TACC3 is essential for EGF-mediated EMT in cervical cancer

Coordinating single-cell and bulk RNA-seq in deciphering the intratumoral immune landscape and prognostic stratification of prostate cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

Prostate cancer is a common cancer among male population. The aberrant expression of histone modifiers has been identified as a potential driving force in numerous cancer types. However, the mechanism of histone modifiers in the development of prostate cancer remains unknown.

METHODS

Expression profiles and clinical data were obtained from GSE70769, GSE46602, and GSE67980. Seruat R package was utilized to calculate the gene set enrichment of the histone modification pathway and obtain the Histone score. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and Cox regression analyses were employed to identify marker genes with prognostic value. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy of the prognostic model. In addition, microenvironment cell populations counter (MCPcounter), single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), and xCell algorithms were employed for immune infiltration analysis. Drug sensitivity prediction was performed using oncoPredict R package.

RESULTS

We screened differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between Histone-high score (Histone-H) and Histone-low score (Histone-L) groups, which were enriched in RNA splicing and DNA-binding transcription factor binding pathways. We retained four prognostic marker genes, including TACC3, YWHAH, TAF1C and TTLL5. The risk model showed significant efficacy in stratification of the prognosis of prostate cancer patients in both internal and external cohorts (p < .0001 and p = .032, respectively). In addition, prognostic gene YWHAH was infiltrated in abundance of fibroblasts and highly correlated with Entinostat_1593 drug sensitivity score and the value of risk score.

CONCLUSION

We innovatively developed a histone modification-related prognostic model with high prognostic potency and identified YWHAH as possible diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for prostate cancer. It provides novel insights to address prostate cancer and enhance clinical outcomes, thereby opening up a new avenue for customized treatment alternatives.

Exploring the utility of FTS as a bonafide binding partner for EGFR: A potential drug target for cervical cancer

Establishment of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and its progression to cervical cancer (CC) requires the participation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) and fused toes homolog (FTS). This review is an attempt to understand the structure-function relationship between FTS and EGFR as a tool for the development of newer CC drugs. Motif analysis was performed using national center for biotechnology information (NCBI), kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), simple modular architecture research tool (SMART) and multiple expectation maximizations for motif elicitation (MEME) database. The secondary and tertiary structure prediction of FTS was performed using DISOPRED3 and threading assembly, respectively. A positive correlation was found between the transcript levels of FTS and EGFR. Amino acids responsible for interaction between EGFR and FTS were determined. The nine micro-RNAs (miRNAs) that regulates the expression of FTS were predicted using Network Analyst 3.0 database. hsa-miR-629-5p and hsa-miR-615-3p are identified as significant positive and negative regulators of FTS gene expression. This review opens up new avenues for the development of CC drugs which interfere with the interaction between FTS and EGFR.

Enhancement of Gene Editing and Base Editing with Therapeutic Ribonucleoproteins through In Vivo Delivery Based on Absorptive Silica Nanoconstruct

Key to the widespread and secure application of genome editing tools is the safe and effective delivery of multiple components of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) into single cells, which remains a biological barrier to their clinical application. To overcome this issue, a robust RNP delivery platform based on a biocompatible sponge-like silica nanoconstruct (SN) for storing and directly delivering therapeutic RNPs, including Cas9 nuclease RNP (Cas9-RNP) and base editor RNP (BE-RNP) is designed. Compared with commercialized material such as lipid-based methods, up to 50-fold gene deletion and 10-fold base substitution efficiency is obtained with a low off-target efficiency by targeting various cells and genes. In particular, gene correction is successfully induced by SN-based delivery through intravenous injection in an in vivo solid-tumor model and through subretinal injection in mouse eye. Moreover, because of its low toxicity and high biodegradability, SN has negligible effect on cellular function of organs. As the engineered SN can overcome practical challenges associated with therapeutic RNP application, it is strongly expected this platform to be a modular RNPs delivery system, facilitating in vivo gene deletion and editing.

High Expression of TACC3 Is Associated with the Poor Prognosis and Immune Infiltration in Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has been recognized as one of the commonest aggressive malignant tumors occurring in humans. The transforming acidic coiled-coil-containing protein 3 (TACC3) seems to be a probable prognostic marker and treatment target for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nevertheless, there exist no reports on the association between TACC3 and immunotherapy or other therapeutic interventions in LUAD.

Methods

Premised on the data accessed from The Cancer Genome Atlas- (TCGA-) LUAD, we carried out bioinformatics analysis. The TACC3 expression in LUAD was analyzed utilizing the GEPIA. A survival module was constructed to evaluate the effect of TACC3 on the survival of patients with LUAD. Logistic regression was undertaken to examine the relationship between TACC3 expression and clinical factors. Protein-protein interaction analysis was performed in the GeneMANIA database, and enrichment analysis and identification of predicted signaling pathways were performed using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes. Additionally, the Cox regression was used to assess the clinicopathologic features linked to the overall survival in TCGA patients. Lastly, we investigated the link between TACC3 and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) through CIBERSORT and the “Correlation” module of GEPIA. The association between TACC3 gene expression and drug response was analyzed using the CellMiner database to predict drug sensitivity.

Results

The outcomes illustrated that TACC3 was upregulated and considerably correlated with dismal prognosis in LUAD patients. Moreover, the multivariate Cox regression analysis depicted TACC3 as an independent prognostic marker in LUAD patients. It was also revealed that the expression of TACC3 was related to clinical stage (P = 0.014), age (P = 0.002), and T classification (P ≤ 0.018). Moreover, we discovered that the expression of TACC3 was considerably linked to a wide range of TIICs, especially the T cells and NK cells. Single-cell results found that TACC3 was mainly expressed in the immune cells (especially tprolif cells) and malignant cells. TACC3 gene expression was positively correlated with TMB and MSI, and TACC3 may provide a prediction of the efficacy of immunotherapy. Moreover, the correlation analysis between TACC3 gene expression and immune checkpoint gene expression revealed that TACC3 may coordinate the activities of these ICP genes in different signal transduction pathways. TACC3 is related to biological progress (BP), cellular component (CC), and molecular function (MF). The pathways involved in the interaction network involving TACC3 include nonhomologous end-joining, RNA transport, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, homologous recombination, and nucleotide excision repair. Furthermore, we investigated the association between the expression of TACC3 and the use of antitumor drugs, and TACC3 was positively correlated with response to most drugs.

Conclusion

The findings from this research offer robust proof that the expression of TACC3 could be a prognostic marker correlated with TIICs in LUAD. TACC3 can also provide new ideas for immunotherapy as a potential therapeutic target.

