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Geißert R, Lammert A, Wirth S, Hönig R, Lohfink D, Unger M, Pek D, Schlüter K, Scheftschik T, Smit DJ, Jücker M, Menke A, Giehl K. K-Ras(V12) differentially affects the three Akt isoforms in lung and pancreatic carcinoma cells and upregulates E-cadherin and NCAM via Akt3. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:85. [PMID: 38291468 PMCID: PMC10826106 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01484-2] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
K-Ras is the most frequently mutated Ras variant in pancreatic, colon and non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma. Activating mutations in K-Ras result in increased amounts of active Ras-GTP and subsequently a hyperactivation of effector proteins and downstream signaling pathways. Here, we demonstrate that oncogenic K-Ras(V12) regulates tumor cell migration by activating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3-K)/Akt pathway and induces the expression of E-cadherin and neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) by upregulation of Akt3. In vitro interaction and co-precipitation assays identified PI3-Kα as a bona fide effector of active K-Ras4B but not of H-Ras or N-Ras, resulting in enhanced Akt phosphorylation. Moreover, K-Ras(V12)-induced PI3-K/Akt activation enhanced migration in all analyzed cell lines. Interestingly, Western blot analyses with Akt isoform-specific antibodies as well as qPCR studies revealed, that the amount and the activity of Akt3 was markedly increased whereas the amount of Akt1 and Akt2 was downregulated in EGFP-K-Ras(V12)-expressing cell clones. To investigate the functional role of each Akt isoform and a possible crosstalk of the isoforms in more detail, each isoform was stably depleted in PANC-1 pancreatic and H23 lung carcinoma cells. Akt3, the least expressed Akt isoform in most cell lines, is especially upregulated and active in Akt2-depleted cells. Since expression of EGFP-K-Ras(V12) reduced E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion by induction of polysialylated NCAM, Akt3 was analyzed as regulator of E-cadherin and NCAM. Western blot analyses revealed pronounced reduction of E-cadherin and NCAM in the Akt3-kd cells, whereas Akt1 and Akt2 depletion upregulated E-cadherin, especially in H23 lung carcinoma cells. In summary, we identified oncogenic K-Ras4B as a key regulator of PI3-Kα-Akt signaling and Akt3 as a crucial regulator of K-Ras4B-induced modulation of E-cadherin and NCAM expression and localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekka Geißert
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine IV, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Angela Lammert
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine IV, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Wirth
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine IV, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Rabea Hönig
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine IV, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Dirk Lohfink
- Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Internal Medicine IV, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Monika Unger
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Ulm, D-89069, Ulm, Germany
| | - Denis Pek
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Ulm, D-89069, Ulm, Germany
| | - Konstantin Schlüter
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine IV, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Theresa Scheftschik
- Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Internal Medicine IV, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Daniel J Smit
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Manfred Jücker
- Institute of Biochemistry and Signal Transduction, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andre Menke
- Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Internal Medicine IV, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Klaudia Giehl
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine IV, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392, Giessen, Germany.
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Guo Y, Xu H, Huang M, Ruan Y. BLM promotes malignancy in PCa by inducing KRAS expression and RhoA suppression via its interaction with HDGF and activation of MAPK/ERK pathway. J Cell Commun Signal 2023; 17:757-772. [PMID: 36574142 PMCID: PMC10409945 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-022-00717-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) has long been the leading cause of cancer-associated deaths among male worldwide. Our previous studies have shown that Bloom syndrome protein (BLM) plays a vital role in PCa proliferation, yet the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely obscure. Mechanistically, BLM directly interacted with hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF). Functionally, BLM and HDGF knockdown resulted in the higher impairment of PC3 proliferation, clonogenicity, migration and invasion than that their counterpart with either BLM or HDGF knockdown exclusively. Of note, HDGF overexpression expedited, whereas its knockdown suppressed, PC3 proliferation, clonogenicity, migration and invasion. Additionally, the potentiation or attenuation was partially antagonized upon BLM depletion or overexpression. In line with the vitro data, the impact of BLM and HDGF on tumor growth was investigated in mouse xenograft models. ChIP-seq, dual-luciferase reporter and western blotting assays were employed to expound the regulatory network in PC3 cells. The results unveiled that HDGF activated KRAS and suppressed RhoA transcription, and that the function of HDGF was mediated, in part, by interaction with BLM. Accordingly, the MAPK/ERK pathway was activated. Moreover, the regulation of HDGF on KRAS and RhoA had a signal crosstalk. To recapitulate, BLM and HDGF may serve as novel prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets in PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingchu Guo
- Department of Biomedicine, Medical College, Guizhou University, No. 2708, Huaxi Road South, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Houqiang Xu
- Department of Biomedicine, Medical College, Guizhou University, No. 2708, Huaxi Road South, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China.
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
- College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
| | - Mengqiu Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Yong Ruan
- Department of Biomedicine, Medical College, Guizhou University, No. 2708, Huaxi Road South, Huaxi District, Guiyang, 550025, Guizhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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Kumar S, Singh SK, Srivastava P, Suresh S, Rana B, Rana A. Interplay between MAP kinases and tumor microenvironment: Opportunity for immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer. Adv Cancer Res 2023. [PMID: 37268394 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), commonly called pancreatic cancer, is aggressive cancer usually detected at a late stage, limiting treatment options with modest clinical responses. It is projected that by 2030, PDAC will be the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Drug resistance in PDAC is common and significantly affects patients' overall survival (OS). Oncogenic KRAS mutations are nearly uniform in PDAC, affecting over 90% of patients. However, effective drugs directed to target prevalent KRAS mutants in pancreatic cancer are not in clinical practice. Accordingly, efforts are continued on identifying alternative druggable target(s) or approaches to improve patient outcomes with PDAC. In most PDAC cases, the KRAS mutations turn-on the RAF-MEK-MAPK pathways, leading to pancreatic tumorigenesis. The MAPK signaling cascade (MAP4K→MAP3K→MAP2K→MAPK) plays a central role in the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment (TME) and chemotherapy resistance. The immunosuppressive pancreatic cancer TME is another unfavorable factor affecting the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The immune checkpoint proteins (ICPs), including CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2, are critical players in T cell dysfunction and pancreatic tumor cell growth. Here, we review the activation of MAPKs, a molecular trait of KRAS mutations and their impact on pancreatic cancer TME, chemoresistance, and expression of ICPs that could influence the clinical outcomes in PDAC patients. Therefore, understanding the interplay between MAPK pathways and TME could help to design rational therapy combining immunotherapy and MAPK inhibitors for pancreatic cancer treatment.
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Stieglitz F, Gerhard R, Hönig R, Giehl K, Pich A. TcdB of Clostridioides difficile Mediates RAS-Dependent Necrosis in Epithelial Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084258. [PMID: 35457076 PMCID: PMC9024770 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the most common nosocomial infection worldwide. The main virulence factors of pathogenic C. difficile are TcdA and TcdB, which inhibit small Rho-GTPases. The inhibition of small Rho-GTPases leads to the so-called cytopathic effect, a reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, an impairment of the colon epithelium barrier function and inflammation. Additionally, TcdB induces a necrotic cell death termed pyknosis in vitro independently from its glucosyltransferases, which are characterized by chromatin condensation and ROS production. To understand the underlying mechanism of this pyknotic effect, we conducted a large-scale phosphoproteomic study. We included the analysis of alterations in the phosphoproteome after treatment with TcdA, which was investigated for the first time. TcdA exhibited no glucosyltransferase-independent necrotic effect and was, thus, a good control to elucidate the underlying mechanism of the glucosyltransferase-independent effect of TcdB. We found RAS to be a central upstream regulator of the glucosyltransferase-independent effect of TcdB. The inhibition of RAS led to a 68% reduction in necrosis. Further analysis revealed apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3) as a possible crucial factor of CDI-induced inflammation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Stieglitz
- Institute of Toxicology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.S.); (R.G.)
- Core Facility Proteomics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ralf Gerhard
- Institute of Toxicology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.S.); (R.G.)
| | - Rabea Hönig
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine V, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (R.H.); (K.G.)
| | - Klaudia Giehl
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine V, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (R.H.); (K.G.)
| | - Andreas Pich
- Institute of Toxicology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (F.S.); (R.G.)
