Talin1 promotes tumor invasion and metastasis via focal adhesion signaling and anoikis resistance

Kinesin Facilitates Phenotypic Targeting of Therapeutic Resistance in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Understanding the mechanisms underlying resistance is critical to improving therapeutic outcomes in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Previous work showed that dynamic interconversions between epithelial-mesenchymal transition to mesenchymal-epithelial transition defines the phenotypic landscape of prostate tumors, as a potential driver of the emergence of therapeutic resistance. In this study, we use in vitro and in vivo preclinical MDA PCa patient-derived xenograft models of resistant human prostate cancer to determine molecular mechanisms of cross-resistance between antiandrogen therapy and taxane chemotherapy, underlying the therapeutically resistant phenotype. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that resistant and sensitive prostate cancer C4-2B cells have a unique differential gene signature response to cabazitaxel. Gene pathway analysis showed that sensitive cells exhibit an increase in DNA damage, while resistant cells express genes associated with protein regulation in response to cabazitaxel. The patient-derived xenograft model specimens are from patients who have metastatic lethal castration-resistant prostate cancer, treated with androgen deprivation therapy, antiandrogens, and chemotherapy including second-line taxane chemotherapy, cabazitaxel. Immunohistochemistry revealed high expression of E-cadherin and low expression of vimentin resulting in redifferentiation toward an epithelial phenotype. Furthermore, the mitotic kinesin-related protein involved in microtubule binding and the SLCO1B3 transporter (implicated in cabazitaxel intracellular transport) are associated with resistance in these prostate tumors. Combinational targeting of kinesins (ispinesib) with cabazitaxel was more effective than single monotherapies in inducing cell death in resistant prostate tumors. Implications: Our findings are of translational significance in identifying kinesin as a novel target of cross-resistance toward enhancing therapeutic vulnerability and improved clinical outcomes in patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Targeting anoikis resistance as a strategy for cancer therapy

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

Identification of anoikis-related gene signatures and construction of the prognosis model in prostate cancer

Background

One of the primary reasons for tumor invasion and metastasis is anoikis resistance. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) of prostate cancer (PCa) serves as a harbinger of its distant metastasis. However, the role of anoikis in PCa biochemical recurrence has not been fully elucidated.

Methods

Differential expression analysis was used to identify anoikis-related genes based on the TCGA and GeneCards databases. Prognostic models were constructed utilizing LASSO regression, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Moreover, Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (GSE70770 and GSE46602) were applied as validation cohorts. Gene Ontology, KEGG and GSVA were utilized to explore biological pathways and molecular mechanisms. Further, immune profiles were assessed using CIBERSORT, ssGSEA, and TIDE, while anti-cancer drugs sensitivity was analyzed by GDSC database. In addition, gene expressions in the model were examined using online databases (Human Protein Atlas and Tumor Immune Single-Cell Hub).

Results

113 differentially expressed anoikis-related genes were found. Four genes (EEF1A2, RET, FOSL1, PCA3) were selected for constructing a prognostic model. Using the findings from the Cox regression analysis, we grouped patients into groups of high and low risk. The high-risk group exhibited a poorer prognosis, with a maximum AUC of 0.897. Moreover, larger percentage of immune infiltration of memory B cells, CD8 Tcells, neutrophils, and M1 macrophages were observed in the high-risk group than those in the low-risk group, whereas the percentage of activated mast cells and dendritic cells in the high-risk group were lower. An increased TIDE score was founded in the high-risk group, suggesting reduced effectiveness of ICI therapy. Additionally, the IC50 results for chemotherapy drugs indicated that the low-risk group was more sensitive to most of the drugs. Finally, the genes EEF1A2, RET, and FOSL1 were expressed in PCa cases based on HPA website. The TISCH database suggested that these four ARGs might contribute to the tumor microenvironment of PCa.

Conclusion

We created a risk model utilizing four ARGs that effectively predicts the risk of BCR in PCa patients. This study lays the groundwork for risk stratification and predicting survival outcomes in PCa patients with BCR.

The suppression of cell motility through the reduction of FAK activity and expression of cell adhesion proteins by hAMSCs secretome in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women worldwide. Cancer therapy based on stem cells is considered as a novel and promising platform. In the present study, we explore the therapeutic effects of human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSCs) through the reduction of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity, SHP-2, and cell adhesion proteins such as Paxillin, Vinculin, Fibronectin, Talin, and integrin αvβ3 expression in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. For this purpose, we employed a co-culture system using 6-well plate transwell. After 72 h, hAMSCs-treated MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, the activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and the expression of SHP-2 and cell adhesion proteins such as Paxillin, Vinculin, Fibronectin, Talin, and integrin αvβ3 expression were analyzed using western blot. The shape and migration of cells were also analyzed. Based on our results, a significant reduction in tumor cell motility through downregulation of the tyrosine phosphorylation level of FAK (at Y397 and Y576/577 sites) and cell adhesion expression in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells was demonstrated. Our findings indicate that hAMSCS secretome has therapeutic effects on cancer cell migration through downregulation of FAK activity and expression of cell adhesion proteins.

The Potential of Extracellular Matrix- and Integrin Adhesion Complex-Related Molecules for Prostate Cancer Biomarker Discovery

Prostate cancer is among the top five cancer types according to incidence and mortality. One of the main obstacles in prostate cancer management is the inability to foresee its course, which ranges from slow growth throughout years that requires minimum or no intervention to highly aggressive disease that spreads quickly and resists treatment. Therefore, it is not surprising that numerous studies have attempted to find biomarkers of prostate cancer occurrence, risk stratification, therapy response, and patient outcome. However, only a few prostate cancer biomarkers are used in clinics, which shows how difficult it is to find a novel biomarker. Cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM) through integrins is among the essential processes that govern its fate. Upon activation and ligation, integrins form multi-protein intracellular structures called integrin adhesion complexes (IACs). In this review article, the focus is put on the biomarker potential of the ECM- and IAC-related molecules stemming from both body fluids and prostate cancer tissue. The processes that they are involved in, such as tumor stiffening, bone turnover, and communication via exosomes, and their biomarker potential are also reviewed.

Cell aggregation activates small GTPase Rac1 and induces CD44 cleavage by maintaining lipid raft integrity

Lipid rafts are highly ordered membrane domains that are enriched in cholesterol and glycosphingolipids and serve as major platforms for signal transduction. Cell detachment from the extracellular matrix (ECM) triggers lipid raft disruption and anoikis, which is a barrier for cancer cells to metastasize. Compared to single circulating tumor cells (CTCs), our recent studies have demonstrated that CD44-mediatd cell aggregation enhances the stemness, survival and metastatic ability of aggregated cells. Here, we investigated whether and how lipid rafts are involved in CD44-mediated cell aggregation. We found that cell detachment, which mimics the condition when tumor cells detach from the ECM to metastasize, induced lipid raft disruption in single cells, but lipid raft integrity was maintained in aggregated cells. We further found that lipid raft integrity in aggregated cells was required for Rac1 activation to prevent anoikis. In addition, CD44 and γ-secretase coexisted at lipid rafts in aggregated cells, which promoted CD44 cleavage and generated CD44 intracellular domain (CD44 ICD) to enhance stemness of aggregated cells. Consequently, lipid raft disruption inhibited Rac1 activation, CD44 ICD generation, and metastasis. Our findings reveal two new pathways regulated by CD44-mediated cell aggregation via maintaining lipid raft integrity. These findings also suggest that targeting cell aggregation-mediated pathways could be a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent CTC cluster-initiated metastasis.

