Latest Publications

@article{prochazkova_single-cell_2024,

title = {Single-cell profiling of surface glycosphingolipids opens a new dimension for deconvolution of breast cancer intratumoral heterogeneity and phenotypic plasticity.},

author = {Jiřina Procházková and Radek Fedr and Barbora Hradilová and Barbora Kvokačková and Josef Slavík and Ondrej Kováč and Miroslav Machala and Pavel Fabian and Jiří Navrátil and Simona Kráčalíková and Monika Levková and Petra Ovesná and Jan Bouchal and Karel Souček},

doi = {10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100609},

issn = {1539-7262 0022-2275},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-09-01},

journal = {Journal of lipid research},

volume = {65},

number = {9},

pages = {100609},

abstract = {Glycosylated sphingolipids (GSLs) are a diverse group of cellular lipids typically reported as being rare in normal mammary tissue. In breast cancer (BCa), GSLs have emerged as noteworthy markers associated with breast cancer stem cells, mediators of phenotypic plasticity, and contributors to cancer cell chemoresistance. GSLs are potential surface markers that can uniquely characterize the heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment, including cancer cell subpopulations and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP). In this study, mass spectrometry analyses of the total sphingolipidome in breast epithelial cells and their mesenchymal counterparts revealed increased levels of Gb3 in epithelial cells and significantly elevated GD2 levels in the mesenchymal phenotype. To elucidate if GSL-related epitopes on BCa cell surfaces reflect EMP and cancer status, we developed and rigorously validated a 12-color spectral flow cytometry panel. This panel enables the simultaneous detection of native GSL epitopes (Gb3, SSEA1, SSEA3, SSEA4, and GD2), epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers (EpCAM, TROP2, and CD9), and lineage markers (CD45, CD31, and CD90) at the single-cell level. Next, the established panel was used for the analysis of BCa primary tumors and revealed surface heterogeneity in SSEA1, SSEA3, SSEA4, GD2, and Gb3, indicative of native epitope presence also on non-tumor cells. These findings further highlighted the phenotype-dependent alterations in GSL surface profiles, with differences between epithelial and stromal cells in the tumor. This study provides novel insights into BCa heterogeneity, shedding light on the potential of native GSL-related epitopes as markers for EMP and cancer status in fresh clinical samples. The developed single-cell approach offers promising avenues for further exploration.},

note = {Place: United States},

keywords = {*Breast Neoplasms/metabolism/pathology, *Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, *Glycosphingolipids/metabolism/analysis, *Single-Cell Analysis/methods, Breast cancer, Epithelial Cells, Female, Glycosphingolipids, Humans, Phenotype, phenotypic plasticity, stromal-like cells, surface profiling},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{hyzdalova_prolonged_2021,

title = {A prolonged exposure of human lung carcinoma epithelial cells to benzo[a]pyrene induces p21-dependent epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenotype.},

author = {Martina Hýžďalová and Jiřina Procházková and Simona Strapáčová and Lucie Svržková and Ondřej Vacek and Radek Fedr and Zdeněk Andrysík and Eva Hrubá and Helena Líbalová and Jiří Kléma and Jan Topinka and Josef Mašek and Karel Souček and Jan Vondráček and Miroslav Machala},

doi = {10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128126},

issn = {1879-1298 0045-6535},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-01},

