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Wang DQ, Wang YY, Shi YL, Zeng B, Lin ZJ, Deng Q, Ming J. Correlation between connexin 43 expression in circulating tumor cells and biological characteristics of breast cancer. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18697. [PMID: 37583757 PMCID: PMC10424078 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Connexin 43 (Cx43) has been closely linked to the occurrence and progression of breast cancer. Distant metastasis of breast cancer is aided by the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). However, the impact of Cx43 expression on CTCs and the extent of its role in the disease remain unclear. Methods We determined CTCs in 156 patients, who had breast cancer with a disease course of two or more years. We also measured the expression of Cx43 in the CTCs. The CTCs were detected in the blood of 139 of these patients. These 139 patients were divided into two groups: the Cx43 group and the non-Cx43 group based on their Cx43 expression. Results Overall, Cx43 expression was found in 83 of the 139 patients (59.7%, 83/139 cases). The two groups significantly differed in terms of the number of mixed biphenotypic type CTCs and the total number of CTCs (P < 0.05). There were significant correlations between Cx43 expression and Ki67 expression, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage (P < 0.05 for all). The data suggested that patients with Cx43 expression had a higher risk of distant metastasis and had later-stage disease. The difference in Cx43 expression between patients with and without epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) overexpression was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The difference in disease-free survival (DFS) between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.03), and the Cx43 group had a shorter duration of DFS. Univariate Cox regression analysis revealed that Cx43 expression, Her2 expression, and tumor size were significantly correlated with DFS (P = 0.03, 0.0023, and 0.01, respectively). Conclusion Cx43 expression in the CTCs of patients with breast cancer is a cancer-promoting factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Qing Wang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Wang
- Department of Emergency, Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an 710003, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Ling Shi
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Zeng
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Zi-Jing Lin
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Qin Deng
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Ming
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, People's Republic of China
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Niu Z, Xu Y, Li Y, Chen Y, Han Y. Construction and validation of a novel pyroptosis-related signature to predict prognosis in patients with cutaneous melanoma. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2022; 19:688-706. [PMID: 34903008 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2022031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is one of the most malignant skin cancers and remains a health concern worldwide. Pyroptosis is a newly recognized form of programmed cell death and plays a vital role in cancer progression. We aim to construct a prognostic model for SKCM patients based on pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs). SKCM patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were divided into training and validation cohorts. We used GSE65904 downloaded from GEO database as an external validation cohort. We performed Cox regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression to identify prognostic genes and built a risk score. Patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups based on the risk score. Differently expressed genes (DEGs), immune cell infiltration and immune-related pathways activation were compared between the two groups. We established a model containing 4 PRGs, i.e., GSDMA, GSDMC, AIM2 and NOD2. The overall survival (OS) time was significantly different between the 2 groups. The risk score was an independent predictor for prognosis in both the uni- and multi-variable Cox regressions. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encylopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses showed that DEGs were enriched in immune-related pathways. Most types of immune cells were highly expressed in the low risk group. All immune pathways were significantly up-regulated in the low-risk group. In addition, low-risk patients had a better response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Our novel pyroptosis-related gene signature could predict the prognosis of SKCM patients and their response to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehao Niu
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Yujian Xu
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Yan Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100853, China
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Youbai Chen
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Yan Han
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
