CTHRC1 acts as a prognostic factor and promotes invasiveness of gastrointestinal stromal tumors by activating Wnt/PCP-Rho signaling

The role and molecular mechanism of CTHRC1 in fibrosis

Fibrosis, a pathological state characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components, is primarily driven by the overactivation of fibroblasts. This condition becomes particularly pronounced under chronic inflammatory conditions. Fibrosis can occur in several tissues throughout the body. Among the notable discoveries in the study of fibrosis is the role of Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing-1 (CTHRC1), a protein that has emerged as a critical regulator in the fibrotic process. CTHRC1 is rapidly expressed on the outer membrane of fibroblasts and intimal smooth muscle cells following vascular injury, such as that induced by balloon angioplasty. This expression denotes the organism efforts to repair and restructure compromised tissue, signifying a critical component of the tissue repair mechanism in reaction to fibrosis. It plays a pivotal role in promoting cell migration and aiding tissue repair post-injury, contributing significantly to various pathophysiological processes including revascularization, bone formation, developmental morphological changes, inflammatory arthritis, and the progression of cancer. Significantly, researchers have observed marked expression of CTHRC1 across a variety of fibrotic conditions, closely associating it with the progression of the disease. Intervention with CTHRC1 can affect the occurrence and progression of fibrosis. This review aims to comprehensively explore the role and underlying mechanisms of CTHRC1 in fibrotic diseases, highlighting its potential as a key target for therapeutic interventions.

CTHRC1, a novel gene with multiple functions in physiology, disease and solid tumors (Review)

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is a gene discovered in 2005; it is highly conserved, and no homologous proteins have been disclosed thus far. A number of studies have shown that CTHRC1 is present in normal tissues and organs, and it has vital functions in physiological processes, including participating in the regulation of metabolism, arterial remodeling, bone formation and myelination of the peripheral nervous system. It has been reported that abnormal expression of CTHRC1 is involved in the carcinogenesis of various human organs, such as the breast, colon, pancreas, lung, stomach and liver. Therefore, the present review aims to collate all known findings and results on the regulation of CTHRC1 expression and related signaling pathways. To conclude, this review also provides a hypothesis of the functional mechanism of this gene.

CTHRC1 is associated with immune cell infiltration and functions as an adverse marker for prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is a secreted glycoprotein that decreases the deposition of collagen matrix and accelerates tumor metastasis. However, the relationship between CTHRC1 and the outcomes of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes remains unclear. In the present study, the transcriptional level of CTHRC1 and its association with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) time in diverse cancer types were evaluated using The Cancer Genome Atlas, Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), ONCOMINE and Kaplan-Meier plotter databases. The association of CTHRC1 expression level with the clinicopathological parameters of patients with HNSCC from The University of ALabama at Birmingham CANcer data analysis Portal (UALCAN) database were also evaluated. Enrichment analysis of CTHRC1 was carried out using gene set enrichment analysis software. CIBERSORT and TIMER databases were used to evaluate the relationship between the expression level of CTHRC1 and the proportion of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) in multiple cancer types. Moreover, immunohistochemistry was used to verify the expression of CTHRC1 in clinical samples of HNSCC. CTHRC1 was upregulated in HNSCC and high expression of CTHRC1 was associated with worsening clinicopathologic parameters and shorter OS and RFS times. There were eight HALLMARK gene sets, 1,231 immune signature gene sets and 14 KEGG gene sets significantly enriched in the high CTHRC1 expression group, while no gene set was enriched in the low CTHRC1 expression group. The expression of CTHRC1 was closely correlated with the proportion of TICs, where the expression of CTHRC1 was significantly positively correlated with the amount of infiltrated M0 and M2 macrophages, and significantly negatively associated with the levels of M1 macrophages. These findings suggest that CTHRC1 is an adverse prognostic marker and is associated with immune cell infiltration in HNSCC.

Cthrc1 deficiency aggravates wound healing and promotes cardiac rupture after myocardial infarction via non-canonical WNT5A signaling pathway

Cardiac fibroblasts are crucial for scar formation and cardiac repair after myocardial infarction (MI). Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1), an extracellular matrix protein, is involved in the pathogenesis of vascular remodeling, bone formation, and tumor progression. However, the role and underlying mechanism of CTHRC1 in post-MI wound repair are not fully clear. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated CTHRC1 up-regulation in cardiac fibroblasts after ischemic cardiac injury. Serum levels of CTHRC1 were increased in MI mice and CTHRC1 expression was up-regulated in cardiac fibroblasts after MI. In vitro results showed that the induction of CTHRC1 expression in cardiac fibroblasts was mediated by canonical TGFβ1-Smad2/3 signaling axis. Moreover, CTHRC1 improved wound healing and boosted cardiac fibroblast activation in vitro. Cthrc1 deficiency aggravated cardiac function and reduced collagen deposition as well as increased mortality attributable to cardiac rupture after MI. Consistent with above phenotypes, reduced the levels of myocardial CD31, α-smooth muscle actin, collagen I, and collagen III was observed, whereas myocardial expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and matrix metalloproteinase 9 were increased in Cthrc1 knockout mice post-MI. Above effects could be partly reversed by rCTHRC1 protein or rWNT5A protein. Our study indicates that cardiac fibroblast-derived, canonical TGFβ1-Smad2/3-dependent CTHRC1 could improve wound repair and prevent cardiac rupture after MI via selectively activating non-canonical WNT5A-PCP signaling pathway.

CTHRC1 targeted by miR-30a-5p regulates cell adhesion, invasion and migration in lung adenocarcinoma

The morbidity of lung cancer ranks first among all cancers. Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a classification of lung cancer, and cell invasion and migration of LUAD are the main causes for its high mortality. Therefore, further exploring the potential mechanism of LUAD metastasis may provide bases for following targeted drug development and treatment of LUAD. In this study, clinical data as well as gene expression profiles were obtained from TCGA-LUAD and GEO to analyze CTHRC1 expression. The result found that CTHRC1 was significantly high in LUAD. Similar results were also discovered in 4 cancer cell lines. Moreover, overexpressed/knock-down CTHRC1 cell lines were constructed. It was uncovered that overexpressing CTHRC1 promoted LUAD cell migration and invasion, and inhibited cell adhesion, while knocked down CTHRC1 had the opposite effect. Afterward, the upstream miRNAs that regulated CTHRC1 were predicted by several bioinformatics websites. It was testified by dual-luciferase method that CTHRC1 was negatively mediated by miR-30a-5p. Overexpressed miR-30a-5p suppressed cell invasion/migration, and increased cell adhesion, while overexpressing CTHRC1 as well reversed such impacts. In conclusion, it was disclosed in this study that CTHRC1 worked as a cancer promoter in LUAD, and miR-30a-5p could target and downregulate CTHRC1 to regulate cell adhesion, and inhibited LUAD cell invasion and migration. These results elucidated at cellular level that upregulated CTHRC1 may be a marker protein for LUAD metastasis.

Application Potential of CTHRC1 as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Indicator for Colon Adenocarcinoma

Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), ranking third in incidence and second in mortality, is one of the most common cancer types in the world. The initial stages of COAD usually show no obvious clinical symptoms; moreover, effective screening or diagnostic indicators with high sensitivity and specificity are lacking, which often leads to missed treatment opportunities. Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is a glycosylated protein secreted during tissue repair, which reduces collagen matrix deposition and promotes cell migration. Under physiological conditions, the expression of CTHRC1 is conducive to wound healing; however, the pathological overexpression of CTHRC1 promotes tumour growth and proliferation. In this study, we evaluated the application potential of CTHRC1 as an early diagnosis and prognostic survival monitoring biomarker for COAD in addition to unravelling its molecular mechanism in the development of COAD and exploring new therapeutic targets. Therefore, various tumour databases were used to investigate the expression of CTHRC1 in COAD at the mRNA and protein levels. CTHRC1 expression was found to be significantly increased in COAD, regardless of clinical cancer stage, age, sex or race. Moreover, CTHRC1 expression was significantly correlated with poor prognosis and positively correlated with CD8⁺ T cell, CD4⁺ T cell, neutrophil, macrophage and dendritic cell infiltration. The relevant function pathways and neighbouring proteins to CTHRC1 in COAD were identified as ROR2, VAPA, LY6E and several collagen family proteins. Therefore, this study suggests that CTHRC1 is a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for patients with COAD.

