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Wang W, Taufalele PV, Millet M, Homsy K, Smart K, Berestesky ED, Schunk CT, Rowe MM, Bordeleau F, Reinhart-King CA. Matrix stiffness regulates tumor cell intravasation through expression and ESRP1-mediated alternative splicing of MENA. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112338. [PMID: 37027295 PMCID: PMC10551051 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
During intravasation, cancer cells cross the endothelial barrier and enter the circulation. Extracellular matrix stiffening has been correlated with tumor metastatic potential; however, little is known about the effects of matrix stiffness on intravasation. Here, we utilize in vitro systems, a mouse model, specimens from patients with breast cancer, and RNA expression profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) to investigate the molecular mechanism by which matrix stiffening promotes tumor cell intravasation. Our data show that heightened matrix stiffness increases MENA expression, which promotes contractility and intravasation through focal adhesion kinase activity. Further, matrix stiffening decreases epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1) expression, which triggers alternative splicing of MENA, decreases the expression of MENA11a, and enhances contractility and intravasation. Altogether, our data indicate that matrix stiffness regulates tumor cell intravasation through enhanced expression and ESRP1-mediated alternative splicing of MENA, providing a mechanism by which matrix stiffness regulates tumor cell intravasation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Paul V Taufalele
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Martial Millet
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada; CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Kevin Homsy
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada; CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Kyra Smart
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Emily D Berestesky
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Curtis T Schunk
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Matthew M Rowe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Francois Bordeleau
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada; CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center (Oncology Division), Québec, QC G1R 3S3, Canada; Département de biologie moléculaire, de biochimie médicale et de pathologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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2
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Li Mow Chee F, Beernaert B, Griffith BGC, Loftus AEP, Kumar Y, Wills JC, Lee M, Valli J, Wheeler AP, Armstrong JD, Parsons M, Leigh IM, Proby CM, von Kriegsheim A, Bickmore WA, Frame MC, Byron A. Mena regulates nesprin-2 to control actin-nuclear lamina associations, trans-nuclear membrane signalling and gene expression. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1602. [PMID: 36959177 PMCID: PMC10036544 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37021-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between cells and the extracellular matrix, mediated by integrin adhesion complexes, play key roles in fundamental cellular processes, including the sensing and transduction of mechanical cues. Here, we investigate systems-level changes in the integrin adhesome in patient-derived cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cells and identify the actin regulatory protein Mena as a key node in the adhesion complex network. Mena is connected within a subnetwork of actin-binding proteins to the LINC complex component nesprin-2, with which it interacts and co-localises at the nuclear envelope. Moreover, Mena potentiates the interactions of nesprin-2 with the actin cytoskeleton and the nuclear lamina. CRISPR-mediated Mena depletion causes altered nuclear morphology, reduces tyrosine phosphorylation of the nuclear membrane protein emerin and downregulates expression of the immunomodulatory gene PTX3 via the recruitment of its enhancer to the nuclear periphery. We uncover an unexpected role for Mena at the nuclear membrane, where it controls nuclear architecture, chromatin repositioning and gene expression. Our findings identify an adhesion protein that regulates gene transcription via direct signalling across the nuclear envelope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Li Mow Chee
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Bruno Beernaert
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK
- Department of Oncology, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Billie G C Griffith
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Alexander E P Loftus
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Yatendra Kumar
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Jimi C Wills
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Martin Lee
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Jessica Valli
- Edinburgh Super Resolution Imaging Consortium, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Ann P Wheeler
- Advanced Imaging Resource, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - J Douglas Armstrong
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9LE, UK
| | - Maddy Parsons
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Irene M Leigh
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK
- Institute of Dentistry, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 2AT, UK
| | - Charlotte M Proby
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK
| | - Alex von Kriegsheim
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Wendy A Bickmore
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Margaret C Frame
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK
| | - Adam Byron
- Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, UK.
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
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3
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Alromema N, Syed AH, Khan T. A Hybrid Machine Learning Approach to Screen Optimal Predictors for the Classification of Primary Breast Tumors from Gene Expression Microarray Data. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13040708. [PMID: 36832196 PMCID: PMC9955903 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13040708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The high dimensionality and sparsity of the microarray gene expression data make it challenging to analyze and screen the optimal subset of genes as predictors of breast cancer (BC). The authors in the present study propose a novel hybrid Feature Selection (FS) sequential framework involving minimum Redundancy-Maximum Relevance (mRMR), a two-tailed unpaired t-test, and meta-heuristics to screen the most optimal set of gene biomarkers as predictors for BC. The proposed framework identified a set of three most optimal gene biomarkers, namely, MAPK 1, APOBEC3B, and ENAH. In addition, the state-of-the-art supervised Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, namely Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Neural Net (NN), Naïve Bayes (NB), Decision Tree (DT), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Logistic Regression (LR) were used to test the predictive capability of the selected gene biomarkers and select the most effective breast cancer diagnostic model with higher values of performance matrices. Our study found that the XGBoost-based model was the superior performer with an accuracy of 0.976 ± 0.027, an F1-Score of 0.974 ± 0.030, and an AUC value of 0.961 ± 0.035 when tested on an independent test dataset. The screened gene biomarkers-based classification system efficiently detects primary breast tumors from normal breast samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nashwan Alromema
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology Rabigh (FCITR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence:
| | - Asif Hassan Syed
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology Rabigh (FCITR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tabrej Khan
- Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology Rabigh (FCITR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
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4
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Na S, Cui H, Guo Z, Liang X, Sakran KA, Guo X, Li X, Xie L, Zhu Y, Qi H, Tu J. Overexpression of Mena is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma via EMT. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1052375. [PMID: 36620546 PMCID: PMC9822539 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1052375] [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: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mena, a cytoskeletal regulatory protein, is involved in actin-based regulation of cell motility and adhesion, and contributes to tumor invasion and metastasis. However, the role of Mena in oral squamous cell carcinoma remains unclear. This is the first research focusing on the prognostic value of Mena in OSCC. In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between Mena expression and clinicopathological significance, as well as prognostic value in OSCC. Methods Mena gene expression profiles of OSCC and normal tissues were collected from Oncomine, TCGA, and GEO databases. Biological function was analyzed through GO, KEGG and GSEA enrichment. Further, the expression level of Mena and tumor-related markers in 151 OSCC specimens was examined by IHC staining based on tissue microarray. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess the prognostic performance of Mena in OSCC. Result Mena was generally upregulation in various malignancies, especially OSCC. The functional analyses indicated that Mena was involved in the assembly and regulation of actin, cell movement, and EMT. IHC staining revealed that high expression of Mena in OSCC was correlated with Lymphatic metastasis, TNM stage, E-cadherin, Vimentin, and MMP-2, but insignificantly Ki67. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that elevated expression of Mena was significantly associated with poor overall survival and disease-free survival of OSCC patients. Conclusion Mena could be a novel biomarker for predicting the prognosis of OSCC patients, which supports a theoretical basis for developing molecular target therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Na
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hao Cui
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhichen Guo
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiang Liang
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Karim Ahmed Sakran
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaomei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Pathology, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xingqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Linyang Xie
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yifei Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hong Qi
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Pathology, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,*Correspondence: Hong Qi, ; Junbo Tu,
| | - Junbo Tu
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China,*Correspondence: Hong Qi, ; Junbo Tu,
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5
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Yun S, Cha SS, Kim JH. DJ-1 promotes cell migration by interacting with Mena, the mammalian homolog of Drosophila enabled. Adv Biol Regul 2022; 88:100943. [PMID: 36542983 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2022.100943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
DJ-1 has gained extensive attention after being identified in 2003 as a protein implicated in the pathogenesis of early-onset Parkinson's disease. Since then, efforts have revealed versatile DJ-1 functions in reactive oxygen species (ROS) control, transcriptional regulation, chaperone function, fertility, and cell transformation. Herein, we report a novel function of DJ-1 in actin cytoskeletal rearrangements. DJ-1 was identified as a new binding partner of Mena, a protein of the Enah/VASP family, and it promoted cancer cell migration by Mena-dependent actin polymerization and filopodia formation. These results suggest a novel molecular mechanism for DJ-1-dependent cancer cell invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanguk Yun
- Department of Biotechnology, Inje University, Gimhae, 50834, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sun-Shin Cha
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Ho Kim
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, 50612, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Deng G, Luo Y, Zhang Y, Zhang J, He Z. Enabled homolog (ENAH) regulated by RNA binding protein splicing factor 3b subunit 4 (SF3B4) exacerbates the proliferation, invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via Notch signaling pathway. Bioengineered 2022; 13:2194-2206. [PMID: 35030977 PMCID: PMC8973836 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2023983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Enabled homolog (ENAH) is an actin-binding protein that implicated in multiple malignant tumors. High ENAH expression has been verified to be associated with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to reveal the role of ENAH in HCC and the potential mechanism. ENAH expression in HCC tissues and the prognostic correlation were analyzed by GEPIA2 database. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to test ENAH expression in HCC cells. Following ENAH silencing, cell proliferation was estimated by CCK-8 and colony formation assays. Transwell and wound healing assays were to assess cell invasion and migration. ENCORI database was to analyze the correlation between ENAH and splicing factor 3b subunit 4 (SF3B4) in HCC tissues, which was then verified by RIP and actinomycin D assay. Then, the expression of Notch signaling-related proteins was detected by Western blotting after ENAH knockdown. Afterward, Notch1 was overexpressed to validate whether ENAH impacted the biological events of HCC cells through mediating Notch signaling. Results revealed that ENAH expression was elevated in HCC tissues and cells and associated with poor prognosis. ENAH deficiency mitigated proliferation, invasion and migration of HCC cells. Mechanistically, ENAH was positively correlated with SF3B4 in HCC tissues. SF3B4 could bind to ENAH mRNA and stabilized ENAH. Besides, ENAH activated Notch signaling. Notch1 up-regulation reversed the influence of ENAH knockdown on biological events of HCC cells. Collectively, ENAH regulated by SF3B4 promoted the development of HCC through activating Notch signaling, which identified ENAH as a potent molecular target for HCC therapy and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoming Deng
- The 2nd Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Clinical Translational Research of Hakka Population, Meizhou, China
| | - Yufeng Luo
- The 2nd Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Clinical Translational Research of Hakka Population, Meizhou, China
| | - Yaoming Zhang
- The 2nd Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Clinical Translational Research of Hakka Population, Meizhou, China
| | - Jinfeng Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Clinical Translational Research of Hakka Population, Meizhou, China.,The 3rd Department of Medical Oncology, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, China
| | - Zongyun He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Clinical Translational Research of Hakka Population, Meizhou, China.,The Department of Hepatology, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, China
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7
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Chen Z, Chu X, Xu J. Detection and analysis of long noncoding RNA expression profiles related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in keloids. Biomed Eng Online 2022; 21:2. [PMID: 35012558 PMCID: PMC8751032 DOI: 10.1186/s12938-022-00976-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the pathogenesis of keloids is currently raising increasing attention. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) govern a variety of biological processes, such as EMT, and their dysregulation is involved in many diseases including keloid disease. The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed EMT-related lncRNAs in keloid tissues versus normal tissues and to interpret their functions. RESULTS Eleven lncRNAs and 16 mRNAs associated with EMT were identified to have differential expression between keloid and normal skin tissues (fold change > 1.5, P < 0.05). Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that these differentially expressed mRNAs functioned in the extracellular matrix, protein binding, the positive regulation of cellular processes, the Set1C/COMPASS complex and histone acetyltransferase activity. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis demonstrated that these mRNAs are involved in pathways in cancer. The lncRNA, XLOC_000587 may promote cell proliferation and migration by enhancing the expression of ENAH, while AF268386 may facilitate the invasive growth of keloids by upregulating DDR2. CONCLUSIONS We characterized the differential expression profiles of EMT-related lncRNAs and mRNAs in keloids, which may contribute to preventing the occurrence and development of keloids by targeting the corresponding signaling pathways. These lncRNAs and mRNAs may provide biomarkers for keloid diagnosis and serve as potential targets for the treatment of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiong Chen
- Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Chu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, People's Republic of China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinghong Xu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, People's Republic of China.
