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Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis identifies the potential therapeutic target EphA2 for overcoming sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

ABSTRACT: Limited therapeutic options are available for advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma owing to its poor diagnosis. Drug resistance to sorafenib, the only available targeted agent, is commonly reported. The comprehensive elucidation of the mechanisms underlying sorafenib resistance may thus aid in the development of more efficacious therapeutic agents. To clarify the signaling changes contributing to resistance, we applied quantitative phosphoproteomics to analyze the differential phosphorylation changes between parental and sorafenib-resistant HuH-7 cells. Consequently, an average of ~1500 differential phosphoproteins were identified and quantified, among which 533 were significantly upregulated in resistant cells. Further bioinformatic integration via functional categorization annotation, pathway enrichment and interaction linkage analysis led to the discovery of alterations in pathways associated with cell adhesion and motility, cell survival and cell growth and the identification of a novel target, EphA2, in resistant HuH-7R cells. In vitro functional analysis indicated that the suppression of EphA2 function impairs cell proliferation and motility and, most importantly, overcomes sorafenib resistance. The attenuation of sorafenib resistance may be achieved prior to its development through the modulation of EphA2 and the subsequent inhibition of Akt activity. Binding analyses and in silico modeling revealed a ligand mimic lead compound, prazosin, that could abate the ligand-independent oncogenic activity of EphA2. Finally, data obtained from in vivo animal models verified that the simultaneous inhibition of EphA2 with sorafenib treatment can effectively overcome sorafenib resistance and extend the projected survival of resistant tumor-bearing mice. Thus our findings regarding the targeting of EphA2 may provide an effective approach for overcoming sorafenib resistance and may contribute to the management of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

SUBMITTER: Chen CT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7156679 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis identifies the potential therapeutic target EphA2 for overcoming sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Chen Chih-Ta CT Liao Li-Zhu LZ Lu Ching-Hui CH Huang Yung-Hsuan YH Lin Yu-Kie YK Lin Jung-Hsin JH Chow Lu-Ping LP

Experimental & molecular medicine 20200319 3

Limited therapeutic options are available for advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma owing to its poor diagnosis. Drug resistance to sorafenib, the only available targeted agent, is commonly reported. The comprehensive elucidation of the mechanisms underlying sorafenib resistance may thus aid in the development of more efficacious therapeutic agents. To clarify the signaling changes contributing to resistance, we applied quantitative phosphoproteomics to analyze the differential phosphorylation ...[more]

PMID: 32203105

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Project description:Abstract: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an important role in the induction of chemo-resistance. The objectives of this study were to clarify the mechanism underlying CAF-mediated sorafenib/lenvatinib resistance and identify a novel therapeutic target to overcome resistance to sorafenib/lenvatinib in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS) data of nine pairs of CAFs and para-cancer-associated fibroblasts (PAFs) were analyzed to identify key molecules that induce resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to validate selected targets and related mechanisms. Plasma secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) expression levels prior to sorafenib/lenvatinib treatment as well as progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of an advanced HCC cohort (n=42) were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results: Co-culturing CAFs and HCC cells significantly reduced the responsiveness of HCC cells to sorafenib/lenvatinib, in vitro and in vivo. Systematic integrative analysis of the WTS data of CAFs/PAFs and publicly available gene expression data indicated that CAF-derived SPP1 (CAF-SPP1) was suitable for use as a candidate molecule to induce sorafenib/lenvatinib resistance. An evaluation of the mechanisms involved indicated that CAF-SPP1 increased phosphorylation of PKCɑ, which then activated rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (RAF)-extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and phosophoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT-mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) in HCC cells. SPP1 inhibitors reversed CAF-induced sorafenib/lenvatinib resistance in vitro and in vivo. Patients showing high plasma SPP1 prior to sorafenib/lenvatinib treatment exhibited significantly poor PFS (P=0.005) and OS (P=0.041). Conclusions: CAF-SPP1 enhances sorafenib/lenvatinib resistance in HCC by alternatively activating oncogenic pathways via PKCɑ phosphorylation. Inhibition of CAF-SPP1 may be utilized as a therapeutic strategy against TKI resistance in HCC. Plasma SPP1 level prior to TKI treatment shows potential as a promising biomarker for predicting sorafenib/lenvatinib response in advanced HCC patients.

Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide with poor prognosis due to resistance to conventional chemotherapy and limited efficacy of radiotherapy. There is an urgent need to develop novel biomarkers for early diagnosis, as well as to identify new drug targets for therapeutic interventions.54 paired HCC samples and 21 normal liver tissues were obtained from West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Informed consent was obtained from all the patients or their relatives prior to analysis, and the project was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of Sichuan University. Stable Isotope Labeling with Amino Acids in Cell Culture (SILAC)-based proteomics was employed to profile the differentially expressed proteins between a HepG2 human hepatoma cell line and an immortal hepatic cell line L02. Validation of PGAM1 expression was performed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblot and immunohistochemistry using clinical samples. shRNA expressing plasmids specifically targeting PGAM1 were designed and constructed by GenePharma Corporation (Shanghai, China), and were utilized to silence expression of PGAM1 in vitro and in vivo. Cell proliferation was measured by a combination of colony formation assay and Ki67 staining. Apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry and TUNEL assay.A total of 63 dysregulated proteins were identified, including 51 up-regulated proteins, and 12 down-regulated proteins (over 2-fold, p < 0.01). Phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1) was found markedly upregulated. Clinico-pathological analysis indicated that overexpression of PGAM1 was associated with 66.7% HCC, and strongly correlated with poor differentiation and decreased survival rates (p < 0.01). shRNAs-mediated repression of PGAM1 expression resulted in significant inhibition in liver cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo.Our studies suggested that PGAM1 plays an important role in hepatocarcinogenesis, and should be a potential diagnostic biomarker, as well as an attractive therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Dataset Information

Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis identifies the potential therapeutic target EphA2 for overcoming sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Publications

Quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis identifies the potential therapeutic target EphA2 for overcoming sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

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