Association of cortactin and fascin-1 expression in gastric adenocarcinoma: correlation with clinicopathological parameters

Fascin-1: Updated biological functions and therapeutic implications in cancer biology

Filopodia are cellular protrusions that respond to a variety of stimuli. Filopodia are formed when actin is bound to the protein Fascin, which may play a crucial role in cellular interactions and motility during cancer metastasis. Significantly, the noncanonical features of Fascin-1 are gradually being clarified, including the related molecular network contributing to metabolic reprogramming, chemotherapy resistance, stemness ac-tivity, and tumor microenvironment events. However, the relationship between biological characteristics and pathological features to identify effective therapeutic strategies needs to be studied further. The pur-pose of this review article is to provide a broad overview of the latest molecular networks and multiomics research regarding fascins and cancer. It also highlights their direct and indirect effects on available cancer treatments. With this multidisciplinary approach, researchers and clinicians can gain the most relevant in-formation on the function of fascins in cancer progression, which may facilitate clinical applications in the future.

Fascin in Gynecological Cancers: An Update of the Literature

Simple Summary

Fascin, an actin-binding protein, is upregulated in different types of human cancers. It is reportedly responsible for increasing the invasive and metastatic ability of cancer cells by reducing cell–cell adhesions. This review provides a brief overview of fascin and its interactions with other genes and oncoviruses to induce the onset and progression of cancer.

Abstract

Fascin is an actin-binding protein that is encoded by the FSCN1 gene (located on chromosome 7). It triggers membrane projections and stimulates cell motility in cancer cells. Fascin overexpression has been described in different types of human cancers in which its expression correlated with tumor growth, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, overexpression of fascin was found in oncovirus-infected cells, such as human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), disrupting the cell–cell adhesion and enhancing cancer progression. Based on these findings, several studies reported fascin as a potential biomarker and a therapeutic target in various cancers. This review provides a brief overview of the FSCN1 role in various cancers with emphasis on gynecological malignancies. We also discuss fascin interactions with other genes and oncoviruses through which it might induce cancer development and progression.

Cortactin Is Required for Efficient FAK, Src and Abl Tyrosine Kinase Activation and Phosphorylation of Helicobacter pylori CagA

Cortactin is a well-known regulatory protein of the host actin cytoskeleton and represents an attractive target of microbial pathogens like Helicobacter pylori. H. pylori manipulates cortactin's phosphorylation status by type-IV secretion-dependent injection of its virulence protein CagA. Multiple host tyrosine kinases, like FAK, Src, and Abl, are activated during infection, but the pathway(s) involved is (are) not yet fully established. Among them, Src and Abl target CagA and stimulate tyrosine phosphorylation of the latter at its EPIYA-motifs. To investigate the role of cortactin in more detail, we generated a CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of cortactin in AGS gastric epithelial cells. Surprisingly, we found that FAK, Src, and Abl kinase activities were dramatically downregulated associated with widely diminished CagA phosphorylation in cortactin knockout cells compared to the parental control. Together, we report here a yet unrecognized cortactin-dependent signaling pathway involving FAK, Src, and Abl activation, and controlling efficient phosphorylation of injected CagA during infection. Thus, the cortactin status could serve as a potential new biomarker of gastric cancer development.

Emerging Role of Fascin-1 in the Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment of the Gastrointestinal Cancers

Simple Summary

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers, remain as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with a large proportion accounting for fatalities related to metastatic disease. The active involvement of fascin-1 in forming membrane protrusions crucial for cellular movement has been identified as an important molecular mechanism behind the phenotypic switch from the localized to the metastatic tumor. Thus, fascin-1 expression status in the malignant tissue has been utilized as an important component in determining the patient’s clinicopathological outcomes. In this review, we provide an up-to-date literature review of the role of fascin-1 in the initiation and metastatic progression of GI tract cancers, its involvement in patients’ clinical outcomes, and its potential as a therapeutic target.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers, remain as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with a large proportion accounting for fatalities related to metastatic disease. Invasion of primary cancer occurs by the actin cytoskeleton remodeling, including the formation of the filopodia, stereocilia, and other finger-like membrane protrusions. The crucial step of actin remodeling in the malignant cells is mediated by the fascin protein family, with fascin-1 being the most active. Fascin-1 is an actin-binding protein that cross-links filamentous actin into tightly packed parallel bundles, giving rise to finger-like cell protrusions, thus equipping the cell with the machinery necessary for adhesion, motility, and invasion. Thus, fascin-1 has been noted to be a key component for determining patient diagnosis and treatment plan. Indeed, the overexpression of fascin-1 in GI tract cancers has been associated with a poor clinical prognosis and metastatic progression. Moreover, fascin-1 has received attention as a potential therapeutic target for metastatic GI tract cancers. In this review, we provide an up-to-date literature review of the role of fascin-1 in the initiation of GI tract cancers, metastatic progression, and patients’ clinical outcomes.

Fascin actin-bundling protein 1 in human cancer: promising biomarker or therapeutic target?

Fascin actin-bundling protein 1 (FSCN1) is a highly conserved actin-bundling protein that cross links F-actin microfilaments into tight, parallel bundles. Elevated FSCN1 levels have been reported in many types of human cancers and have been correlated with aggressive clinical progression, poor prognosis, and survival outcomes. The overexpression of FSCN1 in cancer cells has been associated with tumor growth, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Currently, FSCN1 is recognized as a candidate biomarker for multiple cancer types and as a potential therapeutic target. The aim of this study was to provide a brief overview of the FSCN1 gene and protein structure and elucidate on its actin-bundling activity and physiological functions. The main focus was on the role of FSCN1 and its upregulatory mechanisms and significance in cancer cells. Up-to-date studies on FSCN1 as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for human cancers are reviewed. It is shown that FSCN1 is an unusual biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for cancer.

