Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of downregulated E-cadherin expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): a meta-analysis

Dysregulation of peripheral and intratumoral KLRG1+ CD8+T cells is associated with immune evasion in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

Killer cell lectin like receptor G1 (KLRG1) is identified as a co-inhibitory receptor for NK cells and antigen-experienced T cells. The role of KLRG1 in immune regulation in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains poorly understood.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We measured the proportion and immune function of KLRG1+CD8+T cells derived from peripheral blood in patients with NSCLC by flow cytometry. Besides, using data from the gene expression profiles and single-cell sequencing, we explored the expression and immune role of KLRG1 in tumor tissues of patients with NSCLC. We further determined the prognostic value of KLRG1 in terms of overall survival (OS) in NSCLC patients.

RESULTS

We found that the proportion of KLRG1+CD8+T cells in peripheral blood significantly increased in patients with NSCLC as compared to those with benign pulmonary nodules and healthy donors. Peripheral KLRG1+CD8+T cell proportion was increased in elder subjects compared to that in younger ones, implying an immunosenescence phenotype. Moreover, the KLRG1+CD8+T cell levels were positively correlated with tumor size and TNM stage in the NSCLC cohort. In vitro stimulation experiments demonstrated that the KLRG1+CD8+T cells from peripheral blood expressed higher levels of Granzyme B and perforin than the KLRG1-CD8+ T cells. However, single-cell RNA sequencing data revealed that the KLRG1+CD8+ T cells were less infiltrated in tumor microenvironment and exhibited impaired cytotoxicity. The KLRG1 gene expression levels were significantly lower in tumor tissues than that in normal lung tissues, and were inversely correlated with CDH1 expression levels. Moreover, higher expression of CDH1 in tumor tissues predicted worse overall survival only in patients with KLRG1-high expression, but not in the KLRG1-low subset.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that KLRG1+CD8+T cells were associated with tumor immune evasion in NSCLC and suggests KLRG1 as a potential immunotherapy target.

Telomerase deficiency and dysfunctional telomeres in the lung tumor microenvironment impair tumor progression in NSCLC mouse models and patient-derived xenografts

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of cancer death. Tumor progression depends on interactions of cancer cells with the tumor microenvironment. Here, we find increased copy number and mRNA expression of the catalytic subunit of telomerase, TERT, in tumors from NSCLC patients, contributing to a lower survival. Moreover, TERT expression in NSCLC patients from the TCGA cohort is mainly associated to the reduced infiltration of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes, as well as to increased infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). We also show that TERT deficiency and dysfunctional telomeres induced by 6-thio-dG treatment in mice reduced lung tumor implantation and vascularization, increased DNA damage response, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, as well as reduced proliferation, inflammation, lung tumor immunosupression and invasion upon induction of a Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). Furthermore, 6-thio-dG-treated human NSCLC xenografts exhibited increased telomere damage, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, as well as reduced proliferation, resulting in a reduced tumor growth. Our results show that targeting telomeres might be an effective therapeutic strategy in NSCLC.

Validation and analysis of expression, prognosis and immune infiltration of WNT gene family in non-small cell lung cancer

Early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been challenging. Signaling cascades involving the Wingless-type (WNT) gene family play important biological roles and show prognostic value in various cancers, including NSCLC. On this basis, this study aimed to investigate the significance of WNTs in the prognosis and tumor immunity in NSCLC by comprehensive analysis. Expression and methylation levels of WNTs were obtained from the ONCOMINE, TIMER, and UALCAN. The dataset obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was utilized for prognostic analysis. cBioPortal was used to perform genetic alterations and correlation analysis of WNTs. R software was employed for functional enrichment and pathway analysis, partial statistics, and graph drawing. TRRUST was used to find key transcription factors. GEPIA was utilized for the analysis of expression, pathological staging, etc. Correlative analysis of immune infiltrates from TIMER. TISIDB was used for further immune infiltration validation analysis. Compared with that of normal tissues, WNT2/2B/3A/4/7A/9A/9B/11 expressions decreased, while WNT3/5B/6/7B/8B/10A/10B/16 expressions increased in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD); WNT2/3A/7A/11 expressions were lessened, while WNT2B/3/5A/5B/6/7B/10A/10B/16 expressions were enhanced in squamous cell lung cancer (LUSC). Survival analysis revealed that highly expressed WNT2B and lowly expressed WNT7A predicted better prognostic outcomes in LUAD and LUSC. In the study of immune infiltration levels, WNT2, WNT9B, and WNT10A were positively correlated with six immune cells in LUAD; WNT1, WNT2, and WNT9B were positively correlated with six immune cells in LUSC, while WNT7B was negatively correlated. Our study indicated that WNT2B and WNT7A might have prognostic value in LUAD, and both of them might be important prognostic factors in LUSC and correlated to immune cell infiltration in LUAD and LUSC to a certain extent. Considering the prognostic value of WNT2B and WNT7A in NSCLC, we validated their mRNA and protein expression levels in NSCLC by performing qRT-PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemical staining on NSCLC pathological tissues and cell lines. This study may provide some direction for the subsequent exploration of the prognostic value of the WNTs and their role as biomarkers in NSCLC.

IGF1R acts as a cancer-promoting factor in the tumor microenvironment facilitating lung metastasis implantation and progression

Given the long-term ineffectiveness of current therapies and late-stage diagnoses, lung cancer is a leading cause of malignant diseases. Tumor progression is influenced by cancer cell interactions with the tumor microenvironment (TME). Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) was reported to affect the TME; however, the role of IGF1R in lung TME has not been investigated. First, we assessed IGF1R genomic alterations and expression in NSCLC patient tissue samples, as well as IGF1R serum levels. Next, we performed tumor heterotopic transplantation and pulmonary metastases in IGF1R-deficient mice using melanoma and Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells. Herein we report increased amplification and mRNA expression, as well as increased protein expression (IGF1R/p-IGF1R) and IGF1R levels in tumor samples and serum from NSCLC patients, respectively. Moreover, IGF1R deficiency in mice reduced tumor growth, proliferation, inflammation and vascularization, and increased apoptosis after tumor heterotopic transplantation. Following induction of lung metastasis, IGF1R-deficient lungs also demonstrated a reduced tumor burden, and decreased expression of tumor progression markers, p-IGF1R and p-ERK1/2. Additionally, IGF1R-deficient lungs showed increased apoptosis and diminished proliferation, vascularization, EMT and fibrosis, along with attenuated inflammation and immunosuppression. Accordingly, IGF1R deficiency decreased expression of p-IGF1R in blood vessels, fibroblasts, tumor-associated macrophages and FOXP3⁺ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Our results demonstrate that IGF1R promotes metastatic tumor initiation and progression in lung TME. Furthermore, our research indicates that IGF1R could be a potential biomarker for early prediction of drug response and clinical evolution in NSCLC patients.

