PLEK2 promotes cancer stemness and tumorigenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma via the c-Myc-mediated positive feedback loop.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies worldwide and is characterized by unfavorable prognosis, high lymph node metastasis and early recurrence. However, the molecular events regulating HNSCC tumorigenesis remain poorly understood. Therefore, uncovering the underlying mechanisms is urgently needed to identify novel and promising therapeutic targets for HNSCC. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of pleckstrin-2 (PLEK2) in regulating HNSCC tumorigenesis. The expression pattern of PLEK2 and its clinical significance in HNSCC were determined by analyzing publicly assessable datasets and our own independent HNSCC cohort. In vitro and in vivo experiments, including cell proliferation, colony formation, Matrigel invasion, tumor sphere formation, ALDEFLUOR, Western blotting assays and xenograft mouse models, were used to investigate the role of PLEK2 in regulating the malignant behaviors of HNSCC cells. The underlying molecular mechanisms for the tumor-promoting role of PLEK2 were elucidated using co-immunoprecipitation, cycloheximide chase analysis, ubiquitination assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, luciferase reporter assays and rescue experiments. The expression levels of PLEK2 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in HNSCC tissues, and PLEK2 overexpression was strongly associated with poor overall survival and therapeutic resistance. Additionally, PLEK2 was important for maintaining the proliferation, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stemness and tumorigenesis of HNSCC cells and could alter the cellular metabolism of the cancer cells. Mechanistically, PLEK2 interacted with c-Myc and reduced the association of F-box and WD repeat domain containing 7 (FBXW7) with c-Myc, thereby avoiding ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome-mediated degradation of c-Myc. Moreover, the c-Myc signaling activated by PLEK2 was important for sustaining the aggressive malignant phenotypes and tumorigenesis of HNSCC cells. c-Myc also directly bounded to the PLEK2 promoter and activated its transcription, forming a positive feedback loop. Collectively, these findings uncover a previously unknown molecular basis of PLEK2-enhanced c-Myc signaling in HNSCC, suggesting that PLEK2 may represent a promising therapeutic target for treating HNSCC.

Zhao X ，Shu D ，Sun W ，Si S ，Ran W ，Guo B ，Cui L ... -  《Cancer Communications》

A positive feedback loop between PFKP and c-Myc drives head and neck squamous cell carcinoma progression.

The aberrant expression of phosphofructokinase-platelet (PFKP) plays a crucial role in the development of various human cancers by modifying diverse biological functions. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the role of PFKP in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are not fully elucidated. We assessed the expression levels of PFKP and c-Myc in tumor and adjacent normal tissues from 120 HNSCC patients. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to explore the impact of the feedback loop between PFKP and c-Myc on HNSCC progression. Additionally, we explored the therapeutic effects of targeting PFKP and c-Myc in HNSCC using Patient-Derived Organoids (PDO), Cell Line-Derived Xenografts, and Patients-Derived Xenografts. Our findings indicated that PFKP is frequently upregulated in HNSCC tissues and cell lines, correlating with poor prognosis. Our in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that elevated PFKP facilitates cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis in HNSCC. Mechanistically, PFKP increases the ERK-mediated stability of c-Myc, thereby driving progression of HNSCC. Moreover, c-Myc stimulates PFKP expression at the transcriptional level, thus forming a positive feedback loop between PFKP and c-Myc. Additionally, our multiple models demonstrate that co-targeting PFKP and c-Myc triggers synergistic anti-tumor effects in HNSCC. Our study demonstrates the critical role of the PFKP/c-Myc positive feedback loop in driving HNSCC progression and suggests that simultaneously targeting PFKP and c-Myc may be a novel and effective therapeutic strategy for HNSCC.

Liu W ，Ding Z ，Tao Y ，Liu S ，Jiang M ，Yi F ，Wang Z ，Han Y ，Zong H ，Li D ，Zhu Y ，Xie Z ，Sang S ，Chen X ，Miao M ，Chen X ，Lin W ，Zhao Y ，Zheng G ，Zafereo M ，Li G ，Wu J ，Zha X ，Liu Y ... -  《-》