Transforming acidic coiled-coil protein-3: a novel marker for differential diagnosis and prognosis prediction in endocervical adenocarcinoma

Background

Endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA) is further classified as human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated (HPVA) or non-HPVA (NHPVA), per the International Endocervical Adenocarcinoma Criteria and Classification (IECC). HPVA is a glandular tumor with stromal invasion and/or exophytic expansile-type invasion, associated with the typical molecular characteristics of high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection. Transforming acidic coiled-coil protein-3 (TACC3),an oncogene that is frequently abnormally expressed,represents a vital biomarker for multiple human malignancies. This study aimed to examine the role of TACC3 in the diagnosis and prognosis of ECA.

Methods

We analyzed 264 patients with ECA who underwent surgical resection, classifying their tumors into HPVA and NHPVA subtypes. The expression levels of TACC3, P16, MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, MSH6 and Ki-67 in tumors were evaluated by tissue microarray using immunohistochemistry (IHC). HPV subtypes were identified in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) ECA tissues by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results

ECA samples showed increased TACC3 expression relative to adjacent non-carcinoma samples. TACC3 expression was higher in HPVA than in NHPA. In the HPVA subtype, high TACC3 expression was significantly correlated with P16-positive, Ki-67-high expression. Furthermore, TACC3 levels were significantly related to tumor histological type (P = 0.006), nerve invasion (P = 0.003), differentiation (P = 0.004), surgical margin (P = 0.012), parametrium invasion (P = 0.040), P16 expression (P < 0.001), and Ki-67 (P = 0.004). Additionally, Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that TACC3 upregulation was associated with poor overall survival (OS, P = 0.001), disease-free survival (DFS, P < 0.001), and recurrence survival (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that elevated TACC3 expression served as a marker to independently predict ECA prognosis. ROC curve analyses indicated that TACC3, P16, and HPV subtypes showed similar utility for distinguishing HPVA from NHPVA, with areas under the ROC curves of 0.640, 0.649, and 0.675, respectively. The combination of TACC3 and HPV subtypes improved the diagnostic performance of ECA compared with TACC3, P16, and HPV subtypes alone.

Conclusions

Taken together, our findings identify that TACC3 is a promising complementary biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis for patients with ECA.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s10020-021-00298-z.

A Highly Potent TACC3 Inhibitor as a Novel Anticancer Drug Candidate

TACC3, a transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) family member, is frequently upregulated in a broad spectrum of cancers, including breast cancer. It plays critical roles in protecting microtubule stability and centrosome integrity that is often dysregulated in cancers; therefore, making TACC3 a highly attractive therapeutic target. Here, we identified a new TACC3-targeting chemotype, BO-264, through the screening of in-house compound collection. Direct interaction between BO-264 and TACC3 was validated by using several biochemical methods, including drug affinity responsive target stability, cellular thermal shift assay, and isothermal titration calorimetry. BO-264 demonstrated superior antiproliferative activity to the two currently reported TACC3 inhibitors, especially in aggressive breast cancer subtypes, basal and HER2+, via spindle assembly checkpoint-dependent mitotic arrest, DNA damage, and apoptosis, while the cytotoxicity against normal breast cells was negligible. Furthermore, BO-264 significantly decreased centrosomal TACC3 during both mitosis and interphase. BO-264 displayed potent antiproliferative activity (∼90% have less than 1 μmol/L GI₅₀ value) in the NCI-60 cell line panel compromising of nine different cancer types. Noteworthy, BO-264 significantly inhibited the growth of cells harboring FGFR3-TACC3 fusion, an oncogenic driver in diverse malignancies. Importantly, its oral administration significantly impaired tumor growth in immunocompromised and immunocompetent breast and colon cancer mouse models, and increased survival without any major toxicity. Finally, TACC3 expression has been identified as strong independent prognostic factor in breast cancer and strongly prognostic in several different cancers. Overall, we identified a novel and highly potent TACC3 inhibitor as a novel potential anticancer agent, inducing spindle abnormalities and mitotic cell death.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Transforming Growth Factor β Signaling Pathways Cooperate To Mediate Chlamydia Pathogenesis

Human genital Chlamydia infection is a major public health concern due to the serious reproductive system complications. Chlamydia binds several receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) on host cells, including the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and activates cellular signaling cascades for host invasion, cytoskeletal remodeling, optimal inclusion development, and induction of pathogenic epithelial-mesenchyme transition (EMT). Chlamydia also upregulates transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) expression, whose signaling pathway synergizes with the EGFR cascade, but its role in infectivity, inclusions, and EMT induction is unknown. We hypothesized that the EGFR and TGF-β signaling pathways cooperate during chlamydial infection for optimal inclusion development and stable EMT induction. The results revealed that Chlamydia upregulated TGF-β expression as early as 6 h postinfection of epithelial cells and stimulated both the EGFR and TGF-β signaling pathways. Inhibition of either the EGFR or TGF-βR1 signaling substantially reduced inclusion development; however, the combined inhibition of both EGFR and TGF-βR1 signaling reduced inclusions by over 90% and prevented EMT induction. Importantly, EGFR inhibition suppressed TGF-β expression, and an inhibitory thrombospondin-1 (Tsp1)-based peptide inhibited chlamydia-induced EMT, revealing a major source of active TGF-β during infection. Finally, TGF-βR signaling inhibition suppressed the expression of transforming acidic coiled-coil protein-3 (TACC3), which stabilizes EGFR signaling, suggesting reciprocal regulation between TGF-β and EGFR signaling during chlamydial infection. Thus, RTK-mediated host invasion by chlamydia upregulated TGF-β expression and signaling, which cooperated with other cellular signaling cascades and cytoskeletal remodeling to support optimal inclusion development and EMT induction. This finding may provide new targets for chlamydial disease biomarkers and prevention.

Pretreatment TACC3 expression in locally advanced rectal cancer decreases the response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy

Chemoradiotherapy combined with surgical resection is the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer, but not all the patients respond to neoadjuvant treatment. Transforming acidic coiled-coil protein-3 (TACC3) is frequently aberrantly expressed in rectal cancer tissue. In this study, we investigated whether TACC3 could serve as a biomarker predictive of the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy. In all, 152 rectal cancer patients with tumor tissue collected at biopsy and set aside before treatment were enrolled in this study. All patients received chemoradiotherapy and surgical resection. Immunohistochemically detected tumoral TACC3 expression significantly decreased sensitivity to chemoradiotherapy [risk ratio (RR) = 2.236, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.447-3.456; P = 0.001] and thus the pathological complete response rate (P = 0.001). TACC3 knockdown using specific siRNA enhanced radiotherapy-induced decreases in proliferation and colony formation by HCT116 and SW480 cells and increased the incidence of radiotherapy-induced apoptosis. Cox multivariate analysis showed that TACC3 was a significant prognostic factor for overall survival (P = 0.017) and disease-free survival (P = 0.020). These findings suggest TACC3 expression may be predictive of chemoradiotherapy sensitivity and prognosis in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Overexpression of TACC3 in Breast Cancer Associates With Poor Prognosis