journal = {Chemosphere},

volume = {263},

pages = {128126},

abstract = {Deciphering the role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in lung cancer cells may help us to better understand the role of toxic AhR ligands in lung carcinogenesis, including cancer progression. We employed human lung carcinoma A549 cells to investigate their fate after continuous two-week exposure to model AhR agonists, genotoxic benzo[a]pyrene (BaP; 1 μM) and non-genotoxic 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; 10 nM). While TCDD increased proliferative rate of A549 cells, exposure to BaP decreased cell proliferation and induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenotype, which was associated with enhanced cell migration, invasion, and altered cell morphology. Although TCDD also suppressed expression of E-cadherin and activated some genes linked to EMT, it did not induce the EMT-like phenotype. The results of transcriptomic analysis, and the opposite effects of BaP and TCDD on cell proliferation, indicated that a delay in cell cycle progression, together with a slight increase of senescence (when coupled with AhR activation), favors the induction of EMT-like phenotype. The shift towards EMT-like phenotype observed after simultaneous treatment with TCDD and mitomycin C (an inhibitor of cell proliferation) confirmed the hypothesis. Since BaP decreased cell proliferative rate via induction of p21 expression, we generated the A549 cell model with reduced p21 expression and exposed it to BaP for two weeks. The p21 knockdown suppressed the BaP-mediated EMT-like phenotype in A549 cells, thus confirming that a delayed cell cycle progression, together with p21-dependent induction of senescence-related chemokine CCL2, may contribute to induction of EMT-like cell phenotype in lung cells exposed to genotoxic AhR ligands.},

note = {Place: England},

keywords = {*Carcinoma, *Lung Neoplasms/genetics, Aryl Hydrocarbon/genetics, BaP, Benzo(a)pyrene/toxicity, Cell Proliferation, EMT, Epithelial Cells, Humans, Lung, Lung carcinoma, Phenotype, Receptors, TCDD, Tumor progression},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{vargova_hypericin_2018,

title = {Hypericin affects cancer side populations via competitive inhibition of BCRP.},

author = {Jana Vargová and Jaromír Mikeš and Rastislav Jendželovský and Lucia Mikešová and Barbora Kuchárová and Ľubomír Čulka and Radek Fedr and Ján Remšík and Karel Souček and Alois Kozubík and Peter Fedoročko},

doi = {10.1016/j.biopha.2018.01.074},

issn = {1950-6007 0753-3322},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-03-01},

journal = {Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie},

volume = {99},

pages = {511–522},

abstract = {OBJECTIVE: Cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) are considered a root of tumorigenicity and resistance. However, their identification remains challenging. The use of the side population (SP) assay as a credible marker of CSLCs remains controversial. The SP assay relies on the elevated activity of ABC transporters that, in turn, can be modulated by hypericin (HYP), a photosensitizer and bioactive compound of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), a popular over-the-counter antidepressant. Here we aimed to comprehensively characterize the SP phenotype of cancer cells and to determine the impact of HYP on these cells. METHODS: Flow cytometry and sorting-based assays were employed, including CD24-, CD44-, CD133-, and ALDH-positivity, clonogenicity, 3D-forming ability, ABC transporter expression and activity, and intracellular accumulation of HYP/Hoechst 33342. The tumorigenic ability of SP, nonSP, and HYP-treated cells was verified by xenotransplantation into immunodeficient mice. RESULTS: The SP phenotype was associated with elevated expression of several investigated transporters and more intensive growth in non-adherent conditions but not with higher clonogenicity, tumorigenicity or ALDH-positivity. Despite stimulated BCRP level and MRP1 activity, HYP reversibly decreased the SP proportion, presumably via competitive inhibition of BCRP. HYP-selected SP cells acquired additional traits of resistance and extensively eliminated HYP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that SP is not an unequivocal CSLC-marker. However, SP could play an important role in modulating HYP-treatment and serve as a negative predictive tool for HYP-based therapies. Moreover, the use of supplements containing HYP by cancer patients should be carefully considered, due to its proposed effect on drug efflux and complex impact on tumor cells, which have not yet been sufficiently characterized.},

