MT1-MMP is not a good prognosticator of cancer survival: evidence from 11 studies

Intercellular transfer of cancer cell invasiveness via endosome-mediated protease shedding

Overexpression of the transmembrane matrix metalloproteinase MT1-MMP/MMP14 promotes cancer cell invasion. Here we show that MT1-MMP-positive cancer cells turn MT1-MMP-negative cells invasive by transferring a soluble catalytic ectodomain of MT1-MMP. Surprisingly, this effect depends on the presence of TKS4 and TKS5 in the donor cell, adaptor proteins previously implicated in invadopodia formation. In endosomes of the donor cell, TKS4/5 promote ADAM-mediated cleavage of MT1-MMP by bridging the two proteases, and cleavage is stimulated by the low intraluminal pH of endosomes. The bridging depends on the PX domains of TKS4/5, which coincidently interact with the cytosolic tail of MT1-MMP and endosomal phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate. MT1-MMP recruits TKS4/5 into multivesicular endosomes for their subsequent co-secretion in extracellular vesicles, together with the enzymatically active ectodomain. The shed ectodomain converts non-invasive recipient cells into an invasive phenotype. Thus, TKS4/5 promote intercellular transfer of cancer cell invasiveness by facilitating ADAM-mediated shedding of MT1-MMP in acidic endosomes.

MT1-MMP as a Key Regulator of Metastasis

Membrane type1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is a member of metalloproteinases that is tethered to the transmembrane. Its major function in cancer progression is to directly degrade the extracellular matrix components, which are mainly type I-III collagen or indirectly type IV collagen through the activation of MMP-2 with a cooperative function of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2). MT1-MMP is expressed as an inactive form (zymogen) within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and receives truncation processing via furin for its activation. Upon the appropriate trafficking of MT1-MMP from the ER, the Golgi apparatus to the cell surface membrane, MT1-MMP exhibits proteolytic activities to the surrounding molecules such as extracellular matrix components and cell surface molecules. MT1-MMP also retains a non-proteolytic ability to activate hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1A) via factors inhibiting the HIF-1 (FIH-1)-Mint3-HIF-1 axis, resulting in the upregulation of glucose metabolism and oxygen-independent ATP production. Through various functions of MT1-MMP, cancer cells gain motility on migration/invasion, thus causing metastasis. Despite the long-time efforts spent on the development of MT1-MMP interventions, none have been accomplished yet due to the side effects caused by off-target effects. Recently, MT1-MMP-specific small molecule inhibitors or an antibody have been reported and these inhibitors could potentially be novel agents for cancer treatment.

The Role of Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Skin Tumor Progression and Therapeutic Resistance

The extracellular matrix remodeling in the skin results from a delicate balance of synthesis and degradation of matrix components, ensuring tissue homeostasis. These processes are altered during tumor invasion and growth, generating a microenvironment that supports growth, invasion, and metastasis. Apart from the cellular component, the tumor microenvironment is rich in extracellular matrix components and bound factors that provide structure and signals to the tumor and stromal cells. The continuous remodeling in the tissue compartment sustains the developing tumor during the various phases providing matrices and proteolytic enzymes. These are produced by cancer cells and stromal fibroblasts. In addition to fostering tumor growth, the expression of specific extracellular matrix proteins and proteinases supports tumor invasion after the initial therapeutic response. Lately, the expression and structural modification of matrices were also associated with therapeutic resistance. This review will focus on the significant alterations in the extracellular matrix components and the function of metalloproteinases that influence skin cancer progression and support the acquisition of therapeutic resistance.