BCKDK regulates breast cancer cell adhesion and tumor metastasis by inhibiting TRIM21 ubiquitinate talin1

Breast cancer is the most common malignant cancer in women worldwide. Cancer metastasis is the major cause of cancer-related deaths. BCKDK is associated with various diseases, including proliferation, migration, and invasion in multiple types of human cancers. However, the relevance of BCKDK to the development and progression of breast cancers and its function is unclear. This study found that BCKDK was overexpressed in breast cancer, associated with poor prognosis, and implicated in tumor metastasis. The downregulation of BCKDK expression inhibited the migration of human breast cancer cells in vitro and diminished lung metastasis in vivo. BCKDK perturbed the cadherin-catenin complex at the adherens junctions (AJs) and assembled focal adhesions (FAs) onto the extracellular matrix, thereby promoting the directed migration of breast cancer cells. We observed that BCKDK acted as a conserved regulator of the ubiquitination of cytoskeletal protein talin1 and the activation of the FAK/MAPK pathway. Further studies revealed that BCKDK inhibited the binding of talin1 to E3 ubiquitin ligase-TRIM21, leading to the decreased ubiquitination/degradation of talin1. In conclusion, identifying BCKDK as a biomarker for breast cancer metastasis facilitated further research on diagnostic biomarkers. Elucidating the mechanism by which BCKDK exerted its biological effect could provide a new theoretical basis for developing new markers for breast cancer metastasis and contribute to developing new therapies for the clinical treatment of breast cancer patients.

High expression of Talin-1 is associated with tumor progression and recurrence in melanoma skin cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Talin-1 as a component of multi-protein adhesion complexes plays a role in tumor formation and migration in various malignancies. This study investigated Talin-1 in protein levels as a potential prognosis biomarker in skin tumors.

METHODS

Talin-1 was evaluated in 106 skin cancer (33 melanomas and 73 non-melanomas skin cancer (NMSC)) and 11 normal skin formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples using immunohistochemical technique on tissue microarrays (TMAs). The association between the expression of Talin-1 and clinicopathological parameters, as well as survival outcomes, were assessed.

RESULTS

Our findings from data minings through bioinformatics tools indicated dysregulation of Talin-1 in mRNA levels for skin cancer samples. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in Talin-1 expression in terms of intensity of staining, percentage of positive tumor cells, and H-score in melanoma tissues compared to NMSC (P = 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, high cytoplasmic expression of Talin-1 was found to be associated with significantly advanced stages (P = 0.024), lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.023), and recurrence (P = 0.006) in melanoma cancer tissues. Our results on NMSC showed a statistically significant association between high intensity of staining and the poor differentiation (P = 0.044). No significant associations were observed between Talin-1 expression levels and survival outcomes of melanoma and NMSC patients.

CONCLUSION

Our observations showed that higher expression of Talin1 in protein level may be significantly associated with more aggressive tumor behavior and advanced disease in patients with skin cancer. However, further studies are required to find the mechanism of action of Talin-1 in skin cancers.

Understanding and targeting anoikis in metastasis for cancer therapies

The development of effective treatments for cancers requires investigations for a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of the basic cellular mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and metastasis. One of those driving mechanisms is anoikis, a special type of apoptosis, which is induced by losing anchorage from the extracellular matrix (ECM). In other words, resisting death in detached cells (cells without ECM) forms an anoikis-resistant phenotype. Since the anoikis-resistance state compensates for the initial steps of cancer metastasis, this review aimed to discuss mechanisms of gaining anoikis/anoikis resistance phenotype in tumor cells. Finally, we highlighted the significance of anoikis in malignancies so as to provide clear insight into cancer diagnosis and therapy development.

Cell aggregation prevents anoikis and induces CD44 cleavage by maintaining lipid raft integrity to promote triple negative breast cancer metastasis

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype, and metastasis is the major cause of cancer morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is urgent to discover novel therapeutic targets and develop effective treatments for this lethal disease. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are considered "seeds of metastasis". Compared to single CTCs, our previous studies have demonstrated that CD44 homophilic interaction mediates CTC aggregation to enhance the stemness, survival and metastatic ability of aggregated cells. Importantly, the presence of CD44+ CTC clusters correlates with a poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. Here, we further investigated the underlying mechanism of how CD44-mediated cell aggregation promotes TNBC metastasis. We found that cell detachment, which mimics the condition when tumor cells detach from the extracellular matrix (ECM) to metastasize, induces lipid raft disruption in single cells, but lipid rafts integrity is maintained in aggregated cells. We further found that lipid rafts integrity in aggregated cells is required for Rac1 activation to prevent anoikis. In addition, CD44 and γ-secretase coexisted at lipid rafts in aggregated cells, which promotes CD44 cleavage and generates CD44 intracellular domain (CD44 ICD) to enhance stemness. Consequently, lipid rafts disruption inhibited Rac1 activation, CD44 ICD generation and metastasis. These data reveal a new mechanism of cell aggregation-mediated TNBC metastasis via maintaining lipid raft integrity after cell detachment. The finding provides a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent CTC cluster-initiated metastasis by disrupting lipid raft integrity and its-mediated downstream pathways.

Anoikis in phenotypic reprogramming of the prostate tumor microenvironment

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

Comprehensive analysis of anoikis-related long non-coding RNA immune infiltration in patients with bladder cancer and immunotherapy

Background

Anoikis is a form of programmed cell death or programmed cell death(PCD) for short. Studies suggest that anoikis involves in the decisive steps of tumor progression and cancer cell metastasis and spread, but what part it plays in bladder cancer remains unclear. We sought to screen for anoikis-correlated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) so that we can build a risk model to understand its ability to predict bladder cancer prognosis and the immune landscape.

Methods

We screened seven anoikis-related lncRNAs (arlncRNAs) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and designed a risk model. It was validated through ROC curves and clinicopathological correlation analysis, and demonstrated to be an independent factor of prognosis prediction by uni- and multi-COX regression. In the meantime, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, immune infiltration, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration prediction (IC50) were implemented with the model. Moreover, we divided bladder cancer patients into three subtypes by consensus clustering analysis to further study the differences in prognosis, immune infiltration level, immune checkpoints, and drug susceptibility.

Result

We designed a risk model of seven arlncRNAs, and proved its accuracy using ROC curves. COX regression indicated that the model might be an independent prediction factor of bladder cancer prognosis. KEGG enrichment analysis showed it was enriched in tumors and immune-related pathways among the people at high risk. Immune correlation analysis and drug susceptibility results indicated that it had higher immune infiltration and might have a better immunotherapy efficacy for high-risk groups. Of the three subtypes classified by consensus clustering analysis, cluster 3 revealed a positive prognosis, and cluster 2 showed the highest level of immune infiltration and was sensitive to most chemistries. This is helpful for us to discover more precise immunotherapy for bladder cancer patients.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, we found seven arlncRNAs and built a risk model that can identify different bladder cancer subtypes and predict the prognosis of bladder cancer patients. Immune-related and drug sensitivity researches demonstrate it can provide individual therapeutic schedule with greater precision for bladder cancer patients.

Prognostic value of Talin-1 in renal cell carcinoma and its association with B7-H3

METHODS: Talin-1 protein was demonstrated as a potential prognostic marker in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) using bioinformatics analysis. We, therefore, examined the protein expression levels and prognostic significance of Talin-1 with a clinical follow-up in a total of 269 tissue specimens from three important subtypes of RCC and 30 adjacent normal samples using immunohistochemistry. Then, we used combined analysis with B7-H3 to investigate higher prognostic values. RESULTS: The results showed that high membranous and cytoplasmic expression of Talin-1 was significantly associated with advanced nucleolar grade, microvascular invasion, histological tumor necrosis, and invasion to Gerota’s fascia in clear cell RCC (ccRCC). In addition, high membranous and cytoplasmic expression of Talin-1 was found to be associated with significantly poorer disease-specific survival (DSS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Moreover, increased cytoplasmic expression of Talin-1High/B7-H3High compared to the other phenotypes was associated with tumor aggressiveness and progression of the disease, and predicted a worse clinical outcome, which may be an effective biomarker to identify ccRCC patients at high risk of recurrence and metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these observations indicate that Talin-1 is an important molecule involved in the spread and progression of ccRCC when expressed particularly in the cytoplasm and may serve as a novel prognostic biomarker in this subtype. Furthermore, a combined analysis of Talin-1/B7-H3 indicated an effective biomarker to predict the progression of disease and prognosis in ccRCC.

