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Zhang J, Yang J, Li X, Mao L, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Bao Y. EMP1 correlated with cancer progression and immune characteristics in pan-cancer and ovarian cancer. Mol Genet Genomics 2024; 299:51. [PMID: 38743077 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-024-02146-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
This study examines the prognostic role and immunological relevance of EMP1 (epithelial membrane protein-1) in a pan-cancer analysis, with a focus on ovarian cancer. Utilizing data from TCGA, CCLE, and GTEx databases, we assessed EMP1 mRNA expression and its correlation with tumor progression, prognosis, and immune microenvironment across various cancers. Our results indicate that EMP1 expression is significantly associated with poor prognosis in multiple cancer types, including ovarian, bladder, testicular, pancreatic, breast, brain, and uveal melanoma. Immune-related analyses reveal a positive correlation between EMP1 and immune cell infiltration, particularly neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells, as well as high expression of immune checkpoint such as CD274, HAVCR2, IL10, PDCD1LG2, and TGFB1 in most tumors. In vivo experiments confirm that EMP1 promotes ovarian cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and invasion. In conclusion, EMP1 emerges as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in various cancers, particularly ovarian cancer, due to its influence on tumor progression and immune cell dynamics. Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms of EMP1 in cancer biology and to translate these findings into clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xing Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lin Mao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiaogan Central Hospital, Xiaogan, Hubei, China
| | - Yindi Bao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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2
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Arfin S, Kumar D, Lomagno A, Mauri PL, Di Silvestre D. Differentially Expressed Genes, miRNAs and Network Models: A Strategy to Shed Light on Molecular Interactions Driving HNSCC Tumorigenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4420. [PMID: 37686696 PMCID: PMC10563081 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is among the most common cancer worldwide, accounting for hundreds thousands deaths annually. Unfortunately, most patients are diagnosed in an advanced stage and only a percentage respond favorably to therapies. To help fill this gap, we hereby propose a retrospective in silico study to shed light on gene-miRNA interactions driving the development of HNSCC. Moreover, to identify topological biomarkers as a source for designing new drugs. To achieve this, gene and miRNA profiles from patients and controls are holistically reevaluated using protein-protein interaction (PPI) and bipartite miRNA-target networks. Cytoskeletal remodeling, extracellular matrix (ECM), immune system, proteolysis, and energy metabolism have emerged as major functional modules involved in the pathogenesis of HNSCC. Of note, the landscape of our findings depicts a concerted molecular action in activating genes promoting cell cycle and proliferation, and inactivating those suppressive. In this scenario, genes, including VEGFA, EMP1, PPL, KRAS, MET, TP53, MMPs and HOXs, and miRNAs, including mir-6728 and mir-99a, emerge as key players in the molecular interactions driving HNSCC tumorigenesis. Despite the heterogeneity characterizing these HNSCC subtypes, and the limitations of a study pointing to relationships that could be context dependent, the overlap with previously published studies is encouraging. Hence, it supports further investigation for key molecules, both those already and not correlated to HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saniya Arfin
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun 248007, Uttrakhand, India; (S.A.); (D.K.)
| | - Dhruv Kumar
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun 248007, Uttrakhand, India; (S.A.); (D.K.)
| | - Andrea Lomagno
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, F.lli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20054 Milan, Italy; (A.L.); (P.L.M.)
- IRCCS Foundation, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian, 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Luigi Mauri
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, F.lli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20054 Milan, Italy; (A.L.); (P.L.M.)
| | - Dario Di Silvestre
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, F.lli Cervi 93, Segrate, 20054 Milan, Italy; (A.L.); (P.L.M.)
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3
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Cha YJ, Koo JS. Expression of EMP 1, 2, and 3 in Adrenal Cortical Neoplasm and Pheochromocytoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13016. [PMID: 37629198 PMCID: PMC10455306 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241613016] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression of the epithelial membrane proteins (EMP) 1, 2, and 3 in adrenal gland neoplasm and to explore the broader implications of this. Tissue microarrays were constructed for 132 cases of adrenal cortical neoplasms (ACN) (adrenal cortical adenoma (115 cases), and carcinoma (17 cases)) and 189 cases of pheochromocytoma. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to identify EMP 1, 2, and 3, and was compared with clinicopathological parameters. The H-score of EMP 3 (p < 0.001) was higher in pheochromocytoma when compared to that of ACN, and the H-score of EMP 1 (p < 0.001) and EMP 3 (p < 0.001) was higher in adrenal cortical carcinomas when compared to that of adrenal cortical adenomas. A higher EMP 1 H-score was observed in pheochromocytomas with a GAPP score ≥3 (p = 0.018). In univariate analysis, high levels of EMP 1 and EMP 3 expression in ACN were associated with shorter overall survival (p = 0.001). Differences were observed in the expression of EMPs between ACN and pheochromocytoma. EMPs are associated with malignant tumor biology in adrenal cortical neoplasm and pheochromocytoma, suggesting the role of a prognostic and/or predictive factor for EMPs in adrenal tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ja Seung Koo
- Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 120-752, Republic of Korea;
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4
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Fleischer JR, Schmitt AM, Haas G, Xu X, Zeisberg EM, Bohnenberger H, Küffer S, Teuwen LA, Karras PJ, Beißbarth T, Bleckmann A, Planque M, Fendt SM, Vermeulen P, Ghadimi M, Kalucka J, De Oliveira T, Conradi LC. Molecular differences of angiogenic versus vessel co-opting colorectal cancer liver metastases at single-cell resolution. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:17. [PMID: 36691028 PMCID: PMC9872436 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01713-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) are associated with a poor prognosis, reflected by a five-year survival rate of 14%. Anti-angiogenic therapy through anti-VEGF antibody administration is one of the limited therapies available. However, only a subgroup of metastases uses sprouting angiogenesis to secure their nutrients and oxygen supply, while others rely on vessel co-option (VCO). The distinct mode of vascularization is reflected by specific histopathological growth patterns (HGPs), which have proven prognostic and predictive significance. Nevertheless, their molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. METHODS We evaluated CRCLM from 225 patients regarding their HGP and clinical data. Moreover, we performed spatial (21,804 spots) and single-cell (22,419 cells) RNA sequencing analyses to explore molecular differences in detail, further validated in vitro through immunohistochemical analysis and patient-derived organoid cultures. RESULTS We detected specific metabolic alterations and a signature of WNT signalling activation in metastatic cancer cells related to the VCO phenotype. Importantly, in the corresponding healthy liver of CRCLM displaying sprouting angiogenesis, we identified a predominantly expressed capillary subtype of endothelial cells, which could be further explored as a possible predictor for HGP relying on sprouting angiogenesis. CONCLUSION These findings may prove to be novel therapeutic targets to the treatment of CRCLM, in special the ones relying on VCO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Robert Fleischer
