cyclin-CDK Complexes Research Articles

Asp/ASPM phospho-regulation throughout the cell cycle

In mammals and Drosophila melanogaster, Asp/ASPM proteins contribute to cell proliferation and spindle formation. Recent evidence also suggests interphase roles for Asp/ASPM proteins, but little is known about the regulation allowing distinct roles in different cell cycle phases. In this review, we consider a cross-species comparison of Asp/ASPM protein sequences in light of cyclin-CDK literature, and suggest Asp/ASPM proteins to be prime candidates for cyclin-CDK regulation. Conserved regulatory features include an N-terminal S/T P “supershift” phosphorylation domain common to proteins with bistable interphase and mitotic roles, as well as putative cyclin binding sites positioned to allow multisite phosphorylation by cyclin-CDK complexes. Human, mouse and Drosophila Asp/ASPM protein structural predictions show that multisite phosphorylation of the N-term supershift domain could alter the availability of CH-domains and HEAT-motifs, which can contribute to microtubule binding and protein aggregation likely required for spindle formation. Structural predictions of the smallest reported microcephaly patient truncation also emphasize the importance of the arrangement of these motifs. We position this in silico analysis within recent literature to build new hypotheses for Asp/ASPM regulation in interphase and mitosis, as well as de-regulation in microcephaly and cancer. We also highlight the utility of comparing structural/functional differences between human ASPM and Drosophila Asp to gain further insight.

CIP/KIP and INK4 families as hostages of oncogenic signaling.

CIP/KIP and INK4 families of Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) are well-established cell cycle regulatory proteins whose canonical function is binding to Cyclin-CDK complexes and altering their function. Initial experiments showed that these proteins negatively regulate cell cycle progression and thus are tumor suppressors in the context of molecular oncology. However, expanded research into the functions of these proteins showed that most of them have non-canonical functions, both cell cycle-dependent and independent, and can even act as tumor enhancers depending on their posttranslational modifications, subcellular localization, and cell state context. This review aims to provide an overview of canonical as well as non-canonical functions of CIP/KIP and INK4 families of CKIs, discuss the potential avenues to promote their tumor suppressor functions instead of tumor enhancing ones, and how they could be utilized to design improved treatment regimens for cancer patients.

Analysis of nondegradable cyclins reveals distinct roles of the mitotic cyclins in Drosophila meiosis.

Meiosis is a complex variant of the mitotic cell cycle, and as such relies on many of the same proteins involved in mitosis, but utilizes these in novel ways. As in mitosis, Cdk1 and its cyclin partners, Cyclin A, B, and B3 are required at multiple steps in meiosis. Here, we study the effect of stabilized forms of the three mitotic cyclins to study the consequences of failure to degrade the cyclins in meiosis. We find that stabilized Cyclin B3 promotes ectopic microtubule polymerization throughout the egg, dependent on APC/C activity and apparently due to the consequent destruction of Cyclin A and Cyclin B. We present data that suggests CycB, and possibly CycA, can also promote APC/C activity at specific stages of meiosis. We also present evidence that in meiosis APC/CCort and APC/CFzy are able to target Cyclin B via a novel degron. Overall, our findings highlight the distinct functions of the three mitotic Cdk-cyclin complexes in meiosis.

The SIAMESE family of cell-cycle inhibitors in the response of plants to environmental stresses.

Environmental abiotic constraints are known to reduce plant growth. This effect is largely due to the inhibition of cell division in the leaf and root meristems caused by perturbations of the cell cycle machinery. Progression of the cell cycle is regulated by CDK kinases whose phosphorylation activities are dependent on cyclin proteins. Recent results have emphasized the role of inhibitors of the cyclin-CDK complexes in the impairment of the cell cycle and the resulting growth inhibition under environmental constraints. Those cyclin-CDK inhibitors (CKIs) include the KRP and SIAMESE families of proteins. This review presents the current knowledge on how CKIs respond to environmental changes and on the role played by one subclass of CKIs, the SIAMESE RELATED proteins (SMRs), in the tolerance of plants to abiotic stresses. The SMRs could play a central role in adjusting the balance between growth and stress defenses in plants exposed to environmental stresses.