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8
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Dittmer J. Biological effects and regulation of IGFBP5 in breast cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:983793. [PMID: 36093095 PMCID: PMC9453429 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.983793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) pathway plays an important role in cancer progression. In breast cancer, the IGF1R pathway is linked to estrogen-dependent signaling. Regulation of IGF1R activity is complex and involves the actions of its ligands IGF1 and IGF2 and those of IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). Six IGFBPs are known that share the ability to form complexes with the IGFs, by which they control the bioavailability of these ligands. Besides, each of the IGFBPs have specific features. In this review, the focus lies on the biological effects and regulation of IGFBP5 in breast cancer. In breast cancer, estrogen is a critical regulator of IGFBP5 transcription. It exerts its effect through an intergenic enhancer loop that is part of the chromosomal breast cancer susceptibility region 2q35. The biological effects of IGFBP5 depend upon the cellular context. By inhibiting or promoting IGF1R signaling, IGFBP5 can either act as a tumor suppressor or promoter. Additionally, IGFBP5 possesses IGF-independent activities, which contribute to the complexity by which IGFBP5 interferes with cancer cell behavior.
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9
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Melchionna R, Trono P, Tocci A, Nisticò P. Actin Cytoskeleton and Regulation of TGFβ Signaling: Exploring Their Links. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11020336. [PMID: 33672325 PMCID: PMC7926735 DOI: 10.3390/biom11020336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Human tissues, to maintain their architecture and function, respond to injuries by activating intricate biochemical and physical mechanisms that regulates intercellular communication crucial in maintaining tissue homeostasis. Coordination of the communication occurs through the activity of different actin cytoskeletal regulators, physically connected to extracellular matrix through integrins, generating a platform of biochemical and biomechanical signaling that is deregulated in cancer. Among the major pathways, a controller of cellular functions is the cytokine transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), which remains a complex and central signaling network still to be interpreted and explained in cancer progression. Here, we discuss the link between actin dynamics and TGFβ signaling with the aim of exploring their aberrant interaction in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Melchionna
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy; (R.M.); (P.T.); (A.T.)
| | - Paola Trono
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy; (R.M.); (P.T.); (A.T.)
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, via Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo, Rome, Italy
| | - Annalisa Tocci
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy; (R.M.); (P.T.); (A.T.)
| | - Paola Nisticò
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, via Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy; (R.M.); (P.T.); (A.T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0652662539
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10
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Phenotypic Plasticity of Cancer Cells Based on Remodeling of the Actin Cytoskeleton and Adhesive Structures. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041821. [PMID: 33673054 PMCID: PMC7918886 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
There is ample evidence that, instead of a binary switch, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer results in a flexible array of phenotypes, each one uniquely suited to a stage in the invasion-metastasis cascade. The phenotypic plasticity of epithelium-derived cancer cells gives them an edge in surviving and thriving in alien environments. This review describes in detail the actin cytoskeleton and E-cadherin-based adherens junction rearrangements that cancer cells need to implement in order to achieve the advantageous epithelial/mesenchymal phenotype and plasticity of migratory phenotypes that can arise from partial EMT.
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11
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Designed nanomolar small-molecule inhibitors of Ena/VASP EVH1 interaction impair invasion and extravasation of breast cancer cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:29684-29690. [PMID: 33184177 PMCID: PMC7703624 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2007213117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein–protein interactions mediated by proline-rich motifs are involved in regulation of many important signaling cascades. These motifs belong to the most abundant recognition motifs in the eukaryotic genome and preferentially adopt a left-handed polyproline helix II, a secondary structure element that has been notoriously difficult to mimic with small molecules. Here, we present a structure-guided design effort yielding a toolkit of chemical entities that enables rational construction of selective small molecule inhibitors for these protein domains. We succeeded in developing an inhibitor for the Ena/VASP protein family that is active in vivo and reduces extravasation of invasive breast cancer cells in a zebrafish model. Battling metastasis through inhibition of cell motility is considered a promising approach to support cancer therapies. In this context, Ena/VASP-depending signaling pathways, in particular interactions with their EVH1 domains, are promising targets for pharmaceutical intervention. However, protein–protein interactions involving proline-rich segments are notoriously difficult to address by small molecules. Hence, structure-based design efforts in combination with the chemical synthesis of additional molecular entities are required. Building on a previously developed nonpeptidic micromolar inhibitor, we determined 22 crystal structures of ENAH EVH1 in complex with inhibitors and rationally extended our library of conformationally defined proline-derived modules (ProMs) to succeed in developing a nanomolar inhibitor (Kd=120 nM,MW=734 Da). In contrast to the previous inhibitor, the optimized compounds reduced extravasation of invasive breast cancer cells in a zebrafish model. This study represents an example of successful, structure-guided development of low molecular weight inhibitors specifically and selectively addressing a proline-rich sequence-recognizing domain that is characterized by a shallow epitope lacking defined binding pockets. The evolved high-affinity inhibitor may now serve as a tool in validating the basic therapeutic concept, i.e., the suppression of cancer metastasis by inhibiting a crucial protein–protein interaction involved in actin filament processing and cell migration.
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Melchionna R, Spada S, Di Modugno F, D'Andrea D, Di Carlo A, Panetta M, Mileo AM, Sperduti I, Antoniani B, Gallo E, Lawlor RT, Piemonti L, Visca P, Milella M, Grazi GL, Facciolo F, Chen E, Scarpa A, Nisticò P. The actin modulator hMENA regulates GAS6-AXL axis and pro-tumor cancer/stromal cell cooperation. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e50078. [PMID: 32909687 PMCID: PMC7645265 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202050078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamic interplay between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) is regulated by multiple signaling pathways, which can lead to cancer progression and therapy resistance. We have previously demonstrated that hMENA, a member of the actin regulatory protein of Ena/VASP family, and its tissue-specific isoforms influence a number of intracellular signaling pathways related to cancer progression. Here, we report a novel function of hMENA/hMENAΔv6 isoforms in tumor-promoting CAFs and in the modulation of pro-tumoral cancer cell/CAF crosstalk via GAS6/AXL axis regulation. LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis reveals that CAFs that overexpress hMENAΔv6 secrete the AXL ligand GAS6, favoring the invasiveness of AXL-expressing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Reciprocally, hMENA/hMENAΔv6 regulates AXL expression in tumor cells, thus sustaining GAS6-AXL axis, reported as crucial in EMT, immune evasion, and drug resistance. Clinically, we found that a high hMENA/GAS6/AXL gene expression signature is associated with a poor prognosis in PDAC and NSCLC. We propose that hMENA contributes to cancer progression through paracrine tumor-stroma crosstalk, with far-reaching prognostic and therapeutic implications for NSCLC and PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Melchionna
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Sheila Spada
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Modugno
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniel D'Andrea
- Department of Medicine, Centre for Cell Signaling and Inflammation, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Di Carlo
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Mariangela Panetta
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Mileo
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Isabella Sperduti
- Biostatistics and Scientific Direction, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Barbara Antoniani
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Enzo Gallo
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Rita T Lawlor
- ARC-NET Research Centre, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Piemonti
- Diabetes Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Visca
- Pathology Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Michele Milella
- Department of Medical Oncology 1, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Gian Luca Grazi
- Hepato-pancreato-biliary Surgery Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Facciolo
- Thoracic-Surgery Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Emily Chen
- Thermo Fisher Precision Medicine Science Center, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- ARC-NET Research Centre, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Paola Nisticò
- Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
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13
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Berger AJ, Renner CM, Hale I, Yang X, Ponik SM, Weisman PS, Masters KS, Kreeger PK. Scaffold stiffness influences breast cancer cell invasion via EGFR-linked Mena upregulation and matrix remodeling. Matrix Biol 2020; 85-86:80-93. [PMID: 31323325 PMCID: PMC6962577 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Clinically, increased breast tumor stiffness is associated with metastasis and poorer outcomes. Yet, in vitro studies of tumor cells in 3D scaffolds have found decreased invasion in stiffer environments. To resolve this apparent contradiction, MDA-MB-231 breast tumor spheroids were embedded in 'low' (2 kPa) and 'high' (12 kPa) stiffness 3D hydrogels comprised of methacrylated gelatin/collagen I, a material that allows for physiologically-relevant changes in stiffness while matrix density is held constant. Cells in high stiffness materials exhibited delayed invasion, but more abundant actin-enriched protrusions, compared to those in low stiffness. We find that cells in high stiffness had increased expression of Mena, an invadopodia protein associated with metastasis in breast cancer, as a result of EGFR and PLCγ1 activation. As invadopodia promote invasion through matrix remodeling, we examined matrix organization and determined that spheroids in high stiffness displayed a large fibronectin halo. Interestingly, this halo did not result from increased fibronectin production, but rather from Mena/α5 integrin dependent organization. In high stiffness environments, FN1 knockout inhibited invasion while addition of exogenous cellular fibronectin lessened the invasion delay. Analysis of fibronectin isoforms demonstrated that EDA-fibronectin promoted invasion and that clinical invasive breast cancer specimens displayed elevated EDA-fibronectin. Combined, our data support a mechanism by which breast cancer cells respond to stiffness and render the environment conducive to invasion. More broadly, these findings provide important insight on the roles of matrix stiffness, composition, and organization in promoting tumor invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Berger
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Carine M Renner
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Isaac Hale
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Xinhai Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Suzanne M Ponik
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States of America; Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Paul S Weisman
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States of America; Department of Pathology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Kristyn S Masters
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America; Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States of America; Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States of America; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America.
