SLUG transcription factor: a pro-survival and prognostic factor in gastrointestinal stromal tumour. Br J Cancer. 2017;116:1195-1202. [PMID: 28334729 PMCID: PMC5418455 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2017.82]

Antiapoptotic and Prometastatic Roles of Cytokine FAM3B in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer. FAM3B, a secreted protein, has been extensively studied in various types of tumors. However, its function in breast cancer remains poorly understood.

METHODS

We analyzed FAM3B expression data from breast cancer patients available at TCGA database and overall survival was analyzed by using the Kaplan-Meier plotter. MDA-MB-231 TNBC tumor cell line and hormone-responsive MCF-7 cell lines were transfected to overexpress FAM3B. We assessed cell death, tumorigenicity, and invasiveness in vitro through MTT analysis, flow cytometry assays, anchorage-independent tumor growth, and wound healing assays, respectively. We performed in vivo evaluation by tumor xenograft in nude mice.

RESULTS

In silico analysis revealed that FAM3B expression was lower in all breast tumors. However, TNBC patients with high FAM3B expression had a poor prognosis. FAM3B overexpression protected MDA-MB-231 cells from cell death, with increased expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, and reduced caspase-3 activity. MDA-MB-231 cells overexpressing FAM3B also exhibited increased tumorigenicity and migration rates in vitro, displaying increased tumor growth and reduced survival rates in xenotransplanted nude mice. This phenotype is accompanied by the upregulation of EMT-related genes Slug, Snail, TGFBR2, vimentin, N-cadherin, MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-14. However, these effects were not observed in the MCF-7 cells overexpressing FAM3B.

CONCLUSION

FAM3B overexpression contributes to tumor growth, promotion of metastasis, and, consequently, leads to a poor prognosis in the most aggressive forms of breast cancer. Future clinical research is necessary to validate FAM3B as both a diagnostic and a therapeutic strategy for TNBC.

PARP1-SNAI2 transcription axis drives resistance to PARP inhibitor, Talazoparib

The synthetic lethal association between BRCA deficiency and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition supports PARP inhibitor (PARPi) clinical efficacy in BRCA-mutated tumors. PARPis also demonstrate activity in non-BRCA mutated tumors presumably through induction of PARP1-DNA trapping. Despite pronounced clinical response, therapeutic resistance to PARPis inevitably develops. An abundance of knowledge has been built around resistance mechanisms in BRCA-mutated tumors, however, parallel understanding in non-BRCA mutated settings remains insufficient. In this study, we find a strong correlation between the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signature and resistance to a clinical PARPi, Talazoparib, in non-BRCA mutated tumor cells. Genetic profiling demonstrates that SNAI2, a master EMT transcription factor, is transcriptionally induced by Talazoparib treatment or PARP1 depletion and this induction is partially responsible for the emerging resistance. Mechanistically, we find that the PARP1 protein directly binds to SNAI2 gene promoter and suppresses its transcription. Talazoparib treatment or PARP1 depletion lifts PARP1-mediated suppression and increases chromatin accessibility around SNAI2 promoters, thus driving SNAI2 transcription and drug resistance. We also find that depletion of the chromatin remodeler CHD1L suppresses SNAI2 expression and reverts acquired resistance to Talazoparib. The PARP1/CHD1L/SNAI2 transcription axis might be therapeutically targeted to re-sensitize Talazoparib in non-BRCA mutated tumors.

Master Transcription Regulators and Transcription Factors Regulate Immune-Associated Differences Between Patients of African and European Ancestry With Colorectal Cancer

Background and Aims

Individuals of African (AFR) ancestry have a higher incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) than those of European (EUR) ancestry and exhibit significant health disparities. Previous studies have noted differences in the tumor microenvironment between AFR and EUR patients with CRC. However, the molecular regulatory processes that underpin these immune differences remain largely unknown.

Methods

Multiomics analysis was carried out for 55 AFR and 456 EUR patients with microsatellite-stable CRC using The Cancer Genome Atlas. We evaluated the tumor microenvironment by using gene expression and methylation data, transcription factor, and master transcriptional regulator analysis to identify the cell signaling pathways mediating the observed phenotypic differences.

