The E-cadherin-catenin complex in tumour metastasis: structure, function and regulation

Tumor biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapy

Tumor biomarkers, the substances which are produced by tumors or the body's responses to tumors during tumorigenesis and progression, have been demonstrated to possess critical and encouraging value in screening and early diagnosis, prognosis prediction, recurrence detection, and therapeutic efficacy monitoring of cancers. Over the past decades, continuous progress has been made in exploring and discovering novel, sensitive, specific, and accurate tumor biomarkers, which has significantly promoted personalized medicine and improved the outcomes of cancer patients, especially advances in molecular biology technologies developed for the detection of tumor biomarkers. Herein, we summarize the discovery and development of tumor biomarkers, including the history of tumor biomarkers, the conventional and innovative technologies used for biomarker discovery and detection, the classification of tumor biomarkers based on tissue origins, and the application of tumor biomarkers in clinical cancer management. In particular, we highlight the recent advancements in biomarker-based anticancer-targeted therapies which are emerging as breakthroughs and promising cancer therapeutic strategies. We also discuss limitations and challenges that need to be addressed and provide insights and perspectives to turn challenges into opportunities in this field. Collectively, the discovery and application of multiple tumor biomarkers emphasized in this review may provide guidance on improved precision medicine, broaden horizons in future research directions, and expedite the clinical classification of cancer patients according to their molecular biomarkers rather than organs of origin.

High-grade intraductal carcinoma of the parotid gland harboring CTNNA1::ALK rearrangement: Changes in genetic status using genetic testing during treatment with an ALK inhibitor

BACKGROUND

Salivary gland carcinomas harboring anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements are rare. Here, we present the pathological characteristics, clinical course, and changes in the genetic status of a salivary gland carcinoma harboring a catenin alpha 1 (CTNNA1)::ALK rearrangement during treatment with an ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI).

METHODS

A 59-year-old man with a parotid tumor and cervical lymph node metastases underwent total parotidectomy and radical neck dissection. One month after completion of postoperative radiotherapy, the patient experienced multiple recurrences.

RESULTS

Subsequent treatment with the ALK-TKI alectinib was initially effective against the intraductal carcinoma harboring CTNNA1::ALK rearrangement and TP53 mutation. However, 10 months later the patients' condition deteriorated, and an additional phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) mutation was detected. The patient ultimately succumbed to multiple organ failure.

CONCLUSION

The clinical course suggested the concurrent emergence of TP53 and PIK3CA mutations and ALK-TKI drug-selective growth of non-ALK rearrangement gene tumor cells.

Functional Analysis of Membrane-Associated Scaffolding Tight Junction (TJ) Proteins in Tumorigenic Characteristics of B16-F10 Mouse Melanoma Cells

Tight junction (TJ) proteins (Tjps), Tjp1 and Tjp2, are tight junction-associated scaffold proteins that bind to the transmembrane proteins of tight junctions and the underlying cytoskeleton. In this study, we first analyzed the tumorigenic characteristics of B16-F10 melanoma cells, including cell proliferation, migration, invasion, metastatic potential, and the expression patterns of related proteins, after the CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout (KO) of Tjp genes. The proliferation of Tjp1 and Tjp2 KO cells significantly increased in vitro. Other tumorigenic characteristics, including migration and invasion, were significantly enhanced in Tjp1 and Tjp2 KO cells. Zonula occludens (ZO)-associated protein Claudin-1 (CLDN-1), which is a major component of tight junctions and functions in controlling cell-to-cell adhesion, was decreased in Tjp KO cells. Additionally, Tjp KO significantly stimulated tumor growth and metastasis in an in vivo mouse model. We performed a transcriptome analysis using next-generation sequencing (NGS) to elucidate the key genes involved in the mechanisms of action of Tjp1 and Tjp2. Among the various genes affected by Tjp KO-, cell cycle-, cell migration-, angiogenesis-, and cell-cell adhesion-related genes were significantly altered. In particular, we found that the Ninjurin-1 (Ninj1) and Catenin alpha-1 (Ctnna1) genes, which are known to play fundamental roles in Tjps, were significantly downregulated in Tjp KO cells. In summary, tumorigenic characteristics, including cell proliferation, migration, invasion, tumor growth, and metastatic potential, were significantly increased in Tjp1 and Tjp2 KO cells, and the knockout of Tjp genes significantly affected the expression of related proteins.

Complete loss of E-cadherin expression in a rare case of metastatic malignant meningioma: a case report

BACKGROUND

Hematogenous tumor spread of malignant meningiomas occurs very rarely but is associated with very poor prognosis.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report an unusual case of a patient with a malignant meningioma who developed multiple metastases in bones, lungs and liver after initial complete resection of the primary tumor. After partial hepatic resection, specimens were histologically analyzed, and a complete loss of E-cadherin adhesion molecules was found. No oncogenic target mutations were found. The patient received a combination of conventional radiotherapy and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). Due to aggressive tumor behavior and rapid spread of metastases, the patient deceased after initiation of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

E-cadherin downregulation is associated with a higher probability of tumor invasion and distant metastasis formation in malignant meningioma. Up to now, the efficacy of systemic therapy, including PRRT, is very limited in malignant meningioma patients.

Regulation of Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 4E as a Potential Anticancer Strategy

Eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs) are highly expressed in cancer cells, especially eIF4E, the central regulatory node driving cancer cell growth and a potential target for anticancer drugs. eIF4E-targeting strategies primarily focus on inhibiting eIF4E synthesis, interfering with eIF4E/eIF4G interactions, and targeting eIF4E phosphorylation and peptide inhibitors. Although some small-molecule inhibitors are in clinical trials, no eIF4E inhibitors are available for clinical use. We provide an overview of the regulatory mechanisms of eIF4E and summarize the progress in developing and discovering eIF4E inhibitor strategies. We propose that interference with eIF4E/eIF4G interactions will provide a new perspective for the design of eIF4E inhibitors and may be a preferred strategy.

ZHX2 deficiency enriches hybrid MET cells through regulating E-cadherin expression

Growing evidence indicates that the epithelial to mesenchymal (E/M) hybrid state plays a key role in tumorigenesis. Importantly, a hybrid mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) state in which individual cells express both epithelial and mesenchymal markers was recently identified in vivo, further strengthening the bonds between the hybrid EMT state and cancer progression. However, the role and the molecular mechanisms by which the hybrid MET state is maintained in triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBC) remain elusive. Here, we find that loss of ZHX2 expression results in the hybrid MET phenotype in mesenchymal TNBC cells. Mechanistically, through directly binding to the CDH1 promoter, depletion of ZHX2 specifically reactivates expression of CDH1 encoding E-cadherin, an epithelial marker that is crucial for maintaining epithelial phenotype. Functionally, loss of ZHX2 expression enriches the hybrid MET cells and inhibits the migration and dissemination of TNBC cells or organoids, which could be reversed by restoration of E-cadherin. Moreover, depletion of ZHX2 suppresses lung metastasis in preclinical models of TNBC. In patients with TNBC, ZHX2 expression was amplified and negatively correlated with the expression of E-cadherin. These findings suggest that loss of ZHX2 promotes the hybrid MET state to impair TNBC progression.

Biomolecules Involved in Both Metastasis and Placenta Accreta Spectrum-Does the Common Pathophysiological Pathway Exist?

The process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is crucial in the implantation of the blastocyst and subsequent placental development. The trophoblast, consisting of villous and extravillous zones, plays different roles in these processes. Pathological states, such as placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), can arise due to dysfunction of the trophoblast or defective decidualization, leading to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Studies have drawn parallels between placentation and carcinogenesis, with both processes involving EMT and the establishment of a microenvironment that facilitates invasion and infiltration. This article presents a review of molecular biomarkers involved in both the microenvironment of tumors and placental cells, including placental growth factor (PlGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), E-cadherin (CDH1), laminin γ2 (LAMC2), the zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox (ZEB) proteins, αVβ3 integrin, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), β-catenin, cofilin-1 (CFL-1), and interleukin-35 (IL-35). Understanding the similarities and differences in these processes may provide insights into the development of therapeutic options for both PAS and metastatic cancer.

