Cortactin and phosphorylated cortactin tyr466 expression in temporal bone carcinoma

Cancer associated fibroblast derived SLIT2 drives gastric cancer cell metastasis by activating NEK9

The secretory properties of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play predominant roles in shaping a pro-metastatic tumor microenvironment. The present study demonstrated that SLIT2, an axon guidance protein, produced by CAFs and promoted gastric cancer (GC) metastasis in two gastric cancer cell lines (AGS and MKN45) by binding to roundabout guidance receptor 1 (ROBO1). Mass-spectrometry analysis revealed that ROBO1 could interact with NEK9, a serine/threonine kinase. And their mutual binding activities were further enhanced by SLIT2. Domain analysis revealed the kinase domain of NEK9 was critical in its interaction with the intracellular domain (ICD) of ROBO1, and it also directly phosphorylated tripartite motif containing 28 (TRIM28) and cortactin (CTTN) in AGS and MKN45 cells. TRIM28 function as a transcriptional elongation factor, which directly facilitate CTTN activation. In addition, Bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation identified transcriptional regulation of STAT3 and NF-κB p100 by TRIM28, and a synergetic transcription of CTTN by STAT3 and NF-κB p100 was also observed in AGS and MKN45. Therefore, CAF-derived SLIT2 increased the expression and phosphorylation levels of CTTN, which induced cytoskeletal reorganization and GC cells metastasis. A simultaneous increase in the expression levels of NEK9, TRIM28 and CTTN was found in metastatic GC lesions compared with paired non-cancerous tissues and primary cancer lesions via IHC and Multiplex IHC. The analysis of the data from a cohort of patients with GC revealed that increased levels of NEK9, TRIM28 and CTTN were associated with a decreased overall survival rate. On the whole, these findings revealed the connections of CAFs and cancer cells through SLIT2/ROBO1 and inflammatory signaling, and the key molecules involved in this process may serve as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for GC.

Temporal Bone Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Molecular Markers Involved in Carcinogenesis, Behavior, and Prognosis: A Systematic Review

Temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (TBSCC) is an uncommon malignancy with a poor prognosis in advanced cases. The dismal outcome of advanced TBSSC cases is largely due to the cancer’s local aggressiveness and the complex anatomy of this region, as well as to persistent pitfalls in diagnosis and treatment. Molecular changes occur in malignancies before any morphological changes become visible, and are responsible for the disease’s clinical behavior. The main purpose of this critical systematic review is to assess the level of knowledge on the molecular markers involved in the biology, behavior, and prognosis of TBSCC. A search (updated to March 2022) was run in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases without publication date limits for studies investigating molecular markers in cohorts of patients with primary TBSCC. The search terms used were: “temporal bone” OR “external auditory canal” OR “ear”, AND “cancer” OR “carcinoma” OR “malignancy”. We preliminarily decided not to consider series with less than five cases. Twenty-four case series of TBSCC were found in which different analytical techniques had been used to study the role of several biomarkers. In conclusion, only very limited information on the prognostic role of molecular markers in TBSCC are currently available; prospective, multi-institutional, international prognostic studies should be planned to identify the molecular markers involved in the clinical behavior and prognosis of TBSCC. A further, more ambitious goal would be to find targets for therapeutic agents able to improve disease-specific survival in patients with advanced TBSCC.

Cortactin in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Cortactin, a member of the actin-binding protein family, plays an important role in cell movement involving the cytoskeleton, as cell movement mediated by cortactin may induce the epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Cortactin participates in tumor proliferation, migration, and invasion and other related disease processes by binding to different proteins and participating in different pathways and mechanisms that induce the occurrence of these disease processes. Therefore, this article reviews the correlations between cortactin, the actin cytoskeleton, and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition and discusses its clinical importance in tumor therapy.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone: A current review

OBJECTIVES

The rarity of temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (TBSCC) precludes a clear understanding of the disease and approach to its management. This review provides general background on the disease and discusses the current and emerging oncologic and rehabilitative management options.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed literature review.

METHODS

A review of the current literature was conducted to assess and collate up-to-date information regarding TBSCC management.

RESULTS

TBSCC is a rare and aggressive disease arising in the ear canal, temporal bone, or extratemporal sites. Prior radiation, chronic ear disease, or habitual ear picking may contribute to primary disease development. Because the symptoms of TBSCC and benign otologic disease are similar, TBSCC diagnosis may be delayed, allowing the tumor time to spread throughout the anatomically intricate temporal bone. The extent of the disease is determined based on imaging and is usually staged with the Pittsburgh Staging System. Temporal bone resection with parotidectomy and neck dissection is the current standard of care. Survival is generally good for early disease and poor for advanced disease, but chemotherapy is emerging as a promising treatment option. Auditory rehabilitation with osseointegrated hearing aids is recommended at initial oncologic resection.

CONCLUSIONS

The knowledge of and outcomes for TBSCC have improved with time, but because of the aggressive nature of the disease and the anatomic intricacy of the temporal bone, TBSCC treatment is complex and should be delivered by a multidisciplinary team. Inter-institutional collaboration may accelerate research for this rare disease.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

5.

