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Huang C, Murgulet I, Liu L, Zhang M, Garcia K, Martin L, Xu W. The effects of perfluorooctanoic acid on breast cancer metastasis depend on the phenotypes of the cancer cells: An in vivo study with zebrafish xenograft model. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 362:124975. [PMID: 39293659 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) have been associated with numerous human diseases. Recent in vitro studies have implicated the association of PFAS with an increased risk of breast cancer in humans. This study aimed to assess the toxic effects of PFAS during the development of human breast cancer using a zebrafish xenograft model. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was used as a PFAS chemical of interest for this study. Two common breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, were used to represent the diversity of breast cancer phenotypes. Human preadipocytes were co-implanted with the breast cancer cells into the zebrafish embryos to optimize the microenvironment for tumor cells in vivo. With this modified model, we evaluated the potential effects of the PFOA on the metastatic potential of the two types of breast cancer cells. The presence of human preadipocytes resulted in an enhancement to the metastasis progress of the two types of cells, including the promotion of cell in vivo migration and proliferation, and the increased expression levels of metastatic biomarkers. The enhancement of MCF-7 proliferation by preadipocytes was observed after 2 days post injection (dpi) while the increase of MDA-MB-231 proliferation was seen after 6 dpi. The breast cancer metastatic biomarkers, cadherin 1 (cdh1), and small breast epithelial mucin (sbem) genes demonstrated significant down- and upregulations respectively, by the co-injection of preadipocytes. In the optimized xenograft model, the PFOA consistently promoted cell proliferation and migration and altered the metastatic biomarker expression in MCF-7, which suggested a metastatic effect of PFOA on MCF-7. However, those effects were not consistently observed in MDA-MB-231. The presence of the preadipocytes in the xenograft model may provide a necessary microenvironment for the progress of tumor cells in zebrafish embryos. The finding suggested that the impacts of PFOA exposure on different phenotypes of breast cancers may differ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Huang
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, United States
| | - Ioana Murgulet
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, United States; Department of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX, 77005, United States
| | - Linda Liu
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, United States
| | - Mona Zhang
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, United States
| | - Kaitlin Garcia
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, United States
| | - Leisha Martin
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, United States
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, United States.
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Jiang X, Dong L, Wang S, Wen Z, Chen M, Xu L, Xiao G, Li Q. Reconstructing Spatial Transcriptomics at the Single-cell Resolution with BayesDeep. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.07.570715. [PMID: 38106214 PMCID: PMC10723442 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.07.570715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Spatially resolved transcriptomics (SRT) techniques have revolutionized the characterization of molecular profiles while preserving spatial and morphological context. However, most next-generation sequencing-based SRT techniques are limited to measuring gene expression in a confined array of spots, capturing only a fraction of the spatial domain. Typically, these spots encompass gene expression from a few to hundreds of cells, underscoring a critical need for more detailed, single-cell resolution SRT data to enhance our understanding of biological functions within the tissue context. Addressing this challenge, we introduce BayesDeep, a novel Bayesian hierarchical model that leverages cellular morphological data from histology images, commonly paired with SRT data, to reconstruct SRT data at the single-cell resolution. BayesDeep effectively model count data from SRT studies via a negative binomial regression model. This model incorporates explanatory variables such as cell types and nuclei-shape information for each cell extracted from the paired histology image. A feature selection scheme is integrated to examine the association between the morphological and molecular profiles, thereby improving the model robustness. We applied BayesDeep to two real SRT datasets, successfully demonstrating its capability to reconstruct SRT data at the single-cell resolution. This advancement not only yields new biological insights but also significantly enhances various downstream analyses, such as pseudotime and cell-cell communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Jiang
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A
| | - Lei Dong
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A
| | - Shidan Wang
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A
| | - Zhuoyu Wen
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A
| | - Mingyi Chen
- Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A
| | - Lin Xu
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A
| | - Guanghua Xiao
- Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, U.S.A
| | - Qiwei Li
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, U.S.A
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Hao H, Yang L, Wang B, Sang Y, Liu X. Small breast epithelial mucin as a useful prognostic marker for breast cancer patients. Open Life Sci 2023; 18:20220784. [PMID: 38027223 PMCID: PMC10668108 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) as a prognostic biomarker in an independent patient cohort. The paraffin-embedded tissues and clinicopathological data of 105 patients with breast cancer were collected, and the expression of SBEM in breast cancer samples was detected by immunohistochemical staining. The correlations between clinicopathological variables and the expression of SBEM were analyzed, and its significance as a prognostic indicator for breast cancer patients was determined. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that SBEM was expressed mostly in the cytomembrane and cytoplasm, with markedly increased SBEM expression (≥4 points on staining intensity) observed in 34 of 105 breast cancer tissues (32.4%). Elevated expression of SBEM was found to be significantly associated with larger tumor size (P = 0.002), more frequent lymph node metastasis (P = 0.029), advanced tumor node metastasis stage (P = 0.005), reduced expression of the progesterone receptor (PR) (P = 0.002), and a higher Ki-67 index (P = 0.006). Survival analysis indicated that patients with elevated SBEM expression had worse overall survival (OS) (5-year OS rate: 50.5 vs 93.9% for high and low SBEM expression, respectively, P < 0.001) and disease-free survival (DFS) (5-year DFS rate: 52.8 vs 81.7% for high and low SBEM expression, respectively, P = 0.001) rates than those with low expression of SBEM. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses demonstrated that elevated expression of SBEM (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.994, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.008-3.945, P = 0.047), tumor size (HR = 2.318, 95% CI: 1.071-5.017, P = 0.033), and PR status (HR = 0.195, 95% CI: 0.055-0.694, P = 0.012) were independent predictors of OS in breast cancer patients. Elevated expression of SBEM was associated with both aggressive tumor characteristics and poor survival, indicating its potential as a useful prognostic biomarker for breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Hao
- Department of Oncology, Cangzhou People’s Hospital, Cangzhou, 061000, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Oncology, Cangzhou People’s Hospital, Cangzhou, 061000, China
| | - Bingsheng Wang
- Department of Oncology, Cangzhou People’s Hospital, Cangzhou, 061000, China
| | - Yinzhou Sang
- Department of Pathology, Cangzhou People’s Hospital, Cangzhou, 061000, China
| | - Xueliang Liu
- Breast Center, Cangzhou People’s Hospital, Cangzhou, 061000, China
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Kang K, Wu Y, Han C, Wang L, Wang Z, Zhao A. Homologous recombination deficiency in triple-negative breast cancer: Multi-scale transcriptomics reveals distinct tumor microenvironments and limitations in predicting immunotherapy response. Comput Biol Med 2023; 158:106836. [PMID: 37031511 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.106836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer and has the highest proportion of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD). HRD has been considered a biomarker of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but the reality is more complicated. A comprehensive comparison of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in HRD and non-HRD TNBC samples may be helpful. METHODS Datasets from single-cell, spatial, and bulk RNA-sequencing were collected to explore the role of HRD in the development of TME at multiple scales. Based on the findings in the TME, machine learning algorithms were used to construct a response prediction model in eleven ICI therapy cohorts. RESULTS A more exhausted phenotype of T cells and a more tolerogenic phenotype of dendritic cells were found in the non-HRD group. HRD reprograms the predominant phenotype of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) from myofibroblastic CAFs to inflammatory-like CAFs. As interactions between myofibroblastic CAFs and other cells, DPP4-chemokines associated with reduced immune cell recruitment were unique in the non-HRD group. The prediction model based on DPP4-related genes had acceptable performance in predicting response, prognosis, and immune cell content. Higher HRD scores in bulk RNA-sequencing samples indicated more activated immune cell function, but not higher immune cell content, which may be affected by factors such as antigen-presenting capacity. CONCLUSIONS Based on multi-scale transcriptomics, our findings comprehensively reveal differences in the TME between HRD and non-HRD samples. Combining HRD with the prediction model or other methods for assessing immune cell content, may better predict response to ICIs in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Kang