EGF-induced nuclear translocation of SHCBP1 promotes bladder cancer progression through inhibiting RACGAP1-mediated RAC1 inactivation

Bladder cancer is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. EGF/EGFR activation causes the detachment of SHC-binding protein 1 (SHCBP1) from SHC adapter protein 1 (SHC1), which subsequently translocates into the nucleus and promotes cancer development via multiple signaling pathways. However, the role of the EGF-SHCBP1 axis in bladder cancer progression remains unexplored. Herein, we report that SHCBP1 is upregulated in bladder cancer tissues and cells, with cytoplasmic or nuclear localization. Released SHCBP1 responds to EGF stimulation by translocating into the nucleus following Ser273 phosphorylation. Depletion of SHCBP1 reduces EGF-induced cell migration and invasiveness of bladder cancer cells. Mechanistically, SHCBP1 binds to RACGAP1 via its N-terminal domain of amino acids 1 ~ 428, and this interaction is enhanced following EGF treatment. Furthermore, SHCBP1 facilitates cell migration by inhibiting RACGAP-mediated GTP-RAC1 inactivation, whose activity is indispensable for cell movement. Collectively, we demonstrate that the EGF-SHCBP1-RACGAP1-RAC1 axis acts as a novel regulatory mechanism of bladder cancer progression, which offers a new clinical therapeutic strategy to combat bladder cancer.

CTHRC1 facilitates bladder cancer cell proliferation and invasion through regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

INTRODUCTION

Emerging evidence has illustrated that Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is crucial for tumorigenesis and development. However, the effects of CTHRC1 on bladder cancer progression remain largely unclear. Here, we aim to investigate the function and mechanism of CTHRC1 in behaviors of bladder cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Interference assays were applied to determine the biological functions of CTHRC1. The expression of CTHRC1 was examined by quantitative real time-PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blot and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. Effects of CTHRC1 on proliferation, migration and invasion were evaluated by CCK-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, EdU staining, wound healing, transwell and western blot assays. Bladder cancer cells transfected with sh-CTHRC1 were injected into nude mice to explore the effect of CTHRC1 on tumorigenesis in vivo.

RESULTS

CTHRC1 expression was increased in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines compared with normal controls, and associated with advanced clinical stage and lymph node metastasis. Also, patients with high levels of CTHRC1 expression were found to have a poor prognosis. Knockdown of CTHRC1 alleviated bladder cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and impeded tumorigenesis in vivo. Moreover, mechanistic investigation indicated that CTHRC1 could regulate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrated that CTHRC1 played an oncogenic role in bladder cancer by modulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which sheds novel light on diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer.

Pan-cancer analysis combined with experiments predicts CTHRC1 as a therapeutic target for human cancers

BACKGROUND

The function of collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) as an oncogene has been reported in a growing number of publications. Bioinformatics methods represent a beneficial approach to examine the mechanism and function of the CTHRC1 gene in the disease process of cancers from a pan-cancer perspective.

METHODS

In this study, using the online databases UCSC, NCBI, HPA, TIMER2, Oncomine, GEPIA, UALCAN, cBioPortal, COSMIC, MEXPRESS, STRING, CCLE, LinkedOmics, GTEx, TCGA, CGGA, and SangerBox, we focused on the relationship between CTHRC1 and tumorigenesis, progression, methylation, immunity, and prognosis. qPCR was used to detect CTHRC1 expression in glioma tissues and cell lines.

RESULTS

The pan-cancer analysis showed that CTHRC1 was overexpressed in most tumors, and a significant correlation was observed between CTHRC1 expression and the prognosis of patients with cancer. CTHRC1 genetic alterations occur in diverse tumors and are associated with tumor progression. Levels of CTHRC1 promoter methylation were decreased in most cancer tissues compared with normal tissues. In addition, CTHRC1 coordinated the activity of ICP genes through diverse signal transduction pathways, was also associated with immune cell infiltration and the tumor microenvironment, and potentially represented a promising immunotherapy target. We identified CTHRC1-related genes across cancers using the GEPIA2 tool. The single-gene GO analysis of CTHRC1 across cancers showed that it was involved in some signaling pathways and biological processes, such as the Wnt signaling pathway, cell migration, and positive regulation of protein binding. The expression and function of CTHRC1 were also further verified in glioma tissues and cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS

CTHRC1 is overexpressed in various cancer types and functions as an important oncogene that may promote tumorigenesis and development through different mechanisms. CTHRC1 may represent an important therapeutic target for human cancers.

Cancer-associated fibroblast-secreted collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 promotes breast cancer cell migration, invasiveness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are continuously activated and are one of the most important cellular components of the tumor matrix. The role of CAFs in the tumor microenvironment has been widely recognized. However, the underlying molecular mechanism by which CAFs promote tumor characteristics in breast cancer (BC) remains poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential mechanisms and the possible pathways of collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of BC cells. The level of CTHRC1 in BC tissues was found to be higher than that in adjacent-normal tissues. CAFs isolated from BC tissues secreted significantly greater amounts of CTHRC1 than normal fibroblasts. Furthermore, CAFs promoted the migration, invasiveness and EMT of BC cells by secreting CTHRC1, which activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. However, the use of neutralizing antibodies towards CTHRC1, or the specific inhibitor Dickkopf-1, to inhibit the Wnt/β catenin pathway significantly alleviated the CAF-induced malignant phenotypes of BC cells. Collectively, the data indicate that CAFs in the tumor microenvironment promote BC cell malignant behaviors via the CTHRC1/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Furthermore, weakening CAF-BC cell communication by suppressing CTHRC1 expression may be a novel strategy for treating BC.

Molecular pathways underlying tissue injuries in the bladder with ketamine cystitis

Ketamine cystitis (KC) is a chronic bladder inflammation leading to urinary urgency, frequency, and pain. The pathogenesis of KC is complicated and involves multiple tissue injuries in the bladder. Recent studies indicated that urothelium disruption, lamina propria fibrosis and inflammation, microvascular injury, neuropathological alterations, and bladder smooth muscle (BSM) abnormalities all contribute to the pathogenesis of KC. Ketamine has been shown to induce these tissue injuries by regulating different signaling pathways. Ketamine can stimulate antiproliferative factor, adenosine triphosphate, and oxidative stress to disrupt urothelium. Lamina propria fibrosis and inflammation are associated with the activation of cyclooxygenase-2, nitric oxide synthase, immunoglobulin E, and transforming growth factor β1. Ketamine contributes to microvascular injury via the N-methyl-D aspartic receptor (NMDAR), and multiple inflammatory and angiogenic factors such as tumor necrosis factor α and vascular endothelial growth factor. For BSM abnormalities, ketamine can depress the protein kinase B, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, Cav1.2, and muscarinic receptor signaling. Elevated purinergic signaling also plays a role in BSM abnormalities. In addition, ketamine affects neuropathological alterations in the bladder by regulating NMDAR- and brain-derived neurotrophic factor-dependent signaling. Inflammatory cells also contribute to neuropathological changes via the secretion of chemical mediators. Clarifying the role and function of these signaling underlying tissue injuries in the bladder with KC can contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of this disease and to the design of effective treatments for KC.

CTHRC1 promotes growth, migration and invasion of trophoblasts via reciprocal Wnt/β-catenin regulation

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy complication that is characterized by high blood pressure and is associated with high maternal and fetal morbidities. At a mechanistic level, PE is characterized by reduced invasion ability of trophoblasts. Collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) is a well-known tumor-promoting factor in several malignant tumors, but its role in trophoblasts remains unknown. In this study, we characterized the expression of CTHRC1 in placenta tissue samples from PE pregnancies and from normal pregnancies. We used the trophoblasts cell lines HTR-8/SVneo and JEG-3 to investigate the role of CTHRC1 in cell migration, invasion and proliferation. Western blot, PCR and TOP/FOP luciferase activity assays were used to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying these cell behaviors. Placenta tissue samples obtained from pregnant women with PE expressed lower levels of CTHRC1 than those of placenta tissues from women with normal pregnancies. Down-regulation of CTHRC1 impaired cell proliferation, migration and invasion of trophoblasts, while CTHRC1 overexpression promoted nuclear translocation of β-catenin, a result that was further confirmed by TOP/FOP luciferase activity assay. Our findings suggest that CTHRC1 promotes migration and invasion of trophoblasts via reciprocal Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Down-regulation of CTHRC1 may be a potential mechanism underpinning the development of preeclampsia.

