Regulation of C-X-C chemokine gene expression by keratin 17 and hnRNP K in skin tumor keratinocytes

Keratin: A potential driver of tumor metastasis

Keratins, as essential components of intermediate filaments in epithelial cells, play a crucial role in maintaining cell structure and function. In various malignant epithelial tumors, abnormal keratin expression is frequently observed and serves not only as a diagnostic marker but also closely correlates with tumor progression. Extensive research has demonstrated that keratins are pivotal in multiple stages of tumor metastasis, including responding to mechanical forces, evading the immune system, reprogramming metabolism, promoting angiogenesis, and resisting apoptosis. Here we emphasize that keratins significantly enhance the migratory and invasive capabilities of tumor cells, making them critical drivers of tumor metastasis. These findings highlight the importance of targeting keratins as a strategic approach to combat tumor metastasis, thereby advancing our understanding of their role in cancer progression and offering new therapeutic opportunities.

Expression Distribution of Keratins in Normal and Pathological Corneas and the Regulatory Role of Krt17 on Limbal Stem Cells

Purpose

This study aimed to compare variations in keratins (KRTs), particularly stress KRTs, under normal and pathological conditions, with a specific focus on investigating the role of KRT17.

Methods

This research examined changes in KRT and limbal stem cell (LSC) markers in normal and various pathological corneas using mRNA and proteomic sequencing data alongside single-cell sequencing data from normal mouse corneas. The effects of the Krt17 recombinant protein and specific small interfering RNA on the clonal formation and proliferation of human limbal epithelial cells (HLECs) were investigated. mRNA sequencing was conducted on Krt17 knockdown HLECs, and the findings were validated using qPCR, immunofluorescence staining, neutrophil chemotaxis, and herpes simplex virus 1 infection assay. The STRING database was used to predict Krt17's interacting proteins.

Results

Various KRTs in the corneal epithelia exhibited differences in expression levels and patterns. Under pathological conditions, stress KRTs Krt17 and Krt16 were upregulated, while differentiation-related Krt12 was downregulated, and the expression of the LSC markers Krt17, Krt14, and IFITM3 were commonly increased. Supplementation and intervention experiments confirmed that Krt17 promotes clonal formation and proliferation in HLECs. Krt17 knockdown resulted in the upregulation of genes related to inflammation and defense responses, while downregulating molecules associated with differentiation pathways. Krt17 knockdown promoted neutrophil chemotaxis and alleviated herpes simplex virus 1 infection in HLECs.

Conclusions

KRTs play a crucial role in the homeostasis and pathological regulation of the corneal epithelium. The stress Krt17 located in LSCs is involved in regulating the stemness, proliferation, and differentiation of LSCs, as well as immune and defense responses.

The expression of keratin 17 and p27 predicts clinical outcomes in colorectal cancer

Keratin 17 (K17) is frequently overexpressed, associated with poor prognosis in various cancers, and contributes to p27 degradation during cancer progression. Using immunohistochemistry, we evaluated K17 and p27 expression and assessed their biological behavior and prognostic significance in 326 colorectal cancers. High K17 expression was associated with poorly differentiated tumors, high pT classification, and lymph node metastases. Low p27 expression was associated with large tumors, high pT classification, lymphovascular invasion, and lymph node metastases. The overall survival of patients with high K17 expression was significantly worse than that of patients with low K17 expression [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.805, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.169-2.787; p = 0.007]. Patients with low p27 expression showed significantly worse overall survival than those with high p27 expression (HR = 3.082, 95% CI 1.722-5.517; p < 0.001). When combining the results of K17 and p27 expression, the K17highp27low expression group showed the worst overall survival. On the contrary, the K17high/lowp27high group showed the best overall survival (p < 0.001). Therefore, K17highp27low expression is an independent poor prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. Thus, high K17 and low p27 expression correlate with aggressive clinicopathologic behavior and can be used as poor prognostic markers in colorectal cancer.

Keratins 6, 16, and 17 in Health and Disease: A Summary of Recent Findings

Keratins 6, 16, and 17 occupy unique positions within the keratin family. These proteins are not commonly found in the healthy, intact epidermis, but their expression increases in response to damage, inflammation, and hereditary skin conditions, as well as cancerous cell transformations and tumor growth. As a result, there is an active investigation into the potential use of these proteins as biomarkers for different pathologies. Recent studies have revealed the role of these keratins in regulating keratinocyte migration, proliferation, and growth, and more recently, their nuclear functions, including their role in maintaining nuclear structure and responding to DNA damage, have also been identified. This review aims to summarize the latest research on keratins 6, 16, and 17, their regulation in the epidermis, and their potential use as biomarkers in various skin conditions.

Repeated stress to the skin amplifies neutrophil infiltration in a keratin 17- and PKCα-dependent manner

Neutrophils are the first immune cells to reach inflamed sites and contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Yet, little is known about the pattern of neutrophil infiltration in inflamed skin in vivo and the mechanisms mediating their recruitment. Here, we provide insight into the dynamics of neutrophil infiltration in skin in response to acute or repeated inflammatory stress, highlighting a novel keratinocyte- and keratin 17 (K17)-dependent mechanism that regulates neutrophil recruitment to inflamed skin. We used the phorbol ester TPA and UVB, alone or in combination, to induce sterile inflammation in mouse skin. A single TPA treatment results in a neutrophil influx in the dermis that peaks at 12 h and resolves within 24 h. A subsequent TPA treatment or a UVB challenge, when applied 24 h but not 48 h later, accelerates, amplifies, and prolongs neutrophil infiltration. This transient amplification response (TAR) is mediated by local signals in inflamed skin, can be recapitulated in ex vivo culture, and involves the K17-dependent sustainment of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) activity and release of chemoattractants by stressed keratinocytes. K17 binds RACK1, a scaffold protein essential for PKCα activity. The N-terminal head domain of K17 is crucial for its association with RACK1 and regulation of PKCα activity. Analysis of RNAseq data reveals a signature consistent with TAR and PKCα activation in inflammatory skin diseases. These findings uncover a novel, keratin-dependent mechanism that amplifies neutrophil recruitment in skin under stress, with direct implications for inflammatory skin disorders.

AP-2α/AP-2β Transcription Factors Are Key Regulators of Epidermal Homeostasis

AP-2 transcription factors regulate ectodermal development, but their roles in epidermal homeostasis in adult skin are unknown. We find that AP-2α is the predominant AP-2 family member in adult epidermis, followed by AP-2β. Through inactivation of AP-2α, AP-2β, or both in keratinocytes, we assessed the effects of a gradient of epidermal AP-2 activity on skin function. We find that (i) loss of AP-2β in keratinocytes is compensated for by AP-2α, (ii) loss of AP-2α impairs terminal keratinocyte differentiation and hair morphogenesis, and (iii) the combined loss of AP-2α/AP-2β results in more severe skin and hair abnormalities. Keratinocyte differentiation defects precede progressive neutrophilic skin inflammation. Inducible inactivation of AP-2α/AP-2β in the adult phenocopies these manifestations. Transcriptomic analyses of epidermis lacking AP-2α or AP-2α/AP-2β in keratinocytes demonstrate a terminal keratinocyte differentiation defect with upregulation of alarmin keratins and of several immune pathway regulators. Moreover, our analyses suggest a key role of reduced AP-2α-dependent gene expression of CXCL14 and the keratin 15 gene K15 as an early pathogenic event toward the manifestation of skin inflammation. Thus, AP-2α and AP-2β are critical regulators of epidermal homeostasis in adult skin.