ILK silencing inhibits migration and invasion of more invasive glioblastoma cells by downregulating ROCK1 and Fascin-1

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive type of brain tumor and it is associated with poor survival. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a serine/threonine protein pseudo-kinase that binds to the cytoplasmic domains of β1 and β3 integrins and has been previously shown to promote invasion and metastasis in many cancer types, including GBM. However, little is known regarding the exact molecular mechanism implicating ILK in GBM aggressiveness. In this study, we used two brain cell lines, the non-invasive neuroglioma H4 cells, and the highly invasive glioblastoma A172 cells, which express ILK in much higher levels than H4. We studied the effect of ILK silencing on the metastatic behavior of glioblastoma cells in vitro and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism. We showed that siRNA-mediated silencing of ILK inhibits cell migration and invasion of the highly invasive A172 cells while it does not affect the migratory and invasive capacity of H4 cells. These data were also supported by respective changes in the expression of Rho-associated kinase 1 (ROCK1), fascin actin-bundling protein 1 (FSCN1), and matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13), which are known to regulate cell migration and invasion. Our findings were further corroborated by analyzing the Cancer Genome Atlas Glioblastoma Multiforme (TCGA-GBM) dataset. We conclude that ILK promotes glioblastoma cell invasion through activation of ROCK1 and FSCN1 in vitro, providing a more exact molecular mechanism for its action.

High Expression Levels of Fascin-1 Protein in Human Gliomas and its Clinical Relevance

Introduction

The fascin-1 protein is a cytoskeleton-like protein, which can prompt structural changes in cell membranes and affect the integrity of intercellular relations to promote invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. In this study, we researched the expression of fascin-1 in glioma.

Material and methods

The fascin-1 protein and mRNA were detected by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Then, we analyzed the relationship between the expression of fascin-1 protein and the clinical pathological characteristics of patients with glioma. Finally, the fascin-1 protein expression status and prognosis of glioma patients were investigated.

Results

The fascin-1 protein was mainly located in the cytoplasm of cells from glioma. The high expression rate of fascin-1 protein in glioma tissue was higher than that of normal brain tissue. At same time, we found that high fascin-1 protein expression was significantly correlated with World Health Organization (WHO) grading of glioma patients. The results survival analysis suggested high expression of fascin-1 protein in glioma patients with a shorter survival time. Multivariate analysis showed that high expression of fascin-1 protein was an independent predictor of the prognosis of patients with glioma.

Conclusions

High expression of the fascin-1 protein indicates poor prognosis for glioma patients.

FSCN‑1 increases doxorubicin resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma through promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Resistance to chemotherapy drugs remains a significant problem for the treatment of many types of cancer. Fascin-1 (FSCN-1) is an actin-bundling protein involved in the invasion and metastasis of a variety of tumors. However, its involvement in drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the function of FSCN-1 in HCC resistance to doxorubicin (DOX). FSCN-1 expression was increased in DOX-resistant HCC cell lines (SNU449 and SNU387) compared with DOX-sensitive cell lines (Huh7 and Hep3B). The resistance of HCC cells to DOX was decreased following FSCN-1 knockdown with small interfering RNA. FSCN-1 knockdown also significantly altered the expression of key markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Notably, vimentin expression was reduced and epithelial-cadherin expression was increased. Furthermore, when EMT was suppressed through knockdown of Twist, an essential pathway of DOX-induced EMT, the viability of HCC cells following treatment with DOX was not affected by FSCN-1 expression. Furthermore, FSCN-1 knockdown eliminated hypoxia-induced doxorubicin resistance and EMT. The results of the present study indicated that FSCN-1 expression increased DOX resistance in HCC cells via the promotion of EMT, and this phenomenon was maintained in a hypoxic environment. FSCN-1 potentially represents a novel target to overcome resistance to DOX in HCC.

Smad4/Fascin index is highly prognostic in patients with diffuse type EBV-associated gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is a heterogeneous disorder for which predicting clinical outcomes is challenging, although various biomarkers have been suggested. The Smad4 and Fascin proteins are known prognostic indicators of different types of malignancy. Smad4 primarily functions as a key regulator of tumor suppression, whereas Fascin exhibits oncogenic function by enhancing tumor infiltration. A combined marker based on these opposing roles may improve prognostic accuracy in gastric cancer. Smad4 and Fascin expression was assessed in tissue microarrays obtained from 285 primary gastric adenocarcinoma, 201 normal tissue, and 51 metastatic adenocarcinoma samples. A Smad4/Fascin index based on the relative expression of each protein was divided into low- and high-expression groups using receiver operating characteristic curves. We compared normal tissue, primary adenocarcinoma, and metastatic adenocarcinoma in Smad4 and Fascin expression and the differences in clinicopathological findings between low Smad4/Fascin and high Smad4/Fascin expression in gastric adenocarcinoma. High Smad4/Fascin expression was significantly associated with worse outcomes, such as old age, advanced T and N category, large tumor size, high histological grade, lymphatic and vascular invasion, and presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (all p < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed a significant relationship between disease-free or overall survival and Smad4/Fascin index in diffuse-type or EBV-associated gastric cancer (all p < 0.05). A dual marker system using Smad4 and Fascin may be a reliable indicator for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with diffuse-type or EBV-associated gastric cancer.

The meta and bioinformatics analysis of fascin expression in gastric cancer: a potential marker for aggressiveness and worse prognosis

Fascin is a FSCN1-encoded actin bundling protein, and positively associated with proliferation, migration and metastasis of malignancies. Here, we performed a systematic meta and bioinformatics analysis through multiple online databases up to March 14, 2017. We found up-regulated fascin expression in gastric cancer, compared with normal mucosa (p<0.05). Fascin expression was positively with lymph node metastasis, TNM staging and worse prognosis of gastric cancer (p<0.05). According to bioinformatics database, FSCN1 mRNA expression was higher in gastric cancer than normal tissues (p<0.05). According to Kaplan-Meier plotter, we found that a higher FSCN1 expression was negatively correlated with overall and progression-free survival rates of all cancer patients, even stratified by aggressive parameters (p<0.05). These findings indicated that fascin expression might be employed as a potential marker to indicate gastric carcinogenesis and subsequent progression, even prognosis.

