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Hunt BG, Fox LH, Davis JC, Jones A, Lu Z, Waltz SE. An Introduction and Overview of RON Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:517. [PMID: 36833444 PMCID: PMC9956929 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
RON is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) of the MET receptor family that is canonically involved in mediating growth and inflammatory signaling. RON is expressed at low levels in a variety of tissues, but its overexpression and activation have been associated with malignancies in multiple tissue types and worse patient outcomes. RON and its ligand HGFL demonstrate cross-talk with other growth receptors and, consequentially, positions RON at the intersection of numerous tumorigenic signaling programs. For this reason, RON is an attractive therapeutic target in cancer research. A better understanding of homeostatic and oncogenic RON activity serves to enhance clinical insights in treating RON-expressing cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian G. Hunt
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0521, USA
| | - Levi H. Fox
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0521, USA
| | - James C. Davis
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0521, USA
| | - Angelle Jones
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0521, USA
| | - Zhixin Lu
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0521, USA
| | - Susan E. Waltz
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0521, USA
- Research Service, Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
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2
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The Promoter Region of the Proto-Oncogene MST1R Contains the Main Features of G-Quadruplexes Formation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232112905. [PMID: 36361696 PMCID: PMC9653784 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
MST1R (RON) is a receptor of the MET tyrosine kinase receptor family involved in several cancers such as pancreas, breast, ovary, colon, and stomach. Some studies have shown that overexpression of MST1R increases the migratory and invasive properties of cancer cells. The promoter region of the oncogene MST1R is enriched in guanine residues that can potentially form G-quadruplexes (G4s), as it was observed in other oncogenic promoters such as KRAS and c-MYC. There is abundant literature that links the presence of G4s in promoter regions of oncogenes to diverse gene regulation processes that are not well understood. In this work, we have studied the reverse and forward sequence of MST1R promoter region using the G4Hunter software and performed biophysical studies to characterize the best scored sequences.
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3
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Huang L, Fang X, Shi D, Yao S, Wu W, Fang Q, Yao H. MSP-RON Pathway: Potential Regulator of Inflammation and Innate Immunity. Front Immunol 2020; 11:569082. [PMID: 33117355 PMCID: PMC7577085 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.569082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP), a soluble protein mainly synthesized by the liver, is the only known ligand for recepteur d'origine nantais (RON), which is a member of the MET proto-oncogene family. Recent studies show that the MSP-RON signaling pathway not only was important in tumor behavior but also participates in the occurrence or development of many immune system diseases. Activation of RON in macrophages results in the inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis as well as lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response. MSP-RON is also associated with chronic inflammatory responses, especially chronic liver inflammation, and might serve as a novel regulator of inflammation, which may affect the metabolism in the body. Another study provided evidence of the relationship between MSP-RON and autoimmune diseases, suggesting a potential role for MSP-RON in the development of drugs for autoimmune diseases. Moreover, MSP-RON plays an important role in maintaining the stability of the tissue microenvironment and contributes to immune escape in the tumor immune microenvironment. Here, we summarize the role of MSP-RON in immunity, based on recent findings, and lay the foundation for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingtong Huang
- Department of Critical Care Units, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xueling Fang
- Department of Critical Care Units, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Danrong Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shuhao Yao
- Department of Stormotologry, Wenzhou Medical University Renji College, Wenzhou, China
| | - Weifang Wu
- Department of Critical Care Units, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Fang
- Department of Critical Care Units, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hangping Yao
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Wright JW, Church KJ, Harding JW. Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Macrophage-stimulating Protein "Hinge" Analogs to Treat Pancreatic Cancer. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2020; 19:782-795. [PMID: 30914029 DOI: 10.2174/1568009619666190326130008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) ranks twelfth in frequency of diagnosis but is the fourth leading cause of cancer related deaths with a 5 year survival rate of less than 7 percent. This poor prognosis occurs because the early stages of PC are often asymptomatic. Over-expression of several growth factors, most notably vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), has been implicated in PC resulting in dysfunctional signal transduction pathways and the facilitation of tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) acts via the Met receptor and has also received research attention with ongoing efforts to develop treatments to block the Met receptor and its signal transduction pathways. Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP), and its receptor Ron, is also recognized as important in the etiology of PC but is less well studied. Although the angiotensin II (AngII)/AT1 receptor system is best known for mediating blood pressure and body water/electrolyte balance, it also facilitates tumor vascularization and growth by stimulating the expression of VEGF. A metabolite of AngII, angiotensin IV (AngIV) has sequence homology with the "hinge regions" of HGF and MSP, key structures in the growth factor dimerization processes necessary for Met and Ron receptor activation. We have developed AngIV-based analogs designed to block dimerization of HGF and MSP and thus receptor activation. Norleual has shown promise as tested utilizing PC cell cultures. Results indicate that cell migration, invasion, and pro-survival functions were suppressed by this analog and tumor growth was significantly inhibited in an orthotopic PC mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W Wright
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States.,Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, and Program in Biotechnology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Kevin J Church
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, and Program in Biotechnology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Joseph W Harding
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States.,Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, and Program in Biotechnology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
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5
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Tomic-Canic M, Wong LL, Smola H. The epithelialisation phase in wound healing: options to enhance wound closure. J Wound Care 2018; 27:646-658. [DOI: 10.12968/jowc.2018.27.10.646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Majana Tomic-Canic
- Professor and Vice Chair of Research; Director, Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program; Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, US
| | - Lulu L. Wong
- MD Candidate; Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, US
| | - Hans Smola
- Professor of Dermatology, Medical Director, PAUL HARTMANN AG, Heidenheim and Department of Dermatology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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6
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Krishnaswamy S, Mohammed AK, Tripathi G, Alokail MS, Al-Daghri NM. Splice variants of the extracellular region of RON receptor tyrosine kinase in lung cancer cell lines identified by PCR and sequencing. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:738. [PMID: 29121914 PMCID: PMC5679369 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Altered expression of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) is a major driver of growth and metastasis of cancers. Recepteur d’origine nantais (RON) receptor is a single-pass transmembrane RTK aberrantly expressed in a number of cancers. Efforts to block deregulated RON signaling in tumors using small molecule kinase inhibitors or antibodies are complicated by the presence of unknown number/types of isoforms of RON, which, despite having similar sequences, are localized differently and mediate varied functions. The objective of this study was to identify splice variants of RON transcripts between exons 1 and 10 that code for the extracellular region. Methods Direct cDNA sequencing was performed for the transcript between exons 1–10 of RON by Sanger sequencing in various lung cancer cell lines. Results PCR amplification and bi-directional sequencing of cDNA for section between exons 1 and 10 from lung cancer cell lines revealed the presence of several splice variants of RON transcripts; the variants were formed by skipping of exons 2, 2–3, 5–6, 6 and 8–9. Each of these transcript variants were found in one or more cell lines. While the variants formed by skipping of exons 2, 2–3 and 5–6 resulted in loss of 63, 106 and 109 amino acids, respectively, and didn’t cause reading-frameshift, the transcripts formed by skipping of exons 6 and 8–9 caused reading-frameshift. Splice variant lacking exons 8–9 was found in 13 out of 23 cell lines tested. Conclusion Lung cancer cell lines contain several splice variants of RON which involve skipping of exons coding for extracellular region. Some of the splicing changes result in reading-frameshift and the N-terminally truncated isoforms are expected to be secreted out. The ubiquitous nature of alternative splicing events in RON suggests the need for isoform specific approaches to functional analysis and therapeutic targeting of RON. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-017-3747-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soundararajan Krishnaswamy
- Biomarkers Research Program, Riyadh Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.,Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Riyadh Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Box 2455, Riyadh, PO, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul Khader Mohammed
- Biomarkers Research Program, Riyadh Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.,Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Riyadh Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Box 2455, Riyadh, PO, 11451, Saudi Arabia.,Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Gyanendra Tripathi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Westminster, W1W 6UW, London, UK
| | - Majed S Alokail
- Biomarkers Research Program, Riyadh Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.,Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Riyadh Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Box 2455, Riyadh, PO, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nasser M Al-Daghri
- Biomarkers Research Program, Riyadh Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia. .,Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis, Riyadh Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Box 2455, Riyadh, PO, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
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Strategies of targeting the extracellular domain of RON tyrosine kinase receptor for cancer therapy and drug delivery. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2016; 142:2429-2446. [PMID: 27503093 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-016-2214-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer is one of the most important life-threatening diseases in the world. The current efforts to combat cancer are being focused on molecular-targeted therapies. The main purpose of such approaches is based on targeting cancer cell-specific molecules to minimize toxicity for the normal cells. RON (Recepteur d'Origine Nantais) tyrosine kinase receptor is one of the promising targets in cancer-targeted therapy and drug delivery. METHODS In this review, we will summarize the available agents against extracellular domain of RON with potential antitumor activities. RESULTS The presented antibodies and antibody drug conjugates against RON in this review showed wide spectrum of in vitro and in vivo antitumor activities promising the hope for them entering the clinical trials. CONCLUSION Due to critical role of extracellular domain of RON in receptor activation, the development of therapeutic agents against this region could lead to fruitful outcome in cancer therapy.