Meiotic Cell Cycle Progression in Mouse Oocytes: Role of Cyclins.

All eukaryotic cells, including oocytes, utilize an engine called cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) to drive the cell cycle. Cdks are activated by a co-factor called cyclin, which regulates their activity. The key Cdk-cyclin complex that regulates the oocyte cell cycle is known as Cdk1-cyclin B1. Recent studies have elucidated the roles of other cyclins, such as B2, B3, A2, and O, in oocyte cell cycle regulation. This review aims to discuss the recently discovered roles of various cyclins in mouse oocyte cell cycle regulation in accordance with the sequential progression of the cell cycle. In addition, this review addresses the translation and degradation of cyclins to modulate the activity of Cdks. Overall, the literature indicates that each cyclin performs unique and redundant functions at various stages of the cell cycle, while their expression and degradation are tightly regulated. Taken together, this review provides new insights into the regulatory role and function of cyclins in oocyte cell cycle progression.

Discovery of HyT-Based Degraders of CDK9-Cyclin T1 Complex.

Direct modulation of the non-kinase functions of cyclin and CDK-cyclin complexes poses challenges. We utilize hydrophobic tag (HyT) based small-molecule degraders induced degradation of cyclin T1 and its corresponding kinase partner CDK9. LL-CDK9-12 demonstrated the most potent and selective degradation ability, with DC50 values of 0.362 μM against CDK9 and 0.680 μM against cyclin T1. In prostate cancer cells, LL-CDK9-12 showed enhanced anti-proliferative activity than its parental molecule SNS032 and LL-K9-3, the previous reported CDK9-cyclin T1 degrader. Moreover, LL-CDK9-12 suppressed the downstream signaling of CDK9 and AR efficiently. Altogether, LL-CDK9-12 was an effective dual degrader of CDK9-cyclin T1 and helped study the unknown function of CDK9-cyclin T1. These results suggest that HyT-based degraders could be used as a strategy to induce the degradation of protein complexes, providing insights for the design of protein complexes' degraders.

CDK6 is activated by the atypical cyclin I to promote E2F-mediated gene expression and cancer cell proliferation.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), together with their cyclin partners, are the master cell cycle regulators. Remarkably, the cyclin family was extended to include atypical cyclins, characterized by distinctive structural features, but their partner CDKs remain elusive. Here, we conducted a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify new atypical cyclin-CDK complexes. We identified 10 new complexes, including a complex between CDK6 and cyclin I (CCNI), which was found to be active against retinoblastoma protein. CCNI upregulation increased the proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, with a magnitude similar to that seen upon cyclin D upregulation, an effect that was abrogated by CDK6 silencing or palbociclib treatment. In line with these findings, CCNI downregulation led to a decrease in cell number and a reduction in the percentage of cells reaching S phase. Finally, CCNI upregulation correlated with the high expression of E2F target genes in large panels of cancer cell lines and tissue samples from breast cancer patients. In conclusion, we unveil CCNI as a new player in the pathways that activate CDK6, enriching the wiring of cell cycle control.

Abstract 425: Characterization of TKI-induced drug-tolerant persister cells from a patient-derived cell line