Therapeutic Targeting of the GLS1-c-Myc Positive Feedback Loop Suppresses Glutaminolysis and Inhibits Progression of Head and Neck Cancer.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is addicted to glutaminolysis. Targeting this metabolic dependency has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach for HNSCC. In this study, we conducted a bioinformatic analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas HNSCC cohort that revealed a robust correlation between expression of MYC (encoding the protein c-Myc) and glutaminase 1 (GLS1), which catalyzes the first step in glutaminolysis. Intriguingly, disruption of GLS1 signaling in HNSCC cells by genetic depletion or CB-839 treatment resulted in a reduction in c-Myc protein stability via a ubiquitin-specific peptidase 1-dependent ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. On the other hand, c-Myc directly binds to the promoter region of GLS1 and upregulates its transcription. Notably, the GLS1-c-Myc pathway enhanced acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase-dependent Slug acetylation, prompting cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Thus, the GLS1-c-Myc axis emerged as a positive feedback loop critical for driving the aggressiveness of HNSCC. Therapeutically, combining CB-839 with the c-Myc inhibitor MYCi975 strongly suppressed GLS1-c-Myc signaling, resulting in a superior antitumor effect compared with either single agent in an orthotopic mouse model of HNSCC. These findings hold promise for the development of effective therapies for patients with HNSCC, addressing an urgent need arising from the significant incidence and high metastatic rate of the disease. Significance: GLS1 and c-Myc form a positive feedback loop that promotes head and neck cancer metastasis and can be targeted as a promising therapeutic strategy for this disease.

Yang J ，Chen F ，Lang L ，Yang F ，Fu Z ，Martinez J ，Cho A ，Saba NF ，Teng Y ... -  《-》

Expression and prognostic potential of PLEK2 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma based on bioinformatics analysis.

PLEK2 (pleckstrin) could bind to membrane-bound phosphatidylinositols and further promote cell spread. Recently, several studies have noted the importance of PLEK2 in tumor metastasis. However, the role of PLEK2 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains to be elucidated. The PLEK2 expression in HNSCC was identified using Oncomine, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), UALCAN databases, and western blot analysis. Prognosis analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier plotter, DriverDBv3, UALCAN, UCSC Xena, and GEO databases. Single-cell functional analysis was further performed using the cancerSEA database. The PLEK2-related co-expressed genes were identified, and gene set enrichment analysis was performed using LinkedOmics. Furthermore, the top 10 hub genes were identified using the cytoHubba plug-in of Cytoscape. Then, gene enrichment analysis, pathway activity, and drug sensitivity analyses of the hub genes were performed using the R package "clusterProfiler" and GSCAlite. Finally, the UCSC Xena browser was utilized to explore the hub gene most likely to play a synergic role with PLEK2 in HNSCC. Elevated expression of PLEK2 was observed in HNSCC and even in HNSCC subgroups based on diverse clinicopathological features, portending a poor prognosis in HNSCC. PLEK2 was correlated with metastasis and hypoxia in HNSCC, and the PLEK2-related co-expressed genes were mainly involved in the focal adhesion pathway. The top 10 hub genes were primarily enriched in focal adhesion, HPV infection, ECM-receptor interaction, and PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition pathway was activated. Furthermore, the expression levels of the hub genes were associated with sensitivity and resistance to various small molecules and anti-cancer drugs. Further study suggested that ITGA3 and PLEK2 might be viewed as inextricably linked in facilitating HNSCC metastasis. In general, PLEK2 might serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of HNSCC and guide the development of targeted therapies for HNSCC.

Wang J ，Sun Z ，Wang J ，Tian Q ，Huang R ，Wang H ，Wang X ，Han F ... -  《Cancer Medicine》

Blockade of deubiquitinating enzyme PSMD14 overcomes chemoresistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by antagonizing E2F1/Akt/SOX2-mediated stemness.

Increasing evidence reveals a close relationship between deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) and cancer progression. In this study, we attempted to identify the roles and mechanisms of critical DUBs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed novel DUBs in HNSCC. Immunohistochemistry assay was used to measure the expression of DUB PSMD14 in HNSCC specimens and adjacent normal tissues. The level of PSMD14 in HNSCC tumorigenesis was investigated using a 4-NQO-induced murine HNSCC model. The function of PSMD14 was determined through loss-of-function assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, immunoprecipitation and in vivo ubiquitination assay were conducted to explore the potential mechanism of PSMD14. The anti-tumor activity of PSMD14 inhibitor Thiolutin was assessed by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Results: We identified PSMD14 as one of significantly upregulated DUBs in HNSCC tissues. Aberrant expression of PSMD14 was associated with tumorigenesis and malignant progression of HNSCC and further indicated poor prognosis. The results of in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated PSMD14 depletion significantly undermined HNSCC growth, chemoresistance and stemness. Mechanically, PSMD14 inhibited the ubiquitination and degradation of E2F1 to improve the activation of Akt pathway and the transcription of SOX2. Furthermore, PSMD14 inhibitor Thiolutin exhibited a potent anti-tumor effect on HNSCC in vivo and in vitro by impairing DUB activity of PSMD14. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate the role and mechanism of PSMD14 in HNSCC, and provide a novel and promising target for diagnosis and clinical therapy of HNSCC.

Jing C ，Duan Y ，Zhou M ，Yue K ，Zhuo S ，Li X ，Liu D ，Ye B ，Lai Q ，Li L ，Yao X ，Wei H ，Zhang W ，Wu Y ，Wang X ... -  《-》