Increasing evidences suggest that transforming acidic coiled-coil protein 3 (TACC3) is associated with various types of human cancer. However, the expression of TACC3 in breast cancer tissues remains largely unknown. To identify whether TACC3 can serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry staining were utilized to detect the expression of TACC3. The mRNA and protein levels of TACC3 in breast cancer samples were novelty higher compared with nontumorous breast tissues. Immunohistochemistry results revealed TACC3 expression was significantly correlated to lymphoid nodal metastasis (P=0.035) and HER-2 status (P=0.021). The patients with high expression of TACC3 had a significantly poor prognosis compared with patients with low expression (P=0.017), especially in the patients with pathological tumor size 2-4 status (P=0.028). Furthermore, multivariate analysis indicated that TACC3 expression was an independent prognostic factor for breast cancer patients (P=0.029). This study, first, suggested TACC3 might be an important molecular marker for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer.

CP-31398 inhibits the progression of cervical cancer through reversing the epithelial mesenchymal transition via the downregulation of PAX2s

CP-31398, a styrylquinazoline, emerges from a screen for therapeutic agents that restore the wild-type DNA-binding conformation of mutant p53 to suppress tumors in vivo, but its effects on cervical cancer (CC) remain unknown. Hence, this study aimed to explore the effects CP-31398 has on the CC cells and to investigate whether it is associated with paired box 2 (PAX2) expression. CC cells were treated with different concentrations of CP-31398 (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 μg/ml) to determine the optimum concentration using fluorometric microculture cytotoxicity assay. After constructing the sh-PAX2 vector, CC cells were transfected with sh-PAX2 or treated with CP-31398. The effects of CP-31398 or PAX2 silencing on CC cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration were evaluated. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes such as E-cadherin, vimentin, N-cadherin, snail, and twist in CC cells were detected. Tumor formation experiment in nude mice was performed to observe tumor growth. The optimum concentration of CP-31398 was 2 μg/ml. PAX2 was overexpressed in CC cells. CC cells treated with CP-31398 or treated with sh-PAX2 inhibited proliferation, invasion, and migration but promoted apoptosis with decreased PAX2 expression. The EMT process in CC cells was also reversed after treatment with CP-31398 or sh-PAX2. Moreover, the tumor formation experiment in nude mice revealed the inhibitory activity of CP-31398 in CC tumor in nude mice by suppressing PAX2. Our results provide evidence that CP-31398 could inhibit EMT and promote apoptosis of CC cells to curb CC tumor growth by downregulating PAX2.

Down-expression of GOLM1 enhances the chemo-sensitivity of cervical cancer to methotrexate through modulation of the MMP13/EMT axis

The highly refractory nature of cervical cancer to chemotherapeutic drugs and its epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are the key reasons contributing to the poor prognosis of this disease. Golgi Membrane Protein 1 (GOLM1), a protein involved in the trafficking of proteins through the Golgi apparatus, has been shown to be oncogenic in a variety of human cancers. Herein, we found GOLM1 was markedly up-regulated in cervical cancer and GOLM1 down-expression enhanced the anti-tumor effect of methotrexate. By performing mechanistic studies using both in vitro and in vivo models, we found that GOLM1 could target matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP13), a member of the MMPs, and regulate the EMT process. Moreover, altered EMT progression compromised the chemotherapy-enhancing effects of GOLM1 knock-down. Finally, we found significantly higher levels of GOLM1 and MMP13 in cervical cancer tissues compared with adjacent noncancerous tissues, and this was also associated with poor cervical cancer patients' prognosis. Taken together, our results suggest that the GOLM1/MMP13/EMT axis is an important factor involved in regulating methotrexate in cervical cancer, and highlights the potential of novel GOLM1-based clinical modalities as a therapeutic approach in cervical cancer patients.

Downregulation of TACC3 inhibits tumor growth and migration in osteosarcoma cells through regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway

TACC3, a member of the transforming acidic coiled-coil protein (TACC) family, is a multifunctional protein that is involved in various biological functions, including proliferation and differentiation of tumor cells, cancer progression and metastasis. The aims of the present study were to examine whether TACC3 expression is associated with the proliferation and migration of osteosarcoma (OS) cells and to investigate the potential underlying molecular mechanisms of TACC3 in OS. First, the levels of mRNA and protein expression in OS cell lines by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively were examined. Second, the effects of TACC3 knockdown and overexpression on the proliferative, migratory and invasive capacities of OS cells were investigated. Finally, western blot analysis was employed to detect the potential mechanism of TACC3 in osteosarcoma. TACC3 expression was significantly increased in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines, compared to matched controls. The knockdown of TACC3 was able to significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, whereas the overexpression of TACC3 was able to promote cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, TACC3 may promote the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells via through nuclear factor-κB signaling. These data suggest that TACC3 has an important part in the progression of osteosarcoma and may serve as a potential target for gene therapy.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer: an overview

Prostate cancer is a main urological disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy are potentially curative for localized prostate cancer, while androgen deprivation therapy is the initial systemic therapy for metastatic prostate disease. However, despite temporary response, most patients relapse and evolve into castration resistant cancer.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex gradual process that occurs during embryonic development and/or tumor progression. During this process, cells lose their epithelial characteristics and acquire mesenchymal features. Increasing evidences indicate that EMT promotes prostate cancer metastatic progression and it is closely correlated with increased stemness and drug resistance.

In this review, we discuss the main molecular events that directly or indirectly govern the EMT program in prostate cancer, in order to better define the role and the mechanisms underlying this process in prostate cancer progression and therapeutic resistance.