Long non-coding RNAs as the critical regulators of epithelial mesenchymal transition in colorectal tumor cells: an overview

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer mortality and a major health challenge worldwide. Despite advances in therapeutic and diagnostic methods, there is still a poor prognosis in CRC patients. Tumor recurrence and metastasis are the main causes of high mortality rate in these patients, which are due to late diagnosis in advanced tumor stages. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is known to be the most important cause of CRC metastasis, during which tumor cells obtain metastasis ability by losing epithelial features and gaining mesenchymal features. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are pivotal regulators of EMT process. Regarding the higher stability of lncRNAs compared with coding RNAs in body fluids, they can be used as non-invasive diagnostic markers for EMT process. In the present review, we summarized all of the lncRNAs involved in regulation of EMT process during CRC progression and metastasis. It was observed that lncRNAs mainly induced the EMT process in CRC cells by regulation of EMT-related transcription factors, Poly comb repressive complex (PRC), and also signaling pathways such as WNT, NOTCH, MAPK, and Hippo.

Potential Roles of Exosomal lncRNAs in the Intestinal Mucosal Immune Barrier

The intestinal mucosal immune barrier protects the host from the invasion of foreign pathogenic microorganisms. Immune cells and cytokines in the intestinal mucosa maintain local and systemic homeostasis by participating in natural and adaptive immunity. Deficiency of the intestinal mucosal immune barrier is associated with a variety of intestinal illnesses. Exosomes are phospholipid bilayer nanovesicles that allow cell-cell communication by secreting physiologically active substances including proteins, lipids, transcription factors, mRNAs, micro-RNAs (miRNAs), and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Exosomal lncRNAs are involved in immune cell differentiation and the modulation of the immune response. This review briefly introduces the potential role of exosomal lncRNAs in the intestinal mucosal immune barrier and discusses their relevance to intestinal illnesses.

Tumor-conditional IL-15 pro-cytokine reactivates anti-tumor immunity with limited toxicity

IL-15 is a promising cytokine to expand NK and CD8⁺ T cells for cancer immunotherapy, but its application is limited by dose-limiting, on-target off-tumor toxicity. Here, we have developed a next-generation IL-15 that is activated inside the tumor microenvironment (TME). This pro-IL-15 has the extracellular domain of IL-15Rβ fused to the N-terminus of sIL-15-Fc through a tumor-enriched Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) cleavable peptide linker to block its activity. Unlike sIL-15-Fc, pro-IL-15 does not activate the peripheral expansion of NK cells and T cells, thus reducing systemic toxicity, but it still preserves efficient anti-tumor abilities. In various mouse tumors, the anti-tumor effect of pro-IL-15 depends on intratumoral CD8⁺ T cells and IFN-γ. Pro-IL-15 increases the stem-like TCF1⁺Tim-3^-CD8⁺ T cells within tumor tissue and helps overcome immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) resistance. Moreover, pro-IL-15 synergizes with current tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) targeted-therapy in a poorly inflamed TUBO tumor model, suggesting that pro-IL-15 helps overcome targeted-therapy resistance. Our results demonstrate a next-generation IL-15 cytokine that can stimulate potent anti-tumor activity without severe toxicity.

Reconciling two opposing effects of radiation therapy: stimulation of cancer cell invasion and activation of anti-cancer immunity

PURPOSE

The damage caused by radiation therapy to cancerous and normal cells inevitably leads to changes in the secretome profile of pro and anti-inflammatory mediators. The inflammatory response depends on the dose of radiation and its fractionation, while the inherent radiosensitivity of each patient dictates the intensity and types of adverse reactions. This review will present an overview of two apparently opposite reactions that may occur after radiation treatment: induction of an antitumor immune response and a protumoral response. Emphasis is placed on the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved.

CONCLUSIONS

By understanding how radiation changes the balance between anti- and protumoral effects, these forces can be manipulated to optimize radiation oncology treatments.