| | - Pamela K Kreeger
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America; Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States of America; Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States of America; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States of America.
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14
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Chen YC, Sahoo S, Brien R, Jung S, Humphries B, Lee W, Cheng YH, Zhang Z, Luker KE, Wicha MS, Luker GD, Yoon E. Single-cell RNA-sequencing of migratory breast cancer cells: discovering genes associated with cancer metastasis. Analyst 2019; 144:7296-7309. [PMID: 31710321 PMCID: PMC8942075 DOI: 10.1039/c9an01358j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Considerable evidence suggests breast cancer metastasis arises from cells undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) and cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). Using a microfluidic device that enriches migratory breast cancer cells with enhanced capacity for tumor formation and metastasis, we identified genes differentially expressed in migratory cells by high-throughput single-cell RNA-sequencing. Migratory cells exhibited overall signatures of EMT and CSCs with variable expression of marker genes, and they retained expression profiles of EMT over time. With single-cell resolution, we discovered intermediate EMT states and distinct epithelial and mesenchymal sub-populations of migratory cells, indicating breast cancer cells can migrate rapidly while retaining an epithelial state. Migratory cells showed differential profiles for regulators of oxidative stress, mitochondrial morphology, and the proteasome, revealing potential vulnerabilities and unexpected consequences of drugs. We also identified novel genes correlated with cell migration and outcomes in breast cancer as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets to block migratory cells in metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chih Chen
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
- Forbes Institute for Cancer Discovery, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Saswat Sahoo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel, Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2099, USA
| | - Riley Brien
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
| | - Seungwon Jung
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
| | - Brock Humphries
- Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Woncheol Lee
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
| | - Yu-Heng Cheng
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
| | - Zhixiong Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
| | - Kathryn E. Luker
- Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Max S. Wicha
- Forbes Institute for Cancer Discovery, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Gary D. Luker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel, Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2099, USA
- Center for Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Euisik Yoon
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, 1301 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2122
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel, Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2099, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (Nano BME), Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
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15
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Wang DD, Chen YB, Zhao JJ, Zhang XF, Zhu GC, Weng DS, Pan K, Lv L, Pan QZ, Jiang SS, Wang LL, Xia JC. TES functions as a Mena-dependent tumor suppressor in gastric cancer carcinogenesis and metastasis. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2019; 39:3. [PMID: 30728082 PMCID: PMC6366075 DOI: 10.1186/s40880-019-0347-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In our previous study, we identified a candidate tumor suppressor gene, testin LIM domain protein (TES), in primary gastric cancer (GC). TES contains three LIM domains, which are specific interacting regions for the cell adhesion and cytoskeleton regulatory proteins. Mena is a known cytoskeleton regulator that regulates the assembly of actin filaments and modulates cell adhesion and motility by interacting with Lamellipodin (Lpd). Therefore, we hypothesized that TES plays a role as tumor suppressor in GC through interacting with Mena. This study aimed to investigate the tumor suppressive functions of TES in GC. Methods We explored the tumor suppressive effect of TES in GC by in vitro cell proliferation assay, colony formation assay, cell cycle analysis, Transwell assays, and in vivo tumorigenicity and metastasis assays. The interaction of TES and Mena was investigated through immunoprecipitation-based mass spectrometry. We also analyzed the expression of TES and Mena in 172 GC specimens using immunohistochemistry and investigated the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of TES and Mena in GC. Results TES suppressed GC cell proliferation and colony formation, induced cell cycle arrest, and inhibited tumorigenicity in vitro. Additionally, it inhibited GC cell migration and invasion in vitro and suppressed metastasis in vivo. TES interacted with Mena, and inhibited the interaction of Mena with Lpd. Transwell assays suggested that TES suppressed migration and invasion of GC cells in a Mena-dependent fashion. In GC patients with high Mena expression, the expression of TES was associated with tumor infiltration (P = 0.005), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.003), TNM stage (P = 0.003), and prognosis (P = 0.010). However, no significant association was observed in GC patients with low Mena expression. Conclusions We believe that TES functions as a Mena-dependent tumor suppressor. TES represents a valuable prognostic marker and potential target for GC treatment. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40880-019-0347-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Dan Wang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Back and Neck Pain Hospital, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, 250062, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Bing Chen
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Genetic and Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Jing-Jing Zhao
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Fei Zhang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Guang-Chao Zhu
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - De-Sheng Weng
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Ke Pan
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Lin Lv
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Qiu-Zhong Pan
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Shan-Shan Jiang
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China
| | - Lei-Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory for Applied Microbiology of Shandong Province, Ecology Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, P.R. China
| | - Jian-Chuan Xia
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China. .,Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P.R. China.
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16
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Enah overexpression is correlated with poor survival and aggressive phenotype in gastric cancer. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:998. [PMID: 30250066 PMCID: PMC6155292 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-1031-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Enabled homolog (Enah), which is a member of the Ena/VASP family that also includes VASP (vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein) and Ena/VASP like, is a mammalian ortholog of Drosophila Enabled (Ena). An increasing number of studies demonstrated Enah overexpression is involved in human colorectal carcinomas, breast cancers and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the significance of Enah expression in gastric cancer (GC) is poorly elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that Enah is upregulated in GC and associated with AJCC stage, depth of invasion and poor overall survival (OS). Knockdown of Enah inhibited GC cell proliferation and metastasis and vice versa. Further experiments suggested that p-Erk1/2, p-AKT, p-p65, Vimentin and Fibronectin were downregulated and E-cadherin was upregulated after Enah silencing, implicating altered functions in GC proliferation and metastasis. Thus, our study suggests that Enah is a harmful factor for GC and a novel target for GC treatment.
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17
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hMENA isoforms impact NSCLC patient outcome through fibronectin/β1 integrin axis. Oncogene 2018; 37:5605-5617. [PMID: 29907768 PMCID: PMC6193944 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0364-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
We demonstrated previously that the splicing of the actin regulator, hMENA, generates two alternatively expressed isoforms, hMENA11a and hMENAΔv6, which have opposite functions in cell invasiveness. Their mechanisms of action have remained unclear. Here we report two major findings: (i) hMENA regulates β1 integrin expression. This was shown by depleting total hMENA, which led to loss of nuclear expression of serum response factor (SRF)-coactivator myocardin-related transcription factor 1 (MRTF-A), leading to an increase in the G-actin/F-actin ratio crucial for MRTF-A localization. This in turn inhibited SRF activity and the expression of its target gene β1 integrin. (ii) hMENA11a reduces and hMENAΔv6 increases β1 integrin activation and signaling. Moreover, exogenous expression of hMENA11a in hMENAΔv6-positive cancer cells dramatically reduces secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, including β1 integrin ligands and metalloproteinases. On the other hand, overexpression of the pro-invasive hMENAΔv6 increases fibronectin production. In primary tumors high hMENA11a correlates with low stromal fibronectin and a favorable clinical outcome of early node-negative non-small-cell lung cancer patients. These data provide new insights into the roles of hMENA11a and hMENAΔv6 in the druggable β1 integrin-ECM signaling axis and allow stratification of patient risk, guiding their clinical management.