Prognostic Significance of Wnt1, Wnt2, E-Cadherin, and β-catenin Expression in Operable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

The role of Wnt family proteins, E-cadherin, and β-catenin in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. In this study, we assessed the expression of these proteins as well as their reciprocal interaction and clinical relevance in NSCLC. Immunohistochemical expression of Wnt1, Wnt2, E-cadherin, and β-catenin was assessed in 208 patients with NSCLC who underwent curative pulmonary resection. Expression of Wnt1, Wnt2, and E-cadherin was found in 49.5%, 22.3%, and 37.4% of the patients, respectively, whereas expression of membranous and cytoplasmic β-catenin was found in 23.7% and 34.8% of the patients, respectively. The expression of Wnt1 and E-cadherin was lower in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma, and the expression of both Wnt proteins, E-cadherin, and membranous β-catenin was lower in poorly differentiated compared with well-differentiated tumors. None of the analyzed proteins was associated with relapse-free or overall survival. Expression of Wnt1, Wnt2, E-cadherin, and β-catenin is a common occurrence in NSCLC and is related to tumor histology and grade. However, these proteins have no prognostic role in operable NSCLC.

SATB1 protein is associated with the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition process in non‑small cell lung cancers

Lung cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed neoplasms and the leading cause of cancer‑related mortality worldwide. Its predominant subtype is non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for over 80% of the cases. Surprisingly, the majority of lung cancer‑related deaths are caused not by a primary tumour itself, but by its metastasis to distant organs. Therefore, it becomes especially important to identify the factors involved in lung cancer metastatic spread. Special AT‑rich binding protein 1 (SATB1) is a nuclear matrix protein that mediates chromatin looping and plays the role of global transcriptional regulator. During the past decade, it has received much attention as a factor promoting tumour invasion. In breast, colorectal and prostate cancers, SATB1 has been shown to influence the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, which is thought to be crucial for cancer metastasis. The aim of this study was to analyse the possible correlations between the expression of SATB1 and major EMT‑associated proteins in NSCLC clinical samples. Additionally, the impact of EMT induction in NSCLC cell lines on SATB1 mRNA expression was also investigated. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of SATB1, SNAIL, SLUG, Twist1, E‑cadherin, and N‑cadherin in 242 lung cancer clinical samples. EMT was induced by TGF‑β1 treatment in the A549 and NCI‑H1703 lung cancer cell lines. Changes in gene expression profiles were analyzed using real‑time PCR and Droplet Digital PCR. SATB1 expression was positively correlated with the expression of SNAIL (R=0.129; P=0.045), SLUG (R=0.449; P<0.0001), and Twist1 (R=0.264; P<0.0001). Moreover, SATB1 expression significantly increased after in vitro EMT induction in A549 and NCI‑H1703 cell lines. The results obtained may point to the role of SATB1 as one of the regulators of EMT in NSCLC.

Clinicopathological significance and prognostic value of E-cadherin expression in non-small cell lung cancer: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

E-cadherin, a calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecule, as an important mediator of adhesion and signaling pathway, plays a key role in maintaining tissue integrity. However, the association of E-cadherin expression with clinicopathological features and prognostic value in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still controversial. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to explore the clinicopathological features and prognostic value of E-cadherin expression in non-small cell lung cancer by meta-analysis.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched to collect the studies about expression of E-cadherin and clinicopathological features and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer. The last search time was May 2020. Stata 15.0 software was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 35 studies were included, of which the results showed that high expression of E-cadherin compared with its low expression, for overall survival, HR = 0.68 (95% CI:0.64-0.73, P < .05); for disease-free survival or progression-free survival, HR = 0.54 (95% CI: 0.44-0.67); low differentiation of lung cancer compared with moderate and high differentiation, OR = 0.40 (95% CI: 0.27-0.58, P < .05); Advanced lung cancer compared with early stage, OR = 0.54 (95% CI: 0.44-0.66, P < .05); lymph node metastasis compared with non-lymph node metastasis, OR = 0.49 (95% CI: 0.31∼0.77).

CONCLUSION

Low expression of E-cadherin is closely related to poor prognosis of patients with NSCLC, promoting tumor staging and lymph node metastasis, inhibiting tumor differentiation as well.

miR614 Expression Enhances Breast Cancer Cell Motility

Using a data driven analysis of a high-content screen, we have uncovered new regulators of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced cell migration. Our results suggest that increased expression of miR614 can alter cell intrinsic gene expression to enhance single cell and collective migration in multiple contexts. Interestingly, miR614 specifically increased the expression of the EMT transcription factor Slug while not altering existing epithelial character or inducing other canonical EMT regulatory factors. Analysis of two different cell lines identified a set of genes whose expression is altered by the miR614 through direct and indirect mechanisms. Prioritization driven by functional testing of 25 of the miR614 suppressed genes uncovered the mitochondrial small GTPase Miro1 and the transmembrane protein TAPT1 as miR614 suppressed genes that inhibit migration. Notably, the suppression of either Miro1 or TAPT1 was sufficient to increase Slug expression and the rate of cell migration. Importantly, reduced TAPT1 expression correlated with an increased risk of relapse in breast cancer patients. Together, our results reveal how increased miR614 expression and the suppression of TAPT1 and Miro1 modulate the EMT state and migratory properties of breast cancer cells.

Surface-engineered nanostructured lipid carrier systems for synergistic combination oncotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer

Nanoparticle-aided combination chemotherapy offers several advantages like ratiometric drug delivery, dose reduction, multi-targeted therapy, synergism, and overcoming multi-drug resistance. The current research was instigated to facilitate targeted and ratiometric co-delivery of docetaxel (DT) and curcumin (CR) through the development of folate (FA)-appended nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), i.e., FA-DTCR-NLCs to lung cancer cells. The FA-DTCR-NLCs were formulated by employing a scaleable and solvent-free high-pressure homogenization approach. The FA-DTCR-NLCs were evaluated for in vitro and in vivo characteristics using suitable analytical and statistical techniques. The FA-DTCR-NLCs demonstrated physicochemical properties and particokinetics suitable for targeted, ratiometric co-delivery of the anticancer agents. This was further affirmed by significantly better in vivo relative bioavailability of DT (24.85 fold) with FA-DTCR-NLCs as compared with Taxotere^® (p < 0.05) and cell line studies. A significant tumor regression was observed from the results of tumor staging in a murine model of lung carcinoma (p < 0.05). Immunostaining of the tumor sections with tumor differentiation biomarkers suggested considerably higher apoptotic, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic, and anti-metastatic potential of FA-DTCR-NLCs compared with Taxotere^®. In vivo toxicity assessment of the FA-DTCR-NLCs demonstrated a noteworthy reduction in DT associated side effects. The in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical findings prove the therapeutic and safety pre-eminence of FA-DTCR-NLCs for the treatment of NSCLC.

