ADAM 10 is associated with gastric cancer progression and prognosis of patients

ADAM22 acts as a novel predictive biomarker for unfavorable prognosis and facilitates metastasis via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a type of epithelial malignancy known for its high likelihood of metastasizing to distant organs, which remains the primary obstacle in the treatment of NPC. The present study aimed to identify potential intervention target for NPC metastasis.

METHODS

The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were firstly analyzed and intersected across various NPC related datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Subsequently, various techniques including quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blotting, immunohistochemistry, migration and invasion assays, in conjunction with bioinformatics and prognostic modeling, were utilized to elucidate the role of candidate genes in NPC metastasis.

RESULTS

We discerned the gene a disintegrin and metalloprotease 22 (ADAM22) as a distinct and significant factor in the progression and metastasis of NPC through five datasets. The elevated expression of ADAM22 was observed in clinical tissue and plasma samples with advanced NPC, as well as in high metastatic cells. Furthermore, we highlighted its essential role in a prognostic model that demonstrated strong prediction performance for NPC. Notably, overexpression of ADAM22 was found to enhance the aggressiveness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of low metastatic NPC cells, whereas the downregulation of ADAM22 resulted in suppressed effect in high metastatic cells. Delving into the mechanism, ADAM22 activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway through the mediation of Rac Family Small GTPase 2 (RAC2), thereby facilitating EMT and metastasis in NPC.

CONCLUSIONS

The study provided pioneering insights that ADAM22 had the potential to act as an oncogene by promoting EMT and metastasis of NPC through the RAC2-mediated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Thus, ADAM22 could serve as a novel prognostic indicator in NPC.

ADAM10 and Neprilysin level decreases in immune cells of mice bearing metastatic breast carcinoma: Possible role in cancer inflammatory response

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN

ADAM10 and Neprilysin, proteases, play critical role in inflammatory disease, however their role in cancer immune response is not clear. We here evaluated changes in immune response using an experimental model for breast cancer.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Highly metastatic breast cancer cells (4T1-derived) were injected orthotopically (mammary-pad of Balb-c mice) to induce tumors. Changes in enzyme level and activity as well as alterations in inflammatory cytokine release in the presence or absence of ADAM10 and NEP activity was determined using specific inhibitors and recombinant proteins. Cytokine response was evaluated using mix leucocyte cultures obtained from control and tumor-bearing mice. ANOVA with Dunnett's posttest was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

ADAM10 and NEP expression was decreased markedly in lymph nodes and spleens of tumor-bearing mice. ADAM10 activity was reduced together with apparent alterations of ADAM10 processing. ADAM10 and NEP activity decreased TNF-α, IL-6 and IFN-ɣ secretion. Suppression of these inflammatory cytokines were more prominent in cultures obtained from control mice demonstrating counteracting factors that are exist in tumor-bearing mice.

CONCLUSION

Loss of ADAM10 and NEP activity in immune cells during breast cancer metastasis might be one of the main factors involved in induction of chronic inflammation by tumors.

Differential expression of "A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 10" in hepatocellular carcinoma and the noncancerous hepatic tissues: Contribution to HCV-promoted hepatocarcinogenesis

Background

A disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs) have emerged as therapeutic targets in many cancers. ADAM10 was particularly studied in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for its potential role in hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression.

Objective

To investigate the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of ADAM10 in HCCs and the adjacent noncancerous tissues from 70 HCC patients, attempting to elucidate any association between ADAM10 and HCC development and/or progression.

Materials and Methods

IHC staining for anti-ADAM10 was performed using horseradish peroxidase technique. An extent and intensity-dependent scoring was applied dividing samples into high- and low-expression groups. HCCs were statistically compared in relation with gender, age, cirrhosis, hepatitis C virus (HCV) status, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) serum level, tumor size, multiplicity, encapsulation/invasion, grade, histological pattern and variant, mitosis, necrosis, vascular emboli, portal thrombosis, stage, recurrence, and mortality. Kaplan-Meier's method was used to analyze disease-free and overall survival (DFS and OS).

Results

ADAM10 was expressed in 77.1% of HCCs compared with 42.9% of noncancerous tissues. Differential expression showed significant statistical difference (P = 0.02), as 38.6% of HCCs showed high expression, whereas 92.8% of noncancerous samples showed low expression. No significant differences were observed when high- and low-ADAM10 expression HCCs were compared with respect to all tested prognostic parameters except the HCV status. Patients whose tumors showed high-ADAM10 expression had relatively longer DFS and OS times, but with insignificant log-rank differences.

Conclusions

ADAM10 is frequently expressed in HCCs compared with noncancerous hepatic tissues suggesting its role in hepatocarcinogenesis, especially in association with HCV. It has no association with HCC progression or survival. Further studies should be sought to investigate its validity as a therapeutic target.

Fully human monoclonal antibody targeting activated ADAM10 on colorectal cancer cells

Metastasis and chemoresistance in colorectal cancer are mediated by certain poorly differentiated cancer cells, known as cancer stem cells, that are maintained by Notch downstream signaling initiated upon Notch cleavage by the metalloprotease ADAM10. It has been shown that ADAM10 overexpression correlates with aberrant signaling from Notch, erbBs, and other receptors, as well as a more aggressive metastatic phenotype, in a range of cancers including colon, gastric, prostate, breast, ovarian, uterine, and leukemia. ADAM10 inhibition, therefore, stands out as an important and new approach to deter the progression of advanced CRC. For targeting the ADAM10 substrate-binding region, which is located outside of the catalytic domain of the protease, we generated a human anti-ADAM10 monoclonal antibody named 1H5. Structural and functional characterization of 1H5 reveals that it binds to the substrate-binding cysteine-rich domain and recognizes an activated ADAM10 conformation present on tumor cells. The mAb inhibits Notch cleavage and proliferation of colon cancer cell lines in vitro and in mouse models. Consistent with its binding to activated ADAM10, the mAb augments the catalytic activity of ADAM10 towards small peptide substrates in vitro. Most importantly, in a mouse model of colon cancer, when administered in combination with the therapeutic agent Irinotecan, 1H5 causes highly effective tumor growth inhibition without any discernible toxicity effects. Our singular approach to target the ADAM10 substrate-binding region with therapeutic antibodies could overcome the shortcomings of previous intervention strategies of targeting the protease active site with small molecule inhibitors that exhibit musculoskeletal toxicity.

Elevated Expression of ADAM10 Induced by HPV E6 Influences the Prognosis of Cervical Cancer

Objective: To explore the abnormal expression of ADAM10, its cause, and its clinical value in the prognosis of cervical lesions. Methods: The abnormal expression of ADAM10 was explored using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database, and the abnormal expression in cervical lesions was verified using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The transfection effect of shRNA was evaluated using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression of ADAM10 in cells was analyzed using western blotting. Results: ADAM10 was highly expressed in multiple cancers. As the disease progressed, the expression of ADAM10 gradually increased (p < 0.05). Patients with higher expression of ADAM10 had poorer survival outcomes than those with lower expression levels (p < 0.05). The expression levels of ADAM10 decreased after expression levels of E6 was inhibited. Conclusion: ADAM10 is highly expressed in cervical cancer; the higher the expression levels, the worse the survival outcome. HPV E6 is the critical driver of the elevated expression of ADAM10 in cervical cancer.

Pan-cancer analysis of ADAMs: A promising biomarker for prognosis and response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy

Background: Members of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) family play a vital role in cancer development. However, a comprehensive analysis of the landscape of the ADAM family in pan-cancer remains to be performed.

Methods: The correlation of the expression level and prognostic value with ADAMs in a pan-cancer cohort and the relationship between ADAMs and the stemness score, tumour microenvironment (TME), chemotherapy-related drug sensitivity, immune subtype, and immunotherapy outcome were investigated.