- Core Facility Proteomics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-532-2808; Fax: +49-511-532-2879
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Traub B, Roth A, Kornmann M, Knippschild U, Bischof J. Stress-activated kinases as therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:4963-4984. [PMID: 34497429 PMCID: PMC8384741 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i30.4963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is a dismal disease with high incidence and poor survival rates. With the aim to improve overall survival of pancreatic cancer patients, new therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. Protein kinases are key regulatory players in basically all stages of development, maintaining physiologic functions but also being involved in pathogenic processes. c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and p38 kinases, representatives of the mitogen-activated protein kinases, as well as the casein kinase 1 (CK1) family of protein kinases are important mediators of adequate response to cellular stress following inflammatory and metabolic stressors, DNA damage, and others. In their physiologic roles, they are responsible for the regulation of cell cycle progression, cell proliferation and differentiation, and apoptosis. Dysregulation of the underlying pathways consequently has been identified in various cancer types, including pancreatic cancer. Pharmacological targeting of those pathways has been the field of interest for several years. While success in earlier studies was limited due to lacking specificity and off-target effects, more recent improvements in small molecule inhibitor design against stress-activated protein kinases and their use in combination therapies have shown promising in vitro results. Consequently, targeting of JNK, p38, and CK1 protein kinase family members may actually be of particular interest in the field of precision medicine in patients with highly deregulated kinase pathways related to these kinases. However, further studies are warranted, especially involving in vivo investigation and clinical trials, in order to advance inhibition of stress-activated kinases to the field of translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benno Traub
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Aileen Roth
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Marko Kornmann
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Uwe Knippschild
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Joachim Bischof
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm 89081, Germany
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Seiz JR, Klinke J, Scharlibbe L, Lohfink D, Heipel M, Ungefroren H, Giehl K, Menke A. Different signaling and functionality of Rac1 and Rac1b in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma. Biol Chem 2021; 401:517-531. [PMID: 31811797 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2019-0329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Rac1 is a ubiquitously expressed Rho GTPase and an important regulator of the actin cytoskeleton. Its splice variant Rac1b exhibits a 19-amino acid (aa) in-frame insertion and is predominantly active. Both proteins were described in tumorigenesis or metastasis. We investigated the contribution of Rac1 and Rac1b to tumor progression of human non-small-cell lung adenocarcinoma (NSCLA). Rac1 protein was present in 8/8 NSCLA cell lines analyzed, whereas Rac1b was expressed in only 6/8. In wound-healing assays, enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-Rac1 slightly decreased cell migration, whereas proliferation was increased in both, Rac1- and Rac1b-expressing cells. In the in vivo chorioallantoic invasion model, EGFP-Rac1-expressing cells formed more invasive tumors compared to EGFP-Rac1b. This increased invasiveness correlated with enhanced phosphorylation of p38α, AKT and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), and activation of serum response- and Smad-dependent gene promoters by Rac1. In contrast, Rac1b solely activated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) JNK2, together with TCF/LEF1- and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB)-responsive gene reporters. Rac1b, as Rac1, phosphorylated p38α, AKT and GSK3β. Knockdown of the splicing factor epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1), which mediates out-splicing of exon 3b from Rac1 pre-messenger RNA, resulted in increased Rac1b messenger RNA (mRNA) and suppression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated transcription factor ZEB1. Our data demonstrate different signaling and functional activities of Rac1 and Rac1b and an important role for Rac1 in lung cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia R Seiz
- Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Internal Medicine, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Johannes Klinke
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Laura Scharlibbe
- Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Internal Medicine, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Dirk Lohfink
- Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Internal Medicine, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Marisa Heipel
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Hendrik Ungefroren
- First Department of Medicine, UKSH, Campus Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Klaudia Giehl
- Signal Transduction of Cellular Motility, Internal Medicine, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Andre Menke
- Molecular Oncology of Solid Tumors, Science Unit for Basic and Clinical Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Aulweg 128, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
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Galectin-8 binds to the Farnesylated C-terminus of K-Ras4B and Modifies Ras/ERK Signaling and Migration in Pancreatic and Lung Carcinoma Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 12:cancers12010030. [PMID: 31861875 PMCID: PMC7017085 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12010030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
K-Ras is the most prominent driver of oncogenesis and no effective K-Ras inhibitors have been established despite decades of intensive research. Identifying new K-Ras-binding proteins and their interaction domains offers the opportunity for defining new approaches in tackling oncogenic K-Ras. We have identified Galectin-8 as a novel, direct binding protein for K-Ras4B by mass spectrometry analyses and protein interaction studies. Galectin-8 is a tandem-repeat Galectin and it is widely expressed in lung and pancreatic carcinoma cells. siRNA-mediated depletion of Galectin-8 resulted in increased K-Ras4B content and ERK1/2 activity in lung and pancreatic carcinoma cells. Moreover, cell migration and cell proliferation were inhibited by the depletion of Galectin-8. The K-Ras4B–Galectin-8 interaction is indispensably associated with the farnesylation of K-Ras4B. The lysine-rich polybasic domain (PBD), a region that is unique for K-Ras4B as compared to H- and N-Ras, stabilizes the interaction and accounts for the specificity. Binding assays with the deletion mutants of Galectin-8, comprising either of the two carbohydrate recognition domains (CRD), revealed that K-Ras4B only interacts with the N-CRD, but not with the C-CRD. Structural modeling uncovers a potential binding pocket for the hydrophobic farnesyl chain of K-Ras4B and a cluster of negatively charged amino acids for interaction with the positively charged lysine residues in the N-CRD. Our results demonstrate that Galectin-8 is a new binding partner for K-Ras4B and it interacts via the N-CRD with the farnesylated PBD of K-Ras, thereby modulating the K-Ras effector pathways as well as cell proliferation and migration.
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Wen SY, Cheng SY, Ng SC, Aneja R, Chen CJ, Huang CY, Kuo WW. Roles of p38α and p38β mitogen‑activated protein kinase isoforms in human malignant melanoma A375 cells. Int J Mol Med 2019; 44:2123-2132. [PMID: 31661126 PMCID: PMC6844598 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2019.4383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Melanoma accounts for ~5% of skin cancers but causes the large majority of skin cancer‑related deaths. Recent discoveries have shown that the mitogen‑activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway is critical for melanoma development and progression. Many oncogenic pathways that cause melanoma tumorigenesis have been identified, most of which are due to RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) pathway activation. However, the precise role of p38 remains unclear. Using specific short hairpin (sh) RNA to silence p38α and p38β, the present findings demonstrated that p38α was a crucial factor in regulating cell migration in the A375 melanoma cell line. Silencing p38α downregulated the expression of epithelial‑mesenchymal transition markers, such as matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 2, MMP9, twist family bHLH transcription factor 1, snail family transcriptional repressor 1 and vimentin, while mesenchymal‑epithelial transition markers, such as E‑cadherin, were upregulated. Of note, the results also demonstrated that p38α silencing impaired vascular endothelial growth factor expression, which regulates tumor angiogenesis. Furthermore, p38α knockdown inhibited cell proliferation in melanoma cells. In addition, silencing p38α induced senescence‑like features, but not cell cycle arrest. Expression of the senescence markers p16, p21, p53 and β‑galactosidase was upregulated, and an increase in the number of senescence‑associated β‑galactosidase‑positive cells was observed in a p38α knockdown stable clone. However, no significant difference was found between control and p38β stable knockdown cells. Taken together, the present results suggested that p38α knockdown impaired migration and proliferation, and increased senescence, in A375 melanoma cells. However, p38β may not be involved in melanoma tumorigenesis. Therefore, targeting p38α may be a valuable approach towards inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis in patients with melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Ying Wen
- Department of Dermatology, Taipei City Hospital, Renai Branch, Taipei 106
- Department of Health Care Management, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei 112
| | - Shi-Yann Cheng
- Department of Medical Education and Research and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical University Beigang Hospital, Yunlin 65152
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, China Medical University
| | - Shang-Chuan Ng
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biopharmaceutical and Food Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan, R.O.C.
| | - Ritu Aneja
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Chih-Jung Chen
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital
| | - Chih-Yang Huang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 404
- Cardiovascular and Mitochondrial Related Disease Research Center, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation
- Center of General Education, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, Hualien 970
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 404
- Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung 413, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Wei-Wen Kuo
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biopharmaceutical and Food Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan, R.O.C.
