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Sadat Kalaki N, Ahmadzadeh M, Najafi M, Mobasheri M, Ajdarkosh H, Karbalaie Niya MH. Systems biology approach to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets for colorectal cancer. Biochem Biophys Rep 2024; 37:101633. [PMID: 38283191 PMCID: PMC10821538 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101633] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC), is the third most prevalent cancer across the globe, and is often detected at advanced stage. Late diagnosis of CRC, leave the chemotherapy and radiotherapy as the main options for the possible treatment of the disease which are associated with severe side effects. In the present study, we seek to explore CRC gene expression data using a systems biology framework to identify potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for earlier diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Methods The expression data was retrieved from the gene expression omnibus (GEO). Differential gene expression analysis was conducted using R/Bioconductor package. The PPI network was reconstructed by the STRING. Cystoscope and Gephi software packages were used for visualization and centrality analysis of the PPI network. Clustering analysis of the PPI network was carried out using k-mean algorithm. Gene-set enrichment based on Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway databases was carried out to identify the biological functions and pathways associated with gene groups. Prognostic value of the selected identified hub genes was examined by survival analysis, using GEPIA. Results A total of 848 differentially expressed genes were identified. Centrality analysis of the PPI network resulted in identification of 99 hubs genes. Clustering analysis dissected the PPI network into seven interactive modules. While several DEGs and the central genes in each module have already reported to contribute to CRC progression, survival analysis confirmed high expression of central genes, CCNA2, CD44, and ACAN contribute to poor prognosis of CRC patients. In addition, high expression of TUBA8, AMPD3, TRPC1, ARHGAP6, JPH3, DYRK1A and ACTA1 was found to associate with decreased survival rate. Conclusion Our results identified several genes with high centrality in PPI network that contribute to progression of CRC. The fact that several of the identified genes have already been reported to be relevant to diagnosis and treatment of CRC, other highlighted genes with limited literature information may hold potential to be explored in the context of CRC biomarker and drug target discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloufar Sadat Kalaki
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
- International Institute of New Sciences (IINS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mozhgan Ahmadzadeh
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Najafi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Meysam Mobasheri
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Sciences and Technology, Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- International Institute of New Sciences (IINS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Ajdarkosh
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hadi Karbalaie Niya
- Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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2
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Everest‐Dass A, Nersisyan S, Maar H, Novosad V, Schröder‐Schwarz J, Freytag V, Stuke JL, Beine MC, Schiecke A, Haider M, Kriegs M, Elakad O, Bohnenberger H, Conradi L, Raygorodskaya M, Krause L, von Itzstein M, Tonevitsky A, Schumacher U, Maltseva D, Wicklein D, Lange T. Spontaneous metastasis xenograft models link CD44 isoform 4 to angiogenesis, hypoxia, EMT and mitochondria-related pathways in colorectal cancer. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:62-90. [PMID: 37849446 PMCID: PMC10766209 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematogenous metastasis limits the survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Here, we illuminated the roles of CD44 isoforms in this process. Isoforms 3 and 4 were predominantly expressed in CRC patients. CD44 isoform 4 indicated poor outcome and correlated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and decreased oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) in patients; opposite associations were found for isoform 3. Pan-CD44 knockdown (kd) independently impaired primary tumor formation and abrogated distant metastasis in CRC xenografts. The xenograft tumors mainly expressed the clinically relevant CD44 isoforms 3 and 4. Both isoforms were enhanced in the paranecrotic, hypoxic tumor regions but were generally absent in lung metastases. Upon CD44 kd, tumor angiogenesis was increased in the paranecrotic areas, accompanied by reduced hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and CEACAM5 but increased E-cadherin expression. Mitochondrial genes and proteins were induced upon pan-CD44 kd, as were OxPhos genes. Hypoxia increased VEGF release from tumor spheres, particularly upon CD44 kd. Genes affected upon CD44 kd in xenografts specifically overlapped concordantly with genes correlating with CD44 isoform 4 (but not isoform 3) in patients, validating the clinical relevance of the used model and highlighting the metastasis-promoting role of CD44 isoform 4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Everest‐Dass
- Institute for GlycomicsGriffith University, Gold Coast CampusAustralia
| | - Stepan Nersisyan
- Faculty of Biology and BiotechnologyHSE UniversityMoscowRussia
- Institute of Molecular BiologyThe National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of ArmeniaYerevanArmenia
- Armenian Bioinformatics Institute (ABI)YerevanArmenia
- Present address:
Computational Medicine CenterThomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Hanna Maar
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Victor Novosad
- Faculty of Biology and BiotechnologyHSE UniversityMoscowRussia
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
| | | | - Vera Freytag
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Johanna L. Stuke
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Mia C. Beine
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Alina Schiecke
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Marie‐Therese Haider
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Malte Kriegs
- Department of Radiobiology and Radiation OncologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Omar Elakad
- Institute of PathologyUniversity Medical Center GöttingenGermany
| | | | - Lena‐Christin Conradi
- Clinic for General, Visceral and Pediatric SurgeryUniversity Medical Center GöttingenGermany
| | | | - Linda Krause
- Institute of Medical Biometry and EpidemiologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
| | - Mark von Itzstein
- Institute for GlycomicsGriffith University, Gold Coast CampusAustralia
| | - Alexander Tonevitsky
- Faculty of Biology and BiotechnologyHSE UniversityMoscowRussia
- Shemyakin‐Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic ChemistryRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussia
- Art Photonics GmbHBerlinGermany
| | - Udo Schumacher
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
- Medical School BerlinGermany
| | - Diana Maltseva
- Faculty of Biology and BiotechnologyHSE UniversityMoscowRussia
| | - Daniel Wicklein
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
- Department of Anatomy and Cell BiologyUniversity of MarburgGermany
| | - Tobias Lange
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental MorphologyUniversity Medical Center Hamburg‐EppendorfGermany
- Institute of Anatomy IJena University HospitalGermany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG)Jena and LeipzigGermany
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3
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Topalov NE, Mayr D, Kuhn C, Leutbecher A, Scherer C, Kraus FBT, Tauber CV, Beyer S, Meister S, Hester A, Kolben T, Burges A, Mahner S, Trillsch F, Kessler M, Jeschke U, Czogalla B. Characterization and prognostic impact of ACTBL2-positive tumor-infiltrating leukocytes in epithelial ovarian cancer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22620. [PMID: 38114558 PMCID: PMC10730610 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49286-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Actin beta-like 2 (ACTBL2) was recently identified as a new mediator of migration in ovarian cancer cells. Yet, its impact on tumor-infiltrating and thus migrating leukocytes (TILs) remains to date unknown. This study characterizes the subset of ACTBL2-expressing TILs in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and elucidates their prognostic influence on the overall survival of EOC patients with special regard to different histological subtypes. Comprehensive immunohistochemical analyses of Tissue-Microarrays of 156 ovarian cancer patients revealed, that a tumor infiltration by ACTBL2-positive leukocytes was significantly associated with an improved overall survival (OS) (61.2 vs. 34.4 months; p = 0.006) and was identified as an independent prognostic factor (HR = 0.556; p = 0.038). This significant survival benefit was particularly evident in patients with low-grade serous carcinoma (OS: median not reached vs. 15.6 months, p < 0.001; HR = 0.058, p = 0.018). In the present cohort, ACTBL2-positive TILs were mainly composed of CD44-positive cytotoxic T-cells (CD8+) and macrophages (CD68+), as depicted by double-immunofluorescence and various immunohistochemical serial staining. Our results provide significant evidence of the prognostic impact and cellular composition of ACTBL2-expressing TILs in EOC. Complementary studies are required to analyze the underlying molecular mechanisms of ACTBL2 as a marker for activated migrating leukocytes and to further characterize its immunological impact on ovarian carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- N E Topalov
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - D Mayr
- Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - C Kuhn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - A Leutbecher
- Laboratory for Translational Cancer Immunology, LMU Gene Center, Munich, Germany
- Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - C Scherer
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - F B T Kraus
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - C V Tauber
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - S Beyer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - S Meister
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - A Hester
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - T Kolben
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - A Burges
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - S Mahner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - F Trillsch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - M Kessler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - U Jeschke
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - B Czogalla
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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4
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Choi JA, Kim H, Kwon H, Lee EH, Cho H, Chung JY, Kim JH. Ascitic autotaxin as a potential prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic target for epithelial ovarian cancer. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:1184-1194. [PMID: 37596406 PMCID: PMC10539369 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02355-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malignant ascites contributes to the metastatic process by facilitating the multifocal dissemination of ovarian tumour cells onto the peritoneal surface. However, the prognostic and diagnostic relevance of ascitic fluid remains largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the potential clinical value and therapeutic utility of ascitic autotaxin (ATX) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). METHODS ATX expression was assessed in clinical samples. Spheroid-forming assay, real-time PCR, western blot analysis, invadopodia assay, and adhesion assays were performed. RESULTS Ascitic ATX expression was highly elevated in patients with ovarian cancer compared to those with benign ascites and was associated with advanced stage, high grade, and a short disease-free period in patients with EOC. Combining the diagnostic ability of ascitic ATX and serum CA-125 levels significantly improved the area under the curve (AUC) value for EOC compared to serum CA125 level alone. This marker combination showed a large odds ratio for short disease-free period in high-risk EOC groups. Functional studies revealed that ascitic ATX was required for maintaining cancer stem cell-like characteristics and invadopodia formation. CONCLUSION Ascitic ATX levels may serve as a useful prognostic indicator for predicting aggressive behaviour in EOC. ATX-linked invadopodia are a potential target to prevent peritoneal dissemination in ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-A Choi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
- Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyosun Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Hyunja Kwon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Elizabeth Hyeji Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Hanbyoul Cho
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
- Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon-Yong Chung
- Molecular Imaging Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jae-Hoon Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea.
- Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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5
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Barbayianni I, Kanellopoulou P, Fanidis D, Nastos D, Ntouskou ED, Galaris A, Harokopos V, Hatzis P, Tsitoura E, Homer R, Kaminski N, Antoniou KM, Crestani B, Tzouvelekis A, Aidinis V. SRC and TKS5 mediated podosome formation in fibroblasts promotes extracellular matrix invasion and pulmonary fibrosis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5882. [PMID: 37735172 PMCID: PMC10514346 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41614-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The activation and accumulation of lung fibroblasts resulting in aberrant deposition of extracellular matrix components, is a pathogenic hallmark of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, a lethal and incurable disease. In this report, increased expression of TKS5, a scaffold protein essential for the formation of podosomes, was detected in the lung tissue of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis patients and bleomycin-treated mice. Τhe profibrotic milieu is found to induce TKS5 expression and the formation of prominent podosome rosettes in lung fibroblasts, that are retained ex vivo, culminating in increased extracellular matrix invasion. Tks5+/- mice are found resistant to bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, largely attributed to diminished podosome formation in fibroblasts and decreased extracellular matrix invasion. As computationally predicted, inhibition of src kinase is shown to potently attenuate podosome formation in lung fibroblasts and extracellular matrix invasion, and bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, suggesting pharmacological targeting of podosomes as a very promising therapeutic option in pulmonary fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilianna Barbayianni
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Athens, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Kanellopoulou
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Athens, Greece
| | - Dionysios Fanidis
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitris Nastos
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleftheria-Dimitra Ntouskou
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Athens, Greece
| | - Apostolos Galaris
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Athens, Greece
| | - Vaggelis Harokopos
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Athens, Greece
| | - Pantelis Hatzis
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Athens, Greece
| | - Eliza Tsitoura
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Robert Homer
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Naftali Kaminski
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Katerina M Antoniou
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Bruno Crestani
- Department of Pulmonology, Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Argyrios Tzouvelekis
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Vassilis Aidinis
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center Alexander Fleming, Athens, Greece.
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6
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Qiu S, Iimori M, Edahiro K, Fujimoto Y, Matsuoka K, Oki E, Maehara Y, Mori M, Kitao H. A CD44 variant is essential for Slug-dependent vimentin gene expression to acquire TGF-β1-induced tumor cell motility. Cancer Sci 2022; 113:2654-2667. [PMID: 35363934 PMCID: PMC9357650 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15353] [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: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
CD44 is a widely expressed polymorphic adhesion molecule that has pleiotropic functions in development and tumor progression. Its mRNA undergoes alternative splicing to generate multiple variant (CD44v) isoforms, although the function of each CD44v isoform is not fully elucidated. Here, we show that CD44v plays an important role in the induction of vimentin expression upon transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1)‐induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Among multiple CD44v isoforms expressed in NUGC3 gastric cancer cells, CD44v8‐10 and CD44v3,8‐10 are involved in the acquisition of migratory and invasive properties associated with TGF‐β1‐induced EMT, and only CD44v3,8‐10 induces the transcription of vimentin mediated by the EMT transcription factor Slug. In primary tumor specimens obtained from patients with gastric cancer, CD44‐containing variant exon 9 (CD44v9) expression and EMT features [E‐cadherin(−)vimentin(+)] were significantly correlated, and EMT features in the cells expressing CD44v9 were associated with tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, and pStage, which indicate invasive and metastatic properties, and poor prognosis. These results indicate that certain CD44v isoforms promote tumor cell motility and metastasis in gastric cancer in association with EMT features, and CD44v3,8‐10 may contribute to these clinical characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shichao Qiu
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Makoto Iimori
- Department of Molecular Cancer Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Keitaro Edahiro
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Fujimoto
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | | | - Eiji Oki
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Maehara
- Kyushu Central Hospital of the Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Masaki Mori
- Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Graduate School of Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kitao
- Department of Molecular Cancer Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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7
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Noda N, Ozawa T. Castanospermine suppresses CD44 ectodomain cleavage as revealed by transmembrane bioluminescent sensors. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:274740. [PMID: 35194645 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259314] [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: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) is a single-pass transmembrane glycoprotein that is a widely distributed cell-surface adhesion molecule. CD44 undergoes ectodomain cleavage by membrane-associated metalloproteinases in breast cancer cells. Cleavage plays a critical role in cancer cell migration by mediating the interaction between CD44 and the extracellular matrix. To explore inhibitors of CD44 ectodomain cleavage, we developed two bioluminescent sensors for the detection of CD44 ectodomain cleavage. The sensors were designed as two-transmembrane proteins with split-luciferase fragments, one of which was cyclized by protein trans-splicing of a DnaE intein. These two sensors emit light by the cyclization or the spontaneous complementation of the luciferase fragments. The luminescence intensities decreased by cleavage of the ectodomain in breast cancer cells. The sensors revealed that castanospermine, an α-glucosidase inhibitor, suppressed the ectodomain cleavage of endogenous CD44 in breast cancer cells. Castanospermine also inhibited breast cancer cell invasion. Thus, the sensors are beneficial tools for evaluating the effects of different inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsumi Noda
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takeaki Ozawa
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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8
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Suzuki H, Kaneko MK, Kato Y. Roles of Podoplanin in Malignant Progression of Tumor. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030575. [PMID: 35159384 PMCID: PMC8834262 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Podoplanin (PDPN) is a cell-surface mucin-like glycoprotein that plays a critical role in tumor development and normal development of the lung, kidney, and lymphatic vascular systems. PDPN is overexpressed in several tumors and is involved in their malignancy. PDPN induces platelet aggregation through binding to platelet receptor C-type lectin-like receptor 2. Furthermore, PDPN modulates signal transductions that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, invasion, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and stemness, all of which are crucial for the malignant progression of tumor. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), PDPN expression is upregulated in the tumor stroma, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and immune cells. CAFs play significant roles in the extracellular matrix remodeling and the development of immunosuppressive TME. Additionally, PDPN functions as a co-inhibitory molecule on T cells, indicating its involvement with immune evasion. In this review, we describe the mechanistic basis and diverse roles of PDPN in the malignant progression of tumors and discuss the possibility of the clinical application of PDPN-targeted cancer therapy, including cancer-specific monoclonal antibodies, and chimeric antigen receptor T technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
- Correspondence: (H.S.); (Y.K.); Tel.: +81-22-717-8207 (H.S. & Y.K.)
| | - Mika K. Kaneko
- Department of Antibody Drug Development, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan;
| | - Yukinari Kato
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
- Department of Antibody Drug Development, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan;
- Correspondence: (H.S.); (Y.K.); Tel.: +81-22-717-8207 (H.S. & Y.K.)