Results: ADAMs were differentially expressed between tumour and para-carcinoma tissues in the pan-cancer cohort, and the expression of ADAMs was significantly correlated with patient prognosis. Furthermore, ADAMs were significantly correlated with the stromal score and immune score based on the TME analysis. Additionally, ADAMs were also correlated with DNAss and RNAss in the pan-cancer cohort. On investigating the CellMiner database, ADAMs were revealed to be significantly correlated with the sensitivity of various drugs, including raloxifene and tamoxifen. Moreover, in the IMvigor210 and GSE78220 cohorts, ADAMs were correlated with immunotherapy response and immune activation genes. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were utilised to determine the differential level of ADAM9 in cancer and para-carcinoma tissues in patients’ samples.

Conclusion: This study elucidates the importance of ADAMs in cancer progression and lays a foundation for further exploration of ADAMs as potential pan-cancer targets.

Role of Some microRNA/ADAM Proteins Axes in Gastrointestinal Cancers as a Novel Biomarkers and Potential Therapeutic Targets—A Review

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are some of the most common cancers in the world and their number is increasing. Their etiology and pathogenesis are still unclear. ADAM proteins are a family of transmembrane and secreted metalloproteinases that play a role in cancerogenesis, metastasis and neoangiogenesis. MicroRNAs are small single-stranded non-coding RNAs that take part in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Some ADAM proteins can be targets for microRNAs. In this review, we analyze the impact of microRNA/ADAM protein axes in GI cancers.

The Biochemistry and Physiology of A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinases (ADAMs and ADAM-TSs) in Human Pathologies

Metalloproteinases are a group of proteinases that plays a substantial role in extracellular matrix remodeling and its molecular signaling. Among these metalloproteinases, ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinases) and ADAM-TSs (ADAMs with thrombospondin domains) have emerged as highly efficient contributors mediating proteolytic processing of various signaling molecules. ADAMs are transmembrane metalloenzymes that facilitate the extracellular domain shedding of membrane-anchored proteins, cytokines, growth factors, ligands, and their receptors and therefore modulate their biological functions. ADAM-TSs are secretory, and soluble extracellular proteinases that mediate the cleavage of non-fibrillar extracellular matrix proteins. ADAMs and ADAM-TSs possess pro-domain, metalloproteinase, disintegrin, and cysteine-rich domains in common, but ADAM-TSs have characteristic thrombospondin motifs instead of the transmembrane domain. Most ADAMs and ADAM-TSs are activated by cleavage of pro-domain via pro-protein convertases at their N-terminus, hence directing them to various signaling pathways. In this article, we are discussing not only the structure and regulation of ADAMs and ADAM-TSs, but also the importance of these metalloproteinases in various human pathophysiological conditions like cardiovascular diseases, colorectal cancer, autoinflammatory diseases (sepsis/rheumatoid arthritis), Alzheimer's disease, proliferative retinopathies, and infectious diseases. Therefore, based on the emerging role of ADAMs and ADAM-TSs in various human pathologies, as summarized in this review, these metalloproteases can be considered as critical therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers.

Role of metalloproteases in the CD95 signaling pathways

CD95L (also known as FasL or CD178) is a member of the tumor necrosis family (TNF) superfamily. Although this transmembrane ligand has been mainly considered as a potent apoptotic inducer in CD95 (Fas)-expressing cells, more recent studies pointed out its role in the implementation of non-apoptotic signals. Accordingly, this ligand has been associated with the aggravation of inflammation in different auto-immune disorders and in the metastatic occurrence in different cancers. Although it remains to decipher all key factors involved in the ambivalent role of this ligand, accumulating clues suggest that while the membrane bound CD95L triggers apoptosis, its soluble counterpart generated by metalloprotease-driven cleavage is responsible for its non-apoptotic functions. Nonetheless, the metalloproteases (MMPs and ADAMs) involved in the CD95L shedding, the cleavage sites and the different stoichiometries and functions of the soluble CD95L remain to be elucidated. To better understand how soluble CD95L triggers signaling pathways from apoptosis to inflammation or cell migration, we propose herein to summarize the different metalloproteases that have been described to be able to shed CD95L, their cleavage sites and the biological functions associated with the released ligands. Based on these new findings, the development of CD95/CD95L-targeting therapeutics is also discussed.

ADAM10 and ADAM17 as Biomarkers Linked to Inflammation, Metabolic Disorders and Colorectal Cancer

ADAM10 and ADAM17 have a role in inflammation and diseases associated with inflammation, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) or cancer, e.g., colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether ADAM10 and ADAM17 could be biomarkers of CRC. To achieve this goal, CRC tumors and a surgical margin from 72 patients with CRC were collected. The concentration of ADAM proteins was measured by the ELISA method. Results were analyzed statistically and compared with selected clinical parameters. We found that ADAM17 protein concentration in the tumor samples was higher in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) (0.28 vs. 0.2 ng/µg protein; p = 0.01) and in the surgical margin was higher both in patients with coexisting DMT2 (0.22 vs. 0.16 ng/µg protein; p < 0.05) and CVD (0.21 vs. 0.13 ng/µg protein; p < 0.01). The concentration of ADAM10 was higher in the surgical margin than in the tumor (249.34 vs. 228.82 pg/µg protein), and the concentration of ADAM17 was higher in the tumor than in the margin (0.23 vs. 0.18 ng/µg protein), but results were not statistically significant. In conclusion, the results of our study indicate that ADAM10 and ADAM17 may be potential biomarkers in cancer linked with DMT2 and CVD as diseases associated with inflammation.

A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase (ADAM) Family-Novel Biomarkers of Selected Gastrointestinal (GI) Malignancies?

The global burden of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers is expected to increase. Therefore, it is vital that novel biomarkers useful for the early diagnosis of these malignancies are established. A growing body of data has linked secretion of proteolytic enzymes, such as metalloproteinases (MMPs), which destroy the extracellular matrix, to pathogenesis of GI tumours. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) proteins belong to the MMP family but have been proven to be unique due to both proteolytic and adhesive properties. Recent investigations have demonstrated that the expression of several ADAMs is upregulated in GI cancer cells. Thus, the objective of this review is to present current findings concerning the role of ADAMs in the pathogenesis of GI cancers, particularly their involvement in the development and progression of colorectal, pancreatic and gastric cancer. Furthermore, the prognostic significance of selected ADAMs in patients with GI tumours is also presented. It has been proven that ADAM8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17 and 28 might stimulate the proliferation and invasion of GI malignancies and may be associated with unfavourable survival. In conclusion, this review confirms the role of selected ADAMs in the pathogenesis of the most common GI cancers and indicates their promising significance as potential prognostic biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets for GI malignancies. However, due to their non-specific nature, future research on ADAM biology should be performed to elucidate new strategies for the diagnosis of these common and deadly malignancies and treatment of patients with these diseases.

Role of an Exosomes-Related lncRNAs Signature in Tumor Immune Microenvironment of Gastric Cancer

Background: Exosomes plays a crucial role in intercellular communication of gastric cancer (GC), while long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) contributes to the tumorigenesis and progression of GC. This study aims to explore the prognostic exosomes-related lncRNAs of GC patients.

Methods: Data of 375 GC patients were obtained from the TCGA database. The entire cohort was randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort in a 2:1 ratio. Exosomes-related lncRNAs were identified by the Pearson correlation analysis with reported exosomes-related genes. LASSO Cox regression was used to construct the signature.

Results: A prognostic signature consisting of 11 exosomes-related lncRNAs was identified, and patients with lower risk scores had a better prognosis than those with higher risk scores. ROC curves and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the signature was an independent risk factor for prognosis in both the training (HR: 3.254, 95% CI: 2.310–4.583) and validation cohorts (HR: 1.974, 95% CI: 1.108–3.517). Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) suggested associations between the signature and several immune-related pathways. The identified signature was shown to be associated with GC tumor microenvironment. The expression of two immune checkpoints was also increased in the high-risk group, including B7-H3 and VSIR, indicating the potential role of the identified signature in GC immunotherapies.