Brazilein inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in breast cancer cells

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) exhibits high levels of Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, which promotes immune escape and metastasis. Brazilein is a natural compound extracted from Caesalpinia sappan L., and has been demonstrated to be an anti-inflammatory anti- proliferative and apoptosis-inducer in various cancer cells. Here, we investigated the effect of brazilein on EMT and PD-L1 expression in breast cancer cells and its related molecular mechanisms using MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells as a model. Since the AKT, NF-κB, and GSK3β/β-catenin signaling were reported to be important mechanisms in immune escape and metastasis, the effect of brazilein on these signaling pathways were also found out in our study. Firstly, brazilein was treated on breast cancer cells at various concentrations to study cell viability, apoptosis, and apoptosis proteins. Then, breast cancer cells were treated with non-toxic concentrations of brazilein to study its influence on EMT and expression of PD-L1 protein using MTT, flow cytometry, western blot, and wound healing analysis, respectively. We found that brazilein exerts an anti-cancer effect by reducing cell viability via induction of apoptosis, while it also downregulated EMT and PD-L1 through suppression of phosphorylation of AKT, NF-κB, and GSK3β/β-catenin. Moreover, the migration ability was diminished by inhibiting the activation of MMP-9 and MMP-2. Taken together, brazilein might delay cancer progression through inhibition of EMT, PD-L1, and metastasis suggesting it might be a potential therapeutic option in breast cancer patients having a high level of EMT and PD-L1.

Effect of 3α-dihydroprogesterone and 5α-dihydroprogesterone on DCIS cells and possible impact for postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE

Progesterone metabolites 5α-dihydroprogesterone (5αP) and 3α-dihydroprogesterone (3αP) have opposite effects on proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis in the breast. Evidence regarding their influence on ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) lesions is lacking.

METHODS

MCF10DCIS.com cells were cultured in a 3D culture system and treated with 5αP or 3αP. After 5 and 12 days of treatment, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of proliferation, invasion/metastasis, anti-apoptotic or other markers was performed. Cells treated with the tumor-promoting 5αP were observed under the light and confocal microscopes to reveal possible morphological changes that could indicate a transition from an in situ to an invasive phenotype. As a control, the morphology of the MDA-MB-231 invasive cell line was examined. The invasive potential after exposure to 5αP was also assessed using a detachment assay.

RESULTS

The PCR analysis of the chosen markers showed no statistically significant difference between naive cells and cells treated with 5αP or 3αP. DCIS spheroids retained their in situ morphology after treatment with 5αP. The detachment assay showed no increased potential for invasion after exposure to 5αP. Progesterone metabolites 5αP and 3αP do not facilitate or prohibit tumor promotion/invasion in MCF10DCIS.com cells, respectively.

CONCLUSION

As oral micronized progesterone has been proved effective for hot flushes in postmenopausal women, first in vitro data propose that progesterone-only therapy could possibly be considered for women after DCIS suffering from hot flushes.

Down-regulation of hepatic expression of GHR/STAT5/IGF-1 signaling pathway fosters development and aggressiveness of HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma: Crosstalk with Snail-1 and type 2 transforming growth factor-beta receptor

Background and aims

So far, few clinical trials are available concerning the role of growth hormone receptor (GHR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5)/insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis in hepatocarcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hepatic expression of GHR/STAT5/IGF-1 signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and to correlate the results with the clinico-pathological features and disease outcome. The interaction between this signaling pathway and some inducers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), namely Snail-1 and type 2 transforming growth factor-beta receptor (TGFBR2) was studied too.

Material and methods

A total of 40 patients with HCV-associated HCC were included in this study. They were compared to 40 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis without HCC, and 20 healthy controls. The hepatic expression of GHR, STAT5, IGF-1, Snail-1 and TGFBR2 proteins were assessed by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Compared with cirrhotic patients without HCC and healthy controls, cirrhotic patients with HCC had significantly lower hepatic expression of GHR, STAT5, and IGF-1proteins. They also displayed significantly lower hepatic expression of TGFBR2, but higher expression of Snail-1 versus the non-HCC cirrhotic patients and controls. Serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) showed significant negative correlations with hepatic expression of GHR (r = -0.31; p = 0.029) and STAT5 (r = -0.29; p = 0.04). Hepatic expression of Snail-1 also showed negative correlations with GHR, STAT5, and IGF-1 expression (r = -0.55, p = 0.02; r = -0.472, p = 0.035, and r = -0.51, p = 0.009, respectively), whereas, hepatic expression of TGFBR2 was correlated positively with the expression of all these proteins (r = 0.47, p = 0.034; 0.49, p = 0.023, and r = 0.57, p<0.001, respectively). Moreover, we reported that decreased expression of GHR was significantly associated with serum AFP level>100 ng/ml (p = 0.048), increased tumor size (p = 0.02), vascular invasion (p = 0.002), and advanced pathological stage (p = 0.01). Similar significant associations were found between down-regulation of STAT5 expression and AFP level > 100 ng/ml (p = 0.006), vascular invasion (p = 0.009), and advanced tumor stage (p = 0.007). Also, attenuated expression of IGF-1 showed a significant association with vascular invasion (p < 0.001). Intriguingly, we detected that lower expression of GHR, STAT5 and IGF-1 were considered independent predictors for worse outcome in HCC.

Conclusion

Decreased expression of GHR/STAT5/IGF-1 signaling pathway may have a role in development, aggressiveness, and worse outcome of HCV-associated HCC irrespective of the liver functional status. Snail-1 and TGFBR2 as inducers of EMT may be key players. However, large prospective multicenter studies are needed to validate these results.

NCALD as a potential predictive biomarker for the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer

Aim: Since reliable response predictors to platinum-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer (OC) are scarce, we characterize NCALD as a predictive biomarker. Materials & methods: NCALD mRNA (n = 100) and protein (n = 102) expression was analyzed in OC samples and associated with patient outcome. A stable OC cell line knockdown was generated and cellular response to platinum was explored. Results: High NCALD mRNA and protein expression was significantly associated with longer overall patient survival (p = 0.037/0.002). Knockdown experiments revealed a significant association between cisplatin sensitivity and NCALD expression. Conclusion: Low NCALD expression was associated with reduced sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy. NCALD may be a new biomarker candidate to identify patients who might benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy.

bub1 as a potential oncogene and a prognostic biomarker for neuroblastoma

Background

Neuroblastoma is the most common malignant extracranial tumor for children. Molecular mechanisms underpinning the pathogenesis of this disease are yet to be fully clarified. This study aimed to identify a novel oncogene that could be used as a biomarker informing the prognosis of neuroblastoma, and to predict its biological functions, using bioinformatics and molecular biology tools.

Methods

Three data sets from the TARGET, GSE62564, and GSE85047 databases were used for analysis. Survivals of patients with high or low expression of bub1 were compared, using the Kaplan-Meier curve and log-rank test. Immune infiltration was evaluated using ESTIMATE and MCP-counter algorithms. Synthetic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were employed to silence bub1 expression in neuroblastoma cell lines SH-SY5Y and SK-N-SH, in order to characterize its biological functions. Gene enrichment analyses of bub1 were carried out, using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses.

Results

Expression of bub1 was found to significantly affect overall survival and event-free survival of patients with neuroblastoma, positively correlate with the expressions of tpx2 and the ASPM gene, and negatively correlate with host immune infiltration. Expression of bub1 was elevated in patients with neuroblastoma. Silencing bub1 expression using siRNAs in SH-SY5Y and SK-N-SH resulted in decreased cell growth (p &lt; 0.05), reduced migration (p &lt; 0.05), and increased apoptosis (p &lt; 0.05). Function analysis of bub1 revealed cancer-promoting effects, probably via regulating several important downstream molecules, including that related to the apoptosis process and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Conclusion

We identified a potential tumor-promoting gene bub1 for neuroblastoma that could also serve as a prognostic biomarker.

The Role of RKIP in the Regulation of EMT in the Tumor Microenvironment

Simple Summary

Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) expression in cancer cells is significantly reduced and promoting cancer cells growth and invasiveness. Overexpresssion of RKIP has been reported to mediate pleiotropic anti-cancer activities including the inhibition of survival signaling pathways, sensitization to cell death by cytotoxic drugs, inhibition of invasion, EMT and metastasis. The molecular mechanism by which RKIP inhibits EMT is not clear. In this review, we have examined how RKIP inhibits the selected EMT gene products (Snail, vimentin, N-cadherin, laminin alpha) and found that it involves signaling cross-talks between RKIP and each of the EMT gene products. These findings were validated by bioinformatic analyses demonstrating in various human cancers a negative correlation between the expression of RKIP and the expression of the EMT gene products. These findings suggest that targeting RKIP induction in cancer cells will result in multiple hits by inhibiting tumor growth, metastasis and reversal of chemo-immuno resistance.

