and mcr, raises a significant challenge to the treatment of life-threatening infections by the antibiotics, carbapenem and colistin (COL). Here, we identify an antirheumatic drug, auranofin (AUR) as a dual inhibitor of metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) and mobilized colistin resistance (MCRs), two resistance enzymes that have distinct structures and substrates. We demonstrate that AUR irreversibly abrogates both enzyme activity via the displacement of Zn(II) cofactors from their active sites. We further show that AUR synergizes with antibiotics on killing a broad spectrum of carbapenem and/or COL resistant bacterial strains, and slows down the development of β-lactam and COL resistance. Combination of AUR and COL rescues all mice infected by Escherichia coli co-expressing MCR-1 and New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 5 (NDM-5). Our findings provide potential therapeutic strategy to combine AUR with antibiotics for combating superbugs co-producing MBLs and MCRs.
Project description:Overexpression of fatty acid synthase (FASN), a key regulator of the de novo synthesis of fatty acids, has been demonstrated in a variety of cancers and is associated with poor prognosis and increased multidrug resistance. Inhibition of FASN with the anti-obesity drug orlistat has been shown to have significant anti-tumourigenic effects in many cancers, notably breast and prostate. In our study, we investigated whether FASN inhibition using orlistat is an effective adjunctive treatment for ovarian cancers that have become platinum resistant using a cisplatin-resistant ovarian tumour xenograft model in mice. Mice were treated with orlistat or cisplatin or a combination and metabolite analysis and histopathology were performed on the tumours ex vivo. Orlistat decreased tumour fatty acid metabolism by inhibiting FASN, cisplatin reduced fatty acid β-oxidation, and combination treatment delayed tumour growth and induced apoptotic and necrotic cell death in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells over and above that with either treatment alone. Combination treatment also decreased glutamine metabolism, nucleotide and glutathione biosynthesis and fatty acid β-oxidation. Our data suggest that orlistat chemosensitised platinum-resistant ovarian cancer to treatment with platinum and resulted in enhanced efficacy.
Project description:The increasing incidence of bacterial infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria has deepened the need for new effective treatments. Antibiotic adjuvant strategy is a more effective and economical approach to expand the lifespan of currently used antibiotics. Herein, we uncover that alcohol-abuse drug disulfiram (DSF) and derivatives thereof are potent antibiotic adjuvants, which dramatically potentiate the antibacterial activity of carbapenems and colistin against New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)- and mobilized colistin resistance (MCR)-expressing Gram-negative pathogens, respectively. Mechanistic studies indicate that DSF improves meropenem efficacy by specifically inhibiting NDM activity. Moreover, the robust potentiation of DSF to colistin is due to its ability to exacerbate the membrane-damaging effects of colistin and disrupt bacterial metabolism. Notably, the passage and conjugation assays reveal that DSF minimizes the evolution and spread of meropenem and colistin resistance in clinical pathogens. Finally, their synergistic efficacy in animal models was evaluated and DSF-colistin/meropenem combination could effectively treat MDR bacterial infections in vivo. Taken together, our works demonstrate that DSF and its derivatives are versatile and potent colistin and carbapenems adjuvants, opening a new horizon for the treatment of difficult-to-treat infections.
Project description:PurposeAlthough paclitaxel is a promising first-line chemotherapeutic drug for ovarian cancer, acquired resistance to paclitaxel is one of the leading causes of treatment failure, limiting its clinical application. Asparagus officinalis has been shown to have anti-tumorigenic effects on cell growth, apoptosis, cellular stress and invasion of various types of cancer cells and has also been shown to synergize with paclitaxel to inhibit cell proliferation in ovarian cancer.MethodsHuman ovarian cancer cell lines MES and its PTX-resistant counterpart MES-TP cell lines were used and were treated with Asparagus officinalis and paclitaxel alone as well as in combination. Cell proliferation, cellular stress, invasion and DMA damage were investigated and the synergistic effect of a combined therapy analyzed.ResultsIn this study, we found that Asparagus officinalis combined with low-dose paclitaxel synergistically inhibited cell proliferation, induced cellular stress and apoptosis and reduced cell invasion in paclitaxel-sensitive and -resistant ovarian cancer cell lines. The combined treatment effects were dependent on DNA damage pathways and suppressing microtubule dynamics, and the AKT/mTOR pathway and microtubule-associated proteins regulated the inhibitory effect through different mechanisms in paclitaxel-sensitive and -resistant cells.ConclusionThese findings suggest that the combination of Asparagus officinalis and paclitaxel have potential clinical implications for development as a novel ovarian cancer treatment strategy.
