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Liang Y, Diao W, Yang X, Tao Y, Hong L, Li W. Regulator of calcineurin 3 as a novel predictor of diagnosis and prognosis in pan-cancer. Croat Med J 2024; 65:356-372. [PMID: 39219199 PMCID: PMC11399725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
AIM To assess diagnostic and prognostic value of regulator of calcineurin 3 (RCAN3) in various malignancies. METHODS RCAN3 expression levels were assessed across pan-cancer data sets including various molecular and immune subtypes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Kaplan-Meier curves were employed to determine the diagnostic and prognostic value of RCAN3 in pan-cancer, respectively. Enrichment analyses were used to identify RCAN3-associated terms and pathways. A special focus was placed on cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma cervical cancer (CESC); we assessed the prognostic value of RCAN expression within distinct clinical subgroups and its effect on m6A modifications and immune infiltration. RESULTS RCAN3 expression varied not only in different cancer types but also in different molecular and immune subtypes of cancers. RCAN3 displayed high accuracy in diagnosing and predicting cancers, and RCAN3 expression level was associated with the prognosis of certain cancers. CESC patients with a high RCAN3 level had a worse overall survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free interval. RCAN3 expression was related to multiple m6A modifier genes and immune cells. CONCLUSION In general, RCAN3 can serve as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis in pan-cancer, especially in CESC. It may represent a promising molecular target for developing new treatments. However, our analysis is limited to bioinformatic predictions, and further biological experiments are necessary to verify our results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Wenle Li
- Wenle Li, Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, No. 57, Renmin Avenue South, Xiashan District, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, 524000, China,
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García-Andrade F, Vigueras-Villaseñor RM, Chávez-Saldaña MD, Rojas-Castañeda JC, Bahena-Ocampo IU, Aréchaga-Ocampo E, Flores-Fortis M, Díaz-Chávez J, Herrera LA, Landero-Huerta DA. Molecular Characterization of Patients with Cryptorchidism: Preliminary Search for an Expression Profile Related to That of Testicular Germ-Cell Tumors. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:3020. [PMID: 37761387 PMCID: PMC10529510 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13183020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptorchidism (CO) is a risk factor for the development of testicular germ-cell tumors (TGCT). This is supported by reports showing the persistence of gonocytes in CO patients. These cells are proposed to be related to the development of germ-cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS), which is considered the precursor stage/lesion of TGCT. Therefore, it is proposed that some patients with CO could express some molecular markers related to TGCT. In this study, we analyzed testicular tissue samples from CO, TGCT, and controls. We determined the expression of POU5F1, PLAP, and KIT by immunohistochemistry and that of the hsa-miR-371-373 cluster, hsa-miR-367, and LATS2, PTEN, and IGFR1 genes by RT-qPCR. We then carried out a bioinformatic analysis to identify other possible candidate genes as tumor biomarkers. We found that 16.7% (2/12) of the CO patients presented increased expression of POU5F1, KIT, PLAP, hsa-miR-371-373, and hsa-miR-367 and decreased expression of LATS2 and IGF1R. Finally, the genes ARID4B, GALNT3, and KPNA6 were identified as other possible candidate tumor biomarkers. This is the first report describing the expression of the hsa-miR-371-373 cluster, hsa-miR-367, LATS2, and IGF1R in the testicular tissues of two CO patients with cells immune-positive to POU5F1, PLAP, and KIT, which is similar to what is observed in TGCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola García-Andrade
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Ciudad de Mexico 04530, Mexico
- Posgrado en Biología Experimental, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Ciudad de Mexico 09310, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Ivan Uriel Bahena-Ocampo
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Ciudad de Mexico 09310, Mexico
| | - Elena Aréchaga-Ocampo
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Cuajimalpa, Ciudad de Mexico 05348, Mexico
| | - Mauricio Flores-Fortis
- Posgrado en Ciencias Naturales e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Cuajimalpa, Ciudad de Mexico 05348, Mexico
| | - José Díaz-Chávez
- Unidad de Investigación en Cáncer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Ciudad de Mexico 14080, Mexico
| | - Luis Alonso Herrera
- Unidad de Investigación en Cáncer, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Ciudad de Mexico 14080, Mexico
- Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud-Tecnológico de Monterrey, Ciudad de Mexico 14380, Mexico
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Gesualdi L, Berardini M, Scicchitano BM, Castaldo C, Bizzarri M, Filippini A, Riccioli A, Schiraldi C, Ferranti F, Liguoro D, Mancini R, Ricci G, Catizone A. ERK Signaling Pathway Is Constitutively Active in NT2D1 Non-Seminoma Cells and Its Inhibition Impairs Basal and HGF-Activated Cell Proliferation. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1894. [PMID: 37509533 PMCID: PMC10377482 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11071894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