Abstract

The Raf Kinase Inhibitor Protein (RKIP) is a unique gene product that directly inhibits the Raf/Mek/Erk and NF-kB pathways in cancer cells and resulting in the inhibition of cell proliferation, viability, EMT, and metastasis. Additionally, RKIP is involved in the regulation of cancer cell resistance to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The low expression of RKIP expression in many cancer types is responsible, in part, for the pathogenesis of cancer and its multiple properties. The inhibition of EMT and metastasis by RKIP led to its classification as a tumor suppressor. However, the mechanism by which RKIP mediates its inhibitory effects on EMT and metastases was not clear. We have proposed that one mechanism involves the negative regulation by RKIP of the expression of various gene products that mediate the mesenchymal phenotype as well as the positive regulation of gene products that mediate the epithelial phenotype via signaling cross talks between RKIP and each gene product. We examined several EMT mesenchymal gene products such as Snail, vimentin, N-cadherin, laminin and EPCAM and epithelial gene products such as E-cadherin and laminin. We have found that indeed these negative and positive correlations were detected in the signaling cross-talks. In addition, we have also examined bioinformatic data sets on different human cancers and the findings corroborated, in large part, the findings observed in the signaling cross-talks with few exceptions in some cancer types. The overall findings support the underlying mechanism by which the tumor suppressor RKIP regulates the expression of gene products involved in EMT and metastasis. Hence, the development of agent that can selectively induce RKIP expression in cancers with low expressions should result in the activation of the pleiotropic anti-cancer activities of RKIP and resulting in multiple effects including inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, EMT, metastasis and sensitization of resistant tumor cells to respond to both chemotherapeutics and immunotherapeutics.

MICAL2 contributes to gastric cancer cell migration via Cdc42-dependent activation of E-cadherin/β-catenin signaling pathway

Background

Gastric cancer is a common and lethal human malignancy worldwide and cancer cell metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. MICAL2, a flavoprotein monooxygenase, is an important regulator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of MICAL2 on gastric cancer cell migration and determine the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods

Cell migration was examined by wound healing and transwell assays. Changes in E-cadherin/β-catenin signaling were determined by qPCR and analysis of cytoplasmic and nuclear protein fractions. E-cadherin/β-catenin binding was determined by co-immunoprecipitation assays. Cdc42 activity was examined by pulldown assay.

Results

MICAL2 was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues. The knockdown of MICAL2 significantly attenuated migratory ability and β-catenin nuclear translocation in gastric cancer cells while LiCl treatment, an inhibitor of GSK3β, reversed these MICAL2 knockdown-induced effects. Meanwhile, E-cadherin expression was markedly enhanced in MICAL2-depleted cells. MICAL2 knockdown led to a significant attenuation of E-cadherin ubiquitination and degradation in a Cdc42-dependent manner, then enhanced E-cadherin/β-catenin binding, and reduced β-catenin nuclear translocation.

Conclusions

Together, our results indicated that MICAL2 promotes E-cadherin ubiquitination and degradation, leading to enhanced β-catenin signaling via the disruption of the E-cadherin/β-catenin complex and, consequently, the promotion of gastric cell migration.

Resistance to prostate cancer treatments

A review of the current treatment options for prostate cancer and the formation of resistance to these regimens has been compiled including primary, acquired, and cross-resistance. The diversification of the pathways involved and the escape routes the tumor is utilizing have been addressed. Whereas early stages of tumor can be cured, there is no treatment available after a point of no return has been reached, leaving palliative treatment as the only option. The major reasons for this outcome are the heterogeneity of tumors, both inter- and intra-individually and the nearly endless number of escape routes, which the tumor can select to overcome the effects of treatment. This means that more focus should be applied to the individualization of both diagnosis and therapy of prostate cancer. In addition to current treatment options, novel drugs and ongoing clinical trials have been addressed in this review.

Exercise training inhibits atherosclerosis progression and reduces VE-cadherin levels within atherosclerotic plaques in hypercholesterolemic mice

Vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cadherin), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs) have emerged as key-factors of atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exercise training (ET) on those key-factors in relation to the progression of atherosclerotic lesions in hypercholesterolemic mice. Thirty male, apoE knockout (apoE^-/-) mice were randomly assigned to the following equivalent groups: 1) CO-control: High-fat diet (HFD) administration for 12 weeks. 2) EX-exercise: HFD administration as in CO, and during the last 4 weeks (9th -12th week) ET on treadmill (5sessions/week, 60min/session). At the end of study, blood samples were obtained and all mice were sacrificed. Aortic roots were excised and analysed regarding the percentage of aortic stenosis, and the relative concentrations of collagen, elastin, VE-cadherin, MMP-8,-9 and TIMP-1,-2 within the atherosclerotic lesions. Aortic stenosis was significantly lower in the EX than the CO group (39.63 ± 7.22% vs 62.04 ± 8.55%; p < 0.001), along with considerable increase in fibrous cap thickness and of collagen and elastin contents within plaques (p < 0.05). Compared to controls, exercised-treated mice showed reduced intra-plaque relative concentrations of VE-cadherin (15.09 ± 1.89% vs 23.49 ± 3.01%, p < 0.001), MMP-8 (8.51 ± 2.24% vs 18.51 ± 4.08%, p < 0.001) and MMP-9 (12.1 ± 4.86% vs 18.88 ± 6.23%, p < 0.001). Inversely, the relative concentrations of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in the ET group were considerably higher by 62.5% and 31.2% than in the EX group (p < 0.05), respectively. Finally, body weight and lipids concentrations did not differ between groups at the end of the study (p > 0.05). ET treatment induced regression of established atherosclerotic lesions in apoE^-/- mice and improved their stability. Those effects seemed to be mediated by favourable modification of VE-cadherin, MMPs and TIMPs.

MMP-7 marks severe pancreatic cancer and alters tumor cell signaling by proteolytic release of ectodomains

Pancreatic cancer incurs the worst survival rate of the major cancers. High levels of the protease matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) in circulation correlate with poor prognosis and limited survival of patients. MMP-7 is required for a key path of pancreatic tumorigenesis in mice and is present throughout tumor progression. Enhancements to chemotherapies are needed for increasing the number of pancreatic tumors that can be removed and for preventing relapses after surgery. With these ends in mind, selective inhibition of MMP-7 may be worth investigation. An anti-MMP-7 monoclonal antibody was recently shown to increase the susceptibility of several pancreatic cancer cell lines to chemotherapeutics, increase their apoptosis, and decrease their migration. MMP-7 activities are most apparent at the surfaces of innate immune, epithelial, and tumor cells. Proteolytic shedding of multiple protein ectodomains by MMP-7 from such cell surfaces influence apoptosis, proliferation, migration, and invasion. These activities warrant targeting of MMP-7 selectively in pancreatic cancer and other tumors of mucosal epithelia. Competitive and non-competitive modes of MMP-7 inhibition are discussed.

TAGLN2-Regulated Trophoblast Migration, Invasion and Fusion are Impaired in Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious disease during pregnancy that affects approximately eight million mothers and infants worldwide each year and is closely related to abnormal trophoblast function. However, research on placental trophoblast functional abnormalities is insufficient, and the etiology of PE is unclear. Here, we report that the expression of transgelin-2 (TAGLN2) was downregulated in the placenta of patients with PE. In addition, a lack of TAGLN2 significantly reduced the ability of trophoblasts to migrate, invade and fuse. A co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and microscale thermophoresis analysis showed that TAGLN2 bound directly to E-cadherin. A decrease in TAGLN2 expression led to a reduction in cleavage of the E-cadherin extracellular domain, thereby regulating the function of trophoblasts. In addition, we found that a reduction in soluble E-cadherin may also have an effect on blood vessel formation in the placenta, which is necessary for normal placental development. What’s more, the in vivo mouse model provided additional evidence of TAGLN2 involvement in the development of PE. By injecting pregnant mice with Ad-TAGLN2, we successfully generated a human PE-like syndrome that resulted in high blood pressure and some adverse pregnancy outcomes. Overall, the association between TAGLN2 and PE gives a new insight into PE diagnosis and treatment.

Butyrate promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma cells migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common type of primary malignant tumor in the oral cavity, is a lethal disease with high recurrence and mortality rates. Butyrate, a metabolite produced by periodontal pathogens, has been linked to oral diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of sodium butyrate (NaB) on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells in vitro and to explore the potential mechanism.