Conclusion: A novel exosomes-related lncRNA signature, which may be associated with tumor immune microenvironment and potentially serve as an indicator for immunotherapy, has been identified to precisely predict the prognosis of GC patients.

Deep muscularis propria tumor invasion without lymph node metastasis as a unique subclassification of stage IB gastric cancer: a retrospective study

Background

The prognosis difference based on the depth of tumor muscularis propria invasion in gastric cancer (GC) was still debated, and therapy strategy for stage IB GC patient required further investigation.

Methods

A total of 380 patients with pT2 GC after radical surgery were retrospectively analyzed, including 185 in superficial muscularis propria (sMP) group and 195 in deep muscularis propria (dMP) group.

Results

The overall survival (OS) was significantly better for patients in sMP group than for patients in dMP group (P = 0.007). In multivariate analysis, depth of tumor invasion, pN stage, age, primary location, positive expression of p53, elevated maximal LDH, elevated initial CA19-9 and AFP level were independent prognostic factors for OS. The sMP group had a significantly better OS than dMP group (P = 0.014) in pN0 stage. After further stratification, the survival outcomes were not significantly different between deep muscularis propria tumor invasion without lymph node metastasis (dMPN0) group (stage IB) and superficial muscularis propria tumor invasion with stage 1–2 lymph node metastasis (sMPN1–2) group (stage II) (P = 0.100). Patients with adjuvant chemotherapy had a statistically better survival than those without in dMPN0 group (P = 0.045) and dMPN0 patients with adjuvant chemotherapy had better OS than sMPN1–2 patients (P = 0.015). In addition, greater postoperative survival could be observed in sMPN0 patients than dMPN0 patients in p53-positive group (P = 0.002), and similar OS could be seen between dMPN0 patients with p53-positive and T2N1–2 patients (P = 0.872).

Conclusion

As a unique subclassification of stage IB GC, appropriate adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered for patients with dMPN0 stage. In addition, positive expression of p53, elevated LDH could be potential factors in identifying the different prognoses for stage IB GC patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12876-021-02090-z.

Adamalizyny jako potencjalne biomarkery w wybranych nowotworach złośliwych przewodu pokarmowego

Nowotwory złośliwe przewodu pokarmowego zajmują czołowe miejsce zarówno wśród przyczyn zachorowań jak i zgonów z powodu chorób nowotworowych na świecie. Wciąż poszukuje się potencjalnych biomarkerów, które mogłyby posłużyć jako czynniki predykcyjne i prognostyczne w tych nowotworach. Wśród białek, które mogłyby pełnić taką rolę, wymienia się adamalizyny. Liczne białka z tej rodziny są zaangażowane w wielu etapach nowotworzenia, od procesu różnicowania się pojedynczych komórek, wzrost i progresję guza do tworzenia przerzutów odległych. Dzieje się to m.in. poprzez ścieżki sygnałowe związane z aktywacją insulinopodobnych czynników wzrostu, naskórkowych czynników wzrostu czy oddziaływanie na czynnik martwicy nowotworu TNF-α. Szczególnie istotna w wyjaśnieniu patomechanizmu rozwoju raków gruczołowych przewodu pokarmowego wydaje się ścieżka sygnałowa związana z aktywacją cytokin prozapalnych. Przewlekły stan zapalny jest bowiem dobrze udokumentowanym czynnikiem ryzyka rozwoju tej grupy chorób nowotworowych.

Poznanie roli białek z rodziny adamalizyn w rozwoju i patogenezie nowotworów złośliwych przewodu pokarmowego wymaga wciąż dalszych badań. W artykule podjęto próbę syntezy aktualnej wiedzy na temat wykorzystania wybranych białek z rodziny adamalizyn jako biomarkerów nowotworów złośliwych przewodu pokarmowego.

CXCL16 Promotes Gastric Cancer Tumorigenesis via ADAM10-Dependent CXCL16/CXCR6 Axis and Activates Akt and MAPK Signaling Pathways

Abnormal expression of CXC motif chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16) has been demonstrated to be associated with tumor progression and metastasis, served as a prognostic factor in many cancers, with higher relative expression behaving as a marker of tumor progression. However, its role and mechanisms underlying progression and metastasis of gastric cancer (GC) are yet to be elucidated. In our investigation, public datasets and human GC tissue samples were used to determine the CXCL16 expression levels. Our results revealed that CXCL16 was upregulated in GC. The high expression CXCL16 in GC was significantly associated with histologic poor differentiation and pTNM staging. And high CXCL16 was positively correlated with the poor survival of GC patients. Gain-and loss-of-function experiments were employed to investigate the biological role of CXCL16 in proliferation and migration both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed that the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT), Akt and MAPK signal pathway related genes were significantly enriched in the high CXCL16 group, which was confirmed by western blot. Moreover, overexpression CXCL16 promoted the disintegrin and metalloproteases (ADAM10) and the CXC motif chemokine receptor 6 (CXCR6) expression, which mediated the CXCL16/CXCR6 positive feedback loop in GC, with activating Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. Knocking down ADAM10 would interrupted the CXCL16/CXCR6 axis in the carcinogenesis and progression of GC. In conclusion, our findings offered insights into that CXCL16 promoted GC tumorigenesis by enhancing ADAM10-dependent CXCL16/CXCR6 axis activation.

Trop-2 cleavage by ADAM10 is an activator switch for cancer growth and metastasis

Trop-2 is a transmembrane signal transducer that can induce cancer growth. Using antibody targeting and N-terminal Edman degradation, we show here that Trop-2 undergoes cleavage in the first thyroglobulin domain loop of its extracellular region, between residues R87 and T88. Molecular modeling indicated that this cleavage induces a profound rearrangement of the Trop-2 structure, which suggested a deep impact on its biological function. No Trop-2 cleavage was detected in normal human tissues, whereas most tumors showed Trop-2 cleavage, including skin, ovary, colon, and breast cancers. Coimmunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that ADAM10 physically interacts with Trop-2. Immunofluorescence/confocal time-lapse microscopy revealed that the two molecules broadly colocalize at the cell membrane. We show that ADAM10 inhibitors, siRNAs and shRNAs abolish the processing of Trop-2, which indicates that ADAM10 is an effector protease. Proteolysis of Trop-2 at R87-T88 triggered cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. A corresponding role was shown for metastatic spreading of colon cancer, as the R87A-T88A Trop-2 mutant abolished xenotransplant metastatic dissemination. Activatory proteolysis of Trop-2 was recapitulated in primary human breast cancers. Together with the prognostic impact of Trop-2 and ADAM10 on cancers of the skin, ovary, colon, lung, and pancreas, these data indicate a driving role of this activatory cleavage of Trop-2 on malignant progression of tumors.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomal microRNA-451a represses epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inhibiting ADAM10

Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSCs) expressing microRNAs (miRNAs) have been highlighted in human cancers. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of hucMSCs-derived exosomal miR-451a on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains further investigation. Our study aims to explore the impact of exosomal miR-451a on the progression of HCC. Expression of miR-451a and a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) in HCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were determined. The exosomes were extracted from hucMSCs and co-cultured with Hep3B and SMMC-7721 cell lines. After the treatment of relative exosomes or exosome inhibitor GW4869 in Hep3B and SMMC-7721 cells, the paclitaxel resistance and malignant phenotypes of HCC cells were measured. Moreover, the effect of hucMSCs-derived exosomes on the expression of miR-451a and ADAM10 in HCC cells was assessed. The targeting relationship between miR-451a and ADAM10 was verified to detect the impact of ADAM10-wild type and ADAM10-mutant type (MUT) on HCC cell processes. Low expression of miR-451a and high expression of ADAM10 indicated a poor prognosis of HCC patients. MiR-451a was up-regulated while ADAM10 was down-regulated in HCC cells after co-culture with HucMSC-derived exosomes. The exosomes elevated miR-451a and inhibited ADAM10 to suppress the paclitaxel resistance, cell cycle transition, proliferation, migration and invasion, and promote apoptosis of HCC cells. ADAM10 was verified to be a target gene of miR-451a. ADAM10-MUT promoted HCC process independent of miR-451a mimic. HucMSC-derived exosomal miR-451a could restrict the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of HCC cells by targeting ADAM10, which might provide new targets for HCC treatment.

