The tumor suppressor RECK interferes with HER-2/Neu dimerization and attenuates its oncogenic signaling

The alternatively spliced RECK transcript variant 3 is a predictor of poor survival for melanoma patients being upregulated in aggressive cell lines and modulating MMP gene expression in vitro

The reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs (RECK) gene was described as a tumor suppressor gene two decades ago. Recently, novel alternatively spliced products of this gene have been identified. Of these, the transcript variant 3 (RECKVar3) was shown to display tumor-facilitating effects in astrocytoma cells in vitro, with a higher RECKVar3/canonical RECK expression ratio being correlated with lower survival rates of patients. However, the regulatory mechanisms through which the cell controls the production and maintenance of these alternative transcripts, as well as their expression in other tumor types, remain elusive. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the role of the alternatively spliced transcripts from the RECK gene in melanoma progression as well as their regulation mechanism. To this end, we analyzed data from the Cancer Genome Atlas network and experimental data obtained from a panel of cell lines to show that high levels of RECKVar3 are predictive of poor survival. We also show that the MAPK and PI3K signaling pathways clearly play a role in determining the alternative-to-canonical ratio in vitro. Finally, we show that overexpression of the RECKVar3 protein upregulates matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-9 and MMP-14 mRNA, while downregulating their inhibitor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)3, and that RECKVar3-specific knockdown in the 1205Lu melanoma cell line hampered upregulation of the MMP9 mRNA promoted by the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126. Taken together, our data complement the evidence that the RECK gene has a dual role in cancer, contributing to better understanding of the signaling cues, which dictate the melanoma invasive potential.

Selective Suppression of Cell Growth and Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 Expression in HT1080 Fibrosarcoma Cells by Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan Extract

Low molecular weight fucoidan extract (LMF), prepared by an abalone glycosidase digestion of a crude fucoidan extracted from Cladosiphon novae-caledoniae Kylin, exhibits various biological activities, including anticancer effect. Various cancers express programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), which is known to play a significant role in evasion of the host immune surveillance system. PD-L1 is also expressed in many types of normal cells for self-protection. Previous research has revealed that selective inhibition of PD-L1 expressed in cancer cells is critical for successful cancer eradication. In the present study, we analyzed whether LMF could regulate PD-L1 expression in HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells. Our results demonstrated that LMF suppressed PD-L1/PD-L2 expression and the growth of HT1080 cancer cells and had no effect on the growth of normal TIG-1 cells. Thus, LMF differentially regulates PD-L1 expression in normal and cancer cells and could serve as an alternative complementary agent for treatment of cancers with high PD-L1 expression.

Reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs and its regulation by glycogen synthase kinase 3 signaling in oral cancer

The reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3) are novel tumor suppressors, and emerging evidence has suggested their active role in oral cancer pathogenesis. In the present study, 112 human samples, including 55 fresh samples of 14 adjacent normal tissues, 25 noninvasive oral tumors, and 18 invasive tumors, were included. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression, protein expression, and promoter methylation of the RECK gene, as well as the expression of GSK3β, phospho/total β-catenin, and c-myc, were measured by RT-PCR, bisulphate modification-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis. Additionally, ectopic expression of in/active GSK3β was performed in cell culture experiments. This study provided information on the progressive silencing of RECK gene expression at the protein and mRNA levels paralleled with promoter hypermethylation at various stages of oral tumor invasion. RECK expression and the hypermethylation of the RECK gene promoter were negatively and positively correlated with pS⁹GSK3β/c-myc expression, respectively. Further, a negative trend of RECK protein expression with nuclear β-catenin expression was observed. Induced expression of active GSK3β reversed the RECK silencing in SCC9 cells. Collectively, our results demonstrated that the silencing of the RECK gene, possibly regulated by the GSK3β pathway, is an important event in oral cancer invasion and this pathway could be exploited for therapeutic interventions.

SPINK6 Promotes Metastasis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma via Binding and Activation of Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma has the highest rate of metastasis among head and neck cancers, and distant metastasis is the major reason for treatment failure. The underlying molecular mechanisms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastasis are not fully understood. Here, we report the identification of serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 6 (SPINK6) as a functional regulator of nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastasis via EGFR signaling. SPINK6 mRNA was upregulated in tumor and highly metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Immunohistochemical staining of 534 nasopharyngeal carcinomas revealed elevated SPINK6 expression as an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for overall, disease-free, and distant metastasis-free survival. Ectopic SPINK6 expression promoted in vitro migration and invasion as well as in vivo lymph node metastasis and liver metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, whereas silencing SPINK6 exhibited opposing effects. SPINK6 enhanced epithelial-mesenchymal transition by activating EGFR and the downstream AKT pathway. Inhibition of EGFR with a neutralizing antibody or erlotinib reversed SPINK6-induced nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell migration and invasion. Erlotinib also inhibited SPINK6-induced metastasis in vivo Notably, SPINK6 bound to the EGFR extracellular domain independent of serine protease-inhibitory activity. Overall, our results identified a novel EGFR-activating mechanism in which SPINK6 has a critical role in promoting nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastasis, with possible implications as a prognostic indicator in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Cancer Res; 77(2); 579-89. ©2016 AACR.

