Overexpression of Activating Transcription Factor-2 (ATF-2) Activates Wnt/Ca2+ Signaling Pathways and Promotes Proliferation and Invasion in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Beyond Hormones: Investigating the Impact of Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1) is a candidate oncogene with a prominent involvement in the pathogenesis of diverse cancers (ovarian, thyroid, breast, colon, head, and neck). Our study ascertains the ability of PGRMC1 to influence WNT members in the non-small cell lung cancer subtype-lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and participates in augmented cell proliferation and migration. Both computational and in vitro experimental analyses were performed in this study. Gene silencing, in vitro assays, gene expression & and protein expression studies were performed to ascertain the role of PGRMC1 in LUAD cells. The computational analysis, PGRMC1 gene level expression was analysed using the microarray gene expression omnibus datasets (GSE27262; GSE18842) to compare LUAD tumours and normal tissues. Concurrently, the gene expression profiling interactive analysis of PGRMC1 and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a decreasing patient survival rate with an increasing PGRMC1 gene expression in LUAD tumour samples. Interestingly, the experimental gene silencing studies were conducted in vitro (si-PGRMC1 Vs si-Control) to understand the essential role of PGRMC1 in regulating WNT-associated genes (WNT1, WNT5A, and WNT11). Comparative experimental cell migration and spheroid formation assays (si-PGRMC1 Vs si-Control) in vitro showed a strong association between PGRMC1 and LUAD. In vitro expression analysis using real-time PCR and western blot further confirmed the connecting link between PGRMC1 and WNT5A compared to other WNT member genes (WNT1 and WNT11) in LUAD. The computational and experimental analyses agreed with one another.

Interaction between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and EMT pathway mediates the mechanism of sunitinib resistance in renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Targeted drugs are the main methods of RCC treatment. However, drug resistance is common in RCC patients, in-depth study of the drug-resistant mechanism is essential.

METHODS

We constructed sunitinib resistant and Twist overexpressed A498 cells, and studied its mechanisms in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

In cell research, we found that either sunitinib resistance or Twist overexpression can activate Wnt/β-catenin and EMT signaling pathway, and the sunitinib resistance may work through β-catenin/TWIST/TCF4 trimer. In zebrafish research, we confirmed the similarity of Twist overexpression and sunitinib resistance, and the promoting effect of Twist overexpression on drug resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

Sunitinib resistance and Twist overexpression can activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and EMT to promote the growth and metastasis of RCC cells.