High KRT17 expression in tumour budding indicates immunologically 'hot' tumour budding and predicts good survival in patients with colorectal cancer

Objectives

Emerging evidence has demonstrated that tumour budding (TB) is negatively associated with T-lymphocyte infiltration in CRC. Despite extensive research, the molecular characteristics of immunologically 'hot' TB remain poorly understood.

Methods

We quantified the number of TB by haematoxylin-eosin (H&E) sections and the densities of CD3+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes by immunohistochemistry in a CRC cohort of 351 cases who underwent curative resection. We analysed the differential expression and T-lymphocyte infiltration score of 37 human epithelial keratins in CRC using RNA sequencing from the TCGA dataset. In 278 TB-positive cases, KRT17 expression was evaluated in tumour centre (TC) and TB with a staining score. Patient demographic, clinicopathological features and survival rates were analysed.

Results

In a CRC cohort of 351 cases, low-grade TB was associated with high CD3+ and CD8+ T-cell densities in the invasive margin (IM) but not in the TC. Of 37 human epithelial keratins, only KRT17 expression in TB had an apparent association with TB-grade and T-lymphocyte infiltration. In 278 TB-positive cases, high KRT17 expression in TB (KRT17TB) was negatively associated with low-grade TB and positively associated with high CD3+ and CD8+ T-cell densities in IM. High KRT17TB predicted early tumour grade, absence of lymph node metastasis and absence of tumour deposits. Additionally, patients with high KRT17TB had good overall survival and disease-free survival. Notably, low KRT17TB can specifically identify those patients with a poor prognosis among colorectal cancer patients with low TB and high T-lymphocyte infiltration.

Conclusions

KRT17 can be employed as a new indicator for distinguishing different immunological TBs.

Keratin 17 Impacts Global Gene Expression and Controls G2/M Cell Cycle Transition in Ionizing Radiation-Induced Skin Damage

Keratin 17 (K17) is a cytoskeletal protein that is part of the intermediate filaments in epidermal keratinocytes. In K17-/- mice, ionizing radiation induced more severe hair follicle damage, whereas the epidermal inflammatory response was attenuated compared with that in wild-type mice. Both p53 and K17 have a major impact on global gene expression because over 70% of the differentially expressed genes in the skin of wild-type mice showed no expression change in p53-/- or K17-/- skin after ionizing radiation. K17 does not interfere with the dynamics of p53 activation; rather, global p53 binding in the genome is altered in K17-/- mice. The absence of K17 leads to aberrant cell cycle progression and mitotic catastrophe in epidermal keratinocytes, which is due to nuclear retention, thus reducing the degradation of B-Myb, a key regulator of the G2/M cell cycle transition. These results expand our understanding of the role of K17 in regulating global gene expression and ionizing radiation-induced skin damage.

KRT17 from skin cells with high glucose stimulation promotes keratinocytes proliferation and migration

Impaired diabetic wound healing is an important issue in diabetic complications. Proliferation and migration of keratinocytes are major processes of skin wound repair after injury. However, hyperkeratosis can affect the speed of wound healing. Based on the results of preliminary experiments on increased KRT17 expression after high glucose stimulation of human skin tissue cells, a cell model of human immortalized keratinocyte (HaCaT) stimulation with different concentrations of KRT17 was established in vitro, and the promotion in cell proliferation and migration were discovered. KRT17 silencing promoted diabetic wound healing in the db/db diabetic wound model. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on HaCaT cells after KRT17 stimulation, and analysis showed significant enrichment in the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, in which the regulation of cell c-MYB mRNA, a key molecule regulating cell proliferation and migration, was significantly upregulated. In vitro assays showed increased c-MYB expression and enhanced pAKT activity after HaCaT cell stimulation by KRT17. We speculate that KRT17 is upregulated under high glucose and promotes keratinocyte proliferation and migration caused hyperkeratosis, through the c-MYB/PI3K-AKT pathway, contributing to delayed wound healing.

Keratin 17- and PKCα-dependent transient amplification of neutrophil influx after repeated stress to the skin

Neutrophils contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Little is known about the source and identity of the signals mediating their recruitment in inflamed skin. We used the phorbol ester TPA and UVB, alone or in combination, to induce sterile inflammation in mouse skin and assess whether keratinocyte-derived signals impact neutrophil recruitment. A single TPA treatment results in a neutrophil influx in the dermis that peaks at 12h and resolves within 24h. A second TPA treatment or a UVB challenge, when applied at 24h but not 48h later, accelerates, amplifies, and prolongs neutrophil infiltration. This transient amplification response (TAR) is mediated by local signals in inflamed skin, can be recapitulated in ex vivo culture, and involves the K17-dependent sustainment of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) activity and release of neutrophil chemoattractants by stressed keratinocytes. We show that K17 binds RACK1, a scaffold essential for PKCα activity. Finally, analyses of RNAseq data reveal the presence of a transcriptomic signature consistent with TAR and PKCα activation in chronic inflammatory skin diseases. These findings uncover a novel, transient, and keratin-dependent mechanism that amplifies neutrophil recruitment to the skin under stress, with direct implications for inflammatory skin disorders.

Keratin 19 binds and regulates cytoplasmic HNRNPK mRNA targets in triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (HNRNPK) regulates pre-mRNA processing and long non-coding RNA localization in the nucleus. It was previously shown that shuttling of HNRNPK to the cytoplasm promotes cell proliferation and cancer metastasis. However, the mechanism of HNRNPK cytoplasmic localization, its cytoplasmic RNA ligands, and impact on post-transcriptional gene regulation remain uncharacterized.

RESULTS

Here we show that the intermediate filament protein Keratin 19 (K19) directly interacts with HNRNPK and sequesters it in the cytoplasm. Correspondingly, in K19 knockout breast cancer cells, HNRNPK does not localize in the cytoplasm, resulting in reduced cell proliferation. We comprehensively mapped HNRNPK binding sites on mRNAs and showed that, in the cytoplasm, K19-mediated HNRNPK-retention increases the abundance of target mRNAs bound to the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) at the expected cytidine-rich (C-rich) sequence elements. Furthermore, these mRNAs protected by HNRNPK in the cytoplasm are typically involved in cancer progression and include the p53 signaling pathway that is dysregulated upon HNRNPK knockdown (HNRNPK KD) or K19 knockout (KRT19 KO).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identifies how a cytoskeletal protein can directly regulate gene expression by controlling the subcellular localization of RNA-binding proteins to support pathways involved in cancer progression.

Keratin 17 covalently binds to alpha-enolase and exacerbates proliferation of keratinocytes in psoriasis

Dysregulated glucose metabolism is an important characteristic of psoriasis. Cytoskeletal protein keratin 17 (K17) is highly expressed in the psoriatic epidermis and contributes to psoriasis pathogenesis. However, whether K17 is involved in the dysregulated glucose metabolism of keratinocytes (KCs) in psoriasis remains unclear. In the present study, loss- and gain-of-function studies showed that elevated K17 expression was critically involved in glycolytic pathway activation in psoriatic KCs. The level of α-enolase (ENO1), a novel potent interaction partner of K17, was also elevated in psoriatic KCs. Knockdown of ENO1 by siRNA or inhibition of ENO1 activity by the inhibitor ENOBlock remarkably suppressed KCs glycolysis and proliferation. Moreover, ENO1 directly interacted with K17 and maintained K17-Ser⁴⁴ phosphorylation to promote the nuclear translocation of K17, which promoted the transcription of the key glycolysis enzyme lactic dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and resulted in enhanced KCs glycolysis and proliferation in vitro. Finally, either inhibiting the expression and activation of ENO1 or repressing K17-Ser⁴⁴ phosphorylation significantly alleviated the IMQ-induced psoriasis-like phenotype in vivo. These findings provide new insights into the metabolic profile of psoriatic KCs and suggest that modulation of the ENO1-K17-LDHA axis is a potentially innovative therapeutic approach to psoriasis.

