Targeting anoikis resistance as a strategy for cancer therapy

Anoikis, known as matrix detachment-induced apoptosis or detachment-induced cell death, is crucial for tissue development and homeostasis. Cancer cells develop means to evade anoikis, e.g. anoikis resistance, thereby allowing for cells to survive under anchorage-independent conditions. Uncovering the mechanisms of anoikis resistance will provide details about cancer metastasis, and potential strategies against cancer cell dissemination and metastasis. Here, we summarize the principal elements and core molecular mechanisms of anoikis and anoikis resistance. We discuss the latest progress of how anoikis and anoikis resistance are regulated in cancers. Furthermore, we summarize emerging data on selective compounds and nanomedicines, explaining how inhibiting anoikis resistance can serve as a meaningful treatment modality against cancers. Finally, we discuss the key limitations of this therapeutic paradigm and possible strategies to overcome them. In this review, we suggest that pharmacological modulation of anoikis and anoikis resistance by bioactive compounds could surmount anoikis resistance, highlighting a promising therapeutic regimen that could be used to overcome anoikis resistance in cancers.

Combating anoikis resistance: bioactive compounds transforming prostate cancer therapy

The study aims to discuss the challenges associated with treating prostate cancer (PCa), which is known for its complexity and drug resistance. It attempts to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs), such as those linked to anoikis resistance and circulating tumor cells, in PCa samples. This study involves analyzing the functional roles of these DEGs using gene enrichment analysis, and then screening of 102 bioactive compounds to identify a combination that can control the expression of the identified DEGs. In this study, 53 DEGs were identified from PCa samples including anoikis-resistant PCa cells and circulating tumor cells in PCa. Gene enrichment analysis with regards to functional enrichment of DEGs was performed. An inclusive screening process was carried out among 102 bioactive compounds to identify a combination capable of affecting and regulating the expression of selected DEGs. Eventually, gastrodin, nitidine chloride, chenodeoxycholic acid, and bilobalide were selected, as their combination demonstrated ability to modulate expression of 50 out of the 53 genes targeted. The subsequent analysis focused on investigating the biological pathways and processes influenced by this combination. The findings revealed a multifaceted and multidimensional approach to tumor regression. The combination of bioactive compounds exhibited effects on various genes including those related to production of inflammatory cytokines, cell proliferation, autophagy, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The current study has made a valuable contribution to the development of a combination of bioactive natural compounds that can significantly impede the development of treatment resistance in prostate tumor while countering the tumors' evasion of the immune system. The implications of this study are highly significant as it suggests the creation of an enhanced immunotherapeutic, natural therapeutic concoction with combinatorial potential.

Glycogen synthase kinase-3: A potential immunotherapeutic target in tumor microenvironment

Glycogen synthase kinase-3(GSK-3) is a protein kinase that can phosphorylate over a hundred substrates and regulate cell differentiation, proliferation, and death. Researchers have acknowledged the pivotal role of abnormal activation of GSK-3 in the progression of various diseases over the past few decades. Recent studies have mostly concentrated on investigating the function of GSK-3 in the tumor microenvironment, specifically examining the interaction between TAM, NK cells, B cells, and T cells. Furthermore, GSK-3 exhibits a strong association with immunological checkpoints, such as programmed cell death protein 1. Novel GSK-3 inhibitors have potential in tumor immunotherapy, exerting beneficial effects on hematologic diseases and solid tumors. Nevertheless, there is a lack of reviews about the correlation between tumor-associated immune cells and GSK-3. This study intends to analyze the function and mechanism of GSK-3 comprehensively and systematically in the tumor microenvironment, with a special focus on its influence on various immune cells. The objective is to present novel perspectives for GSK-3 immunotherapy.

The role of CEMIP in cancers and its transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation

CEMIP is a protein known for inducing cell migration and binding to hyaluronic acid. Functioning as a hyaluronidase, CEMIP primarily facilitates the breakdown of the extracellular matrix component, hyaluronic acid, thereby regulating various signaling pathways. Recent evidence has highlighted the significant role of CEMIP in different cancers, associating it with diverse pathological states. While identified as a biomarker for several diseases, CEMIP's mechanism in cancer seems distinct. Accumulating data suggests that CEMIP expression is triggered by chemical modifications to itself and other influencing factors. Transcriptionally, chemical alterations to the CEMIP promoter and involvement of transcription factors such as AP-1, HIF, and NF-κB regulate CEMIP levels. Similarly, specific miRNAs have been found to post-transcriptionally regulate CEMIP. This review provides a comprehensive summary of CEMIP's role in various cancers and explores how both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms control its expression.

Research on the biological mechanism and potential application of CEMIP

Cell migration-inducing protein (CEMIP), also known as KIAA1199 and hyaluronan-binding protein involved in hyaluronan depolymerization, is a new member of the hyaluronidase family that degrades hyaluronic acid (HA) and remodels the extracellular matrix. In recent years, some studies have reported that CEMIP can promote the proliferation, invasion, and adhesion of various tumor cells and can play an important role in bacterial infection and arthritis. This review focuses on the pathological mechanism of CEMIP in a variety of diseases and expounds the function of CEMIP from the aspects of inhibiting cell apoptosis, promoting HA degradation, inducing inflammatory responses and related phosphorylation, adjusting cellular microenvironment, and regulating tissue fibrosis. The diagnosis and treatment strategies targeting CEMIP are also summarized. The various functions of CEMIP show its great potential application value.

Inhibition of protein translation under matrix-deprivation stress in breast cancer cells

Matrix-deprivation stress leads to cell-death by anoikis, whereas overcoming anoikis is critical for cancer metastasis. Work from our lab and others has identified a crucial role for the cellular energy sensor AMPK in anoikis-resistance, highlighting a key role for metabolic reprogramming in stress survival. Protein synthesis is a major energy-consuming process that is tightly regulated under stress. Although an increase in protein synthesis in AMPK-depleted experimentally-transformed MEFs has been associated with anoikis, the status and regulation of protein translation in epithelial-origin cancer cells facing matrix-detachment remains largely unknown. Our study shows that protein translation is mechanistically abrogated at both initiation and elongation stages by the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway and inactivation of elongation factor eEF2, respectively. Additionally, we show inhibition of the mTORC1 pathway known for regulation of canonical protein synthesis. We further functionally assay this inhibition using SUnSET assay, which demonstrates repression of global protein synthesis in MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 breast cancer cells when subjected to matrix-deprivation. In order to gauge the translational status of matrix-deprived cancer cells, we undertook polysome profiling. Our data revealed reduced but continuous mRNA translation under matrix-deprivation stress. An integrated analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic data further identifies novel targets that may aid cellular adaptations to matrix-deprivation stress and can be explored for therapeutic intervention.

Glucocorticoid Receptors Drive Breast Cancer Cell Migration and Metabolic Reprogramming via PDK4

Corticosteroids act on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR; NR3C1) to resolve inflammation and are routinely prescribed to breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment to alleviate side effects. Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) account for 15% to 20% of diagnoses and lack expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors as well as amplified HER2, but they often express high GR levels. GR is a mediator of TNBC progression to advanced metastatic disease; however, the mechanisms underpinning this transition to more aggressive behavior remain elusive. We previously showed that tissue/cellular stress (hypoxia, chemotherapies) as well as factors in the tumor microenvironment (transforming growth factor β [TGF-β], hepatocyte growth factor [HGF]) activate p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which phosphorylates GR on Ser134. In the absence of ligand, pSer134-GR further upregulates genes important for responses to cellular stress, including key components of the p38 MAPK pathway. Herein, we show that pSer134-GR is required for TNBC metastatic colonization to the lungs of female mice. To understand the mechanisms of pSer134-GR action in the presence of GR agonists, we examined glucocorticoid-driven transcriptomes in CRISPR knock-in models of TNBC cells expressing wild-type or phospho-mutant (S134A) GR. We identified dexamethasone- and pSer134-GR-dependent regulation of specific gene sets controlling TNBC migration (NEDD9, CSF1, RUNX3) and metabolic adaptation (PDK4, PGK1, PFKFB4). TNBC cells harboring S134A-GR displayed metabolic reprogramming that was phenocopied by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) knockdown. PDK4 knockdown or chemical inhibition also blocked cancer cell migration. Our results reveal a convergence of GR agonists (ie, host stress) with cellular stress signaling whereby pSer134-GR critically regulates TNBC metabolism, an exploitable target for the treatment of this deadly disease.

