CARMA3 is overexpressed in human glioma and promotes cell invasion through MMP9 regulation in A172 cell line

Deficiency of CARMA3 attenuates the development of bleomycin induced pulmonary fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) has attracted more and more attention due to its irreversibility and high mortality rate. Currently, there is no effective treatment option is available to reverse the disease. Caspase recruitment domain-containing membrane-associated guanylate kinase protein (CARMA3) has been recognized as a proinflammatory molecule involved in many lung diseases, such as Allergic airway inflammation and lung cancer. Bleomycin (Bleo), as an alkaline sugar peptide antibiotics, is often used as a first-line anti-tumor agent. Its toxic effect is to induce pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and its clinical symptoms, so it has been widely used in the construction of pulmonary fibrosis model.

METHODS

Wild type mice (WT, n = 20) and CARMA3 knockout mice (CARMA3-KO, n = 20) were generated and injected with bleomycin or saline via trachea. The severity of fibrosis was evaluated by fibrosis markers and lung histological morphology. Furthermore, the amount of alveolar epithelial cells and inflammation in lung tissue were examined. Finally, epithelial-mesenchymal transition was further investigated.

RESULTS

We found CARMA3 expression in the mice alveolar epithelial cells. And compared with WT mice, CARMA3-KO mice showed reduced deposition of collagen fibers, inflammation and destruction of alveolar epithelial cells in lung tissue. In addition, after bleomycin induction, the expressions of proinflammatory factors and collagen-related factors in CARMA3-KO mice were much lower than those in WT mice. The epithelial-mesenchymal transformation phenotype was also improved in CARMA3-KO mice compared to WT mice.

CONCLUSION

Our Results shows that CARMA3 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. CARMA3 could alleviate the fibrosis by improving inflammation, deposition of collagen and damage of alveolar epithelial cells, which revealed that CARMA3 may be a potential target for pulmonary fibrosis.

CARD10 cleavage by MALT1 restricts lung carcinoma growth in vivo

CARD-CC complexes involving BCL10 and MALT1 are major cellular signaling hubs. They govern NF-κB activation through their scaffolding properties as well as MALT1 paracaspase function, which cleaves substrates involved in NF-κB regulation. In human lymphocytes, gain-of-function defects in this pathway lead to lymphoproliferative disorders. CARD10, the prototypical CARD-CC protein in non-hematopoietic cells, is overexpressed in several cancers and has been associated with poor prognosis. However, regulation of CARD10 remains poorly understood. Here, we identified CARD10 as the first MALT1 substrate in non-hematopoietic cells and showed that CARD10 cleavage by MALT1 at R587 dampens its capacity to activate NF-κB. Preventing CARD10 cleavage in the lung tumor A549 cell line increased basal levels of IL-6 and extracellular matrix components in vitro, and led to increased tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model, suggesting that CARD10 cleavage by MALT1 might be a built-in mechanism controlling tumorigenicity.

Prediction and analysis of hub genes between glioblastoma and low-grade glioma using bioinformatics analysis

ABSTRACT

Gliomas are an intractable tumor in the central nervous system. The present study aimed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and low-grade gliomas (LGG) in order to investigate the mechanisms of different grades of gliomas. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to identify DEGs between GBM and LGG, and 2641 genes have been found differentially expressed. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were used to determine the related functions and pathways of DEGs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network extracted a total of 444 nodes and 1953 interactions, and identified the top 6 hub genes in gliomas. The microarray data of the datasets GSE52009 and GSE4412, which were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, were used to externally validate DEGs expression levels. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database which was based on TCGA was used to explore the survival of hub genes in LGG and GBM. Additionally, the Oncomine database and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) database were used to validate the mRNA expression level and prognostic value of hub genes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) identified further hub genes-related pathways. In summary, through biological information and survival analysis, 6 hub genes may be new biomarkers for diagnosis and for guiding the choice of treatment strategies for different grades of gliomas.

Silencing of CARMA3 inhibits bladder cancer cell migration and invasion via deactivating β-catenin signaling pathway

Background

Bladder cancer (BC) is the ninth most common cancer and the fourteenth leading death worldwide. CARD-containing MAGUK 3 (CARMA3) protein is a novel scaffold protein known to activate NF-κB pathway and is overexpressed in BC tissues.

