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Background/Aim: Trastuzumab is the only clinically approved targeted therapy for HER2 gene-amplified gastric cancer at present. However, the clinical significance of multi-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in HER2-positive gastric cancer remains unclear. Materials and Methods: We examined the anti-tumor activity of lapatinib and afatinib, that are reversible and irreversible TKIs, in HER2 gene-amplified trastuzumab-sensitive and - resistant gastric cancer cells (GLM-1 and GLM-1HerR2) in vitro and in vivo. Results: Afatinib inhibited the growth of GLM-1 and GLM-1HerR2 cells in vitro more efficiently than lapatinib by inducing G1 cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Preclinical studies in mice revealed that afatinib inhibited growth of intraperitoneal GLM-1 and subcutaneous GLM-1HerR2 tumor more strongly than lapatinib. Afatinib was more effective than lapatinib in blocking PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling in both GLM-1 and GLM-1HerR2 cells. Conclusion: Afatinib could be a potential new molecular-targeted therapy for trastuzumab-sensitive and trastuzumab-resistant HER2 gene-amplified gastric cancers.

The prognosis of glioblastoma remains poor despite intensive research efforts. Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) contribute to tumorigenesis, invasive capacity, and therapy resistance. Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5), a stem cell marker, is involved in the maintenance of GSCs, although the properties of Lgr5-positive GSCs remain unclear. Here, the Sleeping-Beauty transposon-induced glioblastoma model was used in Lgr5-GFP knock-in mice identify GFP-positive cells in neurosphere cultures from mouse glioblastoma tissues. Global gene expression analysis showed that Gli2 was highly expressed in GFP-positive GSCs. Gli2 knockdown using lentiviral-mediated shRNA downregulated Hedgehog-related and Wnt signaling pathway-related genes, including Lgr5; suppressed tumor cell proliferation and invasion capacity; and induced apoptosis. Pharmacological Gli inhibition with GANT61 suppressed tumor cell proliferation. Silencing Gli2 suppressed the tumorigenicity of GSCs in an orthotopic transplantation model in vivo. These findings suggest that Gli2 affects the Hedgehog and Wnt pathways and plays an important role in GSC maintenance, suggesting Gli2 as a therapeutic target for glioblastoma treatment.

γ-Glutamylcyclotransferase (GGCT) is highly expressed in multiple types of cancer tissues and its knockdown suppresses the growth of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Although GGCT is a promising target for cancer therapy, the mechanisms underlying the antitumor effects remain unclear. The knockdown of GGCT inhibited the MEK-ERK pathway, and activated the tumor suppressor retinoblastoma gene ( RB ) at the protein level in cancer cell lines. c-Met was down-regulated by the knockdown of GGCT in cancer cells and its overexpression attenuated the dephosphorylation of RB and cell cycle arrest induced by the knockdown of GGCT in lung cancer A549 cells. STAT3 is a transcription factor that induces c-Met expression. STAT3 phosphorylation and its nuclear expression level were decreased in GGCT-depleted A549 and prostate cancer PC3 cells. The simultaneous knockdown of AMPK and GGCT restored the down-regulated expression of c-Met, and attenuated the dephosphorylation of STAT3 and MEK-ERK-RB induced by the knockdown of GGCT in PC3 cells. An intraperitoneal injection of a GGCT inhibitor decreased c-Met protein expression in a mouse xenograft model of PC3 cells. These results suggest that the knockdown of GGCT activates the RB protein by inhibiting the STAT3-c-Met-MEK-ERK pathway via AMPK activation.

Osteosarcoma (OS) in humans is characterized by alterations in the TP53 gene. In mice, loss of p53 triggers OS development, for which c‐Myc (Myc) oncogenicity is indispensable. However, little is known about which genes are targeted by Myc to promote tumorigenesis. Here, we examined the role of γ‐glutamylcyclotransferase (Ggct) which is a component enzyme of the γ‐glutamyl cycle essential for glutathione homeostasis, in human and mouse OS development. We found that GGCT is a poor prognostic factor for human OS, and that deletion of Ggct suppresses p53‐deficient osteosarcomagenesis in mice. Myc upregulates Ggct directly by binding to the Ggct promoter, and deletion of a Myc binding site therein by genome editing attenuated the tumorigenic potential of p53‐deficient OS cells. Taken together, these results show a rationale that GGCT is widely upregulated in cancer cells and solidify its suitability as a target for anticancer drugs. Gamma‐glutamylcyclotransferase (Ggct) is upregulated in human osteosarcoma (OS) and is an unfavorable prognostic factor. Ggct promotes development of p53‐deficient OS in mice.