Analysis of Fascin-1 in Relation to Gleason Risk Classification and Nuclear ETS-Related Gene Status of Human Prostate Carcinomas: An Immunohistochemical Study of Clinically Annotated Tumours From the Wales Cancer Bank

Although prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing can identify early-stage prostate cancers, additional biomarkers are needed for risk stratification. In one study, high levels of the actin-bundling protein, fascin-1, were correlated with lethal-phase, hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Analyses of independent samples are needed to establish the value of fascin-1 as a possible biomarker. We examined fascin-1 by immunohistochemistry in tumour specimens from the Wales Cancer Bank in comparison with nuclear-located ETS-related gene (ERG), an emerging marker for aggressive prostate cancer. Fascin-1 was elevated in focal areas of a minority of tumours, yet fascin-1-positivity did not differentiate tumours of low-, intermediate-, or high-risk Gleason scores and did not correlate with PSA status or biochemical relapse after surgery. Stromal fascin-1 correlated with high Gleason score. Nuclear ERG was upregulated in tumours but not in stroma. The complexities of fascin-1 status indicate that fascin-1 is unlikely to provide a suitable biomarker for prediction of aggressive prostate cancers.

miR-539 inhibits FSCN1 expression and suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma migration and invasion

Increasing evidence indicates that the dysregulation of miRNAs that act as tumor suppressors or oncogenes is involved in tumorigenesis. However, the role of miR-539 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been well investigated. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), proliferation assay, colony formation assay, migration and invasion assays, western blotting, and xenograft tumor growth models were performed to assess the expression levels and functions of miR-539 in HCC. Luciferase reporter assays, qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to identify and verify the targets of miR-539. miR-539 was significantly downregulated in HCC cell lines and tissue samples. Ectopic expression of miR-539 inhibited cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and suppressed xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Fascin homologue 1 (FSCN1) was verified as a direct target of miR-539, and overexpression of FSCN1 promoted HCC cell migration and invasion. miR-539 acts as a novel tumor suppressor in the development and progression of HCC by targeting FSCN1, providing new insight into the mechanisms of HCC carcinogenesis and suggesting that miR-539 may be a therapeutic target.

miR-429 functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting FSCN1 in gastric cancer cells

It has been previously reported that the deregulation of microRNAs in gastric cancer (GC) was correlated with the progression and prognosis. miR-429, a member of the miR-200 family, was previously shown to play an important role in human carcinomas. Our study shows that miR-429 is significantly downregulated in GC tissues compared with matched nontumor tissues. Overexpression of miR-429 in GC cells suppressed cell proliferation. Fascin-1 (FSCN1) was identified as one of the targets of miR-429 and knockdown of FSCN1 mimics the function of miR-429 overexpression. In conclusion, miR-429 acts as a tumor suppressor by targeting FSCN1, suggesting that miR-429 and FSCN1 can both be potential therapeutic targets of GC.

Fascin1 in carcinomas: Its regulation and prognostic value

Previous cell biological studies demonstrate that the actin bundling protein fascin1 regulates cell motility, migration and invasion. Human studies demonstrate that fascin1 is upregulated in many epithelial cancers. This review gives a brief overview of the role of fascin1 in cell migration and invasion, but focuses mainly on the regulation and clinical relevance of fascin1 in epithelial cancers. Here, we propose fascin1 as a potent prognostic biomarker for breast, colorectal, esophageal cancers and head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Fascin1 may also be an attractive drug target against these carcinomas in the future, but more studies are needed.

MicroRNA‑145 inhibits the malignant phenotypes of gastric carcinoma cells via downregulation of fascin 1 expression

MicroRNA (miR)‑145 has been demonstrated to act as a tumor suppressor, and deregulation of fascin 1 (FSCN1) has been observed in several types of human malignancy, including gastric carcinoma. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the function of miR‑145, specifically its targets in gastric carcinoma have yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, downregulation of miR‑145 and upregulation of FSCN1 was identified in gastric carcinoma cell lines, compared with normal gastric mucosal epithelial cells. A luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR‑145 was able to bind to the 3'‑untranslated region of FSCN1 mRNA. Overexpression of miR‑145 led to a significant decrease in FSCN1 expression levels, whereas knockdown of miR‑145 resulted in increased FSCN1 expression levels in gastric carcinoma cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR‑145 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion in gastric carcinoma cells. Similar effects were also observed in gastric carcinoma cells transfected with FSCN1 small interfering RNA. In addition, overexpression of FSCN1 reversed the suppressive effects of miR‑145 upregulation on proliferation, migration and invasion in gastric carcinoma cells, suggesting that FSCN1 is indeed involved in the miR‑145‑mediated malignant phenotype of gastric carcinoma cells. The present study revealed an anti‑oncogenic role of miR‑145 in gastric carcinoma via inhibition of FSCN1, and suggested that miR‑145 may be used for the treatment of gastric carcinoma.

Regulators of Actin Dynamics in Gastrointestinal Tract Tumors

Reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton underlies cell migration in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes, such as embryonic development, wound healing, and tumor cell invasion. It has been shown that actin assembly and disassembly are precisely regulated by intracellular signaling cascades that respond to changes in the cell microenvironment, ligand binding to surface receptors, or oncogenic transformation of the cell. Actin-nucleating and actin-depolymerizing (ANFs/ADFs) and nucleation-promoting factors (NPFs) regulate cytoskeletal dynamics at the leading edge of migrating cells, thereby modulating cell shape; these proteins facilitate cellular movement and mediate degradation of the surrounding extracellular matrix by secretion of lytic proteases, thus eliminating barriers for tumor cell invasion. Accordingly, expression and activity of these actin-binding proteins have been linked to enhanced metastasis and poor prognosis in a variety of malignancies. In this review, we will summarize what is known about expression patterns and the functional role of actin regulators in gastrointestinal tumors and evaluate first pharmacological approaches to prevent invasion and metastatic dissemination of malignant cells.

Association between genetic polymorphisms in cortactin and susceptibility to gastric cancer

PURPOSE

Overexpression of cortactin (CTTN) in human tumors has been proposed to result in increased cell migration and metastatic potential. Here, we determined the frequencies of CTTN g.-9101C>T, g.-8748C>T, and g.72C>T polymorphisms in apparently healthy subjects and gastric cancer patients, respectively, and the influence of the CTTN polymorphisms on gastric cancer susceptibility.

METHODS

Blood samples were collected from 267 patients and 533 controls. CTTN g.-8748C>T and g.-9101C>T polymorphisms were determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism; the g.72C>T polymorphism was determined using the TaqMan method.

RESULTS

Genotype frequencies of the CTTN g.-9101C>T polymorphism were 97.5% (TT), 2.5% (TC), and 0% (CC) in the patient group, and 98.6% (TT), 1.4% (TC), and 0% (CC) in the control group. Genotype frequencies of the CTTN g.-8748C>T polymorphism were 93.3% (TT), 6.8% (TC), and 0% (CC) in the patient group, and 94.2% (TT), 5.8% (TC), and 0% (CC) in the control group. Genotype frequencies of the CTTN g.72C>T polymorphism were 82.4% (CC), 17.2% (CT), and 0.4% (TT) in the patient group, and 78.0% (CC), 20.1% (CT), and 1.9% (TT) in the control group. Genotype and allele frequencies of the CTTN g.-9101C>T polymorphism differed significantly between the advanced gastric cancer and control groups. Patients with advanced gastric cancer, possessing the TC genotype, had a significantly poorer prognosis than the group with the TT genotype.

