Increased Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Correlates with Poor Prognostic Variables in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Corosolic acid inhibits metastatic response of human renal cell carcinoma cells by modulating ERK/MMP2 signaling

Corosolic acid (CA), a plant-derived pentacyclic triterpenoid, has potent anti-inflammatory, anti-metabolic, and anti-neoplastic actions against a variety of human cancers. However, the specific mechanism by which CA inhibits the progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is yet unclear. We found that CA (≤8 μM) had no influence on either the growth or viability of RCC cell lines (786-O, ACHN, and Caki-1) or normal HK2 cells. However, in a dose-dependent manner, CA prevented the invasion and migration of RCC cells. Human protease array analysis showed that CA reduced MMP2 expression. At increasing concentrations of CA, the expression of MMP2 was dose-dependently reduced, as shown by western blot and RT-PCR analyses as well as immunofluorescence staining. CA also stimulated ERK1/2 phosphorylation in 786-O and Caki-1 cells. Transfection of CA-treated RCC cells with siRNA-ERK restored MMP2 protein expression and the motility and invasion capabilities of RCC cells. Molecular docking study results showed that CA and MMP2 interact strongly. These findings elucidate the mechanism by which CA prevents RCC cells from migrating and invading, and these findings indicate that CA may be a potential anti-metastatic therapy for RCC.

Prognostic value of neutrophil extracellular trap signature in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Introduction

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most prevalent type of urological carcinoma. Although targeted therapy and immunotherapy are usually employed, they often result in primary and acquired resistance. There is currently a lack of dependable biomarkers that can accurately anticipate the prognosis of ccRCC. Recent research has indicated the critical role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in the development, metastasis, and immune evasion of cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the value of NETs in the development and prognosis of ccRCC.

Methods

Clinical features and genetic expression information of ccRCC patients were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and E-MTAB-1980 database. NETs-related gene set were obtained from previous studies. A NETs-related gene signature was constructed based on TCGA data and validated using ICGC and E-MTAB-1980 databases. Furthermore, the immune microenvironment and responsiveness to anticancer medications in ccRCC patients with varying levels of NETs risks were investigated.

Results

A total of 31 NET-related genes were differently expressed between normal kidney and ccRCC tissues. 17 out of 31 were significantly associated with overall survival. After LASSO Cox regression analysis, nine NETs-related genes were enrolled to construct the NETs prognosis signature, and all the ccRCC patients from TCGA were divided into low and high risk group. This signature demonstrated excellent performance in predicting the overall survival of TCGA patients as well as the validation ICGC and E-MTAB-1980 patients. Additionally, the NETs signature was significantly correlated with immune infiltration and drug sensitivity.

Conclusions

The NETs signature established by the current study has prognostic significance in ccRCC, and may serve as a useful biomarker for patient stratification and treatment decisions. Further validation and clinical studies are required to fully translate these findings into clinical practice.

Antimetastatic Activity of Apoptolidin A by Upregulation of N-Myc Downstream-Regulated Gene 1 Expression in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent tumors with high metastatic potential; consequently, finding new drug candidates that suppress tumor metastasis is essential. Apoptolidin A is a macrocyclic lactone produced by Amycolatopsis sp. DW02G. It exhibits significant cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines, but its effects on CRC cells remain unknown. Therefore, the present study investigated the antiproliferative and antimetastatic activities of apoptolidin A and its underlying molecular mechanisms in CRC cells. Apoptolidin A effectively inhibited CRC cell growth and colony formation. The induction of G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest was associated with the downregulation of cyclin D1 and CDK4/6 expression. Long-term exposure to apoptolidin A also induced apoptosis as confirmed by the downregulation and upregulation of Bcl-2 and Bax expression, respectively. Moreover, apoptolidin A effectively upregulated the suppressed expression of N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1), a tumor suppressor gene, in a concentration-dependent manner in CRC cells. The antimetastatic potential of apoptolidin A was also correlated with the expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers, including the upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of N-cadherin, vimentin, snail, and MMP9 in CRC cells. These findings suggest that apoptolidin A exerts antiproliferative and antimetastatic activities by regulating the NDRG1-activated EMT pathway in CRC cells.

Bioinformatic analysis of the LCN2-SLC22A17-MMP9 network in cancer: The role of DNA methylation in the modulation of tumor microenvironment

Several features of cancer cells such as proliferation, invasion, metastatic spreading, and drug resistance are affected by their interaction with several tumor microenvironment (TME) components, including neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), solute carrier family 22 member 17 (SLC22A17), and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9). These molecules play a key role in tumor growth, invasion, and iron-dependent metabolism of cancer cells. However, the precise epigenetic mechanisms underlying the gene regulation of Lipocalin 2 (LCN2), SLC22A17, and MMP9 in cancer still remain unclear. To this purpose, computational analysis was performed on TCGA and GTEx datasets to evaluate the expression and DNA methylation status of LCN2, SLC22A17, and MMP9 genes in different tumor types. Correlation analysis between gene/isoforms expression and DNA methylation levels of LCN2, SLC22A17, and MMP9 was performed to investigate the role of DNA methylation in the modulation of these genes. Protein network analysis was carried out using reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA) data to identify protein-protein interactions of the LCN2-SLC22A17-MMP9 network. Furthermore, survival analysis was performed according to gene expression and DNA methylation levels. Our results demonstrated that LCN2 and MMP9 were mainly upregulated in most tumor types, whereas SLC22A17 was largely downregulated, representing a specific hallmark signature for all gastrointestinal tumors. Notably, the expression of LCN2, SLC22A17, and MMP9 genes was negatively affected by promoter methylation. Conversely, intragenic hypermethylation was associated with the overexpression of SLC22A17 and MMP9 genes. Protein network analysis highlighted the role of the LCN2-SLC22A17-MMP9 network in TME by the interaction with fibronectin 1 and claudin 7, especially in rectal tumors. Moreover, the impact of expression and methylation status of LCN2, SLC22A17, and MMP9 on overall survival and progression free interval was tumor type-dependent. Overall, our analyses provide a detailed overview of the expression and methylation status of LCN2, SLC22A17, and MMP9 in all TCGA tumors, indicating that the LCN2-SLC22A17-MMP9 network was strictly regulated by DNA methylation within TME. Our findings pave the way for the identification of novel DNA methylation hotspots with diagnostic and prognostic values and suitable for epi-drug targeting.

Immunohistochemical Expression of CD44, MMP-2, MMP-9, and Ki-67 as the Prognostic Markers in Non-Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinomas-A Prospective Cohort Study

CD44 is the most frequently reported marker of the cancer stem cells in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 are key regulators of tumor invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic and prognostic values of the immunohistochemical expression of CD44, MMP2, MMP9, and Ki-67 in papillary and chromophobe RCCs. In the case of papillary RCC, MMP-2 expression was positively correlated with patient age (p < 0.05), while CD44 expression was positively correlated with tumor stage (τ = 0.26, p < 0.05). Moreover, CD44 expression positively correlated with MMP-9 (τ = 0.39, p < 0.05). In the case of chromophobe RCC, only Ki-67 expression was negatively correlated with tumor stage (τ = −0.44, p < 0.05). During follow-up, a death was documented in 6 patients with papillary RCC. In these patients, CD44 expression was not a significant factor affecting the overall survival of patients (p > 0.05), whereas there was a positive correlation between increased MMP-9 expression and shorter overall survival (p < 0.05). Taken together, carcinogenesis in papillary RCC is probably dependent on both cancer stem cells and metalloproteinases activity. Expression of CD44 and MMP-9 can significantly improve the prediction of papillary RCC prognosis in the future.

Asiatic acid from centella asiatica exert anti-invasive ability in human renal cancer cells by modulation of ERK/p38MAPK-mediated MMP15 expression

BACKGROUND

Asiatic acid (AA) is a naturally pentacyclic triterpenoids extracted from traditional medicine Centella asiatica l. that has demonstrated possesses potential health benefits and antitumor ability. However, the precise anticancer effects and mechanisms by which AA impact RCC cells remains unclear.