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9
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Aggelopoulos CA, Christodoulou AM, Tachliabouri M, Meropoulis S, Christopoulou ME, Karalis TT, Chatzopoulos A, Skandalis SS. Cold Atmospheric Plasma Attenuates Breast Cancer Cell Growth Through Regulation of Cell Microenvironment Effectors. Front Oncol 2022; 11:826865. [PMID: 35111687 PMCID: PMC8801750 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.826865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer exists in multiple subtypes some of which still lack a targeted and effective therapy. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been proposed as an emerging anti-cancer treatment modality. In this study, we investigated the effects of direct and indirect CAP treatment driven by the advantageous nanosecond pulsed discharge on breast cancer cells of different malignant phenotypes and estrogen receptor (ER) status, a major factor in the prognosis and therapeutic management of breast cancer. The main CAP reactive species in liquid (i.e. H2O2, NO2−/NO3−) and gas phase were determined as a function of plasma operational parameters (i.e. treatment time, pulse voltage and frequency), while pre-treatment with the ROS scavenger NAC revealed the impact of ROS in the treatment. CAP treatment induced intense phenotypic changes and apoptosis in both ER+ and ER- cells, which is associated with the mitochondrial pathway as evidenced by the increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleavage of PARP-1. Interestingly, CAP significantly reduced CD44 protein expression (a major cancer stem cell marker and matrix receptor), while differentially affected the expression of proteases and inflammatory mediators. Collectively, the findings of the present study suggest that CAP suppresses breast cancer cell growth and regulates several effectors of the tumor microenvironment and thus it could represent an efficient therapeutic approach for distinct breast cancer subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos A. Aggelopoulos
- Laboratory of Cold Plasma and Advanced Techniques for Improving Environmental Systems, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH/ICE-HT), Patras, Greece
- *Correspondence: Christos A. Aggelopoulos, ; Spyros S. Skandalis,
| | - Anna-Maria Christodoulou
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Res. Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Myrsini Tachliabouri
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Res. Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Stauros Meropoulis
- Laboratory of Cold Plasma and Advanced Techniques for Improving Environmental Systems, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH/ICE-HT), Patras, Greece
| | - Maria-Elpida Christopoulou
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Res. Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Theodoros T. Karalis
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Res. Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Athanasios Chatzopoulos
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Res. Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - Spyros S. Skandalis
- Biochemistry, Biochemical Analysis & Matrix Pathobiology Res. Group, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
- *Correspondence: Christos A. Aggelopoulos, ; Spyros S. Skandalis,
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10
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Lyu J, Cheng C. Regulation of Alternative Splicing during Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Cells Tissues Organs 2022; 211:238-251. [PMID: 34348273 PMCID: PMC8741878 DOI: 10.1159/000518249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing is an essential mechanism of gene regulation, giving rise to remarkable protein diversity in higher eukaryotes. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a developmental process that plays an essential role in metazoan embryogenesis. Recent studies have revealed that alternative splicing serves as a fundamental layer of regulation that governs cells to undergo EMT. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the functional impact of alternative splicing in EMT and EMT-associated activities. We then discuss the regulatory mechanisms that control alternative splicing changes during EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Lyu
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular
& Human Genetics, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College
of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA,Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate
Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chonghui Cheng
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular
& Human Genetics, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College
of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA,Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate
Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,To whom correspondence should be addressed:
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11
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Hassn Mesrati M, Syafruddin SE, Mohtar MA, Syahir A. CD44: A Multifunctional Mediator of Cancer Progression. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1850. [PMID: 34944493 PMCID: PMC8699317 DOI: 10.3390/biom11121850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
CD44, a non-kinase cell surface transmembrane glycoprotein, has been widely implicated as a cancer stem cell (CSC) marker in several cancers. Cells overexpressing CD44 possess several CSC traits, such as self-renewal and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) capability, as well as a resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy. The CD44 gene regularly undergoes alternative splicing, resulting in the standard (CD44s) and variant (CD44v) isoforms. The interaction of such isoforms with ligands, particularly hyaluronic acid (HA), osteopontin (OPN) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), drive numerous cancer-associated signalling. However, there are contradictory results regarding whether high or low CD44 expression is associated with worsening clinicopathological features, such as a higher tumour histological grade, advanced tumour stage and poorer survival rates. Nonetheless, high CD44 expression significantly contributes to enhanced tumourigenic mechanisms, such as cell proliferation, metastasis, invasion, migration and stemness; hence, CD44 is an important clinical target. This review summarises current research regarding the different CD44 isoform structures and their roles and functions in supporting tumourigenesis and discusses CD44 expression regulation, CD44-signalling pathways and interactions involved in cancer development. The clinical significance and prognostic value of CD44 and the potential of CD44 as a therapeutic target in cancer are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malak Hassn Mesrati
- Nanobiotechnology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400 UPM, Selangor, Malaysia;
| | - Saiful Effendi Syafruddin
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (S.E.S.); (M.A.M.)
| | - M. Aiman Mohtar
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute (UMBI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia; (S.E.S.); (M.A.M.)
| | - Amir Syahir
- Nanobiotechnology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400 UPM, Selangor, Malaysia;
- UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400 UPM, Selangor, Malaysia
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12
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Ebrahimie E, Rahimirad S, Tahsili M, Mohammadi-Dehcheshmeh M. Alternative RNA splicing in stem cells and cancer stem cells: Importance of transcript-based expression analysis. World J Stem Cells 2021; 13:1394-1416. [PMID: 34786151 PMCID: PMC8567453 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v13.i10.1394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative ribonucleic acid (RNA) splicing can lead to the assembly of different protein isoforms with distinctive functions. The outcome of alternative splicing (AS) can result in a complete loss of function or the acquisition of new functions. There is a gap in knowledge of abnormal RNA splice variants promoting cancer stem cells (CSCs), and their prospective contribution in cancer progression. AS directly regulates the self-renewal features of stem cells (SCs) and stem-like cancer cells. Notably, octamer-binding transcription factor 4A spliced variant of octamer-binding transcription factor 4 contributes to maintaining stemness properties in both SCs and CSCs. The epithelial to mesenchymal transition pathway regulates the AS events in CSCs to maintain stemness. The alternative spliced variants of CSCs markers, including cluster of differentiation 44, aldehyde dehydrogenase, and doublecortin-like kinase, α6β1 integrin, have pivotal roles in increasing self-renewal properties and maintaining the pluripotency of CSCs. Various splicing analysis tools are considered in this study. LeafCutter software can be considered as the best tool for differential splicing analysis and identification of the type of splicing events. Additionally, LeafCutter can be used for efficient mapping splicing quantitative trait loci. Altogether, the accumulating evidence re-enforces the fact that gene and protein expression need to be investigated in parallel with alternative splice variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmaeil Ebrahimie
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, South Australia, Australia
- La Trobe Genomics Research Platform, School of Life Sciences, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia,
| | - Samira Rahimirad
- Department of Medical Genetics, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran 1497716316, Iran
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal H4A 3J1, Quebec, Canada
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13
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Pan M, Li M, Guo M, Zhou H, Xu H, Zhao F, Mei F, Xue R, Dou J. Knockdown of ALDH1A3 reduces breast cancer stem cell marker CD44 via the miR-7-TGFBR2-Smad3-CD44 regulatory axis. Exp Ther Med 2021; 22:1093. [PMID: 34504547 PMCID: PMC8383762 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A3 (ALDH1A3) has been revealed to lead to significant increase of microRNA (miR)-7 expression and decrease of CD44 expression in breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), however the mechanism is not clear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the regulatory relationship between ALDH1A3, miR-7, and CD44 in BCSCs. The expression of ALDH1A3 was inhibited by small interfering RNA (siRNA or si), and the expression of miR-7 was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Then, the ratio of CD44+ cells was analyzed by flow cytometry in MDA-MB-231 cells. The dual-luciferase reporter system was used to demonstrate that miR-7 binds to transforming growth factor-β receptor 2 (TGFBR2) 3'UTR, and ChIP-PCR determined whether the transcription factor Smad3 binds to the upstream regulatory region of the CD44 promoter. The results revealed that siALDH1A3 downregulated ALDH1A3 and promoted miR-7 expression, which resulted in downregulation of CD44 expression. siALDH1A3 also downregulated the CD44 expression on the surface of MDA-MB-231 cells and inhibited the G2/M phase in BCSCs as analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, lenti-miR-7 cells transfected with TGF-β1 + SB431542 revealed that lenti-miR-7 inhibited the TGF-β1 pathway by inhibiting Smad2/3/4 expression and, thus, downregulated CD44 expression. miR-7 was revealed to directly bind to the TGFBR2 3'UTR through dual-luciferase reporter assay, and Smad3, a transcription factor, through ChIP-PCR was demonstrated to bind to the upstream region of the CD44 promoter. These results demonstrated the existence of the ALDH1A3-miR-7-TGFBR2-Smad3-CD44 axis in MDA-MB-231 cells. RT-qPCR results of 12 breast cancer surgical specimens and SK-BR-3, MCF-7, and LD cell lines further confirmed the presence of the regulatory axis. In conclusion the findings from the present study demonstrated that the ALDH1A3-miR-7-TGFBR2-Smad3-CD44 regulatory axis was highly efficient in the inhibition of CD44 expression in BCSCs, and that the regulatory expression of ALDH1A3 and miR-7 may provide a strategy in the therapy of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Pan
- Department of Judicial Identification, Jiangsu Province Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China.,Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Miao Li
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Mei Guo
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Huiying Zhou
- Department of Judicial Identification, Jiangsu Province Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, P.R. China
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Fengshu Zhao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Feng Mei
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Rui Xue
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Jun Dou
- Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
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14
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Dissecting the Inorganic Nanoparticle-Driven Interferences on Adhesome Dynamics. JOURNAL OF NANOTHERANOSTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jnt2030011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Inorganic nanoparticles have emerged as an attractive theranostic tool applied to different pathologies such as cancer. However, the increment in inorganic nanoparticle application in biomedicine has prompted the scientific community to assess their potential toxicities, often preventing them from entering clinical settings. Cytoskeleton network and the related adhesomes nest are present in most cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, and cell death. The nanoparticle treatment can interfere with the cytoskeleton and adhesome dynamics, thus inflicting cellular damage. Therefore, it is crucial dissecting the molecular mechanisms involved in nanoparticle cytotoxicity. This review will briefly address the main characteristics of different adhesion structures and focus on the most relevant effects of inorganic nanoparticles with biomedical potential on cellular adhesome dynamics. Besides, the review put into perspective the use of inorganic nanoparticles for cytoskeleton targeting or study as a versatile tool. The dissection of the molecular mechanisms involved in the nanoparticle-driven interference of adhesome dynamics will facilitate the future development of nanotheranostics targeting cytoskeleton and adhesomes to tackle several diseases, such as cancer.