METHODS

Two OSCC cell lines (HSC-4 and SCC-9) were treated with NaB at different concentrations. The cell proliferation was assayed by CCK-8, ethylene deoxyuridine (EdU), and flow cytometry. Wound healing and transwell assay were performed to detect cell migration and invasion. Changes in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, including E-cadherin, Vimentin, and SNAI1, were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot, and immunofluorescent staining. The expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were analyzed by qRT-PCR and gelatin zymography.

RESULTS

Our results showed that NaB inhibited the proliferation of OSCC cells and induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, but NaB significantly enhanced cell migration and invasion compared with the control group. Further mechanistic investigation demonstrated that NaB induced EMT by increasing the expression of Vimentin and SNAI1, decreasing the expression of membrane-bound E-cadherin, and correspondingly promoting E-cadherin translocation from the membrane to the cytoplasm. In addition, the overexpression of MMP1/2/9/13 was closely related to NaB treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study conclude that butyrate may promote the migration and invasion of OSCC cells by inducing EMT. These findings indicate that butyrate may contribute to OSCC metastasis.

Transcriptomic comparison of ovarian granulosa cells between adult sheep and prepubertal lambs

BACKGROUND

The oocyte development ability of prepubertal animals is significantly lower than that of adult animals. Granulosa cells (GCs) have an important function on regulation of follicular and oocyte development. Therefore, analysis of GC characteristics can be used to explore the developmental mechanism of follicles and oocytes.

RESULTS

In order to understand the possible reasons for the differences in follicle and oocyte development between lambs and adult sheep, we utilized high-throughput sequencing technique to analyze the transcriptome of GCs from follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) superstimulated adult ewes and prepubertal lambs. Adult ewes were treated with FSH for 3 days (group A) and lambs were FSH-treated for 2 days (group B) or 3 days (group C). Transcriptome analysis of GCs showed that there were 405 and 159 differentially expressed genes from A vs. B and A vs. C, respectively. The results indicated that prolonging the FSH-treatment of lambs made the GC state of lambs more similar to the adult ewes, but there were still a large number of differentially expressed genes between adult ewes and lambs. Further analysis showed that many differently expressed genes were implicated in cell proliferation and apoptosis, oocyte development and follicular ovulation. Cellular examination demonstrated that fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), which was highly expressed in lamb GCs, had a potential of promoting cell apoptosis. Cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (PLA2G4A), which was expressed lowly in lamb GCs, may be responsible for reduced synthesis of prostaglandins in cells and impaired follicle/oocyte development. In contrast, glutathione S-transferase β-1 (GSTT2B) and forkhead boxO6 (FOXO6) had no apparent effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of GCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study found dramatic transcriptomic differences in GCs between lambs and adult sheep, which may explain the possible reasons for the defects of follicle and oocyte development in lambs compared to adult sheep. Our data provides important information for further understanding the mechanism of follicular development in prepubertal animals and improving their oocyte developmental competence.

Genetic and molecular biology of gastric cancer among Iranian patients: an update

Background

There is a declining trend of gastric cancer (GC) incidence in the world during recent years that is related to the development of novel diagnostic methods. However, there is still a high ratio of GC mortality among the Iranian population that can be associated with late diagnosis. Despite various reports about the novel diagnostic markers, there is not any general and standard diagnostic panel marker for Iranian GC patients. Therefore, it is required to determine an efficient and general panel of molecular markers for early detection.

Main body of the abstract

In the present review, we summarized all of the reported markers until now among Iranian GC patients to pave the way for the determination of a population-based diagnostic panel of markers. In this regard, we categorized these markers in different groups based on their involved processes to know which molecular process is more frequent during the GC progression among Iranians.

Conclusion

We observed that the non-coding RNAs are the main factors involved in GC tumorigenesis in this population.

E-Cadherin Modulation and Inter-Cellular Trafficking in Tubular Gastric Adenocarcinoma: A High-Resolution Microscopy Pilot Study

Despite the numerous advances in tumor molecular biology and chemotherapy options, gastric adenocarcinoma is still the most frequent form of gastric cancer. One of the core proteins that regulates inter-cellular adhesion, E-cadherin plays important roles in tumorigenesis as well as in tumor progression; however, the exact expression changes and modulation that occur in gastric cancer are not yet fully understood. In an attempt to estimate if the synthesis/degradation balance matches the final membrane expression of this adhesion molecule in cancer tissue, we assessed the proportion of E-cadherin that is found in the Golgi vesicles as well as in the lysosomal pathway We utilized archived tissue fragments from 18 patients with well and poorly differentiated intestinal types of gastric cancer and 5 samples of normal gastric mucosa, by using high-magnification multispectral microscopy and high-resolution fluorescence deconvolution microscopy. Our data showed that E-cadherin is not only expressed in the membrane, but also in the cytoplasm of normal and tumor gastric epithelia. E-cadherin colocalization with the Golgian vesicles seemed to be increasing with less differentiated tumors, while co-localization with the lysosomal system decreased in tumor tissue; however, the membrane expression of the adhesion molecule clearly dropped from well to poorly differentiated tumors. Thus E-cadherin seems to be more abundantly synthetized than eliminated via lysosomes/exosomes in less differentiated tumors, suggesting that post-translational modifications, such as cleavage, conformational inactivation, or exocytosis, are responsible for the net drop of E-cadherin at the level of the membrane in more anaplastic tumors. This behavior is in perfect accordance with the concept of partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (P-EMT), when the E-cadherin expression of tumor cells is in fact not downregulated but redistributed away from the membrane in recycling vesicles. Moreover, our high-resolution deconvolution microscopy study showed for the first time, at the tissue level, the presence of Lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 1 (LAMP1)-positive exosomes/multivesicular bodies being trafficked across the membranes of tumor epithelial cells. Altogether, a myriad of putative modulatory pathways is available as a treatment turning point, even if we are to only consider the metabolism of membrane E-cadherin regulation. Future super-resolution microscopy studies are needed to clarify the extent of lysosome/exosome exchange between tumor cells and with the surrounding stroma, in histopathology samples or even in vivo.

Cancer-cell-intrinsic mechanisms regulate MDSCs through cytokine networks

Immunotherapy has shifted the paradigm of cancer treatment. However, the majority of cancer patients display de novo or acquired resistance to immunotherapy. One of the main mechanisms of immunotherapy resistance is the immunosuppressive microenvironment dominated by the myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Emerging evidence demonstrates that genetic or epigenetic aberrations in cancer cells shape the accumulation and activation of MDSCs. Understanding this genotype-immunophenotype relationship is critical to the rational design of combination immunotherapy. Here, we review the mechanisms of how molecular changes in cancer cells induce recruitment and reprogram the function of tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells, particularly MDSCs. Tumor-infiltrating MDSCs elicit various pro-tumor functions to promote tumor cell fitness, immune evasion, angiogenesis, tissue remodeling, and metastasis. Through understanding the genotype-immunophenotype relationship between neoplastic cells and MDSCs, new approaches can be developed to tailor current immunotherapy strategies to improve cancer patient outcomes.

Nimbolide inhibits 2D and 3D prostate cancer cells migration, affects microtubules and angiogenesis and suppresses B-RAF/p.ERK-mediated in vivo tumor growth

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prominent malignancy among men worldwide. PCa cells have a high tendency to metastasize to various distant organs, and this activity is the main cause of PCa mortality. Nimbolide is a promising phytochemical constituent of neem Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae). Previous studies showed that nimbolide exhibited potent anticancer activity however, its role against PCa tumorigenesis has not been fully elucidated.

PURPOSE

Our work aims to explore the role of nimbolide in regulating the essential tumor-associated processes involved in the metastatic cascade in PCa cells.

STUDY DESIGN

Cytotoxicity assay, wound healing and spheroid invasion assays, western blotting, immunofluorescence, tube-formation assay, in vivo and immunohistochemistry.

METHODS

The cytotoxicity of nimbolide towards PCa cell lines was assessed by resazurin assays. The cell mobility and migration of nimbolide-treated DU145 cells were determined by wound healing and spheroid invasion assays. Tubulin network was visualized using U2OS cells and DU145 cells. The effect of nimbolide on E-cadherin, β-catenin, acetylated α-tubulin and HDAC6 protein expressions levels were measured by Western blot. The potentiality of nimbolide to inhibit angiogenesis was revealed by HUVEC tube-formation assay. Nimbolide antitumor effect was studied in a syngeneic model of murine prostate cancer.