Abstract Introduction: Targeted therapies provide clinical benefits in patients harboring oncogene-driven cancers, but relapses invariably occur. Studies on resistance mechanisms are essential to guide the development of next-generation inhibitors. An increasing number of studies focus on an earlier stage of disease evolution. Resistance may develop from the selection of preexisting resistant cells or by adaptation of drug-tolerant persister (DTP) cells. In this context, our study depicts DTP cells able to survive the initial tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) exposure without harboring genetic changes, in order to identify the vulnerabilities existing in this cell state. Materials and Methods: This project focuses on a patient-derived cell line from the prospective MATCH-R clinical trial (NCT0251782). The model is a non-small cell lung cancer harboring EML4-ALK fusion and ALK C1156Y/G1269A mutation, sensitive to the 3rd generation ALK TKI lorlatinib. In vitro, fully resistant cells were generated by long-term lorlatinib exposure and the acquired resistance mechanism resulted from an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). DTP cells were generated under shorter drug exposures that eradicate sensitive carcinoma cells. Results and Discussion: Carcinoma cell plasticity drives cell transformation towards a phenotypic state, rendering them more tolerant to drugs. To better characterize this phenotype, we first focused on EMT and observed that DTP cells co-harbored epithelial and mesenchymal markers. We noticed that DTP cells exhibited an intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) rate making them dependent on protective oxidation-reduction mechanisms against oxidative stress-related damage. We revealed the overexpression of p21 and p27, known to bind to cyclin-CDK complexes and induce cell-cycle arrest. This dormant phenotype of DTP cells was underlined by a global repressive chromatin state evidenced by enrichment in H3K27me3, H3K36me3 and H3K9me3 marks; the latter mark also being a component of senescence-associated heterochromatin foci. In agreement, a high level of SA-β-gal and senescence-associated secretory phenotype components (CXCL10, PAI-1), evidenced that our DTP model displayed a senescence-like phenotype. We quantified an increase in γH2AX DNA damage foci in DTP cells compared to sensitive cells, in line with the concept that TKI treatment may have a role in DNA repair modulation that ultimately promotes new mutations. Together, our data depicted DTP features that might be relevant to identify drug candidates overcoming resistance (HDAC inhibitors, senolytic drugs and DNA repair inhibitors). Conclusion: We demonstrated potential targetable features of DTP cells. A combination of targeted therapies with DTP drug candidates could represent a therapeutic opportunity to improve the depth of response and delay the emergence of resistance in patients. Citation Format: Floriane Brayé, Francesco Facchinetti, Helena Gerber, Juliette Juigné, Giorgia Guaitoli, Jean-Paul Thiery, Santiago Ponce, Benjamin Besse, Ken A. Olaussen, Luc Friboulet. Characterization of TKI-induced drug-tolerant persister cells from a patient-derived cell line [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 425.

The interplay between noncoding RNAs and p21 signaling in gastrointestinal cancer: from tumorigenesis to metastasis.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are emerging as important regulators in various pathological conditions, including human cancers. NcRNAs exert potentially crucial effects on cell cycle progression, proliferation, and invasion in cancer cells by targeting various cell cycle-related proteins at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. As one of the key cell cycle regulatory proteins, p21 is involved in various processes, including the cellular response to DNA damage, cell growth, invasion, metastasis, apoptosis, and senescence. P21 has been shown to have either a tumor-suppressive or oncogenic effect depending on the cellular localization and posttranslational modifications. P21 exerts a significant regulatory effect on both G1/S and G2/M checkpoints by regulating the function of cyclin-dependent kinase enzymes (CDKs) or interacting with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). P21 has an important effect on the cellular response to DNA damage by separating DNA replication enzymes from PCNA and inhibiting DNA synthesis resulting in G1 phase arrest. Furthermore, p21 has been shown to negatively regulate the G2/M checkpoint through the inactivation of cyclin-CDK complexes. In response to any cell damage caused by genotoxic agents, p21 exerts its regulatory effects by nuclear preservation of cyclin B1-CDK1 and preventing their activation. Notably, several ncRNAs, including lncRNAs and miRNAs, have been shown to be involved in tumor initiation and progression through the regulation of the p21 signaling axis. In this review, we discuss the miRNA/lncRNA-dependent mechanisms that regulate p21 and their effects on gastrointestinal tumorigenesis. A better understanding of the regulatory effects of ncRNAs on the p21 signaling may help to discover novel therapeutic targets in gastrointestinal cancer.

Tissue-specific response of the RB-E2F1 complex during mammalian hibernation.