- Correspondence to: Professor Wei-Wen Kuo, Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biopharmaceutical and Food Sciences, China Medical University, 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 404, Taiwan, R.O.C., E-mail:
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Chang CC, Huang KH, Hsu SP, Lee YCG, Sue YM, Juan SH. Simvastatin reduces the carcinogenic effect of 3-methylcholanthrene in renal epithelial cells through histone deacetylase 1 inhibition and RhoA reactivation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4606. [PMID: 30872677 PMCID: PMC6418087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40757-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic effects of simvastatin for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are controversial. In this study, the effects of simvastatin on the carcinogenic properties of 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC; an aryl-hydrocarbon receptor [AhR] agonist) in human renal epithelial cells (hRECs) were investigated. We exposed in vitro and in vivo models to 3MC to induce RCC onset. 3MC upregulated the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor biomarkers; the models exhibited the reciprocal expression of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and RhoA, namely increased HDAC1 and decreased RhoA expression, through hypoxia-inducible-factor (HIF)- and AhR-dependent mechanisms. In addition to inducing EMT biomarkers, 3MC decreased von Hippel-Lindau protein levels (a risk factor for RCC) and increased CD44 expression in hRECs, which were reversed by digoxin (a HIF inhibitor) and HDAC inhibitors (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid and trichostatin A [TSA]). Simvastatin abolished the detrimental effects of 3MC by reducing HDAC1 expression, with resulting RhoA upregulation, and reactivating RhoA in vitro and in vivo. Notably, the protective effects of simvastatin were negated by an HDAC activator (ITSA) through TSA suppression. The crucial role of RhoA in RCC carcinogenesis was verified by the overexpression of constitutively active RhoA. Collectively, these results demonstrate that simvastatin restores RhoA function through HDAC1 inhibition; therefore, simvastatin might serve as adjunct therapy for RCC induced by 3MC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Cheng Chang
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-How Huang
- National Taiwan University Hospital; Department of Urology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University; and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sung-Po Hsu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Chii G Lee
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yuh-Mou Sue
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Hui Juan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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10
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Liang Y, Wang S, Zhang Y. Downregulation of Dock1 and Elmo1 suppresses the migration and invasion of triple-negative breast cancer epithelial cells through the RhoA/Rac1 pathway. Oncol Lett 2018; 16:3481-3488. [PMID: 30127952 PMCID: PMC6096110 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2018.9077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dedicator of cytokinesis 1 (Dock1), a guanine nucleotide exchange factor, has been proven to facilitate cell survival, motility and proliferation via the activation of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1). Engulfment and cell motility 1 (Elmo1) serves as a mammalian homolog of Ced-12, which has been evolutionarily conserved from worm to human. The present study aimed to investigate the roles and mechanisms of Dock1 and Elmo1 in the migration and invasion of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) epithelial cells. Cell Counting kit-8, cell migration and cell invasion assays were performed to assess cell viability, migration and invasion, respectively. A plate clone formation assay was performed to determine cell proliferation. Western blot analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays were used to evaluate mRNA and protein expression. The results revealed that the downregulation of Dock1 and Elmo1 inhibited cell viability, suppressed migration and invasion, and reduced Rac1 activity in MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, downregulation of Dock1 and Elmo1 also attenuated the expression of migration-associated proteins and affected the Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA)/Rac1 pathway in MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that the downregulation of Dock1 and Elmo1 suppresses the migration and invasion of TNBC epithelial cells through the RhoA/Rac1 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyang Liang
- Breast Disease Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China
| | - Shushu Wang
- Breast Disease Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Breast Disease Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, P.R. China
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11
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Aasrum M, Thoresen GH, Christoffersen T, Brusevold IJ. p38 differentially regulates ERK, p21, and mitogenic signalling in two pancreatic carcinoma cell lines. J Cell Commun Signal 2018; 12:699-707. [PMID: 29380233 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-017-0444-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Whereas the p38 MAP kinase has largely been associated with anti-proliferative functions, several observations have indicated that it may also have positive effects on proliferation. In hepatocytes, we have found that p38 has opposing effects on DNA synthesis when activated by EGF and HGF. Here we have studied the function of p38 in EGF- and HGF-induced DNA synthesis in the two pancreatic carcinoma cell lines AsPC-1 and Panc-1. In Panc-1 cells, the MEK inhibitor PD98059 reduced EGF- and HGF-induced DNA synthesis, while the p38 inhibitor SB203580 strongly increased the basal DNA synthesis and reduced expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI) p21. In contrast, in AsPC-1 cells, EGF- and HGF-induced DNA synthesis was not significantly reduced by PD98059 but was inhibited by SB203580. Treatment with SB203580 amplified the sustained ERK phosphorylation induced by these growth factors and caused a marked upregulation of the expression of p21, which could be blocked by PD98059. These results suggest that while DNA synthesis in Panc-1 cells is enhanced by ERK and strongly suppressed by p38, in AsPC-1 cells, p38 exerts a pro-mitogenic effect through MEK/ERK-dependent downregulation of p21. Thus, p38 may have suppressive or stimulatory effects on proliferation depending on the cell type, due to differential cross-talk between the p38 and MEK/ERK pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Aasrum
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1057, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway.
| | - G Hege Thoresen
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1057, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Thoralf Christoffersen
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1057, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingvild J Brusevold
- Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Behavioural Science, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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12
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Chen J, Zhao T, Jia S, Zhou S, Zhou L, Wang S, Ding G, Jiang G, Cao L. High Expression of P38α and Preoperative Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 Indicate Poor Prognosis in Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. J Cancer 2018; 9:650-659. [PMID: 29556322 PMCID: PMC5858486 DOI: 10.7150/jca.21683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: P38α is a ubiquitous protein kinase, which plays diverse roles in cancers. Surprisingly, P38α functions vary markedly in different cancers (e.g., cancer suppressor vs cancer promoter). However, there is no report on the expression of P38α, the family's most important member, in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and its association with clinicoathological parameters and patients' prognosis. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed 152 patients who underwent surgery and were pathologically diagnosed with PDAC from September 2013 to September 2015. We used immunohistochemistry to detect P38α expression in tumor and adjacent normal tissues. The significance of the association between P38α and clinicopathological parameters was evaluated using the χ² test and t tests. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess the association between P38α expression and preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels and patients' overall survival. The Cox regression model was used to analyze the association between clinicopathological parameters, P38α and preoperative CA19-9 levels, and prognosis. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. Results: P38α was expressed in 63.16% tumor tissues of PDAC, which was significantly higher compared with the adjacent normal tissues (26.32%, P < 0.001). High expression of P38α was associated with patients' histological grade (P = 0.013), lymphatic metastasis (P = 0.025) and TNM stage (P = 0.048). The median survival time of the P38α-high group was 9.2 months, which was shorter compared with that of the P38α-low group (17.3 months, P = 0.011). The median survival time of the CA19-9 > 43.63 group was 11.1 months shorter than that of the CA19-9 < 43.63 group (24.8 months, P < 0.001). The Cox regression model revealed that age (P = 0.003), lymphatic invasion (P = 0.015), TNM stage (P = 0.003), histological grade (P < 0.001), preoperative CA19-9 (P = 0.049), and P38α expression (P = 0.008) were statistically significant independent risk factors affecting prognosis. Specifically, overall survival was 28.4 months in the P38α-low and CA19-9 < 43.63 groups, 16.3 months in the P38α-high or CA19-9 > 43.63 groups, and 9.7 months in the P38α-high and CA19-9 > 43.63 groups (P < 0.001). Conclusions: High expression of P38α was significantly associated with histological grade, lymphatic metastasis, TNM stage and prognosis in patients with PDAC. P38α and preoperative CA19-9 levels were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of PDAC patients. High expression of p38α and preoperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 indicate poor prognosis in patients with PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jionghuang Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shengnan Jia
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Senhao Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liangjing Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shaowen Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guoping Ding
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guixing Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liping Cao
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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13
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Liu W, Wang J, Wang L, Qian C, Qian Y, Xuan H, Zhuo W, Li X, Yu J, Si J. Ras-association domain family 10 acts as a novel tumor suppressor through modulating MMP2 in hepatocarcinoma. Oncogenesis 2016; 5:e237. [PMID: 27348267 PMCID: PMC4945738 DOI: 10.1038/oncsis.2016.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Revised: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ras-Association Domain Family 10 (RASSF10) is the last identified member of the RASSF family. The functional characteristics of this new gene in human cancers remain largely unclear. Here, we examined RASSF10 for the biological functions and related molecular mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We found that RASSF10 is expressed in normal human liver tissue, but is silenced or down-regulated in 62.5% (5/8) of HCC cell lines. The mean expression level of RASSF10 was significantly lower in primary HCCs compared with their adjacent normal tissues (P<0.005, n=52). The promoter methylation contributes to the inactivation of RASSF10 as demonstrated by bisulfite genomic sequencing and demethylation treatment analyses. Transgenic expression of RASSF10 in silenced HCC cell lines suppressed cell viability, colony formation and inhibited tumor growth in nude mice (QGY7703, P<0.01; HepG2, P<0.05). Furthermore, RASSF10 was shown to induce the cell accumulation in G1 phase with the increase of p27, as well as the decrease of cyclinD1 and CDK2/CDK4. Over-expression of RASSF10 also inhibited HCC cells migration (P<0.01) or invasion (P<0.05). Adhesion genes array revealed that Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) was a downstream effector of RASSF10. RASSF10 acting as a tumor suppressor to inhibit HCC invasion partially mediated by Focal Adhesion Kinase or p38 MAPK to decrease the accumulation of MMP2. Our study suggests that RASSF10 acts as a tumor suppressor for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - J Wang