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15
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Huang SS, Liao WY, Hsu CC, Chan TS, Liao TY, Yang PM, Chen LT, Sung SY, Tsai KK. A Novel Invadopodia-Specific Marker for Invasive and Pro-Metastatic Cancer Stem Cells. Front Oncol 2021; 11:638311. [PMID: 34136381 PMCID: PMC8200852 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.638311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Stem-like cancer cells or cancer stem cells (CSCs) may comprise a phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous subset of cells, whereas the molecular markers reflecting this CSC hierarchy remain elusive. The glycolytic enzyme alpha-enolase (ENO1) present on the surface of malignant tumor cells has been identified as a metastasis-promoting factor through its function of activating plasminogen. The expression pattern of surface ENO1 (sENO1) concerning cell-to-cell or CSC heterogeneity and its functional roles await further investigation. Methods The cell-to-cell expression heterogeneity of sENO1 was profiled in malignant cells from different types of cancers using flow cytometry. The subcellular localization of sENO1 and its functional roles in the invadopodia formation and cancer cell invasiveness were investigated using a series of imaging, molecular, and in vitro and in vivo functional studies. Results We showed here that ENO1 is specifically localized to the invadopodial surface of a significant subset (11.1%-63.9%) of CSCs in human gastric and prostate adenocarcinomas. sENO1+ CSCs have stronger mesenchymal properties than their sENO1- counterparts. The subsequent functional studies confirmed the remarkable pro-invasive and pro-metastatic capacities of sENO1+ CSCs. Mechanistically, inhibiting the surface localization of ENO1 by downregulating caveolin-1 expression compromised invadopodia biogenesis, proteolysis, and CSC invasiveness. Conclusions Our study identified the specific expression of ENO1 on the invadopodial surface of a subset of highly invasive and pro-metastatic CSCs. sENO1 may provide a diagnostically and/or therapeutically exploitable target to improve the outcome of patients with aggressive and metastatic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenq-Shyang Huang
- Graduate Program of Biotechnology in Medicine, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.,Laboratory of Advanced Molecular Therapeutics, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Ying Liao
- Laboratory of Advanced Molecular Therapeutics, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Chi Hsu
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Tze-Sian Chan
- Laboratory of Advanced Molecular Therapeutics, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan.,Integrated Therapy Center for Gastroenterological Cancers, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Yan Liao
- Laboratory of Advanced Molecular Therapeutics, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Ming Yang
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Tzong Chen
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan City, Taiwan.,Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan
| | - Shian-Ying Sung
- The Ph.D. Program for Translational Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Kelvin K Tsai
- Laboratory of Advanced Molecular Therapeutics, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan.,Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan.,Integrated Therapy Center for Gastroenterological Cancers, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan.,National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan City, Taiwan.,Clinical Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan.,Taipei Medical University (TMU) and Affiliated Hospitals Pancreatic Cancer Groups, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
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16
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Fontanella RA, Sideri S, Di Stefano C, Catizone A, Di Agostino S, Angelini DF, Guerrera G, Battistini L, Battafarano G, Del Fattore A, Campese AF, Padula F, De Cesaris P, Filippini A, Riccioli A. CD44v8-10 is a marker for malignant traits and a potential driver of bone metastasis in a subpopulation of prostate cancer cells. Cancer Biol Med 2021; 18:j.issn.2095-3941.2020.0495. [PMID: 34018387 PMCID: PMC8330537 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2020.0495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Bone metastasis is a clinically important outcome of prostate carcinoma (PC). We focused on the phenotypic and functional characterization of a particularly aggressive phenotype within the androgen-independent bone metastasis-derived PC3 cell line. These cells, originated from the spontaneous conversion of a CD44-negative subpopulation, stably express the CD44v8-10 isoform (CD44v8-10pos) and display stem cell-like features and a marked invasive phenotype in vitro that is lost upon CD44v8-10 silencing. METHODS Flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunoassay, immunofluorescence, and Western blot were used for phenotypic and immunologic characterization. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and functional assays were used to assess osteomimicry. RESULTS Analysis of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers showed that CD44v8-10pos PC3 cells surprisingly display epithelial phenotype and can undergo osteomimicry, acquiring bone cell phenotypic and behavioral traits. Use of specific siRNA evidenced the ability of CD44v8-10 variant to confer osteomimetic features, hence the potential to form bone-specific metastasis. Moreover, the ability of tumors to activate immunosuppressive mechanisms which counteract effective immune responses is a sign of the aggressiveness of a tumor. Here we report that CD44v8-10pos cells express programmed death ligand 1, a negative regulator of anticancer immunity, and secrete exceptionally high amounts of interleukin-6, favoring osteoclastogenesis and immunosuppression in bone microenvironment. Notably, we identified a novel pathway activated by CD44v8-10, involving tafazzin (TAZ) and likely the Wnt/TAZ axis, known to play a role in upregulating osteomimetic genes. CONCLUSIONS CD44v8-10 could represent a marker of a more aggressive bone metastatic PC population exerting a driver role in osteomimicry in bone. A novel link between TAZ and CD44v8-10 is also shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria A. Fontanella
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics, Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Silvia Sideri
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics, Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Chiara Di Stefano
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics, Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Angiolina Catizone
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics, Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Agostino
- Department of Health Sciences School of Medicine – “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro 88100, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Giulia Battafarano
- Bone Physiopathology Research Unit, Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00146, Italy
| | - Andrea Del Fattore
- Bone Physiopathology Research Unit, Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome 00146, Italy
| | | | - Fabrizio Padula
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics, Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Paola De Cesaris
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila 67100, Italy
| | - Antonio Filippini
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics, Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
| | - Anna Riccioli
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopaedics, Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University, Rome 00161, Italy
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17
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Sheng Y, Cao M, Liu Y, He Y, Zhang G, Du Y, Gao F, Yang C. Hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) regulates cell phenotype and invadopodia formation in luminal-like breast cancer cells. Mol Cell Biochem 2021; 476:3383-3391. [PMID: 33954907 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-021-04165-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Although luminal breast cancer cells are typically highly cohesive epithelial cells and have low invasive ability, many eventually develop metastasis. Until now, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. In this work, we showed that the level of hyaluronic acid synthase 2 (HAS2) was positively correlated with the malignant phenotype of breast cancer cells. Notably, the increased expression of HAS2 promoted the invasive and migratory abilities of luminal breast cancer cells in vitro, followed by a reduced expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and ZO-1, and an elevated expression of N-cadherin and vimentin. Furthermore, overexpression of HAS2 promoted while knockdown of HAS2 impeded invadopodia formation, which subsequently increased or decreased the activation of cortactin, Tks5, and metalloproteinases (MMPs). Activation of these invadopodia-related proteins was prevented by inhibition of HAS2 or disruption of HA, which in turn attenuated the increased motility and invasiveness. Further, in vivo study showed that, HAS2 increased tumor growth and the rate of lung metastasis via driving transition to an invasive cell phenotype in SCID mice that were orthotopically transplanted with luminal breast cancer cells. Collectively, our results showed that HAS2 promoted cell invasion by inducing transition to an invasive phenotype and by enhancing invadopodia formation in luminal breast cancer cells, which may provide new mechanistic insights into its role in tumor metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Sheng
- Department of Molecular Biology Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Manlin Cao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Yiqing He
- Department of Molecular Biology Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Guoliang Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Yan Du
- Department of Molecular Biology Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Molecular Biology Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China. .,Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China.
| | - Cuixia Yang
- Department of Molecular Biology Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China. .,Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, China.
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18
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Koltai T, Reshkin SJ, Carvalho TMA, Cardone RA. Targeting the Stromal Pro-Tumoral Hyaluronan-CD44 Pathway in Pancreatic Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3953. [PMID: 33921242 PMCID: PMC8069142 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest malignancies. Present-day treatments have not shown real improvements in reducing the high mortality rate and the short survival of the disease. The average survival is less than 5% after 5 years. New innovative treatments are necessary to curtail the situation. The very dense pancreatic cancer stroma is a barrier that impedes the access of chemotherapeutic drugs and at the same time establishes a pro-proliferative symbiosis with the tumor, thus targeting the stroma has been suggested by many authors. No ideal drug or drug combination for this targeting has been found as yet. With this goal in mind, here we have explored a different complementary treatment based on abundant previous publications on repurposed drugs. The cell surface protein CD44 is the main receptor for hyaluronan binding. Many malignant tumors show over-expression/over-activity of both. This is particularly significant in pancreatic cancer. The independent inhibition of hyaluronan-producing cells, hyaluronan synthesis, and/or CD44 expression, has been found to decrease the tumor cell's proliferation, motility, invasion, and metastatic abilities. Targeting the hyaluronan-CD44 pathway seems to have been bypassed by conventional mainstream oncological practice. There are existing drugs that decrease the activity/expression of hyaluronan and CD44: 4-methylumbelliferone and bromelain respectively. Some drugs inhibit hyaluronan-producing cells such as pirfenidone. The association of these three drugs has never been tested either in the laboratory or in the clinical setting. We present a hypothesis, sustained by hard experimental evidence, suggesting that the simultaneous use of these nontoxic drugs can achieve synergistic or added effects in reducing invasion and metastatic potential, in PDAC. A non-toxic, low-cost scheme for inhibiting this pathway may offer an additional weapon for treating pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephan Joel Reshkin
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Tiago M. A. Carvalho
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (R.A.C.)
| | - Rosa A. Cardone
- Department of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, 70126 Bari, Italy; (T.M.A.C.); (R.A.C.)
