Biology subjects

Gueguinou, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Gueguinou, M..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Single Cell Calcium profiling for the discrimination of cancer cell lines.

Calcium (Ca2+) is an essential second messenger that controls numerous cellular functions. Characteristics of intracellular Ca2+ oscillations define Ca2+ signatures representatives of the phenotype of a cell. Oncogenic functions such as migration, proliferation or resistance to chemotherapy have been associated with aberrant Ca2+ fluxes. However, the identification of Ca2+ signatures representatives of the oncogenic properties of cancer cells remains to be addressed. To characterize oncogenic Ca2+ signatures, we proposed an unbiased scalable method that combines single cell calcium imaging with unsupervised and supervised machine learning tools. Here, we applied this method to investigate the heterogeneity of Ca 2+ signatures in 16 cancer cell lines and the remodeling of oncogenic Ca2+ signatures induced by acquired docetaxel resistance and in the course of the interaction of cancer cells with fibroblasts. Finally, our method demonstrates the potential of Ca2+ profiling for discriminating cancer cells and predict their phenotypic characteristics at single cell level, and provides a framework for researchers to investigate the remodeling of the Ca2+ signature during cancer development.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Encoding of the colorectal cancer metabolic program through MICU2

The mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) plays crucial role in intramitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, allowing Ca2+-dependent activation of oxidative metabolism. In recent decades, the role of MCU pore-forming proteins has been highlighted in cancer. However, the contribution of MCU-associated regulatory proteins mitochondrial calcium uptake 1 and 2 (MICU1 and MICU2) to pathophysiological conditions has been poorly investigated. Here, we describe the role of MICU2 in cell proliferation and migration using in vitro and in vivo models of colorectal cancer (CRC). Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated an increase in MICU2 expression and the MICU2/MICU1 ratio in advanced CRC and CRC-derived metastases. We report that expression of MICU2 is necessary for mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and quality of the mitochondrial network. Our data reveal the interplay between MICU2 and MICU1 in the metabolic flexibility between anaerobic glycolysis and OXPHOS. Overall, our study sheds light on the potential role of the MICUs in diseases associated with metabolic reprogramming. HighlightsO_LIMICU2 plays a pivotal role in the balance between anaerobic glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation C_LIO_LIMICU2 stabilizes the mitochondrial network and endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial calcium flux C_LIO_LIMICU2 expression and the MICU2/MICU1 ratio control proliferation and metastasis formation in colorectal cancer C_LI Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=143 SRC="FIGDIR/small/564893v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (41K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@6bb307org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@b6a966org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2ba053org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@2ab691_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Chimeric protein EWS-FLI1 drives cell proliferation in Ewing Sarcoma via overexpression of KCNN1.

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is characterized by chimeric fusion proteins, which act as oncogenes. Over the last decade, patient survival has not increased, especially for high risk patients. Knowing that ion channels are studied for their implication in tumorigenesis, the aim of this work is to study the involvement of the SK1 potassium channels in ES. RNA-Seq analyses showed a high restricted expression of KCNN1, the gene encoding SK1, only in ES patients, and its expression is inversely correlated with patient survival. EWS-FLI1 silencing demonstrated the regulation of KCNN1 by these fusion proteins, which bind at GGAA microsatellites near KCNN1 promoter. In addition, KCNN1 has been shown to be involved in the regulation of ES cell proliferation, its silencing being associated with a slowing of the cell cycle. Finally, KCNN1 expression modulates membrane potential and calcium flux suggesting the role of calcium in KCNN1 driving cell proliferation. These results highlight that KCNN1 is a direct EWS-FLI1 and EWS-ERG target, and is involved in the regulation of ES cell proliferation, making it an interesting therapeutic target in ES.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Curcumin and NCLX Inhibitors Share Anti-Tumoral Mechanisms in Microsatellite-Instability-Driven Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with high mortality worldwide and new targets are needed to overcome treatment resistance. Recent evidences highlight a role of the mitochondria calcium homeostasis in the development of CRC. In this context, we aimed to evaluate the role of the mitochondrial sodium-calcium-lithium exchanger (NCLX) and its targeting in CRC. We also identified curcumin as a new potential inhibitor of NCLX. In vitro, curcumin exerted strong anti-tumoral activity through its action on NCLX with mtCa2+ and reactive oxygen species overload associated with a mitochondrial membrane depolarization, leading to reduced ATP production and apoptosis through mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening concomitant with G2/M cell cycle arrest. NCLX inhibition with either CGP37157 (a benzodiazepine derivative), small interfering RNA-mediated knock-down or knockout approaches reproduced the effects of curcumin. Altered mitochondrial respiration, cellular aerobic glycolysis and endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria membrane perturbations participated in these mechanisms. In a xenograft mouse model, NCLX inhibitors decreased CRC tumor growth. Both transcriptomic analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays from 381 patients with microsatellite instability (MSI)-driven CRC demonstrated that higher NCLX expression was associated with MSI status and for the first time NCLX expression was significantly associated with recurrence-free survival in MSI CRC patients. Our findings provide strong evidence that blocking NCLX inhibits CRC in vitro and in vivo. We highlight a novel anti-tumoral mechanism of curcumin through its action on NCLX and mitochondria calcium overload that could benefit for therapeutic treatment of patients with MSI CRC.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Colorectal adenocarcinomas downregulate the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger NCLX to drive metastatic spread

