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Che PP, Gregori A, Bergonzini C, Ali M, Mantini G, Schmidt T, Finamore F, Rodrigues SMF, Frampton AE, McDonnell LA, Danen EH, Slotman BJ, Sminia P, Giovannetti E. Differential Sensitivity to Ionizing Radiation in Gemcitabine-Resistant and Paclitaxel-Resistant Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024; 118:1328-1343. [PMID: 37914140 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Chemoresistance remains a major challenge in treating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Although chemoradiation has proven effective in other tumor types, such as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, its role in PDAC and effect on acquired chemoresistance have yet to be fully explored. In this study, we investigated the sensitivity of gemcitabine-resistant (GR) and paclitaxel-resistant (PR) PDAC cells to ionizing radiation (IR) and their underlying mechanisms. METHODS AND MATERIALS GR and PR clones were generated from PANC-1, PATU-T, and SUIT2-007 pancreatic cancer cell lines. Cell survival after radiation was assessed using clonogenic assay, sulforhodamine B assay, apoptosis, and spheroid growth by bioluminescence. Radiation-induced DNA damage was assessed using Western blot, extra-long polymerase chain reaction, reactive oxygen species production, and immunofluorescence. Autophagy and modulation of the Hippo signaling pathway were investigated using proteomics, Western blot, immunofluorescence, and reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS In both 2- and 3-dimensional settings, PR cells were more sensitive to IR and showed decreased β-globin amplification, indicating more DNA damage accumulation compared with GR or wild-type cells after 24 hours. Proteomic analysis of PR PATU-T cells revealed that the protein MST4, a kinase involved in autophagy and the Hippo signaling pathway, was highly downregulated. A differential association was found between autophagy and radiation treatment depending on the cell model. Interestingly, increased yes-associated protein nuclear localization and downstream Hippo signaling pathway target gene expression were observed in response to IR. CONCLUSIONS This was the first study investigating the potential of IR in targeting PDAC cells with acquired chemoresistance. Our results demonstrate that PR cells exhibit enhanced sensitivity to IR due to greater accumulation of DNA damage. Additionally, depending on the specific cellular context, radiation-induced modulation of autophagy and the Hippo signaling pathway emerged as potential underlying mechanisms, findings with potential to inform personalized treatment strategies for patients with acquired chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Pei Che
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Cancer Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Gregori
- Cancer Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Physics of Life Processes, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Cecilia Bergonzini
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mahsoem Ali
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Surgery, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Giulia Mantini
- Cancer Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Fondazione Pisana per La Scienza, San Giuliano Terme, Italy
| | - Thomas Schmidt
- Physics of Life Processes, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Stephanie M Fraga Rodrigues
- Cancer Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Adam E Frampton
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | | | - Erik H Danen
- Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ben J Slotman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Sminia
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Cancer Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Cancer Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Fondazione Pisana per La Scienza, San Giuliano Terme, Italy.
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La Verde G, Artiola V, Pugliese M, La Commara M, Arrichiello C, Muto P, Netti PA, Fusco S, Panzetta V. Radiation therapy affects YAP expression and intracellular localization by modulating lamin A/C levels in breast cancer. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:969004. [PMID: 36091449 PMCID: PMC9450017 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.969004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The microenvironment of breast cancer actively participates in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. The changes observed in the architecture of the extracellular matrix initiate an oncogene-mediated cell reprogramming, that leads to a massive triggering of YAP nuclear entry, and, therefore, to cancer cell proliferation, invasion and probably to increased radiation-resistance. However, it is not yet fully understood how radiotherapy regulates the expression and subcellular localization of YAP in breast cancer cells experiencing different microenvironmental stiffnesses. To elucidate the role of extracellular matrix stiffness and ionizing radiations on YAP regulation, we explored the behaviour of two different mammary cell lines, a normal epithelial cell line (MCF10A) and a highly aggressive and invasive adenocarcinoma cell line (MDA-MB-231) interacting with polyacrylamide substrates mimicking the mechanics of both normal and tumour tissues (∼1 and ∼13 kPa). We report that X-ray radiation affected in a significant way the levels of YAP expression, density, and localization in both cell lines. After 24 h, MCF10A and MDA-MB-231 increased the expression level of YAP in both nucleus and cytoplasm in a dose dependent manner and particularly on the stiffer substrates. After 72 h, MCF10A reduced mostly the YAP expression in the cytoplasm, whereas it remained high in the nucleus of cells on stiffer substrates. Tumour cells continued to exhibit higher levels of YAP expression, especially in the cytoplasmic compartment, as indicated by the reduction of nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio of total YAP. Then, we investigated the existence of a correlation between YAP localization and the expression of the nuclear envelope protein lamin A/C, considering its key role in modulating nuclear deformability and changes in YAP shuttling phenomena. As supposed, we found that the effects of radiation on YAP nucleus/cytoplasmic expression ratio, increasing in healthy cells and decreasing in tumour ones, were accompanied by lower and higher lamin A/C levels in MCF10A and MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. These findings point to obtain a deeper knowledge of the role of the extracellular matrix and the effects of X-rays on YAP and lamin A/C expression that can be used in the design of doses and timing of radiation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe La Verde