ADAM-Mediated Signalling Pathways in Gastrointestinal Cancer Formation

Tumour growth is not solely driven by tumour cell-intrinsic mechanisms, but also depends on paracrine signals provided by the tumour micro-environment. These signals comprise cytokines and growth factors that are synthesized as trans-membrane proteins and need to be liberated by limited proteolysis also termed ectodomain shedding. Members of the family of A disintegrin and metalloproteases (ADAM) are major mediators of ectodomain shedding and therefore initiators of paracrine signal transduction. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on how ADAM proteases on tumour cells but also on cells of the tumour micro-environment contribute to the formation of gastrointestinal tumours, and discuss how these processes can be exploited pharmacologically.

Prognostic Significance of ADAM17 for Gastric Cancer Survival: A Meta-Analysis

Background and objectives: The prognostic role of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) 17 has been widely assessed in gastric cancer. However, the results are inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic significance of ADAM17 and its association with clinicopathological parameters. Methods: The databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were searched for relevant articles published up to April 2020. The reported hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled to evaluate the strength of the association. Stata 12.1 was used to perform statistical analyses. Results: Seven studies, including 1757 patients, were screened for the meta-analysis. Compared with the high ADAM17 expression group, the pooled HR was higher in the low ADAM17 expression group (HR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.66–2.50; I² = 18.1%; p = 0.299). High ADAM17 expression was also related to the tumor node metastasis (TNM) stages (OR = 4.09, 95% CI 1.85–9.04; I² = 84.1%; p = 0.000), lymph node metastasis (OR = 3.08, 95% CI 1.13–8.36; I² = 79.7%; p = 0.007), and ages (OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.24–2.21; I² = 0%; p = 0.692) of the gastric patients. Conclusions: This meta-analysis revealed that ADAM17 is a significant biomarker for poor prognosis in gastric cancer.

LncRNA LINC00689 Promotes the Progression of Gastric Cancer Through Upregulation of ADAM9 by Sponging miR-526b-3p

Introduction

Increasing studies have demonstrated that noncoding RNAs, including miRNAs and lncRNAs, have vital roles in mediating cancer progression. However, the expression features and biological functions of LINC00689 in gastric cancer (GC) remain largely unknown. This study was designed to investigate the functions of LINC00689, miR-526b-3p and ADAM9 as well as their interactions in GC.

Methods

Real time PCR(RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of LINC0068, miR-526b-3p and ADAM9 in both GC tissues or cell lines. Gain- and loss- of functions of assays were conducted to verify the role of LINC0068, miR-526b-3p and ADAM9 in GC development. Cell proliferation were determined by CCK8 assay and transwell assay and scratch wound-healing assay were used to test cell invasion and migration. Further, the relationships between LINC00689 and miR-526b-3p, miR-526b-3p and ADAM9 were predicted by bioinformatics analysis and then proved by Luciferase reporter assay and RNA Immunoprecipitation(RIP) assay.

Results

We found that LINC00689 was upregulated in GC tissues and positively correlated with advanced tumor stage and tumor size, while miR-526b-3p was downregulated. Furthermore, gain- and loss-of-function experiments revealed that LINC00689 promoted the proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of GC cells, while miR-526b-3p had the opposite effects. The underlying mechanisms indicated that LINC00689 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-526b-3p in GC cells. Further investigations confirmed that ADAM9 was a direct target of miR-526b-3p and positively modulated the progression of GC.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that LINC00689 functions as a novel oncogenic lncRNA in the development of GC by promoting ADAM9 expression through suppression of miR-526b-3p.

ADAM10 and ADAM17 cleave PD-L1 to mediate PD-(L)1 inhibitor resistance

ADAM10 and ADAM17 expression and soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) predict poor prognosis in many malignancies, including in patients treated with PD-(L)1 inhibitors. The mechanism of soluble PD-L1 production and its effects are unknown. Here we uncover a novel mechanism of ADAM10- and ADAM17-mediated resistance to PD-(L)1 inhibitors. ADAM10 and ADAM17 cleave PD-L1 from the surface of malignant cells and extracellular vesicles. This cleavage produces an active sPD-L1 fragment that induces apoptosis in CD8 + T cells and compromises the killing of tumor cells by CD8 + T cells. Reduced tumor site PD-L1 protein-to-mRNA ratios predict poor outcomes and are correlated with elevated ADAM10 and ADAM17 expression in multiple cancers. These results may explain the discordance between PD-L1 immunohistochemistry and PD-(L)1 inhibitor response. Thus, including ADAM10 and ADAM17 tissue staining may improve therapy selection. Furthermore, treatment with an ADAM10/ADAM17 inhibitor may abrogate PD-(L)1 inhibitor resistance and improve clinical responses to PD-(L)1 immunotherapy.

ADAM10 promotes cell growth, migration, and invasion in osteosarcoma via regulating E-cadherin/β-catenin signaling pathway and is regulated by miR-122-5p

Background

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor. Increasing evidences have revealed that a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) is implicated in tumor development. The main purpose of this study is to explore the effects of ADAM10 on osteosarcoma cell functions and the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods

Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR were performed to detect the expression of ADAM10 in one osteoblast (hFOB 1.19) and six osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2, SW1353, HOS, U-2OS, MG63, and 143B). The biological functions of ADAM10 in osteosarcoma cells were measured by cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, wound healing assay, and transwell assay. The interaction between miR-122-5p and ADAM10 was validated using dual-luciferase reporter assay. The effect of ADAM10 on the tumorigenicity of osteosarcoma cells was evaluated in a nude mice model in vivo.

Results

We found that the expression of ADAM10 was relatively high in osteosarcoma cells compared with that in osteoblast. ADAM10 promoted osteosarcoma cell growth, migration, and invasion. Mechanism studies showed that knockdown of ADAM10 inactivated E-cadherin/β-catenin signaling pathway, as evidenced by increased the level of E-cadherin, reduced nuclear translocation of β-catenin, and decreased the levels of MMP-9, Cyclin D1, c-Myc, and Survivin. Downregulation of ADAM10 suppressed the tumorigenicity of osteosarcoma cells in vivo. Furthermore, ADAM10 was validated to be a downstream target of microRNA-122-5p (miR-122-5p). MiR-122-5p-induced inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion was reversed by overexpression of ADAM10 in osteosarcoma cells.

Conclusions

Collectively, the key findings of this study are that ADAM10 promotes osteosarcoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by regulating E-cadherin/β-catenin signaling pathway, and miR-122-5p can target ADAM10, indicating that miR-122-5p/ADAM10 axis might serve as a therapeutic target of osteosarcoma.

