Snail levels control the migration mechanism of mesenchymal tumor cells

Petroleum ether extract of Elephantopus mollis induces senescence and inhibits invasion in breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells

Elephantopus mollis Kunth H.B et Kunth is an herbal plant employed customarily for the treatment of numerous maladies, notably cancers. Here in this research, we studied the effects of E. mollis (EM) petroleum ether extract (EM-PE) on the highly aggressive breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. The result from phytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of tannins and saponins in EM-PE, of which, saponins made up more than 50% of the extract's mass. Cytotoxicity results, which were obtained from MTT assay and microscopic observation, suggested the potential of EM-PE to inhibit the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells with low IC50 value (approximately 30 μg/mL) and remarkably high selectivity index (> 4.78). Further evaluation indicated that EM-PE inhibited MDA-MB-231 cells growth in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, we found that EM-PE induced senescence in MDA-MB-231 cells via the activation of senescence-associated β-galactosidase and the transcriptional upregulation of p21 (3.7 times) and p27 (1.4 times). In consistent with this effect, pre-treated cancer cells showed no proliferative recovery after EM-PE removal. In addition, EM-PE could dramatically hinder breast cancer cells invasion (as much as 15.07-fold), which was shown in Transwell invasion assay, together with the decreased transcription of the important metastatic-involved SNAIL1 gene. Overall, our study, for the first time, exhibits the anti-proliferation and anti-invasion effects of EM extract on highly metastasis breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Hence, these findings contributed to the knowledge of anti-cancer potential of this herbal plant.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-025-04214-8.

Keratinocyte Growth Factor Stimulates Growth of p75+ Neural Crest Lineage Cells During Middle Ear Cholesteatoma Formation in Mice

During development, cranial neural crest (NC) cells display a striking transition from collective to single-cell migration and undergo a mesenchymal-to-epithelial transformation to form a part of the middle ear epithelial cells (MEECs). While MEECs derived from NC are known to control homeostasis of the epithelium and repair from otitis media, paracrine action of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) promotes the growth of MEECs and induces middle ear cholesteatoma (cholesteatoma). The animal model of cholesteatoma was previously established by transfecting a human KGF-expression vector. Herein, KGF-inducing cholesteatoma was studied in Wnt1-Cre/Floxed-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) mice that conditionally express EGFP in the NC lineages. The cytokeratin 14-positive NC lineage expanded into the middle ear and formed cholesteatoma. Moreover, the green fluorescent protein-positive NC lineages comprising the cholesteatoma tissue expressed p75, an NC marker, with high proliferative activity. Similarly, a large number of p75-positive cells were observed in human cholesteatoma tissues. Injections of the immunotoxin murine p75-saporin induced depletion of the p75-positive NC lineages, resulting in the reduction of cholesteatoma in vivo. The p75 knockout in the MEECs had low proliferative activity with or without KGF protein in vitro. Controlling p75 signaling may reduce the proliferation of NC lineages and may represent a new therapeutic target for cholesteatoma.

Keratinocyte growth factor signaling promotes stem/progenitor cell proliferation under p63 expression during middle ear cholesteatoma formation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Middle ear cholesteatoma is an epithelial lesion that expands into the middle ear, resulting in bone destruction. However, the pathogenesis of this has been unknown. The purpose of this review is to understand the role of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) during epithelial stem and/or progenitor cell proliferation in middle ear cholesteatoma.

RECENT FINDINGS

Many researchers have investigated the molecular mechanism of middle ear cholesteatoma to establish a conservative treatment. Recently, some studies have focused on the stem cells of middle ear cholesteatoma and their detection, but the key molecules for stem cell formation were not shown.

SUMMARY

We established an animal model for middle ear cholesteatoma and are showing the results of our studies. KGF expression accelerates the proliferation of stem/progenitor cells through the induction of transcription factor p63 expression in the epithelium of the tympanic membrane and mucosal epithelium overlying the promontory of the cochlea and within the attic. This is typical in middle ear cholesteatoma. Moreover, the partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition under the p63 signaling pathway plays an essential role in epithelial cell growth in middle ear cholesteatoma formation. Understanding p63 expression following KGF expression and associated signaling events can improve therapeutic outcomes in patients with middle ear cholesteatoma.

A liquid culture cancer spheroid model reveals low PI3K/Akt pathway activity and low adhesiveness to the extracellular matrix

Three-dimensional (3D) cultures of cancer cells in liquid without extracellular matrix (ECM) offer in vitro models for metastasising conditions such as those in vessels and effusion. However, liquid culturing is often hindered by cell adhesiveness, which causes large cell clumps. We previously described a liquid culture material, LA717, which prevents nonclonal cell adhesion and subsequent clumping, thus allowing clonal growth of spheroids in an anchorage-independent manner. Here, we examined such liquid culture cancer spheroids for the acquisition of apical-basal polarity, sensitivity to an Akt inhibitor (anticancer drug MK-2206) and interaction with ECM. The spheroids present apical plasma membrane on the surface, which originated from the failure of polarisation at the single-cell stage and subsequent defects in phosphorylated ezrin accumulation at the cell boundary during the first cleavage, failing internal lumen formation. At the multicellular stage, liquid culture spheroids presented bleb-like protrusion on the surface, which was enhanced by the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway and reduced by PI3K/Akt inhibitors. Liquid culture spheroids exhibited slow proliferation speed and low endogenous pAkt levels compared with gel-cultured spheroids and 2D-cultured cells, explaining the susceptibility to the Akt-inhibiting anticancer drug. Subcutaneous xenografting and in vitro analysis demonstrated low viability and adhesive property of liquid culture spheroids to ECM, while migratory and invasive capacities were comparable with gel-cultured spheroids. These features agree with the low efficacy of circulating tumour spheroids in the settling step of metastasis. This study demonstrates the feature of anchorage-independent spheroids and validates liquid cultures as a useful method in cancer spheroid research.