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19
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Gao Y, Xu Y, Zhao S, Qian L, Song T, Zheng J, Zhang J, Chen B. Growth differentiation factor-15 promotes immune escape of ovarian cancer via targeting CD44 in dendritic cells. Exp Cell Res 2021; 402:112522. [PMID: 33771482 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Immune escape is the main cause of the low response rate to immunotherapy for cancer, including ovarian cancer. Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) inhibits immune cell function. However, only few reports described the mechanism. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of immune escape regulated by GDF-15 in ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer patients and healthy women were enrolled in this study. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA were performed to measure GDF-15 expression. Immunoprecipitation combined with mass spectrometry, surface plasmon resonance, and co-immunoprecipitation assay were used to evaluate the interaction between GDF-15 and the surface molecules of DCs. Immunofluorescence analysis, flow cytometry and transwell assay were used to evaluate additional effects of GDF-15 on DCs. The results showed that GDF-15 expression was higher in the ovarian cancer patients compared to that in the healthy women. The TIMER algorithm revealed that highly GDF-15 expression is associated with immune DC infiltration in immunoreactive high-grade serous carcinoma. A further study showed that GDF-15 suppressed DCs maturation, as well as IL-12p40 and TNF-α secretion, the length and number of protrusions and the migration. More importantly, CD44 in the surface of DCs interacted with GDF-15. The overexpression of CD44 in DCs resulted in the suppression of the inhibitory effect of GDF-15 on the length and number of DC synapses. In DCs overexpressing CD44 the inhibition of GDF-15 on the expression of CD11c, CD83 and CD86 was decreased, while in DCs with a knockdown of CD44 the inhibition was further enhanced. Knockdown of CD44 in DCs enhanced the inhibitory effect of GDF-15 on DC migration, while the overexpression of CD44 inhibited the inhibitory effect of GDF-15 on DC migration. In conclusion, the present study suggested that GDF-15 might facilitate ovarian cancer immune escape by interacting with CD44 in DCs to inhibit their function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunge Gao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127 Changle Road (West), Xi'an City, Shannxi Province, 710032, China
| | - Ying Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127 Changle Road (West), Xi'an City, Shannxi Province, 710032, China
| | - Shuhui Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127 Changle Road (West), Xi'an City, Shannxi Province, 710032, China
| | - Luomeng Qian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127 Changle Road (West), Xi'an City, Shannxi Province, 710032, China
| | - Tingting Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127 Changle Road (West), Xi'an City, Shannxi Province, 710032, China
| | - Jiao Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127 Changle Road (West), Xi'an City, Shannxi Province, 710032, China
| | - Jianfang Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127 Changle Road (West), Xi'an City, Shannxi Province, 710032, China
| | - Biliang Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.127 Changle Road (West), Xi'an City, Shannxi Province, 710032, China.
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20
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Guo Q, Liu Y, He Y, Du Y, Zhang G, Yang C, Gao F. CD44 activation state regulated by the CD44v10 isoform determines breast cancer proliferation. Oncol Rep 2021; 45:7. [PMID: 33649828 PMCID: PMC7876991 DOI: 10.3892/or.2021.7958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell surface glycoprotein CD44 displays different active statuses; however, it remains unknown whether the activation process of CD44 is critical for tumor development and progression. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether breast cancer (BCa) cells with different activation states of CD44 show similar or distinct functional characteristics and to further examine the mechanisms regulating CD44 activities. A feature for the ‘activated’ state of CD44 is that it can bind to its principal ligand hyaluronan (HA). The binding of CD44 with HA is usually influenced by CD44 alternative splicing, resulting in multiple CD44 isoforms that determine CD44 activities. Flow cytometry was used to sort BCa cell subsets based on CD44-HA binding abilities (HA−/low vs. HAhigh). Subsequently, cell proliferation and colony formation assays were performed in vitro, and CD44 expression patterns were analyzed via western blotting. The results demonstrated that the CD44 variant isoform 10 (CD44v10) was highly expressed in a HA−/low binding subset of BCa cells, which exhibited a significantly higher proliferation capacity compared with the HAhigh binding subpopulation. Knockdown of CD44v10 isoform in HA−/low binding subpopulation induced an increase in HA binding ability and markedly inhibited proliferation. Furthermore, the mechanistic analysis identified that CD44v10 facilitated cell proliferation via activation of ERK/p38 MAPK and AKT/mTOR signaling. Moreover, the knockdown of CD44v10 expression downregulated the phosphorylation of ERK, AKT and mTOR, while no alteration was observed in p38 phosphorylation. Collectively, the present study identified a subset of fast-growing BCa cells characterized by CD44v10 expression, which may serve as a specific therapeutic target for BCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Guo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Yiqing He
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Yan Du
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Guoliang Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Cuixia Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, P.R. China
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21
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Offeddu GS, Hajal C, Foley CR, Wan Z, Ibrahim L, Coughlin MF, Kamm RD. The cancer glycocalyx mediates intravascular adhesion and extravasation during metastatic dissemination. Commun Biol 2021; 4:255. [PMID: 33637851 PMCID: PMC7910477 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01774-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The glycocalyx on tumor cells has been recently identified as an important driver for cancer progression, possibly providing critical opportunities for treatment. Metastasis, in particular, is often the limiting step in the survival to cancer, yet our understanding of how tumor cells escape the vascular system to initiate metastatic sites remains limited. Using an in vitro model of the human microvasculature, we assess here the importance of the tumor and vascular glycocalyces during tumor cell extravasation. Through selective manipulation of individual components of the glycocalyx, we reveal a mechanism whereby tumor cells prepare an adhesive vascular niche by depositing components of the glycocalyx along the endothelium. Accumulated hyaluronic acid shed by tumor cells subsequently mediates adhesion to the endothelium via the glycoprotein CD44. Trans-endothelial migration and invasion into the stroma occurs through binding of the isoform CD44v to components of the sub-endothelial extra-cellular matrix. Targeting of the hyaluronic acid-CD44 glycocalyx complex results in significant reduction in the extravasation of tumor cells. These studies provide evidence of tumor cells repurposing the glycocalyx to promote adhesive interactions leading to cancer progression. Such glycocalyx-mediated mechanisms may be therapeutically targeted to hinder metastasis and improve patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni S. Offeddu
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Cynthia Hajal
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Colleen R. Foley
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Zhengpeng Wan
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Lina Ibrahim
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Mark F. Coughlin
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Roger D. Kamm
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA ,grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
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22
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Xu H, Niu M, Yuan X, Wu K, Liu A. CD44 as a tumor biomarker and therapeutic target. Exp Hematol Oncol 2020; 9:36. [PMID: 33303029 PMCID: PMC7727191 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-020-00192-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
CD44, a complex transmembrane glycoprotein, exists in multiple molecular forms, including the standard isoform CD44s and CD44 variant isoforms. CD44 participates in multiple physiological processes, and aberrant expression and dysregulation of CD44 contribute to tumor initiation and progression. CD44 represents a common biomarker of cancer stem cells, and promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition. CD44 is involved in the regulation of diverse vital signaling pathways that modulate cancer proliferation, invasion, metastasis and therapy-resistance, and it is also modulated by a variety of molecules in cancer cells. In addition, CD44 can serve as an adverse prognostic marker among cancer population. The pleiotropic roles of CD44 in carcinoma potentially offering new molecular target for therapeutic intervention. Preclinical and clinical trials for evaluating the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and drug-related toxicity of CD44 monoclonal antibody have been carried out among tumors with CD44 expression. In this review, we focus on current data relevant to CD44, and outline CD44 structure, the regulation of CD44, functional properties of CD44 in carcinogenesis and cancer progression as well as the potential CD44-targeting therapy for cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxiao Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Mengke Niu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Zhengzhou University: Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, China
| | - Xun Yuan
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Kongming Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Zhengzhou University: Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450008, China. .,Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
| | - Aiguo Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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23
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Interplay between Podoplanin, CD44s and CD44v in Squamous Carcinoma Cells. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102200. [PMID: 33003440 PMCID: PMC7601683 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Podoplanin and CD44 are transmembrane glycoproteins involved in inflammation and cancer. In this paper, we report that podoplanin is coordinately expressed with the CD44 standard (CD44s) and variant (CD44v) isoforms in vivo—in hyperplastic skin after a pro-inflammatory stimulus with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)—and in vitro—in cell lines representative of different stages of mouse-skin chemical carcinogenesis, as well as in human squamous carcinoma cell (SCC) lines. Moreover, we identify CD44v10 in the mouse-skin carcinogenesis model as the only CD44 variant isoform expressed in highly aggressive spindle carcinoma cell lines together with CD44s and podoplanin. We also characterized CD44v3-10, CD44v6-10 and CD44v8-10 as the major variant isoforms co-expressed with CD44s and podoplanin in human SCC cell lines. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy experiments show that these CD44v isoforms colocalize with podoplanin at plasma membrane protrusions and cell–cell contacts of SCC cells, as previously reported for CD44s. Furthermore, CD44v isoforms colocalize with podoplanin in chemically induced mouse-skin SCCs in vivo. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments indicate that podoplanin physically binds to CD44v3-10, CD44v6-10 and CD44v8-10 isoforms, as well as to CD44s. Podoplanin–CD44 interaction is mediated by the transmembrane and cytosolic regions and is negatively modulated by glycosylation of the extracellular domain. These results point to a functional interplay of podoplanin with both CD44v and CD44s isoforms in SCCs and give insight into the regulation of the podoplanin–CD44 association.