CONCLUSION

The CTTN g.-9101C>T polymorphism might influence advanced gastric cancer susceptibility. However, the role of the CTTN g.-9101C>T, g.-8748C>T, and g.72C>T polymorphisms requires careful interpretation and confirmation through larger studies.

MicroRNA-133a inhibits proliferation and invasion, and induces apoptosis in gastric carcinoma cells via targeting fascin actin-bundling protein 1

Fascin actin-bundling protein 1 (FSCN1) is associated with tumor progression. In addition, deregulation of the expression of FSCN1 has been observed in certain types of cancer. However, the detailed role of FSCN1 in gastric cancer remains to be elucidated. In the present study, downregulation of microRNA (miR)-133a and upregulation of FSCN1 were both observed in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. Functional studies have revealed that miR-133a is able to bind to the 3'-untranslated region of FSCN1 mRNA, and overexpression of miR-133a causes downregulation of FSCN1 expression, while downregulation of miR-133a leads to an increased FSCN1 expression in gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-133a inhibited proliferation and invasion, but promoted apoptosis of gastric cancer cells, which may be reversed by upregulation of FSCN1. By contrast, downregulation of miR-133a enhanced proliferation and invasion, but suppressed apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. In conclusion, the anti-oncogenic activity of miR-133a may involve the inhibition of the target gene FSCN1. The present study suggested that miR-133a may be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of gastric cancer.

Down-regulation of miR-326 is associated with poor prognosis and promotes growth and metastasis by targeting FSCN1 in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been documented as playing important roles in diverse biological processes including tumorigenesis. However, the function and mechanism of miR-326 in gastric cancer are still unknown. The aim of this study is to identify the role of miR-326 in gastric cancer and clarify the regulation of Fascin1 (FSCN1) by miR-326.

METHODS

The expression levels of miR-326 were detected in gastric cancer samples and cell lines by real-time PCR. The clinical and prognostic significance of miR-326 in gastric cancer patients were analyzed. Furthermore, the function of miR-326 on tumor cell growth and mobility were explored through MTT, colony formation, Transwell migration and invasion assays in vitro. A miR-326 target was confirmed using luciferase reporter assays, real-time PCR and Western blot.

RESULTS

Our study showed that miR-326 expression was decreased in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, and low expression of miR-326 was associated to clinical stage, tumor depth, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. In survival analysis, low expression of miR-326 was a poor independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies showed that miR-326 served as a tumor suppressor regulating gastric cancer cells growth, migration and invasion. Furthermore, we identified FSCN1 as the functional target of miR-326 by directly targeting the 3'-UTR of FSCN1.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that miR-326 overexpression was a poor prognostic marker for gastric cancer patients, and miR-326 served as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer via directly regulating FSCN1.

The role of microRNA-133b and its target gene FSCN1 in gastric cancer

Background

Increasing evidences have documented that microRNAs (miRNAs) act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression of miR-133b in a large number of GC samples and elucidate its role in GC carcinogenesis and the detailed mechanism.

Methods

We used Taqman probe stem-loop real-time PCR to accurately measure the levels of miR-133b in 100 pairs of gastric cancer tissues and the adjacent non-neoplastic tissues. miR-133b mimics were overexpressed in GC cell lines, miR-133b inhibitors were also introduced in GES cells to investigate its role on regulating cell proliferation, cell migration and cell invasion. The target of miR-133b was identified by luciferase reporter assay and western blot. Fascin actin-bundling protein 1 (FSCN1) siRNA was used to achieve the knockdown of FSCN1 in GC cells and to investigate its role on modulating GC cell proliferation and invasion.

Results

miR-133b was significantly down-regulated in GC cell lines and in GC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, lower-level of miR-133b was also associated with venous invasion and a more aggressive tumor phenotype. Re-introduction of miR-133b in GC cells can inhibit cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion. In contrary, knockdown of miR-133b in GES cells can promote cell proliferation and invasion. Further investigation indicated that miR-133b targeted FSCN1 in GC cells and knockdown of FSCN1 can also inhibit GC cell growth and invasion.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrated that miR-133b was significantly down-regulated in GC tissues and exerted its tumor suppressor role in GC cells. The investigation of the detailed mechanism showed that miR-133b directly targeted FSCN1 which functioned as an oncogenic gene in GC cells. These results suggested that miR-133b can be developed as a new diagnostic marker or therapeutic target for GC.

Alteration of gene expression and DNA methylation in drug-resistant gastric cancer

The mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer are not fully elucidated. To study the drug resistance of gastric cancer, we analyzed gene expression and DNA methylation profiles of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)- and cisplatin (CDDP)-resistant gastric cancer cells and biopsy specimens. Drug-resistant gastric cancer cells were established with culture for >10 months in a medium containing 5-FU or CDDP. Endoscopic biopsy specimens were obtained from gastric cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy with oral fluoropyrimidine S-1 and CDDP. Gene expression and DNA methylation analyses were performed using microarray, and validated using real-time PCR and pyrosequencing, respectively. Out of 17,933 genes, 541 genes commonly increased and 569 genes decreased in both 5-FU- and CDDP-resistant AGS cells. Genes with expression changed by drugs were related to GO term 'extracellular region' and 'p53 signaling pathway' in both 5-FU- and CDDP-treated cells. Expression of 15 genes including KLK13 increased and 12 genes including ETV7 decreased, in both drug-resistant cells and biopsy specimens of two patients after chemotherapy. Out of 10,365 genes evaluated with both expression microarray and methylation microarray, 74 genes were hypermethylated and downregulated, or hypomethylated and upregulated in either 5-FU-resistant or CDDP-resistant cells. Of these genes, expression of 21 genes including FSCN1, CPT1C and NOTCH3, increased from treatment with a demethylating agent. There are alterations of gene expression and DNA methylation in drug-resistant gastric cancer; they may be related to mechanisms of drug resistance and may be useful as biomarkers of gastric cancer drug sensitivity.