Cold Plasma Treatment Promotes Full-thickness Healing of Skin Wounds in Murine Models

Cold plasma can be beneficial for promoting skin wound healing and has a high potential of being effectively used in treating various wounds. Our aim was to verify the effect of cold plasma in accelerating wound healing and investigate its underlying mechanism in vitro and in vivo. For the in vivo experiments, 2 full-thickness dermal wounds were created in each mouse (n = 30). While one wound was exposed to 2 daily plasma treatments for 3 min, the other wound served as a control. The wounds were evaluated by imaging and histological analyses at 4, 7, and 11 days post the wound infliction process. Immunohistochemical studies were also performed at the same time points. In vitro proliferation and scratch assay using HaCaT keratinocytes and fibroblasts were performed. The expression levels of wound healing-related genes were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. On day 7, the wound healing rates were 53.94% and 63.58% for the control group and the plasma-treated group, respectively. On day 11, these rates were 76.05% and 93.44% for the control and plasma-treated groups, respectively, and the difference between them was significant (P = .039). Histological analysis demonstrated that plasma treatment promotes the formation of epidermal keratin and granular layers. Immunohistochemical studies also revealed that collagen 1, collagen 3, and alpha-smooth muscle actin appeared more abundantly in the plasma-treated group than in the control group. In vitro, the proliferation of keratinocytes was promoted by plasma exposure. Scratch assay showed that fibroblast exposure to plasma increased their migration. The expression levels of collagen 1, collagen 3, and alpha-smooth muscle actin were elevated upon plasma treatment. In conclusion, cold plasma can accelerate skin wound healing and is well tolerated.

Interleukin-18 as a severity marker and novel potential therapeutic target for epidermolytic ichthyosis

BACKGROUND

Epidermolytic ichthyosis (EI) is a major form of nonsyndromic inherited ichthyosis, characterized by erythroderma, marked hyperkeratosis and scale, bulla and erosion at birth, associated with KRT1/KRT10 mutations. The cytokine and chemokine profiles in EI are poorly understood, and specific treatment options have not been established.

AIM

To explore novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in patients with EI.

METHODS

We analysed cytokine levels in serum and skin samples from 10 patients with inherited ichthyosis, including seven patients with EI. Wild-type and mutant KRT1 constructs were established and transfected into HaCaT cells, an immortalized keratinocyte cell line, for in vitro immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry analyses.

RESULTS

Multiplex cytokine/chemokine analysis revealed that 10 cytokines/chemokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-17A, IL-16, IL-18, IL-1 receptor-α, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon-α2, basic fibroblast growth factor and monocyte chemotactic protein-3] were significantly increased in patients with EI. Furthermore, IL-18 levels were significantly higher in patients with EI [n = 7; 2714.1 (1438.0) pg mL-1] than in healthy controls [n = 11; 218.4 (28.4) pg mL-1, P < 0.01]. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that IL-18 expression was elevated in skin samples from patients with EI. Serum IL-18 levels correlated with the severity of ichthyosis, as measured by the Ichthyosis Scoring System. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that mature IL-18 levels were increased in the supernatant of mutant KRT1 expressing HaCaT cells. Additionally, these cells showed NLRP3 aggregation in the cytoplasm and ASC clustered around mutant keratin aggregations. These findings suggest that mutant keratin might promote the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and its downstream caspase-1-mediated IL-18 release in keratinocytes from patients with EI.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that serum IL-18 is a severity marker released from the skin of patients with EI. Blockade of IL-18 may be a useful novel therapeutic option for patients with EI.

hnRNP K induces HPV16 oncogene expression and promotes cervical cancerization

PURPOSE

This study aims to explore the expression of hnRNP K in cervical carcinogenesis and to investigate the regulatory role of hnRNP K on HPV16 oncogene expression as well as biological changes in cervical cancer cells.

METHODS

In total 1042 subjects, including 573 with the normal cervix and 469 with different grades of cervical lesions were enrolled in this study to explore the association between hnRNP K and HPV16 oncogene expression in cervical carcinogenesis. Additionally, the Gene Omnibus (GEO) database was used to analyze hnRNP K mRNA expression in cervical cancerization. Meanwhile, the effects of hnRNP K on cell biological functions and HPV16 oncogene expression were investigated in Siha cells. Moreover, Function analyses were conducted using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases after ChIP-seq.

RESULTS

hnRNP K was highly expressed in cervical cancer and precancerous lesions, and positively correlated with HPV16 E6, but negatively correlated with HPV16 E2 and HPV16 E2/E6 ratio. hnRNP K induced cell proliferation, inhibited apoptosis and caused cell cycle arrest in the S phase, and particularly increased HPV16 E6 protein expression.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that hnRNP K overexpression has important warning significance for the malignant transformation of cervical lesions, and could be used as a potential therapeutic target for inhibiting the carcinogenicity of HPV16 and prevention of cervical carcinogenesis.

Utility of CK8, CK10, CK13, and CK17 in Differential Diagnostics of Benign Lesions, Laryngeal Dysplasia, and Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

There are no reliable immunohistochemical markers for diagnosing laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or diagnosing and grading laryngeal dysplasia. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of CK8, CK10, CK13, and CK17 in benign laryngeal lesions, laryngeal dysplasia, and laryngeal SCC. This retrospective study included 151 patients diagnosed with laryngeal papilloma, laryngeal polyps, laryngeal dysplasia, and laryngeal SCC who underwent surgical treatment between 2010 and 2020. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was carried out using specific monoclonal antibodies against CK8, CK10, CK13, and CK17. Two experienced pathologists performed semi-quantitative scoring of IHC positivity. The diagnostic significance of the markers was analyzed. CK13 showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 82.5% for distinguishing between laryngeal SCC and laryngeal dysplasia and benign lesions. CK17 showed a sensitivity of 78.3% and specificity of 57.1% for the detection of laryngeal SCC vs. laryngeal dysplasia. CK10 showed a sensitivity of 80.0% for discriminating between low-grade and high-grade dysplasia, and a specificity of 61.1%. Loss of CK13 expression is a reliable diagnostic tool for diagnosing laryngeal lesions with malignant potential and determining resection lines. In lesions with diminished CK13 expression, CK17 could be used as an auxiliary immunohistochemical marker in diagnosing laryngeal SCC. In CK13-negative and CK17-positive lesions, CK10 positivity could be used to determine low-grade dysplasia. CK8 is not a useful IHC marker in differentiating between benign laryngeal lesions, laryngeal dysplasia, and laryngeal SCC.

B7-H4 is a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer and correlates with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Background

As a negative co-stimulatory molecule of the B7 family, B7-H4 has recently attracted increased attention. However, the clinical value of B7-H4 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial and requires further investigation. This study aimed to investigate the role of B7-H4 in the clinical diagnosis and survival prognosis of CRC.

Methods

The relationships between B7-H4 expression, immune cell infiltration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), clinicopathological features, and survival prognosis were determined through the TCGA database and verified in a large CRC cohort (n = 1118).