Purpose

The objective of this study was to identify how CARMA3 affects the metastasis of BC cells via the β-catenin signaling pathway.

Materials and methods

In the present study, 5637 and T24 BC cells with stable low expression of CARMA3 were established, and their migratory and invasive capabilities were further evaluated by wound-healing and transwell assay. The activity and expression of β-catenin were determined by Luciferase assay and immunofluoresence staining. The mRNA and protein expression levels of CARMA3, matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 9 and MMP2 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. The nude mouse tumor xenograft model was established for in vivo study.

Results

By comparison to the control cells, CARMA3-silenced cells acquired a less aggressive phenotype: decreased migration and invasion. More importantly, we confirmed that CARM3 knockdown could inhibit β-catenin mRNA and protein expression and activity, and reduce the expression and/or activity of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 9, MMP2 and C-myc. Also, CARM3 silencing increased E-cadherin expression and attenuated the expression of β-catenin. Moreover, we demonstrated that β-catenin overexpression reversed the inhibiting effect of CARMA3 silencing on cell invasion and migration. Furthermore, our study illustrated that knockdown of CARMA3 suppressed BC cells xenograft tumor growth in nude mice.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that CARMA3 contributes to the malignant phenotype of BC cells at least by activating β-catenin signaling pathway, and it may serve as a therapeutic target for clinic treatment in BC.

Glioma stages prediction based on machine learning algorithm combined with protein-protein interaction networks

BACKGROUND

Glioma is the most lethal nervous system cancer. Recent studies have made great efforts to study the occurrence and development of glioma, but the molecular mechanisms are still unclear. This study was designed to reveal the molecular mechanisms of glioma based on protein-protein interaction network combined with machine learning methods. Key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened and selected by using the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks.

RESULTS

As a result, 19 genes between grade I and grade II, 21 genes between grade II and grade III, and 20 genes between grade III and grade IV. Then, five machine learning methods were employed to predict the gliomas stages based on the selected key genes. After comparison, Complement Naive Bayes classifier was employed to build the prediction model for grade II-III with accuracy 72.8%. And Random forest was employed to build the prediction model for grade I-II and grade III-VI with accuracy 97.1% and 83.2%, respectively. Finally, the selected genes were analyzed by PPI networks, Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, and the results improve our understanding of the biological functions of select DEGs involved in glioma growth. We expect that the key genes expressed have a guiding significance for the occurrence of gliomas or, at the very least, that they are useful for tumor researchers.

CONCLUSION

Machine learning combined with PPI networks, GO and KEGG analyses of selected DEGs improve our understanding of the biological functions involved in glioma growth.

CARMA3 Is a Critical Mediator of G Protein-Coupled Receptor and Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-Driven Solid Tumor Pathogenesis

The CARMA–Bcl10–MALT1 (CBM) signalosome is an intracellular protein complex composed of a CARMA scaffolding protein, the Bcl10 linker protein, and the MALT1 protease. This complex was first recognized because the genes encoding its components are targeted by mutation and chromosomal translocation in lymphoid malignancy. We now know that the CBM signalosome plays a critical role in normal lymphocyte function by mediating antigen receptor-dependent activation of the pro-inflammatory, pro-survival NF-κB transcription factor, and that deregulation of this signaling complex promotes B-cell lymphomagenesis. More recently, we and others have demonstrated that a CBM signalosome also operates in cells outside of the immune system, including in several solid tumors. While CARMA1 (also referred to as CARD11) is expressed primarily within lymphoid tissues, the related scaffolding protein, CARMA3 (CARD10), is more widely expressed and participates in a CARMA3-containing CBM complex in a variety of cell types. The CARMA3-containing CBM complex operates downstream of specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and/or growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Since inappropriate expression and activation of GPCRs and/or RTKs underlies the pathogenesis of several solid tumors, there is now great interest in elucidating the contribution of CARMA3-mediated cellular signaling in these malignancies. Here, we summarize the key discoveries leading to our current understanding of the role of CARMA3 in solid tumor biology and highlight the current gaps in our knowledge.