The functional cross talk between cancer cells and cancer associated fibroblasts from a cancer mechanics perspective

The function of biological tissues in health and disease is regulated at cellular level and is highly influenced by the physical microenvironment, through the interaction of forces between cells and ECM, which are perceived through mechanosensing pathways. In cancer, both chemical and physical signaling cascades and their interactions are involved during cell-cell and cell-ECM communications to meet requirements of tumor growth. Among stroma cells, cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play key role in tumor growth and pave the way for cancer cells to initiate metastasis and invasion to other tissues, and without recruitment of CAFs, the process of cancer invasion is dysfunctional. This is through an intense chemical and physical cross talks with tumor cells, and interactive remodeling of ECM. During such interaction CAFs apply traction forces and depending on the mechanical properties, deform ECM and in return receive physical signals from the micromechanical environment. Such interaction leads to ECM remodeling by manipulating ECM structure and its mechanical properties. The results are in form of deposition of extra fibers, stiffening, rearrangement and reorganization of fibrous structure, and degradation which are due to a complex secretion and expression of different markers triggered by mechanosensing of tumor cells, specially CAFs. Such events define cancer progress and invasion of cancer cells. A systemic knowledge of chemical and physical factors provides a holistic view of how cancer process and enhances the current treatment methods to provide more diversity among targets that involves tumor cells and ECM structure.

Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase regulates anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell growth and invasion into the collagen matrix

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most aggressive cancer types; however, the molecular mechanism contributing to the aggressive characteristics remain unclear. Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) plays an important role in cancer invasion and has been associated with a poor prognosis in various malignant neoplasms. In this study, we investigated the relationship between MT1-MMP expression and the proliferation and invasion of ATC cells, along with the association with clinicopathologic factors in patients with ATC. Suppression of MT1-MMP reduced the proliferation and invasion of ATC cells, and suppressed ERK activity, indicating a role in cancer cell proliferation in collagen matrix culture conditions. The expression of MT1-MMP was detected in 29 of 34 (85.3%) surgical specimens from ATC patients. In addition, the expression of MT1-MMP in the tumor lesion was higher than that of normal and stromal tissues. Collectively, these results suggest that elevated MT1-MMP expression plays a role in the pathogenesis of ATC, which may promote its aggressive characteristics such as proliferation and invasion, highlighting a potential new therapeutic target.

Quantitative mapping of binding specificity landscapes for homologous targets by using a high-throughput method

To facilitate investigations of protein-protein interactions (PPIs), we developed a novel platform for quantitative mapping of protein binding specificity landscapes, which combines the multi-target screening of a mutagenesis library into high- and low-affinity populations with sophisticated next-generation sequencing analysis. Importantly, this method generates accurate models to predict affinity and specificity values for any mutation within a protein complex, and requires only a few experimental binding affinity measurements using purified proteins for calibration. We demonstrated the utility of the approach by mapping quantitative landscapes for interactions between the N-terminal domain of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (N-TIMP2) and three matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) having homologous structures but different affinities (MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-14). The binding landscapes for N-TIMP2/MMP-1 and N-TIMP2/MMP-3 showed the PPIs to be almost fully optimized, with most single mutations giving a loss of affinity. In contrast, the non-optimized PPI for N-TIMP2/MMP-14 was reflected in a wide range of binding affinities, where single mutations exhibited a far more attenuated effect on the PPI. Our new platform reliably and comprehensively identified not only hot- and cold-spot residues, but also specificity-switch mutations that shape target affinity and specificity. Thus, our approach provides a methodology giving an unprecedentedly rich quantitative analysis of the binding specificity landscape, which will broaden the understanding of the mechanisms and evolutionary origins of specific PPIs and facilitate the rational design of specific inhibitors for structurally similar target proteins.

Expression of MMP-14 and prognosis in digestive system carcinoma: a meta-analysis and databases validation

Background: The Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) expression has been shown to be overexpressed in different cancers. However, there is no comprehensive quantitative evaluation of the MMP-14 prognostic value in digestive system carcinoma (DSC). The aim of this study is to explore the correlation between the MMP-14 expression and DSC prognosis.

Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the association strength between MMP-14 expression and prognosis. GEPIA and Kaplan Meier plotters were used to assess overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS)/progression-free survival (PFS) in DSC patients and the differential expression of MMP-14 in DSC tissues and adjacent tissues.

