Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma via anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicity

Abstract Background Galectin-3 (Gal-3), the only chimeric β-galactosides-binding lectin, consists of Gal-3N (N-terminal regulatory peptide) and Gal-3C (C-terminal carbohydrate-recognition domain). Interestingly, Gal-3C could specifically inhibit endogenous full-length Gal-3 to exhibit anti-tumor act...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiaoge Gao, Pin Jiang, Xiaohuan Wei, Wei Zhang, Jiwei Zheng, Shishuo Sun, Hong Yao, Xiangye Liu, Qing Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-02-01
Series:BMC Cancer
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-10608-9
_version_ 1797840992574898176
author Xiaoge Gao
Pin Jiang
Xiaohuan Wei
Wei Zhang
Jiwei Zheng
Shishuo Sun
Hong Yao
Xiangye Liu
Qing Zhang
author_facet Xiaoge Gao
Pin Jiang
Xiaohuan Wei
Wei Zhang
Jiwei Zheng
Shishuo Sun
Hong Yao
Xiangye Liu
Qing Zhang
author_sort Xiaoge Gao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Galectin-3 (Gal-3), the only chimeric β-galactosides-binding lectin, consists of Gal-3N (N-terminal regulatory peptide) and Gal-3C (C-terminal carbohydrate-recognition domain). Interestingly, Gal-3C could specifically inhibit endogenous full-length Gal-3 to exhibit anti-tumor activity. Here, we aimed to further improve the anti-tumor activity of Gal-3C via developing novel fusion proteins. Methods PK5 (the fifth kringle domain of plasminogen) was introduced to the N-terminus of Gal-3C via rigid linker (RL) to generate novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C. Then, we investigated the anti-tumor activity of PK5-RL-Gal-3C in vivo and in vitro by using several experiments, and figured out their molecular mechanisms in anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicity to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Results Our results show that PK5-RL-Gal-3C can inhibit HCC both in vivo and in vitro without obvious toxicity, and also significantly prolong the survival time of tumor-bearing mice. Mechanically, we find that PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits angiogenesis and show cytotoxicity to HCC. In detail, HUVEC-related and matrigel plug assays indicate that PK5-RL-Gal-3C plays an important role in inhibiting angiogenesis by regulating HIF1α/VEGF and Ang-2 both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, PK5-RL-Gal-3C induces cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and apoptosis with inhibition of Cyclin D1, Cyclin D3, CDK4, and Bcl-2, but activation of p27, p21, caspase-3, -8 and -9. Conclusion Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C is potent therapeutic agent by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis in HCC and potential antagonist of Gal-3, which provides new strategy for exploring novel antagonist of Gal-3 and promotes their application in clinical treatment.
first_indexed 2024-04-09T16:23:42Z
format Article
id doaj.art-338bac6a0e8b44dc9aff51e8f6d7937b
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1471-2407
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-09T16:23:42Z
publishDate 2023-02-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Cancer
spelling doaj.art-338bac6a0e8b44dc9aff51e8f6d7937b2023-04-23T11:20:21ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072023-02-0123111610.1186/s12885-023-10608-9Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma via anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicityXiaoge Gao0Pin Jiang1Xiaohuan Wei2Wei Zhang3Jiwei Zheng4Shishuo Sun5Hong Yao6Xiangye Liu7Qing Zhang8Cancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical UniversityCancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical UniversityCancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical UniversityCancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Oral Medicine, School of Stomatology, Xuzhou Medical UniversityCancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical UniversityCancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical UniversityCancer Institute, Xuzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Background Galectin-3 (Gal-3), the only chimeric β-galactosides-binding lectin, consists of Gal-3N (N-terminal regulatory peptide) and Gal-3C (C-terminal carbohydrate-recognition domain). Interestingly, Gal-3C could specifically inhibit endogenous full-length Gal-3 to exhibit anti-tumor activity. Here, we aimed to further improve the anti-tumor activity of Gal-3C via developing novel fusion proteins. Methods PK5 (the fifth kringle domain of plasminogen) was introduced to the N-terminus of Gal-3C via rigid linker (RL) to generate novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C. Then, we investigated the anti-tumor activity of PK5-RL-Gal-3C in vivo and in vitro by using several experiments, and figured out their molecular mechanisms in anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicity to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Results Our results show that PK5-RL-Gal-3C can inhibit HCC both in vivo and in vitro without obvious toxicity, and also significantly prolong the survival time of tumor-bearing mice. Mechanically, we find that PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits angiogenesis and show cytotoxicity to HCC. In detail, HUVEC-related and matrigel plug assays indicate that PK5-RL-Gal-3C plays an important role in inhibiting angiogenesis by regulating HIF1α/VEGF and Ang-2 both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, PK5-RL-Gal-3C induces cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and apoptosis with inhibition of Cyclin D1, Cyclin D3, CDK4, and Bcl-2, but activation of p27, p21, caspase-3, -8 and -9. Conclusion Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C is potent therapeutic agent by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis in HCC and potential antagonist of Gal-3, which provides new strategy for exploring novel antagonist of Gal-3 and promotes their application in clinical treatment.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-10608-9Galectin-3AngiogenesisCarbohydrate-recognition domainFifth kringle of plasminogenHepatocellular carcinoma
spellingShingle Xiaoge Gao
Pin Jiang
Xiaohuan Wei
Wei Zhang
Jiwei Zheng
Shishuo Sun
Hong Yao
Xiangye Liu
Qing Zhang
Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma via anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicity
BMC Cancer
Galectin-3
Angiogenesis
Carbohydrate-recognition domain
Fifth kringle of plasminogen
Hepatocellular carcinoma
title Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma via anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicity
title_full Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma via anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicity
title_fullStr Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma via anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicity
title_full_unstemmed Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma via anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicity
title_short Novel fusion protein PK5-RL-Gal-3C inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma via anti-angiogenesis and cytotoxicity
title_sort novel fusion protein pk5 rl gal 3c inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma via anti angiogenesis and cytotoxicity
topic Galectin-3
Angiogenesis
Carbohydrate-recognition domain
Fifth kringle of plasminogen
Hepatocellular carcinoma
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-023-10608-9
work_keys_str_mv AT xiaogegao novelfusionproteinpk5rlgal3cinhibitshepatocellularcarcinomaviaantiangiogenesisandcytotoxicity
AT pinjiang novelfusionproteinpk5rlgal3cinhibitshepatocellularcarcinomaviaantiangiogenesisandcytotoxicity
AT xiaohuanwei novelfusionproteinpk5rlgal3cinhibitshepatocellularcarcinomaviaantiangiogenesisandcytotoxicity
AT weizhang novelfusionproteinpk5rlgal3cinhibitshepatocellularcarcinomaviaantiangiogenesisandcytotoxicity
AT jiweizheng novelfusionproteinpk5rlgal3cinhibitshepatocellularcarcinomaviaantiangiogenesisandcytotoxicity
AT shishuosun novelfusionproteinpk5rlgal3cinhibitshepatocellularcarcinomaviaantiangiogenesisandcytotoxicity
AT hongyao novelfusionproteinpk5rlgal3cinhibitshepatocellularcarcinomaviaantiangiogenesisandcytotoxicity
AT xiangyeliu novelfusionproteinpk5rlgal3cinhibitshepatocellularcarcinomaviaantiangiogenesisandcytotoxicity
AT qingzhang novelfusionproteinpk5rlgal3cinhibitshepatocellularcarcinomaviaantiangiogenesisandcytotoxicity