HCRP1 is downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer and regulates proliferation, invasion, and drug resistance

HCRP1 has been reported to have tumor suppressive function. However, its expression pattern and function in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain obscure. This study aims to explore clinical significance of HCRP1 in NSCLC. Immunohistochemical results showed high HCRP1 protein in normal bronchial epithelial tissue and downregulated HCRP1 expression in 47/98 lung cancer specimens. HCRP1 downregulation correlated with clinical stage (p = 0.0203), nodal status (p = 0.0168), and poor patient prognosis (log-rank, p = 0.0076). Univariate analysis showed that TNM stage (p < 0.0001) and HCRP1 (p = 0.0098) were significant prognostic factors; Cox regression model showed that TNM stage serves as an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.0011). We also found that HCRP1 was downregulated in lung cancer cells compared with normal HBE cells. HCRP1 plasmid transfection in H1299 cells inhibited proliferation, cell cycle progression, and invasion. HCRP1 depletion in A549 cells showed the opposite biological effects. In addition, we found that HCRP1 could inhibit MAPK and AKT signaling with downregulation of ERK and AKT phosphorylation, cyclin proteins, Bcl2 and MMP9, while HCRP1 depletion activated ERK and AKT signaling. The level of EGFR phosphorylation was also inhibited by HCRP1. In addition, we found that HCRP1 depletion confers multidrug resistance in H1299 cells. We employed paclitaxel and cisplatin in A549 cells with HCRP1 depletion. HCRP1 depletion decreased the effect of paclitaxel and cisplatin in A549 cells. Treatment with EGFR inhibitor AG1478 and AKT inhibitor LY249004 abolished the effect of HCRP1 depletion on drug resistance. In conclusion, the present study demonstrate that HCRP1 is downregulated in NSCLC and regulates proliferation, invasion, and drug resistance through modulation of EGFR signaling.

[LRRC3B is Downregulated in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer and Connected with Cell Proliferation and Invasion]

背景与目的

已有的研究表明：在许多恶性肿瘤细胞中，LRRC3B表达显著下调，被视为肿瘤抑制蛋白。然而，在非小细胞肺癌中它的表达模式和生物学作用缺乏研究。人类癌症微阵列的研究显示LRRC3B在乳腺癌和结肠直肠癌表达下调，提示LRRC3B参与致癌作用。本研究的目的是研究LRRC3B在非小细胞肺癌中的必到状态及其与肺癌增殖、侵袭和细胞周期间的相关性，探讨LRRC3B在调控肺癌细胞增殖、侵袭及细胞周期中的作用。

方法

应用Western blot和Realtime RT-PCR检测LRRC3B在几株肺癌细胞系中的mRNA和蛋白表达水平。应用MTT法检测对转染LRRC3B的A549和H460细胞系细胞增殖能力变化，应用集落形成实验以及细胞侵袭实验研究LRRC3B对细胞增殖和侵袭以及细胞周期进程的作用。肺癌细胞系H3255中转染LRRC3B siRAN验证LRRC3B对细胞的增殖以及侵袭能力和对细胞周期进程的影响。

结果

与正常NHBE细胞系相比，NSCLC细胞系中LRRC3B蛋白表达量显著下调，特别是H460、H358、HCC827以及A549。A549和H460细胞系转染LRRC3B后，细胞增殖和侵袭能力受到抑制。LRRC3B抑制细胞周期进程，并下调cyclin D1和MMP9的表达。H3255细胞中敲除LRRC3B，细胞增殖和侵袭能力显著增强，同时与细胞周期及侵袭能力相关的蛋白cyclin D1和MMP9表达略微上调。

结论

LRRC3B在肺癌细胞系中表达下调，而上调LRRC3B则能够抑制肺癌细胞增殖和侵袭能力，并抑制细胞周期进程，可能是未来肺癌治疗的一个新靶点。

MicroRNA-133a inhibits the malignant behavior of glioma via downregulation of matrix metallopeptidase 9

MicroRNA (miR)-133a expression has been reported to be downregulated in numerous human malignancies. However, the expression levels and function of miR-133a have not yet been investigated in human glioma. In the present study, the expression of miR‑133a was analyzed by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Following transfection of miR‑133a, cell proliferation, cell migration, cell invasion and luciferase assays, and western blot analysis were conducted in glioma cell lines. The present study demonstrated that miR‑133a was downregulated in human glioma tissues compared with in normal adjacent tissues. In addition, the results indicated that miR‑133a was likely to directly target matrix metallopeptidase 9 in glioma. These results suggest that miR-133a may be considered as a target for the treatment of human glioma.