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yijun Wu
- Division of Thoracic Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Laboratory of Clinical Cell Therapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chang Han
- Division of Abdominal Tumor Multimodality Treatment, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhile Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ailin Zhao
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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5
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Tsai CF, Zhang P, Scholten D, Martin K, Wang YT, Zhao R, Chrisler WB, Patel DB, Dou M, Jia Y, Reduzzi C, Liu X, Moore RJ, Burnum-Johnson KE, Lin MH, Hsu CC, Jacobs JM, Kagan J, Srivastava S, Rodland KD, Steven Wiley H, Qian WJ, Smith RD, Zhu Y, Cristofanilli M, Liu T, Liu H, Shi T. Surfactant-assisted one-pot sample preparation for label-free single-cell proteomics. Commun Biol 2021; 4:265. [PMID: 33649493 PMCID: PMC7921383 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01797-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Large numbers of cells are generally required for quantitative global proteome profiling due to surface adsorption losses associated with sample processing. Such bulk measurement obscures important cell-to-cell variability (cell heterogeneity) and makes proteomic profiling impossible for rare cell populations (e.g., circulating tumor cells (CTCs)). Here we report a surfactant-assisted one-pot sample preparation coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) method termed SOP-MS for label-free global single-cell proteomics. SOP-MS capitalizes on the combination of a MS-compatible nonionic surfactant, n-Dodecyl-β-D-maltoside, and hydrophobic surface-based low-bind tubes or multi-well plates for ‘all-in-one’ one-pot sample preparation. This ‘all-in-one’ method including elimination of all sample transfer steps maximally reduces surface adsorption losses for effective processing of single cells, thus improving detection sensitivity for single-cell proteomics. This method allows convenient label-free quantification of hundreds of proteins from single human cells and ~1200 proteins from small tissue sections (close to ~20 cells). When applied to a patient CTC-derived xenograft (PCDX) model at the single-cell resolution, SOP-MS can reveal distinct protein signatures between primary tumor cells and early metastatic lung cells, which are related to the selection pressure of anti-tumor immunity during breast cancer metastasis. The approach paves the way for routine, precise, quantitative single-cell proteomics. Tsai, Zhang, Scholten et al. develop a surfactant- assisted one-pot sample preparation coupled with mass spectrometry method (SOP-MS) for label-free global single-cell proteomics. This method allows researchers to measure hundreds of proteins from single human cells, suggesting its utility for quantitative single-cell proteomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Feng Tsai
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.,NHC Key Laboratory of Cancer Proteomics, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, P.R. China
| | - David Scholten
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kendall Martin
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Yi-Ting Wang
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Rui Zhao
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - William B Chrisler
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Dhwani B Patel
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Maowei Dou
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Yuzhi Jia
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Carolina Reduzzi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Xia Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ronald J Moore
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | | | - Miao-Hsia Lin
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chuan-Chih Hsu
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jon M Jacobs
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Jacob Kagan
- Cancer Biomarkers Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sudhir Srivastava
- Cancer Biomarkers Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Karin D Rodland
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - H Steven Wiley
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Wei-Jun Qian
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Richard D Smith
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Ying Zhu
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Massimo Cristofanilli
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Tao Liu
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
| | - Huiping Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. .,Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA. .,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Tujin Shi
- Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
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Li QH, Liu ZZ, Ge YΝ, Liu X, Xie XD, Zheng ZD, Ma YH, Liu B. Small breast epithelial mucin promotes the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells via promoting epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition. Oncol Rep 2020; 44:509-518. [PMID: 32627029 PMCID: PMC7336452 DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to observe the influence of the small breast epithelial mucin (MUCL1) (also known as SBEM) gene on migration and invasion ability of breast cancer cells and to explore the potentially involved mechanism. SBEM‑interference plasmid and SBEM‑overexpressing plasmid were constructed. SBEM‑knockdown or SBEM‑overexpressing MCF‑7 and MDA‑MB‑231 breast cancer cells were established by lentivirus‑mediated stable transfection method. The scratch wound‑healing assay and Transwell chamber experiment were used to detect the influence of the SBEM gene on the migration and invasion abilities of MCF‑7 and MDA‑MB‑231 cells. Real‑time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and western blotting were used to detect the expression of epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition (EMT)‑related markers and regulators. The cell morphology was observed after transfection. The SBEM‑knockdown or SBEM‑overexpressing MCF‑7 and MDA‑MB‑231 cells were established successfully. The migration and invasion abilities were decreased after SBEM was downregulated, and were increased after SBEM was overexpressed both in MCF‑7 and MDA‑MB‑231 cell lines. The mRNA and protein expressions of N‑cadherin, Twist and vimentin were elevated following SBEM overexpression, while the expression of E‑cadherin and claudin‑1 were found to be decreased following SBEM overexpression. In conclusion, SBEM has the potential to promote migration and invasion ability of breast cancer cells via promoting epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu-Hua Li
- Oncology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning 110034, P.R. China
| | - Zhao-Zhe Liu
- Oncology Department, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, P.R. China
| | - Ya-Νan Ge
- Oncology Department, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, P.R. China
| | - Xing Liu
- Oncology Department, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Dong Xie
- Oncology Department, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, P.R. China
| | - Zhen-Dong Zheng
- Oncology Department, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, P.R. China
| | - Yue-Hai Ma
- Oncology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning 110034, P.R. China
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, P.R. China
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Singh N, Shaik FA, Myal Y, Chelikani P. Chemosensory bitter taste receptors T2R4 and T2R14 activation attenuates proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. Mol Cell Biochem 2020; 465:199-214. [PMID: 31894529 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-019-03679-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The emerging significance of the bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) role in the extraoral tissues alludes to their potential role in many pathophysiological conditions. The dysregulation of T2R expression and function in disease conditions has now been demonstrated in airways diseases, neurological disorders, and in some cancers. However, the role of T2Rs in the pathophysiology of breast cancer is unexplored thus far. Previously, we demonstrated differential expression of the 25 T2Rs in breast cancer (BC) cells. Based on our previous findings we selected two T2Rs, T2R4 and T2R14 for this work. The objective of the current study is to investigate the expression of T2R4 and T2R14 in BC clinical samples and to examine their physiological role using highly metastatic BC and non-cancerous cell lines. Using approaches, which involve receptor knockdown, pharmacological activation and biochemical assays we report that (i) T2R4 and T2R14 expression patterns are dissimilar, with decreased levels of T2R4 and increased levels of T2R14 in BC clinical samples compared to non-cancerous controls. (ii) Activation of T2Rs with their respective agonist elicited physiological responses in metastatic breast cancer cells, and no responses were seen in non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells. (iii) Agonist activation of T2Rs (irrespective of T2R subtype) induced anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-migratory responses in highly metastatic breast cancer cells. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the chemosensory T2R signaling network is involved in evoking physiological responses in the metastatic breast cancer cell line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Singh
- Manitoba Chemosensory Biology Research Group, Department of Oral Biology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, D319, 780 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada
| | - Feroz Ahmed Shaik
- Manitoba Chemosensory Biology Research Group, Department of Oral Biology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, D319, 780 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada
| | - Yvonne Myal
- Department of Pathology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Prashen Chelikani
- Manitoba Chemosensory Biology Research Group, Department of Oral Biology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, University of Manitoba, D319, 780 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada.