Results

We demonstrate that downregulated genes in AFR patients with CRC showed enrichment for canonical pathways, including chemokine signaling. Moreover, evaluation of the tumor microenvironment showed that cytotoxic lymphocytes and neutrophil cell populations are significantly decreased in AFR compared with EUR patients, suggesting AFR patients have an attenuated immune response. We further demonstrate that molecules called "master transcriptional regulators" (MTRs) play a critical role in regulating the expression of genes impacting key immune processes through an intricate signal transduction network mediated by disease-associated transcription factors (TFs). Furthermore, a core set of these MTRs and TFs showed a positive correlation with levels of cytotoxic lymphocytes and neutrophils across both AFR and EUR patients with CRC, thus suggesting their role in driving the immune infiltrate differences between the two ancestral groups.

Conclusion

Our study provides an insight into the intricate regulatory landscape of MTRs and TFs that orchestrate the differences in the tumor microenvironment between patients with CRC of AFR and EUR ancestry.

Xeno-free workflow exhibits comparable efficiency and quality of keratinocytes isolated from human skin biopsies

INTRODUCTION

Regenerative solutions of the skin represent a hope for burn victims with extensive skin loss and chronic wound patients. The development of xeno-free workflow is crucial for clinical application in compliance with the directives of the European Medicines Agency. This study aimed at evaluating the outcome of the xeno-free isolation workflow of keratinocytes from human skin biopsy.

METHODS

Skin biopsies were obtained from volunteers. The epidermis was digested with TrypLE™ Select, which was deactivated by dilution or with trypsin, deactivated by media with fetal bovine serum. Freshly isolated cells were compared for total cell number, viability, activity of caspase 3, gene expression and the presence of the keratinocyte surface markers cytokeratin 14. The cells were cultured in xeno-free conditions for one week and characterized regarding the number and viability as well as the metalloproteinase secretion.

RESULTS

The number of obtained cells was similar in both workflows. The cell viability was less in the TrypLE group, with slight reduction of the cell surface marker cytokeratin 14. Caspase 3 activity was comparable as well as the gene expression of the apoptotic markers BAX, BCL2 and SLUG, as well as the keratinocyte markers cytokeratin 14, stratifin and filaggrin. Upon culture, the number of keratinocytes, their viability and secretion of matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 10 were equal in both groups.

CONCLUSION

This study reports the possibility of isolating functioning and viable keratinocytes through a xeno-free workflow for clinical application.

Improved understanding of gastrointestinal stromal tumors biology as a step for developing new diagnostic and therapeutic schemes

A gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the human gastrointestinal tract, with an estimated incidence of 10-15 per 1 million per year. While preparing holistic care for patients with GIST diagnosis, scientists might face several difficulties - insufficient risk stratification, acquired or secondary resistance to imatinib, or the need for an exceptional therapy method associated with wild-type tumors. This review summarizes recent advances associated with GIST biology that might enhance diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. New molecules might be incorporated into risk stratification schemes due to their proven association with outcomes; however, further research is required. Therapies based on the significant role of angiogenesis, immunology, and neural origin in the GIST biology could become a valuable enhancement of currently implemented treatment schemes. Generating miRNA networks that would predict miRNA regulatory functions is a promising approach that might help in better selection of potential biomarkers and therapeutical targets in cancer, including GISTs.

Cancer-associated fibroblast secretion of PDGFC promotes gastrointestinal stromal tumor growth and metastasis

Targeted therapies for gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) are modestly effective, but GIST cannot be cured with single agent tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In this study, we sought to identify new therapeutic targets in GIST by investigating the tumor microenvironment. Here, we identified a paracrine signaling network by which cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) drive GIST growth and metastasis. Specifically, CAFs isolated from human tumors were found to produce high levels of platelet-derived growth factor C (PDGFC), which activated PDGFC-PDGFRA signal transduction in GIST cells that regulated the expression of SLUG, an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) transcription factor and downstream target of PDGFRA signaling. Together, this paracrine induce signal transduction cascade promoted tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Moreover, in metastatic GIST patients, SLUG expression positively correlated with tumor size and mitotic index. Given that CAF paracrine signaling modulated GIST biology, we directly targeted CAFs with a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, which synergized with imatinib to increase tumor cell killing and in vivo disease response. Taken together, we identified a previously unappreciated cellular target for GIST therapy in order to improve disease control and cure rates.