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HGFL supports mammary tumorigenesis by enhancing tumor cell intrinsic survival and influencing macrophage and T-cell responses. Oncotarget 2016; 6:17445-61. [PMID: 25938541 PMCID: PMC4627320 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The Ron receptor is overexpressed in human breast cancers and is associated with heightened metastasis and poor survival. Ron overexpression in the mammary epithelium of mice is sufficient to induce aggressive mammary tumors with a high degree of metastasis. Despite the well-documented role of Ron in breast cancer, few studies have examined the necessity of the endogenous Ron ligand, hepatocyte growth factor-like protein (HGFL) in mammary tumorigenesis. Herein, mammary tumor growth and metastasis were examined in mice overexpressing Ron in the mammary epithelium with or without HGFL. HGFL ablation decreased oncogenic Ron activation and delayed mammary tumor initiation. HGFL was important for tumor cell proliferation and survival. HGFL loss resulted in increased numbers of macrophages and T-cells within the tumor. T-cell proliferation and cytotoxicity dramatically increased in HGFL deficient mice. Biochemical analysis of HGFL proficient tumors showed increased local HGFL production, with HGFL loss decreasing β-catenin expression and NF-κB activation. Re-expression of HGFL in HGFL deficient tumor cells stimulated cell migration and invasion with coordinate activation of NF-κB and reduced apoptosis. Together, these results demonstrate critical in vivo functions for HGFL in promoting breast tumorigenesis and suggest that targeting HGFL may inhibit tumor growth and reactivate anti-tumor immune responses.
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Novel splicing variants of recepteur d'origine nantais (RON) tyrosine kinase involving exons 15-19 in lung cancer. Lung Cancer 2015; 92:41-6. [PMID: 26775595 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2015.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2015] [Revised: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered expressions of receptor tyrosine kinases drive the growth and metastasis of several cancers. RON is a single pass transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) shown to be aberrantly expressed in various cancer types. However, target validation and successful therapeutic targeting of RON in cancers is hampered by the co-existence of unknown number/types of isoforms, which are structurally similar but functionally diverse. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to identify differential splicing in the C-terminal region of RON transcripts to better understand RON signaling in cancers. mRNA transcript sequence between exons 14 and 20 of RON was PCR amplified and sequenced using cDNA from 10 SCLC and 13 NSCLC cell lines. Specific exon deletions were identified by aligning sequencing chromatograms with reference RON cDNA sequence. RESULTS We identified the presence of four unique transcript sequence variants of RON formed through skipping of exons 15-19, 16-19, 16-17 and 16. The transcript variants, except the one lacking exons 15-19, were found in more than one cell line. Several cell lines contained two to four of these uniquely spliced transcript variants. dbEST (Expressed Sequence Tags database) or other DNA sequence databases did not contain RON cDNA sequences corresponding to any of the above exon deletions indicating that all these transcript sequence alterations are novel. CONCLUSIONS Results of our study indicate common occurrence of different types of alternatively spliced transcripts of RON in lung cancer with potential to be translated into proteins lacking active kinase domain. Our findings suggest that tumors produce several dominant negative isoforms which probably inhibit ligand dependent RON signaling, and hence, raise important questions regarding the appropriateness of blocking wild type RON signaling for therapy. Further, presence of transcript variants and their isoform products may interfere with quantitative and functional analysis during target validation.
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Seeger MA, Paller AS. The Roles of Growth Factors in Keratinocyte Migration. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle) 2015; 4:213-224. [PMID: 25945284 DOI: 10.1089/wound.2014.0540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Significance: The re-epithelialization of wounded skin requires the rapid and coordinated migration of keratinocytes (KC) into the wound bed. Almost immediately after wounding, cells present at or attracted to the wound site begin to secrete a complex milieu of growth factors. These growth factors exert mitogenic and motogenic effects on KCs, inducing the rapid proliferation and migration of KCs at the wound edge. Recent Advances: New roles for growth factors in KC biology are currently being discovered and investigated. This review will highlight the growth factors, particularly transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α), heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF-7), FGF-10, and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which have conclusively been shown to be the most motogenic for KCs. Critical Issues: The cellular and molecular heterogeneity of wounded tissue makes establishing direct relationships between specific growth factors and KC migration difficult in situ. The absence of this complexity in simplified in vitro experimental models of migration makes the clinical relevance of the results obtained from these in vitro studies ambiguous. Future Directions: Deciphering the relationship between growth factors and KC migration is critical for understanding the process of wound healing in normal and disease states. Insights into the basic science of the effects of growth factors on KC migration will hopefully lead to the development of new therapies to treat acute and chronic wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Seeger
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Amy S. Paller
- Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
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Glasbey JC, Sanders AJ, Bosanquet DC, Ruge F, Harding KG, Jiang WG. Expression of Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Like Protein in Human Wound Tissue and Its Biological Functionality in Human Keratinocytes. Biomedicines 2015; 3:110-123. [PMID: 28536402 PMCID: PMC5344237 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines3010110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2014] [Revised: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
human keratinocyte model, may indicate a role for HGFl in active wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Glasbey
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative (CCMRC), Cardiff University-Peking University Cancer Institute, Cardiff University-Capital Medical University Joint Centre Biomedical Research, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Henry Wellcome Building, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
- Department of Wound Healing and Welsh Wound Innovation Centre, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
| | - Andrew J Sanders
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative (CCMRC), Cardiff University-Peking University Cancer Institute, Cardiff University-Capital Medical University Joint Centre Biomedical Research, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Henry Wellcome Building, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
| | - David C Bosanquet
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative (CCMRC), Cardiff University-Peking University Cancer Institute, Cardiff University-Capital Medical University Joint Centre Biomedical Research, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Henry Wellcome Building, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
- Department of Wound Healing and Welsh Wound Innovation Centre, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
| | - Fiona Ruge
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative (CCMRC), Cardiff University-Peking University Cancer Institute, Cardiff University-Capital Medical University Joint Centre Biomedical Research, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Henry Wellcome Building, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
- Department of Wound Healing and Welsh Wound Innovation Centre, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
| | - Keith G Harding
- Department of Wound Healing and Welsh Wound Innovation Centre, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
| | - Wen G Jiang
- Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative (CCMRC), Cardiff University-Peking University Cancer Institute, Cardiff University-Capital Medical University Joint Centre Biomedical Research, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Henry Wellcome Building, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK.
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Van de Laar E, Clifford M, Hasenoeder S, Kim BR, Wang D, Lee S, Paterson J, Vu NM, Waddell TK, Keshavjee S, Tsao MS, Ailles L, Moghal N. Cell surface marker profiling of human tracheal basal cells reveals distinct subpopulations, identifies MST1/MSP as a mitogenic signal, and identifies new biomarkers for lung squamous cell carcinomas. Respir Res 2014; 15:160. [PMID: 25551685 PMCID: PMC4343068 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-014-0160-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The large airways of the lungs (trachea and bronchi) are lined with a pseudostratified mucociliary epithelium, which is maintained by stem cells/progenitors within the basal cell compartment. Alterations in basal cell behavior can contribute to large airway diseases including squamous cell carcinomas (SQCCs). Basal cells have traditionally been thought of as a uniform population defined by basolateral position, cuboidal cell shape, and expression of pan-basal cell lineage markers like KRT5 and TP63. While some evidence suggests that basal cells are not all functionally equivalent, few heterogeneously expressed markers have been identified to purify and study subpopulations. In addition, few signaling pathways have been identified that regulate their cell behavior. The goals of this work were to investigate tracheal basal cell diversity and to identify new signaling pathways that regulate basal cell behavior. METHODS We used flow cytometry (FACS) to profile cell surface marker expression at a single cell level in primary human tracheal basal cell cultures that maintain stem cell/progenitor activity. FACS results were validated with tissue staining, in silico comparisons with normal basal cell and lung cancer datasets, and an in vitro proliferation assay. RESULTS We identified 105 surface markers, with 47 markers identifying potential subpopulations. These subpopulations generally fell into more (~ > 13%) or less abundant (~ < 6%) groups. Microarray gene expression profiling supported the heterogeneous expression of these markers in the total population, and immunostaining of large airway tissue suggested that some of these markers are relevant in vivo. 24 markers were enriched in lung SQCCs relative to adenocarcinomas, with four markers having prognostic significance in SQCCs. We also identified 33 signaling receptors, including the MST1R/RON growth factor receptor, whose ligand MST1/MSP was mitogenic for basal cells. CONCLUSION This work provides the largest description to date of molecular diversity among human large airway basal cells. Furthermore, these markers can be used to further study basal cell function in repair and disease, and may aid in the classification and study of SQCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Van de Laar
