Updated on 2025/02/11

写真a

 
Wataru Nakajima
 
Affiliation
Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Department of Molecular Oncology, Senior Assistant Professor
Title
Senior Assistant Professor
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Research Areas

  • Life Science / Tumor biology

Research History

  • Virginia commonwealth university   Massay Cancer Center   postdoctoral fellow

    2012.10 - 2014.9

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    Country:United States

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Papers

  • EGFR変異非小細胞肺がんにおける免疫チェックポイント阻害剤治療耐性因子の探索とその役割(Analysis of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapeutic Resistance Factors in EGFR-mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer)

    中嶋 亘, 石野 孔祐, 北川 真吾, 大橋 隆治, 清家 正博, 山本 林

    日本癌学会総会記事   83回   P - 3345   2024.9

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    Language:English   Publisher:(一社)日本癌学会  

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  • Loss of p53 function promotes DNA damage-induced formation of nuclear actin filaments. International journal

    Takeru Torii, Wataru Sugimoto, Katsuhiko Itoh, Natsuki Kinoshita, Masaya Gessho, Toshiyuki Goto, Ikuno Uehara, Wataru Nakajima, Yemima Budirahardja, Daisuke Miyoshi, Takahito Nishikata, Nobuyuki Tanaka, Hiroaki Hirata, Keiko Kawauchi

    Cell death & disease   14 ( 11 )   766 - 766   2023.11

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    Tumor suppressor p53 plays a central role in response to DNA damage. DNA-damaging agents modulate nuclear actin dynamics, influencing cell behaviors; however, whether p53 affects the formation of nuclear actin filaments remains unclear. In this study, we found that p53 depletion promoted the formation of nuclear actin filaments in response to DNA-damaging agents, such as doxorubicin (DOXO) and etoposide (VP16). Even though the genetic probes used for the detection of nuclear actin filaments exerted a promotive effect on actin polymerization, the detected formation of nuclear actin filaments was highly dependent on both p53 depletion and DNA damage. Whilst active p53 is known to promote caspase-1 expression, the overexpression of caspase-1 reduced DNA damage-induced formation of nuclear actin filaments in p53-depleted cells. In contrast, co-treatment with DOXO and the pan-caspase inhibitor Q-VD-OPh or the caspase-1 inhibitor Z-YVAD-FMK induced the formation of nuclear actin filament formation even in cells bearing wild-type p53. These results suggest that the p53-caspase-1 axis suppresses DNA damage-induced formation of nuclear actin filaments. In addition, we found that the expression of nLifeact-GFP, the filamentous-actin-binding peptide Lifeact fused with the nuclear localization signal (NLS) and GFP, modulated the structure of nuclear actin filaments to be phalloidin-stainable in p53-depleted cells treated with the DNA-damaging agent, altering the chromatin structure and reducing the transcriptional activity. The level of phosphorylated H2AX (γH2AX), a marker of DNA damage, in these cells also reduced upon nLifeact-GFP expression, whilst details of the functional relationship between the formation of nLifeact-GFP-decorated nuclear actin filaments and DNA repair remained to be elucidated. Considering that the loss of p53 is associated with cancer progression, the results of this study raise a possibility that the artificial reinforcement of nuclear actin filaments by nLifeact-GFP may enhance the cytotoxic effect of DNA-damaging agents in aggressive cancer cells through a reduction in gene transcription.

    DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06310-0

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  • The iron chelator deferriferrichrysin induces paraptosis via extracellular signal-related kinase activation in cancer cells. International journal

    Natsuki Kinoshita, Masaya Gessho, Takeru Torii, Yukako Ashida, Minori Akamatsu, Alvin Kunyao Guo, Sunmin Lee, Tatsuya Katsuno, Wataru Nakajima, Yemima Budirahardja, Daisuke Miyoshi, Takehiko Todokoro, Hiroki Ishida, Takahito Nishikata, Keiko Kawauchi

    Genes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms   28 ( 9 )   653 - 662   2023.9

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    Cancer cells generally exhibit increased iron uptake, which contributes to their abnormal growth and metastatic ability. Iron chelators have thus recently attracted attention as potential anticancer agents. Here, we show that deferriferrichrysin (Dfcy), a natural product from Aspergillus oryzae acts as an iron chelator to induce paraptosis (a programmed cell death pathway characterized by ER dilation) in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and H1299 human lung cancer cells. We first examined the anticancer efficacy of Dfcy in cancer cells and found that Dfcy induced ER dilation and reduced the number of viable cells. Extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) was activated by Dfcy treatment, and the MEK inhibitor U0126, a small molecule commonly used to inhibit ERK activity, prevented the increase in ER dilation in Dfcy-treated cells. Concomitantly, the decrease in the number of viable cells upon treatment with Dfcy was attenuated by U0126. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the iron chelator Dfcy exhibits anticancer effects via induction of ERK-dependent paraptosis.

    DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13053

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  • Epigenetic Priming with Decitabine Augments the Therapeutic Effect of Cisplatin on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells through Induction of Proapoptotic Factor NOXA. Reviewed International journal

    Wataru Nakajima, Kai Miyazaki, Masahiro Sakaguchi, Yumi Asano, Mariko Ishibashi, Tomoko Kurita, Hiroki Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Takei, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    Cancers   14 ( 1 )   2022.1

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    Epigenetic alterations caused by aberrant DNA methylation have a crucial role in cancer development, and the DNA-demethylating agent decitabine, is used to treat hematopoietic malignancy. Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) have shown sensitivity to decitabine; however, the underlying mechanism of its anticancer effect and its effectiveness in treating TNBCs are not fully understood. We analyzed the effects of decitabine on nine TNBC cell lines and examined genes associated with its cytotoxic effects. According to the effect of decitabine, we classified the cell lines into cell death (D)-type, growth inhibition (G)-type, and resistant (R)-type. In D-type cells, decitabine induced the expression of apoptotic regulators and, among them, NOXA was functionally involved in decitabine-induced apoptosis. In G-type cells, induction of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21, and cell cycle arrest were observed. Furthermore, decitabine enhanced the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin mediated by NOXA in D-type and G-type cells. In contrast, the sensitivity to cisplatin was high in R-type cells, and no enhancing effect by decitabine was observed. These results indicate that decitabine enhances the proapoptotic effect of cisplatin on TNBC cell lines that are less sensitive to cisplatin, indicating the potential for combination therapy in TNBC.

    DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010248

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  • Krüppel-Like Factor 4 and Its Activator APTO-253 Induce NOXA-Mediated, p53-Independent Apoptosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Reviewed International journal

    Wataru Nakajima, Kai Miyazaki, Yumi Asano, Satoshi Kubota, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    Genes   12 ( 4 )   2021.4

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    Inducing apoptosis is an effective treatment for cancer. Conventional cytotoxic anticancer agents induce apoptosis primarily through activation of tumor suppressor p53 by causing DNA damage and the resulting regulation of B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) family proteins. Therefore, the effects of these agents are limited in cancers where p53 loss-of-function mutations are common, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Here, we demonstrate that ultraviolet (UV) light-induced p53-independent transcriptional activation of NOXA, a proapoptotic factor in the BCL-2 family, results in apoptosis induction. This UV light-induced NOXA expression was triggered by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity. Moreover, we identified the specific UV light-inducible DNA element of the NOXA promoter and found that this sequence is responsible for transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4)-mediated induction. In p53-mutated TNBC cells, inhibition of KLF4 by RNA interference reduced NOXA expression. Furthermore, treatment of TNBC cells with a KLF4-inducing small compound, APTO-253, resulted in the induction of NOXA expression and NOXA-mediated apoptosis. Therefore, our results help to clarify the molecular mechanism of DNA damage-induced apoptosis and provide support for a possible treatment method for p53-mutated cancers.

    DOI: 10.3390/genes12040539

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  • Virus-infection in cochlear supporting cells induces audiosensory receptor hair cell death by TRAIL-induced necroptosis. Reviewed International journal

    Yushi Hayashi, Hidenori Suzuki, Wataru Nakajima, Ikuno Uehara, Atsuko Tanimura, Toshiki Himeda, Satoshi Koike, Tatsuya Katsuno, Shin-Ichiro Kitajiri, Naoto Koyanagi, Yasushi Kawaguchi, Koji Onomoto, Hiroki Kato, Mitsutoshi Yoneyama, Takashi Fujita, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    PloS one   16 ( 11 )   e0260443   2021

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    Although sensorineural hearing loss (SHL) is relatively common, its cause has not been identified in most cases. Previous studies have suggested that viral infection is a major cause of SHL, especially sudden SHL, but the system that protects against pathogens in the inner ear, which is isolated by the blood-labyrinthine barrier, remains poorly understood. We recently showed that, as audiosensory receptor cells, cochlear hair cells (HCs) are protected by surrounding accessory supporting cells (SCs) and greater epithelial ridge (GER or Kölliker's organ) cells (GERCs) against viral infections. Here, we found that virus-infected SCs and GERCs induce HC death via production of the tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Notably, the HCs expressed the TRAIL death receptors (DR) DR4 and DR5, and virus-induced HC death was suppressed by TRAIL-neutralizing antibodies. TRAIL-induced HC death was not caused by apoptosis, and was inhibited by necroptosis inhibitors. Moreover, corticosteroids, the only effective drug for SHL, inhibited the virus-induced transformation of SCs and GERCs into macrophage-like cells and HC death, while macrophage depletion also inhibited virus-induced HC death. These results reveal a novel mechanism underlying virus-induced HC death in the cochlear sensory epithelium and suggest a possible target for preventing virus-induced SHL.