Fascin expression is related to poor survival in gastric cancer

Fascin is an actin-binding protein that provides mechanical support and cell motility, and involves cancer cell metastasis. We investigated fascin protein expression in gastric cancer and assessed their relationship with clinicopathologic parameters and survival rates. In addition, we researched galectin-3 protein expression to study fascin action mechanisms. We performed immunohistochemisty with fascin and galectin-3 antibodies in 471 gastric carcinomas, using tissue microarrays. Fascin was positive in 14.9% (70/471) of the samples, and fascin expression was related to worse survival rates (P < 0.001), high clinical stage (P < 0.001), high T stage (P < 0.001), nodal metastasis (P < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (P= 0.001) and the intestinal type of Lauren classification (P= 0.015). Galectin-3 protein expression was positive in 83.9% (395/471) of the samples and was reversely correlated with fascin protein expression (P= 0.020). Galectin-3 expression was related to low clinical stage (P < 0.001), but not to survival rates in multivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, fascin expression was related to worse survival rates (HR = 1.56, P= 0.036), and can be an independent poor prognostic factor in gastric cancer.

Association of fascin-1 with mortality, disease progression and metastasis in carcinomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Fascin-1 is an actin-bundling protein expressed in many human carcinomas, although absent from most normal epithelia. Fascin-1 promotes filopodia formation, migration and invasion in carcinoma cells; in mouse xenograft tumor models it contributes to metastasis. Fascin-1 is an interesting candidate biomarker for aggressive, metastatic carcinomas but data from individual studies of human tumors have not yet been pooled systematically.

METHODS

This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, using fixed and random effects models, as appropriate, to undertake meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 26 immunohistochemical studies of 5 prevalent human carcinomas were identified for meta-analysis. Fascin-1 was associated with increased risk of mortality for breast (pooled hazard ratio, (HR) = 2.58; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.48 to 4.52; P = 0.001), colorectal (HR = 1.60 (1.37 to 1.86; P <0.001) and esophageal carcinomas (HR = 1.35; CI 1.13 to 1.60; P = 0.001). There was no evidence of association of fascin-1 with mortality in gastric and lung carcinomas. Fascin-1 was associated with increased risk of disease progression in breast (HR = 2.48; CI 1.38 to 4.46; P = 0.002) and colorectal carcinomas (HR = 2.12; CI 1.00 to 4.47; P = 0.05), but not with progression of lung carcinomas (HR = 0.95; CI 0.49 to 1.85; P = 0.9). Fascin-1 was associated with increased risk of lymph node metastasis in colorectal (pooled risk ratio (RR) = 1.47; CI 1.26 to 1.71; P <0.001) and gastric carcinomas (RR = 1.43; CI 1.21 to 1.70; P <0.001). There was no evidence of association of fascin-1 with lymph node metastasis in lung or esophageal carcinomas. Fascin-1 was associated with increased risk of distant metastasis in colorectal (RR = 1.70; CI 1.18 to 2.45; P = 0.004) and gastric carcinomas (RR = 1.93; CI 1.21 to 3.33; P = 0.02). No association with distant metastasis in esophageal carcinomas was observed. Pooling across all the carcinomas provided strong evidence for association of fascin-1 with increased risk of mortality (HR = 1.44; CI 1.24 to 1.68; P <0.001; n = 3,645), lymph node metastasis (RR = 1.36; CI 1.18 to 1.55; P <0.001; n = 2,906) and distant metastasis (1.76; 1.34 to 2.32; P <0.001; n = 1,514).

CONCLUSIONS

Fascin-1 is associated consistently with increased risk of mortality in breast, colorectal and esophageal carcinomas and with metastasis in colorectal and gastric carcinomas. The results were stable to various sensitivity analyses and did not vary by predefined subgroups. These data will assist rational decision making for focusing investigations of fascin-1 as a biomarker or therapeutic target onto the most relevant carcinomas.

Expression of cortactin and focal adhesion kinase in colorectal adenocarcinoma: correlation with clinicopathologic parameters and their prognostic implication

Background

Cortactin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) are two important components among actin cross-linking proteins that play a central role in cell migration.

Methods

The aims of this study were to evaluate the expression of cortactin and FAK in normal colorectal mucosa and colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) using tissue microarray of 2 mm cores to correlate their expression with other clinicopathological factors and, investigate their prognostic significance.

Results

Twenty (9%) and 24 cases (11%) of normal colorectal mucosa were immunoreactive for cortactin and FAK. In addition, 184 (84%) and 133 cases (61%) of CRCs were immunoreactive for cortactin and FAK, respectively. Cortactin expression was associated with histologic differentiation and FAK expression. Cortactin, but not FAK expression was also correlated with poor overall and relapse-free survival and served well as an independent prognostic factor for poor survival.

Conclusions

Cortactin expression, in association with FAK expression, may plays an important role in tumor progression. Furthermore, it may also be a satisfactory biomarker to predict tumor progression and survival in CRC patients.

Fascin-1 and digestive system carcinomas

Invasion and metastasis are major reasons for poor prognosis of digestive system carcinomas. Motility and migratory capacity are important in contributing to tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Fascin-1 is a globular actin crosslinking protein that can form parallel actin bundles in cell protrusions and is involved in cell adhesion, movement, and signal transduction. In vitro up-regulation of Fascin-1 can increase migration and invasion capacity of cells, while down-regulation of Fascin-1 can decrease migration and invasion capacity of cells. Many studies show that up-regulation of Fascin-1 expression is significantly associated with worse prognosis, poorer differentiation, advanced TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis in patients with digestive system carcinomas. Therefore, Fascin-1 may have prognostic value as an early biomarker for more aggressive digestive system carcinomas and may be a potential therapeutic target for tumor invasion and metastasis.