note = {Place: France},

keywords = {ABC transporters, Aldehyde Dehydrogenase/metabolism, Animals, Anthracenes, ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Biomarkers, Cancer stem-like cells, Carcinogenesis/drug effects/metabolism/pathology, Cell Line, Cellular/drug effects/metabolism/pathology, Clone Cells, Drug resistance, Humans, Hypericin, Member 1/metabolism, Member 2/*metabolism, Mice, Neoplasm Proteins/*metabolism, Neoplasms/*metabolism/*pathology, Neoplastic Stem Cells/drug effects/metabolism/pathology, Perylene/*analogs & derivatives/pharmacology, Phenotype, SCID, Side population, Side-Population Cells/drug effects/*pathology, Spheroids, St. John’s wort, Subfamily B, Subfamily G, Substrate Specificity/drug effects, Survival Analysis, Tumor, Tumor/metabolism},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{slabakova_opposite_2015,

title = {Opposite regulation of MDM2 and MDMX expression in acquisition of mesenchymal phenotype in benign and cancer cells.},

author = {Eva Slabáková and Gvantsa Kharaishvili and Monika Smějová and Zuzana Pernicová and Tereza Suchánková and Ján Remšík and Stanislav Lerch and Nicol Straková and Jan Bouchal and Milan Král and Zoran Culig and Alois Kozubík and Karel Souček},

doi = {10.18632/oncotarget.5392},

issn = {1949-2553},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-11-01},

journal = {Oncotarget},

volume = {6},

number = {34},

pages = {36156–36171},

abstract = {Plasticity of cancer cells, manifested by transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes, represents a challenging issue in the treatment of neoplasias. Both epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) are implicated in the processes of metastasis formation and acquisition of stem cell-like properties. Mouse double minute (MDM) 2 and MDMX are important players in cancer progression, as they act as regulators of p53, but their function in EMT and metastasis may be contradictory. Here, we show that the EMT phenotype in multiple cellular models and in clinical prostate and breast cancer samples is associated with a decrease in MDM2 and increase in MDMX expression. Modulation of EMT-accompanying changes in MDM2 expression in benign and transformed prostate epithelial cells influences their migration capacity and sensitivity to docetaxel. Analysis of putative mechanisms of MDM2 expression control demonstrates that in the context of defective p53 function, MDM2 expression is regulated by EMT-inducing transcription factors Slug and Twist. These results provide an alternative context-specific role of MDM2 in EMT, cell migration, metastasis, and therapy resistance.},

note = {Place: United States},

keywords = {Animals, Breast Neoplasms/genetics/*metabolism/pathology, Cell Cycle Proteins, Cell Line, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/*physiology, Female, Heterografts, Humans, Male, MDM2/MDMX, Mice, Nuclear Proteins/*biosynthesis, Nude, Phenotype, prostate/breast cancer, Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics/*metabolism/pathology, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2/*biosynthesis, Proto-Oncogene Proteins/*biosynthesis, Snai2/Slug, Transfection, Tumor, TWIST},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{slabakova_tgf-1-induced_2011,

title = {TGF-β1-induced EMT of non-transformed prostate hyperplasia cells is characterized by early induction of SNAI2/Slug.},

author = {Eva Slabáková and Zuzana Pernicová and Eva Slavíčková and Andrea Staršíchová and Alois Kozubík and Karel Souček},

doi = {10.1002/pros.21350},

issn = {1097-0045 0270-4137},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-09-01},

journal = {The Prostate},

volume = {71},

number = {12},

pages = {1332–1343},

abstract = {BACKGROUND: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) underlying cancer cell invasion and metastasis has been thoroughly studied in prostate cancer. Although EMT markers have been clinically observed in benign prostate hyperplasia, molecular events underlying the onset and progression of EMT in benign prostate cells have not been described. METHODS: EMT in BPH-1 cells was induced by TGF-β1 treatment and the kinetics of expression of EMT markers, regulators, and selected miRNAs was assessed by western blotting and quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: EMT in BPH-1 cells was accompanied by rapid up-regulation of SNAI2/Slug and ZEB1 transcription factors, while changes in expression levels of ZEB2 and miR-200 family members were observed after extended time intervals. Invasive phenotype with EMT hallmarks, characterizing tumorigenic clones derived from BPH-1 cells, was associated with increased mRNA levels of SNAI2, ZEB1, and ZEB2, but was not associated with significant changes in basal levels of miR-200 family members. RNA interference revealed that SNAI2/Slug is crucial for TGF-β1-induced vimentin up-regulation and migration of BPH-1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that in BPH-1 cells the transcription factor SNAI2/Slug is important for EMT initiation, while the ZEB family of transcription factors in cooperation with the miR-200 family may oppose the reversal of the EMT phenotype.},