    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260443

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  • Cochlear supporting cells function as macrophage-like cells and protect audiosensory receptor hair cells from pathogens. Reviewed International journal

    Yushi Hayashi, Hidenori Suzuki, Wataru Nakajima, Ikuno Uehara, Atsuko Tanimura, Toshiki Himeda, Satoshi Koike, Tatsuya Katsuno, Shin-Ichiro Kitajiri, Naoto Koyanagi, Yasushi Kawaguchi, Koji Onomoto, Hiroki Kato, Mitsutoshi Yoneyama, Takashi Fujita, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    Scientific reports   10 ( 1 )   6740 - 6740   2020.4

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    To protect the audiosensory organ from tissue damage from the immune system, the inner ear is separated from the circulating immune system by the blood-labyrinth barrier, which was previously considered an immune-privileged site. Recent studies have shown that macrophages are distributed in the cochlea, especially in the spiral ligament, spiral ganglion, and stria vascularis; however, the direct pathogen defence mechanism used by audiosensory receptor hair cells (HCs) has remained obscure. Here, we show that HCs are protected from pathogens by surrounding accessory supporting cells (SCs) and greater epithelial ridge (GER or Kölliker's organ) cells (GERCs). In isolated murine cochlear sensory epithelium, we established Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus, which infected the SCs and GERCs, but very few HCs. The virus-infected SCs produced interferon (IFN)-α/β, and the viruses efficiently infected the HCs in the IFN-α/β receptor-null sensory epithelium. Interestingly, the virus-infected SCs and GERCs expressed macrophage marker proteins and were eliminated from the cell layer by cell detachment. Moreover, lipopolysaccharide induced phagocytosis of the SCs without cell detachment, and the SCs phagocytosed the bacteria. These results reveal that SCs function as macrophage-like cells, protect adjacent HCs from pathogens, and provide a novel anti-infection inner ear immune system.

    DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63654-9

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  • DMPK is a new candidate mediator of tumor suppressor p53-dependent cell death Reviewed

    Katsuhiko Itoh, Takahiro Ebata, Hiroaki Hirata, Takeru Torii, Wataru Sugimoto, Keigo Onodera, Wataru Nakajima, Ikuno Uehara, Daisuke Okuzaki, Shota Yamauchi, Yemima Budirahardja, Takahito Nishikata, Nobuyuki Tanaka, Keiko Kawauchi

    Molecules   24 ( 17 )   2019.9

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    © 2019 by the authors Tumor suppressor p53 plays an integral role in DNA-damage induced apoptosis, a biological process that protects against tumor progression. Cell shape dramatically changes when cells undergo apoptosis, which is associated with actomyosin contraction; however, it remains entirely elusive how p53 regulates actomyosin contraction in response to DNA-damaging agents. To identify a novel p53 regulating gene encoding the modulator of myosin, we conducted DNA microarray analysis. We found that, in response to DNA-damaging agent doxorubicin, expression of myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK), which is known to upregulate actomyosin contraction, was increased in a p53-dependent manner. The promoter region of DMPK gene contained potential p53-binding sequences and its promoter activity was increased by overexpression of the p53 family protein p73, but, unexpectedly, not of p53. Furthermore, we found that doxorubicin treatment induced p73 expression, which was significantly attenuated by downregulation of p53. These data suggest that p53 induces expression of DMPK through upregulating p73 expression. Overexpression of DMPK promotes contraction of the actomyosin cortex, which leads to formation of membrane blebs, loss of cell adhesion, and concomitant caspase activation. Taken together, our results suggest the existence of p53-p73-DMPK axis which mediates DNA-damage induced actomyosin contraction at the cortex and concomitant cell death.

    DOI: 10.3390/molecules24173175

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  • p53-independent Noxa induction by cisplatin is regulated by ATF3/ATF4 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells Reviewed

    Kanika Sharma, Thien-Trang Vu, Wade Cook, Mitra Naseri, Kevin Zhan, Wataru Nakajima, Hisashi Harada

    Molecular Oncology   12 ( 6 )   788 - 798   2018.6

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    Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher:John Wiley and Sons Ltd.  

    The platinum-based DNA damaging agent cisplatin is used as a standard therapy for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the mechanisms underpinning the cytotoxic effects of this compound are not entirely elucidated. Cisplatin produces anticancer effects primarily via activation of the DNA damage response, followed by inducing BCL-2 family dependent mitochondrial apoptosis. We have previously demonstrated that cisplatin induces the expression of proapoptotic BCL-2 family protein, Noxa, that can bind to the prosurvival BCL-2 family protein, MCL-1, to inactivate its function and induce cell death. Here, we show that the upregulation of Noxa is critical for cisplatin-induced apoptosis in p53-null HNSCC cells. This induction is regulated at the transcriptional level. With a series of Noxa promoter-luciferase reporter assays, we find that the CRE (cAMP response element) in the promoter is critical for the Noxa induction by cisplatin treatment. Among the CREB/ATF transcription factors, ATF3 and ATF4 are induced by cisplatin, and downregulation of ATF3 or ATF4 reduced cisplatin-induced Noxa. ATF3 and ATF4 bind to and cooperatively activate the Noxa promoter. Furthermore, ERK1 is involved in cisplatin-induced ATF4 and Noxa induction. In conclusion, ATF3 and ATF4 are important regulators that induce Noxa by cisplatin treatment in a p53-independent manner.

    DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12172

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  • The anti-apoptotic protein MCL1, a novel target of lung cancer therapy Reviewed

    Nakajima Wataru, Tanaka Nobuyuki

    2   54 - 58   2018

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  • Chaperone-mediated autophagy promotes lung cancer cell survival through selective stabilization of the pro-survival protein, MCL1 Reviewed

    Junya Suzuki, Wataru Nakajima, Hidenori Suzuki, Yumi Asano, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS   482 ( 4 )   1334 - 1340   2017.1

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    Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher:ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE  

    Autophagy is a. dynamic recycling system using lysosomal proteolysis that produces new proteins and energy for cellular renovation and homeostasis. Although macroautophagy is known to serve as a survival pathway in many cancer cells, the role of chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), a selective protein degradation system, in cancer is not fully understood. Here, we demonstrated that lysosomal proteolysis, but not macroautophagy, attenuated apoptosis induced by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, crizotinib, in the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line, EBC1. In EBC1 cells, crizotinib induced BIM-dependent apoptosis, which was enhanced by inhibition of lysosomal proteolysis. Moreover, degradation of the pro-survival protein, MCL1, by the ubiquitin-proteasome system was induced by inhibition of lysosomal proteolysis, and by inhibition of the expression of the CMA mediators, HSC70 (heat shock cognate protein 70 kDa) and LAMP2A (lysosome membrane protein type 2A), suggesting the existence of a CMAmediated MCL1 stabilization system in cancer cells. Indeed, the same MCL1 stabilization system was also observed in several NSCLC cell lines; in these cells, their specific molecular-targeted drug or ABT-263 (Navitoclax), the specific inhibitor of BCL-2 and BCL-X-L, but not of MCL1, effectively induced apoptosis in combination with CMA inhibition. Therefore, our results indicate a novel mechanism of MCL1 stabilization in lung cancers by CMA, and a candidate efficient combination chemotherapy method against lung cancers. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.12.037

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  • DNA damaging agent-induced apoptosis is regulated by MCL-1 phosphorylation and degradation mediated by the Noxa/MCL-1/CDK2 complex Reviewed

    Wataru Nakajima, Kanika Sharma, June Young Lee, Nicolas T. Maxim, Mark A. Hicks, Thien-Trang Vu, Angela Luu, W. Andrew Yeudall, Nobuyuki Tanaka, Hisashi Harada

    ONCOTARGET   7 ( 24 )   36353 - 36365   2016.6

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    Authorship:Lead author   Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher:IMPACT JOURNALS LLC  

    Noxa, a BH3-only pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family protein, causes apoptosis by specifically interacting with the anti-apoptotic protein MCL-1 to induce its proteasome-mediated degradation. We show here that the DNA damaging agents cisplatin and etoposide upregulate Noxa expression, which is required for the phosphorylation of MCL-1 at Ser64/Thr70 sites, proteasome-dependent degradation, and apoptosis. Noxa-induced MCL-1 phosphorylation at these sites occurs at the mitochondria and is primarily regulated by CDK2. MCL-1 and CDK2 form a stable complex and Noxa binds to this complex to facilitate the phosphorylation of MCL-1. When Ser64 and Thr70 of MCL-1 are substituted with alanine, the mutated MCL-1 is neither phosphorylated nor ubiquitinated, and becomes more stable than the wild-type protein. As a consequence, this mutant can inhibit apoptosis induced by Noxa overexpression or cisplatin treatment. These results indicate that Noxa-mediated MCL-1 phosphorylation followed by MCL-1 degradation is critical for apoptosis induced by DNA damaging agents through regulation of the Noxa/MCL-1/CDK2 complex.

    DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9217

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  • Cisplatin-induced apoptosis in non-small-cell lung cancer cells is dependent on Bax- and Bak-induction pathway and synergistically activated by BH3-mimetic ABT-263 in p53 wild-type and mutant cells Reviewed

    Masaru Matsumoto, Wataru Nakajima, Masahiro Seike, Akihiko Gemma, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS   473 ( 2 )   490 - 496   2016.4

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    Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher:ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE  

    Cisplatin is a highly effective anticancer drug for treatment of various tumors including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and is especially useful in cases nonresponsive to molecular-targeted drugs. Accumulating evidence has shown that cisplatin activates the p53-dependent apoptotic pathway, but it also induces apoptosis in p53-mutated cancer cells. Here we demonstrated that DNA-damage inducible proapoptotic BH3 (Bcl-2 homology region 3)-only Bcl-2 family members, Noxa, Puma, Bim and Bid, are not involved in cisplatin-induced apoptosis in human NSCLC cell lines. In contrast, the expression of proapoptotic multidomain Bcl-2-family members, Bak and Bax, was induced by cisplatin in p53 dependent and-independent manners, respectively. Moreover, in wild-type p53-expressing cells, cisplatin mainly used the Bak-dependent apoptotic pathway, but this apoptotic pathway shifted to the Bax-dependent pathway by loss-of-function of p53. Furthermore, both Bak- and Bax-induced apoptosis was enhanced by the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family member, Bcl-X-L knockdown, but not by Mcl-1 knockdown. From this result, we tested the effect of ABT-263 (Navitoclax), the specific inhibitor of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL, but not Mcl-1, and found that ABT-263 synergistically enhanced cisplatin-induced apoptosis in NSCLC cells in the presence or absence of p53. These results indicate a novel regulatory system in cisplatin-induced NSCLC cell apoptosis, and a candidate efficient combination chemotherapy method against lung cancers. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.03.053

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  • Exploitation of the Apoptosis-Primed State of MYCN-Amplified Neuroblastoma to Develop a Potent and Specific Targeted Therapy Combination Reviewed

    Jungoh Ham, Carlotta Costa, Renata Sano, Timothy L. Lochmann, Erin M. Sennott, Neha U. Patel, Anahita Dastur, Maria Gomez-Caraballo, Kateryna Krytska, Aaron N. Hata, Konstantinos V. Floros, Mark T. Hughes, Charles T. Jakubik, Daniel A. R. Heisey, Justin T. Ferrell, Molly L. Bristol, Ryan J. March, Craig Yates, Mark A. Hicks, Wataru Nakajima, Madhu Gowda, Brad E. Windle, Mikhail G. Dozmorov, Mathew J. Garnett, Ultan McDermott, Hisashi Harada, Shirley M. Taylor, Iain M. Morgan, Cyril H. Benes, Jeffrey A. Engelman, Yael P. Mosse, Anthony C. Faber

    CANCER CELL   29 ( 2 )   159 - 172   2016.2

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    Fewer than half of children with high-risk neuroblastoma survive. Many of these tumors harbor high-level amplification of MYCN, which correlates with poor disease outcome. Using data from our large drug screen we predicted, and subsequently demonstrated, that MYCN-amplified neuroblastomas are sensitive to the BCL-2 inhibitor ABT-199. This sensitivity occurs in part through low anti-apoptotic BCL-xL expression, high pro-apoptotic NOXA expression, and paradoxical, MYCN-driven upregulation of NOXA. Screening for enhancers of ABT-199 sensitivity in MYCN-amplified neuroblastomas, we demonstrate that the Aurora Kinase A inhibitor MLN8237 combines with ABT-199 to induce widespread apoptosis. In diverse models of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma, including a patient-derived xenograft model, this combination uniformly induced tumor shrinkage, and in multiple instances led to complete tumor regression.

    DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2016.01.002

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  • Combination with vorinostat overcomes ABT-263 (navitoclax) resistance of small cell lung cancer Reviewed

    Wataru Nakajima, Kanika Sharma, Mark A. Hicks, Ngoc Le, Rikiara Brown, Geoffrey W. Krystal, Hisashi Harada

    CANCER BIOLOGY & THERAPY   17 ( 1 )   27 - 35   2016

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    Authorship:Lead author   Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher:TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC  

    Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive tumor type with high mortality. One promising approach for SCLC treatment would be to utilize agents targeting molecular abnormalities regulating resistance to apoptosis. BH3 mimetic antagonists, such as ABT-737 and its orally available derivative ABT-263 (navitoclax) have been developed to block the function of pro-survival BCL-2 family members. The sensitivity of SCLC to these drugs varies over a broad range in vitro and in clinical trials. We have previously shown that the expression of Noxa, a BH3-only pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family protein, is a critical determinant of sensitivity to ABT-737. Thus, pharmacological up-regulation of Noxa could enhance cell death induced by the BH3 mimetics. We find that the combination of ABT-263 and a HDAC inhibitor, vorinostat, efficiently induces apoptosis in a variety of SCLC cell lines, including ABT-263 resistant cell lines. Cell death induced by combined treatment is Noxa- and/or BIM-dependent in some cell lines but in others appears to be mediated by down-regulation of BCL-X-L and release of BAK from BCL-X-L and MCL-1. These results suggest that combination of HDAC inhibitors and BCL-2 inhibitors could be an alternative and effective regimen for SCLC treatment.

    DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2015.1108485

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  • Yet Another Function of p53-The Switch That Determines Whether Radiation-Induced Autophagy Will Be Cytoprotective or Nonprotective: Implications for Autophagy Inhibition as a Therapeutic Strategy Reviewed

    Shweta Chakradeo, Khushboo Sharma, Aisha Alhaddad, Duaa Bakhshwin, Ngoc Le, Hisashi Harada, Wataru Nakajima, W. Andrew Yeudall, Suzy V. Torti, Frank M. Torti, David A. Gewirtz

    MOLECULAR PHARMACOLOGY   87 ( 5 )   803 - 814   2015.5

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    Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher:AMER SOC PHARMACOLOGY EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS  

    The influence of autophagy inhibition on radiation sensitivity was studied in human breast, head and neck, and non-small cell lung cancer cell lines, in cell lines that were either wild type or mutant/null in p53, and in cells where p53 was inducible or silenced. Whereas ionizing radiation promoted autophagy in all tumor cell lines studied, pharmacological inhibition of autophagy and/or genetic silencing of autophagy genes failed to influence sensitivity to radiation in p53 mutant Hs578t breast tumor cells, HN6 head and neck tumor cells, and H358 non-small cell lung cancer cells. The requirement for functional p53 in the promotion of cytoprotective autophagy by radiation was confirmed by the observation that radiation-induced autophagy was nonprotective in p53 null H1299 cells but was converted to the cytoprotective form with induction of p53. Conversely, whereas p53 wild-type HN30 head and neck cancer cells did show sensitization to radiation upon autophagy inhibition, HN30 cells in which p53 was knocked down using small hairpin RNA failed to be sensitized by pharmacological autophagy inhibition. Taken together, these findings indicate that radiation-induced autophagy can be either cytoprotective or nonprotective, a functional difference related to the presence or absence of function p53. Alternatively, these findings could be interpreted to suggest that whereas radiation can induce autophagy independent of p53 status, inhibition of autophagy promotes enhanced radiation sensitivity through a mechanism that requires functional p53. These observations are likely to have direct implications with respect to clinical efforts to modulate the response of malignancies to radiation through autophagy inhibition.

    DOI: 10.1124/mol.114.095273

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  • p53-mediated activation of the mitochondrial protease HtrA2/Omi prevents cell invasion Reviewed

    Shota Yamauchi, Yan Yan Hou, Alvin Kunyao Guo, Hiroaki Hirata, Wataru Nakajima, Ai Kia Yip, Cheng-han Yu, Ichiro Harada, Keng-Hwee Chiam, Yasuhiro Sawada, Nobuyuki Tanaka, Keiko Kawauchi

    JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY   204 ( 7 )   1191 - 1207   2014.3

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    Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher:ROCKEFELLER UNIV PRESS  

    Oncogenic Ras induces cell transformation and promotes an invasive phenotype. The tumor suppressor p53 has a suppressive role in Ras-driven invasion. However, its mechanism remains poorly understood. Here we show that p53 induces activation of the mitochondrial protease high-temperature requirement A2 (HtrA2; also known as Omi) and prevents Ras-driven invasion by modulating the actin cytoskeleton. Oncogenic Ras increases accumulation of p53 in the cytoplasm, which promotes the translocation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) into mitochondria and induces phosphorylation of HtrA2/Omi. Concurrently, oncogenic Ras also induces mitochondrial fragmentation, irrespective of p53 expression, causing the release of HtrA2/Omi from mitochondria into the cytosol. Phosphorylated HtrA2/Omi therefore cleaves beta-actin and decreases the amount of filamentous actin (F-actin) in the cytosol. This ultimately down-regulates p130 Crk-associated substrate (p130Cas)-mediated lamellipodia formation, countering the invasive phenotype initiated by oncogenic Ras. Our novel findings provide insights into the mechanism by which p53 prevents the malignant progression of transformed cells.

    DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201309107

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  • Noxa determines localization and stability of MCL-1 and consequently ABT-737 sensitivity in small cell lung cancer Reviewed

    W. Nakajima, M. A. Hicks, N. Tanaka, G. W. Krystal, H. Harada

    CELL DEATH & DISEASE   5   e1052   2014.2

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    Authorship:Lead author   Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher:NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP  

    The sensitivity to ABT-737, a prototype BH3 mimetic drug, varies in a broad range in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells. We have previously shown that the expression of Noxa, a BH3-only pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family protein, is the critical determinant of ABT-737 sensitivity. We show here that Noxa regulates the localization and stability of MCL-1, an anti-apoptotic member, which results in modulating ABT-737 sensitivity. Mutations in Noxa within the BH3 domain, the carboxyl terminus mitochondrial targeting domain, or of ubiquitinated lysines not only change the localization and stability of Noxa itself but also affect the mitochondrial localization and phosphorylation/ubiquitination status of MCL-1 and consequently modulate sensitivity to ABT-737. Results of studies utilizing these mutant proteins indicate that Noxa recruits MCL-1 from the cytosol to the mitochondria. Translocation of MCL-1 initiates its phosphorylation and subsequent ubiquitination, which triggers proteasome-mediated degradation. The precise regulatory mechanisms of Noxa/MCL-1 expression and stability could provide alternative targets to modulate apoptosis induced by BH3 mimetic drugs or other chemotherapeutic reagents.

    DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2014.6

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  • Paclitaxel-induced apoptosis is BAK-dependent, but BAX and BIM-independent in breast tumor. Reviewed

    Miller AV, Hicks MA, Nakajima W, Richardson AC, Windle JJ, Harada H

    PloS one   8 ( 4 )   e60685   2013

  • Noxa induces apoptosis in oncogene-expressing cells through catch-and-release mechanism operating between Puma and Mcl-1 Reviewed

    Wataru Nakajima, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS   413 ( 4 )   643 - 648   2011.10

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    Tumor suppressor p53 induces apoptosis by transcriptional induction of Noxa and Puma, which encode the proapoptotic BH3-only member of the Bcl-2 family proteins. In the p53-mediated tumor surveillance system, p53 induces apoptosis or replicative senescence in oncogene-expressing cells, resulting in elimination of such cells. In this context, we previously found that Noxa and Puma synergistically induce apoptosis. Here, we found the adenovirus oncogene E1A to induce p53-dependently expression of Puma, but not Noxa. The induced Puma associates with antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein Mcl-1, accompanied by accumulated Mcl-1 protein on mitochondria. Moreover, E1A also reduces expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein Bcl-X(L). In contrast, the DNA-damaging agent adriamycin induces Noxa expression in E1A-expressing cells. Interestingly, Mcl-1 knockdown itself induced apoptosis in E1A-expressing MEFs. Furthermore, Noxa displaced Puma's association with Mcl-1, accompanied by Mcl-1 degradation and apoptosis induction by activating mitochondrial apoptotic executers Bax and Bak. These results suggest that p53-induced apoptosis in oncogene-expressing cells is regulated by differential induction and sequential activation of Noxa and Puma. Accumulated Puma by oncogene enhances susceptibility to apoptosis through "catch" in mitochondria by Mcl-1. Subsequently, in response to DNA-damage, Noxa efficiently induces apoptosis by "release" of Puma from Mcl-1. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.09.036

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  • Interleukin 6 enhances glycolysis through expression of the glycolytic enzymes hexokinase 2 and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase-3 Reviewed

    Masaru Ando, Lkuno Uehara, Kayo Kogure, Yumi Asano, Wataru Nakajima, Yoshinori Abe, Keiko Kawauchi, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    Journal of Nippon Medical School   77 ( 2 )   97 - 105   2010.4

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    Enhanced glycolysis is important for oncogenesis and for the survival and proliferation of cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment. Recent studies have also shown that proinflammatory cytokine signaling, such as that mediated by nuclear factor κB and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), is important for the generation of inflammation-associated tumors. However, the link between inflammation and enhanced glycolysis has not been identified. In the present study, we found that the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 enhanced glycolysis in mouse embryonic fibroblasts and human cell lines. Moreover, STAT3 activated by IL-6 enhanced the expression of the glycolytic enzymes hexokinase 2 and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6- bisphosphatase-3 (PFKFB3). Ectopic expression of PFKFB3 enhanced glycolysis, suggesting that the IL-6-STAT3 pathway enhances glycolysis through the induction of these enzymes. Our findings may provide a novel mechanism for inflammation-associated oncogenesis.

    DOI: 10.1272/jnms.77.97

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  • 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine restores proapoptotic function of p53 in cancer cells resistant to p53-induced apoptosis Reviewed

    Shutaro Yagi, Eri Oda-Sato, Ikuno Uehara, Yumi Asano, Wataru Nakajima, Toshiyuki Takeshita, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    CANCER INVESTIGATION   26 ( 7 )   680 - 688   2008

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    Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher:INFORMA HEALTHCARE  

    The expression of p53-target genes encoding the proapoptotic factor Noxa, but not PUMA, was not induced by p53 in HCT116 and SW480 cells, which show resistance to apoptosis in response to p53 overexpression. The lack of p53 inducibility of Noxa was restored by treatment with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-CdR). Furthermore, p53 induced apoptosis in HCT116 and SW480 cells treated with 5-aza-CdR. Moreover, the inhibition of Noxa expression by RNAi in 5-aza-CdR-treated HCT116 cells resulted in the partial inhibition of p53-induced apoptosis. These results suggest that epigenetic cancer therapy is possible for some cancers in combination with forced p53 activation.