Results: A total of 20 studies including 2,519 patients with OS and 438 patients with DFS/PFS data were analyzed in evidence synthesis. Overall, the combined hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.98 (95%Cl: 1.77-2.22, P<0.001) for OS and 3.61 (95%Cl: 2.39-5.43, P<0.001) for DFS/PFS. For subgroup analyses, significant correlations were revealed between increased MMP-14 expression and poor OS in patients with gastric cancer (HR=2.21, 95%CI: 1.76-2.77, P<0.001), esophageal carcinoma (HR=2.01, 95%CI: 1.58-2.57, P<0.001), oral cancer (HR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.30-2.20, P < 0.001) (HR=2.14, 95%CI 1.35-2.19, P<0.001) and hepatocarcinoma. In database verification analyses, the MMP-14 expression levels in normal tissues were significantly higher than that in DSC tissues, and significant associations were observed between high MMP-14 expression levels and poor prognosis.

Conclusions: The high expression levels of MMP-14 might predict poor prognosis in DSC. Larger prospective clinical cohort studies are required to validate the prognostic role.

Taurine up-regulated 1 accelerates tumorigenesis of colon cancer by regulating miR-26a-5p/MMP14/p38 MAPK/Hsp27 axis in vitro and in vivo

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of long non-coding RNA taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) in colon cancer (Cc) and related molecular mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of related proteins. BrdU and Transwell assays were used to detect cell proliferation and invasion, respectively. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of Vimentin.

KEY FINDINGS

TUG1 expression was up-regulated in CaCO-2, SW620 and HT-29 cells, while miR-26a-5p was down-regulated. Bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-26a-5p was the target of TUG1, and the targeting relationship was further confirmed by dual-luciferase report analysis. Besides, matrix metalloproteinases-14 (MMP-14) was a target of mir-26a-5p. Knockdown of TUG1 by shRNA (sh-TUG1) inhibited MMP-14 expression. Functional analysis showed that sh-TUG1 significantly inhibited Cc cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT). Notably, miR-26a-5p inhibitor reversed the promotion of Cc caused by sh-TUG1. Mechanically, the overexpression of TUG1 significantly up-regulated the levels of MMP-14, VEGF, p-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-p38 MAPK) and p-HSP27 (heat shock protein 27), and promoted the proliferation, invasion and EMT of Cc cells. However, MAPK pathway inhibitor SB203580 has shown the opposite effect. Additionally, animal studies have shown that sh-TUG1 inhibited tumor growth and motility in vivo in the same way.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study demonstrated that TUG1 accelerates the development of colon cancer by regulating miR-26a-5p/MMP14/p38 MAPK/Hsp27 axis in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, TUG1 provides a new direction for the treatment of Cc.

The Expanding Role of MT1-MMP in Cancer Progression

For over 20 years, membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been recognized as a key component in cancer progression. Initially, the primary roles assigned to MT1-MMP were the activation of proMMP-2 and degradation of fibrillar collagen. Proteomics has revealed a great array of MT1-MMP substrates, and MT1-MMP selective inhibitors have allowed for a more complete mapping of MT1-MMP biological functions. MT1-MMP has extensive sheddase activities, is both a positive and negative regulator of angiogenesis, can act intracellularly and as a transcription factor, and modulates immune responses. We presently examine the multi-faceted role of MT1-MMP in cancer, with a consideration of how the diversity of MT1-MMP behaviors impacts the application of MT1-MMP inhibitors.

MT1-MMP-dependent cell migration: proteolytic and non-proteolytic mechanisms

Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is a type I transmembrane proteinase that belongs to the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family. It is a potent modifier of cellular microenvironment and promotes cell migration and invasion of a wide variety of cell types both in physiological and pathological conditions. It promotes cell migration by degrading extracellular matrix on the cell surface and creates a migration path, by modifying cell adhesion property by shedding cell adhesion molecules to increase cell motility, and by altering cellular metabolism. Thus, MT1-MMP is a multifunctional cell motility enhancer. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of the proteolytic and non-proteolytic mechanism of MT1-MMP-dependent cell migration.

