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Ahn MH, Kim JH, Choi SJ, Kim HJ, Park DG, Oh KY, Yoon HJ, Hong SD, Lee JI, Shin JA, Cho SD. Neuropilin-2 acts a critical determinant for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and aggressive behaviors of human head and neck cancer. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024; 47:497-511. [PMID: 37787967 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00878-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Neuropilin-2 (NRP2) is a multifunctional single-pass transmembrane receptor that binds to two disparate ligands, namely, vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and semaphorins (SEMAs). It is reportedly involved in neuronal and vascular development. In this study, we uncovered the exact functional role of NRP2 and its molecular mechanism during aggressive behaviors and lymph node (LN) metastasis in human head and neck cancer (HNC) and identified algal methanol extract as a potential novel NRP2 inhibitor. METHODS In silico analyses and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate the relationship between NRP2 expression and the prognosis of HNC patients. The functional role of NRP2 on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cancer stem cell (CSC) properties of HNC cells was examined by MTS, soft agar, clonogenic, transwell migration and invasion assays, and sphere formation assays. Signaling explorer antibody array, western blot, and qPCR were performed toward the investigation of a molecular mechanism that is related to NRP2. RESULTS NRP2 was highly expressed in HNC and positively correlated with LN metastasis and advanced tumor stage and size in patients. Using loss- or gain-of-function approaches, we found that NRP2 promoted the proliferative, migratory, and invasive capacities of human HNC cells. Furthermore, NRP2 regulated Sox2 expression to exhibit aggressiveness and CSC properties of human HNC cells. We demonstrated that p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (RSK1) elevates the aggressiveness and CSC properties of human HNC cells, possibly by mediating NRP2 and Sox2. Zeb1 was necessary for executing the NRP2/RSK1/Sox2 signaling pathway during the induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and aggressive behaviors of human HNC cells. Moreover, the methanol extract of Codium fragile (MECF) repressed NRP2 expression, inhibiting the RSK1/Sox2/Zeb1 axis, which contributed to the reduction of aggressive behaviors of human HNC cells. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that NRP2 is a critical determinant in provoking EMT and aggressive behaviors in human HNC through the RSK1/Sox2/Zeb1 axis, and MECF may have the potential to be a novel NRP2 inhibitor for treating metastasis in HNC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Hye Ahn
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
- Chemical Biology Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Ochang, Cheongwon, 28116, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hoon Kim
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Su-Jung Choi
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Ji Kim
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Guk Park
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyu-Young Oh
- Department of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Jung Yoon
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Doo Hong
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Il Lee
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Ae Shin
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sung-Dae Cho
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
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MiR-137-3p Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Cell Migration by Regulating a KDM1A-Dependent Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Dig Dis Sci 2021; 66:2272-2282. [PMID: 32749639 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-020-06518-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In colorectal cancer (CRC), miR-137-3p downregulation is associated with disease progression, but the mechanism is not fully understood. KDM1A, also known as LSD1, is upregulated in various cancer and promotes tumor metastasis. Interestingly, miR-137-3p is downregulated by hypoxia, which plays critical roles in tumor metastasis, and KDM1A is a miR-137-3p target gene in brain tumors. AIMS To study if CRC metastasis is regulated by a hypoxia/miR-137-3p/KDM1A axis and if the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process is involved. METHODS We measured the levels of miR-137-3p, KDM1A, and some EMT markers in CRC biopsy tissues and cell lines. We also investigated the regulation of KDM1A by miR-137-3p and the effects of KDM1A inhibition on the EMT process and cell migration. RESULTS We verified the low miR-137-3p and high KDM1A levels in CRC tumors. Inhibiting miR-137-3p upregulated KDM1A expression and promoted the invasiveness of CRC cells. KDM1A knockdown, or treatment with tranylcypromine, a specific KDM1A inhibitor, reduced the migration and invasion of CRC cells by inhibiting the EMT process. CRC cells cultured under hypoxic conditions expressed less miR-137-3p but more KDM1A than cells cultured under normal conditions, implying the involvement of miR-137-3p and KDM1A in hypoxia-induced tumor metastasis. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that MiR-137-3p inhibits CRC cell migration by regulating a KDM1A-dependent EMT process. Our study suggests that restoring the expression of miR-137-3p or targeting KDM1A might be potential therapeutic strategies for CRC.