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18
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Maziveyi M, Alahari SK. Cell matrix adhesions in cancer: The proteins that form the glue. Oncotarget 2018; 8:48471-48487. [PMID: 28476046 PMCID: PMC5564663 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.17265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The main purposes of Integrin-mediated cell contacts are to interpret bi-directional signals between the extracellular environment and intracellular proteins, as well as, anchor the cell to a matrix. Many cell adhesion molecules have been discovered with a wide spectrum of responsibilities, including recruiting, activating, elongating, and maintaining. This review will perlustrate some of the key incidences that precede focal adhesion formation. Tyrosine phosphorylation is a key signaling initiation event that leads to the recruitment of multiple proteins to focal adhesion sites. Recruitment and concentration of proteins such as Paxillin and Vinculin to Integrin clutches is necessary for focal adhesion development. The assembled networks are responsible for transmitting signals back and forth from the extracellular matrix (ECM) to Actin and its binding proteins. Cancer cells exhibit highly altered focal adhesion dynamics. This review will highlight some key discoveries in cancer cell adhesion, as well as, identify current gaps in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mazvita Maziveyi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Suresh K Alahari
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
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19
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Xu L, Tan H, Liu R, Huang Q, Zhang N, Li X, Wang J. Expression of the cytoskeleton regulatory protein Mena in human gastric carcinoma and its prognostic significance. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:6024-6030. [PMID: 29113241 PMCID: PMC5662922 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytoskeleton regulatory protein Mena is reportedly overexpressed in breast cancer; however, data regarding its expression level and clinical significance in gastric carcinoma (GC) is limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate Mena expression levels and prognostic significance in GC. Mena mRNA expression level was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 10 paired GC and adjacent normal tissues. The Mena protein expression level was analyzed in paraffin-embedded GC samples and adjacent normal tissues by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analyses were also performed to evaluate the clinicopathological significance of Mena. The results revealed that the mRNA expression level of Mena was significantly higher in G Ct issues compared with in adjacent normal tissues from10 paired samples. In the paraffin-embedded tissue samples, the protein expression level of Mena was higher in G Ct issues compared with in adjacent normal tissues. Compared with adjacent normal tissues, Mena overexpression was observed in 52.83% (56/106) of patients. The overexpression of Mena was significantly associated with the T stage (P=0.033), tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (P<0.001) and decreased overall survival (P<0.001). Based on a multivariate analysis, Mena expression level was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival time. In conclusion, Mena wasoverexpressed in G C tissues and significantly associated with the T stage, TNM stage and overall survival time. Mena may therefore be suitable as a prognostic indicator for patients with GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Xu
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510230, P.R. China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510230, P.R. China
| | - Huo Tan
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510230, P.R. China
| | - Ruiming Liu
- First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Laboratory of Department of Surgery, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510030, P.R. China
| | - Qungai Huang
- Breast Cancer Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China
| | - Nana Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China
| | - Xi Li
- Breast Cancer Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China
| | - Jiani Wang
- Breast Cancer Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China
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Loss of Kaiso expression in breast cancer cells prevents intra-vascular invasion in the lung and secondary metastasis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0183883. [PMID: 28880889 PMCID: PMC5589175 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The metastatic activity of breast carcinomas results from complex genetic changes in epithelial tumor cells and accounts for 90% of deaths in affected patients. Although the invasion of the local lymphatic vessels and veins by malignant breast tumor cells and their subsequent metastasis to the lung, has been recognized, the mechanisms behind the metastatic activity of breast tumor cells to other distal organs and the pathogenesis of metastatic cancer are not well understood. In this study, we utilized derivatives of the well-established and highly metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line MDA-MB-231 (MDA-231) to study breast tumor metastasis in a mouse model. These MDA-231 derivatives had depleted expression of Kaiso, a POZ-ZF transcription factor that is highly expressed in malignant, triple negative breast cancers. We previously reported that Kaiso depletion attenuates the metastasis of xenografted MDA-231 cells. Herein, we describe the pathological features of the metastatic activity of parental (Kaisopositive) versus Kaisodepleted MDA-231 cells. Both Kaisopositive and Kaisodepleted MDA-231 cells metastasized from the original tumor in the mammary fat pad to the lung. However, while Kaisopositive cells formed large masses in the lung parenchyma, invaded large pulmonary blood vessels and formed secondary metastases and large tumors in the distal organs, Kaisodepleted cells metastasized only to the lung where they formed small metastatic lesions. Importantly, intravascular invasion and secondary metastases in distal organs were not observed in mice xenografted with Kaisodepleted cells. It thus appears that the lung may constitute a barrier for less invasive breast tumors such as the Kaisodepleted TNBC cells; this barrier may limit tumor growth and prevents Kaisodepleted TNBC cells from invading the pulmonary blood vessels and forming secondary metastases in distal organs.
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21
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Chang YS, Jalgaonkar SP, Middleton JD, Hai T. Stress-inducible gene Atf3 in the noncancer host cells contributes to chemotherapy-exacerbated breast cancer metastasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E7159-E7168. [PMID: 28784776 PMCID: PMC5576783 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1700455114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy is a double-edged sword. It is anticancer because of its cytotoxicity. Paradoxically, by increasing chemoresistance and cancer metastasis, it is also procancer. However, the underlying mechanisms for chemotherapy-induced procancer activities are not well understood. Here we describe the ability of paclitaxel (PTX), a frontline chemotherapeutic agent, to exacerbate metastasis in mouse models of breast cancer. We demonstrate that, despite the apparent benefit of reducing tumor size, PTX increased the circulating tumor cells in the blood and enhanced the metastatic burden at the lung. At the primary tumor, PTX increased the abundance of the tumor microenvironment of metastasis, a landmark microanatomical structure at the microvasculature where cancer cells enter the blood stream. At the metastatic lung, PTX improved the tissue microenvironment (the "soil") for cancer cells (the "seeds") to thrive; these changes include increased inflammatory monocytes and reduced cytotoxicity. Importantly, these changes in the primary tumor and the metastatic lung were all dependent on Atf3, a stress-inducible gene, in the noncancer host cells. Together, our data provide mechanistic insights into the procancer effect of chemotherapy, explaining its paradox in the context of the seed-and-soil theory. Analyses of public datasets suggest that our data may have relevance to human cancers. Thus, ATF3 in the host cells links a chemotherapeutic agent-a stressor-to immune modulation and cancer metastasis. Dampening the effect of ATF3 may improve the efficacy of chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Seok Chang
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Swati P Jalgaonkar
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Justin D Middleton
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Tsonwin Hai
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210;
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
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22
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Actin stress fiber organization promotes cell stiffening and proliferation of pre-invasive breast cancer cells. Nat Commun 2017; 8:15237. [PMID: 28508872 PMCID: PMC5440822 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of the role of actin in tumour progression have highlighted its key contribution in cell softening associated with cell invasion. Here, using a human breast cell line with conditional Src induction, we demonstrate that cells undergo a stiffening state prior to acquiring malignant features. This state is characterized by the transient accumulation of stress fibres and upregulation of Ena/VASP-like (EVL). EVL, in turn, organizes stress fibres leading to transient cell stiffening, ERK-dependent cell proliferation, as well as enhancement of Src activation and progression towards a fully transformed state. Accordingly, EVL accumulates predominantly in premalignant breast lesions and is required for Src-induced epithelial overgrowth in Drosophila. While cell softening allows for cancer cell invasion, our work reveals that stress fibre-mediated cell stiffening could drive tumour growth during premalignant stages. A careful consideration of the mechanical properties of tumour cells could therefore offer new avenues of exploration when designing cancer-targeting therapies. When cells acquire a malignant phenotype they become less stiff and this helps migration and invasion favouring metastasis. Here the authors show that Src-driven cell transformation and transition to a less stiff state follows an event of membrane stiffening due to stress fibres accumulation.
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23
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Melchionna R, Iapicca P, Di Modugno F, Trono P, Sperduti I, Fassan M, Cataldo I, Rusev BC, Lawlor RT, Diodoro MG, Milella M, Grazi GL, Bissell MJ, Scarpa A, Nisticò P. The pattern of hMENA isoforms is regulated by TGF-β1 in pancreatic cancer and may predict patient outcome. Oncoimmunology 2016; 5:e1221556. [PMID: 28123868 PMCID: PMC5213039 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2016.1221556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Revised: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease in need of prognostic markers to address therapeutic choices. We have previously shown that alternative splicing of the actin regulator, hMENA, generates hMENA11a, and hMENAΔv6 isoforms with opposite roles in cell invasion. We examined the expression pattern of hMENA isoforms by immunohistochemistry, using anti-pan hMENA and specific anti-hMENA11a antibodies, in 285 PDACs, 15 PanINs, 10 pancreatitis, and normal pancreas. Pan hMENA immunostaining, absent in normal pancreas and low-grade PanINs, was weak in PanIN-3 and had higher levels in virtually all PDACs with 64% of cases showing strong staining. Conversely, the anti-invasive hMENA11a isoform only showed strong staining in 26% of PDAC. The absence of hMENA11a in a subset (34%) of pan-hMENA-positive tumors significantly correlated with poor outcome. The functional effects of hMENA isoforms were analyzed by loss and gain of function experiments in TGF-β1-treated PDAC cell lines. hMENA11a knock-down in PDAC cell lines affected cell-cell adhesion but not invasion. TGF-β1 cooperated with β-catenin signaling to upregulate hMENA and hMENAΔv6 expression but not hMENA11a In the absence of hMENA11a, the hMENA/hMENAΔv6 up-regulation is crucial for SMAD2-mediated TGF-β1 signaling and TGF-β1-induced EMT. Since the hMENA isoform expression pattern correlates with patient outcome, the data suggest that hMENA splicing and related pathways are novel key players in pancreatic tumor microenvironment and may represent promising targets for the development of new prognostic and therapeutic tools in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Melchionna
- Tumour Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute , Rome, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Iapicca
- Tumour Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute , Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Modugno
- Tumour Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute , Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Trono
- Tumour Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute , Rome, Italy
| | - Isabella Sperduti
- Biostatistics and Scientific Direction, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute , Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Fassan
- ARC-NET Research Center, Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona , Verona, Italy
| | - Ivana Cataldo
- ARC-NET Research Center, Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona , Verona, Italy
| | - Borislav C Rusev
- ARC-NET Research Center, Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona , Verona, Italy
| | - Rita T Lawlor