METHODS

Cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution were detected by MTT, colony formation assay and PI stain by flow cytometry, respectively. Cell mobility and invasiveness were determined by in vitro migration and invasion assay. The secretory MMP15 was detected by ELISA assay. Quantitative RT-PCR, siRNA, and immunoblot were used to determine gene expression/regulation and protein expression, respectively. Antimetastatic effect of AA were performed to lung nodule numbers in vivo metastasis mice model. MMP15, pERK1/2 and p-p38MAPK expressions were determined by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Our findings indicated cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution of RCC cells were not significantly influenced by AA treatment. AA suppressed cell migration, invasion and significantly down-regulated mRNA and protein expression of MMP-15 (Matrix Metallopeptidase-15). Activation of ERK1/2 and p38MAPK were inhibited with AA, whereas combined AA with siRNA-ERK or siRNA-p38MAPK markedly reduced the metastatic effect and decreased MMP-15 expression in 786-O and A498 cells. Finally, AA significantly reduced the lung metastasis formation and metastasis-related proteins of human 786-O cells in vivo metastasis mice model.

CONCLUSION

AA inhibits the metastatic properties of RCC cells via inhibition of the p-ERK/p-p38MAPK axis and the subsequent down-regulation of MMP-15 in vitro and in vivo. Further study of AA as a potential anti-metastatic agent for RCC is warranted.

Bioinformatics analysis of LMAN1 expression, clinical characteristics, and its effects on cell proliferation and invasion in glioma

Glioma is the most common primary central nervous system malignant tumor with high heterogeneity and poor prognosis. So far, the complex pathological process of glioma has not been fully elucidated, and there is a lack of effective biomarkers for the diagnosis and molecular targeted therapy of glioma. Using bioinformatics methods, 77 upregulated and 89 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected by intersection analysis in different gene expression datasets of glioma cases from public databases. Then, GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that the biological functions of these upregulated DEGs were mainly focused on immune response, and the signaling pathways were mainly enriched in integrin family cell surface interactions. The overexpression of the LMAN1 gene of interest was then confirmed using the TCGA dataset and further verified by qRT-PCR in 29 clinical samples and 5 glioma cell lines. Furthermore, high expression of LMAN1 was found to be associated with higher WHO grade, IDH status, and 1p/19q co-deletion. Survival analysis showed that high expression of LMAN1 was associated with poor prognosis in glioma. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) indicated that many cancer-related pathways were associated with LMAN1-high phenotype. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed significant interaction between LMAN1 and MCFD2, F8, and TMED10. Finally, cell experiments showed that LMAN1 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion and promoted apoptosis in glioma cells. This study highlighted the malignant role of LMAN1 in gliomas and provided a potentially valuable biomarker for prognosis evaluation and molecular targeted therapy of glioma.

Morbid Obesity in Women Is Associated with an Altered Intestinal Expression of Genes Related to Cancer Risk and Immune, Defensive, and Antimicrobial Response

Background: Little is known about the relation between morbid obesity and duodenal transcriptomic changes. We aimed to identify intestinal genes that may be associated with the development of obesity regardless of the degree of insulin resistance (IR) of patients. Material and Methods: Duodenal samples were assessed by microarray in three groups of women: non-obese women and women with morbid obesity with low and high IR. Results: We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with morbid obesity, regardless of IR degree, related to digestion and lipid metabolism, defense response and inflammatory processes, maintenance of the gastrointestinal epithelium, wound healing and homeostasis, and the development of gastrointestinal cancer. However, other DEGs depended on the IR degree. We mainly found an upregulation of genes involved in the response to external organisms, hypoxia, and wound healing functions in women with morbid obesity and low IR. Conclusions: Regardless of the degree of IR, morbid obesity is associated with an altered expression of genes related to intestinal defenses, antimicrobial and immune responses, and gastrointestinal cancer. Our data also suggest a deficient duodenal immune and antimicrobial response in women with high IR.

Serological cancer-associated protein biomarker levels at bowel endoscopy: Increased risk of subsequent primary malignancy

BACKGROUND

It was previously shown in three subpopulations that subjects not identified with colorectal cancer (CRC) at bowel endoscopy, but with increased serological cancer-associated protein biomarker levels had an increased risk of being diagnosed with subsequent malignant diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to perform a pooled analysis of subjects from the three subpopulations and subsequently validate the results in an independent study. The study population denoted the training set includes N = 4,076 subjects with symptoms attributable to CRC and the independent validation set N = 3,774 similar subjects.

METHODS

Levels of CEA, CA19-9, TIMP-1 and YKL-40 were determined in blood samples collected prior to diagnostic bowel endoscopy. Follow-up of subjects not diagnosed with CRC at endoscopy, was ten years and identified subjects diagnosed with primary intra- or extra-colonic malignant diseases. The primary analysis was time to a newly diagnosed malignant disease and was analyzed with death as a competing risk in the training set. Subjects with HNPCC or FAP were excluded. The cumulated incidence was estimated for each biomarker and in a multivariate model. The resulting model was then validated on the second study population.

RESULTS

In the training set primary malignancies were identified in 515 (12.6%) of the 4,076 subjects, who had a colorectal endoscopy with non-malignant findings. In detail, 33 subjects were subsequently diagnosed with CRC and 482 subjects with various extra-colonic cancers. Multivariate additive analysis of the dichotomized biomarkers demonstrated that CEA (HR = 1.50, 95% CI:1.21-1.86, p < 0.001), CA19-9 (HR = 1.41, 95% CI:1.10-1.81, p = 0.007) and TIMP-1 (HR = 1.25 95% CI: 1.01-1.54, p = 0.041) were significant predictors of subsequent malignancy. The cumulated incidence at 5 years landmark time was 17% for those subjects with elevated CEA, CA19-9 and TIMP-1 versus 6.7% for those with low levels of all. When the model was applied to the validation set the cumulated 5-year incidence was 10.5% for subjects with elevated CEA, CA19-9 and TIMP-1 and 5.6% for subjects with low levels of all biomarkers. Further analysis demonstrated a significant interaction between TIMP-1 and age in the training set. The age dependency of TIMP-1 indicated a greater risk of malignancy in younger subjects if the biomarker was elevated. This observation was validated in the second set.

CONCLUSION

Elevated cancer-associated protein biomarker levels in subjects with non-malignant findings at large bowel endoscopy identifies subjects at increased risk of being diagnosed with subsequent primary malignancy. CEA, CA19-9 and TIMP-1 were significant predictors of malignant disease in this analysis. TIMP-1 was found dependent on age. The results were validated in an independent symptomatic population.

Causal contributors to tissue stiffness and clinical relevance in urology

Mechanomedicine is an emerging field focused on characterizing mechanical changes in cells and tissues coupled with a specific disease. Understanding the mechanical cues that drive disease progression, and whether tissue stiffening can precede disease development, is crucial in order to define new mechanical biomarkers to improve and develop diagnostic and prognostic tools. Classically known stromal regulators, such as fibroblasts, and more recently acknowledged factors such as the microbiome and extracellular vesicles, play a crucial role in modifications to the stroma and extracellular matrix (ECM). These modifications ultimately lead to an alteration of the mechanical properties (stiffness) of the tissue, contributing to disease onset and progression. We describe here classic and emerging mediators of ECM remodeling, and discuss state-of-the-art studies characterizing mechanical fingerprints of urological diseases, showing a general trend between increased tissue stiffness and severity of disease. Finally, we point to the clinical potential of tissue stiffness as a diagnostic and prognostic factor in the urological field, as well as a possible target for new innovative drugs.

Cadmium and Lead Decrease Cell-Cell Aggregation and Increase Migration and Invasion in Renca Mouse Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains an important clinical issue; the 5-year survival rate of patients with metastasis is approximately 12%, while it is 93% in those with localized disease. There is evidence that blood cadmium and lead levels are elevated in RCC. The current studies were designed to assess the impact of cadmium and lead on the progression of RCC. The disruption of homotypic cell-cell adhesion is an essential step in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and tumor metastasis. Therefore, we examined the impact of cadmium and lead on the cadherin/catenin complex in Renca cells-a mouse RCC cell line. Lead, but not cadmium, induced a concentration-dependent loss of E-cadherin, while cadmium, but not lead, increased p120-catenin expression, specifically isoform 1 expression. Lead also induced a substantial increase in matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels. Both cadmium and lead significantly decreased the number of Renca cell aggregates, consistent with the disruption of the cadherin/catenin complex. Both metals enhanced wound healing in a scratch assay, and increased cell migration and invasion. These data suggest that cadmium and lead promote RCC progression.

