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Yang Z, Guo D, Zhao J, Li J, Zhang R, Zhang Y, Xu C, Ke T, Wang QK. Aggf1 Specifies Hemangioblasts at the Top of Regulatory Hierarchy via Npas4l and mTOR-S6K-Emp2-ERK Signaling. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2023; 43:2348-2368. [PMID: 37881938 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.318818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hemangioblasts are mesoderm-derived multipotent stem cells for differentiation of all hematopoietic and endothelial cells in the circulation system. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is poorly understood. METHODS CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (type II CRISPR RNA-guided endonuclease) editing was used to develop aggf1-/- and emp2-/- knockout zebra fish. Whole-mount in situ hybridization and transgenic Tg(gata1-EGFP [enhanced green fluorescent protein]), Tg(mpx-EGFP), Tg(rag2-DsRed [discosoma sp. red fluorescent protein]), Tg(cd41-EGFP), Tg(kdrl-EGFP), and Tg(aggf1-/-;kdrl-EGFP) zebra fish were used to examine specification of hemangioblasts and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), hematopoiesis, and vascular development. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses were used for expression analysis of genes and proteins. RESULTS Knockout of aggf1 impaired specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs, hematopoiesis, and vascular development in zebra fish. Expression of npas4l/cloche-the presumed earliest marker for hemangioblast specification-was significantly reduced in aggf1-/- embryos and increased by overexpression of aggf1 in embryos. Overexpression of npas4l rescued the impaired specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs and development of hematopoiesis and intersegmental vessels in aggf1-/- embryos, placing aggf1 upstream of npas4l in hemangioblast specification. To identify the underlying molecular mechanism, we identified emp2 as a key aggf1 downstream gene. Similar to aggf1, emp2 knockout impaired the specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs, hematopoiesis, and angiogenesis by increasing the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2). Mechanistic studies showed that aggf1 knockdown and knockout significantly decreased the phosphorylated levels of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and p70 S6K (ribosomal protein S6 kinase), resulting in reduced protein synthesis of Emp2 (epithelial membrane protein 2), whereas mTOR activator MHY1485 (4,6-dimorpholino-N-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-amine) rescued the impaired specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs and development of hematopoiesis and intersegmental vessels and reduced Emp2 expression induced by aggf1 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that aggf1 acts at the top of npas4l and becomes the earliest marker during specification of hemangioblasts. Our data identify a novel signaling axis of Aggf1 (angiogenic factor with G-patch and FHA domain 1)-mTOR-S6K-ERK1/2 for specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs, primitive and definitive hematopoiesis, and vascular development. Our findings provide important insights into specification of hemangioblasts and HSPCs essential for the development of the circulation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongcheng Yang
- Center for Human Genome Research, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China (Z.Y., D.G., J.L., R.Z., Y.Z., C.X., T.K., Q.K.W.)
| | - Di Guo
- Center for Human Genome Research, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China (Z.Y., D.G., J.L., R.Z., Y.Z., C.X., T.K., Q.K.W.)
| | - Jinyan Zhao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Nerve Injury and Repair, Chengde Medical University, China (J.Z.)
| | - Jia Li
- Center for Human Genome Research, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China (Z.Y., D.G., J.L., R.Z., Y.Z., C.X., T.K., Q.K.W.)
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China (J.L.)
| | - Rui Zhang
- Center for Human Genome Research, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China (Z.Y., D.G., J.L., R.Z., Y.Z., C.X., T.K., Q.K.W.)
| | - Yidan Zhang
- Center for Human Genome Research, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China (Z.Y., D.G., J.L., R.Z., Y.Z., C.X., T.K., Q.K.W.)
| | - Chengqi Xu
- Center for Human Genome Research, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China (Z.Y., D.G., J.L., R.Z., Y.Z., C.X., T.K., Q.K.W.)
| | - Tie Ke
- Center for Human Genome Research, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China (Z.Y., D.G., J.L., R.Z., Y.Z., C.X., T.K., Q.K.W.)
| | - Qing K Wang
- Center for Human Genome Research, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China (Z.Y., D.G., J.L., R.Z., Y.Z., C.X., T.K., Q.K.W.)