The correlation of cortactin and fascin-1 expression with clinicopathological parameters in pancreatic and ampulla of Vater adenocarcinoma

Cortactin and fascin-1 are important factors affecting progression and metastasis of carcinomas. We tested the hypothesis that cortactin and fascin expression has significant correlation with clinicopathological parameters in pancreatic and ampulla of Vater adenocarcinomas. Immunohistochemical analysis of cortactin and fascin-1 was performed in 50 pancreatic and 40 ampulla of Vater adenocarcinomas. The specimens were from 29 R0, 8 R1, and 13 palliative resections of pancreatic adenocarcinomas and 18 R0, 14 R1, and 8 palliative resections of ampulla of Vater adenocarcinomas. 'R0' resection is defined by complete removal of the tumor and histologically negative surgical margins and 'R1' resection indicates the presence of microscopically residual disease at the surgical margins. The level of expression was assessed by scoring the intensity of cytoplasmic or membranous immunostaining on a 4-point scale. Higher immunostaining scores of cortactin and fascin-1 were both significantly correlated with histological grade, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, and survival rate in all patients. In conclusion, overexpression of cortactin and fascin-1 implies poorer tumor differentiation, advanced AJCC stage, and shorter survival rate in pancreatic and ampulla of Vater adenocarcinomas.

Osteopontin predicts the behaviour of atypical meningioma

AIM

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) histological criteria distinguishing benign from atypical and malignant meningioma are clear, discerning benign from atypical meningioma is still somewhat difficult, leading to interobserver diagnostic variability. Osteopontin (OPN) and cortactin play important roles in tumorigenesis, invasion and metastasis of several human cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of OPN and cortactin immunohistochemistry for distinguishing between benign, atypical and malignant meningioma and predicting their recurrence.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Seventy-five specimens (48 benign, 17 atypical and 10 malignant meningiomas) were investigated immunohistochemically. The mean immunohistochemical scoreimmunohistochemical score ± SE of the mean of both OPN and cortactin were significantly higher in grade II or grade III meningiomas than in grade I meningioma. Discriminant analysis of immunohistochemical OPN expression showed correct classification of 97.7% of WHO grade I meningiomas and 88.2% of WHO grade II meningiomas (95.4% accuracy). However, the same analysis of cortactin expression showed correct classification of 95.8% of WHO grade I meningiomas and only 23.5% of WHO grade II meningiomas (76.9% accuracy). A cut-off for predicting grades I and II meningioma recurrence was determined for OPN (3.0) but not for cortactin. Finally, logistic regression identified both this cut-off (P < 0.05) and WHO grade (P < 0.05) as independent risk factors for recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

OPN expression is a valuable marker for diagnosis of atypical meningioma and prediction of grades I and II meningioma recurrence.

Association of CTTN polymorphisms with the risk of colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

Various studies searching for biomarkers to predict tumor metastasis or prognosis in both esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are currently underway. However, few data have been reported on its association with colorectal cancer (CRC). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common known form of human genetic variation and may contribute to an increased susceptibility to cancer including CRC. The present study aimed to investigate whether the polymorphisms in the CTTN gene are associated with susceptibility to CRC in the Korean population.

METHODS

A case-control study was performed to examine the relationship between the CTTN g.-9101C>T, g.-8748C>T, and g.72C>T polymorphisms and the risk of CRC. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of g.-8748C>T, g.-9101C>T and Taqman analysis of g.72C>T were performed on blood samples from 218 patients with CRC and 533 control individuals. The g.-9101C>T, g.-8748C>T, and g.72C>T SNPs in CTTN and their haplotypes were analyzed.

RESULTS

The genotype and allele frequencies of g.-9101C>T, g.-8748C>T, and g.72C>T did not differ between the patient group and the control group. Further, the haplotype of CTTN g.-9101C>T, g.-8748C>T, and g.72C>T did not differ between patient group and the control group. However, the genotype and allele frequencies of CTTN g.-9101C>T were significantly increased in the lymph node positive CRC group compared to the control group.

CONCLUSION

The CTTN g.-9101C>T polymorphism may influence lymph node positive CRC.

Inhibition of cortactin and SIRT1 expression attenuates migration and invasion of prostate cancer DU145 cells

OBJECTIVES

Cortactin is overexpressed in various types of cancer and enhances cell motility. It has been recently reported that silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 interacts with cortactin and promotes cell migration. Here, we examined the role of cortactin and silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 in migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells.

METHODS

The cortactin expression levels in DU145, LNCaP and PC3 prostate cancer cells, and in PrEC normal human prostate epithelial cells were evaluated by western blot analysis. In DU145 cells, the expression of cortactin or silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 was inhibited by small interfering RNA, and the effects of their knockdown on migration and invasion were examined by cell migration and invasion assays. To determine the localization of cortactin and silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1, western blot and immunofluorescence microscopic analyses were carried out. The functional interaction between silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 and cortactin was also studied by in vivo acetylation assay.

RESULTS

The protein expression of cortactin was significantly higher in DU145 cells than in other cell lines. Knockdown of cortactin or silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 expression inhibited both migration and invasion of DU145 cells. Similarly to cortactin, silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 was found to be predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm. Finally, the knockdown of silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 expression increased the acetylation level of cortactin.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that inhibition of cortactin or silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 expression attenuates migration and invasion of DU145 cells and this could represent a promising strategy to regulate metastasis of prostate cancer.

The homolog of the five SH3-domain protein (HOFI/SH3PXD2B) regulates lamellipodia formation and cell spreading

Motility of normal and transformed cells within and across tissues requires specialized subcellular structures, e.g. membrane ruffles, lamellipodia and podosomes, which are generated by dynamic rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton. Because the formation of these sub-cellular structures is complex and relatively poorly understood, we evaluated the role of the adapter protein SH3PXD2B [HOFI, fad49, Tks4], which plays a role in the development of the eye, skeleton and adipose tissue. Surprisingly, we find that SH3PXD2B is requisite for the development of EGF-induced membrane ruffles and lamellipodia, as well as for efficient cellular attachment and spreading of HeLa cells. Furthermore, SH3PXD2B is present in a complex with the non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase Src, phosphorylated by Src, which is consistent with SH3PXD2B accumulating in Src-induced podosomes. Furthermore, SH3PXD2B closely follows the subcellular relocalization of cortactin to Src-induced podosomes, EGF-induced membrane ruffles and lamellipodia. Because SH3PXD2B also forms a complex with the C-terminal region of cortactin, we propose that SH3PXD2B is a scaffold protein that plays a key role in regulating the actin cytoskeleton via Src and cortactin.

Nucleating actin for invasion

The invasion of cancer cells into the surrounding tissue is a prerequisite and initial step in metastasis, which is the leading cause of death from cancer. Invasive cell migration requires the formation of various structures, such as invadopodia and pseudopodia, which require actin assembly that is regulated by specialized actin nucleation factors. There is a large variety of different actin nucleators in human cells, such as formins, spire and Arp2/3-regulating proteins, and the list is likely to grow. Studies of the mechanisms of various actin nucleation factors that are involved in cancer cell function may ultimately provide new treatments for invasive and metastatic disease.