    DOI: 10.1080/07357900701840212

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  • Synergistic induction of apoptosis by p53-inducible Bcl-2 family proteins Noxa and Puma Reviewed

    Wataru Nakajima, Nobuyuki Tanaka

    Journal of Nippon Medical School   74 ( 2 )   148 - 157   2007.4

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    Authorship:Lead author   Language:English   Publishing type:Research paper (scientific journal)  

    One critical tumor-suppressive function of p53 is the induction of apoptosis in oncogene-expressing cells. In this context, p53-inducible genes encoding the BH3-only proteins of the Bcl-2 family, Noxa and Puma, were identified. Gene knockout studies revealed that both Noxa and Puma are involved in apoptosis induction in oncogene-expressing cells. BH3-only proteins induce apoptosis, and activate the downstream apoptosis effectors Bax and Bak. In this study, we found that Noxa and Puma synergistically activate Bax and Bak, and induce apoptosis. Although Noxa activates Bak by inactivating Mcl-1 and Bcl-XL, gene knockdown studies revealed that neither Mcl-1 nor Bcl-XL is involved in this synergism. Moreover, Puma, but not Noxa, directly activated Bax in the absence of Bak, and Noxa enhanced Puma-mediated Bax activation in Bak-deficient cells. These results suggest the existence of a novel regulatory pathway for Noxa-mediated apoptosis. Although we detected synergistic induction of apoptosis by Noxa and Bim, a tumor suppressive transcriptional factor FoxO3-inducible protein, no such synergism was observed for other pairs of BH3-only proteins. Bim and Bid, or Bim and Puma. From these results, it can be considered that p53 carefully controls apoptosis by allowing two molecules to share full ability to induce apoptosis.

    DOI: 10.1272/jnms.74.148

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Misc.

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Presentations

Awards

  • 優秀ポスター賞

    2016.12   日本分子生物学会   BRCAness乳癌細胞株の微小管阻害薬パクリタキセルに対する抵抗性機構の解析

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  • 丸山記念研究助成受賞金受賞

    2016.7   日本医科大学  

    中嶋 亘

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  • 日本医科大学優秀論文賞

    2008.9   日本医科大学  

    中嶋 亘

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Research Projects

  • Clinical significance and development of new target treatment of activated mitochondrial function in acute myeloid leukemia

    Grant number:23K07821  2023.4 - 2027.3

    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science  Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research  Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

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    Grant amount:\4680000 ( Direct Cost: \3600000 、 Indirect Cost:\1080000 )

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  • DNMT3A変異陽性AMLに生じるG2/M期の遺伝子発現異常とその標的治療の開発

    Grant number:23K07845  2023.4 - 2027.3

    日本学術振興会  科学研究費助成事業  基盤研究(C)

    脇田 知志, 中嶋 亘, 山口 博樹

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    Grant amount:\4680000 ( Direct Cost: \3600000 、 Indirect Cost:\1080000 )

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  • 分子標的薬耐性肺がんにおける薬剤耐性獲得機構の解明と代謝制御を利用した治療法開発

    Grant number:22K08293  2022.4 - 2025.3

    日本学術振興会  科学研究費助成事業 基盤研究(C)  基盤研究(C)

    中嶋 亘, 中道 真仁

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    Grant amount:\4160000 ( Direct Cost: \3200000 、 Indirect Cost:\960000 )

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  • Identification of factors that contribute to the anti-tumor effect of the microtubule targeting agent Paclitaxelin in TNBC cells

    Grant number:16K11161  2016.4 - 2020.3

    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science  Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)  Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

    Nakajima Wataru

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    Grant amount:\4810000 ( Direct Cost: \3700000 、 Indirect Cost:\1110000 )

    The microtubule targeting agent Paclitaxel is prescribed widely for various malignancies, including breast adenocarcinomas. However, the precise mechanism of Paclitaxel-induced apoptosis is not clearly understood. From these findings, we used siRNA screening approach to identify genes involved in Paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. Here we identify that candidate gene, which is required for the activation of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins, Cytochrome c release from the mitochondria and play an important role of Paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, using the residual of the tissue clinical specimen collected from the breast cancer patient, we analyzed the effects of candidate gene on microtubule dynamics and determine whether it becomes biomarker for the effect and susceptibility for Paclitaxel.

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  • Analysis of the gene transcriptional network system regulated by nuclear tumor suppressive factors

    Grant number:17054039  2005 - 2009

    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science  Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas  Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas

    TANAKA Nobuyuki, ABE Yoshinori, UEHARA Ikuno, NAKAJIMA Wataru, SATO Eri, KAWAUTI Keiko, TOBIUME Kei

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    Grant amount:\86000000 ( Direct Cost: \86000000 )

    Cancer cells preferentially utilize aerobic glycolysis for energy provision and this metabolic change is important for tumour growth. In this study period, we found that tumor suppressor p53 limits glycolysis. and that loss of function of p53 induces enhancement of glycolysis through activation of the treansciption factor NF-κB. We also found that enhanced glycolysis is essential for oncogene-induced cell transformation in p53-deficient cells, and propose a novel mechanism for tumor suppression by p53.

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