RESULTS

The current study indicated that nimbolide negatively affected the migratory and invasive capacity of DU145 prostate cancer cells in 2D and three-dimensional (3D) spheroid cultures. Interestingly, nimbolide induced downregulation of E-cadherin without any influence on the expression level of β-catenin. Additionally, we demonstrated that nimbolide influenced the microtubule network which was supported by the upregulation of acetylated α-tubulin and the reduction in HDAC6 protein. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of nimbolide on angiogenesis was clearly observed in HUVEC tube formation assay. In vivo experiments revealed the significant suppression of PCa growth and targeting of the B-RAF/p.ERK signaling pathway by nimbolide.

CONCLUSION

Our results showed that nimbolide inhibited 2D and 3D prostate cancer cells migration and downregulated E-cadherin protein expression, a marker for metastatic chemoresistance and tumor recurrence. Nimbolide stabilized the microtubules, combated angiogenesis and suppressed B.RAF/ERK-mediated in vivo tumor growth. Nimbolide may be considered as potential therapeutic agent for metastatic and advanced PCa patients and merits further investigations.

Oral microbiome associated with lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral microbiota can alter cancer susceptibility and progression by modulating metabolism and inflammation. We assessed the association between the oral microbiome and lymph node (LN) metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We collected a total of 54 saliva samples from patients with OSCC before surgery. LN metastasis was assessed based on postoperative pathological examination. We used QIIME2, linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), and PICRUSt2 methods to analyze microbial dysbiosis. A random forest classifier was used to assess whether the oral microbiome could predict LN metastasis. Among the 54 OSCC samples, 20 had LN metastasis, and 34 had no evidence of metastasis. There was a significant difference in β-diversity between the metastasis and no metastasis groups. Through LEfSe analysis, the metastasis group was enriched in the genera Prevotella, Stomatobaculum, Bifidobacterium, Peptostreptococcaceae, Shuttleworthia and Finegoldia. Pathways related to signal peptidase II were predominant in the no metastasis group. The RF model showed a modestly high accuracy for predicting metastasis. Differences in microbial community composition and functions were observed in the oral microbiome of patients with OSCC with and without LN metastasis. However, the finding that specific taxa may be associated with LN metastasis should be verified in a further prospective study.

Microbiomics in Collusion with the Nervous System in Carcinogenesis: Diagnosis, Pathogenesis and Treatment

The influence of the naturally occurring population of microbes on various human diseases has been a topic of much recent interest. Not surprisingly, continuously growing attention is devoted to the existence of a gut brain axis, where the microbiota present in the gut can affect the nervous system through the release of metabolites, stimulation of the immune system, changing the permeability of the blood–brain barrier or activating the vagus nerves. Many of the methods that stimulate the nervous system can also lead to the development of cancer by manipulating pathways associated with the hallmarks of cancer. Moreover, neurogenesis or the creation of new nervous tissue, is associated with the development and progression of cancer in a similar manner as the blood and lymphatic systems. Finally, microbes can secrete neurotransmitters, which can stimulate cancer growth and development. In this review we discuss the latest evidence that support the importance of microbiota and peripheral nerves in cancer development and dissemination.

Targeting FHL2-E-cadherin axis by miR-340-5p attenuates colon cancer cell migration and invasion

Convincing data has suggested that four and a half LIM domain 2 protein (FHL2) serves a key function in cancer cell metastasis and that microRNA (miR)-340-5p can regulate cancer cell migration. The current study hypothesized that targeting FHL2 expression by miR-340-5p in colon cancer may attenuate colon cancer cell migration and invasion. FHL2 expression was therefore assessed in colon cancer microarray datasets using Qlucore omics explorer as well as in HT-29 and AZ-97 colon cancer cell lines via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Colon cancer cell migration and invasion were evaluated in the presence of miR-340-5p mimic, mimic control or mimic with a target site blocker. Confocal microscopy and RT-qPCR were subsequently performed to assess FHL2, E-cadherin (E-cad) protein and mRNA expression in colon cancer cells. Microarray dataset analysis revealed that FHL2 expression was lower in primary colon cancer cells compared with normal colonic mucosa. It was revealed that the expression of miR-340-5p and FHL2 were inversely related in serum-grown and low-serum conditions in HT-29 and AZ-97 cells. Short-time serum exposure to low-serum grown cells induced FHL2 expression. Transfection of HT-29 cells with miR-340-5p mimic not only decreased serum-induced expression of FHL2 but also decreased cancer cell migration and invasion. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that FHL2 mRNA had one putative binding site for miR-340-5p at the 3-untranslated region. Blocking of the target site using a specific blocker reverted miR-340-5p mimic-induced inhibition of FHL2 expression and cancer cell migration and invasion. Confocal microscopy confirmed that the reduction of FHL2 expression by miR-340-5p mimic also reversed serum-induced E-cad disruption and that the target site blocker abrogated the effect of miR-340-5p. The current results suggested that miR-340-5p could be used to antagonize colon cancer cell metastasis by targeting the FHL2-E-cad axis.

MAGI1 inhibits the AMOTL2/p38 stress pathway and prevents luminal breast tumorigenesis

Alterations to cell polarization or to intercellular junctions are often associated with epithelial cancer progression, including breast cancers (BCa). We show here that the loss of the junctional scaffold protein MAGI1 is associated with bad prognosis in luminal BCa, and promotes tumorigenesis. E-cadherin and the actin binding scaffold AMOTL2 accumulate in MAGI1 deficient cells which are subjected to increased stiffness. These alterations are associated with low YAP activity, the terminal Hippo-pathway effector, but with an elevated ROCK and p38 Stress Activated Protein Kinase activities. Blocking ROCK prevented p38 activation, suggesting that MAGI1 limits p38 activity in part through releasing actin strength. Importantly, the increased tumorigenicity of MAGI1 deficient cells is rescued in the absence of AMOTL2 or after inhibition of p38, demonstrating that MAGI1 acts as a tumor-suppressor in luminal BCa by inhibiting an AMOTL2/p38 stress pathway.

The Identification of Small Molecule Inhibitors That Reduce Invasion and Metastasis of Aggressive Cancers

Transformed epithelial cells can activate programs of epithelial plasticity and switch from a sessile, epithelial phenotype to a motile, mesenchymal phenotype. This process is linked to the acquisition of an invasive phenotype and the formation of distant metastases. The development of compounds that block the acquisition of an invasive phenotype or revert the invasive mesenchymal phenotype into a more differentiated epithelial phenotype represent a promising anticancer strategy. In a high-throughput assay based on E-cadherin (re)induction and the inhibition of tumor cell invasion, 44,475 low molecular weight (LMW) compounds were screened. The screening resulted in the identification of candidate compounds from the PROAM02 class. Selected LMW compounds activated E-cadherin promoter activity and inhibited cancer cell invasion in multiple metastatic human cancer cell lines. The intraperitoneal administration of selected LMW compounds reduced the tumor burden in human prostate and breast cancer in vivo mouse models. Moreover, selected LMW compounds decreased the intra-bone growth of xenografted human prostate cancer cells. This study describes the identification of the PROAM02 class of small molecules that can be exploited to reduce cancer cell invasion and metastases. Further clinical evaluation of selected candidate inhibitors is warranted to address their safety, bioavailability and antitumor efficacy in the management of patients with aggressive cancers.

Proteomic Analysis of Pre-Invasive Serous Lesions of the Endometrium and Fallopian Tube Reveals Their Metastatic Potential

Serous endometrial cancer (SEC) and high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) are aggressive gynecological malignancies with high rates of metastasis and poor prognosis. Endometrial intraepithelial carcinoma (EIC), the precursor for SEC, and serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC), believed to be the precursor lesion for HGSOC, can also be associated with intraabdominal spread. To provide insight into the etiology of these precancerous lesions and to explore the potential molecular mechanisms underlying their metastatic behavior, we performed a proteomic mass spectrometry analysis in a patient with synchronous EIC and STIC. Through histological and molecular identification of precancerous lesions followed by laser capture microdissection, we were able to identify over 450 proteins within the precancerous lesions and adjacent healthy tissue. The proteomic analysis of STIC and EIC showed remarkable overlap in the proteomic patterns, reflecting early neoplastic changes in proliferation, loss of polarity and attachment. Our proteomic analysis showed that both EIC and STIC, despite being regarded as premalignant lesions, have metastatic potential, which correlates with the common presentation of invasive serous gynecological malignancies at advanced stage.

The role of HPV gene expression and selected cellular MiRNAs in lung cancer development

BACKGROUND

The high mortality rate of lung cancer can be justified that strong need to explore new aspect of tumor biology. Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been detected as risk factor for the development of lung cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the role of HPV and cellular/miRNAs genes expression in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and development of lung cancer.