Transcriptomic Profiling of Fibropapillomatosis in Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) From South Texas

Sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor promoting disease that is one of several threats globally to endangered sea turtle populations. The prevalence of FP is highest in green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations, and historically has shown considerable temporal growth. FP tumors can significantly affect the ability of turtles to forage for food and avoid predation and can grow to debilitating sizes. In the current study, based in South Texas, we have applied transcriptome sequencing to FP tumors and healthy control tissue to study the gene expression profiles of FP. By identifying differentially expressed turtle genes in FP, and matching these genes to their closest human ortholog we draw on the wealth of human based knowledge, specifically human cancer, to identify new insights into the biology of sea turtle FP. We show that several genes aberrantly expressed in FP tumors have known tumor promoting biology in humans, including CTHRC1 and NLRC5, and provide support that disruption of the Wnt signaling pathway is a feature of FP. Further, we profiled the expression of current targets of immune checkpoint inhibitors from human oncology in FP tumors and identified potential candidates for future studies.

Low Distribution of TIM-3+ Cytotoxic Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Predicts Poor Outcomes in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

There are multiple tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and relevant immune checkpoints existing in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), which provides opportunities and rationales for developing effective immunotherapies. Recent studies have suggested that checkpoint TIM-3/Gal-9 plays a pivotal role on immune response in multiple tumors, similar to the PD-1/PD-L1, emerging as a potential therapeutic target. However, their functions in GIST are unrevealed. Hence, the expression of immune checkpoints TIM-3 and Gal-9, as well as the infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells and NK cells, is described in 299 cases of GIST specimens. The results showed that TIM-3 and Gal-9 are mainly expressed in TILs, rarely in tumor cells. Expression levels of TIM-3 and Gal-9 significantly differ in varying risks of GIST and exert opposite distribution trends. Indicated by prognosis analysis, high TIM-3 expression of TILs was associated with improved outcome, while low expression levels of TIM-3 in combination with low amounts of CD8⁺ and CD56⁺ TILs predict extremely poor survival. The integrated analysis of TIM-3⁺, CD8⁺, and CD56⁺ TILs as one biomarker is a reliable independent predictor of prognosis. In conclusion, low densities of TIM-3⁺ TILs are associated with poor survival, and integrated immune biomarkers lead to superior predictors of GIST prognosis.

Dynamic Evolution of the Cthrc1 Genes, a Newly Defined Collagen-Like Family

Collagen triple helix repeat containing protein 1 (Cthrc1) is a secreted glycoprotein reported to regulate collagen deposition and to be linked to the Transforming growth factor β/Bone morphogenetic protein and the Wnt/planar cell polarity pathways. It was first identified as being induced upon injury to rat arteries and was found to be highly expressed in multiple human cancer types. Here, we explore the phylogenetic and evolutionary trends of this metazoan gene family, previously studied only in vertebrates. We identify Cthrc1 orthologs in two distant cnidarian species, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis and the hydrozoan Clytia hemisphaerica, both of which harbor multiple copies of this gene. We find that Cthrc1 clade-specific diversification occurred multiple times in cnidarians as well as in most metazoan clades where we detected this gene. Many other groups, such as arthropods and nematodes, have entirely lost this gene family. Most vertebrates display a single highly conserved gene, and we show that the sequence evolutionary rate of Cthrc1 drastically decreased within the gnathostome lineage. Interestingly, this reduction coincided with the origin of its conserved upstream neighboring gene, Frizzled 6 (FZD6), which in mice has been shown to functionally interact with Cthrc1. Structural modeling methods further reveal that the yet uncharacterized C-terminal domain of Cthrc1 is similar in structure to the globular C1q superfamily domain, also found in the C-termini of collagens VIII and X. Thus, our studies show that the Cthrc1 genes are a collagen-like family with a variable short collagen triple helix domain and a highly conserved C-terminal domain structure resembling the C1q family.

The Distribution and Localization of Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing-1 in Naturally and Experimentally Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup J-Infected Chickens

Collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) has recently been identified as avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) replication-dependent factor that remarkably facilitates ALV-J replication via interaction with the envelope glycoprotein (SU) of ALV-J. However, the dynamic distribution and localization of CTHRC1 in various tissues upon ALV-J infection are still unknown. In this study, data revealed that the levels of CTHRC1 were significantly increased in various tissues and that the protein was mainly located in the cytoplasm and nucleus of parenchymal cells in tissues of chickens that were infected by ALV-J naturally and experimentally. Interestingly, CTHRC1 was also observed in leukocytes other than erythrocytes in congested veins of ALV-J-infected tissues. Consequently, the positive cells in these veins were confirmed as lymphocytes by laser confocal microscopy. Taken together, these results conclude that the CTHRC1 is an inducible protein and exhibited ubiquitous expression in ALV-J-infected chickens, which may provide basic information for in-depth study of ALV-J infection and replication mechanisms.

The Role of CTHRC1 in Regulation of Multiple Signaling and Tumor Progression and Metastasis

Collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) has been identified as cancer-related protein. CTHRC1 expresses mainly in adventitial fibroblasts and neointimal smooth muscle cells of balloon-injured vessels and promotes cell migration and tissue repair in response to injury. CTHRC1 plays a pivotal role in some pathophysiological processes, including increasing bone mass, preventing myelination, and reversing collagen synthesis in many tumor cells. The ascended expression of CTHRC1 is related to tumorigenesis, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in various human malignancies, including gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, keloid, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, epithelial ovarian cancer, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, cervical cancer, non-small-cell lung carcinoma, and melanoma. And molecules that regulate the expression of CTHRC1 include miRNAs, lncRNAs, WAIF1, and DPAGT1. Many reports have pointed that CTHRC1 could exert different effects through several signaling pathways such as TGF-β, Wnt, integrin β/FAK, Src/FAK, MEK/ERK, PI3K/AKT/ERK, HIF-1α, and PKC-δ/ERK signaling pathways. As a participant in tissue remodeling or immune response, CTHRC1 may promote early-stage cancer. Several recent studies have identified CTHRC1 as an effectual prognostic biomarker for predicting tumor recurrence or metastasis. It is worth noting that CTHRC1 has different cellular localization and mechanisms of action in different cells and different microenvironments. In this article, we focus on the advances in the signaling pathways mediated by CTHRC1 in tumors.

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 promotes endometrial cancer cell migration by activating the focal adhesion kinase signaling pathway

Metastasis of endometrial cancer (EC) is known to be the major cause of relapse and death of patients. However, the mechanisms of this process are not well understood. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is known for its essential role in integrin signaling and is highly expressed in many human tumors. FAK also plays important roles in a variety of cellular processes. Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is a secreted protein that has been detected in many human solid cancers. In the present study, CTHRC1 was found to be highly expressed in EC tissues when compared with normal tissues. In addition, overexpression of CTHRC1 promoted the migration of EC cells in vitro. Recombinant CTHRC1 protein also promoted the migration of EC cells in vitro. The results of the present study suggested that CTHRC1 mediated EC cell migration via the FAK signaling pathway. Taken together, these data indicated that CTHRC1 and the FAK signaling pathway may be potential therapeutic targets for EC metastasis treatment.

CTHRC1 in Ovarian Cancer Promotes M2-Like Polarization of Tumor-Associated Macrophages via Regulation of the STAT6 Signaling Pathway

Purpose

The infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) facilitates the progression of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). TAMs are mainly M2-like due to exposure to various factors in the tumor microenvironment. In our previous study, we reported that collagen triple helix repeat containing 1(CTHRC1), a secreted protein, is associated with ovarian cancer progression and metastasis. However, the correlation between CTHRC1 and the immunological microenvironment in EOC remains unknown.