RASSF4 is downregulated in nonsmall cell lung cancer and inhibits cancer cell proliferation and invasion

RASSF4 has been implicated as a tumor suppressor in several human cancers. Its clinical significance and biological characteristics in human nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been explored yet. In this study, we explored expression pattern of RASSF4 in 89 NSCLC specimens. The results showed that RASSF4 was downregulated in 36/89 NSCLC tissues compared with normal tissue. RASSF4 downregulation significantly associated with advanced TNM stage, positive nodal status, and poor prognosis. We examined RASSF4 protein expression in normal lung epithelial cell line and lung cancer lines. We found that RASSF4 expression was downregulated in four of seven lung cancer cell lines compared with normal bronchial epithelial cells. RASSF4 plasmid transfection was performed in H460 and A549 cell lines. RASSF4 overexpression inhibited proliferation, colony formation, and invading ability. In addition, we identified that RASSF4 could inhibit cell cycle progression with downregulation of cyclin D1. Expression of invasion-related protein MMP2, MMP9 was also decreased. In conclusion, the present study suggested that RASSF4 serves as an important tumor suppressor in NSCLC.

LRRC3B is downregulated in non-small-cell lung cancer and inhibits cancer cell proliferation and invasion

LRRC3B has emerged as a tumor suppressor in several human cancers. However, its expression pattern and biological roles in human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been explored. In the present study, we investigated clinical significance of LRRC3B in 101 NSCLC specimens. We found that LRRC3B expression was downregulated in NSCLC tissues compared with normal bronchial epithelium and that its downregulation significantly correlated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (p < 0.0001), nodal metastasis (p < 0.0001), and poor patient prognosis (p = 0.0016, log-rank test). We also checked LRRC3B levels in several lung cancer cell lines and found that its expression was downregulated in four of nine lung cancer cell lines compared with normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cell line. We further explored the biological role of LRRC3B. LRRC3B plasmid transfection in H460 and A549 cell lines inhibited proliferation, colony formation ability, and invading ability. Furthermore, we identified that LRRC3B could inhibit cell cycle progression with downregulation of cyclin D1 and decreased MMP9 expression. In addition, LRRC3B depletion in HBE cells promoted proliferation and invasion. In conclusion, our data suggested that LRRC3B may serve as an important tumor suppressor in NSCLC.

CrkL regulates SDF-1-induced breast cancer biology through balancing Erk1/2 and PI3K/Akt pathways

The adapter protein CrkL is required for regulating the malignant potential of human cancers. However, the regulatory mechanisms of CrkL on the stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1)/CXCR4 signaling pathways in breast cancer are not well characterized. Here, CXCR4 and CrkL proteins were tested in breast cancer cell lines and 60 primary breast cancer tissues. In vitro, the roles of CrkL in SDF-1-induced MDA-MB-231 cell cycle, invasion and migration were investigated. In the present study, CXCR4 and CrkL were highly expressed in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-231HM MDA-MB-468 and tumor tissues (80 and 60 %, respectively) and closely correlated with lymph node metastasis. In vitro studies revealed that SDF-1 induced the activation of CrkL, Erk1/2, Akt and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) in MDA-MB-231 cells. The si-CrkL treatment significantly down-regulated the phosphorylated Erk1/2 (p-Erk1/2) and MMP9, but up-regulated p-Akt, compared with control. Importantly, wound-healing and transwell invasion assays showed that si-CrkL significantly impaired the wound closure and inhibited the SDF-1-induced invasion; similarly, flow cytometry showed that si-CrkL affected cell cycle. In conclusion, these results suggest that CrkL plays a regulatory role in the SDF-1-induced Erk1/2 and PI3K/Akt pathways and further managed the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells. Thus, CrkL may be recommended as an interesting therapeutic target for breast cancer.

CARMA3 is upregulated in human pancreatic carcinoma, and its depletion inhibits tumor proliferation, migration, and invasion

Elevated CARMA3 expression has been reported to be involved in tumor progression of several cancer types. In the present study, we examined the expression pattern of CARMA3 protein and its biological roles in human pancreatic carcinoma. Using immunohistochemistry, we checked CARMA3 protein expression in 95 pancreatic ductal carcinoma specimens. We found that CARMA3 was overexpressed in 34 of 95 (35.8 %) specimens. A significant association was observed between CARMA3 overexpression with histological grade (p=0.0099) and nodal status (p=0.0126). To further explore its biological roles, we knocked down CARMA3 expression in CAPAN2 cell line using small interfering RNA (siRNA). MTT growth assay, wound healing assay, and Transwell assay showed that CARMA3 depletion inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. We also showed that CARMA3 depletion inhibited EGF-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation and its target genes' expression. The effect of CARMA3 depletion on NF-κB signaling was significantly reduced in Bcl10-depleted cells. In conclusion, CARMA3 is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer and regulates malignant cell growth, invasion, and NF-κB signaling, which was dependent on its association with Bcl10.