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, INFN Sezione di Napoli, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università Degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Artiola
- Dipartimento di Fisica “Ettore Pancini”, Università Degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Mariagabriella Pugliese
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, INFN Sezione di Napoli, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Fisica “Ettore Pancini”, Università Degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Marco La Commara
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, INFN Sezione di Napoli, Naples, Italy
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università Degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Cecilia Arrichiello
- Radiotherapy Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori-IRCCS-Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Muto
- Radiotherapy Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori-IRCCS-Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo A. Netti
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, Dei Materiali e Della Produzione Industriale, Università Degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Naples, Italy
| | - Sabato Fusco
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
- *Correspondence: Sabato Fusco,
| | - Valeria Panzetta
- Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB) and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, Dei Materiali e Della Produzione Industriale, Università Degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials for Healthcare@CRIB, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Naples, Italy
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Daks A, Fedorova O, Parfenyev S, Nevzorov I, Shuvalov O, Barlev NA. The Role of E3 Ligase Pirh2 in Disease. Cells 2022; 11:1515. [PMID: 35563824 PMCID: PMC9101203 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The p53-dependent ubiquitin ligase Pirh2 regulates a number of proteins involved in different cancer-associated processes. Targeting the p53 family proteins, Chk2, p27Kip1, Twist1 and others, Pirh2 participates in such cellular processes as proliferation, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis and cellular migration. Thus, it is not surprising that Pirh2 takes part in the initiation and progression of different diseases and pathologies including but not limited to cancer. In this review, we aimed to summarize the available data on Pirh2 regulation, its protein targets and its role in various diseases and pathological processes, thus making the Pirh2 protein a promising therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Daks
- Institute of Cytology RAS, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia; (O.F.); (S.P.); (I.N.); (O.S.)
| | | | | | | | | | - Nickolai A. Barlev
- Institute of Cytology RAS, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia; (O.F.); (S.P.); (I.N.); (O.S.)
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Yan G, Tao Z, Xing X, Zhou Z, Wang X, Li X, Li F. Down-Regulated microRNA-192-5p Protects Against Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Damage via Regulation of YAP1-Mediated Hippo Signaling Pathway. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:1243-1254. [PMID: 35084661 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-021-03518-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is a familiar neurological disorder. Emerging reports manifest that microRNAs (miRs) are related to the progression of HIBD. The goal of this study is to explore the mechanism of miR-192-5p in HIBD via regulation of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1)-mediated Hippo signaling pathway. The miR-192-5p, YAP1, and Hippo pathway-related factors Phospho (p)-Triaminoguanidinium azide (TAZ) in hippocampal tissues and neurons were detected. The regulatory relationship between miR-192-5p and YAP1 was verified. Neonatal hypoxic ischemia and oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) were used to simulate HIBD in vivo and in vitro. The neurobehavioral impairment, neuronal damage and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression of neonatal rats in each group were detected. The viability, apoptosis and VEGF expression of hippocampal neurons in each group were also examined. MiR-192-5p expression was elevated while YAP1 expression was reduced in hippocampal tissues of HIBD rats in vivo and OGD neurons in vitro. MiR-192-5p had a targeting relation with YAP1. Suppressed miR-192-5p or overexpressed YAP1 in HIBD rats alleviated neurobehavioral impairment and neuronal damage, and decreased the expression levels of p-TAZ and VEGF expression in vivo. Reduced miR-192-5p or augmented YAP1 decelerated the neuron apoptosis, decreased the p-TAZ level and VEGF level and promoted cell viability of OGD hippocampal neurons in vitro. The study highlights that inhibited miR-192-5p protects against HIBD via regulation of YAP1 and Hippo signaling pathway, which is beneficial for HIBD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gangli Yan
- Department of Neurology, Puren Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, 1 Benxi Street, Qingshan District, Wuhan, 430081, Hubei, China
| | - Zhiwei Tao
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan, 430090, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaobing Xing
- Department of Neurology, Puren Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, 1 Benxi Street, Qingshan District, Wuhan, 430081, Hubei, China
| | - Ziying Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Puren Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, 1 Benxi Street, Qingshan District, Wuhan, 430081, Hubei, China
| | - Xinghua Wang
- Department of Neurology, Puren Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, 1 Benxi Street, Qingshan District, Wuhan, 430081, Hubei, China
| | - Xing Li
- Department of Neurology, Puren Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, 1 Benxi Street, Qingshan District, Wuhan, 430081, Hubei, China
| | - Fengguang Li
- Department of Neurology, Puren Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, 1 Benxi Street, Qingshan District, Wuhan, 430081, Hubei, China.
