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Wang Y, Li C, Jiang T, Yin Y, Wang Y, Zhao H, Yu L. A comprehensive exploration of twist1 to identify a biomarker for tumor immunity and prognosis in pan-cancer. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e37790. [PMID: 38608058 PMCID: PMC11018223 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000037790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Twist1 has been identified as a critical gene in tumor, but current study of this gene remains limitative. This study aims to investigate its roles and potential mechanisms across pan-cancer. The study used various databases and computational techniques to analyze twist's RNA expression, clinical data, gene mutations, tumor stemness, tumor microenvironment, immune regulation. Furthermore, the experimental method of fluorescence staining was carried out to identify twist1 expression in various tumor masses. After analyzing the protein-protein interaction of TWIST, enrichment analysis and predictive potential drugs were performed, and molecular docking was conducted to validate. We found that twist1 expression was significantly higher in various types of cancer and associated with tumor stage, grade, and poor prognosis in multiple cancers. Differential expression of twist1 was linked to gene mutation, RNA modifications, and tumor stemness. Additionally, twist1 expression was positively associated with tumor immunoregulation and immune checkpoint. Salinomycin, klugline, isocephaelince, manassantin B, and pimonidazole are predictive potential drugs targeting TWIST1. This study revealed that twist1 plays an important role in tumor, and might be a curial marker in tumor diagnose and prognosis. The study also highlighted twist1 as a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment and provided a foundation for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, The first affiliated hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chunhao Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Tianjiao Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yiqiang Yin
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Pathology, Jinan Fourth People’s Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Yaowen Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, The first affiliated hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, China
| | - Liang Yu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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Ma JJ, Xiang C, Zhu HQ, Bai BL, Wang P, Zhao GA. Expression and prognosis analysis of integrin subunit α3 (ITGA3) in papillary thyroid cancer. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23163. [PMID: 38163190 PMCID: PMC10756987 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Integrin subunit α3 (ITGA3) is a member of the integrin family and interacts with extracellular matrix proteins. However, there have been few reports regarding the role of ITGA3 in papillary thyroid cancer. The expression levels of ITGA3 were firstly analyzed by bioinformatics tools and in vitro experiments, followed by evaluating its prognostic significance in papillary thyroid cancer patients using Kaplan-Meier, receiver operating characteristic, and Cox regression analyses. Then, cBioportal and GSCA databases were applied to evaluate genetic alterations of ITGA3. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted and the upstream miRNAs of ITGA3 were determined. The results showed that the ITGA3 mRNA and protein levels were higher in the papillary thyroid cancer group than those in the normal group (all P < 0.05). Moreover, ITGA3 performed well in distinguishing the recurrence-free survival (RFS) status and served as an independent prognostic factor of papillary thyroid cancer patients (P < 0.01). Besides, significant relations between ITGA3 and genetic alterations were observed (FDR <0.01). Functional enrichment analysis indicated ECM-receptor interaction and cell adhesion molecules were the shared regulatory pathways. Moreover, ITGA3 might be the target gene of hsa-miR-3129, hsa-miR-181d, hsa-miR-181b, hsa-miR-199a, and hsa-miR-199b. Of note, the ITGA3 mRNA level was reduced after has-miR-199b-3p/5p was overexpressed. In conclusion, ITGA3 could be a reliable biomarker and have potential value in predicting the RFS status of papillary thyroid cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-jie Ma
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang, China
| | - Cheng Xiang
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang, China
| | - Heng-qing Zhu
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang, China
| | - Bing-long Bai
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guan-an Zhao
- Department of Urology, Lishui City People's Hospital, Lishui 323000, Zhejiang, China