Prognostic values of SNAI family members in breast cancer patients

Background

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although early diagnostic techniques for BC have been well developed, 40% of cases are still diagnosed at the advanced stage, while for BC patients with distant metastases, the 5-year survival rate is usually lower than 30%. The Snail family, generally regarded as transcriptional repressors, has been indicated to be an essential prognostic factor in malignant tumors. However, limited data exist on public databases concerning the prognostic value of individual Snail family members in BC, especially SNAI3.

Methods

Data from public databases including cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics, Gene Expression Omnibus, UCSC Xena Browser, and Human Protein Atlas (HPA) were downloaded. Based on the Kaplan¬–Meier plotter platform, correlation of the three members of the Snail family and prognosis in BC were analyzed. Individual Snail family members and their co-expressed genes were respectively enriched on different pathways and biological processes via the functional enrichment analysis (FunRich) tool.

Results

High SNAI1 mRNA expression was associated with shorter distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in all BC patients regardless of PAM50 subtype. Conversely, high SNAI3 mRNA expression was associated with longer DMFS. Although the presence of SNAI2 expression was significantly associated with DMFS in the whole cohort, no significant correlation was found in patients with luminal A or HER2 subtype. For patients with the most diverse clinicopathological features, high SNAI1 expression was associated with poor survival, with the converse being true for SNAI3. However, the impact on prognosis of patients with different clinicopathological features produced by SNAI2 expression was inconclusive. Furthermore, we discovered that SNAI1 or SNAI2 and their co-expressed genes frequently enriched receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling and integrin-related pathways which mainly functioned on epithelial-mesenchymal transition and were further involved in several processes of signal transduction and cell communication. Furthermore, as SNAI3, along with its co-expressed genes, enriched immune-related pathways, it may thus play a role in mediating the immune system.

Conclusions

Our analysis revealed that SNAI1 mRNA expression may potentially be a negative prognostic factor, whereas SNAI3 mRNA was associated with positive prognosis in BC. Therefore, the assessment of SNAI1 and SNAI3 expression may be valuable for predicting prognosis in BC patients.

miR-338-5p inhibits cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and cisplatin resistance in esophageal squamous cancer cells by targeting FERMT2

Esophageal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in the male population of Eastern Asia. In addition, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the major type of esophageal cancer among the world. Owing to the poor overall 5-year survival rate, novel effective treatment strategies are needed. MicroRNAs are important gene regulators that are dysregulated in many cancer types. In our previous study, we applied next-generation sequencing to demonstrate that miR-338-5p was downregulated in the tumor tissue of patients with versus without recurrence. In this study, we further studied the roles of miR-338-5p in ESCC. The expression of endogenous miR-338-5p was at lower levels in ESCC cells compared with normal cells. Functional assays showed that miR-338-5p reduced cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and cisplatin resistance in an ESCC cell line, CE-81T. Potential target genes of miR-338-5p were identified by microarray and prediction tools, and 31 genes were selected. Among these, Fermitin family homolog 2 (FERMT2) plays an oncogenic role in ESCC, so it was chosen for further study. Luciferase assays showed the direct binding between miR-338-5p and the 3' untranslated region of FERMT2. Silencing of FERMT2 inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and cisplatin resistance. Pathway analysis revealed that the integrin-linked protein kinase signaling pathway, in which FERMT2 participates, was significantly affected by a miR-338-5p mimic. Our results suggest that miR-338-5p may play an antioncogenic role in ESCC via repressing FERMT2.

Identification of upstream miRNAs of SNAI2 and their influence on the metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Background

SNAI2, a member of the snail zinc finger protein family, plays an important role in the metastasis of several types of carcinoma.

Objective

This study aims to investigate the upstream miRNAs of SNAI2 and their influence on the metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Methods

The expression levels of SNAI2, CDH1, and CDH2 in GISTs were determined by immunohistochemistry, and the correlations with their clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed. Subsequently, the miRNAs involved in regulating SNAI2 expression were predicted by bioinformatics technique, screened by miRNA microarray tests, and verified by real-time PCR, dual luciferase reporter assay, and invasion assay. The influence of SNAI2 and miRNAs on the invasive ability of the GIST cells and the related mechanism were detected.