Macromolecular crowding in the development of a three-dimensional organotypic human breast cancer model

Although cell-derived matrices are at the forefront of scientific research and technological innovation for the development of in vitro tumour models, their two-dimensional structure and low extracellular matrix composition restrict their capacity to accurately predict toxicity of candidate molecules. Herein, we assessed the potential of macromolecular crowding (a biophysical phenomenon that significantly enhances and accelerates extracellular matrix deposition, resulting in three-dimensional tissue surrogates) in improving cell-derived matrices in vitro tumour models. Among the various decellularisation protocols assessed (NH4OH, DOC, SDS/EDTA, NP40), the NP40 appeared to be the most effective in removing cellular matter and the least destructive to the deposited matrix. Among the various cell types (mammary, skin, lung fibroblasts) used to produce the cell-derived matrices, the mammary fibroblast derived matrices produced under macromolecular crowding conditions and decellularised with NP40 resulted in significant increase in focal adhesion molecules, matrix metalloproteinases and proinflammatory cytokines, when seeded with MDA-MB-231 cells. Further, macromolecular crowding derived matrices significantly increased doxorubicin resistance and reduced the impact of intracellular reactive oxygen species mediated cell death. Collectively our data clearly illustrate the potential of macromolecular crowding in the development of cell-derived matrices-based in vitro tumour models that more accurately resemble the tumour microenvironment.

[Talin1 is highly expressed in the fallopian tube and chorionic villi to promote trophoblast invasion in tubal pregnancy]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of Talin1 in the fallopian tube and chorionic villi in patients with tubal pregnancy and its role in regulating invasion and migration of trophoblasts.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were used to detect the localization and expression level of Talin1 in the fallopian tube and chorionic villi in patients with tubal pregnancy and in women with normal pregnancy. In the cell experiment, HTR-8/SVneo cells was transfected with Talin1 siRNA and the changes in cell invasion and migration were assessed using scratch assay and Transwell assay. The expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9, N-cadherin and Snail in the transfected cells were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.

RESULTS

Positive expression of Talin1 was detected in both normal fallopian tube tissues and tissues from women tubal pregnancy, and its expression was localized mainly in the cytoplasm of cilia cells. The expression level of Talin1 was significantly higher in both the fallopian tube and chorionic villi in women with tubal pregnancy than in normal fallopian tube and chorionic villi samples (P < 0.01). In HTR-8/SVneo cells, transfection with Talin1 siRNA significantly inhibited cell invasion (P < 0.01) and migration (P < 0.05), down-regulated the expression of N-cadherin, MMP-2 and Snail (P < 0.05), and up-regulated the expression of MMP-9 in the cells (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The expression of Talin1 in the fallopian tube and chorionic villi is significantly increased in women with tubal pregnancy, suggesting the association of Talin1-regulated trophoblast cell invasion with the occurrence of tubal pregnancy.

Assessment of serum Talin-1 in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is crucial for improving the survival rate for patients. Talin-1 is first identified as a cytoskeleton protein that is required for cell adhesion and motility and plays a role in tumor migration and metastasis. In the present work, we aimed to study the possible role of Talin1 compared to alpha fetoprotein (AFP) in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.

Methods

To achieve this goal, serum levels of Talin-1 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 90 patients divided into four groups. Group I: 30 patients with early HCC. Group II: 30 patients with late HCC according to Modified Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC). Group III: 15 patients with liver cirrhosis, and group IV: 15 healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was used to create a predictive model for Talin-1 relative to AFP in HCC diagnosis.

Results

It was found that serum Talin-1 in HCC patients was significantly higher compared to its level in cirrhotic patients and the healthy control group. Talin-1 was superior to AFP regarding sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive value in the diagnosis of HCC. We also found a significant positive correlation between serum Talin-1 and the degree of tumor burden of HCC (BCLC staging), tumor size, and vascular invasion.

Conclusion

Talin-1 holds a promise as a potential marker for HCC diagnosis and prognosis.

Integrin-Mediated Tumorigenesis and Its Therapeutic Applications

Integrins, a family of adhesion molecules generally exist on the cell surface, are essential for regulating cell growth and its function. As a bi-directional signaling molecule, they mediate cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interaction. The recognitions of their key roles in many human pathologies, including autoimmunity, thrombosis and neoplasia, have revealed their great potential as a therapeutic target. This paper focuses on the activation of integrins, the role of integrins in tumorigenesis and progression, and advances of integrin-dependent tumor therapeutics in recent years. It is expected that understanding function and signaling transmission will fully exploit potentialities of integrin as a novel target for tumors.

Bioengineered miR-124-3p prodrug selectively alters the proteome of human carcinoma cells to control multiple cellular components and lung metastasis in vivo

With the understanding of microRNA (miRNA or miR) functions in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis, efforts are underway to develop new miRNA-based therapies. Very recently, we demonstrated effectiveness of a novel humanized bioengineered miR-124-3p prodrug in controlling spontaneous lung metastasis in mouse models. This study was to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which miR-124-3p controls tumor metastasis. Proteomics study identified a set of proteins selectively and significantly downregulated by bioengineered miR-124-3p in A549 cells, which were assembled into multiple cellular components critical for metastatic potential. Among them, plectin (PLEC) was verified as a new direct target for miR-124-3p that links cytoskeleton components and junctions. In miR-124-3p-treated lung cancer and osteosarcoma cells, protein levels of vimentin, talin 1 (TLN1), integrin beta-1 (ITGB1), IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 1 (IQGAP1), cadherin 2 or N-cadherin (CDH2), and junctional adhesion molecule A (F11R or JAMA or JAM1) decreased, causing remodeling of cytoskeletons and disruption of cell-cell junctions. Furthermore, miR-124-3p sharply suppressed the formation of focal adhesion plaques, leading to reduced cell adhesion capacity. Additionally, efficacy and safety of biologic miR-124-3p therapy was established in an aggressive experimental metastasis mouse model in vivo. These results connect miR-124-3p-PLEC signaling to other elements in the control of cytoskeleton, cell junctions, and adhesion essential for cancer cell invasion and extravasation towards metastasis, and support the promise of miR-124 therapy.

Molecular Profile Study of Extracellular Vesicles for the Identification of Useful Small “Hit” in Cancer Diagnosis

Tumor-secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs) are the main mediators of cell-cell communication, permitting cells to exchange proteins, lipids, and metabolites in varying physiological and pathological conditions. They contain signature tumor-derived molecules that reflect the intracellular status of their cell of origin. Recent studies have shown that tumor cell-derived EVs can aid in cancer metastasis through the modulation of the tumor microenvironment, suppression of the immune system, pre-metastatic niche formation, and subsequent metastasis. EVs can easily be isolated from a variety of biological fluids, and their content makes them useful biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, monitorization of cancer progression, and response to treatment. This review aims to explore the biomarkers of cancer cell-derived EVs obtained from liquid biopsies, in order to understand cancer progression and metastatic evolution for early diagnosis and precision therapy.