Adamalysines as Biomarkers and a Potential Target of Therapy in Colorectal Cancer Patients: Preliminary Results

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Due to its still undetermined pathogenesis, we are searching for signaling pathways that are important in the development of colorectal cancer. In this article, we present results of study on the role of ADAM proteins in colorectal cancer. The study included 85 adult colorectal cancer patients (48 men, 37 women) and 25 patients in the control group (after diagnostic colonoscopy-without cancer). During hospitalization, a serum sample (3 cm³) was collected from the study and control group, anthropometric measurements were conducted and others clinical data were analyzed. In the serum ADAM10, 12, 17, and 28, protein concentrations were determined and, in the next step, examined the relationship between ADAMs concentrations and selected clinical parameters in both groups. The analysis showed that serum levels of ADAM10 and ADAM28 are significantly higher in patients with colorectal cancer and correlate with histopathological grading and with presence of distant metastases. Moreover, noticed the trend to correlate concentrations of adamalysines with higher BMI score. One of the functions of adamalysines is the activation of growth factors involved in cancer, including IGF and TNFα. The increased activity of adamalysines in patients may play a role in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Our study highlights the prevalence of metabolic disorders in the group of patients with diagnosed CRC, and this cancer seems to be a further complication of obesity.

A novel pan-cancer biomarker plasma heat shock protein 90alpha and its diagnosis determinants in clinic

A sensitive and specific diagnosis biomarker, in principle scalable to most cancer types, is needed to reduce the prevalent cancer mortality. Meanwhile, the investigation of diagnosis determinants of a biomarker will facilitate the interpretation of its screening results in clinic. Here we design a large-scale (1558 enrollments), multicenter (multiple hospitals), and cross-validation (two datasets) clinic study to validate plasma Hsp90α quantified by ELISA as a pan-cancer biomarker. ROC curve shows the optimum diagnostic cutoff is 69.19 ng/mL in discriminating various cancer patients from all controls (AUC 0.895, sensitivity 81.33% and specificity 81.65% in test cohort; AUC 0.893, sensitivity 81.72% and specificity 81.03% in validation cohort). Similar results are noted in detecting early-stage cancer patients. Plasma Hsp90α maintains also broad-spectrum for cancer subtypes, especially with 91.78% sensitivity and 91.96% specificity in patients with AFP-limited liver cancer. In addition, we demonstrate levels of plasma Hsp90α are determined by ADAM10 expression, which will affect Hsp90α content in exosomes. Furthermore, Western blotting and PRM-based quantitative proteomics identify that partial false ELISA-negative patients secret high levels of plasma Hsp90α. Mechanism analysis reveal that TGFβ-PKCγ gene signature defines a distinct pool of hyperphosphorylated Hsp90α at Theronine residue. In clinic, a mechanistically relevant population of false ELISA-negative patients express also higher levels of PKCγ. In sum, plasma Hsp90α is a novel pan-cancer diagnosis biomarker, and cancer diagnosis with plasma Hsp90α is particularly effective in those patients with high expression of ADAM10, but may be insufficient to detect the patients with low ADAM10 and those with hyperphosphorylated Hsp90α.

Higher CXCL16 exodomain is associated with aggressive ovarian cancer and promotes the disease by CXCR6 activation and MMP modulation

Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies. Five-year survival rate of OvCa ranges from 30–92%, depending on the spread of disease at diagnosis. Role of chemokines is well appreciated in cancer, including OvCa. However, their precise role is understudied. Here, we show clinical and biological significance of CXCR6-CXCL16 and ADAM10 in OvCa. Expression of CXCR6 and N-terminal CXCL16 was significantly higher in serous carcinoma tissues compared to endometrioid. OvCa cells (SKOV-3 and OVCAR-3) also showed higher expression of CXCR6 than normal ovarian epithelial cells (IOSE-7576) while CXCL16 was higher in SKOV-3 than IOSE-7576. Furthermore, N-terminal CXCL16 was higher in conditioned media of OvCa cells than IOSE-7576. Compared to OVCAR-3, SKOV-3 cells, which had higher CXCL16, expressed significantly higher transcripts of ADAM10, a protease that cleaves CXCL16. OVCAR-3 cells showed higher CXCR6 specific migration whereas SKOV-3 cells showed more invasion. Difference in invasive potential of these cells was due to modulation of different MMPs after CXCL16 stimulation. Higher CXCR6 expression in serous papillary carcinoma tissues suggests its association with aggressive OvCa. Increased migration-invasion towards CXCL16 implies its role in metastatic spread. Therefore, CXCR6-CXCL16 axis could be used to differentiate between aggressive versus non-aggressive disease and as a target for better prognosis.

ADAM17 promotes lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer via activation of the Notch and Wnt signaling pathways

Disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing proteins (ADAMs) have been implicated in cell adhesion, signaling and migration. The aim of the present study was to identify key members of the ADAM protein family associated with the metastasis of gastric cancer and to evaluate their clinical significance. A total of 193 patients with gastric cancer and positive lymph node metastasis were enrolled. Key members of the ADAM family associated with lymph node metastasis were identified. The correlations between survival times and the clinicopathological features of patients were investigated. Furthermore, ADAM17 expression in gastric cancer cells with different metastatic potentials was determined. ADAM17 was overexpressed in BGC-823 cells and suppressed in SGC-7901 cells to further investigate its effects on cell viability and migration. The key pathways associated with ADAM17 were identified by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). It was found that ADAM9 and ADAM17 were significantly upregulated in gastric cancer and positive metastatic lymph node tissues. Further, there was a strong correlation between the survival times of patients and ADAM17 expression. ADAM17 was upregulated in gastric cancer cells with high metastatic potential. The viability of BGC-823 cells significantly increased following ADAM17 overexpression, whereas the viability and migration of SGC-7901 cells decreased following ADAM17 suppression. GSEA and western blot analysis revealed a positive correlation between the Notch and Wnt signaling pathways with ADAM17 expression. In conclusion, the increased expression of ADAM17 promoted the progression of gastric cancer, potentially via Notch and/or Wnt signaling pathway activation, and ADAM17 may serve as a useful prognostic marker.

Common profiles of Notch signaling differentiate disease-free survival in luminal type A and triple negative breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is characterized by high heterogeneity regarding its biology and clinical characteristics. The Notch pathway regulates such processes as organ modeling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of differential expression of Notch members on disease-free survival (DFS) in luminal type A (lumA) and triple negative (TN) BC.

The differential expression of 19 Notch members was examined in a TCGA BC cohort. DFS analysis was performed using the log-rank test (p<0.05). Biological differences between DFS groups were determined with Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) (tTest, FDR<0.25). Common expression profiles according to Notch signaling were examined using ExpressCluster (K-means, mean centered, Euclidean distance metric).

The overexpression of HES1, LFNG and PSEN1 was found to be favorable for DFS in lumA, and lowered expression favorable for DFS in TN.

GSEA analysis showed that differential Notch signaling is associated with cell cycle, tissue architecture and remodeling. Particularly, targets of E2F, early stage S phase transcription factor, were upregulated in the lumA unfavorable group and the TN favorable group differentiated on a basis of HES1 and PSEN1 expression.

Summarizing, our analysis show significance of Notch signaling in BRCA progression through triggering EMT. Moreover, identification of numerous genes which overexpression is associated with disease recurrence may serve as a source of potential targets for a new anticancer therapy.

Impact of ADAM10 gene polymorphisms on hepatocellular carcinoma development and clinical characteristics

A disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) family proteins are type-I transmembrane glycoproteins with multiple functions in cell adhesion, migration, proteolysis and signaling. ADAM10 is a member of the ADAM family reportedly involved in cancer progression and has been shown to be overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and significantly associated with tumor progression and shortened survival. This study investigated ADAM10's single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their association to HCC development and regulation. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze five SNPs of ADAM10 in 333 patients with HCC and 1196 controls without cancer. The results indicated that of the 333 patients with HCC, those who carried ADAM10 rs514049 (AC + CC) variants had a higher risk of developing lymph node metastasis (odds ratio [OR] = 5.087, p = 0.027), and those who carried ADAM10 rs653765 (GA + AA) variants had a higher risk of developing distant metastasis (OR = 3.346, p = 0.020) and higher levels of α-fetoprotein. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the SNPs of ADAM10 are involved in HCC progression. ADAM10 SNPs may be used as therapeutic targets to evaluate poor prognoses for HCC.