Cigarette smoke-induced EGFR activation promotes epithelial mesenchymal migration of human retinal pigment epithelial cells through regulation of the FAK-mediated Syk/Src pathway

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is inevitable change of age‑related macular degeneration (AMD). Smoking is a major risk factor for the development of EMT in several diseases, including lung cancer. Cigarette smoke‑induced stress promotes the production of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in RPE cells. However, the underlying signaling pathways induced by aberrant EGF receptor (EGFR) expression in cigarette smoke-exposed RPE cells remain largely unknown. In the present study, the morphological transformation and production of EMT-associated cytokines were investigated to analyze the effect of smoking on the retina. Furthermore, EGF‑treated or cigarette smoke‑exposed RPE cells, as well as the downstream targets of EGFR, were investigated to identify the key molecules involved in EMT of cigarette smoke‑stimulated RPE cells via immunoblotting. Exposure of RPE cells to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) induced secretion of VEGF and TGF‑β1, and increased the expression of EMT markers. CSE‑mediated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation resulted in the phosphorylation and activation of spleen associated tyrosine kinase (Syk)/Src proto‑oncogene, non‑receptor tyrosine kinase (Src), leading to migration and invasion of RPE cells. Knockdown of FAK or pharmacological inhibition of Syk/Src abrogated CSE‑mediated VEGF and TGF‑β1 production and blocked the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 in CSE‑stimulated RPE cells. Erlotinib (an EGFR inhibitor) suppressed EGF and CSE‑mediated switch from an epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype. Baicalein, an inhi-bitor of 12/15‑lipooxygenase, also efficiently suppressed CSE‑induced EMT processes by inhibiting EGFR‑associated downstream signaling transduction. The results identified a novel signaling pathway mediated by EGFR in CSE‑activated RPE cells, and suggest baicalein as a potential new therapeutic drug for CSE‑associated retinopathy.

Tyrosine kinase LYN is an oncotarget in human cervical cancer: A quantitative proteomic based study

Cervical cancer is one of the most common malignant tumor in women. The mechanisms of cervical cancer are intricate and have not been fully understood. Therefore, we employed iTRAQ to obtain novel proteins profile which participates in the tumor oncogenesis of cervical cancer. 3300 proteins were identified aberrantly expressed in cervical cancer, and western bolt was performed to validate the results of iTRAQ. Then, we selected LYN for further study. Immunohistochemistry identified that LYN expression was significantly increased in cervical cancer tissues than that in cancer adjacent normal cervical tissues and normal cervical tissues. The increased LYN expression was significantly correlated with cancer differentiation and FIGO stage. Silencing LYN inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion, conversely, overexpression LYN promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In terms of mechanism, LYN could also promote cervical cancer cells metastasis through activating IL-6/STAT3 pathway. In vivo study, overexpression LYN promoted tumor growth, meanwhile knockdown LYN inhibited tumor growth. These results indicate that LYN tyrosine kinase is an oncogenic gene and can serve as a novel target for cervical cancer research and therapy.

TACC3 overexpression in cholangiocarcinoma correlates with poor prognosis and is a potential anti-cancer molecular drug target for HDAC inhibitors

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) have been implicated in multiple malignant tumors, and HDAC inhibitors (HDACIs) exert anti-cancer effects. However, the expression of HDACs and the anti-tumor mechanism of HDACIs in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we found that expression of HDACs 2, 3, and 8 were up-regulated in CCA tissues and those patients with high expression of HDAC2 and/or HDAC3 had a worse prognosis. In CCA cells, two HDACIs, trichostatin (TSA) and vorinostat (SAHA), suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis and G2/M cycle arrest. Microarray analysis revealed that TACC3 mRNA was down-regulated in CCA cells treated with TSA. TACC3 was highly expressed in CCA tissues and predicted a poor prognosis in CCA patients. TACC3 knockdown induced G2/M cycle arrest and suppressed the invasion, metastasis, and proliferation of CCA cells, both in vitro and in vivo. TACC3 overexpression reversed the effects of its knockdown. These findings suggest TACC3 may be a useful prognostic biomarker for CCA and is a potential therapeutic target for HDACIs.

An early-screening biomarker of endometrial carcinoma: NGAL is associated with epithelio-mesenchymal transition

neutrophilgelatinase-associated lipocalin is currently one of the most interesting and enigmatic proteins involved in the development of malignancies. In this study, we found that the expression of neutrophilgelatinase-associated lipocalin was up-regulated in endometrial cancer tissues and cell lines, significantly increased in early-grade ones, suggesting it may serve as a biomarker for early-stage screening for endometrial carcinoma. Moreover, neutrophilgelatinase-associated lipocalin was up-regulated in Ishikawa cells under going epithelio-mesenchymal transition induced by epidermal growth factor (5 ng/ml). Up-regulation of neutrophilgelatinase-associated lipocalin may correlate with the down-regulation of E-cadherin expression, up-regulation of Vimentin expression, enhanced cell migration, invasion and proliferation, which are the typical hallmarks of epithelio-mesenchymal transition processes. neutrophilgelatinase-associated lipocalin may play a dual role during tumorigenetic and developmental processes of endometrial carcinoma. These results suggested neutrophilgelatinase-associated lipocalin to be a potential molecular target in the early diagnosis and treatment of endometrial carcinoma. Further studies are warranted to clarify the molecular mechanisms behind the expression and function of neutrophilgelatinase-associated lipocalin and epithelio-mesenchymal transition.

TACC3 transcriptionally upregulates E2F1 to promote cell growth and confer sensitivity to cisplatin in bladder cancer

Accumulating evidence has shown that transforming acidic coiled-coil 3 (TACC3) is deregulated in a broad spectrum of cancers. In the present study, we reported that TACC3 was markedly elevated in bladder cancer, especially in muscle-invasive bladder cancers (MIBCs). The upregulation of TACC3 was positively associated with tumor invasiveness, grade, T stage, and progression in patients with bladder cancer. Furthermore, a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients with bladder cancer whose tumors had high TACC3 expression experienced a dismal prognosis compared with patients whose tumors had low TACC3 expression. Functional studies have found that TACC3 is a prerequisite for the development of malignant characteristics of bladder cancer cells, including cell proliferation and invasion. Moreover, TACC3 promoted G1/S transition, which was mediated via activation of the transcription of E2F1, eventually enhancing cell proliferation. Notably, the overexpression of TACC3 or E2F1 indicates a high sensitivity to cisplatin. Taken together, these findings define a tumor-supportive role for TACC3, which may also serve as a prognostic and therapeutic indicator in bladder cancers.

TACC3 promotes colorectal cancer tumourigenesis and correlates with poor prognosis

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is a malignant epithelial tumour with tremendous invasion and metastatic capacity. Transforming acidic coiled-coil protein-3 (TACC3), a frequently aberrantly expressed oncogene, is an important biomarker in various human cancers. Our study aimed to investigate the expression and function of TACC3 in human CRC. We found that TACC3 was over-expressed at both the mRNA and protein levels in CRC cells and in biopsies of CRC tissues compared with normal controls as determined by qRT-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining assays. IHC staining of samples from 161 patients with CRC also revealed that TACC3 expression was significantly correlated with clinical stage (P = 0.045), T classification (P = 0.029) and M classification (P = 0.020). Multivariate analysis indicated that high TACC3 expression was an independent prognostic marker for CRC. Patients who had high TACC3 expression had significantly poorer overall survival (OS, P = 0.023) and disease-free survival (DFS, P = 0.019) compared to patients who had low TACC3 expression. Furthermore, TACC3 knockdown attenuated CRC cell proliferation, colony formation capability, migration and invasion capability, and tumourigenesis in nude mice; these properties were measured using a real-time cell analyser (RTCA), clonogenicity analysis, and transwell and xenograft assays, respectively. These data indicate that TACC3 promotes CRC progression and could be an independent prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target for CRC.