MiRNA-181c inhibits EGFR-signaling-dependent MMP9 activation via suppressing Akt phosphorylation in glioblastoma

As the most aggressive malignant primary human brain tumor, glioblastoma is noted with extremely poor patient survival. Previous studies have demonstrated that expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) in glioblastoma cells is critical for cancer metastasis. However, the molecular signaling pathways that control MMP9 activation remain undefined. Here, we reported a strong negative correlation of microRNA (miRNA)-181c levels with either MMP9 levels or activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling in glioblastoma patients. EGF-induced activation of EGFR in a human glioblastoma line, A-172 cells, increased MMP9 expression through activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, without affecting expression of miRNA-181c. On the other hand, overexpression of miRNA-181c in A-172 cells inhibited MMP9 expression by inhibiting Akt phosphorylation, but not phosphorylation of EGFR receptor. Taken together, these findings suggest that EGFR signaling activates downstream PI3K/Akt to increase MMP9 expression in glioblastoma, while phosphorylation of Akt is a control point by miRNA-181c. Our work thus provides new insights into the molecular basis underlying the metastasis of glioblastoma.

Overexpression of CARMA3 is associated with advanced tumor stage, cell cycle progression, and cisplatin resistance in human epithelial ovarian cancer

CARD recruited membrane associated protein 3 (CARMA3) overexpression has been found in several human cancers. However, its expression pattern and biological roles in human ovarian cancers are not clear. In this study, we examined the expression pattern of CARMA3 in 101 ovarian cancer specimens. We found that 52 (51.5 %) showed CARMA3 overexpression. CARMA3 overexpression positively correlated with tumor histology and advanced FIGO stage. CARMA3 depletion in ovarian cancer cell lines A2780 and HO8910 inhibited ovarian cancer cell proliferation and blocked cell cycle progression. CARMA3 depletion also sensitized ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity. In addition, Western blot showed that CARMA3 depletion downregulated cyclin D1, cyclin E, and Bcl-2 levels. In conclusion, our data provides evidence that CARMA3 is overexpressed in ovarian cancers and associated with advanced stage. CARMA3 regulates the ovarian cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and chemoresistance.

MMP9 activation triggered by epidermal growth factor induced FoxO1 nuclear exclusion in non-small cell lung cancer

The molecular mechanism underlying activation of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, which controls cancer invasiveness and metastasis, remains elusive. Here, we reported a strong correlation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and MMP9 levels in NSCLC patients. Thus, we used a human NSCLC line, A549, to examine whether there is a causal link between EGFR and MMP9 activation. We found that EGF-induced activation of EGFR in A549 cells activated MMP9, resulting in an increase in cancer invasiveness. An EGFR inhibitor efficiently blocked this EGF-induced activation of MMP9 and, consequently, increased cancer invasiveness. Moreover, an inhibitor for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, but not an inhibitor for mitogen-activated protein kinase, or an inhibitor for Jun N-terminal kinase, significantly inhibited the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced activation of MMP9, suggesting that PI3K/Akt signaling cascades may be responsible for EGF-activated MMP9. We further dissected the pathway and found that nuclear exclusion of a major Akt downstream target, FoxO1, occurred by EGF-induced Akt activation, which could be inhibited by either EGFR inhibitor or by PI3K/Akt inhibitor. In a loss of function, expression of a constitutive nuclear form of FoxO1 significantly inhibited MMP9 activation induced by EGF. Taken together, these findings suggest that EGF/EGFR signaling activates downstream PI3K/Akt to induce FoxO1 nuclear exclusion, which activates MMP9 to promote NSCLC invasiveness. Thus, Akt and FoxO1, in addition to the well-known EGFR, appear to be promising therapeutic targets for preventing the metastasis of NSCLC.