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De Las Rivas J, Brozovic A, Izraely S, Casas-Pais A, Witz IP, Figueroa A. Cancer drug resistance induced by EMT: novel therapeutic strategies. Arch Toxicol 2021; 95:2279-2297. [PMID: 34003341 PMCID: PMC8241801 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-021-03063-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decade, important clinical benefits have been achieved in cancer patients by using drug-targeting strategies. Nevertheless, drug resistance is still a major problem in most cancer therapies. Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP) and tumour microenvironment have been described as limiting factors for effective treatment in many cancer types. Moreover, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has also been associated with therapy resistance in many different preclinical models, although limited evidence has been obtained from clinical studies and clinical samples. In this review, we particularly deepen into the mechanisms of which intermediate epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) states and its interconnection to microenvironment influence therapy resistance. We also describe how the use of bioinformatics and pharmacogenomics will help to figure out the biological impact of the EMT on drug resistance and to develop novel pharmacological approaches in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier De Las Rivas
- Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics Group, Cancer Research Center (CiC-IBMCC, CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), University of Salamanca (USAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Anamaria Brozovic
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Sivan Izraely
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Alba Casas-Pais
- Epithelial Plasticity and Metastasis Group, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), Sergas, Spain.,Universidade da Coruña (UDC), Coruña, Spain
| | - Isaac P Witz
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Angélica Figueroa
- Epithelial Plasticity and Metastasis Group, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), Sergas, Spain. .,Universidade da Coruña (UDC), Coruña, Spain.
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4
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Kong L, Yang W, Chen L, Qian L. The DNA methylation-regulated MCTP1 activates the drug-resistance of esophageal cancer cells. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:3342-3352. [PMID: 33571139 PMCID: PMC7906193 DOI: 10.18632/aging.104173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating studies have demonstrated that drug-resistance remains a great obstacle for the effective treatment of cancers. Esophageal cancer is still one of the most common cancers worldwide, which also suffers from the drug-resistance during clinical treatment. Here we performed drug-resistance profiling assays and identified several drug-resistant and drug-sensitive esophageal cancer cell lines. The following methylation sequencing showed that the MCTP1 gene is hypermethylated in the drug-resistant esophageal cancer cells. As a result, the expression of MCTP1 is down-regulated in the drug-resistant esophageal cancer cells. Down-regulation of MCTP1 also affects the migration and apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells, as revealed by the wound-healing and apoptosis assays. Further investigations proposed two signaling pathways that might involve in the MCTP1-mediated drug-resistance of esophageal cancer cells. All these results suggested that MCTP1 activates the drug-resistance of esophageal cancer cells, which has implications for further design of new biomarker of esophageal cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingsuo Kong
- Department of Anesthesiology, West District of The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230031, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Wan Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, West District of The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230031, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Lanren Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, West District of The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230031, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Liting Qian
- Department of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 3230031, Anhui, P.R. China
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5
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Evanno E, Godet J, Piccirilli N, Guilhot J, Milin S, Gombert JM, Fouchaq B, Roche J. Tri-methylation of H3K79 is decreased in TGF-β1-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in lung cancer. Clin Epigenetics 2017; 9:80. [PMID: 28804523 PMCID: PMC5549304 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-017-0380-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) enables epithelial cancer cells to acquire mesenchymal features and contributes to metastasis and resistance to treatment. This process involves epigenetic reprogramming for gene expression. We explored global histone modifications during TGF-β1-induced EMT in two non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and tested different epigenetic treatment to modulate or partially reverse EMT. RESULTS Loss of classical epithelial markers and gain of mesenchymal markers were verified in A549 and H358 cell lines during TGF-β1-induced EMT. In addition, we noticed increased expression of the axonal guidance protein semaphorin 3C (SEMA3C) and PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) involved in the inhibition of the immune system, suggesting that both