Results

The results showed the level of B7-H4 mRNA expression was significantly increased in the CRC tumor tissues compared with normal tissues (P <  0.001). Immunohistochemistry showed that B7-H4 protein expression was also up-regulated in CRC. The positive rate of B7-H4 in CRC tumor tissues was 76.38%, which was significantly higher than that in non-tumor tissues (P <  0.001). Overexpression of B7-H4 was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis, advanced TNM stage, and poor tumor differentiation (P = 0.012; 0.009; 0.014). Prognostic analysis showed high B7-H4 expression was associated with significantly shorter OS. Multivariate analysis demonstrated the risk of death in CRC patients with high B7-H4 expression is 1.487 times that of low B7-H4 expression. In addition, B7-H4 expression was negatively correlated with the epithelial marker E-cadherin (P <  0.001) and positively correlated with the mesenchymal marker vimentin (P <  0.001) in CRC tissues. However, B7-H4 expression was not associated with the immunosuppressive microenvironment in CRC.

Conclusion

B7-H4 may represent a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC and enhance CRC invasion by promoting EMT.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-10159-5.

Increased expression of SYCP2 predicts poor prognosis in patients suffering from breast carcinoma

Overexpression of synaptonemal complex protein-2 (SYCP2) has been identified in various human papillomavirus (HPV)–related carcinomas, whereas its significant role in breast carcinoma remains unclear. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prognostic value and potential function of SYCP2 in breast carcinoma. Herein, data for breast carcinoma patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA) were analyzed. The enrichment analysis of SYCP2 including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Friends, and GSEA was performed. Kaplan–Meier analysis, Cox regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed for determining the predictive value of SYCP2 on clinical outcomes in patients suffering from breast carcinoma. A nomogram was generated to predict the effect arising from SYCP2 on prognosis. The association analysis of SYCP2 gene expression and diverse immune infiltration levels was conducted through ssGSEA and ESTIMATE analysis, which consisted of dendritic cell (DC), neutrophil, eosinophil, macrophage, mast cell, NK cell, and other 18 cell subtypes. The results showed that SYCP2 expression was significantly elevated in breast carcinoma tissues as compared with that of normal tissues (p < 0.001). SYCP2 plays a certain role in pathways related to DNA methylation, keratinocyte differentiation, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and immune infiltration. The high expression of SYCP2 had a significant relationship to age, pathological type, ER expression, and PR expression (p < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that patients suffering from breast carcinoma characterized by high-SYCP2 expression had a poorer prognosis than patients with low-SYCP2 expression (p = 0.005). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that SYCP2 had an independent relationship to overall survival (p = 0.049). Moreover, ROC curves suggested the significant diagnostic ability of SYCP2 for breast carcinoma, and as time went on, SYCP2 had more accurate prognostic efficacy. Furthermore, a high level of SYCP2 expression was found to have a relationship to poor prognosis of breast carcinoma in the subgroups of T3, N0, and M0, and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (HR > 1, p < 0.05). The calibration plot of the nomogram indicated that the SYCP2 model has an effective predictive performance for breast carcinoma patients. Conclusively, SYCP2 plays a vital role in the pathogenesis and progression of human breast carcinoma, so it may serve as a promising prognostic molecular marker of poor survival.

Stress Keratin 17 Expression in Head and Neck Cancer Contributes to Immune Evasion and Resistance to Immune-Checkpoint Blockade

PURPOSE

We investigated whether in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) high levels of expression of stress keratin 17 (K17) are associated with poor survival and resistance to immunotherapy.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We investigated the role of K17 in regulating both the tumor microenvironment and immune responsiveness of HNSCC using a syngeneic mouse HNSCC model, MOC2. MOC2 gives rise to immunologically cold tumors that are resistant to immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB). We engineered multiple, independent K17 knockout (KO) MOC2 cell lines and monitored their growth and response to ICB. We also measured K17 expression in human HNSCC of patients undergoing ICB.

RESULTS

MOC2 tumors were found to express K17 at high levels. When knocked out for K17 (K17KO MOC2), these cells formed tumors that grew slowly or spontaneously regressed and had a high CD8+ T-cell infiltrate in immunocompetent syngeneic C57BL/6 mice compared with parental MOC2 tumors. This phenotype was reversed when we depleted mice for T cells. Whereas parental MOC2 tumors were resistant to ICB treatment, K17KO MOC2 tumors that did not spontaneously regress were eliminated upon ICB treatment. In a cohort of patients with HNSCC receiving pembrolizumab, high K17 expression correlated with poor response. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis revealed broad differences in the immune landscape of K17KO MOC2 tumors compared with parental MOC2 tumors, including differences in multiple lymphoid and myeloid cell types.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate that K17 expression in HNSCC contributes to immune evasion and resistance to ICB treatment by broadly altering immune landscapes of tumors.

Analysis of the Expression and Role of Keratin 17 in Human Tumors

Objective: We aimed to explore the expression and carcinogenic effect of KRT17 in human tumors and provide useful information for the study of KRT17. Methods: We used databases including the Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus, GTEx, and GEPIA2 to analyze the expression, mutation, and prognosis of KRT17 in human tumors. Through webservers, including UALCAN, TIMER2.0, and STRING, we learned about the genetic variation, immune cell penetration, and enrichment analysis of KRT17-related genes. Results: KRT17 was highly expressed in most tumors (such as esophageal cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, etc.), and the high expression level correlated with tumor stage and prognosis. In addition, amplification was the main type of KRT17 tumor variation, with an amplification rate of about 9%, followed by mutation, with a mutation rate of 4%. Moreover, KRT17 was strongly associated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (such as macrophages, CD8+T, Tregs, and cancer-associated fibroblasts). KEGG analysis suggested that KRT17 may play a role in tumor pathogenesis following human papillomavirus infection, and the gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that the carcinogenicity of KRT17 can be attributed to cadherin binding, intermediate fibrocytoskeleton and epidermal development. Conclusion: KRT17 may play an important role in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of malignant tumors. We provided a relatively comprehensive description of the carcinogenic role of KRT17 in different tumors for the first time.

Keratin 17 Promotes T Cell Response in Allergic Contact Dermatitis by Upregulating C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 20

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a delayed-type hypersensitivity response to skin contact allergens in which keratinocytes are critical in the initiation of early responses. Keratin 17 (K17) is a cytoskeletal protein inducible under stressful conditions and regulates multiple cellular processes, especially in skin inflammatory diseases; however, knowledge regarding its contribution to ACD pathogenesis remains ill defined. In the present study, we clarified the proinflammatory role of K17 in an oxazolone (OXA)-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS) murine model and identified the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results showed that K17 was highly expressed in the lesional skin of ACD patients and OXA-induced CHS mice. Mice lacking K17 exhibited alleviated OXA-induced skin inflammation, including milder ear swelling, a reduced frequency of T cell infiltration, and decreased inflammatory cytokine levels. In vitro, K17 stimulated and activated human keratinocytes to produce plenty of proinflammatory mediators, especially the chemokine CCL20, and promoted keratinocyte-mediated T cell trafficking. The neutralization of CCL20 with a CCL20-neutralizing monoclonal antibody significantly alleviated OXA-induced skin inflammation in vivo. Moreover, K17 could translocate into the nucleus of activated keratinocytes through a process dependent on the nuclear-localization signal (NLS) and nuclear-export signal (NES) sequences, thus facilitating the activation and nuclear translocation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), further promoting the production of CCL20 and T cell trafficking to the lesional skin. Taken together, these results highlight the novel roles of K17 in driving allergen-induced skin inflammation and suggest targeting K17 as a potential strategy for ACD.

