Decreased Expression of EIF4A1 After Preoperative Brachytherapy Predicts Better Tumor-Specific Survival in Cervical Cancer
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GYNECOLOGICAL CANCER
Authors: Liang, Shanhui; Zhou, Yuqi; Chen, Yiran; Ke, Guihao; Wen, Hao; Wu, Xiaohua
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate whether EIF4A1, EIF4E, and EIF4G1 can serve as prognostic markers for patients with cervical cancer receiving preoperative brachytherapy. Materials and Methods: Tissue microarrays composed of 35 normal cervix samples, 87 cervical cancers treated without preoperative therapy, and 50 pairs of cervical cancer tissues collected before and after preoperative brachytherapy were constructed and evaluated for the expression of EIF4A1, EIF4E, and EIF4G using immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemical staining was scored by the staining intensity and the percentages of tumor cells. The chi(2) test was used to analyze the association between the immunohistochemistry results and clinicopathologic variables. The Kaplan-Meier method was applied to analyze the disease-specific survival. Results: Overexpression of EIF4A1, EIF4E, and EIF4G1 were detected in 83.9%, 84.7%, and 80.3% of cervical cancers, respectively, all of which were significantly related to advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, squamous cell histology, lymph node metastasis, and deep stromal invasion (P < 0.05). The altered expression pattern of EIF4A1 and EIF4E after preoperative brachytherapy was significantly correlated with the cervical cancer response to brachytherapy (P = 0.029 and 0.012, respectively). The decreased expression of EIF4A1 predicted better tumor-specific survival (P = 0.02). The alteration of EIF4A1 was an independent predictor for tumor-specific survival (P = 0.047; hazards ratio, 0.272; 95% confidence interval, 0.076-0.982). Conclusions: Overexpression of EIF4A1, EIF4E, and EIF4G1 were acquired malignant phenotypic features of cervical cancer. EIF4A1 might function as a novel prognostic indicator and a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer.
Identification of a novel E-box binding pyrrole-imidazole polyamide inhibiting MYC-driven cell proliferation
CANCER SCIENCE
Authors: Mishra, Rajeev; Watanabe, Takayoshi; Kimura, Makoto T.; Koshikawa, Nobuko; Ikeda, Maki; Uekusa, Shota; Kawashima, Hiroyuki; Wang, Xiaofei; Igarashi, Jun; Choudhury, Diptiman; Grandori, Carla; Kemp, Christopher J.; Ohira, Miki; Verma, Narendra K.; Kobayashi, Yujin; Takeuchi, Jin; Koshinaga, Tsugumichi; Nemoto, Norimichi; Fukuda, Noboru; Soma, Masayoshi; Kusafuka, Takeshi; Fujiwara, Kyoko; Nagase, Hiroki
Abstract
The MYC transcription factor plays a crucial role in the regulation of cell cycle progression, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and cellular transformation. Due to its oncogenic activities and overexpression in a majority of human cancers, it is an interesting target for novel drug therapies. MYC binding to the E-box (5-CACGTGT-3) sequence at gene promoters contributes to more than 4000 MYC-dependent transcripts. Owing to its importance in MYC regulation, we designed a novel sequence-specific DNA-binding pyrrole-imidazole (PI) polyamide, Myc-5, that recognizes the E-box consensus sequence. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the Myc-5 binding sequence appeared in 5- MYC binding E-box sequences at the eIF4G1, CCND1, and CDK4 gene promoters. Furthermore, ChIP coupled with detection by quantitative PCR indicated that Myc-5 has the ability to inhibit MYC binding at the target gene promoters and thus cause downregulation at the mRNA level and protein expression of its target genes in human Burkitt's lymphoma model cell line, P493.6, carrying an inducible MYC repression system and the K562 (human chronic myelogenous leukemia) cell line. Single i.v. injection of Myc-5 at 7.5mg/kg dose caused significant tumor growth inhibition in a MYC-dependent tumor xenograft model without evidence of toxicity. We report here a compelling rationale for the identification of a PI polyamide that inhibits a part of E-box-mediated MYC downstream gene expression and is a model for showing that phenotype-associated MYC downstream gene targets consequently inhibit MYC-dependent tumor growth.