- ARC-NET Research Center, Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona , Verona, Italy
| | | | - Michele Milella
- Medical Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute , Rome, Italy
| | - Gian Luca Grazi
- Hepato-pancreato-biliary Surgery Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute , Rome, Italy
| | - Mina J Bissell
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California , CA, USA
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- ARC-NET Research Center, Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, University of Verona , Verona, Italy
| | - Paola Nisticò
- Tumour Immunology and Immunotherapy Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute , Rome, Italy
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24
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Döppler H, Bastea L, Borges S, Geiger X, Storz P. The phosphorylation status of VASP at serine 322 can be predictive for aggressiveness of invasive ductal carcinoma. Oncotarget 2016; 6:29740-52. [PMID: 26336132 PMCID: PMC4745759 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) signaling is critical for dynamic actin reorganization processes that define the motile phenotype of cells. Here we show that VASP is generally highly expressed in normal breast tissue and breast cancer. We also show that the phosphorylation status of VASP at S322 can be predictive for breast cancer progression to an aggressive phenotype. Our data indicate that phosphorylation at S322 is gradually decreased from normal breast to DCIS, luminal/ER+, HER2+ and basal-like/TN phenotypes. Similarly, the expression levels of PKD2, the kinase that phosphorylates VASP at this site, are decreased in invasive ductal carcinoma samples of all three groups. Overall, the phosphorylation status of this residue may serve as an indicator of aggressiveness of breast tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Döppler
- Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Ligia Bastea
- Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Sahra Borges
- Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | | | - Peter Storz
- Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
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25
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Rondón-Lagos M, Rangel N, Di Cantogno LV, Annaratone L, Castellano I, Russo R, Manetta T, Marchiò C, Sapino A. Effect of low doses of estradiol and tamoxifen on breast cancer cell karyotypes. Endocr Relat Cancer 2016; 23:635-50. [PMID: 27357940 PMCID: PMC5064758 DOI: 10.1530/erc-16-0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Evidence supports a role of 17&-estradiol (E2) in carcinogenesis and the large majority of breast carcinomas are dependent on estrogen. The anti-estrogen tamoxifen (TAM) is widely used for both treatment and prevention of breast cancer; however, it is also carcinogenic in human uterus and rat liver, highlighting the profound complexity of its actions. The nature of E2- or TAM-induced chromosomal damage has been explored using relatively high concentrations of these agents, and only some numerical aberrations and chromosomal breaks have been analyzed. This study aimed to determine the effects of low doses of E2 and TAM (10(&8 )mol L(&1) and 10(&6 )mol L(&1) respectively) on karyotypes of MCF7, T47D, BT474, and SKBR3 breast cancer cells by comparing the results of conventional karyotyping and multi-FISH painting with cell proliferation. Estrogen receptor (ER)-positive (+) cells showed an increase in cell proliferation after E2 treatment (MCF7, T47D, and BT474) and a decrease after TAM treatment (MCF7 and T47D), whereas in ER& cells (SKBR3), no alterations in cell proliferation were observed, except for a small increase at 96 h. Karyotypes of both ER+ and ER& breast cancer cells increased in complexity after treatments with E2 and TAM leading to specific chromosomal abnormalities, some of which were consistent throughout the treatment duration. This genotoxic effect was higher in HER2+ cells. The ER&/HER2+ SKBR3 cells were found to be sensitive to TAM, exhibiting an increase in chromosomal aberrations. These in vitro results provide insights into the potential role of low doses of E2 and TAM in inducing chromosomal rearrangements in breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nelson Rangel
- Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy Natural and Mathematical Sciences FacultyUniversidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | | | - Rosalia Russo
- Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Tilde Manetta
- Department of Public Health and PediatricsUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Anna Sapino
- Department of Medical SciencesUniversity of Turin, Turin, Italy Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
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26
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Guo F, Ren X, Dong Y, Hu X, Xu D, Zhou H, Meng F, Tian W, Zhao Y. Constitutive expression of PPARγ inhibits proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells and down-regulates Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway downstream target genes TERT and ENAH. Gene 2016; 584:31-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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27
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Bhagat M, Palanichamy JK, Ramalingam P, Mudassir M, Irshad K, Chosdol K, Sarkar C, Seth P, Goswami S, Sinha S, Chattopadhyay P. HIF-2α mediates a marked increase in migration and stemness characteristics in a subset of glioma cells under hypoxia by activating an Oct-4/Sox-2-Mena (INV) axis. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2016; 74:60-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2016.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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28
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Carmona G, Perera U, Gillett C, Naba A, Law AL, Sharma VP, Wang J, Wyckoff J, Balsamo M, Mosis F, De Piano M, Monypenny J, Woodman N, McConnell RE, Mouneimne G, Van Hemelrijck M, Cao Y, Condeelis J, Hynes RO, Gertler FB, Krause M. Lamellipodin promotes invasive 3D cancer cell migration via regulated interactions with Ena/VASP and SCAR/WAVE. Oncogene 2016; 35:5155-69. [PMID: 26996666 PMCID: PMC5031503 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Revised: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cancer invasion is a hallmark of metastasis. The mesenchymal mode of cancer cell invasion is mediated by elongated membrane protrusions driven by the assembly of branched F-actin networks. How deregulation of actin regulators promotes cancer cell invasion is still enigmatic. We report that increased expression and membrane localization of the actin regulator Lamellipodin correlate with reduced metastasis-free survival and poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. In agreement, we find that Lamellipodin depletion reduced lung metastasis in an orthotopic mouse breast cancer model. Invasive 3D cancer cell migration as well as invadopodia formation and matrix degradation was impaired upon Lamellipodin depletion. Mechanistically, we show that Lamellipodin promotes invasive 3D cancer cell migration via both actin-elongating Ena/VASP proteins and the Scar/WAVE complex, which stimulates actin branching. In contrast, Lamellipodin interaction with Scar/WAVE but not with Ena/VASP is required for random 2D cell migration. We identified a phosphorylation-dependent mechanism that regulates selective recruitment of these effectors to Lamellipodin: Abl-mediated Lamellipodin phosphorylation promotes its association with both Scar/WAVE and Ena/VASP, whereas Src-dependent phosphorylation enhances binding to Scar/WAVE but not to Ena/VASP. Through these selective, regulated interactions Lamellipodin mediates directional sensing of epidermal growth factor (EGF) gradients and invasive 3D migration of breast cancer cells. Our findings imply that increased Lamellipodin levels enhance Ena/VASP and Scar/WAVE activities at the plasma membrane to promote 3D invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Carmona
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - U Perera
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, London, UK
| | - C Gillett
- King's College London, Research Oncology, Division of Cancer Studies, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, London, UK
| | - A Naba
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - A-L Law
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, London, UK
| | - V P Sharma
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - J Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Wyckoff
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - M Balsamo
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - F Mosis
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, London, UK
| | - M De Piano
- King's College London, Division of Cancer Studies, Cancer Epidemiology Group, London, UK
| | - J Monypenny
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, London, UK.,King's College London, Research Oncology, Division of Cancer Studies, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, London, UK.,King's College London, Division of Cancer Studies, Richard Dimbleby Department of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - N Woodman
- King's College London, Research Oncology, Division of Cancer Studies, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, London, UK
| | - R E McConnell
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - G Mouneimne
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - M Van Hemelrijck
- King's College London, Division of Cancer Studies, Cancer Epidemiology Group, London, UK
| | - Y Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J Condeelis
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - R O Hynes
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - F B Gertler
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - M Krause
- King's College London, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, London, UK
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29
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Oktay MH, Jones JG. TMEM: a novel breast cancer dissemination marker for the assessment of metastatic risk. Biomark Med 2015; 9:81-4. [PMID: 25689896 DOI: 10.2217/bmm.14.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maja H Oktay
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA
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30
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Abstract
Ena/VASP tetramer composition was analysed and mixed oligomerization of Mena with EVL was found to be unfavourable, while other paralogue combinations formed without apparent bias. The tetramerization domain of Ena/VASP proteins is responsible for their selective tetramer formation. The members of the actin regulatory family of Ena/VASP proteins form stable tetramers. The vertebrate members of the Ena/VASP family, VASP, Mena and EVL, have many overlapping properties and expression patterns, but functional and regulatory differences between paralogues have been observed. The formation of mixed oligomers may serve a regulatory role to refine Ena/VASP activity. While it has been assumed that family members can form mixed oligomers, this possibility has not been investigated systematically. Using cells expressing controlled combinations of VASP, Mena and EVL, we evaluated the composition of Ena/VASP oligomers and found that VASP forms oligomers without apparent bias with itself, Mena or EVL. However, Mena and EVL showed only weak hetero-oligomerization, suggesting specificity in the association of Ena/VASP family members. Co-expression of VASP increased the ability of Mena and EVL to form mixed oligomers. Additionally, we found that the tetramerization domain (TD) at the C-termini of Ena/VASP proteins conferred the observed selectivity. Finally, we demonstrate that replacement of the TD with a synthetic tetramerizing coiled coil sequence supports homo-oligomerization and normal VASP subcellular localization.
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31
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LIN28A Modulates Splicing and Gene Expression Programs in Breast Cancer Cells. Mol Cell Biol 2015; 35:3225-43. [PMID: 26149387 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00426-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
LIN28 is an evolutionarily conserved RNA-binding protein with critical functions in developmental timing and cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying LIN28's oncogenic properties are yet to be described. RNA-protein immunoprecipitation coupled with genome-wide sequencing (RIP-Seq) analysis revealed significant LIN28 binding within 843 mRNAs in breast cancer cells. Many of the LIN28-bound mRNAs are implicated in the regulation of RNA and cell metabolism. We identify heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1), a protein with multiple roles in mRNA metabolism, as a LIN28-interacting partner. Subsequently, we used a custom computational method to identify differentially spliced gene isoforms in LIN28 and hnRNP A1 small interfering RNA (siRNA)-treated cells. The results reveal that these proteins regulate alternative splicing and steady-state mRNA expression of genes implicated in aspects of breast cancer biology. Notably, cells lacking LIN28 undergo significant isoform switching of the ENAH gene, resulting in a decrease in the expression of the ENAH exon 11a isoform. The expression of ENAH isoform 11a has been shown to be elevated in breast cancers that express HER2. Intriguingly, analysis of publicly available array data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) reveals that LIN28 expression in the HER2 subtype is significantly different from that in other breast cancer subtypes. Collectively, our data suggest that LIN28 may regulate splicing and gene expression programs that drive breast cancer subtype phenotypes.