Heregulin-HER3-HER2 signaling promotes matrix metalloproteinase-dependent blood-brain-barrier transendothelial migration of human breast cancer cell lines

HER2-positive breast tumors are associated with a high risk of brain relapse. HER3 is thought to be an indispensible signaling substrate for HER2 (encoded by ERBB2) and is induced in breast cancer-brain metastases, though the molecular mechanisms by which this oncogenic dimer promotes the development of brain metastases are still elusive. We studied the effects of the HER3-HER2 ligand, heregulin (neuregulin-1, broadly expressed in the brain), on luminal breast cancer cell lines in vitro. Treatment of SKBr3 (ERBB2-amplified), MDA-MB-361 (ERBB2-amplified, metastatic brain tumor-derived) and MCF7 (HER2-positive, not ERBB2-amplified) cells with exogenous heregulin increased proliferation and adhesive potential, concomitant with induction of cyclin D1 and ICAM-1, and suppression of p27. All three cell lines invaded through matrigel toward a heregulin chemotactic signal in transwell experiments, associated with activation of extracellular cathepsin B and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Moreover, heregulin induced breast cancer cell transmigration across a tight barrier of primary human brain microvascular endothelia. This was dependent on the activity of HER2, HER3 and MMPs, and was completely abrogated by combination HER2-HER3 blockade using Herceptin^® and the humanized HER3 monoclonal antibody, EV20. Collectively these data suggest mechanisms by which the HER3-HER2 dimer promotes development of metastatic tumors in the heregulin-rich brain microenvironment.

Reck enables cerebrovascular development by promoting canonical Wnt signaling

The cerebral vasculature provides the massive blood supply that the brain needs to grow and survive. By acquiring distinctive cellular and molecular characteristics it becomes the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a selectively permeable and protective interface between the brain and the peripheral circulation that maintains the extracellular milieu permissive for neuronal activity. Accordingly, there is great interest in uncovering the mechanisms that modulate the formation and differentiation of the brain vasculature. By performing a forward genetic screen in zebrafish we isolated no food for thought (nft (y72)), a recessive late-lethal mutant that lacks most of the intracerebral central arteries (CtAs), but not other brain blood vessels. We found that the cerebral vascularization deficit of nft (y72) mutants is caused by an inactivating lesion in reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs [reck; also known as suppressor of tumorigenicity 15 protein (ST15)], which encodes a membrane-anchored tumor suppressor glycoprotein. Our findings highlight Reck as a novel and pivotal modulator of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway that acts in endothelial cells to enable intracerebral vascularization and proper expression of molecular markers associated with BBB formation. Additional studies with cultured endothelial cells suggest that, in other contexts, Reck impacts vascular biology via the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) cascade. Together, our findings have broad implications for both vascular and cancer biology.

RECK is not an independent prognostic marker for breast cancer

Background

The REversion-inducing Cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motif (RECK) is a well-known inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and cellular invasion. Although high expression levels of RECK have already been correlated with a better clinical outcome for several tumor types, its main function, as well as its potential prognostic value for breast cancer patients, remain unclear.

Methods

The RECK expression profile was investigated in a panel of human breast cell lines with distinct aggressiveness potential. RECK functional analysis was undertaken using RNA interference methodology. RECK protein levels were also analyzed in 1040 cases of breast cancer using immunohistochemistry and tissue microarrays (TMAs). The association between RECK expression and different clinico-pathological parameters, as well as the overall (OS) and disease-free (DFS) survival rates, were evaluated.

Results

Higher RECK protein expression levels were detected in more aggressive breast cancer cell lines (T4-2, MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T) than in non-invasive (MCF-7 and T47D) and non-tumorigenic (S1) cell lines. Indeed, silencing RECK in MDA-MB-231 cells resulted in elevated levels of pro-MMP-9 and increased invasion compared with scrambled (control) cells, without any effect on cell proliferation. Surprisingly, by RECK immunoreactivity analysis on TMAs, we found no association between RECK positivity and survival (OS and DFS) in breast cancer patients. Even considering the different tumor subtypes (luminal A, luminal B, Her2 type and basal-like) or lymph node status, RECK remained ineffective for predicting the disease outcome. Moreover, by multivariate Cox regression analysis, we found that RECK has no prognostic impact for OS and DFS, relative to standard clinical variables.