The Role of Keratin17 in Human Tumours

Keratins are a group of proteins that can constitute intermediate fibers. It is a component of the cytoskeleton and plays an important role in cell protection and structural support. Keratin 17, a Type I keratin, is a multifunctional protein that regulates a variety of biological processes, including cell growth, proliferation, migration, apoptosis and signal transduction. Abnormal expression of KRT17 is associated with a variety of diseases, such as skin diseases. In recent years, studies have shown that KRT17 is abnormally expressed in a variety of malignant tumours, such as lung cancer, cervical cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma and sarcoma. These abnormal expressions are related to the occurrence, development and prognosis of malignant tumors. In this review, we summarized the expression patterns of KRT17 in a variety of malignant tumours, the role of KRT17 in the development and prognosis of different malignant tumors and its molecular mechanisms. We also discuss the potential clinical application of KRT17 as a valuable therapeutic target.

Keratin 19 maintains E-cadherin localization at the cell surface and stabilizes cell-cell adhesion of MCF7 cells

A cytoskeletal protein keratin 19 (K19) is highly expressed in breast cancer but its effects on breast cancer cell mechanics are unclear. In MCF7 cells where K19 expression is ablated,we found that K19 is required to maintain rounded epithelial-like shape and tight cell-cell adhesion. A loss of K19 also lowered cell surface E-cadherin levels. Inhibiting internalization restored cell-cell adhesion of KRT19  knockout cells, suggesting that E-cadherin internalization contributed to defective adhesion. Ultimately, while K19 inhibited cell migration and invasion, it was required for cells to form colonies in suspension. Our results suggest that K19 stabilizes E-cadherin complexes at the cell membrane to maintain cell-cell adhesion which inhibits cell invasiveness but provides growth and survival advantages for circulating tumor cells.

Keratin 17 upregulation promotes cell metastasis and angiogenesis in colon adenocarcinoma

Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), having high malignancy and poor prognosis, is the main pathological type of colon cancer. Previous studies show that Keratin 17 (KRT17) plays an important role in the development of many malignant tumors. However, its role and the molecular mechanism underlying COAD remain unclear. Using TCGA and ONCOMINE databases, as well as immunohistochemistry, we found that the expression of KRT17 was higher in COAD tissues as compared to that in the adjacent normal tissues. Cell- and animal-based experiments showed that overexpression of KRT17 promoted the invasion and metastasis of colon cancer cells while knocking down KRT17 reversed these processes both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we also showed that KRT17 promoted the formation of new blood vessels. Mechanistically, KRT17 could regulate the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, and APC may be involved in this process by interacting with KRT17. In summary, these findings suggested that high expression of KRT17 could promote cell metastasis and angiogenesis of colon cancer cells by regulating the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. Thus, KRT17 could be a potential therapeutic target for COAD treatment.

Keratin 19 interacts with GSK3β to regulate its nuclear accumulation and degradation of cyclin D3

Cyclin D3 regulates the G1/S transition and is frequently overexpressed in several cancer types including breast cancer, where it promotes tumor progression. Here we show that a cytoskeletal protein keratin 19 (K19) physically interacts with a serine/threonine kinase GSK3β and prevents GSK3β-dependent degradation of cyclin D3. The absence of K19 allowed active GSK3β to accumulate in the nucleus and degrade cyclin D3. Specifically, the head (H) domain of K19 was required to sustain inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK3β Ser9, prevent nuclear accumulation of GSK3β, and maintain cyclin D3 levels and cell proliferation. K19 was found to interact with GSK3β and K19–GSK3β interaction was mapped out to require Ser10 and Ser35 residues on the H domain of K19. Unlike wildtype K19, S10A and S35A mutants failed to maintain total and nuclear cyclin D3 levels and induce cell proliferation. Finally, we show that the K19–GSK3β-cyclin D3 pathway affected sensitivity of cells toward inhibitors to cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6). Overall, these findings establish a role for K19 in the regulation of GSK3β-cyclin D3 pathway and demonstrate a potential strategy for overcoming resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Keratin 17 in psoriasis: Current understanding and future perspectives

Keratin 17 (K17) is a multifaceted cytoskeletal protein that is not commonly expressed in the epidermis under normal physiological conditions. However, in psoriasis, K17 is overexpressed in the suprabasal layer of the epidermis and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In this review, we have summarized our findings and those reported in other studies concerning the pathogenic functions of K17, as well as the mechanisms underlying the increase in K17 expression in psoriasis. K17 exerts both pro-proliferative and pro-inflammatory effects on keratinocytes. Moreover, K17 peptides trigger autoreactive T cells and promote psoriasis-related cytokine production. In turn, these cytokines modulate the expression, stability, and protein-protein interactions of K17 through transcriptional and translational regulation and post-translational modification of K17 in keratinocytes. Thus, a K17/T-cell/cytokine autoimmune loop is implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, which is supported by the fact that therapies targeting K17 have achieved good outcomes in psoriasis-like mouse models. Future perspectives of K17 in psoriasis have also been discussed to provide potential directions for further studies.

A role for keratin 17 during DNA damage response and tumor initiation

High levels of the intermediate filament protein keratin 17 (K17) are associated with poor prognoses for several human carcinomas. Studies in mouse models have shown that K17 expression is positively associated with growth, survival, and inflammation in skin and that lack of K17 delays onset of tumorigenesis. K17 occurs in the nucleus of human and mouse tumor keratinocytes where it impacts chromatin architecture, gene expression, and cell proliferation. We report here that K17 is induced following DNA damage and promotes keratinocyte survival. The presence of nuclear K17 is required at an early stage of the double-stranded break (DSB) arm of the DNA damage and repair (DDR) cascade, consistent with its ability to associate with key DDR effectors, including γ-H2A.X, 53BP1, and DNA-PKcs. Mice lacking K17 or with attenuated K17 nuclear import showed curtailed initiation in a two-step skin carcinogenesis paradigm. The impact of nuclear-localized K17 on DDR and cell survival provides a basis for the link between K17 induction and poor clinical outcomes for several human carcinomas.

Cytoskeletal Remodeling in Cancer

Simple Summary

Cell migration is an essential process from embryogenesis to cell death. This is tightly regulated by numerous proteins that help in proper functioning of the cell. In diseases like cancer, this process is deregulated and helps in the dissemination of tumor cells from the primary site to secondary sites initiating the process of metastasis. For metastasis to be efficient, cytoskeletal components like actin, myosin, and intermediate filaments and their associated proteins should co-ordinate in an orderly fashion leading to the formation of many cellular protrusions-like lamellipodia and filopodia and invadopodia. Knowledge of this process is the key to control metastasis of cancer cells that leads to death in 90% of the patients. The focus of this review is giving an overall understanding of these process, concentrating on the changes in protein association and regulation and how the tumor cells use it to their advantage. Since the expression of cytoskeletal proteins can be directly related to the degree of malignancy, knowledge about these proteins will provide powerful tools to improve both cancer prognosis and treatment.

Abstract

Successful metastasis depends on cell invasion, migration, host immune escape, extravasation, and angiogenesis. The process of cell invasion and migration relies on the dynamic changes taking place in the cytoskeletal components; actin, tubulin and intermediate filaments. This is possible due to the plasticity of the cytoskeleton and coordinated action of all the three, is crucial for the process of metastasis from the primary site. Changes in cellular architecture by internal clues will affect the cell functions leading to the formation of different protrusions like lamellipodia, filopodia, and invadopodia that help in cell migration eventually leading to metastasis, which is life threatening than the formation of neoplasms. Understanding the signaling mechanisms involved, will give a better insight of the changes during metastasis, which will eventually help targeting proteins for treatment resulting in reduced mortality and longer survival.