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32
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Menacalc, a quantitative method of metastasis assessment, as a prognostic marker for axillary node-negative breast cancer. BMC Cancer 2015; 15:483. [PMID: 26112005 PMCID: PMC4482190 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-015-1468-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Menacalc is an immunofluorescence-based, quantitative method in which expression of the non-invasive Mena protein isoform (Mena11a) is subtracted from total Mena protein expression. Previous work has found a significant positive association between Menacalc and risk of death from breast cancer. Our goal was to determine if Menacalc could be used as an independent prognostic marker for axillary node-negative (ANN) breast cancer. Methods Analysis of the association of Menacalc with overall survival (death from any cause) was performed for 403 ANN tumors using Kaplan Meier survival curves and the univariate Cox proportional hazards (PH) model with the log-rank or the likelihood ratio test. Cox PH models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for the association of Menacalc with risk of death after adjustment for HER2 status and clinicopathological tumor features. Results High Menacalc was associated with increased risk of death from any cause (P = 0.0199, HR (CI) = 2.18 (1.19, 4.00)). A similarly elevated risk of death was found in the subset of the Menacalc cohort which did not receive hormone or chemotherapy (n = 142) (P = 0.0052, HR (CI) = 3.80 (1.58, 9.97)). There was a trend toward increased risk of death with relatively high Menacalc in the HER2, basal and luminal molecular subtypes. Conclusions Menacalc may serve as an independent prognostic biomarker for the ANN breast cancer patient population. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1468-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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33
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Trono P, Di Modugno F, Circo R, Spada S, Di Benedetto A, Melchionna R, Palermo B, Matteoni S, Soddu S, Mottolese M, De Maria R, Nisticò P. hMENA(11a) contributes to HER3-mediated resistance to PI3K inhibitors in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Oncogene 2015; 35:887-96. [PMID: 25961924 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Human Mena (hMENA), an actin regulatory protein of the ENA/VASP family, cooperates with ErbB receptor family signaling in breast cancer. It is overexpressed in high-risk preneoplastic lesions and in primary breast tumors where it correlates with HER2 overexpression and an activated status of AKT and MAPK. The concomitant overexpression of hMENA and HER2 in breast cancer patients is indicative of a worse prognosis. hMENA is expressed along with alternatively expressed isoforms, hMENA(11a) and hMENAΔv6 with opposite functions. A novel role for the epithelial-associated hMENA(11a) isoform in sustaining HER3 activation and pro-survival pathways in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells has been identified by reverse phase protein array and validated in vivo in a series of breast cancer tissues. As HER3 activation is crucial in mechanisms of cell resistance to PI3K inhibitors, we explored whether hMENA(11a) is involved in these resistance mechanisms. The specific hMENA(11a) depletion switched off the HER3-related pathway activated by PI3K inhibitors and impaired the nuclear accumulation of HER3 transcription factor FOXO3a induced by PI3K inhibitors, whereas PI3K inhibitors activated hMENA(11a) phosphorylation and affected its localization. At the functional level, we found that hMENA(11a) sustains cell proliferation and survival in response to PI3K inhibitor treatment, whereas hMENA(11a) silencing increases molecules involved in cancer cell apoptosis. As shown in three-dimensional cultures, hMENA(11a) contributes to resistance to PI3K inhibition because its depletion drastically reduced cell viability upon treatment with PI3K inhibitor BEZ235. Altogether, these results indicate that hMENA(11a) in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells sustains HER3/AKT axis activation and contributes to HER3-mediated resistance mechanisms to PI3K inhibitors. Thus, hMENA(11a) expression can be proposed as a marker of HER3 activation and resistance to PI3K inhibition therapies, to select patients who may benefit from these combined targeted treatments. hMENA(11a) activity could represent a new target for antiproliferative therapies in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Trono
- Laboratory of Immunology, Experimental Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - F Di Modugno
- Laboratory of Immunology, Experimental Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - R Circo
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - S Spada
- Laboratory of Immunology, Experimental Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - A Di Benedetto
- Department of Pathology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - R Melchionna
- Laboratory of Immunology, Experimental Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - B Palermo
- Laboratory of Immunology, Experimental Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - S Matteoni
- Experimental Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - S Soddu
- Experimental Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - M Mottolese
- Department of Pathology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - R De Maria
- Scientific Direction, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - P Nisticò
- Laboratory of Immunology, Experimental Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
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Abstract
Background The majority of genetic biomarkers for human cancers are defined by statistical screening of high-throughput genomics data. While a large number of genetic biomarkers have been proposed for diagnostic and prognostic applications, only a small number have been applied in the clinic. Similarly, the use of proteomics methods for the discovery of cancer biomarkers is increasing. The emerging field of proteogenomics seeks to enrich the value of genomics and proteomics approaches by studying the intersection of genomics and proteomics data. This task is challenging due to the complex nature of transcriptional and translation regulatory mechanisms and the disparities between genomic and proteomic data from the same samples. In this study, we have examined tumor antigens as potential biomarkers for breast cancer using genomics and proteomics data from previously reported laser capture microdissected ER+ tumor samples. Results We applied proteogenomic analyses to study the genetic aberrations of 32 tumor antigens determined in the proteomic data. We found that tumor antigens that are aberrantly expressed at the genetic level and expressed at the protein level, are likely involved in perturbing pathways directly linked to the hallmarks of cancer. The results found by proteogenomic analysis of the 32 tumor antigens studied here, capture largely the same pathway irregularities as those elucidated from large-scale screening of genomics analyses, where several thousands of genes are often found to be perturbed. Conclusion Tumor antigens are a group of proteins recognized by the cells of the immune system. Specifically, they are recognized in tumor cells where they are present in larger than usual amounts, or are physiochemically altered to a degree at which they no longer resemble native human proteins. This proteogenomic analysis of 32 tumor antigens suggests that tumor antigens have the potential to be highly specific biomarkers for different cancers.
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Pignatelli J, Goswami S, Jones JG, Rohan TE, Pieri E, Chen X, Adler E, Cox D, Maleki S, Bresnick A, Gertler FB, Condeelis JS, Oktay MH. Invasive breast carcinoma cells from patients exhibit MenaINV- and macrophage-dependent transendothelial migration. Sci Signal 2014; 7:ra112. [PMID: 25429076 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2005329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis is a complex, multistep process of cancer progression that has few treatment options. A critical event is the invasion of cancer cells into blood vessels (intravasation), through which cancer cells disseminate to distant organs. Breast cancer cells with increased abundance of Mena [an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-responsive cell migration protein] are present with macrophages at sites of intravasation, called TMEM sites (for tumor microenvironment of metastasis), in patient tumor samples. Furthermore, the density of these intravasation sites correlates with metastatic risk in patients. We found that intravasation of breast cancer cells may be prevented by blocking the signaling between cancer cells and macrophages. We obtained invasive breast ductal carcinoma cells of various subtypes by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies from patients and found that, in an in vitro transendothelial migration assay, cells that migrated through a layer of human endothelial cells were enriched for the transcript encoding Mena(INV), an invasive isoform of Mena. This enhanced transendothelial migration required macrophages and occurred with all of the breast cancer subtypes. Using mouse macrophages and the human cancer cells from the FNAs, we identified paracrine and autocrine activation of colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R). The paracrine or autocrine nature of the signal depended on the breast cancer cell subtype. Knocking down Mena(INV) or adding an antibody that blocks CSF-1R function prevented transendothelial migration. Our findings indicate that Mena(INV) and TMEM frequency are correlated prognostic markers and CSF-1 and Mena(INV) may be therapeutic targets to prevent metastasis of multiple breast cancer subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanine Pignatelli
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
| | - Sumanta Goswami
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. Department of Biology, Yeshiva University, New York, NY 10033, USA
| | - Joan G Jones
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA. Integrated Imaging Program, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Thomas E Rohan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Evan Pieri
- Department of Biology, Yeshiva University, New York, NY 10033, USA
| | - Xiaoming Chen
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Esther Adler
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA
| | - Dianne Cox
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Sara Maleki
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA
| | - Anne Bresnick
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Frank B Gertler
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - John S Condeelis
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. Integrated Imaging Program, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
| | - Maja H Oktay
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA.