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Ardalan Khales S, Forghanifard MM, Abbaszadegan MR, Hosseini SE. EZH2 deregulates BMP, Hedgehog, and Hippo cell signaling pathways in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Adv Med Sci 2023; 68:21-30. [PMID: 36403545 DOI: 10.1016/j.advms.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cell signaling pathways play central roles in cellular stemness state, and aberrant activation of these cascades is attributed to the severity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In this study, we aimed to determine the potential impact of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) gene on different cell signaling pathways including bone morphogenesis protein (BMP), Hedgehog, and Hippo in ESCC, and to illuminate EZH2-mediated gene regulatory networks in this aggressive malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS EZH2 silencing was performed in two ESCC lines, KYSE-30 and YM-1, followed by gene expression analysis of BMP, Hedgehog, and Hippo signaling using RT-qPCR. EZH2 enforced expression was induced in both cell lines and gene expression of the pathways was evaluated in parallel. The contribution of EZH2 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell migration were also evaluated. RESULTS EZH2 downregulation decreased expression of the vital components of the Hedgehog and Hippo signaling, while EZH2 upregulation significantly increased its levels in both ESCC cell lines. The expression of BMP target genes was either reduced in EZH2-expressing cells or increased in EZH2-silencing cells. Enforced expression of EZH2 stimulated downregulation of epithelial markers and upregulation of mesenchymal markers in KYSE-30 and YM-1 cells. Significant downregulation of mesenchymal markers was detected following the silencing of EZH2 in the cells. Knocking down EZH2 decreased migration, while enforced expression of EZH2 increased migration in both ESCC lines. CONCLUSIONS These results may support the promoting role of EZH2 in ESCC tumorigenesis through the recruitment of important cell signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Seyed Ebrahim Hosseini
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Zand Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz, Iran
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Wang T, Rho O, Eguiarte-Solomon F, DiGiovanni J. Twist1 as a target for prevention of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Carcinog 2023; 62:62-76. [PMID: 36373194 PMCID: PMC9772054 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) represents an important clinical problem requiring novel approaches for both prevention and treatment. The transcription factor, Twist-related protein 1 (Twist1), has been identified as having a key mechanistic role in the development and progression of cSCC. Studies in relevant mouse models of cSCC have shown that Twist1 regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness driving progression and metastasis of cSCC. In addition, further research has shown that Twist1 regulates the balance between keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation and therefore impacts earlier stages of cSCC development. Through use of keratinocyte specific Twist1 knockout models, a role for this gene in keratinocyte stem cell homeostasis has been revealed. As a transcription factor, Twist1 regulates a large number of genes both in a positive, as well as a negative manner across several interdependent pathways. Studies in keratinocyte specific knockout models have shown that Twist1 upregulates the expression of genes involved in proliferation, stemness, and EMT while downregulating the expression of genes associated with differentiation. Furthermore, a number of compounds, including naturally occurring compounds, have been identified that target Twist1 and can block its effects in cancer cells and in keratinocytes in vivo. Collectively, the current understanding of Twist1 function in cSCC development and progression suggests that it represents a potential target for prevention and treatment of cSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingzeng Wang
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
| | - Okkyung Rho
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
| | - Fernando Eguiarte-Solomon
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
| | - John DiGiovanni
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
- Center for Molecular Carcinogenesis and Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
- Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78723, United States
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Izadpanah MH, Forghanifard MM. TWIST1 Plays Role in Expression of Stemness State Markers in ESCC. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13122369. [PMID: 36553636 PMCID: PMC9777594 DOI: 10.3390/genes13122369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stemness markers play critical roles in the maintenance of key properties of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), including the pluripotency, stemness state, and self-renewal capacities, as well as cell fate decision. Some of these features are present in cancer stem cells (CSCs). TWIST1, as a bHLH transcription factor oncogene, is involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in both embryonic and cancer development. Our aim in this study was to investigate the functional correlation between TWIST1 and the involved genes in the process of CSCs self-renewal in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) line KYSE-30. METHODS TWIST1 overexpression was enforced in the ESCC KYSE-30 cells using retroviral vector containing the specific pruf-IRES-GFP-hTWIST1 sequence. Following RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, the mRNA expression profile of TWIST1 and the stem cell markers, including