Atmospheric fine particulate matter and epithelial mesenchymal transition in pulmonary cells: state of the art and critical review of the in vitro studies

Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) has been associated with several diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Mechanisms such as oxidative stress and inflammation are well-documented and are considered as the starting point of some of the pathological responses. However, a number of studies also focused on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is a biological process involved in fibrotic diseases and cancer progression notably via metastasis induction. Up until now, EMT was widely reported in vivo and in vitro in various cell types but investigations dealing with in vitro studies of PM_2.5 induced EMT in pulmonary cells are limited. Further, few investigations combined the necessary endpoints for validation of the EMT state in cells: such as expression of several surface, cytoskeleton or extracellular matrix biomarkers and activation of transcription markers and epigenetic factors. Studies explored various cell types, cultured under differing conditions and exposed for various durations to different doses. Such unharmonized protocols (1) might introduce bias, (2) make difficult comparison of results and (3) preclude reaching a definitive conclusion regarding the ability of airborne PM_2.5 to induce EMT in pulmonary cells. Some questions remain, in particular the specific PM_2.5 components responsible for EMT triggering. The aim of this review is to examine the available PM_2.5 induced EMT in vitro studies on pulmonary cells with special emphasis on the critical parameters considered to carry out future research in this field. This clarification appears necessary for production of reliable and comparable results.

Liver X receptor agonist T0901317 inhibits the migration and invasion of non-small-cell lung cancer cells in vivo and in vitro

Liver X receptors are recognized as important regulators of cholesterol, fatty acid metabolism, inflammatory responses, and glucose homeostasis. The antineoplastic properties of synthetic liver X receptor (LXR) agonists (T0901317 and GW3965) have been reported in human carcinomas. Epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is a first-line treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer patients with EGFR mutations. We used scratch and transwell assays to analyze cell migration and invasion. We evaluated tumor migration and invasion in vitro using a fluorescent orthotopic lung cancer model. An MMP9 (mouse) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit was used to measure serum MMP9 concentrations. Protein expression was identified by western blot assays. In this study, we determined the effects of T0901317 and/or an EGFR-TKI on the lung cancer cell lines A549 and HCC827-8-1 in vitro and in vivo. We confirmed that the combination of the LXR agonist T0901317 and gefitinib can inhibit the migration and invasion of lung cancer both in vivo and in vitro, and this effect was possibly achieved by the inhibition of the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway. Our study showed that the combination of the LXR agonist T0901317 and gefitinib can inhibit the migration and invasion of lung cancer both in vivo and in vitro.

Repression of lncRNA-SVUGP2 mediated by EZH2 contributes to the development of non-small cell lung cancer via brisking Wnt/β-catenin signal

To grab the possible impact of lncRNA-SVUGP2 in the biology and process of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Sixty paired NSCLC tumour and the adjacent non-tumour lung tissues were collected for detection of lncRNA-SVUGP2. lncRNA-SVUGP2 expression in NSCLC cells (SK-MES-1, A549, SPC-A1, and NCI-H1975) was also detected. lncRNA-SVUGP2 was overexpressed and depressed in A549 and H1975 cells, and the effects of lncRNA-SVUGP2 dysregulation on cell biological performances including viability, colony formation, apoptosis, migration and invasion were grabbed. Furthermore, the regulatory association of lncRNA-SVUGP2 vs. EZH2 in H1975 cells, as well as the association between lncRNA-SVUGP2 and Wnt/β-catenin pathway, was explored. lncRNA-SVUGP2 was depressed in NSCLC tissues and cells. Overexpression of lncRNA-SVUGP2 depressed proliferation, induced apoptosis, and suppressed migration and invasion of A549 and H1975 cells. In addition, lncRNA-SVUGP2 was repressed by EZH2 and was inversely correlated with EZH2 levels in H1975 cells. Repression of lncRNA-SVUGP2 potentially participated in the oncogenic function of EZH2. Besides, overexpression of lncRNA-SVUGP2 depressed the briskness of Wnt/β-catenin signal in H1975 cells. Our data reveal that lncRNA-SVUGP2 is under-expressed in NSCLC cells and the reduced expression of lncRNA-SVUGP2 may enhance the development and process of NSCLC by interacting with EZH2 and activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

CBLL1 is highly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer and promotes cell proliferation and invasion

Background

Studies have shown that E3 ubiquitin ligase CBLL1 plays multiple roles in development and tumorigenesis. CBLL1 is over‐expressed in colon cancer and associated with cancer cell proliferation. While, the overexpression of CBLL1 inhibited the estrogenic dependent cell proliferation and migration in ER alpha dependent breast cancer cell MCF‐7.

Methods

We used an immunohistochemical method to detect CBLL1 expression in human NSCLC and corresponding normal lung tissues and analyzed its relationship with clinicopathological parameters. Moreover, we investigated the role of CBLL1 in NSCLC cell behavior by inhibiting its expression in A549 and H1299 cells.

Results

In this study, we found that CBLL1 was frequently upregulated in non‐small lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues compared to the adjacent nontumor tissues. We found that the high expression of CBLL1 was associated with the tumor size in NSCLC tissues. It has been recently reported that CBLL1 promotes cell proliferation and invasion in A549 and H460 cells. Our results confirmed that CBLL1 promoted the proliferation by promoting G1/S cell cycle transition in NSCLCs cells. Moreover, CBLL1 knockdown inhibited cell invasion via increased E‐cadherin protein expression, and decreased expression of MMP2 and MMP9 in NSCLC cell lines. The protein expression of E‐cadherin was increased after CBLL1 depletion while the E‐cadherin mRNA was not affected after knockdown of the endogenous CBLL1.

Conclusion

These results provide important insights for using CBLL1 as an oncogenic marker gene in the development and progression of non‐small cell lung cancer.

