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Vella V, Giuliano M, La Ferlita A, Pellegrino M, Gaudenzi G, Alaimo S, Massimino M, Pulvirenti A, Dicitore A, Vigneri P, Vitale G, Malaguarnera R, Morrione A, Sims AH, Ferro A, Maggiolini M, Lappano R, De Francesco EM, Belfiore A. Novel Mechanisms of Tumor Promotion by the Insulin Receptor Isoform A in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Cells 2021; 10:3145. [PMID: 34831367 PMCID: PMC8621444 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The insulin receptor isoform A (IR-A) plays an increasingly recognized role in fetal growth and tumor biology in response to circulating insulin and/or locally produced IGF2. This role seems not to be shared by the IR isoform B (IR-B). We aimed to dissect the specific impact of IR isoforms in modulating insulin signaling in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. We generated murine 4T1 TNBC cells deleted from the endogenous insulin receptor (INSR) gene and expressing comparable levels of either human IR-A or IR-B. We then measured IR isoform-specific in vitro and in vivo biological effects and transcriptome in response to insulin. Overall, the IR-A was more potent than the IR-B in mediating cell migration, invasion, and in vivo tumor growth. Transcriptome analysis showed that approximately 89% of insulin-stimulated transcripts depended solely on the expression of the specific isoform. Notably, in cells overexpressing IR-A, insulin strongly induced genes involved in tumor progression and immune evasion including chemokines and genes related to innate immunity. Conversely, in IR-B overexpressing cells, insulin predominantly induced the expression of genes primarily involved in the regulation of metabolic pathways and, to a lesser extent, tumor growth and angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Vella
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy; (V.V.); (M.G.); (E.M.D.F.)
| | - Marika Giuliano
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy; (V.V.); (M.G.); (E.M.D.F.)
| | - Alessandro La Ferlita
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95131 Catania, Italy; (A.L.F.); (S.A.); (A.P.); (A.F.)
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Michele Pellegrino
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Germano Gaudenzi
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, 20095 Cusano Milanino, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.); (G.V.)
| | - Salvatore Alaimo
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95131 Catania, Italy; (A.L.F.); (S.A.); (A.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Michele Massimino
- Oncology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (M.M.); (P.V.)
| | - Alfredo Pulvirenti
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95131 Catania, Italy; (A.L.F.); (S.A.); (A.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Alessandra Dicitore
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, 20095 Cusano Milanino, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.); (G.V.)
| | - Paolo Vigneri
- Oncology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy; (M.M.); (P.V.)
| | - Giovanni Vitale
- Laboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, 20095 Cusano Milanino, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.); (G.V.)
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Morrione
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine and Center for Biotechnology, Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA;
| | - Andrew H. Sims
- MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Scotland EH4 2XR, UK;
| | - Alfredo Ferro
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95131 Catania, Italy; (A.L.F.); (S.A.); (A.P.); (A.F.)
| | - Marcello Maggiolini
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Rosamaria Lappano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; (M.P.); (M.M.); (R.L.)
| | - Ernestina Marianna De Francesco
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy; (V.V.); (M.G.); (E.M.D.F.)
| | - Antonino Belfiore
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Hospital, 95122 Catania, Italy; (V.V.); (M.G.); (E.M.D.F.)
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Kurosaki M, Terao M, Liu D, Zanetti A, Guarrera L, Bolis M, Gianni’ M, Paroni G, Goodall GJ, Garattini E. A DOCK1 Gene-Derived Circular RNA Is Highly Expressed in Luminal Mammary Tumours and Is Involved in the Epithelial Differentiation, Growth, and Motility of Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13215325. [PMID: 34771489 PMCID: PMC8582367 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs are regulatory molecules involved in numerous cellular processes and may be involved in tumour growth and diffusion. Here, we define the expression of 15 selected circular RNAs, which may control the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, using a panel of 18 breast cancer cell lines recapitulating the heterogeneity of these tumours and consisting of three groups according to the mesenchymal/epithelial phenotype. A circular RNA from the DOCK1 gene (hsa_circ_0020397) shows low/undetectable levels in triple-negative mesenchymal cell lines, while its content is high in epithelial cell lines, independent of estrogen receptor or HER2 positivity. RNA-sequencing experiments performed on the triple-negative/mesenchymal MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-157 cell lines engineered to overexpress hsa_circ_0020397 demonstrate that the circRNA influences the expression of 110 common genes. Pathway analysis of these genes indicates that overexpression of the circular RNA differentiates the two mesenchymal cell lines along the epithelial pathway and increases cell-to-cell adhesion. This is accompanied by growth inhibition and a reduction in the random/directional motility of the cell lines. The upregulated AGR2, ENPP1, and PPP1R9A genes as well as the downregulated APOE, AQP3, CD99L2, and IGFBP4 genes show an opposite regulation by hsa_circ_0020397 silencing in luminal CAMA1 cells. The results provide novel insights into the role played by specific circular RNAs in the generation/progression of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mami Kurosaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy; (M.K.); (M.T.); (A.Z.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (M.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Mineko Terao
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy; (M.K.); (M.T.); (A.Z.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (M.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Dawei Liu
- Centre for Cancer Biology, An Alliance of SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (D.L.); (G.J.G.)
