Interleukin-11 induces the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 in gastric cancer SCH cells partly via the PI3K-AKT and JAK-STAT3 pathways

The Emerging Role of Interleukin-(IL)-11/IL-11R in Bone Metabolism and Homeostasis: From Cytokine to Osteokine

Interleukin-(IL)-11 is a cytokine involved in hematopoiesis, cancer metastasis, and inflammation. IL-11 belongs to the IL-6 cytokine family, binding to the complex of receptors glycoprotein gp130 and the ligand-specific-receptor subunits (IL-11Rα or their soluble counterpart sIL-11R). IL-11/IL-11R signaling enhances osteoblast differentiation and bone formation and mitigates osteoclast-induced bone resorption and cancer bone metastasis. Recent studies have shown that systemic and osteoblast/osteocyte-specific IL-11 deficiency leads to reduced bone mass and formation, but also adiposity, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance. In humans, mutations of IL-11 and the receptor IL-11RA genes are associated with height reduction, osteoarthritis, and craniosynostosis. In this review, we describe the emerging role of IL-11/IL-11R signaling in bone metabolism by targeting osteoblasts, osteoclasts, osteocytes, and bone mineralization. Furthermore, IL-11 promotes osteogenesis and suppresses adipogenesis, thereby influencing the fate of osteoblast/adipocyte differentiation derived from pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells. We have newly identified IL-11 as a bone-derived cytokine that regulates bone metabolism and the link between bone and other organs. Thus, IL-11 is vital in bone homeostasis and could be considered a potential therapeutic strategy.

Dermal Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Psoriatic Lesions Stimulate HaCaT Cell Proliferation, Differentiation, and Migration via Activating the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by excessive proliferation and abnormal differentiation of keratinocytes. Dermal mesenchymal stem cells (DMSCs) are not only involved in the regeneration of skin tissue, but also can regulate skin microenvironment by secreting cytokines. However, whether and how psoriatic DMSCs regulate proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effects of psoriatic DMSCs on the proliferation, differentiation, and migration of keratinocytes and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Following co-cultures of HaCaT cells with either psoriatic DMSCs (p-DMSCs) or DMSCs from normal volunteers (n-DMSCs), HaCaT cell proliferation was assessed using CCK-8 and EDU incorporation assay, while scratch assay and transwell assay were used to assess cell migration. qRT-PCR was used to determine expression levels of mRNA for cell proliferation (Ki-67) and differentiation (keratin 5, involucrin, and filaggrin). Western blot was used to measure expression levels of proteins associated with keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation in cultured HaCaT cells treated with or without PI3K inhibitor. ELISA assay was used to measure expression profile of stem cell factor (SCF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and interleukin-11 (IL-11) within the co-culture supernatants.

RESULTS

The results showed that p-DMSCs displayed a higher potency than n-DMSCs in stimulating proliferation, differentiation, and migration of HaCaT cells. Expression levels of PI3K and AKT proteins were markedly increased in HaCaT cells co-cultured with DMSCs versus HaCaT cell culture alone. Moreover, inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway reversed the effect of p-DMSCs on proliferation, differentiation, and migration of HaCaT cells. Compared with n-DMSCs, the p-DMSCs showed increased secretion of IL-11, EGF, and SCF.

CONCLUSION

p-DMSCs stimulate HaCaT cell proliferation, differentiation and migration via activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, providing a new insight into the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Multivariate gene expression-based survival predictor model in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Background

Despite the recent development of molecular‐targeted treatment and immunotherapy, survival of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) with poor prognosis is still poor due to lack of an effective biomarker. In this study, we aimed to explore the ceRNA and construct a multivariate gene expression predictor model using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to predict the prognosis of EAC patients.

Methods

We conducted differential expression analysis using mRNA, miRNA and lncRNA transciptome data from EAC and normal patients as well as corresponding clinical information from TCGA database, and gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of those unique differentially expressed mRNAs using the Integrate Discovery Database (DAVID) database. We then constructed the lncRNA‐miRNA‐mRNA competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network of EAC and used Cox proportional hazard analysis to generate a multivariate gene expression predictor model. We finally performed survival analysis to determine the effect of differentially expressed mRNA on patients' overall survival and discover the hub gene.

Results

We identified a total of 488 lncRNAs, 33 miRNAs, and 1207 mRNAs with differentially expressed profiles. Cox proportional hazard analysis and survival analysis using the ceRNA network revealed four genes (IL‐11, PDGFD, NPTX1, ITPR1) as potential biomarkers of EAC prognosis in our predictor model, and IL‐11 was identified as an independent prognostic factor.