METHODS

In this case-control study, 109 lung cancer tissue and 52 controls were included. We analyzed the presence of HPV infection, its genotypes (in positive samples) and the expression of viral genes (E2, E6 and E7). Also, We examined the expression of celluar factors including (a) p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb) (as anti-carcinogenic genes), (b) EMT related genes, (c) selected miRNAs.

RESULTS

Our results reported 51.4% and 23.1% of HPV genome in tumor tissues and control tissues samples, respectively. There was a significant association between the HPV positive status and lung cancer (OR = 3.26, 95% C.I = 1.47-7.02, P = 0.001). HPV type 16 was the most prevalent genotype in tissues. The expression of p53, RB, TIMP1, CCNG-1, E-cad and PTPN13 were decreased while MMP-2 and N-cad were increased in HPV-positive tumor/control tissues compared to HPV-negative tissues. Also, among miRNAs, let-7, miR-23, miR-34, miR-125, miR-146 were downregulated and miR-20, miR-424 were upregulated in HPV-positve tissues compared to HPV-negative tissues.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that HPV infection and interaction with cellular genes and miRNAs promote EMT which involved in the lung cancer development.

Putative Epigenetic Biomarkers of Stress in Red Blood Cells of Chickens Reared Across Different Biomes

Production animals are constantly subjected to early adverse environmental conditions that influence the adult phenotype and produce epigenetic effects. CpG dinucleotide methylation in red blood cells (RBC) could be a useful epigenetic biomarker to identify animals subjected to chronic stress in the production environment. Here we compared a reduced fraction of the RBC methylome of chickens exposed to social isolation to non-exposed. These experiments were performed in two different locations: Brazil and Sweden. The aim was to identify stress-associated DNA methylation profiles in RBC across these populations, in spite of the variable conditions to which birds are exposed in each facility and their different lineages. Birds were increasingly exposed to a social isolation treatment, combined with food and water deprivation, at random periods of the day from weeks 1-4 after hatching. We then collected the RBC DNA from individuals and compared a reduced fraction of their methylome between the experimental groups using two bioinformatic approaches to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs): one using fixed-size windows and another that preselected differential peaks with MACS2. Three levels of significance were used (P ≤ 0.05, P ≤ 0.005, and P ≤ 0.0005) to identify DMRs between experimental groups, which were then used for different analyses. With both of the approaches more DMRs reached the defined significance thresholds in BR individuals compared to SW. However, more DMRs had higher fold change values in SW compared to BR individuals. Interestingly, ChrZ was enriched above expectancy for the presence of DMRs. Additionally, when analyzing the locations of these DMRs in relation to the transcription starting site (TSS), we found three peaks with high DMR presence: 10 kb upstream, the TSS itself, and 20-40 kb downstream. Interestingly, these peaks had DMRs with a high presence (>50%) of specific transcription factor binding sites. Three overlapping DMRs were found between the BR and SW population using the most relaxed p-value (P ≤ 0.05). With the most stringent p-value (P ≤ 0.0005), we found 7 and 4 DMRs between treatments in the BR and SW populations, respectively. This study is the first approximation to identify epigenetic biomarkers of long-term exposure to stress in different lineages of production animals.

The potential therapeutic effects of melatonin on breast cancer: An invasion and metastasis inhibitor

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and its metastasis which generally observed at the last stage is the major cause of breast cancer-related death. Therefore, the agents that have the potential to prevent metastatic and invasive nature of breast cancer can open up new therapeutic strategies. Melatonin, a major hormone of pineal gland, is a powerful anti-cancer agent. There are growing evidence regarding the protective effect of melatonin against cancer invasion and metastasis. The anti-metastatic feature of melatonin accompanies with suppression of tumor proliferation, induction of tumor apoptosis, regulation of the cell cycle, modulating angiogenesis, impediment of invasion, and induction of cancer cells sensitivity to the chemotherapy agents. More recently, anti-metastatic effect of melatonin through affecting cancer stem cells and vascular mimicry has been identified. Thus, the aim of this review is to discuss the potential therapeutic effect of melatonin on breast cancer via modulating the cells invasion and metastasis.

Folic Acid Induces Intake-Related Changes in the Mammary Tissue Transcriptome of C57BL/6 Mice

Folic acid (FA) intake has been associated with increased breast cancer risk in some studies. Although underlying mechanisms are unknown, epigenetic modifications that persistently alter transcription have been suggested. We tested the hypothesis that high FA (HFA) intake alters the adult mammary transcriptome in a manner consistent with increased potential for carcinogenesis, detectable beyond the period of intake. C57BL/6 mice were fed control FA (CFA) (1 mg/kg diet) or HFA (5 mg/kg diet) diets for 4 weeks, followed by AIN93M maintenance diet for 4 weeks. Plasma 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, p-aminobenzoylglutamate and unmetabolised FA concentrations were greater (1.62, 1.56, 5.80-fold, respectively) in HFA compared to CFA mice. RNA sequencing of the mammary transcriptome (~20 million reads) showed 222 transcripts (191 upregulated) differentially expressed between groups. Gene Set Enrichment showed upregulated genes significantly enriched in Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition, Myogenesis and Apical Junction and downregulated genes in E2F targets, MYC targets and G2M checkpoint. Cancer was the most altered Disease and Disorder pathway, with Metastasis, Mammary Tumour and Growth of Tumour the most upregulated pathways. ChIP-seq enrichment analysis showed that targets of histone methyltransferase EZH2 were enriched in HFA mice. This study demonstrates HFA intake during adulthood induces mammary transcriptome changes, consistent with greater tumorigenic potential.

Antitumor potential of Hedyotis diffusa Willd: A systematic review of bioactive constituents and underlying molecular mechanisms

Cancer is a major cause of death in the world. Chemotherapy can extend the life of cancer patients to some extent, but the quality of life is reduced. Therefore, the quest for more efficient and less toxic medication strategies is still at the forefront of current research. Hedyotis diffusa Willd (HDW), a Chinese herb medicine, has received great attention in the past two decades and has been well documented in clinics for antitumor activity in a variety of human cancers. This review discussed a total of 58 different kinds of active antitumor components isolated from HDW, including iridoids, flavonoids, flavonol glycosides, anthraquinones, phenolic acids, and their derivatives, sterols, and volatile oils. Their antitumor activities include inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, induction of tumor cell apoptosis and tumor angiogenesis, regulation of the host immune response, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and protective autophagy. Besides, we provide up-to-date and systematic evidence for HDW antitumor activities and the possible underlying molecular mechanisms and reference for further development of novel drugs and dosage formulation in control of human cancers.

A combinatorially regulated RNA splicing signature predicts breast cancer EMT states and patient survival

During breast cancer metastasis, the developmental process epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is abnormally activated. Transcriptional regulatory networks controlling EMT are well-studied; however, alternative RNA splicing also plays a critical regulatory role during this process. A comprehensive understanding of alternative splicing (AS) and the RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that regulate it during EMT and their impact on breast cancer remains largely unknown. In this study, we annotated AS in the breast cancer TCGA data set and identified an AS signature that is capable of distinguishing epithelial and mesenchymal states of the tumors. This AS signature contains 25 AS events, among which nine showed increased exon inclusion and 16 showed exon skipping during EMT. This AS signature accurately assigns the EMT status of cells in the CCLE data set and robustly predicts patient survival. We further developed an effective computational method using bipartite networks to identify RBP-AS networks during EMT. This network analysis revealed the complexity of RBP regulation and nominated previously unknown RBPs that regulate EMT-associated AS events. This study highlights the importance of global AS regulation during EMT in cancer progression and paves the way for further investigation into RNA regulation in EMT and metastasis.

β-Catenin: oncogenic role and therapeutic target in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a common and fatal malignancy of the female reproductive system. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary causal agent for cervical cancer, but HPV infection alone is insufficient to cause the disease. Actually, most HPV infections are sub-clinical and cleared spontaneously by the host immune system; very few persist and eventually develop into cervical cancer. Therefore, other host or environmental alterations could also contribute to the malignant phenotype. One of the candidate co-factors is the β-catenin protein, a pivotal component of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. β-Catenin mainly implicates two major cellular activities: cell–cell adhesion and signal transduction. Recent studies have indicated that an imbalance in the structural and signaling properties of β-catenin leads to various cancers, such as cervical cancer. In this review, we will systematically summarize the role of β-catenin in cervical cancer and provide new insights into therapeutic strategies.