BMI1, CRIPTO1, DPPA2, KLF4, SOX2, NANOG, and MSI1, were assessed using relative comparative real-time PCR. RESULTS Ectopic expression of TWIST1 in KYSE-30 cells resulted in an increased expression of TWIST1 compared to control GFP cells by nearly 9-fold. Transduction of TWIST1-retroviral particles caused a significant enhancement in BMI1, CRIPTO1, DPPA2, KLF4, and SOX2 mRNA expression, approximately 4.5-, 3.2-, 5.5-, 3.5-, and 3.7-folds, respectively, whereas this increased TWIST1 expression caused no change in the mRNA expression of NANOG and MSI1 genes. CONCLUSIONS TWIST1 gene ectopic expression in KYSE-30 cells enhanced the level of cancer stem cell markers' mRNA expression. These results may emphasize the role of TWIST1 in the self-renewal process and may corroborate the involvement of TWIST1 in the stemness state capacity of ESCC cell line KYSE-30, as well as its potential as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hossein Izadpanah
- Division of Human Genetics, Immunology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9196773117, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mahdi Forghanifard
- Department of Biology, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan 3671637849, Iran
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +98-912-711-6027
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Khales SA, Mozaffari-Jovin S, Geerts D, Abbaszadegan MR. TWIST1 activates cancer stem cell marker genes to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumorigenesis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1272. [PMID: 36474162 PMCID: PMC9724315 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10252-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. Overexpression of EMT master transcription factors can promote differentiated cells to undergo cancer reprogramming processes and acquire a stem cell-like status. METHODS The KYSE-30 and YM-1 ESCC cell lines were transduced with retroviruses expressing TWIST1 or GFP and analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and immunostaining to investigate the correlation between TWIST1 and stemness markers expression. Cells expressing TWIST1 were characterized for mRNA candidates by qRT-PCR and for protein candidates by Flow cytometry and Immunocytochemistry. TWIST1-ESCC cells were also evaluated for apoptosis and drug resistance. RESULTS Here we identify a role for TWIST1 in the establishment of ESCC cancer stem cell (CSC)-like phenotype, facilitating the transformation of non-CSCs to CSCs. We provide evidence that TWIST1 expression correlates with the expression of CSC markers in ESCC cell lines. ChIP assay results demonstrated that TWIST1 regulates CSC markers, including CD44, SALL4, NANOG, MEIS1, GDF3, and SOX2, through binding to the E-box sequences in their promoters. TWIST1 promoted EMT through E-cadherin downregulation and vimentin upregulation. Moreover, TWIST1 expression repressed apoptosis in ESCC cells through upregulation of Bcl-2 and downregulation of the Bax protein, and increased ABCG2 and ABCC4 transporters expression, which may lead to drug resistance. CONCLUSIONS These findings support a critical role for TWIST1 in CSC-like generation, EMT progression, and inhibition of apoptosis in ESCC. Thus, TWIST1 represents a therapeutic target for the suppression of esophageal cell transformation to CSCs and ESCC malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sima Ardalan Khales
- grid.411583.a0000 0001 2198 6209Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Sina Mozaffari-Jovin
- grid.411583.a0000 0001 2198 6209Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran ,grid.411583.a0000 0001 2198 6209Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Dirk Geerts
- grid.5650.60000000404654431Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Academic Medical Center, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mohammad Reza Abbaszadegan
- grid.411583.a0000 0001 2198 6209Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran ,grid.411583.a0000 0001 2198 6209Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Xu P, Wang L, Liu Q, Gao P, Hu F, Xie X, Jiang L, Bi R, Ding F, Yang Q, Xiao H. The abnormal expression of circ-ARAP2 promotes ESCC progression through regulating miR-761/FOXM1 axis-mediated stemness and the endothelial-mesenchymal transition. Lab Invest 2022; 20:318. [PMID: 35842667 PMCID: PMC9287963 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03507-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) belong to a novel class of noncoding RNA that gained more attention in human cancer pathogenesis. The role of circRNA in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is largely unclear. Present investigation was to characterize new circRNAs regulating ESCC progression and explore the regulatory mechanisms in ESCC. In this study, circRNAs differentially expressed in ESCC and adjacent normal tissues were characterized via high-throughput sequencing. Then the differentially expressed circRNA between ESCC and adjacent normal tissues were investigated using Rt-qPCR. The role of circ-ARAP2 expression on tumor progression were detected in both in vivo and in vitro. Luciferase reporter assays were used to identify the relationships among circ-ARAP2, microRNA (miR)-761 and the cell cycle regulator Forkhead Box M1 (FOXM1). The result of the expression