Conclusions

In conclusion, we identified differences in the ceRNA regulatory networks and constructed a four–gene expression‐based survival predictor model, which could be referential for future clinical research.

Interleukin-11 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells through PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway activation

Metastasis is the major cause of treatment failure in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) patients. In the preliminary study, we demonstrated that interleukin (IL)-11 expression is positively correlated with distant metastasis in ATC. However, the mechanisms underlying remain largely unknown. Here, we found that cobalt chloride (a hypoxia mimetic) promoted IL-11 expression via HIF-1α activation. Furthermore, the resultant increase in IL-11 expression significantly induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ATC cells, accompanied by Akt/GSK3β pathway activation and increased invasive and migratory abilities. Conversely, HIF-1α or IL-11 knockdown, or treating cells with a neutralizing antibody against IL-11, a PI3K inhibitor, or Akt inhibitor V, significantly suppressed the induction of EMT and counteracted the enhancements in invasive and migratory abilities. These results indicate that hypoxia increases IL-11 secretion in ATC cells via HIF-1α induction and that IL-11 then induces EMT in these cells via the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β pathway, ultimately improving their invasive and migratory potential. This study elucidates the prometastatic role played by IL-11 in ATC metastasis and indicates it as a potential target for the treatment of cancer metastasis. However, many questions remain to be explored.

Paeoniflorin inhibits human gastric carcinoma cell proliferation through up-regulation of microRNA-124 and suppression of PI3K/Akt and STAT3 signaling

AIM: To examine the potential anti-tumor activity of paeoniflorin in the human gastric carcinoma cell line MGC-803.

METHODS: Cell viability and cytotoxic effects in MGC-803 cells were analyzed using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and lactate dehydrogenase assay, respectively. Cell apoptosis of MGC-803 cells was measured using flow cytometry, DAPI staining assay and caspase-3 activity assay. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of microRNA-124 (miR-124) in response to paeoniflorin. The expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), phospho-Akt (p-Akt) and phospho-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) were also measured by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis in normal, miR-124 and anti-miR-124 over-expressing MGC-803 cells, treated with paeoniflorin.

RESULTS: Paeoniflorin was found to inhibit MGC-803 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Paeoniflorin treatment was associated with the induction of apoptosis and caspase-3 activity in MGC-803 cells. Paeoniflorin treatment significantly increased miR-124 levels and inhibited the expression of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt and p-STAT3 in MGC-803 cells. Interestingly, the over-expression of miR-124 inhibits PI3K/Akt and phospho-STAT3 expressions in MGC-803 cells. PI3K agonist (IGF-1, 1 μg/10 μL) or over-expression of STAT3 reversed the effect of paeoniflorin on the proliferation of MGC-803 cells. Over-expression of anti-miR-124 in MGC-803 cells reversed paeoniflorin-induced up-regulation.

CONCLUSION: In summary, the in vitro data suggest that paeoniflorin is a potential novel therapeutic agent against gastric carcinoma, which inhibits cell viability and induces apoptosis through the up-regulation of miR-124 and suppression of PI3K/Akt and STAT3 signaling.

Attenuation of enoyl coenzyme A hydratase 1 expression in colorectal cancer cells using small interfering RNA inhibits cell proliferation and migration

Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer and is a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Short chain enoyl coenzyme A hydratase 1 (ECHS1) is an important gene involved in the mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation pathway. In addition, ECHS1 has been implicated in a variety of cancers, including breast, prostate, colon and liver cancer. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression of ECHS1 in the human HCT-8 colorectal cancer cell line. The results showed that ECHS1 expression was significantly increased in poorly-differentiated cells compared with that in well-differentiated cells. In order to further investigate the functions of ECHS1 in colorectal cancer cells, a stably transfected HCT-8 cell line expressing small interfering (si)RNA targeting the ECHS1 gene was established. The expression of the ECHS1 siRNA was found to reduce ECHS1 protein levels in ECHS1-silenced cells by >40%. Cell proliferation and cell migration of the siECHS1 cells were characterized using Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays, respectively, the results of which showed that the constitutive knockdown of the ECSH1 gene in HCT-8 cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration. Furthermore, decreased levels of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)3β phosphorylation were observed in ECHS1-silenced HCT-8 cells compared with that of parental or pU6 empty vector-transfected cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that ECHS1 may have an important role in colorectal cancer cell proliferation and migration via activation of Akt- and GSK3β-associated signaling pathways.