Control of Invasion by Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Programs during Metastasis

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) programs contribute to the acquisition of invasive properties that are essential for metastasis. It is well established that EMT programs alter cell state and promote invasive behavior. This review discusses how rather than following one specific program, EMT states are diverse in their regulation and invasive properties. Analysis across a spectrum of models using a combination of approaches has revealed how unique features of distinct EMT programs dictate whether tumor cells invade as single cells or collectively as cohesive groups of cells. It has also been shown that the mode of collective invasion is determined by the nature of the EMT, with cells in a trailblazer-type EMT state being capable of initiating collective invasion, whereas cells that have undergone an opportunist-type EMT are dependent on extrinsic factors to invade. In addition to altering cell intrinsic properties, EMT programs can influence invasion through non-cell autonomous mechanisms. Analysis of tumor subpopulations has demonstrated how EMT-induced cells can drive the invasion of sibling epithelial populations through paracrine signaling and remodeling of the microenvironment. Importantly, the variation in invasive properties controlled by EMT programs influences the kinetics and location of metastasis.

Clinical significance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related molecules in lung adenocarcinoma

Background

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (emt) refers to the biologic process in which epithelial cells are transformed into interstitial phenotypes by specific pathways. This transition plays an important biologic role in the process by which epithelium-derived malignant tumour cells acquire the ability to migrate and invade. We explored the relationship between emt-associated molecules and patient-related clinical factors to determine whether any clinical characteristics could be used as biomarkers for emt-related protein alterations in lung cancer-especially lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods

Tumour specimens were collected from 80 patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent surgery or lung biopsy, with 4 patients being evaluated a 2nd time after re-biopsy. Expression of emt-related proteins, including E-cadherin and vimentin, was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. We analyzed the relationship between clinicopathologic characteristics and expression level of the emt markers.

Results

Positive expression of E-cadherin was observed in 63 patients (79%), and vimentin, in 46 patients (57.5%). No significant relationships between E-cadherin or vimentin expression and smoking history, sex, age, driving gene mutations, or cell differentiation were identified. A significant correlation was observed between vimentin expression and pathologic stage. Of the 4 patients who were evaluated a 2nd time after re-biopsy, 3 showed the same emt-related protein expression status as in the first analysis. In the remaining patient, E-cadherin had changed completely.

Conclusions

Clinicopathologic factors in cancer patients did not help to diagnose emt status in lung adenocarcinoma; however, TNM stage might be associated with vimentin expression.

Antitumor activity of histone deacetylase inhibitor chidamide alone or in combination with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor icotinib in NSCLC

The study was performed to investigate the antitumor efficacy of histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) chidamide alone or with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) icotinib in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis, protein expression, and the molecular mechanisms were explored among ten NSCLC cell lines with chidamide and icotinib alone or in combination, and further validated in xenograft models of nude mice. Chidamide significantly reduced the viability of A549, HCC827, HCC827IR (icotinib resistant) cells, increased the sensitivity of icotinib synergistically in EGFR-TKI resistant cell line, especially in H1975 cells. Chidamide alone or combined with icotinib induced cell cycle arrest by inhibiting the activation of RAS/MAPK, PI3K/AKT and/or JAK/STAT pathways, and caused apoptosis by activating caspase 3 and PARP. Chidamide alone or with icotinib suppressed β-catenin expression in HCC827, HCC827IR, and H1975 cells. The sensitivity of H1975 cells to icotinib was increased by chidamide through restoring E-cadherin expression. Furthermore, chidamide alone or in combination with icotinib inhibited HCC827IR and H1975 xenograft growth in athymic nude mice, respectively, with no appreciable side effects. Chidamide or combinating with icotinib exhibits antitumor activity in NSCLC cells, and has potential clinical implication for the treatment of NSCLC.

Overexpression of CD300A inhibits progression of NSCLC through downregulating Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Background

CD300A, a type I transmembrane glycoprotein receptor, plays an important role in immune response. Recent studies have reported that CD300A is involved in the development of hematological malignancies.

Purpose

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of CD300A in the progression of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and explore the associated mechanism.

Materials and methods

Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) was used to analyze the expression of CD300A in NSCLC and its prognostic value. NSCLC cell lines A549 and H1650 were transfected with siRNA-CD300A or pcDNA3.1-CD300A vector to down- or up-regulate the expression of CD300A. Cell Counting Kit 8, colony formation and Transwell assays were used to assess the effects of CD300A on cell proliferation and migration capacities. Flow cytometry was performed to examine rate of apoptosis, and the protein levels of associated proteins was detected using Western blot assay.

Results

From GEPIA analysis, we observed that expression of CD300A mRNA was downregulated in NSCLC and positively correlated with the overall survival of NSCLC patients. Overexpression of CD300A significantly suppressed cell growth and migration capacities of A549 and H1650 cells and induced cell apoptosis via regulating apoptosis-related proteins. Moreover, decreasing level of CD300A promoted cell growth and migration and blocked apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Furthermore, upregulation of CD300A led to significant decrease in expression level of Wnt3 and β-catenin, the pivotal components in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and an increase in expression of E-cad, a key protein in tumor metastasis, in A549 and H1650 cells; while depletion of CD300A up-regulated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In conclusion, the present study highlighted an anti-oncogenic role of CD300A in the progression of NSCLC via inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway, suggesting that CD300A might be a potential target for the treatment of NSCLC

Conclusion

CD300A plays an anti-oncogenic role in the progression of NSCLC through inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, suggesting that CD300A might be a potential target for the treatment of NSCLC.

miR-185 suppresses progression of Ewing's sarcoma via inhibiting the PI3K/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin pathways

Background

miRNAs are confirmed to play essential roles in tumorigenesis and progression of cancers, including Ewing's sarcoma. miR-185 has been reported to be downregulated in some tumors, whereas the role of miR-185 in Ewing's sarcoma remains unclear.

Purpose

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of miR-185 in the progression and metastasis of Ewing's sarcoma and explore the associated mechanism.

Materials and methods

Ewing's sarcoma cell line RD-ES was transfected with pCMV-MIR-miR185 vector to upregulate the expression of miR-185. Cell Counting Kit 8 and colony formation assays were used to assess the effect of miR-185 on cell proliferation. The effect of miR-185 on cell migration and invasion was detected by transwell assay. Flow cytometry assay was performed to detect apoptosis rate of RD-ES cells. The protein levels of apoptosis-related proteins was determined using Western blot assay or immunohistochemistry assay. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the regulation between miR-185 and its target gene.

Results

Upregulation of miR-185 caused significant inhibition on cell growth capacity, migration and invasion of Ewing's sarcoma cell RD-ES. Besides, upregulation of miR-185 was observed to accelerate cell apoptosis in a mitochondrial pathway through regulating Bcl-2/Bax, Caspase 3, and Caspase 9 in Ewing's sarcoma in vitro. Moreover, upregulation of miR-185 was found to suppress the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin pathways in RD-ES cells. Furthermore, we identified that E2F6 was a target gene for miR-185, and the suppression on cell proliferation caused by overexpression of miR-185 was significantly rescued by the upregulation of E2F6 in RD-ES cells.