NEAT1 is a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) has been found to be dysregulated and associated with clinical progression in various human cancers. The clinical and prognostic value of NEAT1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) was still controversial. The aim of our study was to provide more sufficient evidence that NEAT1 expression is correlated with overall survival in patients with NPC. NEAT1 expression was detected in NPC tissue samples, and the relationship between NEAT1 expression and clinical parameters, including prognosis, was analyzed. The meta-analysis was performed to further assess the prognostic significance of NEAT1 expression in patients with NPC. In our study, we found that the levels of NEAT1 expression were increased in NPC clinical tissue specimens, and associated with advanced M classification and clinical stages. Moreover, the Kaplan-Meier analysis suggested that the levels of NEAT1 expression were negatively associated with the overall survival of patients with NPC. Furthermore, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that NEAT1 high-expression was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with NPC. Finally, we conducted a meta-analysis including 297 patients with NPC from the three studies, and found the pooled HR (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 1.64 (95% CI: 0.68-3.93) for the random effects model and 2.04 (95% CI: 1.42-2.95) for the fixed effect model. In conclusion, NEAT1 is a potential prognostic biomarker for NPC, but more studies are needed to further verify the prognostic value of NEAT1 in patients with NPC.

Association of BCSC-1 and MMP-14 with human breast cancer

Breast cancer suppressor candidate-1 (BCSC-1) is a candidate tumor suppressor gene that was identified recently. Decreased levels of BCSC-1 have been detected in a variety of cancer types in previous studies. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-14 is a membrane-type MMP that plays an important role in tumor progression and prognosis. Previous research has indicated that MMP-14 is highly expressed in different cancer types and promotes tumor invasion or metastasis by remodeling the extracellular matrix. However, there have been few reports on BCSC-1 and MMP-14 in human breast cancer in recent years. In the present study, the association of BCSC-1 and MMP-14 with human breast cancer was investigated. The immunohistochemical analysis results revealed reduced expression of BCSC-1 and overexpression of MMP-14 in breast cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal breast tissues. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses also showed that BCSC-1 was expressed at significantly lower levels, and that MMP-14 was expressed at significantly higher levels in breast cancer tissues compared with healthy breast tissue. Furthermore, decreased expression of BCSC-1 and overexpression of MMP-14 were associated with tumor cellular differentiation, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. A correlational analysis between BCSC-1 and MMP-14 was also conducted, and the results indicated a negative correlation between the two. In conclusion, the current findings indicate that BCSC-1 is downregulated, while MMP-14 is overexpressed in human breast cancer. These two genes may play important roles during the process of human breast cancer development.

Gastric biomarkers: a global review

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is an aggressive disease with a poor 5-year survival and large global burden of disease. The disease is biologically and genetically heterogeneous with a poorly understood carcinogenesis at the molecular level. Despite the many prognostic, predictive, and therapeutic biomarkers investigated to date, gastric cancer continues to be detected at an advanced stage with resultant poor clinical outcomes.

MAIN BODY

This is a global review of gastric biomarkers with an emphasis on HER2, E-cadherin, fibroblast growth factor receptor, mammalian target of rapamycin, and hepatocyte growth factor receptor as well as sections on microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs, matrix metalloproteinases, PD-L1, TP53, and microsatellite instability.

CONCLUSION

A deeper understanding of the pathogenesis and biological features of gastric cancer, including the identification and characterization of diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, and therapeutic biomarkers, hopefully will provide improved clinical outcomes.

Targeting MT1-MMP as an ImmunoPET-Based Strategy for Imaging Gliomas

BACKGROUND

A critical challenge in the management of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) tumors is the accurate diagnosis and assessment of tumor progression in a noninvasive manner. We have identified Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) as an attractive biomarker for GBM imaging since this protein is actively involved in tumor growth and progression, correlates with tumor grade and is closely associated with poor prognosis in GBM patients. Here, we report the development of an immunoPET tracer for effective detection of MT1-MMP in GBM models.