The N-terminal domain of the Schaaf-Yang syndrome protein MAGEL2 likely has a role in RNA metabolism

MAGEL2 encodes the L2 member of the melanoma-associated antigen gene (MAGE) protein family, truncating mutations of which can cause Schaaf-Yang syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. MAGEL2 is also inactivated in Prader-Willi syndrome, which overlaps clinically and mechanistically with Schaaf-Yang syndrome. Studies to date have only investigated the C-terminal portion of the MAGEL2 protein, containing the MAGE homology domain that interacts with RING-E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases to form protein complexes that modify protein ubiquitination. In contrast, the N-terminal portion of the MAGEL2 protein has never been studied. Here, we find that MAGEL2 has a low-complexity intrinsically disordered N-terminus rich in Pro-Xn-Gly motifs that is predicted to mediate liquid-liquid phase separation to form biomolecular condensates. We used proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to identify MAGEL2-proximal proteins, then clustered these proteins into functional networks. We determined that coding mutations analogous to disruptive mutations in other MAGE proteins alter these networks in biologically relevant ways. Proteins identified as proximal to the N-terminal portion of MAGEL2 are primarily involved in mRNA metabolic processes and include three mRNA N 6-methyladenosine (m6A)-binding YTHDF proteins and two RNA interference-mediating TNRC6 proteins. We found that YTHDF2 coimmunoprecipitates with MAGEL2, and coexpression of MAGEL2 reduces the nuclear accumulation of YTHDF2 after heat shock. We suggest that the N-terminal region of MAGEL2 may have a role in RNA metabolism and in particular the regulation of mRNAs modified by m6A methylation. These results provide mechanistic insight into pathogenic MAGEL2 mutations associated with Schaaf-Yang syndrome and related disorders.

MiR-19b-3p and miR-101-3p as potential biomarkers for prostate cancer diagnosis and prognosis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed male malignancy worldwide. Early diagnosis and metastases detection are crucial features to diminish patient mortality. High fat diet (HFD) and metabolic syndrome increase PCa risk and aggressiveness. Our goal was to identify miRNAs-based biomarkers for PCa diagnosis and prognosis associated with HFD. Mice chronically fed with a HFD or control diet (CD) were subcutaneously inoculated with androgen insensitive PC3 cells. Xenografts from HFD-fed mice showed increased expression of 7 miRNAs that we named "candidates" compared to CD-fed mice. These miRNAs modulate specific metabolic and cancer related pathways. Using bioinformatic tools and human datasets we found that hsa-miR-19b-3p and miR-101-3p showed more than 1,100 validated targets involved in proteoglycans in cancer and fatty acid biosynthesis. These miRNAs were significantly increased in the bloodstream of PCa patients compared to non-PCa volunteers, and in prostate tumors compared to normal adjacent tissues (NAT). Interestingly, both miRNAs were also increased in tumors of metastatic patients compared to tumors of non-metastatic patients. Further receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis determined that hsa-miR-19b-3p and hsa-miR-101-3p in serum showed poor predictive power to discriminate PCa from non-PCa patients. Hsa-miR-19b-3p showed the best score to discriminate between tumor and NAT, while hsa-miR-101-3p was useful to differentiate between metastatic and non-metastatic PCa patients. Hsa-miR-101-3p was increased in exosomes isolated from blood of PCa patients. Although more detailed functional exploration and validation of the molecular mechanisms are required, we identified hsa-miR-19b-3p and hsa-miR-101-3p with high potential for PCa diagnosis and prognosis.

Stresses in the metastatic cascade: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities

In this review, Shen and Kang provide an overview of the tumor-intrinsic and microenvironment- and treatment-induced stresses that tumor cells encounter in the metastatic cascade and the molecular pathways they develop to relieve these stresses.

Metastasis is the ultimate “survival of the fittest” test for cancer cells, as only a small fraction of disseminated tumor cells can overcome the numerous hurdles they encounter during the transition from the site of origin to a distinctly different distant organ in the face of immune and therapeutic attacks and various other stresses. During cancer progression, tumor cells develop a variety of mechanisms to cope with the stresses they encounter, and acquire the ability to form metastases. Restraining these stress-releasing pathways could serve as potentially effective strategies to prevent or reduce metastasis and improve the survival of cancer patients. Here, we provide an overview of the tumor-intrinsic, microenvironment- and treatment-induced stresses that tumor cells encounter in the metastatic cascade and the molecular pathways they develop to relieve these stresses. We also summarize the preclinical and clinical studies that evaluate the potential therapeutic benefit of targeting these stress-relieving pathways.

Talin1 regulates endometrial adhesive capacity through the Ras signaling pathway

AIMS

Blastocyst implantation is mainly depended on the adhesion between cells and cell matrix. Endometrial adhesion plays an important role in establishing embryo implantation, but the underlying mechanisms are remains unclear. Talin1 is a local adhesion complex protein that is necessary for cell adhesion and movement. However, the role and mechanisms of Talin1 in embryo implantation are still unclear.

MAIN METHODS

The expression of Talin1 and Integrin αvβ3 was measured in the receptive endometrium from the RIF (Recurrent implantation failure) cohort and NC (normal fertile control group) cohort. A JEG-3 trophoblast and endometrial epithelial cell adhesion model and pregnant mouse model were established. The molecular mechanism of Talin1-mediated cell adhesion was explored by RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, as well as western blotting assays.

KEY FINDINGS

Talin1 enhances endometrial cell adhesion by regulating the Ras signaling pathway, and ultimately facilitates embryo implantation.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study revealed the molecular mechanisms of regarding the pathogenesis of RIF caused by endometrial receptivity insufficiency. Further pharmacological research on the Ras signaling pathway would be valuable and might provide new therapeutic targets for RIF patients.

Upregulated Talin1 synergistically boosts β-estradiol-induced proliferation and pro-angiogenesis of eutopic and ectopic endometrial stromal cells in adenomyosis

Adenomyosis (ADS) is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disease with unspecified etiopathogenesis. Local hyperestrogenism may serve a key role in contributing to the origin of ADS. Talin1 is mostly identified to be overexpressed and involved in the progression of numerous human carcinomas through mediating cell proliferation, adhesion and motility. Whether Talin1 exerts an oncogenic role in the pathogenesis of ADS and puts an extra impact on the efficacy of estrogen, no relevant data are available yet. Here we demonstrated that the adenomyotic eutopic and ectopic endometrial stromal cells (ADS_Eu_ESC and ADS_Ec_ESC) treated with β-estradiol (β-E₂) presented stronger proliferative and pro-angiogenetic capacities, accompanied by increased expression of PCNA, Ki67, VEGFB and ANGPTL4 proteins. Meanwhile, these promoting effects were partially abrogated by Fulvestrant (ICI 182780, an estrogen-receptor antagonist). Aberrantly upregulation of Talin1 mRNA and protein level was observed in ADS endometrial specimens and stromal cells. Through performing functional experiments in vitro, we further determined that merely overexpression of Talin1 (OV-Talin1) also enhanced ADS stromal cell proliferation and pro-angiogenesis, while the most pronounced facilitating effects were found in the co-intervention group of OV-Talin1 plus β-E₂ treatment. Results from the xenograft nude mice model showed that the hypodermic endometrial lesions from co-intervention group had the highest mean weight and volume, compared with that of individual OV-Talin1 or β-E₂ treatment. The expression levels of PCNA, Ki67, VEGFB and ANGPTL4 in the lesions were correspondingly elevated the most in the co-intervention group. Our findings unveiled that overexpressed Talin1 might cooperate withβ-E₂ in stimulating ADS endometrial stromal cell proliferation and neovascularization, synergistically promoting the growth and survival of ectopic lesions. These results may be beneficial to provide a new insight for clarifying the pathogenesis of ADS.