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8
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Claudin 1 Is Highly Upregulated by PKC in MCF7 Human Breast Cancer Cells and Correlates Positively with PKCε in Patient Biopsies. Transl Oncol 2019; 12:561-575. [PMID: 30658316 PMCID: PMC6349319 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies provide compelling evidence to suggest that the tight junction protein claudin 1, aberrantly expressed in several cancer types, plays an important role in cancer progression. Dysregulation of claudin 1 has been shown to induce epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, activation of the ERK signaling pathway by protein kinase C (PKC) was shown to be necessary for EMT induction. Whether PKC is involved in regulating breast cancer progression has not been addressed. The PKC activator 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) was used to investigate the effect of PKC activity on claudin 1 transcription and protein levels, subcellular distribution, and alterations in EMT markers in human breast cancer (HBC) cell lines. As well, tissue microarray analysis (TMA) of a large cohort of invasive HBC biopsies was conducted to investigate correlations between claudin 1 and PKC isomers. TPA upregulated claudin 1 levels in all HBC cell lines analyzed. In particular, a high induction of claudin 1 protein was observed in the MCF7 cell line. TPA treatment also led to an accumulation of claudin 1 in the cytoplasm. Additionally, we demonstrated that the upregulation of claudin 1 was through the ERK signaling pathway. In patient biopsies, we identified a significant positive correlation between claudin 1, PKCα, and PKCε in ER+ tumors. A similar correlation between claudin 1 and PKCε was identified in ER- tumors, and high PKCε was associated with shorter disease-free survival. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that claudin 1 and the ERK signaling pathway are important players in HBC progression.
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Yu W, Yang X, Chu L, Zhao K, Chen H, Xiang J, Zhang Y, Li H, Zhao W, Sun M, Wei Q, Fu X, Xie C, Zhu Z. Prognostic value of EGFR family expression in lymph node-negative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients. Pathol Res Pract 2018; 214:1017-1023. [PMID: 29729836 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2018.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family has been widely studied in cancer, however, the prognostic role of EGFR family expression in lymph node-negative esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients have not been invalidated. This study was designed to determine the prognostic value of EGFR family expression in a population of lymph node-negative ESCC patients treated with curative resection. EGFR family protein expression was examined by immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays of 94 patients with lymph node-negative ESCC after radical esophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy. Survival differences were compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the prognostic factors for overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS). ErbB4 expression was found to be an independent prognostic factor for DFS in patients without lymph node metastasis; increased ErbB4 expression was associated with decreased DFS. Additionally, patients with high ErbB4 expression tended to have worse overall survival. EGFR, ErbB2 and ErbB3 expression were not significantly associated with survival in lymph node-negative ESCC patients. Increased ErbB4 immunohistochemical expression was associated with poor prognosis in lymph node-negative ESCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Li Chu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Kuaile Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Haiquan Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiaqing Xiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yawei Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hecheng Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Weixin Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Menghong Sun
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiao Wei
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiaolong Fu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Congying Xie
- Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Department, the 1 st Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhengfei Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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10
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Gao X, Oei MS, Ovitt CE, Sincan M, Melvin JE. Transcriptional profiling reveals gland-specific differential expression in the three major salivary glands of the adult mouse. Physiol Genomics 2018; 50:263-271. [PMID: 29373073 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00124.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-Seq was used to better understand the molecular nature of the biological differences among the three major exocrine salivary glands in mammals. Transcriptional profiling found that the adult murine parotid, submandibular, and sublingual salivary glands express greater than 14,300 protein-coding genes, and nearly 2,000 of these genes were differentially expressed. Principle component analysis of the differentially expressed genes revealed three distinct clusters according to gland type. The three salivary gland transcriptomes were dominated by a relatively few number of highly expressed genes (6.3%) that accounted for more than 90% of transcriptional output. Of the 912 transcription factors expressed in the major salivary glands, greater than 90% of them were detected in all three glands, while expression for ~2% of them was enriched in an individual gland. Expression of these unique transcription factors correlated with sublingual and parotid specific subsets of both highly expressed and differentially expressed genes. Gene ontology analyses revealed that the highly expressed genes common to all glands were associated with global functions, while many of the genes expressed in a single gland play a major role in the function of that gland. In summary, transcriptional profiling of the three murine major salivary glands identified a limited number of highly expressed genes, differentially expressed genes, and unique transcription factors that represent the transcriptional signatures underlying gland-specific biological properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Gao
- Secretory Mechanisms and Dysfunctions Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland.,Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland
| | - Maria S Oei
- Secretory Mechanisms and Dysfunctions Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Catherine E Ovitt
- Center for Oral Biology and Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester , Rochester, New York
| | - Murat Sincan
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - James E Melvin
- Secretory Mechanisms and Dysfunctions Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
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11