SEMA3C and PD-L1 could be the new markers of TGF-β1-induced EMT. H3K79me3 and H2BK120me1 were decreased in A549 and H358 cell lines after a 48-h TGF-β1 treatment, as well as H2BK120ac in A549 cells. However, decreased H3K79me3 was not associated with expression of the histone methyltransferase DOT1L. Furthermore, H3K79me3 was decreased in tumors compared in normal tissues and not associated with cell proliferation. Associations of histone deacetylase inhibitor (SAHA) with DOT1L inhibitors (EPZ5676 or SGC0946) or BET bromodomain inhibitor (PFI-1) were efficient to partially reverse TGF-β1 effects by decreasing expression of PD-L1, SEMA3C, and its receptor neuropilin-2 (NRP2) and by increasing epithelial markers such as E-cadherin. CONCLUSION Histone methylation was modified during EMT, and combination of epigenetic compounds with conventional or targeted chemotherapy might contribute to reduce metastasis and to enhance clinical responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Evanno
- Eurofins Cerep SA, Le Bois l’Evêque, F-86600 Celle L’Evescault, France
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire LNEC, F-86022 Poitiers, France
| | - Julie Godet
- CHU de Poitiers, Service d’Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologiques, F-86021 Poitiers, France
| | | | - Joëlle Guilhot
- INSERM CIC 0802, CHU de Poitiers, F-86021 Poitiers, France
| | - Serge Milin
- CHU de Poitiers, Service d’Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologiques, F-86021 Poitiers, France
| | - Jean Marc Gombert
- INSERM U1082, CHU de Poitiers, F-86021 Poitiers, France
- Service Immunologie, CHU de Poitiers, F-86021 Poitiers, France
| | - Benoit Fouchaq
- Eurofins Cerep SA, Le Bois l’Evêque, F-86600 Celle L’Evescault, France
| | - Joëlle Roche
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (EBI), Université de Poitiers, UMR-CNRS 7267, F-86073 Poitiers, France
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6
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Roche J, Gemmill RM, Drabkin HA. Epigenetic Regulation of the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2017; 9:cancers9070072. [PMID: 28672805 PMCID: PMC5532608 DOI: 10.3390/cancers9070072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Revised: 06/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. It is an aggressive and devastating cancer because of metastasis triggered by enhanced migration and invasion, and resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy. The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental developmental process that is reactivated in wound healing and a variety of diseases including cancer where it promotes migration/invasion and metastasis, resistance to treatment, and generation and maintenance of cancer stem cells. The induction of EMT is associated with reprogramming of the epigenome. This review focuses on major mechanisms of epigenetic regulation mainly in lung cancer with recent data on EZH2 (enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit ), the catalytic subunit of the PRC2 (Polycomb Group PcG), that behaves as an oncogene in lung cancer associated with gene repression, non-coding RNAs and the epitranscriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joëlle Roche
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Equipe SEVE, Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7267, F-86073 Poitiers, France.
| | - Robert M Gemmill
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Medical University of South Carolina, 39 Sabin St., MSC 635, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
| | - Harry A Drabkin
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Medical University of South Carolina, 39 Sabin St., MSC 635, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
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7
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Martínez-Fernández M, Dueñas M, Feber A, Segovia C, García-Escudero R, Rubio C, López-Calderón FF, Díaz-García C, Villacampa F, Duarte J, Gómez-Rodriguez MJ, Castellano D, Rodriguez-Peralto JL, de la Rosa F, Beck S, Paramio JM. A Polycomb-mir200 loop regulates clinical outcome in bladder cancer. Oncotarget 2016; 6:42258-75. [PMID: 26517683 PMCID: PMC4747223 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is a highly prevalent disease, ranking fifth in the most common cancers worldwide. Various miRNAs have recently emerged as potential prognostic biomarkers in cancer. The miR-200 family, which repressed the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is repressed in multiple advanced cancers. However, its expression and function in BC is still poorly understood. Here we show that miR-200 family displays increased expression, probably due to the activation of specific oncogenic signaling pathways, and reduced promoter methylation, in BC compared to normal bladder samples. Furthermore, we show that the expression of these miRNAs is decreased in high grade and stage tumors, and the down-regulation is associated with patient's poor clinical outcome. Our data indicate that the miR-200 family plays distinct roles in Non-Muscle (NMIBC) and Muscle-Invasive BC (MIBC). In MIBC, miR-200 expression post transcriptionally regulates EMT-promoting transcription factors ZEB1 and ZEB2, whereas suppresses BMI1 expression in NMIBC. Interestingly, we show that increased EZH2 and/or BMI1 expression repress the expression of miR-200 family members. Collectively, these findings support a model of BC progression through a coordinated action between the Polycomb Repression Complex (PRC) members repressing the miR-200 expression, which ultimately favors invasive BC development. Since pharmacological inhibition of EZH2 in BC cell lines lead to increased miR-200 expression, our findings may support new therapeutic strategies for BC clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Martínez-Fernández
