Latest Publications

@article{mickova_skp2_2021,

title = {Skp2 and Slug Are Coexpressed in Aggressive Prostate Cancer and Inhibited by Neddylation Blockade.},

author = {Alena Mickova and Gvantsa Kharaishvili and Daniela Kurfurstova and Mariam Gachechiladze and Milan Kral and Ondrej Vacek and Barbora Pokryvkova and Martin Mistrik and Karel Soucek and Jan Bouchal},

doi = {10.3390/ijms22062844},

issn = {1422-0067},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-03-01},

journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},

volume = {22},

number = {6},

abstract = {Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in Western countries, and there is still an urgent need for a better understanding of PCa progression to inspire new treatment strategies. Skp2 is a substrate-recruiting component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, whose activity is regulated through neddylation. Slug is a transcriptional repressor involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, which may contribute to therapy resistance. Although Skp2 has previously been associated with a mesenchymal phenotype and prostate cancer progression, the relationship with Slug deserves further elucidation. We have previously shown that a high Gleason score (≥8) is associated with higher Skp2 and lower E-cadherin expression. In this study, significantly increased expression of Skp2, AR, and Slug, along with E-cadherin downregulation, was observed in primary prostate cancer in patients who already had lymph node metastases. Skp2 was slightly correlated with Slug and AR in the whole cohort (Rs 0.32 and 0.37, respectively), which was enhanced for both proteins in patients with high Gleason scores (Rs 0.56 and 0.53, respectively) and, in the case of Slug, also in patients with metastasis to lymph nodes (Rs 0.56). Coexpression of Skp2 and Slug was confirmed in prostate cancer tissues by multiplex immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. The same relationship between these two proteins was observed in three sets of prostate epithelial cell lines (PC3, DU145, and E2) and their mesenchymal counterparts. Chemical inhibition of Skp2, but not RNA interference, modestly decreased Slug protein in PC3 and its docetaxel-resistant subline PC3 DR12. Importantly, chemical inhibition of Skp2 by MLN4924 upregulated p27 and decreased Slug expression in PC3, PC3 DR12, and LAPC4 cells. Novel treatment strategies targeting Skp2 and Slug by the neddylation blockade may be promising in advanced prostate cancer, as recently documented for other aggressive solid tumors.},

note = {Place: Switzerland},

keywords = {*Protein Processing, Androgen/genetics/metabolism, Antigens, Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology, Cadherins/genetics/metabolism, CD/genetics/metabolism, Cell Line, Cell Survival/drug effects, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27/genetics/metabolism, Cyclopentanes/pharmacology, Docetaxel/pharmacology, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/genetics, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Lymphatic Metastasis, Male, multiplex, NEDD8 Protein/*genetics/metabolism, neddylation, Neoplasm Grading, Neoplastic, PC-3 Cells, Post-Translational, Prostate cancer, Prostate/metabolism/pathology, Prostatic Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism/pathology, Pyrimidines/pharmacology, Receptors, RNA, S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors/*genetics/metabolism, Skp2 (S-phase kinase-associated protein 2), Slug, Small Interfering/genetics/metabolism, Snail Family Transcription Factors/*genetics/metabolism, Tumor},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{nekvindova_hepatocellular_2020,

title = {Hepatocellular carcinoma: Gene expression profiling and regulation of xenobiotic-metabolizing cytochromes P450.},

author = {Jana Nekvindova and Alena Mrkvicova and Veronika Zubanova and Alena Hyrslova Vaculova and Pavel Anzenbacher and Pavel Soucek and Lenka Radova and Ondrej Slaby and Igor Kiss and Jan Vondracek and Alena Spicakova and Lucia Bohovicova and Pavel Fabian and Zdenek Kala and Vladimir Palicka},

doi = {10.1016/j.bcp.2020.113912},

issn = {1873-2968 0006-2952},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-07-01},