Metabolic rate depression during prolonged bouts of torpor is characteristic of mammalian hibernation, reducing energy expenditures over the winter. Cell cycle arrest is observed in quiescent cells during dormancy, partly due to the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein at G1 /S, given cell division and proliferation are metabolic-costly processes. Rb binds to E2F transcription factors and recruits corepressors (e.g.,SUV39H1) to E2F target genes, blocking their transcription and cell cycle passage. Phosphorylation by cyclin-CDKcomplexes at S780 or S795 abolishes Rb-mediated repression, allowing transition into S phase. The present study compares Rb-E2F1 responses between euthermic and torpid states in five organs (brain, heart, kidney, liver, skeletal muscle) of 13-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). Immunoblotting assessed the expression of Rb, pRb (S780, S795), E2F1, and SUV39H1. Our findings demonstrate multi-tissue upregulation of Rb and SUV39H1 during torpor, with tissue-specific changes to E2F1 and pRb (S780), suggesting Rb-E2F1 contributes to cell cycle control in hibernation.

Lymphostatin, a virulence factor of attaching and effacing Escherichia coli, inhibits proliferation and cytokine responses of human T cells in a manner associated with cell cycle arrest but not apoptosis or necrosis.

Lymphostatin is a virulence factor of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and non-O157 serogroup enterohaemorrhagic E. coli. Previous studies using whole-cell lysates of EPEC showed that lymphostatin inhibits the mitogen-activated proliferation of bulk human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the production of cytokines IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-γ. Here, we used highly purified lymphostatin and PBMC-derived T cells to show that lymphostatin inhibits anti-CD3/anti-CD28-activated proliferation of human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and blocks the synthesis of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-γ without affecting cell viability and in a manner dependent on an N-terminal DTD glycosyltransferase motif. Such inhibition was not observed with T cells activated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin, implying that lymphostatin targets T cell receptor signaling. Analysis of the expression of CD69 indicated that lymphostatin suppresses T cell activation at an early stage and no impacts on apoptosis or necrosis were observed. Flow cytometric analysis of the DNA content of lymphostatin-treated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells showed a concentration- and DTD-dependent accumulation of the cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, and corresponding reduction of the percentage of cells in S phase. Consistent with this, we found a marked reduction in the abundance of cyclins D3, E and A and loss of phosphorylated Rb over time in activated T cells from 8 donors treated with lymphostatin. Moreover, the cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) inhibitor p27kip1, which inhibits progression of the cell cycle at G1 by acting on cyclin E-cdk2 or cyclin D-cdk4 complexes, was found to be accumulated in lymphostatin-treated T cells. Analysis of the abundance of phosphorylated kinases involved in signal transduction found that 30 of 39 were reduced in abundance following lymphostatin treatment of T cells from 5 donors, albeit not significantly so. Our data provide novel insights into the mode of action of lymphostatin on human T lymphocytes.

A Mechanistic Model for Cell Cycle Control in Which CDKs Act as Switches of Disordered Protein Phase Separation.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are presumed to control the cell cycle by phosphorylating a large number of proteins involved in S-phase and mitosis, two mechanistically disparate biological processes. While the traditional qualitative model of CDK-mediated cell cycle control relies on differences in inherent substrate specificity between distinct CDK-cyclin complexes, they are largely dispensable according to the opposing quantitative model, which states that changes in the overall CDK activity level promote orderly progression through S-phase and mitosis. However, a mechanistic explanation for how such an activity can simultaneously regulate many distinct proteins is lacking. New evidence suggests that the CDK-dependent phosphorylation of ostensibly very diverse proteins might be achieved due to underlying similarity of phosphorylation sites and of the biochemical effects of their phosphorylation: they are preferentially located within intrinsically disordered regions of proteins that are components of membraneless organelles, and they regulate phase separation. Here, we review this evidence and suggest a mechanism for how a single enzyme’s activity can generate the dynamics required to remodel the cell at mitosis.

The Potential Key Role of the NRF2/NQO1 Pathway in the Health Effects of Arsenic Pollution on SCC.