profile analyses regarding human circRNAs in ESCC demonstrated that circ-ARAP2 was up-regulated significantly in both ESCC tissues and cell lines. Downregulation circ-ARAP2 suppressed ESCC proliferation, tumor growth and metastasis in both in vivo and in vitro. The data also suggested that miR-761 and FOXM1 were circ-ARAP2 downstream targets which were confirmed through luciferase reporter analysis. Overexpression of FOXM1 or inhibiting miR-761 restored ESCC cell proliferation and invasion ability after silencing circ-ARAP2. The study also found that circ-ARAP2 influenced the endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cells differently by regulating miR-761/FOXM1. In one word, the results demonstrated that abnormal circ-ARAP2 expression promoted ESCC progression by regulating miR-761/FOXM1 axis-mediated stemness and EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Xu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Qingtao Liu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Pengkai Gao
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Fengqing Hu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Xiao Xie
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Lianyong Jiang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Rui Bi
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Fangbao Ding
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Qi Yang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Haibo Xiao
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No 1665 Kongjiang Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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Ardalan Khales S, Abbaszadegan MR, Hosseini SE, Forghanifard MM. Contribution of TWIST1-EVX1 Axis in Invasiveness of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; a Functional Study. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 20:e2733. [PMID: 36337061 PMCID: PMC9583822 DOI: 10.30498/ijb.2022.224786.2733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process in embryonic development and cancer progression, and different gene families, such as HOX genes, are closely related to this process. OBJECTIVES Our aim in this study was to investigate the correlation between TWIST1 and EVX1 mRNA expression in ESCC patients and also examine the probable regulatory function of TWIST1 on EVX1 expression in human ESCC cell line. MATERIALS AND METHODS TWIST1 and EVX1 gene expression patterns were assessed in ESCC patients by relative comparative Real-time PCR then correlated with their clinical characteristics. In silico analysis of the EVX1 gene was conducted. KYSE-30 cells were transduced by a retroviral system to ectopically express TWIST1, followed by qRT-PCR to reveal the correlation between TWIST1 and EVX1 gene expression. RESULTS The expression of TWIST1 and EVX1 was correlated to each other significantly (p=0.005) in ESCC. Of 28 patients with under/normal expression of TWIST1, 22 samples (78.57%) had over/normal expression of EVX1. TWIST1 overexpression was correlated with advanced stages of the tumor (III, IV) (P = 0.019) and lymph node metastasis. However, EVX1 under expression was associated with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.027) and invasiveness of the disease (P = 0.037) in ESCC. Furthermore, retroviral transduction enforced significant overexpression of TWIST1 in GFP-hTWIST-1 approximately 9-fold compared to GFP control cells, causing a - 8.83- fold reduction in EVX1 mRNA expression significantly. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated the repressive role of TWIST1 on EVX1 gene expression in ESCC. Therefore, our findings can help dissect the molecular mechanism of ESCC tumorigenesis and discover novel therapeutic targets for ESCC invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Seyed Ebrahim Hosseini
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Zand Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz, Iran
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AKR1C1 Contributes to Cervical Cancer Progression via Regulating TWIST1 Expression. Biochem Genet 2020; 59:516-530. [PMID: 33170398 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-020-10014-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Cervical cancer (CC) is a common gynecological malignancy, accounting for 10% of all gynecological cancers. Recently, targeted therapy for CC has shown unprecedented advantages. To improve CC patients' prognosis, there are still urgent needs to develop more promising therapeutic targets. Aldo-keto reductase 1 family member C1 (AKR1C1) is a type of aldosterone reductase and plays a regulatory role in a variety of key metabolic pathways. Several studies indicated that AKR1C1 was highly expressed in a series of tumors, and participated in the progression of these tumors. However, the possible effects of AKR1C1 on CC progression remain unclear. Herein, we revealed AKR1C1 was highly expressed in human CC tissues and correlated with the clinical characteristics of patients with CC. AKR1C1 could regulate the proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells in vitro. Further experiments showed that AKR1C1 could regulate TWIST1 expression and AKT pathway. In summary, we confirmed the involvement of AKR1C1 in CC progression, and therefore AKR1C1 may have the potential to be a molecular target for CC treatment.