- Shaoxing Institute of Innovation, Zhejiang University, China (Q.K.W.)
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Zhang P, Wu Y, Piao C, Song Y, Zhao Y, Lyu Y, Sun Q, Liu J. Alteration of genome-wide DNA methylation in non-uranium miners induced by high level radon exposure. MUTATION RESEARCH. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2023; 891:503683. [PMID: 37770140 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2023.503683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
In China, according to statistics about underground non-uranium mine radon levels, 15% exceed the national standard intervention level of 1000 Bq/m3, and some mines may exceed 10,000 Bq/m3. The relationship between radon exposure in underground miners and lung cancer has already been established, but the mechanisms and biological processes underlying it are poorly understood. In order to identify the genome-wide DNA methylation profile associated with long-term radon exposure, we performed the Infinium Human Methylation 850 K BeadChip measurement in whole blood samples obtained from 15 underground non-uranium miners and 10 matched aboveground control workers. Radon concentrations in the air of workplaces and living environments were measured by CR-39 radon detectors, and annual effective doses were calculated using the detection data. Under the high radon concentration with an average value of 12,700 Bq·m-3, a total of 165 significant differentially methylated positions (127 hypermethylated sites and 38 hypomethylated sites) annotated to 71 genes were identified in underground miners (|Δβ| ≥ 0.10, p < 0.05), and the average DNA methylation level of 165 DMPs was significantly higher than that of the control workers. Most DMPs were found on chromosome 1, and approximately one-quarter of them were located in genomic promoter regions. Through bioinformatics analysis and pyrosequencing validation, five candidate genes differentially methylated by radon, including TIMP2, EMP2, CPT1B, AMD1 and SLC43A2 were identified. GO and KEGG analysis implicated that long term radon exposure could induce the lung cancer related biological processes such as cell adhesion and cellular polarity maintenance. Our study provides evidence for the alterations of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles induced by long-term high level radon exposure, and new insights into searching for carcinogenic biomarkers of high radon exposure in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinhua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Yunyun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Chunnan Piao
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Yanchao Song
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Yanfang Zhao
- The Third People's Hospital of Henan Province, Henan Hospital for Occupational Diseases, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yumin Lyu
- The Third People's Hospital of Henan Province, Henan Hospital for Occupational Diseases, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Quanfu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100088, China
| | - Jianxiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Emergency, China CDC, National Institute for Radiological Protection, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100088, China.
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Cha YJ, Koo JS. Expression of EMP 1, 2, and 3 in Adrenal Cortical Neoplasm and Pheochromocytoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13016. [PMID: 37629198 PMCID: PMC10455306 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241613016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression of the epithelial membrane proteins (EMP) 1, 2, and 3 in adrenal gland neoplasm and to explore the broader implications of this. Tissue microarrays were constructed for 132 cases of adrenal cortical neoplasms (ACN) (adrenal cortical adenoma (115 cases), and carcinoma (17 cases)) and 189 cases of pheochromocytoma. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to identify EMP 1, 2, and 3, and was compared with clinicopathological parameters. The H-score of EMP 3 (p < 0.001) was higher in pheochromocytoma when compared to that of ACN, and the H-score of EMP 1 (p < 0.001) and EMP 3 (p < 0.001) was higher in adrenal cortical carcinomas when compared to that of adrenal cortical adenomas. A higher EMP 1 H-score was observed in pheochromocytomas with a GAPP score ≥3 (p = 0.018). In univariate analysis, high levels of EMP 1 and EMP 3 expression in ACN were associated with shorter overall survival (p = 0.001). Differences were observed in the expression of EMPs between ACN and pheochromocytoma. EMPs are associated with malignant tumor biology in adrenal cortical neoplasm and pheochromocytoma, suggesting the role of a prognostic and/or predictive factor for EMPs in adrenal tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ja Seung Koo
- Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, Republic of Korea;
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Mozaffari K, Mekonnen M, Harary M, Lum M, Aguirre B, Chandla A, Wadehra M, Yang I. Epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2): A systematic review of its implications in pathogenesis. Acta Histochem 2023; 125:151976. [PMID: 36455339 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) is a cell surface protein composed of approximately 160 amino acids and encoded by the growth arrest-specific 3 (GAS3)/peripheral myelin protein 22 kDa (PMP22) gene family. Although EMP2 expression has been investigated in several diseases, much remains unknown regarding its mechanism of action and the extent of its role in pathogenesis. Our aim was to perform a systematic review on the involvement of EMP2 in disease processes and the current usage of anti-EMP2 therapies. METHODS A Boolean search of the English-language medical literature was performed. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science were used to identify relevant citations. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. RESULTS 52 studies met the inclusion criteria for qualitative analysis. Of those, 28 (53.8%) were human-only studies, 11 (21.2%) were animal-only studies, and 13 (25%) studies included both human and animal models. Furthermore, 34 (65.4%) studies focused on EMP2's role in neoplasms, while the remaining 18 (34.6%) articles evaluated its role in other pathologies. CONCLUSION Overall, the evidence suggests the mechanisms of action of EMP2 are context dependent. Promising results have been produced by utilizing EMP2 as a biomarker and therapeutic target. More studies are warranted to better understand the mechanism and comprehend the role of EMP2 in the pathogenesis of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khashayar Mozaffari
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Mahlet Mekonnen
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maya Harary
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Meachelle Lum
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Brian Aguirre
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Anubhav Chandla
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Madhuri Wadehra
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Isaac Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, United States.
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Zhang N, Zhu HP, Huang W, Wen X, Xie X, Jiang X, Peng C, Han B, He G. Unraveling the structures, functions and mechanisms of epithelial membrane protein family in human cancers. Exp Hematol Oncol 2022; 11:69. [PMID: 36217151 PMCID: PMC9552464 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-022-00321-x] [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] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) and epithelial membrane proteins (EMP-1, -2, and -3) belong to a small hydrophobic membrane protein subfamily, with four transmembrane structures. PMP22 and EMPs are widely expressed in various tissues and play important roles in cell growth, differentiation, programmed cell death, and metastasis. PMP22 presents its highest expression in the peripheral nerve and participates in normal physiological and pathological processes of the peripheral nervous system. The progress of molecular genetics has shown that the genetic changes of the PMP22 gene, including duplication, deletion, and point mutation, are behind various hereditary peripheral neuropathies. EMPs have different expression patterns in diverse tissues and are closely related to the risk of malignant tumor progression. In this review, we focus on the four members in this protein family which are related to disease pathogenesis and discuss gene mutations and post-translational modification of them. Further research into the interactions between structural alterations and function of PMP22 and EMPs will help understand their normal physiological function and role in diseases and might contribute to developing novel therapeutic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Hong-Ping Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.,Antibiotics Research and Re‑Evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Xiang Wen
- Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Xian Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.,Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Gu He
- Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China. .,Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Ma Y, Schröder DC, Nenkov M, Rizwan MN, Abubrig M, Sonnemann J, Murrieta-Coxca JM, Morales-Prieto DM, Westermann M, Gaßler N, Chen Y. Epithelial Membrane Protein 2 Suppresses Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Growth by Inhibition of MAPK Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2944. [PMID: 33799364 PMCID: PMC7999101 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial membrane proteins (EMP1-3) are involved in epithelial differentiation and carcinogenesis. Dysregulated expression of EMP2 was observed in various cancers, but its role in human lung cancer is not yet clarified. In this study, we analyzed the expression of EMP1-3 and investigated the biological function of EMP2 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The results showed that lower expression of EMP1 was significantly correlated with tumor size in primary lung tumors (p = 0.004). Overexpression of EMP2 suppressed tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion, resulting in a G1 cell cycle arrest, with knockdown of EMP2 leading to enhanced cell migration, related to MAPK pathway alterations and disruption of cell cycle regulatory genes. Exosomes isolated from transfected cells were taken up by tumor cells, carrying EMP2-downregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) which participated in regulation of the tumor microenvironment. Our data suggest that decreased EMP1 expression is significantly related to increased tumor size in NSCLC. EMP2 suppresses NSCLC cell growth mainly by inhibiting the MAPK pathway. EMP2 might further affect the tumor microenvironment by regulating tumor microenvironment-associated miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxia Ma
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Desiree Charlotte Schröder
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Miljana Nenkov
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Maryam Noor Rizwan
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Mohamed Abubrig
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Jürgen Sonnemann
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Children’s Clinic, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany;
| | - José M. Murrieta-Coxca
- Placenta-Labor, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (J.M.M.-C.); (D.M.M.-P.)