WNT/β-catenin pathway is a key regulator of cardiac function and energetic metabolism

The WNT/β-catenin pathway is a master regulator of cardiac development and growth, and its activity is low in healthy adult hearts. However, even this low activity is essential for maintaining normal heart function. Acute activation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling cascade is considered to be cardioprotective after infarction through the upregulation of prosurvival genes and reprogramming of metabolism. Chronically high WNT/β-catenin pathway activity causes profibrotic and hypertrophic effects in the adult heart. New data suggest more complex functions of β-catenin in metabolic maturation of the perinatal heart, establishing an adult pattern of glucose and fatty acid utilization. Additionally, low basal activity of the WNT/β-catenin cascade maintains oxidative metabolism in the adult heart, and this pathway is reactivated by physiological or pathological stimuli to meet the higher energy needs of the heart. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of the organization of canonical WNT signaling and its function in cardiogenesis, heart maturation, adult heart function, and remodeling. We also discuss the role of the WNT/β-catenin pathway in cardiac glucose, lipid metabolism, and mitochondrial physiology.

CEMIP promotes small cell lung cancer proliferation by activation of glutamine metabolism via FBXW7/c-Myc-dependent axis

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most malignant lung cancer with rapid growth and early metastasis, but still lacks effective targeted therapies to improve the prognosis. Here, we demonstrated that a novel oncogenic protein, cell migration inducing hyaluronic binding protein (CEMIP), was robustly overexpressed in SCLC tissues than that in noncancerous tissues and high expression of CEMIP predicted poor outcomes in clinical specimens and in large sample size cohorts from public databases (GEPIA 2 and CPTAC). Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and in vitro/in vivo functional assays indicated that CEMIP contributed to the proliferation by increasing glutamine consumption and their metabolites (glutamate and glutathione) levels in SCLC cells. Moreover, the addition of a GLS1 inhibitor CB-839 dramatically reduced CEMIP-induced SCLC cell proliferation. Mechanistically, beyond as a scaffold protein, CEMIP facilitates glutamine-dependent cell proliferation through inhibiting c-Myc ubiquitination and increasing c-Myc stabilization and nuclear accumulation via hindering the interaction between FBXW7 (a E3 ubiquitin ligase) and its target substrate c-Myc. Taken together, our findings reveal a novel oncogenic role of CEMIP in sustaining SCLC growth via FBXW7/c-Myc-dependent axis, and provide new evidence that inhibition of CEMIP might be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of SCLC.

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex: Life's essential, vulnerable and druggable energy homeostat

Found in all organisms, pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes (PDC) are the keystones of prokaryotic and eukaryotic energy metabolism. In eukaryotic organisms these multi-component megacomplexes provide a crucial mechanistic link between cytoplasmic glycolysis and the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. As a consequence, PDCs also influence the metabolism of branched chain amino acids, lipids and, ultimately, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). PDC activity is an essential determinant of the metabolic and bioenergetic flexibility of metazoan organisms in adapting to changes in development, nutrient availability and various stresses that challenge maintenance of homeostasis. This canonical role of the PDC has been extensively probed over the past decades by multidisciplinary investigations into its causal association with diverse physiological and pathological conditions, the latter making the PDC an increasingly viable therapeutic target. Here we review the biology of the remarkable PDC and its emerging importance in the pathobiology and treatment of diverse congenital and acquired disorders of metabolic integration.

Inhibition of CEMIP potentiates the effect of sorafenib on metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma by reducing the stiffness of lung metastases

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with lung metastasis is associated with poor prognosis and poor therapeutic outcomes. Studies have demonstrated that stiffened stroma can promote metastasis in various tumors. However, how the lung mechanical microenvironment favors circulating tumor cells remains unclear in metastatic HCC. Here, we found that the expression of cell migration-inducing hyaluronan-binding protein (CEMIP) was closely associated with lung metastasis and can promote pre-metastatic niche formation by increasing lung matrix stiffness. Furthermore, upregulated serum CEMIP was indicative of lung fibrotic changes severity in patients with HCC lung metastasis. By directly targeting CEMIP, pirfenidone can inhibit CEMIP/TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway and reduce lung metastases stiffening, demonstrating promising antitumor activity. Pirfenidone in combination with sorafenib can more effectively suppress the incidence of lung metastasis compared with sorafenib alone. This study is the first attempt to modulate the mechanical microenvironment for HCC therapy and highlights CEMIP as a potential target for the prevention and treatment of HCC lung metastasis. CEMIP mediating an HCC-permissive microenvironment through controlling matrix stiffness. Meanwhile, Pirfenidone could reduce metastasis stiffness and increases the anti-angiogenic effect of Sorafenib by directly targeting CEMIP.

Downregulation of CEMIP enhances radiosensitivity by promoting DNA damage and apoptosis in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading malignancy worldwide in both new cases and deaths. Neoadjuvant radiotherapy is the standard preoperative regimens for locally advanced patients. However, approximately 50% of patients develop recurrence and metastasis after radiotherapy, which is largely due to the radiation resistance properties of the tumor, and the internal mechanism has not been elucidated. Here we found that CEMIP expression is up-regulated in a variety of tumor types, particularly in CRC. Public databases and clinical samples revealed that CEMIP expression is significantly higher in tumor tissues than in adjacent normal tissues in patients with locally advanced CRC who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, and it is closely related to the poor prognosis. Functional characterization uncovered that downregulation of CEMIP expression can enhance the radiosensitivity of CRC cells, which is confirmed to be achieved by promoting DNA damage and apoptosis. In vivo studies further verified that CEMIP knockdown can significantly improve the radiosensitivity of subcutaneously implanted colorectal tumors in mice, suggesting that CEMIP may be a radiation-resistant gene in CRC. Mechanistically, EGFR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is hypothesized to play a key role in CEMIP mediating radiation resistance. These results provide a potential new strategy targeting CEMIP gene for the comprehensive treatment of locally advanced CRC patients.

Anoikis in phenotypic reprogramming of the prostate tumor microenvironment

Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in males wherein 1 in 8 men are diagnosed with this disease in their lifetime. The urgency to find novel therapeutic interventions is associated with high treatment resistance and mortality rates associated with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Anoikis is an apoptotic phenomenon for normal epithelial or endothelial cells that have lost their attachment to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Tumor cells that lose their connection to the ECM can die via apoptosis or survive via anoikis resistance and thus escaping to distant organs for metastatic progression. This review discusses the recent advances made in our understanding of the signaling effectors of anoikis in prostate cancer and the approaches to translate these mechanistic insights into therapeutic benefits for reducing lethal disease outcomes (by overcoming anoikis resistance). The prostate tumor microenvironment is a highly dynamic landscape wherein the balance between androgen signaling, cell lineage changes, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), extracellular matrix interactions, actin cytoskeleton remodeling as well as metabolic changes, confer anoikis resistance and metastatic spread. Thus, these mechanisms also offer unique molecular treatment signatures, exploitation of which can prime prostate tumors to anoikis induction with a high translational significance.