MTA2 as a Potential Biomarker and Its Involvement in Metastatic Progression of Human Renal Cancer by miR-133b Targeting MMP-9

Metastasis-associated protein 2 (MTA2) was previously known as a requirement to maintain malignant potentials in several human cancers. However, the role of MTA2 in the progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not yet been delineated. In this study, MTA2 expression was significantly increased in RCC tissues and cell lines. Increased MTA2 expression was significantly associated with tumour grade (p = 0.002) and was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival with a high RCC tumour grade. MTA2 knockdown inhibited the migration, invasion, and in vivo metastasis of RCC cells without effects on cell proliferation. Regarding molecular mechanisms, MTA2 knockdown reduced the activity, protein level, and mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in RCC cells. Further analyses demonstrated that patients with lower miR-133b expression had poorer survival rates than those with higher expression from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Moreover, miR-133b modulated the 3′untranslated region (UTR) of MMP-9 promoter activities and subsequently the migratory and invasive abilities of these dysregulated expressions of MTA2 in RCC cells. The inhibition of MTA2 could contribute to human RCC metastasis by regulating the expression of miR-133b targeting MMP-9 expression.

Identification of Prognostic Signatures for Predicting the Overall Survival of Uveal Melanoma Patients

Uveal melanoma (UM) is an aggressive cancer which has a high percentage of metastasis and with a poor prognosis. Identifying the potential prognostic markers of uveal melanoma may provide information for early detection of metastasis and treatment. In this work, we analyzed 80 uveal melanoma samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We developed an 18-gene signature which can significantly predict the prognosis of UM patients. Firstly, we performed a univariate Cox regression analysis to identify significantly prognostic genes in uveal melanoma (P<0.01). Then the glmnet Cox analysis was used to generate a powerful prognostic gene model. Further, we established a risk score formula for every patient based on the 18-gene prognostic model with multivariate Cox regression. We stratified patients into high- and low-risk subtypes with median risk score and found that patients in high-risk group had worse prognosis than patients in low-risk group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that 18-gene model risk score was independent of clinical prognostic factors. We identified four genes whose mutations were closely to UM patients' prognosis or risk score. We also explored the relationship between copy number variation and risk score and found that high risk group showed more chromosome aberrations than low risk group. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) analysis showed that the different biological pathways and functions between low and high risk group. In summary, our findings constructed an 18-gene signature for estimating overall survival (OS) of UM. Patients were categorized into two subtypes based on the risk score and we found that high risk group showed more chromosome aberrations than low risk group.

A 44-gene set constructed for predicting the prognosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most frequent type of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The present study aimed to examine prognostic markers and construct a prognostic prediction system for ccRCC. The mRNA sequencing data of ccRCC was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and the GSE40435 dataset was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Using the Limma package, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the TCGA dataset and GSE40435 dataset were obtained, respectively, and the overlapped DEGs were selected. Subsequently, Cox regression analysis was applied for screening prognosis-associated genes. Following visualization of the co-expression network using Cytoscape software, the network modules were examined using the GraphWeb tool. Functional annotation for genes in the network was performed using the clusterProfiler package. Finally, a prognostic prediction system was constructed through Bayes discriminant analysis and confirmed with the GSE29609 validation dataset. The results revealed a total of 263 overlapped DEGs and 161 prognosis-associated genes. Following construction of the co-expression network, 16 functional terms and three pathways were obtained for genes in the network. In addition, red, yellow (Involving chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), CD27 molecule (CD27) and runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3)], green (Involving angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4), stannio-calcin 2 (STC2), and sperm associated antigen 4 (SPAG4)], and cyan modules were extracted from the co-expression network. Additionally, the prognostic prediction system involving 44 signature genes, including ANGPTL4, STC2, CXCL10, SPAG4, CD27, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP9) and RUNX3, was identified and confirmed. In conclusion, the 44-gene prognostic prediction system involving ANGPTL4, STC2, CXCL10, SPAG4, CD27, MMP9 and RUNX3 may be utilized for predicting the prognosis of patients with ccRCC.

Caspase-10, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and total laminin are correlated with the tumor malignancy of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a common malignant kidney tumor, the pathogenesis of which remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether caspase-10, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and total laminin (LM) were involved into the pathogenesis of ccRCC. The levels of caspase-10, MMP-9 and total LM were analyzed by ELISA in tumor tissues and adjacent non-malignant tissues of 27 patients with ccRCC. The results revealed that caspase-10 levels in the tumor tissues were significantly higher than those in the adjacent non-malignant tissues (P<0.05). The MMP-9 levels in the tumor tissues were significantly lower than those in adjacent non-malignant tissues (P<0.01). The total LM levels in tumor tissues revealed no statistical difference with those in the adjacent non-malignant tissues (P=0.757). Additionally, caspase-10 levels were positively correlated with MMP-9 levels (P<0.001), but negatively correlated with total LM levels (P<0.05) in tumor tissues. Correlation analyses with clinical data of patients with ccRCC, revealed that caspase-10 levels (P<0.05) and MMP-9 levels (P<0.001) in tumor tissues were positively correlated with tumor grades of ccRCC, whereas total LM levels were positively correlated with tumor size (P<0.05). The results of the present study suggested that interactions between caspase-10, MMP-9 and LM are likely involved in the pathogenesis of ccRCC. A deeper understanding of the correlation between caspase-10, MMP-9 and LM would aid the clarification of pathogenesis of ccRCC.

MMP-9 Overexpression Due to TIMP-1 and RECK Underexpression is Associated with Prognosis in Prostate Cancer

Background

Extracellular matrix homeostasis is strictly maintained by a coordinated balance between the expression of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the expression of MMP-9 and its specific inhibitors, TIMP-1 and RECK, are expressed in a reproducible, specific pattern and if the profiles are related to prognosis and clinical outcome in prostate cancer (PC).

Methods

MMP-9, TIMP-1, and RECK expression levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in fresh-frozen malignant tissue specimens collected from 79 patients with clinically localized PC submitted to radical prostatectomy (RP). Frozen benign prostatic tissue from another 10 men with prostate cancer, also submitted to RP, was analyzed to determine if the profile of gene expression was maintained. The control group consisted of 11 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).

Results

In the tumor samples, MMP-9 was overexpressed by 9.2 times, and TIMP-1 and RECK were underexpressed (0.75 and 0.80 times, respectively). Overexpression of MMP-9 was significantly related to PSA levels above 10 ng/mL (p=0.033). In addition, MMP-9 overexpression was related to biochemical recurrence, with a marginal statistical significance (p=0.089). MMP-9 was also overexpressed in benign tissues of patients with PC, as were TIMP-1 and RECK, in contrast to their underexpression in tumor samples.

Conclusion

Our results show that MMP-9 is overexpressed and its negative regulators are underexpressed in PC tissue, emphasizing a possible role of MMP-9 in the carcinogenesis process. Additionally, we noticed a relationship between MMP-9 overexpression and increased levels of PSA, an important prognostic factor. In benign tissue adjacent to tumors, the MMP-9 equilibrium is likely maintained because the expression of its negative regulators is preserved.

Long noncoding RNA BX357664 regulates cell proliferation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via inhibition of TGF-β1/p38/HSP27 signaling in renal cell carcinoma

Antisense long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are reported to play a regulating role in carcinogenesis of various human malignancies. However, the function of lncRNAs and their underlying mechanism in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is still unknown. The aims of this study are to investigate the expression of lncRNA BX357664 in RCC and to explore its function in RCC cell lines. As a result, BX357664 was downregulated in RCC according to previous microarray analysis and qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. After the upregulation of BX357664, reduced migration, invasion, and proliferation capabilities in RCC cells were detected. Furthermore, Western blot analysis was conducted to identify the influence of BX357664 on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, matrix metalloproteinase 2, matrix metalloproteinase 9, and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1)/p38/HSP27 signaling pathway in RCC. Subsequently, upregulating the protein level of TGF-β1 in the presence of BX357664 could rescue the suppression of the malignant behavior mediated by BX357664, indicating that BX357664 attributed its inhibitory role to the suppression of TGF-β1. Therefore, we investigated a novel lncRNA BX357664, which might exhibit its inhibitory role in RCC metastasis and progression by blocking the TGF-β1/p38/HSP27 pathway.