Expression of Talin-1 in endometriosis and its possible role in pathogenesis

BACKGROUND

Endometriosis is a disease that involves active cell invasion and migration. Talin-1 can promote cell invasion, migration and adhension in various cancer cells, but its role in endometriosis has not been investigated. This study was to investigate the expression level of Talin-1 in endometriosis and the role of Talin-1 in the proliferation, adhesion, migration, and invasion of human endometrial stromal cells (ESCs).

METHODS

Ectopic and eutopic endometrial tissues were collected from women with endometriosis, and the control endometrial tissues were obtained from patients without endometriosis. The expression level of Talin-1 was detected in each sample using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. The expression of Talin-1 was inhibited using RNA interference in ESCs, and its proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, migration, and invasion capacity were analyzed. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of related molecules after the downregulation of Talin-1.

RESULTS

The results showed that the mRNA and protein expression of Talin-1 were significantly increased in the ectopic endometrium and eutopic endometrial tissues compared with the controls. The knockdown of Talin-1 did not affect the proliferation and apoptosis of ESCs. The results indicated that the downexpression of Talin-1 inhibited the adhesion, invasion, and migration of ESCs. In addition, the expressions of N-cadherin, MMP-2, and integrin β3 were significantly lower after the deregulation of Talin-1, whereas the levels of E-cadherin were significantly increased.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of Talin-1 was increased in the ectopic and eutopic endometrial tissues compared with the control endometrium. The downregulation of Talin-1 inhibited the adhesion, invasion, and migration of ESCs.

Targeting the cytoskeleton against metastatic dissemination

Cancer is a pathology characterized by a loss or a perturbation of a number of typical features of normal cell behaviour. Indeed, the acquisition of an inappropriate migratory and invasive phenotype has been reported to be one of the hallmarks of cancer. The cytoskeleton is a complex dynamic network of highly ordered interlinking filaments playing a key role in the control of fundamental cellular processes, like cell shape maintenance, motility, division and intracellular transport. Moreover, deregulation of this complex machinery contributes to cancer progression and malignancy, enabling cells to acquire an invasive and metastatic phenotype. Metastasis accounts for 90% of death from patients affected by solid tumours, while an efficient prevention and suppression of metastatic disease still remains elusive. This results in the lack of effective therapeutic options currently available for patients with advanced disease. In this context, the cytoskeleton with its regulatory and structural proteins emerges as a novel and highly effective target to be exploited for a substantial therapeutic effort toward the development of specific anti-metastatic drugs. Here we provide an overview of the role of cytoskeleton components and interacting proteins in cancer metastasis with a special focus on small molecule compounds interfering with the actin cytoskeleton organization and function. The emerging involvement of microtubules and intermediate filaments in cancer metastasis is also reviewed.

Cancer associated talin point mutations disorganise cell adhesion and migration

Talin-1 is a key component of the multiprotein adhesion complexes which mediate cell migration, adhesion and integrin signalling and has been linked to cancer in several studies. We analysed talin-1 mutations reported in the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer database and developed a bioinformatics pipeline to predict the severity of each mutation. These predictions were then assessed using biochemistry and cell biology experiments. With this approach we were able to identify several talin-1 mutations affecting integrin activity, actin recruitment and Deleted in Liver Cancer 1 localization. We explored potential changes in talin-1 signalling responses by assessing impact on migration, invasion and proliferation. Altogether, this study describes a pipeline approach of experiments for crude characterization of talin-1 mutants in order to evaluate their functional effects and potential pathogenicity. Our findings suggest that cancer related point mutations in talin-1 can affect cell behaviour and so may contribute to cancer progression.

Anoikis resistance conferred by tenascin-C-derived peptide TNIIIA2 and its disruption by integrin inactivation

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common brain tumor in adults, has an extremely poor prognosis, which is attributed to the aggressive properties of GBM cells, such as dysregulated proliferation and disseminative migration. We recently found that peptide TNIIIA2, derived from tenascin-C (TNC), which is highly expressed in GBM, contributes to the acquisition of these aggressive properties through β1-integrin activation. In general, cancer cells often acquire an additional malignant property that confers resistance to apoptosis due to loss of adhesion to the extracellular matrix, termed anoikis resistance. Our present results show that regulation of β1-integrin activation also plays a key role in both the development and loss of anoikis resistance in GBM cells. Despite being derived from a GBM with an extremely poor prognosis, the human GBM cell line T98G was susceptible to anoikis but became anoikis resistant via treatment with peptide TNIIIA2, which is able to activate β1-integrin. The TNIIIA2-conferred anoikis resistance of T98G cells was disrupted by further addition of peptide FNIII14, which has the ability to inactivate β1-integrin. Moreover, anchorage-independent survival of GBM cells in suspension culture was abrogated by peptide FNIII14, but not by RGD and CS-1 peptides, which are antagonistic for integrins α5β1, αvβ3, and α4β1. These results suggest that GBM cells develop anoikis resistance through activation of β1-integrin by TNC-derived peptide TNIIIA2, which is abundantly released into the tumor microenvironment of GBM. Inactivation of β1-integrin may provide a promising strategy to overcome the apoptosis resistance of cancer cells, including GBM.

Promotive effect of Talin-1 protein on gastric cancer progression through PTK2-PXN-VCL-E-Cadherin-CAPN2-MAPK1 signaling axis

OBJECTIVE

Our research group was aim to explore the molecular mechanism of Talin-1 protein affecting gastric cancer progression through PTK2-PXN-VCL-E-Cadherin-CAPN2-MAPK1 signal axis.

METHODS

12 cases of patients with gastric cancer in this hospital from 2018 to 2019 were collected. Immunohistochemistry assay and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of Talin-1, PXN, E-Cadherin, CAPN2, MAPK1 protein in gastric cancer tissue. Cell migration and invasion were measured by Transwell.

RESULTS

The results showed that the expression levels of protein Talin-1, PXN and MAPK1 in gastric cancer tissues were significantly higher than that in normal tissue. The number of cell adhesion in the model group was significantly lower than that in the normal group. However, the cell adhesion number in ov-TLN1 was the highest. Transwell results showed that TLN1 could accelerate the migration and invasion abilities of gastric cancer MKN-45 cells. Moreover, Western blotting showed that protein Talin-1, PXN, E-Cadherin, CAPN2, MAPK1 in model group all increased compared with normal group.

CONCLUSION

It indicated that talin-1 protein influenced the development of gastric cancer through PTK2-PXN-VCL-E-Cadherin-CAPN2-MAPK1 signal axis.

Inward Tension of Talin and Integrin-related Osmotic Pressure are involved Synergetically in the Invasion and Metastasis of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

The integrin receptor protein talin plays vital roles in intracellular chemical and mechanical activities, and it is implicated in the high invasion and poor prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To better understand the mechanism underlying the function of talin in NSCLC invasion and metastasis, a few newly designed tension probe based on Förster resonance energy transfer was used for real-time observation of tension changes in A549 cells. High NSCLC cell aggressiveness was found to be accompanied with inward talin and outward glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) tensions, which are closely associated with microfilament (MF) force and intracellular osmotic potential. The increased osmotic pressure resulted from the production of intracellular protein nanoparticles and the related ion influx. Furthermore, integrin activation was found to adjust the talin and GFAP tensions. Disruption of the interaction between talin and MFs blocked the mechanical source of talin, reducing both talin tension and osmotic pressure and thus inhibiting NSCLC cell invasion and migration. Consequently, our study demonstrates that talin is involved in NSCLC invasion and migration via its inward tension and that the integrin pathway is correlated closely with protein-nanoparticle-induced outward osmotic pressure.

