Wang J and Hegele RA, Hum Genet. 2003 Apr;112(4):404-8. Epub 2003 Feb 6.
Hereditary cystathioninuria (MIM 219500) is presumed to be caused by deficiency of the activity of cystathionine gamma-lyase (cystathionase; CTH EC 4.4.1.1), which is normally required for the conversion of methionine into cysteine. To date, no mutations have be
en described among patients with cystathioninuria. From genomic DNA, we sequenced CTH in four unrelated probands with cystathioninuria. We found two nonsense mutations, namely exon 8 c.940-941delCT and exon 11 c.1220delC, and two missense mutations, namely exon 2 c.356C>T (T67I) and exon 7 c.874C>G (Q240E). All affected subjects were either simple homozygotes or compound heterozygotes. A common non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in exon 12, namely c.1364G>T (S403I), was also identified and characterized in four ethnic groups. The reagents described in this report make the molecular diagnosis of cystathioninuria possible, allowing for studies of phenotype-genotype correlation. Also, the availability of a common non-synonymous SNP can allow for testing of association of the CTH gene with biochemical traits affected by trans-sulfuration, such as plasma concentrations of homocysteine or even cystathionine itself, in addition to more downstream clinical phenotypes, such as vascular disease.
Prostaglandin reductase 2 (PTGR2) is the enzyme that catalyzes 15-keto-PGE2, an endogenous PPARgamma ligand, into 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGE2. Previously, we have reported a novel oncogenic role of PTGR2 in gastric cancer, where PTGR2 was discovered to modulate ROS-mediated cell death and tumor trans
formation. In the present study, we demonstrated the oncogenic potency of PTGR2 in pancreatic cancer. First, we observed that the majority of the human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues was stained positive for PTGR2 expression but not in the adjacent normal parts. In vitro analyses showed that silencing of PTGR2 expression enhanced ROS production, suppressed pancreatic cell proliferation, and promoted cell death through increasing 15-keto-PGE2. Mechanistically, silencing of PTGR2 or addition of 15-keto-PGE2 suppressed the expressions of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (xCT) and cystathionine gamma-lyase (CTH), two important providers of intracellular cysteine for the generation of glutathione (GSH), which is widely accepted as the first-line antioxidative defense. The oxidative stress-mediated cell death after silencing of PTGR2 or addition of 15-keto-PGE2 was further abolished after restoring intracellular GSH concentrations and cysteine supply by N-acetyl-L-cysteine and 2-Mercaptomethanol. Our data highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting PTGR2/15-keto-PGE2 for pancreatic cancer.
Fabry disease is an X-linked disorder of glycosphingolipid metabolism resulting from a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-galactosidase A. This deficiency leads to the progressive accumulation, in lysosomes of visceral tissues and in body fluids of hemizygotes, of the glycosphingolipids globo
triaosylceramide (CTH, Gb(3) or GL-3) and galabiosylceramide (CDH) and to a lesser extent the blood group AB and B related glycolipids. Elevated levels of the glycosphingolipids are found in the urine of hemizygous males with the classic phenotype, but it is not known whether all symptomatic or asymptomatic heterozygotes have elevated levels. We have therefore measured CTH and CDH quantitatively in a multiplex assay using tandem mass spectrometry in urine from a large cohort (44) of genetically proven or obligate heterozygotes including four with the N215S mutation, from classic hemizygotes (28), from cardiac variant hemizygotes with the N215S mutation (6) and from normal controls. The levels of CTH and CDH were related to both creatinine and sphingomyelin. Urinary CTH was elevated in all 28 classic hemizygotes but only in 4/6 of the cardiac variants. The level was within or just above the normal reference range in the four individuals heterozygous for the N215S mutation but was elevated in 38/40 of the other heterozygotes. Similar results were obtained for CDH, except that only 34/40 heterozygotes had an elevated level. The level of CDH was not elevated in the four heterozygotes and 4/6 of the hemizygotes for the N215S mutation. Combining the levels of CTH and CDH did not improve the discrimination of heterozygotes from controls. The ratio of CDH to CTH was higher in heterozygotes than in hemizygotes. Measurement of urinary CTH gave the best discrimination of heterozygotes from controls.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes acute and chronic liver diseases, but is not directly cytopathic. Liver injury results from repeated attempts of the cellular immune response system to control the viral infection. Here, we investigate the roles of cellular factors and signaling pathways invo
lved in the regulation of HBV replication to reveal the mechanism underlying HBV infection and pathogenesis. We show that collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) expression is elevated in HBV-infected patients and in HBV-transfected cells through epigenetic modification and transcriptional regulation. CTHRC1 facilitates HBV replication in cultured cells and BALB/c mice by activating the PKCalpha/ERK/JNK/c-Jun cascade to repress the IFN/JAK/STAT pathway. HBV-activated CTHRC1 downregulates the activity of type I interferon (IFN), the production of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), and the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1/2 (STAT1/2), whereas it upregulates the phosphorylation and ubiquitination of type I IFN receptors (IFNARalpha/beta). Thus, our results show that HBV uses a novel mechanism to hijack cellular factors and signal cascades in order to evade host antiviral immunity and maintain persistent infection. We also demonstrate that CTHRC1 has a novel role in viral infection.