Activation of G protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) promotes the migration of renal cell carcinoma via the PI3K/AKT/MMP-9 signals

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the third most frequent malignancy within urological oncology. However, the mechanisms responsible for RCC metastasis are still needed further illustration. Our present study revealed that a seven-transmembrane receptor G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) was highly detected in various RCC cell lines such as ACHN, OS-RC-2 and SW839. The activation of GPER by its specific agonist G-1 significantly promoted the in vitro migration and invasion of ACHN and OS-RC-2 cells. G-1 also up regulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9. The inhibitor of MMP-9 (Cat-444278), but not MMP-2 (Sc-204092), abolished G-1 induced cell migration, which suggested that MMP-9 is the key molecule mediating G-1 induced RCC progression. Further, G-1 treatment resulted in phosphorylation of AKT and ERK in RCC cells. PI3K/AKT inhibitor (LY294002), while not ERK inhibitor (PD98059), significantly abolished G-1 induced up regulation of MMP-9 in both AHCN and OS-RC-2 cells. Generally, our data revealed that activation of GPER by its specific agonist G-1 promoted the metastasis of RCC cells through PI3K/AKT/MMP-9 signals, which might be a promising new target for drug discovery of RCC patients.

FSCN1 predicts survival and is regulated by a PI3K-dependent mechanism in renal cell carcinoma

While overexpression of FSCN1 is reported in several cancers, the prognostic significance of FSCN1 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and the molecular mechanisms involved remain largely unclear. We retrospectively enrolled 194 patients with non-metastatic clear-cell RCC undergoing nephrectomy in our center between 2008 and 2011. FSCN1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemical staining and its association with clinicopathologic features and survival were evaluated. Functional effects of a modulated FSCN1 expression were analyzed with regard to invasion in RCC cell lines and metastasis in vivo. Here, we reported that FSCN1 was up-regulated in RCC tissues compared to non-tumor tissues, and associated with poor overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Its expression was not associated with age, tumor size, and clinical TNM stage. The incorporation of FSCN1 into the T stage and histologic grade would help to refine individual risk stratification. Preclinical studies using multiple RCC cells and orthotopic xenografts mice model indicated that FSCN1 could promote RCC cell invasion in vitro, and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, overexpression of FSCN1 led to an up-regulation of MMP9 and N-Cadherin. Notably, treating RCC cells with PI3 K/AKT inhibitors or knockdown GSK-3β decreased the expression of FSCN1, and then attenuated RCC invasion. Together, our results demonstrate that FSCN as an oncogene is a potential novel prognostic biomarker for RCC patients after nephrectomy, and can promote RCC metastasis.

CD151 promotes cell metastasis via activating TGF-β1/Smad signaling in renal cell carcinoma

Tetraspanin CD151 has been identified as a tumor promoter, which is upregulated in various malignant cell types. However, the function of CD151 and its underlying mechanism in renal cell carcinoma is still unknown. In this study, we detected the expression of CD151 in RCC cells and tissues and explored its regulatory mechanism. We found that CD151 was upregulated in renal cell carcinoma tissues and cells and its expression was significantly associated with tumor stage (p=0.019) and survival (p=0.001) by analyzing tissue microarrays. After silencing of CD151 via lentivirus vector in Caki-1 and Caki-2 cells, reduced ability of migration and invasion were detected with downregulation of CD151. The opposite results were observed in cells with CD151 overexpression. Furthermore, western blotting was performed to investigate the influence of CD151 on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, matrix metalloproteinase 9 and TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway in RCC. Subsequently, upregulating the protein level of transforming growth factor-β1 in cells with silencing of CD151 could rescue the malignant behaviors inhibited, which indicated that CD151 may play its promoting role in RCC partially by stimulating the expression of TGF-β1. Conclusively, CD151 might exhibit a prominent role in migration and invasion of RCC cells via activating TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Cancer-Specific Survival Stratification Derived from Tumor Expression of Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 in Non-Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Degradation of the extracellular matrix is a prerequisite for the processes of cancer cell invasion and metastasis. The purpose of our study was to assess the association of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9) and their inhibitors (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) progression and cancer-specific survival (CSS), using immunohistochemical analysis of 60 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of tumor tissue and normal tissue near the tumor from surgical T1-3bN0 M0 RCC specimens. Significant overexpression of MMP-2 in tumor and normal tissue was correlated with advanced stages, tumor size, sarcomatous differentiation and clinical symptoms. Overall survival was 31.7% (55.2% M0, 9.7% M1) and CSS 56.7% (100% M0, 16.1% M1) with a follow-up of 76 (5-230) months. Fuhrman grade [HR 2.87 (95% CI: 1.28-6.45); p = 0.01], tumor size [HR 1.13 (95% CI: 1.03-1.26); p = 0.009] and low TIMP-2 expression [HR 0.35 (95% CI: 0.16-0.78); p = 0.01] were independent predictive factors of CSS and stratified the patients into three groups with different rates of 10-year CSS; [100%, 73.9% and 20.5% for the good, intermediate and poor prognosis group respectively (p = 0.000006)] . This study offers strong evidence that TIMP-2 expression in tumor tissue may play a crucial role in progression and poor prognosis in human localized and locally advanced RCC.

NanoVelcro-captured CTC number concomitant with enhanced serum levels of MMP7 and MMP9 enables accurate prediction of metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) is among the most malignant cancers that frequently develops micrometastases even in early stages of the disease. Circulating tumor cell (CTC) number, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 7, and MMP9 show great prospects as predictive biomarkers in many tumors. However, the interactions between these biomarkers and the molecular basis of their roles in the metastasis and prognosis of LADC remain unclear. The present study revealed that an elevated CTC count and overexpression of MMP7 and MMP9 correlate with metastasis and clinical progression in LADC patients (n=143). Furthermore, MMP7 and MMP9 upregulation facilitates LADC cell migration in vitro and enhances serum CTC levels in a xenograft mouse model. More importantly, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Kaplan-Meier analysis confirmed more accurate prediction of metastasis and overall survival (OS) with a combination panel of CTC, MMP7, and MMP9. Taken together, our data show, for the first time, the involvement of MMP7 and MMP9 in the release of CTCs into the peripheral blood, and our data reveal that CTC count and expression of MMP7 and MMP9 can be used together as an effective clinical prediction panel for LADC metastasis and prognosis.

The metastasis suppressor CD82/KAI1 regulates cell migration and invasion via inhibiting TGF-β 1/Smad signaling in renal cell carcinoma

The tetraspanin KAI1/CD82 was identified as a tumor metastasis suppressor that downregulated in various malignant cell types. However, the function of CD82 and its underlying anti-metastasis role in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is still unraveled. Here, we investigated the expression of CD82 in RCC and explored its regulatory mechanism in RCC cell lines. We found that CD82 was down-regulated in RCC tissues and cells and its expression was significantly associated with histological grade(p=0.041), tumour stage (p=0.036) and tumor size(p=0.020) by analyzing tissue microarrays. After upregulation of CD82 through lentivirus, reduced ability of migration and invasion in Caki-1 cells were detected. In contrast, gene silencing of CD82 by small interfering RNA promoted metastatic and invasive potential of 786-O cells. Furthermore, Western blot was performed to identify the influence of CD82 on MMP family and TGF-β1/Smad pathway in RCC. Subsequently, upregulating protein level of TGF-β1 with the overexpression of CD82 could rescue the malignant behaviors inhibited by CD82 which indicated that CD82 played its inhibitory role in RCC partially by attenuating the expression of TGF-β1. Taken together, CD82 played a prominent role in migration and invasion of RCC cells and it might exhibit its inhibitory role in RCC metastasis via block TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Matrix Metalloproteinases in Kidney Disease: Role in Pathogenesis and Potential as a Therapeutic Target

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are large family of proteinases. In addition to a fundamental role in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix, they also cleave a number of cell surface proteins and are involved in multiple cellular processes. MMP activity is regulated via numerous mechanisms, including inhibition by endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Similar to MMPs, a role for TIMPs has been established in multiple cell signaling pathways. Aberrant expression of MMPs and TIMPS in renal pathophysiology has long been recognized, and with the generation of specific knockout mice, the mechanistic role of several MMPs and TIMPs is becoming more understood and has revealed both pathogenic and protective roles. This chapter will focus on the expression and localization of MMPs and TIMPs in the kidney, as well as summarizing the current information linking these proteins to acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. In addition, we will summarize studies suggesting that MMPs and TIMPs may be biomarkers of renal dysfunction and represent novel therapeutic targets to attenuate kidney disease.

