Loss of CD151/Tspan24 from the complex with integrin α3β1 in invasive front of the tumour is a negative predictor of disease-free survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Impact of CD151 overexpression on prognosis and therapy in non-small cell lung cancer patients lacking EGFR mutations

This study investigates CD151, a protein linked to cancer progression, in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients without epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. These patients often have limited treatment options. The study used retrospective analysis to examine 157 adenocarcinoma biopsy specimens and 199 patient cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas, correlating CD151 expression with patient survival. Cellular studies revealed that CD151 interacts with EGFR, influencing epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced cell proliferation and the effectiveness of the EGFR inhibitor, erlotinib. A strong association was found between CD151 expression and EGFR mutation status. High CD151 expression in the absence of EGFR mutations is correlated with poorer survival outcomes. Biological assays showed that CD151 colocalizes and associates with EGFR, playing a crucial role in regulating EGF-induced cell proliferation via the AKT and ERK1/2 pathways. Importantly, CD151 expression was found to influence the anti-proliferative effects of the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, erlotinib. High CD151 expression, in the absence of EGFR mutations, was associated with poorer survival outcomes. It could serve as a potential prognostic marker and influence cellular responses to EGFR-targeted treatments. This study highlights CD151 as a potential novel target for therapeutic intervention in NSCLC, especially in populations lacking EGFR mutations.

CD151 drives cancer progression depending on integrin α3β1 through EGFR signaling in non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Tetraspanins CD151, a transmembrane 4 superfamily protein, has been identified participating in the initiation of a variety of cancers. However, the precise function of CD151 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. Here, we addressed the pro-tumoral role of CD151 in NSCLC by targeting EGFR/ErbB2 which favors tumor proliferation, migration and invasion.

Methods

First, the mRNA expression levels of CD151 in NSCLC tissues and cell lines were measured by RT-PCR. Meanwhile, CD151 and its associated proteins were analyzed by western blotting. The expression levels of CD151 in NSCLC samples and its paired adjacent lung tissues were then verified by Immunohistochemistry. The protein interactions are evaluated by co-immunoprecipitation. Flow cytometry was applied to cell cycle analysis. CCK-8, EdU Incorporation, and clonogenic assays were used to analyze cell viability. Wound healing, transwell migration, and matrigel invasion assays were utilized to assess the motility of tumor cells. To investigate the role of CD151 in vivo, lung carcinoma xenograft mouse model was applied.

Results

High CD151 expression was identified in NSCLC tissues and cell lines, and its high expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis of NSCLC patients. Further, knockdown of CD151 in vitro inhibited tumor proliferation, migration, and invasion. Besides, inoculation of nude mice with CD151-overexpressing tumor cells exhibited substantial tumor proliferation compared to that in control mice which inoculated with vector-transfected tumor cells. Noteworthy, we found that overexpression of CD151 conferred cell migration and invasion by interacting with integrins. We next sought to demonstrate that CD151 regulated downstream signaling pathways via activation of EGFR/ErbB2 in NSCLC cells. Therefore, we infer that CD151 probably affects the sensitivity of NSCLC in response to anti-cancer drugs.

Conclusions

Based on these results, we demonstrated a new mechanism of CD151-mediated tumor progression by targeting EGFR/ErbB2 signaling pathway, by which CD151 promotes NSCLC proliferation, migration, and invasion, which may considered as a potential target of NSCLC treatment.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-01998-4.

CD151 in Respiratory Diseases

The tetraspanin, Cluster of Differentiation 151 (CD151), is ubiquitously expressed in adult tissue, especially in the lungs where it has been implicated in lung cancer, asthma, influenza, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). CD151 interacts with laminin-binding integrins and growth factor receptors, and is reported in cancer-promoting processes such as tumor initiation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. In asthma, CD151 was shown to promote airways hyperresponsiveness through calcium signaling whereas in influenza, CD151 was shown to be a novel host factor for nuclear viral export signaling. Furthermore, CD151 was shown to be associated with increased disease severity and poorer survival outcome in asthma and lung cancer, respectively. In this review, we provide an update on the current understanding of CD151 with regards to its contribution to lung pathophysiology. We also summarize factors that have been shown to regulate CD151 expression and identify key areas that need to be taken into consideration for its utility as a screening or prognostic tool in disease management and/or as a therapeutic target for the treatment of lung diseases.