- Postgraduate at Institute of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University; The First People's Hospital of Xiaoshan, Hangzhou, China
| | - L Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - C Qian
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Y Qian
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - H Xuan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - W Zhuo
- Institute of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - X Li
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - J Yu
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - J Si
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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14
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Fujita M, Yamada S, Imai T. Irradiation induces diverse changes in invasive potential in cancer cell lines. Semin Cancer Biol 2015; 35:45-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2015.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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15
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Zhao R, Liu K, Huang Z, Wang J, Pan Y, Huang Y, Deng X, Liu J, Qin C, Cheng G, Hua L, Li J, Yin C. Genetic Variants in Caveolin-1 and RhoA/ROCK1 Are Associated with Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Risk in a Chinese Population. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128771. [PMID: 26066055 PMCID: PMC4467078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The RhoA/ROCK pathway and Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) participate in the process of tumorigenesis in numerous types of cancer. Up-regulation of RhoA/ROCK and Cav-1 expression is considered to be associated with the development and progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We investigated the association between genetic variations of RhoA/ROCK and Cav-1 and the risk of ccRCC in the Chinese population. Methods Between May 2004 and March 2014, a total of 1,248 clear cell renal cell carcinoma cases and 1,440 cancer-free controls were enrolled in this hospital-based case-control study. Nine SNPs in RhoA/ROCK and Cav-1 were genotyped using the TaqMan assay. Result We found two SNPs (Cav-1 rs1049334 and ROCK1 rs35996865) were significantly associated with the increasing risk of ccRCC (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001 respectively). The analysis of combined risk alleles revealed that patients with 2–4 risk alleles showed a more remarkable growth of ccRCC risk than the patients with 0–1 risk alleles(OR = 1.66, 95%CI = 1.31–2.11, P < 0.001). Younger subjects (P = 0.001, OR = 1.83, 95%CI = 1.30–2.57), higher weight subjects (P = 0.001, OR = 1.76, 95%CI = 1.25–2.47), female subjects (P = 0.007, OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.17–2.62), nonsmokers (P < 0.001, OR = 1.67, 95%CI = 1.26–2.23), drinkers (P = 0.025, OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.07–2.85), subjects with hypertension (P = 0.025, OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.07–2.85) and diabetes (P = 0.026, OR = 4.31, 95% CI = 1.19–15.62) showed a stronger association between the combined risk alleles and the risk of ccRCC by using the stratification analysis. Furthermore, we observed higher Cav-1 mRNA levels in the presence of the rs1049334 A allele in normal renal tissues. Conclusion Our results indicate that the two SNPs (Cav-1 rs1049334 and ROCK1 rs35996865) and genotypes with a combination of 2–4 risk alleles were associated with the risk of ccRCC. The functional SNP rs1049334 may affect the risk of ccRCC by altering the expression of Cav-1 and the relevance between the risk effects and the functional impact of this polymorphism needs further validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruizhe Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Kang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Zhengkai Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yongsheng Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Xiaheng Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Jinliang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Chao Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Gong Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Lixin Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
- * E-mail: (LH); (JL)
| | - Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
- * E-mail: (LH); (JL)
| | - Changjun Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
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16
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Gong J, Lv L, Huo J. Roles of F-box proteins in human digestive system tumors (Review). Int J Oncol 2014; 45:2199-207. [PMID: 25270675 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2014.2684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
F-box proteins (FBPs), the substrate-recognition subunit of E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligase, are the important components of Ub proteasome system (UPS). FBPs are involved in multiple cellular processes through ubiquitylation and subsequent degradation of their target proteins. Many studies have described the roles of FBPs in human cancers. Digestive system tumors account for a large proportion of all the tumors, and their mortality is very high. This review summarizes for the first time the roles of FBPs in digestive system tumorige-nesis and tumor progression, aiming at finding new routes for the rational design of targeted anticancer therapies in digestive system tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Gong
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China
| | - Liang Lv
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China
| | - Jirong Huo
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China
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17
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Cui XP, Qin CK, Zhang ZH, Su ZX, Liu X, Wang SK, Tian XS. HOXA10 promotes cell invasion and MMP-3 expression via TGFβ2-mediated activation of the p38 MAPK pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. Dig Dis Sci 2014; 59:1442-51. [PMID: 24464212 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-014-3033-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND HOXA10 is closely related to tumor progression in many human cancers. However, the role of HOXA10 in pancreatic cancer remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the involvement of HOXA10 in pancreatic cancer cell invasion and migration. METHODS The effect of HOXA10 on the invasion and migration of pancreatic cancer cells was assessed by invasion and migration assays. The protein of transforming growth factor beta-2 (TGFβ2) was neutralized by TGFβ2 blocking antibody. The activation of p38 was inhibited by SB239063. RESULTS HOXA10 could promote the invasion and migration of pancreatic cancer cells. Knockdown of HOXA10 decreased the expressions of TGFβ2 and matrix metallopeptidase-3 (MMP-3) and suppressed the activation of p38. Conversely, overexpression of HOXA10 increased the levels of TGFβ2 and MMP-3. Further experiments identified that TGFβ2 contributed to the HOXA10-promoted invasion and migration and regulated MMP-3 expression and p38 activation. Additionally, inhibition of p38 suppressed cell invasion and MMP-3 expression in pancreatic cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS HOXA10 promotes cell invasion and MMP-3 expression of pancreatic cancer cells via TGFβ2-p38 MAPK pathway. Thus, HOXA10 could be a useful target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Ping Cui
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 324 Jing Wu Road, Jinan, 250021, China,
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18
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Zhong Y, Naito Y, Cope L, Naranjo-Suarez S, Saunders T, Hong SM, Goggins MG, Herman JM, Wolfgang CL, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA. Functional p38 MAPK identified by biomarker profiling of pancreatic cancer restrains growth through JNK inhibition and correlates with improved survival. Clin Cancer Res 2014; 20:6200-11. [PMID: 24963048 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-13-2823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Numerous biomarkers for pancreatic cancer have been reported. We determined the extent to which such biomarkers are expressed throughout metastatic progression, including those that effectively predict biologic behavior. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Biomarker profiling was performed for 35 oncoproteins in matched primary and metastatic pancreatic cancer tissues from 36 rapid autopsy patients. Proteins of significance were validated by immunolabeling in an independent sample set, and functional studies were performed in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS Most biomarkers were similarly expressed or lost in expression in most samples analyzed, and the matched primary and metastases from a specific patient were most similar to each other than to other patients. However, a subset of proteins showed extensive interpatient heterogeneity, one of which was p38 MAPK. Strong positive pp38 MAPK immunolabeling was significantly correlated with improved postresection survival by multivariate analysis (median overall survival 27.9 months, P = 0.041). In pancreatic cancer cells, inhibition of functional p38 by SB202190 increased cell proliferation in vitro in both low-serum and low-oxygen conditions. High functional p38 activity in vitro corresponded to lower levels of pJNK protein expression, and p38 inhibition resulted in increased pJNK and pMKK7 by Western blot analysis. Moreover, JNK inhibition by SP600125 or MKK7 siRNA knockdown antagonized the effects of p38 inhibition by SB202190. In vivo, SP600125 significantly decreased growth rates of xenografts with high p38 activity compared with those without p38 expression. CONCLUSIONS Functional p38 MAPK activity contributes to overall survival through JNK signaling, thus providing a rationale for JNK inhibition in pancreatic cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhong
- Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Yoshiki Naito
- Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland. Department of Pathology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Leslie Cope
- Department of Oncology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Salvador Naranjo-Suarez
- Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Tyler Saunders
- Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Seung-Mo Hong
- Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland. Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Michael G Goggins
- Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland. Department of Oncology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland. Department of Medicine, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Joseph M Herman
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christopher L Wolfgang
- Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland. Department of Surgery, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christine A Iacobuzio-Donahue
- Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland. Department of Oncology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland. Department of Surgery, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland.