Expression of lactate dehydrogenase C correlates with poor prognosis in renal cell carcinoma

Lactate dehydrogenase C is an isoenzyme of lactate dehydrogenase and a member of the cancer-testis antigens family. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression and functional role of lactate dehydrogenase C and its basic mechanisms in renal cell carcinoma. First, a total of 133 cases of renal cell carcinoma samples were analysed in a tissue microarray, and Kaplan-Meier survival curve analyses were performed to investigate the correlation between lactate dehydrogenase C expression and renal cell carcinoma progression. Lactate dehydrogenase C protein levels and messenger RNA levels were significantly upregulated in renal cell carcinoma tissues, and the patients with positive lactate dehydrogenase C expression had a shorter progression-free survival, indicating the oncogenic role of lactate dehydrogenase C in renal cell carcinoma. In addition, further cytological experiments demonstrated that lactate dehydrogenase C could prompt renal cell carcinoma cells to produce lactate, and increase metastatic and invasive potential of renal cell carcinoma cells. Furthermore, lactate dehydrogenase C could induce the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process and matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression. In summary, these findings showed lactate dehydrogenase C was associated with poor prognosis in renal cell carcinoma and played a pivotal role in the migration and invasion of renal cell carcinoma cells. Lactate dehydrogenase C may act as a novel biomarker for renal cell carcinoma progression and a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

Recent advances in renal cell carcinoma from a pathological point of view

The purpose of this article is to review the recent advances in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) from a pathological point of view. Because the genetic features and morphological characteristics have become major criteria for the classification of RCC, special techniques, such as immunohistochemistry, are essential to the differential diagnosis of renal tumors. Metastasis is frequently observed among the RCC patients with curative nephrectomy, and extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and heparanase, play a key role in invasion and metastasis of RCC. Snail and Slug, transcription factors of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), accelerate cancer cell invasion through downregulation of E-cadherin and up-regulation of MMP. Therapies targeted at the vascular endothelial growth factor pathway have become the standard treatment of metastatic RCC. Although they lead to tumor shrinkage mainly by inhibiting angiogenesis, they have typically been associated with drug resistance. The mechanism of the resistance remains largely unknown, but complex events including re-activation of angiogenesis, EMT and cancer stem cells, and immune escape are implicated in the refractory response to the therapy. Recent advances of the research on RCC have caused the changes of classification and therapy, and pathologists should take overall view of these as integrated pathology.

Biochemical and spectroscopic characterization of the catalytic domain of MMP16 (cdMMP16)

Membrane-bound matrix metalloproteinase 16 (MMP16/MT3-MMP) is considered a drug target due to its role(s) in disease processes such as cancer and inflammation. Biochemical characterization of MMP16 is critical for developing new generation MMP inhibitors (MMPi), which exhibit high efficacies and selectivities. Herein, a modified over-expression and purification protocol was used to prepare the catalytic domain of MMP16 (cdMMP16). The resulting recombinant enzyme exhibited steady-state kinetic constants of K m = 10.6 ± 0.7 μM and k cat = 1.14 ± 0.02 s(-1), when using FS-6 as substrate, and the enzyme bound 1.8 ± 0.1 eq of Zn(II). The enzymatic activity of cdMMP16 is salt concentration-dependent, and cdMMP16 exhibits autoproteolytic activity under certain conditions, which may be related to an in vivo regulatory mechanism of MMP16 and of other membrane-type MMPs (MT-MMPs). Co(II)-substituted analogs (Co2- and ZnCo) of cdMMP16 were prepared and characterized using several spectroscopic techniques, such as UV-Vis, (1)H NMR, and EXAFS spectroscopies. A well-characterized cdMMP16 is now available for future inhibitor screening efforts.

Loss of TIMP-1 immune expression and tumor recurrence in localized prostate cancer

Introduction and objective:

Overexpression of MMPs has been related to biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy. TIMP1 and TIMP2 are controllers of MMPs and the aim of this study is to evaluate the expression levels of MMPs and their regulators using immunohistochemistry in tissue microarray of localized prostate cancer (PC).

Materials and Methods:

Immune-expression of MMP-9, MMP-2, TIMP1, TIMP-2, MMP-14 and IL8, were analyzed by immunohistochemistry in radical prostatectomy specimens of 40 patients with localized PC who underwent surgery between September 1997 and February 2000. Protein expression was considered as categorical variables, negative or positive. The results of the immune-expression were correlated to Gleason score (GS), pathological stage (TNM), pre-operatory PSA serum levels and biochemical recurrence in a mean follow up period of 92.5 months.

Results:

The loss of TIMP1 immune-expression was related to biochemical recurrence. When TIMP1 was negative, 56.3% patients recurred versus 22.2% of those whose TIMP1 was positive (p=0.042). MMP-9, MMP-2, IL8 and MMP-14 were positive in the majority of PC. TIMP-2 was negative in all cases.

Conclusion:

Negative immune-expression of TIMP1 is correlated with biochemical recurrence in patients with PC possibly by failing to control MMP-9, an important MMP related to cancer progression.

RNA interference-mediated silencing of speckle-type POZ protein promotes apoptosis of renal cell cancer cells

This study aimed to investigate the effects of silencing the speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) gene on renal cell cancer (RCC) cells and to explore its possible mechanism. The A498 and ACHN RCC cells were transfected with small interference RNA (siRNA)-SPOP by lipofection methods. The silencing efficiency was monitored by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. The effects of SPOP silencing on cell apoptosis, cell viability, colony formation ability, cell migration ability, and chemosensitivity to Sorafenib were assessed by flow cytometry, an MTT assay, a colony formation assay, a trans-well migration assay, and a CCK-8 assay, respectively. Its effects on the expression of several cytokines were determined by a protein microarray. Relevant signaling pathways were also analyzed. Compared with the control group, the cell apoptosis rate was significantly higher; the cell viability, the colony formation, and migration ability were significantly decreased in the siRNA-SPOP group. The protein microarray screening showed that the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, matrix metallopeptidase-9, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and stromal cell-derived factor-1 in the siRNA group was significantly decreased and that the expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and E-cadherin was significantly increased (P<0.05). The relevant signaling pathways were the integrin-mediated cell surface interactions pathway and extracellular matrix organization signal pathway. SPOP gene silencing induced cell apoptosis, decreased cell viability, colony formation, and migration ability, and elevated the drug sensitivity in the RCC cells. A possible mechanism is that silencing SPOP induces the differential expression of E-cadherin, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, matrix metallopeptidase-9, and vascular cell adhesion molecule, which are related to the integrin-mediated cell surface interactions and extracellular matrix organization signaling pathway.

Melatonin inhibits MMP-9 transactivation and renal cell carcinoma metastasis by suppressing Akt-MAPKs pathway and NF-κB DNA-binding activity

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most lethal of all urological malignancies because of its potent metastasis potential. Melatonin exerts multiple tumor-suppressing activities through antiproliferative, proapoptotic, and anti-angiogenic actions and has been tested in clinical trials. However, the antimetastastic effect of melatonin and its underlying mechanism in RCC are unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that melatonin at the pharmacologic concentration (0.5-2 mm) considerably reduced the migration and invasion of RCC cells (Caki-1 and Achn). Furthermore, we found that melatonin suppressed metastasis of Caki-1 cells in spontaneous and experimental metastasis animal models. Mechanistic investigations revealed that melatonin transcriptionally inhibited MMP-9 by reducing p65- and p52-DNA-binding activities. Moreover, the Akt-mediated JNK1/2 and ERK1/2 signaling pathways were involved in melatonin-regulated MMP-9 transactivation and cell motility. Clinical samples revealed an inverse correlation between melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) and MMP-9 expression in normal kidney and RCC tissues. In addition, a higher survival rate was found in MTNR1A(high) /MMP-9(low) patients than in MTNR1A(low) /MMP-9(high) patients. Overall, our results provide new insights into the role of melatonin-induced molecular regulation in suppressing RCC metastasis and suggest that melatonin has potential therapeutic applications for metastastic RCC.