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Lin L, Yang XM, Li J, Zhang YL, Qin W, Zhang ZG. Microfilament regulatory protein MENA increases activity of RhoA and promotes metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Exp Cell Res 2014; 327:113-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2014.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Fife CM, McCarroll JA, Kavallaris M. Movers and shakers: cell cytoskeleton in cancer metastasis. Br J Pharmacol 2014; 171:5507-23. [PMID: 24665826 DOI: 10.1111/bph.12704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 367] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2013] [Revised: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Metastasis is responsible for the greatest number of cancer deaths. Metastatic disease, or the movement of cancer cells from one site to another, is a complex process requiring dramatic remodelling of the cell cytoskeleton. The various components of the cytoskeleton, actin (microfilaments), microtubules (MTs) and intermediate filaments, are highly integrated and their functions are well orchestrated in normal cells. In contrast, mutations and abnormal expression of cytoskeletal and cytoskeletal-associated proteins play an important role in the ability of cancer cells to resist chemotherapy and metastasize. Studies on the role of actin and its interacting partners have highlighted key signalling pathways, such as the Rho GTPases, and downstream effector proteins that, through the cytoskeleton, mediate tumour cell migration, invasion and metastasis. An emerging role for MTs in tumour cell metastasis is being unravelled and there is increasing interest in the crosstalk between key MT interacting proteins and the actin cytoskeleton, which may provide novel treatment avenues for metastatic disease. Improved understanding of how the cytoskeleton and its interacting partners influence tumour cell migration and metastasis has led to the development of novel therapeutics against aggressive and metastatic disease. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on Cytoskeleton, Extracellular Matrix, Cell Migration, Wound Healing and Related Topics. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2014.171.issue-24.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Fife
- Tumour Biology and Targeting Program, Children's Cancer Institute Australia Lowy Cancer Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia; Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Mierke CT. The fundamental role of mechanical properties in the progression of cancer disease and inflammation. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2014; 77:076602. [PMID: 25006689 DOI: 10.1088/0034-4885/77/7/076602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The role of mechanical properties in cancer disease and inflammation is still underinvestigated and even ignored in many oncological and immunological reviews. In particular, eight classical hallmarks of cancer have been proposed, but they still ignore the mechanics behind the processes that facilitate cancer progression. To define the malignant transformation of neoplasms and finally reveal the functional pathway that enables cancer cells to promote cancer progression, these classical hallmarks of cancer require the inclusion of specific mechanical properties of cancer cells and their microenvironment such as the extracellular matrix as well as embedded cells such as fibroblasts, macrophages or endothelial cells. Thus, this review will present current cancer research from a biophysical point of view and will therefore focus on novel physical aspects and biophysical methods to investigate the aggressiveness of cancer cells and the process of inflammation. As cancer or immune cells are embedded in a certain microenvironment such as the extracellular matrix, the mechanical properties of this microenvironment cannot be neglected, and alterations of the microenvironment may have an impact on the mechanical properties of the cancer or immune cells. Here, it is highlighted how biophysical approaches, both experimental and theoretical, have an impact on the classical hallmarks of cancer and inflammation. It is even pointed out how these biophysical approaches contribute to the understanding of the regulation of cancer disease and inflammatory responses after tissue injury through physical microenvironmental property sensing mechanisms. The recognized physical signals are transduced into biochemical signaling events that guide cellular responses, such as malignant tumor progression, after the transition of cancer cells from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype or an inflammatory response due to tissue injury. Moreover, cell adaptation to mechanical alterations, in particular the understanding of mechano-coupling and mechano-regulating functions in cell invasion, appears as an important step in cancer progression and inflammatory response to injuries. This may lead to novel insights into cancer disease and inflammatory diseases and will overcome classical views on cancer and inflammation. In addition, this review will discuss how the physics of cancer and inflammation can help to reveal whether cancer cells will invade connective tissue and metastasize or how leukocytes extravasate and migrate through the tissue. In this review, the physical concepts of cancer progression, including the tissue basement membrane a cancer cell is crossing, its invasion and transendothelial migration as well as the basic physical concepts of inflammatory processes and the cellular responses to the mechanical stress of the microenvironment such as external forces and matrix stiffness, are presented and discussed. In conclusion, this review will finally show how physical measurements can improve classical approaches that investigate cancer and inflammatory diseases, and how these physical insights can be integrated into classical tumor biological approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth Science, Institute of Experimental Physics I, Biological Physics Division, University of Leipzig, Linnéstr. 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Rohan TE, Xue X, Lin HM, D'Alfonso TM, Ginter PS, Oktay MH, Robinson BD, Ginsberg M, Gertler FB, Glass AG, Sparano JA, Condeelis JS, Jones JG. Tumor microenvironment of metastasis and risk of distant metastasis of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2014; 106:dju136. [PMID: 24895374 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/dju136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor microenvironment of metastasis (TMEM), consisting of direct contact between a macrophage, an endothelial cell, and a tumor cell, has been associated with metastasis in both rodent mammary tumors and human breast cancer. We prospectively examined the association between TMEM score and risk of distant metastasis and compared risk associated with TMEM score with that associated with IHC4. METHODS We conducted a case-control study nested within a cohort of 3760 patients with invasive ductal breast carcinoma diagnosed between 1980 and 2000 and followed through 2010. Case patients were women who developed a subsequent distant metastasis; control subjects were matched (1:1) on age at and calendar year of primary diagnosis. TMEM was assessed by triple immunostain and IHC4 by standard methods; slides were read by pathologists blinded to outcome. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression, adjusted for clinical variables. A Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis was performed, and the area under the curve was estimated. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS TMEM score was associated with increased risk of distant metastasis in estrogen receptor (ER)(+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2)(-) tumors (multivariable OR high vs low tertile = 2.70; 95% CI = 1.39 to 5.26; P trend = .004), whereas IHC4 score had a borderline positive association (OR10 unit increase = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.13); the association for TMEM score persisted after adjustment for IHC4 score. The area under the curve for TMEM, adjusted for clinical variables, was 0.78. Neither TMEM score nor IHC4 score was independently associated with metastatic risk overall or in the triple negative or HER2(+) subgroups. CONCLUSIONS TMEM score predicted risk of distant metastasis in ER(+)/HER2(-) breast cancer independently of IHC4 score and classical clinicopathologic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Rohan
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ).
| | - Xiaonan Xue
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Hung-Mo Lin
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Timothy M D'Alfonso
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Paula S Ginter
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Maja H Oktay
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Brian D Robinson
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Mindy Ginsberg
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Frank B Gertler
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Andrew G Glass
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Joseph A Sparano
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - John S Condeelis
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
| | - Joan G Jones
- Affiliation of authors: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (TER, XX, MG); Department of Health Evidence and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (H-ML); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY (TMD'A, PSG, BDR); Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (MHO); Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (FBG); Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OR (AGG); Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY (JAS); Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JSC); Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (JGJ)
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Expression of cytoskeleton regulatory protein Mena in human hepatocellular carcinoma and its prognostic significance. Med Oncol 2014; 31:939. [PMID: 24683008 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-014-0939-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms of the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poorly understood. The main objective of this study was to analyze the expression of Enabled [mammalian Ena (Mena)] protein and its clinical significance in human HCC. The Mena expression was examined at mRNA and protein levels by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting analysis in ten paired HCC tissues and the adjacent normal tissues. The expression of Mena protein in 81 specimens of HCC tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry. Associations of Mena expression with the clinicopathological features were analyzed, and prognosis of HCC patients was evaluated. The result shows the expression of Mena mRNA and protein was higher in HCC than in the adjacent normal tissues in ten paired samples. Mena was mainly accumulated in the cytoplasm of tumor cells and over-expressed in 40.74% (33/81) patients by immunohistochemical staining. Over-expression of Mena was significantly associated with poor cellular differentiation (P = 0.025), advanced tumor stage (P = 0.003) and worse disease-free survival (DFS, P < 0.001). In addition, Mena is an independent prognostic factor for DFS in multivariate analysis (HR 2.309, 95% CI 1.104-4.828; P = 0.026). Mena is up-regulated in HCC and associated with tumor differentiation and clinical stage. Mena may be an independent prognostic marker for DFS of HCC patients.
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Döppler H, Storz P. Regulation of VASP by phosphorylation: consequences for cell migration. Cell Adh Migr 2013; 7:482-6. [PMID: 24401601 DOI: 10.4161/cam.27351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphorylations control all aspects of vasodilator-stimulated phospho-protein (VASP) function. Mapped phosphorylation sites include Y39, S157, S239, T278, and S322, and multiple kinases have been shown to mediate their phosphorylation. Recently, Protein Kinase D1 (PKD1) as a direct kinase for S157 and S322 joined this group. While S157 phosphorylation generally seems to serve as a signal for membrane localization, phosphorylations at S322 or at S239 and T278 have opposite effects on F-actin accumulation. In migrating cells, S322 phosphorylation increases filopodia numbers and length, while S239/T278 phosphorylations decrease these and also disrupt formation of focal adhesions. Therefore, the kinases mediating these phosphorylations can be seen as switches needed to facilitate cell motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike Döppler
- Department of Cancer Biology; Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center; Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL USA
| | - Peter Storz
- Department of Cancer Biology; Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center; Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL USA
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Bonomi S, Gallo S, Catillo M, Pignataro D, Biamonti G, Ghigna C. Oncogenic alternative splicing switches: role in cancer progression and prospects for therapy. Int J Cell Biol 2013; 2013:962038. [PMID: 24285959 PMCID: PMC3826442 DOI: 10.1155/2013/962038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the abundance or activities of alternative splicing regulators generate alternatively spliced variants that contribute to multiple aspects of tumor establishment, progression and resistance to therapeutic treatments. Notably, many cancer-associated genes are regulated through alternative splicing suggesting a significant role of this post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism in the production of oncogenes and tumor suppressors. Thus, the study of alternative splicing in cancer might provide a better understanding of the malignant transformation and identify novel pathways that are uniquely relevant to tumorigenesis. Understanding the molecular underpinnings of cancer-associated alternative splicing isoforms will not only help to explain many fundamental hallmarks of cancer, but will also offer unprecedented opportunities to improve the efficacy of anti-cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Bonomi
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IGM-CNR), Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefania Gallo
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IGM-CNR), Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Morena Catillo
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IGM-CNR), Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Daniela Pignataro
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IGM-CNR), Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Biamonti
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IGM-CNR), Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Claudia Ghigna
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IGM-CNR), Via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Cardinali G, Kovacs D, Mastrofrancesco A, Cota C, Donati P, Cordiali-Fei P, Francesconi F, Bonifati C. hMena: altered expression in psoriatic skin. Arch Dermatol Res 2013; 305:933-8. [PMID: 23604962 DOI: 10.1007/s00403-013-1358-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2013] [Revised: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 04/09/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, characterized by an enhanced proliferation and a deregulated differentiation of keratinocytes. hMena is an actin regulatory protein involved in the control of cell motility and adhesion. hMena results up-modulated in several human tumors with respect to normal tissues and its expression has been positively correlated to proliferation rate, tumor size and aggressiveness in response to mitogenic stimuli, such as epidermal growth factor. The hyperproliferation of keratinocytes observed in psoriasis prompted us to evaluate hMena expression on biopsies collected from involved and uninvolved skin of 12 patients with active plaque-type psoriasis with respect to healthy skin. We analyzed the expression of hMena at transcript and protein levels by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. We correlated the expression of hMena to Ki67 proliferation index and to keratin 10 (K10) and keratin 16 (K16) used as markers of keratinocyte differentiation and activation. We demonstrated the expression of hMena in a hyperproliferative skin condition not related to neoplastic transformation. Interestingly, we observed that hMena is not expressed in healthy skin, but it becomes detectable in non-lesional areas and it is even more expressed in lesional psoriatic skin. In addition, we found that hMena expression is correlated to the rate of keratinocyte proliferation and activation. Hence, our observations indicate hMena as a new possible player, involved in the development and/or maintenance of the hyperproliferative state of psoriatic keratinocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Cardinali
- Laboratory of Cutaneous Physiopathology and Integrated Center of Metabolomics Research, San Gallicano Dermatologic Institute (IRCCS), Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy,
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Gurzu S, Ciortea D, Ember I, Jung I. The possible role of Mena protein and its splicing-derived variants in embryogenesis, carcinogenesis, and tumor invasion: a systematic review of the literature. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2013; 2013:365192. [PMID: 23956979 PMCID: PMC3728509 DOI: 10.1155/2013/365192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2013] [Revised: 06/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/02/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Ena/VASP (enabled/vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein) family includes the binding actin proteins such as mammalian Ena (Mena), VASP, and Ena-VASP-like. It is known that the perturbation of actin cycle could determine alteration in the mobility of cells and in consequence of organogenesis. Few recent studies have revealed that Mena protein could play a role in breast or pancreatic carcinogenesis. Based on our researches, we observed that the intensity of Mena expression increased from premalignant to malignant lesions in some organs such as large bowel, stomach, cervix, and salivary glands. These findings prove that Mena could be a marker of premalignant epithelial lesions. In premalignant lesions, it could be helpful to define more accurately the risk for malignant transformation. In malignant tumors, correlation of expression of its splice variants could indicate metastatic behavior. In conclusion, we consider that it is necessary to analyze the expression of Mena splice variants in a higher number of cases, in different epithelial lesions, and also in experimental studies to define its exact role in carcinogenesis and also its possible prognostic and predictive values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Gurzu
- Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Targu-Mures, 38 Ghe Marinescu Street, 540193 Targu Mures, Romania.