Conclusion

miR-185 is involved in cell growth, motility and survival of Ewing's sarcoma as a tumor suppressor via suppressing PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Wnt/β-catenin pathways and targeting E2F6.

Multilayered Cultures of NSCLC cells grown at the Air-Liquid Interface allow the efficacy testing of inhaled anti-cancer drugs

Evidence supports the advantages of inhalation over other drug-administration routes in the treatment of lung diseases, including cancer. Although data obtained from animal models and conventional in vitro cultures are informative, testing the efficacy of inhaled chemotherapeutic agents requires human-relevant preclinical tools. Such tools are currently unavailable. Here, we developed and characterized in vitro models for the efficacy testing of inhaled chemotherapeutic agents against non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These models recapitulated key elements of both the lung epithelium and the tumour tissue, namely the direct contact with the gas phase and the three-dimensional (3D) architecture. Our in vitro models were formed by growing, for the first time, human adenocarcinoma (A549) cells as multilayered mono-cultures at the Air-Liquid Interface (ALI). The in vitro models were tested for their response to four benchmarking chemotherapeutics, currently in use in clinics, demonstrating an increased resistance to these drugs as compared to sub-confluent monolayered 2D cell cultures. Chemoresistance was comparable to that detected in 3D hypoxic tumour spheroids. Being cultured in ALI conditions, the multilayered monocultures demonstrated to be compatible with testing drugs administered as a liquid aerosol by a clinical nebulizer, offering an advantage over 3D tumour spheroids. In conclusion, we demonstrated that our in vitro models provide new human-relevant tools allowing for the efficacy screening of inhaled anti-cancer drugs.

E-Cadherin Loss Accelerates Tumor Progression and Metastasis in a Mouse Model of Lung Adenocarcinoma

Metastatic disease is the primary cause of death of patients with lung cancer, but the mouse models of lung adenocarcinoma do not accurately recapitulate the tumor microenvironment or metastatic disease observed in patients. In this study, we conditionally deleted E-cadherin in an autochthonous lung adenocarcinoma mouse model driven by activated oncogenic Kras and p53 loss. Loss of E-cadherin significantly accelerated lung adenocarcinoma progression and decreased survival of the mice. Kras;p53;E-cadherin mice had a 41% lung tumor burden, invasive grade 4 tumors, and a desmoplastic stroma just 8 weeks after tumor initiation. One hundred percent of the mice developed local metastases to the lymph nodes or chest wall, and 38% developed distant metastases to the liver or kidney. Lung adenocarcinoma cancer cell lines derived from these tumors also had high migratory rates. These studies demonstrate that the Kras;p53;E-cadherin mouse model better emulates the tumor microenvironment and metastases observed in patients with lung adenocarcinoma than previous models and may therefore be useful for studying metastasis and testing new lung cancer treatments in vivo.

SNAI2 and TWIST1 in lymph node progression in early stages of NSCLC patients

Lymph node metastasis is an important prognosis factor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lymph node progression in the early stages of NSCLC. We studied a retrospective cohort of 160 consecutive surgically treated NSCLC patients with available frozen tumor samples for expression of EMT markers (CDH1, CTNNB1, CDH2, and VIMENTIN), inducers (TGFB1, c-MET, and CAIX), and transcription factors (EMT-TF: SNAI1, SNAI2, ZEB1, TWIST1, and TWIST2). Partial EMT was more frequent in N1-2 (N+) vs N0 patients (P < .01). TGFB1 (P = .02) as well as SNAI2 (P < .01) and TWIST1 (P = .04) were the most differentially expressed genes in N+ tumors. In this group, ZEB1 was correlated with all EMT inducers and other EMT-TFs were overexpressed depending on the inducers. CAIX was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (IC 95% HR: 1.10-5.14, P = .03). Partial EMT is involved in lymph node progression of NSCLC patients and depends on the TGFβ pathway. EMT-TFs are differentially expressed depending on EMT inducers. CAIX might be a relevant prognostic marker in early stage NSCLC.

Long non-coding RNA linc01433 promotes migration and invasion in non-small cell lung cancer

Background

For many years, lung cancer has been the most common and deadly cancer worldwide. Early diagnosis of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in particular is very difficult because the symptoms are often ignored. The five‐year survival rate is very low despite great improvements to therapy. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify prognostic biomarkers and target molecules for the clinical diagnosis and individualized treatment of NSCLC.

Methods

We performed quantitative real‐time PCR to determine the expression levels of the long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) linc01433 in NSCLC and normal matched lung tissue. Subsequently, we established cell lines with overexpression or knockdown of linc01433 to evaluate the effects on proliferation and metastasis in vitro. Epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition was examined using Western blot.

Results

Linc01433 was significantly overexpressed in NSCLC tissues compared to normal lung tissues. In addition, linc01433 levels were associated with smoking history. Linc01433 overexpression in lung cancer cells increased proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities, as well as epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition.

Conclusions

Linc01433 is a cancer‐related lncRNA that may have an oncogene‐like effect in NSCLC.

Mechanism of BRG1 silencing in primary cancers

BRG1 (SMARCA4) is a documented tumor suppressor and a key subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex that is silenced in many cancer types. Studies have shown that BRG1 is mutated in cancer-derived cell lines, which led to the assertion that BRG1 is also mutated in primary human tumors. However, the sequencing of BRG1-deficient tumors has revealed a paucity of mutations; hence, the cause of BRG1 silencing in tumors remains an enigma. We conducted immunohistochemistry (IHC) on a number of tumor microarrays to characterize the frequency of BRG1 loss in different tumor types. We also analyzed BRG1-deficient tumors by sequencing the genomic DNA and the mRNA. We then tested if BRG1 expression could be induced in BRG1-negative cell lines (i.e., that lack mutations in BRG1) after the application of several different epigenetic agents, including drugs that inhibit the AKT pathway. We found that a subset of BRG1-negative cell lines also demonstrated aberrant splicing of BRG1, and in at least 30% of BRG1-deficient tumors, BRG1 expression appeared to be suppressed due to aberrant BRG1 splicing. As the majority of BRG1-deficient tumors lack mutations or splicing defects that could drive BRG1 loss of expression, this suggests that other mechanisms underlie BRG1 silencing. To this end, we analyzed 3 BRG1-deficient nonmutated cancer cell lines and found that BRG1 was inducible in these cell lines upon inhibition of the AKT pathway. We show that the loss of BRG1 is associated with the loss of E-cadherin and up-regulation of Vimentin in primary tumors, which explains why BRG1 loss is associated with a poor prognosis in multiple tumor types.

