Mannose glycosylation is an integral step for NIS localization and function in human breast cancer cells

Glycosylation profiling of triple-negative breast cancer: clinical and immune correlations and identification of LMAN1L as a biomarker and therapeutic target

Introduction

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignant tumor in women, with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) showing the poorest prognosis among all subtypes. Glycosylation is increasingly recognized as a critical biomarker in the tumor microenvironment, particularly in BC. However, the glycosylation-related genes associated with TNBC have not yet been defined. Additionally, their characteristics and relationship with prognosis have not been deeply investigated.

Methods

Transcriptomic analyses were used to identify a glycosylation-related signature (GRS) associated with TNBC prognosis. A machine learning-based prediction model was constructed and validated across multiple independent datasets. The model's predictive capability was extended to evaluate the prognosis of TNBC individuals, tumor immune microenvironment and immunotherapy response. LMAN1L (Lectin, Mannose Binding 1 Like) was identified as a novel prognostic marker in TNBC, and its biological effects were validated through experimental assays.

Results

The GRS showed significant prognostic relevance for TNBC patients. The risk model effectively predicted molecular features, including immune cell infiltration and potential responses to immunotherapy. Experimental validation confirmed LMAN1L as a novel glycosylation-related prognostic gene, with low expression significantly inhibiting TNBC cell proliferation and migration.

Discussion

Our GRS risk model demonstrates robust predictive capability for TNBC prognosis and immunotherapy response. This model offers a promising strategy for personalized treatment and improved clinical outcomes in TNBC.

Sodium/Iodide Symporter Metastable Intermediates Provide Insights into Conformational Transition between Principal Thermodynamic States

The Sodium/Iodide Symporter (NIS), a 13-helix transmembrane protein found in the thyroid and other tissues, transports iodide, a required constituent of thyroid hormones T3 and T4. Despite extensive experimental information and clinical data, structural details of the intermediate microstates comprising the conformational transition of NIS between its inwardly and outwardly open states remain unresolved. We present data from a combination of enhanced sampling and transition path molecular dynamics (MD) simulations that elucidate the principal intermediate states comprising the inwardly to outwardly open transition of fully bound and apo NIS under an enforced ionic gradient. Our findings suggest that in both the absence and presence of bound physiological ions, NIS principally occupies a proximally inward to inwardly open state. When fully bound, NIS is also found to occupy a rare "inwardly occluded" state. The results of this work provide novel insight into the populations of NIS intermediates and the free energy landscape comprising the conformational transition, adding to a mechanistic understanding of NIS ion transport. Moreover, the knowledge gained from this approach can serve as a basis for studies of NIS mutants to target therapeutic interventions.

Breast cancer glycan biomarkers: their link to tumour cell metabolism and their perspectives in clinical practice

INTRODUCTION

Breast cancer (BCa) is the most common cancer type diagnosed in women and 5^th most common cause of deaths among all cancer deaths despite the fact that screening program is at place. This is why novel diagnostics approaches are needed in order to decrease number of BCa cases and disease mortality.

AREAS COVERED

In this review paper, we aim to cover some basic aspects regarding cellular metabolism and signalling in BCa behind altered glycosylation. We also discuss novel exciting discoveries regarding glycan-based analysis, which can provide useful information for better understanding of the disease. The final part deals with clinical usefulness of glycan-based biomarkers and the clinical performance of such biomarkers is compared to already approved BCa biomarkers and diagnostic tools based on imaging.

EXPERT OPINION

Recent discoveries suggest that glycan-based biomarkers offer high accuracy for possible BCa diagnostics in blood, but also for better monitoring and management of BCa patients. The review article was written using Web of Science search engine to include articles published between 2019 and 2021.

Glycosylation Modulates Plasma Membrane Trafficking of CD24 in Breast Cancer Cells

In breast cancer, expression of Cluster of Differentiation 24 (CD24), a small GPI-anchored glycoprotein at the cell periphery, is associated with metastasis and immune escape, while its absence is associated with tumor-initiating capacity. Since the mechanism of CD24 sorting is unknown, we investigated the role of glycosylation in the subcellular localization of CD24. Expression and localization of wild type N36- and/or N52-mutated CD24 were analyzed using immunofluorescence in luminal (MCF-7) and basal B (MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T) breast cancer cells lines, as well as HEK293T cells. Endogenous and exogenously expressed wild type and mutated CD24 were found localized at the plasma membrane and the cytoplasm, but not the nucleoplasm. The cell lines showed different kinetics for the sorting of CD24 through the secretory/endocytic pathway. N-glycosylation, especially at N52, and its processing in the Golgi were critical for the sorting and expression of CD24 at the plasma membrane of HEK293T and basal B type cells, but not of MCF-7 cells. In conclusion, our study highlights the contribution of N-glycosylation for the subcellular localization of CD24. Aberrant N-glycosylation at N52 of CD24 could account for the lack of CD24 expression at the cell surface of basal B breast cancer cells.

FOXA1 Regulation Turns Benzamide HDACi Treatment Effect-Specific in BC, Promoting NIS Gene-Mediated Targeted Radioiodine Therapy

Human sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene mediated radio-ablation is a successful procedure in thyroid cancer clinics. In recent years, natural expression of NIS is reported in breast cancer (BC) cases but is yet to make its mark as a therapeutic procedure in BC clinics. A pre-exposure to histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors to amplify endogenous NIS expression was attempted, but achieving cancer tissue-specific enhancement of NIS in patients is an important challenge to win. Here, for the first time, we show that a benzamide class of HDACi (bHDACi) can significantly induce NIS gene expression and function (p < 0.05) in BC cells with minimal off-target effects. Transcription factor (TF) profiler and promoter binding array reveals 22 TFs differentially activated by CI-994, of which FOXA1 is identified as a unique and positive regulator of NIS. Clonogenic assay shows reduced survival with bHDACi + ¹³¹I combination treatment. Further, AR-42 and MS-275 treatment shows enhanced NIS expression in an orthotopic breast tumor model. Combining bHDACi with 1 mCi ¹³¹I shows 40% drop in signal (p < 0.05), indicating enhanced radio-ablation effect. Cerenkov imaging revealed higher accumulation of ¹³¹I in MS-275-treated tumors. Thus, bHDACi-mediated selective enhancement ensuring minimal off-target effect is a step further toward using NIS as a therapeutic target for BC.

First person – Maitreyi Rathod and Sushmita Chatterjee

First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Journal of Cell Science, helping early-career researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Maitreyi Rathod and Sushmita Chatterjee are co-first authors on ‘Mannose glycosylation is an integral step for NIS localization and function in human breast cancer cells’, published in JCS. Maitreyi conducted the research described in this article while a PhD student in Dr Abhijit De's lab at the ACTREC, Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai, India. Sushmita is now a a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Dan Peer's lab at Tel Aviv University, Israel, investigating the use of RNAi in ovarian cancer and in order to target chemo-resistant ovarian cancer cells.