CEMIP as a prognostic biomarker for cancers: a meta- and bioinformatic analysis

OBJECTIVE

Cell migration-inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein (CEMIP) is overexpressed in several cancers and is related to prognosis in cancer patients. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis to explore the prognostic effects of CEMIP in cancer patients.

METHODS

Relevant published studies were systematically searched in four databases. The role of CEMIP was evaluated using pooled hazard ratios (HRs), odd ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used to investigate the prognostic value of CEMIP in various cancers.

RESULTS

11 literatures with 1355 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that overexpression of CEMIP was significantly associated with poor OS (HR = 3.03; 95% CI: 2.00-4.59; p < 0.001), DFS (HR = 3.38; 95% CI: 2.41-4.74; p < 0.001). Elevated CEMIP expression is associated with advanced clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, and poor histological grade. In addition, TCGA datasets were used to verify that CEMIP was found highly expressed in multiple cancers and was associated with poorer survival.

CONCLUSION

The results demonstrated that CEMIP could be a novel prognostic biomarker for cancer patients. However, because the included studies mainly focused on Asian populations, further research is needed to verify its applicability.

A comprehensive review of the progress of cell migration inducing hyaluronidase 1

The gene cell migration inducing hyaluronidase 1 (CEMIP) is on chromosome 15q25 and codes for a 150-kDa protein with an N-terminal secretion signal, a G8 domain, 2 GG domains, and several repeats. It was first described as a specific protein in the inner ear relating to nonsyndromic hearing loss. Recently, increasing research detected its association in various cancers, determining the progression, metastasis, and prognosis by influencing the proliferation and invasion of the cells. This relation is accomplished through various interacting pathways, such as the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway. Thus, CEMIP could be a novel and potential focus for tumor diagnosis and treatment, but further studies on the regulatory role of CEMIP in vivo and in vitro are still needed. Herein, we summarize the process in recent studies of CEMIP, especially in cancer research.

KIAA1199 Correlates With Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Infiltration in Lung Adenocarcinoma as a Potential Prognostic Biomarker

Background: KIAA1199 has been considered a key regulator of carcinogenesis. However, the relationship between KIAA1199 and immune infiltrates, as well as its prognostic value in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. Methods: The expression of KIAA1199 and its influence on tumor prognosis were analyzed using a series of databases, comprising TIMER, GEPIA, UALCAN, LCE, Prognoscan and Kaplan-Meier Plotter. Further, immunohistochemistry (IHC), western blot (WB) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to verify our findings. The cBioPortal was used to investigate the genomic alterations of KIAA1199. Prediction of candidate microRNA (miRNAs) and transcription factor (TF) targeting KIAA1199, as well as GO and KEGG analyses, were performed based on LinkedOmics. TIMER and TISIDB databases were used to explore the relationship between KIAA1199 and tumor immune infiltration. Results: High expression of KIAA1199 was identified in LUAD and Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) patients. High expression of KIAA1199 indicated a worse prognosis in LUAD patients. The results of IHC and WB analyses showed that the expression level of KIAA1199 in tumor tissues was higher than that in adjacent tissues. GO and KEGG analyses indicated KIAA1199 was mainly involved in extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction and extracellular matrix structure constituent. KIAA1199 was positively correlated with infiltrating levels of CD4+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophil cells, dendritic cells, and showed positive relationship with immune marker subsets expression of a variety of immunosuppressive cells. Conclusion: High expression of KIAA1199 predicts a poor prognosis of LUAD patients. KIAA1199 might exert its carcinogenic role in the tumor microenvironment via participating in the extracellular matrix formation and regulating the infiltration of immune cells in LUAD. The results indicate that KIAA1199 might be a novel biomarker for evaluating prognosis and immune cell infiltration in LUAD.

CEMIP, a Promising Biomarker That Promotes the Progression and Metastasis of Colorectal and Other Types of Cancer

Simple Summary

CEMIP (cell migration-inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including colorectal and other forms of cancer. The molecular functions of CEMIP are currently under investigation and include the degradation of the extracellular matrix component hyaluronic acid (HA), as well as the regulation of a number of signaling pathways. In this review, we survey our current understanding of how CEMIP contributes to tumor growth and metastasis, focusing particularly on colorectal cancer, for which it serves as a promising biomarker.

Abstract

Originally discovered as a hypothetical protein with unknown function, CEMIP (cell migration-inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including deafness, arthritis, atherosclerosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and cancer. Although a comprehensive definition of its molecular functions is still in progress, major functions ascribed to CEMIP include the depolymerization of the extracellular matrix component hyaluronic acid (HA) and the regulation of a number of signaling pathways. CEMIP is a promising biomarker for colorectal cancer. Its expression is associated with poor prognosis for patients suffering from colorectal and other types of cancer and functionally contributes to tumor progression and metastasis. Here, we review our current understanding of how CEMIP is able to foster the process of tumor growth and metastasis, focusing particularly on colorectal cancer. Studies in cancer cells suggest that CEMIP exerts its pro-tumorigenic and pro-metastatic activities through stimulating migration and invasion, suppressing cell death and promoting survival, degrading HA, regulating pro-metastatic signaling pathways, inducing the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) program, and contributing to the metabolic reprogramming and pre-metastatic conditioning of future metastatic microenvironments. There is also increasing evidence indicating that CEMIP may be expressed in cells within the tumor microenvironment that promote tumorigenesis and metastasis formation, although this remains in an early stage of investigation. CEMIP expression and activity can be therapeutically targeted at a number of levels, and preliminary findings in animal models show encouraging results in terms of reduced tumor growth and metastasis, as well as combating therapy resistance. Taken together, CEMIP represents an exciting new player in the progression of colorectal and other types of cancer that holds promise as a therapeutic target and biomarker.

CEMIP Promotes Osteosarcoma Progression and Metastasis Through Activating Notch Signaling Pathway

Cell migration inducing protein (CEMIP) has been linked to carcinogenesis in several types of cancers. However, the role and mechanism of CEMIP in osteosarcoma remain unclear. This study investigated the role of CEMIP in the progression and metastasis of osteosarcoma, CEMIP was found to be overexpressed in osteosarcoma tissues when compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues, and its expression was positively associated with a poor prognosis in osteosarcoma patients. Silencing CEMIP decreased osteosarcoma cells proliferation, migration, and invasion, but enhanced apoptosis in vitro, and suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, CEMIP promoted osteosarcoma cells growth and metastasis through activating Notch signaling pathway, silencing CEMIP would reduce the protein expression and activation of Notch/Jagged1/Hes1 signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo, activation of Notch signaling pathway could partially reversed cell proliferation and migration in shCEMIP osteosarcoma cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that CEMIP plays a substantial role in the progression of osteosarcoma via Notch signaling pathway, providing a promising therapeutic target in osteosarcoma.

CircCEMIP promotes anoikis-resistance by enhancing protective autophagy in prostate cancer cells

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are essential participants in the development and progression of various malignant tumors. Previous studies have shown that cell migration-inducing protein (CEMIP) accelerates prostate cancer (PCa) anoikis resistance (AR) by activating autophagy. This study focused on the effect of circCEMIP on PCa metastasis.

Methods

This study gradually revealed the role of circ_0004585 in PCa anoikis resistance via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, western blotting, pull-down assays, and dual fluorescence reporter assays.

Results

Functionally, circ_0004585 promoted PCa cells invasion and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circ_0004585 directly interacted with miR-1248 to upregulate target gene expression. Furthermore, target prediction and dual-luciferase reporter assays identified transmembrane 9 superfamily member 4 (TM9SF4) as a potential miR-1248 target. Pathway analysis revealed that TM9SF4 activated autophagy to promote PCa cells anoikis resistance via mTOR phosphorylation.