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Fahim Y, Yousefi M, Izadpanah MH, Forghanifard MM. TWIST1 correlates with Notch signaling pathway to develop esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Cell Biochem 2020; 474:181-188. [PMID: 32712748 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-020-03843-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Notch signaling pathway mediates different biological processes including stem cell self-renewal, progenitor cell fate decision, and terminal differentiation. TWIST1 plays a key role in tumor development and metastasis through inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Expression of the core transcriptional complex of Notch pathway and its target genes, as well as TWIST1 overexpression, are closely related to the aggressive clinicopathological variables of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Here we aimed to functionally elucidate probable crosstalk between TWIST1 and Notch pathway in ESCCs. Correlation between TWIST1 and Notch target genes was analyzed in 50 ESCCs and corresponding normal tissues. Using retroviral system, enforced expression of TWIST1 was established in ESCC line KYSE-30 cells and expression of Notch signaling genes was assessed. Significant correlation between TWIST1 and HEY1/HEY2 expression was found in different pathological variable of ESCC poor prognosis. Induced expression of TWIST1 in KYSE-30 cells caused a noteworthy increase of Notch pathway genes expression revealing regulatory role of TWIST1 on Notch signaling genes in the cells. Based on existed correlations between expression of TWIST1 and Notch pathway genes in different pathological features of ESCC patients, as well as KYSE-30 cell line, we may extrapolate that TWIST1 is involved in aggressiveness of the disease through regulation of Notch signaling genes. To the best of knowledge, this is the first report describing the impact of TWIST1 on Notch cascade genes in ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasaman Fahim
- Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mozhgan Yousefi
- Department of Biology, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Cheshmeh-Ali Boulevard, Sa'dei Square, Damghan, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Mahdi Forghanifard
- Department of Biology, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Cheshmeh-Ali Boulevard, Sa'dei Square, Damghan, Iran.