Methods

The association with the expression of CTHRC1 and CD68⁺CD163⁺ TAMs infiltration density and phosphorylation of STAT6 was analyzed in tumor tissues of ovarian cancer patients by immunohistochemistry. Western blot and flow cytometry analysis were used to analyze M2-like macrophage polarization induced by CTHRC1. Cell Counting Kit-8 and adhesion assays were used to detect cell proliferation and adhesion, respectively. Cell migration and invasion were detected using transwell assays.

Results

In the present study, we observed that the overexpression of CTHRC1 and increased TAMs infiltration density are closely correlated to an advanced stage of EOC. Meanwhile, CTHRC1 expression was positively associated with the infiltration density of M2-like CD68⁺CD163⁺TAMs and phosphorylation of STAT6 in EOC. In human PBMC-derived monocytes, recombinant CTHRC1 protein (rCTHRC1) induces an M2-like macrophage phenotype, in a dose-dependent manner, characterized by activating the STAT6 signaling pathway. The conditioned culture medium of Lenti-CTHRC1 EOC cells promoted M2 polarization of macrophages, and by contrast, CTHRC1 knockdown abolished STAT6-mediated M2 polarization of macrophages. Moreover, the culture supernatants of rCTHRC1-treated macrophages efficiently increased the migration and invasion abilities of ovarian cancer cells.

Conclusion

Our data indicate that CTHRC1 might play an important role in regulating M2 polarization of macrophages in the ovarian tumor microenvironment and suggest that it is a potential therapeutic target for antitumor immunity.

Mir-30b-3p affects the migration and invasion function of ovarian cancer cells by targeting the CTHRC1 gene

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect role and mechanism of miR-30b-3p on ovarian cancer cells biological function.

METHODS

The expression of miR-30b-3p was detected in ovarian cancer cell lines and normal ovarian epithelial cell line by qRT-PCR. Mir-30b-3p mimic was transfected into OVCAR3 cells. Cell-counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was conducted to explore the effect of mir-30b-3p on the OVCAR3 cells' proliferation. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by Flow cytometry. Cell invasion ability was detected by Transwell test. The regulation of putative target of miR-30b-3p was verified by double luciferase reporter assays and Western blot.

RESULT

We found that miR-30b-3p was downregulated in OVCAR3 cells. Overexpression of miR-30b-3p suppressed proliferation, promoted apoptosis, slowed cell cycle and inhibited migration and invasion of OVCAR3 cells. Bioinformatics analysis identified 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) of Collagen triple helix repeat-containing 1 (CTHRC1) as the presumed binding site for miR-30b-3p. Detection of double luciferase reporter and Western-Blot result confirmed that CTHRC1 was the target gene of miR-30b-3p. Furthermore, E-cadherin, β-cadherin and Vimentin protein expression level were changed after transfection of miR-30b-3p.

CONCLUSION

miR-30b-3p function as an anti-cancer gene. Overexpression of miR-30b-3p can inhibit the biological function of ovarian cancer cells. MiR-30b-3p targets CTHRC1 gene plays an important role in epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), and supports miR-30b-3p as a potential biological indicator for ovarian cancer in the future.

CTHRC1 affects malignant tumor cell behavior and is regulated by miR-30e-5p in human prostate cancer

Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing 1 (CTHRC1) has been picked out as a cancer-related, secreted glycoprotein that possesses multifaceted functions such as wound repair, the formation of adipose tissue, hepatocytes fibrosis, and bone remodeling. This study aims to explore the biological function and the profound regulative mechanism of CTHRC1 in human prostate cancer (PCa). We found that CTHRC1 was upregulated in patients with PCa. The knockdown of CTHRC1 suppressed PCa cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and colony formation significantly. The expression of CTHRC1 was down-regulated and up-regulated by miR-30e-5p mimics and inhibitors, respectively, in PCa cells. The dual-luciferase reporter assay validated the binding of miR-30e-5p with CTHRC1 mRNA, indicating the regulation of CTHC1 by miR-30e-5p. In consequence, this study demonstrated that CTHRC1 acts as an oncogenic gene and targeting the miR-30e-5p-CTHRC1 axis may provide novel therapeutic treatment for PCa.

Evaluation of Changes in the Expression Pattern of EDIL3 in Different Grades of Endometrial Cancer

BACKGROUND

EDIL3 is an extracellular matrix protein that plays a key role in angiogenesis. Changes in the pattern of its expression also affect cellular processes and the tumor microenvironment. Elevated level of EDIL3 is considered an unfavorable prognostic marker of survival.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in EDIL3 expression in endometrial cancer at various degrees of its differentiation (G1-G3) and to discuss its potential role as a molecular diagnostic marker and therapeutic target.

METHODS

The study group consisted of 45 patients with endometrial cancer: G1, 17; G2, 15; G3, 13. The control group (C) included 15 patients without neoplastic changes. The expression of EDIL3 was assessed using immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica 12 PL software (p<0.05).

RESULTS

Analysis of EDIL3 expression showed that the average optical density of the reaction product in G1 reached 130% of the control, while the values in G2 and G3 were 153% and 158%, respectively. Regardless of the endometrial cancer grade, an increase in EDIL3 level was observed compared to the control.

CONCLUSION

In our study, we demonstrated overexpression of EDIL3 protein in endometrial cancer. Differences in expression between degrees of tumor differentiation suggest the potential of using changes in EDIL3 level as a new complementary diagnostic marker and target for anti-angiogenic therapy.

Identification of hub genes and construction of transcriptional regulatory network for the progression of colon adenocarcinoma hub genes and TF regulatory network of colon adenocarcinoma

The aim of this study was to identify key genes related to the progression of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), and to investigate the regulatory network of hub genes and transcription factors (TFs). Dataset GSE20916 including 44 normal colon, 55 adenoma, and 36 adenocarcinoma tissue samples was used to construct co‐expression networks via weighted gene co‐expression network. Gene Ontology annotation and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis for the objective module were performed using the online Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. Hub genes were identified by taking the intersection of differentially expressed genes between dataset GSE20916 and GSE39582 and validated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The correlations between microRNA (miRNA) and hub genes were analyzed using the online website StarBase. Cytoscape was used to establish a regulatory network of TF‐miRNA‐target gene. We found that the orange module was a key module related to the tumor progression in COAD. In datasets GSE20916 and GSE39582, a total of eight genes (BGN, SULF1, COL1A1, FAP, THBS2, CTHRC1, COL5A2, and COL1A2) were selected, which were closely related with patients’ survivals in TCGA database and dataset GSE20916. COAD patients with higher expressions of each hub gene had a worse prognosis than those with lower expressions. A regulatory network of TF‐miRNA‐target gene with 144 TFs, 26 miRNAs, and 7 hub genes was established, including model KLF11‐miR149‐BGN, TCEAL6‐miR29B2‐COL1A1, and TCEAL6‐miR29B2‐COL1A2. In conclusion, during the progression of COAD, eight core genes (BGN, SULF1, COL1A1, FAP, THBS2, CTHRC1, COL5A2, and COL1A2) play vital roles. Regulatory networks of TF‐miRNA‐target gene can help to understand the disease progression and optimize treatment strategy.

CTHRC1 and PD‑1/PD‑L1 expression predicts tumor recurrence in prostate cancer

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is a gene that has been associated with tumor progression in human prostate cancer (PC). The tumor immune microenvironment has been linked with disease outcome in PC. In the present study, the correlation between CTHRC1 with PC recurrence and the tumor immunological microenvironment was investigated. Using the data supplied by the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), the expression of CTHRC1, programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) were analyzed. Immunohistochemical staining of CTHRC1, PD-1 and PD-L1 was performed using a tissue microarray construction of prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) specimens. In PRAD, an association was reported between the CTHRC1 expression and the disease free survival (DFS) rate (P=0.022). Overexpression of CTHRC1 was correlated with increased levels of PD-1 (R=0.272, P=0.021) and PD-L1 (R=0.298, P=0.016), elevated levels of infiltrating B cells (P=9.51e⁻¹¹), CD4⁺ cells (P=1.51e⁻¹¹), macrophages (P=8.25e⁻⁵), neutrophils (P=2.17e⁻⁹) and dendritic cells (P=3.13e⁻¹³). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that CTHRC1 was correlated with the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9, mucin 1 and solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 2B1 genes, which exert an influence in PRAD. The occurrence of this condition is most likely to be associated with regulation of the tumor microenvironment. Taken together, we demonstrated that the prognosis and immunity of PC are closely linked to CTHRC1 upregulation. Furthermore, these results suggest that the immune function of PC may be suppressed by CTHRC1-targeting therapy.