Conclusions

Although it continues to serve as an invasion and MMP inhibitor in breast cancer, RECK expression analysis is not useful for prognosis of these patients.

RECK inhibits stemness gene expression and tumorigenicity of gastric cancer cells by suppressing ADAM-mediated Notch1 activation

The Reversion-inducing Cysteine-rich Protein with Kazal Motifs (RECK) gene encodes a membrane-anchored glycoprotein that exhibits strong inhibitory activity against various matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10). RECK functions as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. However, whether RECK can modulate the stem-like phenotypes of cancer cells is not known. In this study, we demonstrate that RECK is down-regulated in gastric cancer cells and is further reduced in CD133-positive cancer stem-like cells. Ectopic expression of RECK induces down-regulation of the expression of stemness genes including Sox2, Oct4, and Nanog and the cancer stem cell marker CD133. Treatment of DAPT (a γ-secretase inhibitor) or TAPI-2 (a hydroxamate-based inhibitor of MMPs, tumor necrosis factor α converting enzyme and ADAM17) reduces Notch1 shedding and activation which results in attenuation of stemness genes and CD133. Our data show that ADAM10 and ADAM17 are co-pulled down by RECK suggesting a physical interaction between RECK and ADAMs on cell surface. In addition, RECK suppresses sphere formation and sphere size of CD133-positive gastric cancer cells. Overexpression of Notch intracellular domain (NICD) or ADAM17 effectively reverse the inhibitory effect of RECK in CD133-positive cells. More importantly, RECK reduces tumorigenic activity of CD133-positive cells in vivo. Conversely, knockdown of RECK in non-tumorigenic GI2 cells increases stemness and CD133 expression and sphere forming ability. Collectively, these results indicate that RECK represses stemness gene expression and stem-like properties by inhibiting ADAM-mediated Notch1 shedding and activation.

Up-regulation of miR-182 by β-catenin in breast cancer increases tumorigenicity and invasiveness by targeting the matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor RECK

BACKGROUND

MiR-182 is a member of the miR-183 cluster located at human chromosome 7q32 region and is up-regulated in human cancers. We study the regulation of miR-182 expression and its oncogenic role.

METHODS

MiR-182 level was investigated by real-time reverse transcription-PCR. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay was used to confirm promoter binding of transcription factors. The correlation between miR-182 and RECK was analyzed by Western blotting, real-time RT-PCR and 3(')-untranslated region reporter assay. Zymography, matrix metalloproteinase activity, invasion and colony formation were used to study the tumorigenic activity.

RESULTS

MiR-182 is over-expressed in human breast tumor tissues and cell lines. Inhibition or knockdown of β-catenin reduced miR-182 level in MDA-MB-231 cells. ChIP assay confirmed the binding of β-catenin on miR-182 promoter. Anti-miR-182 increased the MMP inhibitor RECK protein in MDA-MB-231 cells while pre-miR-182 reduced RECK protein but not mRNA in normal mammary epithelial H184B5F5/M10 cells. Restoration of RECK protein by anti-miR-182 attenuated MMP-9 activity, cell invasion and colony formation. Ectopic expression of miR-182 inhibited restoration of RECK protein by β-catenin inhibitor indicating miR-182 is important for β-catenin-induced down-regulation of RECK. An inverse association between miR-182 and RECK was demonstrated in breast tumor tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

We provide evidence that miR-182 is up-regulated by β-catenin signaling pathway in breast cancer and its up-regulation increases tumorigenicity and invasiveness by repressing RECK.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Our data demonstrate for the first time that miR-182 expression is controlled by β-catenin. In addition, we identify a new miR-182 target RECK which is important for miR-182-induced tumorigenesis.

RECK overexpression decreases invasive potential in prostate cancer cells

BACKGROUND

RECK is a tumor suppressor which inhibits metastasis and angiogenesis. Based on RECK expression in prostate cancer tissue and cell lines, our aim was to investigate functional relevance of RECK for prostate carcinoma.

METHODS

RECK protein levels were determined by Western blotting in the human prostate cell lines BPH-1, DU-145, LNCaP, PC-3, and in tissue of 12 normal/tumor matches of patients after radical prostatectomy. Functional characteristics of DU-145 cells with stable RECK overexpression included proliferation, invasion, regulation of matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-14 measured by zymography (MMP-2 and -9) or commercially available assays.

RESULTS

RECK was expressed in cell lines and tissue with a significant decrease in malignant tissue (P = 0.002). RECK overexpression caused an up to 80% decrease in invasion for DU-145 cells (P < 0.001) and a decrease of pro-MMP-9 (42%) and of pro-/active MMP-14 (up to 53% of control). Proliferation was not affected by RECK overexpression.

CONCLUSIONS

The considerable anti-invasive potential of RECK points to new therapeutic possibilities for prostate cancer.