Conclusions

These results demonstrated that circ_0004585 played an oncogenic role during PCa invasion and metastasis by targeting the miR-1248/TM9SF4 axis while providing new insight into therapeutic strategy development for metastatic PCa.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02381-7.

Cell migration inducing hyaluronidase 1 promotes growth and metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma

Cell migration inducing hyaluronidase 1 (CEMIP) mediates catabolism of hyaluronan, and participates in the cell metastasis, invasion, and motility. Dysregulated CEMIP expression was associated with progression and prognosis of tumors. The role of CEMIP in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains unknown. Our study showed that CEMIP was upregulated in both tissues and cells of PTC. Silencing of CEMIP reduced cell proliferation and suppressed migration and invasion of PTC. Protein expression of phosphorylated STAT3 (Signal Transducer And Activator Of Transcription 3) (p-STAT3), AKT (p-AKT) and p65 (p-p65) were decreased by CEMIP silencing in PTC cells. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) over-expression attenuated CEMIP silencing-induced decrease in p-STAT3, p-AKT and p-p65. Silencing of CEMIP-induced decrease in cell proliferation and metastasis in PTC were restored by over-expression of STAT3. CEMIP functioned as an oncogenic gene in PTC through PDK4-mediated activation of STAT3/AKT/NF-κB pathway.

CEMIP promotes extracellular matrix-detached prostate cancer cells survival by inhibiting ferroptosis

Cells detached from the extracellular matrix (ECM) can trigger different modes of cell death, and the survival of ECM‐detached cells is one of the prerequisites for the metastatic cascade. Ferroptosis, a form of iron‐dependent programmed cell death, has recently been found to be involved in matrix‐detached cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms by which ECM‐detached cells escape ferroptosis are not fully understood. Here, we observed that cell migration‐inducing protein (CEMIP) upregulation facilitates ferroptosis resistance during ECM detachment by promoting cystine uptake in prostate cancer (PCa) cells. Meanwhile, silencing CEMIP causes it to lose its ability to promote cystine uptake and inhibit ferroptosis. Mechanistically, the interaction of CEMIP with inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor type 3 (ITPR3) modulates calcium ion (Ca²⁺) leakage from the endoplasmic reticulum, activating calcium/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), which further facilitates nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (NRF2) phosphorylation and nuclear localization, leading to elevated transcription of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), a glutamate/cystine antiporter, in PCa cells. Our findings delineate a novel role of CEMIP in ferroptosis resistance during ECM detachment and provide new insights into therapeutic strategies for metastatic PCa.

Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator-1 Alpha: A Double-Edged Sword in Prostate Cancer

Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α/PPARGC1A) is a pivotal transcriptional coactivator involved in the regulation of mitochondrial metabolism, including biogenesis and oxidative metabolism. PGC-1α is finely regulated by AMP-activated protein kinases (AMPKs), the role of which in tumors remains controversial to date. In recent years, a growing amount of research on PGC-1α and tumor metabolism has emphasized its importance in a variety of tumors, including prostate cancer (PCA). Compelling evidence has shown that PGC-1α may play dual roles in promoting and inhibiting tumor development under certain conditions. Therefore, a better understanding of the critical role of PGC-1α in PCA pathogenesis will provide new insights into targeting PGC-1α for the treatment of this disease. In this review, we highlight the procancer and anticancer effects of PGC-1α in PCA and aim to provide a theoretical basis for targeting AMPK/PGC-1α to inhibit the development of PCA. In addition, our recent findings provide a candidate drug target and theoretical basis for targeting PGC-1α to regulate lipid metabolism in PCA.

Targeting Protein Kinases and Epigenetic Control as Combinatorial Therapy Options for Advanced Prostate Cancer Treatment

Prostate cancer (PC), the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, is known as metastatic bone cancer when it spreads to the bone. Although there is still no effective treatment for advanced/metastatic PC, awareness of the molecular events that contribute to PC progression has opened up opportunities and raised hopes for the development of new treatment strategies. Androgen deprivation and androgen-receptor-targeting therapies are two gold standard treatments for metastatic PC. However, acquired resistance to these treatments is a crucial challenge. Due to the role of protein kinases (PKs) in the growth, proliferation, and metastases of prostatic tumors, combinatorial therapy by PK inhibitors may help pave the way for metastatic PC treatment. Additionally, PC is known to have epigenetic involvement. Thus, understanding epigenetic pathways can help adopt another combinatorial treatment strategy. In this study, we reviewed the PKs that promote PC to advanced stages. We also summarized some PK inhibitors that may be used to treat advanced PC and we discussed the importance of epigenetic control in this cancer. We hope the information presented in this article will contribute to finding an effective treatment for the management of advanced PC.

Loss of REST in breast cancer promotes tumor progression through estrogen sensitization, MMP24 and CEMIP overexpression

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, and is both pathologically and genetically heterogeneous, making early detection and treatment difficult. A subset of breast cancers express normal levels of REST (repressor element 1 silencing transcription factor) mRNA but lack functional REST protein. Loss of REST function is seen in ~ 20% of breast cancers and is associated with a more aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis. Despite the frequent loss of REST, little is known about the role of REST in the molecular pathogenesis of breast cancer.

METHODS

TCGA data was analyzed for the expression of REST target genes in breast cancer patient samples. We then utilized gene knockdown in MCF-7 cells in the presence or absence of steroid hormones estrogen and/ progesterone followed by RNA sequencing, as well as chromatin immunoprecipitation and PCR in an attempt to understand the tumor suppressor role of REST in breast cancer.

RESULTS

We show that REST directly regulates CEMIP (cell migration-inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein, KIAA1199) and MMP24 (matrix metallopeptidase 24), genes known to have roles in invasion and metastasis. REST knockdown in breast cancer cells leads to significant upregulation of CEMIP and MMP24. In addition, we found REST binds to RE-1 sites (repressor element-1) within the genes and influences their transcription. Furthermore, we found that the estrogen receptor (ESR1) signaling pathway is activated in the absence of REST, regardless of hormone treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate a critical role for the loss of REST in aggressive breast cancer pathogenesis and provide evidence for REST as an important diagnostic marker for personalized treatment plans.

ATF4/CEMIP/PKCα promotes anoikis resistance by enhancing protective autophagy in prostate cancer cells

The survival of cancer cells after detaching from the extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential for the metastatic cascade. The programmed cell death after detachment is known as anoikis, acting as a metastasis barrier. However, the most aggressive cancer cells escape anoikis and other cell death patterns to initiate the metastatic cascade. This study revealed the role of cell migration-inducing protein (CEMIP) in autophagy modulation and anoikis resistance during ECM detachment. CEMIP amplification during ECM detachment resulted in protective autophagy induction via a mechanism dependent on the dissociation of the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)/Beclin1 complex. Additional investigation revealed that acting transcription factor 4 (ATF4) triggered CEMIP transcription and enhanced protein kinase C alpha (PKCα) membrane translocation, which regulated the serine70 phosphorylation of Bcl-2, while the subsequent dissociation of the Bcl-2/Beclin1 complex led to autophagy. Therefore, CEMIP antagonization attenuated metastasis formation in vivo. In conclusion, inhibiting CEMIP-mediated protective autophagy may provide a therapeutic strategy for metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). This study delineates a novel role of CEMIP in anoikis resistance and provides new insight into seeking therapeutic strategies for metastatic PCa.

