1
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Essa AAM. Downregulation of connexin 43 is crucial for basal cell alignment in ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst. Saudi Dent J 2024; 36:990-994. [PMID: 39035567 PMCID: PMC11255922 DOI: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2024.05.003] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The current study aims at investigating gap junctions which allow cells to connect with one another. Such process is essential for cell differentiation and the preservation of diverse cell functions. It is noticeable that connexin 43 (Cnx43) was differentially expressed in ameloblasts and odontoblasts in the processes of odontogenesis. Moreover, in carcinoma in situ (CIS) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), Cnx43 expression apparently thought to be a defining feature of the neoplastic state of squamous epithelial cells. Aim: Therefore, the study has postulated that Cnx43 may be involved in the pathophysiology of ameloblastoma and certain odontogenic cysts whose epithelial constituents exhibit squamous cells. Materials and methods In order to prove the foregoing hypothesis, the study explored the immunohistochemical profiles of Cnx43 in ameloblastoma as well as some odontogenic cysts to assess Cnx43 trafficking and its relation with characteristic tissue architectures of odontogenic lesions. Results: The study has concluded that Cnx43 was down regulated significantly in follicular ameloblastoma with obvious ameloblasts-like cell components as well as in odontogenic keratocyst with palisaded basal cells. Additionally, other patterns of ameloblastoma (plexiform and desmoplastic) and different types of odontogenic cysts manifest heavy trafficking for Cnx43. Conclusion: Finally, altered Cnx43 expression between various patterns of ameloblastoma and odontogenic cysts might be related to their pathogenesis and is responsible for their morphological diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Abdelaziz Mohamed Essa
- Assistant Professor of Oral Pathology, Oral Pathology Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Tanta University, Egypt
- Assistant Professor of Oral Pathology, Department of Biomedical Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Al-Baha University, Saudi Arabia
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2
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Jara O, Maripillán J, Momboisse F, Cárdenas AM, García IE, Martínez AD. Differential Regulation of Hemichannels and Gap Junction Channels by RhoA GTPase and Actin Cytoskeleton: A Comparative Analysis of Cx43 and Cx26. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7246. [PMID: 39000353 PMCID: PMC11242593 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Connexins (Cxs) are transmembrane proteins that assemble into gap junction channels (GJCs) and hemichannels (HCs). Previous researches support the involvement of Rho GTPases and actin microfilaments in the trafficking of Cxs, formation of GJCs plaques, and regulation of channel activity. Nonetheless, it remains uncertain whether distinct types of Cxs HCs and GJCs respond differently to Rho GTPases or changes in actin polymerization/depolymerization dynamics. Our investigation revealed that inhibiting RhoA, a small GTPase that controls actin polymerization, or disrupting actin microfilaments with cytochalasin B (Cyto-B), resulted in reduced GJCs plaque size at appositional membranes and increased transport of HCs to non-appositional plasma membrane regions. Notably, these effects were consistent across different Cx types, since Cx26 and Cx43 exhibited similar responses, despite having distinct trafficking routes to the plasma membrane. Functional assessments showed that RhoA inhibition and actin depolymerization decreased the activity of Cx43 GJCs while significantly increasing HC activity. However, the functional status of GJCs and HCs composed of Cx26 remained unaffected. These results support the hypothesis that RhoA, through its control of the actin cytoskeleton, facilitates the transport of HCs to appositional cell membranes for GJCs formation while simultaneously limiting the positioning of free HCs at non-appositional cell membranes, independently of Cx type. This dynamic regulation promotes intercellular communications and reduces non-selective plasma membrane permeability through a Cx-type dependent mechanism, whereby the activity of Cx43 HCs and GJCs are differentially affected but Cx26 channels remain unchanged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Jara
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2362807, Chile
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Jaime Maripillán
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2362807, Chile
| | - Fanny Momboisse
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2362807, Chile
- Virus and Immunity Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3569, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Ana María Cárdenas
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2362807, Chile
| | - Isaac E García
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2362807, Chile
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Molecular y Biofísica, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2360004, Chile
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Odontológicas y Médicas, CICOM, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2360004, Chile
| | - Agustín D Martínez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2362807, Chile
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3
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Abou Nader N, Charrier L, Meisnsohn MC, Banville L, Deffrennes B, St-Jean G, Boerboom D, Zamberlam G, Brind'Amour J, Pépin D, Boyer A. Lats1 and Lats2 regulate YAP and TAZ activity to control the development of mouse Sertoli cells. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23633. [PMID: 38690712 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202400346r] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Recent reports suggest that the Hippo signaling pathway regulates testis development, though its exact roles in Sertoli cell differentiation remain unknown. Here, we examined the functions of the main Hippo pathway kinases, large tumor suppressor homolog kinases 1 and 2 (Lats1 and Lats2) in developing mouse Sertoli cells. Conditional inactivation of Lats1/2 in Sertoli cells resulted in the disorganization and overgrowth of the testis cords, the induction of a testicular inflammatory response and germ cell apoptosis. Stimulated by retinoic acid 8 (STRA8) expression in germ cells additionally suggested that germ cells may have been preparing to enter meiosis prior to their loss. Gene expression analyses of the developing testes of conditional knockout animals further suggested impaired Sertoli cell differentiation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and the induction of a specific set of genes associated with Yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ)-mediated integrin signaling. Finally, the involvement of YAP/TAZ in Sertoli cell differentiation was confirmed by concomitantly inactivating Yap/Taz in Lats1/2 conditional knockout model, which resulted in a partial rescue of the testicular phenotypic changes. Taken together, these results identify Hippo signaling as a crucial pathway for Sertoli cell development and provide novel insight into Sertoli cell fate maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour Abou Nader
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Laureline Charrier
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marie-Charlotte Meisnsohn
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laurence Banville
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bérengère Deffrennes
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Guillaume St-Jean
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Derek Boerboom
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gustavo Zamberlam
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - Julie Brind'Amour
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - David Pépin
- Pediatric Surgical Research Laboratories, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alexandre Boyer
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
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4