Indirubin inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway via promoter demethylation of WIF-1

Background

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory skin disease. Abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes is one of the psoriatic histopathological features. Indirubin has an essential effect on the proliferation and activation of keratinocytes; however, in psoriasis, the specific mechanism of action of indirubin on keratinocytes is unclear. In the present study, we revealed the effects of indirubin on DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), wnt inhibitory factor 1 (wif-1), and wnt/β-catenin signal pathway, in the meantime, we explored the effects of indirubin on proliferation, cell cycle and the apoptosis of HaCaT cells.

Methods

The expression of DNMT1, wif-1, Frizzled2, Frizzled5, and β-catenin in HaCaT cells treated with different concentrations of indirubin were detected by Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression levels of DNMT1 and wif-1 were observed after treated with different concentrations of indirubin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The wif-1 promoter methylation status was detected by DNA methylation-specific PCR (MSP). The transcriptional activities of wif-1 and β-catenin were discovered by a luciferase reporter gene system. Cell viability was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) method. The cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry. The apoptotic cells were surveyed by the apoptosis kit. The expression of Inolucrin, Loricrin, Filaggrin, Keratin 17, and transcriptional activation of transglutaminase 1(TGase1) were detected by Western blotting.

Results

Indirubin inhibited the expression of DNMT1 and the methylation of the wif-1 promoter. In the wnt signal pathway, indirubin restored the protein expression of wif-1 and inhibited expression of Frizzled2, Frizzled5, and β-catenin. Besides, indirubin inhibited the proliferation of HaCaT cells, induced apoptosis, and arrest cell cycle. We also reported that indirubin could down-regulate the expression of Involucrin, TGase 1, and keratin 17, but the expression of Filaggrin and Loricrin had no significant effect.

Conclusion

Our research showed that indirubin promoted the demethylation of wif-1 and suppressed the wnt/β-catenin signal pathway, thereby exerted an anti-proliferative effect. This study reveals the anti-proliferation mechanism of indirubin, which may provide an effective option for the treatment of proliferative diseases.

Morphology, Motility, and Cytoskeletal Architecture of Breast Cancer Cells Depend on Keratin 19 and Substrate

Cancer cells gain motility through events that accompany modulation of cell shape and include altered expression of keratins. However, the role of keratins in change of cancer cell architecture is not well understood. Therefore, we ablated the expression of keratin 19 (K19) in breast cancer cells of the MDA-MB-231 cell line and found that cells lacking K19 become more elongated in culture, with morphological reversion toward the parental phenotype upon transduction of KRT19. Also, the number of actin stress fibers and focal adhesions were significantly reduced in KRT19 knockout (KO) cells. The altered morphology of KRT19 KO cells was then characterized quantitatively using digital holographic microscopy (DHM), which not only confirmed the phenotypic change of KRT19 KO cells but also identified that the K19-dependent morphological change is dependent on the substrate type. A new quantitative method of single cell analysis from DHM, via average phase difference maps, facilitated evaluation of K19-substrate interactive effects on cell morphology. When plated on collagen substrate, KRT19 KO cells were less elongated and resembled parental cells. Assessing single cell motility further showed that while KRT19 KO cells moved faster than parental cells on a rigid surface, this increase in motility became abrogated when cells were plated on collagen. Overall, our study suggests that K19 inhibits cell motility by regulating cell shape in a substrate-dependent manner. Thus, this study provides a potential basis for the altered expression of keratins associated with change in cell shape and motility of cancer cells. © 2020 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

Pathophysiology of pachyonychia congenita-associated palmoplantar keratoderma: new insights into skin epithelial homeostasis and avenues for treatment

BACKGROUND

Pachyonychia congenita (PC), a rare genodermatosis, primarily affects ectoderm-derived epithelial appendages and typically includes oral leukokeratosis, nail dystrophy and very painful palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK). PC dramatically impacts quality of life although it does not affect lifespan. PC can arise from mutations in any of the wound-repair-associated keratin genes KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT6C, KRT16 or KRT17. There is no cure for this condition, and current treatment options for PC symptoms are limited and palliative in nature.

OBJECTIVES

This review focuses on recent progress made towards understanding the pathophysiology of PPK lesions, the most prevalent and debilitating of all PC symptoms.

METHODS

We reviewed the relevant literature with a particular focus on the Krt16 null mouse, which spontaneously develops footpad lesions that mimic several aspects of PC-associated PPK.

RESULTS

There are three main stages of progression of PPK-like lesions in Krt16 null mice. Ahead of lesion onset, keratinocytes in the palmoplantar (footpad) skin exhibit specific defects in terminal differentiation, including loss of Krt9 expression. At the time of PPK onset, there is elevated oxidative stress and hypoactive Keap1-Nrf2 signalling. During active PPK, there is a profound defect in the ability of the epidermis to maintain or return to normal homeostasis.

CONCLUSIONS

The progress made suggests new avenues to explore for the treatment of PC-based PPK and deepens our understanding of the mechanisms controlling skin tissue homeostasis. What's already known about this topic? Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a rare genodermatosis caused by mutations in KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT6C, KRT16 and KRT17, which are normally expressed in skin appendages and induced following injury. Individuals with PC present with multiple clinical symptoms that usually include thickened and dystrophic nails, palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK), glandular cysts and oral leukokeratosis. The study of PC pathophysiology is made challenging because of its low incidence and high complexity. There is no cure or effective treatment for PC. What does this study add? This text reviews recent progress made when studying the pathophysiology of PPK associated with PC. This recent progress points to new possibilities for devising effective therapeutics that may complement current palliative strategies.

Stress keratin 17 enhances papillomavirus infection-induced disease by downregulating T cell recruitment

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) cause 5% of human cancers. Despite the availability of HPV vaccines, there remains a strong urgency to find ways to treat persistent HPV infections, as current HPV vaccines are not therapeutic for individuals already infected. We used a mouse papillomavirus infection model to characterize virus-host interactions. We found that mouse papillomavirus (MmuPV1) suppresses host immune responses via overexpression of stress keratins. In mice deficient for stress keratin K17 (K17KO), we observed rapid regression of papillomas dependent on T cells. Cellular genes involved in immune response were differentially expressed in the papillomas arising on the K17KO mice correlating with increased numbers of infiltrating CD8+ T cells and upregulation of IFNγ-related genes, including CXCL9 and CXCL10, prior to complete regression. Blocking the receptor for CXCL9/CXCL10 prevented early regression. Our data provide a novel mechanism by which papillomavirus-infected cells evade host immunity and defines new therapeutic targets for treating persistent papillomavirus infections.

Keratin 19 regulates cell cycle pathway and sensitivity of breast cancer cells to CDK inhibitors

Keratin 19 (K19) belongs to the keratin family of proteins, which maintains structural integrity of epithelia. In cancer, K19 is highly expressed in several types where it serves as a diagnostic marker. Despite the positive correlation between higher expression of K19 in tumor and worse patient survival, the role of K19 in breast cancer remains unclear. Therefore, we ablated K19 expression in MCF7 breast cancer cells and found that K19 was required for cell proliferation. Transcriptome analyses of KRT19 knockout cells identified defects in cell cycle progression and levels of target genes of E2F1, a key transcriptional factor for the transition into S phase. Furthermore, proper levels of cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclins, including D-type cyclins critical for E2F1 activation, were dependent on K19 expression, and K19-cyclin D co-expression was observed in human breast cancer tissues. Importantly, K19 interacts with cyclin D3, and a loss of K19 resulted in decreased protein stability of cyclin D3 and sensitivity of cells towards CDK inhibitor-induced cell death. Overall, these findings reveal a novel function of K19 in the regulation of cell cycle program and suggest that K19 may be used to predict the efficacy of CDK inhibitors for treatments of breast cancer.