Liu J, etal., Oncol Lett. 2018 Apr;15(4):5561-5568. doi: 10.3892/ol.2018.8069. Epub 2018 Feb 16.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignancies. Aberrant expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to have strong associations with colorectal cancer by repressing their targets. Therefore, miRNAs are thought to have significant promise in the diagnosis and prognosis of colorecta
l cancer. Previous studies indicated that miR-155 and collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) were both involved in pathogenesis of colorectal cancer, but the underlying mechanisms of miR-155 and CTHRC1 are still unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the biological functions of miR-155 and CTHRC1 in colorectal cancer. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to examine miR-155 and CTHRC1 expression levels. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was applied to verify the target interaction between miR-155 and CTHRC1. Proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, cell migration and invasion were measured using the MTT assay, flow cytometry and Transwell assays, respectively. Results showed that miR-155 expression was decreased, but CTHRC1 expression was increased in colorectal cancer tissue and cell lines. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that miR-155 negatively regulated CTHRC1. Additionally, miR-155 overexpression suppressed cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and promoted cell apoptosis, while an inhibitor of miR-155 facilitated cell proliferation and cell cycle and repressed apoptosis. Transwell experiments indicated that miR-155 inhibited the cell migratory and invasive abilities of HT-29 cells, but miR-155 inhibitor enhanced these abilities of HT-29 cells. These results suggested that miR-155 prevented colorectal cancer progression and metastasis via silencing CTHRC1 in vitro, which provides evidence for miR-155 and CTHRC1 as a novel anti-onco molecular target for the treatment of colorectal cancer in the future.
Zhu B, etal., Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2018 May 1;314(5):F893-F905. doi: 10.1152/ajprenal.00499.2017. Epub 2018 Jan 10.
Bladder denervation and bladder outlet obstruction are urological conditions that cause bladder growth. Transcriptomic surveys in outlet obstruction have identified differentially expressed genes, but similar studies following denervation have not been done. This was addressed using a rat model in w
hich the pelvic ganglia were cryo-ablated followed by bladder microarray analyses. At 10 days following denervation, bladder weight had increased 5.6-fold, and 2,890 mRNAs and 135 micro-RNAs (miRNAs) were differentially expressed. Comparison with array data from obstructed bladders demonstrated overlap between the conditions, and 10% of mRNAs changed significantly and in the same direction. Many mRNAs, including collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 ( Cthrc1), Prc1, Plod2, and Dkk3, and miRNAs, such as miR-212 and miR-29, resided in the shared signature. Discordantly regulated transcripts in the two models were rare, making up for <0.07% of all changes, and the gene products in this category localized to the urothelium of normal bladders. These transcripts may potentially be used to diagnose sensory denervation. Western blotting demonstrated directionally consistent changes at the protein level, with increases of, e.g., Cthrc1, Prc1, Plod2, and Dkk3. We chose Cthrc1 for further studies and found that Cthrc1 was induced in the smooth muscle cell (SMC) layer following denervation. TGF-β1 stimulation and miR-30d-5p inhibition increased Cthrc1 in bladder SMCs, and knockdown and overexpression of Cthrc1 reduced and increased SMC proliferation. This work defines common and distinguishing features of bladder denervation and obstruction and suggests a role for Cthrc1 in bladder growth following denervation.
Lee CE, etal., Int J Med Sci. 2015 Nov 1;12(12):937-45. doi: 10.7150/ijms.11605. eCollection 2015.
BACKGROUND: Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing 1 (CTHRC1) is a protein often found to be over-expressed in various types of human cancers. However, correlation between CTHRC1 expression level with clinico-pathological c
haracteristics and prognosis in oral cancer remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine mRNA and protein expression of CTHRC1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to evaluate the clinical and prognostic impact of CTHRC1 in OSCC. METHODS: In this study, mRNA and protein expression of CTHRC1 in OSCCs were determined by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The association between CTHRC1 and clinico-pathological parameters were evaluated by univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses. Correlation between CTHRC1 protein expressions with survival were analysed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models. RESULTS: Current study demonstrated CTHRC1 was significantly overexpressed at the mRNA level in OSCC. Univariate analyses indicated a high-expression of CTHRC1 that was significantly associated with advanced stage pTNM staging, tumour size >/= 4 cm and positive lymph node metastasis (LNM). However, only positive LNM remained significant after adjusting with other confounder factors in multivariate logistic regression analyses. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and Cox model demonstrated that patients with high-expression of CTHRC1 protein were associated with poor prognosis and is an independent prognostic factor in OSCC. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that over-expression of CTHRC1 potentially as an independent predictor for positive LNM and poor prognosis in OSCC.