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Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) mediate a wide variety of cellular behaviors in response to extracellular stimuli. One of the main subgroups, the p38 MAP kinases, has been implicated in a wide range of complex biologic processes, such as cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cell death, cell migration, and invasion. Dysregulation of p38 MAPK levels in patients are associated with advanced stages and short survival in cancer patients (e.g., prostate, breast, bladder, liver, and lung cancer). p38 MAPK plays a dual role as a regulator of cell death, and it can either mediate cell survival or cell death depending not only on the type of stimulus but also in a cell type specific manner. In addition to modulating cell survival, an essential role of p38 MAPK in modulation of cell migration and invasion offers a distinct opportunity to target this pathway with respect to tumor metastasis. The specific function of p38 MAPK appears to depend not only on the cell type but also on the stimuli and/or the isoform that is activated. p38 MAPK signaling pathway is activated in response to diverse stimuli and mediates its function by components downstream of p38. Extrapolation of the knowledge gained from laboratory findings is essential to address the clinical significance of p38 MAPK signaling pathways. The goal of this review is to provide an overview on recent progress made in defining the functions of p38 MAPK pathways with respect to solid tumor biology and generate testable hypothesis with respect to the role of p38 MAPK as an attractive target for intervention of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hari K Koul
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA ; Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, Shreveport, LA, USA ; Veterans Administration Medical Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Mantu Pal
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA ; Veterans Administration Medical Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Sweaty Koul
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, Shreveport, LA, USA ; Department of Urology, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA
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Kapus A, Janmey P. Plasma membrane--cortical cytoskeleton interactions: a cell biology approach with biophysical considerations. Compr Physiol 2013; 3:1231-81. [PMID: 23897686 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c120015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
From a biophysical standpoint, the interface between the cell membrane and the cytoskeleton is an intriguing site where a "two-dimensional fluid" interacts with an exceedingly complex three-dimensional protein meshwork. The membrane is a key regulator of the cytoskeleton, which not only provides docking sites for cytoskeletal elements through transmembrane proteins, lipid binding-based, and electrostatic interactions, but also serves as the source of the signaling events and molecules that control cytoskeletal organization and remolding. Conversely, the cytoskeleton is a key determinant of the biophysical and biochemical properties of the membrane, including its shape, tension, movement, composition, as well as the mobility, partitioning, and recycling of its constituents. From a cell biological standpoint, the membrane-cytoskeleton interplay underlies--as a central executor and/or regulator--a multitude of complex processes including chemical and mechanical signal transduction, motility/migration, endo-/exo-/phagocytosis, and other forms of membrane traffic, cell-cell, and cell-matrix adhesion. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the tight structural and functional coupling between the membrane and the cytoskeleton. As biophysical approaches, both theoretical and experimental, proved to be instrumental for our understanding of the membrane/cytoskeleton interplay, this review will "oscillate" between the cell biological phenomena and the corresponding biophysical principles and considerations. After describing the types of connections between the membrane and the cytoskeleton, we will focus on a few key physical parameters and processes (force generation, curvature, tension, and surface charge) and will discuss how these contribute to a variety of fundamental cell biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Kapus
- Keenan Research Center, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital and Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Chew TW, Liu XJ, Liu L, Spitsbergen JM, Gong Z, Low BC. Crosstalk of Ras and Rho: activation of RhoA abates Kras-induced liver tumorigenesis in transgenic zebrafish models. Oncogene 2013; 33:2717-27. [PMID: 23812423 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2013.240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2012] [Revised: 04/22/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
RAS and Rho small GTPases are key molecular switches that control cell dynamics, cell growth and tissue development through their distinct signaling pathways. Although much has been learnt about their individual functions in both cell and animal models, the physiological and pathophysiological consequences of their signaling crosstalk in multi-cellular context in vivo remain largely unknown, especially in liver development and liver tumorigenesis. Furthermore, the roles of RhoA in RAS-mediated transformation and their crosstalk in vitro remain highly controversial. When challenged with carcinogens, zebrafish developed liver cancer that resembles the human liver cancer both molecularly and histopathologically. Capitalizing on the growing importance and relevance of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an alternate cancer model, we have generated liver-specific, Tet-on-inducible transgenic lines expressing oncogenic Kras(G12V), RhoA, constitutively active RhoA(G14V) or dominant-negative RhoA(T19N). Double-transgenic lines expressing Kras(G12V) with one of the three RhoA genes were also generated. Based on quantitative bioimaging and molecular markers for genetic and signaling aberrations, we showed that the induced expression of oncogenic Kras during early development led to liver enlargement and hepatocyte proliferation, associated with elevated Erk phosphorylation, activation of Akt2 and modulation of its two downstream targets, p21Cip and S6 kinase. Such an increase in liver size and Akt2 expression was augmented by dominant-negative RhoA(T19N), but was abrogated by the constitutive-active RhoA(G14V). Consequently, induced expression of the oncogenic Kras in adult transgenic fish led to the development of hepatocellular carcinomas. Survival studies further revealed that the co-expression of dominant-negative RhoA(T19N) with oncogenic Kras increased the mortality rate compared with the other single or double-transgenic lines. This study provides evidence of the previously unappreciated signaling crosstalk between Kras and RhoA in regulating liver overgrowth and liver tumorigenesis. Our results also implicate that activating Rho could be beneficial to suppress the Kras-induced liver malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- T W Chew
- 1] Cell Signaling and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore [2] Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - X J Liu
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - L Liu
- Cell Signaling and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - J M Spitsbergen
- Department of Microbiology and Marine and Freshwater Biomedical Sciences Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Z Gong
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - B C Low
- 1] Cell Signaling and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore [2] Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Zhang Y, Guo Z, Du T, Chen J, Wang W, Xu K, Lin T, Huang H. Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA): a novel modulator of p38 for proliferation, migration, and survival in prostate cancer cells. Prostate 2013; 73:835-41. [PMID: 23255296 DOI: 10.1002/pros.22627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2012] [Accepted: 11/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regulated activation of p38 is crucial for cell proliferation, survival, and metabolism. Our previous studies had showed that prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) can facilitate the proliferation, migration, survival of the LNCaP prostate cancer cell line, but the mechanisms are poorly defined. METHODS Our LNCaP cells had been stably transfected with lentivirus-mediated shRNA for PSMA silencing in previous study. We first testify the efficacy of PSMA knockdown in our LNCaP cell line. Then using this PSMA (-) LNCaP cell line, we compared the expression of PSMA and P-p38 by Western blotting among groups. Furthermore, we also performed immunofluorescence to confirm the change of P-p38 in cells. Then, cell viability and migration were measured by cell counting kit-8 reagent and Transwell analysis respectively. Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate cell survival. RESULTS After silencing the expression of PSMA, the level of the phospho-p38 (P-p38) decreased approximate 40% compared with the blank and NC groups (P < 0.05). When the cells were incubated with SB203582 (p38 inhibitor), the P-p38 in three groups was at low level and no difference among groups (P > 0.05). Then the results of immunofluorescence further proved the relationship between PSMA and P-p38. Decrease of cell viability, migration, and survival was observed upon PSMA silencing. SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK pathway, also reduced proliferation, migration, and survival of LNCaP cells. CONCLUSION These data suggests PSMA may stimulate prostate cancer cells proliferation, migration and survival through p38 MAPK pathway, revealing a novel mechanism for PSMA playing positive role on LNCaP cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Moore HM, Gonzalez ME, Toy KA, Cimino-Mathews A, Argani P, Kleer CG. EZH2 inhibition decreases p38 signaling and suppresses breast cancer motility and metastasis. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2013; 138:741-52. [PMID: 23539298 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-013-2498-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
EZH2 is a Polycomb group protein that exerts oncogenic functions in breast cancer, where its overexpression is associated with metastatic disease. While it reportedly acts a transcriptional repressor through trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 27, EZH2 may exhibit context-dependent activating functions. Despite associations with worse outcome and metastasis in breast cancer, a functional role of EZH2 in breast cancer metastasis in vivo has not been demonstrated. Furthermore, whether EZH2 regulates cancer cell phenotype and motility are unknown. In this study, we discovered that knockdown of EZH2 induces a phenotypic reprogramming from mesenchymal to epithelial, reduces motility, and blocks invasion in breast cancer cell lines. In vivo, EZH2 downregulation in MDA-MB-231 cells decreases spontaneous metastasis to the lungs. We uncover an unexpected role of EZH2 in inducing the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, an important regulator of breast cancer invasion and metastasis. In breast cancer cells, EZH2 binds to phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) in association with other core members of the Polycomb repressive complex 2, EED, and SUZ12, and EZH2 overexpression leads to increased levels of p-p38 and of activated, downstream pathway proteins. The effect on p-p38 was confirmed in vivo, where it correlated with decreased spontaneous metastasis. In clinical specimens of matched primary and invasive breast carcinomas, we found that EZH2 expression was upregulated in 100 % of the metastases, and that EZH2 and p-p38 were coexpressed in 63 % of cases, consistent with the functional results. Together our findings reveal a new mechanism by which EZH2 functions in breast cancer, and provide direct evidence that EZH2 inhibition reduces breast cancer metastasis in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Moore
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Wu KL, Huang EY, Jhu EW, Huang YH, Su WH, Chuang PC, Yang KD. Overexpression of galectin-3 enhances migration of colon cancer cells related to activation of the K-Ras-Raf-Erk1/2 pathway. J Gastroenterol 2013; 48:350-9. [PMID: 23015305 DOI: 10.1007/s00535-012-0663-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2011] [Accepted: 08/07/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Galectin-3 has been independently correlated with malignant behavior in human colon cancer. The involvement of galectin-3 in the invasiveness of colon cancer cells remains to be determined. We investigated whether galectin-3 was involved in the colon cancer cell migration mediated by certain kinase pathways. METHODS We studied 2 colon cancer cell lines (DLD-1 and Caco2) and clinical samples. Immunostaining and Western blotting were used to analyze the expression of galectin-3 in vitro and in the clinical samples. Short hairpin RNA and overexpression of galectin-3 were used to study loss- and gain-of-function in a wound-healing assay and a Transwell migration assay, and Western blotting was used to study the Ras-Raf signaling pathway. RESULTS Galectin-3 was expressed at lower levels in DLD-1 than in Caco2 cells. The lower galectin-3 level in DLD-1 cells was associated with decreased cell migration, in comparison with that of Caco2 cells. Overexpression of galectin-3 increased the migration rate of DLD-1, while knockdown of galectin-3 decreased the migration. Overexpression of galectin-3 was correlated with increased lamellipodia formation and distal lung localization in a mouse model. The galectin-3 enhancement of DLD-1 cell migration was mediated by K-Ras, Raf and Erk1/2 pathway activation, but not the H-Ras, p38, or JNK activation. CONCLUSIONS Galectin-3 plays an important role in regulating colon cancer cell migration and potential distal localization. The galectin-3 enhancement of cell migration is mediated through the K-Ras-Raf-Erk1/2 pathway. Specific targeting of the K-Ras-Raf-Erk1/2 pathway may be useful for treating colon cancers associated with increased galectin-3 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keng-Liang Wu
- Division of Hepatogastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Abstract
Cells from primary tumours need to go through several steps to become fully metastatic. During this process, cancer cells acquire the ability to invade, migrate across the surrounding tissue, enter into the circulation and colonize distant organs. In the present paper, we review recent progress in understanding how the p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signalling pathway participates in the different steps of metastasis. Experimental evidence suggests that tumour cells need to modulate p38 MAPK activity levels to successfully metastasize.