| | - Adriana Zanetti
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy; (M.K.); (M.T.); (A.Z.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (M.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Luca Guarrera
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy; (M.K.); (M.T.); (A.Z.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (M.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Marco Bolis
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy; (M.K.); (M.T.); (A.Z.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (M.G.); (G.P.)
- Institute of Oncology Research, USI, University of Southern Switzerland, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Maurizio Gianni’
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy; (M.K.); (M.T.); (A.Z.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (M.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Gabriela Paroni
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy; (M.K.); (M.T.); (A.Z.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (M.G.); (G.P.)
| | - Gregory J. Goodall
- Centre for Cancer Biology, An Alliance of SA Pathology and University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; (D.L.); (G.J.G.)
- Department of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Enrico Garattini
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milano, Italy; (M.K.); (M.T.); (A.Z.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (M.G.); (G.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-02-39014533
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The Clinical Impact of the EPH/Ephrin System in Cancer: Unwinding the Thread. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168412. [PMID: 34445116 PMCID: PMC8395090 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168412] [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: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular receptors (EPHs) compose the largest known subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). They bind and interact with the EPH family receptor interacting proteins (ephrins). EPHs/ephrins are implicated in a variety of physiological processes, as well as in cancer pathogenesis. With neoplastic disease remaining a leading cause of death world-wide, the development of novel biomarkers aiding in the field of diagnosis, prognosis, and disease monitoring is of utmost importance. A multitude of studies have proven the association between the expression of members of the EPH/ephrin system and various clinicopathological parameters, including disease stage, tumor histologic grade, and patients' overall survival. Besides their utilization in timely disease detection and assessment of outcome, EPHs/ephrins could also represent possible novel therapeutic targets. The aim of the current review of the literature was to present the existing data regarding the association between EPH/ephrin system expression and the clinical characteristics of malignant tumors.
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Markers of Angiogenesis, Lymphangiogenesis, and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (Plasticity) in CIN and Early Invasive Carcinoma of the Cervix: Exploring Putative Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Early Tumor Invasion. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186515. [PMID: 32899940 PMCID: PMC7554870 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The establishment of a proangiogenic phenotype and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are considered as critical events that promote the induction of invasive growth in epithelial tumors, and stimulation of lymphangiogenesis is believed to confer the capacity for early dissemination to cancer cells. Recent research has revealed substantial interdependence between these processes at the molecular level as they rely on common signaling networks. Of great interest are the molecular mechanisms of (lymph-)angiogenesis and EMT associated with the earliest stages of transition from intraepithelial development to invasive growth, as they could provide the source of potentially valuable tools for targeting tumor metastasis. However, in the case of early-stage cervical cancer, the players of (lymph-)angiogenesis and EMT processes still remain substantially uncharacterized. In this study, we used RNA sequencing to compare transcriptomes of HPV(+) preinvasive neoplastic lesions and early-stage invasive carcinoma of the cervix and to identify (lymph-)angiogenesis- and EMT-related genes and pathways that may underlie early acquisition of invasive phenotype and metastatic properties by cervical cancer cells. Second, we applied flow cytometric analysis to evaluate the expression of three key lymphangiogenesis/EMT markers (VEGFR3, MET, and SLUG) in epithelial cells derived from enzymatically treated tissue specimens. Overall, among 201 differentially expressed genes, a considerable number of (lymph-)angiogenesis and EMT regulatory factors were identified, including genes encoding cytokines, growth factor receptors, transcription factors, and adhesion molecules. Pathway analysis confirmed enrichment for angiogenesis, epithelial differentiation, and cell guidance pathways at transition from intraepithelial neoplasia to invasive carcinoma and suggested immune-regulatory/inflammatory pathways to be implicated in initiation of invasive growth of cervical cancer. Flow cytometry showed cell phenotype-specific expression pattern for VEGFR3, MET, and SLUG and revealed correlation with the amount of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes at the early stages of cervical cancer progression. Taken together, these results extend our understanding of driving forces of angiogenesis and metastasis in HPV-associated cervical cancer and may be useful for developing new treatments.
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