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Yu W, Chu L, Zhao K, Chen H, Xiang J, Zhang Y, Li H, Zhao W, Sun M, Wei Q, Fu X, Xie C, Zhu Z. A nomogram based on phosphorylated AKT1 for predicting locoregional recurrence in patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. J Cancer 2017; 8:3755-3763. [PMID: 29151963 PMCID: PMC5688929 DOI: 10.7150/jca.20828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The AKT signalling pathway controls survival and growth in many malignant tumours. However, the prognostic value of phosphorylated AKT1 (p-AKT1) for locoregional-progression free survival (LPFS) in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been established. Our aim was to develop a nomogram to predict local recurrence using p-AKT1 and main clinical characteristics in patients with thoracic ESCC undergoing radical three-field lymph node dissection. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine p-AKT1 expression in 181 thoracic ESCC patients. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate LPFS. Cox regression analysis was also performed to evaluate prognostic factors. A nomogram comprising biological and clinical factors was established to predict LPFS. Results: The 5-year LPFS rate was 63.9%. Multivariate analysis revealed that expression of p-AKT1 (p<0.001), pathologic N category (p=0.004) and number of lymph nodes retrieved (p=0.001) were independent prognostic factors for LPFS. Increased expression of p-AKT1 was associated with decreased LPFS in patients with ESCC. In addition, a nomogram was established based on all significant independent factors for locoregional recurrence risk. Harrell's c-index for predicting LPFS was 0.78. Conclusion: Activation of AKT1 was associated with poor locoregional control in ESCC patients. The nomogram, based on p-AKT1 expression and clinically significant parameters, could be used as an accurate stratification model for predicting locoregional recurrence in patients with ESCC after radical resection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Chu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Kuaile Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Haiquan Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiaqing Xiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yawei Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hecheng Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Weixin Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Menghong Sun
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiao Wei
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiaolong Fu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Congying Xie
- Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Department, the 1st Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhengfei Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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12
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Isolated adipose stem cells have been reported to encourage migration and early metastasis of breast cancer. Mimicking a surgical situation, the authors developed a human breast cancer model to evaluate in vivo whether human adipose tissue promotes tumor growth and invasion. METHODS Human adipose tissue was obtained from four patients. The MDA-MB-468 cell line was cultured with a lentiviral vector encoding a puromycin resistance gene and mCherry fluorescent protein. Virus-infected cells were selected. Animals were injected in the left renal capsule and divided into three experimental groups: group A, MDA-MB-468 cells (n = 4); group B, MDA-MB-468 cells/human adipose tissue (n = 4); and group C, Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium/F-12 medium (negative control, n = 4). Metastatic development was monitored using an in vivo imaging system. Small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM), human hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRTh), and murine hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRTm) expression were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect multifocal metastases in right/left renal capsule, liver, spleen, and pancreas. RESULTS Metastasis was observed between postinjection days 37 and 44. No significant differences were found in survival rates between groups (group A, 157 ± 42.60 days; group B, 169 ± 40.17 days). All samples expressed HPRTm. HPRTh and SBEM were expressed in left renal capsules from all group A and B mice, whereas in spleen, liver, pancreas, and right renal capsule the HPRTm and SBEM expression was not constant in all samples of group A and B mice. Differences were found between groups in HPRTh and SBEM expression but were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Human adipose tissue used to restore breast defects after oncologic resection did not increase metastasis development risk when there were residual breast cancer cells in proximity.
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13
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Identification of Claudin 1 Transcript Variants in Human Invasive Breast Cancer. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163387. [PMID: 27649506 PMCID: PMC5029943 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The claudin 1 tight junction protein, solely responsible for the barrier function of epithelial cells, is frequently down regulated in invasive human breast cancer. The underlying mechanism is largely unknown, and no obvious mutations in the claudin 1 gene (CLDN1) have been identified to date in breast cancer. Since many genes have been shown to undergo deregulation through splicing and mis-splicing events in cancer, the current study was undertaken to investigate the occurrence of transcript variants for CLDN1 in human invasive breast cancer. METHODS RT-PCR analysis of CLDN1 transcripts was conducted on RNA isolated from 12 human invasive breast tumors. The PCR products from each tumor were resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis, cloned and sequenced. Genomic DNA was also isolated from each of the 12 tumors and amplified using PCR CLDN1 specific primers. Sanger sequencing and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analyses were conducted. RESULTS A number of CLDN1 transcript variants were identified in these breast tumors. All variants were shorter than the classical CLDN1 transcript. Sequence analysis of the PCR products revealed several splice variants, primarily in exon 1 of CLDN1; resulting in truncated proteins. One variant, V1, resulted in a premature stop codon and thus likely led to nonsense mediated decay. Interestingly, another transcript variant, V2, was not detected in normal breast tissue samples. Further, sequence analysis of the tumor genomic DNA revealed SNPs in 3 of the 4 coding exons, including a rare missense SNP (rs140846629) in exon 2 which represents an Ala124Thr substitution. To our knowledge this is the first report of CLDN1 transcript variants in human invasive breast cancer. These studies suggest that alternate splicing may also be a mechanism by which claudin 1 is down regulated at both the mRNA and protein levels in invasive breast cancer and may provide novel insights into how CLDN1 is reduced or silenced in human breast cancer.