Downregulation of miR-19a exhibits inhibitory effects on metastatic renal cell carcinoma by targeting PIK3CA and inactivating Notch signaling in vitro

Metastasis seriously affects the clinical outcome of renal cell carcinoma patients. Despite the approval of several targeted therapies that have led to an improvement in the progression-free survival rate for these patients, advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma remains difficult to treat. Recently, microRNAs have been found to play a critical role in the metastatic dissemination of renal cell carcinoma cells. In the present study, we found that miR-19a expression was significantly upregulated in metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma than that in adjacent and primary carcinoma tissues using qPCR and in situ hybridization experiments. In addition, the results were confirmed in renal carcinoma cell lines. miR-19a expression in the cell lines derived from a metastatic site was higher than that in cell lines derived from a primary site. By gain- and loss-of-function experiments, we found that miR-19a acted as an oncogenic miRNA regulating renal cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion by directly targeting PIK3CA. Furthermore, we also explored the downstream molecules of miR-19a/PIK3CA signaling. We found that Notch signaling was induced by upregulation of miR-19a, and inactivation of Notch signaling attenuated the cell proliferation, migration and invasion promoted by miR-19a. Thus, we provide evidence demonstrating that downregulation of miR-19a may be therapeutically beneficial for metastatic renal carcinoma.

Human Schlafen 5 (SLFN5) Is a Regulator of Motility and Invasiveness of Renal Cell Carcinoma Cells

We provide evidence that human SLFN5, an interferon (IFN)-inducible member of the Schlafen (SLFN) family of proteins, exhibits key roles in controlling motility and invasiveness of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells. Our studies define the mechanism by which this occurs, demonstrating that SLFN5 negatively controls expression of the matrix metalloproteinase 1 gene (MMP-1), MMP-13, and several other genes involved in the control of malignant cell motility. Importantly, our data establish that SLFN5 expression correlates with a better overall survival in a large cohort of patients with RCC. The inverse relationship between SLFN5 expression and RCC aggressiveness raises the possibility of developing unique therapeutic approaches in the treatment of RCC, by modulating SLFN5 expression.

Glypican-3 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through ERK signaling pathway

Glypican-3 (GPC3), a membrane-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycan, is frequently upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, how GPC3 contributes to the progress of HCC is largely unclear. The present study investigated the association between GPC3 expression and HCC clinicopathological characteristics, and particularly focused on the role and underlying mechanisms of GPC3 in HCC epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Remarkably elevated expression of GPC3 was demonstrated in HCC tumor tissues compared with paired non-tumor tissues in 45 patients with HCC by quantitative real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting, respectively. Furthermore, the tissue expression of GPC3 was increased during HCC progression from Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A or B to stage C. The enhanced levels of GPC3 in HCC tumor tissues were tightly correlated to the expression of the EMT-associated proteins and tumor vascular invasion. Patients with GPC3-high expression in tumor tissues displayed significantly shorter survival time than those with GPC3-low expression (P=0.001). Consistent with the findings in patients, HepG2 cells, which expressed high levels of GPC3, showed stronger capacity of migration and significant EMT-like changes when compared to those HCC cells with low levels of GPC3, e.g., Hep3B and Huh7 in scratch, Transwell assays and western blotting. Furthermore, administration with exogenous GPC3 in HCC cells activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and significantly enhanced cell migration and invasion. The behavior was significantly inhibited by the ERK inhibitor PD98059. Together, our studies show that GPC3 contributes to HCC progression and metastasis through impacting EMT of cancer cells, and the effects of GPC3 are associated with ERK activation.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 is required for vasculogenic mimicry by clear cell renal carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), a new pattern of tumor microcirculation system, has been proved to be important for tumor growth and progression and may be one of the causes of antiangiogenesis resistance. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) was shown to correlate with VM formation in some other cancers. However, the relationship between VM formation and MMP9 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not been determined.

METHODS

The VM formation and MMP9 expressions were analyzed by CD34/periodic acid-Schiff dual staining and immunohistochemistry in 119 RCC specimens. We used a well-established 3-dimention culture model to compare VM formation in 786-O, 769-P, and HK-2 cell lines in vitro. MMP9 expressions on either messenger RNA or protein levels were compared among the cell lines by quantitative polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. To determine further the relationship between MMP9 and VM in RCC, 786-O and 769-P were treated with specific MMP9 inhibitor or small interfering RNA. VM formation, cell migration, and invasion were subsequently assessed by 3-dimention culture, wound-healing, and transwell assays.

RESULTS

Immunohistochemistry demonstrated both VM formation and MMP9 overexpression were positively associated with clinical staging, pathological grade, and metastasis (P<0.01). VM formation was closely correlated with MMP9 overexpression in RCC (r = 0.602, P<0.01). Lower MMP9 expression level was observed in normal kidney cell line HK-2, which was unable to form VM on Matrigel, whereas higher expression of MMP9 was found in VM-forming cancer cell lines 786-O and 769-P. Inhibition of MMP9 not only disrupted VM formation in 786-O and 769-P but also reduced cell migration and invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate an intimate relationship between MMP9 overexpression and VM formation in RCC. Treatments targeting VM formation by inhibiting the activity of MMP9 could be beneficial in RCC therapy.

Snail predicts recurrence and survival of patients with localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma after surgical resection

BACKGROUND

Snail (known as SNAI1), a zinc-finger transcription factor, is best known for the induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, which has emerged as a recognized mechanism underlying epithelial cancer progression. Herein, the aim is to determine the effect of Snail expression on recurrence and survival of patients with localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) following surgery.

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled 255 patients (188 in group A and 67 in group B) with localized ccRCC undergoing nephrectomy at a single center. Prognostic value and clinical outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

In both groups, cytoplasmic Snail intensity correlates positively with Fuhrman grade. High nuclear but not cytoplasmic Snail intensity indicates early recurrence and poor survival of patients with localized ccRCC. Moreover, high nuclear Snail intensity predicts unfavorable survival of patients with T2-4 stage cancer and early recurrence of all stage patients. Nuclear Snail intensity was identified as an independent adverse prognostic factor for recurrence and survival. The predictive accuracy of University of Los Angeles Integrated Staging System and the Mayo Clinic Stage, Size, Grade, and Necrosis prognostic models was improved when nuclear Snail expression was added.

CONCLUSION

Nuclear Snail expression is a potential independent adverse prognostic biomarker for recurrence and survival of patients with localized ccRCC after nephrectomy.

Chordoma: the entity

Chordomas are malignant tumors of the axial skeleton, characterized by their locally invasive and slow but aggressive growth. These neoplasms are presumed to be derived from notochordal remnants with a molecular alteration preceding their malignant transformation. As these tumors are most frequently observed on the skull base and sacrum, patients suffering from a chordoma present with debilitating neurological disease, and have an overall 5-year survival rate of 65%. Surgical resection with adjuvant radiotherapy is the first-choice treatment modality in these patients, since chordomas are resistant to conventional chemotherapy. Even so, management of chordomas can be challenging, as chordoma patients often present with recurrent disease. Recent advances in the understanding of the molecular events that contribute to the development of chordomas are promising; the most novel finding being the identification of brachyury in the disease process. Here we present an overview of the current paradigms and summarize relevant research findings.

miR-129-3p, as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for renal cell carcinoma, attenuates cell migration and invasion via downregulating multiple metastasis-related genes

PURPOSE

Downregulation of miRNA expression has been identified as a novel feature of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Recently, miR-129-2 is well known to be frequently reduced by DNA methylation and has anti-tumor effects in various tumors but so far not in RCC. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance and the role of it in RCC.

METHODS

The expression levels of miR-129-3p and miR-129-5p, two mature products of miR-129-2, were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR in 69 cases of paired different kidney tumors and normal tissues and clear cell RCC (ccRCC) cell lines. The roles of them in RCC cells were assessed by functional analyses. Protein expression was detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

miR-129-3p, but not miR-129-5p, was widely attenuated in human ccRCC, and chromophobe RCC. miR-129-3p could yield 73.5 % accuracy in discriminating ccRCCs from normal tissues. The relative miR-129-3p expression significantly differed between malignant and benign kidney tumors. Importantly, low miR-129-3p levels were associated with short disease-free and overall survival. Ectopic expression of miR-129-3p robustly impaired RCC cell migratory and invasive properties, but had no impact on cell viability and cell cycle distribution. Finally, miR-129-3p decreased multiple metastasis-related genes in RCC cells, including SOX4, phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase and MMP-2/9 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-129-3p may act as a promising diagnostic biomarker for discriminating ccRCC from benign tumors and normal tissues and an independent prognostic biomarker in ccRCC. miR-129-3p may exert its anti-metastatic function through modulating multiple targets.

Inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion of B16-F10 melanoma cells by α-mangostin

In this study, we have evaluated the potential antineoplastic effects of α-mangostin (α-M), the most representative xanthone in Garcinia mangostana pericarp, on melanoma cell lines. This xanthone markedly inhibits the proliferation of high-metastatic B16-F10 melanoma cells. Furthermore, by deeply analyzing which steps in the metastatic process are influenced by xanthone it was observed that α-M strongly interferes with homotypic aggregation, adhesion, plasticity and invasion ability of B16-F10 cells, probably by the observed reduction of metalloproteinase-9 activity. The antiproliferative and antimetastatic properties of α-M have been established in human SK-MEL-28 and A375 melanoma cells. In order to identify pathways potentially involved in the antineoplastic properties of α-M, a comparative mass spectrometry proteomic approach was employed. These findings may improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of α-M on melanoma.

CXC chemokine receptor 4 is essential for maintenance of renal cell carcinoma-initiating cells and predicts metastasis

In many solid tumors, cancer stem cells (CSC) represent a population with tumor-initiating, self-renewal, and differentiation potential, which can be identified by surface protein markers. No generally applicable markers are yet known for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Two RCC cell lines (RCC-26, RCC-53) were found to differ widely in their capacity to form spheres in vitro and to establish tumors in mice, potentially reflecting differences in CSC content. A subpopulation expressing the CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) was present only in the more tumorigenic cell line RCC-53. When grown as spheres, most of the RCC-53 cells were CXCR4-positive, expressed stem cell-associated transcription factor genes at elevated levels, and were more resistant toward the tyrosine kinase inhibitors sunitinib, sorafenib, and pazopanib. Sorted CXCR4-positive cells exhibited greater capacity for sphere formation and tumor growth-inducing potential in vivo than CXCR4-negative cells. Significantly, higher CXCR4 mRNA levels in primary RCC tumors from patients with localized but not disseminated disease predicted shorter survival. Downregulation of CXCR4 expression by small interfering RNA (siRNA) or pharmacological inhibition by AMD3100 compromised tumor sphere formation, viability of CXCR4-positive cells, and increased their responsiveness toward tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In conclusion, CXCR4 identifies a subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells in RCC cell lines and plays a role in their maintenance. The relative insensitivity of such cells to tyrosine kinase inhibitors might contribute to the development of therapy resistance in RCC patients. Future therapies therefore could combine blockade of the CXCR4 signaling pathway with standard therapies for more effective treatments of metastatic RCC.

Endothelial Delta-like 4 (DLL4) promotes renal cell carcinoma hematogenous metastasis

The Notch ligand Delta-like 4 (DLL4) plays an important role in tumor angiogenesis, which is required for tumor invasion and metastasis. Here we showed that DLL4 was elevated in endothelium and Notch signaling was activated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Exogenous DLL4 induced RCC cell migration and invasion by activating intercellular Notch signaling. Importantly, the DLL4/Notch/Hey1/MMP9 cascades connecting the endothelium to the cancer cells in metastasis were identified. Knockdown of Hey1 decreased expression of MMP9 and attenuated tumor invasion. The clinical investigation on 120 cases of RCC specimens indicated that expressions of Hey1 and MMP9 correlated with DLL4 density. Moreover, univariate and multivariate analyses showed that tumor hematogenous metastasis not only was depended on microvessel density but was also associated with tumor size and DLL4 density. During 4-year surveillance, high-level of DLL4 density was associated with a higher probability of developing metastasis and being sensitive to target therapies. Our data suggest that RCC progression is caused in part by activated DLL4/Notch signaling, interaction of endothelium and cells, which can be therapeutically targeted.

miR-141 is a key regulator of renal cell carcinoma proliferation and metastasis by controlling EphA2 expression

PURPOSE

Although microRNAs (miRNA) have been revealed as crucial modulators of tumorigenesis, our understanding of their roles in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is limited. Here we sought to identify human miRNAs that act as key regulators of renal carcinogenesis.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We performed microarray-based miRNA profiling of clear cell RCC (ccRCC) and adjacent normal tissues and then explored the roles of miR-141 both in vitro and in vivo, which was the most significantly downregulated in ccRCC tissues.

RESULTS

A total of 74 miRNAs were dysregulated in ccRCC compared with normal tissues. miR-141 was remarkably downregulated in 92.6% (63/68) ccRCC tissues and would serve as a promising biomarker for discriminating ccRCC from normal tissues with an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.93. Overexpression of miR-141 robustly impaired ccRCC cell migratory and invasive properties and suppressed cell proliferation by arresting cells at G0-G1 phase in vitro and in human RCC orthotopic xenografts. Significantly, the antitumor activities of miR-141 were mediated by its reversal regulation of erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular (Eph) A2 (EphA2), which then relayed a signaling transduction cascade to attenuate the functions of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), AKT, and MMP2/9. In addition, a specific and inverse correlation between miR-141 and EphA2 expression was obtained in human ccRCC samples. Finally, miR-141 could be secreted from the ccRCC donor cells, and be taken up and function moderately in the ccRCC recipient cells.

CONCLUSION

miR-141 serves as a potential biomarker for discriminating ccRCC from normal tissues and a crucial suppressor of ccRCC cell proliferation and metastasis by modulating the EphA2/p-FAK/p-AKT/MMPs signaling cascade.

MMP9 processing of HSPB1 regulates tumor progression

Matrix metalloproteinases regulate pathophysiological events by processing matrix proteins and secreted proteins. Previously, we demonstrated that soluble heat shock protein B1 (HSPB1) is released primarily from endothelial cells (ECs) and regulates angiogenesis via direct interaction with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Here we report that MMP9 can cleave HSPB1 and release anti-angiogenic fragments, which play a key role in tumorprogression. We mapped the cleavage sites and explored their physiological relevance during these processing events. HSPB1 cleavage by MMP9 inhibited VEGF-induced ECs activation and the C-terminal HSPB1 fragment exhibited more interaction with VEGF than did full-length HSPB1. HSPB1 cleavage occurs during B16F10 lung progression in wild-type mice. Also, intact HSPB1 was more detected on tumor endothelium of MMP9 null mice than wild type mice. Finally, we confirmed that secretion of C-terminal HSPB1 fragment was significantly inhibited lung and liver tumor progression of B16F10 melanoma cells and lung tumor progression of CT26 colon carcinoma cells, compared to full-length HSPB1. These data suggest that in vivo MMP9-mediated processing of HSPB1 acts to regulate VEGF-induced ECs activation for tumor progression, releasing anti-angiogenic HSPB1 fragments. Moreover, these findings potentially explain an anti-target effect for the failure of MMP inhibitors in clinical trials, suggesting that MMP inhibitors may have pro-tumorigenic effects by reducing HSPB1 fragmentation.

Underactivation of the adiponectin-adiponectin receptor 1 axis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma: implications for progression

Energy-sensing pathways, normally coordinated by 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), are dysregulated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Obesity can accentuate the pre-existing pro-tumorigenic metabolic machinery in RCC cells through its associated obesogenic hormonal milieu, characterized by lower circulating levels of adiponectin. In RCC patients, low adiponectin levels associate clinically with more aggressive disease. We investigated the adiponectin signaling pathway in RCC, focusing on adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) and associated activation of AMPK. AdipoR1 protein in RCC and normal surrounding renal tissues was determined by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Anti-tumorigenic effects of adiponectin in RCC cells in vitro were investigated via VEGF and MMP ELISA and invasion assays. Using in vivo models of RCC, the effect of AdipoR1-knockdown (shRNA) on tumor latency, growth and dissemination were determined. AdipoR1 protein was significantly reduced in clear cell RCC specimens. Adiponectin treatment inhibited VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 secretion and activity and invasive and migratory capacities of RCC cells. AMPKα1-knockdown (shRNA) attenuated adiponectin's effects. In cells stably expressing AdipoR1-specific shRNA, AMPK activation by adiponectin was significantly reduced compared to cells expressing control shRNA. In vivo, AdipoR1 knockdown increased the growth, dissemination and angiogenesis of RCC. These findings suggest that deficiencies in the entire adiponectin hormonal axis (the hormone and its receptor) result in underactivation of AMPK leading to increased angiogenic and invasive capacities of RCC. The established link between obesity and RCC can therefore be further explained by the adiponectin deficiency in obese individuals together with reduced AdipoR1 protein in RCC.