METHODS

An anti-human MT1-MMP monoclonal antibody (mAb), LEM2/15, was conjugated to p-isothiocyanatobenzyl-desferrioxamine (DFO-NCS) for 89Zr labeling. Biodistribution and PET imaging studies were performed in xenograft mice bearing human GBM cells (U251) expressing MT1-MMP and non-expressing breast carcinoma cells (MCF-7) as negative control. Two orthotopic brain GBM models, patient-derived neurospheres (TS543) and U251 cells, with different degrees of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption were also used for PET imaging experiments.

RESULTS

89Zr labeling of DFO-LEM2/15 was achieved with high yield (>90%) and specific activity (78.5 MBq/mg). Biodistribution experiments indicated that 89Zr-DFO-LEM2/15 showed excellent potential as a radiotracer for detection of MT1-MMP positive GBM tumors. PET imaging also indicated a specific and prominent 89Zr-DFO-LEM2/15 uptake in MT1-MMP+ U251 GBM tumors compared to MT1-MMP- MCF-7 breast tumors. Results obtained in orthotopic brain GBM models revealed a high dependence of a disrupted BBB for tracer penetrance into tumors. 89Zr-DFO-LEM2/15 showed much higher accumulation in TS543 tumors with a highly disrupted BBB than in U251 orthotopic model in which the BBB permeability was only partially increased. Histological analysis confirmed the specificity of the immunoconjugate in all GBM models.

CONCLUSION

A new anti MT1-MMP-mAb tracer, 89Zr-DFO-LEM2/15, was synthesized efficiently. In vivo validation showed high-specific-contrast imaging of MT1-MMP positive GBM tumors and provided strong evidence for utility of MT1-MMP-targeted immunoPET as an alternate to nonspecific imaging of GBM.

Letter regarding "MT1-MMP is not a good prognosticator of cancer survival: evidence from 11 studies" by Wu KP et al

With great interest, we carefully read a meta-analysis entitled "MT1-MMP is not a good prognosticator of cancer survival: evidence from 11 studies" in Tumor Biology (by Wu KP et al.), in which the investigators aimed to assess the association between MT1-MMP expression and prognosis of patients with various types of cancers by calculating the pooled hazard ratio (HR) with corresponding 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI). They have reached an important conclusion that MT1-MMP overexpression indicated an unfavorable overall survival (OS) in cancers and the pooled HR (95 % CI) was 2.46 (95 % CI 1.75-3.47). In addition, subgroup analysis showed the HRs (95 % CI) were 3.73 (95 % CI 2.67-5.21) and 2.46 (95 % CI 1.69-3.59) for MT1-MMP in lung cancer and gastric cancer, respectively. Before these results can be accepted, we would like to address several concerns related to this meta-analysis.

SOX4 is a potential prognostic factor in human cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the this study was to analyze the status of sex-determining region Y-related high-mobility group box 4 (SOX4) expression in varied human cancers and its correlation with overall survival in patients with human cancers.

METHODS

To observe initially the expression status of SOX4 in twenty kinds of human cancers at protein database (The Human Protein Atlas). We systematically and carefully searched the studies from electronic databases and seriously identified according to eligibility criteria. The correlation between SOX4 expression and overall survival in human cancers was evaluated through Review Manager.

RESULTS

We found that SOX4 expression was significantly positive in most types of human cancer tissues, and the positive rate of SOX4 expression was about 78 % in overall cancer tissues. Furthermore, a total of 10 studies which included 1348 cancer patients were included in the final analysis. Meta-analysis showed that SOX4 overexpression was correlated with a poor overall survival and the pooled hazard ratio (HR), and corresponding 95 % confidence interval (CI) was 1.67 (95 % CI 1.01-2.78). From subgroup analyses, we present evidence that SOX4 overexpression was an unfavorable prognostic factor for colorectal cancer patients' recurrence-free survival and gastric cancer patients' overall survival, and the pooled HRs (95 % CI) were 1.73 (95 % CI 1.04-2.88) and 3.74 (95 % CI 1.04-13.45), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, SOX4 is a potential prognostic biomarker in human cancers.