Metabolic reprogramming leading to aerobic glycolysis, termed the “Warburg effect,” is a critical property of cancer cells. However, the precise mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not fully understood. A growing body of evidence indicates that γ-glutamylcyclotransferase (GGCT), an enzyme involved in glutathione homeostasis that is highly expressed in many types of cancer, represents a promising therapeutic target. In this study, we identified GGCT as a novel regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), a transcription factor that plays a role in hypoxia adaptation promoting aerobic glycolysis. In multiple human cancer cell lines, depletion of GGCT downregulated HIF-1α at the mRNA and protein levels. Conversely, in NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts, overexpression of GGCT upregulated HIF-1α under normoxia. Moreover, depletion of GGCT downregulated HIF-1α downstream target genes involved in glycolysis, whereas overexpression of GGCT upregulated those genes. Metabolomic analysis revealed that modulation of GGCT expression induced a metabolic switch from the citric acid cycle to glycolysis under normoxia. In addition, we found that GGCT regulates expression of HIF-1α protein via the AMPK–mTORC1–4E-BP1 pathway in PC3 cells. Thus GGCT regulates the expression of HIF-1α in cancer cells, causing a switch to glycolysis.

Death receptor 5 (DR5) is a receptor for tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). TRAIL is a promising candidate for cancer therapeutics due to its ability to induce apoptosis selectively in cancer cells. Here, we report that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) such as trichostatin A (TSA), sodium butyrate, and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) upregulated DR5 expression in various human malignant tumor cells. An RNase protection assay demonstrated that HDACIs induced DR5 mRNA markedly but not that of other death receptor family members in Jurkat cells. HDACIs increased DR5 mRNA and protein in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We also show TSA increased DR5 promoter activity using a luciferase promoter assay. Furthermore, we demonstrated that HDACIs strongly sensitized exogenous soluble recombinant human TRAIL-induced apoptosis synergistically in Jurkat and HL-60 cells that were tolerant to TRAIL alone. The combined use of HDACIs and TRAIL in suboptimal concentrations induced Bid cleavage and activation of caspase-8, -10, -3, and -9. Human recombinant DR5/Fc chimera protein, zVAD-fmk pancaspase inhibitor, and caspase-8 and -10 inhibitors efficiently reduced apoptosis induced by cotreatment with HDACIs and TRAIL. Furthermore, TSA did not significantly induce DR5 protein and HDACIs did not enhance TRAIL-induced apoptosis in normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results suggest that this combined treatment with HDACIs and TRAIL is a promising strategy for new cancer therapeutics.

Podoplanin is distinctively overexpressed in oral squamous cell carcinoma than oral benign neoplasms and plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma but its diagnostic application is quite limited. Here, we report a new near-infrared fluorescence imaging method using an indocyanine green (ICG)–labeled anti-podoplanin antibody and a desktop/a handheld ICG detection device for the visualization of oral squamous cell carcinoma–xenografted tumors in nude mice. Both near-infrared imaging methods using a desktop (in vivo imaging system: IVIS) and a handheld device (photodynamic eye: PDE) successfully detected oral squamous cell carcinoma tumors in nude mice in a podoplanin expression–dependent manner with comparable sensitivity. Of these 2 devices, only near-infrared imaging methods using a handheld device visualized oral squamous cell carcinoma xenografts in mice in real time. Furthermore, near-infrared imaging methods using the handheld device (PDE) could detect smaller podoplanin-positive oral squamous cell carcinoma tumors than a non-near-infrared, autofluorescence-based imaging method. Based on these results, a near-infrared imaging method using an ICG-labeled anti-podoplanin antibody and a handheld detection device (PDE) allows the sensitive, semiquantitative, and real-time imaging of oral squamous cell carcinoma tumors and therefore represents a useful tool for the detection and subsequent monitoring of malignant oral neoplasms in both preclinical and some clinical settings.

Background/Aim: DJ-1, an oncogenic molecule, helps to maintain somatic stem cells by reducing the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study investigated the role of DJ-1 in glioma stem cells (GSCs). Materials and Methods: U87-MG (U87) and U251-MG (U251) glioblastoma cell lines that express wild-type and mutant p53, respectively, were used. These were cultured with DJ-1-targeting siRNA and subjected to a variety of in vitro experiments or intracranial transplantation into nude mice. Results: Knockdown of DJ-1 reduced clonogenicity only in U87 cells, which was rescued by p53 depletion. ROS accumulated in DJ-1-depleted cells, although treatment with N-acetyl cysteine, which quenches ROS, did not affect exhaustion of CSCs among U87 cells by DJ-1 knockdown. In a serial transplantation study, DJ-1 knockdown prolonged the survival of mice in secondary transplantation. Conclusion: DJ-1 plays a pivotal role in maintenance of stem cell self-renewal in the U87 cell line.

Luteolin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, induces apoptosis in various cancer cells. Little is known however concerning the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for this activity. In this report, we reveal a novel mechanism by which luteolin-induced apoptosis occurs, and show for the first time that the apoptosis by luteolin is mediated through death receptor 5 (DR5) upregulation. Luteolin markedly induced the expression of DR5, along with Bcl-2-interacting domain cleavage and the activation of caspase-8, -10, -9 and -3. In addition, suppression of DR5 expression with siRNA efficiently reduced luteolin-induced caspase activation and apoptosis. Human recombinant DR5/Fc also inhibited luteolin-induced apoptosis. On the other hand, luteolin induced neither DR5 protein expression nor apoptosis in normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results suggest that DR5 induced by luteolin plays a role in luteolin-induced apoptosis, and raises the possibility that treatment with luteolin might be promising as a new therapy against cancer.