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandra Maria Schmitt
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gwendolyn Haas
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Xingbo Xu
- Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Maria Zeisberg
- Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hanibal Bohnenberger
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Küffer
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Laure-Anne Teuwen
- Department of Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Philipp Johannes Karras
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of General- and Visceral Surgery, Raphaelsklinik Münster, Loerstraße 23, 48143, Münster, Germany
| | - Tim Beißbarth
- Department of Medical Bioinformatics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Goldschmidtstraße 1, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annalen Bleckmann
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Mélanie Planque
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sarah-Maria Fendt
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Cellular Metabolism and Metabolic Regulation, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Vermeulen
- Translational Cancer Research Unit, GZA Hospitals, Sint-Augustinus, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Michael Ghadimi
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joanna Kalucka
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Tiago De Oliveira
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lena-Christin Conradi
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straβe 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
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5
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Zhang N, Zhu HP, Huang W, Wen X, Xie X, Jiang X, Peng C, Han B, He G. Unraveling the structures, functions and mechanisms of epithelial membrane protein family in human cancers. Exp Hematol Oncol 2022; 11:69. [PMID: 36217151 PMCID: PMC9552464 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-022-00321-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) and epithelial membrane proteins (EMP-1, -2, and -3) belong to a small hydrophobic membrane protein subfamily, with four transmembrane structures. PMP22 and EMPs are widely expressed in various tissues and play important roles in cell growth, differentiation, programmed cell death, and metastasis. PMP22 presents its highest expression in the peripheral nerve and participates in normal physiological and pathological processes of the peripheral nervous system. The progress of molecular genetics has shown that the genetic changes of the PMP22 gene, including duplication, deletion, and point mutation, are behind various hereditary peripheral neuropathies. EMPs have different expression patterns in diverse tissues and are closely related to the risk of malignant tumor progression. In this review, we focus on the four members in this protein family which are related to disease pathogenesis and discuss gene mutations and post-translational modification of them. Further research into the interactions between structural alterations and function of PMP22 and EMPs will help understand their normal physiological function and role in diseases and might contribute to developing novel therapeutic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Hong-Ping Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.,Antibiotics Research and Re‑Evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Xiang Wen
- Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Xian Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.,Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Gu He
- Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China. .,Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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6
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Liu S, Shi J, Wang L, Huang Y, Zhao B, Ding H, Liu Y, Wang W, Chen Z, Yang J. Loss of EMP1 promotes the metastasis of human bladder cancer cells by promoting migration and conferring resistance to ferroptosis through activation of PPAR gamma signaling. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 189:42-57. [PMID: 35850179 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.06.247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis, in which cancer cells detach from the original site and colonise other organs, is the primary cause of death induced by bladder cancer (BCa). Epithelial Membrane Protein 1 (EMP1) is dysregulated in many human cancers, and its clinical significance and biological function in diseases, including BCa, are largely unclear. Here, we demonstrated that EMP1 was downregulated in BCa cells. The deficiency of EMP1 promotes migration and confers resistance to ferroptosis/oxidative stress in BCa cells, favouring tumour cell metastasis. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that EMP1 deficiency enhanced tumour metastasis by increasing PPARG expression and promoting its activation, leading to upregulation of pFAK(Y397) and SLC7A11, which promoted cell migration and anti-ferroptotic cell death respectively. Moreover, we found EMP1-deficient sensitized cells to PPARG's ligand, which effect are metastatic phenotype promoted and could be mitigated by FABP4 knockdown. In conclusion, our study, for the first time, reveals that EMP1 deficiency promotes BCa cell migration and confers resistance to ferroptosis/oxidative stress, thus promoting metastasis of BCa via PPARG. These results revealed a novel role of EMP1-mediated PPARG in bladder cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Jiazhong Shi
- Department of Cell Biology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Liwei Wang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Yaqin Huang
- Department of Cell Biology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Baixiong Zhao
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Hua Ding
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Yuting Liu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Wuxing Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Zhiwen Chen
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of the Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Jin Yang
- Department of Cell Biology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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7
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Epithelial Membrane Protein 1 Promotes Sensitivity to RSL3-Induced Ferroptosis and Intensifies Gefitinib Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:4750671. [PMID: 35432717 PMCID: PMC9007691 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4750671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial membrane protein (EMP1), a member of the peripheral myelin protein (PMP22) family, is involved in the development of various human malignancies. However, the expression level of EMP1 and its functional role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain unclear to date. Ferroptosis, a newly characterized form of regulated cell death, plays an essential role in tumorigenesis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression levels of EMP1 in HNSCC and normal tissues, as well as to identify the function of EMP1 in regulating ferroptosis during the progression of HNSCC. To further explore the biological function of EMP1 in vitro, transient transfection was used to overexpress EMP1 in the HNSCC cell lines Hep2 and Detroit562. Functionally, our results indicated that EMP1 overexpression could not affect the initiation of ferroptosis directly but reinforced RSL3-induced ferroptosis on HNSCC cells. Furthermore, mechanical study indicated that EMP1 mediated the ferroptosis via cell density-regulated Hippo-TAZ pathway and regulated the expression of Rac1 and NOX1. In addition, our study demonstrated that EMP1 overexpression could promote gefitinib resistance by targeting the MAPK pathway. In summary, our findings indicate that EMP1 may act as an oncogene and serve as a therapeutic target against malignant progression of HNSCC.