Src promotes EGF-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and migration in gastric cancer cells by upregulating ZEB1 and ZEB2 through AKT

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays important roles in the migration, invasion, and metastasis of cancer cells. However, the role of Src in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced EMT and migration in gastric cancer cells remains to be clarified. In the current study, the effect of Src on EGF-stimulated EMT and migration was explored in gastric cancer cells. EGF induced EMT in gastric cancer cells and increased their migratory ability, which was accompanied by the phosphorylation of Src. PP2, the Src inhibitor, markedly suppressed EGF-mediated EMT and migration in gastric cancer cells. Additionally, EGF-stimulated upregulation of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) was significantly repressed by PP2. Further analysis showed that EGF-stimulated phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) was almost completely abolished by PP2, whereas that of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was only mildly suppressed. Moreover, LY294002, the AKT inhibitor, significantly inhibited EGF-induced upregulation of ZEB1 and ZEB2 as well as EMT and migration stimulated by EGF in gastric cancer cells. However, neither ERK inhibitor nor STAT3 inhibitor repressed EGF-induced EMT-related changes. Taken together, these results suggest that Src promotes EGF-stimulated EMT and migration by upregulation of ZEB1 and ZEB2 through AKT signaling pathway in gastric cancer cells.

TACC3 as an independent prognostic marker for solid tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Recent studies have showed that the transforming acidic coiled coil 3 (TACC3), was aberrantly up-regulated in various solid tumors and was reported to be correlated with unfavorable prognosis in cancer patients. This study aimed to examine the relationship between TACC3 and relevant clinical outcomes. Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library were systematically searched to obtain all eligible articles. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the influence of TACC3 expression on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in solid tumors patients. A total of 1943 patients from 11 articles were included. The result indicated that a significantly shorter OS was observed in patients with high expression level of TACC3 (HR=1.90, 95% CI=1.63-2.23). In the subgroup analysis, the association was also observed in patients with cancers of digestive system (HR=1.85, 95% CI=1.53-2.24). Statistical significance was also observed in subgroup meta-analysis stratified by the cancer type, analysis type and sample size. Furthermore, poorer DFS was observed in patients with high expression level of TACC3 (HR=2.67, 95% CI=2.10-3.40). Additionally, the pooled odds ratios (ORs) showed that increased TACC3 expression was also related to positive lymph node metastasis (OR=1.68, 95% CI=1.26-2.25), tumor differentiation (OR=1.90, 95% CI=1.25-2.88) and TNM stage (OR=1.66, 95% CI=1.25-2.20). In conclusion, the increased expression level of TACC3 was associated with unfavorable prognosis, suggesting that it was a valuable prognosis biomarker or a promising therapeutic target of solid tumors. Further studies should be conducted to confirm the clinical utility of TACC3 in human solid tumors.

The role of TACC3 in mitotic spindle organization

TACC3 regulates spindle organization during mitosis and also regulates centrosome-mediated microtubule nucleation by affecting γ-Tubulin ring complexes. In addition, it interacts with different proteins (such as ch-TOG, clathrin and Aurora-A) to function in mitotic spindle assembly and stability. By forming the TACC3/ch-TOG complex, TACC3 acts as a plus end-tracking protein to promote microtubule elongation. The TACC3/ch-TOG/clathrin complex is formed to stabilize kinetochore fibers by crosslinking adjacent microtubules. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of TACC3 by Aurora-A is important for the formation of TACC3/ch-TOG/clathrin and its recruitment to kinetochore fibers. Recently, the aberrant expression of TACC3 in a variety of human cancers has been linked with mitotic defects. Thus, in this review, we will discuss our current understanding of the biological roles of TACC3 in mitotic spindle organization.

Overexpression of Transforming Acidic Coiled Coil‑Containing Protein 3 Reflects Malignant Characteristics and Poor Prognosis of Glioma

Gliomas are malignant primary brain tumors with poor prognosis. Recently, research was indicative of a tight connection between tumor malignancy and genetic alterations. Here, we propose an oncogenic implication of transforming acidic coiled-coil-containing protein 3 (TACC3) in gliomas. By comprehensively analyzing the Chinese glioma genome atlas (CGGA) and publicly available data, we demonstrated that TACC3 were overexpressed along with glioma grade and served as an independent negative prognostic biomarker for glioma patients. Functions’ annotations and gene sets’ enrichment analysis suggested that TACC3 may participate in cell cycle, DNA repair, epithelium-mesenchymal transition and other tumor-related biological processes and molecular pathways. Patients with high TACC3 expression showed CD133⁺ stem cell properties, glioma plasticity and shorter overall survival time under chemo-/radio-therapy. Additionally, a TACC3 associated the miRNA-mRNA network was constructed based on in silico prediction and expression pattern, which provide a foundation for further detection of TACC3-miRNA-mRNA axis function. Collectively, our observations identify TACC3 as an oncogene of tumor malignancy, as well as a prognostic and motoring biomarker for glioma patients.

Systematic Identification of Oncogenic EGFR Interaction Partners

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor tyrosine kinase (TK) that—once activated upon ligand binding—leads to receptor dimerization, recruitment of protein complexes, and activation of multiple signaling cascades. The EGFR is frequently overexpressed or mutated in various cancers leading to aberrant signaling and tumor growth. Hence, identification of interaction partners that bind to mutated EGFR can help identify novel targets for drug discovery.

Here, we used a systematic approach to identify novel proteins that are involved in cancerous EGFR signaling. Using a combination of high-content imaging and a mammalian membrane two-hybrid protein–protein interaction method, we identified eight novel interaction partners of EGFR, of which half strongly interacted with oncogenic, hyperactive EGFR variants. One of these, transforming acidic coiled-coil proteins (TACC) 3, stabilizes EGFR on the cell surface, which results in an increase in downstream signaling via the mitogen-activated protein kinase and AKT pathway. Depletion of TACC3 from cells using small hairpin RNA (shRNA) knockdown or small-molecule targeting reduced mitogenic signaling in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines, suggesting that targeting TACC3 has potential as a new therapeutic approach for non-small cell lung cancer.

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A combined screening approach involving an image-based green fluorescent protein-Grb2 translocation assay and a mammalian membrane two-hybrid protein–protein interaction assay identified 11 novel interactors of EGFR.

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Eight of those were further confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation.

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TACC3 was identified as a novel EGFR interactor, which specifically binds to oncogenic EGFR variants.