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Chang J, Saraswathibhatla A, Song Z, Varma S, Sanchez C, Alyafei NHK, Indana D, Slyman R, Srivastava S, Liu K, Bassik MC, Marinkovich MP, Hodgson L, Shenoy V, West RB, Chaudhuri O. Cell volume expansion and local contractility drive collective invasion of the basement membrane in breast cancer. NATURE MATERIALS 2024; 23:711-722. [PMID: 37957268 PMCID: PMC11185842 DOI: 10.1038/s41563-023-01716-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer becomes invasive when carcinoma cells invade through the basement membrane (BM)-a nanoporous layer of matrix that physically separates the primary tumour from the stroma. Single cells can invade through nanoporous three-dimensional matrices due to protease-mediated degradation or force-mediated widening of pores via invadopodial protrusions. However, how multiple cells collectively invade through the physiological BM, as they do during breast cancer progression, remains unclear. Here we developed a three-dimensional in vitro model of collective invasion of the BM during breast cancer. We show that cells utilize both proteases and forces-but not invadopodia-to breach the BM. Forces are generated from a combination of global cell volume expansion, which stretches the BM, and local contractile forces that act in the plane of the BM to breach it, allowing invasion. These results uncover a mechanism by which cells collectively interact to overcome a critical barrier to metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Chang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Zhaoqiang Song
- Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sushama Varma
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Colline Sanchez
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | | | - Dhiraj Indana
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Raleigh Slyman
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sucheta Srivastava
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Liu
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Michael C Bassik
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - M Peter Marinkovich
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Dermatology Service, VA Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Louis Hodgson
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Vivek Shenoy
- Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert B West
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Ovijit Chaudhuri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health (ChEM-H), Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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5
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Urazaev AK, Wang L, Bai Y, Adissu HA, Lelièvre SA. The epithelial polarity axis controls the resting membrane potential and Cl- co-transport in breast glandular structures. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs260924. [PMID: 37818620 PMCID: PMC10651101 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260924] [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: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The membrane potential (MP) controls cell homeostasis by directing molecule transport and gene expression. How the MP is set upon epithelial differentiation is unknown. Given that tissue architecture also controls homeostasis, we investigated the relationship between basoapical polarity and resting MP in three-dimensional culture of the HMT-3522 breast cancer progression. A microelectrode technique to measure MP and input resistance reveals that the MP is raised by gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC), which directs tight-junction mediated apical polarity, and is decreased by the Na+/K+/2Cl- (NKCC, encoded by SLC12A1 and SLC12A2) co-transporter, active in multicellular structures displaying basal polarity. In the tumor counterpart, the MP is reduced. Cancer cells display diminished GJIC and do not respond to furosemide, implying loss of NKCC activity. Induced differentiation of cancer cells into basally polarized multicellular structures restores widespread GJIC and NKCC responses, but these structures display the lowest MP. The absence of apical polarity, necessary for cancer onset, in the non-neoplastic epithelium is also associated with the lowest MP under active Cl- transport. We propose that the loss of apical polarity in the breast epithelium destabilizes cellular homeostasis in part by lowering the MP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert K. Urazaev
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- School of Liberal Arts, Sciences and Education, Ivy Tech Community College, Lafayette, IN 47905, USA
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Yunfeng Bai
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Hibret A. Adissu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Sophie A. Lelièvre
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Relation Gene-Environment-REGEN Unit, Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest (ICO), Angers 49055, France
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6
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Badaoui M, Chanson M. Intercellular Communication in Airway Epithelial Cell Regeneration: Potential Roles of Connexins and Pannexins. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16160. [PMID: 38003349 PMCID: PMC10671439 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216160] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Connexins and pannexins are transmembrane proteins that can form direct (gap junctions) or indirect (connexons, pannexons) intercellular communication channels. By propagating ions, metabolites, sugars, nucleotides, miRNAs, and/or second messengers, they participate in a variety of physiological functions, such as tissue homeostasis and host defense. There is solid evidence supporting a role for intercellular signaling in various pulmonary inflammatory diseases where alteration of connexin/pannexin channel functional expression occurs, thus leading to abnormal intercellular communication pathways and contributing to pathophysiological aspects, such as innate immune defense and remodeling. The integrity of the airway epithelium, which is the first line of defense against invading microbes, is established and maintained by a repair mechanism that involves processes such as proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Here, we briefly summarize current knowledge on the contribution of connexins and pannexins to necessary processes of tissue repair and speculate on their possible involvement in the shaping of the airway epithelium integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marc Chanson
- Department of Cell Physiology & Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
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7
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Holmes J, Gaber M, Jenks MZ, Wilson A, Loy T, Lepetit C, Vitolins MZ, Herbert BS, Cook KL, Vidi PA. Reversion of breast epithelial polarity alterations caused by obesity. NPJ Breast Cancer 2023; 9:35. [PMID: 37160903 PMCID: PMC10170133 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-023-00539-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular links between breast cancer risk factors and pro-oncogenic tissue alterations are poorly understood. The goal of this study was to characterize the impact of overweight and obesity on tissue markers of risk, using normal breast biopsies, a mouse model of diet-induced obesity, and cultured breast acini. Proliferation and alteration of epithelial polarity, both necessary for tumor initiation, were quantified by immunostaining. High BMI (>30) and elevated leptin were associated with compromised epithelial polarity whereas overweight was associated with a modest increase in proliferation in human and mice mammary glands. Human serum with unfavorable adipokine levels altered epithelial polarization of cultured acini, recapitulating the effect of leptin. Weight loss in mice led to metabolic improvements and restored epithelial polarity. In acini cultures, alteration of epithelial polarity was prevented by antioxidants and could be reverted by normalizing culture conditions. This study shows that obesity and/or dietary factors modulate tissue markers of risk. It provides a framework to set target values for metabolic improvements and to assess the efficacy of interventional studies aimed at reducing breast cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Holmes
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Mohamed Gaber
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Mónica Z Jenks
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Adam Wilson
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Tucker Loy
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | | | - Mara Z Vitolins
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Brittney-Shea Herbert
- Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, IU School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Katherine L Cook
- Department of Surgery, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Pierre-Alexandre Vidi
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
- Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest, Angers, 49055, France.
- Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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8
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Zhou M, Zheng M, Zhou X, Tian S, Yang X, Ning Y, Li Y, Zhang S. The roles of connexins and gap junctions in the progression of cancer. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:8. [PMID: 36639804 PMCID: PMC9837928 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-022-01009-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Gap junctions (GJs), which are composed of connexins (Cxs), provide channels for direct information exchange between cells. Cx expression has a strong spatial specificity; however, its influence on cell behavior and information exchange between cells cannot be ignored. A variety of factors in organisms can modulate Cxs and subsequently trigger a series of responses that have important effects on cellular behavior. The expression and function of Cxs and the number and function of GJs are in dynamic change. Cxs have been characterized as tumor suppressors in the past, but recent studies have highlighted the critical roles of Cxs and GJs in cancer pathogenesis. The complex mechanism underlying Cx and GJ involvement in cancer development is a major obstacle to the evolution of therapy targeting Cxs. In this paper, we review the post-translational modifications of Cxs, the interactions of Cxs with several chaperone proteins, and the effects of Cxs and GJs on cancer. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Zhou
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070 People’s Republic of China
| | - Minying Zheng
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300121 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinyue Zhou
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070 People’s Republic of China
| | - Shifeng Tian
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaohui Yang
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yidi Ning
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuwei Li
- grid.417031.00000 0004 1799 2675Department of Colorectal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, 300121 People’s Republic of China
| | - Shiwu Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300121 People’s Republic of China
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9
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Fankhaenel M, Hashemi FSG, Mourao L, Lucas E, Hosawi MM, Skipp P, Morin X, Scheele CLGJ, Elias S. Annexin A1 is a polarity cue that directs mitotic spindle orientation during mammalian epithelial morphogenesis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:151. [PMID: 36631478 PMCID: PMC9834401 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35881-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Oriented cell divisions are critical for the formation and maintenance of structured epithelia. Proper mitotic spindle orientation relies on polarised anchoring of force generators to the cell cortex by the evolutionarily conserved protein complex formed by the Gαi subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins, the Leucine-Glycine-Asparagine repeat protein (LGN) and the nuclear mitotic apparatus protein. However, the polarity cues that control cortical patterning of this ternary complex remain largely unknown in mammalian epithelia. Here we identify the membrane-associated protein Annexin A1 (ANXA1) as an interactor of LGN in mammary epithelial cells. Annexin A1 acts independently of Gαi to instruct the accumulation of LGN and nuclear mitotic apparatus protein at the lateral cortex to ensure cortical anchoring of Dynein-Dynactin and astral microtubules and thereby planar alignment of the mitotic spindle. Loss of Annexin A1 randomises mitotic spindle orientation, which in turn disrupts epithelial architecture and luminogenesis in three-dimensional cultures of primary mammary epithelial cells. Our findings establish Annexin A1 as an upstream cortical cue that regulates LGN to direct planar cell divisions during mammalian epithelial morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Fankhaenel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.,Insitute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Farahnaz S Golestan Hashemi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.,Insitute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Larissa Mourao
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Cancer Biology, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emily Lucas
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.,Insitute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Manal M Hosawi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.,Insitute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Paul Skipp
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.,Insitute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.,Centre for Proteomic Research, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Xavier Morin
- Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Inserm, Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | | | - Salah Elias
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK. .,Insitute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
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10
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Shang J, Zhang X, Hou G, Qi Y. HMMR potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of cancer-speculation based on a pan-cancer analysis. Front Surg 2023; 9:998598. [PMID: 36704516 PMCID: PMC9873350 DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2022.998598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although the status of universal upregulation for the Hyaluronan-Mediated Motility Receptor (HMMR) in pan-cancer is still unknown, HMMR is upregulated and associated with poor prognosis for some tumors. Methods Exploring HMMR expression in different tumor types using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) or other public databases for a pan-cancer analysis, exploring the relationship between HMMR and tumor prognosis, and exploring the role of HMMR in tumor immunity. Results No matter the pairing or unpairing of data, HMMR expression generally increased compared to corresponding normal tissue. Based on a CCLE study, our results indicated that HMMR is widely expressed in various tumor cells. For most tumor types, high HMMR expression was associated with reduced Overall Survival (OS), Return to Functional Status (RFS), and Platinum Free Interval (PFI). ROC curves indicated that HMMR displays high prediction potential for most tumor types. In pan-cancer, HMMR is correlated with some clinical staging, immune cells, and immune checkpoints for some tumors. The GO/KEGG enrichment analysis results for proteins most closely related to HMMR indicate that the most highly enriched pathways are all related to tumor development. Conclusions Our pan-cancer analysis of HMMR suggests that HMMR can be used as a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator of pan-cancer and that HMMR may be involved in tumor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyi Shang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaoju Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guangjie Hou
- Department of Thoracic Surgery; Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yong Qi
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; Henan Provincial People's Hospital; People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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11
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Naser Al Deen N, Atallah Lanman N, Chittiboyina S, Fostok S, Nasr R, Lelièvre S, Talhouk R. Over-expression of miR-183-5p or miR-492 triggers invasion and proliferation and loss of polarity in non-neoplastic breast epithelium. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21974. [PMID: 36539576 PMCID: PMC9768134 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25663-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
microRNAs (miRNAs) serve as novel noninvasive cancer biomarkers. In an HMT-3522 S1 (S1) breast epithelial risk-progression three-dimensional (3D) culture model, non-neoplastic S1 cells form a fully polarized epithelium. When silenced for the gap junction and tumor suppressor Cx43, Cx43-KO-S1 cells recapitulate pre-neoplastic phenotypes observed in tissues at risk for breast cancer in vivo. To delineate the role of miRNAs in breast tumorigenesis and identify key miRNA players in breast epithelial polarity, the miRNA profile specific to Cx43 loss in Cx43-KO-S1 compared to S1 cells was sequenced, revealing 65 differentially expressed miRNAs. A comparative analysis was conducted between these miRNAs and tumor-associated miRNAs from a young Lebanese patient validation cohort. miR-183-5p, downstream of Cx43 loss, was commonly upregulated in the patient cohort and the 3D culture model. miR-492, not attributed to Cx43 loss, was only specifically up-regulated in the young Lebanese patients. Ectopic expression of either miR-183-5p or miR-492 in S1 cells, through pLenti-III-miR-GPF vectors, resulted in the formation of larger multi-layered acini devoid of lumen, with disrupted epithelial polarity, as shown by an altered localization of Cx43, ß-catenin and Scrib, and decreased nuclear circularity in 3D cultures. Enhanced proliferation and invasion capacity were also observed. Over-expression of miR-183-5p or miR-492, therefore, induces pre-neoplastic phenotypes similar to those reported upon Cx43 loss, and may act as oncomiRs and possible biomarkers of increased breast cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataly Naser Al Deen
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box: 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Nadia Atallah Lanman
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
| | - Shirisha Chittiboyina
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, USA
| | - Sabreen Fostok
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box: 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rihab Nasr
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sophie Lelièvre
- Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
- Institut de Cancérologie de L'Ouest (ICO), Angers, France
| | - Rabih Talhouk
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box: 11-0236, Beirut, Lebanon.