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
| | - Monica Clifford
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
| | - Stefan Hasenoeder
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
- />Present address: Helmholtz Zentrum München, Institute of Stem Cell Research, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85746 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Bo Ram Kim
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
| | - Dennis Wang
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
| | - Sharon Lee
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
- />Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Josh Paterson
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
| | - Nancy M Vu
- />Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
- />Present address: University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84132 USA
| | - Thomas K Waddell
- />Toronto Lung Transplant Program, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
| | - Shaf Keshavjee
- />Toronto Lung Transplant Program, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
| | - Ming-Sound Tsao
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
| | - Laurie Ailles
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
| | - Nadeem Moghal
- />Department of Medical Biophysics, Ontario Cancer Institute/Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute/Princess Margaret Cancer Centre/University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
- />Department of Oncological Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 USA
- />Present address: Ontario Cancer Institute and Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 1 L7 Canada
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RON (recepteur d’origine nantais) expression and its association with tumor progression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Auris Nasus Larynx 2014; 41:201-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2013.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/31/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Smith LD, Lucas CM, Eperon IC. Intron retention in the alternatively spliced region of RON results from weak 3' splice site recognition. PLoS One 2013; 8:e77208. [PMID: 24155930 PMCID: PMC3796505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The RON gene encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor for macrophage-stimulating protein. A constitutively active isoform that arises by skipping of exon 11 is expressed in carcinomas and contributes to an invasive phenotype. However, a high proportion of the mRNA expressed from the endogenous gene, or from transfected minigenes, appears to retain introns 10 and 11. It is not known whether this represents specific repression or the presence of weak splicing signals. We have used chimeric pre-mRNAs spliced in vitro to investigate the reason for intron retention. A systematic test showed that, surprisingly, the exon sequences known to modulate exon 11 skipping were not limiting, but the 3’ splice site regions adjacent to exons 11 and 12 were too weak to support splicing when inserted into a globin intron. UV-crosslinking experiments showed binding of hnRNP F/H just 5’ of these regions, but the hnRNP F/H target sequences did not mediate inhibition. Instead, the failure of splicing is linked to weak binding of U2AF65, and spliceosome assembly stalls prior to formation of any of the ATP-dependent complexes. We discuss mechanisms by which U2AF65 binding is facilitated in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay D. Smith
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Christian M. Lucas
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Ian C. Eperon
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Wang MH, Zhang R, Zhou YQ, Yao HP. Pathogenesis of RON receptor tyrosine kinase in cancer cells: activation mechanism, functional crosstalk, and signaling addiction. J Biomed Res 2013; 27:345-56. [PMID: 24086167 PMCID: PMC3783819 DOI: 10.7555/jbr.27.20130038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Accepted: 05/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The RON receptor tyrosine kinase, a member of the MET proto-oncogene family, is a pathogenic factor implicated in tumor malignancy. Specifically, aberrations in RON signaling result in increased cancer cell growth, survival, invasion, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. Biochemical events such as ligand binding, receptor overexpression, generation of structure-defected variants, and point mutations in the kinase domain contribute to RON signaling activation. Recently, functional crosstalk between RON and signaling proteins such as MET and EFGR has emerged as an additional mechanism for RON activation, which is critical for tumorigenic development. The RON signaling crosstalk acts either as a regulatory feedback loop that strengthens or enhances tumorigenic phenotype of cancer cells or serves as a signaling compensatory pathway providing a growth/survival advantage for cancer cells to escape targeted therapy. Moreover, viral oncoproteins derived from Friend leukemia or Epstein-Barr viruses interact with RON to drive viral oncogenesis. In cancer cells, RON signaling is integrated into cellular signaling network essential for cancer cell growth and survival. These activities provide the molecular basis of targeting RON for cancer treatment. In this review, we will discuss recent data that uncover the mechanisms of RON activation in cancer cells, review evidence of RON signaling crosstalk relevant to cancer malignancy, and emphasize the significance of the RON signaling addiction by cancer cells for tumor therapy. Understanding aberrant RON signaling will not only provide insight into the mechanisms of tumor pathogenesis, but also lead to the development of novel strategies for molecularly targeted cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Hai Wang
- Cancer Biology Research Center, ; Department of Biomedical Sciences, and
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16
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Abstract
Since the discovery of MSP (macrophage-stimulating protein; also known as MST1 and hepatocyte growth factor-like (HGFL)) as the ligand for the receptor tyrosine kinase RON (also known as MST1R) in the early 1990s, the roles of this signalling axis in cancer pathogenesis has been extensively studied in various model systems. Both in vitro and in vivo evidence has revealed that MSP-RON signalling is important for the invasive growth of different types of cancers. Currently, small-molecule inhibitors and antibodies blocking RON signalling are under investigation. Substantial responses have been achieved in human tumour xenograft models, laying the foundation for clinical validation. In this Review, we discuss recent advances that demonstrate the importance of MSP-RON signalling in cancer and its potential as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang-Ping Yao
- Viral Oncogenesis Section in State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis & Treatment of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P. R. China
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Chen H, Wang Y, Bai C, Wang X. Alterations of plasma inflammatory biomarkers in the healthy and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with or without acute exacerbation. J Proteomics 2012; 75:2835-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2012.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2011] [Revised: 01/13/2012] [Accepted: 01/23/2012] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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Prognostic significance of phosphorylated RON in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Med Oncol 2011; 29:1699-706. [PMID: 22086736 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-011-0112-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2011] [Accepted: 11/02/2011] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common type of esophageal cancer. RON is a transmembrane receptor overexpressed in various cancers; however, the clinical significance of its phosphorylated form (pRON) is not fully deciphered. This report is the first to investigate the expression and clinical significance of pRON in human ESCC. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed an up-regulation of RON mRNA in 70% (7/10) of ESCC tissues when compared to the adjacent nontumor tissues. An overexpression of pRON protein was found in most of the ESCC cell lines studied (4/5) when compared to two non-neoplastic esophageal epithelial cells using immunoblot. In 64 ESCC tissues, pRON was localized at the cell membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus in 15 (23.4%), 63 (98.4%) and 61 (95.3%) cases using immunohistochemistry. Patients having high expression of cytoplasmic pRON significantly associated with shorter median survival when compared to those with low expression (25.41 months vs. 14.43 months), suggesting cytoplasmic pRON as a potential marker for poor prognosis in ESCC patients.
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Ganesan R, Kolumam GA, Lin SJ, Xie MH, Santell L, Wu TD, Lazarus RA, Chaudhuri A, Kirchhofer D. Proteolytic activation of pro-macrophage-stimulating protein by hepsin. Mol Cancer Res 2011; 9:1175-86. [PMID: 21875933 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-11-0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP) is a plasminogen-related growth factor and ligand for the receptor tyrosine kinase RON. The MSP/RON system promotes wound healing and invasive tumor growth and suppresses proinflammatory immune response. MSP binding to RON requires proteolytic conversion of the inactive single-chain form (pro-MSP) into the disulfide-linked α/β heterodimer. The pro-MSP cleavage sequence (Ser-Lys-Leu-Arg(483)↓Val(484)) closely matches the substrate recognition sequences of hepsin, a type II transmembrane serine protease, that is overexpressed in several cancers. Here, we show that recombinant hepsin cleaves pro-MSP at the consensus site Arg(483)-Val(484) with superior efficiency compared with the known activators MT-SP1 and hepatocyte growth factor activator (HGFA). At least 50% of pro-MSP was processed within 1 hour at a hepsin concentration of 2.4 nmol/L and at a molar enzyme to substrate ratio of 1:500. An uncleavable single-chain variant of MSP weakly bound to a RON-Fc fusion protein, whereas hepsin-cleaved MSP bound with a K(D) of 10.3 nmol/L, suggesting that the high-affinity binding site in MSP β-chain was properly formed. LNCaP prostate cancer cells overexpressing hepsin on the cell surface efficiently activated pro-MSP, which was blocked by a specific anti-hepsin antibody. Incubation of pro-MSP with hepsin led to robust RON-mediated phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase, ribosomal S6 protein, and Akt in human A2780 ovarian carcinoma cells stably expressing RON protein. In macrophages, pro-MSP with hepsin induced chemotaxis and attenuated lipopolysaccharide-dependent production of nitric oxide. These findings suggest that the MSP/RON signaling pathway may be regulated by hepsin in tissue homeostasis and in disease pathologies, such as in cancer and immune disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajkumar Ganesan