Phyto-targeting the CEMIP Expression as a Strategy to Prevent Pancreatic Cancer Metastasis

INTRODUCTION

Metastasis of primary pancreatic cancer (PC) to adjacent or distant organs is responsible for the poor survival rate of affected individuals. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy are currently being prescribed to treat PC in addition to surgical resection. Surgical resection is the preferred treatment for PC that leads to 20% of 5-year survival, but only less than 20% of patients are eligible for surgical resection because of the poor prognosis. To improve the prognosis and clinical outcome, early diagnostic markers need to be identified, and targeting them would be of immense benefit to increase the efficiency of the treatment. Cell migration-inducing hyaluronan-binding protein (CEMIP) is identified as an important risk factor for the metastasis of various cancers, including PC. Emerging studies have pointed out the crucial role of CEMIP in the regulation of various signaling mechanisms, leading to enhanced migration and metastasis of PC.

METHODS

The published findings on PC metastasis, phytoconstituents, and CEMIP were retrieved from Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library. Computational tools, such as gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA) and Kaplan-Meier (KM) plotter, were used to study the relationship between CEMIP expression and survival of PC individuals.

RESULTS

Gene expression analysis using the GEPIA database identified a stupendous increase in the CEMIP transcript in PC compared to adjacent normal tissues. KM plotter analysis revealed the impact of CEMIP on the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) among PC patients. Subsequently, several risk factors associated with PC development were screened, and their ability to regulate CEMIP gene expression was analyzed using computational tools.

CONCLUSION

The current review is focused on gathering information regarding the regulatory role of phytocomponents in PC migration and exploring their possible impact on the CEMIP expression.

GSK3β Interacts With CRMP2 and Notch1 and Controls T-Cell Motility

The trafficking of T-cells through peripheral tissues and into afferent lymphatic vessels is essential for immune surveillance and an adaptive immune response. Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) is a serine/threonine kinase and regulates numerous cell/tissue-specific functions, including cell survival, metabolism, and differentiation. Here, we report a crucial involvement of GSK3β in T-cell motility. Inhibition of GSK3β by CHIR-99021 or siRNA-mediated knockdown augmented the migratory behavior of human T-lymphocytes stimulated via an engagement of the T-cell integrin LFA-1 with its ligand ICAM-1. Proteomics and protein network analysis revealed ongoing interactions among GSK3β, the surface receptor Notch1 and the cytoskeletal regulator CRMP2. LFA-1 stimulation in T-cells reduced Notch1-dependent GSK3β activity by inducing phosphorylation at Ser9 and its nuclear translocation accompanied by the cleaved Notch1 intracellular domain and decreased GSK3β-CRMP2 association. LFA-1-induced or pharmacologic inhibition of GSK3β in T-cells diminished CRMP2 phosphorylation at Thr514. Although substantial amounts of CRMP2 were localized to the microtubule-organizing center in resting T-cells, this colocalization of CRMP2 was lost following LFA-1 stimulation. Moreover, the migratory advantage conferred by GSK3β inhibition in T-cells by CHIR-99021 was lost when CRMP2 expression was knocked-down by siRNA-induced gene silencing. We therefore conclude that GSK3β controls T-cell motility through interactions with CRMP2 and Notch1, which has important implications in adaptive immunity, T-cell mediated diseases and LFA-1-targeted therapies.

The role of CEMIP in tumors: An update based on cellular and molecular insights

CEMIP was initially identified as an inner-ear specific protein in which three-point mutations cause folding changes in protein structure associated with non-syndromic hearing loss. CEMIP was also involved in other cellular activities, such as hyaluronan depolymerization independent of CD44 and other hyaluronidases. Growing evidence has demonstrated that CEMIP is involved in the progression of various tumors. However, whether the oncogenic effects of CEMIP relies on its enzymatic activity remain elusive. CEMIP is significantly related to metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with various tumors, suggesting that CEMIP is a potential, highly specific diagnostic tumor marker. Most preclinical experiments have shown that the overexpression of CEMIP in tumors mainly affects the adhesion, metastasis, and invasion of tumor cells and EMT. Other studies have also demonstrated that CEMIP can promote a variety of tumor processes by affecting tumor proliferation, dedifferentiation, and the tumor microenvironment. In terms of molecular mechanisms, existing research has shown that CEMIP mainly affects the WNT and EGFR signaling pathways. In addition, a variety of miRNAs have been shown to inhibit CEMIP in tumors. This paper elaborates on the clinical characteristics and regulatory dysfunction of CEMIP in different cancers. CEMIP provides a new potential target for therapy of multiple tumors, which is worthy of further study.

CEMIP, a novel adaptor protein of OGT, promotes colorectal cancer metastasis through glutamine metabolic reprogramming via reciprocal regulation of β-catenin

Metastasis is the leading cause of colorectal cancer (CRC)-induced death. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of CRC metastasis are poorly understood. Metabolic reprogramming is an intrinsic feature of cancer, which have complicated effects on cancer metastasis. Here, we find that a novel metastasis-related protein, cell migration-inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein (CEMIP), can act as a novel adaptor protein of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) to promote CRC metastasis through glutamine metabolic reprogramming. Mechanistically, CEMIP interacts with OGT and β-catenin, which leads to elevated O-GlcNAcylation of β-catenin and enhanced β-catenin nuclear translocation from cytomembrane. Furthermore, accumulated β-catenin in nucleus enhances the transcription of CEMIP to reciprocally regulate β-catenin and contributes to over-expression of glutaminase 1 and glutamine transporters (SLC1A5 and SLC38A2). Combinational inhibition of CEMIP and glutamine metabolism could dramatically attenuate the metastasis of CRC in vivo. Collectively, this study reveals the importance of glutamine metabolic reprogramming in CEMIP-induced CRC metastasis, indicating the great potential of CEMIP and glutamine metabolism for CRC metastasis prevention.

miR-4677-3p participates proliferation and metastases of gastric cancer cell via CEMIP-PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Gastric cancer is one of the top three leading causes of cancer-related death in the world. Evidence indicated that miR-4677-3p was dysregulated and involved in modulating invasion and migration in multiple types of cancer cells. The aim of this research is to explore the function and mechanism of miR-4677-3p in the development of gastric cancer. In this study, we discovered that miR-4677-3p was down-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and cells. Over-expression of miR-4677-3p suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, miR-4677-3p directly bond to CEMIP 3'UTR region and inhibited CEMIP expression. CEMIP promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells via accelerating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. siCEMIP or PI3K/AKT signaling inhibitor (Akti-1/2 and LY294002) partly reversed the effects of miR-4677-3p on the cellular growth and metastasis of gastric cancer. In general, miR-4677-3p regulated the development of gastric cancer through CEMIP-PI3K/AKT signaling pathway axis. This study verified the function and molecular mechanism of miR-4677-3p in gastric cancer cells, and may provide a potential diagnosis/prognosis target for patients with gastric cancer.

Targeting pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase signaling in the development of effective cancer therapy

Pyruvate is irreversibly decarboxylated to acetyl coenzyme A by mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC). Decarboxylation of pyruvate is considered a crucial step in cell metabolism and energetics. The cancer cells prefer aerobic glycolysis rather than mitochondrial oxidation of pyruvate. This attribute of cancer cells allows them to sustain under indefinite proliferation and growth. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases (PDKs) play critical roles in many diseases because they regulate PDC activity. Recent findings suggest an altered metabolism of cancer cells is associated with impaired mitochondrial function due to PDC inhibition. PDKs inhibit the PDC activity via phosphorylation of the E1a subunit and subsequently cause a glycolytic shift. Thus, inhibition of PDK is an attractive strategy in anticancer therapy. This review highlights that PDC/PDK axis could be implicated in cancer's therapeutic management by developing potential small-molecule PDK inhibitors. In recent years, a dramatic increase in the targeting of the PDC/PDK axis for cancer treatment gained an attention from the scientific community. We further discuss breakthrough findings in the PDC-PDK axis. In addition, structural features, functional significance, mechanism of activation, involvement in various human pathologies, and expression of different forms of PDKs (PDK1-4) in different types of cancers are discussed in detail. We further emphasized the gene expression profiling of PDKs in cancer patients to prognosis and therapeutic manifestations. Additionally, inhibition of the PDK/PDC axis by small molecule inhibitors and natural compounds at different clinical evaluation stages has also been discussed comprehensively.