c-MET/hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) system deregulation is a well-known feature of malignancy in several solid tumors, and for this reason this system and its pathway have been considered as potential targets for therapeutic purposes. In previous manuscripts we reported c-MET/HGF expression and the role in testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) derived cell lines. We demonstrated the key role of c-Src and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT adaptors in the HGF-dependent malignant behavior of the embryonal carcinoma cell line NT2D1, finding that the inhibition of these onco-adaptor proteins abrogates HGF triggered responses such as proliferation, migration, and invasion. Expanding on these previous studies, herein we investigated the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) pathways in the HGF-dependent and HGF-independent NT2D1 cells biological responses. To inhibit MAPK/ERK pathways we chose a pharmacological approach, by using U0126 inhibitor, and we analyzed cell proliferation, collective migration, and chemotaxis. The administration of U0126 together with HGF reverts the HGF-dependent activation of cell proliferation but, surprisingly, does not exert the same effect on NT2D1 cell migration. In addition, we found that the use of U0126 alone significantly promotes the acquisition of NT2D1 «migrating phenotype», while collective migration of NT2D1 cells was stimulated. Notably, the inhibition of ERK activation in the absence of HGF stimulation resulted in the activation of the AKT-mediated pathway, and this let us speculate that the paradoxical effects obtained by using U0126, which are the increase of collective migration and the acquisition of partial epithelium-mesenchyme transition (pEMT), are the result of compensatory pathways activation. These data highlight how the specific response to pathway inhibitors, should be investigated in depth before setting up therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Gesualdi
- Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic-Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marika Berardini
- Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic-Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Bianca Maria Scicchitano
- Section of Histology, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Clotilde Castaldo
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Mariano Bizzarri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Systems Biology Group Lab, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Filippini
- Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic-Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Riccioli
- Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic-Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Schiraldi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Ferranti
- Human Spaceflight and Scientific Research Unit, Italian Space Agency, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Domenico Liguoro
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant'Andrea Hospital, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Mancini
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant'Andrea Hospital, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Ricci
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Catizone
- Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic-Medicine and Orthopedics, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
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Obesity and main urologic cancers: Current systematic evidence, novel biological mechanisms, perspectives and challenges. Semin Cancer Biol 2023; 91:70-98. [PMID: 36893965 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Urologic cancers (UC) account for 13.1% of all new cancer cases and 7.9% of all cancer-related deaths. A growing body of evidence has indicated a potential causal link between obesity and UC. The aim of the present review is to appraise in a critical and integrative manner evidence from meta-analyses and mechanistic studies on the role of obesity in four prevalent UC (kidney-KC, prostate-PC, urinary bladder-UBC, and testicular cancer-TC). Special emphasis is given on Mendelian Randomization Studies (MRS) corroborating a genetic causal association between obesity and UC, as well as on the role of classical and novel adipocytokines. Furthermore, the molecular pathways that link obesity to the development and progression of these cancers are reviewed. Available evidence indicates that obesity confers increased risk for KC, UBC, and advanced PC (20-82%, 10-19%, and 6-14%, respectively), whereas for TC adult height (5-cm increase) may increase the risk by 13%. Obese females tend to be more susceptible to UBC and KC than obese males. MRS have shown that a higher genetic-predicted BMI may be causally linked to KC and UBC but not PC and TC. Biological mechanisms that are involved in the association between excess body weight and UC include the Insulin-like Growth Factor axis, altered availability of sex hormones, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, abnormal secretion of adipocytokines, ectopic fat deposition, dysbiosis of the gastrointestinal and urinary tract microbiomes and circadian rhythm dysregulation. Anti-hyperglycemic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statins, and adipokine receptor agonists/antagonists show potential as adjuvant cancer therapies. Identifying obesity as a modifiable risk factor for UC may have significant public health implications, allowing clinicians to tailor individualized prevention strategies for patients with excess body weight.