Recurrence in node-negative advanced gastric cancer: Novel findings from an in-depth pathological analysis of prognostic factors from a multicentric series

AIM

To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with both node-negative gastric carcinoma and diagnosis of recurrence during follow-up.

METHODS

We enrolled 41 patients treated with curative gastrectomy for pT2-4aN0 gastric carcinoma between 1992 and 2010, who developed recurrence (Group 1). We retrospectively selected this group from the prospectively collected database of 4 centers belonging to the Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer, and compared them with 437 pT2-4aN0 patients without recurrence (Group 2). We analyzed lymphatic embolization, microvascular infiltration, perineural infiltration, and immunohistochemical determination of p53, Ki67, and HER2 in Group 1 and in a subgroup of Group 2 (Group 2bis) of 41 cases matched with Group 1 according to demographic and pathological characteristics.

RESULTS

T4a stage and diffuse histotype were associated with recurrence in the group of pN0 patients. In-depth pathological analysis of two homogenous groups of pN0 patients, with and without recurrence during long-term follow-up (groups 1 and 2bis), revealed two striking patterns: lymphatic embolization and perineural infiltration (two parameters that pathologists can easily report), and p53 and Ki67, represent significant factors for recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The reported pathological features should be considered predictive factors for recurrence and could be useful to stratify node-negative gastric cancer patients for adjuvant treatment and tailored follow-up.

miR-320a modulates cell growth and chemosensitivity via regulating ADAM10 in gastric cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may function as tumor suppressor or onco‑miRNAs and have critical roles in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer (GC). The exact function and mechanism of miRNA (miR)‑320a in GC remains to be elucidated. The present study performed gain‑ and loss‑of‑function analyses by transfecting cells with mimics or inhibitors and subsequently performing colony formation, proliferation and cisplatin‑sensitivity assays. Additionally, in vivo xenograft models were also performed. Bioinformatics algorithms, luciferase reporter activity assay and western blotting were used to predict the potential target of miR‑320a. Additionally, the effect of knockdown or overexpression of ADAM metallopeptidase domain 10 (ADAM10) on cell growth and chemosensitivity was examined. The expression of miR‑320a and ADAM10 was also determined in primary tumors. The present study revealed that the expression of miR‑320a was reduced in GC cells and ectopic miR‑320a expression significantly inhibited cell growth in vitro and in vivo and enhanced the sensitivity of GC cells to cisplatin. ADAM10 was a direct target of miR‑320a in GC. Knockdown of ADAM10 attenuated the proliferative ability of GC cells, and increased the sensitivity of GC cells to cisplatin. The upregulated ADAM10 accelerated cell growth rate and reduced the cisplatin‑sensitivity of cells. Clinically, a significantly negative correlation was identified between the expression of miR‑320a and mRNA levels of ADAM10 in tumors. The findings of the present study suggested that miR‑320a may function as a tumor suppressor in GC progression and potential therapeutic strategies for GC may be based on the miR‑320a/ADAM10 axis.

Overexpression of A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 promotes tumor proliferation, migration and poor prognosis in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) protein expression on the progression, migration and prognosis of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC). Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis were performed to detect ADAM10 expression in human HSCC specimens. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry analysis and wound-healing assay were employed to investigate the effects of ADAM10 knockdown (ADAM10-RNAi) on major oncogenic properties of FaDu cells. We detected that ADAM10 was overexpressed in HSCC specimens and its expression level was associated with differentiation (p<0.001), tumor size (p=0.019), lymph node metastasis (p=0.001), clinical stage (p<0.001), proliferation marker Ki-67 expression (P=0.001) and overall survival (p<0.046). ADAM10-RNAi in FaDu cells resulted in the inhibition of proliferation and the decrease in migration. Moreover, mechanistic experiments revealed that ADAM10-RNAi resulted in an increase in E-cadherin and a decrease in N-cadherin and vimentin expression. Our study implies that high expression of ADAM10 promotes the proliferation and migration of HSCC. These findings may help to provide a method for treatment of HSCC.

Interleukin-11-driven gastric tumourigenesis is independent of trans-signalling

Deregulated gp130-dependent STAT3 signalling by the pleiotropic cytokine interleukin (IL)-11 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer (GC), the third most common cancer worldwide. While the IL-11-gp130-STAT3 signalling axis has traditionally been thought to exclusively use the membrane-bound IL-11 receptor (mIL-11R), recent evidence suggests that mIL-11R can be proteolytically cleaved to generate a soluble form (sIL-11R) which can elicit trans-signalling. Since the role of IL-11 trans-signalling in disease pathogenesis is unknown, here we have employed the IL-11-driven gp130^F/F spontaneous model of GC to determine whether IL-11 trans-signalling promotes gastric tumourigenesis. sIL-11R protein was detectable in gastric tissue from GC patients, and sIL-11R levels were elevated in tumours of gp130^F/F mice compared to matched non-tumours. Among candidate proteases associated with the generation of sIL-11R, ADAM10 and the related metalloprotease ADAM17 were significantly upregulated in tumours of both gp130^F/F mice and GC patients compared to matched non-tumour tissues. The genetic blockade of IL-11 trans-signalling in gp130^F/F mice upon the transgenic over-expression of the trans-signalling antagonist, sgp130Fc, failed to suppress gastric inflammation and associated tumour growth, and also had no effect on reducing hyper-activated STAT3 levels. Furthermore, a non-essential role for ADAM17 in IL-11-driven gastric tumourigenesis was supported by the observation that the tumour burden was unaffected in gp130^F/F:Adam17^ex/ex mice in which ADAM17 expression levels have been substantially reduced. Collectively, these findings suggest that classic signalling rather than trans-signalling is the mode by which IL-11 promotes gastric tumourigenesis.

Clinical significance of ADAM10 expression in laryngeal carcinoma

Recent findings suggest that upregulated a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM)10 expression participates in the progression of multiple types of cancer. However, the expression pattern and clinicopathological significance of ADAM10, and its potential prognostic role in laryngeal carcinoma remains to be explored. The present study firstly determined the significantly elevated expression status of ADAM10 protein and messenger RNA in laryngeal carcinoma tissues compared with that in adjacent non-tumor tissues by western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Next, the expression of ADAM10 and the proliferation marker Ki-67 was examined in 78 laryngeal carcinoma and 35 adjacent non-tumor specimens using immunohistochemistry. Overexpressed ADAM10 in laryngeal carcinoma was detected, which correlated with T classification (P<0.01), clinical stage (P<0.01), pathology (P=0.034) and Ki-67 expression (P<0.01). Furthermore, the expression of ADAM10 was positively correlated with the expression of Ki-67 (R²=0.22; P<0.01). The Kaplan-Meier method revealed that the group with overexpressed ADAM10 exhibited shorter overall survival time compared with those with low ADAM10 expression. Our findings indicated that ADAM10 serves a notable role in the progression and prognosis of laryngeal carcinoma.

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM)-10 as a predictive factor for tocilizumab effectiveness in rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVES

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM)-10 is expressed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, we focused on ADAM-10 as a predictive factor for the treatment with biologics in RA.

METHODS

The levels of ADAM-10 and fractalkine/CX3CL1 in RA and healthy controls serum were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Fifteen patients were treated with adalimumab (ADA), and 20 patients were treated with tocilizumab (TCZ).

RESULTS

ADAM-10 positively correlated with fractalkine/CX3CL1 in the sera of RA patients and was presented at a significantly higher level compared to that in normal serum (487 ± 80 pg/ml and 85 ± 33 pg/ml, respectively, p < 0.05). ADAM-10 highly correlates with fractalkine/CX3CL1 in the sera of RA patients. The level of ADAM-10 decreased after the treatment with TCZ but not with ADA. In addition, we found that the level of ADAM-10 in TCZ responders was significantly higher than that of the TCZ nonresponders at 24 weeks (619 ± 134 pg/ml and 109 ± 25 pg/ml, respectively). Multiple regression analysis showed that ADAM-10 was only identified as independent predictive variable for the improvement of DAS28 (ESR) at 24 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

ADAM-10 may be a predictor of the effectiveness of TCZ in treating RA.