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12
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Smith TL, Oubaha M, Cagnone G, Boscher C, Kim JS, El Bakkouri Y, Zhang Y, Chidiac R, Corriveau J, Delisle C, Andelfinger GU, Sapieha P, Joyal JS, Gratton JP. eNOS controls angiogenic sprouting and retinal neovascularization through the regulation of endothelial cell polarity. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 79:37. [PMID: 34971428 PMCID: PMC8739159 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04042-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The roles of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in the regulation of angiogenesis are well documented. However, the involvement of eNOS in the sprouting of endothelial tip-cells at the vascular front during sprouting angiogenesis remains poorly defined. In this study, we show that downregulation of eNOS markedly inhibits VEGF-stimulated migration of endothelial cells but increases their polarization, as evidenced by the reorientation of the Golgi in migrating monolayers and by the fewer filopodia on tip cells at ends of sprouts in endothelial cell spheroids. The effect of eNOS inhibition on EC polarization was prevented in Par3-depleted cells. Importantly, downregulation of eNOS increased the expression of polarity genes, such as PARD3B, PARD6A, PARD6B, PKCΖ, TJP3, and CRB1 in endothelial cells. In retinas of eNOS knockout mice, vascular development is retarded with decreased vessel density and vascular branching. Furthermore, tip cells at the extremities of the vascular front have a marked reduction in the number of filopodia per cell and are more oriented. In a model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), eNOS deficient mice are protected during the initial vaso-obliterative phase, have reduced pathological neovascularization, and retinal endothelial tip cells have fewer filopodia. Single-cell RNA sequencing of endothelial cells from OIR retinas revealed enrichment of genes related to cell polarity in the endothelial tip-cell subtype of eNOS deficient mice. These results indicate that inhibition of eNOS alters the polarity program of endothelial cells, which increases cell polarization, regulates sprouting angiogenesis and normalizes pathological neovascularization during retinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy L Smith
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Malika Oubaha
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Gael Cagnone
- Department of Pediatrics and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Ste-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Cécile Boscher
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jin Sung Kim
- Department of Pediatrics and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Ste-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yassine El Bakkouri
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Rony Chidiac
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jeanne Corriveau
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Chantal Delisle
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gregor U Andelfinger
- Department of Pediatrics and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Ste-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Przemyslaw Sapieha
- Department of Ophthalmology, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Sébastien Joyal
- Department of Pediatrics and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Ste-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Philippe Gratton
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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13
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Endotoxin Triggers Tumor Initiation Events in Nontumorigenic Breast Epithelial Cells and Enhances Invasion-Related Phenotype in Pretumorigenic and Tumorigenic Breast Epithelial Cells. Int J Inflam 2021; 2021:4666380. [PMID: 34868543 PMCID: PMC8642002 DOI: 10.1155/2021/4666380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is associated with the development of several cancers, including breast cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms driving breast cancer initiation or enhancement by inflammation are yet to be deciphered. Hence, we opted to investigate the role of inflammation in initiating and enhancing tumor-like phenotypes in nontumorigenic, pretumorigenic, and tumorigenic breast epithelial cells. Noncytotoxic endotoxin (ET) concentrations capable of inducing an inflammatory phenotype were determined for the different cell lines. Results showed that short-term ET exposure upregulated matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity in nontumorigenic mammary epithelial cells of mouse (SCp2) and human origins (HMT-3522 S1; S1) and upregulated inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin 1-β in tumorigenic human breast cells (MDA-MB-231), all in a dose-dependent manner. Long-term ET treatment, but not short-term, triggered the migration of SCp2 cells, and proliferation and migration of tumorigenic human breast cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Both short- and long-term ET exposures preferentially enhanced the invasion of pretumorigenic S1-connexin 43 knockout (Cx43-KO S1) cells compared to their nontumorigenic S1 counterparts. Moreover, both ET exposures disrupted lumen formation and apicolateral distribution of β-catenin in 3D cultures of S1 cells. In conclusion, ET treatment at concentrations that elicited inflammatory phenotype triggered tumor initiation events in nontumorigenic and pretumorigenic breast cells, and increased tumorigenicity of breast cancer cells. Our findings highlight the role of inflammation in enhancing migration, invasion, and loss of normal 3D morphology and suggest that such inflammatory insults can "add injury" to pretumorigenic and tumorigenic breast epithelial cells.