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Ardalan Khales S, Abbaszadegan MR, Majd A, Forghanifard MM. TWIST1 upregulates matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) genes family in esophageal squamous carcinoma cells. Gene Expr Patterns 2020; 37:119127. [PMID: 32711119 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2020.119127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Twist-related protein 1 (TWIST1), a highly conserved basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, stimulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and plays a crucial role in the regulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell-cell adhesion. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the functional correlation between TWIST1 and MMP genes in human ESCC cell lines, KYSE-30 and YM-1. To generate recombinant retroviral particles, the Pruf-IRES-GFP-hTWIST1 was co-transfected into HEK293T along with pGP and pMD2. G as well as Pruf-IRES-GFP control plasmid. Stably transduced high-expressing GFP-hTWIST1 and GFP-control KYSE-30 cells were generated. The produced retroviral particles were transduced into the KYSE-30 and YM-1 ESCC cells. Ectopic expression of TWIST1 mRNA and expression of the MMP genes (MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7, MMP-9, and MMP-10) were examined by relative comparative real-time PCR. In silico analysis of the MMP markers and their promoter elements was explored. Moreover, the scratch wound assay was used to evaluate the migration of TWIST1-induced cells. TWIST1 level was up-regulated by nearly 5-fold and 7.4-fold in GFP-hTWIST1 KYSE-30 and YM-1 cells compared to GFP control cells, respectively. Interestingly, this enforced expression of TWIST1 subsequently caused significant overexpression of transcripts for selected MMP genes in GFP-hTWIST1 in comparison with GFP control cells in both ESCC cell lines. Also, the scratch assay indicated that TWIST1 expression effectively increased the migration of GFP-TWIST1 KYSE-30 cells against GFP KYSE-30 control cells in vitro. The present findings illuminate that TWIST1 may contribute broadly to ESCC development in concert with up-regulation of MMPs expression and further suggest the potential advantage of exerting TWIST1/MMPs signaling axis as a framework from which to expand our understanding about the mechanisms of ESCC tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sima Ardalan Khales
- Department of Biology, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | | | - Ahmad Majd
- Department of Biology, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
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Yin W, Xu J, Li C, Dai X, Wu T, Wen J. Plantamajoside inhibits the proliferation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via modulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1α-dependent gene expression. Cell Biol Int 2020; 44:1616-1627. [PMID: 32239594 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
As a potential antitumor herbal medicine, plantamajoside (PMS) benefits the treatment of many human malignances. However, the role of PMS in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the related molecular mechanisms is still unknown. Here, we proved that the cell viabilities of HepG2 cells were gradually decreased with the increasing concentrations of CoCl2 and/or PMS via cell counting kit-8 assay. Meanwhile, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and western blot assays were used to further confirm that PMS inhibited the CoCl2 -induced cell proliferation in HepG2 cells via suppressing the Ki67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expressions. We also performed wound-healing and transwell assays and demonstrated that PMS inhibited CoCl2 -induced migration and invasion in HepG2 cells via suppressing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. In addition, the use of 3-(5'-hydroxymethyl-2'-furyl)-1-benzylindazole further proved that PMS inhibited the malignant biological behaviors of HepG2 cells under hypoxic condition by suppressing the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression. Besides, we further confirmed that PMS suppressed the growth and metastasis of implanted tumors in vivo. Given that PMS suppressed the proliferation and EMT induced by CoCl2 in HCC cells via downregulating HIF-1α signaling pathway, we provided evidence that PMS might be a novel anti-cancer drug for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhe Yin
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiankui Dai
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Tong Wu
- Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jifeng Wen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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Zhang H, Cui X, Cao A, Li X, Li L. ITGA3 interacts with VASP to regulate stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of breast cancer cells. Gene 2020; 734:144396. [PMID: 31987909 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The interaction of integrin and extracellular matrix (ECM) has a profound implication on pathological conditions such as tumor growth and infiltration. Related reports have confirmed that integrin α3 (ITGA3) influences the development of bladder cancer, head and neck cancer, colorectal cancer and other cancers. However, the mechanism of ITGA3 in breast cancer is unknown. METHODS The impact of ITGA3 on the biological features of breast cancer cells was explored using the Transwell and wound healing assays. In addition, its influence on stemness of breast cancer cells was examined with the sphere formation assay. The possible mechanism by which ITGA3 regulates breast cancer was explored using Western blot. The interaction between ITGA3 and VASP was determined by co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence staining assays. RESULTS Results show that downregulation of ITGA3 promotes breast cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration. Indeed, suppression of ITGA3 negatively regulates the stemness of breast cancer cells and EMT process. Our findings indicate that ITGA3 interacts with VASP and regulates its expression, and knockdown of ITGA3 inhibits the activity of the PI3K-AKT axis. CONCLUSION Our results show that ITGA3-VASP modulates breast cancer cell stemness, EMT and PI3K-AKT pathways. Therefore, ITGA3 might be a druggable target for clinical breast cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Xinye Cui
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, China
| | - An'na Cao
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Xinglong Li
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Lianhong Li
- Department of Pathology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
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