HNRNPK maintains epidermal progenitor function through transcription of proliferation genes and degrading differentiation promoting mRNAs

Maintenance of high-turnover tissues such as the epidermis requires a balance between stem cell proliferation and differentiation. The molecular mechanisms governing this process are an area of investigation. Here we show that HNRNPK, a multifunctional protein, is necessary to prevent premature differentiation and sustains the proliferative capacity of epidermal stem and progenitor cells. To prevent premature differentiation of progenitor cells, HNRNPK is necessary for DDX6 to bind a subset of mRNAs that code for transcription factors that promote differentiation. Upon binding, these mRNAs such as GRHL3, KLF4, and ZNF750 are degraded through the mRNA degradation pathway, which prevents premature differentiation. To sustain the proliferative capacity of the epidermis, HNRNPK is necessary for RNA Polymerase II binding to proliferation/self-renewal genes such as MYC, CYR61, FGFBP1, EGFR, and cyclins to promote their expression. Our study establishes a prominent role for HNRNPK in maintaining adult tissue self-renewal through both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms.

Maintenance of high turnover in tissues such as epidermis requires balance between proliferation and differentiation. Here the authors show that HNRNPK promotes RNA Polymerase II binding to proliferation and self-renewal genes as well as degradation of differentiation promoting mRNAs together with DDX6 in epidermis.

Keratin 6, 16 and 17-Critical Barrier Alarmin Molecules in Skin Wounds and Psoriasis

Located at the skin surface, keratinocytes (KCs) are constantly exposed to external stimuli and are the first responders to invading pathogens and injury. Upon skin injury, activated KCs secrete an array of alarmin molecules, providing a rapid and specific innate immune response against danger signals. However, dysregulation of the innate immune response of KCs may lead to uncontrolled inflammation and psoriasis pathogenesis. Keratins (KRT) are the major structural intermediate filament proteins in KCs and are expressed in a highly specific pattern at different differentiation stages of KCs. While KRT14-KRT5 is restricted to basal proliferative KCs, and KRT10-KRT1 is restricted to suprabasal differentiated KCs in normal skin epidermis, the wound proximal KCs downregulate KRT10-K1 and upregulate KRT16/KRT17-KRT6 upon skin injury. Recent studies have recognized KRT6/16/17 as key early barrier alarmins and upregulation of these keratins alters proliferation, cell adhesion, migration and inflammatory features of KCs, contributing to hyperproliferation and innate immune activation of KCs in response to an epidermal barrier breach, followed by the autoimmune activation of T cells that drives psoriasis. Here, we have reviewed how keratins are dysregulated during skin injury, their roles in wound repairs and in initiating the innate immune system and the subsequent autoimmune amplification that arises in psoriasis.

Intermediate Filaments as Effectors of Cancer Development and Metastasis: A Focus on Keratins, Vimentin, and Nestin

Intermediate filament (IF) proteins make up the largest family of cytoskeletal proteins in metazoans, and are traditionally known for their roles in fostering structural integrity in cells and tissues. Remarkably, individual IF genes are tightly regulated in a fashion that reflects the type of tissue, its developmental and differentiation stages, and biological context. In cancer, IF proteins serve as diagnostic markers, as tumor cells partially retain their original signature expression of IF proteins. However, there are also characteristic alterations in IF gene expression and protein regulation. The use of high throughput analytics suggests that tumor-associated alterations in IF gene expression have prognostic value. Parallel research is also showing that IF proteins directly and significantly impact several key cellular properties, including proliferation, death, migration, and invasiveness, with a demonstrated impact on the development, progression, and characteristics of various tumors. In this review, we draw from recent studies focused on three IF proteins most associated with cancer (keratins, vimentin, and nestin) to highlight how several “hallmarks of cancer” described by Hanahan and Weinberg are impacted by IF proteins. The evidence already in hand establishes that IF proteins function beyond their classical roles as markers and serve as effectors of tumorigenesis.

Keratin 17 in disease pathogenesis: from cancer to dermatoses

Keratin 17 (K17) is a type I intermediate filament mainly expressed in the basal cells of epithelia. As a multifaceted cytoskeletal protein, K17 regulates a myriad of biological processes, including cell proliferation and growth, skin inflammation and hair follicle cycling. Aberrant overexpression of K17 is found in various diseases ranging from psoriasis to malignancies such as breast, cervical, oral squamous and gastric carcinomas. Moreover, genetic mutation in KRT17 is related to tissue-specific diseases, represented by steatocystoma multiplex and pachyonychia congenita. In this review, we summarize our findings concerning the regulatory mechanisms of K17 overexpression in psoriasis and compare them to the literature relating to other diseases. We discuss data that proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-22, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and transcription factors glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1/2 (Gli1/2), Nrf2 and p53 can regulate K17 by transcriptional and translational control. Moreover, post-translational modification, including phosphorylation and ubiquitination, is involved in the regulation of K17 stability and biological functions. We therefore review the current understanding of the K17 regulatory mechanism and its pathogenic role in diseases from dermatoses to cancer. Prospects for anti-K17 therapy in diagnosis, prognosis and disease treatment are also discussed. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Keratin 6 regulates collective keratinocyte migration by altering cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion

Keratin 6 (K6) isoforms are induced in wound-proximal keratinocytes after injury to skin. Paradoxically, absence of K6 isoforms leads to faster directional cell migration. Wang et al. report that K6 promotes collective keratinocyte migration by interacting with desmoplakin and myosin IIA and stabilizing cell adhesion.

The a and b isoforms of keratin 6 (K6), a type II intermediate filament (IF) protein, are robustly induced upon injury to interfollicular epidermis. We previously showed that complete loss of K6a/K6b stimulates keratinocyte migration, correlating with enhanced Src activity. In this study, we demonstrate that this property is cell autonomous, depends on the ECM, and results from elevated speed, enhanced directionality, and an increased rate of focal adhesion disassembly. We show that myosin IIA interacts with K6a/K6b, that its levels are markedly reduced in Krt6a/Krt6b-null keratinocytes, and that inhibiting myosin ATPase activity normalizes the enhanced migration potential of Krt6a/Krt6b-null cells. Desmoplakin, which mediates attachment of IFs to desmosomes, is also expressed at reduced levels and is mislocalized to the nucleus in Krt6a/Krt6b-null cells, correlating with defects in cell adhesion. These findings reveal that K6a/K6b modulate keratinocyte migration by regulating cell–matrix and cell–cell adhesion and highlight a role for keratins in collective cell migration.

E3 Ligase Trim21 Ubiquitylates and Stabilizes Keratin 17 to Induce STAT3 Activation in Psoriasis

Keratin 17 (K17), a marker of keratinocyte hyperproliferation, is a type I intermediate filament that is overexpressed in psoriatic epidermis and plays a critical pathogenic role by stimulating T cells. However, the posttranslational modification of K17, which is reversible and targetable, has not been elucidated. Herein, we reported that K17 could be modified through ubiquitination that controlled its stability and led to the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of its interactor signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3), which is a key regulator of cell proliferation in psoriasis. First, we stimulated human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT cells with psoriasis (pso)-mix, which is a cytokine pool (IL-17, IL-22, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IFN-γ) mimicking the in vitro "psoriasis-like" status and found that the ubiquitination of K17 was essential to stabilize its protein expression in pso-mix-treated HaCaT cells. Subsequently, tripartite motif-containing protein 21 was identified as the E3 ligase of K17, which ubiquitylated K17 via K63 linkage to maintain K17 stabilization. More importantly, we uncovered that K17 was a direct interactor of STAT3, and K17 ubiquitination could promote STAT3 activation in pso-mix-treated HaCaT cells. Our study demonstrated that targeting K17 ubiquitination may be a potential therapeutic approach by attenuating STAT3 signaling in psoriasis.