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14
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Iravani O, Yip GWC, Thike AA, Chua PJ, Jane Scully O, Tan PH, Bay BH. Prognostic significance of Claudin 12 in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. J Clin Pathol 2016; 69:878-83. [PMID: 26926102 DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2015-203265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Altered expression of the Claudin (CLDN) superfamily of tight junction proteins has been reported in breast cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the immunohistochemical expression of CLDN 12 and its prognostic significance in breast cancer tissues. METHODS Immunohistochemical expression of CLDN 12 was performed on tissue microarrays consisting of 232 cases of breast carcinoma and correlated with clinicopathological features as well as survival of the patients with breast cancer. RESULTS For the estrogen receptor (ER)-negative subgroup of patients with breast cancer, CLDN 12 expression was shown to be an independent predictor of poor overall survival (HR=2.345; p=0.020) and disease-free survival (HR=2.177; p=0.026) but not for the ER-positive tumours. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that CLDN 12 expression could be clinically useful for predicting the survival of the ER-negative subgroup of patients with breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Iravani
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - George Wai-Cheong Yip
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Aye Aye Thike
- Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pei Jou Chua
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Olivia Jane Scully
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Puay-Hoon Tan
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Boon-Huat Bay
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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15
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HER2 drives Mucin-like 1 to control proliferation in breast cancer cells. Oncogene 2016; 35:4225-34. [PMID: 26725324 PMCID: PMC4996539 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Revised: 10/22/2015] [Accepted: 11/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Mucin-like 1 (MUCL1) was first identified as a breast-specific gene over a decade
ago. Based on its highly restricted mRNA expression in breast tissue and
continued expression during breast tumorigenesis and progression, MUCL1 is an
attractive tumor-associated antigen and a potential therapeutic target. However,
very little is known about the cellular location, biological functions and
regulation of the MUCL1 protein, which will have a major impact on its
druggability. Here we describe our efforts to fully characterize the cellular
localization of MUCL1, investigate its regulation by key breast cancer oncogenes
such as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and discover its
functional roles in breast cancer. Although some mucins are membrane bound, our
data indicate that MUCL1 is secreted by some breast cancer cells, whereas others
only express high levels of intracellular MUCL1. MUCL1 expression is highest in
HER2-amplified breast tumors and inhibiting HER2 activity in tumor cells
resulted in a decreased MUCL1 expression. In-depth investigation demonstrated
that phosphoinositide3-kinase/Akt pathway, but not Ras/MEK pathway,
controls MUCL1 expression downstream of HER2. Phenotypic assays revealed a
strong dependence of HER2-positive cells on MUCL1 for cell proliferation. We
further identified the mechanism by which MUCL1 regulates cell growth. Knockdown
of MUCL1 induced a G1/S phase arrest concomitant with decreased cyclin D and
increased p21 and p27 levels. Finally, we investigated the impact of MUCL1 loss
on kinase signaling pathways in breast cancer cells through phospho-kinase array
profiling. MUCL1 silencing abrogated phospho-focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Jun
NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and c-Jun signals, but not
extracellular signal-regulated kinase or Akt pathway activities, thereby
pointing to FAK/JNK pathway as the downstream effector of MUCL1 signaling.
We are the first to identify an important role for MUCL1 in the proliferation of
breast cancer cells, probably mediated via the FAK/JNK signaling pathway.
Taken together, these data suggest a potential utility for therapeutic targeting
of this protein in breast cancer.
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16
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Zhu Z, Yu W, Fu X, Sun M, Wei Q, Li D, Chen H, Xiang J, Li H, Zhang Y, Zhao W, Zhao K. Phosphorylated AKT1 is associated with poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2015; 34:95. [PMID: 26338103 PMCID: PMC4559941 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-015-0212-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is important in regulating biological behaviors in many malignancies. We explored whether expression and activation of EGFR and several components on its downstream pathways have prognostic significance in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS Expression of EGFR, phosphorylated (p)-EGFR, AKT1, p-AKT1, AKT2, p-AKT2, ERK1, ERK2, p-ERK1/2, STAT3, and p-STAT3 was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays for 275 ESCC patients who had undergone complete three-field lymphadenectomy. Spearman rank correlation tests were used to determine the relationships among protein expression, and Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the prognostic factors on overall survival (OS). RESULTS p-EGFR expression was correlated statistically with all of the other phosphorylated markers. Gender, N stage, and p-AKT1 expression were found to be independent prognostic factors for OS. Increased expression of p-AKT1 was associated with decreased patient survival. EGFR and p-EGFR expression was not significantly associated with patient survival. CONCLUSION Activation of AKT1 was associated with poor prognosis in ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengfei Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Weiwei Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Six Hospital of Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiaolong Fu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Menghong Sun
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Qiao Wei
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Dali Li
- Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Haiquan Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Jiaqing Xiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Hecheng Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yawei Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Weixin Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Kuaile Zhao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 270 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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17
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Milioli HH, Vimieiro R, Riveros C, Tishchenko I, Berretta R, Moscato P. The Discovery of Novel Biomarkers Improves Breast Cancer Intrinsic Subtype Prediction and Reconciles the Labels in the METABRIC Data Set. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0129711. [PMID: 26132585 PMCID: PMC4488510 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prediction of breast cancer intrinsic subtypes has been introduced as a valuable strategy to determine patient diagnosis and prognosis, and therapy response. The PAM50 method, based on the expression levels of 50 genes, uses a single sample predictor model to assign subtype labels to samples. Intrinsic errors reported within this assay demonstrate the challenge of identifying and understanding the breast cancer groups. In this study, we aim to: a) identify novel biomarkers for subtype individuation by exploring the competence of a newly proposed method named CM1 score, and b) apply an ensemble learning, as opposed to the use of a single classifier, for sample subtype assignment. The overarching objective is to improve class prediction. METHODS AND FINDINGS The microarray transcriptome data sets used in this study are: the METABRIC breast cancer data recorded for over 2000 patients, and the public integrated source from ROCK database with 1570 samples. We first computed the CM1 score to identify the probes with highly discriminative patterns of expression across samples of each intrinsic subtype. We further assessed the ability of 42 selected probes on assigning correct subtype labels using 24 different classifiers from the Weka software suite. For comparison, the same method was applied on the list of 50 genes from the PAM50 method. CONCLUSIONS The CM1 score portrayed 30 novel biomarkers for predicting breast cancer subtypes, with the confirmation of the role of 12 well-established genes. Intrinsic subtypes assigned using the CM1 list and the ensemble of classifiers are more consistent and homogeneous than the original PAM50 labels. The new subtypes show accurate distributions of current clinical markers ER, PR and HER2, and survival curves in the METABRIC and ROCK data sets. Remarkably, the paradoxical attribution of the original labels reinforces the limitations of employing a single sample classifiers to predict breast cancer intrinsic subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heloisa Helena Milioli
- Priority Research Centre for Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and Information-Based Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- School of Environmental and Life Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Renato Vimieiro
- Priority Research Centre for Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and Information-Based Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- Centro de Informática, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Carlos Riveros
- Priority Research Centre for Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and Information-Based Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Inna Tishchenko
- Priority Research Centre for Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and Information-Based Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Regina Berretta
- Priority Research Centre for Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and Information-Based Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Pablo Moscato
- Priority Research Centre for Bioinformatics, Biomarker Discovery and Information-Based Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
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18