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14
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Habli Z, Deen NNA, Malaeb W, Mahfouz N, Mermerian A, Talhouk R, Mhanna R. Biomimetic sulfated glycosaminoglycans maintain differentiation markers of breast epithelial cells and preferentially inhibit proliferation of cancer cells. Acta Biomater 2021; 122:186-198. [PMID: 33444795 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.12.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Glycosaminoglycans (GAG) are key elements involved in various physiological and pathological processes including cancer. Several GAG-based drugs have been developed showing significant results and potential use as cancer therapeutics. We previously reported that alginate sulfate (AlgSulf), a GAG-mimetic, reduces the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cells. In this study, we evaluated the preferential effect of AlgSulf on tumorigenic and nontumorigenic mammary epithelial cells in 2D, 3D, and coculture conditions. AlgSulf were synthesized with different degrees of sulfation (DSs) varying from 0 to 2.7 and used at 100 µg/mL on HMT-3522 S1 (S1) nontumorigenic mammary epithelial cells and their tumorigenic counterparts HMT-3522 T4-2 (T4-2) cells. The anti-tumor properties of AlgSulf were assessed using trypan blue and bromodeoxyuridine proliferation (BrdU) assays, immunofluorescence staining and transwell invasion assay. Binding of insulin and epidermal growth factor (EGF) to sulfated substrates was measured using QCM-D and ELISA. In 2D, the cell growth rate of cells treated with AlgSulf was consistently lower compared to untreated controls (p<0.001) and surpassed the effect of the native GAG heparin (positive control). In 3D, AlgSulf preferentially hindered the growth rate and the invasion potential of tumorigenic T4-2 nodules while maintaining the formation of differentiated polarized nontumorigenic S1 acini. The preferential growth inhibition of tumorigenic cells by AlgSulf was confirmed in a coculture system (p<0.001). In the ELISA assay, a trend of EGF binding was detected for sulfated polysaccharides while QCM-D analysis showed negligible binding of insulin and EGF to sulfated substrates. The preferential effect mediated by the mimetic sulfated GAGs on cancer cells may in part be growth factor dependent. Our findings suggest a potential anticancer therapeutic role of AlgSulf for the development of anticancer drugs.
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15
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Chhetri A, Rispoli JV, Lelièvre SA. 3D Cell Culture for the Study of Microenvironment-Mediated Mechanostimuli to the Cell Nucleus: An Important Step for Cancer Research. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:628386. [PMID: 33644116 PMCID: PMC7902798 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.628386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery that the stiffness of the tumor microenvironment (TME) changes during cancer progression motivated the development of cell culture involving extracellular mechanostimuli, with the intent of identifying mechanotransduction mechanisms that influence cell phenotypes. Collagen I is a main extracellular matrix (ECM) component used to study mechanotransduction in three-dimensional (3D) cell culture. There are also models with interstitial fluid stress that have been mostly focusing on the migration of invasive cells. We argue that a major step for the culture of tumors is to integrate increased ECM stiffness and fluid movement characteristic of the TME. Mechanotransduction is based on the principles of tensegrity and dynamic reciprocity, which requires measuring not only biochemical changes, but also physical changes in cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments. Most techniques available for cellular rheology were developed for a 2D, flat cell culture world, hence hampering studies requiring proper cellular architecture that, itself, depends on 3D tissue organization. New and adapted measuring techniques for 3D cell culture will be worthwhile to study the apparent increase in physical plasticity of cancer cells with disease progression. Finally, evidence of the physical heterogeneity of the TME, in terms of ECM composition and stiffness and of fluid flow, calls for the investigation of its impact on the cellular heterogeneity proposed to control tumor phenotypes. Reproducing, measuring and controlling TME heterogeneity should stimulate collaborative efforts between biologists and engineers. Studying cancers in well-tuned 3D cell culture platforms is paramount to bring mechanomedicine into the realm of oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apekshya Chhetri
- Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Joseph V Rispoli
- Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Sophie A Lelièvre
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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16
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A risk progression breast epithelial 3D culture model reveals Cx43/hsa_circ_0077755/miR-182 as a biomarker axis for heightened risk of breast cancer initiation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2626. [PMID: 33514777 PMCID: PMC7846862 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82057-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
mRNA-circRNA-miRNAs axes have been characterized in breast cancer, but not as risk-assessment axes for tumor initiation in early-onset breast cancer that is increasing drastically worldwide. To address this gap, we performed circular RNA (circRNA) microarrays and microRNA (miRNA) sequencing on acini of HMT-3522 S1 (S1) breast epithelial risk-progression culture model in 3D and chose an early-stage population miRNome for a validation cohort. Nontumorigenic S1 cells form fully polarized epithelium while pretumorigenic counterparts silenced for gap junction Cx43 (Cx43-KO-S1) lose epithelial polarity, multilayer and mimic premalignant in vivo mammary epithelial morphology. Here, 121 circRNAs and 65 miRNAs were significantly dysregulated in response to Cx43 silencing in cultured epithelia and 15 miRNAs from the patient cohort were involved in epithelial polarity disruption. Focusing on the possible sponging activity of the validated circRNAs to their target miRNAs, we found all miRNAs to be highly enriched in cancer-related pathways and cross-compared their dysregulation to actual miRNA datasets from the cultured epithelia and the patient validation cohort. We present the involvement of gap junction in post-transcriptional axes and reveal Cx43/hsa_circ_0077755/miR-182 as a potential biomarker signature axis for heightened-risk of breast cancer initiation, and that its dysregulation patterns might predict prognosis along breast cancer initiation and progression.