In vivo library screening identifies the metabolic enzyme aldolase A as a promoter of metastatic lung colonization

Elucidations of the factors that promote the growth of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) into life-threatening lesions stand to provide much needed prognostic and therapeutic targets of translational utility for patients with metastatic cancer. To identify such regulators, we conducted gain-of-function cDNA library screening to discover genes that foster prostate cancer cell colonization of mouse lungs as an experimental model. Our efforts identified the metabolic enzyme aldolase A (ALDOA) as a driver of cancer cell motility, anchorage-independent growth, and metastatic colonization, and as a prognosticator of adverse patient outcome across many malignancies, including prostate, breast, pancreatic, and liver cancers. Metabolomics coupled with biochemical and functional analyses revealed that ALDOA triggered the activation of adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which we demonstrate played essential promalignant activities in ALDOA-expressing cells. Collectively, these findings unveiled vivo approaches to identify metastatic colonization regulators and uncovered previously undescribed roles for ALDOA-AMPK pathway in tumor progression.

HYBID derived from tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages contribute to the glioblastoma growth

Glioblastoma is the most malignant tumor of the brain associated with poor prognosis and outcome, and hence there is an urgent need to develop novel treatments for glioblastoma. In this study, we focused on hyaluronan binding protein (HYBID, as known as CEMIP/KIAA1199), a protein involved in hyaluronan depolymerization in chondrocytes and synoviocytes. We previously reported that Hybid-deficient (KO) mice show accumulation of hyaluronan in the brain, and memory impairment. To elucidate the role of HYBID in glioblastoma pathogenesis, we knocked down HYBID in human glioblastoma cells using siRNAs and developed a murine orthotopic xenograft model in the Hybid KO mice. Downregulation of HYBID in glioblastoma cells resulted in inhibition of cell proliferation and migration, and increased cell death. The growth of glioblastoma cells implanted in the mouse brain was suppressed in Hybid KO mice compared to that in the wild-type mice. Interestingly, infiltration of macrophages in the glioblastoma tissue was decreased in Hybid KO mice. Using intraperitoneal macrophages derived from Hybid KO mice and glioma cell supernatants, we examined the role of HYBID in macrophages in the tumor environment. We showed that HYBID contributes to macrophage migration and the release of pro-tumor factors. Moreover, we revealed that HYBID can be a poor prognostic factor in glioma patients by bioinformatics approaches. Our study provides data to support that HYBID expressed by both glioblastoma cells and tumor-associated macrophages may contribute to glioblastoma progression and suggests that HYBID may be a potential target for therapy that focuses on the tumor microenvironment of glioblastoma.

The emerging role of KIAA1199 in cancer development and therapy

KIAA1199, also known as CEMIP or HYBID, is an important member of the Human Unidentified Gene-Encoded (HUGE) database. Accumulated evidence has revealed that KIAA1199 is associated with tumor progression and metastasis in numerous malignancies, including colorectal, liver, gastric, pancreatic, breast, lung, prostate, ovarian and papillary thyroid cancers. As an oncogene, it plays crucial role in the proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration of various tumor cells. In addition, KIAA1199 is also involved in the regulation of multiple signal pathways such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), Wnt/ β-catenin, MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt. In this review, we summarized up to date advancement on the role of KIAA1199 in human cancer development, progression, and metastasis. We also addressed KIAA1199 as a potential therapeutic target for cancer therapy.

Multi-Stability and Consequent Phenotypic Plasticity in AMPK-Akt Double Negative Feedback Loop in Cancer Cells

Adaptation and survival of cancer cells to various stress and growth factor conditions is crucial for successful metastasis. A double-negative feedback loop between two serine/threonine kinases AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) and Akt can regulate the adaptation of breast cancer cells to matrix-deprivation stress. This feedback loop can significantly generate two phenotypes or cell states: matrix detachment-triggered pAMPK^high/ pAkt^low state, and matrix (re)attachment-triggered pAkt^high/ pAMPK^low state. However, whether these two cell states can exhibit phenotypic plasticity and heterogeneity in a given cell population, i.e., whether they can co-exist and undergo spontaneous switching to generate the other subpopulation, remains unclear. Here, we develop a mechanism-based mathematical model that captures the set of experimentally reported interactions among AMPK and Akt. Our simulations suggest that the AMPK-Akt feedback loop can give rise to two co-existing phenotypes (pAkt^high/ pAMPK^low and pAMPK^high/pAkt^low) in specific parameter regimes. Next, to test the model predictions, we segregated these two subpopulations in MDA-MB-231 cells and observed that each of them was capable of switching to another in adherent conditions. Finally, the predicted trends are supported by clinical data analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) breast cancer and pan-cancer cohorts that revealed negatively correlated pAMPK and pAkt protein levels. Overall, our integrated computational-experimental approach unravels that AMPK-Akt feedback loop can generate multi-stability and drive phenotypic switching and heterogeneity in a cancer cell population.

Icaritin Inhibits Skin Fibrosis through Regulating AMPK and Wnt/β-catenin Signaling

Skin fibrosis is one of the major features of scleroderma. WNT/β-catenin signaling is associated with the progression of skin fibrosis. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of icaritin (IT), a natural compound, on scleroderma-related skin fibrosis and its mechanisms. We found that IT could reduce the expression of COL1A1, COL1A2, COL3A1, CTGF, and α-SMA in human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF-1 cells), scleroderma skin fibroblasts (SSF cells), and TGF-β-induced HFF-1 cells. Wnt/β-catenin signaling was shown to be suppressed by IT. Additionally, IT activated AMPK signaling in HFF-1 cells. In conclusion, IT has an anti-skin fibrotic effect through activation of AMPK signaling and inhibition of WNT/β-catenin signaling. Our findings indicate the potential role of IT in the treatment of scleroderma and provide novel insight for the selection of drug therapy for scleroderma.

Overexpression of KIAA1199 is an independent prognostic marker in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

KIAA1199 is a recently identified novel gene that is upregulated in various human cancers with poor survival, but its role and the underlying mechanisms in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) remain unknown. Here, we collected tissues from 105 cases of LSCC to investigate the relationships between KIAA1199 protein expression and clinical factors.

Methods

Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) were used for detect the protein and mRNA expression of KIAA1199 in LSCC tissue. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was used to detect the expression of KIAA1199. Patient clinical information, for instance sex, age, pathological differentiation, clinical region, T stage, N stage, clinical stage, operation type, neck lymph dissection, smoking status, and drinking status were recorded. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox analysis were applied to identify the relationship between KIAA1199 and LSCC.

Results

Western blotting results showed KIAA1199 protein was significantly higher in tumor tissues vs. adjacent non-cancerous tissues (0.9385 ± 0.1363 vs. 1.838 ± 0.3209, P = 0.04). The KIAA1199 mRNA expression was considerably higher in tumor tissues (P < 0.001) than in adjacent non-cancerous tissues by RT-PCR. IHC results showed up-regulated KIAA1199 expression was related with some severe clinicopathological parameters: pathologic differentiation (P = 0.002), T stage (P < 0.001), N stage (P < 0.001), clinical stage (P < 0.001), survival time (P = 0.008) and survival status (P < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that patients with high KIAA1199 protein expression had poor overall survival (OS) (P < 0.05). Cox analysis suggested that the KIAA1199 protein expression constituted an independent prognostic marker for LSCC patients (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our findings revealed that KIAA1199 protein expression may be used to predict LSCC patient outcome.