Proteomic Profiling of Retinoblastoma-Derived Exosomes Reveals Potential Biomarkers of Vitreous Seeding

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common tumor of the eye in early childhood. Although recent advances in conservative treatment have greatly improved the visual outcome, local tumor control remains difficult in the presence of massive vitreous seeding. Traditional biopsy has long been considered unsafe in RB, due to the risk of extraocular spread. Thus, the identification of new biomarkers is crucial to design safer diagnostic and more effective therapeutic approaches. Exosomes, membrane-derived nanovesicles that are secreted abundantly by aggressive tumor cells and that can be isolated from several biological fluids, represent an interesting alternative for the detection of tumor-associated biomarkers. In this study, we defined the protein signature of exosomes released by RB tumors (RBT) and vitreous seeding (RBVS) primary cell lines by high resolution mass spectrometry. A total of 5666 proteins were identified. Among these, 5223 and 3637 were expressed in exosomes RBT and one RBVS group, respectively. Gene enrichment analysis of exclusively and differentially expressed proteins and network analysis identified in RBVS exosomes upregulated proteins specifically related to invasion and metastasis, such as proteins involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and interaction, resistance to anoikis and the metabolism/catabolism of glucose and amino acids.

Talin-1; other than a potential marker for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Talin-1 was previously proposed as a potential novel biomarker for HCC diagnosis but with limited and inconsistent data. We aimed to study the possible role of talin-1 in diagnosis and prognostic stratification of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Ninety-six patients were recruited and classified into three groups; 1) cirrhosis group: 40 patients with liver cirrhosis, 2) HCC group: 40 patients with HCC, 3) control group: 16 healthy volunteers with matched age and sex. Serum talin-1 level was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

The highest levels of talin-1 were observed among the HCC group followed by cirrhosis then control groups (p = 0.000). In the HCC group, a significant correlation was found between talin-1 and each of multifocal HCC (p = 0.013), portal vein invasion (p = 0.022) and presence of ascites (p = 0.001), while no significant correlation was detected with tumour foci size (p = 0.605). For HCC detection, talin-1 had AUC = 0.858, 100% sensitivity and 65% specificity, while AFP had AUC = 1.000, 100% sensitivity and specificity.

CONCLUSION

Talin-1 is a potential marker for diagnosis and prognostic assessment of HCC. Further studies are needed to investigate the ultimate diagnostic and prognostic utility of serum talin-1.

Impact of Increased FUT8 Expression on the Extracellular Vesicle Proteome in Prostate Cancer Cells

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in intercellular communication, transporting proteins and nucleic acids to proximal and distal regions. There is evidence of glycosylation influencing protein routing into EVs; however, the impact of aberrant cellular glycotransferase expression on EV protein profiles has yet to be evaluated. In this study, we paired extracellular vesicle characterization and quantitative proteomics to determine the systemic impact of altered α(1,6)fucosyltranferase (FUT8) expression on prostate cancer-derived EVs. Our results showed that increased cellular expression of FUT8 could reduce the number of vesicles secreted by prostate cancer cells as well as increase the abundance of proteins associated with cell motility and prostate cancer metastasis. In addition, overexpression of FUT8 resulted in altered glycans on select EV-derived glycoproteins. This study presents the first evidence of altered cellular glycosylation impacting EV protein profiles and provides further rationale for exploring the functional role of glycosylation in EV biogenesis and biology.

The SHCA adapter protein cooperates with lipoma-preferred partner in the regulation of adhesion dynamics and invadopodia formation

SHC adaptor protein (SHCA) and lipoma-preferred partner (LPP) mediate transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)-induced breast cancer cell migration and invasion. Reduced expression of either protein diminishes breast cancer lung metastasis, but the reason for this effect is unclear. Here, using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, we found that TGFβ enhanced the assembly and disassembly rates of paxillin-containing adhesions in an SHCA-dependent manner through the phosphorylation of the specific SHCA tyrosine residues Tyr-239, Tyr-240, and Tyr-313. Using a BioID proximity labeling approach, we show that SHCA exists in a complex with a variety of actin cytoskeletal proteins, including paxillin and LPP. Consistent with a functional interaction between SHCA and LPP, TGFβ-induced LPP localization to cellular adhesions depended on SHCA. Once localized to the adhesions, LPP was required for TGFβ-induced increases in cell migration and adhesion dynamics. Mutations that impaired LPP localization to adhesions (mLIM1) or impeded interactions with the actin cytoskeleton via α-actinin (ΔABD) abrogated migratory responses to TGFβ. Live-cell TIRF microscopy revealed that SHCA clustering at the cell membrane preceded LPP recruitment. We therefore hypothesize that, in the presence of TGFβ, SHCA promotes the formation of small, dynamic adhesions by acting as a nucleator of focal complex formation. Finally, we defined a previously unknown function for SHCA in the formation of invadopodia, a process that also required LPP. Our results reveal that SHCA controls the formation and function of adhesions and invadopodia, two key cellular structures required for breast cancer metastasis.

PHIP drives glioblastoma motility and invasion by regulating the focal adhesion complex

The invasive behavior of glioblastoma is essential to its aggressive potential. Here, we show that pleckstrin homology domain interacting protein (PHIP), acting through effects on the force transduction layer of the focal adhesion complex, drives glioblastoma motility and invasion. Immunofluorescence analysis localized PHIP to the leading edge of glioblastoma cells, together with several focal adhesion proteins: vinculin (VCL), talin 1 (TLN1), integrin beta 1 (ITGB1), as well as phosphorylated forms of paxillin (pPXN) and focal adhesion kinase (pFAK). Confocal microscopy specifically localized PHIP to the force transduction layer, together with TLN1 and VCL. Immunoprecipitation revealed a physical interaction between PHIP and VCL. Targeted suppression of PHIP resulted in significant down-regulation of these focal adhesion proteins, along with zyxin (ZYX), and produced profoundly disorganized stress fibers. Live-cell imaging of glioblastoma cells overexpressing a ZYX-GFP construct demonstrated a role for PHIP in regulating focal adhesion dynamics. PHIP silencing significantly suppressed the migratory and invasive capacity of glioblastoma cells, partially restored following TLN1 or ZYX cDNA overexpression. PHIP knockdown produced substantial suppression of tumor growth upon intracranial implantation, as well as significantly reduced microvessel density and secreted VEGF levels. PHIP copy number was elevated in the classical glioblastoma subtype and correlated with elevated EGFR levels. These results demonstrate PHIP's role in regulating the actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesion dynamics, and tumor cell motility, and identify PHIP as a key driver of glioblastoma migration and invasion.

Up-regulation of LIMK1 expression in prostate cancer is correlated with poor pathological features, lymph node metastases and biochemical recurrence

This study aimed to explore the association between LIM domain kinase 1 (LIMK1) expression in prostate cancer (PCa) tissues with advanced pathological features, lymph node metastases and biochemical recurrence. A total of 279 PCa specimens from patients who underwent radical prostatectomy and 50 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) specimens were collected to construct tissue microarray, which were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for LIMK1 expression subsequently. Logistic and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between LIMK1 expression and clinicopathological features of patients with PCa. Immunohistochemical staining assay demonstrated that LIMK1 expression was significantly higher in PCa than BPH specimens (77.1% vs 26.0%; P < .001). LIMK1 expression was significantly higher in positive lymph node specimens than corresponding PCa specimens (P = .002; P < .001). Up-regulation of LIMK1 was associated with prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen, prostate-specific antigen density, Gleason score, T stage, lymph node metastases, extracapsular extension and seminal vesicle invasion, and positive surgical margin. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that LIMK1 was an independent risk factor for PCa lymph node metastasis (P < .05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the up-regulation of LIMK1 was an independent risk factor for biochemical recurrence. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that up-regulation LIMK1 was associated with shortened biochemical-free survival (BFS) after radical prostatectomy (P < .001). In conclusion, LIMK1 was significantly up-regulated in PCa and positive lymph node specimens and correlated with lymph node metastasis and shortened BFS of PCa. The underlying molecular mechanism of LIMK1 in PCa should be further evaluated.