Combining discovery and targeted proteomics reveals a prognostic signature in oral cancer

Different regions of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have particular histopathological and molecular characteristics limiting the standard tumor−node−metastasis prognosis classification. Therefore, defining biological signatures that allow assessing the prognostic outcomes for OSCC patients would be of great clinical significance. Using histopathology-guided discovery proteomics, we analyze neoplastic islands and stroma from the invasive tumor front (ITF) and inner tumor to identify differentially expressed proteins. Potential signature proteins are prioritized and further investigated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and targeted proteomics. IHC indicates low expression of cystatin-B in neoplastic islands from the ITF as an independent marker for local recurrence. Targeted proteomics analysis of the prioritized proteins in saliva, combined with machine-learning methods, highlights a peptide-based signature as the most powerful predictor to distinguish patients with and without lymph node metastasis. In summary, we identify a robust signature, which may enhance prognostic decisions in OSCC and better guide treatment to reduce tumor recurrence or lymph node metastasis.

Oral cancer has region-specific histopathological and molecular characteristics, complicating its classification by the standard tumor-node-metastasis system. Here, the authors combine discovery and targeted proteomics with IHC to identify region-specific and saliva biomarkers for oral cancer prognosis.

CD151 expression is frequent but unrelated to clinical outcome in head and neck cancer

OBJECTIVES

CD151 is a plasma membrane protein belonging to the tetraspanin family. CD151 represents a putative therapeutic target and has been suggested as a prognostic marker in several cancer types. The present study aims to investigate the prognostic relevance of immunohistochemical CD151 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Tissue microarray (TMA) sections containing samples from 667 cancers of oral cavity, oro- and hypopharynx and larynx, for which follow-up data were available, were analyzed for CD151 expression by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Membranous CD151 immunostaining was recorded in 269 (60.3 %) of 446 analyzable cases. Staining was considered weak in 129 (28.9 %), moderate in 98 (22.0 %), and strong in 42 (9.4 %) of cancers. CD151 expression was unrelated to histological grade, tumor stage, nodal status, or surgical margin. There was a tendency towards a somewhat lower prevalence of CD151 expression in tumors of the oral cavity (52.9 % positive) as compared to cancers of the oro-hypopharynx (62.1 %) and larynx (63.3 %; p = 0.0100). CD151 expression had no impact on patient survival.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

In summary, immunohistochemical analysis of CD151 lacks prognostic utility in HNSCC. The high prevalence of CD151 expression in HNSCC emphasizes its putative relevance as a therapeutic target for further development of anti-CD151 drugs.

Research advances on structure and biological functions of integrins

Integrins are an important family of adhesion molecules that were first discovered two decades ago. Integrins are transmembrane heterodimeric glycoprotein receptors consisting of α and β subunits, and are comprised of an extracellular domain, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic tail. Therein, integrin cytoplasmic domains may associate directly with numerous cytoskeletal proteins and intracellular signaling molecules, which are crucial for modulating fundamental cell processes and functions including cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and survival. The purpose of this review is to describe the unique structure of each integrin subunit, primary cytoplasmic association proteins, and transduction signaling pathway of integrins, with an emphasis on their biological functions.

CD151 promotes α3β1 integrin-dependent organization of carcinoma cell junctions and restrains collective cell invasion

Integrins function in collective migration both as major receptors for extracellular matrix and by crosstalk to adherens junctions. Despite extensive research, important questions remain about how integrin signaling mechanisms are integrated into collective migration programs. Tetraspanins form cell surface complexes with a subset of integrins and thus are good candidates for regulating the balance of integrin functional inputs into cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions. For example, tetraspanin CD151 directly associates with α3β1 integrin in carcinoma cells and promotes rapid α3β1-dependent single cell motility, but CD151 also promotes organized adherens junctions and restrains collective carcinoma cell migration on 2D substrates. However, the individual roles of CD151s integrin partners in CD151s pro-junction activity in carcinoma cells were not well understood. Here we find that CD151 promotes organized carcinoma cell junctions via α3β1 integrin, by a mechanism that requires the a3b1 ligand, laminin-332. Loss of CD151 promotes collective 3D invasion and growth in vitro and in vivo, and the enhanced invasion of CD151-silenced cells is α3 integrin dependent, suggesting that CD151 can regulate the balance between α3β1s pro-junction and pro-migratory activities in collective invasion. An analysis of human cancer cases revealed that changes in CD151 expression can be linked to either better or worse clinical outcomes depending on context, including potentially divergent roles for CD151 in different subsets of breast cancer cases. Thus, the role of the CD151-α3β1 complex in carcinoma progression is context dependent, and may depend on the mode of tumor cell invasion.