MiR-525-5p Repressed Metastasis and Anoikis Resistance in Cervical Cancer via Blocking UBE2C/ZEB1/2 Signal Axis

BACKGROUND

Accumulating evidence indicated that miRNAs are important regulators involved in cancer biology.

AIMS

We aimed to investigate the biological functions and potentially underlying molecular mechanism of miR-525-5p in CC.

METHODS

RT-PCR and Western blot assay were performed to detect mRNA and protein expression. Cell proliferation, anoikis resistance, and cell invasion were analyzed.

RESULTS

We observed that the expression of miR-525-5p was declined in several CC cell lines. Additionally, introduction of miR-525-5p dramatically hampered cell viability, invasiveness, and migration ability through modulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marked genes as reflected by the upregulation of E-cadherin, as well as the downregulation of vimentin and N-cadherin. Furthermore, administration of miR-525-5p markedly reduced anchorage-independent growth and anoikis resistance accompanied by a decrease in the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and an increase in the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, C-caspase 3, and C-PARP1. Most importantly, analysis using publicly available algorithms predicted that UBE2C was a direct and functional target of miR-525-5p. Luciferase assays coupled with RT-PCR and Western blot analysis further verified that miR-525-5p negatively regulated UBE2C expression. Interestingly, miR-525-5p modulated ZEB1/2 expression via targeting UBE2C. Mechanically, administration of UBE2C partially blunted the salutary effects of miR-525-5p on invasive ability, EMT, and anoikis resistance, indicating that miR-525-5p acts as a tumor suppressor in CC largely through repression of UBE2C/ZEB1/2 signaling.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our data identify a novel signaling axis of miR-525-5p/UBE2C/ZEB1/2 in repressing EMT and anoikis resistance, and likely serve as a potential therapeutic target for CC metastasis and prognosis as well as a therapeutic application.

Ras and Wnt Interaction Contribute in Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent and malignant cancer types in men, which causes more than three-hundred thousand cancer death each year. At late stage of PCa progression, bone marrow is the most often metastatic site that constitutes almost 70% of metastatic cases of the PCa population. However, the characteristic for the osteo-philic property of PCa is still puzzling. Recent studies reported that the Wnt and Ras signaling pathways are pivotal in bone metastasis and that take parts in different cytological changes, but their crosstalk is not well studied. In this review, we focused on interactions between the Wnt and Ras signaling pathways during each stage of bone metastasis and present the fate of those interactions. This review contributes insights that can guide other researchers by unveiling more details with regard to bone metastasis and might also help in finding potential therapeutic regimens for preventing PCa bone metastasis.

Secreted Phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) and Fibronectin 1 (FN1) Are Associated with Progression and Prognosis of Esophageal Cancer as Identified by Integrated Expression Profiles Analysis

Background

Esophageal cancer is a malignant tumor with a complex pathogenesis and a poor 5-year survival rate, which encourages researchers to explore its molecular mechanisms deeper to improve the prognosis.

Material/Methods

DEGs were from 4 Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases (GSE92396, GSE20347, GSE23400, and GSE45168) including 87 esophageal tumor samples and 84 normal samples. We performed Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, Protein-Protein interaction (PPI) analysis, and GeneMANIA to identify the DEGs. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed.

Results

There was an overlapping subset consisting of 120 DEGs that was present in all esophageal tumor samples. The DEGs were enriched in extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction, as well as focal adhesion and transcriptional mis-regulation in cancer. The 2 most crucial regulatory pathways in esophageal cancer were the amebiasis pathway and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) and fibronectin 1 (FN1) were selected and verified in an independent cohort and samples using the TCGA and GTEx projects. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that proteasome and nucleotide excision repair were 2 most differentially enriched pathways in the SPP1 high-expression phenotype, and ECM-receptor interaction and focal adhesion in FN1 high-expression phenotype. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that SPP1 and FN1 were significantly positively related to overall survival and had the potential to predict patient relapse.

Conclusions

Our analysis is the first to show that SPP1 and FN1 might work as biological markers of progression and prognosis in esophageal carcinoma (ESCA).

Shear stress activates ATOH8 via autocrine VEGF promoting glycolysis dependent-survival of colorectal cancer cells in the circulation

Background

Metastasis and recurrence, wherein circulating tumour cells (CTCs) play an important role, are the leading causes of death in colorectal cancer (CRC). Metastasis-initiating CTCs manage to maintain intravascular survival under anoikis, immune attack, and importantly shear stress; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Methods

In view of the scarcity of CTCs in the bloodstream, suspended colorectal cancer cells were flowed into the cyclic laminar shear stress (LSS) according to previous studies. Then, we detected these suspended cells with a CK8+/CD45−/DAPI+ phenotype and named them mimic circulating tumour cells (m-CTCs) for subsequent CTCs related researches. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunofluorescence were utilised to analyse gene expression change of m-CTCs sensitive to LSS stimulation. Additionally, we examined atonal bHLH transcription factor 8 (ATOH8) expressions in CTCs among 156 CRC patients and mice by fluorescence in situ hybridisation and flow cytometry. The pro-metabolic and pro-survival functions of ATOH8 were determined by glycolysis assay, live/dead cell vitality assay, anoikis assay, and immunohistochemistry. Further, the concrete up-and-down mechanisms of m-CTC survival promotion by ATOH8 were explored.

Results

The m-CTCs actively responded to LSS by triggering the expression of ATOH8, a fluid mechanosensor, with executive roles in intravascular survival and metabolism plasticity. Specifically, ATOH8 was upregulated via activation of VEGFR2/AKT signalling pathway mediated by LSS induced VEGF release. ATOH8 then transcriptionally activated HK2-mediated glycolysis, thus promoting the intravascular survival of colorectal cancer cells in the circulation.

Conclusions

This study elucidates a novel mechanism that an LSS triggered VEGF-VEGFR2-AKT-ATOH8 signal axis mediates m-CTCs survival, thus providing a potential target for the prevention and treatment of hematogenous metastasis in CRC.

CircRNA-UCK2 Increased TET1 Inhibits Proliferation and Invasion of Prostate Cancer Cells Via Sponge MiRNA-767-5p

A majority of the patients with advanced prostate cancer initially respond to androgen deprivation therapy and enzalutamide therapy, but eventually enter the castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) phase. Some studies have shown that the activation of other signalling pathways in CRPC cells replaces the function of the androgen receptor, as well as promotes cell metastasis and progression. However, the mechanisms underlying this side effect remain unclear. The present study aims to explore the continued progression of cells after enzalutamide resistance. Low expression of circRNA-UCK2 (circUCK2) was detected in enzalutamide-resistant (EnzR) cells. Moreover, miR-767-5p was found to be resistant to EnzR cells when the level of circUCK2 is increased. The decrease in free miR-767-5p increases the expression of TET1 protein through the post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA, thereby inhibiting cell invasion and proliferation. Knocking down circUCK2 in enzalutamide-sensitive cells reduces the concentration of TET1, thereby increasing cell invasion and proliferation. A preclinical study using in vivo mouse models also showed that a high expression of circUCK2 inhibited the EnzR cell growth. Thus, this study might aid in developing a novel therapy to better suppress the CRPC progression.