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Alexander S, Friedl P. Cancer invasion and resistance: interconnected processes of disease progression and therapy failure. Trends Mol Med 2012; 18:13-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2011.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2011] [Revised: 10/07/2011] [Accepted: 11/08/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Su WH, Chuang PC, Huang EY, Yang KD. Radiation-induced increase in cell migration and metastatic potential of cervical cancer cells operates via the K-Ras pathway. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2011; 180:862-71. [PMID: 22138581 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2011] [Revised: 09/22/2011] [Accepted: 10/25/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Radiotherapy is a well established treatment for cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide. However, metastasis often circumvents the efficacy of radiotherapy. This study was conducted to elucidate the molecular mechanism of radioresistance-associated metastatic potential of cervical cancer cells. We established three radioresistant cervical cancer cell lines by exposure of cells to a sublethal dose of radiation and screened for lines that exhibited an increased migration phenotype for at least 6 months before undertaking mechanistic studies. Radiation-associated metastatic potential was evaluated using a wound-healing assay, time-lapse recording, and cell locomotion into the lungs of BALB/c nude mice. The radioresistant C33A and CaSki cell lines, but not the radioresistant HeLa cell line, exhibited significantly increased cell migration and wound healing than did wild-type cells. Furthermore, K-Ras played a prometastatic role via the activation of c-Raf/p38, whereas interference of those mediators via either RNA interference-mediated knockdown or the use of chemical inhibitors substantially reversed the radioresistance-associated increase in cell migration. Clinical examination further showed the relative up-regulation of the K-Ras/c-Raf/p38 pathway in locally recurring tumors and distant metastases compared with in the primary cervical tumor. These findings demonstrate that a sublethal dose of radiation can enhance the metastatic potential of human cervical cancer cells via K-Ras/c-Raf/p38 signaling, highlighting the potential development of specific inhibitors for reducing metastatic potential during radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hong Su
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Minjgee M, Toulany M, Kehlbach R, Giehl K, Rodemann HP. K-RAS(V12) Induces Autocrine Production of EGFR Ligands and Mediates Radioresistance Through EGFR-Dependent Akt Signaling and Activation of DNA-PKcs. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2011; 81:1506-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2011.05.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2011] [Revised: 05/06/2011] [Accepted: 05/31/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Eggers JP, Grandgenett PM, Collisson EC, Lewallen ME, Tremayne J, Singh PK, Swanson BJ, Andersen JM, Caffrey TC, High RR, Ouellette M, Hollingsworth MA. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 is amplified and overexpressed in pancreatic cancer and activated by mutant K-Ras. Clin Cancer Res 2011; 17:6140-50. [PMID: 21825040 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-10-2288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the nature of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) hyperactivity in pancreatic cancer progression. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We used genetic, biochemical, and molecular biology methods to investigate the nature and function of overexpression of CDK5 and its activators p35 and p39 during the progression of pancreatic cancer. RESULTS Amplification of the CDK5 gene or either of its main activators, p35 and p39, was observed in 67% of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). CDK5, p35, and p39 were rarely expressed in pancreatic ducts whereas more than 90% of PDACs had increased levels of CDK5 and p35. Increased levels of CDK5, p35, and p39 protein were observed in several pancreatic cancer cell lines. Inhibition of CDK5 kinase activity using a CDK5 dominant-negative mutant or the drug roscovitine significantly decreased the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. Increased CDK5 kinase activity was also observed in immortalized human pancreatic nestin-expressing (HPNE) cells expressing a mutant form of K-Ras (G12D) compared with HPNE cells expressing native K-Ras. G12D K-Ras increased cleavage of p35 to p25, a stable and greater activator of CDK5, thus implicating a role for CDK5 in early progression of PDAC. Inhibition of the signaling cascade downstream of mutant K-Ras (G12D) that involves mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, or CDK5 decreased p25 protein levels. CONCLUSION These results suggest that mutant K-Ras acts in concert with CDK5 and its activators to increase malignant progression, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Eggers
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, USA
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Toulany M, Schickfluss TA, Eicheler W, Kehlbach R, Schittek B, Rodemann HP. Impact of oncogenic K-RAS on YB-1 phosphorylation induced by ionizing radiation. Breast Cancer Res 2011; 13:R28. [PMID: 21392397 PMCID: PMC3219189 DOI: 10.1186/bcr2845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2010] [Revised: 12/27/2010] [Accepted: 03/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Expression of Y-box binding protein-1 (YB-1) is associated with tumor progression and drug resistance. Phosphorylation of YB-1 at serine residue 102 (S102) in response to growth factors is required for its transcriptional activity and is thought to be regulated by cytoplasmic signaling phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathways. These pathways can be activated by growth factors and by exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). So far, however, no studies have been conducted on IR-induced YB-1 phosphorylation. Methods IR-induced YB-1 phosphorylation in K-RAS wild-type (K-RASwt) and K-RAS-mutated (K-RASmt) breast cancer cell lines was investigated. Using pharmacological inhibitors, small interfering RNA (siRNA) and plasmid-based overexpression approaches, we analyzed pathways involved in YB-1 phosphorylation by IR. Using γ-H2AX foci and standard colony formation assays, we investigated the function of YB-1 in repair of IR-induced DNA double-stranded breaks (DNA-DSB) and postirradiation survival was investigated. Results The average level of phosphorylation of YB-1 in the breast cancer cell lines SKBr3, MCF-7, HBL100 and MDA-MB-231 was significantly higher than that in normal cells. Exposure to IR and stimulation with erbB1 ligands resulted in phosphorylation of YB-1 in K-RASwt SKBr3, MCF-7 and HBL100 cells, which was shown to be K-Ras-independent. In contrast, lack of YB-1 phosphorylation after stimulation with either IR or erbB1 ligands was observed in K-RASmt MDA-MB-231 cells. Similarly to MDA-MB-231 cells, YB-1 became constitutively phosphorylated in K-RASwt cells following the overexpression of mutated K-RAS, and its phosphorylation was not further enhanced by IR. Phosphorylation of YB-1 as a result of irradiation or K-RAS mutation was dependent on erbB1 and its downstream pathways, PI3K and MAPK/ERK. In K-RASmt cells K-RAS siRNA as well as YB-1 siRNA blocked repair of DNA-DSB. Likewise, YB-1 siRNA increased radiation sensitivity. Conclusions IR induces YB-1 phosphorylation. YB-1 phosphorylation induced by oncogenic K-Ras or IR enhances repair of DNA-DSB and postirradiation survival via erbB1 downstream PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Toulany
- Division of Radiobiology and Molecular Environmental Research, Department of Radiation Oncology, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Roentgenweg 11, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Xu D, Allsop SA, Witherspoon SM, Snider JL, Yeh JJ, Fiordalisi JJ, White CD, Williams D, Cox AD, Baines AT. The oncogenic kinase Pim-1 is modulated by K-Ras signaling and mediates transformed growth and radioresistance in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Carcinogenesis 2011; 32:488-95. [PMID: 21262926 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgr007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic Pim-1 kinase is upregulated in multiple solid cancers, including human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a highly lethal disease with few useful treatment options. Pim-1 is also transcriptionally induced upon oncogenic K-Ras-mediated transformation of the human pancreatic ductal epithelial (HPDE) cell model of PDAC. Given the near ubiquitous presence of mutant K-Ras in PDAC and its critical role in this disease, we wished to study the effects of oncogenic K-Ras signaling on Pim-1 expression, as well as the role of Pim-1 in growth transformation of PDAC cells. Pim-1 protein levels were upregulated in both PDAC cell lines and patient tumor tissues. Furthermore, ectopic oncogenic K-Ras increased Pim-1 expression in human pancreatic nestin-expressing (HPNE) cells, a distinct immortalized cell model of PDAC. Conversely, shRNA-mediated suppression of oncogenic K-Ras decreased Pim-1 protein in PDAC cell lines. These results indicate that oncogenic K-Ras regulates Pim-1 expression. The kinase activity of Pim-1 is constitutively active. Accordingly, shRNA-mediated suppression of Pim-1 in K-Ras-dependent PDAC cell lines decreased Pim-1 activity, as measured by decreased phosphorylation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bad and increased expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1. Biological consequences of inhibiting Pim-1 expression included decreases in both anchorage-dependent and -independent cell growth, invasion through Matrigel and radioresistance as measured by standard clonogenic assays. These results indicate that Pim-1 is required for PDAC cell growth, invasion and radioresistance downstream of oncogenic K-Ras. Overall, our studies help to elucidate the role of Pim-1 in PDAC growth transformation and validate Pim-1 kinase as a potential molecular marker for mutated K-Ras activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dapeng Xu
- Department of Biology, Cancer Research Program, JLC-Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC 27707, USA
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Xu J, Jin C, Hao S, Luo G, Fu D. Pancreatic cancer: gene therapy approaches and gene delivery systems. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2010; 10:73-88. [PMID: 19857184 DOI: 10.1517/14712590903321454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD Due to the absence of early diagnosis, the highly invasive and metastatic features and the lack of effective therapeutic modalities, the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer is poor. Gene therapy is currently regarded as a potential and promising therapeutic modality for pancreatic cancer. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW This article summarizes an update of gene therapy approaches and reviews the latest progress in gene delivery systems that have been tested on pancreatic cancer. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN The treatment effectiveness of gene combination therapy is better than that of the regulation of single-gene or single gene therapy approaches. Naked DNA is limited because of degradation by intracellular and extracellular nucleases. Virus vectors show high transfection efficiency but are limited due to immunogenicity, inflammatory response and potential carcinogenicity. Non-viral vectors, such as cationic polymers or inorganic nanoparticles, show an important feature that they can be easily modified, and the progress of materials science will provide more and better non-viral vectors, accordingly improving the efficiency and safety of gene therapy, which will make them the most promising vectors for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Xu
- Fudan University, Pancreatic Disease Institution, Huashan Hospital, Department of General Surgery, Shanghai, China