| | - Diana M. Morales-Prieto
- Placenta-Labor, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (J.M.M.-C.); (D.M.M.-P.)
| | - Martin Westermann
- Electron Microscopy Center, Jena University Hospital, Ziegelmühlenweg 1, 07743 Jena, Germany;
| | - Nikolaus Gaßler
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Yuan Chen
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
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Ahmat Amin MKB, Shimizu A, Ogita H. The Pivotal Roles of the Epithelial Membrane Protein Family in Cancer Invasiveness and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1620. [PMID: 31652725 PMCID: PMC6893843 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11111620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The members of the family of epithelial membrane proteins (EMPs), EMP1, EMP2, and EMP3, possess four putative transmembrane domain structures and are composed of approximately 160 amino acid residues. EMPs are encoded by the growth arrest-specific 3 (GAS3)/peripheral myelin protein 22 kDa (PMP22) gene family. The GAS3/PMP22 family members play roles in cell migration, growth, and differentiation. Evidence indicates an association of these molecules with cancer progression and metastasis. Each EMP has pro- and anti-metastatic functions that are likely involved in the complex mechanisms of cancer progression. We have recently demonstrated that the upregulation of EMP1 expression facilitates cancer cell migration and invasion through the activation of a small GTPase, Rac1. The inoculation of prostate cancer cells overexpressing EMP1 into nude mice leads to metastasis to the lymph nodes and lungs, indicating that EMP1 contributes to metastasis. Pro-metastatic properties of EMP2 and EMP3 have also been proposed. Thus, targeting EMPs may provide new insights into their clinical utility. Here, we highlight the important aspects of EMPs in cancer biology, particularly invasiveness and metastasis, and describe recent therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Khusni B Ahmat Amin
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
- Translational Research Unit, Department of International Collaborative Research, Molecular Neuroscience Research Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
| | - Akio Shimizu
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
| | - Hisakazu Ogita
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
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Long non-coding RNA NEAT1 regulates epithelial membrane protein 2 expression to repress nasopharyngeal carcinoma migration and irradiation-resistance through miR-101-3p as a competing endogenous RNA mechanism. Oncotarget 2017; 8:70156-70171. [PMID: 29050268 PMCID: PMC5642543 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The altered expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is often related to carcinogenesis, metastasis and resistance to radiation or chemotherapy. In the current study, cDNA microarray analysis found that NEAT1 expression was reduced in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients and that it regulated NPC progression. However, the detailed mechanisms of NEAT1 in NPC were unclear. NEAT1 repressed NPC cell growth, invasion and radiation resistance in vitro and tumor metastasis in vivo. In addition, the results of an approach integrating bioinformatics, luciferase reporter assays and RNA immunoprecipitation indicated that NEAT1 antagonized miR-101-3p through a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism and that the interaction between NEAT1 and EMP2 was miR-101-3p dependent. Our results showed a novel connection of NEAT1, miR-101-3p and EMP2 in NPC migration and radiation resistance.
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