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT (ed70A), 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Dueñas
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT (ed70A), 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrew Feber
- Medical Genomics, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Cristina Segovia
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT (ed70A), 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramón García-Escudero
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT (ed70A), 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carolina Rubio
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT (ed70A), 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando F López-Calderón
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT (ed70A), 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Felipe Villacampa
- Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain.,Uro-oncology Section, Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Duarte
- Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain.,Uro-oncology Section, Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - María J Gómez-Rodriguez
- Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain.,Uro-oncology Section, Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Castellano
- Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain.,Uro-oncology Section, Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - José L Rodriguez-Peralto
- Anatomic Pathology Service, Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Federico de la Rosa
- Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain.,Uro-oncology Section, Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Stephan Beck
- Medical Genomics, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jesús M Paramio
- Molecular Oncology Unit, CIEMAT (ed70A), 28040 Madrid, Spain.,Universitary Hospital 12 de Octubre, Research Institute 12 de Octubre i+12, 28041 Madrid, Spain
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8
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Yoshida T, Song L, Bai Y, Kinose F, Li J, Ohaegbulam KC, Muñoz-Antonia T, Qu X, Eschrich S, Uramoto H, Tanaka F, Nasarre P, Gemmill RM, Roche J, Drabkin HA, Haura EB. ZEB1 Mediates Acquired Resistance to the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147344. [PMID: 26789630 PMCID: PMC4720447 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Accepted: 01/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one mechanism of acquired resistance to inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinases (EGFR-TKIs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The precise mechanisms of EMT-related acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC remain unclear. We generated erlotinib-resistant HCC4006 cells (HCC4006ER) by chronic exposure of EGFR-mutant HCC4006 cells to increasing concentrations of erlotinib. HCC4006ER cells acquired an EMT phenotype and activation of the TGF-β/SMAD pathway, while lacking both T790M secondary EGFR mutation and MET gene amplification. We employed gene expression microarrays in HCC4006 and HCC4006ER cells to better understand the mechanism of acquired EGFR-TKI resistance with EMT. At the mRNA level, ZEB1 (TCF8), a known regulator of EMT, was >20-fold higher in HCC4006ER cells than in HCC4006 cells, and increased ZEB1 protein level was also detected. Furthermore, numerous ZEB1 responsive genes, such as CDH1 (E-cadherin), ST14, and vimentin, were coordinately regulated along with increased ZEB1 in HCC4006ER cells. We also identified ZEB1 overexpression and an EMT phenotype in several NSCLC cells and human NSCLC samples with acquired EGFR-TKI resistance. Short-interfering RNA against ZEB1 reversed the EMT phenotype and, importantly, restored erlotinib sensitivity in HCC4006ER cells. The level of micro-RNA-200c, which can negatively regulate ZEB1, was significantly reduced in HCC4006ER cells. Our results suggest that increased ZEB1 can drive EMT-related acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC. Attempts should be made to explore targeting ZEB1 to resensitize TKI-resistant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Yoshida
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Lanxi Song
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Yun Bai
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Fumi Kinose
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jiannong Li
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Kim C. Ohaegbulam
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Teresita Muñoz-Antonia
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Xiaotao Qu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Steven Eschrich
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Hidetaka Uramoto
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Fumihiro Tanaka
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Patrick Nasarre
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine and the Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Robert M. Gemmill
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine and the Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Joëlle Roche
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine and the Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Harry A. Drabkin
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine and the Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Eric B. Haura
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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