Outcomes

SNAI2 expression significantly increased and CDH1 expression markedly decreased in the cases of GISTs with distant metastasis. Silencing of the SNAI2 gene impaired the invasiveness of GIST cells in vitro. MiR-200b-3p, miR-30c-1-3P, and miR-363-3P were verified as the upstream metastasis-associated miRNAs of SNAI2 in GISTs by miRNA microarray, real-time PCR, dual luciferase reporter assay, and invasion assay. They bound to the 3′-UTR of SNAI2, downregulated SNAI2 expression, and inhibited the invasiveness of GIST cells. SNAI2 targetedly bound to the promoter of the CDH1 gene, downregulated the expression of CDH1, and contributed to the metastasis of GISTs.

Conclusion

SNAI2 and CDH1 correlated with the metastasis of GISTs, and silencing of the SNAI2 gene impaired the invasiveness of GIST cells. MiR-200b-3p, miR-30c-1-3P, and miR-363-3P contribute to the metastasis of GISTs in vitro by mediating the SNAI2/CDH1 axis. SNAI2 may be a potential target for the treatment of GISTs in the future.

The effects of growth hormone on therapy resistance in cancer

Pituitary derived and peripherally produced growth hormone (GH) is a crucial mediator of longitudinal growth, organ development, metabolic regulation with tissue specific, sex specific, and age-dependent effects. GH and its cognate receptor (GHR) are expressed in several forms of cancer and have been validated as an anti-cancer target through a large body of in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological analyses. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of GH action in cancer prognosis and therapeutic response had been sparse until recently. This review assimilates the critical details of GH-GHR mediated therapy resistance across different cancer types, distilling the therapeutic implications based on our current understanding of these effects.

Paradoxical expression pattern of the epithelial mesenchymal transition-related biomarkers CD44, SLUG, N-cadherin and VSIG1/Glycoprotein A34 in gastrointestinal stromal tumors

AIM

To evaluate the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of five biomarkers, commonly involved in epithelial mesenchymal/mesenchymal epithelial transition (EMT/MET), in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

METHODS

In 80 consecutive GISTs the IHC examinations were performed using the EMT-related antibodies E-cadherin, N-cadherin, SLUG, V-set and immunoglobulin domain containing 1 (VSIG1) and CD44.

RESULTS

The positivity rate was 88.75% for SLUG, 83.75% for VSIG1, 36.25% for CD44 and 10% for N-cadherin. No correlation was noted between the examined markers and clinicopathological parameters. Nuclear positivity for SLUG and VSIG1 was observed in all cases with distant metastasis. The extra-gastrointestinal stromal tumors (e-GISTs) expressed nuclear positivity for VSIG1 and SLUG, with infrequent positivity for N-cadherin and CD44. The low overall survival was mainly dependent on VSIG1 negativity (P = 0.01) and nuclear positivity for SLUG and/or CD44.

CONCLUSION

GIST aggressivity may be induced by nuclear up-regulation of SLUG and loss or cytoplasm-to-nuclear translocation of VSIG1. SLUG and VSIG1 may act as activated nuclear transcription factors. The CD44, but not N-cadherin, might also have an independent prognostic value in these tumors. The role of the EMT/MET-related transcription factors in the evolution of GISTs, should be revisited with a larger dataset. This is the first study exploring the IHC pattern of VSIG1 in GISTs.

The Emerging Role of Zfp217 in Adipogenesis

Zinc finger protein 217 (Zfp217), a member of the krüppel-type zinc finger protein family, plays diverse roles in cell differentiation and development of mammals. Despite extensive research on the functions of Zfp217 in cancer, pluripotency and reprogramming, its physiological roles in adipogenesis remain unknown. Our previous RNA sequencing data suggest the involvement of Zfp217 in adipogenesis. In this study, the potential function of Zfp217 in adipogenesis was investigated through bioinformatics analysis and a series of experiments. The expression of Zfp217 was found to be gradually upregulated during the adipogenic differentiation in C3H10T1/2 cells, which was consistent with that of the adipogenic marker gene Pparg2. Furthermore, there was a positive, significant relationship between Zfp217 expression and adipocyte differentiation. It was also observed that Zfp217 could not only trigger proliferative defect in C3H10T1/2 cells, but also interact with Ezh2 and suppress the downstream target genes of Ezh2. Besides, three microRNAs (miR-503-5p, miR-135a-5p and miR-19a-3p) which target Zfp217 were found to suppress the process of adipogenesis. This is the first report showing that Zfp217 has the capacity to regulate adipogenesis.