CD151-A Striking Marker for Cancer Therapy

Cluster of differentiation 151 (CD151) is a member of the mammalian tetraspanin family, which is involved in diverse functions such as maintaining normal cellular integrity, cell-to-cell communication, wound healing, platelet aggregation, trafficking, cell motility and angiogenesis. CD151 also supports de novo carcinogenesis in human skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and tumor metastasis. CD151 interacts with α3β1 and α6β4 integrins through palmitoylation where cysteine plays an important role in the association of CD151 with integrins and non-integrin proteins. Invasion and metastasis of cancer cells were diminished by decreasing CD151 association with integrins. CD151 functions at various stages of cancer, including metastatic cascade and primary tumor growth, thus reinforcing the importance of CD151 as a target in oncology. The present review highlights the role of CD151 in tumor metastasis and its importance in cancer therapy.

CD151 in cancer progression and metastasis: a complex scenario

Originally identified as a molecular organizer of interacting proteins into tetraspanin-enriched microdomains, the tetraspanin CD151 has now been shown to be involved in tumour progression. Increasing evidence emerging from in vitro, in vivo and clinical analyses implicates this tetraspanin in supporting growth of various types of tumours at different levels. It affects both cell autonomous behavior and communication with neighboring cells and the microenvironment. CD151 regulates post-adhesion events, that is, cell spreading, migration and invasion including subsequent intravasation and formation of metastasis. Present on both neoplastic and endothelial cells, CD151 is engaged in promotion of tumour neovascularization. The molecular mechanism of CD151 in cancer is based on its ability to organize distribution and function of interacting proteins, ie, laminin-binding integrins (α3β1, α6β1 and α6β4), receptors for growth factors (HGFR, EGFR and TGF-β1R) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-7, MMP-2 and MMP-9), which indicates its importance in disease development. Results of clinical analyses of CD151 expression in different types of cancer and a large number of in vivo models demonstrate its impact on tumour growth and invasion and implicate CD151 as a valuable diagnostic and prognostic marker as well as a potential target for anti-cancer therapy.

Tetraspanins CD9 and CD151, epidermal growth factor receptor and cyclooxygenase-2 expression predict malignant progression in oral epithelial dysplasia

Background:

Prognostic biomarkers aim to improve on the current inadequate method of histological assessment to identify patients with oral epithelial dysplasia at greatest risk of malignant transformation. We aimed to assess the prognostic ability of six protein biomarkers linked to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway, including three tetraspanins, in a large multicentre oral dysplasia cohort.

Methods:

One hundred and forty-eight cases with varying degrees of epithelial dysplasia underwent immunohistochemical assessment for CD9, CD151, CD82, EGFR, Her-2, and COX-2. Scoring was performed independently by two observers. Univariate analyses using both logistic and Cox regression models and a multivariate regression were performed.

Results:

Malignant progression was significantly greater in those cases with decreased expression of CD9 (P=0.02), and increased expression of CD151 (P=0.02), EGFR (P=0.04), and COX-2 (P=0.003). Histological grade (P=0.0002) and morphology (P=0.03) were also prognostic, whereas smoking and alcohol were not. The optimal combination by backward-variable selection was of histological grade (hazard ratio (HR) 1.64; 95% CI 1.12, 2.40), COX-2 overexpression (HR 1.12; 1.02, 1.24) and CD9 underexpression (HR 0.88; 0.80, 0.97). CD82 and Her-2 demonstrated no prognostic ability.

Conclusion:

This is the first study of the expression and prognostic potential of the tetraspanins in oral dysplasia. A combination of certain biomarkers with clinical factors appeared to improve the accuracy of determining the risk of malignancy in individuals with oral dysplasia. These findings may also offer potential new therapeutic approaches for this condition.

Reduced susceptibility to two-stage skin carcinogenesis in mice with epidermis-specific deletion of CD151

Altered expression of the tetraspanin CD151 is associated with skin tumorigenesis; however, whether CD151 is causally involved in the tumorigenic process is not known. To evaluate its role in tumor formation, we subjected epidermis-specific Cd151 knockout mice to chemical skin carcinogenesis. Mice lacking epidermal Cd151 developed fewer and smaller tumors than wild-type mice following DMBA/TPA treatment. Furthermore, Cd151-null epidermis showed a reduced hyperproliferative response to short-term treatment with TPA compared to that of wild-type skin, while epidermal turnover was increased. Tumors were formed in equal numbers following DMBA only treatment. We suggest that DMBA-initiated keratinocytes lacking Cd151 leave their niches in the epidermis and hair follicles in response to TPA treatment and subsequently are lost by differentiation. Because genetic ablation of Itga3 also reduced skin tumor formation, we tested whether reduced expression of α3 could further suppress tumor formation in epidermis-specific Cd151 knockout mice. Although the response to DMBA/TPA-induced formation of skin tumors was similar in compound heterozygotes for Cd151 and Itga3 to that in wild-type mice, heterozygosity for Itga3 on a Cd151-null background diminished tumorigenesis suggesting genetic interaction between the two genes. We thus identify CD151 as a critical factor in TPA-dependent skin carcinogenesis.