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24
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Leverrier-Penna S, Destaing O, Penna A. Insights and perspectives on calcium channel functions in the cockpit of cancerous space invaders. Cell Calcium 2020; 90:102251. [PMID: 32683175 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2020.102251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Development of metastasis causes the most serious clinical consequences of cancer and is responsible for over 90 % of cancer-related deaths. Hence, a better understanding of the mechanisms that drive metastasis formation appears critical for drug development designed to prevent the spread of cancer and related mortality. Metastasis dissemination is a multistep process supported by the increased motility and invasiveness capacities of tumor cells. To succeed in overcoming the mechanical constraints imposed by the basement membrane and surrounding tissues, cancer cells reorganize their focal adhesions or extend acto-adhesive cellular protrusions, called invadosomes, that can both contact the extracellular matrix and tune its degradation through metalloprotease activity. Over the last decade, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that altered Ca2+ channel activities and/or expression promote tumor cell-specific phenotypic changes, such as exacerbated migration and invasion capacities, leading to metastasis formation. While several studies have addressed the molecular basis of Ca2+ channel-dependent cancer cell migration, we are still far from having a comprehensive vision of the Ca2+ channel-regulated mechanisms of migration/invasion. This is especially true regarding the specific context of invadosome-driven invasion. This review aims to provide an overview of the current evidence supporting a central role for Ca2+ channel-dependent signaling in the regulation of these dynamic degradative structures. It will present available data on the few Ca2+ channels that have been studied in that specific context and discuss some potential interesting actors that have not been fully explored yet.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Olivier Destaing
- Institute for Advanced BioSciences, CNRS UMR 5309, INSERM U1209, Institut Albert Bonniot, University Grenoble Alpes, 38700 Grenoble, France.
| | - Aubin Penna
- STIM, CNRS ERL7003, University of Poitiers, 86000 Poitiers, France.
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25
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Augoff K, Hryniewicz-Jankowska A, Tabola R. Invadopodia: clearing the way for cancer cell invasion. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:902. [PMID: 32793746 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2020.02.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The invasive nature of many cancer cells involves the formation of F-actin-based, lipid-raft-enriched membrane protrusions known as invadopodia or, more broadly, invadosomes. Invadopodia are specialized adhesive structures arising from ventral cell surface within cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) contacts and concentrate high proteolytic activities that allow cells to overcome the dense scaffold of local microenvironment, comprising a natural barrier to cell spreading. This degradative activity distinguishes invadopodia from other adhesive structures like focal adhesions, lamellipodia or filopodia, and is believed to drive cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Augoff
- Department of Surgical Education, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | | | - Renata Tabola
- Second Department and Clinic of General and Oncological Surgery, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
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26
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Zhou Y, Feng Z, Cao F, Liu X, Xia X, Yu CH. Abl-mediated PI3K activation regulates macrophage podosome formation. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs234385. [PMID: 32393599 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.234385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Podosomes play crucial roles in macrophage adhesion and migration. Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP; also known as WAS)-mediated actin polymerization is one of the key events initiating podosome formation. Nevertheless, membrane signals to trigger WASP activation at macrophage podosomes remain unclear. Here, we show that phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate [PI(3,4,5)P3] lipids are enriched at the podosome and stably recruit WASP rather than the WASP-5KE mutant. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit β (PIK3CB) is spatially located at the podosome core. Inhibition of PIK3CB and overexpression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) impede F-actin polymerization of the podosome. PIK3CB activation is regulated by Abl1 and Src family kinases. At the podosome core, Src and Hck promote the phosphorylation of Tyr488 in the consensus Y-x-x-M motif of Abl1, which enables the association of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) regulatory subunits. Knockdown of Abl1 rather than Abl2 suppresses the PI3K/Akt pathway, regardless of Src and Hck activities. Reintroduction of wild-type Abl1 rather than the Abl1-Y488F mutant rescues PI3KR1 recruitment and PI3K activation. When PIK3CB, Abl1 or Src/Hck is suppressed, macrophage podosome formation, matrix degradation and chemotactic migration are inhibited. Thus, Src/Hck-mediated phosphorylation of Abl1 Tyr488 triggers PIK3CB-dependent PI(3,4,5)P3 production and orchestrates the assembly and function of macrophage podosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhuan Zhou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Zhen Feng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Fakun Cao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xiaoting Liu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xiaojie Xia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Cheng-Han Yu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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27
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Valadão IC, Ralph ACL, Bordeleau F, Dzik LM, Borbely KSC, Geraldo MV, Reinhart-King CA, Freitas VM. High type I collagen density fails to increase breast cancer stem cell phenotype. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9153. [PMID: 32435546 PMCID: PMC7227653 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9153] [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: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a highly frequent and lethal malignancy which metastasis and relapse frequently associates with the existence of breast cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are undifferentiated, aggressive and highly resistant to therapy, with traits modulated by microenvironmental cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM), a biologically complex and dynamic structure composed mainly by type I collagen (Col-I). Col-I enrichment in the tumor-associated ECM leads to microenvironment stiffness and higher tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential. While Col-I is also known to induce tumor stemness, it is unknown if such effect is dependent of Col-I density. To answer this question, we evaluated the stemness phenotype of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells cultured within gels of varying Col-I densities. High Col-I density increased CD44+CD24− breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) immunophenotype but failed to potentiate Col-I fiber alignment, cell self-renewal and clonogenicity in MDA-MB-231 cells. In MCF-7 cells, high Col-I density decreased total levels of variant CD44 (CD44v). Common to both cell types, high Col-I density induced neither markers related to CSC nor those related with mechanically-induced cell response. We conclude that high Col-I density per se is not sufficient to fully develop the BCSC phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iuri C Valadão
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina L Ralph
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - François Bordeleau
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Luciana M Dzik
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Karen S C Borbely
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Cell Biology Laboratory, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil.,Faculty of Nutrition, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Murilo V Geraldo
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | | | - Vanessa M Freitas
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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28
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Hu X, Harvey SE, Zheng R, Lyu J, Grzeskowiak CL, Powell E, Piwnica-Worms H, Scott KL, Cheng C. The RNA-binding protein AKAP8 suppresses tumor metastasis by antagonizing EMT-associated alternative splicing. Nat Commun 2020; 11:486. [PMID: 31980632 PMCID: PMC6981122 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14304-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing has been shown to causally contribute to the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor metastasis. However, the scope of splicing factors that govern alternative splicing in these processes remains largely unexplored. Here we report the identification of A-Kinase Anchor Protein (AKAP8) as a splicing regulatory factor that impedes EMT and breast cancer metastasis. AKAP8 not only is capable of inhibiting splicing activity of the EMT-promoting splicing regulator hnRNPM through protein–protein interaction, it also directly binds to RNA and alters splicing outcomes. Genome-wide analysis shows that AKAP8 promotes an epithelial cell state splicing program. Experimental manipulation of an AKAP8 splicing target CLSTN1 revealed that splice isoform switching of CLSTN1 is crucial for EMT. Moreover, AKAP8 expression and the alternative splicing of CLSTN1 predict breast cancer patient survival. Together, our work demonstrates the essentiality of RNA metabolism that impinges on metastatic breast cancer. Splice isoform switching regulated by the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein M (hnRNPM) induces EMT and metastasis. Here, the authors report that AKAP8 is a metastasis suppressor that inhibits the splicing activity of hnRNPM and antagonizes genome-wide EMT-associated alternative splicing to maintain epithelial cell state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Hu
- Lester & Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Samuel E Harvey
- Lester & Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Rong Zheng
- Lester & Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Jingyi Lyu
- Lester & Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Caitlin L Grzeskowiak
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Emily Powell
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Helen Piwnica-Worms
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Kenneth L Scott
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Chonghui Cheng
- Lester & Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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29
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Guerra F, Bucci C. Role of the RAB7 Protein in Tumor Progression and Cisplatin Chemoresistance. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11081096. [PMID: 31374919 PMCID: PMC6721790 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11081096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
