Objective:The hyperactivated neddylation pathway plays an important role in tumorigenesis and is emerging as a promising anticancer target.We aimed to study whether NEDD8(neural precursor cell expressed,developmentall...Objective:The hyperactivated neddylation pathway plays an important role in tumorigenesis and is emerging as a promising anticancer target.We aimed to study whether NEDD8(neural precursor cell expressed,developmentally down-regulated 8)might serve as a therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods:The clinical relevance of NEDD8 expression was evaluated by using The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database and tissue arrays.NEDD8-knockdown ESCC cells generated with the CRISPR/Cas9 system were used to explore the anticancer effects and mechanisms.Quantitative proteomic analysis was used to examine the variations in NEDD8 knockdown-induced biological pathways.The cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed with fluorescence activated cell sorting.A subcutaneous-transplantation mouse tumor model was established to investigate the anticancer potential of NEDD8 silencing in vivo.Results:NEDD8 was upregulated at both the mRNA and protein expression levels in ESCC,and NEDD8 overexpression was associated with poorer overall patient survival(mRNA level:P=0.028,protein level:P=0.026,log-rank test).Downregulation of NEDD8 significantly suppressed tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo.Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that downregulation of NEDD8 induced cell cycle arrest,DNA damage,and apoptosis in ESCC cells.Mechanistic studies demonstrated that NEDD8 knockdown led to the accumulation of cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases(CRLs)substrates through inactivation of CRLs,thus suppressing the malignant phenotype by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in ESCC.Rescue experiments demonstrated that the induction of apoptosis after NEDD8 silencing was attenuated by DR5 knockdown.Conclusions:Our study elucidated the anti-ESCC effects and underlying mechanisms of NEDD8 knockdown,and validated NEDD8 as a potential target for ESCC therapy.展开更多
Dear Editor,Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)is the major histologic subtype of esophageal cancer with high incidence and mortality.1 However,few achievements have been made in the development of targeted drugs...Dear Editor,Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)is the major histologic subtype of esophageal cancer with high incidence and mortality.1 However,few achievements have been made in the development of targeted drugs.2 Neddylation,a reversible post-translational modification,attaches ubiquitin-like molecule NEDD8 to substrates in a three-step enzymatic reaction catalyzed by NEDD8-activating enzyme E1(NAE,NAE1 and UBA3 heterodimer),NEDD8-conjugating enzyme E2s(UBE2M/UBC12 or UBE2F)and substrate-specific NEDD8-E3 ligases.3 The best-characterized substrates of neddylation are cullin family proteins,the essential components of multiunit Cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases(CRLs).4 Currently,the inhibition of cullin neddylation by targeting overactivated neddylation pathway has emerged as an attractive approach for anticancer therapy.5,6 Our previous study reported that MLN4924,a specific inhibitor of NAE,significantly inhibited the tumor growth of ESCC by blocking cullin neddylation and inactivating CRLs activity.7 However,recent studies found that MLN4924 treatment-emergent NAE mutations would confer the drug resistance.8,9 Therefore,it is urgent to identify other neddylation enzymes(E2s or E3s)as alternative anticancer targets and develop novel anti-ESCC strategies.展开更多
基金This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.81602072,81902380,81820108022,and 81625018)Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(Grant No.2019-01-07-00-10-E00056)+5 种基金Program of Shanghai Academic/Technology Research Leader(Grant No.18XD1403800)National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2015AA021107-019)Scientific Research Project of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission(Grant No.18411960600)Shanghai Technological Innovation Action Projects(Grant No.18411950800)Shanghai‘Rising Stars of Medical Talent’Youth Development Program,Outstanding Youth Medical Talents,2018the Shanghai Sailing Program(Grant No.17YF1405000).
文摘Objective:The hyperactivated neddylation pathway plays an important role in tumorigenesis and is emerging as a promising anticancer target.We aimed to study whether NEDD8(neural precursor cell expressed,developmentally down-regulated 8)might serve as a therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods:The clinical relevance of NEDD8 expression was evaluated by using The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database and tissue arrays.NEDD8-knockdown ESCC cells generated with the CRISPR/Cas9 system were used to explore the anticancer effects and mechanisms.Quantitative proteomic analysis was used to examine the variations in NEDD8 knockdown-induced biological pathways.The cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed with fluorescence activated cell sorting.A subcutaneous-transplantation mouse tumor model was established to investigate the anticancer potential of NEDD8 silencing in vivo.Results:NEDD8 was upregulated at both the mRNA and protein expression levels in ESCC,and NEDD8 overexpression was associated with poorer overall patient survival(mRNA level:P=0.028,protein level:P=0.026,log-rank test).Downregulation of NEDD8 significantly suppressed tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo.Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that downregulation of NEDD8 induced cell cycle arrest,DNA damage,and apoptosis in ESCC cells.Mechanistic studies demonstrated that NEDD8 knockdown led to the accumulation of cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases(CRLs)substrates through inactivation of CRLs,thus suppressing the malignant phenotype by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in ESCC.Rescue experiments demonstrated that the induction of apoptosis after NEDD8 silencing was attenuated by DR5 knockdown.Conclusions:Our study elucidated the anti-ESCC effects and underlying mechanisms of NEDD8 knockdown,and validated NEDD8 as a potential target for ESCC therapy.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81602072,No.81902380,No.81820108022,No.81625018)National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(No.2015AA021107-019)+5 种基金Scientific Research Project of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission(No.18411960600)Program of Shanghai Academic/Technology Research Leader(No.18XD1403800)Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(No.2019-01-07-00-10-E00056)Shanghai Technological Innovation Action Projects(No.18411950800)Shanghai Sailing Program(No.2017YF1405000)Shanghai‘Rising Stars of Medical Talent’Youth Development Program,Outstanding Youth Medical Talents,2018.
文摘Dear Editor,Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)is the major histologic subtype of esophageal cancer with high incidence and mortality.1 However,few achievements have been made in the development of targeted drugs.2 Neddylation,a reversible post-translational modification,attaches ubiquitin-like molecule NEDD8 to substrates in a three-step enzymatic reaction catalyzed by NEDD8-activating enzyme E1(NAE,NAE1 and UBA3 heterodimer),NEDD8-conjugating enzyme E2s(UBE2M/UBC12 or UBE2F)and substrate-specific NEDD8-E3 ligases.3 The best-characterized substrates of neddylation are cullin family proteins,the essential components of multiunit Cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases(CRLs).4 Currently,the inhibition of cullin neddylation by targeting overactivated neddylation pathway has emerged as an attractive approach for anticancer therapy.5,6 Our previous study reported that MLN4924,a specific inhibitor of NAE,significantly inhibited the tumor growth of ESCC by blocking cullin neddylation and inactivating CRLs activity.7 However,recent studies found that MLN4924 treatment-emergent NAE mutations would confer the drug resistance.8,9 Therefore,it is urgent to identify other neddylation enzymes(E2s or E3s)as alternative anticancer targets and develop novel anti-ESCC strategies.
