Project description:Analysis of gene alterations in PANC-1 cells treated with different concentration of Ikarugamycin (Ika). A broad variety of biological activities of IKA has been reported, such as immune regulation, cytotoxic properties, anti-tumor effects and other pharmacological effects. This study provides insight into molecular basis of Ika in pancreatic cancer.
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal human cancers. It thrives in a nutrient-poor environment; however, the mechanisms by which PDAC cells undergo metabolic reprogramming to adapt and survive in metabolic stress are still poorly understood. Here, we show that microRNA-135 is significantly increased in PDAC patient samples compared to adjacent normal tissue and represses aerobic glycolysis. Mechanistically, we found that miR-135 accumulates specifically in response to glutamine deprivation and requires ROS-dependent activation of mutant p53, which directly promotes miR-135 expression. Functionally, we found miR-135 targets phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK1) and inhibits aerobic glycolysis, thereby promoting the utilization of glucose to support the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Consistently, miR-135 deficient PDAC cells preferentially use glutamine carbon to replenish the TCA cycle, and miR-135 silencing sensitizes PDAC cells to glutamine deprivation and represses tumour growth in vivo. Consistent with these findings, patient pancreatic cancer tissue displays decreased PFK1 level compared to adjacent normal tissue. Together, these results identify a mechanism used by PDAC cells to survive the nutrient-poor tumour microenvironment, and also provide insight regarding the role of mutant p53 and miRNA in pancreatic cancer cell adaptation to metabolic stresses.
Project description:Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest human malignancies, with a survival rate less than 10%. Traditional modes of therapy have proven ineffective in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, highlighting the need to further understand the basic biology of the disease in order to identify new treatment modalities. Previously, our group showed that the epigenetic regulator Bmi1 is required for the initiation of pancreatic cancer in mice. In murine models of PDAC, mice lacking pancreatic Bmi1 expression do not develop precancerous lesions, despite oncogene expression. In this work, we sought to determine the role of Bmi1 in later stages of pancreatic tumor development. Using a CRISPR/Cas9 strategy, we deleted Bmi1 in primary human pancreatic caner cells and created clonal lines. When used in a subcutaenous tumor growth assay, those cells lacking BMI1 expression formed tumors that grew significantly smaller than controls. To query the mechanism of BMI1 action in pancreatic cancer growth, we used RNA sequencing to compare those pancreatic cancer cells with and without BMI1 expressed. This revealed that Bmi1 controls the gene expression of glycolysis and cell proliferation pathways, likely the reason for its requirement in pancreatic tumor growth. Overall, we found that Bmi1 is required in pancreatic tumor progression, and that it controls gene expression in both glycolysis and cell proliferation.
Project description:The Warburg effect, consisting of increased glucose uptake and glycolysis, provides metabolic energy as well as cellular building blocks for tumor growth. Inhibition of the Warburg effect with 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) has been explored in clinical trials with limited efficacy. Blockage of glycolysis can induce autopahgy resulting in alternative energy generation through oxidative phosphorylation providing a potential bypass of the effects of inhibition of glycolysis. Here in we demonstrate that activation of AMPK, as a consequence of energetic stress, induces mitochondrial energy production potentially bypassing the effects of glycolysis inhibition. We thus combined blockage of glycolysis by 2DG with inhibition of the electron transfer complex I (ETC1) in the mitochondria with the clinically applicable antidiabetic drug metformin. The combination resulted in activation of AMPK and autopahgy that however rendered eventual depletion of ATP and cell death. Furthermore, combined inhibition of glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration inhibited tumor growth and markedly decreased metastatic capacity in vivo. In order to understand the mechanism of these metabolic inhibitors, we performed whole genome transcriptional analysis. Human SK-4 esophageal cancer cell lines were treated with 5 different treatment groups [2 deoxy glucose (4mM), Metformin (5mM), AICAR (2mM), 2 deoxy glucose (4mM) plus Metformin (5mM) and 2 deoxy glucose (4mM) plus AICAR (2mM)] with non treated control groups for 12 hrs. Each groups was quadruplicated. Microarray experiments and data analysis were done at Dept. of Systems Biology, MDACC (Houston, USA)
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease with limited effective treatment options, potentiating the importance of uncovering novel drug targets. Here, we target Cleavage and Polyadenylation Specificity Factor 3 (CPSF3), the 3’ endonuclease that catalyzes mRNA cleavage during polyadenylation and histone mRNA processing. We find that CPSF3 is highly expressed in PDAC and is associated with poor prognosis. CPSF3 knockdown blocks PDAC cell proliferation and colony formation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Chemical inhibition of CPSF3 by the small molecule JTE-607 also attenuates PDAC cell proliferation and colony formation, while it has no effect on cell proliferation of non-transformed immortalized control pancreatic cells. Mechanistically, JTE-607 induces transcriptional read-through in replication-dependent histones, reduces core histone expression, destabilizes chromatin structure and arrests cells in the S-phase of the cell cycle. Therefore, CPSF3 represents a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of PDAC.
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal types of cancer, and novel treatment regimens are direly needed. Epigenetic regulation contributes to the development of various cancer types, but its role in the development of, and potential as a therapeutic target for, PDAC remains underexplored. Here, we show that PRMT1 is highly expressed in murine and human pancreatic cancer and is essential for cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Deletion of PRMT1 delays pancreatic cancer development in a KRAS-dependent mouse model, and multi-omics analyses reveal that the PRMT1 depletion leads to global changes in chromatin accessibility and transcription, resulting in reduced glycolysis and a decrease in tumorigenic capacity. Pharmacological inhibition of PRMT1 in combination with gemcitabine has a synergistic effect on pancreatic tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our findings implicate PRMT1 as a key regulator of pancreatic cancer development and a promising target for combination therapy.
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal types of cancer, and novel treatment regimens are direly needed. Epigenetic regulation contributes to the development of various cancer types, but its role in the development of, and potential as a therapeutic target for, PDAC remains underexplored. Here, we show that PRMT1 is highly expressed in murine and human pancreatic cancer and is essential for cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Deletion of PRMT1 delays pancreatic cancer development in a KRAS-dependent mouse model, and multi-omics analyses reveal that the PRMT1 depletion leads to global changes in chromatin accessibility and transcription, resulting in reduced glycolysis and a decrease in tumorigenic capacity. Pharmacological inhibition of PRMT1 in combination with gemcitabine has a synergistic effect on pancreatic tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our findings implicate PRMT1 as a key regulator of pancreatic cancer development and a promising target for combination therapy.
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal types of cancer, and novel treatment regimens are direly needed. Epigenetic regulation contributes to the development of various cancer types, but its role in the development of, and potential as a therapeutic target for, PDAC remains underexplored. Here, we show that PRMT1 is highly expressed in murine and human pancreatic cancer and is essential for cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Deletion of PRMT1 delays pancreatic cancer development in a KRAS-dependent mouse model, and multi-omics analyses reveal that the PRMT1 depletion leads to global changes in chromatin accessibility and transcription, resulting in reduced glycolysis and a decrease in tumorigenic capacity. Pharmacological inhibition of PRMT1 in combination with gemcitabine has a synergistic effect on pancreatic tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our findings implicate PRMT1 as a key regulator of pancreatic cancer development and a promising target for combination therapy.