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17
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Garcia-Vega L, O’Shaughnessy EM, Albuloushi A, Martin PE. Connexins and the Epithelial Tissue Barrier: A Focus on Connexin 26. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10010059. [PMID: 33466954 PMCID: PMC7829877 DOI: 10.3390/biology10010059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Tissues that face the external environment are known as ‘epithelial tissue’ and form barriers between different body compartments. This includes the outer layer of the skin, linings of the intestine and airways that project into the lumen connecting with the external environment, and the cornea of the eye. These tissues do not have a direct blood supply and are dependent on exchange of regulatory molecules between cells to ensure co-ordination of tissue events. Proteins known as connexins form channels linking cells directly and permit exchange of small regulatory signals. A range of environmental stimuli can dysregulate the level of connexin proteins and or protein function within the epithelia, leading to pathologies including non-healing wounds. Mutations in these proteins are linked with hearing loss, skin and eye disorders of differing severity. As such, connexins emerge as prime therapeutic targets with several agents currently in clinical trials. This review outlines the role of connexins in epithelial tissue and how their dysregulation contributes to pathological pathways. Abstract Epithelial tissue responds rapidly to environmental triggers and is constantly renewed. This tissue is also highly accessible for therapeutic targeting. This review highlights the role of connexin mediated communication in avascular epithelial tissue. These proteins form communication conduits with the extracellular space (hemichannels) and between neighboring cells (gap junctions). Regulated exchange of small metabolites less than 1kDa aide the co-ordination of cellular activities and in spatial communication compartments segregating tissue networks. Dysregulation of connexin expression and function has profound impact on physiological processes in epithelial tissue including wound healing. Connexin 26, one of the smallest connexins, is expressed in diverse epithelial tissue and mutations in this protein are associated with hearing loss, skin and eye conditions of differing severity. The functional consequences of dysregulated connexin activity is discussed and the development of connexin targeted therapeutic strategies highlighted.
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18
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Yin J, Xu J, Cheng R, Shao M, Qin Y, Yang H, Hu T. Role of connexin 43 in odontoblastic differentiation and structural maintenance in pulp damage repair. Int J Oral Sci 2021; 13:1. [PMID: 33414369 PMCID: PMC7791050 DOI: 10.1038/s41368-020-00105-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Dental pulp can initiate its damage repair after an injury of the pulp–dentin complex by rearrangement of odontoblasts and formation of newly differentiated odontoblast-like cells. Connexin 43 (Cx43) is one of the gap junction proteins that participates in multiple tissue repair processes. However, the role of Cx43 in the repair of the dental pulp remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the function of Cx43 in the odontoblast arrangement patterns and odontoblastic differentiation. Human teeth for in vitro experiments were acquired, and a pulp injury model in Sprague-Dawley rats was used for in vivo analysis. The odontoblast arrangement pattern and the expression of Cx43 and dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) were assessed. To investigate the function of Cx43 in odontoblastic differentiation, we overexpressed or inhibited Cx43. The results indicated that polarized odontoblasts were arranged along the pulp–dentin interface and had high levels of Cx43 expression in the healthy teeth; however, the odontoblast arrangement pattern was slightly changed concomitant to an increase in the Cx43 expression in the carious teeth. Regularly arranged odontoblast-like cells had high levels of the Cx43 expression during the formation of mature dentin, but the odontoblast-like cells were not regularly arranged beneath immature osteodentin in the pulp injury models. Subsequent in vitro experiments demonstrated that Cx43 is upregulated during odontoblastic differentiation of the dental pulp cells, and inhibition or overexpression of Cx43 influence the odontoblastic differentiation. Thus, Cx43 may be involved in the maintenance of odontoblast arrangement patterns, and influence the pulp repair outcomes by the regulation of odontoblastic differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Endodontics, School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jue Xu
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ran Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Meiying Shao
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuandong Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Tao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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19
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Lelièvre SA, Bellanger M, Seewaldt V, Talhouk RS, Terry MB. Editorial: Perspectives in Primary Prevention Research for Breast Cancer: A Focus on Gene-Environment Interactions. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 7:621959. [PMID: 33363192 PMCID: PMC7759559 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.621959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sophie A Lelièvre
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | | | - Victoria Seewaldt
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Rabih S Talhouk
- Department of Biological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mary Beth Terry
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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20
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He H, Ma Y, Huang H, Huang C, Chen Z, Chen D, Gu Y, Wang X, Chen J. A comprehensive understanding about the pharmacological effect of diallyl disulfide other than its anti-carcinogenic activities. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 893:173803. [PMID: 33359648 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Diallyl disulfide (DADS), an oil-soluble sulfur compound that is responsible for the biological effects of garlic, displays numerous biological activities, among which its anti-cancer activities are the most famous ones. In recent years, the pharmacological effects of DADS other than its anti-carcinogenic activities have attracted numerous attentions. For example, it has been reported that DADS can prevent the microglia-mediated neuroinflammatory response and depression-like behaviors in mice. In the cardiovascular system, DADS administration was found to ameliorate the isoproterenol- or streptozotocin-induced cardiac dysfunction via the activation of the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) signaling. DADS administration can also produce neuroprotective effects in animal models of Alzheimer's disease and protect the heart, endothelium, liver, lung, and kidney against cellular or tissue damages induced by various toxic factors, such as the oxidized-low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), ethanol, acetaminophen, Cis-Diammine Dichloroplatinum (CisPt), and gentamicin. The major mechanisms of action of DADS in disease prevention and/or treatment include inhibition of inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular apoptosis. Mechanisms, including the activation of Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), protein kinase A (PKA), and cyclic adenosine monophosphate-response element binding protein (CREB) and the inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs), can also mediate the cellular protective effects of DADS in different tissues and organs. In this review, we summarize and discuss the pharmacological effects of DADS other than its anti-carcinogenic activities, aiming to reveal more possibilities for DADS in disease prevention and/or treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan He
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong First People's Hospital, 6 North Road Hai'er Xiang, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yaoying Ma