RAB7 is a small guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) extensively studied as regulator of vesicular trafficking. Indeed, its role is fundamental in several steps of the late endocytic pathway, including endosome maturation, transport from early endosomes to late endosomes and lysosomes, clustering and fusion of late endosomes and lysosomes in the perinuclear region and lysosomal biogenesis. Besides endocytosis, RAB7 is important for a number of other cellular processes among which, autophagy, apoptosis, signaling, and cell migration. Given the importance of RAB7 in these cellular processes, the interest to study the role of RAB7 in cancer progression is widely grown. Here, we describe the current understanding of oncogenic and oncosuppressor functions of RAB7 analyzing cellular context and other environmental factors in which it elicits pro and/or antitumorigenic effects. We also discuss the role of RAB7 in cisplatin resistance associated with its ability to regulate the late endosomal pathway, lysosomal biogenesis and extracellular vesicle secretion. Finally, we examined the potential cancer therapeutic strategies targeting the different molecular events in which RAB7 is involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Guerra
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
| | - Cecilia Bucci
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Via Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni 165, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
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30
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Chung SY, Huang WC, Chen ZS, Chao TC, Su Y. Elucidation of the mechanism underlying CD44v6-induced transformation of IEC-6 normal intestinal epithelial cells. J Cell Physiol 2019; 235:194-209. [PMID: 31219187 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The transformation abilities of CD44s and CD44v6 in normal intestinal epithelial cells have not yet been reported. Herein, we established both CD44s and CD44v6 overexpressing stable clones from rat IEC-6 cells and demonstrated that the CD44v6 clones had higher saturation density and anchorage independence. Additionally, CD44v6 clones were more resistant to oxaliplatin and irinotecan which might be attributed to a significantly increased B-cell lymphoma 2 level and a reduced DNA damage response in these cells. Moreover, c-Met and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 signalings were involved in modulating the saturation density in CD44v6 clones. Interestingly, higher activation of both AKT and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were detected in CD44v6 clones which might account in part for the cell density-independent nuclear localization of Yes-associated protein (YAP). To no surprise, increases of both saturation density and anchorage independence in CD44v6 clones were markedly diminished by PI3K, AKT, MEK, and ERK inhibitors as well as YAP knockdown. By contrast, overexpression of a constitutively active YAP robustly increased the aforementioned phenotypes in IEC-6 cells. Collectively, our results suggest that upregulation of CD44v6, but not CD44s, induces the transformation of normal intestinal epithelial cells possibly via activating the c-Met/AKT/YAP pathway which might also explain the important role of CD44v6 in the initiation of various carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-Yi Chung
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wen-Chen Huang
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Zong-Siang Chen
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ta-Chung Chao
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.,Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Min University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yeu Su
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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Tumor-suppressive functions of 4-MU on breast cancer cells of different ER status: Regulation of hyaluronan/HAS2/CD44 and specific matrix effectors. Matrix Biol 2019; 78-79:118-138. [DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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32
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Podoplanin in Inflammation and Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20030707. [PMID: 30736372 PMCID: PMC6386838 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20030707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Podoplanin is a small cell-surface mucin-like glycoprotein that plays a crucial role in the development of the alveoli, heart, and lymphatic vascular system. Emerging evidence indicates that it is also involved in the control of mammary stem-cell activity and biogenesis of platelets in the bone marrow, and exerts an important function in the immune response. Podoplanin expression is upregulated in different cell types, including fibroblasts, macrophages, T helper cells, and epithelial cells, during inflammation and cancer, where it plays important roles. Podoplanin is implicated in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, promotes inflammation-driven and cancer-associated thrombosis, and stimulates cancer cell invasion and metastasis through a variety of strategies. To accomplish its biological functions, podoplanin must interact with other proteins located in the same cell or in neighbor cells. The binding of podoplanin to its ligands leads to modulation of signaling pathways that regulate proliferation, contractility, migration, epithelial⁻mesenchymal transition, and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. In this review, we describe the diverse roles of podoplanin in inflammation and cancer, depict the protein ligands of podoplanin identified so far, and discuss the mechanistic basis for the involvement of podoplanin in all these processes.
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33
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Zhang H, Brown RL, Wei Y, Zhao P, Liu S, Liu X, Deng Y, Hu X, Zhang J, Gao XD, Kang Y, Mercurio AM, Goel HL, Cheng C. CD44 splice isoform switching determines breast cancer stem cell state. Genes Dev 2019; 33:166-179. [PMID: 30692202 PMCID: PMC6362815 DOI: 10.1101/gad.319889.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Zhang et al. show that manipulating the splicing regulator ESRP1 to shift alternative splicing from splice isoform CD44v to CD44s leads to an induction of cancer stem cell properties. Although changes in alternative splicing have been observed in cancer, their functional contributions still remain largely unclear. Here we report that splice isoforms of the cancer stem cell (CSC) marker CD44 exhibit strikingly opposite functions in breast cancer. Bioinformatic annotation in patient breast cancer in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database reveals that the CD44 standard splice isoform (CD44s) positively associates with the CSC gene signatures, whereas the CD44 variant splice isoforms (CD44v) exhibit an inverse association. We show that CD44s is the predominant isoform expressed in breast CSCs. Elimination of the CD44s isoform impairs CSC traits. Conversely, manipulating the splicing regulator ESRP1 to shift alternative splicing from CD44v to CD44s leads to an induction of CSC properties. We further demonstrate that CD44s activates the PDGFRβ/Stat3 cascade to promote CSC traits. These results reveal CD44 isoform specificity in CSC and non-CSC states and suggest that alternative splicing provides functional gene versatility that is essential for distinct cancer cell states and thus cancer phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghong Zhang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Rhonda L Brown
- Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Yong Wei
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Pu Zhao
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Sali Liu
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Xuan Liu
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Yu Deng
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Xiaohui Hu
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Xin D Gao
- Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Yibin Kang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Arthur M Mercurio
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
| | - Hira Lal Goel
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
| | - Chonghui Cheng
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
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Harvey SE, Xu Y, Lin X, Gao XD, Qiu Y, Ahn J, Xiao X, Cheng C. Coregulation of alternative splicing by hnRNPM and ESRP1 during EMT. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2018; 24:1326-1338. [PMID: 30042172 PMCID: PMC6140460 DOI: 10.1261/rna.066712.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental developmental process that is abnormally activated in cancer metastasis. Dynamic changes in alternative splicing occur during EMT. ESRP1 and hnRNPM are splicing regulators that promote an epithelial splicing program and a mesenchymal splicing program, respectively. The functional relationships between these splicing factors in the genome scale remain elusive. Comparing alternative splicing targets of hnRNPM and ESRP1 revealed that they coregulate a set of cassette exon events, with the majority showing discordant splicing regulation. Discordant splicing events regulated by hnRNPM show a positive correlation with splicing during EMT; however, concordant events do not, indicating the role of hnRNPM in regulating alternative splicing during EMT is more complex than previously understood. Motif enrichment analysis near hnRNPM-ESRP1 coregulated exons identifies guanine-uridine rich motifs downstream from hnRNPM-repressed and ESRP1-enhanced exons, supporting a general model of competitive binding to these cis-elements to antagonize alternative splicing. The set of coregulated exons are enriched in genes associated with cell migration and cytoskeletal reorganization, which are pathways associated with EMT. Splicing levels of coregulated exons are associated with breast cancer patient survival and correlate with gene sets involved in EMT and breast cancer subtyping. This study identifies complex modes of interaction between hnRNPM and ESRP1 in regulation of splicing in disease-relevant contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel E Harvey
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Yilin Xu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Xiaodan Lin
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Xin D Gao
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Yushan Qiu
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Jaegyoon Ahn
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology and the Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Xinshu Xiao
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology and the Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Chonghui Cheng
- Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
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35
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Zhou L, Sheng D, Deng Q, Wang D, Liu S. Development of a novel method for rapid cloning of shRNA vectors, which successfully knocked down CD44 in mesenchymal triple-negative breast cancer cells. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2018; 38:57. [PMID: 30249304 PMCID: PMC6154939 DOI: 10.1186/s40880-018-0327-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhou
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, P. R. China
| | - Dandan Sheng
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, P. R. China
| | - Qiaodan Deng
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, P. R. China
| | - Dong Wang
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences and Medical Center, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, P. R. China.,Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, P. R. China
| | - Suling Liu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center & Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Cancer Institutes, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, P. R. China.
