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Novel Targets of Protoporphyrin-IX Determined By Gene Expression Analysis

Received: 8 July 2020    Accepted: 27 July 2020    Published: 18 August 2020
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Abstract

Treatment with 5-Aminolevulinic acid-mediated photody¬namic therapy is a promising therapeutic option for various carcinomas. An appropriate photosensitizer for photody¬namic therapy is protoporphyrin-IX (PpIX), a light sensitive metabolite of heme synthesis. Incorporation of iron into PpIX leading to heme is carried out by Ferrochelatase (FECH). Earlier, we described a significant down regulation of FECH mRNA-expression and enzyme activity in carcinoma cells leading to an endogenous accumulation of PpIX. How PpIX affects the cell metabolism has not been examined so far. Thus, we tried to identify novel targets of PpIX with regard to cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion. Endogenous generation of PpIX was induced by silencing of FECH in breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells using a specific siRNA. Successful silencing of FECH was confirmed by RT-PCR and induction of PpIX was assessed by flow cytometry for each experiment. Subsequently, gene expression was determined using Affymetrix GeneChip® Human Gene 1.0 ST. Validation of microarray data was achieved by quantitative RT-PCR. Expression of one of the newly discovered target genes, BAMBI, was assessed by immunohistochemistry. In addition, the effect of silencing of FECH was examined by functional studies of cell apoptosis, invasion and wound healing. According to the gene expression analysis, an enhancement of PpIX suppressed Hedgehog as well as TGF-beta signaling. Expression of HHIP, a negative regulator of the hedgehog pathway, was found to be strongly increased after silencing of FECH. With regard to TGF-beta signaling, expression of the signaling inhibitor SMAD7 was strongly upregulated while the positive mediators SMAD2 and SMAD4 were less expressed after silencing FECH. Similarly, apoptosis of tumor cells was promoted, probably due to an increased expression of the pro-apoptotic gene APAF1 and a reduced expression of anti-apoptotic protein API5. Moreover, a significantly reduced invasion capability after treatment of cells with FECH siRNA was found. Here, we report that an accumulation of PpIX due to silencing of FECH affects various pathways and promotes apoptosis of tumor cells in different ways. Thus, silencing of FECH might have a tumor-suppressive effect. The search for substances which block FECH activity in a direct way therefore might be of high relevance for future cancer therapy approaches.

Published in International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research (Volume 5, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20200503.12
Page(s) 56-64
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Photodynamic Therapy, Protoporphyrin-IX, Ferrochelatase, Silencing RNA, Microarray, Gene Expression, Apoptosis, Invasion

References
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    Yiyang Dai, Wolfgang Kemmner. (2020). Novel Targets of Protoporphyrin-IX Determined By Gene Expression Analysis. International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research, 5(3), 56-64. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20200503.12

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    ACS Style

    Yiyang Dai; Wolfgang Kemmner. Novel Targets of Protoporphyrin-IX Determined By Gene Expression Analysis. Int. J. Clin. Oncol. Cancer Res. 2020, 5(3), 56-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20200503.12