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Gerber PA, Hevezi P, Buhren BA, Martinez C, Schrumpf H, Gasis M, Grether-Beck S, Krutmann J, Homey B, Zlotnik A. Systematic identification and characterization of novel human skin-associated genes encoding membrane and secreted proteins. PLoS One 2013; 8:e63949. [PMID: 23840300 PMCID: PMC3688712 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0063949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Through bioinformatics analyses of a human gene expression database representing 105 different tissues and cell types, we identified 687 skin-associated genes that are selectively and highly expressed in human skin. Over 50 of these represent uncharacterized genes not previously associated with skin and include a subset that encode novel secreted and plasma membrane proteins. The high levels of skin-associated expression for eight of these novel therapeutic target genes were confirmed by semi-quantitative real time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemical analyses of normal skin and skin-derived cell lines. Four of these are expressed specifically by epidermal keratinocytes; two that encode G-protein-coupled receptors (GPR87 and GPR115), and two that encode secreted proteins (WFDC5 and SERPINB7). Further analyses using cytokine-activated and terminally differentiated human primary keratinocytes or a panel of common inflammatory, autoimmune or malignant skin diseases revealed distinct patterns of regulation as well as disease associations that point to important roles in cutaneous homeostasis and disease. Some of these novel uncharacterized skin genes may represent potential biomarkers or drug targets for the development of future diagnostics or therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Arne Gerber
- Department of Dermatology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Peter Hevezi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | | | - Cynthia Martinez
- Department of Dermatology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Holger Schrumpf
- Department of Dermatology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marcia Gasis
- Department of Dermatology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Susanne Grether-Beck
- Institut für Umweltmedizinische Forschung, Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jean Krutmann
- Institut für Umweltmedizinische Forschung, Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Bernhard Homey
- Department of Dermatology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Albert Zlotnik
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Blanchard AA, Ma X, Dueck KJ, Penner C, Cooper SC, Mulhall D, Murphy LC, Leygue E, Myal Y. Claudin 1 expression in basal-like breast cancer is related to patient age. BMC Cancer 2013; 13:268. [PMID: 23721519 PMCID: PMC3674926 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-13-268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Defects in tight junctions, gate-keepers of the integrity of the epidermal barrier function, are known to contribute to cancer development. As such, enhancing our understanding of how the expression of proteins involved in these junctions is regulated in cancer, remains a priority. Although the expression of one of these proteins, claudin 1, is down regulated in most invasive human breast cancers (HBC), we have recently shown that high levels of claudin 1, characterized tumors belonging to the very aggressive basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) subtype. In these tumors, the claudin 1 protein, usually localized in the cell membrane, is often mislocalized to the cytoplasm. Methods To examine the clinical relevance of this observation, we have generated and analyzed an invasive HBC tissue microarray consisting of 151 breast tumor samples; 79 of which presented a basal-like phenotype (i.e. ER-ve, PR-ve HER2-ve, CK5/6 or EGFR+ve). We also interrogated the outcome of claudin 1 knockdown in a human BLBC cell line, BT-20. Results Immunohistochemical analysis of this patient cohort revealed a significant association between high claudin 1 expression and BLBCs in women 55 years of age and older. Interestingly, no significant association was found between claudin 1 and nodal involvement, tumor grade or tumor size. Regression analysis however, showed a significant positive association between claudin 1 and claudin 4, even though claudin 4 did not significantly correlate with patient age. Claudin 1 knockdown in BT-20 cells resulted in decreased cell migration. It also significantly altered the expression of several genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT); in particular, SERPINE 1 (PAI1) and SSP1 (osteopontin), known to inhibit EMT and cancer cell migration. Conversely, genes known to maintain EMT through their interaction, SNAIL2, TCF4 and FOXC2 were significantly down regulated. Conclusions The association of high claudin 1 protein levels observed in tumors derived from older women with BLBC, suggests that claudin 1 has the potential to serve as a marker which can identify a specific subgroup of patients within the BLBC subtype and thus, further contribute to the characterization of these ill-defined breast cancers. More importantly, our studies strongly suggest that claudin 1 directly participates in promoting breast cancer progression, possibly through the alteration of expression of EMT genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne A Blanchard
- Department of Pathology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Liu L, Liu Z, Qu S, Zheng Z, Liu Y, Xie X, Song F. Small breast epithelial mucin tumor tissue expression is associated with increased risk of recurrence and death in triple-negative breast cancer patients. Diagn Pathol 2013; 8:71. [PMID: 23635316 PMCID: PMC3680073 DOI: 10.1186/1746-1596-8-71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) has been implicated in tumor genesis and micrometastasis in breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) was characterized by high incidence in young women,early relapse and a very poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of SBEM expression in tissues of TNBC with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Methods SBEM protein expression was detected in 87 available formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens from TNBC patients by means of immunohistochemistry (IHC). We analyzed the correlation between the SBEM protein expression and DFS and OS during a 5 year follow-up period, respectively. And a SBEM cut-off value of prognosis was established associated with DFS and OS. SBEM was analyzed against other risk factors in multivariate analysis. Results SBEM 3+ score was cut-off value of prognosis and significantly correlated with DFS (p = 0.000) and OS (p = 0.001) in TNBC patients. There was a marked associations (p <0.05) between SBEM 3+ score and tumor size, grade, node status, TNM stage and Ki67. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with SBEM 3+ represented a higher risk of recurrence and mortality than those with a lower SBEM expression (HR = 3.370 with p = 0.008 for DFS and HR = 4.185 with p = 0.004 for OS). Conclusions SBEM is an independent risk predictor and may offer utility as a prognostic marker in TNBC patients. Virtual Slides http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1624613061936917
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Liu
- Department of Oncology, Cancer Center of General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, Shenyang 110840, China
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Treeck O, Belgutay D, Häring J, Schüler S, Lattrich C, Ortmann O. Network analysis of icb-1 gene function in human breast cancer cells. J Cell Biochem 2012; 113:2979-88. [PMID: 22565810 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.24175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Icb-1 is a human gene previously described by our group to exert important functions in cancer cells of different origin. We now performed microarray-based gene expression profiling with subsequent network modeling to further elucidate the role of icb-1 in breast cancer cells. Analyzing the effect of icb-1 knockdown on the transcriptome of MCF-7 cells, we found 151 differentially expressed genes exhibiting more than twofold changes, 97 of which were up- and 54 downregulated. Most of the upregulated genes were cancer-related genes associated with poor prognosis, invasion and metastasis, building an oncogenic network of TNF target genes. On the other hand, network analysis identified the downregulated genes to be primarily involved in interferon signaling and cellular apoptosis. Confirming these network data, we observed that cells with reduced levels of icb-1 exhibited an impaired response to the apoptosis inducers tamoxifen, staurosporine, actinomycin, and camptothecin. The data of this study suggest that icb-1 might exert a tumor-suppressor function in breast cancer and that its loss might confer relative resistance of breast cancer cells to apoptotic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Treeck
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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22
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Ubels JL, Gipson IK, Spurr-Michaud SJ, Tisdale AS, Van Dyken RE, Hatton MP. Gene expression in human accessory lacrimal glands of Wolfring. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2012; 53:6738-47. [PMID: 22956620 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.12-10750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The accessory lacrimal glands are assumed to contribute to the production of tear fluid, but little is known about their function. The goal of this study was to conduct an analysis of gene expression by glands of Wolfring that would provide a more complete picture of the function of these glands. METHODS Glands of Wolfring were isolated from frozen sections of human eyelids by laser microdissection. RNA was extracted from the cells and hybridized to gene expression arrays. The expression of several of the major genes was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Of the 24 most highly expressed genes, 9 were of direct relevance to lacrimal function. These included lysozyme, lactoferrin, tear lipocalin, and lacritin. The glands of Wolfring are enriched in genes related to protein synthesis, targeting, and secretion, and a large number of genes for proteins with antimicrobial activity were detected. Ion channels and transporters, carbonic anhydrase, and aquaporins were abundantly expressed. Genes for control of lacrimal function, including cholinergic, adrenergic, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, purinergic, androgen, and prolactin receptors were also expressed in gland of Wolfring. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that the function of glands of Wolfring is similar to that of main lacrimal glands and are consistent with secretion electrolytes, fluid, and protein under nervous and hormonal control. Since these glands secrete directly onto the ocular surface, their location may allow rapid response to exogenous stimuli and makes them readily accessible to topical drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Ubels
- Department of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, USA.
