Latest Publications

@article{drapela_zeb1_2020,

title = {ZEB1: A Critical Regulator of Cell Plasticity, DNA Damage Response, and Therapy Resistance.},

author = {Stanislav Drápela and Jan Bouchal and Mohit Kumar Jolly and Zoran Culig and Karel Souček},

doi = {10.3389/fmolb.2020.00036},

issn = {2296-889X},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-01-01},

journal = {Frontiers in molecular biosciences},

volume = {7},

pages = {36},

abstract = {The predominant way in which conventional chemotherapy kills rapidly proliferating cancer cells is the induction of DNA damage. However, chemoresistance remains the main obstacle to therapy effectivity. An increasing number of studies suggest that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) represents a critical process affecting the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) is a prime element of a network of transcription factors controlling EMT and has been identified as an important molecule in the regulation of DNA damage, cancer cell differentiation, and metastasis. Recent studies have considered upregulation of ZEB1 as a potential modulator of chemoresistance. It has been hypothesized that cancer cells undergoing EMT acquire unique properties that resemble those of cancer stem cells (CSCs). These stem-like cells manifest enhanced DNA damage response (DDR) and DNA repair capacity, self-renewal, or chemoresistance. In contrast, functional experiments have shown that ZEB1 induces chemoresistance regardless of whether other EMT-related changes occur. ZEB1 has also been identified as an important regulator of DDR by the formation of a ZEB1/p300/PCAF complex and direct interaction with ATM kinase, which has been linked to radioresistance. Moreover, ATM can directly phosphorylate ZEB1 and enhance its stability. Downregulation of ZEB1 has also been shown to reduce the abundance of CHK1, an effector kinase of DDR activated by ATR, and to induce its ubiquitin-dependent degradation. In this perspective, we focus on the role of ZEB1 in the regulation of DDR and describe the mechanisms of ZEB1-dependent chemoresistance.},

note = {Place: Switzerland},

keywords = {DNA damage response, EMT-epithelial to mesenchymal transition, Plasticity, therapy resistance, ZEB1},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{paculova_brca1_2017,

title = {BRCA1 or CDK12 loss sensitizes cells to CHK1 inhibitors.},

author = {Hana Paculová and Juraj Kramara and Šárka Šimečková and Radek Fedr and Karel Souček and Ondřej Hylse and Kamil Paruch and Marek Svoboda and Martin Mistrík and Jiří Kohoutek},

doi = {10.1177/1010428317727479},

issn = {1423-0380 1010-4283},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-10-01},

journal = {Tumour biology : the journal of the International Society for Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine},

volume = {39},

number = {10},

pages = {1010428317727479},

abstract = {A broad spectrum of tumors develop resistance to classic chemotherapy, necessitating the discovery of new therapies. One successful strategy exploits the synthetic lethality between poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1/2 proteins and DNA damage response genes, including BRCA1, a factor involved in homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair, and CDK12, a transcriptional kinase known to regulate the expression of DDR genes. CHK1 inhibitors have been shown to enhance the anti-cancer effect of DNA-damaging compounds. Since loss of BRCA1 increases replication stress and leads to DNA damage, we tested a hypothesis that CDK12- or BRCA1-depleted cells rely extensively on S-phase-related CHK1 functions for survival. The silencing of BRCA1 or CDK12 sensitized tumor cells to CHK1 inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. BRCA1 downregulation combined with CHK1 inhibition induced excessive amounts of DNA damage, resulting in an inability to complete the S-phase. Therefore, we suggest CHK1 inhibition as a strategy for targeting BRCA1- or CDK12-deficient tumors.},

note = {Place: Netherlands},

keywords = {Animals, BRCA1, BRCA1 Protein/antagonists & inhibitors/*genetics, CDK12, Checkpoint Kinase 1/*genetics, CHK1 inhibitor, Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy/*genetics/pathology, Cyclin-Dependent Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors/*genetics, DNA damage response, DNA Damage/drug effects, Drug resistance, Gene Expression Regulation, Gene Silencing, HCT116 Cells, Humans, Mice, Neoplasm/genetics, Neoplastic/drug effects, Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1/genetics, Pyrazoles/administration & dosage, Pyrimidines/administration & dosage, Transcription, Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{palkova_aryl_2015,

title = {The aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated and genotoxic effects of fractionated extract of standard reference diesel exhaust particle material in pulmonary, liver and prostate cells.},

author = {Lenka Pálková and Jan Vondráček and Lenka Trilecová and Miroslav Ciganek and Kateřina Pěnčíková and Jiří Neča and Alena Milcová and Jan Topinka and Miroslav Machala},

doi = {10.1016/j.tiv.2014.12.002},

issn = {1879-3177 0887-2333},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-04-01},

journal = {Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA},

volume = {29},

number = {3},

pages = {438–448},

abstract = {Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) and the associated complex mixtures of organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), or their derivatives, have been suggested to exert deleterious effects on human health. We used a set of defined cellular models representing liver, lung and prostate tissues, in order to compare non-genotoxic and genotoxic effects of crude and fractionated extract of a standard reference DEP material - SRM 1650b. We focused on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated activity, modulation of cell proliferation, formation of DNA adducts, oxidative DNA damage, and induction of DNA damage responses, including evaluation of apoptosis, and phosphorylation of p53 tumor suppressor and checkpoint kinases (Chk). Both PAHs and the polar aromatic compounds contributed to the AhR-mediated activity of DEP-associated organic pollutants. The principal identified AhR agonists included benzo[k]fluoranthene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene, chrysene and several non-priority PAHs, including benzochrysenes and methylated PAHs. In contrast to PAHs, polar compounds contributed more significantly to overall formation of DNA adducts associated with phosphorylation of p53, Chk1 or Chk2, and partly with apoptosis. Therefore, more attention should be paid to identification of DEP-associated polar organic compounds, contributing to the AhR activation and cytotoxic/genotoxic effects of complex airborne mixtures of organic contaminants produced by diesel engines.},

note = {Place: England},

keywords = {Air Pollutants/*toxicity, Air pollution, Animals, Apoptosis, Apoptosis/drug effects, Aryl Hydrocarbon/*drug effects, Cell Cycle/drug effects, Cell Death/drug effects, Cell Proliferation, DNA adducts, DNA Damage, DNA damage response, Liver/*pathology, Lung/*pathology, Male, Mutagens/*toxicity, PAHs, Particulate Matter/*toxicity, Prostate/*pathology, Rats, Receptors, SRM 1650b, Vehicle Emissions/*toxicity},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}