Arsenic is widely present in nature and is a common environmental poison that seriously damages human health. Chronic exposure to arsenic is a major environmental poisoning factor that promotes cell proliferation and leads to malignant transformation. However, its molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we found that arsenite can promote the transformation of immortalized human keratinocyte cells (HaCaT) from the G0/G1 phase to S phase and demonstrated malignant phenotypes. This phenomenon is accompanied by obviously elevated levels of NRF2, NQO1, Cyclin E, and Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2). Silencing the NRF2 expression with small interfering RNA (siRNA) in arsenite-transformed (T-HaCaT) cells was shown to reverse the malignant phenotype. Furthermore, the siRNA silencing of NQO1 significantly decreased the levels of the cyclin E-CDK2 complex, inhibiting the G0/G1 to S phase cell cycle progression and transformation to the T-HaCaT phenotypes. Thus, we hypothesized that the NRF2/NQO1 pathway played a key role in the arsenite-induced malignancy of HaCaT cells. By increasing the expression of Cyclin E-CDK2, the NRF2/NQO1 pathway can affect cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. A new common health effect mechanism of arsenic carcinogenesis has been identified; thus, it would contribute to the development of novel treatments to prevent and treat skin cancer caused by arsenic.

Effect of 5'-fluoro-2'-deoxycytidine, 5-azacytidine, and 5-aza-2'–deoxycytidine on DNA Methyltransferase 1, CIP/KIP Family, and INK4a/ARF in Colon Cancer HCT-116 Cell Line

Background: Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) are the negative regulator of cell cycle progression, which inhibits cyclin-cdk complexes, resulting in cell cycle arrest. Recently, we evaluated the effect of 5-Aza-CdR on DNMT1 gene expression in the WCH-17 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line. Objectives: The current study was designed to analyze the effects of 5-aza-2'–deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR, decitabine), 5-azacytidine (5-AzaC, vidaza), and 5'-fluoro-2'-deoxycytidine (FdCyd) on INK4a/ARF, CIP/KIP, and DNA methyltransferase 1 gene expression, apoptosis induction, and cell growth inhibition in colon cancer HCT-116 cell line. Methods: The colon cancer HCT-116 cell line was treated with 5-azaC, 5-Aza-CdR, and FdCyd at 24 and 48h. To determine colon cancer HCT-116 cell viability, cell apoptosis, and the relative expression level of the INK4a/ARF, CIP/KIP, and DNA methyltransferase 1 genes, MTT assay, flow cytometry, and qRT-PCR were done, respectively. Results: 5-azaC, 5-Aza-CdR, and FdCyd significantly inhibited colon cancer HCT-116 cell growth and induced apoptosis. Besides, they significantly increased CIP/KIP (p21CIP1, p27KIP1, and p57KIP2) and INK4 (p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a) and decreased DNMT1 gene expression. Besides, minimal and maximal apoptosis were seen in the groups treated with FdCyd and 5-Aza-CdR, respectively. The IC50 for CAF for FdCyd was 1.72 ± 0.23 and 1.63 ± 0.21μM at 24 and 48h, respectively. The IC50 for CAF for 5-AzaC was 2.18 ± 0.33 and 1.98 ± 0.29 μM at 24 and 48h, respectively. The IC50 for CAF for 5-Aza-CdR was 4.08 ± 0.61 and 3.18 ± 0.50 μM at 24 and 48h, respectively. Conclusions: The 5-azac, 5-Aza-CdR, and FdCyd can reactivate the INK4a/ARF and CIP/KIP families through inhibition of DNMT1 activity.

The emerging roles of the CDK/cyclin complexes in antiviral innate immunity.

More than 20 members of the human cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) family share the feature of being activated by cyclins. CDKs have been involved in diverse biological processes, such as cell cycle, transcription, DNA damage response, and apoptosis. If CDKs are not properly regulated, they can cause diseases like cancer. CDKs are Ser/Thr kinases that work with cyclins to control cell cycle progression. Various CDK-cyclin complexes phosphorylate particular target proteins and drive different cell cycle stages. Accumulating evidence demonstrated that CDKs play an essential role in the cell cycle; however, their roles in antiviral innate immunity are just emerging. This minireview summarizes how CDKs play their roles in antiviral innate immunity. Our goal is to draw attention to the involvement of CDKs in antiviral innate immunity, whether as separate entities or as components of CDK/cyclin complexes that have gotten less attention in the past.