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huaxing Huang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong First People's Hospital, 6 North Road Hai'er Xiang, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chao Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Invasive Technology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong First People's Hospital, 6 North Road Hai'er Xiang, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dongjian Chen
- Invasive Technology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong First People's Hospital, 6 North Road Hai'er Xiang, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yiming Gu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, 19# Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaohua Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 6 North Road Hai'er Xiang, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinliang Chen
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong First People's Hospital, 6 North Road Hai'er Xiang, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
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21
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Kutova OM, Sencha LM, Pospelov AD, Dobrynina OE, Brilkina AA, Cherkasova EI, Balalaeva IV. Comparative Analysis of Cell-Cell Contact Abundance in Ovarian Carcinoma Cells Cultured in Two- and Three-Dimensional In Vitro Models. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9120446. [PMID: 33291824 PMCID: PMC7761996 DOI: 10.3390/biology9120446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Tumor resistance to therapy is a crucial problem of today’s oncology. The emerging data indicate that tumor microenvironment is the key participant in the resistance development. One of the most basic aspect of tumor microenvironment is intercellular adhesion. Our data obtained using monolayer culture, matrix-free and matrix-based three-dimensional in vitro models indicate that the abundance of cell-cell contact proteins is varying depending on the microenvironment. These differences coincided with the degree of the resistance to therapeutics. The importance of adhesion proteins in tumor resistance may provide the fundamental basis for improving cancer treatment approaches and must be taken into account when screening candidate drugs. Abstract Tumor resistance to therapy is associated with the 3D organization and peculiarities of the tumor microenvironment, of which intercellular adhesion is a key participant. In this work, the abundance of contact proteins was compared in SKOV-3 and SKOV-3.ip human ovarian adenocarcinoma cell lines, cultivated in monolayers, tumor spheroids and collagen hydrogels. Three-dimensional models were characterized by extremely low expression of basic molecules of adherens junctions E-cadherin and demonstrated a simultaneous decrease in desmosomal protein desmoglein-2, gap junction protein connexin-43 and tight junction proteins occludin and ZO-1. The reduction in the level of contact proteins was most pronounced in collagen hydrogel, accompanied by significantly increased resistance to treatment with doxorubicin and targeted anticancer toxin DARPin-LoPE. Thus, we suggest that 3D models of ovarian cancer, especially matrix-based models, tend to recapitulate tumor microenvironment and treatment responsiveness to a greater extent than monolayer culture, so they can be used as a highly relevant platform for drug efficiency evaluation.
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Khalil AA, Ilina O, Vasaturo A, Venhuizen JH, Vullings M, Venhuizen V, Bilos A, Figdor CG, Span PN, Friedl P. Collective invasion induced by an autocrine purinergic loop through connexin-43 hemichannels. J Cell Biol 2020; 219:e201911120. [PMID: 32777015 PMCID: PMC7659730 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201911120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Progression of epithelial cancers predominantly proceeds by collective invasion of cell groups with coordinated cell-cell junctions and multicellular cytoskeletal activity. Collectively invading breast cancer cells express the gap junction protein connexin-43 (Cx43), yet whether Cx43 regulates collective invasion remains unclear. We here show that Cx43 mediates gap-junctional coupling between collectively invading breast cancer cells and, via hemichannels, adenosine nucleotide/nucleoside release into the extracellular space. Using molecular interference and rescue strategies, we identify that Cx43 hemichannel function, but not intercellular communication, induces leader cell activity and collective migration through the engagement of the adenosine receptor 1 (ADORA1) and AKT signaling. Accordingly, pharmacological inhibition of ADORA1 or AKT signaling caused leader cell collapse and halted collective invasion. ADORA1 inhibition further reduced local invasion of orthotopic mammary tumors in vivo, and joint up-regulation of Cx43 and ADORA1 in breast cancer patients correlated with decreased relapse-free survival. This identifies autocrine purinergic signaling, through Cx43 hemichannels, as a critical pathway in leader cell function and collective invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine A. Khalil
- Department of Dermatology and Graduate School of Life Science, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Olga Ilina
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Angela Vasaturo
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jan-Hendrik Venhuizen
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Manon Vullings
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Victor Venhuizen
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Ab Bilos
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Carl G. Figdor
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Paul N. Span
- Radiotherapy and OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Peter Friedl
- Department of Dermatology and Graduate School of Life Science, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- David H. Koch Center for Genitourinary Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
- Cancer Genomics Center, Utrecht, Netherlands
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23
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Albuloushi A, Lovgren ML, Steel A, Yeoh Y, Waters A, Zamiri M, Martin PE. A heterozygous mutation in GJB2 (Cx26F142L) associated with deafness and recurrent skin rashes results in connexin assembly deficiencies. Exp Dermatol 2020; 29:970-979. [PMID: 32866991 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in GJB2 encoding Connexin 26 (CX26) are associated with hearing loss and hyperproliferative skin disorders of differing severity including keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness (KID) and Vohwinkel syndrome. A 6-year-old Caucasian girl who presented with recurrent skin rashes and sensorineural hearing loss harboured a heterozygous point mutation in GJB2 (c.424T > C; p.F142L). To characterize the impact of CX26F142L on cellular events. Plasmids CX26WT, CX26F142L, CX26G12R (KID) or CX26D66H (Vohwinkel) were transfected into HeLa cells expressing Cx26 or Cx43 or into HaCaT cells, a model keratinocyte cell line. Confocal microscopy determined protein localization. MTT assays assessed cell viability in the presence or absence of carbenoxolone, a connexin-channel blocker. Co-immunoprecipitation/Western blot analysis determined Cx43:Cx26 interactions. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assessed changes in gene expression of ER stress markers. Dye uptake assays determined Connexin-channel functionality. F142L and G12R were restricted to perinuclear areas. Collapse of the microtubule network, rescued by co-treatment with paclitaxel, occurred. ER stress was not involved. Cell viability was reduced in cells expressing F142L and G12R but not D66H. Unlike G12R that forms "leaky" hemichannels, F142L had restricted permeability. Cell viability of F142L and G12R transfected cells was greater in HeLa cells expressing Cx43 than in native Cx-free HeLa cells. Co-immunoprecipitation suggested a possible interaction between Cx43 and the three mutations. Expression of CX26F142L and G12R results in microtubule collapse, rescued by interaction with Cx43. The GJB2 mutations interacted with Cx43 suggesting that unique Cx43:Cx26 channels are central to the diverse phenotype of CX26 skin-related channelopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Albuloushi
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