ZFP36 Binds With PRC1 to Inhibit Tumor Growth and Increase 5-Fu Chemosensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth common cause of tumor-related death worldwide. ZFP36, a RNA-binding protein, decreases in many cancers and its role in HCC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms by which ZFP36 inhibited HCC progression and increased fluorouracil (5-Fu) sensitivity. We found that ZFP36 was downregulated and PRC1 was upregulated in HCC tissues compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues. In vitro investigation presented that ZFP36 acted as a tumor suppressor, while overexpression of PRC1 increased cell proliferation, colony formation and invasion. Further investigations demonstrated that overexpression of ZFP36 inhibited tumor growth and promoted 5-Fu sensitivity in xenograft tumor mice model, which could be reversed when PRC1 overexpressed simultaneously. Luciferase reporter assays and Ribonucleoprotein immunoprecipitation analysis indicated that ZFP36 could bind to adenylate uridylate-rich elements located in PRC1 mRNA 3′UTR to downregulate PRC1 expression. Taken together, our findings identified that ZFP36 regulated PRC1 to exert anti-tumor effect, which suggested a potential therapeutic strategy for treating HCC by exploiting ZFP36/PRC1 axis.

Inhibited Metastasis and Amplified Chemotherapeutic Effects by Epigene-Transfection Based on a Tumor-Targeting Nanoparticle

Purpose

Tumor metastasis and drug resistance have always been vital aspects to cancer mortality and prognosis. To compromise metastasis and drug resistance, a nanoparticle IPPD-PHF2 (IR780/PLGA-PEI(Dox)-PHF2) has been engineered to accomplish efficient targeted epigenotherapy forced by PHF2-induced MET (mesenchymal to epithelial transition).

Materials and Methods

IPPD-PHF2 nanoparticle was synthesized and characterized by several analytical techniques. The transfection efficiency of IPP-PHF2 (IR780/PLGA-PEI-PHF2) was compared with PP-PHF2 (PLGA-PEI-PHF2) in vitro by WB and in vivo by IHC, and the cytotoxicity of IPP was compared with Lipo2000 in vitro by CCK8 assay. The inhibition of cancer cell migration caused by PHF2-upregulation was tested by wound healing assay, and the enhanced chemotherapeutic sensitivity was detected by flow cytometry. Tumor-targeting property of IPPD-PHF2 was proved by fluorescent imaging in vivo with MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing nude mice. Except for fluorescent imaging ability, considerable photoacoustic signals of IPPD-PHF2 at tumor sites were verified. The anti-tumor activity of IPPD-PHF2 was investigated using in vivo human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell models.

Results

Tumor-targeting nanoparticle IPPD-PHF2 had an average size of about 319.2 nm, a stable zeta potential at about 38 mV. The encapsulation efficiency of doxorubicin was around 39.28%, and the adsorption capacity of plasmids was about 64.804 μg/mg. Significant up-regulation of PHF2 induced MET and caused reduced migration as well as enhanced chemotherapeutic sensitivity. Either IPPD (IR780/PLGA-PEI(Dox)) or IPP-PHF2 (IR780/PLGA-PEI-PHF2) presented minor therapeutic effects, whereas IPPD-PHF2 specifically accumulated within tumors, showed extraordinary transfection efficiency specifically in tumor sites, acted as inhibitors of metastasis and proliferation, and presented good multimodality imaging potentials in vivo.

Conclusion

IPPD-PHF2 NPs is a promising tool to bring epigenotherapy into a more practical era, and the potential application of harm-free multimodality imaging guidance is of great value.

High Content Imaging of Barrett's-Associated High-Grade Dysplasia Cells After siRNA Library Screening Reveals Acid-Responsive Regulators of Cellular Transitions

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) develops from within Barrett's esophagus (BE) concomitant with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Wound healing processes and cellular transitions, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transitions, may contribute to the development of BE and the eventual migratory escape of metastatic cancer cells. Herein, we attempt to identify the genes underlying esophageal cellular transitions and their potential regulation by the low pH environments observed in GERD and commonly encountered by escaping cancer cells.

METHODS

Small interfering RNA library screening and high-content imaging analysis outlined changes in BE high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and EAC cell morphologies after gene silencing. Gene expression microarray data and low pH exposures studies modeling GERD-associated pulses (pH 4.0, 10 min) and tumor microenvironments (pH 6.0, constant) were used.

RESULTS

Statistical analysis of small interfering RNA screening data defined 207 genes (Z-score >2.0), in 12 distinct morphologic clusters, whose suppression significantly altered BE-HGD cell morphology. The most significant genes in this list included KIF11, RRM2, NUBP2, P66BETA, DUX1, UBE3A, ITGB8, GAS1, GPS1, and PRC1. Guided by gene expression microarray study data, both pulsatile and constant low pH exposures were observed to suppress the expression of GPS1 and RRM2 in a nonoverlapping temporal manner in both BE-HGD and EAC cells, with no changes observed in squamous esophageal cells. Functional studies uncovered that GPS1 and RRM2 contributed to amoeboid and mesenchymal cellular transitions, respectively, as characterized by differential rates of cell motility, pseudopodia formation, and altered expression of the mesenchymal markers vimentin and E-cadherin.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, we have shown that low pH microenvironments associated with GERD, and tumor invasive edges, can modulate the expression of genes that triggered esophageal cellular transitions potentially critical to colonization and invasion.

Identification of differentially expressed genes and biological pathways in para-carcinoma tissues of HCC with different metastatic potentials

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with extensive metastasis. Changes in the tumor microenvironment provide favorable conditions for tumor metastasis. However, the role of changes to the tumor microenvironment in HCC metastasis is yet to be elucidated. The Gene Expression Omnibus expression profile GSE5093 consists of 20 noncancerous tissues surrounding HCC tissues, including 9 metastasis-inclined microenvironment samples with detectable metastases and 11 metastasis-averse microenvironment samples without detectable metastases. The present study assessed 35 HCC samples to verify the results of chip analysis. In total, 712 upregulated and 459 downregulated genes were identified, with 1,033 nodes, 7,589 edges and 10 hub genes. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in ‘cell-cell adhesion’, ‘cell proliferation’ and ‘protein binding’. The top 10 hub genes were identified via a protein-protein interaction analysis. The 3 most significant modules were identified from the protein-protein network. Moreover, an association between hub genes and patient prognosis was identified. In conclusion, these candidate genes and pathways may help elucidate the mechanisms underlying HCC metastasis and identify more options for targeted therapy.

Density of Langerhans Cells in Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers: A Systematic Review

Langerhans cells (LCs) are bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) that represent 2-3% of the entire cell population of the human skin, known to have an ability to present antigens to T lymphocytes. Moreover, there is evidence that LCs are probably capable of inducing the local cytotoxic type T-cell-mediated response against the tumour-associated antigens. In the past two decades, a dramatic increase has been noted in the incidence of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The purpose of this study was to critically assess the results of available studies quantitatively assessing the LCs in nonmelanoma skin cancers and try to establish a conclusion of its possible impact on their future treatment. The PubMed, EMBASE, and the Web of Science databases were searched, which returned 948 citations. After a thorough analysis of full article texts, 30 studies have been chosen, including 11 of the BCC, 12 of the SCC specimens, and 7 analysing both tumour types. There was an overall trend towards slightly higher numbers of LCs in BCC than in SCC; however, these tendencies were discrepant between the studies. We presume that such differences could be caused by various staining techniques with a broad spectrum of specificity, including anti-S100, anti-CD1a, and ATPase activity staining used for LCs identification. We hypothesise that as there is a high inconsistency between the results of the studies, as far as the densities of LCs observed in the specimens are concerned, it seems that the mechanism of the influence of LCs on the antitumoural immune response is complicated. Finally, as at present, there is a paucity of available risk scores for the recurrence or progression of BCC or SCC, the creation of classification stratifying that risk including the density of LCs could bring additional information both for the physician and the patient.

The ability of miRNAs to induce mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) in cancer cells is highly dependent upon genetic background

Understanding of the molecular basis of host cell-miRNA interactions is prerequisite to the successful application of miRNAs as potential therapeutic agents. We studied the morphological and molecular consequences of over expression of three sequence divergent miRNAs previously implicated in the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition process (MET) in three distinct mesenchymal-like cancer cell lines. The ability of miRNAs to induce morphological changes characteristic of MET positively correlated with induced changes in the expression of genes previously implicated in the process. Variability in the responses of different mesenchymal-like cells to over expression of the same miRNAs was attributable to inherent differences in trans-regulatory profiles pre-disposing these cells to miRNA-induced MET. Collectively our results indicate that miRNA-mediated regulation of MET is a highly integrated process that is significantly modulated by the molecular background of individual cells.