Correlation of E-cadherin gene polymorphisms and epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in lung adenocarcinoma

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was recently discovered related to the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in NSCLC patients and cell lines. In this study, we aimed to explore the association among the E-cadherin gene (CDH1) genetic variants, TK-domain mutations of EGFR, and clinicopathologic characteristics in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. A total of 280 patients with lung adenocarcinoma were recruited between years 2012 and 2015. All subjects underwent the analysis of CDH1 genetic variants (rs16260 and rs9929218) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genotyping. The results showed that CA and CA + AA genotypes of CDH1 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs16260 were significantly reverse associated with EGFR mutation type (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.20-0.92 and AOR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.22-0.96, respectively) in female lung adenocarcinoma patients. Moreover, the significantly reverse associations between CA and CA + AA genotypes of CDH1 rs16260 and EGFR hotspot mutations, namely L858R mutation and exon 19 in-frame deletion, were also demonstrated among female patients. Besides, CA + AA genotype of CDH1 rs16260 was noted significantly reverse associated with the tumor sizes (OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.12-0.80; p = 0.012). In conclusion, our results suggested that CDH1 variants are significantly reverse associated with mutation of EGFR tyrosine kinase, especially among the female patients with lung adenocarcinoma. The CDH1 variants might contribute to pathological development in lung adenocarcinoma.

EZH2 promotes cell migration and invasion but not alters cell proliferation by suppressing E-cadherin, partly through association with MALAT-1 in pancreatic cancer

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is an essential component of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), which is required for epigenetic silencing of target genes, including those affecting cancer progression. Its role in pancreatic cancer remains to be clarified; therefore, we investigated the effects of aberrantly expressed EZH2 on pancreatic cancer. We found that EZH2 expression is up-regulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and advanced clinical stage in pancreatic cancer patients. EZH2 knockdown in pancreatic cancer cell lines inhibited cell migration and invasion, but did not alter cell proliferation. Silencing of EZH2 also increased E-cadherin expression in vitro, and E-cadherin expression was inversely correlated with EZH2 expression in pancreatic cancer tissue samples. Patients with high EZH2 and low E-cadherin expression had the worst prognosis. RIP and ChIP assays suggest that EZH2 is recruited to the E-cadherin promoter by the long non-coding RNA, MALAT-1 (metastasis associated in lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1), where it represses E-cadherin expression. Our results show that EZH2-based therapies may be an option for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Aberrant expression of STYK1 and E-cadherin confer a poor prognosis for pancreatic cancer patients

Previous studies showed that aberrant Serine/threonine/tyrosine kinase 1 (STYK1, also known as NOK) or/and E-cadherin were involved in the progression of some types of human cancers. However, whether they contributed to the development of pancreatic cancer was unknown. Here, we investigated the prognostic significance of aberrant STYK1 and E-cadherin in pancreatic cancer. Our results showed that STYK1 expression increased while E-cadherin decreased in pancreatic cancer tissues compared with normal pancreas tissues. STYK1 level was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and clinical stage in pancreatic cancer patients. E-cadherin expression was inversely correlated with STYK1 expression in pancreatic cancer tissue samples. Patients with high STYK1 and low E-cadherin expression had the worst prognosis. In addition, STYK1 knockdown in pancreatic cancer cell lines inhibited cell proliferation, enhanced cell apoptosis, induced cell cycle arrest, and prohibited cell migration, while STYK1 over-expression showed the opposite effects. Silencing STYK1 also increased E-cadherin expression and inhibited epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and p-p38 expression in vitro. Over-expression had showed the opposite trends, and treatment with p38 inhibitor, SB203580, could reverse the trends. Thus, STYK1 repressed E-cadherin expression and promoted EMT, mediated by p38 MAPK signaling pathway, which was the possible mechanism for STYK1-mediated pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and migration. In summary, our results showed that STYK1 might be a prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer patients and might be a novel strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

E-cadherin: Its dysregulation in carcinogenesis and clinical implications

E-cadherin is a transmembrane glycoprotein which connects epithelial cells together at adherens junctions. In normal cells, E-cadherin exerts its tumour suppressing role mainly by sequestering β-catenin from its binding to LEF (Lymphoid enhancer factor)/TCF (T cell factor) which serves the function of transcribing genes of the proliferative Wnt signaling pathway. Despite the ongoing debate on whether the loss of E-cadherin is the cause or effect of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), E-cadherin functional loss has frequently been associated with poor prognosis and survival in patients of various cancers. The dysregulation of E-cadherin expression that leads to carcinogenesis happens mostly at the epigenetic level but there are cases of genetic alterations as well. E-cadherin expression has been linked to the cellular functions of invasiveness reduction, growth inhibition, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and differentiation. Studies on various cancers have shown that these different cellular functions are also interdependent. Recent studies have reported a rapid expansion of E-cadherin clinical relevance in various cancers. This review article summarises the multifaceted effect E-cadherin expression has on cellular functions in the context of carcinogenesis as well as its clinical implications in diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutics.

Long Noncoding RNA NEAT1 Promotes Growth and Metastasis of Cholangiocarcinoma Cells

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are known to play important roles in cancers. However, little is known about lncRNAs in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a cholangiocyte malignancy with poor prognosis. We investigated the role of nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) lncRNA in promoting CCA. qRT-PCR analysis of patient samples showed that NEAT1 expression was higher in CCA tumors than in matched adjacent nontumor tissue. NEAT1 levels were also higher in CCA cell lines than in a normal biliary epithelium cell line (HIBEpic). NEAT1 knockdown in CCA cell lines using shNEAT1 reduced cell proliferation and colony formation in CCK-8 and colony formation assays, respectively. CCA cells transfected with shNEAT1 also exhibited reduced metastasis and invasiveness in Transwell assays. NEAT1 knockdown cells produced smaller tumors, demonstrating that NEAT1 promotes tumor growth in vivo. Silencing of NEAT1 increased E-cadherin expression in vitro, and E-cadherin expression was inversely correlated with NEAT1 expression in CCA tissue samples. RIP and ChIP assays suggest that NEAT1 is recruited to the E-cadherin promoter by EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2), where it represses E-cadherin expression. These findings indicate that NEAT1 exerts oncogenic effects in CCA. We postulate that NEAT1 is a potentially useful diagnostic and therapeutic target for CCA.