CTHRC1 promotes M2-like macrophage recruitment and myometrial invasion in endometrial carcinoma by integrin-Akt signaling pathway

The infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis in endometrial cancer (EC). Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1), a secreted ECM protein, has been reported to have important roles in promoting cancer invasion and metastasis, but the functional role of CTHRC1 and its association with TAMs in EC remain unclear. Here we report that, in EC patients, CTHRC1 expression was up-regulated in endometrial cancer tissues compared with normal endometrium (P < 0.0001), and is positively correlated with tumor grade and depth of myometrial invasion (P = 0.024 and P = 0.0002, respectively). Meanwhile, CTHRC1 expression was positively correlated with an increased number of infiltrating TAMs, especially M2-like TAMs (P = 0.003, P = 0.001). In the tumor microenvironment of EC, CTHRC1 not only promoted myometrial invasion by interacting with Integrin β3-Akt signaling pathway, but also promoted infiltration of M2-like TAMs by upregulating Fractalkine chemokine receptor (CX3CR1) expression in macrophages. Changing levels of recombinant CTHRC1 protein (rCTHRC1) promoted tumor migration and invasion via enhancing macrophage recruitment in vitro. In summary, our findings eventually provided a novel role for CTHRC1 in remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment to promote tumor metastasis in EC patients.

High expression of proenkephalin is associated with favorable outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Purpose

The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognostic value of proenkephalin (PENK) in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Patients and methods

We collected data on 268 eligible postoperative patients diagnosed with GIST between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2011. PENK expression was detected in GIST tissues classified using the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) risk classification system. The associations between high PENK expression and the clinicopathological characteristics were assessed. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were estimated by Kaplan–Meier analysis, and the log-rank test was used to compare the differences between groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess the prognostic value of PENK in GIST patients.

Results

High PENK expression was more common in the low- and intermediate-risk GIST groups compared with the high-risk group (P<0.05). Additionally, PENK expression was associated with tumor size, mitosis count per 50 high-power fields, and tumor rupture (P<0.05). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that high PENK expression was associated with superior OS and RFS, while low PENK expression was associated with worse OS and RFS. Furthermore, PENK was shown to be an independent predictor of OS and RFS in the overall population (for OS, hazard ratio [HR], 1.596, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–2.914, P<0.001; for RFS, HR, 1.910, 95% CI, 0.977–3.089, P<0.001).

Conclusion

PENK expression in GIST is closely associated with NIH risk grade and prognosis, indicating that PENK may act as a tumor suppressor and may serve as a new biomarker for predicting prognosis in postoperative GIST patients.

Vangl2/RhoA Signaling Pathway Regulates Stem Cell Self-Renewal Programs and Growth in Rhabdomyosarcoma

Tumor growth and relapse are driven by tumor propagating cells (TPCs). However, mechanisms regulating TPC fate choices, maintenance, and self-renewal are not fully understood. Here, we show that Van Gogh-like 2 (Vangl2), a core regulator of the non-canonical Wnt/planar cell polarity (Wnt/PCP) pathway, affects TPC self-renewal in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS)-a pediatric cancer of muscle. VANGL2 is expressed in a majority of human RMS and within early mononuclear progenitor cells. VANGL2 depletion inhibited cell proliferation, reduced TPC numbers, and induced differentiation of human RMS in vitro and in mouse xenografts. Using a zebrafish model of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS), we determined that Vangl2 expression enriches for TPCs and promotes their self-renewal. Expression of constitutively active and dominant-negative isoforms of RHOA revealed that it acts downstream of VANGL2 to regulate proliferation and maintenance of TPCs in human RMS. Our studies offer insights into pathways that control TPCs and identify new potential therapeutic targets.

CTHRC1 promotes wound repair by increasing M2 macrophages via regulating the TGF-β and notch pathways

The healing of acute wounds is vital to humans and is a well-orchestrated process that involves systemic and local factors. However, there is a lack of effective and safe clinical therapies. The collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) protein is a type of exocrine protein that has been recently reported to contribute to tissue repair. Our aim is to validate the promoting effects of CTHRC1 on the healing of acute wounds and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism. Therefore, we first established acute wound healing mouse models and confirmed that CTHRC1 accelerates the healing process of acute wounds. Then, we characterized wound macrophages using a polyvinylalcohol (PVA) sponge model and used Western blotting to investigate the molecular mechanism. We found that CTHRC1 increased the M2 macrophage population and the TGF-β expression level as a result of the activation of the TGF-β and Notch pathways, which eventually contributed to the promotion of wound healing. Inhibition of the Notch pathway showed attenuated M2 macrophage recruitment, and it decreased the TGF-β expression level. These results substantiate our hypothesis that CTHRC1 promotes wound healing by recruiting M2 macrophages and regulating the TGF-β and Notch pathways.

Role of abnormal microRNA expression in Helicobacter pylori associated gastric cancer

Epidemiological studies have shown that Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is a risk factor for gastric cancer (GC). HP infection may induce the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, and abnormally increase the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and cytokines in mucosal epithelial cells of the stomach. However, the specific mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of HP-associated GC is still poorly understood. Recent studies have revealed that abnormal microRNA expression may affect the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of mucosal epithelial cells of the stomach to further influence GC occurrence, development, and metastasis. Herein, we summarize the role of abnormal microRNAs in the regulation of HP-associated GC progression. Abnormal microRNA expression in HP-positive GC may be a biomarker for GC diagnosis, occurrence, and development as well as its targeted treatment and prognosis.

CTHRC1 overexpression promotes cervical carcinoma progression by activating the Wnt/PCP signaling pathway

The tumorigenesis and metastasis of tumors are associated with human collagen triple helix repeats containing 1 (CTHRC1). To study the effects and possible impacting mechanisms of CTHRC1 on human cervical carcinoma development, samples of paraffin‑embedded cervical carcinoma and HeLa cells were examined. Immunofluorescence, cell wound scratch assay, western blot analysis and Transwell invasion assay were used to evaluate HeLa cells in response to silencing of the CTHRC1 gene in cervical carcinoma. The expression levels of gap‑associated proteins of the Wnt/PCP pathway in paraffin‑embedded cervical carcinoma samples were also evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. CTHRC1 promoted the migration and invasion of HeLa cells in vitro, downregulated Ror2 and p‑c‑Jun and activated the Wnt/PCP pathway. Furthermore, the expression of p‑c‑Jun, Ror2 and Wnt5a was increased after overexpression of CTHRC1 as revealed in HeLa cells compared to control group. The present experiments revealed that CTHRC1 promoted HeLa cell progression by activating the Wnt/PCP signaling pathway and may play a key role in the invasion and metastasis of cervical carcinoma.

Inhibition of CTHRC-1 by its specific monoclonal antibody attenuates cervical cancer cell metastasis

Although combination of surgery and chemo-radiotherapy could cure 80-95% of patients with early cervical cancer, there is still no satisfactory therapeutic strategies for locally advanced and metastatic cervical cancer patients. Our previous study has already investigated that CTHRC-1 is highly expressed not only in the local tissue but also in circulating serum of patients with cervical cancer and played important function on metastasis of cervical cancer cells. In present study, we aimed to see whether circulating specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) to CTHRC-1could inhibit the metastasis of advanced cervical cancer. Therefore, we innovatively generated one specific and sensitive mAb against CTHRC1 and found the CTHRC1 mAb could attenuate the promoting function of rCTHRC-1 on wound healing and invasion of SiHa cell in vitro. In addition, administration of mAb on the lung metastasis mouse model of cervical cancer strongly inhibited the level of metastasis. Taken together, targeting on CTHRC-1 is greatly beneficial not only for diagnosis but also for treatment of cervical cancer, which providing experimental and theoretical basis for developing a novel precise treatment of cervical cancer and improving patient survival rate.