Fascin is a predictor for invasiveness and recurrence of urothelial carcinoma of bladder

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the expression of fascin in bladder urothelial carcinoma, and to analyze its association with clinicopathologic features and prognosis of urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of fascin, Ki-67, p53, CK20, and multidrug resistance gene (MDR) in 111 bladder urothelial carcinoma and 42 normal epithelial tissues. The association between fascin expression and clinicopathologic parameters and prognostic factors on tumor recurrence was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

Ninety-four of 111 cases of bladder urothelial carcinoma showed positive fascin expression, while no fascin expression was detected in normal transitional epithelium. There was a significant difference in the expression of fascin in normal epithelium and bladder urothelial carcinoma (P = 0.000). Fascin expression was positively correlated with pT stage (P = 0.001) and tumor size (P = 0.011), while it had no association with age, gender, and tumor grade (P > 0.05). pT stage and the expression of fascin, Ki-67, p53, and CK20 were significantly correlated with urothelial carcinoma recurrence, and fascin expression was an independent factor predicting tumor recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Fascin expression was up-regulated in bladder urothelial carcinoma. Over-expression of fascin might play an important role in invasiveness and recurrence of bladder urothelial carcinoma. Fascin may be used as a prognostic marker and a new target for the treatment of bladder urothelial carcinoma.

VEGF and cortactin expression are independent predictors of tumor recurrence following curative resection of gastric cancer

INTRODUCTION

To investigate the clinicopathological role of expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cortactin, as well as whether their expression are independent predictors of tumor recurrence following curative resection of gastric cancer.

METHODS

One hundred twenty-eight patients with gastric cancer were included in this study. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were stained for VEGF and cortactin, and the correlation between the staining, clinicopathological parameters and prognostic power were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 128 patients studied, 58 (45.3%) and 71 (55.5%) cases were strongly positive for VEGF and cortactin, respectively. VEGF expression correlated with Lauren classification (P < 0.001), pathological tumor stage (P < 0.001), and pathological tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage (P = 0.003). Cortactin expression correlated with pathological lymph node stage (P = 0.018), pathological TNM stage (P < 0.001), and degree of differentiation (P < 0.001). There were statistically significant associations between tumor recurrence and VEGF expression (P = 0.023), and cortactin expression (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, pathological TNM stage, VEGF expression, and cortactin expression were independent prognostic influence on disease-free survival (P < 0.001, 0.022, and 0.034, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

VEGF and cortactin may be a good biomarker to be applied in clinic to predict the prognosis of patients with curatively resected gastric cancer.

Expression of cortactin correlates with a poor prognosis in patients with stages II-III colorectal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The present study was designed to specifically investigate the clinicopathological role of expression of cortactin, as well as the correlation with clinical outcomes in stages II-III colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

Two hundred and five stages II-III CRC patients were included in this study. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens were stained for cortactin and the correlation between the staining, its clinicopathological parameters, and its prognostic power were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS

Of the 205 patients studied, 113 cases (55.1%) were strongly positive for cortactin. Cortactin expression correlated with tumor invasion (P = 0.018), histological grade (P = 0.004), and preoperative CEA level (P < 0.001). In univariate analysis, tumor invasion, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, lymphovascular invasion, preoperative CEA level, and cortactin expression were significant prognostic factors for disease-free survival (P = 0.034, 0.009, 0.043, 0.004, and 0.004, respectively), while for overall survival, tumor invasion, AJCC stage, pathologic grade, preoperative CEA level, and cortactin expression were significant prognostic factors (P = 0.003, 0.008, 0.038, 0.017, and <0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, tumor invasion, preoperative CEA level, and cortactin expression maintained their independent prognostic influence on disease-free survival (P = <0.001, 0.003, and 0.008, respectively). However, tumor invasion, AJCC stage, and cortactin expression influenced overall survival (P = 0.036, <0.001, and 0.004, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Cortactin may be a good biomarker to be applied in the clinical setting to predict the prognosis of patients with completely resected pathologic stages II-III CRC.

Fascin: Invasive filopodia promoting metastasis

Fascin is an evolutionarily conserved actin bundling protein that localizes to microspikes, filopodia and actin-based protrusions underneath the plasma membrane. fascin has received a lot of attention among cytoskeletal proteins because multiple clinical studies have implicated its expression in cancer progression and metastasis. this may be because fascin is not normally expressed in epithelial tissues and when it is upregulated as a part of a program of cancer cell epithelial to mesenchymal progression it confers special motility and invasion properties on cancer cells. in normal adult tissues, fascin expression is high in neurons and dendritic cells; both cell types have striking large filopodia and are highly motile. it is not clear how fascin promotes invasive motility in cancer cells, but many studies have implicated filopodia formation in motility and we have recently provided new evidence that fascin stabilizes actin bundles in invasive foot structures termed invadopodia in cancer cells Figure 1.1 Here we review some of the evidence implicating fascin in motility, invasion and cancer aggressiveness, and we speculate that by stabilizing actin, fascin provides cells with powerful invasive properties that may confer increased metastatic potential.

Galectin-3 increases gastric cancer cell motility by up-regulating fascin-1 expression

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Galectin-3 is a beta-galactoside-binding protein that increases gastric cancer cell motility in response to integrin signaling and is highly expressed in gastric tumor cells. Galectin-3 induces cytoskeletal remodeling to increase cell motility, but the mechanisms of this process are not understood. We investigated the effects of galectin-3 on fascin-1, an actin-bundling protein.

METHODS

We collected malignant and normal tissues from gastric cancer patients and examined the expression levels of galectin-3 and fascin-1. We silenced galectin-3 expression in human gastric cancer cell lines using small interfering RNA and lenti-viral constructs and determined the effects on fascin-1 expression, cell motility, and invasion.