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Splicing program of human MENA produces a previously undescribed isoform associated with invasive, mesenchymal-like breast tumors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:19280-5. [PMID: 23129656 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1214394109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human mena (hMENA), a member of the actin cytoskeleton regulators Ena/VASP, is overexpressed in high-risk preneoplastic lesions and in primary breast tumors and has been identified as playing a role in invasiveness and poor prognosis in breast cancers that express HER2. Here we identify a unique isoform, hMENAΔv6, derived from the hMENA alternative splicing program. In an isogenic model of human breast cancer progression, we show that hMENA(11a) is expressed in premalignant cells, whereas hMENAΔv6 expression is restricted to invasive cancer cells. "Reversion" of the malignant phenotype leads to concurrent down-regulation of all hMENA isoforms. In breast cancer cell lines, isoform-specific hMENA overexpression or knockdown revealed that in the absence of hMENA(11a), overexpression of hMENAΔv6 increased cell invasion, whereas overexpression of hMENA(11a) reduced the migratory and invasive ability of these cells. hMENA(11a) splicing was shown to be dependent on the epithelial regulator of splicing 1 (ESRP1), and forced expression of ESRP1 in invasive mesenchymal breast cancer cells caused a phenotypic switch reminiscent of a mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) characterized by changes in the cytoskeletal architecture, reexpression of hMENA(11a), and a reduction in cell invasion. hMENA-positive primary breast tumors, which are hMENA(11a)-negative, are more frequently E-cadherin low in comparison with tumors expressing hMENA(11a). These data suggest that polarized and growth-arrested cellular architecture correlates with absence of alternative hMENA isoform expression, and that the hMENA splicing program is relevant to malignant progression in invasive disease.
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García E, Jones GE, Machesky LM, Antón IM. WIP: WASP-interacting proteins at invadopodia and podosomes. Eur J Cell Biol 2012; 91:869-77. [PMID: 22823953 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2012.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2012] [Revised: 06/12/2012] [Accepted: 06/14/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulated cell invasion resulting from migratory and matrix-degrading events is an essential step in physiological processes such as the inflammatory response and tissue repair. Cell invasion is also thought to be a critical parameter in pathological conditions such as cancer metastasis. The migration of normal and cancer cells is largely driven by the actin cytoskeleton, which controls cell shape, adhesion and contractility. Podosomes and invadopodia are actin-rich protrusions that drive invasion in normal and cancer cells. These structures protrude from the basal region of the cell facing the extracellular matrix, where they adhere to and degrade the matrix, thus facilitating invasive migration. WASP (Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein) and WIP (WASP-interacting protein) localise to the actin rich core of podosomes and play a critical role in their formation. More recently, studies performed on microarray data sets from cancer patients of several tumour categories show a strong correlation between reduced WIP expression and improved prognosis. In this article, we identify endogenous WIP at the distal tips of cancer cell invasive protrusions and we summarise recent advances in the study of the roles of WIP- and WASP-protein families during migration and invasion of normal and cancer cells related to podosome and invadopodium generation.
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Jewer M, Findlay SD, Postovit LM. Post-transcriptional regulation in cancer progression : Microenvironmental control of alternative splicing and translation. J Cell Commun Signal 2012; 6:233-48. [PMID: 23054595 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-012-0179-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 09/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The microenvironment acts as a conduit for cellular communication, delivering signals that direct development and sustain tissue homeostasis. In pathologies such as cancer, this integral function of the microenvironment is hijacked to support tumor growth and progression. Cells sense the microenvironment via signal transduction pathways culminating in altered gene expression. In addition to induced transcriptional changes, the microenvironment exerts its effect on the cell through regulation of post-transcriptional processes including alternative splicing and translational control. Here we describe how alternative splicing and protein translation are controlled by microenvironmental parameters such as oxygen availability. We also emphasize how these pathways can be utilized to support processes that are hallmarks of cancer such as angiogenesis, proliferation, and cell migration. We stress that cancer cells respond to their microenvironment through an integrated regulation of gene expression at multiple levels that collectively contribute to disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Jewer
- Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, The Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, 438 Medical Science Building, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada
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Oktay MH, Gertler FB, Liu YF, Rohan TE, Condeelis JS, Jones JG. Correlated immunohistochemical and cytological assays for the prediction of hematogenous dissemination of breast cancer. J Histochem Cytochem 2012; 60:168-73. [PMID: 22215635 DOI: 10.1369/0022155411435153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although metastasis is a major cause of death from breast cancer, our ability to predict which tumors will metastasize is limited (American Cancer Society 2010). Proper assessment of metastatic risk and elucidating the underlying mechanisms of metastasis will help personalize therapy and may provide insight into potential therapeutic targets. Traditionally, histologic grading, staging, hormone receptors, HER2/Neu, and proliferation assays have been the gold standard on which oncologists based their treatment decisions. However, all of these are indirect measures of metastatic risk. Recent insights from intravital imaging directly address questions of mechanism and have led to a new way of using histologic and cytologic material to assess metastatic risk. This review describes the tumor microenvironment model of invasion and intravasation, as well as an emerging histopathologic application based on this model. In particular, the authors describe a new immunohistochemical approach to the assessment of metastatic risk based on the density of intravasation microenvironment sites called the tumor microenvironment of metastasis. In addition, they describe an isoform assay for the actin regulatory protein Mena using fine needle aspiration samples and the details about how these 2 assays may be applied in clinical practice in a synergistic way to assess the risk of metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja H Oktay
- Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA.
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Balanis N, Yoshigi M, Wendt MK, Schiemann WP, Carlin CR. β3 integrin-EGF receptor cross-talk activates p190RhoGAP in mouse mammary gland epithelial cells. Mol Biol Cell 2011; 22:4288-301. [PMID: 21937717 PMCID: PMC3216655 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e10-08-0700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Active RhoA localizes to plasma membrane, where it stimulates formation of focal adhesions and stress fibers. RhoA activity is inhibited by p190RhoGAP following integrin-mediated cell attachment to allow sampling of new adhesive environments. p190RhoGAP is itself activated by Src-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation, which facilitates complex formation with p120RasGAP. This complex then translocates to the cell surface, where p190RhoGAP down-regulates RhoA. Here we demonstrate that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) cooperates with β3 integrin to regulate p190RhoGAP activity in mouse mammary gland epithelial cells. Adhesion to fibronectin stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGFR in the absence of receptor ligands. Use of a dominant inhibitory EGFR mutant demonstrates that fibronectin-activated EGFR recruits p120RasGAP to the cell periphery. Expression of an inactive β3 integrin subunit abolishes p190RhoGAP tyrosine phosphorylation, demonstrating a mechanistic link between β3 integrin-activated Src and EGFR regulation of the RhoA inhibitor. The β3 integrin/EGFR pathway also has a positive role in formation of filopodia. Together our data suggest that EGFR constitutes an important intrinsic migratory cue since fibronectin is a key component of the microenvironment in normal mammary gland development and breast cancer. Our data also suggest that EGFR expressed at high levels has a role in eliciting cell shape changes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolas Balanis
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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Roussos ET, Goswami S, Balsamo M, Wang Y, Stobezki R, Adler E, Robinson BD, Jones JG, Gertler FB, Condeelis JS, Oktay MH. Mena invasive (Mena(INV)) and Mena11a isoforms play distinct roles in breast cancer cell cohesion and association with TMEM. Clin Exp Metastasis 2011; 28:515-27. [PMID: 21484349 PMCID: PMC3459587 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-011-9388-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2010] [Accepted: 03/26/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Mena, an actin regulatory protein, functions at the convergence of motility pathways that drive breast cancer cell invasion and migration in vivo. The tumor microenvironment spontaneously induces both increased expression of the Mena invasive (Mena(INV)) and decreased expression of Mena11a isoforms in invasive and migratory tumor cells. Tumor cells with this Mena expression pattern participate with macrophages in migration and intravasation in mouse mammary tumors in vivo. Consistent with these findings, anatomical sites containing tumor cells with high levels of Mena expression associated with perivascular macrophages were identified in human invasive ductal breast carcinomas and called TMEM. The number of TMEM sites positively correlated with the development of distant metastasis in humans. Here we demonstrate that mouse mammary tumors generated from EGFP-Mena(INV) expressing tumor cells are significantly less cohesive and have discontinuous cell-cell contacts compared to Mena11a xenografts. Using the mouse PyMT model we show that metastatic mammary tumors express 8.7 fold more total Mena and 7.5 fold more Mena(INV) mRNA than early non-metastatic ones. Furthermore, Mena(INV) expression in fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) samples of human invasive ductal carcinomas correlate with TMEM score while Mena11a does not. These results suggest that Mena(INV) is the isoform associated with breast cancer cell discohesion, invasion and intravasation in mice and in humans. They also imply that Mena(INV) expression and TMEM score measure related aspects of a common tumor cell dissemination mechanism and provide new insight into metastatic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evanthia T. Roussos
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Sumanta Goswami
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461
- Depertment of Biology, Yeshiva University, New York, NY 10033
| | - Michele Balsamo
- David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Yarong Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Robert Stobezki
- Depertment of Biology, Yeshiva University, New York, NY 10033
| | - Esther Adler
- Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467
| | - Brian D. Robinson
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Joan G. Jones
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065
| | - Frank B. Gertler
- David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - John S. Condeelis
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461
- Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Maja H. Oktay
- Department of Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467
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