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Hage B, Meinel K, Baum I, Giehl K, Menke A. Rac1 activation inhibits E-cadherin-mediated adherens junctions via binding to IQGAP1 in pancreatic carcinoma cells. Cell Commun Signal 2009; 7:23. [PMID: 19737400 PMCID: PMC2745413 DOI: 10.1186/1478-811x-7-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2009] [Accepted: 09/08/2009] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Monomeric GTPases of the Rho family control a variety of cellular functions including actin cytoskeleton organisation, cell migration and cell adhesion. Defects in these regulatory processes are involved in tumour progression and metastasis. The development of metastatic carcinoma is accompanied by deregulation of adherens junctions, which are composed of E-cadherin/β- and α-catenin complexes. Results Here, we show that the activity of the monomeric GTPase Rac1 contributes to inhibition of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion in pancreatic carcinoma cells. Stable expression of constitutively active Rac1(V12) reduced the amount of E-cadherin on protein level in PANC-1 pancreatic carcinoma cells, whereas expression of dominant negative Rac1(N17) resulted in an increased amount of E-cadherin. Extraction of proteins associated with the actin cytoskeleton as well as coimmunoprecipitation analyses demonstrated markedly decreased amounts of E-cadherin/catenin complexes in Rac1(V12)-expressing cells, but increased amounts of functional E-cadherin/catenin complexes in cells expressing Rac1(N17). Cell aggregation and migration assays revealed, that cells containing less E-cadherin due to expression of Rac1(V12), exhibited reduced cell-cell adhesion and increased cell motility. The Rac/Cdc42 effector protein IQGAP1 has been implicated in regulating cell-cell adhesion. Coimmunoprecipitation studies showed a decrease in the association between IQGAP1 and β-catenin in Rac1(V12)-expressing PANC-1 cells and an association of IQGAP1 with Rac1(V12). Elevated association of IQGAP1 with the E-cadherin adhesion complex via β-catenin correlated with increased intercellular adhesion of PANC-1 cells. Conclusion These results indicate that active Rac1 destabilises E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion in pancreatic carcinoma cells by interacting with IQGAP1 which is associated with a disassembly of E-cadherin-mediated adherens junctions. Inhibition of Rac1 activity induced increased E-cadherin-mediated cellular adhesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrix Hage
- Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
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Abstract
Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members function in a cell context-specific and cell type-specific manner to integrate signals that affect proliferation, differentiation, survival and migration. Consistent with the importance of these events in tumorigenesis, JNK and p38 MAPK signalling is associated with cancers in humans and mice. Studies in mouse models have been essential to better understand how these MAPKs control cancer development, and these models are expected to provide new strategies for the design of improved therapeutic approaches. In this Review we highlight the recent progress made in defining the functions of the JNK and p38 MAPK pathways in different cancers.
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Abstract
Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members function in a cell context-specific and cell type-specific manner to integrate signals that affect proliferation, differentiation, survival and migration. Consistent with the importance of these events in tumorigenesis, JNK and p38 MAPK signalling is associated with cancers in humans and mice. Studies in mouse models have been essential to better understand how these MAPKs control cancer development, and these models are expected to provide new strategies for the design of improved therapeutic approaches. In this Review we highlight the recent progress made in defining the functions of the JNK and p38 MAPK pathways in different cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwin F Wagner
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, C/Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid 28029, Spain.
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Cardone RA, Busco G, Greco MR, Bellizzi A, Accardi R, Cafarelli A, Monterisi S, Carratù P, Casavola V, Paradiso A, Tommasino M, Reshkin SJ. HPV16 E7-dependent transformation activates NHE1 through a PKA-RhoA-induced inhibition of p38alpha. PLoS One 2008; 3:e3529. [PMID: 18953413 PMCID: PMC2568952 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2008] [Accepted: 10/03/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neoplastic transformation originates from a large number of different genetic alterations. Despite this genetic variability, a common phenotype to transformed cells is cellular alkalinization. We have previously shown in human keratinocytes and a cell line in which transformation can be turned on and followed by the inducible expression of the E7 oncogene of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), that intracellular alkalinization is an early and essential physiological event driven by the up-regulation of the Na/+H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) and is necessary for the development of other transformed phenotypes and the in vivo tumor formation in nude mice. Methodology Here, we utilize these model systems to elucidate the dynamic sequence of alterations of the upstream signal transduction systems leading to the transformation-dependent activation of NHE1. Principal Findings We observe that a down-regulation of p38 MAPK activity is a fundamental step in the ability of the oncogene to transform the cell. Further, using pharmacological agents and transient transfections with dominant interfering, constitutively active, phosphorylation negative mutants and siRNA strategy to modify specific upstream signal transduction components that link HPV16 E7 oncogenic signals to up-regulation of the NHE1, we demonstrate that the stimulation of NHE1 activity is driven by an early rise in cellular cAMP resulting in the down-stream inhibition of p38 MAPK via the PKA-dependent phosphorylation of the small G-protein, RhoA, and its subsequent inhibition. Conclusions All together these data significantly improve our knowledge concerning the basic cellular alterations involved in oncogene-driven neoplastic transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa A. Cardone
- Department of General and Environmental Physiology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Busco
- Department of General and Environmental Physiology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Maria R. Greco
- Department of General and Environmental Physiology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonia Bellizzi
- Clinical Experimental Oncology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute Giovanni Paolo II, Bari, Italy
| | - Rosita Accardi
- Infections and Cancer Biology Group, IARC-WHO, Lyon, France
| | - Antonella Cafarelli
- Department of General and Environmental Physiology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Monterisi
- Department of General and Environmental Physiology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Valeria Casavola
- Department of General and Environmental Physiology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Angelo Paradiso
- Clinical Experimental Oncology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute Giovanni Paolo II, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Stephan J. Reshkin
- Department of General and Environmental Physiology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Macias-Perez I, Borza C, Chen X, Yan X, Ibanez R, Mernaugh G, Matrisian LM, Zent R, Pozzi A. Loss of integrin alpha1beta1 ameliorates Kras-induced lung cancer. Cancer Res 2008; 68:6127-35. [PMID: 18676835 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-08-1395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The collagen IV binding receptor integrin alpha1beta1 has been shown to regulate lung cancer due to its proangiogenic properties; however, it is unclear whether this receptor also plays a direct role in promoting primary lung tumors. To investigate this possibility, integrin alpha1-null mice were crossed with KrasLA2 mice that carry an oncogenic mutation of the Kras gene (G12D) and develop spontaneous primary tumors with features of non-small cell lung cancer. We provide evidence that KrasLA2/alpha1-null mice have a decreased incidence of primary lung tumors and longer survival compared with KrasLA2/alpha1 wild-type controls. Tumors from KrasLA2/alpha1-null mice were also smaller, less vascularized, and exhibited reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis, as determined by proliferating cell nuclear antigen and terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end staining, respectively. Moreover, tumors from the KrasLA2/alpha1-null mice showed diminished extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) but enhanced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Primary lung tumor epithelial cells isolated from KrasLA2/alpha1-null mice showed a significant decrease in anchorage-independent colony formation, collagen-mediated cell proliferation, ERK activation, and, most importantly, tumorigenicity when injected into nude mice compared with KrasLA2/alpha1 wild-type tumor cells. These results indicate that loss of the integrin alpha1 subunit decreases the incidence and growth of lung epithelial tumors initiated by oncogenic Kras, suggesting that both Kras and integrin alpha1beta1 cooperate to drive the growth of non-small cell lung cancer in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Macias-Perez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Veterans Affairs Hospital, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
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Eisenberg S, Giehl K, Henis YI, Ehrlich M. Differential interference of chlorpromazine with the membrane interactions of oncogenic K-Ras and its effects on cell growth. J Biol Chem 2008; 283:27279-88. [PMID: 18693247 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m804589200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane anchorage of Ras proteins is important for their signaling and oncogenic potential. K-Ras4B (K-Ras), the Ras isoform most often mutated in human cancers, is the only Ras isoform where a polybasic motif contributes essential electrostatic interactions with the negatively charged cytoplasmic leaflet. Here we studied the effects of the cationic amphiphilic drug chlorpromazine (CPZ) on the membrane association of oncogenic K-Ras(G12V), cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Combining live cell microscopy, FRAP beam size analysis, and cell fractionation studies, we show that CPZ reduces the association of GFP-K-Ras(G12V) with the plasma membrane and increases its exchange between plasma membrane and cytoplasmic pools. These effects appear to depend on electrostatic interactions because the membrane association of another related protein that has a membrane-interacting polybasic cluster (Rac1(G12V)) was also affected, whereas that of H-Ras was not. The weakened association with the plasma membrane led to a higher fraction of GFP-K-Ras(G12V) in the cytoplasm and in internal membranes, accompanied by either cell cycle arrest (PANC-1 cells) or apoptosis (Rat-1 fibroblasts), the latter being in correlation with the targeting of K-Ras(G12V) to mitochondria. In accord with these results, CPZ compromised the transformed phenotype of PANC-1 cells, as indicated by inhibition of cell migration and growth in soft agar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Eisenberg
- Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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Schreiber SC, Giehl K, Kastilan C, Hasel C, Mühlenhoff M, Adler G, Wedlich D, Menke A. Polysialylated NCAM represses E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion in pancreatic tumor cells. Gastroenterology 2008; 134:1555-66. [PMID: 18384787 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2008.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2007] [Accepted: 01/31/2008] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Inhibition of cell-cell adhesion between epithelial cells represents an early step during tumor metastasis. Down-regulation or perturbation of E-cadherin-mediated adherens junctions is an essential requirement in this process. METHODS The interaction between polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) and the E-cadherin adhesion complex was studied by coimmunoprecipitation assays. The presence of PSA-NCAM was correlated with tumor invasion by using cell-cell aggregation and cell migration assays. The importance of polysialic acid (PSA) in the interaction of NCAM with E-cadherin and inhibition of cell-cell adhesion was confirmed by enzymatic removal of PSA from NCAM and down-regulation of PSA-transferases by siRNA. RESULTS Expression of oncogenic K-Ras(V12) in pancreatic carcinoma cells resulted in induction of PSA-NCAM expression and reduced E-cadherin-mediated cellular adhesion. The association of PSA-NCAM with the E-cadherin adhesion complex correlated with decreased cell-cell aggregation and elevated cell migration of pancreatic carcinoma cells. Enzymatic removal of PSA from NCAM or reduction of polysialyltransferase expression led to reduced association between NCAM and E-cadherin and subsequently increased E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell aggregation and reduced cell migration. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest the induction of PSA-NCAM by oncogenic K-Ras as a novel molecular mechanism by which E-cadherin-mediated cellular adhesion is reduced and dissemination of tumor cells is facilitated.