(-)-Sativan Inhibits Tumor Development and Regulates miR-200c/PD-L1 in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells could convert epithelial-like cells to mesenchymal-like cells, resulting in the increased capacity of migration and invasion of cancer cells, and is an essential step in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) development. Recent reports exert that these EMT-activated TNBC cells are more resistant to immune attacks, with high levels of programmed death ligand1 (PD-L1). Hence, it is worthwhile to find an effective approach in inhibiting EMT-activated TNBC cells. (-)-Sativan (SA) is a naturally isolated isoflavane and could be isolated from Spatholobus suberectus, a common traditional Chinese medicine used for breast cancer treatment. It was the first time that SA exerted anti-cancer effects on breast cancer cells, according to our study. In this study, SA displayed a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of TNBC cells by inducing apoptosis. SA increased Bax expression, and decreased Bcl-2 protein levels. SA inhibited cell migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 cells. SA could decrease N-cadherin, Snail, Vimentin, and PD-L1 expression. SA increased miR-200c expression, and decreased PD-L1 expression. Luciferase assay showed that miR-200c directly targeted PD-L1. SA promoted tumor cell susceptibility to CTL-mediated lysis. Further study confirmed that SA could inhibit PD-L1 expression and EMT by up-regulating miR-200c. In vivo results displayed that SA could also inhibit tumor volumes and weights. These findings indicate that SA exerts an inhibitory effect on TNBC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor gtrowth, and partly provide evidence for the anti-breast cancer effect of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn in TNBC therapy.

Novel Alternatively Spliced Variants of Smad4 Expressed in TGF-β-Induced EMT Regulating Proliferation and Migration of A549 Cells

Introduction

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a worldwide malignance threatening human life. TGF-β/Smad signaling is known to regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and growth. As the only co-Smad playing crucial roles in TGF-β signaling, Smad4 is reported to be frequently mutated or to occur as alternatively spliced in tumor cells. Smad4 was reported to be involved in the TGF-β-induced EMT process. However, whether the alternative splicing occurs in the TGF-β-induced EMT process in NSCLC was not clear.

Methods

In our current study, we explored the alternative splicing of Smad4 during the process of TGF-β-induced EMT in A549 cells. 10 ng/mL TGF-β was used to induce EMT. Then, nest-PCR and agarose electrophoresis were performed to detect the expression of Smad4 variants and sequencing to get the variant DNA sequences. For recombinant expression of variants of Smad4 in A549 cells, we used lentiviral variants to infect cells. In order to explore the effects of variants on the proliferation and migration of A549 cells, the MTT assay, colony formation assay and wound-healing assay were done. The effects of variants on E-cad and VIM protein expression were explored through Western blot.

Results

There were several novel gene fragments expressed in TGF-β-induced A549 cells, and the sequencing results showed that they were indeed the Smad4 variants that were not reported. For recombinant expression of Smad4 variants in A549 cells, we found that they have significant effects on the proliferation and migration of cells, and also regulated the E-cad and VIM protein expression.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that novel Smad4 variants were expressed in TGF-β-induced EMT process. The functional study showed that these novel variants regulate cell proliferation and migration and affect E-cad and VIM protein expression, showing the potential as targets for cancer therapy.

Ubiquitin-Regulated Cell Proliferation and Cancer

Ubiquitin ligases (E3) play a crucial role in the regulation of different cellular processes such as proliferation and differentiation via recognition, interaction, and ubiquitination of key cellular proteins in a spatial and temporal regulated manner. The type of ubiquitin chain formed determines the fate of the substrates. The ubiquitinated substrates can be degraded by the proteasome, display altered subcellular localization, or can suffer modifications on their interaction with functional protein complexes. Deregulation of E3 activities is frequently found in various human pathologies, including cancer. The illegitimated or accelerated degradation of oncosuppressive proteins or, inversely, the abnormally high accumulation of oncoproteins, contributes to cell proliferation and transformation. Anomalies in protein abundance may be related to mutations that alter the direct or indirect recognition of proteins by the E3 enzymes or alterations in the level of expression or activity of ubiquitin ligases. Through a few examples, we illustrate here the complexity and diversity of the molecular mechanisms related to protein ubiquitination involved in cell cycle regulation. We will discuss the role of ubiquitin-dependent degradation mediated by the proteasome, the role of non-proteolytic ubiquitination during cell cycle progression, and the consequences of this deregulation on cellular transformation. Finally, we will highlight the novel opportunities that arise from these studies for therapeutic intervention.

Diagnostic accuracy of E-cadherin for malignanteffusions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The differential diagnosis of malignant effusion remains a clinical challenge. We aim to summarise all relevant literature studies in order to determine the overall clinical value of E-cadherin in the diagnosis of malignant effusion by meta-analysis.

METHODS

PubMed, the Cochrane Library Database, Medline (Ovid), Web of Science, CNKI, WANFANG and WEIPU databases are thoroughly searched up to 15 March2018. The calculated pooled sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio (LR), diagnostic OR(DOR) and the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve were plotted.

RESULTS

A total of 15 studies were included in the analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of E-cadherin in the diagnosis of malignant effusion were determined to be high, with a sensitivity of 0.83(95%CI0.79 to 0.87) and a specificity of 0.96(95%CI0.90 to 0.98). The positive LR was determined to be 21.10(95%CI 8.54 to 52.11), the negative LR was determined to be 0.17(95% CI 0.14 to 0.22) and the DOR was determined to be 121.34(95%CI 49.11 to 299.80). The SROC curve exhibited a high overall diagnostic, with the area under the curve measured to be 0.91(95% CI 0.89 to 0.93). Subgroup analysis showed the method (cell blocks or smears), sample size (≥100 or<100), geographical location (Asia, Europe or USA) and impact factor of each article (≥3 or<3) were not the sources of overall heterogeneity.

CONCLUSION

E-cadherin exhibits very good diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis for malignant effusion; thus, it can be helpful in the process of clinical decisions.

miR-219 regulates liver cancer stem cell expansion via E-cadherin pathway

Liver cancer stem cells contribute to tumorigenesis, progression, recurrence and drug resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying mechanism for the propagation of liverCSCs is not fully understood yet. Here we show that miR-219 is upregulated in liver CSCs. Knockdown of miR-219 attenuates the self-renewal and tumorigenicity of liver CSCs. Conversely, miR-219 overexpressing enhances the self-renewal and tumorigenicity of liver CSCs.Mechanistically,miR-219 downregulates E-cadherin via itsmRNA 3'UTR in liver CSCs. The correlation between miR-219 and E-cadherin is validated in human HCC tissues. Furthermore, the miR-219 expression determines the responses of hepatoma cells to sorafenib treatment. Our findings indicate that miR-219 plays a critical role in liver CSCs expansion and sorafenib response, rendering miR-219 as an optimal target for the prevention and intervention of HCC.Abbreviations: HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; CSCs: cancer stem cells; DMEM: Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium; FBS: fetal bovine serum; OS: overall survival.

Pinocembrin inhibits the proliferation and migration and promotes the apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells through down-regulating the mRNA levels of N-cadherin and GABAB receptor

There is no previous study on the effect of pinocembrin on ovarian cancer to the best of our knowledge. Moreover, the effects of pinocembrin on the expression of GABAB1 and GABAB2 genes are not studied before. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate effects of pinocembrin on the growth of ovarian cancer cells and the expression of cadherin and GABAB receptor to explore whether pinocembrin was helpful in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer. SKOV3 cells were divided into six groups: Control (blank control), DDP (cisplatin as positive control; cells were incubated with 15 μg/ml DDP), 25 μM (cells were incubated with 25 μM pinocembrin), 50 μM (cells were incubated with 50 μM pinocembrin), 100 μM (cells were incubated with 100 μM pinocembrin), and 200 μM (cells were incubated with 200 μM pinocembrin). CCK8 assay, cell scratch assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining found that when pinocembrin concentration reached 100 μM and the treatment time reached 48 h, pinocembrin could inhibit the cell proliferation and migration and promote the cell apoptosis, and this effect was enhanced with the increase of pinocembrin concentration. Western blotting found that the protein expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, GABAB1 and GABAB2 was not significantly affected by pinocembrin. RT-PCR found that pinocembrin also had no significant influence on the E-cadherin mRNA level, but it could reduce the mRNA levels of N-cadherin, GABAB1 and GABAB2. In conclusion, pinocembrin inhibited the proliferation and migration and promoted the apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells through down-regulating the mRNA levels of N-cadherin and GABAB receptor.