// Hua-Chuan Zheng 1 1 Department of Experimental Oncology and Animal Center, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China Correspondence to: Hua-Chuan Zheng, email: zheng_huachuan@hotmail.com Keywords: cancer, chemoresistance, molecular mechanisms, chemotherapy Received: March 31, 2017      Accepted: June 24, 2017      Published: July 06, 2017 ABSTRACT Overcoming intrinsic and acquired drug resistance is a major challenge in treating cancer patients because chemoresistance causes recurrence, cancer dissemination and death. This review summarizes numerous molecular aspects of multi-resistance, including transporter pumps, oncogenes (EGFR, PI3K/Akt, Erk and NF-κB), tumor suppressor gene (p53), mitochondrial alteration, DNA repair, autophagy, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stemness, and exosome. The chemoresistance-related proteins are localized to extracellular ligand, membrane receptor, cytosolic signal messenger, and nuclear transcription factors for various events, including proliferation, apoptosis, EMT, autophagy and exosome. Their cross-talk frequently appears, such as the regulatory effects of EGFR-Akt-NF-κB signal pathway on the transcription of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and survivin or EMT-related stemness. It is essential for the realization of the target, individualized and combine therapy to clarify these molecular mechanisms, explore the therapy target, screen chemosensitive population, and determine the efficacy of chemoreagents by cell culture and orthotopic model.

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The molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance in cancers.

The 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) family of molecular chaperones represents one of the most ubiquitous classes of chaperones and is highly conserved in all organisms. Members of the HSP70 family control all aspects of cellular proteostasis such as nascent protein chain folding, protein import into organelles, recovering of proteins from aggregation, and assembly of multi-protein complexes. These chaperones augment organismal survival and longevity in the face of proteotoxic stress by enhancing cell viability and facilitating protein damage repair. Extracellular HSP70s have a number of cytoprotective and immunomodulatory functions, the latter either in the context of facilitating the cross-presentation of immunogenic peptides via major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens or in the context of acting as "chaperokines" or stimulators of innate immune responses. Studies have linked the expression of HSP70s to several types of carcinoma, with Hsp70 expression being associated with therapeutic resistance, metastasis, and poor clinical outcome. In malignantly transformed cells, HSP70s protect cells from the proteotoxic stress associated with abnormally rapid proliferation, suppress cellular senescence, and confer resistance to stress-induced apoptosis including protection against cytostatic drugs and radiation therapy. All of the cellular activities of HSP70s depend on their adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP)-regulated ability to interact with exposed hydrophobic surfaces of proteins. ATP hydrolysis and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)/ATP exchange are key events for substrate binding and Hsp70 release during folding of nascent polypeptides. Several proteins that bind to distinct subdomains of Hsp70 and consequently modulate the activity of the chaperone have been identified as HSP70 co-chaperones. This review focuses on the regulation, function, and relevance of the molecular Hsp70 chaperone machinery to disease and its potential as a therapeutic target.

/pdf/the-human-hsp70-family-of-chaperones-where-do-we-stand-3i2v7sflty.pdf

The human HSP70 family of chaperones: where do we stand?

Heat shock proteins (HSP) are a subset of the molecular chaperones, best known for their rapid and abundant induction by stress. HSP genes are activated at the transcriptional level by heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1). During the progression of many types of cancer, this heat shock transcriptional regulon becomes co-opted by mechanisms that are currently unclear, although evidently triggered in the emerging tumor cell. Concerted activation of HSF1 and the accumulation of HSPs then participate in many of the traits that permit the malignant phenotype. Thus, cancers of many histologies exhibit activated HSF1 and increased HSP levels that may help to deter tumor suppression and evade therapy in the clinic. We review here the extensive work that has been carried out and is still in progress aimed at (1) understanding the oncogenic mechanisms by which HSP genes are switched on, (2) determining the roles of HSF1/HSP in malignant transformation and (3) discovering approaches to therapy based on disrupting the influence of the HSF1-controlled transcriptome in cancer.

/pdf/heat-shock-proteins-and-heat-shock-factor-1-in-49kxnytjkb.pdf

Heat shock proteins and heat shock factor 1 in carcinogenesis and tumor development: an update

Inhibition of HSP70: a challenging anti-cancer strategy.

Biologically active steroids are transported in the blood by albumin, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG). These plasma proteins also regulate the non-protein-bound or 'free' fractions of circulating steroid hormones that are considered to be biologically active; as such, they can be viewed as the 'primary gatekeepers of steroid action'. Albumin binds steroids with limited specificity and low affinity, but its high concentration in blood buffers major fluctuations in steroid concentrations and their free fractions. By contrast, SHBG and CBG play much more dynamic roles in controlling steroid access to target tissues and cells. They bind steroids with high (~nM) affinity and specificity, with SHBG binding androgens and estrogens and CBG binding glucocorticoids and progesterone. Both are glycoproteins that are structurally unrelated, and they function in different ways that extend beyond their transportation or buffering functions in the blood. Plasma SHBG and CBG production by the liver varies during development and different physiological or pathophysiological conditions, and abnormalities in the plasma levels of SHBG and CBG or their abilities to bind steroids are associated with a variety of pathologies. Understanding how the unique structures of SHBG and CBG determine their specialized functions, how changes in their plasma levels are controlled, and how they function outside the blood circulation provides insight into how they control the freedom of steroids to act in health and disease.