Clusterin plays an important role in clear renal cell cancer metastasis

OBJECTIVE

Clusterin (CLU) is implicated in regulating clear renal cell carcinoma (CRCC) progression and metastasis, yet the mechanisms are not elucidated. In the present study, we explored the potential role of CLU in CRCC metastasis.

METHODS

Levels of CLU mRNA and CLU protein were measured by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry analysis in 22 CRCC with metastasis and 22 without metastasis and 22 samples of normal kidney tissue. After CLU silencing and re-expression, the migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo of Caki-2 cells were determined by wound healing assay, transwell migration assay and pulmonary nodule assay, respectively. The expression of pERK1/2 and MMP-9 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot assay.

RESULTS

We found a significant increase of CLU and CLU mRNA expression in CRCC, and the expression of CLU is strongly correlated in patients with metastatic disease. We discovered that CLU-rich Caki-2 cells displayed higher invasive ability which prompted us to investigate if CLU silencing could reduce the migration and invasion in Caki-2 cells. Compared with the vector-transfected cells, CLU knocked-down (CLUi) cells showed reduced migration and invasion in vitro, as well as decreased metastatic potential in experimental metastasis. Re-expression of CLU in CLUi cells restored the invasive phenotypes. We found that MMP-9 was downregulated in CLUi cells. We also discovered that levels of activated ERK1/2 correlated with the rich expression of CLU and MMP-9.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that CLU may regulate aggressive behavior of human CRCC cells through modulating ERK1/2 signaling and MMP-9 expression.

Inhibition of MMP-9 using a pyrrole-imidazole polyamide reduces cell invasion in renal cell carcinoma

We investigated the clinical significance of the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In addition, we validated the efficacy of pyrrole imidazole polyamide (PIP) targeting MMP-9 on inhibiting proliferation and invasion of RCC. We evaluated the expression levels of MMP-9 in 249 RCC specimens by immunostaining and analyzed the association between MMP-9 expression levels and cancer-specific survival. Furthermore, in a human RCC cell line, Caki-2, we tested the effect of a couple of PIPs targeting MMP-9 one recognizing an NF-κB binding site (MMP-9-NF-κB PIP) and another for the AP-1 binding site (MMP-9-AP-1 PIP) in the MMP-9 promoter. The expression levels of MMP-9, proliferative activity and invasive capability were tested by quantitative PCR, WST8 assay and Matrigel invasion assay, respectively. By immunostaining of the clinical specimens, strong MMP-9 staining was proven to be a significant predictor of poor prognosis for cancer-specific survival (P<0.01). In Caki-2 cells, MMP-9-NF-κB PIP significantly reduced the expression levels of MMP-9 mRNA and inhibited cell invasion, but did not affect the cell proliferation activity. On the other hand, no effect was found in MMP-9-AP-1 PIP on MMP-9 mRNA expression, cell proliferation and invasion. We confirmed the inhibitory effects of MMP-9-NF-κB PIP on the expression of MMP-9 and subsequent invasion of Caki-2 cells. Since it was clearly shown that high MMP-9 expression levels were associated with poor prognosis of RCC, MMP-9 is a potential candidate target for RCC treatment. Transcription therapy using a minor groove binder, such as NF-κB PIP, may be a potential therapeutic agent for RCC, although further investigation is required.

Ribosomal s6 protein kinase 4: a prognostic factor for renal cell carcinoma

Background:

The expression and function of ribosomal s6 protein kinase 4 (RSK4) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are unknown.

Methods:

Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of RSK4 in RCC, and the relationship between RSK4 expression and clinicopathological features as well as prognosis of RCC patients was statistically analysed. Ectopic RSK4 expression in RCC cell lines was performed to determine its effect on cell cycle regulation, tumour invasiveness, and metastatic capability.

Results:

RSK4 was overexpressed in RCCs (P=0.003), compared with normal tissues, and the expression varied in different RCC subtypes (P=0.021), especially in two subtypes of papillary RCCs (P=0.001). RSK4 expression was positively correlated with high pT stage (P<0.001), high Fuhrman grade (P<0.001), lymph node involvement (P<0.001), and presence of distant metastasis (P=0.039), and could predict poor outcome in RCC patients. Molecular studies showed that overexpression of RSK4 could promote cell cycle progression and enhance the invasive and metastatic capability of RCC cell lines and vice versa.

Conclusion:

The expression pattern and molecular mechanisms of RSK4 in RCCs indicate that it could be a potential independent prognostic factor and serve as a new potential therapeutic target for RCC patients.

Antitumoral effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide in human renal cell carcinoma xenografts in athymic nude mice

We studied antitumor effect of VIP in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (A498 cells xenografted in immunosuppressed mice). VIP-treated cells gave resulted in p53 upregulation and decreased nuclear β-catenin translocation and NFκB expression, MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities, VEGF levels and CD-34 expression. VIP led to a more differentiated tubular organization in tumours and less metastatic areas. Thus, VIP inhibits growth of A498-cell tumours acting on the major issues involved in RCC progression such as cell proliferation, microenvironment remodelling, tumour invasion, angiogenesis and metastatic ability. These antitumoral effects of VIP offer new therapeutical possibilities in RCC treatment.

Differential protein profiling of renal cell carcinoma urinary exosomes

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for about 3% of all human malignancies and its incidence is increasing. There are no standard biomarkers currently used in the clinical management of patients with renal cell carcinoma. A promising strategy for new biomarker detection is comparative proteomics of urinary exosomes (UE), nanovesicles released by every epithelial cell facing the urinary space, enriched in renal proteins and excluding high-abundance plasmatic proteins, such as albumin. Aim of the work is to establish the protein profile of exosomes isolated from urines of RCC patient compared with control subjects. We enrolled 29 clear cell RCC patients and 23 control healthy subjects (CTRL), age and sex-matched, for urine collection and vesicle isolation by differential centrifugation. Such vesicles were morphologically and biochemically characterized and proved to share exosome properties. Proteomic analysis, performed on 9 urinary exosome (UE) pooled samples by gel based digestion followed by LC-MS/MS, led to the identification of 261 proteins from CTRL subject UE and 186 from RCC patient UE, and demonstrated that most of the identified proteins are membrane associated or cytoplasmic. Moreover, about a half of identified proteins are not shared between RCC and control UE. Starting from these observations, and from the literature, we selected a panel of 10 proteins, whose UE differential content was subjected to immunoblotting validation. Results show for the first time that RCC UE protein content is substantially and reproducibly different from control UE, and that these differences may provide clues for new RCC biomarker discovery.

Increased expression of MMP-9 and IL-8 are correlated with poor prognosis of Bladder Cancer

Background

Extracellular matrix homeostasis is strictly maintained by a coordinated balance between the expression of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the expression of MMP-9, MMP-2 and its specific inhibitors, are expressed in a reproducible, specific pattern and if the profiles are related to prognosis in Bladder Cancer (BC).

Methods

MMP-9, MMP-2 and its specific inhibitors expression levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in fresh-frozen malignant tissue collected from 40 patients with BC submitted to transurethral resection of bladder. The control group consisted of normal bladder tissue from five patients who had undergone retropubic prostatectomy to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Results

MMP-9 was overexpressed in 59.0 % of patients, and MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, MMP-14, RECK and IL-8 was underexpressed in most of the patients. Regarding prognostic parameters we observed that high-grade tumors exhibited significantly higher levels of MMP-9 and IL-8 (p = 0.012, p = 0.003). Invasive tumors (pT1-pT2) had higher expression levels of MMP-9 than superficial tumors (pTa) (p = 0.026). The same was noted for IL-8 that was more expressed by invasive tumors (p = 0.015, p = 0.048). Most importantly tumor recurrence was related with higher levels of both MMP-9 (p = 0.003) and IL-8 (p = 0.005).

Conclusion

We have demonstrated that the overexpression of MMP-9 and higher expression of IL-8 are related to unfavorable prognostic factors of urothelial bladder cancer and tumor recurrence and may be useful in the follow up of the patients.