Yang XM, etal., Int J Clin Exp Pathol. 2015 Oct 1;8(10):12793-801. eCollection 2015.
Collagen triple helix repeats containing 1 (CTHRC1) participates in vascular remodeling, bone formation, and developmental morphogenesis. Recently, CTHRC1 has been found up-regulated in many solid tumors and contributes to t
umorigenesis, but its role in the progression of human colorectal cancer (CRC), remains unclear. In this study, CTHRC1 expression in human CRC cell lines was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblot analyses. The role of CTHRC1 in CRC cell proliferation and extracellular matrix invasion in vitro was analyzed by gene over-expression and recombinant protein. Reporter luciferase assay was used to reveal key relevant signaling pathways involved in CRC cells. The results show that CTHRC1 is secreted both by colorectal epithelia cells and stromal fibroblasts. Recombinant CTHRC1 promotes CRC cell migration and invasion dose-dependently. CTHRC1 overexpression promotes CRC cell migration, invasion and proliferation in vitro. Wnt/PCP signaling but not Wnt/catenin signaling was activates by CTHRC1 in CRC cells. Together, CTHRC1 promotes CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, which is possibly mediated by activating Wnt/PCP pathway.
Hou M, etal., Oncotarget. 2015 Nov 3;6(34):35813-29. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.5358.
Collagen triple helix repeat-containing 1 (CTHRC1) is aberrantly overexpressed in multiple malignant tumors. However, the expression characteristics and function of CTHRC1 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remain unclear. W
e found that CTHRC1 expression was up-regulated in the paraffin-embedded EOC tissues compared to borderline or benign tumor tissues. CTHRC1 expression was positively correlated with tumor size (p = 0.008), menopause (p = 0.037), clinical stage (p = 0.002) and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001) and was also an important prognostic factor for the overall survival of EOC patients, as revealed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. CTHRC1 increased the invasive capabilities of EOC cells in vitro by activating the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. We showed that ectopic transfection of CTHRC1 in EOC cells up-regulated the expression of EMT markers such as N-cadherin and vimentin, and EMT-associated transcriptional factor Snail. Knockdown of CTHRC1 expression in EOC cells resulted in down-regulation of N-cadherin, vimentin, Snail and translocation of beta-catenin. Collectively, CTHRC1 may promote EOC metastasis through the induction of EMT process and serve as a potential biomarker for prognosis as well as a target for therapy.
Dennehy KM, etal., Int Immunol 2003 May;15(5):655-63.
Mitogenic anti-CD28 antibody stimulates all peripheral T cells to proliferate in the absence of TCR ligation, providing an exception to the two-signal requirement of T cell responses. This antibody preferentially recognizes a mobilized signaling-competent form of CD28, normally induced following TCR
ligation, thus providing a unique non-physiological tool to dissect CD28-specific signals leading to T cell proliferation. The protein kinase C (PKC)theta-NF-kappaB pathway has recently been shown to integrate TCR- and CD28-derived signals in co-stimulation. We now demonstrate that this pathway is activated by mitogenic anti-CD28 antibody stimulation. In contrast to conventional anti-CD28 antibody, mitogenic anti-CD28 antibody induced activation of phospholipase Cgamma and Ca(2+) flux in peripheral rat T cells despite no or low levels of inducible tyrosine phosphorylation of TCRzeta chain, TCRzeta-associated protein of 70 kDa (ZAP-70) or linker for activation of T cells (LAT)-critical components of the TCR signaling machinery. Nevertheless, PKCtheta kinase activity in vitro was increased following mitogenic anti-CD28 antibody stimulation, as was membrane association of both PKCtheta and Bcl10. As downstream targets of PKCtheta activation, NF-kappaB components translocated to the nucleus at levels comparable to those after TCR-CD28 co-stimulation. NF-kappaB translocation was diminished by PKCtheta inhibition, as was induction of the NF-kappaB/AP-1 responsive activation marker CD69. We propose that co-stimulation is a sequential process in which appropriate TCR engagement is required to mobilize CD28 into a signaling-competent form which then activates the PKCtheta-NF-kappaB pathway necessary for IL-2 production and proliferation.