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TACC3 directly modulates EGFR stability at the cell surface and hence promotes mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling.

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Targeting TACC3 in non-small cell lung cancer cells partially resensitizes TK-resistant cells to TK inhibitors.

Predictors and Modulators of Synthetic Lethality: An Update on PARP Inhibitors and Personalized Medicine

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have proven to be successful agents in inducing synthetic lethality in several malignancies. Several PARP inhibitors have reached clinical trial testing for treatment in different cancers, and, recently, Olaparib (AZD2281) has gained both United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and the European Commission (EC) approval for use in BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer treatment. The need to identify biomarkers, their interactions in DNA damage repair pathways, and their potential utility in identifying patients who are candidates for PARP inhibitor treatment is well recognized. In this review, we detail many of the biomarkers that have been investigated for their ability to predict both PARP inhibitor sensitivity and resistance in preclinical studies as well as the results of several clinical trials that have tested the safety and efficacy of different PARP inhibitor agents in BRCA and non-BRCA-mutated cancers.

FGFR3-TACC3 fusion in solid tumors: mini review

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) are transmembrane kinase proteins with growing importance in cancer biology given the frequency of molecular alterations and vast interface with multiple other signaling pathways. Furthermore, numerous FGFR inhibitors in clinical development demonstrate the expanding therapeutic relevance of this pathway. Indeed, results from early phase clinical trials already indicate that a subset of patients with advanced tumors derive benefit from FGFR targeted therapies. FGFR gene aberrations and FGFR gene rearrangements are relatively rare in solid malignancies. The recently described FGFR3-TACC3 fusion protein has a constitutively active tyrosine kinase domain and promotes aneuploidy. We summarize the prevalence data on FGFR3-TACC3 fusions among different histological tumor types and the preliminary evidence that this rearrangement represents a targetable molecular aberration in some patients with solid tumors.

Identification of SEC62 as a potential marker for 3q amplification and cellular migration in dysplastic cervical lesions

Background

Chromosome 3 amplification affecting the 3q26 region is a common genomic alteration in cervical cancer, typically marking the transition of precancerous intraepithelial lesions to an invasive phenotype. Though potential 3q encoded target genes of this amplification have been identified, a functional correlation of potential oncogenic function is still missing. In this study, we investigated copy number changes and the expression level of SEC62 encoded at 3q26.2 as a new potential 3q oncogene in dysplastic cervical lesions and analyzed its role in cervical cancer cell biology.

Methods

Expression levels of Sec62 and vimentin were analyzed in liquid based cytology specimens from 107 women with varying grades of cervical dysplasia ranging from normal cases to cancer by immunofluorescence cytology. Additionally, a subset of 20 representative cases was used for FISH analyses targeting SEC62. To further explore the functional role of Sec62 in cervical cancer, HeLa cells were transfected with a SEC62 plasmid or SEC62 siRNA and analyzed for their proliferation and migration potential using real-time monitoring and trans-well systems as well as changes in the expression of EMT markers.

Results

FISH analyses of the swabbed cells showed a rising number of SEC62 gains and amplifications correlating to the grade of dysplasia with the highest incidence in high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and squamous cell carcinomas. When analyzing the expression level of Sec62 and vimentin, we found a gradually increasing expression level of both proteins according to the severity of the dysplasia. In functional analyses, SEC62 silencing inhibited and SEC62 overexpression stimulated the migration of HeLa cells with only marginal effects on cell proliferation, the expression level of EMT markers and the cytoskeleton structure.

Conclusions

Our study suggests SEC62 as a target gene of 3q26 amplification and a stimulator of cellular migration in dysplastic cervical lesions. Hence, SEC62 could serve as a potential marker for 3q amplification, providing useful information about the dignity and biology of dysplastic cervical lesions.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2739-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Knockdown of TACC3 inhibits trophoblast cell migration and invasion through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

The insufficient invasion of trophoblasts is known to be correlated with the development of preeclampsia. Transforming acidic coiled‑coil protein 3 (TACC3), a member of the TACC domain family, is important in the regulation of cell differentiation, migration and invasion. However, the role of TACC3 in trophoblast function during placental development remains to be fully elucidated. The present study aimed to determine the expression and function of TACC3 in human placenta and to examine the underlying mechanisms. TACC3 expression was analyzed in preeclamptic placentas using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Cell proliferation was determined by the MTT assay, and cell migration and invasion were measured using Transwell assays. The expression levels of TACC3, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑2, MMP‑9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)‑1, TIMP‑2, phosphoinositide 3‑kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated (p)‑PI3K, AKT and p‑AKT were detected by western blotting. The results showed that the expression of TACC3 was downregulated in preeclamptic placentas. The knockdown of TACC3 significantly inhibited HTR8/SVneo cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and inhibited the expression of matrix metalloproteinases. In addition, the knockdown of TACC3 significantly reduced the levels of p‑PI3K and Akt in the HTR8/SVneo cells. Taken together, the results of the present study demonstrated that the knockdown of TACC3 inhibited the migration and invasion of HTR8/SVneo cells through suppression of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Therefore, TACC3 may serve as a novel potential target for treating preeclampsia.

TACC3 promotes stemness and is a potential therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma

Transforming acidic coiled-coil protein 3 (TACC3) is essential for cell mitosis and transcriptional functions. In the present study, we first demonstrated that both TACC3 protein and mRNA levels were elevated in HCC tissue samples compared with non-cancerous tissue biopsies according to western blot analyses, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays. Moreover, high TACC3 expression was positively correlated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) (p < 0.001). Using HCC cell lines, we then demonstrated that either TACC3 knockdown or treatment with the potential TACC3 inhibitor KHS101 suppressed cell growth and sphere formation as well as the expression of stem cell transcription factors, including Bmi1, c-Myc and Nanog. Silencing TACC3 may suppress the Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, which regulate cancer stem cell-like characteristics. Taken together, these data suggest that TACC3 is enriched in HCC and that TACC3 down-regulation inhibits the proliferation, clonogenicity, and cancer stem cell-like phenotype of HCC cells. KHS101, a TACC3 inhibitor, may serve as a novel therapeutic agent for HCC patients with tumors characterized by high TACC3 expression.