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Carlos-Reyes A, Muñiz-Lino MA, Romero-Garcia S, López-Camarillo C, Hernández-de la Cruz ON. Biological Adaptations of Tumor Cells to Radiation Therapy. Front Oncol 2021; 11:718636. [PMID: 34900673 PMCID: PMC8652287 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.718636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Radiation therapy has been used worldwide for many decades as a therapeutic regimen for the treatment of different types of cancer. Just over 50% of cancer patients are treated with radiotherapy alone or with other types of antitumor therapy. Radiation can induce different types of cell damage: directly, it can induce DNA single- and double-strand breaks; indirectly, it can induce the formation of free radicals, which can interact with different components of cells, including the genome, promoting structural alterations. During treatment, radiosensitive tumor cells decrease their rate of cell proliferation through cell cycle arrest stimulated by DNA damage. Then, DNA repair mechanisms are turned on to alleviate the damage, but cell death mechanisms are activated if damage persists and cannot be repaired. Interestingly, some cells can evade apoptosis because genome damage triggers the cellular overactivation of some DNA repair pathways. Additionally, some surviving cells exposed to radiation may have alterations in the expression of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, enhancing different hallmarks of cancer, such as migration, invasion, and metastasis. The activation of these genetic pathways and other epigenetic and structural cellular changes in the irradiated cells and extracellular factors, such as the tumor microenvironment, is crucial in developing tumor radioresistance. The tumor microenvironment is largely responsible for the poor efficacy of antitumor therapy, tumor relapse, and poor prognosis observed in some patients. In this review, we describe strategies that tumor cells use to respond to radiation stress, adapt, and proliferate after radiotherapy, promoting the appearance of tumor radioresistance. Also, we discuss the clinical impact of radioresistance in patient outcomes. Knowledge of such cellular strategies could help the development of new clinical interventions, increasing the radiosensitization of tumor cells, improving the effectiveness of these therapies, and increasing the survival of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeles Carlos-Reyes
- Department of Chronic-Degenerative Diseases, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases “Ismael Cosío Villegas”, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Marcos A. Muñiz-Lino
- Laboratorio de Patología y Medicina Bucal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Susana Romero-Garcia
- Department of Chronic-Degenerative Diseases, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases “Ismael Cosío Villegas”, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - César López-Camarillo
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, Mexico, Mexico City
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Morciano G, Vezzani B, Missiroli S, Boncompagni C, Pinton P, Giorgi C. An Updated Understanding of the Role of YAP in Driving Oncogenic Responses. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13123100. [PMID: 34205830 PMCID: PMC8234554 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13123100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In 2020, the global cancer database GLOBOCAN estimated 19.3 million new cancer cases worldwide. The discovery of targeted therapies may help prognosis and outcome of the patients affected, but the understanding of the plethora of highly interconnected pathways that modulate cell transformation, proliferation, invasion, migration and survival remains an ambitious goal. Here we propose an updated state of the art of YAP as the key protein driving oncogenic response via promoting all those steps at multiple levels. Of interest, the role of YAP in immunosuppression is a field of evolving research and growing interest and this summary about the current pharmacological therapies impacting YAP serves as starting point for future studies. Abstract Yes-associated protein (YAP) has emerged as a key component in cancer signaling and is considered a potent oncogene. As such, nuclear YAP participates in complex and only partially understood molecular cascades that are responsible for the oncogenic response by regulating multiple processes, including cell transformation, tumor growth, migration, and metastasis, and by acting as an important mediator of immune and cancer cell interactions. YAP is finely regulated at multiple levels, and its localization in cells in terms of cytoplasm–nucleus shuttling (and vice versa) sheds light on interesting novel anticancer treatment opportunities and putative unconventional functions of the protein when retained in the cytosol. This review aims to summarize and present the state of the art knowledge about the role of YAP in cancer signaling, first focusing on how YAP differs from WW domain-containing transcription regulator 1 (WWTR1, also named as TAZ) and which upstream factors regulate it; then, this review focuses on the role of YAP in different cancer stages and in the crosstalk between immune and cancer cells as well as growing translational strategies derived from its inhibitory and synergistic effects with existing chemo-, immuno- and radiotherapies.