TIPE2 acts as a biomarker for GIST risk category and suppresses the viability and invasiveness of GIST cells

Evaluating the risk category of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is crucial for predicting prognosis and choosing treatment strategies, and tumor metastasis usually represent poor prognosis. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2) is a novel described tumor suppressor. In the present study, TIPE2 expression was detected using a total of 96 human GIST specimens by immunohistochemistry. The effect of TIPE2 on proliferation and invasiveness of GIST cells and its related mechanisms were explored in vitro. It was found that TIPE2 expression was gradually decreased in accordance with GIST risk grades and negatively associated with tumor size, mitotic count and risk category. Moreover, TIPE2 was identified as a biomarker for evaluating the risk grade of GIST. TIPE2 markedly suppressed the viability, colony formation, migration and invasion of GIST cells. Furthermore, TIPE2 induced apoptosis and suppressed MMP-9 expression of GIST cells by targeting Rac1. In conclusion, these results indicate that TIPE2 plays a pivotal role in the progression of GIST. TIPE2 serves as a promising biomarker for evaluating GIST risk grade and a potential target for treatment of GIST.

Loss of Myeloid-Specific TGF-β Signaling Decreases CTHRC1 to Downregulate bFGF and the Development of H1993-Induced Osteolytic Bone Lesions

The role of myeloid cell-specific TGF-β signaling in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-induced osteolytic bone lesion development is unknown. We used a genetically engineered mouse model, Tgfbr2^LysMCre knockout (KO), which has a loss of TGF-β signaling specifically in myeloid lineage cells, and we found that the area of H1993 cell-induced osteolytic bone lesions was decreased in Tgfbr2^LysMCre KO mice, relative to the area in control littermates. The bone lesion areas were correlated with tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and osteoclastogenesis in the microenvironment. The smaller bone lesion area was partially rescued by bFGF, which was expressed by osteoblasts. Interestingly, bFGF was able to rescue the osteoclastogenesis, but not the tumor cell proliferation or angiogenesis. We then focused on identifying osteoclast factors that regulate bFGF expression in osteoblasts. We found that the expression and secretion of CTHRC1 was downregulated in osteoclasts from Tgfbr2^LysMCre KO mice; CTHRC1 was able to promote bFGF expression in osteoblasts, possibly through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Functionally, bFGF stimulated osteoclastogenesis and inhibited osteoblastogenesis, but had no effect on H1993 cell proliferation. On the other hand, CTHRC1 promoted osteoblastogenesis and H1993 cell proliferation. Together, our data show that myeloid-specific TGF-β signaling promoted osteolytic bone lesion development and bFGF expression in osteoblasts; that osteoclast-secreted CTHRC1 stimulated bFGF expression in osteoblasts in a paracrine manner; and that CTHRC1 and bFGF had different cell-specific functions that contributed to bone lesion development.

Collagen triple helix repeat containing-1: a novel biomarker associated with disease activity in Systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this article is to investigate whether the aberrant expression of collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) could contribute to the pathogenesis of lupus.

METHODS

We divided SLE patients into active groups (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score ≥ 6) and inactive groups (SLEDAI score < 6). Serum concentrations of CTHRC1, interferon alpha, interleukin (IL)-28A and IL-28B were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a group of 40 patients with SLE. Results were compared with those from 23 healthy controls.

RESULTS

Serum CTHRC1 protein levels were higher in patients with SLE compared with healthy controls. Patients with active disease displayed higher CTHRC1 levels compared with those with inactive disease as well. There was a positive association between serum CTHRC1 levels and SLEDAI and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and a negative correlation with complement 3 and 4. Moreover, serum CTHRC1 levels were higher in SLE patients with arthritis and anemia compared with patients without the above-mentioned manifestations.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate CTHRC1 probably plays an important part in the pathogenesis of SLE, and is positively associated with disease activity, while it also likely refers to the development of arthritis and anemia in SLE. Therefore, CTHRC1 may provide a novel research target and shed new light on the pathogenesis and therapy of SLE.

CTHRC1 overexpression predicts poor survival and enhances epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer

Collagen triple helix repeat containing (CTHRC1), which was identified as a cancer‐related factor, is a promigratory protein involved in multiple processes, including vascular remodeling, antifibrosis, metabolism, bone formation, and cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance and possible role of CTHRC1 in the process of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) in colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we revealed that CTHRC1 mRNA and protein levels are both upregulated in CRC tissues compared with those of paired noncancerous tissues. Moreover, the overexpression of CTHRC1 correlated with poor prognosis in patients with CRC (especially colon cancer). Furthermore, we showed that CTHRC1 induced EMT and promoted cell motility in CRC cells. Importantly, we demonstrated that CTHRC1 promoted EMT by activating transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) signaling, revealing a possible effective therapeutic treatment for patients with CRC.

Overexpression of Rac GTPase Activating Protein 1 Contributes to Proliferation of Cancer Cells by Reducing Hippo Signaling to Promote Cytokinesis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Agents designed to block or alter cytokinesis can kill or stop proliferation of cancer cells. We aimed to identify cytokinesis-related proteins that are overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and might be targeted to slow liver tumor growth.

METHODS

Using the Oncomine database, we compared the gene expression patterns in 16 cancer microarray datasets and assessed gene enrichment sets using gene ontology. We performed immunohistochemical analysis of an HCC tissue microarray and identified changes in protein levels that are associated with patient survival times. Candidate genes were overexpressed or knocked down with small hairpin RNAs in SMMC7721, MHCC97H, or HCCLM3 cell lines; we analyzed their proliferation, viability, and clone-formation ability and their growth as subcutaneous or orthotopic xenograft tumors in mice. We performed microarray analyses to identify alterations in signaling pathways and immunoblot and immunofluorescence assays to detect and localize proteins in tissues. Yeast 2-hybrid screens and mass spectrometry combined with co-immunoprecipitation experiments were used to identify binding proteins. Protein interactions were validated with co-immunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, promoter luciferase activity, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses were used to identify factors that regulate transcription of specific genes.

RESULTS

The genes that were most frequently overexpressed in different types of cancer cells were involved in cell division processes. We identified 3 cytokinesis-regulatory proteins among the 10 genes most frequently overexpressed by all cancer cell types. Rac GTPase activating protein 1 (RACGAP1) was the cytokinesis-regulatory protein that was most highly overexpressed in multiple cancers. Increased expression of RACGAP1 in tumor tissues was associated with shorter survival times of patients with cancer. Knockdown of RACGAP1 in HCC cells induced cytokinesis failure and cell apoptosis. In microarray analyses, we found knockdown of RACGAP1 in SMMC7721 cells to reduce expression of genes regulated by yes-associated protein (YAP) and WW domain containing transcription regulator 1 (WWTR1 or TAZ). RACGAP1 reduced activation of the Hippo pathway in HCC cells by increasing activity of RhoA and polymerization of filamentous actin. Knockdown of YAP reduced phosphorylation of RACGAP1 and redistribution at the anaphase central spindle. We found transcription of the translocated promoter region, nuclear basket protein (TPR) to be regulated by YAP and coordinately expressed with RACGAP1 to promote proliferation of HCC cells. TPR redistributed upon nuclear envelope breakdown and formed complexes with RACGAP1 during mitosis. Knockdown of TPR in HCC cells reduced phosphorylation of RACGAP1 by aurora kinase B and impaired their redistribution at the central spindle during cytokinesis. STAT3 activated transcription of RACGAP in HCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

In an analysis of gene expression patterns of multiple tumor types, we found RACGAP1 to be frequently overexpressed, which is associated with shorter survival times of patients. RACGAP1 promotes proliferation of HCC cells by reducing activation of the Hippo and YAP pathways and promoting cytokinesis in coordination with TPR.