Epithelial Keratins Modulate cMet Expression and Signaling and Promote InlB-Mediated Listeria monocytogenes Infection of HeLa Cells

The host cytoskeleton is a major target for bacterial pathogens during infection. In particular, pathogens usurp the actin cytoskeleton function to strongly adhere to the host cell surface, to induce plasma membrane remodeling allowing invasion and to spread from cell to cell and disseminate to the whole organism. Keratins are cytoskeletal proteins that are the major components of intermediate filaments in epithelial cells however, their role in bacterial infection has been disregarded. Here we investigate the role of the major epithelial keratins, keratins 8 and 18 (K8 and K18), in the cellular infection by Listeria monocytogenes. We found that K8 and K18 are required for successful InlB/cMet-dependent L. monocytogenes infection, but are dispensable for InlA/E-cadherin-mediated invasion. Both K8 and K18 accumulate at InlB-mediated internalization sites following actin recruitment and modulate actin dynamics at those sites. We also reveal the key role of K8 and K18 in HGF-induced signaling which occurs downstream the activation of cMet. Strikingly, we show here that K18, and at a less extent K8, controls the expression of cMet and other surface receptors such TfR and integrin β1, by promoting the stability of their corresponding transcripts. Together, our results reveal novel functions for major epithelial keratins in the modulation of actin dynamics at the bacterial entry sites and in the control of surface receptors mRNA stability and expression.

Types I and II Keratin Intermediate Filaments

Keratins-types I and II-are the intermediate-filament-forming proteins expressed in epithelial cells. They are encoded by 54 evolutionarily conserved genes (28 type I, 26 type II) and regulated in a pairwise and tissue type-, differentiation-, and context-dependent manner. Here, we review how keratins serve multiple homeostatic and stress-triggered mechanical and nonmechanical functions, including maintenance of cellular integrity, regulation of cell growth and migration, and protection from apoptosis. These functions are tightly regulated by posttranslational modifications and keratin-associated proteins. Genetically determined alterations in keratin-coding sequences underlie highly penetrant and rare disorders whose pathophysiology reflects cell fragility or altered tissue homeostasis. Furthermore, keratin mutation or misregulation represents risk factors or genetic modifiers for several additional acute and chronic diseases.

Cytokeratin-8 in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma: More Than a Simple Structural Cytoskeletal Protein

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is almost universally fatal. Elevated keratin-8 (KRT8) protein expression is an established diagnostic cancer biomarker in several epithelial cancers (but not ATC). Several keratins, including KRT8, have been suggested to have a role in cell biology beyond that of structural cytoskeletal proteins. Here, we provide evidence that KRT8 plays a direct role in the growth of ATCs. Genomic and transcriptomic analysis of >5000 patients demonstrates that KRT8 mutation and copy number amplification are frequently evident in epithelial-derived cancers. Carcinomas arising from diverse tissues exhibit KRT8 mRNA and protein overexpression when compared to normal tissue levels. Similarly, in a panel of patient-derived ATC cell lines and patient tumors, KRT8 expression shows a similar pattern. sh-RNA-mediated KRT8 knockdown in these cell lines increases apoptosis, whereas forced overexpression of KRT8 confers resistance to apoptosis under peroxide-induced cell stress conditions. We further show that KRT8 protein binds to annexin A2, a protein known to mediate apoptosis as well as the redox pathway.

HnRNPK/miR-223/FBXW7 feedback cascade promotes pancreatic cancer cell growth and invasion

Several studies have identified miR-223 critically involved in various types of cancer, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, its action and regulatory mechanisms in PDAC remains largely unclear. In this study, we found that the expression levels of miR-223 were increased in clinical samples with PDAC (81.6%). The upregulation of miR-223 increases the proliferation, migration, and invasive abilities of PDAC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, miR-223 directly targeted FBXW7 and overexpression of FBXW7 reverted miR-223- induced drastic proliferation in PDAC cells. Interestingly, miR-223 promoter was found to form a coprecipitable complex with hnRNPK, and siRNA knockdown of hnRNPK in PDAC cells reduced the levels of miR-223. These results show that hnRNPK is a cellular protein that binds and affects the accumulation of miR-223 in PDAC. Furthermore, FBXW7 interacts with hnRNPK and promotes its degradation, which requires phosphorylation of hnRNPK at threonine 1695 by GSK3. Consistently, we observed an inverse expression pattern between FBXW7 and miR-223, whereas a positive expression pattern between miR-223 and hnRNPK was found in human PDAC tissues. These data unveiled an important new miR-223/FBXW7/HnRNPK feedback cascade in human PDAC.

Keratins Are Going Nuclear

Previously thought to reside exclusively in the cytoplasm, the cytoskeletal protein keratin 17 (K17) has been recently identified inside the nucleus of tumor epithelial cells with a direct impact on cell proliferation and gene expression. We comment on fundamental questions raised by this new finding and the associated significance.

The Molecular Revolution in Cutaneous Biology: Keratin Genes and their Associated Disease: Diversity, Opportunities, and Challenges

The abundance of keratin proteins and the filaments they form in surface epithelia has long been appreciated. This said, the remarkable diversity of keratin proteins and the notion that they are encoded by one of the largest gene families in the human genome has come to the fore relatively recently, coinciding with the sequencing of whole genomes. This complexity has generated some practical challenges, notably in terms of nomenclature and tractability. More importantly, however, studies of keratin have seeded the discovery of the genetic basis for a large number of genodermatoses and continue to provide a unique perspective on and insight into epithelial cells and tissues, whether normal or diseased.

DC - SIGNR by influencing the lncRNA HNRNPKP2 upregulates the expression of CXCR4 in gastric cancer liver metastasis

Background

Profiling evidences of selectin demonstrate that they play an crucial role in cancer progression and metastasis. However, DC-SIGNR as a family member of selectin participates in gastric cancer liver metastasis remains unknown.

Methods

The serum level of DC-SIGNR was evaluated in gastric cancer patients by ELISA. Manipulation DC-SIGNR expression in BGC823 and SGC7901 cell lines was mediated by lentivirus. Investigation the biological effects of DC-SIGNR were verified by MTT, wounding and transwell in vitro and experiments on animals to confirm gastric cancer liver metastasis by IVIS. Insights of the mechanism were employed microarray and bioinformatic analysis. Further to confirm the results were conducted by qRT-PCR, western blot and by flow cytometry.

Results

DC-SIGNR serum level was significantly increased in gastric cancer patients compared with healthy group. Additionally, DC-SIGNR level was associated with an advanced pathological stage in gastric cancer patients. DC-SIGNR knockdown inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells in vitro and suppressed the liver metastasis in vivo. While, DC-SIGNR overexpression promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In mechanism, HNRNPKP2 as a lncRNA was upregulated after DC-SIGNR knockdown. Importantly, STAT5A promoted HNRNPKP2 expression after knockdown DC-SIGNR. Furthermore after HNRNPKP2 depletion, the downstream target gene CXCR4 was downregulated.

Conclusions

DC-SIGNR promoted gastric cancer liver metastasis mediated with HNRNPKP2 which expression was regulated by STAT5A. And HNRNPKP2 decreased the expression of downstream target gene CXCR4. These findings indicated potential therapeutic candidates for gastric cancer liver metastasis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12943-017-0639-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.