Reduced E-cadherin expression is correlated with poor prognosis in patients with bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The prognostic significance of E-cadherin expression in bladder cancer (BC) has been elevated for years, but published results remain controversial and inconsistent. We thus performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the association between E-cadherin expression and BC prognosis. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases to identify eligible studies published until March 2017. On the basis of our inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 2,089 patients from 19 studies were eligible for final analysis. Our results showed that reduced E-cadherin expression in BC was associated with poor overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.74–4.27, p < 0.001), poor progression-free survival (HR = 6.39, 95% CI: 3.48–11.73, p < 0.001), and poor recurrence-free survival (HR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.68–3.64, p < 0.001). Moreover, reduced E-cadherin expression was significantly correlated with pathological T stage (T2-4 vs. Ta-1: risk ratio [RR] = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.70–2.71), metastasis (yes vs. no: RR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.17–2.40), grade (3 vs. 1/2: RR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.29–1.93), and carcinoma in situ (yes vs. no: RR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.09–2.58). This meta-analysis suggested that reduced E-cadherin expression was associated with poor prognosis and advanced clinicopathological characteristics and can serve as a useful biomarker for the clinical management of BC.

Wnt3a Expression Is Associated with Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Impacts Prognosis of Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients

Background: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in the invasion and migration during cancer metastasis. Wnt3a is one of the ligands in canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which contributes to the carcinogenesis and progression of lung cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between Wnt3a and EMT-related proteins (E-cadherin and N-cadherin), and to further investigate its impact on prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma patients. Methods: A total of 147 lung adenocarcinoma patients were included and their clinicopathological characteristics were collected in this retrospective study. The expression levels of Wnt3a, E-cadherin and N-cadherin in post-surgery cancerous and adjacent normal tissues were assessed by immunohistochemistry. The association between Wnt3a and EMT-related proteins and their prognostic values were systematically evaluated. HCC827 and PC9 cell lines were treated with Wnt3a to detect the expression of EMT-related and Wnt/β-catenin signaling-associated proteins, as well as the in vitro migration and invasion abilities. Results: High Wnt3a expression level was significantly associated with low E-cadherin (P<0.001) and high N-cadherin (P<0.001) expression levels in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Besides, high Wnt3a level predicted poorer lung adenocarcinoma survival by univariate Cox analysis (P=0.001), while the multivariate result was not significant (P=0.355). Subgroup analysis suggested that the prognostic value of Wnt3a expression level was significant in stage T1-T2 (log rank P=0.003) and stage N0 (log rank P=0.031) patients. The multivariate Cox analysis suggested N-cadherin was an independent prognostic factor for lung adenocarcinoma patients (P=0.012). After including these markers into a nomogram, the Harrell's C-index of the nomogram was 0.755. The decision-curve analysis of our nomogram performed net benefit at the threshold probability from 21.6% to 82.0%, and the current model had a better prognostic value than TNM-classification with a lower Akaike information criterion (AIC) value of 166.54. In vitro experiments suggested that Wnt3a could regulate EMT-related proteins and promotes in vitro invasion and migration abilities. Conclusions: Wnt3a could regulate EMT-related proteins and promote the migration and invasion process of lung adenocarcinoma. Although its value as an independent prognostic factor was limited, the combined model suggested good prognostic performance for lung adenocarcinoma patients.

OLA1 contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in lung cancer by modulating the GSK3β/snail/E-cadherin signaling

Obg-like ATPase 1 (OLA1) belongs to the Obg family of P-loop NTPases, and may serve as a "molecular switch" regulating multiple cellular processes. Aberrant expression of OLA1 has been observed in several human malignancies. However, the role of OLA1 in cancer progression remains poorly understood. In this study, we used the Kaplan-Meier plotter search tool to show that increased expression of OLA1 mRNA was significantly associated with shorter overall survival in lung cancer patients. By immunohistochemical analysis we discovered that levels of OLA1 protein in lung cancer tissues were positively correlated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis, but negatively correlated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker E-cadherin. Knockdown of OLA1 in a lung adenocarcinoma cell line rendered the cells more resistant to TGF-β-induced EMT and the accompanied repression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that OLA1 is a GSK3β-interacting protein and inhibits GSK3β activity by mediating its Ser9 phosphorylation. During EMT, OLA1 plays an important role in suppressing the GSK3β-mediated degradation of Snail protein, which in turn promotes downregulation of E-cadherin. These data suggest that OLA1 contributes to EMT by modulating the GSK3β/Snail/E-cadherin signaling, and its overexpression is associated with clinical progression and poor survival in lung cancer patients.

Downregulated Expression of E-cadherin and TP53 in Patients with Gastric Diseases: the Involvement of H. pylori Infection and Its Virulence Markers

PURPOSE

Gastritis caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori is characterized by chronic inflammation and damage in gastric tissue, which is a main risk factor for gastric cancer. Associated with H. pylori, the TP53 gene tumor suppressor and the cell adhesion glycoprotein epithelial cadherin develop a relevant role in the integrity and carcinogenesis of the epithelium. We aimed to detection of H. pylori and its main virulence markers and measured the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of E-cadherin and TP53 genes.

METHODS

The detection of H. pylori and its virulence markers, as well as the mRNA expression levels of E-cadherin and TP53 genes, were obtained for 161 samples of gastric biopsies including 37 with normal gastric tissue, 70 with gastritis, 24 from neoplastic tissue, and 27 from adjacent non-neoplastic by means of a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

The mRNA expression levels of E-cadherin and TP53 were found to be decreased in patients with gastritis, independently of H. pylori infection. In samples from gastric patients, the neoplastic tissue showed an accentuated decrease of expression; on the other hand, the expression of E-cadherin was normal in adjacent non-neoplastic.

CONCLUSIONS

No evidence was found of the involvement of the cagA and vacA genes in the decreased expression of E-cadherin and TP53. The process of carcinogenesis is complex, and the decrease of the E-cadherin gene expression and TP53 gene expression appears to contribute significantly.

Decreased expression of CDH1 or CTNNB1 affects poor prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer

Background

E-cadherin/CDH1 is one of the proteins involved in cell adhesion, and it is known that decreased expression of E-cadherin induces lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer. Beta catenin/CTNNB1, which is an important component of the Wnt signaling pathway, binds to E-cadherin at the cell membrane, where the complex of these two proteins functions in the stabilization of cell adhesion. However, its role in the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer is still unknown.

Methods

This study included 86 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent surgery between 1998 and 2007. The expression of the E-cadherin/CDH1 gene product (E-cadherin/CDH1) and that of the beta catenin/CTNNB1 protein in the cell membrane were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. We examined the correlations among CDH1 or CTNNB1 expression, clinicopathological factors, and the prognosis of patients with ESCC.