Long Noncoding RNA Lnc-TLN2-4:1 Suppresses Gastric Cancer Metastasis and Is Associated with Patient Survival

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and the tumor metastasis leads to poor outcomes of GC patients. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as new regulatory molecules that play a crucial role in tumor metastasis. However, the biological function and underlying mechanism of numerous lncRNAs in GC metastasis remain largely unclear. Here, we report a novel lncRNA, lnc-TLN2-4:1, whose expression is decreased in GC tissue versus matched normal tissue, and its low expression is involved in the lymph node and distant metastases of GC, as well as poor overall survival rates of GC patients. We further found that lnc-TLN2-4:1 inhibits the ability of GC cells to migrate and invade but does not influence GC cell proliferation and confirmed that lnc-TLN2-4:1 is mainly located in the cytoplasm of GC cells. We then found that lnc-TLN2-4:1 increases the mRNA and protein expression of TLN2 in GC cells and there is a positive correlation between the expression of lnc-TLN2-4:1 and TLN2 mRNA in GC tissue. Collectively, we identified a novel lncRNA, lnc-TLN2-4:1, in GC, where lnc-TLN2-4:1 represses cell migration and invasion. The low expression of lnc-TLN2-4:1 is associated with poor overall survival rates of GC patients. These suggest that lnc-TLN2-4:1 may be a tumor suppressor during GC metastasis.

Talin1 regulates the endometrial epithelial cell adhesive capacity by interacting with LASP1 and Vitronectin

The endometrium is a highly complex tissue that is vulnerable to subtle gene expression changes and is the first point of contact for an implanting blastocyst. Talin1 has previously been identified to regulate cytoskeleton and cell motility, however it has not been investigated in association with infertility. Herein, we presented that Talin1 dysregulation in the missed abortion endometrium would negatively influence endometrial adhesive capacity. Mechanistically, intracellular Talin1 inhibited the nuclear transportation of LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) and restored the expression of adhesion-associated protein. Moreover, extracellular Talin1 enforces endometrial epithelial cell adhesive capacity by interacting with Vitronectin (VTN) and activating the FAK/Src/ERK signalling pathway. This finding provides a novel insight into the potential use of Talin1 for managing endometrial epithelia cell adhesion. This study represents the first demonstration of Talin1 function in endometrial epithelial cell adhesion and endometrial receptivity. Our findings indicate that re-expression of Talin1 might represent a useful strategy for preventing and treating early pregnancy failure and infertility.

Overexpressed MAGP1 Is Associated With a Poor Prognosis and Promotes Cell Migration and Invasion in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is a frequently occurring malignancy with high mortality rates. However, the underlying mechanism of GC progression is not very clear. The aim of this study is to reveal the inherent molecular mechanism and develop potential therapeutic targets for advanced GC. The microfibril-associated glycoprotein 1 (MAGP1), identified as a potential oncogene, was found upregulated in GC tissues and high MAGP1 expression was associated with aggressive clinicopathological features. Furthermore, the multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high MAGP1 expression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis (HR = 2.37, 1.07-5.24; P = 0.033). Mechanistically, MAGP1 promoted the migration and invasiveness of GC cells. In addition, the genes co-expressed with MAGP1 were primarily enriched in focal adhesion and PI3K-Akt pathways. MAGP1 overexpression enhanced the phosphorylation of FAK, AKT, and mTOR, whereas its knockdown also inactivated these factors. Furthermore, the AKT inhibitor suppressed the phosphorylation of AKT, FAK, and mTOR in recMAGP1-treated AGS cells, as well as their migration and invasion capacities. Finally, correlation analysis indicated that MAGP1 is involved in AKT signaling in GC, and is clinically relevant. Taken together, MAGP1 is a promising prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target for advanced GC.

Regulation of Embryonic Signal on Talin1 in Mouse Endometrium

Embryonic signals can affect the spatiotemporal-specific expression of the uterus to establish a successful pregnancy. Our previous study has found that talin1 underwent dynamic changes in the mouse endometrium during peri-implantation period. However, whether talin1 is affected by the embryo signals is not clear. In order to investigate the effect of embryonic signals, especially human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) on talin1, we have designed mouse models of pseudopregnancy, delayed implantation and activation, and HCG treatment. Using these models, the expression of talin1 in the mouse endometrium was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. In the pseudopregnancy model, an increased expression of talin1 was found from day 3 to day 5, whereas the talin1 protein was decreased on day 5 in the normal pregnant mice. In the delayed implantation model, a strong cytoplasmic staining of talin1 was found, especially in stromal cells. However, after activation of the implantation, the expression of talin1 decreased (P < .05). Furthermore, a significantly lower expression of talin1 was found at the implantation site when compared to the interimplantation sites (P < .05). In the HCG treatment model, an intrauterine perfusion of 10u HCG significantly reduced the expression of talin1 in both stromal and epithelial cells in pseudopregnant mice (P < .05), although further increase in the HCG concentration did not have additional effect on expression of talin1. Taken together, our data suggest that the presence of embryos can affect expression of talin1 in the mouse endometrium, and a certain concentration of HCG can regulate its expression.

Improved detection of prostate cancer using a magneto-nanosensor assay for serum circulating autoantibodies

Purpose

To develop a magneto-nanosensor (MNS) based multiplex assay to measure protein and autoantibody biomarkers from human serum for prostate cancer (CaP) diagnosis.

Materials and methods

A 4-panel MNS autoantibody assay and a MNS protein assay were developed and optimized in our labs. Using these assays, serum concentration of six biomarkers including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) protein, free/total PSA ratio, as well as four autoantibodies against Parkinson disease 7 (PARK7), TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP), Talin 1 (TLN1), and Caldesmon 1 (CALD1) and were analyzed. Human serum samples from 99 patients (50 with non-cancer and 49 with clinically localized CaP) were evaluated.

Results

The MNS assay showed excellent performance characteristics and no cross-reactivity. All autoantibody assays showed a statistically significant difference between CaP and non-cancer samples except for PARK7. The most significant difference was the combination of the four autoantibodies as a panel in addition to the free/total PSA ratio. This combination had the highest area under the curve (AUC)– 0.916 in ROC analysis.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that this autoantibody panel along with PSA and free PSA have potential to segregate patients without cancer from those with prostate cancer with higher sensitivity and specificity than PSA alone.

LKB1 deficiency promotes proliferation and invasion of glioblastoma through activation of mTOR and focal adhesion kinase signaling pathways

Liver kinase B1 (LKB1), a serine/threonine kinase, is frequently inactivated in several types of human cancers. To date, inactivation of LKB1 tumor suppressor has rarely been reported in glioblastoma. In this study, we investigated LKB1 status, biological significance, and therapeutic implications in glioblastoma. Loss of LKB1 immunostaining was identified in 8.6% (5/58), while decrease of LKB1 immunostaining was found in 29.3% (17/58) of glioblastoma tissues. Notably, mining TCGA database of LKB1 expression in glioblastoma revealed that lower mRNA level of LKB1 was associated with shorter survival in glioblastoma. We found that knockdown of LKB1 significantly promoted in vitro proliferation, adhesion, invasion, and metformin-induced apoptosis, and simultaneously enhanced activation of ERK and mammalian-target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways in LKB1-compenent U87 and T98 glioblastoma cells. Moreover, global transcriptional profiling revealed that adhesion and cytoskeletal proteins such as Vinculin, Talin and signaling pathways including focal adhesion kinase (FAK), extracellular martrix (ECM) receptor interaction, and cellular motility were significantly enriched in U87 and T98 glioblastoma cells upon LKB1 knockdown. Additionally, we demonstrated that the enhanced activation of FAK by LKB1 knockdown was dependent on differentially expressed cytoskeletal proteins in these glioblastoma cells. Importantly, we further found that mTOR1 inhibitor rapamycin dominantly inhibited in vitro cellular proliferation, while FAK inhibitor PF-573288 drastically decreased invasion of LKB1-attenuated glioblastoma cells. Therefore, downregulation of LKB1 may contribute to the pathogenesis and malignancy of glioblastoma and may have potential implications for stratification and treatment of glioblastoma patients.