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Tommasi S, Kitapci TH, Blumenfeld H, Besaratinia A. Secondhand smoke affects reproductive functions by altering the mouse testis transcriptome, and leads to select intron retention in Pde1a. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 161:107086. [PMID: 35063792 PMCID: PMC8891074 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) is known to result in adverse effects in multiple organ systems. However, the impact of SHS on the male reproductive system, particularly on the regulation of genes and molecular pathways that govern sperm production, maturation, and functions remains largely understudied. OBJECTIVE We investigated the effects of SHS on the testis transcriptome in a validated mouse model. METHODS Adult male mice were exposed to SHS (5 h/day, 5 days/week for 4 months) as compared to controls (clean air-exposed). RNA-seq analysis was performed on the testis of SHS-exposed mice and controls. Variant discovery and plink association analyses were also conducted to detect exposure-related transcript variants in SHS-treated mice. RESULTS Exposure of mice to SHS resulted in the aberrant expression of 131 testicular genes. Whilst approximately two thirds of the differentially expressed genes were protein-coding, the remaining (30.5%) comprised noncoding elements, mostly lncRNAs (19.1%). Variant discovery analysis identified a homozygous frameshift variant that is statistically significantly associated with SHS exposure (P = 7.744e-06) and is generated by retention of a short intron within Pde1a, a key regulator of spermatogenesis. Notably, this SHS-associated intron variant harbors an evolutionarily conserved, premature termination codon (PTC) that disrupts the open reading frame of Pde1a, presumably leading to its degradation via nonsense-mediated decay. DISCUSSION SHS alters the expression of genes involved in molecular pathways that are crucial for normal testis development and function. Preferential targeting of lncRNAs in the testis of SHS-exposed mice is especially significant considering their crucial role in the spatial and temporal modulation of spermatogenesis. Equally important is our discovery of a novel homozygous frameshift variant that is exclusively and significantly associated with SHS-exposure and is likely to represent a safeguard mechanism to regulate transcription of Pde1a and preserve normal testis function during harmful exposure to environmental agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Tommasi
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, USC Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, M/C 9603, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
| | - Tevfik H Kitapci
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, USC Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, M/C 9603, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Hannah Blumenfeld
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, USC Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, M/C 9603, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Ahmad Besaratinia
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, USC Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, M/C 9603, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Salatino A, Mirabelli M, Chiefari E, Greco M, Di Vito A, Bonapace G, Brunetti FS, Crocerossa F, Epstein AL, Foti DP, Brunetti A. The anticancer effects of Metformin in the male germ tumor SEM-1 cell line are mediated by HMGA1. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1051988. [PMID: 36506071 PMCID: PMC9727077 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1051988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Germ cell tumors (GCTs) are the most common type of cancer in young men. These tumors usually originate from the testis, but they can occasionally develop from extragonadal sites probably due to primordial germ cells (PGCs) migration errors. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is usually effective for male GCTs, but the risk of toxicity is high and new therapeutic strategies are needed. Although Metformin (Met) has been widely studied as a potential cancer treatment over the past decades, there is limited evidence to support its use in treating male GCTs. Additionally, the mechanism by which it acts on tumor cells is still not entirely understood. METHODS SEM-1 cells, a newly established human cell line of extragonadal origin, were treated with Met. Cell viability was studied by MTT assay, while cell migration and invasion were studied by the wound healing assay and the transwell assay, respectively. The effect of Met on 3D spheroid formation was determined by seeding SEM-1 cells in appropriate cell suspension culture conditions, and cell cycle was characterized by flow cytometry. Factors involved in PGCs migration and GCT invasion, such as IGFBP1, IGF1R, MMP-11 and c-Kit, together with cyclin D1 (a key regulator of cell cycle progression), and the upstream factor, HMGA1, were determined by immunoblots. RESULTS Treatment of SEM-1 cells with Met resulted in a potent and dose-dependent reduction of cell proliferation, as evidenced by decreased nuclear abundance of cyclin D1 and cell cycle arrest in G1 phase. Also, Met prevented the formation of 3D spheroids, and blocked cell migration and invasion by reducing the expression of IGFBP1, IGF1R and MMP-11. Both, IGFBP1 and MMP-11 are under control of HMGA1, a chromatin-associated protein that is involved in the regulation of important oncogenic, metabolic and embryological processes. Intriguingly, an early reduction in the nuclear abundance of HMGA1 occurred in SEM-1 cells treated with Met. CONCLUSIONS Our results document the antiproliferative and antimigratory effects of Met in SEM-1 cells, providing new insights into the potential treatments for male GCTs. The anticancer properties of Met in SEM-1 cells are likely related to its ability to interfere with HMGA1 and downstream targets, including cyclin D1, the IGFs system, and MMP-11.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Salatino
- Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Maria Mirabelli
- Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Eusebio Chiefari
- Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Marta Greco
- Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Anna Di Vito
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bonapace
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Francesco S. Brunetti
- Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Fabio Crocerossa
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Alan L. Epstein
- Department of Pathology, USC Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Daniela P. Foti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Antonio Brunetti
- Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
- *Correspondence: Antonio Brunetti,
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Yu J, Li S, Wang L, Dong Z, Si L, Bao L, Wu L. Pathogenesis of Brucella epididymoorchitis-game of Brucella death. Crit Rev Microbiol 2021; 48:96-120. [PMID: 34214000 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2021.1944055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by Brucella spp. Human infection often results from direct contact with tissues from infected animals or by consumption of undercooked meat and unpasteurised dairy products, causing serious economic losses and public health problems. The male genitourinary system is a common involved system in patients with brucellosis. Among them, unilateral orchitis and epididymitis are the most common. Although the clinical and imaging aspect of orchi-epididymitis caused by brucellosis have been widely described, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the damage and the immune response in testis and epididymis have not been fully elucidated. In this review, we first summarised the clinical characteristics of Brucella epididymo-orchitis and the composition of testicular and epididymal immune system. Secondly, with regard to the mechanism of Brucella epididymoorchitis, we mainly discussed the process of Brucella invading testis and epididymis in temporal and spatial order, including i) Brucella evades innate immune recognition of testicular PRRs;ii) Brucella overcomes the immune storm triggered by the invasion of testis through bacterial lipoproteins and virulence factors, and changes the secretion mode of cytokines; iii) Brucella breaks through the blood-testis barrier with the help of macrophages, and inflammatory cytokines promote the oxidative stress of Sertoli cells, damaging the integrity of BTB; iv) Brucella inhibits apoptosis of testicular phagocytes. Finally, we revealed the structure and sequence of testis invaded by Brucella at the tissue level. This review will enable us to better understand the pathogenesis of orchi-epididymitis caused by brucellosis and shed light on the development of new treatment strategies for the treatment of brucellosis and the prevention of transition to chronic form. Facing the testicle with immunity privilege, Brucella is like Bruce Lee in the movie Game of Death, winning is survival while losing is death.HIGHLIGHTSWe summarized the clinical features and pathological changes of Brucellaepididymoorchitis.Our research reveals the pathogenesis of Brucella epididymoorchitis, which mainly includes the subversion of testicular immune privilege by Brucella and a series of destructive reactions derived from it.As a basic framework and valuable resource, this study can promote the exploration of the pathogenesis of Brucella and provide reference for determining new therapeutic targets for brucellosis in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuwang Yu
- Mongolian Medicine School, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Sha Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhiheng Dong
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Lengge Si
- Mongolian Medicine School, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Lidao Bao
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
| | - Lan Wu
- Mongolian Medicine School, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, China
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The PI3K/AKT Pathway Is Activated by HGF in NT2D1 Non-Seminoma Cells and Has a Role in the Modulation of Their Malignant Behavior. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228669. [PMID: 33212946 PMCID: PMC7698414 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Overactivation of the c-MET/HGF system is a feature of many cancers. We previously reported that type II testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) cells express the c-MET receptor, forming non-seminomatous lesions that are more positive compared with seminomatous ones. Notably, we also demonstrated that NT2D1 non-seminomatous cells (derived from an embryonal carcinoma lesion) increase their proliferation, migration, and invasion in response to HGF. Herein, we report that HGF immunoreactivity is more evident in the microenvironment of embryonal carcinoma biopsies with respect to seminomatous ones, indicating a tumor-dependent modulation of the testicular niche. PI3K/AKT is one of the signaling pathways triggered by HGF through the c-MET activation cascade. Herein, we demonstrated that phospho-AKT increases in NT2D1 cells after HGF stimulation. Moreover, we found that this pathway is involved in HGF-dependent NT2D1 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, since the co-administration of the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 together with HGF abrogates these responses. Notably, the inhibition of endogenous PI3K affects collective cell migration but does not influence proliferation or chemotactic activity. Surprisingly, LY294002 administered without the co-administration of HGF increases cell invasion at levels comparable to the HGF-administered samples. This paradoxical result highlights the role of the testicular microenvironment in the modulation of cellular responses and stimulates the study of the testicular secretome in cancer lesions.
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