- Department of Early Discovery Biochemistry, Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, MS #27, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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Guin S, Yao HP, Wang MH. RON receptor tyrosine kinase as a target for delivery of chemodrugs by antibody directed pathway for cancer cell cytotoxicity. Mol Pharm 2010; 7:386-97. [PMID: 20039696 DOI: 10.1021/mp900168v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Overexpression of the RON receptor tyrosine kinase exists in various cancers and contributes to malignant progression. To validate RON as a targeting moiety for delivery of chemoagents for enhanced tumor cytotoxicity, immunoliposomes (IL) loaded with doxorubicin (Dox) were formulated followed by postinsertion of monoclonal antibodies Zt/g4, Zt/c1, or their Fab fragments specific to the RON extracellular domains. Flow cytometry analysis showed that Zt/g4 or Zt/c1-IL binds to cancer cells and causes RON internalization as evident in confocal analysis of intracellular fluorescence intensity. The antibody-directed IL uptake by cancer cells is in both dose and time-dependent manners. Studies of cytotoxicity of individual IL in vitro against colon or breast cancer cell lines revealed that Zt/g4 directed Dox-IL displayed increased cytotoxic activities with a significant reduction of IC(50) values. An average of 8-fold increases in cytotoxic efficiency was achieved among four cell lines tested. Moreover, Zt/g4 directed Dox-IL also displayed the effective killing of cancer cells that are insensitive to pegylated liposomal doxorubicin. The effect of Zt/c1-Dox-IL was not as strong as Zt/g4-Dox-IL, and only moderate activities were observed. IL coupled with the Fab fragments of Zt/g4 or Zt/c1 show moderate activities against cancer cells. The ineffectiveness seemed to be related to the weak activities of the Fab fragments in the induction of RON internalization, which resulted in reduced drug uptakes. We conclude that anti-RON antibody-directed drug delivery is effective for increased uptake of cytotoxic drugs. Antibody-based RON targeting could be developed into a potential therapeutic for treatment of malignant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny Guin
- Center for Cancer Biology & Therapeutics, and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences, Amarillo, Texas 79106, USA
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22
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Liu HS, Hsu PY, Lai MD, Chang HY, Ho CL, Cheng HL, Chen HT, Lin YJ, Wu TJ, Tzai TS, Chow NH. An unusual function of RON receptor tyrosine kinase as a transcriptional regulator in cooperation with EGFR in human cancer cells. Carcinogenesis 2010; 31:1456-64. [PMID: 20498137 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgq100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Homodimerization of RON (MST1R), a receptor tyrosine kinase, usually occurs in cells stimulated by a ligand and leads to the downstream activation of signaling pathways. Here we report that bladder cancer cells, in response to physiological stress, use an alternative mechanism for signaling activation. Time-course studies indicated that RON migrated directly from the membrane to the nucleus of bladder cancer cells in response to serum starvation. Biochemical and genetic studies implied that this nuclear internalization was complexed with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and required the docking of importins. In vivo analysis confirmed that nuclear RON was present in 38.4% (28/73) of primary bladder tumors. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) on microarray analysis further revealed that this internalized complex bound to at least 134 target genes known to participate in three stress-responsive networks: p53, stress-activated protein kinase/c-jun N-terminal kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt. These findings suggest that RON, in a complex with EGFR, acts as a transcriptional regulator in response to acute disturbances (e.g. serum starvation) imposed on cancer cells. In an attempt to re-establish homeostasis, these cells bypass regular mechanisms required by ligand stimulation and trigger the RON-directed transcriptional response, which confers a survival advantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Sheng Liu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES The RON receptor mediates tumorigenic phenotypes in pancreatic cancer (PC), but no investigations currently have implicated RON signaling as a regulator of angiogenesis in PC. Angiogenesis is vital to oncogenesis, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the most well-characterized angiogenic protein. This study sought to determine the effect of RON stimulation on in vitro angiogenesis and VEGF production in PC cell lines. METHODS Vascular endothelial growth factor levels from conditioned media of hepatocyte growth factor-like protein-stimulated BxPC-3 and FG cells were quantitated via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and likewise interrogated in the presence and absence of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT inhibitors. To determine in vitro angiogenesis, human microvascular endothelial cells were subsequently exposed to the same conditioned media to assay for microtubule formation. RESULTS RON signaling resulted in a 52% and 34% increase in VEGF levels in BxPC-3 and FG cells, respectively. Vascular endothelial growth factor secretion was inhibited with MAPK or phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase blockade in BxPC-3 cells, but only MAPK inhibition resulted in decreased VEGF production in FG cells. BxPC-3 conditioned media induced tubule formation in human microvascular endothelial cells, which was abrogated by RON inhibition. CONCLUSIONS RON signaling results in MAPK-mediated VEGF secretion by PC cells and promotion of microtubule formation. These findings suggest another mechanism by which RON signaling may promote PC progression.
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Macrophage stimulating protein is a neurotrophic factor for a sub-population of adult nociceptive sensory neurons. Mol Cell Neurosci 2009; 41:175-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2009.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2008] [Revised: 02/18/2009] [Accepted: 02/19/2009] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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Kobayashi T, Furukawa Y, Kikuchi J, Ito C, Miyata Y, Muto S, Tanaka A, Kusano E. Transactivation of RON receptor tyrosine kinase by interaction with PDGF receptor beta during steady-state growth of human mesangial cells. Kidney Int 2009; 75:1173-1183. [PMID: 19242504 DOI: 10.1038/ki.2009.44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Although it is well known that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) causes mesangial cell proliferation (presumably contributing to progression of glomerular disease), targeted inhibition of the PDGF receptor system has shown only limited efficacy against glomerular diseases. To examine whether this discrepancy is due to the involvement of other pathways, we used phosphorylated receptor tyrosine kinase arrays and found that RON (recepteur d'origine nantais) was phosphorylated while the PDGF receptor was dephosphorylated (thus inactive) in human mesangial cells (HMCs) at the time of cell cycle entry. Further, RON remained active during steady-state growth. Activation of RON was independent of its canonical ligand, macrophage-stimulating protein, but was mediated by transactivation from the PDGF-engaged PDGF receptor. Following stimulation with PDGF we found that the two receptors physically interacted. Knockdown of RON by siRNA increased the number of apoptotic cells without affecting the rate of DNA synthesis, suggesting that RON has anti-apoptotic functions. Immunohistochemical analysis found phosphorylated RON in glomerular lesions of patients with IgA nephropathy but not those with minimal change nephrotic syndrome, a disease not associated with mesangial proliferation. These results suggest that RON is involved in mesangial cell proliferation under both physiological and pathological conditions, and may be a relevant target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahisa Kobayashi
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan; Division of Stem Cell Regulation, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Yusuke Furukawa
- Division of Stem Cell Regulation, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan.
| | - Jiro Kikuchi
- Division of Stem Cell Regulation, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Chiharu Ito
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Yukio Miyata
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Shigeaki Muto
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Akira Tanaka
- Department of Pathology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Eiji Kusano
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
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Wang J, Rajput A, Kan JLC, Rose R, Liu XQ, Kuropatwinski K, Hauser J, Beko A, Dominquez I, Sharratt EA, Brattain L, Levea C, Sun FL, Keane DM, Gibson NW, Brattain MG. Knockdown of Ron kinase inhibits mutant phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and reduces metastasis in human colon carcinoma. J Biol Chem 2009; 284:10912-22. [PMID: 19224914 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m809551200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal accumulation and activation of receptor tyrosine kinase Ron (recepteur d'origine nantais) has been demonstrated in a variety of primary human cancers. We show that RNA interference-mediated knockdown of Ron kinase in a highly tumorigenic colon cancer cell line led to reduced proliferation as compared with the control cells. Decreased Ron expression sensitized HCT116 cells to growth factor deprivation stress-induced apoptosis as reflected by increased DNA fragmentation and caspase 3 activation. In addition, cell motility was decreased in Ron knockdown cells as measured by wound healing assays and transwell assays. HCT116 cells are heterozygous for gain of function mutant PIK3CA H1047R. Analysis of signaling proteins that are affected by Ron knockdown revealed that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity of the mutant PI3K as well as AKT phosphorylation was substantially reduced in the Ron knockdown cells compared with the control cells. Moreover, we demonstrated in vivo that knockdown of Ron expression significantly reduced lung metastasis as compared with the control cells in the orthotopic models. In summary, our results demonstrate that Ron plays an essential role in maintaining malignant phenotypes of colon cancer cells through regulating mutant PI3K activity. Therefore, targeting Ron kinase could be a potential strategy for colon cancer treatment, especially in patients bearing gain of function mutant PI3K activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA.