note = {Place: United States},

keywords = {*Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/genetics, Biomarkers/metabolism, Cell Line, Cell Movement, Homeodomain Proteins/genetics, Humans, Kinetics, Male, Messenger/metabolism, MicroRNAs/metabolism, Neoplasm Invasiveness/genetics, Phenotype, Prostatic Hyperplasia/*physiopathology, Repressor Proteins/genetics, RNA, Snail Family Transcription Factors, Transcription Factors/*biosynthesis/genetics, Transforming Growth Factor beta1/*pharmacology, Up-Regulation/drug effects, Vimentin/metabolism, Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 2, Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{soucek_fetal_2010,

title = {Fetal colon cell line FHC exhibits tumorigenic phenotype, complex karyotype, and TP53 gene mutation.},

author = {Karel Soucek and Pavla Gajdusková and Marie Brázdová and Martina Hýzd'alová and Lenka Kocí and David Vydra and Radek Trojanec and Zuzana Pernicová and Lenka Lentvorská and Marián Hajdúch and Jirina Hofmanová and Alois Kozubík},

doi = {10.1016/j.cancergencyto.2009.11.009},

issn = {1873-4456 0165-4608},

year  = {2010},

date = {2010-03-01},

journal = {Cancer genetics and cytogenetics},

volume = {197},

number = {2},

pages = {107–116},

abstract = {Stable cell lines obtained by spontaneous immortalization might represent early stages of malignant transformation and be useful experimental models for studies of mechanisms of cancer development. The FHC (fetal human cells) cell line has been established from normal fetal colonic mucosa. Detailed characterization of this cell line and mechanism of spontaneously acquired immortality have not been described yet. Therefore, we characterized the FHC cell line in terms of its tumorigenicity, cytogenetics, and TP53 gene mutation analysis. FHC cells displayed capability for anchorage-independent growth in semisolid media in vitro and formed solid tumors after transplantation into SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) mice. This tumorigenic phenotype was associated with hypotriploidy and chromosome number ranging from 66 to 69. Results of comparative genetic hybridization arrays showed that most chromosomes included regions of copy number gains or losses. Region 8q23 approximately 8q24.3 (containing, e.g., MYC proto-oncogene) was present in more than 20 copies per nucleus. Moreover, we identified mutation of TP53 gene in codon 273; triplet CGT coding Arg was changed to CAG coding His. Expression of Pro codon 72 polymorphic variant of p53 was also detected. Mutation of TP53 gene was associated with abolished induction of p21(Waf1/Cip1) and MDM-2 proteins and resistance to apoptosis after genotoxic treatment. Because of their origin from normal fetal colon and their relative resistance to the induction of apoptosis, FHC cells can be considered a valuable experimental model for various studies.},

note = {Place: United States},

keywords = {*Genes, Animals, Apoptosis/physiology, Carcinoembryonic Antigen/metabolism, Cell Adhesion/physiology, Cell Growth Processes/physiology, Cell Line, Cell Transformation, Colon/cytology/metabolism/*physiology, Colonic Neoplasms/*genetics/*pathology, Comparative Genomic Hybridization, Cytogenetic Analysis/methods, DNA Damage, DNA Mutational Analysis/methods, Female, Fetus/cytology, Fluorescence, HCT116 Cells, Humans, In Situ Hybridization, Karyotyping, Keratins/metabolism, Mice, Neoplasm Transplantation, Neoplastic/genetics/pathology, p53, Phenotype, Proto-Oncogene Mas, SCID, Signal Transduction, Transformed},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}