RESULTS

Malignant gastric tissues expressed high levels of galectin-3 and fascin-1, compared with normal gastric tissues. Silencing of galectin-3 resulted in altered cancer cell morphology, reduced fascin-1 expression, decreased cell motility, and reduced malignant cell invasion. Galectin-3 overexpression reversed these effects. Silencing of fascin-1 also reduced cell motility and caused changes in cell shape, as did silencing of galectin-3. Furthermore, galectin-3 silencing inhibited the interaction between glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta, beta-catenin, and T-cell factor (TCF) 4, and the binding of beta-catenin/TCF-4 to the fascin-1 promoter. Nuclear localization of GSK-3beta and beta-catenin were not detected when galectin-3 was silenced. Overexpression of mutated galectin-3 (with mutations in the GSK-3beta binding and phosphorylation motifs) did not increase fascin-1 levels, in contrast to overexpression of wild-type galectin-3.

CONCLUSIONS

Galectin-3 increases cell motility by up-regulating fascin-1 expression. Galectin-3 might be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer progression.

Knockdown of fascin1 expression suppresses the proliferation and metastasis of gastric cancer cells

AIMS

Our current investigation attempts to study the role of the fascin1 gene in growth and metastasis of gastric cancer cell line MKN45.

METHODS

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to inhibit fascin1 expression in the human gastric cancer cell line MKN45. Expression of fascin1 in fascin1 siRNA transfected cells (sifascin1), non-transfected cells (NT) and non-specific fascin1 siRNA cells (CON) were examined by Western blotting and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cell growth ability in vitro was evaluated by MTT and clone formation assays. Cell mobility in vitro was examined by the Boyden chamber assay. Nude mice metastasis models were established by abdominal cavity transfer method. Tumour growth was evaluated by immunohistochemistry with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).

RESULTS

Knockdown of fascin1 expression in MKN45 cells resulted in decreased cellular proliferative and migratory abilities. In vitro, the cloning efficiency of siFascin1 cells (34.2%) was significantly lower compared to that in NT (78.5%) (p < 0.05). The migration rate in siFascin1 cells was significantly decreased (33.7%) compared with NT cells (89.4%) (p < 0.05). In vivo, the cell proliferation rate was lower in siFascin1 cells (25.8%) compared to that in NT (75.0%) (p < 0.05). The number of tumour clones in the liver was significantly lower in siFascin1 cells (2.0 +/- 1.1) compared to that in NT (5.1 +/- 1.6) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that down-regulation of fascin1 suppresses the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells MKN45, suggesting that fascin1 siRNA may offer a novel potential gene therapy approach for human gastric cancer with fascin1 over-expression.

The chromosomal localization, expression pattern and polymorphism analysis of porcine FSCN1 gene differently expressed from LongSAGE library

Fascin homologue 1 (FSCN1) has established roles in cell adhesion, motility, and cell-cell interactions. Our LongSAGE analysis suggested that FSCN1 was potentially differentially expressed in prenatal pig skeletal muscle. We have cloned the genomic DNA and mRNA sequence of FSCN1 gene and mapped it to SSC3p16-p17. The FSCN1 gene was differently expressed during prenatal skeletal muscle development and exhibited different expression pattern between Tongcheng and Landrace pigs. In Tongcheng pigs, FSCN1 expression was similar at 33 and 65 days post conception (dpc), and then sharply increased to a peak at 90 dpc. In Landrace pigs, however, expression increased between 33 and 65 dpc, peaked at 65 dpc, and was down-regulated thereafter. Significantly different expression levels between Tongcheng and Landrace were observed at 65 and 90 dpc. In postnatal pigs, it was strongly expressed only in the brain, but weakly in skeletal muscle and other tissues. We initially identified 32 SNPs through genomic DNA of FSCN1 gene. Association analysis suggested that the 6840(C/T) mutation was significantly associated with the age at market weight (AGE) (p = 0.0004), average day gain from birth to market (ADG1) (p = 0.0002), and average day gain at testing period (ADG2) (p < 0.0001). Our study suggested that FSCN1 gene plays an in prenatal skeletal muscle development and was a candidate gene for meat production trait.

The expression of six biomarkers in the four most common ovarian cancers: correlation with clinicopathological parameters

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of fascin-1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, cortactin, survivin, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression with clinicopathological parameters for the four most common ovarian surface epithelial carcinomas. Six biomarkers were investigated immunohistochemically using tissue microarrays of 185 specimens including 79 serous cystadenocarcinomas, 47 mucinous cystadenocarcinomas, 45 endometrioid adenocarcinomas, and 14 clear cell carcinomas. The four most common ovarian carcinomas showed significant expression of fascin-1, cortactin, survivin, and EGFR, but not of MMP-2 and MMP-9. In addition, higher immunostaining scores for fascin-1 in mucinous cystadenocarcinomas correlated with T stage, N stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer AJCC clinical stage, and a poorer survival rate; for cortactin in serous cystadenocarcinomas correlated with T stage; for cortactin in clear cell carcinomas correlated with T and clinical AJCC stages; and for survivin in clear cell carcinomas correlated with T stage and AJCC clinical stage. In addition, higher immunostaining scores for fascin-1, cortactin, and survivin correlated with poorer tumor differentiation in serous, mucinous, and endometrioid adenocarcinomas. Thus, the expression of fascin-1, cortactin, and survivin may be helpful in evaluating the aggressiveness of ovarian mucinous, serous, and clear cell adenocarcinoma. Additionally, the expression of fascin-1 may be an independent prognostic risk factor in mucinous cystadenocarcinoma.

Cortactin, fascin, and survivin expression associated with clinicopathological parameters in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Cortactin, fascin, and survivin have been documented in several human cancers and play important roles in tumor progression. We collected 57 surgical specimens, including esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (SqCC; 7 well-differentiated, 15 moderately differentiated, and 24 poorly differentiated), 3 dysplasias, and 8 normal esophageal tissues. Tissue microarrays were constructed and the immunostaining scores for cortactin, fascin, and survivin were assessed. In 46 SqCC specimens, we examined the relationship between the expression of three biomarkers and tumor differentiation or clinical parameters. Higher immunostaining scores for cortactin, fascin, and survivin correlated positively with tumor differentiation of esophageal SqCC. Univariate survival analysis showed significantly worse prognosis in patients with high scores of cortactin (>or=290), fascin (>or=245), and survivin (score >or= 175), poor differentiation, T4 stage, positive for lymph node metastasis, and positive for distant metastasis. In multivariate survival analysis, high scores of survivin (>or=175) and poor differentiation were independent risk factors for worse prognosis. Our results demonstrated that higher expression of survivin may be related to tumor progression and it is an independent risk factor for poor survival time of esophageal SqCC. Survivin may be a good biomarker to be applied in clinic to predict the prognosis of esophageal SqCC.