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Rampino T, Gregorini M, Dal Canton A. Scatter Factors in renal disease: Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde? Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2009; 20:77-85. [PMID: 19201250 DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2009.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The Scatter Factors are two homologous proteins, named Scatter Factor/Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Macrophage Stimulating Protein. Their receptors are the products of two oncogenes, Met and Ron, respectively. The Scatter Factors induce movement, stimulate proliferation, regulate apoptosis and are morphogenic, i.e. operate an integrated program that seems tailored to drive organ development and to regenerate injured tissues. On the other hand, Scatter Factors may be responsible for pathologic tissue remodeling, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and tumor growth and diffusion. The review describes the involvement of Scatter Factors in renal disease, including acute renal failure, glomerulonephritis, chronic fibrosing nephropathies, dialysis, renal transplantation and renal tumors, and discusses the double-faced role of Scatter Factors, that play either a protective or a pathogenic role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Rampino
- Foundation IRCCS San Matteo Hospital and University of Pavia, Italy
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Wagh PK, Peace BE, Waltz SE. Met-related receptor tyrosine kinase Ron in tumor growth and metastasis. Adv Cancer Res 2008; 100:1-33. [PMID: 18620091 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-230x(08)00001-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The Ron receptor is a member of the Met family of cell surface receptor tyrosine kinases and is primarily expressed on epithelial cells and macrophages. The biological response of Ron is mediated by binding of its ligand, hepatocyte growth factor-like protein/macrophage stimulating-protein (HGFL). HGFL is primarily synthesized and secreted from hepatocytes as an inactive precursor and is activated at the cell surface. Binding of HGFL to Ron activates Ron and leads to the induction of a variety of intracellular signaling cascades that leads to cellular growth, motility and invasion. Recent studies have documented Ron overexpression in a variety of human cancers including breast, colon, liver, pancreas, and bladder. Moreover, clinical studies have also shown that Ron overexpression is associated with both worse patient outcomes as well as metastasis. Forced overexpression of Ron in transgenic mice leads to tumorigenesis in both the lung and the mammary gland and is associated with metastatic dissemination. While Ron overexpression appears to be a hallmark of many human cancers, the mechanisms by which Ron induces tumorigenesis and metastasis are still unclear. Several strategies are currently being undertaken to inhibit Ron as a potential therapeutic target; current strategies include the use of Ron blocking proteins, small interfering RNA (siRNA), monoclonal antibodies, and small molecule inhibitors. In total, these data suggest that Ron is a critical factor in tumorigenesis and that inhibition of this protein, alone or in combination with current therapies, may prove beneficial in the treatment of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purnima K Wagh
- Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0558, USA
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Wang MH, Lee W, Luo YL, Weis MT, Yao HP. Altered expression of the RON receptor tyrosine kinase in various epithelial cancers and its contribution to tumourigenic phenotypes in thyroid cancer cells. J Pathol 2008; 213:402-11. [PMID: 17955509 DOI: 10.1002/path.2245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant expression of the RON receptor tyrosine kinase has been implicated in the pathogenesis of epithelial tumours. The aim of this study was to determine RON expression in various normal epithelial cells and their corresponding tumours by immunohistochemistry. The role of RON in regulating tumourigenic phenotypes was also studied using thyroid cancer cells as a model. RON was almost exclusively expressed at variable levels in normal epithelial cells from the digestive track, lung, kidney, pancreas, liver, breast, bladder, skin, and others. Among 15 types of cancer studied, RON was overexpressed in significant numbers in cancers derived from breast (56%), colon (51%), lung (48), thyroid (42%), skin (37%), bladder (36%), and pancreas (33%). In contrast, limited RON overexpression was observed in cancers from stomach, kidney, brain, liver, ovary, and prostate. Detailed analysis of thyroid tissues showed that RON was hardly detected in normal thyroid cells, moderately expressed in adenoma samples, but overexpressed in about half of papillary and follicular cancer specimens. Overexpression correlated with advanced clinical stage and was associated with lymph node metastasis. In cultured thyroid cancer cells, RON was highly expressed, with constitutive phosphorylation. Activation of RON increased cell growth and migration via the MAP kinase and AKT pathways. Silencing RON expression significantly prevented cell growth and increased cell apoptotic death. These findings show that RON overexpression occurs in a particular group of epithelial cancers. The requirement for RON in sustaining tumourigenic phenotypes suggests that it is a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- M-H Wang
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China 310003.
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Thomas RM, Toney K, Fenoglio-Preiser C, Revelo-Penafiel MP, Hingorani SR, Tuveson DA, Waltz SE, Lowy AM. The RON receptor tyrosine kinase mediates oncogenic phenotypes in pancreatic cancer cells and is increasingly expressed during pancreatic cancer progression. Cancer Res 2007; 67:6075-82. [PMID: 17616662 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-06-4128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease characterized by rapid growth and early metastasis. The recepteur d'origine nantais (RON) receptor tyrosine kinase is overexpressed and/or constitutively active in several epithelial cancers, but its role in pancreatic cancer is unknown. In this study, we have characterized RON expression in both murine and human pancreatic cancer. Immunoblotting indicates that RON is expressed in pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN), primary, and metastatic cell lines both in the human and mouse. Immunostaining revealed that 93% of high-grade PanIN, 79% of primary, and 83% of metastatic lesions from human pancreatic tissue samples expressed RON, with minimal expression in normal ducts and low-grade PanIN (6% and 18%, respectively). Moreover, we show a dose-dependent effect of hepatocyte growth factor-like protein (HGFL), the RON-specific ligand, on pancreatic cancer cell migration and invasion, which was reversed by RON inhibition. Although stimulation with HGFL had no effect on proliferation, concurrent RON receptor blockade and gemcitabine treatment increased apoptosis of RON-expressing pancreatic cancer cells versus gemcitabine treatment alone. Finally, HGFL stimulation of pancreatic cancer cells resulted in increased expression of phospho-mitogen-activated protein kinase and phospho-Akt. Taken together, these findings suggest that RON receptor signaling may contribute to pancreatic carcinogenesis, and that further investigation is warranted to assess the potential of RON-directed therapies in this deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Thomas
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Rampino T, Soccio G, Gregorini M, Guidetti C, Marasà M, Maggio M, Panichi V, Migliori M, Libetta C, Dal Canton A. Neutralization of macrophage-stimulating protein ameliorates renal injury in anti-thy 1 glomerulonephritis. J Am Soc Nephrol 2007; 18:1486-96. [PMID: 17409315 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2006060680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP) is a scatter factor that causes cell proliferation and migration, and receptor origin nantaise (RON) is its receptor. RON is expressed in macrophages and mesangial cells, and MSP is produced by renal tubular cells. This study investigated whether MSP/RON participate in the pathogenesis of anti-Thy 1 nephritis, a glomerular disease that is characterized by invasion of circulating monocytes into glomeruli and migration and proliferation of mesangial cells. In vivo, renal function and histopathology were studied in rats that had anti-Thy 1 disease and were untreated and treated with a neutralizing anti-MSP antibody. In vitro, whether monocytes express RON and whether MSP has a chemotactic effect on monocytes were studied. In vivo, in anti-Thy 1 disease, MSP was expressed de novo in glomeruli, and neutralization of MSP attenuated the rise in serum creatinine and proteinuria, stopped glomerular neutrophil and monocyte influx, protected from glomerular injury, and lessened mesangial cell overgrowth. In vitro, unstimulated monocytes did not express RON, but the stimulation with LPS induced de novo RON expression. LPS-stimulated monocytes were attracted by MSP. These results demonstrate a pathogenic role of the MSP/RON system in anti-Thy 1 nephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Rampino
- Unit of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Policlinico San Matteo and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
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Bhatt AS, Welm A, Farady CJ, Vásquez M, Wilson K, Craik CS. Coordinate expression and functional profiling identify an extracellular proteolytic signaling pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2007; 104:5771-6. [PMID: 17389401 PMCID: PMC1838401 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0606514104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2006] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A multidisciplinary method combining transcriptional data, specificity profiling, and biological characterization of an enzyme may be used to predict novel substrates. By integrating protease substrate profiling with microarray gene coexpression data from nearly 2,000 human normal and cancerous tissue samples, three fundamental components of a protease-activated signaling pathway were identified. We find that MT-SP1 mediates extracellular signaling by regulating the local activation of the prometastatic growth factor MSP-1. We demonstrate MT-SP1 expression in peritoneal macrophages, and biochemical methods confirm the ability of MT-SP1 to cleave and activate pro-MSP-1 in vitro and in a cellular context. MT-SP1 induced the ability of MSP-1 to inhibit nitric oxide production in bone marrow macrophages. Addition of HAI-1 or an MT-SP1-specific antibody inhibitor blocked the proteolytic activation of MSP-1 at the cell surface of peritoneal macrophages. Taken together, our work indicates that MT-SP1 is sufficient for MSP-1 activation and that MT-SP1, MSP-1, and the previously shown MSP-1 tyrosine kinase receptor RON are required for peritoneal macrophage activation. This work shows that this triad of growth factor, growth factor activator protease, and growth factor receptor is a protease-activated signaling pathway. Individually, MT-SP1 and RON overexpression have been implicated in cancer progression and metastasis. Transcriptional coexpression of these genes suggests that this signaling pathway may be involved in several human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami S. Bhatt
- *Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Alana Welm
- The G. W. Hooper Foundation, University of California, 513 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94153; and
| | - Christopher J. Farady
- *Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | | | - Keith Wilson
- PDL Biopharma, Inc., 34801 Campus Drive, Fremont, CA 94555
| | - Charles S. Craik
- *Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158
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Angeloni D, Danilkovitch-Miagkova A, Ivanova T, Braga E, Zabarovsky E, Lerman MI. Hypermethylation of Ron proximal promoter associates with lack of full-length Ron and transcription of oncogenic short-Ron from an internal promoter. Oncogene 2007; 26:4499-512. [PMID: 17297469 DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1210238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The gene for tyrosine-kinase receptor Ron (MST1R) resides in the chromosome 3p21.3 region, frequently affected in common human malignancies. The gene generates two transcripts, 5 and 2 kb-long, full-length Ron (flRon) and short-form Ron (sfRon), respectively. Here, we show for the first time that the variegated Ron expression is associated with variations in the methylation patterns of two distinct CpG islands in Ron proximal promoter. Widespread hypermethylation associates with lack of flRon whereas hypermethylation of the distal island associates with transcription of sfRon, a constitutively active tyrosine-kinase that drives cell proliferation. sfRon inhibition with kinase-dead transgenes decreases cancer cell growth and induces cellular differentiation. sfRon could be a new drug target in cancer types in which it contributes to tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Angeloni
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA.