Targeting Cell Adhesion Molecules via Carbonate Apatite-Mediated Delivery of Specific siRNAs to Breast Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

While several treatment strategies are applied to cure breast cancer, it still remains one of the leading causes of female deaths worldwide. Since chemotherapeutic drugs have severe side effects and are responsible for development of drug resistance in cancer cells, gene therapy is now considered as one of the promising options to address the current treatment limitations. Identification of the over-expressed genes accounting for constitutive activation of certain pathways, and their subsequent knockdown with specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), could be a powerful tool in inhibiting proliferation and survival of cancer cells. In this study, we delivered siRNAs against mRNA transcripts of over-regulated cell adhesion molecules such as catenin alpha 1 (CTNNA1), catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1), talin-1 (TLN1), vinculin (VCL), paxillin (PXN), and actinin-1 (ACTN1) in human (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and murine (4T1) cell lines as well as in the murine female Balb/c mice model. In order to overcome the barriers of cell permeability and nuclease-mediated degradation, the pH-sensitive carbonate apatite (CA) nanocarrier was used as a delivery vehicle. While targeting CTNNA1, CTNNB1, TLN1, VCL, PXN, and ACTN1 resulted in a reduction of cell viability in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, delivery of all these siRNAs via carbonate apatite (CA) nanoparticles successfully reduced the cell viability in 4T1 cells. In 4T1 cells, delivery of CTNNA1, CTNNB1, TLN1, VCL, PXN, and ACTN1 siRNAs with CA caused significant reduction in phosphorylated and total AKT levels. Furthermore, reduced band intensity was observed for phosphorylated and total MAPK upon transfection of 4T1 cells with CTNNA1, CTNNB1, and VCL siRNAs. Intravenous delivery of CTNNA1 siRNA with CA nanoparticles significantly reduced tumor volume in the initial phase of the study, while siRNAs targeting CTNNB1, TLN1, VCL, PXN, and ACTN1 genes significantly decreased the tumor burden at all time points. The tumor weights at the end of the treatments were also notably smaller compared to CA. This successfully demonstrates that targeting these dysregulated genes via RNAi and by using a suitable delivery vehicle such as CA could serve as a promising therapeutic treatment modality for breast cancers.

ARPC4 promotes bladder cancer cell invasion and is associated with lymph node metastasis

The significance of actin-related protein 2/3 complex subunit 4 (ARPC4) expression in bladder cancer, and its potential role in the invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells, has yet to be determined. This study was to identify the correlation between ARPC4 and lymph node metastasis, and to determine the role of ARPC4 in the invasive migration of T24 bladder cancer cells. One hundred and ninety-eight bladder cancer tissues and 40 normal bladder and lymph node tissues were examined. Tissue microarrays were constructed and subjected to immunohistochemical stating for ARPC4. Multiple logistic analysis was used to determine risk factors associated with bladder cancer metastasis. ARPC4 expression in T24 bladder cancer cells was suppressed using small interfering RNA and changes in protein levels were determined by Western blot analysis. The proliferation of bladder cancer cells after knocking down of ARPC4 was determined by cell counting kit-8. The effects of ARPC4 knockdown on T24 cell invasion and migration was determined using transwell and wound healing assays. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed to examine changes in pseudopodia formation and actin cytoskeleton structure. The expression of ARPC4 was elevated in bladder cancer tissues than normal tissues (84.3% vs 27.5%, P < 0.001). The multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated that the level of ARPC4, as a risk factor, was correlated with lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05). ARPC4 knockdown attenuated proliferation, migration, invasion, and pseudopodia formation in T24 cells. ARPC4 expression, as a risk factor, is associated with lymphatic metastasis and is upregulated in bladder cancer tissues in comparison with normal tissues. Inhibition of ARPC4 expression significantly attenuates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of bladder cancer cell, possibly due to defects in pseudopodia formation.

miR-429 suppresses cell proliferation, migration and invasion in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by downregulation of TLN1

Background

miR-429 and TLN1 have been shown to affect the biological behaviours of many carcinomas. However, their effects in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) are not yet clear. Here, we investigated their regulatory relationships and effects on NPC cells.

Methods

TargetScan was used to predict the regulatory relationships of miR-429 and TLN1 in NPC cells. Then, Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) were performed to examine TLN1 levels, and qPCR was used to determine miR-429 levels in NPC cell lines with different metastatic characteristics (5-8F, CNE-2, CNE-1, 6-10B and NP69), to investigate whether TLN1 and miR-429 are correlated with the metastatic characteristics of these cells. Next, we upregulated or downregulated miR-429 in 5-8F and 6-10B cells, which have different tumourigenicity and transferability, and examined TLN1 expression by western blotting and qPCR after transfection. QPCR was also performed to confirm successful transfection of miR-429 mimic into 5-8F and 6-10B cells. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to investigate whether miR-429 regulates TLN1 by binding to its 3′UTR. After transfection, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) and IncuCyte were used to examine the proliferation of these cells, and wound-healing assay, Transwell migration assay, and invasion assays were performed to investigate the changes in migration and invasion after transfection.

Results

Western blotting and qPCR analyses showed that the protein level of TLN1 was negatively correlated with miR-429 in NPC cell lines (P < 0.05), while the mRNA level showed no relation with miR429 expression (P > 0.05). In addition, cells with high transferability showed high TLN1 expression at the protein level, while miR429 expression showed the opposite trend (P < 0.05), but there were no differences at the mRNA level between the different cell lines. Overexpression of miR429 in 5-8F and 6-10B cells was accompanied by downregulation of TLN1 at the protein level (P < 0.05), while there were no significant differences at the mRNA level (P > 0.05). In addition, transferability, proliferation, and invasion were downregulated by miR429 overexpression (P < 0.05). However, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay indicated that TLN1 was not a direct target of miR-429.

Conclusion

This study showed that miR-429 functions as a tumour suppressor in NPC by downregulation of TLN1, although the relationship is not direct.

Human Periprostatic Adipose Tissue: Secretome from Patients With Prostate Cancer or Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

BACKGROUND/AIM

Periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) directs tumour behaviour. Microenvironment secretome provides information related to its biology. This study was performed to identify secreted proteins by PPAT, from both prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis was performed in PPAT-conditioned media (CM) from patients with prostate cancer (CMs-T) (stage T3: CM-T3, stage T2: CM-T2) or benign disease (CM-BPH).

RESULTS

The highest number and diversity of proteins was identified in CM-T3. Locomotion was the biological process mainly associated to CMs-T and reproduction to CM-T3. Immune responses were enriched in CMs-T. Extracellular matrix and structural proteins were associated to CMs-T. CM-T3 was enriched in proteins with catalytic activity and CM-T2 in proteins with defense/immunity activity. Metabolism and energy pathways were enriched in CM-T3 and those with immune system functions in CMs-T. Transport proteins were enriched in CM-T2 and CM-BPH.

CONCLUSION

Proteins and pathways reported in this study could be useful to distinguish stages of disease and may become targets for novel therapies.