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8
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Abu Halim NH, Zakaria N, Theva Das K, Lin J, Lim MN, Fakiruddin KS, Yahaya BH. The Effects of Lentivirus-Mediated Gene Silencing of RARβ on the Stemness Capability of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. J Cancer 2021; 12:3468-3485. [PMID: 33995625 PMCID: PMC8120186 DOI: 10.7150/jca.50793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid receptor beta is a nuclear receptor protein that binds to retinoic acid (RA) to mediate cellular signalling in embryogenic morphogenesis, cell growth, and differentiation. However, the function of RARβ in cancer stem cells (CSCs) has yet to be determined. This study aimed to understand the role of RARβ in regulating cell growth and differentiation of lung cancer stem cells. Based on the clonogenic assay, spheroid assay, mRNA levels of stem cell transcription factors, and cell cycle being arrested at the G0/G1 phase, the suppression of RARβ resulted in significant inhibition of A549 parental cell growth. This finding was contradictory to the results seen in CSCs, where RARβ inhibition enhanced the cell growth of putative and non-putative CSCs. These results suggest that RARβ suppression may act as an essential regulator in A549 parental cells, but not in the CSCs population. The findings in this study demonstrated that the loss of RARβ promotes tumorigenicity in CSCs. Microarray analysis revealed that various cancer pathways were significantly activated following the suppression of RARβ. The changes seen might compensate for the loss of RARβ function, CSCs population's aggressiveness, which led to the CSCs population's aggressiveness. Thus, understanding the role of RARβ in regulating the stemness of CSCs may lead to targeted therapy for lung CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noor Hanis Abu Halim
- Lung Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Group, Regenerative Medicine Cluster, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (IPPT), Sains@Bertam, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kepala Batas Penang, 13200, Malaysia
| | - Norashikin Zakaria
- Lung Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Group, Regenerative Medicine Cluster, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (IPPT), Sains@Bertam, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kepala Batas Penang, 13200, Malaysia
| | - Kumitaa Theva Das
- Infectomics Cluster, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (IPPT), Sains@Bertam, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kepala Batas Penang, 13200, Malaysia
| | - Juntang Lin
- Henan Joint International Research Laboratory of Stem Cell Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University (XXMU), Henan Province 453000, China.,Stem Cell and Biotherapy Technology Research Centre of Henan Province, Xinxiang Medical University (XXMU), Henan Province 453000, China
| | - Moon Nian Lim
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Haematology Unit, Cancer Research Centre (CaRC), Institute for Medical Research (IMR), National Institute of Health, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor
| | - Kamal Shaik Fakiruddin
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Haematology Unit, Cancer Research Centre (CaRC), Institute for Medical Research (IMR), National Institute of Health, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor
| | - Badrul Hisham Yahaya
- Lung Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Group, Regenerative Medicine Cluster, Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (IPPT), Sains@Bertam, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kepala Batas Penang, 13200, Malaysia
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9
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Ma Y, Schröder DC, Nenkov M, Rizwan MN, Abubrig M, Sonnemann J, Murrieta-Coxca JM, Morales-Prieto DM, Westermann M, Gaßler N, Chen Y. Epithelial Membrane Protein 2 Suppresses Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Growth by Inhibition of MAPK Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2944. [PMID: 33799364 PMCID: PMC7999101 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial membrane proteins (EMP1-3) are involved in epithelial differentiation and carcinogenesis. Dysregulated expression of EMP2 was observed in various cancers, but its role in human lung cancer is not yet clarified. In this study, we analyzed the expression of EMP1-3 and investigated the biological function of EMP2 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The results showed that lower expression of EMP1 was significantly correlated with tumor size in primary lung tumors (p = 0.004). Overexpression of EMP2 suppressed tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion, resulting in a G1 cell cycle arrest, with knockdown of EMP2 leading to enhanced cell migration, related to MAPK pathway alterations and disruption of cell cycle regulatory genes. Exosomes isolated from transfected cells were taken up by tumor cells, carrying EMP2-downregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) which participated in regulation of the tumor microenvironment. Our data suggest that decreased EMP1 expression is significantly related to increased tumor size in NSCLC. EMP2 suppresses NSCLC cell growth mainly by inhibiting the MAPK pathway. EMP2 might further affect the tumor microenvironment by regulating tumor microenvironment-associated miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunxia Ma
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Desiree Charlotte Schröder
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Miljana Nenkov
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Maryam Noor Rizwan
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Mohamed Abubrig
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Jürgen Sonnemann
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Children’s Clinic, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany;
| | - José M. Murrieta-Coxca
- Placenta-Labor, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (J.M.M.-C.); (D.M.M.-P.)
| | - Diana M. Morales-Prieto
- Placenta-Labor, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (J.M.M.-C.); (D.M.M.-P.)
| | - Martin Westermann
- Electron Microscopy Center, Jena University Hospital, Ziegelmühlenweg 1, 07743 Jena, Germany;
| | - Nikolaus Gaßler
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
| | - Yuan Chen
- Section Pathology of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany; (Y.M.); (D.C.S.); (M.N.); (M.N.R.); (M.A.); (N.G.)
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10
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Ni Q, Zhang Y, Tao R, Li X, Zhu J. MicroRNA-95-3p serves as a contributor to cisplatin resistance in human gastric cancer cells by targeting EMP1/PI3K/AKT signaling. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:8665-8687. [PMID: 33714198 PMCID: PMC8034895 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202679] [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: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are thought to be involved in the development of cisplatin (DDP) resistance in gastric cancer (GC). Using RNA sequencing analysis (RNA-seq), we found that miR-95-3p is associated with DDP resistance in GC. We discovered that miR-95-3p is highly expressed in DDP-resistant GC tissues and cell lines (SGC7901/DDP and AGS/DDP). Furthermore, results from the BrdU and MTT assays indicated that miR-95-3p promotes GC cell proliferation. Additionally, data from transwell chamber assay, wound healing test and in vivo experiments illustrated that miR-95-3p can effectively promote invasion, migration and tumorigenic capacity, respectively, of DDP-resistant GC cells. Subsequently, results from dual luciferase assay and qRT-PCR collectively indicated that EMP1 is a target of miR-95-3p with inhibitory function through suppression of the EMT process and drug-resistance proteins. Furthermore, PI3K/AKT was identified as a downstream pathway of miR-95-3p, which promotes DDP resistance in GC. In summary, miR-95-3p helped develop DDP-resistance through down-regulation of EMP1 and increasing phosphorylation of the PI3K/Akt pathway in GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingfeng Ni
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Chemotherapy, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Ran Tao
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Xiaolong Li
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jianwei Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, PR China
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11