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El-Derany MO, Said RS, El-Demerdash E. Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reverse Radiotherapy-Induced Premature Ovarian Failure: Emphasis on Signal Integration of TGF-β, Wnt/β-Catenin and Hippo Pathways. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2021; 17:1429-1445. [PMID: 33594662 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-021-10135-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Radiotherapy is an indispensable cancer treatment approach. However, it is associated with hazardous consequences on multiple organs characterized by insidious worsening severity over time. This study aimed to examine the potential therapeutic effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in radiation-induced premature ovarian failure (POF). Exposing female rats to 3.2 Gy whole-body ϒ-rays successfully induced POF. One week later, a single intravenous injection of BM-MSCs (2*106) cells was administered. BM-MSCs perfectly home to the damaged ovaries, enhanced ovarian follicle pool, and preserved the ovarian function manifested by restoring serum estradiol and follicle stimulating hormone levels, besides, rescuing the fertility outcomes of irradiated rats. These events have been associated with inhibiting ovarian apoptosis (Bax/Bcl2, caspase 3) and enhancing proliferation (PCNA). Interestingly, BM-MSCs reversed the inhibition of ovarian FOXO3 expression induced by radiation which resulted in increased primordial follicles stock. Moreover, BM-MSCs recovered the suppressed folliculogenesis process induced by radiation through upregulating FOXO1, GDF-9, and Fst genes expression accompanied by downregulating TGF-β which enhanced granulosa cells proliferation and secondary follicle development. Mechanistically, BM-MSCs miRNAs epigenetically upregulate Wnt/β-catenin and Hippo signaling pathways which are implicated in ovarian follicles growth and maturation. Therefore, BM-MSCs presented a ray of hope in the treatment of radiation-associated POF through genetic and epigenetic modulation of the integrated TGF-β, Wnt/β-catenin, and Hippo pathways which control apoptosis, proliferation, and differentiation of ovarian follicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa O El-Derany
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - Riham S Said
- Department of Drug Radiation Research, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ebtehal El-Demerdash
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566, Egypt.
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Xue Y, Bhushan B, Mars WM, Bowen W, Tao J, Orr A, Stoops J, Yu Y, Luo J, Duncan AW, Michalopoulos GK. Phosphorylated Ezrin (Thr567) Regulates Hippo Pathway and Yes-Associated Protein (Yap) in Liver. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2020; 190:1427-1437. [PMID: 32289287 PMCID: PMC10069283 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2020.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The activation of CD81 [the portal of entry of hepatitis C virus (HCV)] by agonistic antibody results in phosphorylation of Ezrin via Syk kinase and is associated with inactivation of the Hippo pathway and increase in yes-associated protein (Yap1). The opposite occurs when glypican-3 or E2 protein of HCV binds to CD81. Hepatocyte-specific glypican-3 transgenic mice have decreased levels of phosphorylated (p)-Ezrin (Thr567) and Yap, increased Hippo activity, and suppressed liver regeneration. The role of Ezrin in these processes has been speculated, but not proved. We show that Ezrin has a direct role in the regulation of Hippo pathway and Yap. Forced expression of plasmids expressing mutant Ezrin (T567D) that mimics p-Ezrin (Thr567) suppressed Hippo activity and activated Yap signaling in hepatocytes in vivo and enhanced activation of pathways of β-catenin and leucine rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 4 (LGR4) and LGR5 receptors. Hepatoma cell lines JM1 and JM2 have decreased CD81 expression and Hippo activity and up-regulated p-Ezrin (T567). NSC668394, a p-Ezrin (Thr567) antagonist, significantly decreased hepatoma cell proliferation. We additionally show that p-Ezrin (T567) is controlled by epidermal growth factor receptor and MET. Ezrin phosphorylation, mediated by CD81-associated Syk kinase, is directly involved in regulation of Hippo pathway, Yap levels, and growth of normal and neoplastic hepatocytes. The finding has mechanistic and potentially therapeutic applications in hepatocyte growth biology, hepatocellular carcinoma, and HCV pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Xue
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Bharat Bhushan
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Wendy M Mars
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - William Bowen
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Junyan Tao
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Anne Orr
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - John Stoops
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yanping Yu
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jianhua Luo
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Andrew W Duncan
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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