High expression of TACC3 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma correlates with poor prognosis

To analyze the expression of the transforming acidic coiled-coil protein 3 (TACC3) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) samples, and to identify whether TACC3 can serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of ESCC, qPCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry staining (IHC) were utilized to detect the expression of TACC3. Furthermore, cell growth, colony formation, migration ability and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers of ESCC cells in which TACC3 were knocked-down were measured. The mRNA and protein levels of TACC3 were higher in ESCC specimens compared to non-tumorous esophageal epithelial tissues. IHC results revealed TACC3 expression was significantly correlated to differentiation (p = 0.017) and lymphoid nodal status (p = 0.028). The patients with high-expression of TACC3 had a significantly poor prognosis compared to those of low-expression (p = 0.017), especially in the patients at stages I–II (p = 0.028). Multivariate analysis indicated that TACC3 expression was an independent prognostic factor for ESCC patients (p = 0.025). Knockdown of TACC3 inhibited the ability of cell proliferation, colony formation and migration. This study first identifies TACC3 not only as a useful biomarker for diagnose and prognosis of ESCC, but also as a potential therapeutic target for patients with ESCC.

Astrocyte elevated gene-1 promotes progression of cervical squamous cell carcinoma by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition via Wnt signaling

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) with epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

The expression of proteins was determined by immunohistochemistry in tissues. Overexpression and knockdown of AEG-1 in SiHa cells were achieved by stable AEG-1 gene transfection (SiHa-AEG-1+) and AEG-1-siRNA (SiHa-AEG-1-), respectively. The cellular levels of messenger RNA and proteins were assessed with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. The cell invasion capacity was assessed by the chamber invasion assay.

RESULTS

AEG-1 was overexpressed in clinical CSCC and associated with lymph node metastasis, parametrial involvement, stromal invasion, and vascular invasion. A high level of vimentin and a low level of E-cadherin were also detected in the cancer tissues. AEG-1 expression was positively correlated with vimentin expression and negatively with E-cadherin expression in CSCC tissues. In addition, high level of AEG-1 was related to unfavorable prognosis of CSCC. On a cellular level, overexpression of AEG-1 was found to lead to an up-regulation of vimentin and a down-regulation of E-cadherin on messenger RNA and protein level in SiHa cells, whereas AEG-1 knockdown led to a contrary result. Meanwhile, the nuclear levels of NF-κB p65 and β-catenin were also increased in SiHa-AEG-1+, whereas their nuclear levels were decreased in SiHa-AEG-1-. Inhibition of Wnt signaling significantly reduced vimentin level and enhanced E-cadherin level in SiHa-AEG+, but inhibition of NF-κB signaling did not. SiHa-AEG-1+ and SiHa-AEG- showed an enhanced and a decreased invasive capacity, respectively. The enhanced invasiveness of SiHa-AEG-1+ was weakened by inhibition of Wnt signaling.

CONCLUSIONS

AEG-1 was associated with the progression of CSCC by promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition via Wnt signaling pathway.

The clinical significance of transforming acidic coiled-coil protein 3 expression in non-small cell lung cancer

The relationship between TACC3, a member of the transforming acidic coiled-coil proteins (TACCs) family, and lung carcinoma remains unclear. The present study was designed to explore the prognostic and clinical significance of TACC3 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). An immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay was performed to analyze the expression of TACC3 in 195 lung cancer cases. The mRNA and protein levels of TACC3 were examined by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR or western blotting. The correlation between TACC3 expression and clinicopathological factors was analyzed by χ2 analysis and Fisher's exact test. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to examine the correlation of prognostic outcomes with TACC3. The results showed that the levels of TACC3 mRNA and total protein were higher in lung cancer lesions than paired non-cancerous tissues. IHC analysis revealed that TACC3 was highly expressed in 94 (48.2%) cases. The expression of TACC3 was strongly correlated with smoking status, histological classification, differentiation, cytokeratin 19 fragment levels, T stage and the clinical stage of NSCLC patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that TACC3 is a useful biomarker for NSCLC prognosis. The low TACC3 expression group exhibited better progression-free survival (PFS) among patients who received anti-microtubule chemotherapy. In conclusion, the results showed that a high level of TACC3 expression was correlated with advanced clinicopathological classifications, poor overall survival (OS) and poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) in NSCLC patients. Our findings indicate that TACC3 is a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for NSCLC.

EMT-Inducing Molecular Factors in Gynecological Cancers

Gynecologic cancers are the unregulated growth of neoplastic cells that arise in the cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, and vulva. Although gynecologic cancers are characterized by different signs and symptoms, studies have shown that they share common risk factors, such as smoking, obesity, age, exposure to certain chemicals, infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and infection with human papilloma virus (HPV). Despite recent advancements in the preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions for gynecologic cancers, many patients still die as a result of metastasis and recurrence. Since mounting evidence indicates that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process plays an essential role in metastatic relapse of cancer, understanding the molecular aberrations responsible for the EMT and its underlying signaling should be given high priority in order to reduce cancer morbidity and mortality.

High expression of transforming acidic coiled coil-containing protein 3 strongly correlates with aggressive characteristics and poor prognosis of gastric cancer

Transforming acidic coiled coil-containing protein 3 (TACC3) is well understood to regulate mitotic spindle dynamics and centrosome integrity during mitosis. TACC3 has been suggested to be deregulated in a variety of human malignancies and may be involved in the process of cancer progression. The aim of the present study was to determine the status of TACC3 expression in gastric cancer (GC) and to clarify its clinical/prognostic significance. In the present study, we applied quantitative PCR (qPCR) and western blotting to examine TACC3 mRNA/protein expression in paired GC tissues and matched adjacent non-malignant tissues. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on a large cohort of 186 postoperative GC samples. Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression modelling were used to analyse the data. Upregulated mRNA and protein expression levels of TACC3 were observed in the majority of the GC tissues based on qPCR and western blotting compared to the adjacent non-cancerous gastric tissues. Specific IHC staining for TACC3 was predominantly identified in the cytoplasm of the cancer cells. A high expression of TACC3 was detected in 102 of the 186 (54.8%) tissue samples and was significantly associated with the extracapsular extension of the tumour (P<0.001), tumour relapse (P<0.001) and shortened overall survival in GC (P<0.001). Further analysis demonstrated that the TACC3 expression level stratified the patient outcome in stage II (P=0.040), stage III (P<0.001), T3/4 (P<0.001), N positive (P<0.001) and poorly differentiated/undifferentiated tumour subgroups (P<0.001). The Cox regression analysis suggested that a high expression of TACC3 was an independent prognostic factor for GC patients. The measurement of TACC3 protein expression may be beneficial for predicting clinical outcomes for GC patients.

miR-221 facilitates the TGFbeta1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human bladder cancer cells by targeting STMN1

Background

Distant metastasis is the major cause of cancer-related death, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has a critical role in this process. Accumulating evidence indicates that EMT can be regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs). miR-221, as oncogenes in several human cancers, was significantly up-regulated in bladder cancers. However, the role of miR-221 in the progression of bladder cancer metastasis remains largely unknown.