Cortactin expression in nasal polyps of Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD) patients

PURPOSE

The term aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) refers to a combination of asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), and acute respiratory tract reactions to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. AERD has now been included among the CRSwNP endotypes, and is considered one of the most aggressive in terms of disease recurrence. Cortactin is a multi-domain protein with a part in several cellular mechanisms involving actin assembly and cytoskeleton arrangement. Cortactin seems to have a role in inflammatory responses and to be implicated in human airway secretion and contraction mechanisms. The novel aim of the present study was to examine cortactin expression in nasal polyps of a consecutive cohort of AERD patients and in nasal mucosa of a control group of patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cortactin expression was assessed immunohistochemically in nasal polyps from 18 consecutive AERD patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery and in nasal mucosa of 19 patients without chronic rhinosinusitis.

RESULTS

Concomitant allergy was found in 11 AERD patients, most of them male (8 cases; p = 0.02). Cortactin expression in nasal polyps was definitely high (+3) in 17 out of 18 cases, in both epithelial cells (cytoplasmic and membranous immunoreactivity) and activated fibroblasts. A higher cortactin expression was seen in female than in male AERD patients (p = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Given this preliminary evidence of cortactin upregulation in the polyps of AERD patients, prospective studies could further investigate the role of cortactin in the biology of AERD, and the potential role of cortactin-targeted approaches in integrated AERD treatments.

Survivin and cortactin expression in sinonasal schneiderian (inverted) papilloma and associated carcinoma

Background:

Sinonasal inverted (schneiderian) papilloma (IP) is histologically benign but shows a propensity for malignant transformation. Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of the apoptosis family of proteins that controls cell division, apoptosis, metastasis, and, probably, also neoangiogenesis, is overexpressed in essentially all human cancers. Overexpression of the multidomain protein cortactin has also been associated with increased cell migration, invasion, and metastatic potential in several malignancies.

Objective:

The aim of the present study was to preliminarily investigate survivin and cortactin expression in a consecutive series of sinonasal IPs, and IP-associated squamous cell carcinomas (SCC).

Methods:

Immunohistochemical expression of nuclear survivin and cortactin was measured in 19 consecutive sinonasal IPs and 3 IP-associated SCCs.

Results:

The mean ± standard deviation nuclear survivin expression was 9.4 ± 9.2% and 31.7% ± 15.4% in sinonasal IPs and SCCs, respectively (p < 0.0001). Results of cortactin immunostaining was strongly positive in the cytoplasm of both sinonasal IPs and SCCs: no significant difference emerged between the IP and SCC epithelial components.

Conclusion:

Nuclear survivin expression was significantly higher in SCCs than in IPs. Prospective, multi-institutional prognostic studies, preferably on an international scale (given the few cases treated at single institutions), are needed to confirm the role of survivin in IP malignant transformation.

Cortactin in cancer cell migration and invasion

Cortactin, a substrate of sarcoma (Src) kinases, is an actin-binding protein that is involved in cytoskeletal regulation, and is frequently overexpressed in cancer cells. Binding to the actin related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3) complex stimulates cortactin activity, which promotes F-actin nucleation and assembly. Cortactin promotes cancer cell migration and invasion, and plays a pivotal role in invadopodia formation and extra cellular matrix degradation. Overexpression of cortactin, by amplification of the chromosomal band 11q13, increases tumor aggressiveness. In this review, we report on the current knowledge and potential mechanisms of action of cortactin as a critical mediator of cancer cell migration and invasion.

Cortactin and phosphorylated cortactin tyr421 and tyr466 expression in supraglottic laryngeal carcinomas and lymph node metastases

Background:

The most important adverse prognostic factor for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the presence of cervical lymph node metastases. The supraglottic area of the larynx is richly supplied with lymphatics, and 25%-75% of supraglottic carcinomas metastasize in neck lymph nodes. Cortactin is a multidomain protein related to actin cytoskeleton regulation, podosome and lamellipodia formation, integrin signaling, axon guidance and extracellular matrix degradation. Cortactin is involved in metastasis formation because of its role in cell mobility. The present study focused mainly on the role of cortactin and phosphorylated cortactin (residues tyr421 and tyr466) expression and subcellular localization in primary supraglottic LSCCs and their cervical lymph node metastases.

Methods:

The immunohistochemical expression of cortactin, p-Y466-cortactin and p-Y421-cortactin was assessed in 38 primary supraglottic LSCCs and 10 lymph node metastases. The statistical approach included bootstrapping analysis.

Results:

Despite a significantly higher expression of cortactin in carcinoma cells than in adjacent normal laryngeal mucosa, no associations emerged between prognosis and the expression of cortactin or its isoforms in supraglottic LSCC. Statistical analysis found cortactin expression higher in less-differentiated LSCCs (p = 0.03). A significant direct correlation was found between cortactin and p-Y466-cortactin levels (p = 0.031), and between p-Y466-cortactin and p-Y421-cortactin levels (p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

Cortactin expression in carcinoma cells and its known involvement in the EGFR pathway suggest a role for this protein as a target for LSCC therapy. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate the potential of cortactin, p-Y466-cortactin and p-Y421-cortactin expression as markers of response to treatment (particularly EGFR-directed agents) in LSCC.