Role of collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 in tumor and inflammatory diseases

Initially, collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) is expressed mainly in adventitial fibroblasts and neointimal smooth muscle cells of balloon-injured vessels, and increases cell migration, promotes tissue repair in response to injury. A variety of studies demonstrated that over-expression of CTHRC1 in solid tumors results in enhancement of migration and invasion of tumor cells, and is associated with decreased overall survival and disease-free survival. CTHRC1 expression is elevated in hepatitis B virus-infected patients and highly correlated with hepatocellular carcinoma progression as well. Furthermore, CTHRC1 plays a pivotal role in a great many fields, including increases bone mass, prevents myelination, reverses collagen synthesis in keloid fibroblasts, and increases fibroblast-like synoviocytes migration speed and abundant production of arthritic pannus in rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, it will provide new insight into the pathogenesis of tumor and autoimmune diseases, and will shed new light on the therapy of related clinical diseases.

CTHRC1 induces non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) invasion through upregulating MMP-7/MMP-9

Background

The strong invasive and metastatic nature of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) leads to poor prognosis. Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is involved in cell migration, motility and invasion. The object of this study is to investigate the involvement of CTHRC1 in NSCLC invasion and metastasis.

Methods

A proteomic analysis was performed to identify the different expression proteins between NSCLC and normal tissues. Cell lines stably express CTHRC1, MMP7, MMP9 were established. Invasion and migration were determined by scratch and transwell assays respectively. Clinical correlations of CTHRC1 in a cohort of 230 NSCLC patients were analysed.

Results

CTHRC1 is overexpressed in NSCLC as measured by proteomic analysis. Additionally, CTHRC1 increases tumour cell migration and invasion in vitro. Furthermore, CTHRC1 expression is significantly correlated with matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)7 and MMP9 expression in sera and tumour tissues from NSCLC. The invasion ability mediated by CTHRC1 were mainly MMP7- and MMP9-dependent. MMP7 or MMP9 depletion significantly eradicated the pro-invasive effects mediated by CTHRC1 on NSCLC cells. Clinically, patients with high CTHRC1 expression had poor survival.

Conclusions

CTHRC1 serves as a pro-metastatic gene that contributes to NSCLC invasion and metastasis, which are mediated by upregulated MMP7 and MMP9 expression. Targeting CTHRC1 may be beneficial for inhibiting NSCLC metastasis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4317-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Wnt5a / planar cell polarity signaling pathway in urothelial carcinoma, a potential prognostic biomarker

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and the most common malignancy of the urinary tract. Bladder cancers detected at an early stage have a very high five-year survival rate, but when detected after local metastasis the rate is only about 50%. Our group recently reported a positive correlation between the expression of Wnt5a, a member of the Wnt proteins family, and histopathological grade and stage of urothelial carcinoma (UC). The objective of this study was to analyze UC cases reported in Athens, Ohio and investigate the major components of Wnt5a / planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway in UC human tissue samples and UC cell lines.

Formalin fixed and paraffin embedded transurethral resection tissues were immunostained for Wnt5a, Ror-2, CTHRC1 and E-cadherin. In addition, in vitro studies using UC cell lines were investigated for Wnt5a/PCP signaling and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) gene expression. The IHC results showed a correlation between the expression of Wnt5a, Ror2 and CTHRC1 with high histological grade of the tumor, while E-cadherin showed an opposite trend of expression. Real time RT-PCR results showed that RNA expression of the Wnt5a/ PCP pathway genes vary in low and high grade UC cell lines and that the high grade cell lines exhibited signs of EMT.

These findings support that Wnt5a-Ror2 signaling plays a role in UC, support the potential use of Wnt5a as a prognostic marker and provide evidence that Wnt5a signaling may be used as an effective molecular target for novel therapeutic tools.

Hedgehog pathway dysregulation contributes to the pathogenesis of human gastrointestinal stromal tumors via GLI-mediated activation of KIT expression

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) arise within the interstitial cell of Cajal (ICC) lineage due to activating KIT/PDGFRA mutations. Both ICC and GIST possess primary cilia (PC), which coordinate PDGFRA and Hedgehog signaling, regulators of gastrointestinal mesenchymal development. Therefore, we hypothesized that Hedgehog signaling may be altered in human GIST and controls KIT expression. Quantitative RT-PCR, microarrays, and next generation sequencing were used to describe Hedgehog/PC-related genes in purified human ICC and GIST. Genetic and pharmacologic approaches were employed to investigate the effects of GLI manipulation on KIT expression and GIST cell viability. We report that Hedgehog pathway and PC components are expressed in ICC and GIST and subject to dysregulation during GIST oncogenesis, irrespective of KIT/PDGFRA mutation status. Using genomic profiling, 10.2% of 186 GIST studied had potentially deleterious genomic alterations in 5 Hedgehog-related genes analyzed, including in the PTCH1 tumor suppressor (1.6%). Expression of the predominantly repressive GLI isoform, GLI3, was inversely correlated with KIT mRNA levels in GIST cells and non-KIT/non-PDGFRA mutant GIST. Overexpression of the 83-kDa repressive form of GLI3 or small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of the activating isoforms GLI1/2 reduced KIT mRNA. Treatment with GLI1/2 inhibitors, including arsenic trioxide, significantly increased GLI3 binding to the KIT promoter, decreased KIT expression, and reduced viability in imatinib-sensitive and imatinib-resistant GIST cells. These data offer new evidence that genes necessary for Hedgehog signaling and PC function in ICC are dysregulated in GIST. Hedgehog signaling activates KIT expression irrespective of mutation status, offering a novel approach to treat imatinib-resistant GIST.

SPON2 Promotes M1-like Macrophage Recruitment and Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis by Distinct Integrin-Rho GTPase-Hippo Pathways

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) represent key regulators of the complex interplay between cancer and the immune microenvironment. Matricellular protein SPON2 is essential for recruiting lymphocytes and initiating immune responses. Recent studies have shown that SPON2 has complicated roles in cell migration and tumor progression. Here we report that, in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), SPON2 not only promotes infiltration of M1-like macrophages but also inhibits tumor metastasis. SPON2-α4β1 integrin signaling activated RhoA and Rac1, increased F-actin reorganization, and promoted M1-like macrophage recruitment. F-Actin accumulation also activated the Hippo pathway by suppressing LATS1 phosphorylation, promoting YAP nuclear translocation, and initiating downstream gene expression. However, SPON2-α5β1 integrin signaling inactivated RhoA and prevented F-actin assembly, thereby inhibiting HCC cell migration; the Hippo pathway was not noticeably involved in SPON2-mediated HCC cell migration. In HCC patients, SPON2 levels correlated positively with prognosis. Overall, our findings provide evidence that SPON2 is a critical factor in mediating the immune response against tumor cell growth and migration in HCC.Significance: Matricellular protein SPON2 acts as an HCC suppressor and utilizes distinct signaling events to perform dual functions in HCC microenvironment.Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/78/9/2305/F1.large.jpg Cancer Res; 78(9); 2305-17. ©2018 AACR.

CTHRC1 activates pro-tumorigenic signaling pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma

CTHRC1 expression is involved in invasion and metastasis in various tumors. However, the molecules involved in its signaling pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive. The migration and invasion abilities of HCC cells stably expressing CTHRC1 were assessed in vitro and in vivo with a mouse model. Moreover, signaling pathways involved in invasion and metastasis were analyzed. CTHRC1 was abundantly expressed in HCC cell lines and HCC tissues. CTHRC1 was also detectable in the serum of HCC patients, compared with non-tumor controls. CTHRC1 mRNA was positively correlated with large tumor size (p <0.003), Edmondson differentiation grade (p <0.0001), microvessel invasion (p <0.05), intrahepatic metastasis (p <0.005), and HCC stage (AJCC, p <0.0001). Ectopic expression of CTHRC1 in HepG2 cells promoted cell migration and invasiveness in vitro, and promoted tumor metastasis in a lung metastasis mouse model. Knockdown of CTHRC1 by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) in HCC cells suppressed migratory and invasive abilities. Growth factor-mediated CTHRC1 expression promoted cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis through activation of CREB/Snail signaling, which induced EMT change and MMPs expression. Therefore, CTHRC1 and its downstream molecules may be potential therapeutic targets for HCC invasion and metastasis.