Changes in expressions of ADAM9, 10, and 17 as well as α-secretase activity in renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

ADAM9, 10, and 17 are a class of disintegrins and metallproteinases with α-secretase activity. There are conflicting results regarding the role(s) of ADAM9, 10, and 17 in carcinogenesis, and only a few studies have examined their levels and cellular localization in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Studies examining changes in α-secretase activity in RCC compared to enzymatic activity of the uninvolved kidney are lacking.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 56 patients undergoing radical nephrectomy after the diagnosis of RCC. α-Secretase activity was determined using flourogenic substrate in freshly frozen tumor tissues as well as similarly treated tissues from the neighboring kidney. Immunohistochemical analyses of ADAM9, 10, and 17 were also performed.

RESULTS

α-Secretase activity decreased markedly in all types of RCC as compared to neighboring uninvolved kidney tissue having 5 to 10 times higher levels of α-secretase activity. Although type-dependent variations were observed, tumoral expressions of ADAMs, except for ADAM17, were lower in the tumors compared to that of neighboring tissues, but the changes in α-secretase activity were greater. In RCC tissue, ADAM9 expressions were localized in nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments, whereas ADAM10 and 17 were present predominately in the cytoplasm potentially explaining the markedly decreased enzyme activity. Membranous localization of ADAMs was noted in uninvolved kidney tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

The loss of α-secretase activity observed here in conjunction with previous findings argue against tumorigenic effects of ADAM9, 10, and 17 supporting that increased nuclear and cytoplasmic expression may be an attempt to compensate for loss of function.

G Protein-Coupled Receptor Signaling in Stem Cells and Cancer

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large superfamily of cell-surface signaling proteins that bind extracellular ligands and transduce signals into cells via heterotrimeric G proteins. GPCRs are highly tractable drug targets. Aberrant expression of GPCRs and G proteins has been observed in various cancers and their importance in cancer stem cells has begun to be appreciated. We have recently reported essential roles for G protein-coupled receptor 84 (GPR84) and G protein subunit Gαq in the maintenance of cancer stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia. This review will discuss how GPCRs and G proteins regulate stem cells with a focus on cancer stem cells, as well as their implications for the development of novel targeted cancer therapies.

ADAM10 mediates the cell invasion and metastasis of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via regulation of E-cadherin activity

A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) is involved in the tumorigenesis, invasion and metastasis of several types of solid tumors. However, the potential role of ADAM10 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is not yet well understood. The present study showed that ADAM10 was overexpressed in human ESCC tissues in vivo, and positively associated with depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage, contributing to tumor carcinogenesis, invasion and metastasis. Additionally, ADAM10 was overexpressed in 3 types of ESCC cell lines in vitro, as compared to that in normal esophageal epithelial cells (NEECs); and moreover, ESCC cells with high ADAM10 expression obtained enhanced invasion and migration ability. Subsequently, ADAM10 silencing by small interfering (si) RNA in ESCC cell line, EC-1, reduced cell invasion, migration and proliferation in vitro. Finally, ADAM10 negatively regulated E-cadherin in ESCC in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, active ADAM10 promotes the carcinogenesis, invasion, metastasis and proliferation of ESCC and controls invasion and metastasis at least in part through the shedding of E-cadherin activity, which makes it a potential biomarker and a useful therapeutic target for ESCC.

Upregulation of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 8 is associated with progression and prognosis of patients with gastric cancer

A disintegrin and metalloprotease 8 (ADAM8) is involved in the tumorigenesis of several types of solid tumors. However, its exact role in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of ADAM8 in GC and to explore its biological effects on gastric carcinogenesis. In this study, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining analysis revealed that ADAM8 messenger RNA expression was significantly upregulated in GC tissues compared with noncancerous tissues (P = 0.004), and that positive ADAM8 expression is much more common in tumor tissues compared with normal tissues (P < 0.001) and is correlated with T stage (P = 0.036), N stage (P = 0.048), vessel invasion (P = 0.002), and a shorter patient overall survival (P = 0.024). In vitro assay indicated that ADAM8 overexpression promoted cell growth and increased migration and invasion abilities by decreasing the p-p38/p-extracellular regulated protein kinases (p-ERK) ratio. In conclusion, ADAM8 promotes GC cell proliferation and invasion, and its expression is positively correlated with poor survival, indicating that it might be a promising target in GC therapy.

Effects of ADAM10 upregulation on progression, migration, and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) is a typical member of the ADAMs family, which has been reported to be upregulated in various types of cancers and contribute to cancer progression and metastasis. However, little is known about the role of ADAM10 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The purpose of this study is to explore ADAM10 expression status and its biological functions in NPC. We first examined the expression of ADAM10 in NPC tissues and cell lines by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, PCR, and immunofluorescence analysis. We observed that ADAM10 was significantly elevated in NPC and its expression level was correlated with T classification (P = 0.044), distant metastasis (P = 0.016), TNM clinical stage (P = 0.013), and proliferation marker Ki‐67 expression (P = 0.001). Patients with NPC with high expression of ADAM10 had shorter overall survival rates. In addition, knockdown of ADAM10 by RNAi was found to inhibit the CNE‐2 cell proliferation and migration. Our findings hinted that overexpression of ADAM10 promotes the progression and migration of NPC, which makes it a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of tumor metastases in NPC.

A disintegrin and metalloprotease-10 is correlated with disease activity and mediates monocyte migration and adhesion in rheumatoid arthritis

A disintegrin and metalloproteases (ADAMs) are a family of proteins that have been reported to be involved in several inflammatory conditions. We examined the secretion of ADAM-10 in biological fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the role it plays in monocyte migration. ADAM-10 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunofluorescence. To examine the role of ADAM-10 in RA synovial fluids (SFs), we studied THP-1 (human acute monocyte leukemia cell line) and monocyte chemotaxis. To determine whether ADAM-10 plays a role in cell proliferation in the RA synovium, we assayed the proliferation of ADAM-10 small interfering RNA (siRNA)-transfected RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs). The ADAM-10 level in RA serum was significantly higher than that in normal serum and was correlated with a disease activity score of 28. ADAM-10-depleted RA SFs showed a decrease in THP-1 and monocyte migratory activity compared with that of sham-depleted controls. ADAM-10 siRNA inhibited monocyte adhesion to RA FLSs. Finally, blocking ADAM-10 secretion in RA FLSs resulted in decreased production of fractalkine/CX3CL1 and vascular endothelial cell growth factor. These data indicate that ADAM-10 plays a role in monocyte migration in RA and suggest that targeting ADAM-10 may provide a method of decreasing inflammation and potentially treating other inflammatory diseases.

Effect of A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 gene silencing on the proliferation, invasion and migration of the human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line TCA8113

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) gene silencing on the proliferation, migration and invasion of the human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line TCA8113. RNA interference was used to knock down the expression of ADAM10 in the TCA8113 cell line and the proliferation, migration and invasive ability of the treated cells were observed in vitro. The expression levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and E-cadherin in the treated cells were determined by western blot analysis. The proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of cells in the ADAM10 siRNA-treated group were significantly lower than those in the control groups (P<0.05). In addition, compared with the control groups, the expression levels of EGFR and E-cadherin in the ADAM10 siRNA-treated cells were significantly decreased (P<0.05) and increased (P<0.05), respectively. These results suggested that ADAM10 is important in regulating the proliferation, invasion and migration of the human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line TCA8113 and that the mechanism may, at least in part, be associated with the upregulation of EGFR and the downregulation of E-cadherin.