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Li D, Li L, Chen X, Zhou C, Hao B, Cao Y. Dysregulation of lncRNA-CCRR contributes to brain metastasis of breast cancer by intercellular coupling via regulating connexin 43 expression. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:4826-4834. [PMID: 33793070 PMCID: PMC8107087 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac conduction regulatory RNA (CCRR) is down‐regulated in the pathogenesis of heart failure (HF), which accordingly suppresses cardiac conduction while promoting arrhythmogenicity. Meanwhile, CX43 was reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of metastatic breast cancer and melanoma brain colonization. In this study, we studied the role of long non‐coding RNA CCRR and its interaction with CX43 in brain metastasis of breast cancer. Breast cancer patients were grouped according to the metastasis status. Real‐time PCR and IHC assay were used to measure the expression of lncRNA‐CCRR and CX43 in patients. Western blot was conducted to observe the effect of lncRNA‐CCRR on the expression of CX43 in MDA‐MB‐231BR and BT‐474BR cells. Compared with the non‐metastasis group, the mRNA expression of tissue lncRNA‐CCRR, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lncRNA‐CCRR, tissue CX43 and tissue protein expression of CX43 were both evidently up‐regulated in metastasis patients, especially in patients with brain metastasis. The expression of lncRNA‐CCRR was positively correlated with the up‐regulated expression of CX43. Moreover, CX43 expression was significantly lower in MDA‐MB‐231WT cells compared with that in MDA‐MB‐231BR cells. Also, the overexpression of lncRNA‐CCRR evidently increased dye transfer rate from astrocytes to MDA‐MB‐231BR/BT‐474BR cells but reduced lncRNA‐CCRR expression and suppressed the transmigration of MDA‐MB‐231BR/BT‐474BR cells in a blood‐brain barrier (BBB) model. In this study, we demonstrated that the presence of lncRNA‐CCRR could up‐regulate the expression of CX43, which promoted gap junction formation in brain metastasis of breast cancer. Accordingly, the communication between breast cancer cells and astrocytes was also promoted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deheng Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liangdong Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Changshuai Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Hao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiqun Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Grek CL, Rhett JM, Bruce JS, Abt MA, Ghatnekar GS, Yeh ES. Targeting connexin 43 with α-connexin carboxyl-terminal (ACT1) peptide enhances the activity of the targeted inhibitors, tamoxifen and lapatinib, in breast cancer: clinical implication for ACT1. BMC Cancer 2015; 15:296. [PMID: 25881004 PMCID: PMC4407347 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-015-1229-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment failure is a critical issue in breast cancer and identifying useful interventions that optimize current cancer therapies remains a critical unmet need. Expression and functional studies have identified connexins (Cxs), a family of gap junction proteins, as potential tumor suppressors. Studies suggest that Cx43 has a role in breast cancer cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Although pan-gap junction drugs are available, the lack of specificity of these agents increases the opportunity for off target effects. Consequently, a therapeutic agent that specifically modulates Cx43 would be beneficial and has not been tested in breast cancer. In this study, we now test an agent that specifically targets Cx43, called ACT1, in breast cancer. METHODS We evaluated whether direct modulation of Cx43 using a Cx43-directed therapeutic peptide, called ACT1, enhances Cx43 gap junctional activity in breast cancer cells, impairs breast cancer cell proliferation or survival, and enhances the activity of the targeted inhibitors tamoxifen and lapatinib. RESULTS Our results show that therapeutic modulation of Cx43 by ACT1 maintains Cx43 at gap junction sites between cell-cell membrane borders of breast cancer cells and augments gap junction activity in functional assays. The increase in Cx43 gap junctional activity achieved by ACT1 treatment impairs proliferation or survival of breast cancer cells but ACT1 has no effect on non-transformed MCF10A cells. Furthermore, treating ER+ breast cancer cells with a combination of ACT1 and tamoxifen or HER2+ breast cancer cells with ACT1 and lapatinib augments the activity of these targeted inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS Based on our findings, we conclude that modulation of Cx43 activity in breast cancer can be effectively achieved with the agent ACT1 to sustain Cx43-mediated gap junctional activity resulting in impaired malignant progression and enhanced activity of lapatinib and tamoxifen, implicating ACT1 as part of a combination regimen in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina L Grek
- FirstString Research, Inc., 300 W. Coleman Blvd., Suite 203, Mount Pleasant, SC, USA.
| | - Joshua Matthew Rhett
- Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Jaclynn S Bruce
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Ave, BSB358, MSC509, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Melissa A Abt
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Ave, BSB358, MSC509, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Gautam S Ghatnekar
- FirstString Research, Inc., 300 W. Coleman Blvd., Suite 203, Mount Pleasant, SC, USA.