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Singh J, Kumari S, Arora M, Verma D, Palanichamy JK, Kumar R, Sharma G, Bakhshi S, Pushpam D, Ali MS, Ranjan A, Tanwar P, Chauhan SS, Singh A, Chopra A. Prognostic Relevance of Expression of EMP1, CASP1, and NLRP3 Genes in Pediatric B-Lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Front Oncol 2021; 11:606370. [PMID: 33747919 PMCID: PMC7973229 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.606370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid (GC), such as prednisolone, is an essential component of multidrug chemotherapy regimen for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Resistance to GC in leukemia cells is associated with disease progression and poor prognosis. Despite the extensive use of GC for many years, molecular mechanisms underlying its resistance in ALL have not been fully uncovered. Recent studies have shown a potential role of EMP1, CASP1, and NLRP3 genes in prednisolone response. In this study on 148 pediatric B-ALL patients, we studied these three genes to assess their association with prednisolone response measured by day 8 blast count after 7 days of induction therapy with prednisolone. Intriguingly, ALL samples exhibited higher expression of EMP1 along with a low expression of CASP1 and NLRP3 compared to disease free normal bone marrow collected from patients with solid tumors. Among the three analyzed genes, only EMP1 was found to be overexpressed in prednisolone poor responders (p=0.015). Further, a comparison of gene expression between cytogenetic subtypes revealed higher expression of EMP1 in BCR-ABL subtype. Expression of EMP1 in multiple gene expression datasets was used for gene set enrichment analysis, which revealed TNF-α, IL-2-STAT5 signaling, inflammatory responses and hypoxia as the major positively associated pathways and E2F targets as negatively associated pathways. Interestingly, the clinical remission rate was higher in CASP1 high patients (p=0.048). In univariate survival analysis, higher EMP1 expression was associated with poor prognostic measures while higher expression of NLRP3 and CASP1 was associated with better prognostic measures in our data. Further, multivariate analysis revealed an independent association of high CASP1 and NLRP3 with a better prognosis. This study strengthens the available evidence that mRNA expression of EMP1, CASP1, and NLRP3 may serve as potential biomarkers for risk stratification of pediatric B-ALL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Singh
- Laboratory Oncology Unit, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar-Insitute Rotary Cancer Hospital (BRAIRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Sarita Kumari
- Laboratory Oncology Unit, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar-Insitute Rotary Cancer Hospital (BRAIRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Mohit Arora
- Department of Biochemistry, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - Deepak Verma
- Laboratory Oncology Unit, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar-Insitute Rotary Cancer Hospital (BRAIRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | | | - Rajive Kumar
- Department of Pathology, Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, Patna, India
| | | | | | | | - M Shadab Ali
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - Amar Ranjan
- Laboratory Oncology Unit, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar-Insitute Rotary Cancer Hospital (BRAIRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | - Pranay Tanwar
- Laboratory Oncology Unit, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar-Insitute Rotary Cancer Hospital (BRAIRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
| | | | - Archna Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - Anita Chopra
- Laboratory Oncology Unit, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar-Insitute Rotary Cancer Hospital (BRAIRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India
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12
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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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13
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Cha YJ, Koo JS. Expression of EMP1, EMP2, and EMP3 in breast phyllodes tumors. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238466. [PMID: 32857809 PMCID: PMC7454950 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Phyllodes tumors (PTs) are biphasic tumors accounting for 0.3–1.5% of all breast tumors. Epithelial membrane proteins (EMPs) have been reported in various malignant tumors but their expression in PTs is unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of EMP1, EMP2, and EMP3 in breast phyllodes tumors (PTs), and to investigate their clinical implications. Methods In total, 185 PTs were used for constructing a tissue microarray. Immunohistochemical staining for EMP1, EMP2, and EMP3 was performed, and the results were analyzed along with the clinicopathologic parameters. Results In total, 185 PTs were included in this study, and comprised 138 benign, 32 borderline, and 15 malignant PTs. In malignant PTs, the epithelial component showed decreased expression of EMP1 (P = 0.027), EMP2 (P = 0.004), and EMP3 (P = 0.032), compared to the benign and borderline PTs. Conversely, stromal component of borderline and malignant PTs showed higher expression of EMP1 (P = 0.027), EMP2 (P = 0.004), and EMP3 (P = 0.032) compared to benign PTs. Expression of EMP1 and EMP3 correlated positively with stromal cellularity and cellular atypia (P < 0.001). In the univariate analysis, stromal EMP3 was associated with shorter disease-free survival (P < 0.001), and shorter overall survival (P = 0.034). Conclusion The expression of EMP1, EMP2, and EMP3 is decreased in the epithelial component and is increased in the stromal component of PT with higher histologic grade. Thus, stromal EMP3 expression may serve as an independent prognostic factor in PT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon Jin Cha
- Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ja Seung Koo
- Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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14
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Zhang G, Fan E, Yue G, Zhong Q, Shuai Y, Wu M, Feng G, Chen Q, Gou X. Five genes as a novel signature for predicting the prognosis of patients with laryngeal cancer. J Cell Biochem 2020; 121:3804-3813. [PMID: 31674080 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.29535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we purpose to investigate a novel five-gene signature for predicting the prognosis of patients with laryngeal cancer. The laryngeal cancer datasets were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Both univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to screening for prognostic differential expressed genes (DEGs), and a novel gene signature was obtained. The performance of this Cox regression model was tested by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC). Further survival analysis for each of the five genes was carried out through the Kaplan-Meier curve and Log-rank test. Totally, 622 DEGs were screened from the TCGA datasets in this study. We construct a five-gene signature through Cox survival analysis. Patients were divided into low- and high-risk groups depending on the median risk score, and a significant difference of the 5-year overall survival was found between these two groups (P < .05). ROC curves verified that this five-gene signature had good performance to predict the prognosis of laryngeal cancer (AUC = 0.862, P < .05). In conclusion, the five-gene signature consist of EMP1, HOXB9, DPY19L2P1, MMP1, and KLHDC7B might be applied as an independent prognosis predictor of laryngeal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guihai Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Erxi Fan
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Guojun Yue
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Qiuyue Zhong
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Yu Shuai
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Mingna Wu
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Guangyong Feng
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Qiying Chen
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Xiaoxia Gou
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China
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15
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Cha YJ, Koo JS. Expression and Role of Epithelial Membrane Proteins in Tumorigenesis of Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer. J Breast Cancer 2020; 23:385-397. [PMID: 32908789 PMCID: PMC7462814 DOI: 10.4048/jbc.2020.23.e42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Studies on the expression of epithelial membrane proteins (EMPs) in breast cancer have been rare and limited. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of EMP1, EMP2, and EMP3 in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast, and investigate their clinical implications. Methods In total, 418 IDC cases were collected, and specimens were used to construct a tissue microarray. Immunohistochemical staining of EMP1, EMP2, and EMP3 was performed and the results were analyzed in combination with the clinical data. Results EMP1 was expressed in > 90% of all IDC subtypes. A decreased expression of EMP2 and EMP3 was observed in triple-negative breast cancer. EMP3 expression was independently associated with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity. HER2-negative cases exhibited a decreased EMP2 expression along with a higher histological grade and an increased proliferative index. No significant difference was found in the overall survival or disease-free survival based on the EMP expression. In HER2-negative breast cancer, EMP2 expression inversely correlated with the histological grade and proliferative index. Conclusion EMP2 may be involved in the early stage of tumor development in hormone-positive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon Jin Cha
- Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ja Seung Koo
- Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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16
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Wang M, Liu T, Hu X, Yin A, Liu J, Wang X. EMP1 promotes the malignant progression of osteosarcoma through the IRX2/MMP9 axis. Panminerva Med 2020; 62:150-154. [PMID: 32716150 DOI: 10.23736/s0031-0808.20.03913-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated that EMP1 is an oncogene. In this paper, we aim to uncover the role of EMP1 in stimulating the malignant progression of osteosarcoma (OS) by the IRX2/MMP9 axis. METHODS EMP1 levels in 49 OS tissues and adjacent ones were detected. Potential correlation between EMP1 level and clinical data of OS patients was determined. Migratory and invasive abilities in SaOS-2 and U2OS cells influenced by EMP1 were examined by Transwell and wound healing assay. The involvement of IRX2 in OS cell metastasis regulated by EMP1 was finally explored. RESULTS EMP1 was upregulated in OS tissues than those of normal ones. Higher rates of lymphatic metastasis and distant metastasis were found in OS patients expressing higher level of EMP1, who suffered a worse prognosis. Knockdown of EMP1 inhibited migratory and invasive abilities in OS cells. Protein levels of IRX2 and MMP9 were upregulated after overexpression of EMP1. Rescue experiments verified that IRX2 was involved in EMP1-regulated malignant progression of OS. CONCLUSIONS EMP1 is upregulated in OS tissues and closely linked to lymphatic metastasis and distant metastasis. It stimulates the malignant progression of OS through the IRX2/MMP9 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfa Wang
- Department of Four Branches of Bone, Juxian People's Hospital, Rizhao, China
| | - Tianyu Liu
- Department of Four Branches of Bone, Juxian People's Hospital, Rizhao, China
| | - Xiaowei Hu
- Department of Two Branches of Bone, Juxian People's Hospital, Rizhao, China
| | - Aicong Yin
- Department of Oncology, Juxian People's Hospital, Rizhao, China
| | - Jingmin Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Construction and Detection in Tissue Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoge Wang
- Department of Two Branches of Bone, Juxian People's Hospital, Rizhao, China -
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17
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Lin B, Zhang T, Ye X, Yang H. High expression of EMP1 predicts a poor prognosis and correlates with immune infiltrates in bladder urothelial carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:2840-2854. [PMID: 32782602 PMCID: PMC7400100 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) is a key gene that regulates cell proliferation and metastatic capability in various types of cancer, and serves an important role in tumor-immune interactions. However, the association between EMP1 and clinical prognosis, as well as the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) remains unclear. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between EMP1 expression and tumor immune cell infiltration in BLCA. In the present study, EMP1 expression in BLCA was analyzed using the Oncomine database, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). The effects of EMP1 on clinical prognosis were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier plotter and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis. The correlations between EMP1, cancer immune infiltrates and lymphocyte abundance were determined using the TIMER and Tumor immune system interaction database. In addition, correlations between EMP1 expression and gene markers in immune infiltrates were analyzed using cBioportal. The results demonstrated that, compared with adjacent normal tissues, EMP1 was downregulated in BLCA tissues. High expression of EMP1 was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) in BLCA cases obtained from TCGA. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that EMP1 was an independent predictor of OS in patients with BLCA. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that EMP1 was associated with cancer-related pathways and was positively correlated with the levels of infiltrating CD8+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils and dendritic cells in BLCA. Further analysis demonstrated that EMP1 was significantly associated with the enrichment of multiple types of lymphocyte. EMP1 expression exhibited a strong correlation with a range of immune markers in BLCA. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that EMP1 was associated with a poor prognosis in patients with BLCA, and that the levels of immune infiltration and multiple immunomarker groups were associated with EMP1 expression. These results suggested that EMP1 may be used as a predictive biomarker to determine the prognosis and immune infiltration in BLCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Lin
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Tianwen Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Xin Ye
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
| | - Hongyu Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, P.R. China
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Ahmat Amin MKB, Shimizu A, Ogita H. The Pivotal Roles of the Epithelial Membrane Protein Family in Cancer Invasiveness and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1620. [PMID: 31652725 PMCID: PMC6893843 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11111620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The members of the family of epithelial membrane proteins (EMPs), EMP1, EMP2, and EMP3, possess four putative transmembrane domain structures and are composed of approximately 160 amino acid residues. EMPs are encoded by the growth arrest-specific 3 (GAS3)/peripheral myelin protein 22 kDa (PMP22) gene family. The GAS3/PMP22 family members play roles in cell migration, growth, and differentiation. Evidence indicates an association of these molecules with cancer progression and metastasis. Each EMP has pro- and anti-metastatic functions that are likely involved in the complex mechanisms of cancer progression. We have recently demonstrated that the upregulation of EMP1 expression facilitates cancer cell migration and invasion through the activation of a small GTPase, Rac1. The inoculation of prostate cancer cells overexpressing EMP1 into nude mice leads to metastasis to the lymph nodes and lungs, indicating that EMP1 contributes to metastasis. Pro-metastatic properties of EMP2 and EMP3 have also been proposed. Thus, targeting EMPs may provide new insights into their clinical utility. Here, we highlight the important aspects of EMPs in cancer biology, particularly invasiveness and metastasis, and describe recent therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Khusni B Ahmat Amin
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
- Translational Research Unit, Department of International Collaborative Research, Molecular Neuroscience Research Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
| | - Akio Shimizu
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
| | - Hisakazu Ogita
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu 520-2192, Japan.
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Busch M, Klein S, Große-Kreul J, Scheiner O, Metz K, Stephan H, Dünker N. p53, miR-34a and EMP1-Newly Identified Targets of TFF3 Signaling in Y79 Retinoblastoma Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20174129. [PMID: 31450568 PMCID: PMC6747266 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20174129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Trefoil factor family peptide 3 (TFF3) is supposed to have tumor suppressive functions in retinoblastoma (RB), but the functional pathway is not completely understood. In the study presented, we investigated the downstream pathway of TFF3 signaling in Y79 RB cells. Results from pG13-luciferase reporter assays and western blot analyses indicate induced p53 activity with an upregulation of miR-34a after TFF3 overexpression. Expression levels of the predicted miR-34a target epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) are reduced after TFF3 overexpression. As revealed by WST-1 assay, BrdU, and DAPI cell counts viability and proliferation of Y79 cells significantly decrease following EMP1 knockdown, while apoptosis levels significantly increase. Opposite effects on Y79 cells’ growth could be shown after EMP1 overexpression. Caspase assays showed that EMP1 induced apoptosis after overexpression is at least partially caspase-3/7 dependent. Colony formation and soft agarose assays, testing for anchorage independent growth, revealed that EMP1 overexpressing Y79 cells have a significantly higher ability to form colonies. In in ovo chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays inoculated EMP1 overexpressing Y79 cells form significantly larger CAM tumors. Moreover, miR-34a overexpression increases sensitivity of Y79 cells towards RB chemotherapeutics, however, without involvement of EMP1. In summary, the TFF3 signaling pathway in Y79 RB cells involves the activation of p53 with downstream induction of miR-34a and subsequent inhibition of EMP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maike Busch
- Institute of Anatomy II, Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany.