Silencing ADAM10 inhibits the in vitro and in vivo growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cancer cells

A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) is a transmembrane protein associated with metastasis in a number of types of cancer. Little is known, however, regarding the role of ADAM10 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether downregulation of ADAM10 effects HCC cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell migration and cell invasion. A recombinant small hairpin RNA expression vector carrying ADAM10 was constructed and then transfected into the HepG2 human HCC cell line. In vitro cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell migration and cell invasion, and in vivo tumor growth were determined following the downregulation of ADAM10 by RNA interference. The results revealed that downregulation of ADAM10 expression in HepG2 tumor cells using the RNA silencing approach significantly suppressed cell proliferation, cell migration and cell invasion in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, ADAM10 silencing was able to significantly reduce constitutive phosphorylation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt, which implies that ADAM10 is, at least partially, involved in the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These results suggest that ADAM10 is important in regulating the proliferation and metastasis of HCC. Thus, ADAM10 is a promising therapeutic target for the prevention of tumor metastases in HCC.

Synergistic effects of co-expression plasmid‑based ADAM10-specific siRNA and GRIM-19 on hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) has been demonstrated to correlate with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) grade and clinical outcome and its potential as a target for HCC therapy has been established. Gene associated with retinoid-interferon-induced mortality 19 (GRIM-19), a signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3)-inhibitory protein, was identified as a potential tumor suppressor associated with growth inhibition and cell apoptosis. In the present study, we investigated whether a combined treatment with ADAM10-specific siRNA and GRIM19 gene could have an enhanced anticancer effectiveness on HCC in vitro and in vivo. We developed a dual expression plasmid that co-expressed ADAM10-specific siRNA and GRIM19, to evaluate its effects on HCC growth. Our results showed that simultaneous expression of ADAM10-specific siRNA and GRIM19 (pSi-ADAM10-GRIM19) in HepG2 cancer cells significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis in vitro, and it also suppressed tumor growth in a nude mouse model when compared to the controls, either ADAM10-specific siRNA or GRIM-19 alone. In summary, our data demonstrated that a combined strategy of co-expressed ADAM10-specific siRNA and GRIM19 synergistically and more effectively suppressed HCC tumor growth, and has therapeutic potential for the treatment of HCC.

ADAM10 mediates trastuzumab resistance and is correlated with survival in HER2 positive breast cancer

Trastuzumab prolongs survival in HER2 positive breast cancer patients. However, resistance remains a challenge. We have previously shown that ADAM17 plays a key role in maintaining HER2 phosphorylation during trastuzumab treatment. Beside ADAM17, ADAM10 is the other well characterized ADAM protease responsible for HER ligand shedding. Therefore, we studied the role of ADAM10 in relation to trastuzumab treatment and resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer. ADAM10 expression was assessed in HER2 positive breast cancer cell lines and xenograft mice treated with trastuzumab. Trastuzumab treatment increased ADAM10 levels in HER2 positive breast cancer cells (p ≤ 0.001 in BT474; p ≤ 0.01 in SKBR3) and in vivo (p ≤ 0.0001) compared to control, correlating with a decrease in PKB phosphorylation. ADAM10 inhibition or knockdown enhanced trastuzumab response in naïve and trastuzumab resistant breast cancer cells. Trastuzumab monotherapy upregulated ADAM10 (p ≤ 0.05); and higher pre-treatment ADAM10 levels correlated with decreased clinical response (p ≤ 0.05) at day 21 in HER2 positive breast cancer patients undergoing a trastuzumab treatment window study. Higher ADAM10 levels correlated with poorer relapse-free survival (p ≤ 0.01) in a cohort of HER2 positive breast cancer patients. Our studies implicate a role of ADAM10 in acquired resistance to trastuzumab and establish ADAM10 as a therapeutic target and a potential biomarker for HER2 positive breast cancer patients.

Knockout of ADAM10 enhances sorafenib antitumor activity of hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo

Sorafenib (SOR), a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitor, is in wide clinical use for the treatment and prevention of liver cancer. However, extended SOR administration for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induces drug resistance thereby limiting its efficacy and highlighting the need for improved therapeutic strategies. It has previously been demonstrated that knockout of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) via siRNA induced cancer apoptosis and decreased chemotherapy drug resistance. However, whether knockout of ADAM10 is able to decrease SOR resistance remains to be determined. Therefore, in the present study, the effect of siRNA-ADAM10 in combination with SOR was analyzed in HCC cell lines (HepG2) by inhibiting tumor growth and simultaneously reducing doses of SOR. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and involvement in receptor signaling were determined after siRNA-ADAM10 was applied in combination with SOR treatment. Tumor growth ability in nude mice was also detected. The results showed that siRNA-ADAM10 in combination with SOR treatment in HCC cancer cells significantly suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced tumor apoptosis in vitro, and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. In addition, the results showed that knockout of ADAM10 by siRNA inhibited the constitutive phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, which may contribute to the reduction of SOR resistance. Collectively, our experimental results indicate that knockout of ADAM10 by siRNA increased the SOR antitumor activity of liver cancer in vitro and in vivo, and that this additive combination is a promising drug candidate for treatment of HCC.

ADAM 10 is over expressed in oral squamous cell carcinoma and contributes to invasive behaviour through a functional association with αvβ6 integrin

A disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) proteins are upregulated in cancer and can interact with integrin receptors. We investigated whether such interactions may have functional significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). ADAM 10 expression was increased in OSCC tissue and cell lines compared to normal oral mucosa. Silencing of ADAM 10 reduced migration and invasion specifically in OSCC cells over-expressing αvβ6 integrin. This may result from ADAM 10-induced up-regulation of MMPs. We conclude ADAM 10 may influence OSCC invasion by functionally interacting with αvβ6 integrin which we have previously shown is over expressed in OSCC.

ADAM and ADAMTS family proteins and their role in the colorectal cancer etiopathogenesis

The ADAM and ADAMTS families, also called adamalysins belong to an important group of extracellular matrix proteins. The ADAMs family belong to both the transmembrane and secreted proteins, while ADAMTS family only contains secreted forms. Adamalysins play an important role in the cell phenotype regulation via their activities in signaling pathways, cell adhesion and migration. The human proteome contains 21 ADAM, and 19 ADAMTS proteins, which are involved in extracellular matrix remodeling, shedding of various substrates such as: adhesion ligands, growth factors, their receptors and diverse cytokines. Recent studies provide evidence that adamalysins play a crucial role in colorectal cancer (CRC) etiopathogenesis. It seems possible that adamalysins might be used as CRC prediction markers or potential pharmaceutical targets. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(3): 139-150]

ADAM10 is overexpressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma and contributes to the proliferation, invasion and migration of HepG2 cells

The overexpression of A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) has been found to be closely associated with the development and progression of various types of tumors. However, ADAM10 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its significance remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of ADAM10 in human HCC and the effect of ADAM10 gene silencing by siRNA on the proliferation, invasion and migration of HepG2 human hepatoma cells. Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the expression of ADAM10 in human HCC tissues and in the adjacent non-cancer tissues from 30 patients with HCC. RNA interference was used to knock down ADAM10 expression in HepG2 human hepatoma cells and the proliferation and migration as well as the invasive ability of the treated cells were observed in vitro. The expression of ADAM10 protein in HCC tissues was significantly higher when compared to that in adjacent non-tumor tissues (P<0.05). The high expression of ADAM10 in cancer was significantly correlated with clinical outcomes (P<0.05). Silencing of ADAM10 resulted in inhibition of proliferation and migration as well as invasion of HepG2 human hepatoma cells (P<0.05). These studies suggest that ADAM10 plays an important role in regulating proliferation, invasion and migration of HepG2 cells. High expression of ADAM10 may be a valuable predictive factor for HCC prognosis, and ADAM10 is potentially an important therapeutic target for the prevention of tumor development and progression in HCC.