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    AMA Style

    Yiyang Dai, Wolfgang Kemmner. Novel Targets of Protoporphyrin-IX Determined By Gene Expression Analysis. Int J Clin Oncol Cancer Res. 2020;5(3):56-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20200503.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijcocr.20200503.12,
      author = {Yiyang Dai and Wolfgang Kemmner},
      title = {Novel Targets of Protoporphyrin-IX Determined By Gene Expression Analysis},
      journal = {International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research},
      volume = {5},
      number = {3},
      pages = {56-64},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijcocr.20200503.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20200503.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijcocr.20200503.12},
      abstract = {Treatment with 5-Aminolevulinic acid-mediated photody¬namic therapy is a promising therapeutic option for various carcinomas. An appropriate photosensitizer for photody¬namic therapy is protoporphyrin-IX (PpIX), a light sensitive metabolite of heme synthesis. Incorporation of iron into PpIX leading to heme is carried out by Ferrochelatase (FECH). Earlier, we described a significant down regulation of FECH mRNA-expression and enzyme activity in carcinoma cells leading to an endogenous accumulation of PpIX. How PpIX affects the cell metabolism has not been examined so far. Thus, we tried to identify novel targets of PpIX with regard to cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion. Endogenous generation of PpIX was induced by silencing of FECH in breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells using a specific siRNA. Successful silencing of FECH was confirmed by RT-PCR and induction of PpIX was assessed by flow cytometry for each experiment. Subsequently, gene expression was determined using Affymetrix GeneChip® Human Gene 1.0 ST. Validation of microarray data was achieved by quantitative RT-PCR. Expression of one of the newly discovered target genes, BAMBI, was assessed by immunohistochemistry. In addition, the effect of silencing of FECH was examined by functional studies of cell apoptosis, invasion and wound healing. According to the gene expression analysis, an enhancement of PpIX suppressed Hedgehog as well as TGF-beta signaling. Expression of HHIP, a negative regulator of the hedgehog pathway, was found to be strongly increased after silencing of FECH. With regard to TGF-beta signaling, expression of the signaling inhibitor SMAD7 was strongly upregulated while the positive mediators SMAD2 and SMAD4 were less expressed after silencing FECH. Similarly, apoptosis of tumor cells was promoted, probably due to an increased expression of the pro-apoptotic gene APAF1 and a reduced expression of anti-apoptotic protein API5. Moreover, a significantly reduced invasion capability after treatment of cells with FECH siRNA was found. Here, we report that an accumulation of PpIX due to silencing of FECH affects various pathways and promotes apoptosis of tumor cells in different ways. Thus, silencing of FECH might have a tumor-suppressive effect. The search for substances which block FECH activity in a direct way therefore might be of high relevance for future cancer therapy approaches.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Novel Targets of Protoporphyrin-IX Determined By Gene Expression Analysis
    AU  - Yiyang Dai
    AU  - Wolfgang Kemmner
    Y1  - 2020/08/18
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20200503.12
    T2  - International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research
    JF  - International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research
    JO  - International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research
    SP  - 56
    EP  - 64
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2578-9511
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20200503.12
    AB  - Treatment with 5-Aminolevulinic acid-mediated photody¬namic therapy is a promising therapeutic option for various carcinomas. An appropriate photosensitizer for photody¬namic therapy is protoporphyrin-IX (PpIX), a light sensitive metabolite of heme synthesis. Incorporation of iron into PpIX leading to heme is carried out by Ferrochelatase (FECH). Earlier, we described a significant down regulation of FECH mRNA-expression and enzyme activity in carcinoma cells leading to an endogenous accumulation of PpIX. How PpIX affects the cell metabolism has not been examined so far. Thus, we tried to identify novel targets of PpIX with regard to cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion. Endogenous generation of PpIX was induced by silencing of FECH in breast carcinoma MDA-MB-231 cells using a specific siRNA. Successful silencing of FECH was confirmed by RT-PCR and induction of PpIX was assessed by flow cytometry for each experiment. Subsequently, gene expression was determined using Affymetrix GeneChip® Human Gene 1.0 ST. Validation of microarray data was achieved by quantitative RT-PCR. Expression of one of the newly discovered target genes, BAMBI, was assessed by immunohistochemistry. In addition, the effect of silencing of FECH was examined by functional studies of cell apoptosis, invasion and wound healing. According to the gene expression analysis, an enhancement of PpIX suppressed Hedgehog as well as TGF-beta signaling. Expression of HHIP, a negative regulator of the hedgehog pathway, was found to be strongly increased after silencing of FECH. With regard to TGF-beta signaling, expression of the signaling inhibitor SMAD7 was strongly upregulated while the positive mediators SMAD2 and SMAD4 were less expressed after silencing FECH. Similarly, apoptosis of tumor cells was promoted, probably due to an increased expression of the pro-apoptotic gene APAF1 and a reduced expression of anti-apoptotic protein API5. Moreover, a significantly reduced invasion capability after treatment of cells with FECH siRNA was found. Here, we report that an accumulation of PpIX due to silencing of FECH affects various pathways and promotes apoptosis of tumor cells in different ways. Thus, silencing of FECH might have a tumor-suppressive effect. The search for substances which block FECH activity in a direct way therefore might be of high relevance for future cancer therapy approaches.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Gastroenterology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yi Wu, China

  • Research Group Translational Oncology, Experimental Clinical Research Center at the Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Charitè Campus Buch, Berlin, Germany

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