Decreased MT1-MMP in gastric cancer suppressed cell migration and invasion via regulating MMPs and EMT

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been identified to play a significant role in several types of cancers, but little is known about the significance of MT1-MMP in gastric cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the involvement of MT1-MMP in tumor progression of gastric cancer. MT1-MMP expression levels were examined in gastric cancer tissues and cells, and normal gastric tissues and cells. The effects and molecular mechanisms of MT1-MMP expression on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were also explored. In our results, MT1-MMP messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels were significantly increased in gastric cancer tissue. Moreover, the overexpression of MT1-MMP was positively associated with the status of clinical stage and lymph node metastasis through real-time PCR. Furthermore, knocking down MT1-MMP expression significantly suppressed the cell migration and invasion in vitro and regulated the expression of MMPs and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes. In conclusions, our study demonstrates that MT1-MMP was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissue, and reduced expression of MT1-MMP suppressed cell migration, invasion, and through regulating the expression of MMPs and the process of EMT in gastric cancer.

Decreased MT1-MMP in gastric cancer suppressed cell migration and invasion via regulating MMPs and EMT

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been identified to play a significant role in several types of cancers, but little is known about the significance of MT1-MMP in gastric cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the involvement of MT1-MMP in tumor progression of gastric cancer. MT1-MMP expression levels were examined in gastric cancer tissues and cells, and normal gastric tissues and cells. The effects and molecular mechanisms of MT1-MMP expression on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were also explored. In our results, MT1-MMP messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels were significantly increased in gastric cancer tissue. Moreover, the overexpression of MT1-MMP was positively associated with the status of clinical stage and lymph node metastasis through real-time PCR. Furthermore, knocking down MT1-MMP expression significantly suppressed the cell migration and invasion in vitro and regulated the expression of MMPs and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes. In conclusions, our study demonstrates that MT1-MMP was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissue, and reduced expression of MT1-MMP suppressed cell migration, invasion, and through regulating the expression of MMPs and the process of EMT in gastric cancer.

Increased expression of MMP14 correlates with the poor prognosis of Chinese patients with gastric cancer

The role of matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) has been identified to involve tumor progression and prognosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of MMP14 in tumor progression and prognosis of gastric cancer. This study indicated that MMP14 mRNA and protein were overexpressed in gastric cancer tissue (P<0.001 and P=0.037, respectively) and significantly associated with clinical stage (P=0.005), lymph node metastasis (P=0.003), and distant metastasis (P=0.017). Moreover, we found that the overexpression of MMP14 was a significant predictor of poor prognosis for gastric cancer patients (P<0.001). Furthermore, we performed a meta-analysis which included 594 cases from 3 studies and showed that MMP14 overexpression was a significantly poor prognostic factor in Chinese patients with gastric cancer and HR (95% CI) was 2.17 (1.64-2.86). In conclusion, MMP14 plays an important role on gastric cancer progression and prognosis and acts as a convictive biomarker for prognostic prediction for Chinese patients with gastric cancer.

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha promotes the invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis of neuroblastoma cells via targeting matrix metalloproteinase 14

Matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP-14) is the only membrane-anchored MMP that plays critical roles in tumorigenesis and aggressiveness. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the high MMP-14 expression in neuroblastoma (NB), a highly malignant tumor in childhood, still remain unclear. Herein, we applied an integrative approach to analyze the public datasets, and identified hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) as a crucial transcription factor facilitating the MMP-14 expression in NB. In clinical NB tissues, HNF4α was up-regulated and positively correlated with MMP-14 expression, and was an independent prognostic factor for unfavorable outcome of patients. Luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated that HNF4α directly targeted the binding site within the MMP-14 promoter to facilitate its transcription. Knockdown of HNF4α suppressed the invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis of NB cells in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, ectopic expression of HNF4α promoted the invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis of NB cells. Importantly, restoration of MMP-14 expression prevented the tumor cells from HNF4α-mediated changes in these biological features. Taken together, HNF4α exhibits oncogenic activity that affects the aggressiveness and angiogenesis of NB through activating the transcription of MMP-14.