Cell Cycle Progression and Synchronization: An Overview.

The cell cycle is the series of events that take place in a cell that drives it to divide and produce two new daughter cells. Through more than 100years of efforts by scientists, we now have a much clearer picture of cell cycle progression and its regulation. The typical cell cycle in eukaryotes is composed of the G1, S, G2, and M phases. The M phase is further divided into prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, and cytokinesis. Cell cycle progression is mediated by cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) and their regulatory cyclin subunits. However, the driving force of cell cycle progression is growth factor-initiated signaling pathways that controls the activity of various Cdk-cyclin complexes. Most cellular events, including DNA duplication, gene transcription, protein translation, and post-translational modification of proteins, occur in a cell-cycle-dependent manner. To understand these cellular events and their underlying molecular mechanisms, it is desirable to have a population of cells that are traversing the cell cycle synchronously. This can be achieved through a process called cell synchronization. Many methods have been developed to synchronize cells to the various phases of the cell cycle. These methods could be classified into two groups: synchronization methods using chemical inhibitors and synchronization methods without using chemical inhibitors. All these methods have their own merits and shortcomings.

Regulation of Cell Cycle Progression by Growth Factor-Induced Cell Signaling.

The cell cycle is the series of events that take place in a cell, which drives it to divide and produce two new daughter cells. The typical cell cycle in eukaryotes is composed of the following phases: G1, S, G2, and M phase. Cell cycle progression is mediated by cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) and their regulatory cyclin subunits. However, the driving force of cell cycle progression is growth factor-initiated signaling pathways that control the activity of various Cdk–cyclin complexes. While the mechanism underlying the role of growth factor signaling in G1 phase of cell cycle progression has been largely revealed due to early extensive research, little is known regarding the function and mechanism of growth factor signaling in regulating other phases of the cell cycle, including S, G2, and M phase. In this review, we briefly discuss the process of cell cycle progression through various phases, and we focus on the role of signaling pathways activated by growth factors and their receptor (mostly receptor tyrosine kinases) in regulating cell cycle progression through various phases.

The Correlation Study of Circadian Clock Gene BMAL1 Regulates the Biological Behavior of Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cell After Radiotherapy

To investigate the effect of circadian clock gene BMAL1 on proliferation and cell cycle of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma(NPC) CNE1 cells with different expression status, compare the expression level of pathway related proteins before and after radiotherapy, to further understand the mechanism of BMAL1 gene regulating the biological behavior of NPC cells, aim to explore the mechanism of BMAL1 gene regulating the expression of cell cycle related proteins through ATM/ATR pathway at the molecular level.Constructed CNE1 cell lines with BMAL1 gene overexpression group, control group, inhibitor group, blank group. Using Western blot (WB) to detect the overexpression of BMAL1 gene at protein level and the expression of ATM/ATR pathway related proteins. The absorbance of cells with the same number of plates was determined by a cell counting kit for 6 consecutive days. The effect of BMAL1 gene on the proliferation rate of CNE1 was analyzed. The effect of BMAL1 gene on cell cycle of CNE1 was studied by flow cytometry. Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) was used to detect the interaction between BMAL1 gene and ATM/ATR checkpoints.WB showed BMAL1 gene had a higher expression in the overexpression group. In the BMAL1 gene overexpression group, the absorbance values of CNE1 cells were lower at 1 to 6 days, the proportion of G0/G1 phase cells was higher, the relative protein expression of P21,P27 were higher. Co-IP confirmed the interaction between BMAL1 gene and the checkpoints of ATM/ATR pathway before and after radiotherapy. The protein expression of upstream genes of ATM/ATR pathway in the overexpression group was significantly higher before radiotherapy (P < 0.05). The protein expression of the upstream genes of ATM/ATR pathway increased significantly, while the expression of the downstream genes decreased significantly after radiotherapy. Comparing with the overexpression group and inhibitor group showed when the ATM/ATR pathway blocked by inhibitor KU55933, the expression of ATM/ATR pathway upstream genes decreased, and the expression of downstream genes increased. The expression of p-chk1 in blank group, control group and overexpression group after radiotherapy was significantly higher than before, all the difference were statistically significant.The circadian clock gene BMAL1 inhibits the proliferation of NPC cell line CNE1, arrests cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase by up-regulate the expression of P21,P27 and P53.The response of ATM/ATR pathway could be activated after radiotherapy, the overexpression of Bmal1 gene could up-regulate the expression of ATM/ATR pathway upstream genes such as p-chk1 and p-chk2,then inhibited the activity of downstream Cyclin-CDK complexes by phosphorylated CDC25A and CDC25C,finally achieved the function of blocking cell cycle after radiotherapy.