Project description:BackgroundLipid metabolic reprogramming is increasingly recognized as a hallmark of endocrine resistance in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. In this study, we investigated alterations in lipid metabolism in ER + breast cancer cell lines with acquired resistance to common endocrine therapies and evaluated the efficacy of a clinically relevant fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitor.MethodsER + breast cancer cell lines resistant to Tamoxifen (TamR), Fulvestrant (FulvR), and long-term estrogen withdrawal (EWD) were derived. Global gene expression and lipidomic profiling were performed to compare parental and endocrine resistant cells. Lipid storage was assessed using Oil Red O (ORO) staining. The FASN inhibitor TVB-2640 was tested for its impact on lipid storage and cell growth. 13C2-acetate tracing was used to evaluate FASN activity and the efficacy of TVB-2640.ResultsEndocrine resistant cells showed significant enrichment in lipid metabolism pathways and distinct lipidomic profiles, characterized by elevated triglyceride levels and enhanced cytoplasmic lipid droplets. 13C2-acetate tracing revealed increased FASN activity in endocrine resistant cells, which was effectively reduced by TVB-2640. While TVB-2640 reduced lipid storage in most but not all cell lines, this did not correlate with decreased cell growth. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) containing 6 or more double bonds were elevated in endocrine resistant cells and remained unaffected or increased with TVB-2640.ConclusionEndocrine resistant breast cancer cells undergo a metabolic shift toward increased triglyceride storage and PUFAs with high degrees of desaturation. While TVB-2640 reduced lipid storage in most conditions, it had limited effects on the growth of endocrine resistant breast cancer cells. Targeting specific lipid metabolic dependencies, particularly pathways that produce PUFAs, represents a potential therapeutic strategy in endocrine resistant breast cancer.
Project description:Oncolytic vaccinia virus (OVV) has demonstrated appropriate safety profiles for clinical development. Although OVV was designed to kill cancer cells efficiently, sensitivity to OVV varies in individual cancers. Here, we found that OVV was much more efficient in KFTX paclitaxel (PTX)-resistant ovarian cancer cells, compared to that in KFlow PTX-sensitive cells. Microarray analysis showed that urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 (UCA1) upregulation contributed to both enhanced PTX resistance and OVV spread.
Project description:Ovarian follicle provides a favorable environment for enclosed oocytes, which acquire their competence in supporting embryo development in tight communications with somatic follicular cells and follicular fluid (FF). Although steroidogenesis in theca (TH) and granulosa cells (GC) is largely studied, and the molecular mechanisms of fatty acid (FA) metabolism in cumulus cells (CC) and oocytes are emerging, little data is available regarding lipid metabolism regulation within ovarian follicles. In this study, we investigated lipid composition and the transcriptional regulation of FA metabolism in 3⁻8 mm ovarian follicles in bovine. Using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS), 438 and 439 lipids were identified in FF and follicular cells, respectively. From the MALDI-TOF MS lipid fingerprints of FF, TH, GC, CC, and oocytes, and the MS imaging of ovarian sections, we identified 197 peaks and determined more abundant lipids in each compartment. Transcriptomics revealed lipid metabolism-related genes, which were expressed constitutively or more specifically in TH, GC, CC, or oocytes. Coupled with differential lipid composition, these data suggest that the ovarian follicle contains the metabolic machinery that is potentially capable of metabolizing FA from nutrient uptake, degrading and producing lipoproteins, performing de novo lipogenesis, and accumulating lipid reserves, thus assuring oocyte energy supply, membrane synthesis, and lipid-mediated signaling to maintain follicular homeostasis.