/pdf/plasma-steroid-binding-proteins-primary-gatekeepers-of-4smmynit2j.pdf

Plasma steroid-binding proteins: primary gatekeepers of steroid hormone action

Recent studies implicate the regulatory function of microRNAs (miRNAs) in oocyte maturation and ovarian follicular development. Differentially expressed miRNAs are found in the plasma of premature ovarian failure (POF) patients and normal cycling women. In this study, miRNA-regulated signaling pathways and related genes were described using Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis. The effect of mir-23a on granulosa cell apoptosis was also studied by examining the protein expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and caspase-3, followed by subsequent counting of apoptotic cells after Hoechst 33258 staining. Both GO analysis and pathway analysis suggested that many signaling pathways, including the AKT signaling pathway, steroid hormone receptor signaling pathways, and others, were regulated by this group of differentially expressed miRNAs. A decrease in XIAP expression (mRNA and protein level) and caspase-3 protein levels and an increase in cleaved caspase-3 protein were observed in human ovarian granulosa cells transfected with pre-mir-23a, along with an increased occurrence of apoptosis. In conclusion, differentially expressed miRNAs in the plasma of POF patients may have regulatory effects on proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells by affecting different signaling pathways. Mir-23a may play important roles in regulating apoptosis via decreasing XIAP expression in human ovarian granulosa cells.

/pdf/differentially-expressed-plasma-micrornas-in-premature-3chfksbzvk.pdf

Differentially expressed plasma micrornas in premature ovarian failure patients and the potential regulatory function of mir-23a in granulosa cell apoptosis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, small, noncoding single-stranded RNA molecules approximately 22 nucleotides in length. miRNAs are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of various important cellular physiological and pathological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and hormone biosynthesis and secretion. Ovarian follicles are the key functional units of female reproduction, and the development of these follicles is a complex and precise process accompanied by oocyte maturation as well as surrounding granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation. Numerous miRNAs expressed in the ovary regulate ovarian follicle growth, atresia, ovulation and steroidogenesis and play an important role in ovarian disorders. This review considers recent advances in the identification of miRNAs involved in the regulation of ovarian function as well as the possible influence of miRNAs on ovarian-derived disorders, such as ovarian cancer, polycystic ovarian syndrome and premature ovarian failure. An improved understanding of the regulation of ovarian function by miRNAs may shed light on new strategies for ovarian biology and ovarian disorders.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186%2Fs13048-015-0162-2.pdf

MicroRNAs in ovarian function and disorders.

In mammals, follicular atresia can be partially triggered by granulosa cell apoptosis. However, very little is known about the functions of miRNAs in granulosa cell apoptosis. We previously reported that hsa-mir-23a (miR-23a) and hsa-mir-27a (miR-27a) were highly expressed in the plasma of patients with premature ovarian failure, but the action of these two miRNAs in follicular development was unclear. In this study, we explored the roles of miR-23a and miR-27a in the granulosa cells of women undergoing in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer. Using Hoechst staining, we found that miR-23a and miR-27a promoted apoptosis in human granulosa cells. In addition, the Western blotting results suggested that the miR-23a/miR-27a-mediated apoptosis occurred via the FasL-Fas pathway. Based on the results of a luciferase-reporter assay and quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analyses, we found that SMAD5 is a target gene of both miR-23a and miR-27a. Furthermore, knocking down SMAD5 expression increased the rate of apoptosis, as well as the levels of Fas, FasL, cleaved caspase-8, and cleaved caspase-3 protein. Taken together, these data suggest that miR-23a and miR-27a target SMAD5 and regulate apoptosis in human granulosa cells via the FasL-Fas pathway. These findings provide an improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying granulosa cell apoptosis, which could potentially be used for future clinical applications.

https://bioone.org/journals/biology-of-reproduction/volume-93/issue-4/biolreprod.115.130690/miR-23a-and-miR-27a-Promote-Human-Granulosa-Cell-Apoptosis/10.1095/biolreprod.115.130690.pdf

Xiaokui Yang

Papers

Differentially expressed plasma micrornas in premature ovarian failure patients and the potential regulatory function of mir-23a in granulosa cell apoptosis

MicroRNAs in ovarian function and disorders.

miR-23a and miR-27a Promote Human Granulosa Cell Apoptosis by Targeting SMAD5

Current overview of pregnancy complications and live-birth outcome of assisted reproductive technology in mainland China.

Hsp70 promotes chemoresistance by blocking Bax mitochondrial translocation in ovarian cancer cells