EZH2 promotes invasion and tumour glycolysis by regulating STAT3 and FoxO1 signalling in human OSCC cells

The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), known as a member of the polycomb group (PcG) proteins, is an oncogene overexpressed in a variety of human cancers. Here, we found that EZH2 correlated with poor survival of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients using immunohistochemistry staining. EZH2 overexpression led to a significant induction in tumour glycolysis, Epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration and invasion of OSCC cells. Conversely, silencing of EZH2 inhibited tumour glycolysis, EMT, migration and invasion in OSCC cells. Ectopic overexpression of EZH2 increased phosphorylation of STAT3 at pY705 and decreased FoxO1 expression, and FoxO1 expression was enhanced when inhibiting STAT3. In addition, EZH2 overexpression led to a significant decrease in FoxO1 mRNA levels in nude mice xenograft. These results indicated that regulation of EZH2 might have the potential to be targeted for OSCC treatment.

Identification of the perturbed metabolic pathways associating with prostate cancer cells and anticancer affects of obacunone

Functional metabolomics could bring correlative information about specific cell types under different conditions for exploring cell properties and functions. In this study, we adopt a non-targeted cell metabolomics strategy to reveal the proliferation inhibition mechanism of obacunone on 22RV1 prostate cancer cells. Using high-throughput liquid chromatography-high definition mass spectrometry combined with pattern recognition methods was performed to analyze the cell metabolic profiles and pathway of obacunone on prostate cancer. A total of twenty one proposed metabolites in prostate cancer cell and nine vital metabolic pathways such as nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism as well as tryptophan metabolism were identified from large amounts of data. Then, we have built an overall metabolic description network of obacunone to defense prostate cancer. In addition, morphological observation, cell proliferation and apoptosis analysis of 22RV1 human prostate cancer cells were performed to better understand physiopathologic changes after obacunone treatment. Functional metabolomics is a valuable tool that insight into the natural product mechanisms and contributes to new drug discovery. SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, we probe into the proliferation inhibition effect of obacunone on 22RV1 prostate cancer cells by differentiating metabolic changes of cell sample in control and obacunone administration. Using the non-targeted and targeted cell metabolomics approaches, our findings were manifested that obacunone effectually control proliferation and promote apoptosis in 22RV1 prostate cancer cells, which were related to twenty one proposed metabolites, and nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism as well as ascorbate metabolism. These data were suggested that functional metabolomics analysis have potential to explore the pharmacodynamic mechanism through resolving metabolic changes in cancer cells that possesses higher clinical application value. The advances in the molecular understanding of the roles of metabolomic pathway concerned with particular metabolites in obacunone administration attract more attention in favor of burgeoning therapeutic measures resisting prostate cancer.

CEMIP upregulates BiP to promote breast cancer cell survival in hypoxia

Cell migration-inducing protein (CEMIP) and binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) are upregulated in human cancers, where they drive cancer progression and metastasis. It has been shown that CEMIP resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) where it interacts with BiP to induce cell migration, but the relationship between the two proteins was previously unknown. Here we show that CEMIP mediates activation of the BiP promoter and upregulates BiP transcript and protein levels in breast cancer cell lines. Moreover, CEMIP overexpression confers protective adaptations to cancer cells under hypoxic conditions, by decreasing apoptosis, activating autophagy, and increasing glucose uptake, to facilitate tumor growth. We demonstrate that BiP signals downstream of CEMIP, modulating cellular resistance to hypoxia. Reducing BiP in CEMIP-expressing cells sensitized cells to hypoxia treatment, decreased glucose uptake, and resulted in tumor regression in vivo. Our study provides insights into the link between CEMIP and BiP expression and the pro-survival role they play in hypoxia. Better understanding of the mechanisms behind cancer cell adaptations to harsh tumor environments could lead to development of improved cancer treatments.

Functional role of long non-coding RNA CASC19/miR-140-5p/CEMIP axis in colorectal cancer progression in vitro

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are widely involved in tumor regulation. Nevertheless, the role of the lncRNA cancer susceptibility 19 (CASC19) in colorectal cancer (CRC) has yet to be fully clarified.

AIM

To explore the effect of CASC19 on proliferation and metastasizing ability of CRC cells.

METHODS

CASC19 expression in human CRC tissues, pair-matched adjacent normal colon tissues, and CRC cells was detected using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). CASC19 expression, as well as its relation to overall survival, was extrapolated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis together with multivariable Cox regression assay. In vitro experiments were performed to confirm whether CASC19 regulates CRC cell invasion, migration, proliferation, and apoptosis.

RESULTS

CASC19 expression was markedly upregulated in CRC tissues and CRC cell lines (P < 0.05). qRT-PCR revealed that CASC19 expression was higher in 25 tissue samples from patients with aggressive CRC compared with the 27 tissue samples from patients with nonaggressive CRC (P < 0.05). Higher CASC19 expression was associated with poorer patient prognoses. Furthermore, in vitro experiments demonstrated that CASC19 overexpression enhanced CRC cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. CASC19 overexpression enhanced the expression of cell migration inducing hyaluronidase 1 (CEMIP) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers. MiR-140-5p was found to be able to bind directly to CASC19 and CEMIP. Overexpression of miR-140-5p reversed the effect of CASC19 on cell proliferation and tumor migration, as well as suppressed CASC19-induced CEMIP expression.

CONCLUSION

CASC19 positively regulates CEMIP expression through targeting miR-140-5p. CASC19 may possess an oncogenic function in CRC progression, highlighting its potential as an essential biomarker in CRC diagnosis and therapy.

KIAA1199 promotes sorafenib tolerance and the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by activating the EGF/EGFR-dependent epithelial-mesenchymal transition program

Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) will almost always develop acquired tolerance after sorafenib therapy, and the molecular mechanism of sorafenib tolerance remains poorly characterized. Here, using our established sorafenib-resistant HCC cell and xenograft models, we identified a novel gene, KIAA1199, which was markedly elevated among the differentially expressed genes involved in sorafenib tolerance. Moreover, elevated expression of KIAA1199 was positively correlated with a high risk of recurrence and metastasis and advanced TNM stage in HCC patients. Functionally, loss- and gain-of-function studies showed that KIAA1199 promoted the migration, invasion, and metastasis of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Mechanistically, KIAA1199 is required for EGF-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells by aiding in EGFR phosphorylation. In summary, our data uncover KIAA1199 as a novel sorafenib-tolerant promoting gene that plays an indispensable role in maintaining sorafenib-resistant HCC cell metastasis.

Crabp2 Promotes Metastasis of Lung Cancer Cells via HuR and Integrin β1/FAK/ERK Signaling

Increased Crabp2 levels have been found in various types of cancer, and are associated with poor patients’ survival. Although Crabp2 is found to be overexpressed in lung cancer, its role in metastasis of lung cancer is unclear. In this study, Crabp2 was overexpressed in high-metastatic C10F4 than low-metastatic lung cancer cells. Analysis of clinical samples revealed that high CRABP2 levels were correlated with lymph node metastases, poor overall survival, and increased recurrence. Knockdown of Crabp2 decreased migration, invasion, anoikis resistance, and in vivo metastasis. Crabp2 was co-immunoprecipitated with HuR, and overexpression of Crabp2 increased HuR levels, which promoted integrin β1/FAK/ERK signaling. Inhibition of HuR or integrin β1/FAK/ERK signaling reversed the promoting effect of Crabp2 in migration, invasion, and anoikis resistance. Knockdown of Crabp2 further inhibited the growth of cancer cells as compared with that by gemcitabine or irinotecan alone. The expression of Crabp2 in human lung tumors was correlated with stress marker CHOP. In conclusion, our findings have identified the promoting role of Crabp2 in anoikis resistance and metastasis. CRABP2 may serve as a prognostic marker and targeting CRABP2 may be exploited as a modality to reduce metastasis.