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West NR, Murphy LC, Watson PH. Oncostatin M suppresses oestrogen receptor-α expression and is associated with poor outcome in human breast cancer. Endocr Relat Cancer 2012; 19:181-95. [PMID: 22267707 DOI: 10.1530/erc-11-0326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The most important clinical biomarker for breast cancer management is oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα). Tumours that express ER are candidates for endocrine therapy and are biologically less aggressive, while ER-negative tumours are largely treated with conventional chemotherapy and have a poor prognosis. Despite its significance, the mechanisms regulating ER expression are poorly understood. We hypothesised that the inflammatory cytokine oncostatin M (OSM) can downregulate ER expression in breast cancer. Recombinant OSM potently suppressed ER protein and mRNA expression in vitro in a dose- and time-dependent manner in two human ER+ breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and T47D. This was dependent on the expression of OSM receptor beta (OSMRβ) and could be blocked by inhibition of the MEKK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinases. ER loss was also necessary for maximal OSM-induced signal transduction and migratory activity. In vivo, high expression of OSM and OSMR mRNA (determined by RT-PCR) was associated with reduced ER (P<0.01) and progesterone receptor (P<0.05) protein levels in a cohort of 70 invasive breast cancers. High OSM and OSMR mRNA expression was also associated with low expression of ESR1 (ER, P<0.0001) and ER-regulated genes in a previously published breast cancer gene expression dataset (n=321 cases). In the latter cohort, high OSMR expression was associated with shorter recurrence-free and overall survival in univariate (P<0.0001) and multivariate (P=0.022) analyses. OSM signalling may be a novel factor causing suppression of ER and disease progression in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan R West
- Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer Agency, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Muranen TA, Greco D, Fagerholm R, Kilpivaara O, Kämpjärvi K, Aittomäki K, Blomqvist C, Heikkilä P, Borg A, Nevanlinna H. Breast tumors from CHEK2 1100delC-mutation carriers: genomic landscape and clinical implications. Breast Cancer Res 2011; 13:R90. [PMID: 21542898 PMCID: PMC3262202 DOI: 10.1186/bcr3015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2010] [Revised: 04/04/2011] [Accepted: 09/20/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) is a moderate penetrance breast cancer risk gene, whose truncating mutation 1100delC increases the risk about twofold. We investigated gene copy-number aberrations and gene-expression profiles that are typical for breast tumors of CHEK2 1100delC-mutation carriers. METHODS In total, 126 breast tumor tissue specimens including 32 samples from patients carrying CHEK2 1100delC were studied in array-comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and gene-expression (GEX) experiments. After dimensionality reduction with CGHregions R package, CHEK2 1100delC-associated regions in the aCGH data were detected by the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The linear model was fitted to GEX data with R package limma. Genes whose expression levels were associated with CHEK2 1100delC mutation were detected by the bayesian method. RESULTS We discovered four lost and three gained CHEK2 1100delC-related loci. These include losses of 1p13.3-31.3, 8p21.1-2, 8p23.1-2, and 17p12-13.1 as well as gains of 12q13.11-3, 16p13.3, and 19p13.3. Twenty-eight genes located on these regions showed differential expression between CHEK2 1100delC and other tumors, nominating them as candidates for CHEK2 1100delC-associated tumor-progression drivers. These included CLCA1 on 1p22 as well as CALCOCO1, SBEM, and LRP1 on 12q13. Altogether, 188 genes were differentially expressed between CHEK2 1100delC and other tumors. Of these, 144 had elevated and 44, reduced expression levels.Our results suggest the WNT pathway as a driver of tumorigenesis in breast tumors of CHEK2 1100delC-mutation carriers and a role for the olfactory receptor protein family in cancer progression. Differences in the expression of the 188 CHEK2 1100delC-associated genes divided breast tumor samples from three independent datasets into two groups that differed in their relapse-free survival time. CONCLUSIONS We have shown that copy-number aberrations of certain genomic regions are associated with CHEK2 mutation 1100delC. On these regions, we identified potential drivers of CHEK2 1100delC-associated tumorigenesis, whose role in cancer progression is worth investigating. Furthermore, poorer survival related to the CHEK2 1100delC gene-expression signature highlights pathways that are likely to have a role in the development of metastatic disease in carriers of the CHEK2 1100delC mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taru A Muranen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 8, Helsinki, FI-00029, Finland
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Epidermal growth factor regulates Mcl-1 expression through the MAPK-Elk-1 signalling pathway contributing to cell survival in breast cancer. Oncogene 2011; 30:2367-78. [PMID: 21258408 PMCID: PMC3145838 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2010.616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Myeloid cell leukaemia-1 (Mcl-1) is an anti-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family that is elevated in a variety of tumour types including breast cancer. In breast tumours, increased Mcl-1 expression correlates with high tumour grade and poor patient survival. We have previously demonstrated that Her-2 levels correspond to increased Mcl-1 expression in breast tumours. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor signalling is frequently deregulated in breast cancer and leads to increased proliferation and survival. Herein, we determined the critical downstream signals responsible for the EGF mediated increase of Mcl-1 and their role in cell survival. We found that both Mcl-1 mRNA and protein levels are rapidly induced upon stimulation with EGF. Promoter analysis revealed that an Elk-1 transcription factor-binding site is critical for EGF activation of the Mcl-1 promoter. Furthermore, we found that knockdown of Elk-1or inhibition of the Erk signalling pathway was sufficient to block EGF upregulation of Mcl-1 and EGF mediated cell survival. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation and biotin labelled probes of the Mcl-1 promoter, we found that Elk-1 and serum response factor are bound to the promoter after EGF stimulation. To determine whether Mcl-1 confers a survival advantage, we found that knockdown of Mcl-1 expression increased apoptosis whereas overexpression of Mcl-1 inhibited drug induced cell death. In human breast tumours, we found a correlation between phosphorylated Elk-1 and Mcl-1 protein levels. These results indicate that the EGF induced activation of Elk-1 is an important mediator of Mcl-1 expression and cell survival and therefore a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer.