| | - Marie-Louise Lovgren
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock, UK.,Department of Dermatology, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Ainsley Steel
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
| | - Yeelon Yeoh
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
| | - Alex Waters
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock, UK
| | - Mozheh Zamiri
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock, UK.,Department of Dermatology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | - Patricia E Martin
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
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24
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Zhang J, Wang X, Hou Z, Neng L, Cai J, Zhang Y, Shi X. Suppression of Connexin 43 Leads to Strial Vascular Hyper-Permeability, Decrease in Endocochlear Potential, and Mild Hearing Loss. Front Physiol 2020; 11:974. [PMID: 32922309 PMCID: PMC7457066 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Connexin 43 (Cx43) is a protein constituent of gap junctions (GJs) in various barrier cells, especially astrocytes and microglia of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB), where it plays an important role in intercellular communication and regulation of the barrier. Despite the importance of Cx43 in other blood barriers, not much attention has been paid to expression and function of Cx43 in the blood-labyrinth-barrier (BLB) of the stria vascularis in the cochlea. Methods: We used multiple research approaches, including immunocytochemical staining, patch-clamp dye loading technique, real-time quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, western blot, measurement of endocochlear potential (EP) with an electrode through the scala media, and auditory brainstem response to test hearing function. Results: We found Cx43 expressed in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and perivascular resident macrophages (PVMs) in the stria vascularis of adult C57BL/6 mouse cochleae. In particular, we found Cx43 expressed in foot processes of PVMs at points of contact with the endothelium. Consistent with Cx43 expression in vivo, we also found Cx43 expressed in EC-EC and EC-PVM interfaces in a co-cultured cell line model. Using a patch-clamp dye loading technique, we demonstrated that Alexa Fluor® 568 dye injected into PVMs diffuses to connected neighboring ECs. The functional coupling between the ECs and PVMs is blocked by 18α-Glycyrrhetinic acid (18α-GA), a GJ blocker. Suppression of Cx43 with small interfering RNA (siRNA) in vivo significantly elevated hearing threshold and caused the EP to drop and the blood barrier to become more permeable. In further study, using in vitro primary EC cell line models, we demonstrated that suppression of Cx43 disrupts intercellular tight junctions (TJs) in the EC monolayer and increases endothelial monolayer permeability. Conculsion: Taken together, these findings underscore the importance of Cx43 expression in the normal ear for maintaining BLB integrity, normal EP, and hearing function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhui Zhang
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Xiaohan Wang
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Zhiqiang Hou
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Lingling Neng
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Jing Cai
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Yunpei Zhang
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Xiaorui Shi
- Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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25
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Manning L, Holmes J, Bonin K, Vidi PA. Radial Profile Analysis of Epithelial Polarity in Breast Acini: A Tool for Primary (Breast) Cancer Prevention. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 6:314. [PMID: 31998733 PMCID: PMC6970192 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2019.00314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Preventing cancer is vastly better than treating the disease in terms of a patient's quality of life and healthcare costs. Yet, to screen for chemopreventative drugs or evaluate interventions aimed at lowering cancer risk, quantitative readouts of risk are needed. In the breast and in other organs of epithelial origin, apical-basal polarity is key to homeostasis and is one of the first tissue characteristics lost during cancer initiation. Therefore, apical-basal polarity may be leveraged as an "architectural" determinant of cancer risk. A classic approach to quantify the localization of epithelial polarity markers is visual scoring at the microscope by trained investigators. This approach is time-intensive and limited to low throughput. To increase the speed, accuracy, and scoring volume, we developed an algorithm that essentially replaces the human eye to objectively quantify epithelial polarity in microscopy images of breast glandular units (acini). Acini in culture are identified based on a nuclear stain and the corresponding masks are divided into concentric terraces of equal width. This positional information is used to calculate radial intensity profiles (RP) of polarity markers. Profiles with a steep slope represent polarized structures, whereas more horizontal curves are indicative of non-polarized acini. To compare treatment effects, RP curves are integrated into summary values of polarity. We envision applications of this method for primary cancer prevention research with acini organoids, specifically (1) to screen for chemoprevention drugs, (2) for toxicological assessment of suspected carcinogens and pharmacological hit compounds, and (3) for personalized evaluation of cancer risk and risk-reducing interventions. The RadialProfiler algorithm developed for the MATLAB computing environment and for users without prior informatics knowledge is publicly available on the Open Science Framework (OSF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawton Manning
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Julia Holmes
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Keith Bonin
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States.,Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Pierre-Alexandre Vidi
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States.,Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
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26
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Naser Al Deen N, AbouHaidar M, Talhouk R. Connexin43 as a Tumor Suppressor: Proposed Connexin43 mRNA-circularRNAs-microRNAs Axis Towards Prevention and Early Detection in Breast Cancer. Front Med (Lausanne) 2019; 6:192. [PMID: 31555649 PMCID: PMC6724403 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2019.00192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is a global public health burden, constituting the highest cancer incidence in women worldwide. Connexin43 (Cx43) is a member of a family of transmembrane proteins responsible in part for intercellular communication between adjacent breast epithelial cells, via gap junctions. Cx43 plays key role in mammary gland development and differentiation and its spatio-temporal perturbation contributes to tumorigenesis. Thus, Cx43 acts as a breast tumor-suppressor. Signaling pathways and phenotypes downstream of Cx43 mRNA loss/mis-localization in breast cells have been well-studied. However, axes parallel to Cx43 loss are less understood. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous non-coding RNAs that repress translation and circularRNAs (circRNAs) are a class of endogenous RNAs that originate from RNA splicing and act as miRNA "sponges". CircRNAs and miRNAs are dysregulated in cancers and are highly abundant and stable in the circulation. Thus, they present as attractive liquid biopsy cancer biomarkers. Here, an axis for Cx43 mRNA-circRNAs-miRNAs interactions along BC initiation (denoted by loss of breast epithelial polarity and development of hyperplastic phenotypes) is proposed to potentially serve as a signature biomarker toward BC early-onset detection and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataly Naser Al Deen
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mounir AbouHaidar
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rabih Talhouk
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
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