| | - Stefan Klein
- Institute of Anatomy II, Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Jan Große-Kreul
- Institute of Anatomy II, Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Oliver Scheiner
- Institute of Anatomy II, Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Klaus Metz
- Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Harald Stephan
- Division of Haematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
| | - Nicole Dünker
- Institute of Anatomy II, Department of Neuroanatomy, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45122 Essen, Germany
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Miao L, Jiang Z, Wang J, Yang N, Qi Q, Zhou W, Feng Z, Li W, Zhang Q, Huang B, Chen A, Zhang D, Zhao P, Li X. Epithelial membrane protein 1 promotes glioblastoma progression through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Oncol Rep 2019; 42:605-614. [PMID: 31233190 PMCID: PMC6609345 DOI: 10.3892/or.2019.7204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant intracranial tumor. Although the affected patients are usually treated with surgery combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the median survival time for GBM patients is still approximately 12–14 months. Identifying the key molecular mechanisms and targets of GBM development may therefore lead to the development of improved therapies for GBM patients. In the present study, the clinical significance and potential function of epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) in malignant gliomas were investigated. Increased EMP1 expression was associated with increasing tumor grade (P<0.001) and worse prognosis in patients (P<0.001) based on TCGA, Rembrandt and CGGA databases for human gliomas. In vitro, gene silencing of EMP1 in U87MG and P3 GBM (primary glioma) cells significantly inhibited tumor proliferation and invasion. In addition, it was revealed that activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is the driving force of EMP1-promoted glioma progression. Finally, it was demonstrated, using an intracranial GBM animal model, that EMP1 knockdown significantly inhibits tumor growth in vivo and increases overall survival in tumor-bearing animals. Our research provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying EMP1 knockdown-mediated inhibition of GBM cell invasion and raises the possibility that targeting of EMP1 may represent a promising strategy for the treatment of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifeng Miao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Zheng Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Jiwei Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Ning Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Qichao Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Wenjing Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Zichao Feng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Wenjie Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Bin Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Anjing Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Di Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Xingang Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University and Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Remodeling, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
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21
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Wang J, Li X, Wu H, Wang H, Yao L, Deng Z, Zhou Y. EMP1 regulates cell proliferation, migration, and stemness in gliomas through PI3K-AKT signaling and CD44. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:17142-17150. [PMID: 31111534 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.28974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an intracranial tumor; the feature is higher malignant and poorer prognosis. The search for therapeutic targets for gliomas has always been a focus of research in the field of neurology. The unusual expression of epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) has been proved in most tumors. In our study, we determined the expression level of EMP1 expression in glioma tissues. There were higher levels of EMP1 in glioma tissues-particularly GBM tissues-than those in normal brain tissues. Then we discovered that silencing EMP1 inhibited glioma cell invasion and proliferation through inhibiting the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Subsequently, we investigated the function of EMP1 on glioma stem cells and found that it regulates the expression of CD44 in such cells to promote stemness. Taken together, the new strategies for the treatment of glioma may be provided by these finding, thereby improving the prognosis associated with it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Changshu No. 2 People's Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuetao Li
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haibin Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lin Yao
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhitong Deng
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Youxin Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Ahmat Amin MKB, Shimizu A, Zankov DP, Sato A, Kurita S, Ito M, Maeda T, Yoshida T, Sakaue T, Higashiyama S, Kawauchi A, Ogita H. Epithelial membrane protein 1 promotes tumor metastasis by enhancing cell migration via copine-III and Rac1. Oncogene 2018; 37:5416-5434. [PMID: 29867202 PMCID: PMC6172191 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0286-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 04/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Tumor metastasis is the most common cause of cancer death. Elucidation of the mechanism of tumor metastasis is therefore important in the development of novel, effective anti-cancer therapies to reduce cancer mortality. Interaction between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment is a key factor in tumor metastasis. Using a co-culture assay system with human prostate cancer LNCaP cells and primary human prostate stromal cells, we identified epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) as a gene with elevated expression in the cancer cells. The orthotopic injection of LNCaP cells overexpressing EMP1 (EMP1-LNCaP cells) into the prostate of nude mice induced lymph node and lung metastases, while that of control LNCaP cells did not. EMP1-LNCaP cells had higher cell motility and Rac1 activity than control LNCaP cells. These results were also observed in other lines of cancer cells. We newly identified copine-III as an intracellular binding partner of EMP1. Knockdown of copine-III attenuated the increased cell motility and Rac1 activity in EMP1-LNCaP cells. Reduced cell motility and Rac1 activity following knockdown of copine-III in EMP1-LNCaP cells were recovered by re-expression of wild-type copine-III, but not of a copine-III mutant incapable of interacting with EMP1, suggesting the importance of the EMP1–copine-III interaction. Phosphorylated and activated Src and a Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vav2 were found to be involved in the EMP1-induced enhancement of cell motility and Rac1 activation. Moreover, EMP1 was highly expressed in prostate cancer samples obtained from patients with higher Gleason score. These results demonstrate that upregulation of EMP1 significantly increases cancer cell migration that leads to tumor metastasis, suggesting that EMP1 may play an essential role as a positive regulator of tumor metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Khusni B Ahmat Amin
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Akio Shimizu
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Dimitar P Zankov
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Akira Sato
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Souichi Kurita
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Masami Ito
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Toshinaga Maeda
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Yoshida
- Department of Urology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Sakaue
- Division of Cell Growth and Tumor Regulation, Proteo-Science Center (PROS), Ehime University, Toon, Japan.,Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan
| | - Shigeki Higashiyama
- Division of Cell Growth and Tumor Regulation, Proteo-Science Center (PROS), Ehime University, Toon, Japan.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan
| | - Akihiro Kawauchi
- Department of Urology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Hisakazu Ogita
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
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Liu C, Wei X, Li F, Wang L, Ruan X, Jia J, Zhang X. The Prognostic Value of Epithelial Membrane Protein 1 (EMP-1) in Patients with Laryngeal Carcinoma. Med Sci Monit 2017; 23:3795-3800. [PMID: 28779068 PMCID: PMC5555703 DOI: 10.12659/msm.901161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the present study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP-1) gene in patients diagnosed with laryngeal carcinoma (LC). Material/Methods Patients who were pathologically diagnosed with LC were enrolled in the present study. The expression levels of EMP-1 in tumor tissues and corresponding normal tissues collected from the LC patients were detected by semi-reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (semi-RT-PCR). Chi-square analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between EMP-1 expression level and clinical characteristics. Survival analysis for the study population was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method with log rank test. Additionally, Cox regression model was applied to evaluate the prognostic value of EMP-1 in LC patients. Results 106 LC patients, including 55 men and 51 women, were enrolled in the present study. Semi-RT-PCR demonstrated that the expression level of EMP-1 was decreased in tumor tissues, compared with adjacent normal tissues (p<0.001). Moreover, the level was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, histological grade, and clinical stage (p<0.05 for all). In addition, low levels of EMP-1 was significantly correlated with poor survival rate (log rank test, p=0.020). Cox regression analysis indicated that EMP-1 was an independent marker for LC prognosis (HR=2.755, 95% CI=1.123–6.760, p=0.027). Conclusions The abnormal expression of EMP-1 may be associated with progression of LC and the gene may act as a prognostic marker for LC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Army General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China (mainland)