Partial Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Was Observed Under p63 Expression in Acquired Middle Ear Cholesteatoma and Congenital Cholesteatoma

INTRODUCTION

Partial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (p-EMT) is a process by which epithelial cells partially lose their intercellular adhesion and change to obtain migration ability. The transcription factor p63 regulates the expression of cadherin family and induces epithelial cell proliferation. In this study, we hypothesized that p-EMT under p63 expression may be a key factor in epithelial cell growth in middle ear cholesteatoma.

METHODS

Specimens were surgically excised from patients with congenital cholesteatoma (CC) (n = 48), acquired middle ear cholesteatoma (AC) (n = 120), and normal skin tissue (n = 34). We analyzed immunohistochemically for the EMT marker (N-cadherin), adherence junction marker (E-cadherin), and tight junction marker (claudin-1, claudin-4, occludin). We also examined the labeling index (LI) of p63 and Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) (late S phase marker), and Snail expression as a mobility marker.

RESULTS

The expression of p63 (CC 51.0 ± 7.4%, AC 50.0 ± 5.9%) was significantly higher in the thickened epithelium of CC and AC compared with normal skin tissue (p < 0.0001). The loss of E-cadherin was observed (CC 50.0%, AC 55.8%) but the expression patterns in the tight junction were almost normal. N-cadherin was partially detected in the basal and upper layer of epithelium in CC and AC. In contrast to that of normal skin tissue, the LI of PCNA was significantly higher in AC (p < 0.0001). The positive rate of Snail was significantly higher in CC (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that p-EMT via the p63 signaling pathway might plays an essential role in epithelial growth in AC and CC formation, although tight junction formation and terminal differentiation were not affected in those processes.

Loss of BAP1 Results in Growth Inhibition and Enhances Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition in Kidney Tumor Cells

BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) is a member of the ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase family of deubiquitinating enzymes and is implicated in transcriptional regulation. The BAP1 gene is mutated in about 10% of patients with ccRCC, the most common form of renal cancer, suggesting that BAP1 is a tumor suppressor. However, whether BAP1 influences the progression of ccRCC tumors expressing wild-type (WT) BAP1 is unclear. Here, we assessed the expression and function of BAP1 using human ccRCC specimens and cell lines. Analysis of datasets in The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed that lower BAP1 expression is correlated with longer overall survival of ccRCC patients. We established human ccRCC cell lines with stable BAP1 knockout and performed multiomic analysis of BAP1-mediated cellular processes. BAP1 knockout downregulated proteins associated with protein synthesis, resulting in decreased cell growth. Importantly, loss of BAP1 decreased the formation of stress fibers and membrane protrusions and induced migration and invasion defects. BAP1 knockout in ccRCC cells also downregulated the expression of transcriptional repressor protein Snail and decreased the activity of Rho family GTPases, promoting the cells to undergo mesenchymal-epithelial transition. Unexpectedly, quantitative proteomics also showed that BAP1 knockout increased expression of several amino acid transporters and multiple tyrosine kinases, including the epidermal growth factor receptor. Overall, our results suggest that BAP1 regulates multiple cellular processes, and we also uncover a new role for BAP1 in controlling mesenchymal-epithelial transition in ccRCC cells.

Expression of Genes Encoding Cell Motility Proteins during Progression of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The model of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was used to study the expression of genes encoding actin-binding proteins depending on the type of cell motility. The expression of SNAIL1 and CAPN2 mRNA in HNSCC tissue was higher than in specimens of dysplastic epithelium of the larynx and hypopharynx, which can be explained by activation of mesenchymal and amoeboid types of cell motility. In biopsy material of HNSCC patients with T1-2N0M0, expression of genes responsible for actin-binding proteins differed from that of patients with pretumor pathology of the larynx and hypopharynx: expression of FSCN was lower, while expressions of EZR and CAP1 were higher. The data attest that progression of HNSCC is associated with activation of both types of cell motility and with the changes in the expression of mRNA encoding cell motility proteins.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition transcription factors control pluripotent adult stem cell migration in vivo in planarians

Migration of stem cells underpins the physiology of metazoan animals. For tissues to be maintained, stem cells and their progeny must migrate and differentiate in the correct positions. This need is even more acute after tissue damage by wounding or pathogenic infection. Inappropriate migration also underpins metastasis. Despite this, few mechanistic studies address stem cell migration during repair or homeostasis in adult tissues. Here, we present a shielded X-ray irradiation assay that allows us to follow stem cell migration in planarians. We demonstrate the use of this system to study the molecular control of stem cell migration and show that snail-1, snail-2 and zeb-1 EMT transcription factor homologs are necessary for cell migration to wound sites and for the establishment of migratory cell morphology. We also observed that stem cells undergo homeostatic migration to anterior regions that lack local stem cells, in the absence of injury, maintaining tissue homeostasis. This requires the polarity determinant notum Our work establishes planarians as a suitable model for further in-depth study of the processes controlling stem cell migration in vivo.