Despite the established role of mitochondria in tumorigenesis, the molecular mechanisms by which mitochondrial Ca2+ (mtCa2+) signaling regulates tumor growth and metastasis remain unknown. The crucial role of mtCa2+ in tumorigenesis is highlighted by the altered expression of proteins mediating mtCa2+ uptake and extrusion in cancer cells. Here, we demonstrate that expression of the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger NCLX (SLC8B1) is decreased in colorectal tumors and is associated with advanced-stage disease in patients. We reveal that downregulation of NCLX leads to mtCa2+ overload, mitochondrial depolarization, mitophagy, and reduced tumor size. Concomitantly, NCLX downregulation drives metastatic spread, chemoresistance, the expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), hypoxia, and stem cell pathways. Mechanistically, mtCa2+ overload leads to an increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) which activates HIF1 signaling supporting the metastatic behavior of tumor cells lacking NCLX. Our results reveal that loss of NCLX expression is a novel driver of metastatic progression, indicating that control of mtCa2+ levels is a novel therapeutic approach in metastatic colorectal cancer. HighlightsO_LIThe expression of NCLX is decreased in colorectal tumors and is associated with advanced-stage disease in patients. C_LIO_LINCLX plays a dichotomous role in colorectal tumor growth and metastasis. C_LIO_LINCLX downregulation causes mitophagy and reduced colorectal cancer tumor growth. C_LIO_LINCLX downregulation induces stemness, chemoresistance and metastasis through mtCa2+/ROS/HIF1 signaling axis. C_LI Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=189 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/083071v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (60K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@30360dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@12ca72borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@9328ddorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@15ffcdb_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG SignificanceMitochondrial Ca2+ (mtCa2+) homeostasis is essential for cellular metabolism and growth and plays a critical role in cancer progression. mtCa2+ uptake is mediated by an inner membrane protein complex containing the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU). mtCa2+ uptake by the MCU is followed by a [~]100-fold slower mtCa2+ extrusion mediated by the inner mitochondrial membrane ion transporter, the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger NCLX. Because NCLX is a slower transporter than the MCU, it is a crucial rate-limiting factor of mtCa2+ homeostasis that cannot easily be compensated by another Ca2+ transport mechanism. This represents the first study investigating the role of NCLX in tumorigenesis and metastasis. We demonstrate for the first time that colorectal cancers exhibit loss of NCLX expression and that this is associated with advanced-stage disease. Intriguingly, decreased NCLX function has a dichotomous role in colorectal cancer. Thus, we reveal that NCLX loss leads to reduced primary tumor growth and overall tumor burden in vivo. Yet, the consequential increases in mtCa2+ elicit pro-survival, hypoxic and gene transcription pathways that enhance metastatic progression. This dichotomy is a well-established feature of chemoresistant and recurrent tumor cells including cancer stem cells. Moreover, the downstream changes elicited by NCLX loss are reminiscent of mesenchymal colorectal cancer subtypes that display poor patient survival. Our data indicate that the demonstrated changes to the mtCa2+/mtROS/HIF1 signaling axis elicited through the loss of NCLX are a key adaptation and driver of metastatic colorectal cancer.

cancer biology↗