Tiroid papiller karsinom, papiller mikrokarsinom ve tiroid papiller karsinomun lenf nodu metastazında apoptoz ve hücre siklusu ile ilişkili belirleyicilerin (p16, p2l, p27, p53, bcl-2, bax, bcl-xl ve siklin-D1) doku microarray yöntemiyle saptanması

AObjective: The aim of this study was to identify the role of apoptosis and cell cycle associated gene products in the pathogenesis of thyroid papillary carcinoma (TPC) and its lymph node metastasis.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: Cases of thyroid papillary carcinoma (n=35), thyroid papillary microcarcinoma (TPMC) (n=22), TPC-lymph node metastasis (TPC-LNM) (n=12), and adenomatous nodule (AN) (n=20) were examined using tissue microarray method (TMA) by immunohistochemistry staining for p16, p21, p27, p53, bcl-2, bax, bcl-xL and cyclin D1.&#x0D; Results: Bcl-2 staining of the ANs was significantly differed from those of malignant groups. p53, p16, p21 staining percentages were significantly higher in the malignant groups than in the benign lesions. TPC-LNM group had higher p16 and cyclin D1 positivity than the primary tumor groups. The most remarkable difference of p27 staining was between the TPC-LNM and TPC groups.&#x0D; Conclusion: We concluded that cell cycle regulators, especially bcl-2 family, play important roles in TPC carcinogenesis. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors acting on the cyclin-CDK complex (p16, p21, p27) were more associated with potential for malignancy, progression and poor prognosis. p53 plays an important role in the TPC pathogenesis by interacting with the proteins regulating both apoptosis and the cell cycle.

Targeting RB1 Loss in Cancers.

Simple SummaryIrreversible defects in RB1 tumor suppressor functions often predict poor outcomes in cancer patients. However, the RB1-defecient status can be a benefit as well for them, as it generates a variety of vulnerabilities induced through the upregulation of RB1 targets, relief from functional restrictions due to RB1 binding, presence of genes whose inactivation cause synthetic lethality with RB1 loss, or collateral synthetic lethality owing to simultaneous loss of neighboring genes.Retinoblastoma protein 1 (RB1) is encoded by a tumor suppressor gene that was discovered more than 30 years ago. Almost all mitogenic signals promote cell cycle progression by braking on the function of RB1 protein through mono- and subsequent hyper-phosphorylation mediated by cyclin-CDK complexes. The loss of RB1 function drives tumorigenesis in limited types of malignancies including retinoblastoma and small cell lung cancer. In a majority of human cancers, RB1 function is suppressed during tumor progression through various mechanisms. The latter gives rise to the acquisition of various phenotypes that confer malignant progression. The RB1-targeted molecules involved in such phenotypic changes are good quarries for cancer therapy. Indeed, a variety of novel therapies have been proposed to target RB1 loss. In particular, the inhibition of a number of mitotic kinases appeared to be synthetic lethal with RB1 deficiency. A recent study focusing on a neighboring gene that is often collaterally deleted together with RB1 revealed a pharmacologically targetable vulnerability in RB1-deficient cancers. Here we summarize current understanding on possible therapeutic approaches targeting functional or genomic aberration of RB1 in cancers.