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) activates Integrin β3/FAK signaling and promotes metastasis in ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Metastasis is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), however the mechanisms that underline this process are poorly understood. Collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1) is a 28-kDa secreted protein reported to be involved in vascular remodeling, bone formation and morphogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the role of CTHRC1 in promoting the metastasis of EOC and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

The biologic functions of CTHRC1 in metastasis were validated both in vivo and in vitro experiments. The phosphor-antibody microarray analysis and Co-immunoprecipitation were performed to detect and identify the integrin β3/FAK signaling pathway that mediated the function of CTHRC1. Seventy two EOC samples were analyzed for association between CTHRC1/integrin β3 expression and patient clinicopathological features.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that CTHRC1 enhances the biological behavior of EOC including cell migration, invasion, as well as its adhesion capability to cell-extracellular matrix in vitro. Additionally, CTHRC1 promoted metastatic spread of EOC cells in an i.p. ovarian xenograft model and this phenotype was primarily ascribed to the activation of integrin/FAK signaling. Mechanistically, we determined that FAK were phosphorylated on Tyr397, and were activated by integrin β3, which is important for the CTHRC1-mediated migratory and invasive ability of EOC cells in vitro and i.p. metastasis. In addition, we found that attenuated CTHRC1/integrin β3 expression predicted a poor prognostic phenotype and advanced clinical stage of EOC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that CTHRC1, a newly identified regulator of i.p. metastasis through activation of integrin β3/FAK signaling in EOC, may represent a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 promotes tumor angiogenesis in gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (Cthrc1) is a secreted protein that has been observed to lead to poorer prognosis by inducing the invasion and metastasis in different tumors; however, it has not been demonstrated that Cthrc1 is involved in tumor angiogenesis. Immunohistochemical staining of Cthrc1 and CD31 in gastrointestinal stromal tumor tissue demonstrated that Cthrc1 is associated with microvascular density. Overexpression of Cthrc1 protein may alter the properties of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), including migration, invasion, tubule formation and aortic ring sprouting. Small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of Cthrc1 was performed to verify the opposite effects. Migration and tubule formation induced by Cthrc1 overexpression in HUVECs was attenuated by inhibition of phosphorylation in extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. The pro-angiogenic effect of Cthcr1 is associated with increased phosphorylation of ERK and JNK in HUVECs. Silencing the expression of Cthrc1 protein may be a promising strategy to inhibit tumor angiogenesis.

CTHRC1 promotes osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells by regulating TAZ

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is associated with bone metabolism. Alveolar bone has an ability to rapidly remodel itself to adapt its biomechanical environment and function. However, whether CTHRC1 is expressed in alveolar bone tissue and the role of CTHRC1 in alveolar bone remodeling remain unclear. We used orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) rat model to study the effects of CHTRC1 in alveolar bone remodeling in vivo. We found that CTHRC1 was expressed in normal physiological condition of osteocytes, bone matrix, and periodontal ligament cells in rat. During the OTM, the expression of CTHRC1, Runx2 and TAZ were increased. We further studied the effects of CTHRC1 on osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells in vitro. CTHRC1 can positively regulate the expression of TAZ and osteogenic differentiation markers like Col1, ALP, Runx2 and OCN. Overexpression of CHTRC1 increased osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs, which could be abolished by TAZ siRNA. Our results suggest that CTHRC1 plays an important role in alveolar bone remodeling and osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs.

Orai1 mediates tumor-promoting store-operated Ca2+ entry in human gastrointestinal stromal tumors via c-KIT and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors originate from interstitial cells of Cajal, the pacemaker cells of the gut. Ca²⁺ regulates the pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of Cajal. Store-operated Ca²⁺ entry mediates the majority of Ca²⁺ entry in most cancer cells and may be a factor in regulating intracellular Ca²⁺ in interstitial cells of Cajal and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Therefore, a blockade of this mechanism may affect the progression of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Orai1 is the pore subunit of store-operated Ca²⁺ channels. Here, we reported that Orai1 was overexpressed in gastrointestinal stromal tumor tissues and was positively correlated with a high-risk grade in gastrointestinal stromal tumor patients. Furthermore, upon Orai1 silencing, the functional store-operated Ca²⁺ entry in gastrointestinal stromal tumor cells was decreased, indicating that the function of store-operated Ca²⁺ entry was mediated by Orai1. Inhibition of Orai1-mediated store-operated Ca²⁺ entry by Orai1 silencing or store-operated Ca²⁺ entry blockers (SKF-96365 and 2-aminoethyl diphenylborate) induced obvious cell proliferation suppression, cell-cycle distribution, and apoptosis stimulation in GIST-T1 cells. Conversely, Orai1 overexpression increased store-operated Ca²⁺ entry and cell proliferation in GIST882 cells. In addition, we found that activation of c-KIT and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway participated in the oncogenic functions of Orai1-mediated store-operated Ca²⁺ entry in gastrointestinal stromal tumor cells. These results revealed that Orai1-mediated store-operated Ca²⁺ entry is critical for gastrointestinal stromal tumor cell proliferation via c-KIT and ERK signaling pathway activation. Orai1-mediated store-operated Ca²⁺ entry plays an oncogenic role and may be a novel prognostic factor and therapeutic target for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Knockdown of Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing-1 Inhibits the Proliferation and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells

Collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1), a secreted glycoprotein, is frequently upregulated in human cancers. However, the functional role of CTHRC1 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the role of CTHRC1 in RCC. Our results demonstrated that CTHRC1 was upregulated in RCC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of CTHRC1 significantly inhibits the proliferation in RCCs. Furthermore, knockdown of CTHRC1 significantly inhibited the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in RCCs, as well as suppressed RCC cell migration and invasion. Mechanistically, knockdown of CTHRC1 inhibited the expression of β-catenin, c-Myc, and cyclin D1 in RCC cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that CTHRC1 downregulation inhibited proliferation, migration, EMT, and β-catenin expression in RCC cells. Therefore, CTHRC1 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of RCC.

Knockdown of Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing 1 (CTHRC1) Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cellular Migration in Glioblastoma Cells

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1), an extracellular matrix-related protein, has been found to be upregulated in many solid tumors and contributes to tumorigenesis. We found that CTHRC1 is overexpressed in glioblastoma tissues and cells. By using the technique of RNA interference, the expression of CTHRC1 in the human glioblastoma U-87MG cell line was downregulated, and the proliferation and migration of U-87MG cells were examined. The results showed that the knockdown of CTHRC1 exerts inhibitory effects on the proliferation and migration ability of U-87MG cells. Knockdown of CTHRC1 expression in U-87MG cells resulted in upregulation in the expression of E-cadherin and downregulation in the expression of N-cadherin, SNAIL, and Slug, suggesting that CTHRC1 inhibits glioblastoma cell migration by suppressing epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Knockdown of CTHRC1 led to remarkably decreased β-catenin protein levels in the nucleus. These results indicate that CTHRC1 might play an important role in the development of glioblastoma and offer a candidate molecular target for glioblastoma prevention and therapy.

NRSN2 promotes osteosarcoma cell proliferation and growth through PI3K/Akt/MTOR and Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in children and adults. However, its pathogenesis, especially molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In current study, we screened GEO Database and found a poorly studied protein Neurensin-2 (NRSN2), which is highly expressed in osteosarcoma tissues. Neurensin-2 (NRSN2) is a small neuronal membrane protein and localized in small vesicles in neural cells, previous study found that it has been implicated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We here report that the expression of NRSN2 is more commonlyelevated in 18 fresh osteosarcoma tissues. Furthermore, both loss- and gain-functions assays revealed that NRSN2 could promote osteosarcoma cell proliferation and growth both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we further found that those effects on osteosarcoma by NRSN2 are associated with the dysregulated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In conclusion, our study found a novel oncogenic protein, NRSN2, which promotes osteosarcoma cell proliferation and as a membrane protein, NRSN2 also could be a potential treatment target for osteosarcoma.