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Liu ZZ, Xie XD, Qu SX, Zheng ZD, Wang YK. Small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) has the potential to be a marker for predicting hematogenous micrometastasis and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. Clin Exp Metastasis 2010; 27:251-9. [PMID: 20364301 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-010-9323-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2009] [Accepted: 03/19/2010] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the potential role of small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) as a marker for detecting hematogenous micrometastasis in breast cancer and explore its clinical significance in neoadjuvant chemotherapy. SBEM protein expression in 82 tissue specimens of primary breast cancer was detected using immunohistochemistry (IHC), and SBEM expression in peripheral blood (PB) samples of 109 primary breast cancer patients (94 cases at stage I-III, 15 cases at stage IV) was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Moreover, SBEM mRNA expression was monitored by quantification real-time PCR (QPCR) before and after 3 cycles' neoadjuvant chemotherapy. SBEM expression correlated with tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging and lymph node metastasis at both mRNA and protein levels. SBEM expression in PB of breast cancer patients was markedly higher than that of healthy donors and other cancer patients. SBEM was found expressed in PB of 50 cases among 94 cases at stage I-III and expressed in PB of 11 cases among 15 cases at stage IV. After 3 cycles' neoadjuvant chemotherapy, SBEM expression levels were significantly down-regulated in up to 58% breast cancer patients. SBEM has the potential to be a specific marker for predicting hematogenous micrometastasis and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Zhe Liu
- Oncology Department, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
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Yan Y, Skliris GP, Penner C, Chooniedass-Kothari S, Cooper C, Nugent Z, Blanchard A, Watson PH, Myal Y, Murphy LC, Leygue E. Steroid Receptor RNA Activator Protein (SRAP): a potential new prognostic marker for estrogen receptor-positive/node-negative/younger breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res 2010; 11:R67. [PMID: 19740422 PMCID: PMC2790842 DOI: 10.1186/bcr2359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2009] [Revised: 08/06/2009] [Accepted: 09/09/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The steroid receptor RNA activator is a functional RNA suspected to participate in the mechanisms underlying breast tumor progression. This RNA is also able to encode for a protein, Steroid Receptor RNA Activator Protein (SRAP), whose exact function remains to be determined. Our aim was to assess, in a large breast cancer cohort, whether levels of this protein could be associated with outcome or established clinical parameters. METHODS Following antibody validation, SRAP expression was assessed by tissue-microarray (TMA) analysis of 372 breast tumors. Clinical follow-up and parameters such as steroid receptor and node status were available for all the corresponding cases. Immunohistochemical scores were independently determined by three investigators and averaged. Statistical analyses were performed using standard univariate and multivariate tests. RESULTS SRAP levels were significantly (Mann-Whitney rank sum test, P < 0.05) higher in estrogen receptor-alpha positive (ER+, n = 271), in progesterone receptor positive (PR+, n = 257) and in older patients (age > 64 years, n = 182). When considering ER+ tumors, PR+ tumors, or younger patients (< or = 64 years), cases with high SRAP expression had a significantly (Mantel-Cox test, P < 0.05) worse breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) than those with low SRAP levels. SRAP also appeared as a very powerful indicator of poor prognostic for BCSS in the subset of ER+, node negative and young breast cancer patients (Cox regression analysis, n = 60, BCSS Hazard Ratio = 8.61, P < 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that SRAP levels might provide additional information on potential risk of recurrence and negative outcome in a specific set of patients with otherwise good prognosis when considering only estrogen receptor and nodal status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yan
- Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology, 675 McDermot Avenue, R3E0V9, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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Blanchard AA, Skliris GP, Watson PH, Murphy LC, Penner C, Tomes L, Young TL, Leygue E, Myal Y. Claudins 1, 3, and 4 protein expression in ER negative breast cancer correlates with markers of the basal phenotype. Virchows Arch 2009; 454:647-56. [DOI: 10.1007/s00428-009-0770-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2009] [Revised: 03/16/2009] [Accepted: 04/01/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Valladares-Ayerbes M, Iglesias-Díaz P, Díaz-Prado S, Ayude D, Medina V, Haz M, Reboredo M, Antolín S, Calvo L, Antón-Aparicio LM. Diagnostic accuracy of small breast epithelial mucin mRNA as a marker for bone marrow micrometastasis in breast cancer: a pilot study. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2009; 135:1185-95. [PMID: 19221791 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-009-0559-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2008] [Accepted: 01/29/2009] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Detection of isolated tumour cells (ITC) in the blood or minimal deposits in distant organs such as bone marrow (BM) could be important to identify breast cancer patients at high risk of relapse or disease progression. PCR amplification of tissue or tumour selective mRNA is the most powerful analytical tool for detection of this micrometastasis. We have evaluated for the first time, the diagnostic accuracy of small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) as a potential marker for BM micrometastasis in breast cancer. METHODS A nested RT-PCR assay for detection of SBEM mRNA was compared with immunocytochemistry (ICC) with anticytokeratin AE1/AE3 antibody in paired samples obtained from the BM of breast cancer patients. Associations of SBEM mRNA detection in BM and clinical and pathological parameters were evaluated. SBEM mRNA status and time to breast cancer progression were analysed using Kaplan-Meyer curves. RESULTS Fifty stages I-IV breast cancer female patients were prospectively included in our study. SBEM specific transcript was found in BM in 26% of the patients. Detection rate was similar to the percentage of patients with ITCs detected using ICC (24%). SBEM mRNA in BM aspirates were significantly associated with presence of clinically active disease, including locally advanced and metastatic patients (47%, P = 0.021) and tumours with positive hormonal receptors (36.7%, P = 0.035). In addition association with Her2/neu over-expression (44.4%, P = 0.051) and low proliferating tumours (36%, P = 0.067) were close to significant levels. When we analysed time to breast cancer progression adjusting for grade or hormone receptor status, presence of SBEM mRNA in BM defines distinct prognostic groups. CONCLUSIONS SBEM might represent a suitable marker for molecular detection of ITCs in BM in breast cancer patients. Analysis of prognostic value for SBEM mRNA-based assay should take into account the heterogeneity and different molecular subtypes of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Valladares-Ayerbes
- Medical Oncology Department, La Coruña University Hospital, Servicio Gallego de Salud, CP 15006 La Coruña, Spain.
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