journal = {Biochemical pharmacology},

volume = {177},

pages = {113912},

abstract = {Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a highly prevalent and deadly disease, being among the top causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite the fact that the liver is the major site of biotransformation, studies on drug metabolizing enzymes in HCC are scarce. It is known that malignant transformation of hepatocytes leads to a significant alteration of their metabolic functions and overall deregulation of gene expression. Advanced stages of the disease are thus frequently associated with liver failure, and severe alteration of drug metabolism. However, the impact of dysregulation of metabolic enzymes on therapeutic efficacy and toxicity in HCC patients is largely unknown. Here we demonstrate a significant down-regulation in European Caucasian patients of cytochromes P450 (CYPs), the major xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, in HCC tumour samples as compared to their surrounding non-cancerous (reference) tissue. Moreover, we report for the first time the association of the unique CYP profiles with specific transcriptome changes, and interesting correlations with expression levels of nuclear receptors and with the histological grade of the tumours. Integrated analysis has suggested certain co-expression profiles of CYPs with lncRNAs that need to be further characterized. Patients with large tumours with down-regulated CYPs could be more vulnerable to drug toxicity; on the other hand, such tumours would eliminate drugs more slowly and should be more sensitive to pharmacotherapy (except in the case of pro-drugs where activation is necessary).},

note = {Place: England},

keywords = {*Gene Expression Regulation, *Transcriptome, Adult, Aged, Carcinoma, Cohort Studies, CYP, Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/*genetics, Cytochrome P450, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/genetics/metabolism, Drug metabolism, Enzymologic, Female, Gene Expression, Gene Expression Profiling, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*enzymology/pathology, Hepatocytes/metabolism, Humans, Inactivation, Liver Neoplasms/*enzymology/pathology, Liver/metabolism, Male, Metabolic/genetics, Middle Aged, Neoplasm Grading, Non-coding RNA, Receptors},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{simeckova_high_2019,

title = {High Skp2 expression is associated with a mesenchymal phenotype and increased tumorigenic potential of prostate cancer cells.},

author = {Šárka Šimečková and Zuzana Kahounová and Radek Fedr and Ján Remšík and Eva Slabáková and Tereza Suchánková and Jiřina Procházková and Jan Bouchal and Gvantsa Kharaishvili and Milan Král and Petr Beneš and Karel Souček},

doi = {10.1038/s41598-019-42131-y},

issn = {2045-2322},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-04-01},

journal = {Scientific reports},

volume = {9},

number = {1},

pages = {5695},

abstract = {Skp2 is a crucial component of SCF(Skp2) E3 ubiquitin ligase and is often overexpressed in various types of cancer, including prostate cancer (PCa). The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in PCa progression. The acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype that results in a cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype in PCa was described. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the expression and localization of Skp2 in clinical samples from patients with PCa, the association of Skp2 with EMT status, and the role of Skp2 in prostate CSC. We found that nuclear expression of Skp2 was increased in patients with PCa compared to those with benign hyperplasia, and correlated with high Gleason score in PCa patients. Increased Skp2 expression was observed in PCa cell lines with mesenchymal and CSC-like phenotype compared to their epithelial counterparts. Conversely, the CSC-like phenotype was diminished in cells in which SKP2 expression was silenced. Furthermore, we observed that Skp2 downregulation led to the decrease in subpopulation of CD44(+)CD24(-) cancer stem-like cells. Finally, we showed that high expression levels of both CD24 and CD44 were associated with favorable recurrence-free survival for PCa patients. This study uncovered the Skp2-mediated CSC-like phenotype with oncogenic functions in PCa.},

note = {Place: England},

keywords = {*Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, *Gene Expression Regulation, Animals, CD24 Antigen/genetics, Cell Line, Humans, Hyaluronan Receptors/genetics, Male, Mice, Neoplasm Grading, Neoplastic, Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism/*physiology, Nude, PC-3 Cells, Prostatic Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism/physiopathology, S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins/*genetics, Tumor, Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}