Results

CDH1 and CTNNB1 were expressed in 52.3 % (45/86) and 36.0 % (31/86) of tumor samples, respectively. Both CDH1 and CTNNB1 were co-expressed in 22.1 % (19/86) of esophageal cancer tissues. CDH1 expression correlated with the p-stage (stages I–II vs stages III–IV, p = 0.032), T factor (T1–2 vs T3–4, p = 0.0088), and lymphatic invasion (p = 0.019). However, CDH1 expression did not correlate with the N factor or the blood vessel invasion. CTNNB1 expression correlated with the T factor (T1–2 vs T3–4, p = 0.0015), p-stage (stages I–II vs stages III–IV, p = 0.030), and lymphatic invasion (p = 0.007). The CDH1(+)/CTNNB1(+) phenotype was inversely correlated with the T factor, N factor, p-stage, lymphatic invasion, and blood vessel invasion. Furthermore, patients whose tumors were double-positive for CDH1 and CTNNB1 had a significantly higher survival rate than those whose tumors were negative for CDH1 or CTNNB1 (log-rank test, p = 0.0192). The T factor and N factor had a strong negative correlation with double-positive tumors. These were both independent prognostic factors, as was the double-positive phenotype. A univariate analysis indicated that the T factor, the N factor, and CDH1 and CTNNB1 co-expression were significant variables that predicted survival (hazard ratio, 2.387; 95 % confidence interval, 1.115–5.102; p = 0.025).

Conclusions

Decreased expression of CDH1 or CTNNB1 in the cell membranes of cancer cells is associated with poor survival of patients with esophageal cancer.

Clinical, Pathological, and Molecular Features of Lung Adenocarcinomas with AXL Expression

The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is a member of the Tyro3-Axl-Mer receptor tyrosine kinase subfamily. AXL affects several cellular functions, including growth and migration. AXL aberration is reportedly a marker for poor prognosis and treatment resistance in various cancers. In this study, we analyzed clinical, pathological, and molecular features of AXL expression in lung adenocarcinomas (LADs). We examined 161 LAD specimens from patients who underwent pulmonary resections. When AXL protein expression was quantified (0, 1+, 2+, 3+) according to immunohistochemical staining intensity, results were 0: 35%; 1+: 20%; 2+: 37%; and 3+: 7% for the 161 samples. AXL expression status did not correlate with clinical features, including smoking status and pathological stage. However, patients whose specimens showed strong AXL expression (3+) had markedly poorer prognoses than other groups (P = 0.0033). Strong AXL expression was also significantly associated with downregulation of E-cadherin (P = 0.025) and CD44 (P = 0.0010). In addition, 9 of 12 specimens with strong AXL expression had driver gene mutations (6 with EGFR, 2 with KRAS, 1 with ALK). In conclusion, we found that strong AXL expression in surgically resected LADs was a predictor of poor prognosis. LADs with strong AXL expression were characterized by mesenchymal status, higher expression of stem-cell-like markers, and frequent driver gene mutations.

XPC inhibits NSCLC cell proliferation and migration by enhancing E-Cadherin expression

Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XPC) protein is an important DNA damage recognition factor in nucleotide excision repair. Deletion of XPC is associated with early stages of human lung carcinogenesis, and reduced XPC mRNA levels predict poor patient outcome for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the mechanisms linking loss of XPC expression and poor prognosis in lung cancer are still unclear. Here, we report evidence that XPC silencing drives proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells by down-regulating E-Cadherin. XPC knockdown enhanced proliferation and migration while decreasing E-Cadherin expression in NSCLC cells with an epithelial phenotype. Restoration of E-Cadherin in these cells suppressed XPC knockdown-induced cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies showed that the loss of XPC repressed E-Cadherin expression by activating the ERK pathway and upregulating Snail expression. Our findings indicate that XPC silencing-induced reduction of E-Cadherin expression contributes, at least in part, to the poor outcome of NSCLC patients with low XPC expression.

Rapamycin Enhances the Anti-Cancer Effect of Dasatinib by Suppressing Src/PI3K/mTOR Pathway in NSCLC Cells

Src and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling are commonly activated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and hence potential targets for chemotherapy. Although the combined use of Src inhibitor Dasatinib with other chemotherapeutic agents has shown superior efficacy for cancer treatment, the mechanisms that lead to enhanced sensitivity of Dasatinib are not completely understood. In this study, we found that Rapamycin dramatically enhanced Dasatinib-induced cell growth inhibition and cell cycle G1 arrest in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells without affecting apoptosis. The synergistic effects were consistently correlated with the up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinases inhibitor proteins, including p16, p19, p21, and p27, as well as the repression of Cdk4 expression and nuclear translocation. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that FoxO1/FoxO3a and p70S6K/4E-BP1, the molecules at downstream of Src-PI3K-Akt and mTOR signaling, were significantly suppressed by the combined use of Dasatinib and Rapamycin. Restraining Src and mTOR with small interfering RNA in A549 cells further confirmed that the Src/PI3K/mTOR Pathway played a crucial role in enhancing the anticancer effect of Dasatinib. In addition, this finding was also validated by a series of assays using another two NSCLC cell lines, NCI-H1706 and NCI-H460. Conclusively, our results suggested that the combinatory application of Src and mTOR inhibitors might be a promising therapeutic strategy for NSCLC treatment.

High expression of E-cadherin in pleural effusion cells predicts better prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is of great importance in tumor metastasis. Our previous study demonstrates that epithelial phenotype is related to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation and the sensitivity of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, the role of EMT phenotype in malignant pleural effusions in predicting prognosis is unknown in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

METHOD

Pleural effusions of lung adenocarcinoma patients were collected and made into cell block (CB). EGFR mutation was detected using amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) PCR method and H-score system was applied to evaluate the staining intensity of EMT marker and tumor cell ratio.

RESULTS

Forty-three CB samples, including 22 samples before any treatment (baseline, group 1) and 21 with disease progression (group 2) after first-line chemotherapy, were enrolled in this study. The expression of N-cadherin and vimentin were low in the CB tumor cells. There was no significant difference in the tumor cell radio and E-cadherin expression in the two groups. E-cadherin expression had no association with sex, age and smoking status and also patient response in both the two groups. However, high E-cadherin expression was related to EGFR mutation (P=0.032) and long progression-free survival (PFS) (P=0.015) in group 1 but not group 2 samples.

CONCLUSION

E-cadherin expression in CB samples was associated with EGFR mutation status and patient prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients in first-line chemotherapy.