Methods

We used qRT-PCR and western blot to accurately measure the levels of miR-221, STMN1 and EMT markers in TGFβ1 induced EMT of bladder cancer cells. miR-221 inhibitors were re-introduced into bladder cancer cells to investigate its role on tumor metastasis which was measured by MTT, wound healing, transwell invasion and adherent assays. Luciferase reporter assay was used to reveal the target gene of miR-221.

Results

miR-221 expression was greatly increased by TGFβ1 in bladder cancer cell. miR-221 inhibition reversed TGFβ1 induced EMT by sharply increasing the expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and decreasing the expression of the mesenchymal markers vimentin, Fibroactin and N-cadherin. Furthermore, miR-221 expression is positively correlated with malignant potential of bladder cancer cell through promoting loss of cell adhesion and prometastatic behavior. Luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-221 negatively regulates STMN1 expression by direct targeting to the 3′UTR region of STMN1.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that miR-221 facilitated TGFβ1-induced EMT in human bladder cancer cells by targeting STMN1 and represented a promising therapeutic target in the process of metastasis.

Placenta growth factor promotes migration through regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related protein expression in cervical cancer

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in cancer invasion and metastasis by enabling cancer cells to depart from the primary tumor, invade surrounding tissue and disseminate to distant organs. The existence and function of EMT in cervical cancer is poorly understood. Placental growth factor (PLGF) has been shown to associate with EMT in various cancers. However, whether PLGF is involved in EMT in cervical cancer remains unclear. Thus the present study examined the relationship between PLGF expression and EMT-related proteins in 110 cervical lesions samples. We detected that PLGF was expressed in 61.8% cervical lesion sections. In addition, PLGF expression is positively correlated with low expression level of E-cadherin and high expression level of vimentin. Serum samples and cervical lavage samples were collected from patients with pre-invasive and invasive lesion of uterine cervix or normal control group, the PLGF levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that a significantly high level of PLGF could be detected both in serum and vaginal lavage compared with normal women group, and there is no significant difference between serum and lavage in PLGF level. In addition, whatever in lavage or in serum, the PLGF level in stage I and II was significantly higher than it in CINIII or cancer in situ. However, there is no significant difference between the stage I and stage II; we also found that exogenous PLGF promotes molecular changes of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in siha cells. In addition, application of a specific EKR1/2 inhibitor could reverse the effects of PLGF. These findings suggested that PLGF could regulate the expression of EMT-related proteins and promote migration of siha cells through ERK/MAPK signaling pathway. Therapies that targets PLGF/Flt-1/ERK/MAPK signaling pathway may be beneficial in treatment of cervical cancer.

Hepatoma-derived growth factor upregulation is correlated with prognostic factors of early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma

Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a unique nuclear/growth factor that plays an important role in the progression of different types of cancer. A total of 63 patients with early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma (Cx) were enrolled in this retrospective study. The expression of HDGF was significantly increased compared with adjacent non-tumor tissue samples (p < 0.001). Moreover, elevated nuclear HDGF levels were correlated with lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI; p < 0.05), lymph node metastasis (LNM; p < 0.001), recurrence (p < 0.001) and advanced grade (AG; p < 0.001). The growth of cervical cancer cells (Hela cells) was enhanced by HDGF treatment. The HDGF mRNA and protein level were significantly higher in malignant cervical cancer cells compared with primary ones. By adenovirus gene delivery, HDGF overexpression enhanced, whereas HDGF knockdown perturbed the tumorigenic behaviors of cervical cancer cells. HDGF overexpression is common in early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma and is involved in the carcinogenesis of cervical adenocarcinoma. Cytoplasmic HDGF expression is strongly correlated with pelvic lymph node metastasis and recurrence, indicating that HDGF may serve as a novel prognostic marker for patients with Cx.

Snail regulated by PKC/GSK-3β pathway is crucial for EGF-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells

Cancer metastasis is considered a major challenge in cancer therapy. Recently, epidermal growth factor (EGF)/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling has been shown to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and thereby to promote cancer metastasis. However, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. We demonstrate that EGF can induce EMT in human prostate and lung cancer cells and thus promote invasion and migration. EGF-induced EMT has been characterized by the cells acquiring mesenchymal spindle-like morphology and increasing their expression of N-cadherin and fibronectin, with a concomitant decrease of E-cadherin. Both protein and mRNA expression of transcription factor Snail rapidly increases after EGF treatment. The knockdown of Snail significantly attenuates EGF-induced EMT, suggesting that Snail is crucial for this process. To determine the way that Snail is accumulated, we demonstrate (1) that EGF promotes the stability of Snail via inhibiting the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β), (2) that protein kinase C (PKC) rather than the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway is responsible for GSK-3β inhibition and (3) that GSK-3β inhibition promotes the transcription of Snail. Taken together, these results reveal that the PKC/GSK-3β signaling pathway controls both the stability and transcription of Snail, which is crucial for EMT induced by EGF in PC-3 and A549 cells. Our study suggests a novel signaling pathway for Snail regulation and provides a better understanding of growth-factor-induced tumor EMT and metastasis.

Targeting EMT in cancer: opportunities for pharmacological intervention

The spread of cancer cells to distant organs represents a major clinical challenge in the treatment of cancer. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has emerged as a key regulator of metastasis in some cancers by conferring an invasive phenotype. As well as facilitating metastasis, EMT is thought to generate cancer stem cells and contribute to therapy resistance. Therefore, the EMT pathway is of great therapeutic interest in the treatment of cancer and could be targeted either to prevent tumor dissemination in patients at high risk of developing metastatic lesions or to eradicate existing metastatic cancer cells in patients with more advanced disease. In this review, we discuss approaches for the design of EMT-based therapies in cancer, summarize evidence for some of the proposed EMT targets, and review the potential advantages and pitfalls of each approach.

TACC3 deregulates the DNA damage response and confers sensitivity to radiation and PARP inhibition

Deregulation of the transforming acidic coiled-coil protein 3 (TACC3), an important factor in the centrosome-microtubule system, has been linked to a variety of human cancer types. We have recently reported on the oncogenic potential of TACC3; however, the molecular mechanisms by which TACC3 mediates oncogenic function remain to be elucidated. In this study, we show that high levels of TACC3 lead to the accumulation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and disrupt the normal cellular response to DNA damage, at least in part, by negatively regulating the expression of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and the subsequent DNA damage response (DDR) signaling cascade. Cells expressing high levels of TACC3 display defective checkpoints and DSB-mediated homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair systems, leading to genomic instability. Importantly, high levels of TACC3 confer cellular sensitization to radiation and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition. Overall, our findings provide critical information regarding the mechanisms by which TACC3 contributes to genomic instability, potentially leading to cancer development, and suggest a novel prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer types expressing high levels of TACC3.

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