| | - Elizabeth S Yeh
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Ave, BSB358, MSC509, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
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Stoletov K, Strnadel J, Zardouzian E, Momiyama M, Park FD, Kelber JA, Pizzo DP, Hoffman R, VandenBerg SR, Klemke RL. Role of connexins in metastatic breast cancer and melanoma brain colonization. J Cell Sci 2013; 126:904-13. [PMID: 23321642 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.112748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer and melanoma cells commonly metastasize to the brain using homing mechanisms that are poorly understood. Cancer patients with brain metastases display poor prognosis and survival due to the lack of effective therapeutics and treatment strategies. Recent work using intravital microscopy and preclinical animal models indicates that metastatic cells colonize the brain, specifically in close contact with the existing brain vasculature. However, it is not known how contact with the vascular niche promotes microtumor formation. Here, we investigate the role of connexins in mediating early events in brain colonization using transparent zebrafish and chicken embryo models of brain metastasis. We provide evidence that breast cancer and melanoma cells utilize connexin gap junction proteins (Cx43, Cx26) to initiate brain metastatic lesion formation in association with the vasculature. RNAi depletion of connexins or pharmacological blocking of connexin-mediated cell-cell communication with carbenoxolone inhibited brain colonization by blocking tumor cell extravasation and blood vessel co-option. Activation of the metastatic gene twist in breast cancer cells increased Cx43 protein expression and gap junction communication, leading to increased extravasation, blood vessel co-option and brain colonization. Conversely, inhibiting twist activity reduced Cx43-mediated gap junction coupling and brain colonization. Database analyses of patient histories revealed increased expression of Cx26 and Cx43 in primary melanoma and breast cancer tumors, respectively, which correlated with increased cancer recurrence and metastasis. Together, our data indicate that Cx43 and Cx26 mediate cancer cell metastasis to the brain and suggest that connexins might be exploited therapeutically to benefit cancer patients with metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Stoletov
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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Ehira N, Oshiumi H, Matsumoto M, Kondo T, Asaka M, Seya T. An embryo-specific expressing TGF-β family protein, growth-differentiation factor 3 (GDF3), augments progression of B16 melanoma. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2010; 29:135. [PMID: 20950440 PMCID: PMC2972255 DOI: 10.1186/1756-9966-29-135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2010] [Accepted: 10/15/2010] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Malignant tumor cells often express embryonic antigens which share the expression with embryonic stem (ES) cells. The embryonic antigens are usually encoded by ES cell-specific genes, a number of which are associated with tumorigenesis and/or tumor progression. We examined the expression of ES cell-specific genes in the mouse B16 melanoma cell line to identify the factors promoting tumorigenesis. We found that endogenous growth-differentiation factor 3 (GDF3) expression was induced in implant B16 tumor during tumor progression in syngenic C57BL/6 mice. B16 F10, a subline with a high metastatic potential, continuously expressed GDF3 while low metastatic B16 F1 expressed comparatively decreased levels of GDF3. Overexpression of GDF3 promoted growth of implanted melanoma B16 F1 and F10 in syngenic mice. Ectopic expression of GDF3 was accompanied by an increased level of production of CD24/CD44. Such a profile was reported to be characteristic of melanoma stem cell-like cells. GDF3 expression was observed in embryonal carcinomas, primary testicular germ cell tumors, seminomas and breast carcinomas. However, the role of GDF3 in these cancers remains undetermined. Overexpression of GDF3 did not affect the growth of mouse hepatoma high or low metastatic sublines G5 or G1, both of which do not express GDF3. Since GDF3-driven CD24 acts as a receptor for endogenous innate immune ligands that modulate cell proliferation, CD24 is an effective determinant of tumorigenesis in malignant cell transformation. Finally, our results support the view that GDF3 has the ability to induce progression of CD24-inducible melanoma in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuyuki Ehira
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-15, Nishi-7, Kita-ku Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
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Harris LD, De La Cerda J, Tuziak T, Rosen D, Xiao L, Shen Y, Sabichi AL, Czerniak B, Grossman HB. Analysis of the expression of biomarkers in urinary bladder cancer using a tissue microarray. Mol Carcinog 2008; 47:678-85. [PMID: 18288642 DOI: 10.1002/mc.20420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of Akt, PTEN, Drg-1, Cx-26, and L-plastin expression appear to be important in the progression of various cancers. Their expression in bladder cancer has not been well characterized. To assess the expression of these genes and their relationship to the outcome of bladder cancer, we used a bladder cancer tissue microarray (TMA) of 251 transitional cell carcinomas. We quantitated immunohistochemical staining of each protein using both automated and manual methods and correlated the expression levels with the clinicopathologic characteristics of the tumor and patient survival. Overall, the results from both automated and manual analyses were similar. We found a significant correlation between the expression of PTEN, Cx-26 and L-plastin with known clinically important pathologic features of bladder cancer (tumor grade, stage, and growth pattern). Aberrant localization patterns of Cx-26 and Drg-1 were observed in bladder tumors. There was also a significant correlation in expression among pAkt, PTEN, and L-plastin. Although the expression of these genes correlated with factors known to be associated with patient outcome, none of them was an independent predictor of progression-free or overall survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loleta D Harris
- Department of Urology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
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