| | - Xiaojun Wei
- Department of General Surgery, The Army General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China (mainland)
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Head of Health, The Army General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China (mainland)
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Army General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China (mainland)
| | - Xinjian Ruan
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Army General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China (mainland)
| | - Jia Jia
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Army General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China (mainland)
| | - Xia Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Army General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China (mainland)
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Wang YW, Cheng HL, Ding YR, Chou LH, Chow NH. EMP1, EMP 2, and EMP3 as novel therapeutic targets in human cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2017; 1868:199-211. [PMID: 28408326 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The epithelial membrane protein genes 1, 2, and 3 (EMP1, EMP2, and EMP3) belong to the peripheral myelin protein 22-kDa (PMP22) gene family, which consists of at least seven members: PMP22, EMP1, EMP2, EMP3, PERP, brain cell membrane protein 1, and MP20. This review addresses the structural and functional features of EMPs, detailing their tissue distribution and functions in the human body, their expression pattern in a variety of tumors, and highlighting the underlying mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis. The implications in cancer biology, patient prognosis prediction, and potential application in disease therapy are discussed. For example, EMP1 was reported to be a biomarker of gefitinib resistance in lung cancer and contributes to prednisolone resistance in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. EMP2 functions as an oncogene in human endometrial and ovarian cancers; however, characteristics of EMP2 in urothelial cancer fulfill the criteria of a suppressor gene. Of particular interest, EMP3 overexpression in breast cancer is significantly related to strong HER-2 expression. Co-expression of HER-2 and EMP3 is the most important indicator of progression-free and metastasis-free survival for patients with urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. Altogether, discovery of pharmacological inhibitors and/or regulators of EMP protein activity could open novel strategies for enhanced therapy against EMP-mediated human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Wen Wang
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Ling Cheng
- National Cheng Kung University, College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Rou Ding
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Lien-Hsuan Chou
- School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nan-Haw Chow
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
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25
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Li H, Zhang X, Jiang X, Ji X. The expression and function of epithelial membrane protein 1 in laryngeal carcinoma. Int J Oncol 2016; 50:141-148. [PMID: 27909719 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2016.3782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we compared the expression of epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) on the steady-state mRNA level (by quantitative real-time PCR) and on the protein level (by western immunoblot and immunohistochemistry) in 51 pairs of laryngeal carcinoma tissues and matched cancer-free peritumor tissues, and we analyzed the correlation between EMP1 expression and different clinicopathological factors. Furthermore, we ectopically expressed EMP1 in human laryngeal carcinoma Hep-2 cells and examined the effects on cell viability, apoptosis, colonogenicity, and motility, by MTT assay, flow cytometry, colony formation assay and Transwell migration assay, respectively. EMP1 expression (on both the mRNA and protein levels) was significantly lower in the cancer tissues than in matched peritumor tissues (P<0.05). In laryngeal cancers, the level of EMP1 protein was correlated with histological grade (P<0.05), but not with age, gender, clinical stage, cancer subtype or lymph node metastasis (P>0.05). Functionally, ectopic expression of EMP1 in Hep-2 cells significantly reduced cell viability, colony formation, and migration, but enhanced apoptosis. Therefore, EMP1 is a tumor suppressor in laryngeal carcinoma. Boosting EMP1 expression in laryngeal carcinoma initiates multiple anticancer phenotypes and thus presents a promising therapeutic strategy for laryngeal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, P.R. China
| | - Xiaowen Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Teaching and Learning Office, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, P.R. China
| | - Xuejun Jiang
- Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Xu Ji
- Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
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26
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Xiaohua D, Jun Z, Huiru Z, Xiaoli L, Yanni L, Guanhua W, Yan Y. [Construction of epithelial membrane protein 1 eukaryotic expression vector and its influence on migration and invasion of human oral tongue squamous carcinoma cells]. HUA XI KOU QIANG YI XUE ZA ZHI = HUAXI KOUQIANG YIXUE ZAZHI = WEST CHINA JOURNAL OF STOMATOLOGY 2016; 34:398-403. [PMID: 28317360 DOI: 10.7518/hxkq.2016.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to construct a eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-N1-EMP1 of epithelial mem-brane protein 1 (EMP1) and investigate its influence on migration and invasion of human oral tongue squamous carcinoma cells. METHODS The human EMP1 gene was amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and then ligated into the pEGFP-N1 vector by double restriction endonuclease digestion to construct pEGFP-N1-EMP1 recombinant plasmid. After sequencing identification, pEGFP-N1-EMP1 recombinant plasmid and pEGFP-N1 plasmid were transfected into human oral tongue squamous carcinoma Tb3.1 cell line. The expression of green fluorescent protein in cells was observed after transfection using an inverted fluorescence microscope. The overexpression of EMP1 mRNA was identified at 24, 48, and 72 h after transfection by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The effect of EMP1 overexpression on migration and invasion of Tb3.1 cells was detected by Transwell assay. RESULTS The full-length EMP1 gene sequence was successfully obtained. Sequence analysis showed that the EMP1 gene was inserted into the pEGFP-N1 vector correctly. Green fluorescence was observed in the transfected cells under fluorescence microscopy. The results of real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction indicated that the expression of EMP1 at 24 h after pEGFP-N1-EMP1 transfection was significantly higher than the other groups. Transwell assays indicated that overexpression of the EMP1 gene could significantly inhibit the migration and invasion ability of Tb3.1 cells. CONCLUSIONS The eukaryotic expression vector of EMP1 was successfully constructed, and EMP1 overexpression was confirmed to inhibit the migration and inva-sion of oral tongue squamous carcinoma cells in vitro. This study laid a foundation for further investigation on the influence of the EMP1 gene on the metastasis of oral tongue squamous carcinoma and its molecular mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dai Xiaohua
- Research Center, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin 300041, China
| | - Zhang Jun
- Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin 300041, China
| | - Zou Huiru
- Research Center, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin 300041, China
| | - Lian Xiaoli
- Research Center, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin 300041, China
| | - Li Yanni
- Research Center, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin 300041, China
| | - Wang Guanhua
- Research Center, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin 300041, China
| | - Yan Yan
- Research Center, Tianjin Stomatological Hospital, Stomatological Hospital of Nankai University, Tianjin 300041, China
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27
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Prognostic significance of Livin expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy. Cancer Radiother 2016; 20:384-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canrad.2016.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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28