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Atsumi T, Kato K, Uno K, Iijima K, Koike T, Imatani A, Ohara S, Shimosegawa T. Pathophysiological role of the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases in poorly differentiated gastric cancer. Pathol Int 2007; 57:635-44. [PMID: 17803652 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1827.2007.02152.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) contribute to the loss of cell-cell contact and the round cell shape characteristic of poorly differentiated gastric cancer. In the present study it is demonstrated that phospho-p38 MAPK level significantly increased in poorly differentiated gastric cancers in comparison to differentiated cancers and normal gastric mucosa by immunohistochemistry. Next, the pathophysiological roles of p38 MAPK activation were investigated in differentiated gastric cancer cell lines MKN7 and MKN28 and poorly differentiated gastric cancer cell lines KATO-III and MKN45 cells by incubating with specific p38 inhibitor SB203580 or inactivating analog SB202474. The distribution of F-actin on phalloidin staining was identified as fine cytoskeletal filaments in MKN7 and MKN28, but as dense membranous accumulation in KATO-III and MKN45 cells. The treatment with SB203580 but not SB202474 reduced irregular accumulation of F-actin in KATO-III and MKN45 cells. The expression of E-cadherin, ZO-1, occludin and claudin 4 was higher in MKN7 and MKN28 than KATO-III and MKN45 cells. The expression of E-cadherin in KATO-III cells was increased following treatment with SB203580, suggesting the suppression of E-cadherin at the transcriptional level independent of its genetic alterations. Thus, p38 MAPK signaling might contribute to the acquisition of malignant properties in poorly differentiated phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoaki Atsumi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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41
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Ungefroren H, Schniewind B, Groth S, Chen WB, Müerköster SS, Kalthoff H, Fändrich F. Antitumor activity of ALK1 in pancreatic carcinoma cells. Int J Cancer 2007; 120:1641-51. [PMID: 17230504 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.22393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the authors investigated the expression of activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) in pancreatic carcinoma and evaluated its potential role as a tumor suppressor in vitro and in vivo. Endogenous ALK1 expression was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in both pancreatic tumor tissue and peritumoral normal tissue from 6 patients and by RT-PCR in 8/12 established pancreatic cancer cell lines. Ectopic expression of a constitutively active (ca) ALK1 mutant in TGF-beta sensitive PANC-1 and COLO-357 cells augmented transcriptional activation of a Smad2/3 responsive reporter, and slowed down basal growth in vitro. Both effects were further enhanced by TGF-beta/ALK5 stimulation, suggesting largely independent nuclear Smad signaling by both type I receptors. Upon orthotopic transplantation of PANC-1-caALK1 into immunodeficient mice, tumor size was strongly reduced and was associated with a lower microvessel density in the PANC-1-caALK1-derived tumors. In vitro, this mutant efficiently blocked TGF-beta-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transdifferentiation and suppressed TGF-beta/ALK5-mediated activation of the p38 MAPK pathway. Mechanistically, caALK1 silenced MyD118, an immediate TGF-beta target gene whose protein product, GADD45beta, couples Smad signaling to p38 activation. These results show that ALK1 activation in pancreatic tumor cells is antioncogenic by inducing ALK5-independent growth inhibition and by blocking TGF-beta/ALK5-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transdifferentiation and, possibly, invasion and metastatic progression.
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MESH Headings
- Activin Receptors, Type I/genetics
- Activin Receptors, Type I/metabolism
- Adenocarcinoma/genetics
- Adenocarcinoma/therapy
- Animals
- Antigens, Differentiation/metabolism
- Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism
- Cell Differentiation
- Cell Proliferation
- Cells, Cultured
- Epithelial Cells/metabolism
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/physiology
- Genes, Tumor Suppressor/physiology
- Humans
- Immunoblotting
- Immunohistochemistry
- Mesoderm/cytology
- Mesoderm/metabolism
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, SCID
- Nuclear Proteins/metabolism
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/genetics
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/therapy
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Signal Transduction
- Smad Proteins/metabolism
- Transcriptional Activation
- Transfection
- Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism
- p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Ungefroren
- Department of General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery, UKSH, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 7, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
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Castaño J, Solanas G, Casagolda D, Raurell I, Villagrasa P, Bustelo XR, García de Herreros A, Duñach M. Specific phosphorylation of p120-catenin regulatory domain differently modulates its binding to RhoA. Mol Cell Biol 2006; 27:1745-57. [PMID: 17194753 PMCID: PMC1820477 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.01974-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
p120-catenin is an adherens junction-associated protein that controls E-cadherin function and stability. p120-catenin also binds intracellular proteins, such as the small GTPase RhoA. In this paper, we identify the p120-catenin N-terminal regulatory domain as the docking site for RhoA. Moreover, we demonstrate that the binding of RhoA to p120-catenin is tightly controlled by the Src family-dependent phosphorylation of p120-catenin on tyrosine residues. The phosphorylation induced by Src and Fyn tyrosine kinases on p120-catenin induces opposite effects on RhoA binding. Fyn, by phosphorylating a residue located in the regulatory domain of p120-catenin (Tyr112), inhibits the interaction of this protein with RhoA. By contrast, the phosphorylation of Tyr217 and Tyr228 by Src promotes a better affinity of p120-catenin towards RhoA. In agreement with these biochemical data, results obtained in cell lines support the important role of these phosphorylation sites in the regulation of RhoA activity by p120-catenin. Taken together, these observations uncover a new regulatory mechanism acting on p120-catenin that contributes to the fine-tuned regulation of the RhoA pathways during specific signaling events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Castaño
- Unitat de Biofísica, Departament Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
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Zuo Y, Shields SK, Chakraborty C. Enhanced intrinsic migration of aggressive breast cancer cells by inhibition of Rac1 GTPase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2006; 351:361-7. [PMID: 17064663 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.10.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2006] [Accepted: 10/06/2006] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Rac GTPases are known to play a crucial role in regulating cytoskeletal changes necessary for cell migration. Migration has been shown to be positively regulated by Rac in most cell types. However, there is also a large body of conflicting evidence in some other cell types with respect to the role of Rac in migration, suggesting that Rac GTPases regulate cell migration in a cell type-dependent manner. In the present study, we have characterized the effects of Rac1 GTPase inhibition on the migratory abilities of a number of breast cancer cell lines with differential degrees of tumorigenic and metastatic potentials. We show that Rac1 inhibition in non-metastatic (MCF-7, T-47D) or moderately metastatic (Hs578T) cell lines results in inhibition of migration, whereas in highly metastatic cell lines (MDA-MB-435, MDA-MB-231, and C3L5) Rac1 inhibition results in stimulation of migration. This stimulation of migration following Rac1 inhibition is also accompanied by the enhanced RhoA activity, suggesting a possible existence of a dominating role of RhoA over Rac1 in regulating intrinsic migration of the highly metastatic breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Zuo
- Department of Pathology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, Dental Sciences Building H422, London, ON, Canada N6A 5C1
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