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Hsu PY, Liu HS, Cheng HL, Tzai TS, Guo HR, Ho CL, Chow NH. Collaboration of RON and epidermal growth factor receptor in human bladder carcinogenesis. J Urol 2007; 176:2262-7. [PMID: 17070309 DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2006.07.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2005] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Collaboration of heterologous receptor tyrosine kinases has emerged as an important paradigm in tumor progression. We recently proved that RON has an important role in human bladder carcinogenesis. Since epidermal growth factor receptor has been suggested to cross-talk with RON, we examined the significance of epidermal growth factor receptor in modulating RON associated tumorigenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS The biological significance of collaboration between RON and epidermal growth factor receptor was examined in the TSGH8301, J82 and JR bladder cancer cell lines with different expression status. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting assays were done to investigate the interaction of RON with epidermal growth factor receptor in relation to epidermal growth factor receptor kinase inhibitor treatment. Time lapse wound healing monitoring and Transwelltrade mark assay were used for cell migration analysis and the effect on cell transformation was analyzed with foci formation assay. Finally, a bladder cancer cohort of 78 patients was studied for clinical significance by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Epidermal growth factor receptor was directly associated with RON, irrespective of ligand stimulation. The siRNA experiment and epidermal growth factor receptor kinase inhibitors efficiently inhibited RON related biological effects, including mitogenesis, migration, anti-apoptosis and neoplastic transformation. Co-expression of RON/epidermal growth factor receptor was found in 26 of 78 patients (33.3%) with bladder cancer. It was significantly associated with tumor invasion (p < 0.05), the risk of local recurrence (p = 0.0003) and decreased patient survival (p = 0.04). Important indicators for patient survival were co-expression of RON and epidermal growth factor receptor (p = 0.001) and tumor staging (p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Cross-talk between epidermal growth factor receptor and RON exists in vivo. Thus, it should be considered in treatment planning for patients with bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Yin Hsu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
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O'Toole JM, Rabenau KE, Burns K, Lu D, Mangalampalli V, Balderes P, Covino N, Bassi R, Prewett M, Gottfredsen KJ, Thobe MN, Cheng Y, Li Y, Hicklin DJ, Zhu Z, Waltz SE, Hayman MJ, Ludwig DL, Pereira DS. Therapeutic implications of a human neutralizing antibody to the macrophage-stimulating protein receptor tyrosine kinase (RON), a c-MET family member. Cancer Res 2006; 66:9162-70. [PMID: 16982759 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-06-0283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
RON is a member of the c-MET receptor tyrosine kinase family. Like c-MET, RON is expressed by a variety of epithelial-derived tumors and cancer cell lines and it is thought to play a functional role in tumorigenesis. To date, antagonists of RON activity have not been tested in vivo to validate RON as a potential cancer target. In this report, we used an antibody phage display library to generate IMC-41A10, a human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibody that binds with high affinity (ED50 = 0.15 nmol/L) to RON and effectively blocks interaction with its ligand, macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP; IC50 = 2 nmol/L). We found IMC-41A10 to be a potent inhibitor of receptor and downstream signaling, cell migration, and tumorigenesis. It antagonized MSP-induced phosphorylation of RON, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and AKT in several cancer cell lines. In HT-29 colon, NCI-H292 lung, and BXPC-3 pancreatic cancer xenograft tumor models, IMC-41A10 inhibited tumor growth by 50% to 60% as a single agent, and in BXPC-3 xenografts, it led to tumor regressions when combined with Erbitux. Western blot analyses of HT-29 and NCI-H292 xenograft tumors treated with IMC-41A10 revealed a decrease in MAPK phosphorylation compared with control IgG-treated tumors, suggesting that inhibition of MAPK activity may be required for the antitumor activity of IMC-41A10. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that a RON antagonist and specifically an inhibitory antibody of RON negatively affects tumorigenesis. Another major contribution of this report is an extensive analysis of RON expression in approximately 100 cancer cell lines and approximately 300 patient tumor samples representing 10 major cancer types. Taken together, our results highlight the potential therapeutic usefulness of RON activity inhibition in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M O'Toole
- Department of Tumor Biology, ImClone Systems, Inc, New York, NY 10014, USA
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Lee WY, Chen HHW, Chow NH, Su WC, Lin PW, Guo HR. Prognostic significance of co-expression of RON and MET receptors in node-negative breast cancer patients. Clin Cancer Res 2005; 11:2222-8. [PMID: 15788670 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-04-1761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE RON and MET belong to a subfamily of tyrosine kinase receptors. They both can induce invasive growth, including migration, cell dissociation, and matrix invasion. Cross-linking experiments show that RON and MET form a noncovalent complex on the cell surface and cooperate in intracellular signaling. We wanted to examine the clinical significance of RON and MET expression patterns in node-negative breast cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We studied the protein expressions of RON and MET in five breast cancer cell lines and a homogeneous cohort of 103 T(1-2)N(0)M(0) breast carcinoma patients, including 52 patients with distant metastases and 51 patients with no evidence of disease after at least a 10-year follow-up. RESULTS Both HCC1937 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines co-overexpressed RON and MET. The MCF-7 cell line did not express RON or MET. In multiple logistic regression analysis, RON expression (odds ratio, 2.6; P = 0.05) and MET expression (odds ratio, 4.7; P = 0.009) were independent predictors of distant relapse. RON+/MET+ and RON-/MET+ tumors resulted in a large risk increase for 10-year disease-free survival after adjusting for tumor size, histologic grade, estrogen receptor, bcl-2, HER-2/neu, and p53 status by multivariate Cox analysis (risk ratio, 5.3; P = 0.001 and risk ratio, 3.76; P = 0.005). The 10-year disease-free survival was 79.3% in patients with RON-/MET- tumors, was only 11.8% in patients with RON+/MET+ tumors, and was 43.9% and 55.6% in patients with RON-/MET+ and RON+/MET- tumors. CONCLUSIONS Co-expression of RON and MET seems to signify an aggressive phenotype in node-negative breast cancer patients.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Aged
- Breast Neoplasms/metabolism
- Breast Neoplasms/pathology
- Cohort Studies
- Female
- Hepatocyte Growth Factor/metabolism
- Humans
- Lymph Nodes/pathology
- Middle Aged
- Neoplasm Invasiveness/pathology
- Neoplasms, Ductal, Lobular, and Medullary/metabolism
- Neoplasms, Ductal, Lobular, and Medullary/secondary
- Prognosis
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
- Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism
- Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism
- Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism
- Receptors, Growth Factor/metabolism
- Survival Rate
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
- Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Ying Lee
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Chi Mei Medical Center, 901 Chung Hwa Road, Yung Kang City, Tainan 710, Taiwan.
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Peace BE, Toney-Earley K, Collins MH, Waltz SE. Ron receptor signaling augments mammary tumor formation and metastasis in a murine model of breast cancer. Cancer Res 2005; 65:1285-93. [PMID: 15735014 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-03-3580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The tyrosine kinase receptor Ron has been implicated in several types of cancer, including overexpression in human breast cancer. This is the first report describing the effect of Ron signaling on tumorigenesis and metastasis in a mouse model of breast cancer. Mice with a targeted deletion of the Ron tyrosine kinase signaling domain (TK-/-) were crossed to mice expressing the polyoma virus middle T antigen (pMT) under the control of the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter. Both pMT-expressing wild-type control (pMT+/- TK+/+) and pMT+/- TK-/- mice developed mammary tumors and lung metastases. However, a significant decrease in mammary tumor initiation and growth was found in the pMT+/- TK-/- mice compared with controls. An examination of mammary tumors showed that there was a significant decrease in microvessel density, significantly decreased cellular proliferation, and a significant increase in terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling-positive staining in mammary tumor cells from the pMT+/- TK-/- mice compared with the pMT+/- TK+/+ mice. Biochemical analyses on mammary tumor lysates showed that whereas both the pMT-expressing TK+/+ and TK-/- tumors have increased Ron expression compared with normal mammary glands, the pMT-expressing TK-/- tumors have deficits in mitogen-activated protein kinase and AKT activation. These results indicate that Ron signaling synergizes with pMT signaling to induce mammary tumor formation, growth, and metastasis. This effect may be mediated in part through the regulation of angiogenesis and through proliferative and cell survival pathways regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase and AKT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda E Peace
- Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Chan EL, Peace BE, Collins MH, Toney-Earley K, Waltz SE. Ron tyrosine kinase receptor regulates papilloma growth and malignant conversion in a murine model of skin carcinogenesis. Oncogene 2005; 24:479-88. [PMID: 15531916 DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1208231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies demonstrate that the receptor tyrosine kinase (TK) Ron is tumorigenic when overexpressed and plays a role in regulating skin homeostasis. We hypothesized that Ron signaling promotes skin carcinogenesis. To test this hypothesis, mice deficient in the TK domain of Ron (TK(-/-) mice) were crossed with v-Ha-ras (Tg.AC) transgenic mice; the resulting TK(-/-) Tg.AC(+/-) mice, and their controls, were utilized in a model of chemically induced Ras-mediated skin carcinogenesis. The mice were treated with 2.5 microg of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate applied weekly to the shaved back of 36 control (TK(+/+) Tg.AC(+/-)) and 35 experimental (TK(-/-) Tg.AC(+/-)) mice. In an analysis of the resulting papillomas, a reduction in cellular proliferation and papilloma volume was found in the TK(-/-) Tg.AC(+/-) mice compared to controls. Further, Ron protein expression was upregulated during papilloma formation. Ablation of Ron signaling resulted in partial defects in MAPK and Akt signaling that may account for the decreased papilloma growth in the TK(-/-) Tg.AC(+/-) mice. The papilloma-bearing mice were monitored for the occurrence of malignant skin tumors and other malignant tumor types for a period of 48 weeks. Loss of Ron receptor signaling significantly reduced the percent of papillomas that underwent malignant conversion as well as the number of mice developing other malignant tumor types. In conclusion, these studies demonstrate that Ron signaling augments papilloma growth and malignant conversion in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward L Chan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0558, USA
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40
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Yokoyama N, Ischenko I, Hayman MJ, Miller WT. The C terminus of RON tyrosine kinase plays an autoinhibitory role. J Biol Chem 2005; 280:8893-900. [PMID: 15632155 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m412623200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
RON is a receptor tyrosine kinase in the MET family. We have expressed and purified active RON using the Sf9/baculovirus system. The constructs used in this study comprise the kinase domain alone and the kinase domain plus the C-terminal region. The construct containing the kinase domain alone has a higher specific activity than the construct containing the kinase and C-terminal domains. Purified RON undergoes autophosphorylation, and the exogenous RON C terminus serves as a substrate. Peptides containing a dityrosine motif derived from the C-terminal tail inhibit RON in vitro or when delivered into intact cells, consistent with an autoinhibitory mechanism. Phenylalanine substitutions within these peptides increase the inhibitory potency. Moreover, introduction of these Phe residues into the dityrosine motif of the RON kinase leads to a decrease in kinase activity. Taken together, our data suggest a model in which the C-terminal tail of RON regulates kinase activity via an interaction with the kinase catalytic domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Yokoyama
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA
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41
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Xu XM, Wang D, Shen Q, Chen YQ, Wang MH. RNA-mediated gene silencing of the RON receptor tyrosine kinase alters oncogenic phenotypes of human colorectal carcinoma cells. Oncogene 2004; 23:8464-74. [PMID: 15378025 DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1207907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Altered expression of receptor tyrosine kinases contributes to tumorigenic behaviors of epithelial cancers. In this study, the pathogenic roles of receptor tyrosine kinase RON (recepteur d'origine nantais) in regulating oncogenic phenotypes in colorectal epithelial cells were studied. Increased expression of RON and its variants resulted in colony formation and motile activities of colonic epithelial AA/C1 cells as evident in soft-agar and migration assays, respectively. These results suggest that overexpression of wild-type RON mediates the transformed phenotypes in immortalized colon epithelial cells. In colorectal cancer cells (HT-29, HCT116, and SW620) that naturally express RON, the RON gene expression was silenced by RNA interference. The introduction of RON-specific small interfering (si) RNA significantly affected cancer cell proliferation, motility, and led to increased apoptotic cell death. Focus-forming activities and anchorage-independent growth of colon cancer cells were also dramatically reduced. Moreover, it was demonstrated in tumor growth assays that silencing RON gene expression significantly reduces tumorigenic activities of SW620 cells in vivo. By analysing signaling proteins involved in colon carcinogenesis, we found that the effect of RON-specific siRNA is associated with diminished expression of beta-catenin, a critical component in the Wnt signaling pathway. Taken together, our results demonstrate that altered expression of RON in colon cancer cells is required to maintain tumorigenic phenotypes. Thus, silencing RON gene expression could have potential to reverse malignant activities of colon tumors in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Ming Xu
- Laboratory of Cheung Kong Scholars Program for Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University College of Medicine, Hangzhou, PR China
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Chernyavsky AI, Arredondo J, Marubio LM, Grando SA. Differential regulation of keratinocyte chemokinesis and chemotaxis through distinct nicotinic receptor subtypes. J Cell Sci 2004; 117:5665-79. [PMID: 15494367 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.01492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinergic agents can act as both chemokines and chemoattractants for cell migration. Epidermal keratinocytes both synthesize acetylcholine and use it as a paracrine and autocrine regulator of cell motility. To gain a mechanistic insight into nicotinergic control of keratinocyte motility, we determined types of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and signaling pathways regulating keratinocyte chemokinesis and chemotaxis, using respective modifications of the agarose gel keratinocyte outgrowth assay. Random migration of keratinocytes was significantly (P<0.05) inhibited by hemicholinum-3, a metabolic inhibitor of acetylcholine synthesis, as well as by the alpha-conotoxins MII and AuIB, preferentially blocking alpha3-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The use of antisense oligonucleotides specific for nicotinic-acetylcholine-receptor subunits and knockout mice demonstrated pivotal role for the alpha3beta2 channel in mediating acetylcholine-dependent chemokinesis. Signaling pathways downstream of alpha3beta2 included activation of the protein-kinase-C isoform delta and RhoA-dependent events. The nicotinergic chemotaxis of keratinocytes was most pronounced towards the concentration gradient of choline, a potent agonist of alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. The alpha7-preferring antagonist alpha-bungarotoxin significantly (P<0.05) diminished keratinocyte chemotaxis, further suggesting a central role for the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. This hypothesis was confirmed in experiments with anti-alpha7 antisense oligonucleotides and alpha7-knockout mice. The signaling pathway mediating alpha7-dependent keratinocyte chemotaxis included intracellular calcium, activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein-kinase II, conventional isoforms of protein-kinase C, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and engagement of Rac/Cdc42. Redistribution of alpha7 immunoreactivity to the leading edge of keratinocytes upon exposure to a chemoattractant preceded crescent shape formation and directional migration. Application of high-resolution deconvolution microscopy demonstrated that, on the cell membrane of keratinocytes, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits localize with the integrin beta1. The obtained results demonstrate for the first time that alpha3 and alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors regulate keratinocyte chemokinesis and chemotaxis, respectively, and identify signaling pathways mediating these functions, which has clinical implications for wound healing and control of cancer metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex I Chernyavsky
- Department of Dermatology, University of California Davis, 4860 Y Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
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McElwee KJ, Huth A, Kissling S, Hoffmann R. Macrophage-Stimulating Protein Promotes Hair Growth Ex Vivo and Induces Anagen from Telogen Stage Hair Follicles In Vivo. J Invest Dermatol 2004; 123:34-40. [PMID: 15191539 DOI: 10.1111/j.0022-202x.2004.22712.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a promoter of hair follicle growth. We examined another HGF family member, macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP), for its hair follicle-modulating properties. Western blotting revealed presence of mature MSP in cultured human dermal papilla (DP) cells and bulbar dermal sheath (DS) cells, but not non-bulbar DS cells. Immunohistology demonstrated expression of MSP receptor RON in the outer and inner root sheaths, hair matrix cells, DP, and bulbar DS whereas non-follicular epithelium and some cells of the sweat glands exhibited low-level receptor expression. Human hair follicles exposed in vitro for 8 d to 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 ng per mL MSP all yielded a mean net increase in hair follicle length in excess of the mean baseline growth observed in controls. MSP was incubated with agarose beads and injected subcutaneously into mice all 70 d old when a uniform telogen state in dorsal skin was apparent. All eight mice receiving 1 microg MSP, and four of eight receiving 100 ng MSP showed induction of anagen hair growth at the site of bead implantation by 16 d whereas eight mice implanted with saline incubated beads had no hair growth. The data identify MSP as a modulator of hair growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J McElwee
- Department of Dermatology, Philipp University, Marburg, Germany.