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Lian YF, Yuan J, Cui Q, Feng QS, Xu M, Bei JX, Zeng YX, Feng L. Upregulation of KLHDC4 Predicts a Poor Prognosis in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0152820. [PMID: 27030985 PMCID: PMC4816273 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Kelch proteins are implicated in the pathogenesis of many human diseases, including cancer. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare malignancy in most countries, but prevalent in southern China and certain areas of Southeast Asia. In this study, we identified Kelch Domain Containing 4 (KLHDC4), an orphan member of the kelch repeat superfamily, as a prognosis marker for NPC. We examined the expression of KLHDC4 in 168 NPC cases by immunohistochemical staining and found a substantially higher level of KLHDC4 in NPC biopsies compared to adjacent normal nasopharyngeal mucosa. KLHDC4 expression was significantly related to the T classification (P <0.05), N classification (P <0.05) and total staging (P <0.01) in NPC, and patients with higher KLHDC4 expression had poorer overall (P <0.01) and metastasis-free survival (P <0.05) rates. Knockout (KO) of KLHDC4 via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing in NPC cell line dramatically inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation in soft agar and tumor formation in nude mice. In addition, cell migration and invasion were also impaired by KLHDC4 depletion as revealed by wound healing and Transwell assay. Mechanically, loss of KLHDC4 markedly induced spontaneous apoptosis in NPC cells, as evidenced by increased levels of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP. Consistently, KLHDC4 knockout cell-derived xenografts also showed elevated cleaved caspase-3 and PARP but reduced Ki-67 staining. In conclusion, our results suggest that KLHDC4 promotes NPC oncogenesis by suppressing cellular apoptosis. Thus, KLHDC4 may serve as a prognosis biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Fan Lian
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Cui
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi-Sheng Feng
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Miao Xu
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin-Xin Bei
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Xin Zeng
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Beijing Hospital, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (LF); (YXZ)
| | - Lin Feng
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (LF); (YXZ)
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Demirag GG, Kefeli M, Kemal Y, Yucel I. Epithelial membrane protein 1 expression in ovarian serous tumors. Oncol Lett 2016; 11:2140-2144. [PMID: 26998138 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2016.4202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to analyze the clinical significance of epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) expression in ovarian serous tumors. A total of 84 cases of ovarian serous tumor (50 patients with malignant ovarian serous tumors and 34 patients with borderline and benign serous tumors) were retrospectively analyzed. Differences in the expression levels of EMP1 between the malignant and non-malignant tumor groups were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. In addition, the association between EMP1 expression and prognostic factors in malignant ovarian serous tumors was investigated. The expression levels of EMP1 were significantly reduced in all the 50 malignant ovarian serous tumors, compared with the 34 non-malignant ovarian serous tumors (P<0.000). Reduced expression of EMP1 was correlated with high grade (P=0.009) and stage (P<0.000) of malignant tumors. EMP1 expression was not observed to be correlated with any other investigated parameters, including surgery, type of operation and chemotherapy response (P>0.005). These results indicated that EMP1 may have a significant role as a negative regulator in ovarian serous tumors, and reduced EMP1 expression in serous tumors may be associated with increased disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guzin Gonullu Demirag
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun 53139, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Kefeli
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun 53139, Turkey
| | - Yasemin Kemal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun 53139, Turkey
| | - Idris Yucel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun 53139, Turkey
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30
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XU SHAN, ZHAO NING, HUI LIAN, SONG MIN, MIAO ZIWEI, JIANG XUEJUN. MicroRNA-124-3p inhibits the growth and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by targeting STAT3. Oncol Rep 2015; 35:1385-94. [DOI: 10.3892/or.2015.4524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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31
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Li D, Li XI, Wang A, Meisgen F, Pivarcsi A, Sonkoly E, Ståhle M, Landén NX. MicroRNA-31 Promotes Skin Wound Healing by Enhancing Keratinocyte Proliferation and Migration. J Invest Dermatol 2015; 135:1676-1685. [PMID: 25685928 DOI: 10.1038/jid.2015.48] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Revised: 02/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Wound healing is a basic biological process restoring the integrity of the skin. The role of microRNAs during this process remains largely unexplored. By using an in vivo human skin wound healing model, we show here that the expression of miR-31 is gradually upregulated in wound edge keratinocytes in the inflammatory (1 day after injury) through the proliferative phase (7 days after injury) in comparison with intact skin. In human primary keratinocytes, overexpression of miR-31 promoted cell proliferation and migration, whereas inhibition of miR-31 had the opposite effects. Moreover, we identified epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP-1) as a direct target of miR-31 in keratinocytes. The expression of EMP-1 in the skin was negatively correlated with the level of miR-31 during wound healing. Silencing of EMP-1 mimicked the effects of overexpression of miR-31 on keratinocyte proliferation and migration, indicating that EMP-1 is a critical target mediating the functions of miR-31 in keratinocytes. Finally, we demonstrated that transforming growth factor-β2, which is highly expressed in skin wounds, upregulated miR-31 expression in keratinocytes. Collectively, we identify miR-31 as a key regulator for promoting keratinocyte proliferation and migration during wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongqing Li
- Molecular Dermatology Research Group, Unit of Dermatology and Venereology, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - X I Li
- Molecular Dermatology Research Group, Unit of Dermatology and Venereology, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Aoxue Wang
- Molecular Dermatology Research Group, Unit of Dermatology and Venereology, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Dermatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Florian Meisgen
- Molecular Dermatology Research Group, Unit of Dermatology and Venereology, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andor Pivarcsi
- Molecular Dermatology Research Group, Unit of Dermatology and Venereology, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Enikö Sonkoly
- Molecular Dermatology Research Group, Unit of Dermatology and Venereology, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mona Ståhle
- Molecular Dermatology Research Group, Unit of Dermatology and Venereology, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ning Xu Landén
- Molecular Dermatology Research Group, Unit of Dermatology and Venereology, Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Durgan J, Tao G, Walters MS, Florey O, Schmidt A, Arbelaez V, Rosen N, Crystal RG, Hall A. SOS1 and Ras regulate epithelial tight junction formation in the human airway through EMP1. EMBO Rep 2015; 16:87-96. [PMID: 25394671 PMCID: PMC4304732 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201439218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Revised: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The human airway is lined with respiratory epithelial cells, which create a critical barrier through the formation of apical tight junctions. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this process, an RNAi screen for guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) was performed in human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE). We report that SOS1, acting through the Ras/MEK/ERK pathway, is essential for tight junction formation. Global microarray analysis identifies epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1), an integral tetraspan membrane protein, as a major transcriptional target. EMP1 is indispensable for tight junction formation and function in 16HBE cells and in a human airway basal progenitor-like cell line (BCi-NS1.1). Furthermore, EMP1 is significantly downregulated in human lung cancers. Together, these data identify important roles for SOS1/Ras and EMP1 in tight junction assembly during airway morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Durgan
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guangbo Tao
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew S Walters
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Oliver Florey
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anja Schmidt
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Vanessa Arbelaez
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Neal Rosen
- Molecular Pharmacology & Chemistry Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ronald G Crystal
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alan Hall
- Cell Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
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