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36
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Abstract
Cancer metastasis is defined as the dissemination of malignant cells from the primary tumor site, leading to colonization of distant organs and the establishment of a secondary tumor. Metastasis is frequently associated with chemoresistance and is the major cause of cancer-related mortality. Metastatic cells need to acquire the ability to resist to stresses provided by different environments, such as reactive oxygen species, shear stress, hemodynamic forces, stromal composition, and immune responses, to colonize other tissues. Hence, only a small population of cells has a metastasis-initiating potential. Several studies have revealed the misregulation of transcriptional variants during cancer progression, and many splice events can be used to distinguish between normal and tumoral tissue. These variants, which are abnormally expressed in malignant cells, contribute to an adaptive response of tumor cells and the success of the metastatic cascade, promoting an anomalous cell cycle, cellular adhesion, resistance to death, cell survival, migration and invasion. Understanding the different aspects of splicing regulation and the influence of transcriptional variants that control metastatic cells is critical for the development of therapeutic strategies. In this review, we describe how transcriptional variants contribute to metastatic competence and discuss how targeting specific isoforms may be a promising therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joice De Faria Poloni
- a Centro de Biotecnologia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia , Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul , Porto Alegre , RS , Brazil
| | - Diego Bonatto
- a Centro de Biotecnologia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia , Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul , Porto Alegre , RS , Brazil
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37
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Howley BV, Howe PH. TGF-beta signaling in cancer: post-transcriptional regulation of EMT via hnRNP E1. Cytokine 2018; 118:19-26. [PMID: 29396052 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2017.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The TGFβ signaling pathway is a critical regulator of cancer progression in part through induction of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). This process is aberrantly activated in cancer cells, facilitating invasion of the basement membrane, survival in the circulatory system, and dissemination to distant organs. The mechanisms through which epithelial cells transition to a mesenchymal state involve coordinated transcriptional and post-transcriptional control of gene expression. One such mechanism of control is through the RNA binding protein hnRNP E1, which regulates splicing and translation of a cohort of EMT and stemness-associated transcripts. A growing body of evidence indicates a major role for hnRNP E1 in the control of epithelial cell plasticity, especially in the context of carcinoma progression. Here, we review the multiple mechanisms through which hnRNP E1 functions to control EMT and metastatic progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breege V Howley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Philip H Howe
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
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38
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Huang H, Zhang J, Harvey SE, Hu X, Cheng C. RNA G-quadruplex secondary structure promotes alternative splicing via the RNA-binding protein hnRNPF. Genes Dev 2017; 31:2296-2309. [PMID: 29269483 PMCID: PMC5769772 DOI: 10.1101/gad.305862.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Here, Huang et al. investigated the role of RNA secondary structure in splicing regulation and show that RNA elements with G-quadruplex-forming capacity promote exon inclusion. Analysis of RNA-binding protein footprints revealed that G quadruplexes are enriched in hnRNPF-binding sites and near hnRNPF-regulated alternatively spliced exons in the human transcriptome, thus providing new insights into the regulation of alternative splicing. It is generally thought that splicing factors regulate alternative splicing through binding to RNA consensus sequences. In addition to these linear motifs, RNA secondary structure is emerging as an important layer in splicing regulation. Here we demonstrate that RNA elements with G-quadruplex-forming capacity promote exon inclusion. Destroying G-quadruplex-forming capacity while keeping G tracts intact abrogates exon inclusion. Analysis of RNA-binding protein footprints revealed that G quadruplexes are enriched in heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein F (hnRNPF)-binding sites and near hnRNPF-regulated alternatively spliced exons in the human transcriptome. Moreover, hnRNPF regulates an epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated CD44 isoform switch in a G-quadruplex-dependent manner, which results in inhibition of EMT. Mining breast cancer TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) data sets, we demonstrate that hnRNPF negatively correlates with an EMT gene signature and positively correlates with patient survival. These data suggest a critical role for RNA G quadruplexes in regulating alternative splicing. Modulation of G-quadruplex structural integrity may control cellular processes important for tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huilin Huang
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.,Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Samuel E Harvey
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.,Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Xiaohui Hu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.,Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Chonghui Cheng
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.,Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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39
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Internalized CD44s splice isoform attenuates EGFR degradation by targeting Rab7A. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:8366-8371. [PMID: 28716909 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1701289114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
CD44 has been postulated as a cell surface coreceptor for augmenting receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling. However, how exactly CD44 triggers RTK-dependent signaling remained largely unclear. Here we report an unexpected mechanism by which the CD44s splice isoform is internalized into endosomes to attenuate EGFR degradation. We identify a CD44s-interacting small GTPase, Rab7A, and show that CD44s inhibits Rab7A-mediated EGFR trafficking to lysosomes and subsequent degradation. Importantly, CD44s levels correlate with EGFR signature and predict poor prognosis in glioblastomas. Because Rab7A facilitates trafficking of many RTKs to lysosomes, our findings identify CD44s as a Rab7A regulator to attenuate RTK degradation.
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40
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Liu S, Cheng C. Akt Signaling Is Sustained by a CD44 Splice Isoform-Mediated Positive Feedback Loop. Cancer Res 2017; 77:3791-3801. [PMID: 28533273 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-16-2545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Tumor cells nearly invariably evolve sustained PI3K/Akt signaling as an effective means to circumvent apoptosis and maintain survival. However, for those tumor cells that do not acquire PI3K/Akt mutations to achieve this end, the underlying mechanisms have remained obscure. Here, we describe the discovery of a splice isoform-dependent positive feedback loop that is essential to sustain PI3K/Akt signaling in breast cancer. Splice isoform CD44s promoted expression of the hyaluronan synthase HAS2 by activating the Akt signaling cascade. The HAS2 product hyaluronan further stimulated CD44s-mediated Akt signaling, creating a feed-forward signaling circuit that promoted tumor cell survival. Mechanistically, we identified FOXO1 as a bona fide transcriptional repressor of HAS2. Akt-mediated phosphorylation of FOXO1 relieved its suppression of HAS2 transcription, with FOXO1 phosphorylation status maintained by operation of the positive feedback loop. In clinical specimens of breast cancer, we established that the expression of CD44s and HAS2 was positively correlated. Our results establish a positive feedback mechanism that sustains PI3K/Akt signaling in tumor cells, further illuminating the nearly universal role of this pathway in cancer cell survival. Cancer Res; 77(14); 3791-801. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sali Liu
- Lester & Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Chonghui Cheng
- Lester & Sue Smith Breast Center, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. .,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
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41
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Tumor Cell Invadopodia: Invasive Protrusions that Orchestrate Metastasis. Trends Cell Biol 2017; 27:595-607. [PMID: 28412099 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2017.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 250] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Invadopodia are a subset of invadosomes that are implicated in the integration of signals from the tumor microenvironment to support tumor cell invasion and dissemination. Recent progress has begun to define how tumor cells regulate the plasticity necessary for invadopodia to assemble and function efficiently in the different microenvironments encountered during dissemination in vivo. Exquisite mapping by many laboratories of the pathways involved in integrating diverse invadopodium initiation signals, from growth factors, to extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell-cell contact in the tumor microenvironment, has led to insight into the molecular basis of this plasticity. Here, we integrate this new information to discuss how the invadopodium is an important conductor that orchestrates tumor cell dissemination during metastasis.
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42
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Prasad CP, Chaurasiya SK, Guilmain W, Andersson T. WNT5A signaling impairs breast cancer cell migration and invasion via mechanisms independent of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2016; 35:144. [PMID: 27623766 PMCID: PMC5022188 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-016-0421-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND WNT5A (-/-) mammary tissue has been shown to exhibit increased ductal elongation, suggesting elevated mammary cell migration. Increased epithelial cell migration/invasion has often but not always been linked to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In the current study, we investigated the loss of WNT5A in HB2 human mammary epithelial cells and hypothesized that this loss increased their invasion via the EMT. Based on these results, we postulated that suppression of breast cancer cell migration and invasion by WNT5A is due to EMT reversal. METHODS WNT5A was transiently knocked down using specific siRNAs, whereas WNT5A signaling was induced in MDA-MB468 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells by stably transfecting cells with WNT5A or treating them with recombinant WNT5A (rWNT5A). Changes in EMT markers, CD44, pAKT and AKT expression were assessed using Western blotting and immunofluorescence. The physiological relevance of altered WNT5A signaling was assessed using migration and invasion assays. RESULTS WNT5A knockdown in HB2 mammary epithelial cells resulted in EMT-like changes and increased invasiveness, and these changes were partially reversed by the addition of rWNT5A. These data suggest that WNT5A might inhibit breast cancer cell migration and invasion by a similar EMT reversal. Contrary to our expectations, we did not observe any changes in the EMT status of breast cancer cells, either after treatment with rWNT5A or stable transfection with a WNT5A plasmid, despite the parallel WNT5A-induced inhibition of migration and invasion. Instead, we found that WNT5A signaling impaired CD44 expression and its downstream signaling via AKT. Moreover, knocking down CD44 in breast cancer cells using siRNA impaired cell migration and invasion. CONCLUSIONS WNT5A bi-directionally regulates EMT in mammary epithelial cells, thereby affecting their migration and invasion. However, the ability of WNT5A to inhibit breast cancer cell migration and invasion is an EMT-independent mechanism that, at least in part, can be explained by decreased CD44 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra Prakash Prasad
- Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Centre, Skåne University Hospital, SE-20502, Malmö, Sweden.
| | - Shivendra Kumar Chaurasiya
- Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Centre, Skåne University Hospital, SE-20502, Malmö, Sweden.,Present Address: Department of Applied Microbiology, School of Biological Sciences, Dr HS Gour Central University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - William Guilmain
- Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Centre, Skåne University Hospital, SE-20502, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Tommy Andersson
- Cell and Experimental Pathology, Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Clinical Research Centre, Skåne University Hospital, SE-20502, Malmö, Sweden
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