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44
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Wang D, Shen Q, Chen YQ, Wang MH. Collaborative activities of macrophage-stimulating protein and transforming growth factor-beta1 in induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition: roles of the RON receptor tyrosine kinase. Oncogene 2004; 23:1668-80. [PMID: 15001985 DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1207282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process occurring during embryonic development and cancer progression. Using recepteur d'origine nantais (RON)-expressing epithelial cells as a model, we showed that RON activation causes spindle-shaped morphology with increased cell motilities. These activities resemble those observed in EMT induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 or by Ras-Raf signaling. By immunofluorescent and Western blot analyses, we found that constitutive RON expression results in diminished expression of E-cadherin, redistribution of beta-catenin, reorganization of actin cytoskeleton, and increased expression of vimentin, a mesenchymal filament. RON expression is also essential for TGF-beta1-induced expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), a specialized mesenchymal marker. In the study of signaling pathways responsible for RON-mediated EMT, it was found that PD98059, a MAP kinase inhibitor, blocks the collaborative activities of RON and TGF-beta1 in induction of alpha-SMA expression and restores epithelial cells to their original morphology. Moreover, we showed that RON expression increases Smad2 gene promoter activities and protein expression, which significantly lowers TGF-beta1 threshold for EMT induction. These results suggest that persistent RON expression and activation cause the loss of epithelial phenotypes. These changes, collaborating with TGF-beta1 signaling, could play a critical role in epithelial transdifferentiation towards invasiveness and metastasis of certain cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Wang
- Laboratory of Chang-Jiang Scholar Endowment for Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Infectious Diseases and First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
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Peace BE, Hill KJ, Degen SJF, Waltz SE. Cross-talk between the receptor tyrosine kinases Ron and epidermal growth factor receptor. Exp Cell Res 2003; 289:317-25. [PMID: 14499632 DOI: 10.1016/s0014-4827(03)00280-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Heterogeneous receptor-receptor interactions may play a role in intracellular signaling. Accordingly, the interaction of two dissimilar tyrosine kinase receptors, Ron and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was investigated. The functional interaction of Ron and EGFR in cell scatter and oncogenic transformation was investigated in vivo. Transfection of a dominant negative form of EGFR into human embryonic kidney cells stably expressing Ron (293-Ron) dramatically reduced the scatter response induced by the Ron ligand hepatocyte growth factor-like protein/macrophage stimulating protein (HGFL). The scatter response of the 293-Ron cells was also attenuated by treatment of the cells with the specific EGFR inhibitor AG 1478. Co-transfection of Ron and dominant-negative EGFR, or co-transfection of EGFR and a dominant-negative form of Ron reduced focus formation in NIH/3T3 cells. Western analysis of NIH/3T3 cells overexpressing murine Ron and expressing endogenous levels of EGFR was used to demonstrate that Ron and EGFR co-immunoprecipitate. Stimulation of the cells in vitro with the Ron ligand HGFL or with the EGFR ligand epidermal growth factor (EGF) appeared to induce phosphorylation of both receptors. Co-immunoprecipitation and phosphorylation of phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) was also observed. This novel finding of a functional and biochemical interaction between Ron and EGFR suggests that heterologous tyrosine kinase receptor interactions may play a role in cellular processes such as scatter and transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda E Peace
- Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
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Angeloni D, Danilkovitch-Miagkova A, Miagkov A, Leonard EJ, Lerman MI. The soluble sema domain of the RON receptor inhibits macrophage-stimulating protein-induced receptor activation. J Biol Chem 2003; 279:3726-32. [PMID: 14597639 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m309342200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
RON is a receptor tyrosine kinase of the MET family that is involved in cell proliferation, cell survival, and cell motility in both normal and disease states. Macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP) is the RON ligand whose binding to RON causes receptor activation. RON is a trans-membrane heterodimer comprised of one alpha- and one beta-chain originating from a single-chain precursor and held together by several disulfide bonds. The intracellular part of RON contains the kinase domain and regulatory elements. The extracellular region is characterized by the presence of a sema domain (a stretch of approximately 500 amino acids with several highly conserved cysteine residues), a PSI (plexin, semaphorins, integrins) domain, and four immunoglobulin-like folds. Here we show that a soluble, secreted molecule representing the sema domain of RON (referred to as ron-sema) has a dominant negative effect on the ligand-induced receptor activation and is capable of inhibiting RON-dependent signaling pathways and cellular responses. Results suggest that the sema domain of RON participates in ligand binding by the full-length receptor. The ability of ron-sema to suppress growth of MSP-responsive cells in culture, including cancer cells, points to a potential therapeutic use of this molecule, and forced expression of it could potentially be used as a gene therapy tool for treating MSP-dependent types of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Angeloni
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201, USA
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Wang MH, Wang D, Chen YQ. Oncogenic and invasive potentials of human macrophage-stimulating protein receptor, the RON receptor tyrosine kinase. Carcinogenesis 2003; 24:1291-300. [PMID: 12807733 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgg089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The product of the RON (recepteur d'origine nantais) gene belongs to the MET proto-oncogene family, a distinct subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases. The ligand of RON was identified as macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP), a member of the plasminogen-related growth factor family. RON is mainly expressed in cells of epithelial origin and is required for embryonic development. In vitro RON activation results in epithelial cell dissociation, migration and matrix invasion, suggesting that RON might be involved in the pathogenesis of certain epithelial cancers in vivo. Indeed, recent studies have shown that RON expression is significantly altered in several primary human cancers, including those of the breast and colon. Truncation of the RON protein has also been found in primary tumors from the gastrointestinal tract. These alterations lead to constitutive activation of RON that causes cell transformation in vitro, induces neoplasm formation in athymic nude mice, and promotes tumor metastasis into the lung. Studies employing transgenic models further demonstrated that over-expression of RON in lung epithelial cells results in multiple tumor formation with features of large cell undifferentiated carcinoma. The oncogenic activities of RON are mediated by RON-transduced signals that promote unbalanced cell growth and transformation leading to tumor development. Thus, abnormal accumulation and activation of RON could play a critical role in vivo in the progression of certain malignant human epithelial cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Hai Wang
- Laboratory of Chang-Jiang Scholar Endowment for Biomedical Sciences, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Peoples Republic of China
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Santoro MM, Gaudino G, Marchisio PC. The MSP receptor regulates alpha6beta4 and alpha3beta1 integrins via 14-3-3 proteins in keratinocyte migration. Dev Cell 2003; 5:257-71. [PMID: 12919677 DOI: 10.1016/s1534-5807(03)00201-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Growth factors, integrins, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) are known to play key roles in epidermal wound healing, although the interplay between these proteins is not fully understood. We show that growth factor macrophage stimulating protein (MSP)- and its receptor Ron-mediated PI3K activation in keratinocytes induces phosphorylation of both Ron and alpha6beta4 integrin at specific 14-3-3 binding sites. Consequently, a Ron/alpha6beta4 complex formed via 14-3-3 binding displaces alpha6beta4 from its location at hemidesmosomes (structures supporting cell adhesion) and relocalizes it to lamellipodia. Concomitant activation of alpha3beta1 and keratinocyte spreading/migration on laminin-5 occurs. Further, MSP-dependent beta4 tyrosine phosphorylation evokes p38 and NF-kappaB signaling required for keratinocyte wound closure. Based on these results, we propose a mechanism based on MSP-Ron-dependent phosphorylation and 14-3-3 association, whereby the function of alpha6beta4 switches from a mechanical adhesive device into a signaling component, and might be critically involved in human epidermal wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo M Santoro
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", 28100, Novara, Italy.
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Rampino T, Gregorini M, Soccio G, Maggio M, Rosso R, Malvezzi P, Collesi C, Dal Canton A. The Ron proto-oncogene product is a phenotypic marker of renal oncocytoma. Am J Surg Pathol 2003; 27:779-85. [PMID: 12766581 DOI: 10.1097/00000478-200306000-00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The proto-oncogene product Ron is the receptor for macrophage stimulating protein, a scatter factor that stimulates cell proliferation, prevents apoptosis, and induces an invasive cell phenotype. We investigated the expression of Ron, Ki-67 (proliferation index), p53, and bcl-2 (proapoptotic and antiapoptotic proteins, respectively) in 50 renal tumors (19 clear cell carcinomas, 18 oncocytomas, 7 papillary cell carcinomas, 5 chromophobe cell carcinomas, and 1 carcinoma with sarcomatoid areas). In addition, we studied Ron in normal kidney and in the renal carcinoma cell line Caki-1. Immunostaining and Western blot showed Ron in normal kidney and in all oncocytomas but never in renal cell carcinomas or in Caki-1. In addition, Western blot showed that Ron was expressed in phosphorylated, i.e., active, form. Bcl-2 was strongly expressed in oncocytomas, whereas Ki-67 and p53 were much less expressed in oncocytomas than in carcinomas. These results indicate in Ron a marker that differentiates oncocytoma from the other renal epithelial tumors. We therefore think that Ron may prove to be a new tool for a sound and precise diagnosis of oncocytoma, a benign tumor that cannot always be distinguished from carcinomas at histologic examination. The overexpression of bcl-2, but not p53 in oncocytoma, suggests that the MSP/Ron system sustains the growth of oncocytoma by opposing apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Rampino
- Unit of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo University, Milano, Italy.
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Forgie A, Wyatt S, Correll PH, Davies AM. Macrophage stimulating protein is a target-derived neurotrophic factor for developing sensory and sympathetic neurons. Development 2003; 130:995-1002. [PMID: 12538524 DOI: 10.1242/dev.00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Macrophage stimulating protein (MSP) is a pleiotropic growth factor that signals via the Ron receptor tyrosine kinase. We report that Ron mRNA is expressed by NGF-dependent sensory and sympathetic neurons and that these neurons survive and grow with MSP at different stages of development. Whereas NGF-dependent sensory neurons become increasingly responsive to MSP with age, sympathetic neurons exhibit an early response to MSP that is lost by birth. MSP mRNA expression increases with age in sensory neuron targets and decreases in sympathetic targets. After the phase of naturally occurring neuronal death, significant numbers of NGF-dependent sensory neurons, but not sensory neurons, dependent on other neurotrophins, are lost in mice lacking a functional Ron receptor. These results show that MSP is a target-derived neurotrophic factor for subsets of sensory and sympathetic neurons at different times during their development.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cells, Cultured
- Embryo, Mammalian/anatomy & histology
- Ganglia, Sympathetic/anatomy & histology
- Ganglia, Sympathetic/drug effects
- Ganglia, Sympathetic/growth & development
- Ganglia, Sympathetic/physiology
- Hepatocyte Growth Factor/genetics
- Hepatocyte Growth Factor/metabolism
- Mice
- Nerve Growth Factor/pharmacology
- Nerve Growth Factors/metabolism
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
- Neurons, Afferent/cytology
- Neurons, Afferent/drug effects
- Neurons, Afferent/physiology
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins/metabolism
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics
- Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism
- Receptors, Cell Surface/genetics
- Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism
- Signal Transduction/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Forgie
- Department of Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Summerhall Square, Edinburgh EH9 1QH, Scotland
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